JUDE ALEXANDER and THE TAROT GAME

Have you ever noticed that talented efforts born of true passion seem to jump out at us?   Take fine art, for example.   A work of art that is experienced in technique or done by a schooled artist doesn’t always measure up to work that springs from true inspiration.  I believe this is true with many things, but I never associated it with the tarot community until recently.

A year ago this month, a woman named Jude Alexander received author copies of the tarot game she created.  The game emerged spontaneously and sincerely out of the group of tarot enthusiasts she belonged to, all women, for about 14 years.  All were seekers looking for new ways to understand the tarot and perhaps taking it to a new place.  In fact, Jude didn’t actively look for a publisher.  It all happened spontaneously. 

I had the pleasure of a reading with Jude and her game via Skype just before the Christmas holiday. I must say, the experience was much deeper than I had anticipated.  Skype made the experience quite genuine, as I felt like I was sitting right across from Jude.  Of course, that may have been her warmth, sincerity and the passion she has for the game reaching across Grandmother Spider’s great internet web. 

My query was general, sort of a “what do I need to know at this time?”, and in response Jude did a three card reading.  The game not only offers cards for interpretation and inquiry, but there are blessing coins and other question cards that pull you deeper into thought.  This surprised me.  Not the game’s components, but the intensely private realm it encouraged me to address out loud.   For example, at one point the game asked me if there is a role in one of my relationships that I’d like to redefine.  At first I was reluctant to answer, but like the seasoned adept she is, Jude, working in smooth tandem with her game, didn’t let me off the hook.  With a calm and encouraging demeanor, she helped me sidle up to that question until I was comfortable with her and willing to offer my answer.  It was very personal,  venturing  into an area about my father at a point when I was very much wishing our relationship was different.  In fact, it was the topic of discussion between my partner, Leslie, and I frequently in relation to current events in our tightly knit family.

This highlights the penetrating difference between The Tarot Game and a one-on-one tarot card reading.  While a good, intuitive tarot card reader, one who is experienced and confident, may allow or encourage a reading to become an interactive experience, The Tarot Game is interactive by design.  It helps the querent identify personal frustrations and then offers actions and affirmation to help deal with them.  So, for the querent looking for a deeper experience, The Tarot Game offers an interactive journey into timely introspection and spiritual self-analysis.  How wonderful!

At this time, 500 games have been sold and tarot enthusiasts out there are being challenged, provoked and intrigued by its inquiries more than ever before.  Jude is also training group facilitators to broaden the experience, and given the passion and sincerity she brings to the game, I would venture to say her facilitators will be equally as sensitive.  I can’t imagine she’d have it any other way.

The Tarot Game is available on Amazon and on The Tarot Game’s website.  I’d also encourage you to hook up with Jude on Facebook.  This is a unique and innovative way to explore the age old Tarot, and I highly recommend it.

The Tarot Game on Amazon
The Tarot Game's Website
The Tarot Game on Facebook

FROM OUR WORKSHOP: Gregor (Guardian Series #2 of 4)

Guardian Series, #2: Gregor  © February 26, 2011 by yours truly.  This is the second in my Guardian Series, and you can see the first one here.  Done in pen and ink with silver highlights on Arches paper, the original is 12"x17", give or take.  It will make its way to my art site once it’s scanned. This is the third portrait of Gregor I've done since first becoming aware of him two years ago almost to the day.  As it's been buzzing around in my brain for a year, I’m very happy it’s on paper and done the way I envisioned it. 

I received five sheets of Arches paper from my friend Lambi in Greece.  She does almost all of her art on Arches.  This paper appeals so intently to me at this time because it’s really thick (just like I am) and once you commit to it, you’re in it until the drawing is done (just like a relationship).  My previous portraits of Francine were all about flexibility.  I layered paper as my perception of each version evolved. With this paper, layering is out.  I have to let myself go wherever the paper pushes the marker and hang with it when it happens.

Right now, as I navigate this crossroad in my life, I’m all about going with the flow; and as usual, my art is a reflection of where my head is.

Gregor: My Dragon Spirit Guide

Here is the first portrait of Gregor , and you can read about it here on my art site.   Read about how he emerged into my awareness here.  And there is more fiction type stuff here.

The Queen of Wands
(a self-portrait of sorts)

This is the second piece, in a self-portrait entitled “The Queen of Wands”. 

More:
My FB Page
Lambi's Magic Island

New Temperance: Walking to The Front of My Brain

I’m finally in the home stretch.

I’ve got five interviews with local office leadership over the next three days. With any luck I’ll know if I’m being laid off, thereby joining the ranks of the unemployed, by the end of the month.

I am curiously and objectively aware that a huge part of my subconscious brain is preoccupied with this. I feel much like I did when I was 18 and getting ready for the first day of business school; nervous and a bit lightheaded, kind of queasy, and cognizant of being on the edge of change, like it or not, while the rest of me watches from the outside. I tried to get the same memo off my desk all morning with no luck, so I finally gave up and went walking … and thinking.

