But the other day, one of my readers said she likes to use her Tarot cards as inspiration for character development in her writing….and this got me thinking….
What if I looked at each Tarot card as if it was a person with unique character traits, quirks and secret desires?
I decided to start with one of my favorite cards, the Queen of Wands.
If it was the 80’s she would be rockin’ the shoulder pads!
She’s the kind of gal who gets up at 6 am to workout to an aerobics tape like this one:
As a dinner date she is interesting company, but never stops talking…which can get a bit obnoxious.
Of course, this is easy enough to do with a Court Card, but what about a minor arcana card like the Four of Cups?
Anna K Tarot
If the Four of Cups were a person, he would be one of those passive-aggressive types. When asked where he wants to go for dinner, he would reply “wherever you want to go” but then be all dissatisfied and resentful about it!
On vacation, he always finds things to be unhappy about – from the low threadcount hotel sheets to the lukewarm quiche.
If friends recommend books and movies to him, he is always “disappointed” and nothing is quite up to snuff. “I read The Hunger Games,” he laments “and I really don’t see what you liked about it.”
The Four of Cups likes to play it safe. He gravitates to the mundane things in life – only watching blockbusters and eating in chain restaurants – so no wonder he is eternally unsatisfied!
His secret wish is to feel ALIVE in everything he does, but his fear of the unknown holds him back.
Your turn!
Choose a Tarot card that you find a bit perplexing. Now pretend that it isn’t just a card….it’s a person!
What personality traits does he/she have?
What kind of movies does he/she like?
What kind of hobbies are of interest?
What is his/her secret desire?
Tell me what you come up with in the comment section below!
Since I love, love, love making lists and coming up with my top 5 movies, top 5 books, etc, I thought it would be fun to list my top 5 Tarot decks. Keep in mind this is the top 5 Tarot decks amongst the Tarot decks I own and not all Tarot decks in existence! So of course, my top 5 Tarot decks list is a little biased. But if I could only keep five of my Tarot decks (god forbid!) these are the ones I’d grab:
note: all Amazon.com links in this article are affiliate links
I just can’t get enough of this magical, girly, touchy-feely Tarot deck! I love everything about it – except the white borders, which I hacked off with a paper cutter. At first glance you may think oh, this is another once of those wimpy, fluffy, bullshit decks…but no! It’s not. It’s totally awesome in so many ways.
I go on and on about how great the Crystal Visions Tarot deck is right here, so I will keep it short here. This deck never disappoints me. I always feel comforted and supported when I do a reading with these cards – its kind of like talking with a really wise friend who knows me well, is totally honest, but never a bitch.
The colours are delicious, the energy is divine – and I have never had an “off” reading with this deck yet! This is my go-to deck when I am all in a flap about something.
To see the various readings I have done with this deck, click here.
The Osho Zen Tarot is one bad-ass deck! I love it because it puts a whole new spin on the traditional Tarot cards. Its new-agey and “spiritual” – but not in a cheesy way. I feel like these cards were really designed for contemplation, not fortune telling.
Most importantly, these cards feel sublime when you shuffle them, which is a trait few Tarot decks possess, quite sadly. I love the way these cards pull me back into the present moment, into my center, so I am not spazzing out over life.
Reading with the Osho Zen deck is like sitting down with a really good therapist…..almost! Hop over here to read my full review on this deck.
The Druidcraft Tarot is a delightfully witchy deck with a distinct pagan feel. For some reason this deck reminds me of Fall, my favorite time of year, when its crispy and smoky outside and almost Halloween.
The cards are kind of big, which makes shuffling a pain in the ass, but the beauty of the cards makes up for this. I don’t really use this deck much, but I bring it out on special occasions and to give myself important readings.
This is a very earthy deck and the people in it are kind of fugly, which huge feet and beer guts and stuff like that. Overall, the cards have such an old, wise feel to them, making this an extra-special deck.
Go here to see how I interpreted some of the cards from this deck 🙂
I really like this deck. I can’t put my finger on what it is exactly that I like so much, but these cards just have a nice feel to them – a good energy. Plus, the cards themselves are slightly shorter than most of my decks, which makes shuffling really easy. Bonus!
