Tarot Dame's Blog

Big Announcement

2012-01-04T12:36:00.000-08:00

I have made a huge decision for the new year. I will be retiring from tarot reading for awhile. I feel my life steering me in new directions, and I feel the need to expand and grow in other areas of my life. I may still blog here and there, but I will no longer be offering tarot readings.

Before I close shop, I wanted to offer my services one last time. I am now scheduling the last of my readings. So if you would like me to read for you this year, please visit my site this week to book your reading(s). If you think you will want to schedule more than one reading this year, please email me for a discounted rate.

I want to thank everyone who has been so supportive to me throughout the years I have been online. I have loved interacting with all of you, and sharing my life through the tarot all these years. This won't be the last you hear of me... this blog is like a magnet that always pulls me back. I just won't be here as often. The main change I am making is withdrawing from reading for others while I pursue other goals.

I wish you the very best in 2012!

With love,
Kiki

Website: http://TarotDame.com
Blog: http://TarotDame.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/TarotDame
Email: TarotDame@gmail.com

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please visit my website for details.

New Year Reading Extravaganza! (Hurry! Only 12 Available!)

2012-01-01T14:50:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

I am starting 2012 off with a bang! I want to make this year a spectacular! one, and I want to begin by working with a select few who share the same wish of enjoying life more this year. So I'm offering something special to 12 people today.

I would really love to help you enjoy more out of life this year, so whether you're stuck in a rut or just need help finding more joy in life, I want to be there to help guide you to live a great year.

Here's my offer:

Get 3 tarot readings, redeemable at any time during 2012, for only $99. (That's a savings of $66!) We will focus on whatever you want to change most this year, and look at how you can make positive change. You can use the readings for three different topics, or stay focused on the same issue, and allow the readings to track your progress and keep you motivated.

PLUS... I'll throw in 3 quick readings for those days when you just need a little pick-me-up. For each of those occasions, I'll draw a single card to set you back on track.

So that's 6 readings in all... 3 full readings, and 3 mini readings, all for only $99!

This offer is limited to the first 12 people who respond.

Visit my website today to reserve your spot!
http://tarotdame.com
http://readings.tarotdame.com

I feel that this is going to be a year that opens the door for great change. So if you want to make improvements in your life, or just start enjoying life more, but need guidance and motivation, please don't delay in taking advantage of this limited offer. I am really excited to help you experience more joy this year!

I look forward to reading for you in the new year!
Happy 2012!

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please visit my website for details.

Enchanted Map Oracle: Reflections of Today

2011-12-27T20:10:00.000-08:00

I drew a card today, with no question in mind, from my Enchanted Map Oracle, and smiled when I turned over Deep Freeze. It was a direct reflection of the freshly fallen snow outside our windows this morning. We had hoped for our first white Christmas in many years, but it didn't snow until this morning. Oh well, there's always next Christmas. Anyway, when I opened the blinds this morning, the kids were all excited to see everything covered in a layer of white. Spending the last several years in hot southern states, we're all very excited to play in the snow this winter.

I drew another card as a focus for the day, and was surprised to find that it was yet another reflection, only this time it mirrored a dream I had this morning before awakening. One of the two most significant parts of the dream was that of my reaching out and holding someone's hands. In this person's hands were many wedding rings, so it's fitting that the card not only illustrates the dream literally with the hands, but also with the meaning of Commitment.

I drew another card to get more information on the significance of this dream, and received the Details, Details card. This was a confirmation of what I was thinking about when I woke up this morning, that I should write down my dream before the details became fuzzy and lost. So I will definitely do just that.

This deck continues to amaze me with its connection to what is going on around me at any given time.

Deck: The Enchanted Map Oracle Cards by Colette Baron-Reid, published by Hay House.

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please visit my website for details.

Golden Tarot of Klimt: Family Health and Support

2011-12-27T18:41:00.000-08:00

Today's cards made me think of my aunt, who I think of as the Queen of Wands. This Queen is rather somber in this deck, which is uncharacteristic of her. The scene behind her reminds me of the Five of Wands, with people fighting... and she is standing there looking a bit sad. She is struggling with something. As it turns out, my aunt is experiencing a serious health issue, and she's not happy about what the doctors are advising her to do. In the Three of Wands, she stands naked and vulnerable, as one sometimes is at a serious doctor's visit. She is entering new territory, as this card indicates. I see the Ten of Cups as us, her family, surrounding her with love and support. She is dearly loved and cherished in the family. I wonder if these cards indicate new news from her... or if it's maybe just a reminder to send her a little message today.

Deck: Golden Tarot of Klimt

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please visit my website for details.

Golden Tarot of Klimt: A Money Message

2011-12-26T22:29:00.000-08:00

Seasons greetings! I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season! I have been having internet issues, so I haven't been online very much. My folks are coming up this week for my daughter's birthday, so hopefully I'll have more time and opportunity to blog more frequently in January.

