Author: benebell

On Password-Protected Posts

On By benebellIn Closed Circuit3 Comments

UPDATE:

Due to logistical and admin challenges of keeping up with e-mails re: the Closed Circuit, this has been turned off entirely. Apologies in advance for non-responsiveness. There is no longer a Closed Circuit track.

Any password-protected posts you might see from here on out are posts of supplemental materials for courses, workshops, or presentations. The blog post method is just the easiest way for attendees of these classes to access the materials. I give them the password during the class, and then they go to the password-protected blog post to download the class-specific materials.

Thank you for your understanding.

[Leaving the original text for this post below in case anyone is interested in the historical context.]

I’ve been receiving a number of messages expressing confusion around the password-protected posts, so I hope this note will help clarify.

The post that went up yesterday titled “How to Survive Criticism and Pitchforks (2024 Day Planner Add-On)” is password-protected because it is for those who ordered the 2024 Day Planner Add-On, explained here. In short, it’s tradition that I offer an optional add-on to those who order the annual Metaphysician’s Day Planners. For 2024, it’s that password-protected post.

That post falls outside the scope of posts on my blog designated “Closed Circuit.” All closed circuit blog posts are archived here: https://benebellwen.com/category/closed-circuit/

For information on how to gain access to Closed Circuit blog posts, read here: https://benebellwen.com/2019/07/13/revisiting-why-there-is-a-closed-circuit/

However, not all password-protected posts are Closed Circuit posts. Therefore the password you get for the Closed Circuit posts will only work on Closed Circuit posts.

Thank you for your understanding,

Bell

Frater Setnakh’s 72 Angels Talisman Coins and Cards

On By benebellIn cartomancy, deck review, divination, free download, Magical in the Mundane, personal spirituality, promotional, tarot4 Comments

I previously showed the above in a #54321tarot tag. Whether you get the coins or cards, if you’re interested in the 72 angels correspondences, there’s a free download from me at the very end of this walk-through.

The download is so you can do a direct comparison between the 72 angels and tarot correspondences per Christine Payne-Towler’s Tarot of the Holy Light and the tarot correspondences per Frater Setnakh.

This post is a photographic walk-through of the 72 Angels Talisman Coins and Cards created by Frater Setnakh.

Continue reading “Frater Setnakh’s 72 Angels Talisman Coins and Cards” →

Gold Lyre Tarot by Lacy Martin and Christine Scanlon

On By benebellIn cartomancy, deck review4 Comments

The Gold Lyre Tarot is a feminine spin on the classic RWS, representing the divine feminine of today’s blended American culture and gender-fluid evolution. It is the exquisite creation of two best friends, Lacy Martin and Christine Scanlon, who combined their talents in art and divination to produce this tarot deck that balances the scales between modern and traditional.

The deck’s namesake is attributed to Apollo’s lyre, Apollo being the god of prophecy and music, and the lyre a symbol of wisdom and moderation. Hermes was the creator of the golden lyre. Later merged with the Egyptian god Anubis to create the syncretized Hermanubis, the namesake also calls upon the god of translators, interpretors, and conductors of souls. Likewise, the Gold Lyre Tarot holds songs and messages that only you can hear.

Continue reading “Gold Lyre Tarot by Lacy Martin and Christine Scanlon” →

State of the Tarot Union 2023

On By benebellIn opinion, tarot community37 Comments

I first intuited what felt like a waning phase in terms of activity and creativity in the tarot industry in 2022. But, you know, maybe it was just me. So I dismissed the thought.

Earlier this year, I started seeing comments in discussion forums from people in our community that were echoing those same thoughts. Apparently it’s not just me! I think people are really feeling it.

So I wanted to talk about my observations of the state of the tarot union as it stands now, at the close of 2023.

Continue reading “State of the Tarot Union 2023” →

KLD Tarot by Kate La Dez Studios

On By benebellIn deck review1 Comment

This is a photo walk-through of the KLD Tarot by Kate La Dez Studios. It’s a modern photo collage deck that features a candy pink and midnight violet-blue color contrast that recurs throughout the cards.

