Review – Tarot Learning Cards

Tarot Learning Cards –

Key Meanings & Associations

Self Study Flash Cards

Author: Jay DeForest, Jadzia DeForest
Living Magick Publishing
2013
Second Edition
ISBN #978-0-9858321-7-9

The “Tarot Learning Cards” are part of the Living Magick Learning Cards (r) Series. In a nutshell, the DeForests have created a tool for finding basic information that is readily accessible, at a nominal cost. Individuals progress at their own pace, through the use of flash cards.

This is the second edition of this deck. It comes as a set that includes 78 cards and a 12 page companion book. The box is heavy duty, has a lift off top, and is done in white and green, with black lettering. Basic card information and a sample card (the Ace of Cups) is featured on the box cover, with further information on the back.

The companion book discusses the books intention (a teaching vehicle for beginners using generally accepted information for each card), how to use the deck, the suits and elements, numerology in assciation with the Tarot, the Court Cards, reversals, and terminology, along with rcommended reading.
The cards themselves are 3.75″ by 5.25″, and of sturdy card stock. The cards follow the green and white theme of the card box … both front and back show a white border, followed by a dark green border, followed by a beige border.

The card face for the pips (numbered cards) shows the suit icon, with the card number and suit in text along the bottom. The Court Cards show the suit icon in the middle of the card, set against a court symbol (Page – Heraldic Banner, Knight – Shield) or above the suit icon (Queen – Queen’s Crown, King – King’s Crown). The Major Arcana shows the card number in Roman Numerals, with the card title beneath it.

On the card back for the Major Arcana we see the card theme, astological association, Major Arcana, and keywords for both upright and reversed meanings. On the card back of the pips we see the theme, the suit associations, numerological meaning, and keywords for both upright and reversed meanings. On the card back for the Court Cards we see the the card association, the suit association, elemental association (and associated signs), and keywords for both upright and reversed meanings.

 

Sample: Ace of Cups (Upright)

Theme: Inspiration
Cups: Love, Happiness, Spirituality
Keywords: New relationship, Fertility, New Home, Renewal, Rekindling a Relationship, Spiritual Insight

Sample: Ace of Cups (Reversed)

Theme: Selfishness
Cups: Love, Happiness, Spirituality
Keywords: Emptiness, Depression, Self-absorbed, Unbalanced, Blocked Spiritual Growth, Infertility

Sample: The Devil (Upright)

Theme: Bondage
Astrology: Capricorn
Major Arcana: Spiritual Journey
Keywords: Self Bondage, Fear, Guilt, Envy, Self Restriction, Jealousy, Lust, Shame, Dark Side of Self

Sample: The Devil (Reversed)
Theme: Extremes
Major Arcana: Spiritual Journey
Keywords: Hedonism, Puritanism, Weakness, Strength, Vanity, Humility, Feeling Trapped, Releasing Yourself

All text, no imagery (other that the suit and court card icons) make these cards very easy to use, no matter which Tarot deck you are working with.

As with the First Edition, I advise purchasing the Tarot Quick Reference Sheet, and the Tarot Reversals Quick Reference Sheet to go with the cards. The cards themselves are the learning tools, while the study sheets function well as quick references for interpreting readings.

© 2000 – 2014 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited withour written permission of the author.

 

Northwest Astrology & Tarot Salon – Introducing Christine Payne-Towler

In November of this year the inaugural Northwest Astrology and Tarot Salon will be held at the Breitenbush Conference Center, near Detroit, OR. (More information about the Salon can be found here – nwsalon.com.) I would like to introduce you to Christine Payne-Towler, one of the Conversation Leaders for this event.

As a Conversation Leader, Christine will be focusing on Ancient Astrology. Here is a taste of what to expect from Christine!

“All of the Oracles of Western culture rest in the matrix of astrology one way or another. Sometimes they borrow the basic ingredients of the astrological cosmos (planets, signs, seasons or elements), Sometimes they borrow the format of astrology (tabulating their results in house-wheel type charts, or analyzing them according to astrological categories).

Sometimes they are tied up with the letters of the Magical Alphabet, which is inherently astrological as well. Astrology also provides the “container” and motive power for the alchemical Great Work, whether that is conceived as being spagyric, psychological, or spiritual in scope. Therefore it helps Tarot people to have some exposure to the basic aspects of the astrological world-view held by the people among whom Tarot first appeared. Putting these two symbol-sets together has the power to super-charge your readings and Tarot meditations.

