August 12th through the 22nd, respectively, is a mighty fine time to begin a new project. This is the 3rd decan of Leo: a ten day period when Leo is sub-ruled by Mars, and a time period when Aries is exalted in the sun (the real ruler of Leo).

But what does all this planet referencing mean? With the Aries influence we have the ambition to be dynamic, to start something new, to rise to the top, to see the big picture and to get the ball rolling—right now! Rise to the top with one’s own authenticity shining brightly. Think of The Emperor card in Tarot. Better yet, think of Marlon Brando, Rene Descartes, George Herbert, Betty Ford, and Maya Angelou.

With the Mars influence we have the stubborn determination to “get it done” no matter the adversity! Get it done, don’t give up. Remember the Mars energy is the consort of Venus—that warrior energy within you, a fiercely loyal lover of all things beautiful, represents boldness, courage and the fiery passions that inspire courage and creativity.

For those who are born August 12th through August 22nd, these are just broad-stroke personality attributes. But to anybody who is interested in launching a project in alignment with celestial influences, this is a mighty fine time to do that. A great time to be dynamic in our daily work.

The creators of Tarot in the Qabalistic and Western Mystery tradition denote the above mentioned attributes as being facets of the Seven of Wands card. In the card we see a youth fending off, or aggressing, six wands while holding the seventh wand. The card reminds us to choose our battles carefully. The opponents whom the youth is engaging are unseen; we see only their wands. This is because our only real enemies are our lesser ideas of ourselves. This card and time period does not represent the absence of fear, or the urge to resist and fight against something, it represents that wonderful human capacity to pursue what we care about most. It tells us courage and fear are brothers: one is loved and adored, the other isn’t.  So if you wish to abolish fear, the recipe is quite clear: give that project you’ve been wanting to try to the working hands of the most amazing and noblest being you will ever meet—your own self!

Donovan

What we want and desire are not always the best things for us. What should and does happen are often two very different things. So, in the 1800′s tarot cards were tools created to be a guide in helping people get in touch with their spiritual paths and develop their intuitions. The intention was to provide people with their own connection to their higher power and point out obstacles to them that were blocking their spiritual evolution and connection to the divine. If the messages to the spirit are not heeded then the questioner continues to circle around on the path until they clear the blockages preventing them from growing and moving on. Which is why some readings never change; just the dates change.

Psychics receive information in many different ways. Sounds, smells, images, intuitions, symbols etc. can occur. When a psychic reads for you; the messages are meant for you to understand. Your psychic is simply the messenger. Information is purest when it flows freely through your psychic. Most of the time your questions will have been answered when this information is flowing.

I find that when there are many interruptions; messages loose the purity and connection with guides and the spirit side becomes full of static. It’s like putting them on hold to talk with you, then switching back and forth. Spiritual call waiting; and I find that many psychics, guides and spirits lose energy from it.

Rushed or forced readings leave out precious details and may come through as jumbled miss-information. It’s like reading a book, skipping all over the place; then right to the end. You know how it ended, but not why it ended that way. You miss the opportunity to see what the turning points could have been or what changes could have been made.

Your psychic can be of great assistance in helping you to interpret the messages. What matters most is what the messages mean to you, how you feel about it, and what actions you take.

Every one of us has intuition and psychic abilities. You can develop your own. A psychic can be a wonderful teacher, also, if you allow it. Opening doorways, showing you how to develop and use your intuitions and helping you to establish your own connection to the divine. Your psychic can remind you that your best answers always come from within your own deeper inner knowing. It’s your divine right and a place forgotten that you can be guided back to.

I am Nesta,  a proven psychic, here to explore your hopes and dreams through honest caring friendship. My readings are a combination of psychic and logical sense, true to my own sign, Taurus. The Tarot card “The Empress” represents the sign of Taurus, so close to my spirit, signs of abundance, fertility and nurturing. She reflects Venus, the planet of love and affection.

