KarmicTarot

The Message.

a tarot spread for imbolc.

1. Darkness. The clutches of winter can be felt all around you. It penetrates down to your depths. Within this place of solitude, what secrets will you find hidden deep under the frozen waters?

2. The Vessel. You must be ready to deliver the message, to reveal the knowledge which was once unknown. You are the lantern, you are the light. In order to prepare yourself, you must be willing to let go of that which no longer serves you. What in your life do you need to let go of? What no longer serves you?

3. The Flame. This is your light, your time, your moment. Take back that which was lost. Take back the power you once had. Where do you need to focus your energy? What do you need to remember in order to be one with the light?

the fool - am I jumping into this too quickly? can I trust my gut? what do i hope to gain from this? is this in my best judgement to proceed? 

the magician - am I balancing parts of my life? am I focusing too much on the material world before me? am I properly utilizing the tools I have at my disposal?

the high priestess - am I trusting my intuition? am I allowing my imagination to roam free? have I grown out of touch with my spirituality? how may I further enhance my spirituality? 

the empress - how do I nurture others? do I, in turn, properly nurture myself? how do I express my feminine power? am I expressing myself creatively? 

the emperor - how am I handling authority in my life? how can I become a leader? am I taking strides to ensure material success? how do I express my masculine power?

the heirophant - am I honouring traditions? what can I teach others? what can I learn? how may I go about finding groups of likeminded people? where am I deriving my sense of security?

the lovers - are parts of me at war within myself? how can I unite very different parts of my life? what can I do to help build cooperation within my relationships? 

the chariot - how can I take control of my situation? how can I resolve my conflict? how can I tackles the challenges coming my way? which direction should I choose?

strength - how can I overcome my weakness? what makes me courageous in my situation? from where do I draw my inner power? how can I best work with my instinct? 

the hermit - what is driving me forward in life right now? where can I be truly alone? what do I need to reflect on? what wisdom can I draw from past experiences? 

wheel of fortune - what changes am I willing to except? how much of my life is left to fate? how do my every day actions influence the bigger picture of my life? 

justice - how can I make the best decision? how do I find balance in my life? what can I do to rectify my past mistakes? am I weighing all the pros and cons or am I overlooking something?

the hanged man - what should I hold onto and what should I let go of? how can I look at this with a new perspective? what am I willing to sacrifice? how do I let go of old habits and step out of my comfort zone? 

death - how can I use recent events to transform myself? what do I need to accept the end of? what will be born from the ashes? how can I mourn the ending of one thing and celebrate the beginning of another?

temperance - what led to the feeling of harmony? what can I do to hold onto it, grow from it, and become harmoniously whole? how do I remain patient through these experiences?

the devil - am I allowing myself to fixate unhealthy on something? what do I fear? am I too tied to the material world? how do I free myself from the bondage I have allowed myself to fall into? 

the tower - what have I been ignoring? why did I refuse to take action, what can I do to avoid this again? how do I free myself from my own ruin? how do I grow from this disaster?

the star - how am I using my gifts? what is inspiring me? what makes me happy and how can I embrace that? how can I continue on the right track to making my wishes come true? 

the moon - am I listening to my dreams, my feelings, my instincts? am I trusting them? how am I connecting to the invisible workings of the world? how am I using my creativity? 

the sun - am I approaching my problem with a positive attitude? how are my efforts being appreciated by others? how do I step into the spotlight to showcase my talents? 

judgment - how self-aware am I, truly? what actions have I taken that are wise? unwise? am I being honest with myself? what can I learn from my past and how can I grow? 

the fool - am I jumping into this too quickly? can I trust my gut? what do i hope to gain from this? is this in my best judgement to proceed? 

the magician - am I balancing parts of my life? am I focusing too much on the material world before me? am I properly utilizing the tools I have at my disposal?

the high priestess - am I trusting my intuition? am I allowing my imagination to roam free? have I grown out of touch with my spirituality? how may I further enhance my spirituality? 