Santa left me a few new decks in my stocking (which was quite silly of him, seeing as how I already have a huge stack of unopened decks waiting to be used for the first time). I guess he just couldn't resist! Tonight I was drawn (like a magpie) to one of Santa's offerings... the shiny bling in the cards of the Golden Tarot of Klimt. I have mixed feelings about this deck. There are many, many gorgeous cards, and every card is embellished with gold leaf, the effect of which is quite stunning. However, there is a small handful of cards in the deck featuring severely emaciated people in the nude. Seeing images of people with their bones protruding, looking like they will drop dead at any moment from starvation just feels so awful that it's hard to look past that and think about the meaning of the card. Luckily, that doesn't account for the majority of the deck.

Unfortunately, my scanner does not pick up the gold leaf in the cards. It shows as black where it's actually gold. In the Nine of Wands below, all that black space behind the wands on the right side of the cards is actually shiny gold. Same goes for the pentacles in the second card, and all the swirly designs in the Wheel. I tried my best to take a photo of the cards (below), but it still does not even come close to doing justice to the beauty of the gold effect. It's really something you need to have in your hands to fully appreciate.

Scanned cards:

Photographed cards:

I drew these cards tonight, just asking for a message about what was to come in the week. It looks like I need to hang in there a little longer (Nine of Wands), and money will be forthcoming (Nine of Pentacles + Wheel). This is good news for me, as things are tighter than I'd like them to be, with rent due in a week. This month has been costly, with Christmas, my daughter's birthday, car maintenance, and my parents visiting. So some cash padding will be most welcome.

Deck: Golden Tarot of Klimt

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please visit my website for details.

Joie de Vivre Tarot: NFL Sunday Football Prediction (Jets vs. Eagles)

2011-12-18T15:57:00.000-08:00

Note: This post was written 8 days ago (12/18/11). Not sure why it didn't post then. I'm posting it now, for my own reference, to add to my football predictions.

I have not touched another tarot deck since I got back from the hospital with my son, almost two months ago. With his new diagnosis, and the crazy chaos that is the holiday season, I haven't found time to blog much. But I have used this deck for more than a week's worth of draws on the blog, so today will be my last day with the Joie de Vivre here for awhile. Since it's done so well with my weekly NFL predictions, I thought I'd do one last one with this deck for today's game. As always, I read on the outcome of the Jets game. Unfortunately, today's cards didn't appear too promising.

Jets: Queen of Cups.
I saw this as being an emotionally sensitive time for my team. It did not give me a strong "win" feel.

Eagles: Four of Coins.
The word that came into my head when I saw this card was "stronghold". To my dismay, I sensed from this card, especially in comparison to the Queen of Cups, that the Eagles would have this game in the bag.

Game: Page of Swords:
This is the card I draw to represent the game as a whole, providing additional information about the overall theme of the game. The Page of Swords, when describing a thing or event (rather than a person) makes me think of either a surprising discovery or painful news. I suspected this did not bode well for me as a Jets fan. It could be that either a key player on our team would be injured, or that we would be lose the game.

Update: I missed the first half of the game, and only watched a few minutes of the second half, so I can't really comment on the game as a whole. But unfortunately, the prediction in the cards turned out to be accurate. The Jets lost. :(

Deck: Joie de Vivre Tarot by Paulina Cassidy (published by US Games Systems, Inc.)

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please visit my website for details.

Enchanted Map Oracle: Divine Protection

2011-12-11T19:58:00.001-08:00

I find myself most often asking this deck "Where am I?" or "Where will I find myself...?" questions, which I guess makes sense since the deck has the word "Map" in the title.

This evening I asked the cards where I would find myself this week, as a result of the efforts (and lack of) I've made, physically and mentally, leading up to the present time. I drew Protecting Treasure. Reading those two words made me automatically think of my children. But somehow it didn't seem right. So I opened the book and read that this card is more about me being protected, rather than my protecting something or someone else. What a novel idea.

"You are always protected and Divinely directed... Guardian angels and other guides are whispering to you, making you aware of their protective presence... Take refuge under an angel's wing. You are not alone and have no need to fear..."

Those are the excerpts from the book that stood out for me tonight, as I have just finished reading Sonia Choquette's wonderful book, Ask Your Guides,which is all about connecting with your angels and guides. Perhaps this week I will connect on a deeper level with some of my divine friends.

The image on this card is a really comforting one for me, as one of my favorite things in the world is rain, and also umbrellas. And I adore the magical sight of red and white toadstools. The way the woman is curled up under the umbrella reminds me of a conversation I had with my kids this morning. We were talking about how cold it was here, and I said I wouldn't mind being a bear and hibernating for the winter, tucked up in a cozy enclosed cave and sleeping for months. Ever since I was a kid, I've always slept most comfortably curled up in fetal position. So seeing this woman, curled up, under the dry protection of the umbrella, feels really cozy to me. I look forward to opening up more to my guides this week, and recognizing how I'm being protected and where I'm led to next.

