History is my gig. I have always loved it. Did you know it is a fact that the World's earliest known Author was "Enheduana". She published on clay tablets in the ancient language of the Sumerian, around the 23rd century BCE.

Her name translates to "the adornment of heaven", and from her writings, and other historical sources it is clear that she was a High Priestess who held the most important religious office of her time. She was from the Mesopotamia region of the ancient world.

One of her writings describes strangers from the North who consulted images on sleeves of tree bark for guidance. I love the hell out of this.

White Light Tarot. Sweetness printed!

You know it is funny how things work out. I was so excited over the Tarot Revisioned Deck that I was wet. It arrived today, and I loved it, rejoiced with it. Loved that they were not numbered, so I could place justice and strength. I bought and paid for this deck and love it, not taking anything from it.

But it is funny how things work. I got through the mail a commercial deck. Sent to me from heaven knows who? I am still trying to figure out who published it? Seriously all the box says is copyright by Jessica Fisher Wilson? There is no "little white book". I'll be damned if I know who published it? It is called "The White Light Tarot"?

It arrived while I was waiting with baited breath for a Tarot deck I paid for. I have a tendency to dismiss free decks, the last was the Gothic, a collection of headstones correlated to the major arcana. Interesting to say the least.

So today I am waiting for the Revisioned Tarot, a definate blow me away deck and I get it, experience it and am as happy a pig in slop over it. Metaphysical life can get no better.

Then I open the unexpected. Unknown Publisher, all rights reserved to Jessica Fisher Wilson, who's 10 of swords is a plane dropping bombs! Who's fool is smokey in a distant light....This is a hellava deck! Rocked me back, and forced me to reconsider "expectations".

Two cats curled are the lovers, Martin Luther King is Justice, and Ghandi is strength. There is nothing more I could personly ask for. The day I recieved my Revisioned Tarot was Columbus day, I got the deck I lusted for, the Revisioned Tarot. But I will always remember the day for the Tarot of White Light, publisher unknown.

Jessica? if you are out there? Your deck blew me away!

I waited for what I wanted and got what i NEEDED.

September 18th is the new Moon. It is also in the Eastern World, from Russia to China the Moon’s Birthday. If you do not want to take my word for this it has been published in D. J. Conway’s book Moon Magic,(Llewllyn Publications 14th edition 2007) and can be found by a study of the Myth of Ch’ang-O. The Point is that from Eastern Europe to China September 18th is the Moon’s Birthday. This year the New Moon falls on this date. Very Cool.

There is however something else going on with this New Moon that is very mysterious. For those of you who have a good Lunar Calendar? Check to see the signs of the Moon for this new Moon. You will see that the Moon will enter Virgo the last sign before the new Moon at 18:57 hourly time (EST) on September 16th, that it will become “new under Virgo” on September 18th at 13:44 and then enter void of Course at exactly 18:57 and remain void until it enters Pisces at 20:27. It is extremely rare for the last of a Moon be a perfect 48 hours. This one is, and it is on its Birthday.

This is the primary reason for my return to Russia on the 14th; this is a Moon that happens so rarely that I must share it with those I was raised by and with. I can’t wait to see the interpretations of this Moon, which we will all agree is a good Moon for study and understanding what is around us. It is a powerful time for divination.

At my home in Russia, we will shuffle the Tarot, count out eight cards for the number of the month and lay this small stack down. Then shuffle the cards and count out the day (18 cards) and lay this stack down then we will count out 11 cards (for the year 2+0+0+9=11) and lay this stack down, we will then flip each stack take the face up card for the day and month and year and create a triangle:

……1……

2………..3

We then will set the surplus cards from each stack in the center of the triangle, to be counted out in the same manner at the Full Moon. This is the Moon that is a wonderful time to examine all aspects of a person’s life, and to see how those aspects correspond with lives associated to us.

A rare Moon, listen to it, enjoy it, learn from it.

Here is a funny story on how things in the Universe work. As many of you know I collect Tarot Decks. I have been for awhile now looking and lusting after “The Golden Tarot of The Renaissance” by Atanassov. This is the deck he did with Giordano Berti and Jo Dworkin.

He did the “Golden Tarot of the Tsar”, a wonderful deck that took the best Esoteric based images presented to the Russian Tsars throughout the history of the monarchy of Russia. A beautiful deck. He also did the “Golden Tarot of Klimt” another marvelous deck based upon the art work of Gustav Klimt. Further he did the Golden Tarot of Botticelli. I have these three decks and all I needed to complete the Atanassov “golden decks” was the Golden Renaissance.