If this is over by February first, I will have endured over a year of merger angst, seven months of intensive change navigation, and at least three months of complete office stagnation in what was no doubt the most challenging period of my career. During that period, and with notable frequency, the Temperance card came up in my personal readings. It felt like the Great Mother shaking her finger at me, admonishing me to slow down, but offering no respite. Clearly, I wasn’t to be released from this and why?

I had something to learn.

About a week ago, I came across an entirely deeper meaning to the Temperance tarot card.

What is traditionally known as the Temperance card is a reference to the Soul. Classically female, she is mixing up a blend of subtle energies for the evolution of the personality. One key to interpreting this card can be found in its title, a play on the process of tempering metals in a forge. Metals must undergo extremes of temperature, folding and pounding, but the end product is infinitely superior to impure ore mined from the earth … the soul volunteers the ego for a cleansing and healing experience which may turn the personality inside-out, but which brings out the gold hidden within the heart. <source>

I feel like iron in a forge, and yes, much of the time I feel screwed, which is why this photo is appropriate. I bumped into it when I was walking. I look at this sculpture every day from the downtown San Francisco building I work in but I didn’t “see” it until now.

This process has changed me. I’ve matured professionally and am no longer deeply invested in the approval of others at work, not the way I was when I started this job two and a half years ago. My personality has certainly evolved. When the merger was announced, I came out of the gate strongly, overcompensating for my fears, when I should have been watching and listening. I’m a lot less stressed than I was when they first announced this mess a year and a half ago, and I’ve grown infinitely better at waiting, as well. Has this process brought out hidden gold in my heart? Perhaps it has. I’m less demanding of my staff and am better at letting little things go. Yes, my ego took a beating, but if it’s for the cleansing and healing of my personality, then I would say it’s a good thing. It's not an easy thing, but all in all, it’s good.

I have learned, and I suppose that if one is willing to learn, one must be willing to make plenty of mistakes and take a hit from time to time.

After my walk was done, I returned to the office and my subconscious distractions had moved to the front of my brain where they could be constructively expressed. I realize I’m not afraid like I was before. I will do my best in these interviews over the next few days, but I have no control over the political workings of this “merger of equals” and how they will undoubtedly affect the outcome. That doesn’t mean I won’t have myself a personal pity party if I'm released, but I know it’s no reflection of my capabilities and it’s not the end of my career.

Word is that one door is closed so another may open.

I find myself curious about what may be on the other side of this particular door.

What Makes A Good Tarot Card Reader

Ask yourself this question: What do you look for in a tarot card reading? Do you seek answers to a specific problem? Do you want confirmation on something? Or is it a relationship? What will happen with your career? What will the future hold? Let’s explore this on an even deeper level, and ask -- Do you seek objective guidance, or would you rather be told what to do? Your honest answer along with a discerning mind, good old fashioned communication, and common sense will lead you to a tarot reader whose capabilities are in perfect synch with the reading you’re looking for.

All divination implies the exchange of personal power. It occurs quite naturally in the tightly woven fabric of the interactive energy inherent in the intuitive process. If a reader’s intentions are good and your mind is open and relaxed, the interaction is smooth, open and informative. It can be mind-blowing! If a reader’s intentions are selfish or ego-based, even unintentionally, you’ll note the interaction may feel controlling, frightening, or intimidating. A reader might express a strong desire to be agreed with, for example; or express their own fear within the context of your reading. It behooves us to remember that even gifted psychics are human, walking their own path, and making their own mistakes. It doesn’t mean that you have to share that journey, however.

Objectivity is the primary quality of a good tarot card reader. An experienced reader might also identify as a healer and compassionately assist with problems of the emotion or intellect insofar as you are willing to allow them to. They will never push their will on you. Within the context of your interaction, a reader’s goal might be to pave the way for the next step on your spiritual journey by offering spiritual tools without making you feel obligated in any way to use them. Essentially, a good tarot card reader, assuming the role of spiritual advisor, will guide you carefully and sensitively to self-empowerment by encouraging you to look for your answers within.

Tarot cards, psychic clairvoyance, and any other form of divination including astrology is rendered mutable by free will or our ability to make choices. Nothing is cast in stone against the time proven resilience and unpredictability of the human spirit. Excellence in tarot guidance by an advanced reader is best offered as an alternative to blind reliance on external forces or influence, even if it means that in doing so, your reader doesn’t promote or benefit his or her own practice. And if this is truly your reader’s intent, eventually, and out of spiritual necessity, your evolving spiritual advisor will exercise discernment in who they read for, consequently choosing where they invest their time and energy. It is part of what might be a natural progression for both of you on your personal spiritual journey and where your individual paths may intersect.

When misused as a function of the ego, reading tarot cards can be a control ploy used for personal gratification or a scam for profit. A spiritually minded reader won’t simply tell you what you want to hear. He or she will approach every reading with an open heart, absolutely no judgment, and will be willing to walk you through a mutually satisfying journey of symbolism that doesn’t use fear or intimidation to control the flow of energy and conversation.

Even tarot card readers walk their own spiritual path. It’s wise to remember that the presence of psychic gifts doesn’t always imply the presence of spiritual integrity. Some readers may eventually straddle the fence between discernment and ego gratification in order to decide once and for all why they are reading cards. Their decision will have an impact on the quality of tarot card reading you receive from them. Take the time to engage your reader in conversation. Discover where they are on the spectrum of their spirituality and then make your own informed decision.

