Parlour Trick

Hello there, loves.

I hope everyone is well.

Sorry I haven't been around very much. I still love my job, but it means I am up by 6am and in bed before 9pm most days and I am just too tired from enjoying my day to check in with you (and myself).

Today is my day off and I celebrating by finally watching Week 5 of my Advanced Tarot class.
I was originally planning on just doing one big traditional spread to try reading the cards, but the second I saw this new spread, I got super excited.

First off, I pulled a Goddess card. And I did it a little differently than I have in the past, but I really liked it and I think it worked out well for me.

So I shuffled my cards in the usual way a couple of times, but it just wasn't feeling right. So I did something which has started feeling really natural to me of late, which is to take all of the cards (face down), and one by one just put them into different piles in any order I choose. Maybe I'll do 3 piles, maybe I want to do 5.  I just do what feels natural at the time. Then I just layer over the piles every other card in the deck. In any order. It's not like dealing in poker where you go a certain direction so everyone ends with the same amount, I just lay them as I feel.

Afterwards, I was planning on putting them one on top of each other to create one full deck again. Instead, I decided to merge this with some of our intuition exercises and just hovered my hand over each pile. When I found that I really had a magnet pile that felt awesome, I just turned over the top card, as though that was where I had cut the deck.

So, who came to see me today? A lovely new visitor named Oonagh.

 

She says "There is no need to hurry or force things to happen. Everything is occurring in perfect timing," which is a really lovely thing to hear.

As you may have noticed, one of my constants is saying that I have all these plans and I need time to get them off the ground and it's going to happen soon...blah blah blah.

But the thing is, that's very true. I want it to happen now, but I realize that now is simply not the time. I cannot set up an online/postal business while I live in temporary housing and I don't know what state (location wise) I'll be in by the end of the year. But I keep freaking out like VeVa was saying in the Week 4 video, I keep thinking I'm a fraud and if I don't do it know people will think I'm all talk. I seriously cannot wait to start, but I have to make do with being in a holding pattern for now.

After that, I started shuffling my Dreaming Way tarot, the usual way. The first card that Jumped out, was The Lovers. As I was trying the Parlour Spread, I wasn't really sure what to do with it. Should I leave it out, as a guiding card? Should I do a different, simple 3 card spread? But, no, this felt right. The center card for me was going to be the Lovers. I am alone a lot of the time and don't really connect romantically with people. But within this past year or so, I've been really lonely. I have been looking for my other half. My ride or die. The person I mentioned previously is not out in a bad way, but there's a time change and different schedules between us. As we didn't want to make it official for fear of ruining things, we kind of let it drift, which is sad to me. So, while not necessarily applicable at this very moment, I am looking and I am hopeful.

So there I am. Me. The Lovers. 

I kept shuffling and shuffling and had 2 more pop out, in this order, The Page of Wands and Page of Swords. I used those as my cards 2 and 3. 

I shuffled a bunch more with no more jumpers and eventually was ready to pull from the top. I got the Queen of Swords and then the Knight of Swords.

Holy moly.

 

So let's see here. We've got 1 Major, 4 Court Cards, and 3 Swords.

This is a crazy reading.

I am the Lovers, as stated above. 

My past is all about finding things I'm passionate about and getting into that amazing magical head space. I love that and it is pretty true; I get excited about every new thing I learn and my mind goes crazy about all the things I can do with it. 

In space number 3, my magic is the Page of Swords. This is also pretty accurate. I have probably [definitely] mentioned before that I am that person that says no to Bullshit. I am uber logical which is a blessing and a curse. It makes it hard for me to connect to people sometimes, but at the same time it is what draws people to me. It is why I can be an important part in people's lives. The people that get it, and need it, are keepers. I don't have a huge group of friends, but the one's I do have, have been with me for over a decade.

What can my Parlour loves help me out with? SUPER CUTTING THROUGH THE SHIT. We are such an awesome support group and I love it. Whenever one of us is down, or not feeling good about ourselves, or a bunch of random awful shit is going down like it was this past week, every single one of us jumps up and says NO, THAT IS BULL, YOU ARE AWESOME AND WE WILL FIX THIS. I find that fucking amazing.

