Month: February 2019

Investor’s Oracle Deck (A Free Download)

On By benebellIn divination, free download, Magical in the Mundane, oracle deck21 Comments

Introduction

The Investor’s Oracle is a simple and straightforward 25-card divination deck for equity markets, printable at your standard playing card size, or 2.48 in. x 3.46 in. (63 mm × 88mm).

The idea for creating this deck came about at a dinner table when the Hubby and several of our friends, who are also either financial analysts or avid investors in the stock market, were talking about the volatility of the market (I say that like I have any idea what that even means…) and how at this point, a monkey with a dartboard can do better at making investment decisions than the veteran analysts.

Innocently, I raised the question, well, head to head who do you think would do better? The witch with zero experience in the stock market who relies on her Craft or the veteran analyst.

That night I got to work on crafting my own divination deck to compete, me versus Hubby. He’d use his sound experience as a veteran analyst while I would literally pick a card from my divination deck and make investment decisions based on my pick. 9 times out of 10 I didn’t even know what the ticker symbols Hubby was giving me stood for.

Hubby continued to test me and was rather amused at how “accurate” some of my decision-making was. And then eventually, because it was getting eerily consistent (and we were literally reaping in the financial gains on my “crapshoots”), it wasn’t fun and games anymore and he hijacked the divination deck for himself.

Free Download

There’s nothing innovative or special about the deck structure itself. There are only 25 cards and if you can read English, then you can work with these cards competently. No learning curve involved.

Continue reading “Investor’s Oracle Deck (A Free Download)” →

Spirit Keeper’s Tarot: First Edition and Vitruvian Edition

On By benebellIn Spirit Keeper's Tarot, tarot4 Comments

What are the differences between the 2018 First Edition Spirit Keeper’s tarot deck and the 2019 forthcoming Vitruvian Edition?

I showed a walk-through of the Vitruvian Edition in a YouTube video here, which also offers direct comparisons to cards redesigned from the First Edition. So be sure to check that out if you want to know exactly which cards in the deck were redesigned.

Also, please note that the First Edition is now out of print. It’s featured in this blog post only as a point of comparison for the Vitruvian Edition, which you can pre-order now until March 20.

You can also check out the Gallery of All Cards to view every single card in the deck, both the First Edition and Vitruvian Edition. However, the exact color tones in the actual printed Vitruvian deck will be significantly more muted than the digital images you see on screen.

I’m also still tweaking the exact color tones, so the Vitruvian images in the Gallery are works in progress. I keep printing and re-printing tweaked test copies of the deck to scrutinize the color tones and every singe time so far, I’ve found issues that I wanted to correct, so bear in mind what’s there is still subject to minor tweaks.

Recently I went on Instagram and turned the question on you folks and asked what you intuit to be the differences between the First Edition and Vitruvian. People had some incredible observations and insights! Now it’s my turn to share how I perceive the differences. =)

Continue reading “Spirit Keeper’s Tarot: First Edition and Vitruvian Edition” →

How to Read Tarot Cards: Eden Gray’s Hungarian Method

On By benebellIn Sightsee the Tarot, tarot, tarot community, tarot exercises4 Comments

Skill Level: Intermediate & Up

This is the third video presentation of Sightsee the Tarot, a new series I’ve started on my YouTube channel.

If you haven’t watched the previous videos on a psychological approach to the tarot, the Nine-Card Open Face Spread and Self-Help Tarot Journaling (Tarot Counseling), watch those and then return to this session, or at the very least, watch the first three minutes of the Self-Help Tarot Journaling video for the theoretical model distinctions between predictive tarot reading and tarot counseling. I’ll be making reference to those distinctions as we explore predictive tarot reading.

Please note that intermediate proficiency with reading tarot in spreads is presumed. I proceed with explaining Gray’s approach with the understanding that you already know how to read the cards. Also, in terms of a tarot spread, this particular method can be rather vague, and relies heavily on the skill of reading cards in pairs. So elemental dignities also comes in to play.

