Tarot Spread for the Year Ahead: My Overview of 2018

It's almost 2018, which is f*cking unreal.  I mean, who even has time for that?!  Okay, but really, I actually love beginnings even if they overwhelm the shit out of me.  I sat down and laid out my year ahead spread using the Inner Hue Lumina Tarot deck.  It looks like it's going to be a pretty positive, pretty exciting, and even challenging year.

OVERALL ☾ INSTINCTS

Like my cards have been telling me A LOT lately, my instincts and my intuition are going to be super important for me.  They've always been important, but they're being brought to the forefront now.  It's probably for the best.  Trusting myself and listening to my inner voice is something that I've always valued and something that will help me connect with my divine feminine.  I'm feeling it.

JANUARY ☾ EXPECTATION

This card is actually a warning that expectations can actually restrict what I experience and how I connect with myself and others.  I find it really interesting that this card is in the "January" spot.  January is when people tend to make goals for the year and honestly, they usually go nowhere.  But this year I'm trying to be more focused.

FEBRUARY ☾ CROWN CHAKRA

Ooooh, looks like February will be a month for connecting with the divine and my higher Self.  I love that this card was pulled pretty early in the year because I think it will really help with a lot of the later cards that I drew.  When working with this energy, I want to remind myself that I am a spiritual being who is divinely protected and supported by the Universe.  I am codependent with the Universe and everything and everyone in it.  How freaking cool is it to have a month that will have that kind of energy?!

MARCH ☾ STRENGTH

After such a focus on connection and codependence, March will ask me to remember my strengths and my desires.  I'll be asked to remember that I'm still in charge of my life and I still need to take action in order to manifest my desires.  I think there will be more to uncover as the year and this month goes on.

APRIL ☾ FAMILY

Well, damn.  The first third of the year is pretty heavy on connections.  This card's description says it all: I have both a physical and a Universal family.  To expand on that, I also have my Spiritual sisters (aka the spiritual boss bitches that I've connected with on my spiritual journey).  I think this month will be an important one for listening to my guides and mentors on earth and in the Universe.

MAY ☾ RESPONSIBILITY

When you take responsibility for your life and your current situations, you are able to change them.  This month will be all about taking responsibility for what's happening in my life and how I can use this responsibility to achieve what I want.  Some part of this process will be painful and uncomfortable, but it'll be incredibly rewarding if I can stick to it.

JUNE ☾ RECEIVING FREQUENCY

One of the basic tenets of vibrations and frequencies is that your vibes must be high in order to attract your desires and wants.  By living with high vibes each day, I'll attract even higher vibrations and even more positive events in my life.  What a freaking awesome card with such high energy!  Of course, this will be a challenge.  Staying positive and high vibe is sometimes difficult, but it is so worth it.

JULY ☾ SLOW DOWN

I love the placement of this card.  The middle-ish of the year is the perfect time to focus on Slowing Down and replenishing my energy.  At this point, there will have been some very high energy and very exciting months that will leave me feeling drained if I don't take time to take care of myself.  Of course, this is something I hope to do throughout the year, but I love that there is a month dedicated to this.

AUGUST ☾ BE YOU

Why yes, I did get the Be You card as my theme for the month of my birth.  Authenticity is one of the most important - and sometimes the most difficult - parts of life.  By being the person who I truly am and feeling comfortable with it, I'll be able to thrive in my life.  It's exhausting and unfulfilling to be anything but yourself, but sometimes we do lose sight of who we are.  This is my time to realign with myself.

SEPTEMBER ☾ MENTOR

This is an exciting card!  Is it suggesting that I will be a mentor or that I will seek mentoring?  Honestly, I think both.  This card has some strong connections to the first third of the year that asks me to connect with my Family, both physical and spiritual.  It's a symbiotic relationship full of give and take.

OCTOBER ☾ PLEASURE & PAIN

Time to take a look at what I've been hiding or running from.  Another potentially uncomfortable theme, kind of like May and Responsibility.  October is a time for introspection and self-awareness of what has been holding me back or causing me pain.  By first acknowledging what is going wrong, I can finally take steps towards what is right and what I want.

NOVEMBER ☾ OPPORTUNITY

This is basically the moment I've been waiting for.  This is when my hard work and my efforts will finally culminate in an opportunity that will align with my desires.  Oh hell yes, this is card of manifestation thanks to action and effort.  This is kind of like the roof of the house after I've been laying each brick with hard work and persistence.

DECEMBER ☾ STORYTELLING

I am the author of my story.  That is such a powerful message of reflection and of responsibility.  Of course, December is usually the time when we reflect on what's been going on and when we figure out what was or wasn't working.  By reflecting on these important details, I'm able to write my next steps and rewrite what is no longer serving me.

