I hope everyone had fun ringing in the new year and was able to take advantage of the worldwide rolling spell!
While my year of blogging is technically complete, it's hard to stop when you're on a roll. I don't know when I'm going to take a pause, but it won't be tonight! This is just a quickie to break the seal on 2012.
I want to keep my momentum going and just shift the focus from on-line to terra space. This year will see more gatherings, more study groups, more workshops, and more getting out there in other mediums. There are several irons in the fire and I can't wait to share them!
I've been pondering a new resolution for this year. I still intend to blog at least weekly, likely on Wednesday, Mercoledì in Italian. The rest will be revealed as the month progresses!
On the first of the year I like to do a tarot reading for the year ahead. I've seen so many variations on this theme over the years. Some layouts use all of the cards, some use 5, and all manner of variation in between.
I like doing a 14 card spread:
One card: Overall theme for the New YearOne card for each month
I've seen variations where you either add 4 more cards, one for the theme of each season, or 8 cards, one for each turn of the wheel.
I also fancy a tarot spread which is 6 cards:
Last year's theme, this year's theme, this year's goals, this year's finances, this year's health, You can also add Pros and cons: one card represents a boon for the year and one a pitfall to avoid.
I am a fan of creating your own spread, and as I wrote about last year (bizarre!), interviewing Patrons and Ancestors.
However you do your readings, or even if you do a reading, I wish for all my readers the best in the New Year!
Showing posts with label Tarot. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tarot. Show all posts
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Friday, November 18, 2011
Updated Reading List!
The Aeneid
I've been plodding through this book all year. I keep putting it down because other things take precedence. It's been more of a year long act of bibliomancy, picking it up and gleaning a bit of inspiration or reading something I needed to read at a particular moment.
Virgin Mother Goddesses of Antiquity - Rigoglioso
I'm giving this really good resource another pass before I have to return it to the library
Three Books of Occult Philosophy - Agrippa
This is a must on the list of every magical practitioner.
The Picatrix
Seriously, my head is already hurting and I haven't even mentioned Dion Fortune...
Psychic Self Defense -Dion Fortune
It's ok. Not my favorite book, as you might have read in the past. Mostly a warning to not mess with things that you don't understand.
Tarot Talismans - Chic and Tabitha Cicero
Interesting mix of philosophy and practical. It's not a tarot manual, it's not an amulet manual. Worth perusing.
For the most part, I've been up to my elbows in ancient Mesopotamia- Bablon, Assyria, Chaldea, etc... I walked the halls of The Met with a new appreciation for the artifacts there. Since that trip almost a month ago, I have been drawn to studying the region and its deities.
Lapis Lazuli and its importance to the Sumerians has been a topic of interest. There is so much on it, including the connection to Egyptians and their use of the stuff (Cleopatra wore powdered lapis lazuli as eyeshadow! :-o), that I don't want to make it a hit and run post. I've also found an interesting paper on how the Song of Solomon was likely one of the ancient Sumerian fertility songs son for Tammuz! And now that I've come across Sumerian Shakespeare, well I'm just never going to have time to sleep! lol
I'm often torn between the research and the practical. Looks like this year has been heavy on the search and next year looks to focus on the practical. Speaking of practical, I need to go get practical right now and do some Last Quarter work!
Sunday, October 9, 2011
The Veil! The Veil!
There's always talk at this time of year about "the veil between the worlds" and how it's now at it's thinnest. Eh... sure, but it ebbs and flows. It's never static. It's also just as thin at this time in April/May, but at that point most Pagans are thinking about fertility. Truth is, you can reach across "the veil" at any point during the year. It might be easier during April and October, but it's never that hard the rest of the year, you just need to know how to get (and stay) in touch. Here are a few tips and trick. Nothing earth shattering, but add them all together and you have the start of an Ancestor practice:
Ancestor Altar
This is your base of communication, especially when starting out. Once your practice is in full swing you'll find you don't need to be at your altar to get in touch with your ancestors.
This should be on the west side of your abode (house apartment, room, etc) and include pictures and tokens of your family members who have passed and things they liked. The best offerings are the little things. Grandma liked gardenias? Leave one on the altar, or burn a gardenia scented candle. Don't forget to add family patrons to the altar. Grandpa had an affinity for Saint Anthony? It won't hurt you to put his prayer card on the altar too.