Nonetheless, armed with a book of card meanings, I think this may still be a good video workshop for the total tarot beginner to work through. So do not be dismayed, tarot beginner! Still give this tutorial a shot!

Continue reading “How to Read Tarot Cards: Eden Gray’s Hungarian Method” →

Tarot Inspired Life by Jaymi Elford and Your Tarot Depth Year

On By benebellIn book review7 Comments

Tarot Inspired Life by Jaymi Elford is an incredibly powerful handbook for anyone who is observing a Depth Year in 2019, especially with the tarot.

If you don’t know what a tarot Depth Year is, go on YouTube, type in to the search bar “depth year” and a bunch of Tarot YouTubers with videos on the tarot Depth Year will pop up. In a nutshell, it’s about committing the year to deepening your current tarot practices, rather than trying to expand them.

Elford’s book is all about how to work with the tarot in deeper, more meaningful ways that enhance your spiritual practice, how to infuse spirituality and intuition into every mundane aspect of your life, and how to seek purpose in the every day. So it’s the perfect personal guide to help you navigate your tarot Depth Year.

Continue reading “Tarot Inspired Life by Jaymi Elford and Your Tarot Depth Year” →

Giveaway: The Simple Tarot Beginner’s Kit by Angie Green

On By benebellIn beginner tarot deck, cartomancy, promotional, tarot community13 Comments

Angie Green, the creator of the Simple Tarot, is running an incredible giveaway for the Beginner’s Kit! You can read a review I did of the deck here.

I get the incredible opportunity to team up with her and run a giveaway through my channel for one of her Simple Tarot Beginner Kits!

Deadline for Giveaway: March 15, 2019

Winner Announced: March 16, 2019

From Angie:

The winner will receive a Simple Tarot Beginner Kit by Angie Green.

From Me:

In addition to winning Angie’s Simple Tarot Beginner’s Kit, you will also win and receive a signed copy of Holistic Tarot.

About the copy of my book: Note that this is from the first print run of Holistic Tarot. There have been subsequent edits, revisions, and many other print runs, so just know that this edition has all the original typos and errors. It’s from the very first batch of HT ever printed. So maybe it’ll be worth money someday? Who knows. Anyway.

I’m also going to include the following in a magical tarot starter kit:

  • a consecrated crystal,
  • a bottle of aura, energy, and space clearing spray,
  • a blank tarot journal that I will intuitively hand-select for you, and
  • a plush velveteen drawstring bag for your tarot deck.

Eligibility for the Giveaway

U.S. residents only. This giveaway is limited to those living in the United States.

Second, I ask that more seasoned tarot readers to please sit back on this giveaway. I’d like this giveaway to be reserved for those just starting out on their tarot learning journey.

So, how do you enter? To enter, complete To-Do #1, To-Do #2, and To-Do #3. That’s it. =)

To-Do #1:

Share any one of the below photos of the Simple Tarot on Twitter, Instagram, or as a public Facebook post with the hashtags #thesimpletarot and tag the deck creator @thesimpletarot and in your caption, share why you’re excited about this tarot deck and giveaway! Or you can gush about all the cool free tarot resources Angie gives away here: https://thesimpletarot.com/resources and share that link.

#thesimpletarot

@thesimpletarot

To-Do #2:

Link to a posting from this website (benebellwen.com) or a video from my YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/c/BenebellWen) that you really liked and felt was insightful to you, including a few short words on why you liked it. 

To-Do #3: Most Important!

Leave a comment to this blog post that includes:

(1) Hyperlink to your completed To-Do #1, and

(2) Hyperlink to your completed To-Do #2.

When you leave your comment, please be sure to include the e-mail address that you’ll check in the event you win, because the winner is going to be notified on March 16, 2019 by the e-mail of record per the comment you’ve left to this blog post.

You do not need to publicize your e-mail address in the comment! It can stay private!

When you fill in the comment box, just input the Email address in the Email line only, where it includes the note, “(Address never made public).”

I will see your Email address, while it remains unpublished on the blog post, and will use that Email address to contact you in the event you’ve won.