Sitting in a beautiful garden, surrounded by nature is where you can find “The Empress” or myself in my own lovely garden (I love to garden). Let me help you in finding the path to true love. I’m here to support you through all aspects of a relationship or marriage. Questions about life’s mysteries and your own psychic experiences can be explored and illuminated. Questions about your pets are particularly charming.

As a descendant of the ancestral line of Princess Nesta through the Ancient Milesian Monarchs of Ireland and the Kings and Princes of North and South Wales, psychic abilities have been documented in my ancestors. I believe myself to be gifted also, and wish to share this gift with you.

As the Wort Moon of July waxes to full, it is a perfect time for gathering herbs.  The word “wort” is old Anglo-Saxon for “herb”.  One of the herbs I like to gather at this time of year is mugwort, also known as ‘ Magickal Mugwort”.  Mugwort grows wild where I live.  If you can’t find wild mugwort, you can obtain some from any herbal shop or online.  Mugwort is used for removing negative energy and psychic growth. 

Mugwort steeped in spring water is great for cleaning crystals and other scrying tools.  Using this same infusion for cleaning mirrors in the home is a good idea, as mirrors are said to hold negative energy.  A small pouch of Mugwort placed in the pillow and slept upon is said to bring lucid dreams.  Mugwort, when mixed with sandalwood and burned during meditation and scrying rituals, is said to increase psychic visions.  It is also useful to banish interference prior to divination such as a Tarot reading or Rune casting.  Mugwort kept with a Tarot deck will keep one spread or reading from interfering with the next.  This is just one of the many herbs you can gather at the Wort Moon.

As the Wort Moon draws near, we can listen for the sound of distant thunder that may bring a sudden summer storm to relieve the heat and quench the garden.  This is a magical time of year!  My wish for you and yours is love light and many summer Blessings.

Joseph

Who hasn’t picked up a deck of playing cards and wondered about their beginnings? Perhaps your grandmother used to read cards at family gatherings, or maybe a friend.

No one is entirely sure as to the exact origins of playing cards. It is thought they perhaps started as the Minor Arcana of the Tarot, with the Joker being akin to the Major Arcana Tarot card, The Fool. What we do know, though, is that using a pack of playing cards as a tool for psychic exploration is as time honored as the cards themselves. Meanings of cards are immortalized in such songs as ‘Desperado’ by the Eagles, ‘Shape of My Heart’ by Sting, and ‘Ace of Spades’ by Motorhead. Watch closely, and you will find them being used as props in many supernatural thriller films and television programs.

Playing cards have always demanded respect, and this can be proven by the amount of superstition that surrounds them. I remember playing euchre with my family as a teenager and my dad would always blow on the cards if we were losing. Sometimes he would put a hat pin in my shirt over my collar bone or get me to stand up and walk around my chair for luck, and I remember Uncle Ernie would sit straddling his chair backwards for luck if he was more than 4 points behind in a game.

Some religions forbid the use of playing cards by anyone, even for just a game of rummy. Playing cards – like Tarot – are sometimes called ‘The Devil’s Pictures,’ or ‘The Devil’s Picture Book.’ My husband is from a fishing family; he always said the old fishermen would never take a deck of cards on a boat lest it bring them bad fortune.

9 of Diamonds
There were a lot of Scots people who played Cribbage at the local pub we frequented when we lived in England. They called the Nine of Diamonds card ‘The Curse of Scotland’. It is said that this card was used as a cue to instigate the Massacre of Glencoe, and that a message ordering the Battle of Culloden was written on the Nine of Diamonds.

4 of Clubs
The Four of Clubs is another card that has a bad reputation. It is believed that this card will bring bad luck to other cards in the deck. Some sources for reading playing cards see this as the worst card in the deck. The way I was taught to read, though, there really are no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ cards when doing a reading for someone; there are only opportunities.

Respecting the Cards
While it can be a lot of fun reading playing cards, Tarot cards, crystals, or any other tool, we must remain respectful of the responsibility we assume when we peer into other people’s lives. Many times in the course of my work people will say to me, “I wish I could do what you are doing,” and I think, “No, you don’t.” Many times people see the wonderment, the magic, or the mysticism, and neglect to see the responsibility that people accept when they agree to read the cards for someone.

