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.
Six of Wands
November 29, 2009
Six of Wander, Waite-Smith
After the creative chaos of the Five, something interesting has happened. Our group has gone from competition, struggle, and interaction to one of triumph and alignment. Looking to the side and slightly away from the viewer, the group moves as one in a parade of celebration. The tone is clearly one of victory and even abundance, rewards well won and a community pulled together in parade.
It is a fun exercise to imagine the reasons they celebrate. Perhaps the central leader brought the group unity from the chaos of the Five, giving them a common cause and shared success. Maybe he is just their common symbol for their own success, having done more together than any alone could accomplish. Whatever the reason, they place importance on one of them – the main actor, somehow he is important. While he might be a leader, an interesting note is that he isn’t heading the celebration – others do. He is a part of something bigger than himself in the procession, but holds a special place as a hero or victor.
Read the rest of this entry »
Seven of Pentacles
November 11, 2009
Seven of Pentacles, Waite-Smith
Today I drew the Seven of Pentacles. Funny enough, while I drew this card, I had two friends with me – One of whom wore a necklace which she made. It has silver rings with stars suspended at their center – Sixteen of them, numerologically Seven. She had never thought of the necklace as being pentacles before, but there it was. I love it when stuff like this happens!
I really believe that anybody who has spent any time with this particular card knows that the painting itself is unusually evocative – immediate feelings of difficulty and unhappiness drip from the image; Hard work without end, or a harvest without joy. However the scene appears to be playing out for the reader, the feel of the card is unmistakably still, and sad.
I am surprised when I see a positive read on this card; The apparent bounty seems so unappreciated to me. However, among other ways I’ve read this card I do sometimes see this card as not noticing all you’ve been blessed with, or going through a time of difficult but necessary labor – so in that sense, it may be supportive of work which may seem without end, that there is a light at the end of the tunnel so to speak.