I like to keep water on my altar as a means of communication. I've blogged about this previously- it's an offering of willingness to keep in touch, especially through dreams.
Commit to a time frame of offerings: Every night from new to full moon, or once a week for 9 weeks, or once a day for 9 days, or during a certain moon phase, etc. And stick to it!
Meditation
This cannot be overrated. Meditation isn't only about tuning into the neutral channel. You can have a directed, focused meditation: Contemplate your literal blood and how far back it reaches. Focus on a specific family member you would like to communicate with and recall every detail you knew about them. Alternately, you can set an intention to contact an ancestor you don't know, as in the case of adoption, and once you do reach the neutral channel in your meditation, have that person fill the proverbial airwaves. This isn't the kind of thing you do when you first begin a meditation practice, it's 202 not 101. For the 101 crowd, meditate on your ancestors before you go to sleep, especially as you are falling asleep. I recommend this only be done with those you knew in life who were loyal to you and loved you. No inviting strangers into your dream world!
Journey
I have a wonderful Ancestral Temple Journey I will be teaching and recording. Here is another 202: If you have an astral temple, an astral workspace, a dreamscape you return to: Build a place for your ancestors. This is a wonderful way to reach them outside of dreaming and reinforces the intent of contact and communication.
Divination
Tarot especially is a wonderful way to communicate with your ancestors. When in sacred space, you can ask ancestors to join you and interview them. Pendulums also work for this purpose.
And don't forget offerings to cthonic deities like... you guessed it! Mercury and Hecate! Mercury is a psychopomp and opener of the ways and deity of communication. Why not call on Him in this work? Yeah, I'm biased, and spreading the love. Whichever pantheon you work with, don't forget to include appropriate prayers and generally building a relationship with those deities which facilitate communication with ancestors. They can be wonderful allies on this type of journey.
Ancestor Altar
This is your base of communication, especially when starting out. Once your practice is in full swing you'll find you don't need to be at your altar to get in touch with your ancestors.
This should be on the west side of your abode (house apartment, room, etc) and include pictures and tokens of your family members who have passed and things they liked. The best offerings are the little things. Grandma liked gardenias? Leave one on the altar, or burn a gardenia scented candle. Don't forget to add family patrons to the altar. Grandpa had an affinity for Saint Anthony? It won't hurt you to put his prayer card on the altar too.
I like to keep water on my altar as a means of communication. I've blogged about this previously- it's an offering of willingness to keep in touch, especially through dreams.
Commit to a time frame of offerings: Every night from new to full moon, or once a week for 9 weeks, or once a day for 9 days, or during a certain moon phase, etc. And stick to it!
Meditation
This cannot be overrated. Meditation isn't only about tuning into the neutral channel. You can have a directed, focused meditation: Contemplate your literal blood and how far back it reaches. Focus on a specific family member you would like to communicate with and recall every detail you knew about them. Alternately, you can set an intention to contact an ancestor you don't know, as in the case of adoption, and once you do reach the neutral channel in your meditation, have that person fill the proverbial airwaves. This isn't the kind of thing you do when you first begin a meditation practice, it's 202 not 101. For the 101 crowd, meditate on your ancestors before you go to sleep, especially as you are falling asleep. I recommend this only be done with those you knew in life who were loyal to you and loved you. No inviting strangers into your dream world!
Journey
I have a wonderful Ancestral Temple Journey I will be teaching and recording. Here is another 202: If you have an astral temple, an astral workspace, a dreamscape you return to: Build a place for your ancestors. This is a wonderful way to reach them outside of dreaming and reinforces the intent of contact and communication.
Divination
Tarot especially is a wonderful way to communicate with your ancestors. When in sacred space, you can ask ancestors to join you and interview them. Pendulums also work for this purpose.