My current lesson? I need to fucking get on the horse. Which I say every time, but this time, paired with Oonagh, I don't feel pressured. My magic is the dreamy logic of the Page. I need to take it to the next level, but do it when it feels right. Feeling pressured to go out and buy all the things, to buy a set up I have no use for and just let it sit here for months until I have time and space is not logical. I have time; but I need to have faith that I will do it.

That's all for now. How did you think I did? How would you read this spread?
 
**PS I super duper love that the shape of the spread looks like it mimics the Lovers card. It just looks...perfect to me.

Lots of Love and Luck,
Andy <3

Swords [Court Cards Included]

Alrighty guys.

This week has been nutso. Lots of work, lots of fun, TONS of weird dreams. That's right, it didn't stop with the Muppet party from last week. I had FOUR weird dreams in the last four days! And they all interacted with my reality in some way. Like, they weren't my usual acid trip dreams. Anywho, I've made notes and I'll talk about them later if you're very lucky...or unlucky. Depends on how you feel about being trapped in my subconscious.

I've also been applying to more permanent jobs down here, but I've decided to take a break from trying to figure out my online portfolio, and catch up on my tarot! This weekend is my last week of Veronica Varlow's Advanced Tarot and I still haven't even finished writing about the first! Eeek! I doubt I'll be going through the second session like I am this one, but I do want to try out the new spreads we've learned and feel a bit more confident about my readings.

So....LET'S GO

________________________________________________________________

Ace:
When was a time that you were totally in control? When you were owning everything!
I actually felt really awesome at work a few days ago. We get these special cards when we do a good job with something and I've only been off training for 5 shifts and I have 6 cards! Also a random coworker whom I'd never talked to before said I made their day just watching me do my job because I clearly enjoy it. It was super sweet :)

I'm showing off all these cards, because even though they don't all speak to me like the above idea, I think they're all gorgeous. We've got Dreaming Way, which I honestly didn't like at first. I thought this card was super boring looking. But I recently started seeing the beauty in the sword. The entire hilt looks like it's wire-wrapped, like a beautiful piece of jewelry. I think if you turn it upside down, it looks just like a lovely crystal pendant (which I've just decided I super want to make). Then there's Femmes. She doesn't look like she's celebrating, but she does look gorgeous. The caption says "The Gift of the Mind" and she just looks the definition of poised. The Joie de Vivre rings true to me because this guy is just prancing around with his sword. He just pulled it out the the stone and is in a FUCK YEAH mood. He's dancing, there's streamers, balloons, he's got a fucking cat on his head! This dude is awesome!

Two:
This card is all about indecision. What are you avoiding deciding upon?
Nothing currently, which is kind of cool haha

With Which Sword Shall I Stab a Bitch?

Three:
Speaking of stabbing bitches...
This card is all about heartbreak. Unfortunately. What song reminds you of heartbreak the most?
This might be a weird choice, but Light in Your Eyes by Blessid Union of Souls. I want to cry whenever I hear it. Time of Your Life is another one, but I actually hate that song, whereas I weirdly love Light in Your Eyes.

True, his heart has been stabbed. But he's already got his bandaid ready and is looking away from the swirling darkness, and towards the light.

Four:
Now that the worst has happened, how do you recharge?
This is. I wish I could do it more, but reading the cards and writing about my experiences helps me a lot.

Five:
This card is about a conflict between you and other person. Are you listening, or are you too busy trying to be right?
I'm one of those horrid people who needs to be right. I am upfront about it, but I know in the moment that doesn't help your feelings towards me. Please know I'll calm down and apologize if I know I've gone too far or hurt your feelings in any way.

In Order: Dreaming Way, Le Tarot des Femmes Erotiques, Joie de Vivre

I really like all of these cards because to me they show different aspects of a disagreement.  In Joie de Vivre, it is super clear that someone is maliciously hurting another. The bird woman looks angry and ready to strike while the other is bleeding. Even though the second one is holding a sword, she looks hurt or even taken aback, like, whoa, I thought we were kidding, I thought we were friends. The Femmes is maybe like you're hurting yourself. It says "Defeat of the Mind," and the woman looks like she's hiding away in shame. Maybe she hurt herself. Maybe she knows she hurt someone she cares about. Maybe she's licking her wounds after an offensive attack. Then there's Dreaming Way. Someone looks upset in the background, but the guy in the foreground thinks everything's just peachy. Maybe he's congratulating himself on a win, or maybe he doesn't even realize he won at all; he thinks it's all good not realizing he hurt someone.