Only those who leave a comment below with a working e-mail address (and who reply within 24 hours to the notification that you’ve won) are eligible.

The winner will be announced here on this post on March 16, 2019.

I will e-mail you to let you know you’ve won and will need your full mailing address. I’ll mail you the Holistic Tarot starter kit, give your name and address to Angie, and she will mail you the Simple Tarot Beginner’s Kit.

Selection Process:

The name of each commenter to this blog post (To-Do #3) will be written on a slip of paper and put into a container. I’ll pull a name at random and film the drawing, which I will then post to my Instagram on March 16, 2019.

On the same day, I’ll privately notify that individual via e-mail and update this post to announce the winner.

The winner will have 24 hours to reply to my e-mail and claim the prize. If I don’t hear back from the winner in 24 hours, I’m going to draw a second name and the prize will be awarded to the second runner up, who again, will have 24 hours to claim the prize, and so on, and so on, until somebody claims the prize within the 24 hours of e-mail notification. =)

WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT

3/17/2019 Update

Sorry, sorry I’m late to this! It’s been a hectic weekend!

Image14

#9 is the winner. Hello, Dana! You’ll be getting an e-mail from me in 5, 4, 3, 2…

Website Terms of Use

New Era Elements Tarot by Eleonore F. Pieper, Ph.D.

On By benebellIn deck review12 Comments

The New Era Elements Tarot by Eleonore F. Pieper is a modern deck that places the tarot archetypes in modern-day history and events.

Sepia-toned, featuring brilliantly-detailed sketch art, New Era features some of the most beautiful artwork I’ve seen on a deck. Many of the images are difficult to look at, as you’ll see in this review.

Continue reading “New Era Elements Tarot by Eleonore F. Pieper, Ph.D.” →

Self-Help Tarot Journaling (Transformative Tarot Counseling)

On By benebellIn Sightsee the Tarot, tarot, tarot community, tarot exercises5 Comments

Skill Level: All (General)

This is the second video presentation of Sightsee the Tarot, a new series I just started on my YouTube channel.

If you haven’t watched the first presentation yet, the Nine-Card Open Face Spread from Jung and Tarot by Sallie Nichols, go watch that and then return to this session, because we’ll be building on what was covered about Jung and Tarot.

Since this is a journaling-only session where the tarot cards you’ll be working with will appear across the screen for you, you won’t need your own deck and you don’t even need any knowledge whatsoever of the tarot.

Attributions for the cards you’ll be journaling through are going to be provided for you, given through the perspective of Jungian archetypes and applicable in a psychological approach to the tarot.

Start by downloading the supplemental handout linked below. It’s going to be a 10-page PDF file.

Tarot Journaling Hand-Out

Applying Transformative Tarot Counseling Techniques

You can print it out and write directly on the handout sheets, then add it to your tarot journal, or you can copy the questions longhand into your tarot journal and work directly from the pages of your notebook.

This guided journaling session is intended to help you work through any anxieties or frustrations you currently face and arrive at different perspectives, gained insights, and realizations of the answer.

Subject | Key 1 The Magus or Key 2 The Priestess

For the first card we’re journaling through, you’ll be selecting from either Key 1 or Key 2 to represent you. You project your sense of identity out onto the archetype of either the magus or the high priestess and then work through prompts to gain a different perspective of yourself.

This is insight into the inner divine masculine or inner divine feminine, and applying core counseling techniques in a tarot journaling prompt for yourself to help you better realize the anima or animus.

Although I’m a straight female, Key 1: The Magus pulled at me more and I felt I identified more with the magus than the high priestess while going through this exercise, so I journaled with The Magus. In other words, you don’t just simply choose Key 1 because you’re a guy and Key 2 because you’re a girl. It’s more about how you identify with the archetypal energies these keys represent.

Known, Conscious | Key 12 The Hanged Man

For the second card, we’ll all be journaling through The Hanged Man from the New Era Elements Tarot as feaured in the video. There are many reasons I chose this card. In esoteric tarot, it’s considered the most important card in the tarot deck for truly understanding the tarot. It’s the card that facilitates the initiation (which comes after, in Key 13: Death), or transformation of consciousness.