the empress - how do I nurture others? do I, in turn, properly nurture myself? how do I express my feminine power? am I expressing myself creatively? 

the emperor - how am I handling authority in my life? how can I become a leader? am I taking strides to ensure material success? how do I express my masculine power?

the heirophant - am I honouring traditions? what can I teach others? what can I learn? how may I go about finding groups of likeminded people? where am I deriving my sense of security?

the lovers - are parts of me at war within myself? how can I unite very different parts of my life? what can I do to help build cooperation within my relationships? 

the chariot - how can I take control of my situation? how can I resolve my conflict? how can I tackles the challenges coming my way? which direction should I choose?

strength - how can I overcome my weakness? what makes me courageous in my situation? from where do I draw my inner power? how can I best work with my instinct? 

the hermit - what is driving me forward in life right now? where can I be truly alone? what do I need to reflect on? what wisdom can I draw from past experiences? 

wheel of fortune - what changes am I willing to except? how much of my life is left to fate? how do my every day actions influence the bigger picture of my life? 

justice - how can I make the best decision? how do I find balance in my life? what can I do to rectify my past mistakes? am I weighing all the pros and cons or am I overlooking something?

the hanged man - what should I hold onto and what should I let go of? how can I look at this with a new perspective? what am I willing to sacrifice? how do I let go of old habits and step out of my comfort zone? 

death - how can I use recent events to transform myself? what do I need to accept the end of? what will be born from the ashes? how can I mourn the ending of one thing and celebrate the beginning of another?

temperance - what led to the feeling of harmony? what can I do to hold onto it, grow from it, and become harmoniously whole? how do I remain patient through these experiences?

the devil - am I allowing myself to fixate unhealthy on something? what do I fear? am I too tied to the material world? how do I free myself from the bondage I have allowed myself to fall into? 

the tower - what have I been ignoring? why did I refuse to take action, what can I do to avoid this again? how do I free myself from my own ruin? how do I grow from this disaster?

the star - how am I using my gifts? what is inspiring me? what makes me happy and how can I embrace that? how can I continue on the right track to making my wishes come true? 

the moon - am I listening to my dreams, my feelings, my instincts? am I trusting them? how am I connecting to the invisible workings of the world? how am I using my creativity? 

the sun - am I approaching my problem with a positive attitude? how are my efforts being appreciated by others? how do I step into the spotlight to showcase my talents? 

judgment - how self-aware am I, truly? what actions have I taken that are wise? unwise? am I being honest with myself? what can I learn from my past and how can I grow? 

You’ve probably heard or seen talk of bonding with your tarot deck, and it might seem like an outlandish and strange practise (let’s be frank, and say that most of what we do is seen as outlandish and strange), but many witches and diviners swear by it, citing better readings and growth as a diviner upon bonding with their decks.

WHAT DOES “BONDING WITH YOUR DECK” MEAN?

Bonding with your deck is exactly what it describes: it means that you - the owner of the tarot deck - form a spiritual bond with your cards. That’s the bones of it!

WHY DO SOME CONSIDER IT IMPORTANT?

Some tarot readers believe that forming a bond with your deck means that your deck will be more compliant with you when you’re doing readings, resulting in clearer answers and more accurate readings overall.

It is believed by some, that decks have their own personalities and will choose whether or not to work with you and thus, bond with you. If you believe this to be the case, forming a bond with a deck that is initially vague and/or even hostile can change the dynamic over time and render the deck more co-operative, which may aid your ability as a reader.  Trying to get a clear answer from cards that, in layman’s terms, don’t like you is like trying to get information from an enemy - difficult, frustrating, and draining.

Think of the bond you share with your deck like a friendship: both sides want to be happy and benefit in some way from the bond you share. 

DO I HAVE TO BOND WITH MY DECK?

You don’t have to, no. It’s all down to personal preference and how you feel you work best as a diviner. Use your intuition and your beliefs to determine whether or not you’d benefit from bonding with the tools you use for divination. 