Long story short, got it today. Obviously very excited. Got it home opened it tore through the cellophane only to discover that one card is missing the “gold” that makes Atanassov’s work so unique. That card was the 10 of Pentacles; Naked among both this deck and every other Atanassov deck.

Funny how things work, the astrological association to the 10 of pentacles is Mercury in Virgo. Communicational Judgment…..oh my, isn’t that as personal as a touch on my nipple.

The ill dignified aspects of this card speaks of the endless categories we create in our sense of right and wrong. Our one sided communication, that leaves us stupid to the image we ourselves have projected. How the importance of our words leave us with a healthy negativity to those we speak too.

The dignified aspects of this card tells us a tale of being conscious of “effects”. Effects of us towards and effects of those toward us. There is a talent to communicating that leaves a lasting impression. The trick is to be gracious while refusing to surrender integrity. Like that is a little thing?

At any rate my Atanassov Golden decks are now completed with an error at the 10 of pentacles in the Golden Tarot of the Renaissance. All things considered?

I’ll live with it.

Pre- Natal Tarot cards can be a fascinating exploration in self examination. Every person alive has a total of 6 Pre-natal cards that show what a person has been given life to teach and what they were given life to learn. These cards are based upon the Eclipses that occurred just prior to the first breath drawn. The Solar Eclipse Cards will show what a person is destined to teach, While the Lunar eclipse cards show what a person needs to learn along this path.

Here is an example for how to go about determining your Pre Natal Cards. Lets say you were born on July 18 1975. You would consult your handy dandy Ephemeris (every serious student of Tarot should have one, and know how to use one) to determine when the Closest Solar and Luna Eclipse prior to birth happened, and what astrological sign the Solar and Lunar Eclipse happened in. According to my ephemeris our Date of July 18 1975 tells us that the closest Solar eclipse prior to birth happened on May 11th 1975 and the Sun was in the sign of Taurus. The closest Lunar eclipse prior to the first breath of life occurred on May 25 1975 when the Moon was in Sagittarius.

So next we would pull the three cards from the deck associated with Taurus (The Solar Eclipse) One is a Major Arcana Card one is a Court Card and one is a Minor Arcana Card. The Cards are for the Solar eclipse in Taurus:

1.The Hierophant
2.The King of Pentacles
3.The Five of Pentacles.

The Cards for the Lunar Eclipse in Sagittarius are:

1.Temperance
2.Knight of Wands
3.8 of Wands

It should be noted that the Minor Arcana card represents the first deacon of Taurus and Sagittarius that the eclipses happened in. Also for those who are inclined to Crowley and The Golden Dawns practices you would base the Court Card on the degree that the event happened in, again any good Ephemeris will tell you the events degree.

Next you would lay out the Solar Cards like a triangle upwards:

…1...
…….
2.….3

1. Represents what one must teach.
2. Best attitude to use for teaching
3. The Best Teaching Tool that is available.

Then you would lay out the Lunar Eclipse like a triangle upside down:

2.….3
…….
….1...

1. What you need to learn
2. What it is about you that needs to lean this
3. Best learning Tool available to you.

Take a shot at it find your pre-natal cards it will be a good exercise of self understanding. These spreads are also very good spreads for Parents of new born children.

Since I was about 8, I have kept a Tarot Deck “stacked” for seasonal use. It is a deck that I use for daily readings, and to tune my intuition. It is a deck that has been married to my first morning tea (recently swapped for coffee) for as long as I can remember. When I was young this “stacking” taught me to appreciate and understand associations and meanings of the Tarot Cards. It takes a while to “stack” this deck and it takes a year to 13 months to run through it.

Recently a friend was over, they grabbed for this deck that was on the coffee table and I said “Don’t touch my deck”. They politely ceased the reach. My friend told me, “I have heard that some believe their Tarot Decks shouldn’t be touched, but I have handled yours before so I thought it would be ok”.

My friend thought it was the deck I didn’t want them to touch, when in actuality it was the labor that I didn’t want them to disturb. I had “stacked” the deck for seasonal use, and I was in the second season with spring blossoms behind me and summer in full heat. Stacked and ready to go as easily as sleep is surrendered to the new day. Yes this was a deck not to be touched, not because it is a Tarot Deck that I owned, but because it was a deck that I had stacked for a particular use. There is a difference.

In all likelihood, only those who stack a deck for a particular season will understand this. A seasonal deck understands that roses blossom differently in time than walkways are shoveled. Plants do not bloom at the same time they blossom, no matter what “intuition” has to say about it...leaves fall in the Autumn, bud in the spring, create summer foliage, and disappear in the winter…. No ones “intuition”, or wishfull thinking can change this.