Originally Written on September 2, 2009

This has been editted from it's original version.

CHANGE IS AFOOT

There are some changes o’er my creative horizon. As this summer drew to a close, I found myself rethinking web-based creative outlets and realized I’ve outgrown a few of my blogs. Yeah, I’ve thought it over for a week or two, and I’m convinced this is the right thing to do.

Here are changes to look for:

• I shut down my spirituality blog called “When Isis Rises”. Spirituality was something I needed to talk separately about a few years ago. Since then, I've integrated it. I’ve even gone back to old blogposts wondering what could be republished, and I find the way they were written are all a part of my past. I just don’t see things in precisely the same way, and I don’t express myself the same way. Now, my spirituality has become a part of how I navigate life, and when it comes up, it comes up. When I need to express myself about it specifically, I’ll do so right here on Sapphokinesis.
• I also shut down my other blog called “Every Woman is a Witch”. While I still firmly believe there is a little witch in all women, I don’t feel the need to write about it any longer. That blog was a return to my spiritual roots done at a time when I needed to reclaim those roots. Since then, I’ve integrated my inner witch and, believe me, I ride my broomstick when I feel the need. I still see the ebb and flow of magic in the world, particularly now when the world is changing so much, so quickly. However, I’m not a practicing Wiccan, Pagan, or Witch, and I don’t write spells any longer. I’ve become something different and that is perfectly and uniquely me. I still read the tarot, however, and I hope to be involved in my tarot project for a long time. The cards will always be a big part of who I am, broomstick and all.
• For a short time, I had a companion blog to my art site … that was a waste of time.
• I still have an art site called http://www.donnalouisefaber.com/ where folks can purchase prints and link to my stores on Redbubble and Cafepress. All of my art and their companion blogs will go there. It is also where you can find my completed tarot cards and their meanings.
• I’ve expanded things here at Sapphokinesis and created pages to support my tarot, my fictional book project, and to tell folks about myself. I will also create an art page, and whatever else I think is pertinent. 

I'm still on Facebook a lot and have a Fan Page there.  I'm not on Twitter very often, however.  I guess I got bored with it.

In a nutshell, I continue to change and grow and my creativity is changing and growing with me. However, one thing is for certain, just as it says at the top of this blog … “I am a work-in-progress, in rapid forward motion, growing and transforming. I’m on a voyage of self-discovery, always creating, and I thrive in defiance of a changing and challenging world.”

So, if you’re looking for me, I’ll be here on Sapphokinesis babbling or over on my art site drawing pictures.

I hope you visit me often.

Love,

D♥

Nine Hawks

When Elizabeth, Leslie and I left the house this morning, there were nine enormous hawks riding the drafts over our heads. We stood there, looking up, and Elizabeth danced around a bit to avoid getting pooped on.

Smart kid.

I was thoughtful.

Time is fleeting.

As I get closer to the 50 year mark, this becomes more and more apparent. Time doesn’t slow down for any one, and the world continues to change around me in ways that remind me of my mortality.

Elizabeth will be in high school before we know it. Already, she’s thinking about a car. Leslie’s head is full of a significant ex who was just diagnosed with lung cancer. How do you process that kind of information? I’ll tell you how. You do it carefully, and you keep it in the right perspective. You also forgive yourself for feeling relieved it isn’t you or someone very close to you who is sick.

All the astrological activity over the summer, the mercury retrograde, weirdness in Virgo, cosmic this and that … all the energy that has kept things either in stasis or compressed with great efficiency has been a mixed blessing. It’s mixed only because I spent time railing against it. It is my nature to be restless, but I have to admit this summer has slowed me down enough to reflect. Craziness at work had me so worked up, I wasn’t thinking at all. I created attachments and expectations to circumstances I have no control over, and then I reacted to them. Ironically, it turns out these are circumstances I don’t want control over, and once I realized why I reacted, I was surprised at how easy they were to let go. As a German friend of mine says after a good work out, “I got over it”.

This summer has given me time to listen, which is something I work on continuously. Good listening skills are easy to put aside when you’re in the thick of things. I’ve focused on listening more effectively to my daughter, to Leslie, to special friends, and to people at work. I’m listening to the silence between the words. I’m listening to my head, my heart, my thoughts, and my internal muse, Francine, who I sense is undergoing a transformation of sorts.

Overall, the muse had been quiet. I’ve started a few small art projects, only to put them aside, bored or suddenly uninterested. On the same note, I’m thinking about writing a book, and I’m jotting down notes. “Make it sellable,” Leslie advises, ever the pragmatic Taurean, and I listen. I wonder if Stephanie Meier kept that in mind as she pounded out the Twilight Saga on a laptop in her kitchen.

“I will write a novel about vampires, and IT WILL SELL!”

Nine hawks. Drifting.

The number 9 portends the highest level of change. It carries all the potential, preparation, and energy of the 8 numbers before it. It indicates that we’ve assimilated what we should have in a situation, and that appropriate change is occurring either in circumstance, perception or expectation. It indicates we have accomplished what we should have. Spiritually, the hawk is a symbol of air or the intellect. It has excellent vision, encouraging us to truly see what we are getting into. It’s a powerful hunter, as well, encouraging us to go after what we want, once we’re sure that we want it. Visually, it is a sight to behold, and as it effortlessly rides the air drafts, it reminds me to go with the flow.