Christine will use her own pack made with Michael Dowers, the Tarot of the Holy Light, as well as others that have appeared across the history of Tarot, to illustrate the magical and astral assumptions that govern the progression of the Trumps and the personalities of the minor cards. Those who have their charts with them will be able to see how different decks and systems illustrate their private psyche, and why they might consider choosing their deck based on what it has to say about their chart.

Several decks will be aid out in a Zodiacal manner, so that we can all see what happens when we play with the correspondences that represent different historical stages of Tarot’s development. We will also be able to see how our own charts “pencil out” according to the different systems. What fun!
You can see more of Christine’s work on her site, http://www.tarotarkletters.com/.

(c) 2000 – 2014 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited without written permission from the author.

 

Birth Card Pairs – Justice/High Priestess

Justice/High Priestess (Papess)

Theme:

The theme for a 11/2 lifetime is bringing life into a sense of balance through the analyzing and synthesizing of ideas. Learning to trust in yourself, your intuition, and your psychic abilities.
Justice and the High Priestess (Papess) represent form the gateway into an 11/2 lifetime. Justice (ruled by the planet Libra) places focus on harmony, understanding others, and finding a sense of balance in life. Libra is by nature active and social, with the need to balance between nurturing self and helping others.
The High Priestess (Papess) is ruled by the Moon, which places focus on our inner selves, our inner needs, intuition, unconscious, and psychic abilities. Here we are looking at reacting, rather than taking action. The nature here is a passive one.

The path that the individual walks is one that addresses bringing a sense of balance to life through analyzing and synchronizing ideas.

Astrological Associations:

Justice: Libra
The High Priestess (Papess): The Moon

Keywords:

Justice: the need to bring balance, past lessons, debts paid, success in legal matters, refusal to recognize the need for balancing, past debts not addressed

The High Priestess (Papess): intuition, knowledge, in tune with inner self, connection with the feminine mysteries, anima (female sense of self), psychic ability, connection with dreamtime, lacking intuition, blocking information, negative nature, coldness, insincerity

How Does An 11/2 Individual Empower Themselves?

Personal empowerment is the ability to focus our personal and spiritual energy in a manner that enhances how we experience our life. As we define our true power, we actualize out potential and begin to live life from a core of inner confidence.

In empowering ourselves, we set the conditions so that we can:

* Find our inner voice … who we are as an individual.
* Take charge of making our own decisions … not allowing other people’s wishes/needs to over-ride our own.
* Understand why we are dissatisfied with our life, and determine what will give us a feeling of satisfaction.
* Take control of our life … make the impact that we wish to make on the world/
* Integrate ourselves within our local and global communities.
* Be proud to be the person behind the mechanics of our own life.
* Know that we have the power to manifest our own lives … in any area that we wish to manifest in.
* Make life transitions easily.

We are whatever we tell ourselves we are. If we don’t understand why we are making the decisions that we are making, if we find that our decisions/actions are not making us happy, that they are not taking us where we want to go, then we have a disconnect somewhere. Our Birth Cards help us to understand the landscape of each lifetime, to focus on what is important, to understand where our focus needs to be, and to understand what internal resources we have to draw from.

Questions to ask ourselves focusing on Justice:

* What is out of balance in your life?
* Where do you need to receive justice?
* Where do you need to make amends and bring about justice?
* What decisions are you currently making?
* Are you seeing the pros and cons clearly?
* What are the possible consequences of your actions?

Questions to ask ourselves focusing on the High Priestess (Papess):

* What wisdom are you seeking at this time?
* Where are you in the cycle of life?
* How connected are you with dreamtime?
* Where do you seek your answers?

Affirmations:

Justice is all about balance, and the ability to make decisions. When we focus on Justice for the basis for our affirmation. We want to keep this in mind. Sample affirmations for Justice are:

* All of my decisions are authentic to who I am, and to what I believe.
* I bring balance into my life easily and effortlessly.
* I expect to give justice with grace, as well as to accept it with same.
* I balance the pros and cons of each decision that I make,
* I try to see all sides of each issue/situation that I am faced with.
* Justice is a process that applies to me as well as others.
* I am held accountable for my thoughts and my actions.
* I set the foundation for my future with my present decisions and actions.
* I understand the difference between justice and revenge, and choose to seek justice.