If you'd like to receive YOUR year ahead tarot reading for just $20.18, visit my Etsy shop!

Journaling Prompts Inspired by The Wild Unknown: The Wands

I wanted to write a quick review of what the suit of wands represents, but I found that Biddy Tarot has already done a great job of doing just that.  Here's what Biddy Tarot has to say about the suit of wands:

The Suit of Wands is representative of the element of Fire. The Suit of Wands Tarot card meanings are associated with primal energy, spirituality, inspiration, determination, strength, intuition, creativity, ambition and expansion, original thought and the seeds through which life springs forth. Wands deal with the spiritual level of consciousness and mirror what is important to you at the core of your being. They address what makes us tick – our personalities, egos, enthusiasms, self-concepts, and personal energy, both internal and external.

Wands are also indicative of all things that you do during the day to keep you busy, be it working at the office, home or the great outdoors. Wands have to do with movement, action and initiatives and the launching of new ideas. They may be indicative of a never-ending ‘Ideas List’ or ‘To Do List’, whereby the client has many projects on the go to keep them busy.

The negative aspects of the Suit of Wands (i.e. when the Wands cards appear reversed) include illusion, egotistical behaviour, impulsiveness, a lack of direction or purpose, or feeling meaningless.

When referring to timing in a Tarot reading, the Suit of Wands traditionally represents Summer or weeks. In a deck of playing cards, Wands corresponds to Clubs.

Explanation of the Suit of Wands from Biddy Tarot

I used this interpretation of the suit of wands and my personal feelings towards The Wild Unknown Deck to write several journaling prompts that are inspired by The Wild Unknown wands cards.

ace of wands 

+ In what area of your life do you need to expand? How might you do that?
+ How can you stay inspired even when you feel "blocked?" In what areas of your life do you tend to need extra inspiration?

two of wands

 + In what part of my life do I feel pulled between two options? How can I become more focused on only one? What option am I feeling more pulled towards?
+ Are your thoughts generally positive, negative, or realistic? Why do you think that is? Are you comfortable with this mindset or do you feel it needs to change?

three of wands 

+ Pick three areas of your life that are important to you. What do they look like now and what do you want them to look like in the future? What can you do now to make this envisioned future a reality?
+ We all look at life through a certain lens. What lens do you use and how do you see it affect your perspective?

four of wands

+ What should you be celebrating? If there aren't any big events that stand out to you, maybe there are smaller accomplishments that you may be overlooking.
+ What is your favorite celebration of the year? What are some traditions that you tend to associate with this celebration?

five of wands

+ How can you focus your mind and thoughts? Are there other areas of your life that seem unorganized? How might these things be connected?
+ Do you have a routine for getting your day in order?  Morning routine?  Nightly routine?  Daily tasks?  Can you make any that would make you feel more in control and more organized?

six of wands

+ Make a list of accomplishments, big or small, that you can revisit when you need to be reminded that you are able to rise from any obstacles.

seven of wands

+ What is your "guiding light?" Is it internal or external? Is it natural or something you need to work on?
+ How can you spread your light to others and be a leader?

eight of wands

+ Are you feeling stuck or stagnant? How can you shake things up?
+ If you could get up and go anywhere, where would go? Describe this place using all of your sesnses. What would you see, hear, taste, smell, touch, and feel?

nine of wands

+ Make a list of your favorite mantras or affirmations that you can use as inspiration when you need an extra push for the day.
+ Do you tend to finish what you've started or move on to the next thing without completion? Why?

ten of wands

+ When you are feeling blocked, how can you remove that blockage? Yoga? Essential oils? A cup of coffee?
+ Is there anything in your life right now that is currently making you feel blocked? If it isn't under your control, how can you take control of some aspects or even the entire situation?

daughter of wands

+ What are you passionate about? How can or do you incorporate these passions into your daily life?
+ When was your last spiritual breakthrough? What was it about? Is it time that you reconsider or reaffirm what you believe?

son of wands

+ What is your idea of "adventure?" Are there any adventures that you're itching to embark on? Do you consider yourself an adventurous person? Why or why not?
+ Is it more important to explore locally or further away? Write about your favorite local adventure and faraway adventure.

mother of wands

+ How is your home life right now? Is it in harmony and organized? Dysfunctional and unorganized? What can you do to improve it? Make short- and long-term goals.
+ Who or what are your particularly protective of? Do these areas actually need your protection or do you just believe that they do?

father of wands

+ How do you typically respond during times of conflict? Is this actually the best method that you can use or is there a better way?
+ What are your strengths, skills, and interests?  How can you use these to be a more creative person?

