Tarot card of the day

[Madame Marigold]

10/31/2016

DECK: "Pagan Cats"
CARD: Knight of Chalices
LWB: Someone who acts with idealism regarding emotions, art, or relationships
APPEARANCE: A white cat riding on the back of a huge tortoise across a pond to the other side.

out of curiosity I went ahead and pulled the card on the very bottom of the deck as well just to see what it was:

CARD: 9 of Wands
LWB: Preparing to meet a challenge
APPEARANCE: a old rough looking brindled cat with the 9 staves embedded in the roadside beside it.

[Madame Marigold]

11/1/2016

DECK: "Pagan Cats"
CARD: 7 of Swords
LWB: Someone who has taken something
APPEARANCE: A cat lays in the corner of a room on a pillow while mice are destroying the room while the cat is trapped by a the swords embedded in the floor surrounding it.

(card from bottom)

DECK: "Pagan Cats"
CARD: "The Hermit"
LWB: The need to retreat from distractions and withdraw from opinions of others in order to determine your truth and ideas about something.
APPEARANCE: A cat struggles up the side of a steep hill dressed in a tatty cloak with a big staff tied to its back with a lantern hanging off the tip of it as it struggle along.

(reminded me of the old railroad guys going up and down checking the cars with their big lanterns swinging..) my brother always wanted to be a train hobo...

[Madame Marigold]

11/2/2016

DECK: "Pagan Cats"
CARD: Knave of Pentacles
LWB: Someone who learning something about the physical world, resources or finances.
APPEARANCE: A medium length cat sitting in a meadow of yellow flowers with its paw upon a large golden disk with a pentagram on it.

[Madame Marigold]

11/4/2016

DECK: "Pagan Cats"
CARD: Strength
LWB: using calm, quiet, gentle control to change the course of situation that could easily get out of hand by redirecting the powerful energies at play.
APPEARANCE: A white cat sits regally with a lei of ivy and red blossoms wrapped around it over its head like a crown with its paw holding down the head of a Pomeranian? or a small chow? (Very cute pic)

[Madame Marigold]

11/8/2016

DECK: "Pagan Cats"
CARD: The Devil
LWB: An ending that will bring grief and a sense of loss. It will also contain the seeds of new life and make transformation possible.
APPEARANCE: a pentacle in the wall in the background, 2 creatures that at one time must have been cats chained one looks like a zombie cross between cat and ? and the other part rabbit/cat? with fire in the corners of the background.

[Madame Marigold]

Figured I would start a different deck (at least for now)

DECK: MahJong
CARD: Commence
LWB: Inaugurate, proceed... This card gives the go ahead on new schemes, a reassuring sign one can proceed with confidence. In romance area be bold take the initiative.. in finance avoid delaying your decisions, and in health expresses confidence in the patients recovery.
APPEARANCE: A Chinese man in era appropriate in stance with bow drawn back ready to let his arrow fly

[Madame Marigold]

2/1/2017

have another new deck! A Star Trek deck~ (I'm a big trekkie) so, thought I would do a general 5 card layout to see what the cards show!

DISCOVERY (Bitter rivals chose negotiation over Armageddon).
PLOT (A important but powerful alien forces the crew to submit to his hospitality)
PLOT (A race of powerful beings forces a duel between rival captains)
DISCOVERY (The Cpt discovers that this universe is threatened by an anti-matter universe)
CORE CREW (Constitution-Class Starship NCC-1701)

hmmm okay I can see the message can you? The 3rd card is the MAIN reason for the theme (supposedly) in this spread so basically folks or authority? more powerful than you forces confrontation between to already opposing persons....why does the picture of a house committee forcing to house owners to figure out their own property lines come to mind? or how they are going to share the conjoined driveway space? shakes head... it makes sense in my head but it probably sounds like idiocy to others!

[Madame Marigold]

1/16/2018

DECK: The Nova Tarot
CARD: The Hermit
MEANING: A robed man or monk carrying a lantern, sometimes in hand, sometimes hanging off a staff. A barren landscape.

After a long and busy lifetime, building, creating, loving, hating, fighting, compromising, failing, succeeding, the Fool feels a profound need to retreat. In a small, rustic home deep in the woods, he hides, reading, cleaning, organizing, resting or just thinking. But every night at dusk he heads out, traveling across the bare, autumnal landscape. He carries only a staff and a lantern.

