I Ching Divinations in the Month of December for a Twitter Follow

On December 3, 2014July 9, 2016 By benebellIn divination, I Ching3 Comments

For the month of December, 2014, ending right before New Year’s Eve, I am offering I Ching divinations in exchange for following me on Twitter.

Okay come on. That’s like basically free, people. And if you’re already following me on Twitter, then it is free. Just let me know!

These are not full readings, by the way, and you will be meeting me half-way in terms of work. Let me explain.

I’ve been tackling my own translation and annotations of the I Ching so that I no longer need to work off any of the current English translations. So that’s what I’ll be using for these divinations–my own work product.

To get your I Ching divination from me, here’s what you have to do:

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A Review of the Radiant Rider-Waite Tarot

On November 29, 2014May 16, 2015 By benebellIn cartomancy, deck review, tarot20 Comments

01 Radiant Rider Waite deck

The Radiant Rider-Waite Tarot is aptly named. The colors are brighter and there is a wholly modern feel to this deck. The deck is laminated, glossy, and is printed on relatively sturdy cardstock. Holding the box, there’s a cheery vibration I get from it. The deck has a lot of great energy to offer a tarot practitioner.

I purchased the Radiant Rider-Waite because it comes highly recommended by some of the most acclaimed tarot professionals of this decade. I was looking for a professional tarot reading deck in the RWS tradition, one that would strictly be a Rider-Waite-Smith clone. I’ve started to get antsy about having too many random folk fondle with my original Rider Waite deck and my Golden Universal has been getting a lot of mileage, wear and tear as well. So I need a new professional reading deck I can use and let people play around with.

I was really, really hoping the Radiant Rider-Waite would be it.

Unfortunately, no.

02 Cartoony

Why not? It has nothing to do with the artwork, by the way. The artwork by itself is lovely. Compared to the original art by Pamela Colman Smith, this version, which are updated, vibrant recreations of Smith’s art by Virginjus Poshkus are superb. Poshkus thinned out the harsh black outlines from the Smith deck, added subtle shading, and recolored the deck so that now the images pop. There’s a bright, positive energy here, and I can see how it’s a great energy for young beginners in the RWS tradition to be working with. (And I do mean young beginners. I’m doubtful how well received this deck would be to mature beginners.)

03 Vivid

See, there’s also a cartoony vibe going on that I’m not sure works for me in a reading deck. The cartoonish renderings are distracting to me. Yes, Smith’s art isn’t fantastic, but the original RWS serves its purpose. The two-dimensional imagery in the original RWS and austere lines help me tap into my intuition. The vibrant cartoons in the Radiant Rider-Waite? Not so much.

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Chatting with Kate from Daily Tarot Girl

On November 25, 2014May 16, 2015 By benebellIn Holistic Tarot (book), personal, tarot1 Comment

How do you not adore Kate from Daily Tarot Girl? She’s the author of The Ultimate Tarot Journal, which is a comprehensive tarot journal that is indispensable to anyone who is just starting out in activating their intuitive juices. Outside of tarot, she has many different talents and all sorts of knowledge, which is probably why she’s a great life coach.

We chatted for an interview and other than the fact I may have a little too much makeup on and rambled a whole lot, going off on tangents that now in retrospect make no sense, I had a lot of fun. This was my first video interview for Holistic Tarot and I hope the rough-around-the-edges-vibe (from me, not her– oh goodness, Kate was all professional and graceful and stuff) isn’t too off-putting.

She and I talked about first getting into tarot, our approaches to tarot, and the misunderstandings about tarot we both face. I also plugged my book, of course, and we talk about what inspired me to write it. (Actually, I don’t think I really answered her question… that turned into one of those tangents… so sorry…!)

If you’re looking for a professional tarot reading, I highly recommend contacting Kate. Just watch her weekly card readings to get a great sense of her style.

Scot Slaby’s The Cards We’ve Drawn, Tarot Inspired Poems

On November 17, 2014December 8, 2023 By benebellIn book review, cartomancy, tarot3 Comments

Poet Scot Slaby sent me a copy of his chapbook The Cards We’ve Drawn (Bright Hill Press, 2014) to read and I want to share it with all you tarot enthusiasts out there. I very much enjoyed it and read it through cover to cover several times. These are poems that can really tug on your heartstrings, even more so for the tarot enthusiast who can truly appreciate the depth of Slaby’s lines.