What do you think of these journal prompts?  Do you use journaling to connect with yourself and with the Universe?  Do you usually journal about your Tarot spreads and pulls?  Let me know what you think and if you use any of these prompts!

Compendium of Constellations Interpretations Series: Ursa Major

Constellation: Ursa Major

Family: Ursa Major Family

Keyword: Teach

Symbol: Large Bear

WHAT IT MEANS TO TEACH

When I think of Ursa Major, I think of the mama bear leading her baby.  I think of the drinking gourd that former slaves followed during dangerous journeys to reach freedom.  I think of the North Star being seen as a symbol of direction.  I think of guidance.  That’s what teaching is.  It’s guidance and it's direction. 

If you pull this card, you are likely on the giving side of the lesson to be taught.  How can you guide and direct others in ways that are best for them, not just for you?  Like the stereotype of the mama bear, make sure that your lessons do not become overbearing.  Make sure they are firm but gentle and leading the recipient to make their own decisions.  Guide and direct them, but do not directly lead them to what you think is best.  Part of teaching is also allowing others to figure things out for themselves, even if you did offer them a bit of guidance.  You cannot force someone to absorb the information that you offer them and the Universe cannot force you to take in its messages.  Only the individual receiving the lesson can truly take in what you are teaching them.  Think of this as a gentle nudge.

TYPES OF TEACHING 

There are so many ways to teach others, but I think you can best categorize each way under two main labels: active and passive.  When you actively teach someone, you are aware of what’s happening.  It’s what happens when you host a class online or show your child how to tie their shoes.  Passive teaching, however, may be something that you don’t realize you’re doing or something that is subtle.  It’s kind of like when you post a photograph on Instagram and someone learns of a new use for a common household item or when your pet realizes that hearing your keys jingle means that you’re leaving.  Although you may not be aware of your position as teacher, others are.  When this card shows up, consider what you can teach those around you.  It may be a lesson through a story of your childhood or a guide about how to edit your photos to attract more customers.  It could even be a link to a DIY tutorial that you found interesting.

There are also several styles of teaching.  Figuring out what your style of teaching is can help you be a better teacher.  If you're interested in learning more about teaching styles, take this teaching style quiz and learn more about the teaching styles.  Keep in mind that these resources are about formal teaching inside a classroom.  Still, you can adapt them to discover and understand your personal teaching style.  Even then, this is not definite or all-encompassing.  You likely have some characteristics of each learning style with one that is more prominent.  And this may change`.

THE BEAR

Many of the constellations in the night sky are animals.  That means they also have meanings as animal guides.  The Bear is a strong, confident leader that is often depicted with young cubs.  This shows the protective and teaching qualities of the Bear.  We also know that Bears hibernate during harsher seasons.  We all go through seasons of life, so why shouldn't we rest when necessary?  Conserving energy during difficult times makes you stronger during times when you can thrive.  If this card comes up with other cards about self-care or meditation, this interpretation may be more accurate.

Compendium of Constellations Oracle Deck Review

Deck Creator: Claire of Black and the Moon
Website and Instagram: www.blackandthemoon.com, @blackandthemoon
My favorite uses for this deck are: setting intentions, manifestation, shadow work, and introspection.

My favorite cards in this deck are: Tucana - Manifest, Lyra - Attraction, Cygnus - Love, Crater - Abundance, Chamaeleon - Adapt, and Piscis Austrinus - Intuition.

The most challenging cards in this deck are: Canis Major - Dominance, Cassiopeia - Vanity, Hydra - Death, Sextans - Plot, and Orion - Narcissism.  The keywords on this deck are some that I know I will struggle with and would make great shadow work topics!

Let's get the logistics out of the way.  This is a 90 card oracle deck featuring 88 constellations, including the traditional zodiac signs, and two star clusters.  Which makes it an amazing value because I've found that other decks have maybe half the cards for the same price.  It does not have a guidebook at all.  Not a physical or digital version.  Each card has only one keyword on it, right under the constellation's name.  This can feel a little intimidating for people who don't do intuitive readings, but you can make your own actions and keywords for each card.

I don't love the box that it comes in because I think that the two-piece boxes are sturdier than the tuck-boxes, but that's not a huge issue.  If you want, you can always put your cards in a custom bag or box.  I keep my decks in their original boxes and this one will also stay in its original box.  Another detail that people may not like is the size.  They are smaller than what I consider to be typical of oracle and tarot decks.  I personally love the size, but I've heard that others prefer the classic size.  Below is a photo comparing the size of The Wild Unknown Tarot Deck Second Edition and the Compendium of Constellations.

