Easy as JKL…

In this Tarot Notes series, I will be pulling a card for each letter of the alphabet. Each card will be from a different deck. To add to the cleverness, of course, the name of the deck will begin with the letter being used, if at all possible. (Deck attributions are provided at the end of this post.)

To read the blog post for the letters ABC, click _HERE._  For DEF, click _HERE_.  For GHI, click _HERE_.

Image background by Daniel Albany from Pixabay

J is for JUSTICE. 

Yep. I finally drew an actual card with a title that starts with the appropriate letter. I love it. The Joie de Vivre Tarot is obviously tuned into this game. In this deck, Lady Justice is accompanied by a “furry green companion named Creed,” who displays a golden set of balanced scales.

K is for KARMA. 

I don’t have a Tarot deck whose name begins with “K.” An internet search revealed the Karma Tarot. You can see the cards from this deck _HERE_. I went to one of hundreds of sites on line where you can randomly click and choose a Tarot card. The card that turned up was The Wheel of Fortune – which, in turn, I have decided represents “K is for Karma.” (See what I did there?) I think of this card as a “what goes up must come down” kind of thing, meaning that we all have ups and downs and round-and-rounds as we go through life. At times we might even feel centered and stable, in the middle of the Wheel. How much of what we experience is actually due to “karma” (“what goes around, comes around”) is not always clear.

L is for LANGUISH. 

In Legend: The Arthurian Tarot, the story linked with the Nine of Swords is the story of Elaine, Lily Maid of Astolat, whose unrequited love for Lancelot (another “L”) cause her to die of a broken heart. When we “languish,” we are obsessing over something or someone, giving ourselves over to grief or worry or suffering.

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J: Joie de Vivre Tarot by Paulina Cassidy (U.S. Games Systems, Inc.)
K: Karma Tarot Deck by Birgit Boline Erfurt (U.S. Games Systems, Inc.)
L: Legend The Arthurian Tarot by Anna-Marie Ferguson (Llewellyn Publications)

Easy as G H I ...

In this Tarot Notes series, I will be pulling a card for each letter of the alphabet. Each card will be from a different deck. To add to the cleverness, of course, the name of the deck will begin with the letter being used, if at all possible. (Deck attributions are provided at the end of this post.)

To read the blog post for the letters ABC, click _HERE_.  For DEF, click _HERE_.

Image background by Daniel Albany from Pixabay

G is for GATEWAY. 

In The Gilded Tarot, the Two of Wands shows a traveler facing a fork in the road. He is at a crossroads, and needs to make a choice or decision, even though it may not be clear to him which choice is the “correct” one. No matter which path he chooses, he is going to go through a (figurative) gateway beyond which lies the unknown.

H is for Heart. 

The suit of Cups is usually linked with the suit of Hearts, and both typically represent relationships, emotions, and the subconscious. The Two of Cups often indicates a heart-to-heart connection based on chemistry, magnetism, or recognition of “like meeting like.” This heartfelt connection can be romantic in nature but could also apply to a connection between a person and a group, idea, or project. With the number Two, we can be looking at opposites that are attracted to each other because each offers something the other lacks and needs or wants.

I is for IDENTITY. 

I don’t have a deck whose name begins with I, so I did an internet search and found Ibis Tarot. You can see the cards from this deck HERE. I then went to one of hundreds of sites on line where you can randomly click and choose a Tarot card. The card that turned up was THE SUN. In astrology, the Sun represents our Self – hence my choice of the word “Identity.” The Sun card in Tarot is also often seen to be a representation of our personality and character. We are encouraged to be our authentic, shining Self.

For Easy as JKL, click _HERE._

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G: The Gilded Tarot by Ciro Marchetti (Llewellyn Publications)
H: Tarot of the Hidden Realm by Julia Jeffrey (Llewellyn Publications)
I: Ibis Tarot by Josef Machynka (U.S. Games Systems Inc.) Based on the designs published in the book Practical Astrology by Comte C. de Saint-Germain.

Easy as DEF...

In this Tarot Notes series, I will be pulling a card for each letter of the alphabet. Each card will be from a different deck. To add to the cleverness, of course, the name of the deck will begin with the letter being used, if at all possible. (Deck attributions are provided at the end of this post.)

To read the blog post for the letters ABC, click _HERE_.

Background Image by Daniel Albany from Pixabay

D is for DISCOVERY. 

Whether THE HERMIT is a dragon keeping watch over a treasure or an old man with a lantern, the card is about discovery – seeking and finding, searching and uncovering, enlightenment and gaining knowledge you didn’t have before. The treasure is “that which the journey offers to the hero who undertakes an esoteric trip.” (Toraldo)

E is for EDGY. 