Deck: The Enchanted Map Oracle Cards by Colette Baron-Reid, published by Hay House.

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please visit my website for details.

Joie de Vivre Tarot: Another Football Prediction (Jets vs. Chiefs)

2011-12-11T19:11:00.001-08:00

Sitting down to watch my Jets game this morning, I took out my cards to do another fun prediction. Like I did last time, I drew one card to represent the Jets, and the second card to represent the opposing team, the KC Chiefs. The third card would show me the theme of the entire game.

Something I immediately took note of, which I didn't think about last time I did this, was the numbers on the cards. The Jets (9 of Wands) and the Chiefs (8 of Coins). Just a quick look shows the Jets with a higher score. So there was that, to start off with.

The Nine of Wands (Jets) is a card of perseverance. Almost getting where you want to be. You're roughed up a little, but you're hanging in there. That's pretty much where the Jets stand right now in the big picture. They're in the running for an AFC Wild Card position in the playoffs, but there's quite a bit of competition to get one of those two seats. But, as this reading was just for this game alone, I thought the Nine of Wands was a good card. It showed that we wouldn't give up without a fight. We were going to stay the course and we were determined to win this game. The character in this card looks like a bit of a bad ass. He reminds me of Mad-Eye Moody from the Harry Potter series.

The Eight of Coins (Chiefs) is a much softer looking card. This is a card of working hard at something, but not quite mastering it yet. It's the apprentice stage to the mastery of the Three of Coins. So I saw this as them putting forth a good effort, but not quite having what it takes to own this game. I definitely saw the Nine of Wands as having the upper hand on the Eight of Coins.

The Empress represents the game as a whole. "The Empress?" was my first thought. Then I closed my eyes and thought of the Empress. All I saw was green. Green grass, green gardens, etc. Of course!!! I opened my eyes and looked back at the card and noticed all the green in her dress and field of flowers. The football game is obviously played on a green field, but it was much more than that. The Jets' team color is green, so not only was our team wearing green, but most of the fans in the stadium were also wearing green (it being a home game). The Jets' nickname is even "Gang Green" (really gross, because it always makes me think of gangrene). So this card, representing the game as a whole, with all its green, that told me that the Jets would dominate the game.

Outcome: The Jets won the game 37-10! And, as it turned out, one of the stand-out players of today's game was Shonn Greene of the Jets! How great is that?

Deck: Joie de Vivre Tarot by Paulina Cassidy (published by US Games Systems, Inc.)

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please visit my website for details.

Enchanted Map Oracle: Missing Old Friends

2011-12-05T19:57:00.001-08:00

Still working with the Enchanted Map Oracle... can't seem to put this deck away! It's definitely a keeper. After drawing my tarot cards this morning and seeing them refer to my son, I thought I'd pull an oracle card to see where he's at right now. I drew the haunting Ghostlands card. This immediately brought to mind something he approached me about last night. He was in tears, saying that he missed his best friend back in Florida. I hate to see his heart aching like that, and I comforted him as best I could.

The Ghostlands card encourages us to live in the present moment. Not to cling to the memories of the past, nor think longingly of a potential better future. Again, the card I drew from this deck nailed the situation right on the head. My son was thinking of the past and feeling sad about what he's lost. Normally he's worrying about the future. I've been working with him, showing him ways he can live in the present moment, being grateful for what is right in front of him, and not expecting the worst. I've been reminding him to turn his "What ifs" in a positive direction. Instead of wondering what will happen if something goes wrong, he's learning to wonder what will happen if it goes amazingly right. (It's something I practiced a lot myself in the hospital while he was in and out of consciousness.) Every time he practices this, he feels better, so it's something that's working for him, but he still needs to be reminded of it from time to time.

As for the lost friendship, it's unfortunately a part of life he will have to experience. Not everyone will be in our lives forever. It's hard for a sensitive soul to accept, and I wish I could shield him from every pain in life, but the best I can do is show him ways to be grateful for what he does have, and to let him know that he's loved and supported, always.

Deck: The Enchanted Map Oracle Cards by Colette Baron-Reid, published by Hay House.

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please visit my website for details.

Joie de Vivre Tarot: Sensitive and Strong

2011-12-05T19:53:00.001-08:00

The Page of Cups is my son's card. And following him is the Three of Wands and Strength. The Three of Wands shows his progress and that he's heading in the right direction. He is gaining weight (he had lost a lot of weight in the few days leading up to his hospitalization) and feeling healthy. The Strength card illustrates how well he is handling his diabetes. For being such a soft hearted and sensitive little guy (Page of Cups), he has been so strong throughout his diagnosis and the weeks that have followed. He's giving himself injections like he's been doing it for years. It's a strength I wish he never had to have. But I'm glad he's back to his normal self, and that the disease hasn't affected his sweet disposition.