This deck does something odd – it seems to personally attune to each person I am reading for and when I read for myself it has been spookily accurate! I am still getting to know this deck, but I can easily say that it one of my faves.
You can see all the readings I have done with this deck right here.
This deck is a total classic and a must-have for any serious Tarot deck hoarder! Despite the fact that this is a more recent addition to my collection, it feels like I have been reading with these cards for decades.
The Morgan-Greer Tarot is a product of the 70’s (first published in 1979) which is apparent in the appearance of the “pornstache” on many of the men. Fun stuff!
The best thing about this Tarot deck is that THERE ARE NO BORDERS on the cards! I can’t stand annoying borders – I love it when the image comes right to the edge of the card.
*So now I want to know….what are YOUR favorite Tarot decks? What is your go-to deck that never fails you? Tell me in the comment section below!
So you’ve heard of Tarot cards (obviously!) and you’ve probably also heard of Oracle cards. Are they the same thing? Or are they totally different? And which is better?
This is a question I get asked all the time. And it’s not always easy to explain. But let me do my best…
Oracle cards and Tarot cards are similar in that they are both used for the same purpose – doing readings, exploring oneself and divining the future.
The two differ in their structure…
A Tarot deck follows a particular formula. An Oracle deck is more free-form.
A Tarot deck is similar to a Harlequin Romance novel. There’s a formula and structure to it. Certain things have to be present.
For example, the traditional Harlequin novel always features a virginal heroine. The hero she falls in love with is always rich and oh so manly – he is usually either a cowboy, billionaire or tycoon. Never a school teacher, chef or janitor. Can you imagine the novel on the left being called Between the Gas Station Attendant’s Sheets? Didn’t think so! But I digress…
Like a steamy Harlequin, A Tarot deck must follow a particular structure. There is always five suits – the four minor arcana suits and the major arcana.
A Tarot deck has 5 suits…
The minor arcana consists of cups, swords, wands and pentacles. This can vary depending on the deck as some decks get crafty with renaming the minors. There might be coins instead of pentacles or bows instead of wands. But essentially, the gist of each suit is the same.
A Tarot deck has 22 major arcana cards numbered 0 through 21. For a complete list of all the major arcana cards, go here. Some decks will have an extra card that is unique to that deck. For example, the Crystal Visions Tarot has an extra card called “The Unknown Card”, making it a 79-card deck, instead of the standard 78 cards.
Just as some decks will rename the four minor arcana suits, the major arcana cards can also be renamed. In my Druidcraft Tarot, the Wheel of Fortune is called The Wheel and The Devil is called Cernunnos. But the general meaning of the card stays the same.
Don’t let alternate card names get your panties in a twist…
I know this concept is really confusing, but think back to the Harlequin novels. Underneath all the details of a steamy bodice-ripper – like character names, job titles and location – lies a storyline that is pretty much identical from novel to novel.
One romance novel’s heroine may be called Chastity Dewstorm, while a different novel’s heroine is named Vanessa Lovejoy. But they both fall in love with a high status male by the novel’s end, despite their breathy protests and desperate mews.
Another element that all Tarot decks share is that there are four court cards –King, Queen, Knight and Page – for each minor arcana suit. So there are 16 court cards in total. Again, some decks get creative with the names and might have prince and princess instead of Knight and Page, but the meanings of the cards do not change.
Now onto Oracle cards!
Oracle cards can be anything – there are no rules that must be followed. If a Tarot deck is like a Harlequin, then an Oracle deck is like a novel that just happens to have romantic elements in it. Perhaps there are even some Harlequin-type aspects to it, but it does not follow any set formula to a tee. Maybe that’s not the best analogy….
Okay, think of Tarot cards and Oracle cards as being non-identical twins(like me and my slutty other-half Veronica!). The Tarot deck is prim, proper and follows the rules. She wants to marry, have children and pay her taxes.
The Oracle deck is the rebel who makes her own rules, traveling wherever the wind takes her, spending time in communes and ashrams, embarking on sexual escapades and making pottery while high.
This is NOT to say that Oracle cards are more interesting than Tarot cards, only that they are not bound by any rules.
An Oracle deck can have any number of cards in it. Most of them tend to be less cards than a Tarot deck, but some can have more. Some Oracle cards will have phrases on it – something that is rare for a Tarot deck – but some decks might only have images and no words.
