Blog, World Tarot Day

WTTD Card of 2012: The Wheel of Fortune

Shadowscapes Wheel of Fortune
The Wheel of Fortune from the Shadowscapes Tarot

Happy World Tarot and Towel Day you hoopy froods. I’m wearing my Shadowscapes necklace, tarot tiara, and listening to tarot-themed music as I type this. I got my tarot deck and towel sitting next to me and I’m getting ready to have a social WTTD today.

Today’s draw for World Tarot day is: The Wheel of Fortune. What a wonderfully circular card to have. The Wheel of Fortune shows us the cycles that are present in the world. The seasons, the elements, and the personalities we all have within ourselves. It reminds us that we can be in the calm center of the storm, or that we can be spun about without having any choice in the matter. It’s the center of the major arcana and is a happy balance for today. As it also represents karma and the things that “come around,” here’s wishing you all a wonderful day today filled with joyous laughter, sun, and the blessings of knowledge that comes from the cards.

In a few hours, my friend Ember arrives. As we’ve done two years in a row, we’ll celebrate this wondrous day by playing with our tarot decks, swapping readings, and having fun. This year plans to be bigger than before because in addition to our little party, we’ll be heading over to Portland to join another celebration with even more local tarot enthusiasts.

I’ll be back later tomorrow with the wrap up of today’s activities, but until then… have a wonderfully tarot-inspired day and always know where your towel is.

Blog, Outings, Readings, World Tarot Day

2011 World Tarot & Towel Day Tea Party Recap

I just got home from the 2nd Annual World Tarot & Towel Tea Party at my friend Ember’s. We had a lovely 4 hour party sipping tea, drooling over our new tarot decks and books, and co-reading spreads for one another. Read more to find out what we did and what I learned this afternoon!

I arrived just after 2:30 and before the pacNW storms could get any wetter. Ember had lovingly set up a spot in her living room for our activities, complete with a red parlor theme. The tea was already stepping and cups of honey and lemon sat ready to sweeten the deal. After greeting the kitties, I set about to ploofing out my gear and setup a small nook for me to call my own. I brought The Herbal Tarot, the Shadowscapes Tarot, and the Tarot of the Divine Legacy to play and share. We love to have a “show and tell” with our new decks and I got to experience the pretties that is the Wizards Tarot and the Mona Lisa Tarot while she looked over my offerings.

Once we stopped oohing and aaahing over the decks, we set down to “serious” play. We decided to use the handbook that comes with the Wizards tarot to base our day around. We spent time looking through the book until we settled on three spreads. Our first spread was the Strength’s Familiars Spread, which was a fun and unique look at “selecting” a familiar to use. Ember drew The Lovers Card, while later on, I drew the Chariot. Surprising (or not) our readings were rather spot on and we both agreed that we’d do further investigations with our familiars.

We scanned the book again, this time selecting two more spreads. Ember decided that Transfiguration’s (aka Death) Past Life Spread looked interesting; while I wanted to play with Alchemy’s (aka Temperance) Spread. I won’t write about the Past Life experience but it was rather insightful and I can’t wait to see what insights Ember receives when she meditates on the lessons and “anvils” the cards gave her.

I chose the Alchemy Spread because this year I plan on working with the “element” of Alchemy to focus my energies and transform and manifest myself and my magical practice into the image I have inside my head. I’ll be writing more about this process and the elemental working later. I used my Shadowscapes deck with the Alchemist’s Spread and was NOT disappointed. This three card spread helped me to understand what energies I have in carrying out “creative” projects from idea to draft to completion (or publication).

The first card I drew was the Two of Wands. I see this card as the brainstorm generator card. In the Sulphur spot, this card defines and shows exactly how I work to start new projects. I don’t think I could’ve picked a better card. The figure in the card is myself, sitting with my cat (one of my kitties loves to snuggle as I write) looking off into the swirling yellow and orange “creation mists” waiting for inspiration.