After my friends visit? I can understand where the “myth” of “Don’t touch my cards” came from.

No one is sure exactly when the Moon became sacred. Archeology, dates the first association of a devine nature to the Moon, to a carving known as the "Greatness of Laussel," carved in a cave and dating back to 20,000 BCE. It is an image of a woman holding a horn, or antler, with a 13 month calendar around it.

Another carving in a cave known as the Angles-sur-l'Anglin which dates back to 13,000 to 11,000 BCE shows three figures standing again with a horn or antler, depicting the three stages of the Moon.
You would think, that people being what we are would see the Majesty of the Sun, it rises every day. Feeds crops with light. Is constant. Yet it is the inconsistencies of the Moon that reflects life more honestly. Life when lived properly is cycles not day to day grind. There is an old Russian saying that translates to:

"Trust the Moon, it does, what it does. While the Sun is so fickle, it will rise, but won't shine, on the same dog's ass everyday."

The Sun will lose you in daily warmth, while the Moon will guide you throughout the struggles of the year. Her differences will cycle you through the seasons. The Sun whispers of the day, while the Moon reminds you of time beyond the instant. In the shortest days of winter, under cold sunshine from a frigid window looking out? The Sun lies. So brightly appealing, yet so cold. The Moon however when followed closely tells you what to expect.

Sergei Timofeyev, was a Leningrad geophysicist. He decided one day to investigate the old Kolduny wives tale that the Moon affected the weather. Even today the planet's scientists seem split on this, while country folk the world over know better. He found that Sunspots, run in eleven year cycles. He measured air mass and temperatures and discovered that they had a 19 year cycle, that of the Moon. He found that catastrophic weather patterns were indeed associated with the Moon. Even today ask any Law Enforcement Officer, they will tell you stories of their experience with the Full Moon.

Why is the Moon so sacred to the Kolduny? Because it has been there, like a loyal friend, changing just slightly enough to describe and appeal to humanity. Over our heads and watching, longer then anyone can remember...Never judging, always accepting, and offering her timeless guidance, in our small, yet all self important exsistance.

The very first time that the Kolduny symbol of Tarot was published, was in 1913. P. D. Ouspensky writing in St. Petersburg published his work entitled “Symbolism of The Tarot”. When he wrote about this and offered up a symbol, neither his representations, or his knowledge was original. Instead he used common peasant Russian understanding and teachings to bring him to the dance of discussion concerning Western Occultist thought concerning the Tarot. As the old saying is: “Much is lost in translation.”

Ouspensky described a symbol of a small circular dot, which he claimed represented The Fool Card, (contained in a triangle contained in a square.)representing Humanity contained within a triangle which he claimed all sides of the triangle were made up of Major Arcanna Cards, 1 through 7 the left side of the triangle, 8 through 14 the right side of the triangle and 15 through 21 the base of the triangle. This he claimed represented the Divine surrounding the Human. Please at this point google "P.D. Ouspensky tarot". If you love the Tarot, you will find it a fascinating study.

He then went on to describe how the 14 cards of the cups were lined up to form a base, the 14 cups of the disks were laid out to the left, the 14 cards of swords were laid out along the top and the 14 cards of the wands were laid out along the right to form a square around both the Divine and the Human, representing the Universe in which both the Divine and Human reside.

This was heady thought, that the Western Occultist latched on to, and have held dearly ever since. As clearly shown in Stuart Kaplan’s Volume One of the Tarot Encyclopedia, page 14, where he details briefly Ouspensky’s writings.

The truth is Ouspensky, like other occultists never had an original thought. How he came to this symbol, and how he bastardized it so? No one, truly knows. Does the symbol exist? Yes! With a minor change. Look at the user picture I am using on this post . Humanity is not represented by a dot but rather a circle of Divine creation using the universe that both Humanity and Divinity reside within the Universe. It is not a dot that the Fool represents but rather a circle, a circular line much like the snake biting it’s own tail, known as the “oroboros”…sounds like a good description of humanity eh?

Ouspensky, made his claims stating that an “illiterate and ignorant people could not have devised the astrological, numerological, and intuitive definitions as contained in the Tarot.” Yeah buddy, and city folk can't grow wheat, lol. I wish I could have met Ouspensky, I would have asked him about his half assed knowledge. I would have told him how my grandmother laid out her cards as he described when she left them dormant between readings, and when the Moon was Void of Course. I perhaps, would have explained a bit to him.

I also would have first asked him? Did you ever have a Koldunia lover?

Have you ever howled at the moon? Seriously, between passing cars have you ever howled at the Moon? Consider this for a moment and ponder the little things that get you through. Have you ever been torn apart and put back together with a couple of pieces that you wonder if they where put back right?