The first part of the book consists of 11 poems, each poem expressing one card and position in the Waite Celtic Cross spread. Of all signifiers, it’s the Knight of Cups. What is it with poets and the Knight of Cups? =) No, seriously. The Knight of Cups frequently appears in readings I do for poets.

If the first 11 poems of the book were to be configured into an actual CC spread, here’s what it would look like:

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Planets in Retrograde and What It Might Mean: November to December 2014 Edition

On November 12, 2014 By benebellIn astrology, holistic horoscopes1 Comment

Retrograde Mars. Image Credit: Tunc Tezel. Source: NASA APOD.

So we, we being all the planets in the solar system, go round and round the sun in our orbits, right. Each one’s orbit is a little different, some are rounder and others more elliptical, and then there’s the tilt of the axis, each one tilted a bit differently from the others. Because of that, at certain times, earth will round a corner at a different pace than one of the other planets on its different-shaped orbit, i.e., maybe a little faster. At that point, from the earth’s perspective, because we’re rounding the corner a touch faster (and on a different-shaped orbit and a different tilt), that other planet appears to move backwards.

So the term “retrograde” kind of stuck.

At least that’s how I understand it. Hey, I’m no astronomer and barely even cut it as an astrologer.

Anyway, let’s just say that’s all about right. Well. Metaphysically, the change of pace is most definitely a change of energy flow and retrograde or not, astrologers are interested in how that change of energy affects life on earth. That’s basically what astrology is all about, whether you’re talking Eastern or Western astrology. It presumes the concept of a cosmic unity, that the whole universe is one being with a collective Spirit, and like our bodies, sometimes, something going on with the hands can affect what’s going on with the feet. So that’s the whole “As above, so below” and also the Dao and Qi concepts distilled into baby terms. And if you ask me, it’s entirely aligned with the concept of God.

We just survived an inordinately brutal Mercury in retrograde and now this. There’s Neptune in retrograde until the 15th of this month and Uranus in retrograde until December 22. It coincides with Jupiter going into retrograde on December 10.

That means right now you’ve got Neptune in Pisces and Uranus in Aries in retrograde (from the earth’s perspective) plus the Northern Node in Libra in retrograde plus Chiron in Pisces with Neptune in retrograde. November 13-14th-ish, the Northern Node goes stationary (but it won’t stay there or be prograde for long; more on that later). By noon Saturday November 15, 2014, Neptune will go stationary. November 16th onward, Uranus and Chiron continue in retrograde. On November 23, Chiron goes stationary; December 9, Jupiter goes stationary. Then December 10 onward, you’ve got both Jupiter and Uranus in retrograde. Oh, also on that same day, the Northern Node is in retrograde again. During that whole time, by the way, after my last statement about the Northern Node, it comes in and out of being stationary, in prograde, and in retrograde. I just stopped jotting down the dates as I cycled through the transit charts. December 22, Uranus in Aries finally goes stationary and is what we would call normal by the 23rd. Now Jupiter and the Northern Node continue in retrograde into 2015. Oh, and by the way, Jupiter is going to stay in retrograde until about April 7 when it goes stationary and then is back to normal after that.

And here’s what it kind of looks like animated:

Oct. 21 – Dec. 30, 2014 Transits

So what does all that mean? Depends on who you ask. Now let’s say you’re asking me, because– sad day for you– you have no one smarter to talk to about these things.

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Tarot Reading in Taiwan

On October 23, 2014April 23, 2025 By benebellIn cartomancy, professional tarot, tarot, tarot symbolism7 Comments

This is so cool. I stumbled across some fascinating home footage of a professional tarot reading done in Taipei, Taiwan. There are no subtitles, so for those who don’t understand Mandarin, I’m going to provide a recap. I found the reading session quite fascinating, mostly because it’s cool to see how other practitioners approach readings, especially from other cultures. (Well, for me, it’s the same culture in a way, since I’m Taiwanese, but you know what I mean.) The practitioner did this reading for 250 NT, which is about $8.00 USD. That is cheap! Holy cow!

He started by telling the seeker, who blogs as The Chindian Chronicles that she could ask four questions. Each tarot deck can answer four questions at a time, he tells her. (Interesting!) She chooses her Studies, her Family, her Health, and Love. He’s also using the RWS system, though not any reproduction of the RWS that I’m familiar with. Actually, from some of the screen shots, it looks like a version of the Universal Tarot (which closely follows RWS and is considered an RWS clone) by Roberto De Angelis. I love that there’s the dharma wheel on the backs.