Deck: Joie de Vivre Tarot by Paulina Cassidy (published by US Games Systems, Inc.)

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please visit my website for details.

Sepiafoto Lenormand: A Few More Cards...

2011-12-01T20:43:00.001-08:00

Here's a look at a few more images from my new Lenormand deck, which is nearing completion!

If you would like to own a copy of the Sepiafoto Lenormand, please email me at tarotdame@gmail.com, so I can get an idea of much interest there is. I'm thinking of a limited print run of only 100 copies, which includes a few copies for myself. So if you're interested, let me know! (I'm looking into a few printers, so pricing is yet to be determined.)

Deck: Sepiafoto Lenormand, self-published by me.

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please visit my website for details.

Sepiafoto Lenormand: Sneak Peek!

2011-11-29T00:11:00.000-08:00

I've been busting at the seams to make this announcement, but the secretive Scorpio in me wanted to wait until the project was completed to share the news. Since I'm only about a week away from being finished, I couldn't wait any longer!

I'm creating a sepia photographic Lenormand deck!

Stay tuned for details on the release!

Deck: Sepiafoto Lenormand, self-published by yours truly.

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please visit my website for details.

Enchanted Map Oracle: Advice as Clear as it Gets!

2011-11-29T00:01:00.001-08:00

This deck continues to amaze me. This morning we had a doctor's appointment for my son, and while we were out, I planned to make a trip to the library and possibly the bookstore as well. I have really been dying to get the companion book to the cartomancy book I've been studying. I was going back and forth in my mind, not wanting to spend the money, yet really wanting to have the complete system at my disposal now.

So I took out my deck and while I was shuffling, I was thinking, "I really, really want this book. I have a yearning to continue my education with this system and I want the full knowledge that the companion book offers. I want to learn the method... but I don't know if now is the right time to be spending extra money..." I was just going on and on about education and knowledge and these books.

So when I cut the deck and flipped over the Education card, I was bowled over. I smiled a big smile. How amazing is that? I mean, really. The girl in this card is reading a book, for heaven's sake! And the LWB even says "...you might not have enough knowledge about what you seek." Precisely why I needed this companion book! Education, knowledge and a book... the three exact words that were running through my head while I was shuffling. You didn't have to tell me twice. I popped up off the couch... it was settled then!

We ended up going to the library and two different bookstores. I did get the companion book I wanted, and now I'm a happy camper.

And how awesome is this Enchanted Map Oracle? I almost picked up a second copy at the bookstore today, but there was only one left and I thought I should leave it for someone else to be blessed with it, should it catch someone's eye today.

(The cartomancy books I'm referring to in this post are Cards of Your Destinyand Love Cards.)

Deck: The Enchanted Map Oracle Cards by Colette Baron-Reid, published by Hay House.

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please visit my website for details.

Joie de Vivre Tarot: Doctor's Appointment

2011-11-28T23:45:00.001-08:00

Today's cards were very practical, while at the same time the three Major Arcana cards illlustrate the seriousness of the situation. My son had a doctor's appointment today (Hierophant + Emperor). (And we also went to two bookstores and the library afterward...notice the book in the Hierophant's hand). The Hanged Man shows how differently we both feel about his diabetes appointments now, as opposed to how we felt a month ago. It's a very different point of view we have now, as we are much more at ease, and have surrendered to our new reality. I even kept my calm when the doctor was telling me what to do when (not if) we have to go to the emergency room next. It's not something I look forward to, but it's also not something I feel worried about right now. I'm not going to live in fear of dreaded potentials. I'm taking each day as it comes, being grateful for every day of good health.

Deck: Joie de Vivre Tarot by Paulina Cassidy (published by US Games Systems, Inc.)

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please visit my website for details.

Enchanted Map Oracle: Ending a Relationship

2011-11-27T13:37:00.001-08:00

Working again with the Enchanted Map Oracle Cards, today I drew Coming Apart. The imagery in this deck is so stunning, most of the time when I draw a card, I am just mesmerized by it for awhile. Today was no exception. This card is so striking. And I knew what it meant right away.

This main phrase for this card is "Now is the time to take separate paths." According to the book, it's a time of separation and dissolution, the separation bringing good fortune. The reason I knew what this card was referring to so immediately is because I have been studying my playing card charts for the past couple of days, and it's written all over it that I'm experiencing a life-changing separation from my father. And in my chart, it's marked as a blessed ending.

We left Florida a couple months ago, and I have had very little correspondence with my father since then. If you are a long time reader of my blog, you will know that he was an absent father in my childhood and we reunited after twenty years. We have nothing in common except DNA and a love of football. It all ends there. He is very outspoken about his disapproval with how I live my life and raise my children. I feel he is more of a judgemental stranger than a blood relative of mine. There is no love lost. When we moved across country, I knew I wouldn't see him again. I knew I would let our correspondence fizzle out. I knew that it would be the end. That the relationship had come full circle, and there was nothing to salvage.

