Major Arcana - The Magician!

  The first person that The Fool meets along his journey through the Major Arcana of the Tarot is The Magician. The Magician is many things to many people, and is particularly important to The Fool.

  The Magician is a person who has spent his life in the search for wisdom and the gathering of knowledge. Through his own dedication and persistence, he has come to be one who can direct the forces around him, be they those of Nature or those on the Metaphysical plane, to advance his own will and fulfill his own needs. He understands the benefits that can come from such direction, and the prices that are to be paid for tapping into such forces. He is confident in his knowledge and powers, having been tested over and over again throughout the years. He embodies a call to action as he is never afraid to act.

  The Magician is The Fool's guide through the Book of Life that is the Major Arcana. He is the male archetype, the spiritual Father, and the one who shows The Way. He is, however, also the trickster to The Fool, leading him into perilous situations where he knows The Fool will stumble, only to come in and save him at the very last minute, always imparting to him a valuable life lesson along the way.  The Fool has a very long way to go in his journey if he ultimately aspires to gain some of the desirable traits of The Magician.

  

  Should you encounter this man of knowledge in a reading, remember that he is the card of someone who always seeks answers, and is very adept at putting them to good use once he finds them. Above all, he is a call to action, and a sign that your sitter is at a stage in their life where they have gathered a certain amount of knowledge and wisdom regarding the topic at hand, and that the time has come to act upon that insight! They should have confidence in their abilities, and move ahead as if the outcome is assured.

  What is your experience with this man of mystery? We would love to hear your comments!

"Bad" Cards in a Tarot Reading?

  Everyone who reads Tarot for others has to very early learn how to deal with those cards in our decks that are perceived by some guests as 'bad' cards. Especially when you are reading for someone who has never had a Tarot experience before, all they know is what they have heard or seen in the movies. This likely includes some shadowy reader turning the Death card in a horror movie! Be aware that this type pf thing can cause a lot of anxiety or even fear in some of your guests.

  The best way to handle these situations is of course for you to understand these cards as best as you can so that you can intelligently explain them to the person across the table. The cards that cause the most consternation are The Tower, The Devil, the Three of Swords, and of course, Death. The symbology on these cards can be intimidating to even those who have little knowledge of the Tarot.

  We wont go into the meanings of these cards individually, but instead lets talk about apparently 'negative' cards in general. In the Tarot, anything that seems 'negative' or 'bad' is merely a warning, or something that is blocking the flow of positive energy or a positive course of action. Everyone is familiar with the adage that 'forewarned is forearmed', and this is a useful thing to impart upon them when explaining these types of cards. If we can see trouble coming, we can change our course of action and avoid it. The second main point is that we always want to focus on the positive path and invoke the positive energy in our lives. The 'negative' cards can be interpreted as blockages to that positive energy that must be cleared in order for us to return to the proper path. This is a very powerful way to approach these cards and it would do you well to give some forethought to how you can utilize this approach.

  If you keep the above simple things in mind as you explain and begin to interpret those strong cards to a nervous guest, your reading will go much easier and be more along the track of focusing on the light in our lives. Please feel free to let me know your thoughts on these cards and how you handle them!

To Hoodoo or Voodoo?

  As many of you already know, we sell hand made Voodoo Dolls at the Arcanus Tarot Parlor in Longmont. I make these dolls in the traditional New Orleans style, using good wood for the frame and Spanish moss for the stuffing. The dolls are then wrapped in a variety of colorful (or sometimes deliberately NOT so colorful) cloth, and decorated with various ribbons or strings or yarns and such. Each is given a unique face and maybe a nice hoodie or something special as an accessory. No two of these dolls are ever the same.

  The odd thing is, some people are as freaked out by these dolls as they are by the harmless Ouija board that sits upon one of the tables in my reading room! This, dear friends, is because they have seen too many movies that portray only the sensational or disturbing aspects of such tools of our craft as dolls and spirit boards. When they see one of the Arcanus Voodoo Dolls they immediately ask "Oh, you use those to curse people, right?" Let me assure you that nothing could be further from the truth.

  Although it is possible to use a Voodoo Doll to send ill tidings toward someone, this is NOT recommended, and the Universe would not let this go unpaid by the person casting such a wish. If you went to a Voodoo practitioner and ask them to do such a thing on your behalf, the first thing they would ask is are you ready to pay the price? Like attracts like, good karma attracts good karma, and bad begets bad. The true use of a Voodoo Doll is to attract good fortune, wish for good health and happiness, perform a healing ritual on some afflicted part of your own or another's body, or to attract a positive relationship. All of these types of wishes are sent forth into the Universe through the doll by using defined ceremonies and specific colors of pins on the doll. These are the true purposes for using the doll.