Change is coming. Keep the eyes open. Pay attention. And chill out.

So, does this mean things will start to move along at work?

Or shall I write that book?

Perhaps something entirely unexpected will happen.

Either way, I’m ready.

Liza Minelli is THE SUN, Major Arcana Card #19

Definition will come soon.

Read more about my tarot deck at

www.donnalouisefaber.com

TEMPERANCE
CARD #14
KEYWORDS: Flexibility, Moderation, Transcendence

The magic of the Tarot lies in its timeless symbolism. When we look closely and contemplate tarot symbols, they help us awaken intuitive channels and unlock the secrets of our higher selves. The Great Mother gave us more than a tool for divination. She provided us with a visual roadmap to understanding as we navigate our way through a constantly changing world.

The tarot’s major arcana cards represent universal experiences that we all go through, no matter what our background or how we were raised.

Change, like death and taxes, is something we can count on but don’t necessarily look forward to. It often affects us directly in very tangible ways igniting a series of internal changes in its wake. When circumstances push us through hoops, doors, and open windows, we are pulled out of our comfort zone. We may react strongly, with unexpected emotions, and we may find ourselves acting out in unanticipated ways. Stress, after all, can do strange things to even the most stable individual.

In this modern, pop-culture rendition of the Temperance Card, actress Catherine Deneuve is an angel praying serenely over a chalice of flowing water. Her classic beauty and peaceful repose reminds us to slow down. The birds in this card signify the elements of air and thought, and they remind us to respond rather than react. Insinuate the intellect wisely when the raging waters of emotion threaten to carry us away. Catherine’s praying hands are held up to her forehead, indicating the third eye, which is open. In this, she acknowledges that integrating internal change is critical to maintaining emotional stability. She is also secure in the knowledge that the watchful Raven (the eyes of the Morrigan or Dark Mother) is a representative of the Goddess, who is always watching over us.

It is no coincidence that the Temperance Card falls between the Death Card (#13) (transformation through change) and the Devil Card (#15) (enduring problems) in a tarot deck. When viewing the major arcana in a linear fashion, it becomes apparent that the placement of this card gives us an opportunity to deal with and process emotional change. Take time to watch for signs, markers, totems and patterns that are significant to our personal journey. These signals point the way. Let go of what should be released, such as failed relationships, unsuccessful work arrangements, and uncomfortable or awkward circumstances. Know that irreconcilable differences or contradictory opposites, whether they are inner archetypes stretched by duality or personalities that make working together difficult, can be transcended.

Concurrently, these issues can isolate us when ignored. They keep us from moving forward by instilling fear and making us too frightened to take emotional chances again. When left to fester, they become the even bigger issues that vex us symbolized by the Devil Card (in which case a hearty sense of humor is very helpful).

When the Temperance card appears in a reading, remember the words fluidity, agility, and flexibility and go with the flow.



Read more about the creative process here.
View the Major Arcana Gallery on my art site here.

THE LOVERS, Major Arcana Card #6

This is an excerpt from my website www.donnalouisefaber.com where I'm publishing my own pop-culture tarot deck. You can read more about it in the previous post here.

Author's Note: This card and everything written here is dedicated to my old high school friend, Tracey Coffin Mattson aka Mama Mattson, whose heart was broken the day John Lennon was killed. She's since healed it with a large and beautiful family (more testimony to the healing power of true love), but I'll never forget the day she stood in the doorway of Junior Advanced Biology with a black sash on her upper arm and tears streaming down her face. All we need is love, right Tracey? D♥

THE LOVERS

CARD #6

KEYWORDS: Relationship, Sexuality, Personal Values

The tarot’s major arcana cards represent universal experiences that we go through in our lives, no matter what our background or how we were raised.

Love, in it’s truest form (as opposed to ownership or possessiveness), is a magic elixir, the universe’s greatest cure all. When our chalice is filled to the brim with this selfless and unconditional nectar and we drink of it without expectation, we are transformed by true love, healed by true love, and urged to our potential. Our lives become graced with divine alchemy; we dance vital karmic dances, and discover our most genuine selves through interaction with others. The door opens and all we need do is walk through it.

This photo of John Lennon and Yoko Ono done by Annie Liebovitz for the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine in 1980 epitomizes The Lovers Card. Their relationship was complicated, true, but they loved one another deeply. So deeply in fact that Yoko has iconized Lennon’s name and image as a brand for world peace. The image portrays romantic love so well, but what Yoko did thereafter reminds us of our responsibility to love one another, the entire world ... that all we need is love.

Excerpted from “Behind the Photo: John & Yoko” posted on www.RollingStone.com on September 30, 2004 …

The session took place in a bright, sunny room overlooking the park," says Yoko Ono of her and John Lennon's photo shoot at the Dakota, their New York apartment building, on December 8th, 1980. "We were feeling comfortable because it was Annie [Leibovitz], whom we respected and trusted, so John seemed not to have any problem taking off his clothes. John and I were hugging each other, feeling a bit giggly and up."

