I have a confession….for years I never really felt all that confident with the Court Cards. When they came up in my own readings, I would feel mildly annoyed and when they came up during a reading I was doing for someone else, I would inwardly curse.
Why?
The Queen of Wands from the Crystal Visions Tarot
Because the Court Cards are tricky! They aren’t like the other cards. They are more subtle, more secretive and less obvious than many of the Major and Minor Arcana cards.
So while I had mastered all the other cards in the Tarot, after years of study, the Court Cards remained elusive to me. And they made me doubt my ability as a Tarot Reader.
So I decided to spend some quality time with my Court Cards and learn them once and for all. I read all about the Tarot Courts in all the books I had and I tried all the exercises. By the time I was done I felt I had “mastered” the Court Cards!
Monday’s Tarot card is the Two of Pentacles and this card is all about balance and performing under pressure.
You may find yourself juggling two or more responsibilities today, but rest assured that you will can manage the chaos effectively and with grace.
You can handle a lot all at once, but beware of the temptation to take on even more. This is a balancing act and tipping the scales too much to one side with cause everything to come tumbling down. When others see how well you manage stress and responsibilities, they may ask for your help, so know when to say “no”.
The trick to keeping calm amidst business is to stay centered within yourself. Don’t get pulled into any dramas today – instead, take deep breaths throughout the day and focus on what needs to get done.
The other night I woke at 3am, full of anxiety about an issue that was on my mind. I felt full of uncertainty and I really just wanted answers, guidance and comfort. Whenever I feel sick to my stomach with worry, I reach for my Crystal Visions Tarot and my Angel cards.
But I knew that if I did a reading for myself in this state of confusion and fear, it would end up being a jumbled, nonsensical reading.
So I made an extra effort to ground myself and clear the energy in the room – clearing the decks for a great reading to take place.
Once sacred space and clear intention had been created, I felt so calm and grounded and ready to read the cards. The reading I did for myself was amazing – it was clear and accurate and left me feeling totally connected to my angels and guides, like they were right in the room with me! However, I know it would not have been so crystal clear and uplifting had I not taken the steps the I did before the reading.
Here is my personal formula for creating sacred space and clearing my energy:
Take a moment to chill out before a reading, no matter how stressed you are
1) Light some candles, turn down the lights and put on some relaxing music
2) Sage my aura – I do this by lighting a bundle of dried sage and wafting the smoke around me, with the intention of clearing my energy field of any fear or anxiety
3) Clear my reading space by wafting the sage smoke around my reading table
Sit calmly and “ground” my energy by taking slow, even breaths and visualizing any negative energy or worry draining out through my feet and into the floor. I make a conscious effort to connect my energy to the earth’s energy
4) Connect with my deck by holding it in my hands, closing my eyes and asking my Angels, spirit guides and higher self for help and guidance with my particular issue
5) Begin the reading with absolute trust that the cards that I choose are the ones I need to see at this time
I cannot tell you the countless times I have not taken these steps and instead did a rushed, panicky reading in a frantic attempt to get the answers I was looking for. It never worked out when I did it that way!
Creating sacred space makes your reading special and sends a message to the universe that you take this seriously – so expect to get outstanding results when you try this. Doing this one thing will change the quality of your readings in profound ways.
Perhaps you have your own ritual or steps for creating sacred space and clearing your energy before a reading? If you do, I would love to hear about them in the reply section below!!!
Friday’s Tarot card is The Devil and I am getting some really interesting messages with this one!
Basically, The Devil appears as a reminder to look at all the ways you give your power away and realize that this is your choice and not something you have to do.
Often, its the little temptations that can suck our energy and bring us down – like making impulse purchases, buying stuff you don’t really need, eating food that doesn’t nourish you and engaging in activities that don’t really add to your overall enjoyment of life (like watching TV or spending all night on the internet).
So make a commitment to yourself to be vigilant about all the ways you are giving away your power. Ask yourself where you invest your time, money and energy in things that don’t make you feel free, exuberant and alive.
Awareness is the first step on the road to freedom!
Today’s Tarot card is the Nine of Cups and it asks you to make a wish…
Take a moment today to look back at all the wonderful things you have manifested in your life. How did you accomplish it? What did you do? What helped you? What are you wanting to manifest now?
After all this past and future thinking about manifestation, just let it all go and enjoy the best moment there ever is – the present moment! Take pleasure in walking in the trees, watching the fog your breath makes in the cold air, gazing up at the stars and moon and just enjoy being alive!
The Ace of Pentacles Tarot card appears today to celebrate a new beginning in your life. This card is confirmation that you are on the right path, moving along nicely and your future vision couldn’t be any clearer at this point.
Things are finally falling into place for you and this will help you establish a sense of confidence in the future and the direction you are taking. Ground your vision and dreams in reality by recording your ideas in a journal and taking small steps towards them each and every day.
