Beltane Tarot Blog Hop

Welcome to my contribution to the Beltane 2012 Tarot Blog Hop. If you are "hopping the Hop," you probably got here from Jaymi Elford's wonderful Tarot Inspired Life blog.

Beltane is a Celtic word which means "'fires of Bel" (Bel was a Celtic deity). It is a fire festival that celebrates of the coming of summer and the fertility of the coming year. As I understand it, festival participants are encouraged to jump over the Beltane Fire, move through it, or dance clockwise around it.

The topic for this year's Beltane Blog Hop, chosen by Andrew Kyle McGregor,  is "The Fire tends to All." Andrew's topic choice was inspired by the Guardian of Fire card from the Gaian Tarot by Joanna Powell Colbert (Llewellyn Publications). I really like what Andrew wrote about the meaning of this card: "Service to others. The minimizing of the ego. Focusing on our work and neither looking for attention nor denying the value of our work."

In the Gaian Tarot, Guardians correspond to Queens in traditional decks. Joanna gives the following Affirmation for the Guardian of Fire: "I spark creativity in others while tending my own creative flame."

Soooo -- I decided to create a spread with The Guardian of Fire at the center, and other cards placed clockwise around it, like dancers at a Beltane fire festival. The layout looks like this:

1. What will help me tend my own creative flame?
2. How can I spark creativity in others?
3. How can I minimize my ego?
4. What will help me share my passion?

I am reading with the Tarot Leaves deck by Beth Seilonen (Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.) Click HERE to read my review of this lovely deck.

Here are the cards that came forward for me:

1. What will help me tend my own creative flame?
FIVE OF SWORDS
The message I get from this card is that tending my own creative flame will be easier if I refuse to focus on "winning" or "losing" or to view someone else's gain as my loss. Although I may feel that I am in a competition at times, that is almost never the case. This seems to fit well with what Andrew Kyle McGregor said about "focusing on our work and neither looking for attention nor denying the value of our work." In the Golden Dawn system, the Five of Swords is associated with Venus (planet of love and appreciation) in Aquarius (the sign so often engaged in making the world a better place for everyone).

2. How can I spark creativity in others?
TEMPERANCE
A couple of things strike me here. First of all, Temperance is traditionally associated with the sign Sagittarius, my Sun sign, a Fire sign. This card suggests that I can spark creativity in others by allowing myself to express my most desirable Sagittarian traits, such as enthusiasm, optimism, and self-confidence. Temperance is about moderation and/or blending together opposing energies (joining forces). These characteristics will also help me spark creativity in others.

3. How can I minimize my ego?
TEN OF WANDS
I can minimize my ego by pitching in and carrying my share (or more) of the load in situations and relationships, even if my ego tells me I deserve to be exempt or "above" that sort of thing. Interestingly, like Temperance the Ten of Wands is traditionally associated with the sign Sagittarius -- specifically Saturn (planet of lessons, limitations, and karma) in Sagittarius.  I'm sure Saturn can offer me a variety of lessons in how to minimize my ego!

4. What will help me share my passion?
STAR
The Star calls me to act on my wishes, to make my dreams come true. It takes time and energy to share my passion with others. It won't happen if I do nothing more than daydream or wish upon a star. The Star is associated with the sign Aquarius. A belief that my passion can benefit the greater good will help me share that passion with others.

From an astrological standpoint, these four cards focused on the signs Aquarius and Sagittarius -- Air and Fire. Both signs are known as visionaries, for being independent, and for looking at the "big picture." Both can sometimes seem "cold" or "aloof" because they often gaze above and beyond -- "out there somewhere". My challenge is to strike a balance that allows me to take a broad view while still noticing and nurturing the people and things right under my nose.

Many thanks to everyone who is keeping the Blog Hop going, including Arwen Lynch, Maureen Aisling Duffy-Boose, J Jordan Hoggard, Donnaleigh de LaRose, and Louise Underhill.

Next stop on the Beltane Blog Hop is Jennifer Mitchell's fabulous Tarot Dynamo blog. Hop along, now!