As stated above, some practitioners feel that if they don’t form a strong and positive bond with their tarot decks, the deck will begin to give off negative energies that can be passed on to you by handling the cards. Some believe that you cannot truly and accurately interpret the cards you draw without this bond. Using the same analogy as before, think about friendships: friends are often more willing to give you detailed information than strangers.

WAYS TO BOND WITH YOUR DECK:

Sleep with it under your pillow.

Spend time shuffling them and drawing them to familiarise yourself with the energy of the deck as a whole, as well as individual cards.

Do daily one-card draws.

Shuffle them absent-mindedly.

Carry your deck on your person throughout the day, if you can do so. 

Meditate with the deck in front of you or whilst holding it.

BONUS: You can do spreads like [X] and [X] to get to know your deck too!

For those who work hard like bees. Hope it helps you all!

For when you’re wondering if to get rid of something/someone in your life.

1. Should it stay with me or be banished?

2. Why?

3. Will there be any dangers if I do so?

THE MAJOR ARCANA

0 The Fool - innocence, new beginnings, free spirit - Sagittarius I The Magician - willpower, desire, creation, manifestation - Capricorn II The High Priestess - intuition, unconscious, inner voice - Cancer III The Empress - motherhood, fertility, nature - Taurus IV The Emperor - authority, structure, control, fatherhood - Aries V The Hierophant - tradition, conformity, morality and ethics - Taurus VI The Lovers - partnership, union, duality, choice - Gemini VII The Chariot - direction, control, willpower - Cancer VIII Strength - bravery, compassion, focus, inner strength - Leo IX The Hermit - contemplation, search for truth, inner guidance - Virgo X The Wheel of Fortune - change, cycles, inevitable fate - Pisces XI Justice - cause and effect, clarity, truth - Libra XII The Hanged Man - sacrifice, release, martyrdom - Virgo XIII Death - end of a cycle, beginnings, change, metamorphosis - Scorpio XIV Temperance - the middle path, patience, finding meaning - Sagittarius XV The Devil - excess, materialism, playfulness - Capricorn XVI The Tower - sudden upheaval, pride, disaster - Aries XVII The Star - hope, faith, rejuvenation - Aquarius XVIII The Moon - subconscious, illusion, intuition - Pisces XIX The Sun - joy, success, celebration, positivity - Leo XX Judgement - reflection, reckoning, inner voice - Scorpio XXI The World - fulfillment, harmony, completion - Libra

THE MINOR ARCANA

Suit of Cups - the Suit of Water

Page of Cups - delightful surprise, inner child, intuition - Pisces Knight of Cups - messenger, romance, adventure - Scorpio Queen of Cups - compassion, calm, comfort - Cancer King of Cups - compassion, control, balance - Scorpio Ace of Cups - new love, overwhelming feelings, creativity - Cancer II of Cups - unity, partnership, two become one - Cancer III of Cups - friendship, community, partnership - Pisces IV of Cups - apathy, contemplation, disconnectedness - Scorpio V of Cups - loss, grief, disappointment - Scorpio VI of Cups - nostalgia, happy memories, reunion - Cancer VII of Cups - choices, fantasy, illusion - Pisces VIII of Cups - walking away, disillusionment, leaving behind - Scorpio IX of Cups - comfort, emotional stability, luxury - Cancer X of Cups - happiness, fulfillment, celebration - Pisces

Suit of Pentacles - the Suit of Earth

Page of Pentacles - dreams, desire, new opportunity - Taurus Knight of Pentacles - efficiency, hard work, routine - Capricorn  Queen of Pentacles - practicality, amenities, financial security - Virgo King of Pentacles - abundance, power, security - Capricorn Ace of Pentacles - opportunity, prosperity, new venture - Virgo II of Pentacles - balance, priorities, adapting to change - Virgo III of Pentacles - teamwork, collaboration, building - Taurus IV of Pentacles - conservation, security, frugality - Taurus V of Pentacles - need, poverty, insecurity - Capricorn VI of Pentacles - charity, generosity, sharing - Taurus VII of Pentacles - hard work, perseverance, diligence - Capricorn VIII of Pentacles - education, apprenticeship, achievement - Capricorn IX of Pentacles - fruit of labor, independence, rewards - Virgo X of Pentacles - legacy, inheritance, culmination - Capricorn