So that's what this card is referring to. My decision to end a relationship that was not a healthy one for me or my kids. And that this separation is not only recommended, but ultimately beneficial.

Deck: The Enchanted Map Oracle Cards by Colette Baron-Reid, published by Hay House.

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please visit my website for details.

Joie de Vivre Tarot: Football Prediction (Jets vs. Bills)

2011-11-27T13:10:00.001-08:00

I didn't really have anything to read about today, and I didn't feel much like doing my general daily reading. So I found myself shuffling my cards as I sat down to watch my football game this morning. I thought I'd do a predictive reading for fun. Who would come away with the much-needed win today? My Jets or the Bills? I drew three cards. One for the Jets, one for the Bills, and one for the game as a whole.

My initial thought was that the Jets would win, because of the joy found in their card. The Ten of Cups is the happily ever after card, and the two "team players" are seen rejoicing. The two players at the foot of the Bills card, The Emperor, don't appear to be celebrating at all. They look pissed off. I also initially saw The Emperor as representing the Bills' coach, and the fiery colors surrounding him gave me an angry vibe, despite his happy enough face.

On second thought, I thought I'd look at it from the standpoint of a male, football league. The Ten of Cups is a bit mamby pamby and soft. Maybe the Jets would play too softly. And the Emperor is in charge. Being an authority figure, and a Major Arcana to boot... doesn't it seem like he would have the upper hand, if looking at it from a testosterony viewpoint? But... I was doing the reading from MY point of view, so my leaning was more toward my initial vibe. The Jets would win.

The third card showed some information about the game. The first thing I thought of when looking at the Two of Coins is that the game would be tied up for most of the game. And this turned out to be true. Neither team was ever way ahead of the other. They went back and forth, continually tying up the game until the end.

I looked to the two coins the cat was juggling. The coin on the left represented the Jets, and the coin on the right was the Bills (because that's the left-right order the previous cards were attributed to each team). At first glance, the Bills appear to "come out on top". But then looking at the coins as weights on a scale, the Jets' coin was heavier, indicating their final score would be higher. I even saw the weight of this coin being the catalyst that allowed the cat to smoosh the creature beneath his feet into the ground. I went back and forth, unable to decide which way to look at it, so I figured I would just let the card indicate the tied-up nature of the game. After the game, I would take the scores into consideration for future reference.

The Jets won! Yay!!! So... now, the next time I do a predictive reading and come across a card where there are two options to weigh, as in the Two of Coins card, I will use the scales metaphor rather than which one is "on top". Or... I will pay attention to additional signs that push my thoughts one way or another (like the added smooshing of the creature underfoot) and I'll go with that. And it turns out my gut intuitive feeling about the team cards was right afterall. Since I was doing the reading for me, and not for the masculine members of the teams, the Ten of Cups was my happy card, so it indicated a win. And the fiery energy I felt from the Emperor turned out to be accurately describing the upset felt by the losing team's coach.

This was fun. I really should do this more, if for no other reason than to practice trusting my intuition.

Deck: Joie de Vivre Tarot by Paulina Cassidy (published by US Games Systems, Inc.)

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please visit my website for details.

The Enchanted Map Oracle: Home

2011-11-26T13:21:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I bought a beautiful new oracle deck, The Enchanted Map Oracle Cards. It's really lovely. I bought it blind, without having seen any card images online (which is something I never do), so I had pretty low expectations. I'm so happy to say that I was thrilled at how gorgeous the images were! What a find!

The oracle deck was created as a companion to Colette Baron-Reid's book (The Map: Finding the Magic and Meaning in the Story of Your Life) but it can totally stand alone as an oracle. I've had the book for awhile, but haven't had a chance to read it yet.

This morning, I had a bit of a headache, and felt blah. I was tempted with the idea of having a pajama day, but got dressed with the hopes that it would give me more energy. It didn't. So I decided it'd be a day at home today. A few minutes after deciding not to go anywhere today, I took out my new oracle deck and asked the cards, "Where am I today?". I meant metaphorically. Like where am I spiritually, mentally. The cards gave me a more concrete, physical, direct answer. Home. Ha! Too good.

The Home card does actually talk about "home" in a metaphorical sense... feeling good in your own skin, being comfortable with who you are. But sometimes, home just means home. And today is one of those days.

Deck: The Enchanted Map Oracle Cards by Colette Baron-Reid, published by Hay House.

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please visit my website for details.

Joie de Vivre Tarot: I'm Cheating!