Your enthusiastic energy will inspire others today but beware! – those who are unstable and highly emotional may be drawn to you since being in your presence makes them feel supported and balanced. If this feels okay for you, radiate calmness so that others may develop a feeling of trust in life. But if this feels unpleasant to you, use your intuition to set boundaries and create an environment that nourishes you. Just because you have your shit together, it doesn’t mean you have to be a support system for those who do not!
Today’s Tarot card is the Six of Swords from the Crystal Visions Tarot deck. This card represents movement and making a passage of some kind. Since it is from the Swords Suit, it indicates that thoughts and mindset are the key issues here.
Are you wishing you were someplace else right now? Perhaps you wish that you were further along than you are or that things were clearer and more obvious. Rest assured you are moving forward, even if it isn’t 100% apparent yet.
Don’t get caught up in the whole “grass is greener on the other side” line of thinking, but do look to those you admire for inspiration and wisdom. If you are wanting to achieve something, observe those who have already walked that path – you will be amazed at what you can glean from doing this!
The main message I get from the Six of Swords is to be patient with yourself – you are shifting to a new way of thinking right now and all will be clear in time.
The Queen of Cups Tarot card appears for you today because today is the day for manifesting! Don’t hesitate to spend time daydreaming this afternoon about what you want to create in your life, because you have the focus and ingenuity to really pull it off right now.
Connect deeply with your ability to draw to you that which you desire by remembering all the times in your life that you did just that. What are some of the amazing things in your life that you made happen? How did you do it?
The other message that I get with the Queen of Cups is that now is the time for you to get in touch with your feelings and emotions, particularly as they relate to your close relationships. You might feel called to be an emotional support system for a close friend right now or you may be getting strong intuitive feelings about someone close to you. Trust your feelings and have confidence in yourself.
Have you ever felt like your Tarot deck just didn’t “get” you? Like it wasn’t really attuned to you at all?
It’s hard to get anything out of your Tarot readings if you feel your deck is just “off”. Your Tarot deck might not be the problem – it could be that your relationship with your deck needs a little TLC.
For the purpose of this article, I want you to think of your Tarot deck as an actual person or conscious being. I know that seems nutsy…..but bear with me! Doing this will change your whole experience of reading Tarot….
Step #1: Stop asking your Tarot deck questions! Show your appreciation instead.
You can imagine your Tarot deck is probably tired of hearing you ask the same old questions again and again. I know for a fact that if my deck were a person, it would be sighing and rolling it’s eyes at most of my questions by now.
Try this!Instead of asking your Tarot deck a question, tell it something. Hold it in your hands, get a sense of its unique energy and vibe, and tell it (silently) how much you like it, how pretty it is, how much fun you have with it – really communicate your overall appreciation for its presence in your life.
*Tip: There are other ways you can demonstrate respect for your Tarot deck, like wrapping it in silk before putting it away, placing a crystal on top of it and thanking it after a reading. Call me crazy, but sometimes I like to give my deck a kiss before putting away!
Step #2: Get to know your Tarot deck.
Make a date with your Tarot deck and take the time to ask it some juicy questions about itself. For each question, draw a card to answer it and record your impressions in your Tarot journal. Here are some possible questions you might ask:
I got this card when I asked my Crystal Visions Tarot deck what our relationship would be like…
What kind of a Tarot deck are you? What card sums up your personality?
What issues/areas of life do you specialize in?
How can you best help me?
What quality is most important in a Tarot reader?
How do you see our relationship?
Each and every Tarot deck has a unique personality and asking these questions will let you know if you mesh well with this particular deck. This will certainly give you a clear idea if your deck has a cheeky sense of humor or not!
Step #3: Spend quality time with your Tarot deck
Your Tarot cards will closely attune to your energy when you spend quality time with them, making for better readings. Some Tarot readers suggest sleeping with them under your pillow (I haven’t tried this one yet – I am afraid I will ruin my cards!).
You can also meditate while you hold your deck in your hands, practice regularly with them and take time contemplating each card. If these things aren’t always possible, simply placing your deck on your coffee table or bedside table will do the trick.
Today is a good time to take a break, catch your breath and evaluate how far you’ve come and where you are going. The Three of Wands Tarot card suggests that you are on the right path, but its time to shed a little more light on where you are headed.
If you’ve been busy lately, take a day off to rest, meditate and contemplate things. Remind yourself why you do the work that you do and get clear on your vision and purpose. When you take the time to regularly inspire yourself, your work takes on a whole new energy and meaning!
The Three of Wands shows that you have come a long way and this gives you a better perspective on things. You know yourself better than you did five years ago and this self-knowledge can be used to discern what you want to invest your energy into and what you want to put on the back burner. Take comfort in the fact that you are no longer stumbling through the darkness because you are the one who holds the light.