And don't forget offerings to cthonic deities like... you guessed it! Mercury and Hecate! Mercury is a psychopomp and opener of the ways and deity of communication. Why not call on Him in this work? Yeah, I'm biased, and spreading the love. Whichever pantheon you work with, don't forget to include appropriate prayers and generally building a relationship with those deities which facilitate communication with ancestors. They can be wonderful allies on this type of journey.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Walking the Walk
Tonight Debbie Chapnick of Datura Press and Tarot Tip Sheet fame read my tarot cards. She's a wonderful reader and teacher and I'm grateful to have her in my life. I haven't let aaaaaaaaaaanyone read cards for me in a long time, but that's a whole other story. If you're a born again tarot virgin, it's best to have an expert working with you instead of a novice practicing on you (Practice is important but inappropriate when you need to get down to business).
The cards didn't tell me anything I don't already know, however, it's one thing to know it and another thing to confront it and acknowledge it and own it. Sometimes you just need the cards to act like a mirror. You especially need a reader who not only has a relationship with the cards, but who knows which way the metaphysical winds are blowing.
I'm from the school of thought that you personally have to have the hook-up in order to read tarot (or do any form of divination). Some believe that the cards will provide the answers or guide the way or the "Spirit" attached to the cards will take care of that part of things and you just need to know the card meanings. Hooey! That's like saying as long as a golfer has the right golf club, they'll always land the ball in the hole. Pft. You need skill and practice. Not everyone is a prodigy, but you don't have to be: you just need to be able to assess your skill level honestly and know enough to ask when you need help or guidance- I mean ask actual qualified teachers. Be humble enough to admit when you don't know or need help. It's the ones who are too proud to do that who wind up falling on their face.
I got a little wake up call tonight. I know what to do, and despite sometimes feeling overwhelmed, I just have to do it. That's a general message for everyone: Get er done! Do you have goals? Long term? Short term? Do you have a mundane plan as well as a magical one?
Would you like to see something here more along the lines of classes, lectures and workshops? A message board or facebook group or page where we can discuss actual work in a more in-depth way than my nightly offerings? Have you read this far or did you get annoyed at my name dropping in the opening line? lol
If you have read this far: Dusio needs some blog-love. Please drop a comment on one of his offerings if you have a chance. He's a progressed Leo, what can I say? ;) I hope we'll hear more from him soon. He has vast experience and I'm glad to have him on the team!
I'm all about the gratitude tonight, so thank you, Loyal Horde, for following along on my year-long blog journey! Feel free to ask questions, argue with me, debate freely, and voice your own opinion and experiences. I didn't start this as a participatory adventure, but my Libra nature loves co-operation and collaboration, so I am open to it even as I move forward.
Topics on my radar* include:
Names, both magickal and mundane
Why Aeneas is a dick.
New book list!
More on tarantella and trance dance
Ancestors again
Follow up on the cult of Isis in Italy
The Italian take on journeying. At least this Italian's take.
What's the big deal about coral?
*Just because they're on my radar doesn't mean they get on my blog!
The cards didn't tell me anything I don't already know, however, it's one thing to know it and another thing to confront it and acknowledge it and own it. Sometimes you just need the cards to act like a mirror. You especially need a reader who not only has a relationship with the cards, but who knows which way the metaphysical winds are blowing.
I'm from the school of thought that you personally have to have the hook-up in order to read tarot (or do any form of divination). Some believe that the cards will provide the answers or guide the way or the "Spirit" attached to the cards will take care of that part of things and you just need to know the card meanings. Hooey! That's like saying as long as a golfer has the right golf club, they'll always land the ball in the hole. Pft. You need skill and practice. Not everyone is a prodigy, but you don't have to be: you just need to be able to assess your skill level honestly and know enough to ask when you need help or guidance- I mean ask actual qualified teachers. Be humble enough to admit when you don't know or need help. It's the ones who are too proud to do that who wind up falling on their face.
I got a little wake up call tonight. I know what to do, and despite sometimes feeling overwhelmed, I just have to do it. That's a general message for everyone: Get er done! Do you have goals? Long term? Short term? Do you have a mundane plan as well as a magical one?
Would you like to see something here more along the lines of classes, lectures and workshops? A message board or facebook group or page where we can discuss actual work in a more in-depth way than my nightly offerings? Have you read this far or did you get annoyed at my name dropping in the opening line? lol
If you have read this far: Dusio needs some blog-love. Please drop a comment on one of his offerings if you have a chance. He's a progressed Leo, what can I say? ;) I hope we'll hear more from him soon. He has vast experience and I'm glad to have him on the team!