The second card I drew was The Chariot. Which was funny and fitting since I received it in Strength’s Familiar Spread. This “Mercury” position shows my ability to nurture and develop new projects as they bloom in the early stages. There’s no doubt about it, when my ideas fully form, I go go go with them until they’re done. I set my mind to it and do whatever it takes to finalize it.

The third, and final, card I drew was the 3 of Cups in the “Salt” position. This card displays the ways in which I take ideas and move it from start to finish, transforming the vision into a manifested product. The 3 of cups, at first glance, seems a bit odd here but for me it makes perfect sense. I rely a lot on my editors, friends and colleagues to help me solidify my ideas, generate missing bits, and hone my writing via editing to present it to the world. The power of community helps me publish my book and as I have an extensive network of professionals, I’m at no loss for publishing my work into the world.

All in all, I was impressed by this little reading and can’t wait to find a copy of the Wizards Tarot for my own study. We finished our spreads and then headed to dinner where we had a lovely steak dinner. As Ember works really early in the morning, I collected my gear, towel, and decks; scritched the kitties; and headed home.

World Tarot Day was a success this year. I had such a great (and long) day of participating: chatting with my mentor Wald, networking with my community on Twitter, winning a copy of Tarot for Manifestation by James Wells, and sharing tarot love with one of my closest friends. As we draw World Tarot Day 2011 to a close, I want to thank everyone who’s had a reading from me, or attended my class, or spoke with me about tarot. You all inspire me and help keep the fuel for my tarot obsession burning.

Blog, Readings, World Tarot Day

WTD Card of 2011: King of Cups

Me and the King of Cups from The Universal Waite deck and The Shadowscapes Tarot
Me and the King of Cups from The Universal Waite deck and The Shadowscapes Tarot

A few moments ago I pulled out my trusty Shadowscapes tarot and asked the cards: What is the spirit of Tarot for the next year? In return, I received the King of Cups.

King of Cups from the Shadowscapes Tarot by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law
King of Cups from the Shadowscapes Tarot by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law

As a Court Card, the King of Cups represents a very passionate thinker. He is old and wise and contains much knowledge. A slow thinker, he likes to choose his words carefully. He takes time to make sure things are phrased exactly as he wants it to be said.

As an answer to the question for this year, the King of Cups suggests that we combine both knowledge and heart (passion) together to form a solid and long lasting formation with Tarot. This year will be the year that, if you study hard, and really take the time to integrate the cards’ wisdom, that you go deep and learn to become the mirror that Tarot is.

And on a personal note, the King of Cups is one of the cards that is focused on in the current Lesson (number 6—almost halfway there!) that I’m working on for my Tarot School Correspondence Degree study.

What card did you draw today? How does that perspective reflect the upcoming year’s worth of Tarot spirit for you and the rest of the world? Have more insight into the King of Cups? Please post a comment, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Blog, World Tarot Day

Crafty Ideas for World Tarot Day

So, no sooner than I get my World Tarot and Towel Day post up, my friend Cori (hi, cori) writes me back with this wonderful crafty idea that honors and celebrates both days:

Take a large white towel (may want to wash first, to remove the sizing). Using either non-alcohol based inks or acrylic paint (easily gotten from a local craft store), paint a simple Tarot image on it.

Alternatively, enlarge or screen-print a copy of your favorite card (with artist permission) onto a piece of fabric. Then glue or whipstitch it onto the towel.

Lug this around all day, or use as a flag–whatever feels right to you!  🙂

Thanks for the inspiration cori. I think I may have to try something similar at home on the 25th!

Blog, World Tarot Day

World Tarot Day 2011 is Coming

World Tarot (and Towel) Day is quickly coming up on May 25th. One event celebrates tarot, while the other celebrates the works of Douglas Adams and the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Seeing that I’m both a reading and a tarot junkie, I combine the two together.

Like last year, I will be participating in this event to help raise awareness of tarot by hosting a WTTTP (World Tarot Towel Tea Party) at my house. We’ll be hoopy froods as we play with tarot, share spreads, and lay the cards out on our towels.

You can learn more about World Tarot Day and how to participate at the official World Tarot Day website.

Banner for World Tarot Day
Banner for World Tarot Day