The High Priestess is all about feminine mysteries, dreamtime, and connection with our intuitive/psychic abilities. Sample affirmations for the High Priestess (Papess) are:

* The wisdom that I seek is to be found within me.
* I use good judgment in all things.
* I honor the wisdom that comes tome in dreamtime.
* I experience a strong connection with the Divine.
* I pay attention to and honor the voice within me.
* I easily understand the wisdom coming to me.
* I place the wisdom that comes to me actively in my life.
* I remember my dreams with ease.
* My intuition guides me in challenging situations.
* I use my insights in all areas of my life to make better decisions and take more appropriate actions.

Gifts/Abilities/Challenges:

Justice:

Gifts: balance without prejudice, ability to adjust quickly, ability to fair decisions, making amends, being true to one’s own beliefs

Abilities: to be able to bring a sense of balance to life

Challenges: not accepting responsibility for the consequences of your actions, making decisions without looking at all of the factors, being illogical, being disconnected from your higher self

High Priestess (Papess):

Gifts: connect with intuition/psychic ability, connection to the feminine mysteries, aligning with the cycles of life, accepting/believing in your own intuition

Abilities: working with hidden wisdom

Challenges: spending too much time in the mental realm, inability to listen to or accept intuition, fear of the unconscious/unknown, acting in a superficial manner

Template For Working With Gifts/Abilities/Challenges:

* Define the area or issue being worked with.
* Define which Birth Card energies are involved.
* Define where on the spectrum of the Birth Card the energy is manifesting. (Very positive to very negative.)
* Define whether the energy is being manifested, blocked, or simply not being recognized.
* Define what type of energy is needed to bring the Seeker back into balance.
* Looking at both of the Seeker’s Birth Cards, determine which gifts/abilities can best be used to return the * Seeker to a balanced state.

Summary:

In an 11/2 lifetime, Justice and the High Priestess (Papess) act together to help you find the truth in your life. Justice asks that you slow down, that you take your time with the decisions that you need to make. With Justice there is a need to find where your balance point is, where you will find harmony in your life. The High Priestess (Papess) asks that you listen to your inner wisdom, that your decisions be based on a deep inner knowing.

Justice asks that we accept responsibility for our thoughts and actions, and for the consequences of same. With Justice we see the process that got us where we are, and are able to bring a balance to our conscious and unconscious thoughts. The High Priestess (Papess) asks that we turn inward for our answers, that we align ourselves with spirit.

In this lifetime, information is processed. Justice does so in an active manner, gathering information, then discarding everything not connected to the core issue. Everything must be brought out into the light of day, in the name of bringing a sense of balance to the Seeker. Justice can appear as a very abrupt archetype, stating its case in no uncertain terms. The scales of justice and the sword of truth leave no room for compromise.

The High Priestess (Papess) takes a more passive, internal path to the truth. Her voice is the silent voice of spirit … a voice that is like an all pervasive mist that surrounds the Seeker. The High Priestess (Papess) looks for truth through spirit. She is attuned to the natural rhythms of life.

(c) 2000 – 2014 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited without written permission of the author.

 

Review – The Magdalene Legacy Tarot

The Magdalene Legacy Tarot

Author: Casey DuHamel
Artist: Deborah L. Shutek-Jackson
Grail Quest Press
2014

“The Magdalene Legacy Tarot – Lost Keys of the Madonna” is a limited first edition run of 500 signed and numbered copies. I was impressed by the presentation of the certificate … it comes in a bright red envelope, which so reminded me of the envelopes that my Asian friends use to gift money in. Very classy! The box and the companion book show a clean white background, with an entwined red rose and white lily. This speaks tons as to what this deck is all about, and what you will find in the companion book!

This is a 78 card deck, following traditional titles for the Major Arcana. The suits are Cups, Disks(Pentacles), Staffs (Wands), and Quills (Swords). The Court Cards are King, Queen, Knight, and Knave.

Unique to this deck, the Court cards represent specific royal Grail families. Each of three Court suits represents one of the three pivotal figures of the epic, with the fourth suit representing the medium uniting all three figures. Each court card contains that figure’s religious correspondence and their “Magdalene” icon, including a skull, a cross/crucifix, an alabaster jar, and an open book. Cups represent The Holy Grail, Mary Magdalene; Disks represent Jesus; Staffs represent John the Baptist; Quills represent the Gnostic scripture and secret gospels that unite the other three.

The Court card dynasties are Cups (Merovingian), Disks (House of Medici), Staffs (Clan Sincair), and Quills (the House of Windsor). Samples of Court card personalities include King of Cups (Clovis the 1st), Knight of Disks (Giovanni de Medici), Queen of Staffs (Marjory Sutherland), and Knave of Quills (Prince William of Wales).