"I was thinking that they had never been embarrassed to take their clothes off, that they could do a nude embrace," says Leibovitz, who was photographing them for a Rolling Stone cover to mark the release of Double Fantasy, their first album in five years. "John took his clothes off in a few seconds, but Yoko was very reluctant. She said, 'I'll take my shirt off but not my pants.' I was kinda disappointed, and I said, 'Just leave everything on.' We took one Polaroid, and the three of us knew it was profound right away." source

The Lovers card is all about how we relate to others, but it’s also about being true to ourselves. Each of the four tarot suits are present in this card symbolizing the phases we may go through when dealing with love’s many aspects. Our emotions act like a magnet carrying us toward friends or lovers. This is the blessing of the chalice, which is filled to the brim with opportunities for love of many kinds including divine, platonic, and romantic. Through the sharp edge of observation and consideration, the swords help us determine what relationships are good for us. As we contemplate sexuality, physical attraction, desire and intimacy we are reminded to remain true to ourselves. The way we respond to these thoughts and feelings is inherent in the suit of wands. Finally, pentacles are indicative of how those decisions and their subsequent actions manifest in our lives.

The pomegranate in the card’s border is symbolic of the sex act itself, inclusive of la petite mort, or the little death. Through the little death we are repeatedly resurrected, which is highly symbolic of the transformative powers of love.

In a reading …

When pulled in a reading, the Lovers card can be indicative of a relationship that is based on deep love but is not sexual in nature. Perhaps there are sexual undercurrents, but it is how we act on those currents, the choices we make and the actions we take, that matter. In this way, the card can indicate the presence of a moral or ethical choice or crossroads.

When this card is opposed by the Hierophant, we may face a situation in love that challenges our belief system. When it opposes the Hermit, it encourages interacting more with others and finding the courage to step outside of ourselves. When this card is pulled in a reading with the Empress, it may point more toward non-sexual love, but when pulled with the 2 of cups, it leans more toward romance.

Visit my art site and the Major Arcana Gallery here.
See more of this deck at www.donnalouisefaber.com.

MY TAROT DECK

I’d like to share my latest art project with you. It’s a tarot deck in-progress, and I’ve called it the Creating is Breathing Tarot.

What is the Creating is Breathing Tarot?

Creating is Breathing Tarot uses pop-culture imagery from any and all sources regardless of origin or copyright. I have no plans to sell this deck, and will probably end up giving the original individual cards away. Each completed card has been copy written under an Attribution Creative Commons license on Flickr, however, which I hope is the right thing to do (I’m open to input).

When all is said and done, I’ll have three separate tarot galleries on my art site donnalouisefaber.com. One will be exclusively for Major Arcana cards, one for Minor Arcana Royalty, and the last will be for Minor Arcana Suit cards. As I do with the rest of my art, I will blog significant meanings and symbolism for each tarot card and link everything together so it’s relatively easy to find.

This began as an art journal that I posted on Flickr and Facebook. I started journaling in response to a period of artistic attention deficit that I’m probably still going through, and a bunch of inspiration I got from bloggers I know who art journal regularly. It seemed like a good way to relieve my need to create without entering into too much of a commitment, so I began making little collages. Those pieces gradually transformed into tarot cards, although I’m not sure why or how. They just … well, they just sort of happened.

Sharing the Process

Each card is a 3”x5” collage. The small size is a challenge I enjoy working with. To satisfy my creative urge and bring each small vision into reality, I need the freedom to pull whatever images I desire, without any restriction.

First, I get closer to the symbolism and meaning of the card using a number of my favorite book and internet resources. Then, I focus on graphics, look for images, and loosely plan composition. I think the longest and toughest part is actually cutting all the little bits and pieces out using scissors and without mangling them. But that’s also part of the meditation or spiritual infusion of each card. It’s important I let spirit move through me (something an artist friend of mine in NYC would say) to allow the card to be whatever it needs to be. If I interfere intellectually with that process for some silly reason, it stalls or gets frustrating. When I assemble the collage, at last it transforms based on the needs of that assembly. I do highlights with a metallic pen, if it needs it. Not all cards do.

At the time of this writing, I’ve got a large, unfinished and beautiful piece on Francine sitting in my dining room. She stares out at me with lovely green eyes and enticingly red lips. This poor incomplete muse is a reluctant refugee of my artistic attention deficit syndrome. I hope she returns soon, demanding attention, making a ruckus and breaking rules in love.

Until then, I hope these tiny morsels of intuited tarot wisdom satisfy your artistic cravings as they do mine.

D♥

Visit donnalouisefaber.com to read more.

FROM OUR WORKSHOP: The Queen of Wands

~click on the picture to get a closer look~

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My Art website, Donna Louise Faber: Creating is Breathing, will be launched soon! Just in time for Christmas!

The Queen of Wands © November 28, 2009, pen & ink on Strathmore Bristol 100 pound vellum. The original is approximately 14" x 17" , and is cut out and mounted in layers.

