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Mother of Sticks. Art by Katelan V. Foisy, from The Hoodoo Tarot.

Plant: Tobacco

The Image The Mother of Sticks is shown with a crown of tobacco leaves that is reminiscent of early colonial era “Black Virginian” advertisements. She is wearing a tartan fastened with a grouse foot brooch as a good luck charm. The Mother of Sticks’s pipe is lit by a kite. There are five types of kites living in the southern United States, and like the Mother of Sticks, these beautiful raptors are determined to keep moving forward—so much that they never take a break. They eat, drink, and even bathe in flight! 

Meaning The Mother of Sticks is one of the most uplifting cards in the deck. On the positive side, she is optimistic, fiery, confident, courageous, focused, and powerful. On the negative side, she is malicious, overbearing, arrogant, two-faced, a workaholic, or a major drama queen. In a reading, if she doesn’t represent a literal person with these qualities, then she represents these attributes. 

While divination methods vary from practitioner to practioner, family to family, and region to region, there are some common threads when it comes to divination tools/methods in Hoodoo. This is by no means meant to serve as an exhaustive list.

Reminder: Hoodoo is for BLACK PEOPLE ONLY

BONES: “Throwin’ Bones” is a common Hoodoo divination method. A bone set consists of not only ritually collected animal bones, but sometimes shells, jewelry, small family heirlooms, coins, dice, other animal parts, etc. The bones are thrown and depending on where/how they land, an answer or message is determined. Bone divination existed in many ancient cultures all over the world, including cultures of the African continent, and enslaved African preserved this practice in the New World.

DICE: Divination with dice on their own is also common in Hoodoo. Most practicioners use a combination of numerology and intuition to decipher the message. Various groups of ancient Africans developed complex numerical systems and systems of numerical divination that they brought with them to the New World.

PLAYING CARDS: Many ancient civilizations, including societies all over Africa, had some form of cards for playing games as well as divination. Enslaved African people from various groups brought with them the knowledge of and philosophies about cards. When they arrived in the New World, only Western Style playing cards were available to them. Hoodoos and other Black cartomancers used intuition, ancestor contact, and African derived numerology to determine messages using playing cards.

***A Word About Tarot*** While many Hoodoo practioners are also skilled and successful tarot readers, tarot is NOT a part of traditional, authentic Hoodoo. It’s totally fine for Hoodoos to use tarot, but it should be noted that tarot is a separate practice, not to be conflated with Hoodoo. HOWEVER, it should be noted that the art on the deck known as the traditional Rider-Waite tarot deck was drawn by a biracial Black woman, Pamela Coleman Smith. This fact is often erased in contemporary tarot discourse. As such, it is now commonplace among Black spiritualists to refer to the traditional tarot deck as the Rider-Waite-Smith deck. Smith also illustrated several books of Jamaican and African folklore, if y’all wanna check that out.

DREAMS: Many Hoodoos use dreams or dream like trances to divine answers and seek ancestral guidance. Some have the gift of prophetic dreaming, others the gift of dream interpretation. Enslaved Africans brought with them their own folklore and omens to decipher the meaning of dreams. We all know it’s common among Black folks for your mom or grandma to have a dream about some fish, and that means somebody in the family is pregnant. They’re rarely ever wrong LOL.

Big Mama. Art by Katelan V. Foisy, from The Hoodoo Tarot.

I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. — 2 Timothy 1:5

Plant: Sunflower

The Image Big Mama is holding a plate of homemade cornbread, with the sun shining brightly behind her. She wears a skeleton key as a necklace to symbolize her all-encompassing wisdom. 

Big Mama is a term of endearment for the matriarch of one’s family. It is an acknowledgment of her wisdom, strength, authority, leadership skills, and ability to nurture multiple generations. Traditionally, all elders of both genders were to be respected for these qualities, but no one is bigger than Big Mama. As the caregiver of so many children and the transmitter of family history, lore, and spirituality, she is the family’s jewel and guiding light. 

Today, Big Mama’s role in many families is not as prominent as it used to be before desegregation. As Black Americans increasingly interacted with ethnic groups that were more youth-oriented and patriarchal, the ethical, hierarchical, and conceptual foundation of the community started to shift. Also adding to this alteration of thought was the movement away from the church. It was there that the values of their forebears were reinforced, celebrated, and discussed. Often, if was your Big Mama (or someone else’s that you knew well or were kin to) who also held the prestigious title of “Mother of the Church.” 

Like the sun, the matriarch is a warm, centralized force without whom growth would be impossible. 