The artwork on these cards is phenomenal and mystical.  I could flip through each card and stare at the images over and over.  I would never get tired of it, even though there are so many cards.  And of course, no two cards are the same.  Obviously, they're different constellations, but even the backgrounds and the colors are unique for each card.  Claire put so much energy, time, and magick into these cards and you can absolutely experience that magickal energy in every detail of the cards.  Some of my favorite cards are the ones that are lighter and multicolored, but the monochromatic and the darker colors are just as gorgeous.

P.S. Keep an eye out for my series of personal interpretations for each card!

The Universal Mind Oracle Deck Review

Deck Creator: Michelle Black of Forest and Crow
Website and Instagram: www.michelleblackvision.com, @forestandcrow
My favorite uses for this deck are: monthly pulls, meditation inspiration, journaling prompts, and connecting to the elements, crystals, and essential oils.

My favorite cards in this deck are: Acceptance, Experience Dawn, Healing/Chakras, and Solar Eclipse/The Unseen.

My most challenging cards in this deck are: The Lesson and Life Giving Nutrition.  I struggle when it comes to taking care of my body and paying attention to potential lessons, so these are areas that I'm working on with this deck.

This deck gets along best with: The Wild Unknown Tarot Deck, The Starchild Tarot, and Sacred Soul-Searching Oracle Deck.

There is something so exciting and magical about supporting a new deck during its pre-order phase.    You are helping create this deck!  When my boyfriend and I saw the artwork for the Universal Mind Oracle Deck on Kickstarter, we both fell in love.  He actually backed this project as a gift for me.  This is the deck that sparked my love for oracle decks.  Let's get into a quick review of this deck and its virtual guidebook!

There is one thing that I would change about this deck: the size.  It's a lot larger than what I consider a "classic" deck size.  The image above shows one of the Universal Mind Oracle Deck cards with a Wild Unknown card placed on top to show you how much bigger this deck is than other decks.  I tried trimming one of the introduction cards that came with this deck, but it ended up a little rough.  It's not a total dealbreaker to me, but it does make it difficult to shuffle this deck in a traditional way.  Like I said, not a dealbreaker, just a heads up!

We all know that how you connect to a deck almost entirely relies on the artwork.  This artwork was easy for me to connect to, especially because there are tons of rich colors, overlays, and so many moons!  What's amazing about the deck is that I can seriously immerse myself in the worlds or stories of each card.  This is my favorite deck for intuitive reading because I can use my own energy and combine it with the energy of the world in each card.  I can actually see myself in each card.  Seriously, they're that magical.

You've probably noticed that some of the cards have just one meaning or keyword, while others have one\two keywords.  Even though I don't love the \ marks (seriously just a personal preference), I absolutely love that there are a couple meanings right there on some cards.  They always support each other and serve as an extra prompt for the story of each card.

Another heads up for people interested in purchasing this deck: the guidebook is a PDF that you can download and refer to as needed.  At this time, a physical guidebook is not offered.  I printed mine at home because there is a lot of information that I wanted to quickly find and I prefer physical guidebooks as opposed to electronic guidebooks.

Each card has its own page with a brief message about the card, keywords, and the card's element, essential oil, and crystal correspondences.  I really love the bottom section with the information just listed out because it does help me better connect with the card that I've pulled.  The guidebook also has an appendix with rituals, such as meditation and morning routines, and references, such as moon phase meanings and nature divination.

Overall, I really love and feel connected to this deck.  If this deck was smaller and had a physical guidebook, it would travel with me everywhere I go!  It isn't impossible to travel with it and you could absolutely just download the guidebook to your phone, but it's just a little bulky for my on-the-go cartomancy needs.

Do you have this deck?  What are your favorite cards?  Your favorite uses for this deck?

Inner Star Oracle Clarity Edition Review

Deck Creator: Jo Klima of The Darling Tree
Website and Instagram: www.thedarlingtree.com, @thedarlingtree
My favorite uses for this deck are: weekly or monthly pulls, rituals, and meditation.

My favorite cards in this deck are: You Are Stardust, Trust the Journey, Take an Adventure, and Sacred Knowledge.

My least favorite cards in this deck are: I don't think I have one!  I try to pick a card that makes me feel "uncomfortable" or "uneasy," but I connected very easily with all of these cards.

This deck gets along best with: all of my decks! It's a great addition to any spread.