I have always been impressed with Margaret Starbird’s work (including “Woman With the Alabaster Jar: Mary Magdalene and the Holy Grail”), which is part of the foundation for this deck. Which also means that I am a bit in awe of these cards! I love the comments that Christine Payne-Towler made about the use of the Picard minors, which puts this deck in with the family of Spanish Tarots.
DuHamel draws from the esoteric and hermetic traditions of Judeo/Christina mysticism, and uses the correspondences of a continental hermetic system. Most importantly, this deck celebrates a resotration of the Sacred Feminine. This is illustrated through the use of the Grail mysteries of Mariamne e Magdala … Mary Magdalene.

Fair warning … the print in the companion book is uber small! Having said that, I can read it with my glasses … no need for a magnifying glass. DuHamel discusses the background of the deck, the journey that brought her this far, the Gnostic Gospels, and much, much more.

Each Major Arcana card is presented with the associated Archangel, astrological sign, element, key words, Cabalistic path, and Hebrew letter. Each Court card is presented with the element, Tetragrammaton, card personage, and nature. Each Pip (numbered card) is presented with associations for Cabalistic world, Sephira, Key words, colors, gemstones, astrological association, Numerology, Ethereal Essence, and Mundane Essence. All cards have a small black and white scan. The Major Arcana and the Court cards have a quote, while each number in the Pips has a quote.

The small things are what attracts me, what help me in learning a new deck. DuHamel has included such niceties as charts giving the associations for the Continental, Victorian, MLT, and Modern Poker decks (including the element); the element, direction, inherent attribute, ethereal attribute, humor, quality, and season; the attributes in the Four Worlds of the Tree of Life (Worlds, Tetragamaton, Elements, Senses, Astrology, Human Qualities, Tarot Suits, and Sacred Geometry.

There is a epiloge at the end of the book, as well as illustrator’s notes, and an extensive bibliography, with recommended reading. Sample spreads include the Templar Cross, the Cross of Lorraine, and the Thirteenth Apostle.

The cards are of rather stiff card stock. The backs show a 1/4 border, with a circle of red roses and white lilies in the center, surrounding an internal graphic, and are reversible. The card faces show a color coded border: Cups – blue, Disks – green, Staffs – red, and Quills – yellow.

The Major Arcana show the card number in Roman numerals across the top, with the card title across the bottom. Each card shows the astrological attribution and the Hebrew letter. The Court cards show the title and suit across the bottom of the card, with the healdic icon in the lower left hand corner. The Pips show the card number across the top, in Roman numerals. An upright keyword is at the top of the card, with a reversed keyword at the bottom of the card (literally reversed, so that if the card was drawn reversed the keyword could be read).

The imagery on the High Priestess is very traditional – a female figure, seated, with a scroll in her right hand. She is seated between two pillars (one white, one black), wearing a white gown with a blue robe, her right foot resting on a crescent moon.

The Queen of Quills (Diana, Princess of Wales) is dressed in a black dress, and is holding a red cube with three white dots running diagonally. A gold scale stands in front of her, with a red rose in front of it. In the left hand corner we see her heraldic emblem.

The Seven of Quills shows a triangle in the upper half of the card, under the keyword “control”, with a square in the bottom half of the triangle, under the keyword “chaos”.

The Eight of Quills shows a spoke, made of eight Quills. The upright keyword is “action”, the reversed keyword is “aversion”.

The Knave of Disks (Giulianno de Medici) shows a dark haired youth, kneeling in a field of lilies and roses. He wears a red shirt and pants, with a green tunic. He is holding a cross in his left hand. His heraldic icon is in the left hand corner.

The King of Staffs (William Sinclair, Baron of Roslin), shows a youthful king standing, wearing a white shirt, a plaid kilt. I his left hand is his staff of office. He stands between two pillars, over his astrological sign (Leo), with a skull and crossbones at his feet, In the lower left hand corner of the card is his heraldic icon.

The Ten of Cups is one of my favorite cards, showing ten cups moving in an arc from the upper left hand side of the card to the lower right hand side. They follow the colors of the chakra system – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, lavender, and white. The upright keyword is “harmony”, the reversed keyword is hostility.

I am enchanted with the colors and the imagery of this deck, as well as the focus on Mary Magdalene, the Sacred Feminine, and the Grail myth. This is an exciting deck to work with! There are many nuances throughout this deck. One of these nuances is that of the World. Traditionally numbered XXI, the World is numbered XXII in this deck. Why? According to DuHamel, one reason is that the Magdalene’s feast day is July 22nd! Another reason is that the total amount of stairs to reach the top of the Magdalene Tower at Rennes-le-Chateau is 22! Lots to think about here!

