Meditation on the Page of Cups

My meditation card for today is from The Fairytale Tarot by Karen Mahony and Alex Ukolov.



As I enter the scene on this card, a cool breeze lifts my hair and blows it back from my face. Both the sky and the water are a pale, soothing shade of blue. Fluffy white clouds blossom overhead. I gaze at three swifts as they glide by, swooping low over the water.

A dark-haired young man in a vivid blue tunic watches me, an amused expression on his face. He has a stringed instrument of some sort slung over one shoulder. I realize that he has left his sailboat tied to the shore – a boat with a dragon-headed prow. I also notice that he is holding a golden cup or goblet in his left hand. To my surprise, a golden fish is peeking out of the cup.

Before I can ask him about the fish, the young man hands the cup to me. He sits down on the grass and begins to play his dulcimer-like instrument. He sings the story of the poor Russian musician Sadko, who was taken deep under the sea to Tsar Morskoy’s palace. He was only able to escape when his own elfin sister helped him return home.

I am touched by the song and the magic of the music. As I gaze at the fish in the cup, I begin to feel that perhaps I am like that fish, confined to an unnaturally small space instead of free to swim in the wide expanse of a lake or river. Yet the minute I imagine that sort of freedom, I also realize that the risks would be far greater in that environment. Which do I want? To be protected and cared for but confined, or to be free and vulnerable to all manner of mishaps?

“Is there nothing in between?” I ask the young man. “Must I choose between risking everything and experiencing nothing? Can boundaries serve a purpose or do they only hinder imagination?”

The young man gestures toward the sailboat but says nothing. I understand that even if I am not ready to immerse myself in deep waters, I can sail across them into uncharted territory. There is still some risk involved, of course. But the confines of the boat offer a certain amount of security and protection.

The young man takes the goblet from my hand and gestures once again toward the sailboat. The journey begins.

An Interview with Tarot of White Cats

A deck interview with my cards (spread by FireRaven) - seen in Acelectic Tarot Forum (Spreads Thread)

5.........6
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3.........2
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I do love my animal decks, so of course I had to conduct an interview with the latest member of my pack (herd, pride, colony, flock, etc.): Tarot of the White Cats.

I tried to get the White Cats to schedule an appointment for the interview, but they declined, saying that they would drop by when they felt like it. I asked if they would call ahead to let me know they were coming, and they said they would consider it, but probably not.

They did encourage me to have plenty of cream, goose liver pate, mackeral munchies, and mouseburger bites on hand.

Fortunately I was at home when I heard a scratching at my front door. The doorknob turned back and forth a few times. I was about to open it when it opened on its own – or perhaps I should say it opened in response to the pressure of a large white paw, attached to a large white cat.

The cat made himself at home as I scurried around putting a few refreshments together. Fortunately the mackeral munchies freeze well and I was able to thaw them quickly in the microwave.

“So,” I said, seating myself on a straight-backed chair (the cat had already settled himself in the comfy chair). “Tell me about yourself. What is your most important characteristic?” The cat ignored me while he finished chewing a mackeral munchie. He then took a sip of cream and washed his face thoroughly before looking at me and signaling with a flip of his tail that he was ready to begin the interview.

1. Tell me about yourself. What is your most important characteristic?

NINE OF SWORDS: I have nine lives (perhaps more – who’s counting?) Knowing this, I seldom become too worried or upset about current conditions because I know time will pass and I will transition to something new. I do experience fear, but I am very good at determining when a fear is unfounded or imagined and when it is real and needs to be faced.









2. What are your strengths as a deck?

QUEEN OF CHALICES: I can tune into you at a deep emotional and spiritual level. I can be attentive and available to respond to your needs. (Of course I only do this when I feel like it. And typically only if you address me as “Your Highness.”)












3. What are your limits as a deck?

KNIGHT OF WANDS: I can be impulsive, brash, and hyperactive – to the point where I am unable to focus on anything in particular.

At this point in the interview, the White Cat leaped off his chair, ran across the room, and climbed the curtains, emitting an ear-piercing yowl when he got to the top of the window! I was too stunned to say anything. In a few minutes, he scrambled down the curtains, leaped over a potted plant, and landed in the comfy chair, whereupon he curled up and went to sleep. I took care of a few household tasks. We continued the interview when he woke up.


4. What do you bring to the table -- what are you here to teach me?

FIVE OF WANDS: I am here to teach you how to resolve your inner conflicts. You are much too repressed, my dear. You need to encourage the conflicting energies within you to confront each other. This can be done in a playful manner that eventually leads to dialogue rather than a knock-down-drag-out fight. These conflicting energies need to reach an understanding about how they will live together and work together for your benefit.





5. How can I best learn from and collaborate with you?

ACE OF SWORDS: You mean besides kneeling before me and gazing at me with complete devotion? Well, in addition to that, you can best learn from and collaborate with me by realizing that losing a battle does not equate to losing the war. When you are knocked down, you must believe that you will get up again and start fresh. There is always another opportunity around the corner if you look for it. There is nothing wrong with starting over or taking a completely new approach to achieve a larger goal.





6. What is the potential outcome of our working relationship?

THREE OF PENTACLES: Under my supervision, you can build something truly remarkable, valuable, and long-lasting. I don’t waste my time on fruitless pursuits (well, except for the times when I fall prey to some of those ridiculous cat toys . . .) Surely you can see how perfectly we complement each other? I am adorable and sublime; you know how to make mackerel munchies and mouseburger bites. It’s a match made in heaven, no?

With that, the White Cat bounded out through my open window, leaving me to ponder the wisdom he had shared with me.
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Tarot of White Cats. Idea and graphics by Pietro Alligo. Artwork by Severino Baraldi. Instructions by Sofia di Vincenzo. Copyright 2005 Lo Scarabeo.

Oracle Card

I decided to pull a card from my new deck, The Magical Menagerie by Mike Leslie, with illustrations by Eric Hotz. The deck offers “Personal Power through Animal Energies.”

The card I drew is the WYVERN. Each card in this deck is identified with a specific element or elements. For the Wyvern, it’s Fire and Water. Each card is also associated with a Direction (south southwest for the Wyvern), Time (July, 2 pm for the Wyvern), and Pace of Change (very rapid, cooling rapidly for the Wyvern).

Upright, the card is said to mean “courage, a champion, tenacity.” Reversed, it means “opposition, cowardice, threat.”

Mike Leslie explains that the Wyvern is the mid-stage of the development of the dragon. Born in the sea, dragons gradually develop legs and wings, gradually becoming “dragons proper.”

The Wyvern on this card seems very dignified and strong. His teeth are bared and his eyes squint a bit, suggesting to me that he does not suffer fools gladly. I certainly would prefer to have him on my side in a conflict! But the card can also mean that I am the Wyvern, the one who is going to stand up and defend a person or position, to take a leadership position, perhaps against authority.

Drawing the card reversed could indicate that I am facing powerful opposition or malevolent forces, and that I lack the support (internal or external) needed to overcome this threat. The card may be cautioning me not to be cowardly when faced with challenges, but also not to react in an overly fierce or uncontrolled manner.

Personally, I find that most challenges or threats to my well-being tend to come from within myself. As a creature of both Fire and Water, the Wyvern may be advising me that I have what I need within myself to confront and overcome my own detrimental emotions or actions.


In addition to my 60 Tarot decks, I own a great many oracle decks. I love these decks, but don't use them as often as I would like. Every now and then, I am going to share a card from one of these oracle decks here on the blog. I hope people will enjoy seeing cards from various decks and will gain something from the interpretations of the cards!