Suit of Swords - the Suit of Air

Page of Swords - curiosity, restlessness, mental energy - Aquarius Knight of Swords - action, speed, ambition - Libra Queen of Swords - complexity, perspective, clear mindedness - Gemini King of Swords - intellectual, power, truth - Aquarius Ace of Swords - victory, sharp mind, raw strength - Gemini II of Swords - difficult choices, indecision, stalemate - Libra III of Swords - heartbreak, grief, suffering - Gemini IV of Swords - rest, restoration, contemplation - Aquarius V of Swords - unbridled ambition, win at all costs, sneakiness - Gemini VI of Swords - transition, leaving behind, moving on - Aquarius VII of Swords - deception, trickery, turning a blind eye - Gemini VIII of Swords - imprisonment, powerlessness, self-victimization - Libra IX of Swords - anxiety, hopelessness, nightmares - Libra X of Swords - betrayal, defeat, backstabbing - Gemini

Suit of Wands - the Suit of Fire

This post will consist of elemental associations from modern beliefs, as well as older metaphysical and alchemical ones. Not all of these will be consistent to all Neopagans or Wiccans of course, given that different people from different places and cultures may have different associations.

Note: An Athame is a ritual dagger.

Air

Latin Word: Ventus

Direction: East

Color: Yellow

State of Matter: Gas

Season: Spring

Solar Midpoint: Spring Equinox

Time: Dawn

Weather: Windy

Attribute: Intellectual

Four Humours: Blood

Four Temperaments: Sanguine

Characteristics: Hot and Wet

Altar Tool: Wand (Sometimes Athame)

Tarot Suit: Wands or Rods (Sometimes Swords)

Alchemical Elementals: Sylphs

Fire

Latin Word: Ignis

Direction: South

Color: Red

State of Matter: Plasma

Season: Summer

Solar Midpoint: Summer Solstice

Time: Midday

Weather: Hot

Attribute: Spiritual

Four Humours: Yellow Bile

Four Temperaments: Choleric

Characteristics: Hot and Dry

Altar Tool: Athame (Sometimes Wand)

Tarot Suit: Swords (Sometimes Wands or Rods)

Alchemical Elementals: Salamanders

Water

Latin Word: Aqua

Direction: West

Color: Blue

State of Matter: Liquid

Season: Autumn

Solar Midpoint: Autumn Equinox

Time: Dusk

Weather: Rainy

Attribute: Emotional

Four Humours: Phlegm

Four Temperaments: Phlegmatic

Characteristics: Cold and Wet

Altar Tool: Chalice

Tarot Suit: Cups

Alchemical Elementals: Undines

Earth

Latin Word: Terra

Direction: North

Color: Green

State of Matter: Solid

Season: Winter

Solar Midpoint: Winter Solstice

Time: Midnight

Weather: Cold

Attribute: Physical

Four Humours: Black Bile

Four Temperaments: Melancholic

Characteristics: Cold and Dry

Altar Tool: Mortar and Pestle

Tarot Suit: Pentacles or Coins

Alchemical Elementals: Gnomes

Alchemical Glyphs

Clubs / Wands: The spirit. Personality, identity, individuality, originality, essence. Force, initiation, strength, creativity, gain through effort. The soul’s vitality and uniqueness. Free will. Drive, determination. Inspiration, ambition.

Diamonds / Pentacles: Material realm, wealth & possessions, the physical body. Status. Security & stability of all types. Prosperity. Manifestation, effort, processes, rhythm, continuation. Creation & maintenance of a personal world.

Spades / Swords: The mind, intellect, cerebral realm. Thoughts, beliefs, logic, morality, justice, judgment, opinion. Power. Reality. Strife & suffering or influence & strength and the fragile balance between those two extremes.