(c) March 2014 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited without the written permission of the author.

 

Northwest Astrology & Tarot Salon – Introducing Alan/Adom Stein

In November of this year the inaugural Northwest Astrology and Tarot Salon will be held at the Breitenbush Conference Center, near Detroit, OR. (More information about the Salon can be found here – nwsalon.com) I would like to introduce you to Mr. Alan Stein, one of the roving Conversation Leaders for this event. Mr. Stein is currently using his spiritual name, Adom. It is under this name that he will be attending the Salon.

As a roving conversation leader, Adom brings a well rounded understanding and appreciation to this incredible new shifting times toward evolutionary spiritual growth and integration. He is kind hearted, easy to talk to, and dedicated to your personal spiritual evolution with his intuition and background.

He is the sole proprietor of a new age bookstore for 27 years called Star Gate Awareness Resources in Eugene OR. This keeps him in current time with these amazing breakthroughs happening on the planet. This fits in well with the intention of the Salon – to bring about open conversations on personal development and self-empowerment. Adom will be bringing books and decks to the Salon!

Adom is currently writing a book in which he speaks of the essence of the original Traditional Hopi Prophecy message and teachings, and the need to return to balance by becoming One Hearted. The book is entitled ” Hopi Prophecy Now – The Mystery Egg “.

Direct quote from Adom: “You are guaranteed to have engaging deep conversation and reflection or double your karma back!”

You can see more about the work Alan/Adom is doing on his store’s site – http://www.stargateeugene.com/.

(c) March 2014 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited without the written permission of the author.

 

Interview With Mary Nale

I have known Mary Nale for several years now. She never fails to astound me with her intellect and her phenomenal vision. Mary and I go way back into the days of holding classes in an Internet classroom. Mary had mad skills at handling the technical side of things … and she would make a great teacher, too … if we could convince her to do this!

Most of you know Mary through her efforts with Attune Magazine (a quarterly digital magazine), and Attune Magazine Radio, a Blog Talk Radio venture where she hosts a Saturday morning show, as well as co-hosting a once a month (or whenever it suits us!) show entitled “Session s”. She also holds space for two other Blog Talk Radio shows – “Personal Empowerment”, hosted by Jan Maurie Puhlman and Maggie Lukowsky, and “U Predict”, hosted by ReeNee Cummins.
.
Through both of these venues Mary has gifted us with the ability to share our articles, our products, and more. She does all of the work herself, with the remuneration coming only from the cost of ads run in the magazine. She is about to make a major leap into offering Attune Magazine in a format for mobile devices. She has dedicated a page on her site to a fund raising effort, so that she can accomplish the goal of moving Attune Magazine into the mobile format.
http://www.attunemagazine.com/shop/
There’s also a Group on Face Book:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/FundraiserAttuneMagazine/
And a Page on Face Book:
https://www.facebook.com/AttuneYOURway
Mary has agreed to answer a few questions about how we can help her to accomplish this goal.

BC: Mary, let’s backtrack for a minute. What prompted you to start Attune Magazine in the first place?

MN: Attune Magazine came to me in a dream-the color, the concept and the format. Attune Magazine is a way to share, teach and learn without the constraints of an online community or costly membership fees. I like to think of this as a magazine created by the community for the community.

BC: How did the movement to add Blog Talk Radio come about?

MN: Blog Talk Radio seemed to be the next logical step in creating a place to learn, share and grow. This also provides a platform for others to share what they have created-sort of a promotional tool for the metaphysical community.

BC: You have deep tentacles into the metaphysical world. Who is your target audience?

MN: My target audience continues to evolve and change! On the one hand there is a need to reach every Indie in the metaphysical field. On the other hand there’s a need to reach the person who enjoys reading the articles in the magazine. And then of course there couldn’t be a magazine without the writers. Revenue from advertising is what keeps the magazine going so there’s also a need to reach the metaphysical business owner. I can tell you this has been a challenge and I’m still learning.

BC: What are some of the benefits to having Attune Magazine in a mobile format?

MN: This upgrade is the single most important project since beginning the magazine. It has been the number one request for two years straight to have Attune Magazine available on iPad. People want portable!

I truly believe this will increase readership and by increasing readership we increase the exposure to each writer and each advertiser. We live in a fast paced, very on the go world and those who can’t be seen on tablets and smartphones will be left behind.

