Three Card Beltane Spread
May 1, 2011
Yesterday was the last day of April, and a warm day in Ontario. I had just come up from North Carolina, where I saw the above flowers (Along with a stunning bonsai collection) in the North Carolina Arboretum. Driving north was a regression from summer to late winter, as skies grayed and leaves retracted into buds, like slow motion in reverse.
Upon arriving, the friend I am visiting got me a gig reading Tarot at their bakery the next day. Given that it was May eve, we celebrated Beltane with a feast, a bonfire, and plenty of wine and cider. I rarely come up with specific Tarot spreads, but I was inspired by the bonfire to create a simple spread for today so I could read quickly for many people at the bakery. The reading I came up with is a short and sweet Beltane themed card spread.
The spread is a kind of past-present-future spread, with the first card going to the center. This spread can be easily read for yourself, and is very easily extended. I like to challenge myself by trying to see where the answer to any additional questions is in a spread already before drawing more cards. Feel free to leave comments with your additions and comments.
1. The Spring Bonfire
Burning away the grimness of winter and igniting our inner fire for a new spring and summer, the bonfire is a cherished tradition. Passion and high spirits overwhelm and can burn away what isn’t needed, so this card is the Fire in your life this spring, what to be unafraid of and allow through your life uninhibited to do its work. In some senses, this position is where to get out of your own way.
Cards here might be exaggerated to a high intensity, even becoming overwhelming. Try allowing the card’s meaning to ‘burn you up’, maybe visualize the card’s meaning in your life to become bigger and brighter, letting any resistance you may feel be penetrated by it completely. This energy enveloping you can ignite fresh passion, while burning away old grief, cleaning you out and allowing energy to flow uninhibited.
2. The Past Winter
Though winter is technically behind us, the cold tends to creep well into spring. This position is to reflect on the winter and what it was like. A negative card is difficulties that are melting away, while brighter cards might be lessons learned to carry with you, and good luck to be thankful for. As a card representing the past, this is what you’ve been through and what you’ve gained – important experience to carry with you through the rest of the reading.
3. The Coming Summer
I just left North Carolina, where spring seems to already have given way to summer. This card is about what summertime might have for us, and specifically what we will manage to accomplish or achieve with the passion ignited by springtime.
So, examine the Spring and Winter cards and see this Summer card as the new direction gained; Something like the Death card might be finally letting go of something that had to be let go of, while a 6 of Cups is a blessing of community, friendship, and love. Allow this card to be a positive message of how the fiery, creative Spring energy can best be realized and applied.
Learning Tarot in Boulder
December 23, 2010
I’m having another free talk at the Boulder Public Library on January 9th! Except this time, instead of a very specific lecture, it will be an open discussion and teaching format to explore the basics of Tarot. This first session, I’m considering focusing on the structure of the deck and the meaning of the suits to lay down a foundation, and in future sessions I hope to look at topics including major arcana study, numerology, astrology, and card reading. The hope is to provide a look into the fundamental systems which inform and extend the meanings of Tarot cards in a format where anybody can participate and learn.
As long as the Library permits, I’ll be aiming to have these regularly, on the second Sunday of each month from 12-2 in the Boulder Creek room. They are all entirely free and open to the public. Hope to see you there!
Tarot Solitaire
October 28, 2010
“Are you seriously playing Solitaire with tarot cards?”
“… Yep!“
This is an adaptation of the popular Klondike game of solitaire for use with your favorite Tarot deck. I find this game is fantastic for observing the numerology, rapid recognition of cards, and cultivating a grounded relationship with your deck. If you’ve felt slightly out of touch with your tarot deck, or are new to tarot or bought a new deck recently, playing a game with the cards can be a great place to begin familiarizing yourself. The tarot pack is built for game playing, after all.
Play might be difficult at first, since the number and suit aren’t clearly visible at the top of most Tarot packs the same way they are on standard cards. Playing a lot will help you know your deck intimately, but the first game can easily take an hour as you check suits and reduce high trump numbers, especially if its not a pack you’re already familiar with. With practice, I’ve played the game well under a half hour.
HOW TO PLAY
What you Need
- A 78 card Tarot pack with 56 minor arcana and 22 major arcana cards. The typical suits in a Tarot pack are Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. The Major arcana cards are also called the Trumps, and are numbered from 0 to 21.
- A fair amount of table or floor space. Many Tarot decks are over-sized compared to standard cards, so the game can take quite a lot of room.