It is during these restless walks from dusk till dawn, peering at and examining whatever takes his fancy, that he sees things he's missed during his lifetime. His lantern illuminates animals and insects that only come out at night, flowers and plants that only bloom by moon or star light.

As these secret corners of the world are illuminated and explored by him, he feels that he is also illuminating hidden areas of his mind. In a way, he has become the Fool again. As in the beginning, he goes wherever inspiration leads him. Back then, however, his staff rested on his shoulder, carrying unseen his pack. The Fool was like the pack: wrapped up, unknown. The Hermit's staff leans out before him now, not behind. And it carries a lantern, not a pack. The Hermit is like the lantern, illuminated from within by all he is, capable of penetrating the darkness.

Hermit Tarot Meaning

Represented by Virgo, the Hermit is a card of introspection, analysis and, well, virginity. This is not a time for socializing; the card indicates, instead, a desire for peace and solitude. Nor is it a time for action, discussion or decisions. It is a time to think, organize, ruminate, and take stock. There may be feelings of frustration and discontent during this time of withdrawal. But such times lead to enlightenment, illumination, clarity.

In regards to people, the Hermit can represents a wise, inspirational person, friend, teacher or therapist, someone the querent usually sees alone, someone the rest of the querent's friends and family may not know about. This is a person who can shine a light on things that were previously mysterious and confusing. They will help the querent understand themselves or find what it is they are seeking.

Thirteen's Observations on the Hermit

One of the important things about this card is that the Hermit is almost always shown on the move. He's never hiding away in his cave. Rather, he's out wandering, searching. This is apt for the restless mind of a Virgo, always gathering information, analyzing, making connections. Virgos are also known for being the skeptics of the zodiac. If anyone is going to stick a lantern into a dark place and take a good look at what's going on, it's a Virgo.

Combined with a desire to just "be alone," the Hermit indicates a feeling of impatience with people. The querent might be sensitive to having his/her peace disturbed, or express disdain for those who can't see what they're seeing ("Are you blind?" might be their refrain, or, more typically, "You just don't get it, and I can't explain it to you."). They're likely to be grumpy and anti-social.

For the querent, however, this is a special time. Like an artist who hides away for days then emerges to paint a masterpiece, this quiet time allows all the pieces to fall into place. Their minds are alive, and they can see things they weren't able to see before. So go ahead and encourage them to take late night drives, long walks, hide in their room or go on retreat for a month. When they come back, they'll have a new understanding of the world, of their lives, and of themselves. It'll be the best thing for them, and for everyone else.

APPEANCE: A barefooted man with a (snail) type shell on his posterior looks like he is moving towards his right. (To me makes no sense at ALL!) other than maybe making a type of statement of how he is coming out of "His Shell" ? shakes head

[Madame Marigold]

1/19/2018

DECK: Nova Tarot
CARD: The World
MEANING: The World (or Universe) card pictures a dancer in a Yoni (sometimes made of laurel leaves). The Yoni symbolizes the great Mother, the cervix through which everything is born, and also the doorway to the next life after death. It is indicative of a complete circle. The Dancer has one leg crossed over the other, just like the Hanged man. She is, in a sense, his opposite, the Hanged Man right-side-up. As the Hanged Man saw infinitely inward, the Dancer sees infinitely outward.

The Dancer is also the opposite of the Wheel. The Wheel goes up and down like a Ferris Wheel, which means those on it feel like they get moved to higher or lower positions, are lucky or unlucky. The World, by compare, goes round and round like a carousel. This means that whatever corner of the universe a person gets sent to, it seems equally wonderful and interesting, not like a promotion or demotion. With the World there are no Zeniths or Nadirs; each corner is different, but all are similarly important.

Which brings us to the Lion, Bull, Cherub and Eagle standing for Leo, Taurus, Aquarius and Scorpio, the fixed signs of the Zodiac (also sometimes found on The Wheel of Fortune card). These are symbolic of the four elements (four suits of the tarot), four compass points, four seasons, and the four corners of the universe. All within the Dancer's sight and power.

Thus, the World card is about, first, completion and competency. The querent may have come to the end of a long-term project or graduated from a field of study. There is the feeling that they have hit all the points of the circle. There will be well-earned praise, celebration and success.

Saturn, the card's ruling planet, reinforces this. Saturn is the "scholar" card, and indicates that the querent is now an expert in their subject. Thus, this is not, like Death, the end of something, but rather a change in frequency. From student to teacher, from apprentice to master. The querent has finished their first go-around and goes right into another spin as a professional.