Six:
When have you had to leave something painful behind in order to move on to better things?
I know I'm a broken record, but this past year. I've moved on from a lot of things. I actually moved out on what was my one year anniversary of my start, and tomorrow is the anniversary of my middle. I'm really hoping that once I get to the anniversary of the end I'll be healed. Even better is if I don't notice. After everything that happened, even though I constantly remind myself of the bad, I am really happy now. I'm in a different state, with a different job, with different prospects, and I'm doing well. What else could I ask for?

Seven:
Deception. Serious issues. Has anyone ever hidden something from you, and you found out? Did you feel it instinctively?
Yes and yes. Nothing as horrible as some of the stories I've heard, but I've always had pretty good instincts. I always say I'm a good friend, but I'm not the first person you tell your problems to, I'm the last. Generally when people tell someone a problem first off, it's cause they want sympathy or assurance. I am super bad at that and I cut through the bullshit. That being said, when someone is avoiding a topic or a conversation, I generally know what's up. Again, nothing majorly awful has happened to me (knock on wood), but my instincts are usually looking out for me in the tiniest things.

Eight:
This card is the self doubt we face every day. The bad things We tell ourselves. What are some things you like about yourself to combat it?
I like...that I am determined. That I have good friends. I am well trained in my craft and people seem to like it. I am pretty both inside and out (most of the time). I see things through even if it takes time. I am a good friend and I always try.
I really love this card because the woman in it looks like Louise Brooks, the silent film star. On the bottom it says, "Disillusionment," which I thought was a bad thing initially, like disenchantment. But no, it means you're seeing things for what they are, and what they are is AMAZING.

Nine:
"FEAR is Forgetting that Everything is All Right" - Thank you Witchmama.
Is there a time you freaked out over nothing?
Yesterday, actually. I was talking to one of my friends at work and she was working in the sun and wasn't feeling well. I offered to get her water or give her a short break so that she could go inside, but she refused and just kept saying that she hoped she'd be transferred inside soon. A few minutes later, I saw one of our bosses, and while we were talking I mentioned the girl by the cart. I said she told me she wasn't feeling well, and I meant to tell him that I wouldn't mind taking her spot outside. He suddenly go very curt and told me to go see if she needed any water. I got super stressed and thought maybe he thought I was gossiping, or being a brown noser, or trying to make this other girl look bad and was upset for a couple of hours. Later, I saw a different boss and once she saw me, she just said (also very curtly), "Andy. Come with me." I had a knot in my stomach the whole walk because she didn't say anything to me the entire way. I kept having to tell myself to breath, and as I'd just been watching the Swords video before I got to work, I kept trying to remind myself it was probably nothing. Turns out she just needed two extra hands to do something and wasn't into small talk at that moment, because she was pleasant the whole way back. By the end of the day, that first boss even mentioned in front of other coworkers that it was clear I loved my job. I literally was sick all day because of this nonsense in my head! 

Ten:
What helps to pick you up when you're down?
My friends. My cards. Doing things that make me happy :)
I really like this card because while both of my other decks are mad depressing, this bitch is already in her Pick Me Up phase. Underneath her it reads, "End of Delusion." She is smiling so knowingly, that to me it's like, "That's right bitches, playtime is over. You had me for a second, but I am back and better than ever!"

Note: The Court Cards have a similar meaning throughout the suits.

Page (Novice):

The Pages! Ideas! Logic! Bam! Boom!

They may not have started the journey, but they're planning the routes out in their minds.

This guy is my biffle. The meticulous planner who doesn't actually have much follow through. That's okay though, the journey in the mind is pretty sweet.

I love these cards! Joie de Vivre looks so stab happy, like he is ready! Then there's my calm Femme, who is just like, "You stick to your petty little argument, I'll be here looking up scholarly sources like the Credible Hulk I am." Then there's Dreaming Way, who looks like she's contemplating whether stabbing you will help or hurt her cause.  