I'm all about the gratitude tonight, so thank you, Loyal Horde, for following along on my year-long blog journey! Feel free to ask questions, argue with me, debate freely, and voice your own opinion and experiences. I didn't start this as a participatory adventure, but my Libra nature loves co-operation and collaboration, so I am open to it even as I move forward.
Topics on my radar* include:
Names, both magickal and mundane
Why Aeneas is a dick.
New book list!
More on tarantella and trance dance
Ancestors again
Follow up on the cult of Isis in Italy
The Italian take on journeying. At least this Italian's take.
What's the big deal about coral?
*Just because they're on my radar doesn't mean they get on my blog!
Monday, May 30, 2011
Thanks! And a random roundup
The response to last night's blog was unexpected. I suppose the best entries are the heartfelt ones- those that come to you naturally, the ones that are inspired as opposed to the ones I post because I have made a vow to put something out there daily. Since I can't possibly top that one right now, and because I did 5 hours of driving today, here's a round up of randomness:
• Today I went to a basic tarot class. It was an exercise in beginner's mind and honestly, a nice refresher. I finally noticed while looking through the cards that, in the Smith Waite deck, while the Page of Cups has a sneaky fish popping out of his cup, the King of Cups is wearing a fish pendant on a chain around his neck. Look who grew up n showed that fish!
• I've had a setback with the labyrinth. I didn't screw up the labyrinth, I screwed up the placement: My top brick was well over the property line and onto my neighbor's lawn. Oops!!! I've had to move everything down. Well, not everything entirely. Thankfully I've only had to pop 3 bricks out of the ground. The rest are fine where they are. But instead of planting bricks tomorrow, I have to finish the brick layout. After that, I have to plant 11 bricks every day to have it ready in time. Hopefully I'll do more bricks than that in a day!
• My Grandfather, the one I spoke about in the previous post, fought in WWII. He was a member of the VFW, worked at the VFW hospital in Brooklyn, and after he retired, he volunteered there every week. Throughout his life, he was a blood donor. He had a rare type of blood so he donated as often as he was allowed (aprox every 2 months). I remember going to a ceremony where he received an award for donating an incredible amount of blood over his donating career. Have you ever been a donor? If you can, please do. If you can't, please raise awareness and rally your friends and family to donate. I'm posting this tonight on the off chance you'll read it on Memorial Day instead of after the fact. Tomorrow, I might just take a look at ancient soldiering since we're supposed to be remembering fallen soldiers of all wars.
• Don't forget to vote for all of the awesome Pagan Moms with blogs! That pink button up there on the right will take you to the Circle of Moms site where you can vote daily for your favorite faith based blogs by Moms. There are over a dozen Pagan blogs in the running with a Pagan in first place! Yay for community banding together :)
• Today I went to a basic tarot class. It was an exercise in beginner's mind and honestly, a nice refresher. I finally noticed while looking through the cards that, in the Smith Waite deck, while the Page of Cups has a sneaky fish popping out of his cup, the King of Cups is wearing a fish pendant on a chain around his neck. Look who grew up n showed that fish!
• I've had a setback with the labyrinth. I didn't screw up the labyrinth, I screwed up the placement: My top brick was well over the property line and onto my neighbor's lawn. Oops!!! I've had to move everything down. Well, not everything entirely. Thankfully I've only had to pop 3 bricks out of the ground. The rest are fine where they are. But instead of planting bricks tomorrow, I have to finish the brick layout. After that, I have to plant 11 bricks every day to have it ready in time. Hopefully I'll do more bricks than that in a day!
• My Grandfather, the one I spoke about in the previous post, fought in WWII. He was a member of the VFW, worked at the VFW hospital in Brooklyn, and after he retired, he volunteered there every week. Throughout his life, he was a blood donor. He had a rare type of blood so he donated as often as he was allowed (aprox every 2 months). I remember going to a ceremony where he received an award for donating an incredible amount of blood over his donating career. Have you ever been a donor? If you can, please do. If you can't, please raise awareness and rally your friends and family to donate. I'm posting this tonight on the off chance you'll read it on Memorial Day instead of after the fact. Tomorrow, I might just take a look at ancient soldiering since we're supposed to be remembering fallen soldiers of all wars.