I also think it’s cute how the girls are nervous about the reading, though I love that he reassures them and is really overall doing a great job at this. I’m going to do my best to translate the reading session, since I’m sure my practitioner friends are very interested.

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Pomegranate Meditation (and Tea!)

On September 29, 2014September 29, 2014 By benebellIn holistic food, tarot symbolism4 Comments

pomegranates on the tree 2

Hubby and I have a pomegranate tree in our front yard, and it’s pomegranate season. We’ve got pomegranates filled with juicy, blood-red seeds, tangy but still with a touch of sweetness. I’ve been making iced tea/juice with the pomegranates (I’m not sure whether to call this a tea or juice. I’m leaning toward tea, but I don’t brew it with any tea leaves. It’s just pomegranate.) And I’m posting this because pomegranates sort of relate to tarot.

pomegranates_in_tarot

Across many cultures, East through West, pomegranates symbolize fertility and abundance, and the importance of the pomegranate is expressed in the tarot. You have the pomegranate motif in Key III: The Empress in the Rider Waite tarot, symbolizing fertility, fruition, and abundance, and also righteousness, themes also taken from Judeo-Christian mythos. The Chinese also believe that pomegranates symbolize fertility.

In Key II: The High Priestess, the pomegranates represent knowledge, learning, and wisdom. The imagery in that card also calls to mind 1 Kings 7:13-22 in the Holy Bible, describing the twin pillars in front of King Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem as being adorned with pomegranates. Some Biblical scholars speculate that the forbidden fruit was in fact the pomegranate. The manifestation of the pomegranate symbolism progresses from Key II to Key III: knowledge, learning, and wisdom begets fruition and natural abundance.

de-seeding pomegranates 2

Today, folks are into pomegranates because they’re rich in vitamins and antioxidants. They can help increase blood flow to the heart (in traditional Ayurvedic medicine, pomegranate seeds and juice are used as a healing, medicinal tonic for treating the heart and also strengthens blood flow; it’s very pitta, for fire energy) , decrease the levels of bad cholesterol, prevent and repair DNA damage, reduce the risk of prostate cancer, and, interestingly enough (since metaphysically it symbolizes fertility), great for those who are pregnant (the juice, that is). The juice in the pomegranate seeds contain many of the nutrients women need to maintain health and wellness through their pregnancy. Recent studies show that pomegranate juice can help reduce the risk of damage to the placenta.

I’ve been making pomegranate juice (but based on methodology, is probably more of a tea) with our home-grown pomegranates and turning the process into a form of meditation. It’s meditation with instant results… sweet, delicious, fabulous pomegranate juice!

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This Is Goofy: The Radio Is Talking To Me

On September 18, 2014December 8, 2023 By benebellIn divination, Magical in the Mundane, personal, personal spirituality, tarot5 Comments

*Italiano: Radio Marea (1950) by Fabiomoie*

So I’m driving to work in the morning stuck in a rush hour traffic jam. My car is effectively parked on the freeway and I’m running late for a meeting. I mutter obscenities and am freaking out about whether I’ll make it to my meeting on time. Just then my finger inadvertently pushes the change-radio-station button on my car steering wheel and it’s Avril Lavigne’s “Complicated,” or a snippet of it.

Chill out, whatcha yellin’ for?

That’s all I hear before I hit the change-station button again and I catch the start of my current #1 favorite song, Enrique Inglesias – “Bailando.”

I’m happy now. Super happy. Because “Bailando” makes me happy. Also it’s not easy to catch the start of a song you like off the radio. You always land on it mid-way through or near the end. This time, I got to hear “Bailando” in the entirety. A gift from the Universe.

What? . . . It is.

That wasn’t the first time stuff streaming out from the radio made sense with what was going on with me in the moment. I gave a shallow example, but it was the most recent. Other times much more serious stuff was going on when randomized snippets of songs from the radio didn’t seem so random and played just when they needed to be played.

The other day an author, psychologist, and acclaimed academic had on the signature line of his e-mail the following quote: “Coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous.” ― Albert Einstein.

Yes, I thought. Yes.