2011-11-26T12:51:00.001-08:00

Today's cards made me laugh. It looked to me like the cards were telling me that I was cheating. A romance/love relationship is indicated in the Two of Cups. And Death is headed right toward the relationship, with the new love of the Fool on its heels. It's true. I confess. I am cheating. On my preferred cartomancy system. As a big fan of the Playing Card Oracles system, I actually felt a bit guilty for having bought Robert Lee Camp's Cards of Your Destiny yesterday at the bookstore. I have been tempted by this book for about a year now, ultimately dismissing it every time I passed it in the bookstore or came across it on Amazon. But yesterday I just couldn't resist. I felt drawn to it and needed to have it. Now I regret not also having bought the companion book, Love Cards. I had mistakenly thought Love Cards was only about romantic relationships, when it appears it's also a deeper look at all of the personalities behind each card. That'll have to be my next book purchase.

I was up until 2 a.m. last night, completely absorbed in my new book. The thing with this system is that your entire past, present and future are already mapped out for you in this intricate method. There is no need to pull cards of your own. That was disappointing to me, because I do like dealing out the cards myself. However, you can still do a weekly reading using your own set of cards. And there is still a lot of figuring out to do in one's chart. It's a bit complicated, but I like that it's not as easy as looking it up in the book. There is still a lot of interpretation to be done with the cards.

The method will take a bit of getting used to, and I haven't even begun to read the meanings for the cards yet. Since it is so fundamentally different from the Playing Card Oracles system, I don't see why I can't read with both, as though they were separate oracles (nevermind that they share the same playing card markings). So that eases my sense of cheater's guilt quite a bit.

Have any of you used this method? Thoughts?

Deck: Joie de Vivre Tarot by Paulina Cassidy (published by US Games Systems, Inc.)

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please visit my website for details.

Joie de Vivre Tarot: Unconditional Feline Love

2011-11-22T21:35:00.001-08:00

Today I was suprised to see the Tower followed by the Star, as I had discussed the order of these two cards when the Star came up for me yesterday. I have pulled the Tower in this deck quite a bit since we've returned from the hospital. Definitely more than I've ever pulled it in the past few years combined. The creature coming out of the tower delights my son, as it looks like a Mongolian Death Worm, which he loves to draw. So again, these two cards refer to his shockingly sudden illness and his current healing.

The sword in the Ace of Swords immediately brought to mind a syringe, which is now just a part of our daily lives. I've always been squeamish about needles, so it's surprising how normal injections are for us now. I never thought I'd be injecting anyone, let alone one of my children, with a needle. My son has actually taken over all of his own injections, though he still prefers me to do his finger pricks to test his blood sugar levels. (The finger pricks usually hurt more than the injections.) The Ace of Swords also indicates a victory, and just yesterday my son said to me, "I think we're managing this diabetes pretty well." We both feel like we have a good handle on things, and we are much more comfortable than were were just a few short weeks ago.

The cat sitting atop the boy in the Ace of Swords, with the gift of a rose in her mouth, reminded me of an unusually sweet love story that occurred while we were in the hospital. My son is like our cat's alpha male. He is the one who grabs the cat when she is in attack mode. Not me. I get afraid of her when she hisses or threatens to claw. But my son is fearless with animals, and he controls her immediately. So I think she has a certain respect for him. She sleeps in his room. She hides under his bed when someone new comes to the house. So anyway, the week while we were at the hospital, my mom and daughters told us that every day, the cat would roam around the house meowing constantly (which she never does). She knew my son was missing and she was searching and calling for him. (I don't think she cared a bit that I was also gone the whole time.) One day, my mom found a few pieces of cat food on my son's bed! Since she's an indoor cat, the closest thing to a "kill gift" she could manage was some of her cat food. She left him an offering. A plea for him to return. (Which is what I thought of when I saw the rose in the cat's mouth in the Ace of Swords.) When we heard that, our hearts were so very touched. My son couldn't wait to go back home to give her some love.

When we got home, the reunion was quite a sight to behold. The cat was crazy in love with my son. She was on his lap the whole time, whether he was on the couch, his bed, or at the dining room table. She followed him around from room to room, making sure he wasn't going anywhere. She guarded the room to his door, and got fiesty when anyone came too near him. It was so funny and so, so sweet. Like the cat in the card, perched atop the boy's head, she attached herself to him to ensure that he would not be leaving her again.

Deck: Joie de Vivre Tarot by Paulina Cassidy (published by US Games Systems, Inc.)

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please visit my website for details.

Joie de Vivre Tarot: My Son's Healing

2011-11-21T22:01:00.001-08:00

I felt the call to return to blogging. But with all we are going through, I can't say with what regularity it will be. For the time being, I will be using the lovely new Joie de Vivre Tarot. This deck was one of the new ones to greet me when I returned home from the hospital with my son. It was my first return to the tarot world. It was a very kind and gentle return, thanks to the sweet imagery and coloring of this beautiful deck.

Today I was shuffling, wondering what to read about, since nothing seems important anymore, other than the health of my son and the closeness of our family. So I'm shuffling, not knowing what to ask the cards. Three cards flew out of the deck. I picked them up, and saw that the deck had decided what I should write about today.