I started this piece in late October and didn’t expect it to take over a month to complete. At that time I was on a roll, producing art quickly and with regularity. I was focused initially on a self-portrait of myself and my spirit guide, Gregor. I’ve always wanted to do a self-portrait, but never got around to it. Maybe it’s because I never knew myself fully until this point in my life. As the piece emerged, it looked like a strega (Italian witch) and her guardian, which was appropriate because I have past life memories and impressions all around these geographic and esoteric areas. In fact, when walking a path that included the Craft, the only documented facet of modern day witchcraft that resonated to me authentically was the old religion, Stregheria. Everything else seemed reinvented. That was long before meeting my spiritual mother. I was much younger, and I’ve written much about it.

Wands, (also called Rods or Sticks) are one of four minor arcana suits in a tarot deck. They are about spirit, or spirituality and intuition. The royals in this suit are about spiritual mastery and intuitiveness. Likewise, this Queen is highly intuitive, and is a catalyst for growth in others. If this Queen is in your life (in one form or another), or if you meet her and interact with her, you will grow. You will grow because of her or in spite of her. But, have no doubt … you will change and grow.

The key phrase for the Queen of Wands is I know myself. This Queen has walked the paths of both dark and light, selfishness and compassion, and made a conscious choice toward personal evolution. She knows who she is and accepts herself wholly and without illusion. She no longer needs to see her reflection in the eyes of others for personal definition, and is beyond looking to others for approval. However, she remembers the lessons of her past.

The dragon in this piece indicates the presence of the most primal spiritual energy in the Queen’s existence. Not spirituality that you read or write about and not the kind you go to lectures to learn. Dragons, in a spiritual context, represent the day-to-day spirituality which is intrinsically a part of our lives ... also known as little voice that speaks to us. Dragons are the supreme guardian, present even before Christianity defined angels, and the modern new age movement defined spirit guides. Before all this, there was the primal and ancient dragon, whose presence as guardian, mentor, and messenger kept us connected with our spiritual and emotional natures, the truest form of who we are as spiritual beings. Now, as the earth shifts on its spiritual axis, dragon guides re-emerge to awaken the sleepers (us).

I struggled with this piece for days, through the new moon in Scorpio, the Saturn/Pluto astrological thing, a wicked case of premenstrual syndrome and as work (my office job) ramped up intensely. Suddenly, my time and attention were pulled elsewhere, and I felt like I was navigating life under water for a week. The image of the witch and her dragon seemed blurry as they competed with one another for space on the page. I had the hardest time doing her face, too, and tried and failed more than once. I reached out to my family and artistic friends on the net, looking for guidance, and for a time, I considered scrapping the piece entirely. But no, I was too in love with the dragon, my beloved Gregor, even if the rest of the piece didn't work well. So, I reworked it intensely, cutting, redo-ing, resizing, and reshaping. Then, satisfied with my efforts and in a moment of defiance, I decided to let the piece birth itself for better or worse.

I woke up one morning and realized as much as this was a self-portrait, it was also a portrait of the Queen of Wands. Herein was the cathartic moment. It was still me, but it was She, as well. With this realization, I found the Queen's inspiration, and the muse began dancing. I'd like to say the composition and flow moved perfectly thereafter. But, it didn't. She still gave me a lot of grief in her birthing. Maybe she's just a difficult Queen to get along with, hm?

I present to you the the second in my series of Tarot Queens (which began with the Queen of Pentacles in September).

So much love,

D~

EMERGING ART: More of the Queen of Wands

These dragon wings

beat a rhythm to my heart;

I feel so much around me,

I don't know where to start.

The Queen of Wands & Her Guardian ... emerging.

EMERGING ART: The Queen of Wands

My panties are in a twist.

I've got a lot going on at work (finally!), stuff coming up for the PTA, family life to balance, the upstairs waiting to be cleaned ... and this piece of art calling me to task on a regular basis. I mean, I should be happy. When I'm bored, I'm miserable and prone to trouble. The other side of that coin is having too much to do. I'm not complaining. Well, I am a little ... but it feels good. Even if my panties are in a twist. It feels good.

This is what I'm working on right now, all whining aside. I originally called it "Donna & Gregor" and yes, it is a self-portrait of sorts. Then, I thought maybe "Strega & Guardian" made better sense. Then, the other day, first thing after awakening, I looked at it and realized it was "The Queen of Wands", which is all about spirit. The dragon, to me, is the ultimate symbol of spirit. This Queen's key words are "I know myself" which is also very much me. I do know myself. I have no illusions about who I am.

So, I present, for your consideration a work in progress called "The Queen of Wands".


~please click on the image for a better view~

FROM OUR WORKSHOP: The Queen of Pentacles

Click on the picture to get a closer look.

The Queen of Pentacles © September 22, 2009 (Fall Equinox) by Donna L. Faber, is the first in a tarot card series (that I may or may not finish). It is done on Strathmore Bristol 300 Series Vellum with Staedler pigment liner pens, Prismacolor premiere markers, and good old fashioned Crayola Pip-Squeaks. She’s been cut out, assembled from three separate pieces, and will be mounted for framing.

This was a very inspired piece that came quickly and precisely through my pen, as though she was eager to emerge, as though she had something to prove. Perhaps she does.