Meaning When you receive Big Mama in a reading, you better believe that no matter how dark it is now, the light is coming and everything is going to be alright! 

Big Mama may also be speaking about being willing and able to share your glory, your light, and your power with others. This is not the time to lay low; this is your time to shine. 

If you receive Big Mama in a reading, consider the following: 

• Do you fear being brilliant or successful?  • What is being highlighted?  • It’s okay to be the center of attention sometimes.  • What does enlightenment mean to you?  • Take a personal day from work.  • Who are the important players in the situation?  • Am I exhibiting a positive attitude?  • Reputations matter.  • It’s time to celebrate.  • Confidence is the best cosmetic.  • What do you need to do to look and feel your best? 

🧠 Getting to know my first tarot deck (Spolia Deck) 🧠

1. Tell me about yourself (Most important characteristic) *5 of swords - I’m confused about this one I’m still new to tarot but I can come up with two meanings for this. Either that it’s gathering from what I told it the first time I talked to it (when I was dealing with mental conflict with myself and feeling low) or it’s telling me that it’s a deck of conflict and it will be hard to want to work with me at first. Because I asked it to reveal the one card that overall portrays them last time, and I pulled the Knight of Swords, which is a sword of conflict but consequences too. 

2. Strength as a deck * 4 of swords -  This was kind of ironic to read because I have been sleeping with this tarot deck for days now. Besides that, I feel that this cards strength is revealed through meditation and rest so maybe I need to also include it in activities that rejuvenate my mind (reading, sleeping, meditating).

3. Limits as a deck * Ace of Cups - Since I’m still new at tarot, I feel that it’s telling me it’s shouldn’t be used to help me learn about new beginnings but how to grow and mature from the past. It’s purpose is help me get through situations I have now instead of asking “What can I hope for in the future?” Also, it might be saying that rather it communicating about feelings, it would rather connect with me with words and logic which is funny because I’m the same way. Or maybe I’m wrong. 

4. What are you here to teach me? * King of swords - It is here to teach me how to be be confident in my intelligence and my mental abilities. I feel that it wants to teach me how to clear my mind and be honest with not only other people but myself. I feel this really resonates with me because that is what I have been asking my ancestors for. I wanted to mediate more, clear my mind, and get to a higher self. 

5. How can I best collaborate with you? * Queen of swords - By relying on my own intuition and my own knowledge is the best way that I can truly understand this deck and help myself grow. 

6. What is the outcome of our relationship? * The world - With this tarot, I will be able to become more honest and truthful with myself. Also, I will be able to change myself or give myself what I had been hoping for which was to give myself clarity and a stronger control of my mind.

7. What is the one thing this deck wants me to know? * Judgement -It wants me to know that I need to look deep within myself and judge the old me so that I can form the new me. It wants me to rebirth myself. This is interesting because I have Saturn in the 8th house and with that I feel I always have to let something die within myself or destroy it to get to my higher self. I need to really change myself by honesty and hard work so I can be a better me.

8. The card under the whole deck * Cancer - I did the card under the whole deck to see if it would tell me anything else because I seen another person do it and I got the sign Cancer. This is funny to me because I’ve been thinking a lot how my father has a Cancer rising, my brother has a cancer moon, and I have my moon in the 1st house. So I felt this card was saying the deck knows my family and it may also be saying that family and tradition is important to me. So the deck does know me.

Overall thoughts: I’m worried that I didn’t shuffle the deck better enough (despite I split it into four parts, shuffled the four parts individually, and put it back together to shuffle the whole deck again) because of all the swords but because the card already revealed to me it’s the Knight of Swords, I trust it. Overall, my card has a lot of mental energy and air quality, which even builds this spreads credibility because all my stones have mental energy and I’m a Libra but Mercury dominant. I’m really excited to learn from this deck and hope further on we build our relationship.

The Fool  – 0

Upright: Innocence, freedom, originality, adventure, travel, foolishness, carelessness, idealism, youth, spontaneity, lack of commitment, new beginnings Reversed: Recklessness, carelessness, negligence, stupidity, distraction, apathy, irrationality, lack of fun, hope or faith

The Magician  –  I

Upright: Power, influence, willpower, resourcefulness, skill, ability, logic, intellect, concentration and psychic powers Reversed: Manipulation, greed, unused ability, untrustworthiness, trickery, conniving, cunning, lack of mental clarity

The High Priestess  – II

Upright: Desirability, unattainability, mystery, sensuality, spirituality, thirst for knowledge, mystery, subconscious, higher power, creativity, fertility Reversed: Repression of intuition, blocked psychic powers, unwanted attention, uncontrolled outbursts and sexual tension, lack of self-belief, fertility issues