While pondering this, imagine being a lighthouse, for those who dance upon your skin. Imagine no place to hide. Imagine a lighthouse, where you must stand alone, land marking a safe journey’s end…. Now imagine being held till you can gain control again. Imagine dark Angels.

Nothing can compare to knowing where they go, where they have been. Heads can be filled with the dance of the Northern lights...but still. There is a stubburn witch. Left with your last imagining.

My heart opens like a morning flower, tell me your dreams, lay your head on my pillow, tell me, so YOU can hear them, your pain, your pleasures, your sorrows.

THINK! This full Moon? Happens on July 7th, it is at apogee, (the greatest distance away) it is also a Penumbral eclipse. Please I beg you, at least look...This is a Full Moon You have got to see. This is a moon that is unforgiving to those who have tempted fate for to long, you will not be let done easily.

All those nights togeteher will mean nothing if you do not see and fall down with this Moon.

We should all. by now have a deck that is “ours”. To many times we struggle over this. I know I have. I have a deck that I have claimed many times to be mine and in many ways it is. I feel comfortable with it. It was gifted to me. My grandmother gave it to me for a 13th birthday. It is therefore special. But is it my deck?

“My Deck” should represent the struggles of my life? Wouldn’t you agree? It should not be based in anything but me? When I turned 13 my Grandmother gave me the “Eclectic Tarot” published by Josef Machynka….I have claimed this as “My Deck”.

When I was 16, I purchased a deck that screamed to me. I took it home and struggled with it. It was a strange deck. The gold edition of “Egorov Tarot” published by Piatnik.I have held this deck since and it is my favorite Russian deck. I had serious problems with the numbering of the Major Arcana. The Fool was numbered at 21 and the world at 22. Is that not confusing? Worthy of so much thought? The imagery is marvelous, anyone blessed to have this deck should consider what is shown in the 3 of wands.

I saw this deck in a thrift store last year. Obviously I bought it . I brought it home and considered the numerology of the Major Arcana. This is a Russian Deck, the Major Arcana has a black background. I therefore used a sharpie to black out the numbers of the cards constringing the Major Arcana. Why not I have been taught, to the point I dream, the numbers.

My grandmother’s deck is one I will always hold so closely, but this, with the modifications that life has taught me is MY deck. There are ink marks on this deck that take me back, dating from when I was 16, with to many from last year to ignore….It is my deck.

It is a deck I scribbled on at 16 and wrote upon at 29, yeah the “Egorov Tarot” with vedma changes is my deck.

I have been so apologetic for who I am. I have for the sake of space and peace deleted much of who I am, what I have to say. No more.

If you don't know associations between cards, numbers and astrology? Well, you don't know. But that is who I am, and I am done denying what I know for quiet serenity. I think it is far beyond time to be as aggressive with what I think, feel, and intuit as everyone else. Cut me? Do I not bleed as you? Is not my opinion worth yours? My opinion has been lifelong.

I have read more about the Tarot then most, been taught more then most. Granted, it is from a grounded belief I step forward. I am guilty of that crime of tradition. I struggle with it daily, is something seen that I do not see? Things don’t always work out like they seem. People punch me for my strong held beliefs, but people also punch themselves into exhaustion, pondering where they have been before, and some are from nowhere.

Here with my cards, and knowledge of those cards….I will make my stand. I will no longer run and delete what I know. Agree or disagree, only time and the Moon will tell the tale. We can all strut around, but you will excuse me if I skip the hoopla and wait for the dust to settle. I am pretty confident in what I have been taught. Like my grandmother's explanation of the 10 of swords, reversed.

Like her, I Have sat my ass in a rocking chair of personal freedom. Letting it go with no care or concern of what people think. "Tasha? let the cards speak."

Kabbalah’s Association with the Tarot?

The association between the Tarot and the Kabbalah can be definitively traced back to a French occultist named Alphonse Louis Constant. Constant lived from 1810 to 1875. He was influenced in his occult beliefs by Antoine Court de Gebelin who had made the claim that the Tarot was from Egypt, a gift from Thoth. This was later with the discovery of the Rosetta Stone, the key to interpreting the Early Egyptian written language proven to be false.

The early Hermetic occultist had already committed themselves to the Greek influence of assimilating Thoth into Hermes. With de Gebelin’s claims having been proven false a crisis arose with a theoretical belief system that no longer had a foundation. What was to be done?