• Don't forget to vote for all of the awesome Pagan Moms with blogs! That pink button up there on the right will take you to the Circle of Moms site where you can vote daily for your favorite faith based blogs by Moms. There are over a dozen Pagan blogs in the running with a Pagan in first place! Yay for community banding together :)
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Keep Dreaming...
I made it 2 nights in a row, before my dream novena collapsed. How did this happen so quickly? Did my reptile brain rebel to the point that I just gave up? Nope. It was my tarot cards. And really, I think they fulfilled the purpose of the week anyway...
I haven't used my cards in a long time, They've been very neglected. The last time I used them was in February at the Sacred Space conference. I'd never really used them to "talk" to deities or entities or ancestors. For me, that kind of contact was more direct: It came from whispers and especially in dreams. I never needed to do use a tool like tarot for those purposes. For some reason tho, my tarot cards have been calling me. I've felt incredibly drawn to them in the past week. I even had to take them with me when going out and about. They usually sit on the altar in my bedroom, but they wanted to be even closer. After kiddo finally got to sleep last night I sat on the floor to meditate. Newp. The cards wanted my attention. I cast a circle, called in Guardians, and opened up the pouch with the deck.
So last night, I didn't just meditate, I asked questions and received answers. Silly Libra me, I often doubt my interpretations when doing readings for myself, but this wasn't "for me" it was a Q and A and I recommend everyone sit down and do this. If you have any knack with the cards, if you have a patron you'd like to work with or a deity you're interested in, write up your questions and go for it.
I feel like the dream work I was trying to do was too passive. This was much more my speed. I'm a go-getter, what can I say? So last night, I did indeed meditate, I just didn't attempt the neutral channel. I didn't get to bed at a decent hour. I was still working with the cards until around 1 am and was so buzzed that I couldn't get to sleep!
We do what we can when we can. Novenas are also a once a week for 9 weeks endeavor. I think I'll do that, knowing that once a week I can sleep in late/go to bed early, and now I know I need to bring my tarot cards back into my practice.
Have a favorite deck? I learned on Rider-Waite and have a mini Rider-Waite deck that I like to use- it's easier to shuffle than the standard tarot size. I still love the Tarrocci Deck!
Tonight I will leave myself time to meditate. Otherwise, no pressure ;)
I haven't used my cards in a long time, They've been very neglected. The last time I used them was in February at the Sacred Space conference. I'd never really used them to "talk" to deities or entities or ancestors. For me, that kind of contact was more direct: It came from whispers and especially in dreams. I never needed to do use a tool like tarot for those purposes. For some reason tho, my tarot cards have been calling me. I've felt incredibly drawn to them in the past week. I even had to take them with me when going out and about. They usually sit on the altar in my bedroom, but they wanted to be even closer. After kiddo finally got to sleep last night I sat on the floor to meditate. Newp. The cards wanted my attention. I cast a circle, called in Guardians, and opened up the pouch with the deck.
So last night, I didn't just meditate, I asked questions and received answers. Silly Libra me, I often doubt my interpretations when doing readings for myself, but this wasn't "for me" it was a Q and A and I recommend everyone sit down and do this. If you have any knack with the cards, if you have a patron you'd like to work with or a deity you're interested in, write up your questions and go for it.
I feel like the dream work I was trying to do was too passive. This was much more my speed. I'm a go-getter, what can I say? So last night, I did indeed meditate, I just didn't attempt the neutral channel. I didn't get to bed at a decent hour. I was still working with the cards until around 1 am and was so buzzed that I couldn't get to sleep!
We do what we can when we can. Novenas are also a once a week for 9 weeks endeavor. I think I'll do that, knowing that once a week I can sleep in late/go to bed early, and now I know I need to bring my tarot cards back into my practice.
Have a favorite deck? I learned on Rider-Waite and have a mini Rider-Waite deck that I like to use- it's easier to shuffle than the standard tarot size. I still love the Tarrocci Deck!