The Queen of Pentacles is one of four minor arcana queens in a typical 72 card tarot desk used for divination. Each of the Queens has certain characteristics indicative of the suit they’re in. They can be, and often are, symbolic of a specific person when they appear in a reading. I’ve gotten in the habit of providing a narrative for new works of art, as each come from a personal place of intense inspiration. I’ll do the same for this piece. You’ll note that in ways this narrative may differ from the standard Queen of Pentacles description.

Who is the Queen of Pentacles?
The Queen of Pentacles is a mature woman who is pragmatic and appreciates the value of hard work. She may not be the Queen of a kingdom, but she is certainly the Queen of her family. She demonstrates a practical awareness that empowers her and others; shares her gifts abundantly, but uses discernment and savvy in their distribution. She has a keen, logical mind, goes about her work quietly, but in the stillness of her thoughts can solve the most confusing dilemmas. She always seeks a solution. Her meditation is found in the garden with her hands in the dirt surrounded by blooming flowers, butterflies, hummingbirds, and busy bees. These sacred messengers are all part of nature’s bounty, synonymous with her bounty, all of which she is in tune with quite naturally. She also embodies the attributes of earth, and like earth, cannot and will not be moved unless she wills it. The Queen of Pentacles expresses her love through hard work and provision, and wants to share everything she has with her children, whom she loves very much. She has an appreciation for the finer things in life, but it is because she’s earned them, not because they were handed to her. She has purposefully instilled that value in her daughters.

Her smile is genuine, and when she willingly and genuinely bestows it upon you, or throws her head back in laughter, she is radiant. Like the light of a hundred suns, the Queen’s beauty emanates from deep within. This renders her quite breathtaking, although she is not what is typically considered beautiful. Beneath the softness and pliancy of mature skin are muscles and bones made of steel, hard and durable, forged from years of hard work, good food, and physical fitness. This strength and endurance serve her well now. As the world changes and economic times are increasingly tenuous, she knows she can count on her physical strength to carry her through. This is her quiet pride. She is not vain, but she is proud.

The Evolved Queen of Pentacles
The Queen of Pentacles has experienced dark nights of the spirit. She has stared the Dark Mother in the eyes; at times in terror, and in other times, acceptance. Her eyes, in fact, have seen great sorrow, but still retain their luster. Her personal pain is reformed but not forgotten, symbolized by a single dark tear on her cheek. She no longer punishes herself for short comings, and what was once anxiety no longer holds sway over the health of her emotional body. A radiating spiral on the other cheek acknowledges the magic inherent within her, the natural force she was once uncomfortable with, but now embraces. In the wisdom of maturity, this Queen forgave herself the sins heaped upon her (by herself and others) in order to claim her worthiness and happiness. She did not stop to ask anyone’s permission but her own.

This queen acknowledges and accepts all aspects of herself (although some aspects remain very private), leading to increasing realization of the multi-faceted Goddess within.

********************

She is your mother, grandmother, aunt, sister or friend.

Perhaps she is simply a special acquaintance.

In her practical, well groomed and well tailored way, she is a force to be reckoned with.

She is also a very inspired piece of art.

She is the Queen of Pentacles.

The muse dances and I must create.

Lei ha ispirato questo pezzo. Sono molto lieto che abbiamo incontrato. La ringrazio per la continua a ispirare me in tanti modi.

So much love,
D~

TAROT SYMBOLISM AS A SIGNPOST FOR CHANGE: My Tarot Card Reading by Avia Venifica

The World Wide Web has become an inner world, like another dimension, running parallel to the mundane. Aided by super-powered search engines and social programs like Facebook, it facilitates folks of a like mind gravitating toward one another. Symbolism, ever present on the web, has been a significant part of my life for as long as I can remember. I wore my very first pentacle in high school, was somehow aware of its protective qualities then, and continue to wear it (and other symbols) in sterling silver around my neck every day. In our mundane lives, symbolism works on an intuitive basis, coming from the same place as dreams and creativity. It helps unlock the secrets of our higher selves, as well, releasing them from where they are tucked away for safe keeping in the subconscious mind. The magic of symbolism is present and working whether we are spiritually awake or not. Just what do you think advertising is? On the Web, our interest is awakened spontaneously by pictures and words, aka symbols, appearing briefly before us. It’s no wonder these symbols are like bread crumbs leading us to kindred spirits.

The bloggers we run into repeatedly become like friends, accept they are … well, internet friends. We leave messages for one another, one blogger to another, and at times exchange email. Rarely do those friends cross over into our real life. When they do, it implies a significant level of trust, and it’s usually for a good reason.

Avia Venifica has been in my internet orbit, and I in hers, for almost three years. She has two wonderful websites and a weblog. I visit What's-Your-Sign.com regularly, particularly when my path is crossed by a specific animal bearing messages, which is frequently. I never hesitate to refer to Avia’s work in my spiritually minded blogs on Sapphokinesis because she and I share one very important belief – that all spiritual seekers have the right to be where they are on their path. This isn’t something she told me, but something I’ve intuited from her work, made more obvious in one of her recent postings. Tarot Teachings is entirely dedicated to its namesake, including card meanings and specific symbols within the cards. Symbolic Meanings takes symbolism to the next level, including places where it crosses into Celtic mythology, dream symbolism, as well as alchemy, astrology, and native american and chinese symbolism. Something Avia calls symbol scopes appear on her weblog. They are an unexpected and unusual but tasty tidbit spun happily from your average horoscope and issued on a monthly basis.