It’s the 78-card RWS-based tarot with 2 bonus cards. Each scene takes place in a dreamscape, with the pink and violet-blue clouds representing the divine feminine and masculine aspects within each of us.

Continue reading “KLD Tarot by Kate La Dez Studios” →

Copyright Law and Tarot: Handbook Download

On By benebellIn free download, professional tarot, tarot, tarot community8 Comments

Last Updated 2023 Dec. 29

You might find this free handbook helpful.

Here’s some of what you’ll find in the downloadable PDF and DOCX:

  • Copyright law basics, from what is a copyright, to what constitutes infringement, and defenses against infringement
  • Group Registration of Unpublished Works (GRUW)
  • The DMCA and template DMCA take-down notices; how to look up an ISP’s DMCA Designated Agent
  • Template cease-and-desist demand letters to send to an infringer
  • Template letters to defend against a cease-and-desist demand letter
  • Sending cease-and-desist demand letters to stores selling knock-offs
  • Actionable solutions for the independent artist to deal with counterfeits
  • How copyright law applies in various tarot professional specific scenarios
  • AI technology, web scraping, copyright, and tarot
  • How copyrights compare to trademarks and patents; design patents and how they might be pertinent in the world of tarot

Continue reading “Copyright Law and Tarot: Handbook Download” →

Silvana Alasia’s Oracle of the Egyptian Gods

On By benebellIn cartomancy, deck review, oracle deck9 Comments

Oracle of the Egyptian Gods by Silvana Alasia features portraits of Egyptian deities painted in tempera on papyrus in the ancient Egyptian drying method.

It was the art style really captivated me, and then as I explored the deck further, it turns out to be of the most well-done Kemetic-themed decks I’ve seen in a while.

This is a deck of 36 cards, each bringing messages of wisdom, warnings of danger, advice, and protection. Each card features a god or goddess from the Egyptian pantheon.

Continue reading “Silvana Alasia’s Oracle of the Egyptian Gods” →

Should We Read the Works of Questionable Authors? On Julius Evola.

On By benebellIn book review, opinion51 Comments

By “questionable” I mean authors whose morality, political beliefs, sociopolitical affiliations, or credibility have been put under compelling scrutiny.

Perhaps more so than any other subject area of interest, when you navigate religious, spiritual, and occult spaces, you have to conscientiously assess and process where you stand on this point. While the issue of where you stand on condoning the reading or the publishing of works by questionable authors is ever present, it floated to the top of my thoughts recently with this announcement by the publishing house Inner Traditions:

Instagram: @inner_traditions

To explore this case study, I recommend clicking on the above IG posting and reading the comments, because I’m not going to re-post the nutty alt-right supporters who resorted to name-calling, homophobia, misogyny, and mocking people’s pronouns. There are also a few very long and thorough comments, too long to fit in a single screenshot, so I won’t be re-posting those either, though they’re worth a read.

Challenge of the announcement with all of the above aforementioned was predictable. What kind of took me by surprise was the strength and volume of voices who were saying, “This is totally fine. Hey liberals, stop being such babies.”

I have so many meandering and tangent thoughts.

Continue reading “Should We Read the Works of Questionable Authors? On Julius Evola.” →

Masonic Tarot by Patricio Diaz Silva

On By benebellIn cartomancy, deck review, tarot, tarot symbolism2 Comments

The Masonic Tarot came out in October 2022, created and illustrated by Chilean artist and academic Patricio Diaz Silva, and it is in the top 10% of the most well-done tarot decks in recent years. The illustrations for the Major Arcana are exquisite, as are the court cards.

Do note, however, that this deck has elected to go with non-narrative illustrations for the pips, which works for the Masonic Tarot given its ceremonial leaning purposes.

The deck is designed as a “gateway into the secret mysteries of the soul” integrating the sacred symbolism of Freemasonry. The premise melds together the arcana of the tarot with models from Masonic rites, with heavy emphasis on alchemy.

Continue reading “Masonic Tarot by Patricio Diaz Silva” →