Most Oracle decks have Tarot-inspired cards in them. So if you get to know your Tarot cards really well, you will spot some similarities in your Oracle decks.
Angel cards are a popular form of Oracle cards – these are basically Oracle cards with an angelic theme. Most Angel cards have uplifting phrases written on them, making them easy to use for beginners and gentle enough to use on those days when everything’s total shit.
So which is better? Tarot or Oracle cards?
This totally depends on you! Learning Tarot requires more time and energy, while Oracle cards are easy to read right off the bat for most people since the meanings are usually written on the cards.
Some people find Tarot cards intimidating and “scary” with their dramatic images of crumbling towers and scythe wielding skeletons. In that case, its best to start with a gentle Oracle or Angel card deck.
So why bother learning Tarot at all?
Tarot has a depth to it that Oracle cards often lack. Reading Tarot is more challenging, forcing you to flex your intuitive muscles.
Going back to the romance novel analogy, Tarot cards are like a leather bound copy of Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, while Oracle/Angel decks are like a Harlequin paperback with a glistening cowboy on the cover. Yes, it’s comforting and it’s boatloads of fun, but don’t neglect the classics!
Now that I have thoroughly confused you by saying Tarot is like a Harlequin, I mean no, its like a romantic classic, I would love to hear your thoughts…
Which do you prefer? Tarot or Oracle cards? Or do you like both? Share your opinions in the comments below!
The Moonappears today to represent secrets and the role secrets play in your life. Sometimes you keep secrets and other times you simply choose not to reveal everything. But there is a part of you that remains hidden from others.
Ask yourself how you feel about secrets – does sharing them make you feel closer to another? Do is make you angry when others keep things from you? Does keeping them make you feel vulnerable (they may get discovered!) or powerful (you know something others don’t)?
Think of one secret that keep closely guarded (and tell me all about it in the comments below) – just kidding!!! But ask yourself how it feels to keep this secret – is it zapping your energy or does it give a stronger sense of self?
Today is the day to examine and perhaps even celebrate your hidden, secretive aspects.
The Star is the Tarot card for Friday! The message for today is loud and clear – you are the star of your own life, so let go of fear and trust that everything is unfolding as it is meant to.
The lady in this card seems very comfortable with her star-like nature – she is confident in herself and she has no hesitations about emptying both of her cups. She knows they can be refilled anytime.
The Star is asking you to trust in life, let go of trying to orchestrate things and really embrace the universe’s unlimited abundance.
If you feel burnt out today, relax and surrender your worries and hopes to a higher power. Everything will make perfect sense by next week.
My evil twin Veronica Noir is back with a vengeance and she’s writing about her favorite topic – penis symbols in the Tarot. Why do I let this depraved woman write guest posts on my blog? I will never know…
Have you noticed how there seems to be a suspicious amount of phallic imagery in the Tarot? No? It’s just me? Well anyway…
Wands, swords, scepters, torches, pillars and walking sticks – it seems like anyone whose anyone in the Tarot is triumphantly grasping some kind of pole.
Before you scoff at this idea, I want to you grab your Tarot deck and have a gander. You will notice that nearly every Major Arcana card features someone holding a long, hard object. I am not being crude here – just telling it like it is!
In case you were doubting this King’s potency, he is wielding a giant phallus in this left hand (Rider-Waite Tarot)
The Minor Arcana cards are no exception to this rule, either. The entire suit of Wands and Swords feature numerous phallus-like symbols on every card.
So what’s with all the phallus’s????? This is a question I have been meticulously pondering all week.
So lets start with talking about what a phallus (aka penis-shaped object) symbolizes.
A phallus represents male energy. Think power, potency, fertility, passion, action and extroversion.
The suits of Swords and Wands are “male” suits. The Swords suit deals with thought/mind/rationality, which are stereotypically associated with maleness in our culture (even though we all know that’s just silly!) And the Wands suit symbolizes passion and action which is, again, is often associated more with masculinity than femininity.
The other two suits in the Tarot – Pentacles and Cups – are female suits. The Cup and Pentacle both symbolize the womb. The suit of Cups is all about emotion, feeling and relationships, while Pentacles is about home, health and the body – all things typically associated with women.