The Empress  –  III

Upright: Pregnancy, fertility, motherhood, sensuality, nurturing, creativity, beauty, femininity, nature, harmony, art Reversed: Insecurity, infertility, lack of confidence, lack of growth, overbearing tendencies, disharmony, negligence

The Emperor  –  IV

Upright: Older man, stability, dependability, fatherhood, father-figure, structure, protectiveness, authority, logical, practical Reversed: Abuse of power, excessively controlling, rigidity, stubbornness, lack of discipline, lack of control, absentee father, paternity issues

The Hierophant  –  V

Upright: Traditional institutions, traditional values, conventional, conformity, marriage, commitment, religion, beliefs, knowledge sharing Reversed: Challenging tradition, unconventional lifestyles, unconventional relationships, reversed roles, non-conformity

The Lovers  –  VI

Upright: Love, soulmates, kindred spirits, perfect unions, partnerships, relationships, major choices, romance, desire, sexual connections, shared values Reversed: Disharmony, trust issues, imbalance, conflict, disconnection, lack of accountability, disunion, detachment

The Chariot  –  VII

Upright: Victory, overcoming obstacles, success, ambition, determination, willpower, control, self-discipline, hard work and focus Reversed: Forcefulness, lack of direction, lack of self-control, powerlessness, aggression, coercion, being blocked by obstacles

Strength  –  VIII

Upright: Inner strength, courage, bravery, confidence, compassion, taming, control, overcoming self-doubt Reversed: Vulnerability, self-doubt, weakness, low self-esteem, lack of confidence, feeling inadequate

The  Hermit  –  IX

Upright: Spiritual enlightenment, soul searching, self-reflection, introspection, contemplation, inner guidance, solitude Reversed: Loneliness, paranoia, isolation, reclusiveness, withdrawal, anti-social, restrictive, paralyzed by fear.

The Wheel of Fortune  –  X

Upright: Good luck, destiny, change, karma, soulmates, decisive moments, cycles of life, fate, fortune, upheaval, chance Reversed: Bad luck, upheaval, disorder, external forces, lack of control, disruption, unwelcome change, delays, set backs, karma

Justice  –  XI

Upright: Justice, karmic justice, consequences, legal disputes, law, truth, honesty, integrity, cause and effect, life lessons Reversed: Injustice, karmic retribution, dishonesty, corruption, lack of accountability, dishonesty, unfairness, karmic avoidance

The Hanged Man  –  XII

Upright: Feeling trapped, confined, self-limiting, uncertainty, lack of direction, needing release, letting go Reversed: Discontentment, apathy, disinterest, stagnation, impulsiveness, negative patterns, detachment

Death  –  XIII

Upright: Spiritual transformation, new beginnings, letting go, endings, change, transition, sudden or unexpected upheaval Reversed: Inability to move forward, fear of beginnings, repeating negative patterns, resisting change, dependency

Temperance  –  XIV

Upright: Balance, peace, patience, moderation, inner calm, perspective, tranquillity, harmonious relationships, soulmates Reversed: Imbalance, self-indulgence, excess, clashing, lack of perspective, discord, antagonism, recklessness, hastiness

The Devil  –  XV

Upright: Addiction, depression, mental health issues, secrecy, obsession, cheating, dependency, bondage, materialism, sexuality, powerlessness, hopelessness, abuse, violence, assault Reversed: Detachment, independence, overcoming addiction, freedom, revelation, reclaiming power, reasserting control

The Tower  –  XVI

Upright: Chaos, destruction, sudden upheaval, trauma, unexpected change, disaster, loss, tragedy, revelations, confusion, pain, divorce, abuse, violence, bankruptcy, natural disasters, inevitable endings Reversed: Resisting change, averting disaster, avoiding tragedy, delaying the inevitable, avoiding loss, lack of insight, codependence

The Star  –  XVII

Upright: Hope, inspiration, creativity, calm, contentment, renewal, serenity, spirituality, healing, positivity Reversed: Hopelessness, despair, focusing on the negative, lack of faith, lack of inspiration, lack of creativity, boredom, monotony

The Moon  –  XVIII

Upright: Intuition, illusion, dreams, vagueness, instability, deception, anxiety, fear, misconception, subconscious, insecurity, clouded Reversed: Releasing fear, unveiling secrets, subsiding anxiety, truth, regaining composure, self-deception, blocked intuition