Tonight I will leave myself time to meditate. Otherwise, no pressure ;)
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Playing with the Queen of Hearts...
Knowing it ain't really smart...
True nuff. Don't mess with the Queen of Hearts. Ms. Newton was right on about that. Yesterday's post about angels led to an Angel of the Morning quote which of course was responded to with her only other hit that matters, Queen of Hearts. Tonight is a bit about cartomancy.
Before tarot became a popular new age must-have, playing cards were the thing most often used for cartomancy, particularly in the Italian neighborhoods. The same woman who everyone went to to get rid of "the eyes" was the same one they'd go to to read the cards. The playing cards. The kind you could play poker with. I know many people whose first cartomancy deck was a standard poker deck. I learned this way too, tho it was through many games of solitaire and rummy that the meanings and layouts were imparted. I didn't know I knew until I Knew. It was set up that way. Like a time-release capsule lol
This isn't the most authentic site available, but it gives the basics.
My favorite reading is a 3 card deal with the center card as the meat of the matter and the ones on either side showing the immediate past and future prospects. It's not terribly different from the center of the celtic cross tarot spread.
Some say The Joker represents chaos or the unexpected if he comes up in a reading. Others liken him to The Fool card of the tarot. I take it to mean forces outside of your control, kind of the way the Major Arcana indicates the same. Destiny more than anything else. Tho the unexpected interpretation is certainly valid, depending on where it comes up in the series.
The other "deck" I like to discuss in terms of Italian influence on cartomancy is the Tarrocchi of Mantegna. Here is an excellent article on the origin of the modern tarot being born of the Platonic Mysteries, and not of the kabbalah. I know there are people who will plotz when they read it, but as this article points out, this is some of the earliest depictions, corresponds almost perfectly to the modern tarot (despite the difference in card numbers) and works with Pythagorean principles for readings. The site also has the pictures of the cards and they are well worth viewing.
There are 50 cards, divided into 5 groups of 10:
1 The archetypal social stations
2 The nine Muses and Apollo
3 The Liberal Arts
4 The Cardinal Virtues
5 The Heavenly Spheres
If anyone wants to get me a copy, my half birthday is coming up soon ;)
Before tarot became a popular new age must-have, playing cards were the thing most often used for cartomancy, particularly in the Italian neighborhoods. The same woman who everyone went to to get rid of "the eyes" was the same one they'd go to to read the cards. The playing cards. The kind you could play poker with. I know many people whose first cartomancy deck was a standard poker deck. I learned this way too, tho it was through many games of solitaire and rummy that the meanings and layouts were imparted. I didn't know I knew until I Knew. It was set up that way. Like a time-release capsule lol
This isn't the most authentic site available, but it gives the basics.
My favorite reading is a 3 card deal with the center card as the meat of the matter and the ones on either side showing the immediate past and future prospects. It's not terribly different from the center of the celtic cross tarot spread.
Some say The Joker represents chaos or the unexpected if he comes up in a reading. Others liken him to The Fool card of the tarot. I take it to mean forces outside of your control, kind of the way the Major Arcana indicates the same. Destiny more than anything else. Tho the unexpected interpretation is certainly valid, depending on where it comes up in the series.
The other "deck" I like to discuss in terms of Italian influence on cartomancy is the Tarrocchi of Mantegna. Here is an excellent article on the origin of the modern tarot being born of the Platonic Mysteries, and not of the kabbalah. I know there are people who will plotz when they read it, but as this article points out, this is some of the earliest depictions, corresponds almost perfectly to the modern tarot (despite the difference in card numbers) and works with Pythagorean principles for readings. The site also has the pictures of the cards and they are well worth viewing.
There are 50 cards, divided into 5 groups of 10:
1 The archetypal social stations
2 The nine Muses and Apollo
3 The Liberal Arts
4 The Cardinal Virtues
5 The Heavenly Spheres
If anyone wants to get me a copy, my half birthday is coming up soon ;)
Monday, March 21, 2011
The Goddess of a thousand works
I was too busy rebutting bad sources and enjoying my revels in the past week to pay homage to the feast of Minerva. It was held on the fifth day after the ides and honestly who knows when the F that is anymore. Technically, we're not at 5 days post-ides yet. But onto the Goddess known as Minerva.
