Dear reader of signs,
Welcome to the Thursday, the 22nd of June’s observation from my daily ‘Reading the Signs’ June challenge, an exercise of paying attention with a focus in mind as the day unfolds.
As exhibited in my challenge so far I have a variety of Tarot decks (and oracle decks) accumulated over several decades. I go through phases of not buying many, and then purchasing them regularly. I’m always conscious of the number of decks I own, so I try not to impulse-buy a new one. But as someone who has been intrigued and aided by this rich and symbolic guide, I find it hard to resist a new deck, especially if I think it ‘fills a gap’ in my collection.1
In the past week I bought this deck, The Tarot of Tales, created by Melinda Lee Holm and Rohan Daniel Eason, which was published recently. This is my inaugural draw, and I got the Ace of Cups and The Magician.
The reason I purchased the deck is the dark fantasy artwork with beautiful anthropomorphic animal imagery. It is described as a ‘folk-tale inspired’ deck, which is another interest of mine. I love the dark borders and the trellis archway on each card and it lends it a Gothic vibe — which is always attractive to me.
Here are two ‘ones’: the ace of cups is the first of its suit, a sign of a new understanding and emotional depth, and the Magician, which is the first of the major arcana — The Fool being card zero.
I was particularly glad to see these cards as I had to teach an online workshop later in the day, and the brain can start broadcasting insecure warnings regarding such events.
When I saw these cards, especially the Magician, I felt a profound reassurance. It was a message to myself, from myself that despite what the negative chatter in my head might say, that I am capable and able to conjure up a good experience for the students.
Interestingly, my workshop was designed around working on sensory cues, which are composed of five elements. This Magician looks like an alchemist, who is moving around their library/workshop, very much in command and busy, enjoying making their concoction.
I took this sign on faith, and set about finishing the last touches for the workshop. Whenever anxiety started to build I spotted it and banished it. What did I need to prove to myself? I had done this many times before. Instead, I concentrated on creating a useful and lively experience for the students.
It also meant that when I was beaming into their homes, thanks to the magic of broadband, I was in good form and confident in the material.
Sometimes the best enchantment is to bespell yourself.
What constitutes a gap? Well, I can always find a justification if I love the artwork!