BC: Tell us a bit about your funding project – Attune Magazine YOUR way.

MN: In short we need to raise $2000.00 to do all the upgrading necessary. I looked into crowd funding on popular websites but didn’t like the fees associated with them. I decided we could do this on our own by enlisting the help of everyone who supports Attune Magazine.

BC: How long will you be running this funding project?

MN: This project will run until March 31st.

BC: What are some of the prizes that are being offered? (Note: The prizes can be seen on the fundraising site –
http://www.attunemagazine.com/shop/)

MN: So many wonderful people have donated their time and services to offer as rewards for donations! I’m deeply grateful to each and every one. We have books, decks, readings and even pendulums! I keep adding to the pages as the sponsors send me new rewards.

BC: How can people become involved in this project?

MN: Shop on our pages and share the project details in your groups, on your blogs and on your radio shows.

BC: Tell us a bit about the classes that are being offered as part of this project.

MN: I called out for help on this one and I’m simply astounded at the amount of support I’ve received! Here we are again with the wonderful people who believe in Attune Magazine offering their time to teach a free mini class on Attune Magazine Radio. We started off with Arwen Lynch Poe’s class: Tarot for Writing: Creating 3-D Characters with Arwen. If you missed it you can listen in archives.

I’m very excited about Koneta Bailey’s series of classes on Tarot Shadow Work which will be every Friday in March at 7 PM. The first one is here: Tarot Shadow Work Part 1 Koneta Bailey

Then there’s classes by Bonnie Cehovet, Maggie Lukowski, Jennifer Sieck and ReeNee Cummins. There’s still room for a class or two if you would like to participate and teach a class of your own.

An easy way to search this is to go here: http://www.attunemagazine.com/tag/attune-magazine-radio/
Or sign up for Blog Posts to be sent right to your inbox.

BC: Is there anything else that you would like to say?

MN: I’m grateful every single day for being involved with so many wonderful people. I’m humbled by the amount of giving from each of you. I want to take Attune Magazine to the next level not only for myself but for each of you too! For me, this is all connected. Please help spread the word about the fundraiser and thank you for supporting my dream of bringing many tribes together.

This is a worthwhile project, with an achievable goal. Visit the fundraising page, see what is going on … and jump in!

© 2000 – 2014 Bonnie Cehovet
Reproduction prohibited without written permission from the author.

 

 

Northwest Astrology and Tarot Salon March Update

This year we are going to experience a very special event – Toni Gilbert’s Northwest Astrology & Tarot Salon. Time to start making plans to attend! Find out more about the event here. It takes place on November 10th through the 13th, at Breitenbush Hot Springs, high in the Cascade mountains of Oregon.

This event reminds me of Tarot, Art, and Music salons of the not so distant past, where the wealthy gathered to discuss their latest interests. The Salon, according to hostess Toni Gilbert, is a gathering of people to “partly amuse each other, and partly increase the knowledge of the participants through conversation”. There will be conversation on Astrology and Tarot, study and practice with the Tarot cards and with astrological charts.
One or two discussion circles a day will stimulate the intellect, and the rest of the time participants can take care of the body by taking a hike, soaking in hot tubs, enjoying the sauna, or getting a massage. Because of this salon, the participants at Breitenbush can now also get a Tarot or astrology session with some of this generation’s finest spiritual leaders … a balm for the soul.

Everyone benefits from this type of gathering. This interactive event isn’t just for the masters of esoteric studies. You’ll learn from many teachers in an atmosphere of fun. Some teach with higher learning and experience under their belts, some teach by experimentation, and some teach by being the beginner. Bring your mother, your daughter, or your boss. Anyone can join in and glean what they might need and may be searching for Come with an inquisitive mind and by the end of the salon, you will have learned something you can take home and use. An overall healing magic comes with this experience in the deep forests of Breitenbush … you will remember this feeling for a lifetime!

Groups will meet in Toni’s cabin, as well as at some of the beautiful spaces at Breitenbush. Conversation Leaders include Toni Gilbert, James Wanless, Isha Lerner, Christine Payne-Towler, Robert Volkman, Paul Nagy, Mary Jo Wevers, Alan Stein, and Arwen Lynch Poe.

Sharing a little secret … personal readings with the well-known intuitives known at the salon as “Conversation Leaders” will be available! A unique chance to deepen your understanding of specific areas with leaders in their field! Shhhhhh!