  Voodoo Dolls can bring great tidings of good karma into the life of those who walk the path of light and know how to properly respect and use the doll. The secret to this, as with a Ouija board or any other form of metaphysical tool, is in understanding what you are working with and how it is best applied. Otherwise, you are simply treading on the superstitions so often represented in the movies and pop culture. The next thing you know, you'll be sitting in some Gypsies wagon crossing her palm with silver!

Major Arcana - The Fool!

  In the house of the Major Arcana of the Tarot, the very first card we find is "The Fool". This card is typically given the number zero, and the Major Arcana itself is sometimes called "The Fool's Journey"! In this capacity, the Major Arcana follows the Fool on his physical and spiritual journey through life and through the Major Arcana itself as he meets various people and entities, and goes through numerous emotional and spiritual change.

  So who is this Fool? Well, if we are very lucky, it is us! The Fool represents many things. He is childlike innocence, and one who still views the world with a sense of wonder. He wanders through his life with his head in the clouds and is awestruck by the miracles around him. In the traditional symbology, he is so oblivious to his surroundings that he does not even notice that he is about to step off a cliff, even though the little dog at his feet is trying to warn him! Over his back he carries a sack on a stick. This sack contains everything that The Fool needs to get him through his life, if only he would stop long enough to open it up and learn the secrets that it holds.

  If you are interested in learning more about The Fool, feel free to access this free report on him that we at Arcanus have put together for you. Here's the link:

http://www.privatetarot.com/Reports/The_Fool. pdf

  Do you have your own interpretation of this card? As always, we would love to hear from you!

Who got you Started?

  When I was no more than a boy, we used to go to visit my Grandmother Rosalita in New York City. Being from Puerto Rico, Rosalita was a fine upstanding Spanish Catholic woman, who of course spent some of her spare time hanging out with the female readers down on Coney Island. They were all her friends and she, for the most part, could get a reading when she wished without having to cross anyone's palm with silver! It was here that I was first introduced to divination by way of what I have lovingly come to call the "American Gypsies". The ladies are all long gone now, but I can still vividly recall their sweet perfume mixing with the scent of cotton candy and popcorn!

  These wonderful old women, with their colorful flowing dress and heavy makeup, looked to be exactly what you would expect to find inside of the traditional gypsy wagon in the movies. Yet, they were kind and compasionate, and totally serious about the gift they possessed. They would welcome you into there little tents or wooden attraction shacks, and spin such marvelous tales as they told you all that would come to pass in the future. My Grandmother and I spent many a summer afternoon in their company, and the spark of my intuition that was fostered in that atmosphere has grown steadily throughout my life.

  So who got you started down the path? Did you simply know at some point that you had the gift, was there an ah-ha moment that came to you like a flash? Or maybe, like me, you had a grand and romantic encounter that started you along?

Review - The Victorian Romantic Tarot

  Several days ago I received my copy of the Victorian Romantic Tarot deck, and I must say that this piece is very well done. As most of you know, I probably have a hundred or more tarot decks in my collection. Out of all of those, there are only three or four that I actually read with, but this one is likely to be one of the few that make it onto my table. This deck was originally issued around 2006 and quickly sold out. The current offering is an updated version that is likely to sell out as well.

  Here is the brief from the website of the creators:

The Victorian Romantic Tarot is based on gorgeous original 19th century engravings from European and American artists many of which are now rare. The result is a most extraordinary range of images from artists both famous and forgotten. Following the familiar Rider Waite Smith tarot structure this is a wonderfully usable visual feast of a deck that will appeal to collectors, lovers of Victoriana and tarot enthusiasts alike.

  First, the deck feels good. The card stock is just right for my taste and handles well. It did not take me long to 'break it in' to a useable point. The symbology, as stated above, fairly follows the Rider-Waite-Smith tradition, so you will feel right at home almost instantly. Yet there is a depth to the illustrations that is just gorgeous. Take a look at "The Devil" to get an idea of what I mean:

    The rest of the deck is likewise beautiful and thought provoking. The Minor Arcana is also fully illustrated, and you will spend a lot of time finding all the little jewels contained in the images on these cards. The deck I received came with two versions of "The Lovers", you will enjoy the differences between the two and find this a pleasant surprise. Also, the edges are gilded which is a very nice touch. I highly recommend grabbing a set of these cards while they are still available. Whether you use them for readings or just add them to your collection, this deck is one great find. If you happen to get these, please let me know what you think!