I signed up for Avia’s email newsletter and was lucky enough to have my name pulled from a hat for a free card reading. This happened when I find myself in the midst of a personal review, brought upon by the upcoming visit of my spiritual mother, Sri Karunamayi Ma, who’ll be in the Bay Area in just three short weeks. I’ve been working, writing, and doing my art, all the while rifling through the file cabinet that is my life experiences and mind. Avia and I also decided to do the reading over the phone, which we accomplished by engaging in a tentative communication exercise on scheduling. Happily, our exercise yielded only positive results!

I didn’t go into this looking for specifics, so I asked no specific question. In fact, I had no focus and no expectations. Nor did I harbor skepticism. My motto was go with the flow, keep an open heart and mind, knowing full well that my life is an open book and all over my websites. Anybody with a computer and half a brain can discover I’ve got past issues with my mother, a strong dedication to my family and career, and a habit of biting off more than I can chew. What can’t be premeditated, however, is the ebb and flow of a reading, and which cards show up where. This is where I found Avia’s deepest intuitive currents ran true.

Avia laid out the cards in a modified Celtic Cross formation, with no auxiliary cards on the right. She used the Gilded Tarot Deck, which is very beautiful. Right away the focus was on home and hearth in a transition, which I have not blogged about. Avia noted that Leslie and I are not entirely comfortable with transitions (although we’ve been through many) and encouraged us to avoid making decisions prematurely. This was on the mark, as though she lifted it right from my head. There is no way she could know we are in the buyer’s market for a home. No one knows it. Not even people at work.

Avia encouraged me to search for my nuts, as well (a priceless way of putting it, really), intuiting squirrel symbolism, which she’s written about, and without knowing that we have a plethora of the little critters in our backyard. This refers to the number of things I’d placed on the back burner eight months ago to focus on my job. What Avia didn’t know is that I’ve established a groove at work and now have more time for the activities that nurture my spirit. She also indicated there would be support for these endeavors. How could she know that I worry? If I put my art on Cafepress, will people buy? The presence of Grandmother Spider, one of my most significant earthbound totems in the eight of pentacles, confirmed the need to “weave a web of creative design into daily matters”. Message signed, sealed and delivered!

The appearance of the Queen of Cups in a key position had me squealing with delight. Signifying past challenges with maternal energy, and the resolution of those conflicts with even greater maternal healing and reformation, couldn’t have been more poignant. Minor Arcana Queens appear in readings I do for myself, so her appearance was somewhat expected, and happily received.

The reading’s final card was the Moon, the only Major Arcana card amidst a preponderance of Pentacles. It held court in a summarizing position heralding significance and encouragement to pay heed. I’ve always loved this card, and consider it a marker for the Divine Mother. While respecting it’s cautionary warding (which Avia didn’t dwell on), I take great comfort from it. The Goddess resides in the moon, and so I see her there each time I look at it. Our dogs were there, as well, reminding me to heed the messages of animal guides. Not knowing I needed this affirmation, particularly at a time of personal inventory, Avia confirmed my intuitive impulses are a guiding light. The card also had significance for Avia herself, which she didn’t elaborate on, but which may indicate she and I have more work to do in the future.

The last tarot card reading I had was eight years ago. I’d just finished a grueling project at work and was exhausted as my family and I stole away on a Fourth of July holiday to refuel. We ran away to Malibu, California, which is one of my favorite West Coast retreats. The Goddess exists in Her full majesty in the Pacific Ocean, which is very natural sacred space. It felt so right. I could hear the ocean waves crashing against the shore from where I slept. Halfway into our trip, I was leaving offerings on the motel room’s deck.

There was a new age shop not far from our beachside motel. Rumor had it that spiritual folks from the business, like Richard Gere, shopped there. It had a curtained booth in the back where two separate readers did their thing daily. I was barely awake spiritually back then. True, I was perched on the precipice of great change, but still I lived from a place of fear, and was absolutely overwhelmed with life in general. I had a few readings, but the one which most impressed me offered excellent advice in a single word. That word was delegate, implying a surrender of control, in this case, at work.

Since then, my spiritual awakening has been steady, an on-going process I’ve written volumes on. The reading I enjoyed eight years ago marked a time of change in my life, and the overall message in Avia’s reading is essentially the same, yet it's timing cannot be overlooked. Astrologically, the March to April 2009 Venus retrograde has us all rifling through our mental file cabinets with an evolved point of view. As we release old baggage into the ethers, we are graced with the time and energy needed to crack the nuts we once stowed away for safe keeping. In synch with the stars and moon above, and the subtle undercurrents they portend, Avia’s reading addressed my hidden concerns yet encouraged me to release my creative spark into the world without fear.

Avia Venifica, a kindred spirit and gifted intuitive, races along the superhighway that is the World Wide Web, undoubtedly astride a dragon guide of her own. She poses the most timely question “will you let go?”

Having faith in her intuition, I do believe I will.