If you’re coming in to this journaling session with a sincere intent to work through a problem you’re facing, then more likely than not you feel a bit like the hanged man and need to figure out what next course of steps to take to progress forward. So it’s just a great card for processing current anxieties, fears, and roadblocks.

Also, it kind of works out perfectly that when this video is produced, the year 2019, 2 + 0 + 1 + 9 = 12, so we’re in the year of the Hanged Man.

Unknown, Unconscious | Key 3 The Empress

Since we’re working with The Hanged Man as the known and conscious, the underlying Key with a common numerological denominator is Key 3 in the tarot, The Empress. Thus, working with that attribution, we journal through The Empress to retrieve insights from our own unconscious, the layers underneath our current known anxieties, fears, and roadblocks.

Next Step | Key 4 The Emperor

The Emperor is a critical card in the tarot Majors to work through for personal sovereignty and achieving a sense of self-determination. It’s about independence and coming in to your own. It also happens to follow Key 3: The Empress in the consecutive order of the Majors. The coming year, 2020, will incidentally be an Emperor year (2 + 0 + 2 + 0 = 4).

In the next video of this series, we will be moving out of the world of tarot psychology and into the realm of fortune-telling and predictive readings with the tarot, working with the techniques and reading style of Eden Gray. Be sure to check the Series Page for the scheduled upload.

Sightsee the Tarot: Series Page

Click on the Series Page for a List of All Episodes

The Crow Tarot by MJ Cullinane & What I Do With a New Deck

On By benebellIn deck review8 Comments

The Crow Tarot took the tarot world by storm in 2018 and became the talk of the town. It began independently-published and crowd-funded, raising $120,000 in what felt like a blink of an eye. It was fully funded on Indiegogo around this time, February of 2018, and here I am one year later, February of 2019, reviewing the mass market version of the deck by U.S. Games.

Given that most mass market decks take one to two years to go from contract to market, it’s evident that as soon as the Crow Tarot was picked up for mass publication, it was expedited to the front of the line. And no wonder! The deck is absolutely stunning.

Margaux Jones (MJ) Cullinane is a Seattle-based artist and graduate from the prestigious Parson’s School of Design. I couldn’t definitively identify the medium of the artwork in this deck, but on Cullinane’s bio page in the companion book, she notes that her unique and signature digital collage technique was self-taught and since that’s the only artist’s medium mentioned, I’m guessing this deck is rendered by that signature digital collage style.

Continue reading “The Crow Tarot by MJ Cullinane & What I Do With a New Deck” →

Reading Tarot for Others (Free Book of Maps Chapter Download)

On By benebellIn professional tarot, Spirit Keeper's Tarot, tarot, tarot community4 Comments

The Book of Maps Vitruvian Edition is going to be a significantly larger volume book than the First Ediiton, with new chapters.

A collection of those chapters are intended to showcase the more practical side of the Spirit Keeper’s Tarot, especially how a professional tarot reader or one who reads tarot for others might be able put the deck into everyday use.

Continue reading “Reading Tarot for Others (Free Book of Maps Chapter Download)” →

Sightsee the Tarot: Video Series

On By benebellIn Sightsee the Tarot, tarot, tarot community, tarot exercises39 Comments

SIGHTSEE THE TAROT is a video series on my YouTube channel that takes you on a tour of the tarot, from discovering new books and tarot thought leaders to workshopping classic tarot spreads and tinkering with particular tarot decks.

Together, we’ll work through specialized reading techniques, provocative topics in the world of tarot, or explore notable perspectives and points of view. I’ll guide you every step of the way through these hands-on presentations. Pause as needed and resume the video only when you’re ready for the next step.

When you can’t have an in-person tarot instructor in your home with you or you can’t physically make it out to a tarot conference, this Sightsee the Tarot series is the next best thing.

Continue reading “Sightsee the Tarot: Video Series” →