Enter Alphonse Luis Constant a Frenchman who had recently acquired the Hebrew Kabbalah writing known as The Book of Creation. This Book had been translated from the ancient Hebrew to Latin. Which allowed many non Jewish to read of Jewish mysticism for the first time. Constant began to theorize a link between Tarot and the Hebrew alphabet and an association with the Kabbalah’s tree of life as had been taught and described by Rabbi’s Akibar, Elijah ben Solomon, Joseph Gikatilla and Issaac Luria. These Rabbis were the leading authorities of all the Kabbalah writings dating back to the first century AD. The Kabbalah writings included the “Maaseh Bereshit”, “Maaseh Merkabah“, the “Hekhaloth” and the “Sepher Yetzirah”. These collected works described the way of the Jewish mystic to reach out to, and open themselves to the spiritual world that surrounds them.

Constant, in order to “make” his theory of the Tarot’s association to the Kabbalah work, had to make substantial changes to the depictions of the Kabbalah’s tree of life. These changes were so severe that the depiction of the Tree of Life would not have been accepted, or perhaps even recognized by earlier Kabbalah authorities. When Constant decided to publish his writings concerning the link between the Tarot and the Kabbalah, he published under the pseudonym of "Eliphas Levi" . The Frenchman, without a command of the Hebrew language now represented himself as a Jew, with an expert knowledge of the Kabbalah. Once this fraud of identity was discovered he simply stated that "Eliphas Levi" was his “evocative magical name”.

It did not take long for the writings of "Eliphas Levi" to be discredited. He had to make to many changes to accepted knowledge for his theory to work. Some of these changes included:

The Fool to be numbered 21, and the World to be numbered 22 in the Major Arcana. This can still be found in the IBIS and Egyption Tarots.

The changing and removal of the depicted paths along the Tree of Life. To a point that even non Jewish scholars who had read the translated Kabbalah writings scoffed at.

The creation of two new and laughable Hebrew “words” to be added to the Hebrew alphabet.

"Eliphas Levi" and his writings associated to Tarot and the Kabbalah would have in all likelihood faded into obscurity had it not been for another Hermetic Occultist named Heone Wronski, who took the work of "Eliphas Levi" and blended it with the writings of Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, who was known as “Flavius Mithridates” and is credited as the father of “Christian Kaballah”. Mirandola, had written on the Kabbalah based upon translations provided to him by Samuael ben Nissam Abulfaraj, a Spanish “convert to Christianity” who changed his name upon “conversion” to Raymondo Moncada.

Heone Wronski abandoned many of the “mistakes” made by "Eliphas Levi" , by returning the Fool to an un numbered status and making the World card 21 again. He also dropped the silly notion of the two new words to the Hebrew alphabet. He could not however reconcile the early depictions of the tree of life and therefore abandoned Levi’s depiction, for a “Christian Kabbalah” depiction as created by Athanasius Kircher , a Jesuit Priest and student of “Christian Kabbalah”. This depiction of the Tree of Life went through one more change to fine tune it by members of The Golden Dawn, who immediately made it "secret knowledge". The rest as we say is history.

The fact is that the so called connection between the Kabbalah and the Tarot when examined closely is found to be based upon the wishful thinking of some less than honest characters, who twisted much to meet their needs. It is dubious at best.

There seems to be both an interest in and yet profound ignorance of the association between astrology and Tarot among many Tarot enthusiasts. This in many ways surprises me, yet it shouldn’t. The Tarot has recently gone through an explosion of popularity. More people today are practicing “divination” with the Tarot then ever before. Yet a vast majority of these practitioners, base their readings on intuition alone. Many of these intuitive readers will get down right defensive, hostile and even mean if their “knowledge” of traditional Tarot is questioned.

With the onslaught of the internet forums dedicated to Tarot, intuitive Tarot is supported by itself and traditionalists who have dedicated their lives to the study of Tarot many times fall victim to what they perceive as a collection of uneducated readers. It never ceases to amaze me the number of times I hear comments like: “I have never considered the astrological associations of Tarot”; “I never consider astrology or mix it with the Tarot”; or even worse, “The Tarot has nothing to do with astrology at all”.

What the intuitive only school of Tarot do not seem to realize is that the Tarot was not the creation of The Golden Dawn. That Crowley who was a fraud, and who’s only real success was in his drug addiction and assaults on women, was not the master of Tarot he claimed to be. The Tarot did not start with the Rider/Waite deck. The associations between the Tarot and Astrology date back hundreds of years before the occultists schools of western Europe and hundreds of years before Antoine Court de Gebelin published his work entitled Monde Primitif in which he made the claim that the Tarot was the gift of Thoth and originated in Egypt. These are the facts.