This deck does not get along well with: I haven't noticed any decks that don't get along with the Inner Star Oracle.  Searching through #innerstaroracle on Instagram shows this deck paired with even more decks and it always seems to fit in well!

I think every deck is my favorite deck but is that so wrong?  I was actually scared that when I got the Clarity Edition, I would regret not getting the Magic Edition.  I was wrong.  The black and white designs are so straightforward and gorgeous.  The deck may seem simpler compared to its colorful counterpart, but I find that it's still just a powerful in imagery.  I chose the black and white version because I thought it would complement any other deck I paired it with and so far I've been right.  The cardstock is very thick and smooth.  The colors on the backs of the cards are magnificent.  The deck shuffles so easily and I think it's the perfect size.

What I really love about this oracle deck is that even though the guidebook that came with it is pretty small, it has just the right amount of information.  Just a few sentences about each card and its imagery.  It also has an affirmation for each card, which I love!  The cards themselves can actually serve as mini-affirmations or physical representations of your intentions.  I think this would be great as a weekly or monthly pull.  Of course, you can always pull for daily reminders or messages.  I think that for affirmations to really sink in, though, you need to use them for at least a few days.

So I shared a few of my favorite cards below, but I also wanted to share a sample of the guidebook contents so you can see what I mean about it really being of great quality in a relatively small book.  Also, you can probably guess that the card that I used as an example is my favorite.  You Are Stardust.

I tried to narrow it down to 3-6 cards that really resonated with me, but I couldn't.  I seriously picked 12 favorite cards and I still struggled to keep it that low... That's how much I love the images on this deck!  Like I said before, I thought I would regret not getting the Magic edition, but this deck is just what I need.

Do you have the Inner Star Oracle Clarity or Magic Edition?  Which card is your favorite?  What is your favorite use for this deck?

June 2017 Collective Reading ☾

Happy June, everyone!  We're into the last couple weeks of spring before the Summer Solstice or Litha for those who celebrate.  I was called to do a Tarot reading for my readers, which definitely helps me practice.  If you feel that this reading resonates with you, please let me know!  If you have a different interpretation, tell me that, too!  As with all readings that you see or receive, only take what truly resonates with you and feel free to ignore the rest.  Your Soul knows what you need to hear and maybe that message just isn't for you at the moment or at all.

One of the things that I saw in this reading is that there are no Pentacles cards.  That just means that earthly, physical matters won't be the focus this month.  A couple of watery cards shows us that emotions will be important for us, while two swords cards show that matters of the mind will also be a focal point.  One wand card, in the career section, shows us that we will also use a bit of creativity!

ft. The Starchild Tarot Akashic, crystal point to direct energy, rose quartz for love, clear quartz for amplification, howlite for calm and patience, and selenite for feminine energy

ENERGY // VIBRATION

The general energy of June will focus on increasing our vibrations.  The image on this card invites us to do this with the use of crystals and being in nature.  Consider pairing your crystal vibrations with chakra healing.  Are there any areas that you've felt lacking in?

LOVE // THE STAR

The Star is a card of not just romantic love, but also spiritual love and unconditional love.  A star, much like the North Star in Ursa Major, is an illuminating and guiding or inspiring light in the dark.  Consider how you can guide others through your love this month.  How can you guide yourself through self-love this month?  

HOME // KING OF CUPS

This is a card of balance, calm, and diplomacy.  To see this card next to the Star, a card that also has elements of water, invokes thoughts of feelings and emotions.  Perhaps you need to work on balancing your emotions at home.  The King in this card is doing so with ease, so it's likely that you will too.

CAREER // KNIGHT OF WANDS

This is a card of success!  You're feeling determined and confident, which will help you reach your goals at work or in your side hustle.  If you're thinking, "What goals," now might be a great time to make some and consider how you can further your success.  Don't rush, though!  Remember, this is a reading for June you have all month or even longer if you need!

SPIRIT // KNIGHT OF SWORDS REVERSED

When this card is reversed, it urges us to slow waaaaay down.  We're experiencing great energy and ideas, but we may be rushing through them, which makes them almost useless.  When you take the time to slow down and listen to and experience your surroundings, you're more likely to actually make use of what you're learning and actually get the true message.

MOOD // SEVEN OF SWORDS

The overall mood of the month suggests that you may be feeling isolated or choosing avoidance.  Though this is a card that often warns of deceit or untruth, I'm not called towards that interpretation.  When you look at the swords in the image, one of them is higher up and more forward than the others.  If you were that sword, what do the other swords represent?  Are you higher up because you are avoiding them?  Or is it because you're currently preferring to be alone?  Either way is fine.  You're entitled to feel however you need to and for however long you need to.