Not that I’m saying God has nothing better to do than to talk to me through the lyrics of pop music playing on radio stations. But still.

tarotspread

Anyway I did have a tarot point in all this. So often the messages we get from tarot are like those inexplicable coincidental (or synchronous) moments with the radio. I’m not claiming that those weirdly-timed snippets of pop songs are a form of divination. (Radiomancy? Hey, it’s got an Urban Dictionary entry; must be a real thing.) But it’s a synchronicity that, given the timing and given what’s going on in our lives at that moment, takes on personal significance that causes us to reevaluate what we’re doing or where we’re headed. It’s a moment of strong connection between ourselves and something bigger and greater, something that often feels divine.

Like many a tarot reader, I get that handful of clients who either want to be willfully ignorant of my ethical approach to tarot or who, in spite of knowing that I don’t do fortune-telling come to me anyway wanting me to tell them their fortunes. They are always the same clients who end up disappointed when I don’t tell them that their futures hold great riches and it will all be a beautiful fairytale ending, happily ever after with their preferred lovers. Worse yet, I feel used and my skills abused.

Yes, tarot does shine the way for us and can help illuminate our life path so we see clearer, but it doesn’t give us an easy solution. There are no easy solutions and if you’re getting a tarot reading with the hope of hearing an easy solution to your problems, then I’m afraid you don’t possess the wisdom to properly use tarot as a tool and really shouldn’t be going to readings at all.

Hearing “Bailando” on the radio didn’t solve the traffic jam. It didn’t change any of the conditions of the road I was driving on. However, it changed my mindset. And made the condition not only bearable, but pleasant. That moment of connection with the divine, that coincidence, that so-called radiomancy wasn’t about making the traffic jam go away or asking or wondering whether I would make it to my meeting on time. It was about me, and how I’d spend every moment of my time on that freeway. I could spend it cussing and wondering about the unknown, or I could roll with it and sing to “Bailando.”

Often the messages we get through tarot are synchronous, coincidental in ways that convince you it wasn’t just a coincidence, but because the message didn’t contain the answers or easy solutions we wanted to hear, we dismiss it and miss that moment of connection with God. And what a shame that would be.

Mystical Cats Tarot – Deck Review

On September 11, 2014March 24, 2015 By benebellIn deck review, tarot14 Comments

The Mystical Cats Tarot by Lunaea Weatherstone and illustrated by Mickie Mueller is my favorite feline tarot deck to date. Aeclectic, as usual, provides close-up image files of the cards. The art is soft, has a children’s book feel to it, and most importantly, is spot on in capturing the expressiveness of cats. All cat lovers are going to love this deck.

Now one thing I did note right away is the crappiness of the box packaging. Sorry. This isn’t a box I want to keep, but also this isn’t exactly the kind of tarot deck I’d make my regular reading deck, which means such a deck is one where I’d normally keep the box, but this box is just awfully thought through. I’m assuming the cards are supposed to fit in that smaller space, but it doesn’t, and a few always slip down where the book is supposed to be. The only way this box works is if you have a tarot bag to commit to this deck. Then it’ll fit in that space without cards accidentally falling through the crevices.

The deck doesn’t come with a little white booklet, but rather, a very nice 5.20″ x 8.00″ perfect bound book that I enjoyed reading cover to cover. There’s a ton of information in there, though nothing new for the seasoned tarot reader. Still, it’s definitely nice to have. Oh, and shouldn’t that title be Tails of the Mystical Cats instead of Tales? Kidding.

The cover of the book features the Earth King card, featuring a kitty who looks just like my little Prince (there are always photos of him on my Twitter). The book consists of tarot basics, card meanings, suggested spreads, and–my favorite– an appendix of rough sketches from the artist during the brainstorming phase for the deck.

The cards are 2.75″ x 4.60″ in dimension, borderless, with rounded corners, matte, but on somewhat flimsy cardstock. They’re very easy to shuffle, fit snugly in my hands, and are overall a very efficient deck to work with physically speaking.

It’s not exactly a clone of any of the traditional tarot systems, but it’s also very easy to read for anyone with tarot reading background. The Minors are divided into four “cat clans” (love!): the Fire Cats, Sea Cats, Sky Cats, and Earth Cats. The Fool is just The Cat. The Magician is Cat Magic. The Hanged Man is The Floating Cat. The Devil is Demon Cat. Judgment is Good Kitty. And there are other minor differences here and there, nothing difficult to follow.

The courts? Kitten, Tom, Queen, and King! Awww! I love it!

I love how they structured the book. “The Cat’s Advice.” In a deck review by Barbara Moore published in The Llewellyn Journal, it’s mentioned that Mueller, the artist, used “special herbal infusions in all her watercolors . . . based on [the herbs’] magical properties.” And all of the artwork for the card images incorporated catnip!