Every Tarot student worth anything has heard of the ancient decks, such as the Visconti and the Marseilles. Yet both of these ancient decks have a contemporary deck that is much less considered but proves an association between the Tarot and Astrology, Elements, and Virtues. This deck proves that associations ignorantly attributed to de Gebelin, Eliphas Levi, Mathers, The Golden Dawn and Crowley. These associations were long held truths before any of these people or organizations were even a thought. This deck from the 1400’s is the Minchiate Tarot. Which in it’s original form had 12 cards named after the 12 zodiac signs, as well as 4 cards depicting the elements of Earth, Water, Fire, and Air. It also contained 4 cards (as did the earliest Visconti decks) that depicted the Virtues of Hope, Prudence, Faith and Charity. It also had 2 cards that represented Time and Fame.

Even the association between Magic and the Tarot, is not as new as commonly perceived among many Tarot historians. It is taken as almost gospel within the Tarot Community today that the first association between Magic and Tarot came about through the writings of Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815), and Count Alessandro Cagliostro, spiritualization of Mesmer’s writings. This would according to many Tarot Historians place the magical association with Tarot to about 1780. Sorry, not only false, but provably false.

The first accounts of a Magical aspect in regards to the Tarot come from Pietro Aretino in his writings published in 1543. In the 1540’s the Minchiate Tarot was very well known and more easily recognized by the commoner then the Visconti which was the deck of the Nobility. When Aretino published his accounts of common women using the Tarot as a Magical Tool, he was referring to the Minchiate Tarot as his reference to cards depicting “Fame” and “Time“ indicate. The Minchiate had these cards while the Visconti and Marseilles did not.

While I am a traditionalist when it comes to the Tarot I am not willing to take the extreme stand that many traditionalists do in considering the Rider Waite and Thoth decks as glorified oracle decks. I don’t go that far, but understand the thoughts of many who find divination with these two decks as distasteful. Yet I refuse to apologize for my traditional leanings when it comes to the Tarot.

This writing has been very therapeutic for me. Many times I find myself outnumbered in forums concerning Tarot by the modern intuitive only practitioners. What starts off as a healthy debate turns ugly. I do not condemn intuition, I believe that it is a very important aspect of any reading of the Tarot. I do not however believe that it can, or should stand alone replacing the traditional wisdom of the cards. It is for this reason that I have decided to keep my views on intuition to my own blog and no longer discuss them on other forums. I do not fear a healthy debate but when a debate ensues between the intuitive only and the traditionalist the discussion becomes frustrating to the intuitive only and unfair for the traditionalist.

I being, a frugally raised ruble orientated Russian, normally love a good deal. I recently got 9 tarot decks for 50 bucks. Under normal circumstances I would love this. However the cause of this deal bothers me. Mystic Journeys, one of my favorite local businesses, after many years, is closing.

Sad day.

This is a day of questions. The numerology of the day May 15th 2009 is reduced to 5+1+5+2+0+0+9=22. Which begs the question, is the 22nd trump the Fool? As practiced by those ardent in the principles of the Marcella tradition of Tarot? Or is it to be reduced, 2+2=4, as western occultists would demand? The Fool Or the Emperor? What a splendid question.

It is fitting that the Moon is a waning disseminating Moon. In the 9th degree of the constellation of Capricorn, And 8th degree of the sign of Aquarius. Even more fitting that it is a morning Moon having Rose at 12:52, Southed at 5:45 and sat at 10:42...leaving nothing but questions by noon.

Questions are a funny thing. If not considered one could develop the cynicism described by Shakespeare When he wrote in his play of Anthony and Cleopatra: “And there is nothing left remarkable beneath the Visiting Moon”.

Our Moon is in Aquarius. Which is associated with the 17th Card of the Major Arcana. The Star. The Persona card associated with Aquarius is the King of Swords, and the minor cards associated with Aquarius are the 5, 6 , and 7 of swords.

Today is a day of questions. Fool or Emperor? In the spirit of the day I want to share what questions the cards ask as opposed to the traditional meanings of the cards. I researched these questions using the writings and art of Iassen Ghiuselev, A. Atanas Atanasov, and Mark McElroy.

The Star asks: What signs may be steering me to a better situation? Why? What am I optimistic about?

The King of Swords asks: What are the rules to the situation I am in? How can I avoid abusing what I See as personal power? How does my rigid thinking and dogma play a role in my surroundings? Who Controls the situation I am in, and who transcends it?

The 5 of swords asks: What or who is hindering my progress? Who is a traitor or backstabber in my life? What are the hidden motivations and intentions of those around me?

The 6 of Swords asks: How well have I pondered my direction? What has conditioned me to my present direction? Is there knowledge or wisdom I am rejecting and if so why?