Pictured: The Credible Hulk

Knight (Lady)
Annnd they're off! The journey has started and they are slashing through some bullshit to get to the end!


Queen (Chatelaine)
Damn. These bitches don't mess around. They are fiercely protecting you from the badness out there as well as the badness within. Don't upset Mama Sword, you will not live for long after.
I definitely relate to this mama most of the time. I try to use my logic for good, and remind those around me that everything is all right, even if I don't always believe it myself.

Look at that evil smirk! She's just daring you to try to mess. She's even using a previous protester as a fashion accessory! Whoa!

King (Queen)
This guy has overcome some shit and he wants you to do the same! Believe in him, and you'll arrive safely at your destination.
I really look up to anyone who reminds me of the King. He's using his experience (in my mind's story, he just finished being the Ten of Swords) and is trying to help those around him either avoid the same situation, or move on after living it.

Please tell me ya'll remember this biddy. Does she even need an introduction??


Lots of Love,
Andy <3

Ryde or Die

When I was writing the first 2 Homework Set posts, I was in San Francisco visiting a friend with whom I've lost touch with over the years, but who has re-entered my life in a big way in the last few months.

While I was there, I got to know my friend's roommate, J, fairly well. He flashed me his phone at lunch one day and I saw the words "Ryde or Die" on his header. I mentioned it, and he said he didn't have a header and it definitely didn't say that, which confused me because I could have sworn that's what I saw. Anyway, I let it go; not that big a deal.

During my visit, I also got to know J's girlfriend. She Loves the Fast and Furious series, which I've actually never seen. She then told me she lives by the FF tagline, "Ride or Die" and that she has a hat with that slogan on it for when she needs a pick-me-up.

I didn't connect the two until later because, not only was I writing the homework sets in San Fran, but I was also watching my Parlour videos, some for the first time. And there again was the message; The Lovers: Ride or Die.

*mind explosion*

My friend and I...got together during my time there. We've been talking pretty exclusively for a couple months now, but we both decided we shouldn't make anything of it, because we live across the country from one another, and I'm moving for a new job even further away for a couple months. But we said if I were to ever move closer, we would keep that in our back pocket.  We've already made plans to do a cross country road trip and steal all the dogs together. Even if it's just a lot of silly talk, it's so much fun to have these kinds of "plans."

I don't recall ever pulling The Lovers card, and in my homework set, when it asked who my Ride or Die buddies were, I said I didn't have any. Just because I've never quite felt that huge pull before. I have amazing friends, don't get me wrong, but I'm a fairly lone character, and I dig it that way.

But of course, the day I return home from my trip, Tuesday the 11th, who is there to greet me?

*trumpet noise* BUM BA DA DA!

 

"The Soul's Deepest Need" 

Regardless of how this shakes out, maybe he's my soul's bestie. At least for the time being. I mean, how often is it that two people will not talk for over 5 years, only to fly cross country to spend time together?

That's kind of fucking awesome.

__________________________________________________________________________

So, for this post I also pulled a Goddess card. And I got Maeve AGAIN!

I don't know; I'm starting to think she likes me, guys.

She looks super relaxed, and dancing, like she's painting with her wand on the water.

I wonder what Cycles and Rhythms are coming for me...

Lots of Love,
Andy <3

Pick Three: Homework Set 2.5

Very simple assignment. Look through all your cards, and without necessarily looking for the names or meanings, pick 3 that call to you.

I looked through each card in the deck, setting aside all the ones that called to me in a pinch. Then from there, I looked through the actual photos, trying not to look at the name, and picked again until I got my three.

In the end, I actually ended up with four.

And they are........*drumroll*

VII The Chariot "Enjoy the Ride"
XIV Temperance "Love Transforms You"
8 of Pentacles "Apprenticeship"
II The Witch (High Priestess in more traditional decks) "Intuition will Reveal"

  

Now, The Witch was the cutoff. It was going to be just the three above her, but something was telling me not to put her away just yet.

Weirdly enough, I rarely pull any of these cards. I have pulled both the Chariot and Temperance before, but I think it was about two years ago when I first bought this deck. I thought hadn't pulled the 8 of Pentacles, but then I realized I've just never pulled it from this particular deck. This is the card I pulled and made a watercolor out of from my Dreaming Way Tarot.