To find out more information, go to Toni’s site, and click on Workshops. If you would like to attend, print out the application, fill it in, and send it to Toni (the address is on the form). This is an “insurance form”, in that it will reserve a place for you when open registration starts in June.

We hope that you will all join us on this exotic and lovely adventure!

(c) 2000 – 2014 Bonnie Cehovet & Toni Gilbert
Reproduction prohibited without written permission from the authors.

 

Birth Card Pairs – Wheel of Fortune/Magician

Wheel of FOrtune/Magician

Theme:

The theme for a 10/1 lifetime is that of accepting what fortune brings you, versus creating your own destiny.

The Wheel of Fortune and the Magician act as the gateway into a 10/1 lifetime. The Wheel of Fortune (ruled by Jupiter) is focused on higher ideals, and our sense of purpose in life. It is through Jupiter that we experience our “luck”, or “fortune” in life. Our sense of happiness and fulfillment are things that are ruled by Jupiter, which is an expansive planet that relates to generosity, optimism, and life purpose. It is through Jupiter that we learn to take leaps of faith and face life’s challenges.

The Magician (ruled by Mercury) focuses on intellect, and the mental aspects of life … how we think and communicate. In Greek mythology Mercury is Hermes, the messenger of the gods. In Roman mythology Mercury takes on the qualities of the Trickster.

In a 10/1 lifetime, the path that th individual walks is on that contains the lessons of Destiny (the Wheel of Fortune) versus Personal Will (the Magician). The Wheel of Fortune may contain déjà vu moments … that quality of “Been there, Done that”. The Magician has the power of the four elements (Fire, Water, Air, and Earth) his disposal. His motto is “As Above, So Below”. The Magician (Magus) is very adept at using his skills and abilities to manifest whatever he places his focus on.

Astrological Associations:

Wheel of Fortune: Jupiter
Magician: Mercury

Keywords:

Wheel of Fortune: destiny, a fortunate turn of events, progress, adapting to change, resistance to change, a negative turn of events

Magician: power, new project, new phase of life, new beginning, skill, confidence, self-reliance, intelligence, energy disrupted, lack of will, lack of focus, delusions of grandeur, unreliability, trickery, indecision, poor self-image

How Does A 10/1 Individual Empower Themselves?

Personal empowerment is the ability to our personal and spiritual energy in a manner that enhances how we experience our life. As we define our true power, we actualize our potential, and begin to live life from a core of inner confidence.

In empowering ourselves, we set the conditions so that we can:

* Find our own unique voice.
* Take charge of making our own decisions … not allowing other people’s wishes/needs to overpower our own.
* Understand why we are dissatisfied with our life, and determine what will give us a feeling of satisfaction.
* Take control of our life … make the impact that we wish to make on the world.
* Integrate ourselves within our local and global communities.
* Be proud to be the person orchestrating our own life.
* Know that we have the ability to manifest our own life.
* Make life transitions easily.

Questions to ask ourselves focusing on the Wheel of Fortune:

* How do you view change in your life?
* Are you flowing with the changes around you, or are you fighting them?
* Can you see how your actions brought you to where you are at this point in time?
* Are the changes in your life broadening your perspective?

Questions to ask ourselves focusing on the Magician:

* What skills and abilities do you carry?
* What are your goals?
* Are you clear about your goals?
* How do you communicate with others?
* Where are you focusing your energy?
* What wisdom do you wish to share?

Affirmations:

The Wheel of Fortune is all about destiny, change, and forward movement. Here are a few sample affirmations for the Wheel of Fortune:

* I move forward with confidence and determination.
* I am at peace with the changes in my life.
* I adapt well to change.
* I see everything that comes to me as a positive lesson.
* I have faith that everything happens for a reason.
* I understand that life is a process, and that change brings new understanding.
* I release that which no longer serves me well with love and respect.
* I freely let go of my will for Divine purpose.
* I live in the present … even when the present is changing.

The Magician is all about skill, abilities, confidence, and manifestation. Here are a few sample affirmations for the Magician:
* Whatever I focus on with intent and will, I have the ability to manifest.
* I use my skills and abilities wisely.
* I channel the Divine into everything that I create.
I am comfortable working with my creative energy.
* I focus my intention on my passions in life.
* I take responsibility for that which I create.
* I accept the success that follows my actions.
* I shine the light of the Divine into all of my work.
* My experience serves me well.
* I see clearly accepting my visions.