Trumpet or phallic symbol? You decide… (Crystal Visions Tarot)
To sum things up, the Suit of Swords and the Suit of Wands represent extroverted qualities – and the penis is the perfect symbol of extroversion since it is literally extroverted. Vaginas and wombs are literally introverted, therefore, the female suits of Cups and Pentacles stand for introverted qualities.
I hope I haven’t lost you in all this rambling about penis and vagina symbols. Anyhow…
Try this:
Ask yourself “what is my relationship to power?” Now, choose a Tarot card. Notice if there is a phallic symbol on your card.
What is the phallic symbol doing? Is it penetrating someone from behind like in the Ten of Swords? Or laying limply on the floor like in the Four of Swords?
How is this symbol being held? Proudly or nonchalantly? Is the phallus a burden like in the Ten of Wands and Two of Swords, or is it something you want to steal, like in the Five of Swords and Seven of Swords?
Some other cool questions to ask are:
What role does passion play in my life right now?
What do I need to know about “taking action” in my life?
How is my masculine energy showing up for me?
Whenever a penis-like object shows up in a reading ask yourself what role it plays in that card. Then relate it to either power, passion or action. And voila! Magical insights explode onto the scene!
In the comments below, tell me what card you chose and what you think the phallus symbol means to you….can’t wait to read these comments 😉
Veronica Noir is a lover of Tarot, writer of erotic fiction and The Daily Tarot Girl’s evil twin. She lives for cappuccino cheesecake, bitchy cats, eavesdropping in coffee shops, conspiracy theories and the occasional skinny dip.
The Knight of Cups gallops into the scene, like a knight in shining armor. Although he actually is a knight in shining armor…and he’s even carrying a bouquet of flowers and a goblet of wine (or something).
This guy is a diehard romantic and he is here to remind you not to let this part of yourself fade away. Don’t stop following your heart and living life like its an adventure. Some may say your airy-fairy, but who cares?
When deciding where to go or what to do today, listen to your gut feelings and your heart’s desires. Today is the day to let your chattering mind take a backseat and go on pure intuition. Life is way more fun that way!
If you could be this romantic, unicorn riding knight just for today, what would you do differently? Let me know in the comments below…
The Ten of Swords….such a dramatic Tarot card! Perhaps too dramatic. Are you making a big kerfuffle over something minor? Or are you having to deal with a drama queen in your life?
When you look at this card, do you relate to the girl with ten swords stuck in her back (victim) or the crow that is calmly observing this shit show from a distance?
If you identify with the crow, the message is to “keep calm and carry on” even if people in your life are flamboyantly floundering. Its not your problem – I know that sounds cold, but it isn’t really. Its tough love.
If you identify with sword girl, take heart that things are not so bad. There light hovering over the girl is her guardian angel and it is a reminder that we are never alone. No matter what.
Do you feel an urge to suppress strong feelings today, for fear they may overtake you completely?
The King of Cups suggests that your willingness to work with your emotions is where your power lies. You don’t need to run from overwhelming feelings – go into them, feel them, let them do their thing.
You may appear calm and collected to others – this is why people seek you out for emotional support! But under the surface you are a tumultuous sea of emotional activity.
As you explore your emotions, you will learn more and more about yourself, which gives you a mature, powerful, king-like presence in the world. So don’t be afraid to get your feet wet in the emotional waters today!
What is the main emotion that is bubbling beneath your calm exterior today? Tell me in the comments below…
Greetings! I returned home yesterday from my vacation in Alaska and after a full day of laundry, unpacking and doing the usual boring post-vacation stuff, I am excited to get back to my daily readings!
Today’s Tarot card is the Page of Pentacles, one of my faves! This card has come to speak to the student within you – the lifelong learner that loves learning new skills and reading countless books.
Today is the day to fully immerse yourself in learning something for its own sake. Don’t learn to better yourself – learn because its fun, because it lets you be in the moment.
Take an inquisitive approach to problems and challenges today. Do your research before making a decision and don’t assume you know how another person feels.
When it comes to being creative, don’t let your inexperience hold you back. So what if your artwork or music sucks? Keep at it and you’ll get way better than you ever thought possible. Be willing to experiment today!
Today’s question: if you had no fear, what creative skill would you want to learn? Let me know in the comments below…