The Sun  –  XIX

Upright: Positivity, freedom, fun, success, optimism, vitality, joy, confidence, self-expression, good luck, enthusiasm, happiness, truth, openness, pregnancy Reversed: Lack of enthusiasm, excessive enthusiasm, sadness, pessimism, unrealistic expectations, ego, conceitedness, oppression, infertility

Judgement  – XX

Upright: Judgement, self-evaluation, awakening, renewal, composure, decisiveness, homesickness, snap judgements, apportioning blame, forgiveness, judgemental Reversed: Indecisiveness, self-doubt, malicious gossip, lack of self-awareness, unwillingness to learn karmic lessons, unfair blame, false accusations

The World  –  XXI

The olive tree of Vouves, on Crete. This tree, which has a trunk 15 feet in diameter, is at least 2,000 years old, and likely 2,900 years old, based on the graveyard found nearby. This tree likely lived through the writing of the Iliad, the golden age of Athens, the rise of the Roman Empire, and the birth of Christ – and then lived for 2,000 years after that. It still produces olives, as well!

aries: expansion in spending quality time with friends, inversions, and trouble (death card) growth in conflict.

taurus: stagnation in your relationships with people you hold close to your heart, an exchange of money and or happiness both parties in the situation get something good out of the transaction. a completion in suffering to end your month off.

gemini: a path someone around you chooses that leads to conflict in your life. talking ideas around the idea of fighting. actually partaking in fighting and giving into that devil on your shoulder that has been whispering to you all month :(

cancer: waited too long to make an important decision which results in a negative outcome. bringing some aspect in your life to a halt for the greater good. beginning of self-love towards the end of the month

leo: getting in your bag at the beginning of the month, gaining some money and or happiness ;) conflict brewing in your mind towards the middle of the month, I usually associate this card with negative overthinking. a feminine energy will bring conflict to your life at the end of the month

virgo: conflict amongst your close group of friends or people you hang out with on a daily basis. a masculine energy messing things in your life up :( someone with authority. you overcome it and begin growing in your own mental health!

libra: a negative change in your life or even just a warning for bad things to come if no change is made in your habits. a masculine energy that you can look up to enters your life or is more present than usual. being impatient is getting you nowhere but in fights.

scorpio: starting the month off not too great, beginning of a negative change. your ambition in the middle of the month is going to get you far :). the ending of the month is a completion, specifically ending the month in a big fallout whether that be emotionally or amongst peers

sagittarius: a feminine energy is going to improve your life in ways you didn’t know were possible. the middle of the month is going to be literally amazing for you financially and happiness wise. towards the end of the month you’re still happy and doing great but a negative energy is going to try and pull you down and you just can’t let that happen so an altercation has to happen, a fight between two people, you being one of them!

capricorns:

you’re starting your month off with passion in relationships you value the most. be wary of someone in the middle of the month, they do not have your best interest in mind and are playing you in some way. a masculine energy is going to be there for you in your time of need and offer support to you when no one else is doing so.

aquarius: this is YOUR month like… y’all are really going to be doing the best out of all of us lol. you start your month off with a divine feminine energy, a beautiful woman entering your life or making themselves more apparent than usual. the middle of your month is a positive ending in a relationship you’ve been having issues with. at the end of all of this bliss, you’ll make the right choice when you are being tested and you will gain benefits from it whether that be monetary or mentally :)

where should i contact you?

- hey! i appreciate you even taking the time to read this i hope you’re doing alright. :) you can contact me via direct message but please allow a 24 hour response time. i hope i can assist you in any way!

how can i pay you?

- be cashapp or venmo ready before you direct message me for a reading, i’ll work on having other forms of money transferring such as venmo and paypal later on.  until then, cashapp is the preferred way.

do i pay before or after?

- before. my prices are very modest and i do not take the energy exchange of money lightly. if i feel that i should not proceed in whichever reading you chose in any point in time you will receive a full refund

what’s off-limits?

- legal advice (includes clarity on divorces), death predictions, & physical health.

reading packages:

1. simple fate ☯ $3.00(USD)

- you may ask three yes, or no questions.

- they can be about a range of subjects, or about a contentious thing.

2. the holy trinity † $5.00(USD)

- i will do a spread of the next three days in your life and show one event in each day that will be significant to you.

3. la vida en un dia ☽ $3.00(USD)

- choose one day (not of the past), i can then elaborate in-depth, what your morning, afternoon, and night will entail.

4. harmony spread❦ $6.00(USD)

- i require the first and last names of both persons involved, and both persons date of birth.

- i can then effectively, and efficiently tell you the compatibility between both persons.

5. symphony timeline ♥ $8.00(USD)

-  i require the first and last names of both persons involved, and both persons date of birth.