And, finally, on a more mundane level, the World card indicates travel, not short business trips, but long, fantastic trips. Maybe a lecture tour, book signing, or just a trip around the world. This can be a wonderful card of wholeness, satisfaction and independence.

Thirteen's Observations on the World

There are three possible things I usually see in this card when it comes up, sometimes combined, sometimes not:

(1) Everything finally coming together, successfully and at last. The querent will graduate, marry after a long engagement, finish that huge project, or get their ph.d. This is a card about completing things, and getting well earned cheers and pats on the back when you do.

(2) The querent is or will become a teacher, a Sensei, a scholar or master of their profession. Meaning they've shifted from being seen as a common worker to being seen as an expert. They may stop working for others and start up their own business. Or it may be that someone will retire and they'll take over.

(3) They are either traveling now or will be traveling. Luckily for them, the World card indicates that they'll feel comfortable and welcome no matter where they go, provided for by those who sent or invited them on this trip. The World card indicates a person who owns little. The whole world is their home and gives them what they need.

APPEARANCE: Shows a person holding a world globe dancing around a bunch of flowers

[Madame Marigold]

1/24/2018

DECK: Nova Tarot
CARD: 2 of Swords
MEANING: This is a striking image of a blindfolded lady with two swords. Crossed swords suggest a clash of ideas or words. The blindfolded lady, indicating impartiality, crosses her arms and so holds the swords apart. This is the knowledge of how to keep these two sides from fighting. It is very similar to a Mother who tells her bickering children: "I don't care who started it, go to your rooms!" Thus keeping the children apart and the house at peace.

Each child wants mom to take his/her side, but she'd decided to stay neutral and keep them likewise, which means that her solution is temporary. The fight between them hasn't been resolved, it's just been put on hold. Sooner or later, this truce will end.

This can indicate the querent feeling like he/she is in the middle of something as a peacekeeper, or in a situation where tensions are running high and the lull in fighting isn't going to last. It's possible that the querent is trying to deny or ignore the fact that they didn't solve the problem and a reader would do well to remind them that they can't put off making a real decision for long.

When we are faced with two opposing ideas or decisions with equally valid arguments, we do have a tendency to say, "I can't make up my mind right now, let me be!" But sooner or later, our minds have to go back online and we will have to decide what to do.

APPEANCE: A person sits at a table with their head in their hands while a wolf/dog sits under the table the 2 swords are portrayed as the front legs of the table. The face of the being sitting at the table looks like it was painted by Picasso...

[Madame Marigold]

1/25/2018

DECK: Nova Tarot
CARD: Queen of Wands
MEANING: As a development: Developing a trip or making real a career, or creating a movement.

As an adult woman: They light up a room when they enter, radiating warmth and energy, humor and spirit. Very often this queen is in entertainment, an actress or pop star. The Queen of Wands can also be a leader and activist.

Like other Wands, the Queen of Wands signals having charisma, drawing others to you like moths to a flame. Her energy can certainly burn others as she is hot, passionate, and restless. On the other hand, a Queen of Wands can be gentle; she loves children and is an enthusiastic participant in their lives: making costumes for plays, coaching teams, etc. Which is good, but the querent should be warned that this woman might be in danger of being a soccer mom-too involved with her children's lives.

A Queen of Wands is a very creative woman with boundless energy to make, do, travel, entertain. The problem, of course, is that this queen has trouble keeping out of the spotlight. She can overwhelm or intimidate, be bossy and overbearing. At her best, however, she is an inspiration to family and friends, and often to admiring strangers as well. No matter the situation, this woman will get things done and done well.

APPEARANCE: A woman holding a long item in each hand. a baton in one a long green stem with a flower on end in the other.

[Madame Marigold]

1/26/2018

DECK: Nova Tarot
CARD: 6 of Swords
MEANING: A boat of swords being ferried across a river with a woman as passenger. The classic Rider-Waite meaning is that one is leaving difficulties behind. A trip or change of scene may be the answer to restoring balance here. But there is more to it than this. In relation to the mind, ideas and words of the sword suit, this is also about finding a solutions to math problems and brain twisters, not just troubles.