There is little known about the Italic Goddess, Meneswā 'She who measures' as per wiki. There is nothing on the intertubes about her nor have I found any references to her in a book, so I'm not sure where this information came from. Here's the full wiki passage:
"Her name is indigenous to Italy and might even be of Etruscan origin, stemming from an Italic moon goddess *Meneswā 'She who measures', the Etruscans adopted the inherited Old Latin name, *Menerwā, thereby calling her Menrva. This has been disputed, however.Carl Becker noted that her name appears to contain the PIE root *men-, which he notes was linked in Greek primarily to memory words (cf. Greek "mnestis"/μνῆστις 'memory, remembrance, recollection'), but which more generally referred to 'mind' in most Indo-European languages... Menrva was part of a holy triad with Tinia and Uni, later reflected in the Roman Capitoline Triad of Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva."
She is said to have been worshiped throughout Italy, with her war aspect/association used in Rome proper. War-like Romans? Shocked, I am. Ha. "She who measures" certainly sounds like a Moon Goddess to me. I prefer this notion to the one that she was born from the head of her father. Riiight. Wisdom is a Maiden born from the head of a man. Patriarchalization much? (I just love using that word)
She measures, remembers, heals (time heals all wounds?), wields lightning and is wisdom personified. Waining moon aspect? Quadruple Goddess? Dark, waxing, full and waining? Hekate, Diana, Juno, Meneswa?
Add another to the list to interview using the tarot! Who wants to join me in this exercise? We'll agree on questions, read separately and compare notes.
There is little known about the Italic Goddess, Meneswā 'She who measures' as per wiki. There is nothing on the intertubes about her nor have I found any references to her in a book, so I'm not sure where this information came from. Here's the full wiki passage:
"Her name is indigenous to Italy and might even be of Etruscan origin, stemming from an Italic moon goddess *Meneswā 'She who measures', the Etruscans adopted the inherited Old Latin name, *Menerwā, thereby calling her Menrva. This has been disputed, however.Carl Becker noted that her name appears to contain the PIE root *men-, which he notes was linked in Greek primarily to memory words (cf. Greek "mnestis"/μνῆστις 'memory, remembrance, recollection'), but which more generally referred to 'mind' in most Indo-European languages... Menrva was part of a holy triad with Tinia and Uni, later reflected in the Roman Capitoline Triad of Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva."
She is said to have been worshiped throughout Italy, with her war aspect/association used in Rome proper. War-like Romans? Shocked, I am. Ha. "She who measures" certainly sounds like a Moon Goddess to me. I prefer this notion to the one that she was born from the head of her father. Riiight. Wisdom is a Maiden born from the head of a man. Patriarchalization much? (I just love using that word)
She measures, remembers, heals (time heals all wounds?), wields lightning and is wisdom personified. Waining moon aspect? Quadruple Goddess? Dark, waxing, full and waining? Hekate, Diana, Juno, Meneswa?
Add another to the list to interview using the tarot! Who wants to join me in this exercise? We'll agree on questions, read separately and compare notes.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Early!
I'm posting much earlier than usual, so it might seem to some like I'm doing 2 posts in a single day. Nah, I just want to go to a party tonight and am being a grown up and taking care of business first.
I went to a workshop today at the Sacred Space Conference called "Interviewing the Divine: Using Tarot to investigate obscure deities." about using tarot to learn more about obscure deities. WOW! What an awesome idea and I'm angry at myself for not thinking of this and grateful to Dawn Footer for presenting this wonderful workshop and a space in which to explore using this tool and its efficacy.
I have always used tarot to look into my immediate future, to consult about a spell-working or specific ritual, or to look into the future for friends. I used to read tarot cards for my friends in high school. In my school we'd get 2 free periods a day and kids would routinely sit in the halls with each other and hang out, have lunch, socialize, etc. I'd often be found sitting against the wall with a cloth on the floor and the cards spread. I remember the Principal coming by and watching me do a reading with interest. I asked if he wanted his cards read but he politely declined lol Back then I was brash and bold and very Page of Wands. I'm at a point where I don't want to go looking for trouble, so to speak. If I need to know something, I'd rather get the information through a dream. I have put away my cards for a long time. I've taken them up again in recent weeks to check on some spellwork because I wasn't doing it for me and I wanted to know if my lending help would be for the best, or if the type of help I could provide would be useful.