Above is a personal reading I did using the Mystical Cats Tarot. It’s the Celtic Cross, though yeah, the column of four cards is all crowded and clumped due to lack of table space. While I am not likely to pull out this deck for professional readings, I might be inclined to use it when I do fundraising events for animal shelters, animal non-profits, etc. How fun would that be!

Overall, I adore this deck, but I also know I’m biased– I love cats. Now, of all the kitty-themed tarot decks out there to date, this one is by far the best. If you can only buy one kitty tarot deck, then Mystical Cats Tarot is the one to get.

Holistic Horoscopes: Your July 2014 Sun Sign Forecast

On July 1, 2014July 1, 2014 By benebellIn astrology, holistic horoscopes2 Comments

Writing sun sign horoscopes? Oh what fun! I wonder if people wonder where sun sign horoscopes come from. If that’s you, then read about my approach to sun sign horoscope forecasts here. Anyway, here are my sun sign forecasts for July, 2014.

Also, for each sign, I pulled a single tarot card to supplement the monthly forecasts and found every single one to yield a similar message as the stars. I’ve embedded the card interpretations into the forecasts below, but at the end of each paragraph, will note the card (Rider-Waite deck) drawn for that sign.

Cancer | June 21 – July 22

It’s going to be a great month for you, Cancer, thanks to the influence of Jupiter through the first half of the month, but you’re going to feel dissatisfied and perhaps even a bit moodier than usual. Resist temptations and stay focused, and grounded. Earth stones like jaspers and agates could help. There could be some drama and curve balls with spouses, significant others, or close business partners mid-month and onward and a few unexpected challenges late month. Open communication will be critical to smoothing over the ruffled feathers. Overall, though, energies around you in July are optimal for success, so take advantage of it and get ahead at work and in personal creative projects. If you’ve been out of touch with family for a while, get back in touch this month. [Card Drawn: Key 6: The Lovers]

Leo | July 23 – August 22

Finances and money may be a focal point this month and also, you could be feeling a bit more emotionally sensitive than usual. Leos working in the corporate sector will fare well in July and find themselves taking on a more prominent leadership role. Mid-July and on, Leos in creative or unconventional fields might find themselves redirecting energies, refocusing, editing, or changing course due to the aspect influence of Neptune in retrograde. All Leos should be getting an extra surge of intuition and creativity, so be sure to utilize it! July 16 and on will be a time of success, achievement, and results, and you should be proud of yourself, Leo! So don’t worry so much if family members aren’t quite on board just yet. They’ll come around. The 27th or 28th is a good time to start that new project you’ve been mulling over (or regain momentum for work that you’ve been leaving on the back burner). Carnelian could really help you to positively align your personal energies, Leo. [Card Drawn: Queen of Wands]

Virgo | August 23 – September 22

Lately there may have been miscommunications and misunderstandings in your life, so July will be a good time to get away. This Fourth of July weekend will be a great time of opportunity. Any time early to mid-month, consider a short trip out of town. If you have siblings, it’s a good time to reconnect with them. This July will be all about recalibrating your thought process and self-analysis. You’re too hard on yourself, Virgo, especially in the romance department. Love will come when it comes. Rose quartz would be good for you. Grace under fire is the mantra for you this month. Being able to maintain your inner balance will be crucial in July. And remember, things don’t have to be perfect to be good. Late July, around the 23rd, focusing on finances will bring rewards. [Card Drawn: Key 14: Temperance]

Libra | September 23 – October 22

Early in the month, up to the 6th will be great for you, Libra, but then it may get a little rough, with interpersonal tensions heightened through the first half of July. Then after the 23rd, there could be sibling issues, vacation trips that didn’t go as well as they should have, and miscommunications. Happiness could feel elusive throughout July, and planetary aspects with Uranus and Neptune could bring the unexpected, especially in creative projects. If you find your workload doubling this month, hang in there. Amethyst, citrine, or smoky quartz might help you to reduce tensions and work-related stress. Reconnecting with family and loved ones will be an effective way to alleviate mental blockages. Writing and journaling will be incredibly therapeutic for you. For you this July, you’ll want to be realistic with your expectations and reach your desired destination one step at a time. [Card Drawn: Knight of Pentacles]

Continue reading “Holistic Horoscopes: Your July 2014 Sun Sign Forecast” →

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Author: benebell