As well as respecting the people for whom we perform our services, it is also important that we respect the tools we are using. If we are going to be serious about reading playing cards, I feel it is best to use a deck specifically for reading, rather than one that is also going to be used for playing card games. We might choose one of the newer ‘themed’ decks, whose pictures are based on a film, or flowers or animals. This is not necessary though. Playing cards can be purchased from most bargain stores such as The Dollar Tree or Dollar General or Poundstretcher, and they can cost as little as two decks for a dollar.

Learning to read the cards doesn’t have to be difficult, costly, or time consuming. It came easily to me, having learned to read the Tarot first, but that is not necessary. Many people read playing cards, some as a parlor game and some as a guide to the situations in their lives. Have you ever had any experience with reading playing cards?

The first (and perhaps biggest) belief I wish to address is that you are “not supposed to buy your own deck.” Many people will tell you that you have to receive it as a gift before you can use it. Well, if this were true for me, I would not be reading Tarot at all to this day. I bought my first deck at age seventeen and began studying the cards on my own. No one at that point in my life would have ever considered buying them for me, as I was always surrounded by very conservative-minded people who frowned upon psychic phenomena and paraphernalia. Perhaps a “gift” deck could have a special benefit or blessing, especially if given to you by a very spiritual person or psychic friend, but I do not find it necessary to “wait” to receive your first deck–you may be waiting forever.

Another popular belief is that the cards must be wrapped in silk, or at least kept in a special wooden box, to protect them from negative energy. I understand that this belief may have specific religious origins, and if you subscribe to these principles, please do not be offended by my opinion. I have found, in my own experience, that just keeping the cards in the box they were purchased in is good enough. This helps keep them clean and in good condition. I do not believe that anyone would be out there specifically trying to “curse” or “hex” your deck of cards with negative energy.

One big belief is that no one else should touch your cards. I personally have found that allowing the client to shuffle the cards provides a better reading, though obviously this is irrelevant for phone and email readings. If you believe no one should touch your cards, that is up to you, but you may be limiting the potential of the cards, in my opinion.

These are just a few of the ideas from popular culture that may affect your own potential journey with the study of the Tarot. I realize that everyone has different beliefs, and these are just my own, but I imagine that many people agree with me as well.

Get out there and buy our first deck and give the cards a try! You may surprise yourself and your friends with what you can see!

Here’s a YouTube video  that explains a bit more about reading the Tarot.

Tarot can help fine-tune ones intuition, give you confirmation and confidence in your interpretation and awaken other senses. It can be used by itself or with other mediums, meditations, or in your own personalized rituals. It’s a good way of communicating with your higher self or spiritual being.

Tarot is useful for guidance and may confirm what you already thought or give you a whole new perspective on the situation. The more one works with Tarot, the more one can learn, feel and see in a particular card. For me, different meanings come into play depending upon who I am reading for.

A little knowledge about Tarot- there are 21 major arcana and four suits having 0ne(the beginning) to Ten(completion) as well as King, Queen, Knight, and Cups for a total of 78 cards. Wands are energy, movement, spring; Cups are emotion, intuition, summer, swords, cutting through issues, logic, action, fall, and pentacles which represent earth, material matters, and stability.

Tarot is a wonderful tool for self-exploration and one should not hesitate to pick up whatever deck is beckoning you. It’s fascinating to learn about this ancient art.

Want to learn more about the Tarot ? Visit Wikipedia.org/tarot or talk to a gifted Tarot Reader.

This week, some of our gifted Psychics will delve into the art of Tarot, giving background information, tips for getting the most out of your Tarot Reading, and some common misconceptions you may have about the cards.  Check back all week and see what the Cards have in store!

Get a clear view of what today holds by checking out your Tarot Card of the Day.
Want to see what the cards hold for you? Talk with our gifted Tarot Readers!