The cards immediately made me think of a beautiful comment someone had left for me, responding to this post about my son's illness: "I am sure your little page will become a tremendous king.". My son, in the cards, has always been the Page of Cups. So when the King of Cups flew out of the deck, it brought to mind that comment. It's him, all grown up. Thank the stars above, he will someday be all grown up. And stars above are what surround him in this grouping of cards.

On the left is the Star card, and on the right, in the Eight of Wands, the little guy is in space, floating among the stars themselves. The Star is a card of healing. It comes right after the Tower. We definitely experienced the Tower last month, and now it's time for the healing of the Star. In the LWB, the King of Cups is even described as a natural healer. In fact, the first keyword for this King card is "Healing".

The Eight of Wands is about progress and speed. My son, for as dangerously sick as he was, recovered quickly. His body bounced back beautifully. I see him in this card... he is drawn to mythical creatures, and those little tentacled guys at his feet are beings he would love to draw and learn more about. I see this as him being able to continue shooting for the stars, following his passions. I was also drawn to the fact that the mouse in the card can't survive in space without his helmet and oxygen tank. That, to me, represented my son's necessary survival pack... his need to always have insulin, syringes, a blood glucose meter and emergency food with him wherever he goes. So he can do whatever he wants to do, as long as he is packed and prepared.

I also noted the three hearts on the King's chest. Everyone who has ever met my son has remarked how special he is. Family, friends, new acquaintences. The nurses at the hospital were touched by how sweet and kind he was to them. He has always been a sensitive, compassionate and loving soul. The world is better for him being in it, and the hearts on the King's chest and gown show how much heart he has, and will continue to have, as he grows.

Deck: Joie de Vivre Tarot by Paulina Cassidy (published by US Games Systems, Inc.)

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please visit my website for details.

My Son

2011-11-14T20:51:00.000-08:00

Today is World Diabetes Day. This is unfortunately significant to me now, and it's the reason I've been gone for a few weeks.

The last time I posted, I wrote about my son throwing up in the middle of the night. The next day, he became delirious and by the evening he fell into unconsciousness. He was completely unresponsive. The nightmare that followed included a harrowing drive to the emergency room, followed by a week in the pediatric ICU. He had DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis) and pancreatitis.

I am not ready to write in detail about that night yet because I'm not ready to mentally relive it. And there are no words anyway, to accurately describe what it feels like to wonder if your child will make it to the emergency room. To wonder, in heart-shredding disbelief, if those eleven years were all I would have with him. To drive a car with one hand while holding up his slumped body in the passenger seat with my other arm, constantly maneuvering my hand to feel under his nose that he was still breathing, crying and begging non-stop for him to wake up, to hear my voice, to say something. With his little sisters in the back seat, crying and begging him for the same. Mentally cursing every red light, wondering if that red light would be the difference between life and death. There are no words that I can write that would make anyone understand what that feels like. Unless you are a parent who has also looked at your child, afraid that he was going to die right before your eyes, you can't understand what it feels like. I can't say any more than that right now.

The week that followed was spent in the PICU. Vomiting blood, a stomach tube kept in for days through the nose, IVs in both arms, oxygen tubes, heart monitors, blood pressure cuffs, blood tests... Thankfully, every day was better than the day before as he slowly gained awareness and began to eat again after several days.

Fast forward three weeks.

We are home. He is healthy. I am grateful beyond comprehension. He has Type 1 diabetes. He will need to give himself insulin shots several times a day for the rest of his life, unless a cure is discovered in his lifetime. He has to monitor every food intake and supplement accordingly with an insulin shot. He will have to closely monitor his physical activity. He will have to constantly maintain his blood sugar levels so that he doesn't go too dangerously low or high. I now wake up at 2 am each night to test his blood sugar level and administer care if necessary. I plan his meals meticulously. I keep a log of everything he eats, his blood sugar levels and amount of insulin given throughout the day. Our daily lives have changed dramatically.

But he is alive. And his condition, though a far stretch from the carefree, spontaneous life he was used to, is manageable. My beautiful son is still with me. Nothing could ever feel as good and right as that feels.

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

Halloween Tarot and Playing Cards: Big Day Tomorrow

2011-10-23T00:53:00.000-07:00

This week I'll be using my Halloween Tarot in Tin along with an accompanying playing card from the newly released Halloween Playing Cards by the same artist. (The playing cards feature the same artwork as the tarot deck, though only 52 of them.)

I haven't been posting because after my kids and I all recovered from pink eye, we all got colds. It really sucks when all you want to do is curl up in a ball and stay in bed all day recovering, but instead you have to run around all day long taking care of three other sick people.

So tonight I was getting ready to go to bed, just after midnight, when my son called from his room, "I threw up!" Oh my god. It was like a dam burst in his room. There was vomit everywhere. So I had to put him in the shower, clean his bed, and now I'm up washing his bedding and pajamas, which involves several loads of laundry, so I won't get to bed for another couple of hours even though I'm sick as a dog. Oh yeah, and my folks are coming into town tomorrow to stay with us for a week. So I've also been cleaning up and still have much to do to prepare the house for their arrival tomorrow.