The 7 of swords asks: How does what I do effect those I most care about? How can I reach my goals Without hurting those around me? Am I willing to use inhumane or unnecessary force to obtain a Goal I want?

A Moon in Aquarius, on a day of questions? Begs these questions and more. It is a good time to quietly ask Yourself?

"Fool or Emperor"?

Today is May 13, 2009. The numerology of this card is 5+1+3+2+0+0+9= 20. The number 20 is represented by the Judgment card of the major arcana.

So the card for today’s consideration is Judgment. This card in it’s light encourages us to consider recapturing our spirituality, to awaken to new experiences and a new life, to obeying the Universe’s call to action. In it’s shadow the Judgment card cautions us about actions taken that we could later regret, it reminds us of the failures that come from caving in to doubts that we mistakenly see as faith. It reminds us that we can only be haunted by our own regrets.

Today the Moon is in Capricorn, Capricorn is represented by the Major Arcana Card of The Devil. In the Devils light we are instructed to consider the value of our instincts. To spend time surrendering to and employing our subtle charm, being receptive to suggestion and unafraid of things sensual. In the Devil’s cold shadow we are cautioned about the distractions of aggravation, of allowing our views and approaches to be defined by personal prejudice and hatred. In the shadow of the Devil we are warned quietly of the temptation of negativity.

The three minor arcana cards associated with Capricorn are the 2, 3, and 4 of Pentacles.

The 2 of Pentacles in it’s light will speak of the joys of engaging in love for the simple enjoyment of it. It whispers of honest friendship, of clarity, and acceptance. In the shadow of the 2 of pentacles we find a caution against false affection, lack of commitment, and ambiguousness.

The dignified side of the 3 of pentacles encourages us to be ready to contribute to group efforts. To seek unity, and common goals with those around us. The ill dignified aspects of this card caution us against rejecting the help and hopes of others. Failing to meet our own commitments, and touting our own accomplishments over the efforts of those around us.

The 4 of Pentacles in it’s light will speak to us about making objective assessments of our surroundings. It speaks of the need to define value. To do the work we are compensated for. To know the need for a bottom line. The shadow of this card warns us concerning greed. To consider the harm caused by putting such an emphasis on money that we are willing to hurt those around us for it. Personal gain that harms the well being of others is just temporary in the laws of Karma.

It is a good thing to have a day of judgment under the Devil’s Moon. A good day to carefully examine and define where we are at in the universe.

Here is a handy dandy fast reference list of Planets and associations with the planets:

Sun: Associated with self, essence, life spirit, will power, and creativity. The Sun’s keyword: Explores.

Moon: Associated with past memories, emotions, unconscious, instincts. The Moon’s keyword: Senses.

Mercury: Associated with intelligence, mental activities, articulation. Mercury’s keyword: Communicates

Venus: Associated with love, art, beauty, possessions, harmony, social graces. Venus’s keyword: Enjoys

Mars: Associated with physical energy, desires, actions, ego, anger, courage. Mars Keyword: Acts

Jupiter: Associated with abundance, luck, growth, wisdom higher education. Jupiter’s keyword: Benefits

Saturn: Associated with perseverance, limitations, responsibilities, organization. Saturn’s keyword: Works

Here ends the planets of the ancient world. Since the 19th century 3 more planets were discovered and just recently one of those planets was removed from the list of planets. Modern western (horary) astrologers have assigned associations and keywords to them. Most students of eastern (Vedic) astrology see this as amusing.

I want to examine and focus on just one of these ancient bodies, the Moon and it’s importance to the Tarot. The Keyword for the Moon is “senses”. I would politely state that “intuition” without a foundation built upon “sense”, is better defined as imagination. The Moon as we all know controls the tides of our planet, it has a profound effect on water. It also has a history of having a definite control on our passions and emotions. The full Moon is often a symbol of romance. Any law enforcement officer will also tell you that the “crazies” tend to come out with the full Moon.

The Moon also was our first calendar. From each New Moon, the moon will transit through all twelve constellations of the zodiac. As it transits through these constellations it energizes the associations and influences of each constellation. This cycle has been going on since the beginning of time. We as individuals are just a very small part of a much bigger picture, a picture at times so big that we get lost in attempts to view it. Thus, the gift of the Tarot was provided to assist us in glimpsing the image of the larger picture. To stop us from being one of the blind attempting to describe an elephant by what we feel and therefore imagine.

This is why, the Moon’s cycle is so intertwined with the Tarot. Take a moment and imagine the universe as a large mansion with windows to see out. Would you see the same view from a window on the east side as you would the west side of the Mansion? Would the view between the first floor window change from the window on the 4th floor? The Moon is the window of the Tarot, the Moon is the foundation of intuition, without it you are just imagining the view from a window in a mansion that does not exist.