The suit of Swords gives new meaning to the expression “to be on edge.” The NINE OF SWORDS is often about the kind of fear or anxiety that keeps us awake at night. Whether the crisis is real or imagined, our nervous system remains in fight or flight mode.

 

F is for FAIRNESS. 

The association of “fairness” with JUSTICE was pretty much a no-brainer for me. On this version of the card, we have statues of ancient Chinese Lion-Dogs or Fu-Dogs, placed by temple doors as guardians. They protect the space they guard, hunting down and driving away evil spirits.

For "Easy as GHI," click _HERE_.

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D: Dragons Tarot by Manfredi Toraldo / Artwork by Severino Baraldi (Lo Scarabeo)
E: Ethereal Visions by Matt Hughes (self published)
F: Fantastical Creatures Tarot by Lisa Hunt and D.J. Conway (U.S. Games Systems, Inc.)

Easy as ABC…

In this Tarot Notes series, I will be pulling a card for each letter of the alphabet. Each card will be from a different deck. To add to the cleverness, of course, the name of the deck will begin with the letter being used, if at all possible. (Deck attributions are provided at the end of this post.)

Background Image by Daniel Albany from Pixabay

Ancestral Path Tarot

A is for ACTION. 

The PRINCE OF STAVES (Knight of Wands) is represented in the Ancestral Path Tarot by the god Horus, son of Isis and Osiris. Fire of Fire, he is filled with solar energy, with a passionate spirit that propels him into action.

Baroque Bohemian Cats' Tarot

B is for BONDAGE. 

(Okay, not THAT kind of bondage… or is it?) With the EIGHT OF SWORDS, we are looking at feelings or a perception of being trapped, confined, or controlled. The cat in this image from The Baroque Bohemian Cats’ Tarot stands with eyes shut and head down, surrounded by swords. Her paws are bound. Valuable insight and freedom can result from challenging emotional or mental bonds / bindings / bondage.

Chrysalis Tarot

C is for CHARM.

The KNIGHT OF MIRRORS (Knight of Cups) card is titled “The Dreamer” in the Chrysalis Tarot. Among this Knight’s many appealing qualities is his charm, along with his spirit of hopefulness and his dreamy, mystical outlook. At his best, the Knight of Mirrors channels his thoughts and dreams into real-life experiences, inspiring us by demonstrating that dreams can come true.

For "Easy as DEF," click _HERE_.

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A: Ancestral Path Tarot by Julie Cuccia-Watts (U.S. Games Systems, Inc.)
B: The Baroque Bohemian Cats’ Tarot by Karen Mahony (Magic Realist Press)
C: Chrysalis Tarot / Paintings by Holly Sierra, Written by Toney Brooks (U.S. Games Systems, Inc.)

Relationship Potential Reading using Elemental Associations

A sample reading using

The DruidCraft Tarot by Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm

Illustrated by Will Worthington

(St. Martin’s Press)

QUESTION: “What is the potential for my 

relationship with a girl at work?”

LAYOUT

1....2....3

ANSWER

Using the DruidCraft Tarot, I drew three cards to provide insight into this relationship. In the system I am using, elemental associations determine the strength or weakness of the cards. In this layout, the middle card is called the "principal" card. It is the response to the question. The other two cards modify the principal card. They are read only from an elemental standpoint, not as individual cards.

In addition to the element associated with each card, I assign an element to the question itself. Your question concerns a relationship. Therefore, it has been assigned the element Water (emotions, relationships).

Position 1. THE HERMIT (Earth)

Position 2. KING OF SWORDS (Air)

Position 3. PRINCESS OF SWORDS (Air)

The first thing I do is look at the overall strength of the principal card in this spread. The KING OF SWORDS is fairly strong in this reading. As an Air card, it is compatible with and supported by the question (Water) as well as the PRINCESS OF SWORDS (Air). However, it is incompatible or antagonistic to THE HERMIT, an Earth card.

For more insight, we look at the meaning of the principal card: the King of Swords. As the suit of Air, the Swords represent logic, intellect, and reason. There is a feeling of patience and endurance with this card, a sense of high potential for success if you are willing to work at it. The King of Swords can also represent someone with a very set attitude who has trouble telling the difference between the positive trait of determination and the negative trait of stubbornness.

The cards seem to indicate that this relationship has positive potential. Success is more likely if you can avoid being overly emotional and if you are willing to put forth the effort to resolve any conflicts that may arise.