 

It doesn't look like much, but it did help me remember the card.

After looking at just the three again, I realized that this was basically a reading. I'd just gone over the previous homeworks and learned what the Major Arcana meant so everything was still nice and fresh. 

The Chariot: I'm in control of my life and where I go from here.

Temperance: Balance is key to a happy and fulfilling life. 

8 of Pentacles: Apprenticeship, learning a new craft or skill.

I'm gonna sound like a broken record, but, I'm leaving soon to start a brand new job that I've been working towards for years. I'm finally getting to go where I want to go. And I keep referring to this new job as a paid vacation to my friends because the company is open basically 24/7 and I'm only going to work 40 hours a week. While I'm down there I have to learn how to function with only half of my week planned. Will I use my free time actually relaxing, or will I get another job like I've been thinking about? In my last post, when I went over the Temperance card, I said my perfect balance has more work than play. Maybe I'll learn to relax in the coming months; who knows? :)

_________________________________________________________________________

Now. When I was mulling over the best way to pick three cards, and the fact that it should be based on artwork, not technically meaning, I realized that I now own three decks.

My Main deck is Le Tarot Des Femmes Erotiques, with whom I've bonded greatly. 

My second is The Dreaming Way Tarot, with whom I've got an amiable relationship. 

And my third and newest deck is the Joie De Vivre tarot, which I just picked up on Monday on my last day of vacation! I opened her tonight specifically so I could do this...

I was going to discard immediate meanings, and pick one card from each deck so that I could see what was currently calling me without worrying about the artwork because they would all be different.

And THAT'S why I was holding on to my Witchy mama. She wasn't in my three, because she was my one; my individual.

I opened Joie de Vivre after setting aside my Femmes, and then looked through Dreaming Way.

Joie De Vivre,      Le Tarot Des Femmes Erotiques,      Dreaming Way

And who's that I see? Why, it's The High Priestess, the 'normal' equivalent to my Witch. And next? The Magician, of course!

Looks like I've got my two mystical parents looking over me this late night. I've got all the skills and drive I need to dance my way towards my heart's desire.

Have a lovely night,

Andy <3

Communing with Cards: Homework Set 2

*All questions courtesy of Veronica Varlow's Tarot Intensive*

13. Death
Did you have any experiences that felt like death, but were actually new beginnings?
I think all endings feel that way. A lot of people, including myself, hate change and it's scary! I had a relationship change a while back and I'm still in the process of figuring out how to make my life more full and rich.

14. Temperance
What would be an ideal balance in your life?
I feel like balance isn't always 50/50, and people forget that. I definitely need more work than play. I often forget to balance the two, and play goes completely away. I just need to remind myself to add it in, as having some is important and it would minimize stress without making me feel off kilter.

15. The Devil
What did you do to move past negative obsessions? What helped you move on?
I think that I am sometimes too logical. I know, in my heart, that I am an addictive personality, so I know right off the bat not to try things or start something, or I will be hooked. So I try in general to nip that type of thing in the bud. However, when it comes to friends and relationships, I do sometimes get into an unhealthy situation and my friends and past experiences are what helps me out of it.

16. The Tower
Has something fundamental crashed down around you, only for you to realize it was for the best in the long run?
Yes, the same relationship that I referred to with the Death card. It impacted, and still is impacting my life, but it is good that it happened early on, when my life is so fluid, rather than it happening later. I'm still recovering, but I realize that I'm lucky. And the friends that I mentioned in the Devil are what and who are constantly helping me to move forward.

17. The Star
What do you hope for in the future? What are some tricks to keep from giving up on your dreams?
I want to run my own company one day selling my crafts and potions and scrubs. I keep working for that time, and even when it looks like it's far away, I just remind myself that I am working towards getting the time and money I need to get started.