Now I know that the “intuitive only” Tarot crowd will scream bloody murder for what I have written. So be it, I don’t care. Frankly I am not interested as much in what one sees in the cards as I am what the cards say. There is indeed a difference. When one approaches the Tarot with intuition only, they put themselves above the cards. What many are calling “intuition” becomes the height of conceit. They place themselves as the driving force of the reading, as opposed to the vessel of the message. True intuition is recognizing the difference between what the cards say and what you think you see. I know I will be chastised for this view so be it. I was recently chastised for this belief by someone who told me they read better after a “drinky or two”, they found the booze assisted them in lowering their inhibitions. Frankly, a drunk is the last person I tend to seek advice from.

As you will recall? I said on the New Moon about a Fool’s Moon:

“This is a Moon that will take us to that quiet mountain where even the divine, pray alone. May we seek the knowledge of the Priestess and the innocence of the Fool…may we beneath this Moon have the strength to tame peace.”

Swine Flu.

Can anyone remember in this day of instant news, the first time swine flu was mentioned on American Network News? This is the first time, and I challenge anyone to prove me wrong. It was on July 14th 1975 when Dan Rather from CBS news reported that 14 soldiers from Fort Dix New Jersey had come down with Swine Flu and died. At that time, Fort Dix was the United States Army’s Biological Warfare Research Center. It got so bad that President Gerald Ford was publicly inoculated on National television in the fall of 1976 urging every American over the age of 50 to be inoculated. It should be noted that the vaccine killed more people than the flu. The point is, it has been out there bubbling ever since. Mutating over the years, scaring the hell out of the government that turned it loose ever since.

Today the Moon is in Leo. Which makes it a time of drama. When we have as a society the propensity to ignore direct truths for excitement. Just turn on the TV.

Leo is associated with a Major Arcana Card of confusion, is it 7, Justice? Or 11 Strength? One can get lost in the difference.

The Minor arcane Cards associated with Leo are:

5 of Wands: Associated with challenge and tension. In the light of this card we see the proving of abilities. In it’s shadow resides, recklessness

6 of Wands: Is associated with the hopes of Joy, and the optimism of such. In it’s light we find the warmth of reassurance. In it’s shadow is presumption and the emotional pain of false hope.

7 of wands: Is associated with resistance against the external world. In it’s light we find Bravery, courage and a fighting spirit. In the shadow of this card we see ignorance, indecisiveness and the realm of discrepancy between courage and sense.

The Persona Card for Leo is:

The King of Wands: Associated with the essence of individual human potential. In it’s light we see strength of will, intellectual acceptance and human ideals. However, lurking in this card’s shadow is intolerance, egotism, self preservation and a despotic nature.

I can not say more. I am over whelmed by the circumstances surrounding me. I think I will sit and wait, pondering this Moon’s cycle and these cards until the Moon enters Virgo tomorrow, a time of defined thought. It is rare that I will admit this, but I am lost, in years older then I. I am sitting, pondering, 1975 to 2009. Lost, in years before me.

For some reason the last stanza of Kathleen Cerveny’s poem “Ohio Night” comes to mind…

“Too early in the year for crickets trill
That later will excite these empty hours
My pencil’s rasping journey, cross the page
The only sound that animates this night.”

The Tarot, is something that does far more then "divination". My personal belief is that the Tarot is not afforded it's proper respect until the concepts of "divination" are seen as a very small part of the Tarot.

The phrase "a stacked deck" comes from the Tarot. A Tarot Deck can be stacked in such a manner that it becomes a Luna Calendar. The Tarot can also be "distilled" to a seasonal guide.

I have a particular deck that I abuse frequently by creating a seasonal deck from it. A "distilled deck" if you will. It is Josef Machynka's Eclectic Tarot, printed in Vienna and Published by Piatnik in 1986. I was 6 years old when it was published. It was given to me on my 12th birthday. It is my deck, used only in self readings.

To create my seasonal deck from this deck. I first pull the cards of my Tarot constellation. I then pull all of the Major Arcana cards that are associated with the Astrological signs that the Moon will travel through. These are permanent cards unchanging.

Each season I will pull the cards associated to the season and then remove the previous season's cards, so that the deck changes each winter, spring, summer, and fall. The correspondences I was taught, and use are:

Spring: Swords
Summer: Wands
Fall: Pentacles
Winter: Cups

This becomes my seasonal "distilled deck". Through the years it has been both a loving and brutal friend.