Week at a Glance: 3 of Cups

The purpose of drawing a "Week at a Glance" card is to get a sense of the sort of energy, circumstances, or personal qualities I might need to be aware of during the upcoming week. I also use this opportunity to become more familiar with decks I don't work with a lot, so you will often see me quoting the creator of the deck or someone who has a closer relationship with the deck than I do at this time.

For the week of June 30, 2013 I am using the Haindl Tarot by Hermann Haindl (U.S. Games Systems, Inc.)

My card is the THREE OF CUPS, reversed.

We can look at the upright 3 of Cups as referring to great (perhaps excessive) feelings, creating intense experiences and reactions (in the Haindl Tarot, the card is titled "Overflowing"). So to my way of thinking, the reversed 3 of Cups is likely to be about containing, subduing, limiting, or controlling emotions rather than allowing them to "overflow." We all know that systematic suppression of feelings is not healthy. However, in some situations, the best thing to do might be to rein in one's emotions in order to behave calmly and rationally.

This week I will try to be aware of what I am doing with strong feelings I may have. Am I repressing them to an unhealthy degree? Do I need to exert more control over the expression of those feelings, at least temporarily, and find other ways to release tension?  What will help me remain stable and balanced in times of emotional stress?

Journey through My Decks: Queen of Swords

In this series of posts, I plan to discuss all of the Tarot cards in order, using a different deck for each card. Today I'm exploring The Fairy Tarot by Antonio Lupatelli (Lo Scarabeo).

The four suits in The Fairy Tarot are as follows:

• Acorns - Air (problem to overcome right now, patience and focus required)
• Hearts - Water (emotions, sentiments, affections, love B especially of a couple, maternal or of friendship)
• Bells - Earth (practical abilities and solutions, manual capabilities, economic situation, work)
• Leaves - Fire (thoughts, inner existential crisis and contemplation, psychic state in general)

According to John McLeod ("Games Played with German Suited Cards" ), these are the suits used in German playing-card decks. McLeod tells us that "the German suits of acorns, leaves, hearts and bells were established in the early fifteenth century . . . German suited cards are still the primary type of cards used in many parts of central Europe."

I have struggled a bit trying to decide whether Leaves are comparable to Swords or Wands, and I have the same dilemma when it comes to Acorns. The association of Hearts with Cups and Bells with Pentacles seems fairly clear to me.

Acorns are important to the fairies, offering sustenance throughout the winter. In The Dictionary of Symbols (Chronicle Books LLC), Jack Tresidder tells us that acorns symbolize fecundity, prosperity and "the power of spiritual growth from the kernel of the truth."

The Queen of Acorns has huge, glorious, yellow wings. (Yellow commonly symbolizes intellect, knowledge, and communication). Her expression is cordial and her posture erect, suggesting a mature personality who is self-aware and comfortable in her own skin. She rests her hands on the hilt of a long sword. Beneath her feet we see snow, and the falling leaves of autumn lay around her.

In the book that accompanies this deck, Helene and Doris Saltarini write: "If a card of Acorns is extracted it means that there is a problem to overcome right now and you must find the strength to resolve it: these cards require a certain patience and focus."

The Queen of Acorns can represent an individual, or she can indicate personality traits that the Seeker may wish to cultivate, strengthen, or subdue. In addition, the Queen of Acorns may refer to a certain type of friendship -- a relationship with someone who embodies the best qualities of the Queen. Her intelligence and cleverness are welcome qualities in a friend. She tends to be serious, though pleasant, and willing to fight for something she believes in.

Divinatory Meanings provided by the Saltarinis are "moral and practical help, spiritual support; well-aimed advice. A good choice for a partner." Reversed or poorly placed in a spread, the Queen of Acorns can indicate "your love is badly hidden; widowhood; a too authoritarian partner; an intriguing woman."

The Queen of Acorns offers me an opportunity to explore the ways in which I express or repress her qualities in my own life. She also alerts me to the possibility that someone with her traits may play an important role in my day, or perhaps that I should seek advice from a decisive, serious, self-possessed person.

Week at a Glance: Tattered Nomad Oracle

The purpose of drawing a "Week at a Glance" card is to get a sense of the sort of energy, circumstances, or personal qualities I might need to be aware of during the upcoming week. I also use this opportunity to become more familiar with decks I don't work with a lot, so you will often see me quoting the creator of the deck or someone who has a closer relationship with the deck than I do at this time.

For the week of June 23, 2013 I am departing from my single-card draw in order to spend some time with _Shaheen's Tattered Nomad Oracle_. These cards are designed to be read in groups, so I am doing a 3-card line in which the center card represents the "focus" for the week.

My cards are:

THE COFFIN (8) ...... THE GARDEN (20) ...... THE WOMAN (29)
My Focus Card is The Garden (20). I do not have a literal garden -- just not my thing -- so unless the cards are telling me I need to plant one, I'm going to view this card symbolically. Shaheen writes that this card represents "Gatherings, celebration, meetings, social events, public property, creation."