18. The Moon
What are the last 3 dreams you remember having? What mysteries lie in your subconscious?
Haha welllll my dreams that aren't prophetic are always crazy fever dreams. This is gonna be a long ass answer, because my dreams are always weirdly detailed...hold up
-Last night, me and my friend we talking about somehow being addicted to Candy? Or not knowing why people craved it? I don't know, why but I guess I thought the answer was in the Mandy Moore song, Candy? Because I was like, you know, like Candy. And I started singing the chorus to him; not belting it out, just kind of quietly singing him the lyrics like ya do. Then he told me I was  good singer.....
 -Thursday night, I dreamt that I was going to a hotel with one of my old friends from college. It was super busy because there was a convention going on and we didn't know it. We ended up getting separated and I remember our room number was something like 9450-something something. When I got lost trying to find the room, I ended up alllll the way down the hall at 9458-something something so I had to back track. I found my room and then I was apparently going to the convention? Which had shooting games/exhibitions? I've never fired a gun before, by the way. Everyone was dressed in white from head to toe in what looked like radioactive suits, except for me and a different friend from high school. We were wearing that, but with Kevlar vests over them. We were shooting at each other, through crowds, trying to hit each other only on the vests. We each hit each other in the back of the pants leg, leaving holes, but no injuries. Then I realize he was wearing one of my pairs of pants and that I had just ruined two pairs. And yes, that was my dream.
-I know I've had a dream just as crazy as the one just listed within the last month or so, but I can't remember it. Besides that, there was a semi normal dream I recorded in my Good Morning post from May.
Enjoy my nutty subconscious, guys.

19. The Sun
What makes you light up?
Redundant at this point, but creating. It makes me so much happier than anything else.
*as a side note, I don't normally pull this card, and I did during Veronica's Tuesday Instagram reading. Horray for a shining week!

20. Judgment (Rebirth)
What are your A-Ha moments? What are you most proud of so far?
I'm proud of the fact that I jumped ship my senior year of college to follow my heart and change majors during my last semester. That was a big a-ha moment; I just knew I wouldn't be happy if I followed through with that degree. Now I'm proud that even though it's taken a few extra years, I have jobs in my chosen field and I enjoy them :)

21. The World
Name 3 things you are proud of. You got this.
- I'm proud that I went on a spontanious trip across the country
- I've started the bones of my online store. Even though I'm not currently selling what I want, I can use this to figure out how to best work the online platform, shipping and pricing.
- I got accepted into a small working program for a company I've been trying to work with for years and I'm flying down there in 2 weeks!

Love always,
Andy <3

Communing with Cards: Homework Set 1

*All questions courtesy of Veronica Varlow's Tarot Intensive*

0. The Fool
When was the last time you threw yourself into something new and said, 'fuck it'?
It was about a week or two ago, right around this assignment started! I had 3 weeks to kill and no plans so I decided to run off to another coast and see if I could make a life out here. To be determined.

1. The Magician
Have you ever had a 'supernatural' experience?
I feel like I have...but I can't remember?
What is your own form of magic?
Making things; I love to create. I also am very intuitive and people tend to share intimate things with me.

2. The High Priestess (The Witch)
What do you feel you may have been in a past life? What are magical mysteries you have yet to discover?
In one of Veronica's previous classes, we took a quiz about who we may have been in our past lives. I may have been a voodoo woman as I love to create and solve problems through making things with nature.
Do you attach anyone specific to this card?
As Veronica cultivates the magic in all of us, I would have to say she is our High Priestess.

3. The Empress (The Goddess)
When was the last time you let yourself create without judgment?
It's been a really long time, sadly. I've been creating and enjoying my creations, but the last time I think I made something without judgment was when I was painting. I would love to work on that more.

4. The Emperor (The Abbess)
What can you benefit from being more scheduled? What can you schedule now to make things easier for you later?
I can/should schedule a lot of things. I am a person who is most productive when there is a deadline, more specifically, a every tight deadline and when I'm already bombarded with 18 other projects. I need to be busy to do things, otherwise I am a sloth. I always try to schedule non-work things into a tight group so I can trick myself into being productive...but it has yet to work. I need some Dom in my life.

5. The Hierophant (The Shaman)
What do you need a teacher for? What can you teach others?
Creating everything! I never want to stop learning how to improve myself in that aspect and learn from others, but I think it's one of the things I can teach as well.

6. The Lovers
Who is that person in your life who is truly ride or die?
No one currently. I have amazing friends, but no one that I would completely associate that with.

7. The Chariot
How can you be more 'in the driver's seat' of your own life?
I think I am already pretty in control of my life. I just need to make the effort to do what I want to do, rather than what I think I should.