There are many deities of whom we have no record, but who still call to us or try to speak to us. In today's workshop we were given the name of a deity, their country and basic gender. Aka, a Mother Goddess from Turkey. We broke out into 4 groups of 4 and each of us answered, using our tarot decks, a series of questions. Then each group of 4 internally compared their findings, then the whole group compared notes. It was amazing how much overlap there was between the cards that were pulled and the cohesive imagery and story that wove together with all of us answering these questions.
There were 8 on the sheet, but rebel that I am, I plan to use some of them and modify others. I noticed that when I changed one of the questions, I got a different answer than the others, but one which was consistent. The original question was "How would you like me to work with you?" I had a problem with this question because to me, it felt like it would be an invitation to work together, and since this was only supposed to be an interview for practice, I wasn't comfortable asking that. Instead I asked "What do you need done for you?" The answer I received fit in perfectly with the narrative. I was very impressed. This is a wonderful, visual, practical way of directly communicating with those you wish to know better.
I want to learn more about the little known pre-Roman deities, especially the Sabine and Etruscan and the ones from the neolithic age in Sicily before the Sicels and Sikels. Now I have a tool to do it! Dawn counseled us to not work with too many too quickly because the messages could get muddled. Makes sense! After all, it's an interview, not a party. You only want to hear one voice at a time.
Gratitude to Dawn for helping me reconnect with my Tarot and hopefully connect with those I seek to know.
I went to a workshop today at the Sacred Space Conference called "Interviewing the Divine: Using Tarot to investigate obscure deities." about using tarot to learn more about obscure deities. WOW! What an awesome idea and I'm angry at myself for not thinking of this and grateful to Dawn Footer for presenting this wonderful workshop and a space in which to explore using this tool and its efficacy.
I have always used tarot to look into my immediate future, to consult about a spell-working or specific ritual, or to look into the future for friends. I used to read tarot cards for my friends in high school. In my school we'd get 2 free periods a day and kids would routinely sit in the halls with each other and hang out, have lunch, socialize, etc. I'd often be found sitting against the wall with a cloth on the floor and the cards spread. I remember the Principal coming by and watching me do a reading with interest. I asked if he wanted his cards read but he politely declined lol Back then I was brash and bold and very Page of Wands. I'm at a point where I don't want to go looking for trouble, so to speak. If I need to know something, I'd rather get the information through a dream. I have put away my cards for a long time. I've taken them up again in recent weeks to check on some spellwork because I wasn't doing it for me and I wanted to know if my lending help would be for the best, or if the type of help I could provide would be useful.
There are many deities of whom we have no record, but who still call to us or try to speak to us. In today's workshop we were given the name of a deity, their country and basic gender. Aka, a Mother Goddess from Turkey. We broke out into 4 groups of 4 and each of us answered, using our tarot decks, a series of questions. Then each group of 4 internally compared their findings, then the whole group compared notes. It was amazing how much overlap there was between the cards that were pulled and the cohesive imagery and story that wove together with all of us answering these questions.
There were 8 on the sheet, but rebel that I am, I plan to use some of them and modify others. I noticed that when I changed one of the questions, I got a different answer than the others, but one which was consistent. The original question was "How would you like me to work with you?" I had a problem with this question because to me, it felt like it would be an invitation to work together, and since this was only supposed to be an interview for practice, I wasn't comfortable asking that. Instead I asked "What do you need done for you?" The answer I received fit in perfectly with the narrative. I was very impressed. This is a wonderful, visual, practical way of directly communicating with those you wish to know better.
I want to learn more about the little known pre-Roman deities, especially the Sabine and Etruscan and the ones from the neolithic age in Sicily before the Sicels and Sikels. Now I have a tool to do it! Dawn counseled us to not work with too many too quickly because the messages could get muddled. Makes sense! After all, it's an interview, not a party. You only want to hear one voice at a time.
Gratitude to Dawn for helping me reconnect with my Tarot and hopefully connect with those I seek to know.
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