A Valentine's Day Spread from Helen!

Helen Howell

I am delighted that the former co-host of Tarot Notes, Helen Howell, agreed to do a guest post on the blog for Valentine's Day! She created a Valentine's Day Spread just for Tarot Notes. After you read this, skibble on over to Helen's blog -- Helen Scribbles -- and read her fabulous fiction!

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Hearts & Flowers -  A Valentine’s Day Spread

by Helen Howell

I wanted to create a Valentine's Day spread that was a celebration of relationships, whether it be a new budding one, or a long established one. I hope you will enjoy using Hearts and Flowers this Valentine's.


The layout is simple :

The positional definitions are:

1:  Forget-me-nots - meaning True Love:
How can I best celebrate this Valentine's Day the connection formed between us?

2:  Beating heart - What advice can you give me to help keep the passion alive in this relationship?

3: Lily of the Valley - meaning - You've made my life complete:
How can I express the joy you bring me in a meaningful way for both of us?

4: Two hearts together: How can I ensure that I always manage to keep our relationship in balance?

5: Red Rose - meaning Love Respect :
How can we make every day a Valentine’s Day in our relationship and keep the fun and love rolling along?

I guess I should take this spread for a spin for you and see how it works. I have been married for 38 years so I will be interested to see how the cards advise me.  Notice in the layout that it also allows you to read  cards 1, 3, 5 diagonally and 2, 3, 4 - it will be interesting to see how these cards interact.   The Universal Goddess Tarot called and I answered, so shuffling up the deck this is what I got:

Card 1: Forget-me-nots - meaning True Love: -

How can I best celebrate this Valentine's Day, the connection formed between us?

Two of Swords - The Roman goddess Fides, LWB “guardian of agreements and integrity.”

What an interesting card to have drawn for this position, because Fides tells me quiet clearly that I can celebrate this Valentine Day the connection formed between my husband of 38 years, by continuing to share the spirit of friendship and loyalty.  The bond between us can always be strengthened by offering each other the hand of friendship, understanding and support, in that action alone, we share the best gift of all, love.

Card:2 Beating heart -

What advice can you give me to help keep the passion alive in this relationship?

Five of Pentacles - Oh my the goddess Hel - LWB “Scandinavian ruler of the kingdom of the death.”

Oh no! is she saying that the passion is dead, gone?  Ha ha I don’t think so. Yes, she is the goddess of the dead, but that also means she is the goddess of transformation, for the dead are just existing in another form.

So what’s her message to me? Passion changes through a relationship and  although at times it can seem to be something of the past, she reminds me that all one has to do is view their situation in a different light— notice how she has a candle burning brightly by her side. She says do not be afraid of the transition that relationships go through, be adventurous and inventive, look at what you have, it’s  often more than you think and respond well the the changing patterns of your relationship, that way you keep the passion alive in its many different forms.

Card: 3 Lily of the Valley - meaning - You've made my life complete -

How can I express the joy you bring me in a meaningful way for both of us?

Five of Cups - The goddess Latona - LWB “Roman goddess of exile.

Latona tells me the best way to express the joy my partner brings me in a meaningful way for both of us, is not to look back, or to focus on what we could of had or done, but rather to give my attention to what it is we have and what it is we can achieve for the rest of our future together. By being fully in the present, and allowing all regrets from the past to flow away, I am more able to express the thanks I feel for the time we have spent together and the life we have forged as a pair. This is what feeds the right energy into our relationship that will be felt in a meaningful way for both of us.

I fully admit, that I do at times go off  in the direction of what if it had been like this  etc.  Latona reminds me that there is nothing to be gained from that train of thought.

Card: 4 Two hearts together -

How can I ensure that I always manage to keep our relationship in balance?

Nine of Pentacles - The Greek goddess Nike LWB - “I announce glory, victory, success and achievement.”

I think that Nike tells me that the way to maintain a balance is to share each others victories and successes. To be not just good friends, but the support needed in order to help each other achieve the goals we seek, whether they be big or small.

I love this depiction of her,  she wears a robe of orange, a little gentler colour than red.  It still means passion and action but to a lesser degree and more a symbol of determination, confidence and creativity.  There is a snake that entwines around her arm, showing us that it’s part of her strength, enlightenment and ability to transform herself  when necessary.  I think part of the message of how to keep the relationship in balance is to be ready to make changes where necessary that benefit both people.

Card 5: Red Rose - meaning Love Respect -

How can we make everyday a Valentine’s Day in our relationship and keep the fun and love rolling along?

Seven of Pentacles - Estanathlehi, the Navaho goddess of renewal and evolution.

Wow what a great goddess to have got for this position!  Look how she sits in front on a ripe field of corn. What she says here is what you put in and take care of is what you will get out as a reward. In other words sew the seeds of fun, love laughter and understanding, watch them grow with  love and care and everyday can be a Valentine’s Day!

Looking diagonally at these cards  1,3,5, seem to reinforce the essence of the spirit of love, friendship, understanding and nurturing and caring for the other person, while not focusing on disappointments that may have crossed one’s path but looking always to today, for today is the first day of the rest of one’s life.  Numerically we have a two, balance, co-operation, compromise and duality, 5 for challenges, opportunities to change and freedom of choice and 7  for insight, wisdom, confidence and personal growth.

Looking diagonally at 2,3,4,  it also reinforces the idea of transformation. Not being afraid of the transitional stages of a relationship, but to embrace the stage you find yourself at. Again not to regret that things change, especially as one gets older, but to remain strong enough to meet and make those changes in order to keep the balance that is so necessary for a successful relationship.

We have a  two 5’s again in the first two cards, showing us the challenge to face, and the opportunity to shift direction in order to respond well to the changing patterns of life. In this group we end with a 9 which indicates self evaluation and ultimate goal. It’s a number that shows us its time to reflect and realise that its not just about reaching a goal but how we get there and what we do with it that really matters.


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Credits:

• Heart flower wreath by Vintage Feedsacks blog -
•  http://vintagefeedsacks.blogspot.com.au/search/label/Floral
• Flower graphics by The Graphic Fairy Blog - http://www.graphicsfairy.blogspot.com.au/
• Heart graphics by Amazing Animations - www.amazing-animations.com/animated-valentinesday.php

Cards:
Universal Goddess Tarot by Maria Caratti & Antonella Platano
Published by Lo Scarabeo