8 (or 11). Strength
When have you shown inner strength and overcome obstacles in your way?
The first thing that comes to mind is my previous job. I really didn't like it when I first started and was considering quitting but made myself power through and ended up having a really rewarding experience.

9. The Hermit
The Hermit wants you to disconnect with the world so you can connect with yourself. What do you do to meditate and create peace of mind?
This card is always hidden for me. I rarely pull the hermit; I feel like in general I am fairly introspective so I don't usually need a reminder to look inside myself for calm and peace. However; I have started an unedited journal lately to help keep track of my thoughts and also to help in connection to writing this blog.

10. The Wheel of Fortune (The Wheel)
When has your luck suddenly changed for the better?
My luck (and life) has been going through a lot of changes recently. I am currently on a vacation I wouldn't have imaged 2 months ago and am on my way to move to a brand new and tropical state for a job I have been trying to land for years!

11 (or 8). Justice
What dream have you been working towards? Is there something more you can be doing?
There's always something more I could be doing! Like I said above, I work best when I'm already busy so right now I'm not doing much, but I am trying to write more, journal and organize my thoughts and what I want.

12. The Hanged Man (The Fairy)
What have you had blinders on for? What could you use a new perspective on?
 I like to think I rarely have on blinders. I like to try to see things from every logical angle. But that right there may be the rub, I need to try to think more with my feelings sometimes.

Respecting the Moon and her Cycles

Tuesday the 4th, at 12:08am I pulled my first tarot cards in Far too long.

I have been a part of Veronica Varlow's Tarot Intensive course, but am sorry to say I have not been keeping up with my homework or even the classes. I have been out of state every week since it started, and 5 different cities. While I wish I have been a better student, I do love watching everyone else progress and learn. It's a lot of fun to interact with people that are learning at a similar pace as you, and since I'm one of the few that have experience reading (simply meaning that I have been looking to cards for a while and am self taught), I still get to throw in my two cents along the way.

On Tuesday when I pulled cards in the early morning, The Moon slipped right off the top of the deck while I was trying to decide how to feel the shuffle. The Moon is a gorgeous card in most decks, but I adore the woman in mine. She is sitting with her knees up, angled away from me, lifting a sheer white curtain around her backside. Breathtaking and playful. Underneath she says there is "A Turning in the Journey."

Since I didn't quite feel she was my card, but more of a guide, I shuffled and pulled. Who was there to greet me? But the Queen of Swords of course! My number one lady and clearly a magnet card for me. She once again tells me "She Thinks the Unthinkable." My strong, logically lady telling me I am behind and need to get my shit sorted.

So here I am, two days later, on a different coast, trying to get my shit sorted.

I also wanted to say that this morning, before my flight, I pulled a Goddess Card, which I haven't done in an even longer time than the tarot.

This morning I pulled Maeve; the very first Goddess I pulled with my deck.

Underneath her dancing form it says, "Honor the cycles of your body, energy levels, and emotions." I think that while she was saying it's okay not to have kept up; lately I've been meaning to but have had a feeling of ick I didn't want on my cards, it is about that time to get over it, and get my bum back in gear.

Basically, everyone's telling me I gottta werk, bitch.

I want to shout out to VeVa again because she has started an instagram pull where she has 3 cards, you choose whichever one you feel drawn to, and then she posts a reveal. So cool; she's awesome. So I found out I was drawn to the Fool, which is kind of a hidden card for me. I'm a big planner, and while intuitive, I dislike not knowing what I'm doing. But I am now on the opposite coast for the first time in years, taking a spontaneous journey to see someone I haven't seen since high school! All planned within the past week!

She also did an August read for all the Zodiac signs which was spot on as usual. Tying in with my "logical, needs structure" type of life, I am a Capricorn and she pulled 3 of Wands for us.  That card, as stated in her video is all about rocking your shit OUT, traveling maybe, working hard and getting to where you want to be! Again, I am on a brand new trip this very second, but I am also moving to a completely different area for a new job before the month is out. It's a place I've been trying to get a job at for 4 YEARS and it's happening now, this August. Much love to Veronica Varlow and that lady's Danger Diary.

You can find those videos and by extension, the rest of her blog right here!

Lots of love and luck,
Andy <3