So since I'm up, I thought I'd get a head start on tomorrow's cards, since I know I won't have time tomorrow. I asked what tomorrow would look like. The Seven of Ghosts (Cups) says there will be much to do, and I will have a hard time deciding what to do first. I can definitely see that happening tomorrow morning, for sure. The Ten of Pumpkins (Pentacles) can indicate a family gathering, especially with older relatives, so that makes sense with my parents coming to town. And I often think of traveling long distance when The World comes up, which refers to the two-day drive for my parents to get here.

The supplemental playing card I pulled was intended to be a general theme for the day. The Two of Diamonds is a card of give and take, sometimes a power struggle or needing to come to some sort of agreement. I think of it as a sign to find a win-win situation where there is conflict. An agreement that needs to be reached so that both parties will be happy or at least satisfied. I don't know how that will play out tomorrow. Maybe with my parents here, I can take a little bit of a rest for an hour or so.

The Diamond suit (in the Playing Card Oracles method of cartomancy that I use) is paired with the element of fire. Coupled with the number 2, what quickly came to mind was two people with fevers. I really, really hope this isn't something that happens tomorrow. Because I've had just about enough sickess to last my family a great long while.

Decks: Halloween Tarot in Tin and Halloween Playing Cards (both by Kipling West, published by US Games Systems, Inc.)

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please visit my website for details.

Tarot Leaves: A Romantic Offering

2011-10-16T13:16:00.000-07:00

Again I'm a day late in posting. These were yesterday's cards. When I drew them, I was like, whoa...what? The Lovers sitting right next to the Two of Cups is pretty big stuff. Then I remembered... the day before, a new acquaintance of mine expressed a romantic interest in me and asked me out on a date. I told him that I wasn't interested in having any type of romantic life right now, but I hoped we could become friends. I'm not sure how he took that, as I haven't heard from him since. The Ace of Pentacles is a card that I often think of as a seed being offered (as the typical RWS card shows the pentacle being offered by a hand). This seed has the potential to grow into something more, but only if nourished. In this case, the seed of romance was offered but not accepted.

Deck: Tarot Leaves (by Beth Seilonen, published by Schiffer)

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please visit my website for details.

Tarot Leaves: Oh Tarot, You're Such a Card!

2011-10-14T21:40:00.000-07:00

Ah, you like that pun there in the title? These were yesterday's cards. Yesterday I had a shitty day. Superbly shitty. All day. By evening time, I was at my wit's end, frustrated and angry and overwhelmed. So I grabbed my deck as a way to just sit and breathe for a minute. It was meant to be a break from all the crap I was dealing with. So I shuffled with no question in mind. And these were the three cards I dealt myself. If I had it in me to laugh out loud in that moment, I would have. But I did crack the tiniest smile which was a miracle. And inside I was laughing. Inside, I was laughing hard. Because what a trio of cards! The deck just threw all the dramatic negativity I was feeling right back at me. Devil. Bam! Three of Swords. Bam!! Death. Ba-dum-bump! That's some funny shit.

(LOVE the cemetery scene in this Death card.)

Deck: Tarot Leaves (by Beth Seilonen, published by Schiffer)

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please visit my website for details.

Tarot Leaves: Full Moon Reading

2011-10-12T21:33:00.000-07:00

I've been looking forward to tonight's full moon for awhile. I feel more connected to the symbolism of the fullness this month, having completed such a major life change. So instead of my regular daily draw, I wanted to do a more focused reading. I charged the Moon card in my deck, and keeping in theme with the phases of the moon, I asked the cards to show me what has waxed in my life, and what I should now allow to wane. After shuffling, I searched for the Moon card in the deck and looked at the flanking cards. The card to the left of the Moon is what has culminated in my life and the card on the right is what I should allow to fizzle out.

It's really interesting to me that the cards surrounding the Moon were the 7 and 8 of Pentacles, in that order. What has been waxing in my life, what has been coming full circle and growing to culmination is the Seven of Pentacles. Something that has been a long time coming. Something I have been working toward for awhile. My big move. Typical of this card, there were many times where I checked my progress and wondered if I'd ever get there, as it seemed such a long way off. But now here I am, in the full moon glory of completion!

What I should allow to wane, or decrease, in my life is the Eight of Pentacles. The working-hard card. I have been working like a dog setting up our new home. And while there is still so much left to do, I have crossed over into a place where I am slowing down and not feeling the urgency anymore. I can do it a little at a time, without feeling like I'm keeping my nose to the grindstone like this card exemplifies. So that makes sense.

This was a nice little reading, and confirmed where I am and that I'm on the right path.

Deck: Tarot Leaves (by Beth Seilonen, published by Schiffer)

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please visit my website for details.