Gifts/Abilities/Challenges:

Wheel of Fortune:

Gifts: Developing a sense of detachment, seeing the bigger picture of your life, finding the serenity at the center of the wheel, understanding that life is not random, the ability to focus your energy, the ability to visualize and create

Abilities: The ability to find your own inner strength, and to move with the ebb and flow of life.

Challenges: Adjusting to the ups and downs of life, moving out of the victim mentality. Inability to recognize opportunities.

Magician:

Gifts: Making informed decisions, taking focused actions, the ability to focus your energy, the ability to visualize and create your own reality.

Abilities: The ability to manifest whatever one needs to accomplish ones goals.

Challenges: To be able to believe in one’s self, to stay focused, to avoid being deceitful, the inability to complete what one starts, hidden motivation, lack of motivation.

Template For Working With Gifts/Abilities/Challenges:

* Define the area or issue being worked with.
* Define which Birth Card energies are involved.
* Define where on the spectrum of the Birth Card the energy is manifesting. (Very positive to very negative.)
* Define whether the energy is being manifested, blocked, or simply not being recognized.
* Define what type of energy is needed to bring the Seeker back into balance.
* Looking at both of the Seeker’s Birth Cards, determine which gifts/abilities can best be used to return the * Seeker to a balanced state.

Summary:

The focus in a 10/1 lifetime is between the energy of accepting what fortune brings to you and creating, through your own will, the destiny that you wish. In working to create your own destiny, you ned to be sure that you are working with skills and abilities that are truly yours … that you are not deceiving yourself.

It is important to recognize when destiny is preordained … when the Wheel of Fortune is acting in your life. If this is the case, we need to learn to accept it. Fighting destiny prolongs the space you are in, and the issues you are facing. Accepting destiny bring you to a place where you can begin to manifest your own will again.

Answering the following questions may help you to see where you are in the cycle of life:

* How do you feel about your life?
* Are you living an authentic life … does your belief system work for you?
* Are your actions in alignment with your beliefs?
* Are your actions manifesting the results you would like to see?
* Do you relate well to yourself?
* Do you know why you draw the people and issues to you that you do?
* How do you define success?
* Are you seeing success, as you define it, in your life?
* If you are not seeing success, why not? Are you not focused? Are you not setting clear goals? Are you not following through with your actions?
* Is there a good balance between your ability to accept change and your need to create change?
* Are you focused in your relationships?
* Are you able to accept responsibility for your words and actions?
* Are you able to speak up for yourself, clearly and concisely?
* Do you relate well to others?
* Do you have a need to deceive yourself or others?
* What place does Spirit have in your life?
* How do you relate within your home? Within your workplace? Within your community?
* What is your purpose int his lifetime? What are you questing for?
* What are you ending, and what are you beginning?
* What place does change have in your life?
* What place does creative force have in your life?

The one thing that will make it easier to recognize and work with any issue that comes out of your responses above is self-confidence. To empower yourself, you need to be self-confident. You need to know that you alone have the power to manifest directed change in your life.

How we see ourselves is a huge factor in how well we are going to succeed. What big dreams have you gone after? If you have chosen not to go after your big dreams, what was your reason? What held you back?

Every time we make a choice, we are tapping into our belief system. In a 10/1 lifetime, the Seeker views their belief system through the dual lens of the cycles of fortune (The Wheel of Fortune), and intense will, driving the need to create (the Magician). Is your belief system serving you well? Are there some beliefs that you may need to release? Are there new beliefs that you may need to embrace?

Have you chosen to work with your affirmations? Are you wording them as strongly as possible? Are you working with them over a period of 21 days? What changes do you see manifesting from this work? What changes still need to be mad?

We fine tune our lives on a continuing basis. Once we have defined our passion, and our life purpose, everything we do needs to be in alignment with them. As we learn and grow, we release that which no longer serves us well … and we open up to bigger dreams! We need to challenge ourselves to keep the balance in our lives. We need to be the best that we can be, and commit to taking informed action to accomplish our goals.

Do not be afraid to look at your fears, at what may be blocking your progress. Look at these fears through the lens of your Birth Cards, as this is where your answers lie. The Wheel of Fortune and the Magician are powerful forces, constantly challenging you, and moving you forward. The Wheel of Fortune asks that you accept destiny, that you recognize that there is a bigger plan, and that you are part of it. The Magician allows you to access inner resources, and use your focused will to manifest your visions. In understanding yourself, you will be able to easily know when the Wheel of Fortune is at work in your life, and when the Magician has stepped in to take his rightful place.

(c) March 2014 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction prohibited without the written permission of the author.