Let's see what connections I can make between this central card and the other two: The Coffin ("respite, ending, burial, death, life change, illness") and The Woman ("A woman or feminine energy").

What I get from Coffin + Garden is a funeral or some other social occasion where something is "laid to rest" or ended. Although this sounds depressing, that type of occasion is often beneficial to those involved in terms of feeling the support and solidarity of a network of people who are also affected by the ending or "death."

My understanding is that The Coffin can also refer to negative thinking or a person who is what we might call a "Debbie Downer." The appearance of The Woman with The Coffin here suggests a female who expresses negative attitudes and thoughts. At least I sure hope it isn't about a woman physically dying...

As far as I know, the coming week will involve one public occasion -- a dinner that I will attend with my sister and my husband. Other than that, I will be occupied helping my mother begin her move from her house into an apartment in a retirement community. I don't anticipate a large public "gathering" related to this, but you could say that quite a few people are "gathering together" to help Mom with this major life change.

The "negative thinking woman" could refer to my mother or to me, at any given time. She does tend to view things negatively or perhaps "critically" is a better word. And when she does, I become negative and unhappy that she is unhappy. Ah the mother-daughter dynamic -- nothing like it!

So I'm going to see these cards as representing the gathering/cooperation of a group of individuals whose intention is to ease my mother's major life change. I can't control anyone else, but I can do my best not to be negative -- publicly or privately! Ms. Merry Sunshine, that will be me!

REVIEW: Shaheen's Tattered Nomad Oracle

R E V I E W _About My Reviews_

_Shaheen's Tattered Nomad Oracle_
by _Shaheen Miro_
3 sizes: Poker, Medium (2.75×4.75), & Large (3.5×5.75)
TOP LINE (formerly Bottom Line)

I became aware of this deck when I read a blog post written by Chloë over at _Inner Whispers_.

I was immediately draw to the deck and had to find out more about it, which of course led to me purchasing the deck from Shaheen Miro, its creator.

There is something very special about the images that Shaheen chose for these cards and the way he talks about the images "taking on a life of their own" as he built upon the basic structure of the traditional Lenormand deck. Among my favorite cards are The Child (13), The Umbrella (39),  and The Familiar (41). Two of these (39 and 41) are "extra" non-Lenormand cards that Shaheen has included.

In place of a Little White Book, Shaheen has printed card interpretations and layouts on a sheet of paper that folds neatly into a "wrap" for the deck. So clever!

Before too long I will do a reading with this deck here on the blog, so I can share with you how it "drives." Meanwhile, I am going to enjoy contemplating and exploring the images on each card!

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION FROM THE ARTIST

"These cards are bohemian and wild. They are filled with interesting colors, and visuals. As you lay them out the stories come together in a tantalizing and clear way. . . Though these may be different than the traditional Lenormand I believe they will speak to anyone willing to listen. . . There are 43 cards in this deck. You will find the 36 traditional Lenormand symbols. Plus an extra man and woman card. You will also find five cards that are unique to the deck, which is why I have decided to call it an Oracle. The five cards came from personal stories in my own life that I felt had symbolic significance for others. You can decide to use the deck with all 43 cards or with the 36 traditional cards. Be a gypsy and do what feels right."

BASIC INFORMATION

Shaheen Miro explains the name of this deck by saying that the process of creating the deck was "nomadic" and the name "implies that the deck tells a story. It has a history. It is the accumulation of my story, your story and the story of all the images through the ages."

The deck comes in a white organza bag, wrapped in an approximately 8 by 11 inch sheet of paper on which are printed the meanings of the cards and instructions for how to lay out the cards for a reading. The other side of the sheet of paper features drawings of fantastic creatures and objects along with Shaheen's website address.

Shaheen includes the following "extra" cards (above and beyond the traditional Lenormand): The Seer (37), The Bats (38), The Umbrella (39), The Aura (40), and The Familiar (41). There are two versions each of The Stars (16), The Man (28), and The Woman (29).

APPEARANCE, SIZE, QUALITY

In the poker-size deck that I purchased, the cards measure 2-1/2 x 3-1/2 inches. They are printed on reasonably sturdy stock. The finish is what I would call "semi-glossy" -- not high gloss, but not matte. I am pleased with the overall quality of the cards.

The colors are rich and varied, from cool to warm hues. The images are digital collage. Card backs are indigo in color and feature the face of a person who is holding binoculars up to his eyes.

ART

Shaheen Miro tells us: "I wanted to do something that allowed me to express myself. I wanted to create a piece of art that gave life and energy to the free spirited and mysterious creature that lives within me. I have always found comfort in vintage images, the colors, expressions, and details. There is something magical about old empemera. So I began my deck by sorting through old public domain images. . . I trusted my muse as she whispered in my ear, guiding me to string images together, to form pictures and symbols. Each image emerged as a unique digital collage that built on the traditional Lenormand."

Personally, I am very much attracted to these collages. The card names and/or numbers are a bit difficult to read on some of the cards, but I don't think that is going to be a problem for me.