The ferryman is part of the give/take here. He has a fare thanks to this passenger, and his passenger has a way across the river. What he symbolizes is help in finding answers or solutions to problems. He might be a reference book or website, or perhaps just someone who will listen while you talk and work things out in your head. He rows you in the right direction, away from confusion and mental turmoil to smooth, thoughtful waters. Waters clear and clam that you can, in fact, see the other shore, the answer, in sight!

There it is, a way to make your idea, your argument, your formula work smoothly, perfectly, beautifully. I sometimes call this the "Eureka" card in that it has that feeling of a scientist catching sight of a solution.

The reader should warn the querent that they haven't arrived at that other shore yet. There may be a good deal to work out, but this is a break-through moment where the mind is working once again. And whoever, or whatever helped you get there also feels mentally rewarded.

Note that this card can also be about trips by airplane.

APPEARANCE: A hot air balloon with a young man reclining in the basket with 6 swords and flowers painted on the balloon floating off in the sky.

[Madame Marigold]

1/27/2018

DECK: Nova Tarot
CARD: Page of Pentacles
MEANING: As a Message: Messages about money, a good, unexpected turn in health, a lucky happenstance or work.

As Time and Environment: This Page's element of Earth works in favor of this time. There is new growth, steady development. Everything from the economy to the body seem youthful and healthy.

As a Child or "Child-like" Person: The Page of Pentacles is a hands-on sort of child or child-like adult. They enjoy hammering together birdhouses, helping build a tree house, cooking, cleaning. If a child-like adult, they likely want to fix things around the house be it a leaky faucet or creaky floorboards. They are into home repair and/or handmade gifts.

They are also industrious when it comes chores, taking on extra in order to earn extra money. They'll water lawns, walk pets. They're very frugal with that money, keeping it in the piggy bank and counting it out often to see how much they've got. Similarly, they're very health conscious, seeing exercise not as a competition (as a Page of Wands might) but as self-improvement. They're more interested in beating their own record rather than someone else's.

As a child, they may seem too serious and adult-like. As an adult, they may seem to be stuck doing more "child-like" work, like being a dog-walker, rather than employed in a more adult job.

Though they can be generous and good hearted, the querent should be warned that being "immature" this person will rarely do anything for free, not if they can get someone to pay them to do it. Meaning if the querent goes out on a date with this child-like person, they'll be eating somewhere cheap or going Dutch. There is an element of "what's in it for me?" in the Page of Pentacles.

APPEARANCE: A young adult dancing on a green vine with strawberries growing off of it.

[Madame Marigold]

1/30/2018

DECK: Nova Tarot
CARD: King of Wands
MEANING: As Motivation: The planning of a great trip, the idea for some grand new career, being motivated to go into politics or take charge. Depending where it is in the spread, it can indicate that the querent has decided to take command, to overthrow the old with his new, bold ideas.

As an Adult Man: Call him "The Preacher." He fills a room when he walks in, expansive, full of energy, charisma, fun. You know this man; he's the motivational speaker, the charismatic church leader, the great innovator who can turn a company around, with employees working overtime to please him. He is the warm politician, the idea man, the bullying coach who transforms losers into winners. He loves danger, adventure, challenges.

This is Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Henry V. He always has to lead the charge and he hasn't friends so much as worshippers; people either love him or hate him, and the same goes for his family. Not that he doesn't love his family; he fell in love with his wife at first sight and wooed her till she loved him back; and he's great with kids. No dad was ever so inventive or fun.

But he fully expects his family to come with him, wherever he goes - be it on African Safari or to the President's mansion. They must support whatever he does. If they don't, his other side can come to the surface, one that is jealous, impatient, tyrannical. It is not surprising that sometimes his wife or children will rebel against him, or leave him altogether. At his best, however, he is as adored by his off-spring as he is by his people. His praise and approval is worth more to them than fame or fortunes, and they will go above and beyond the call of duty to please him.

APPEARANCE: A man sits like he is on a throne in a carry????? on the back of a elephant! (Much like a Ma-ha-raja from India would have..) quite a interesting card!

[Madame Marigold]

1/31/2018

DECK: Nova Tarot
CARD: Empress
MEANING: Empress Tarot Symbols A gown decorated with pomegranates, a crown of stars, a rod, a heart-shaped shield with the symbol for Venus, a field of ripe wheat.

Empress Tarot Story

Having decided what he will create with his tools, the Fool strides forward, impatient to make his future a full-grown reality. This is when he comes upon the Empress. Her hair gold as wheat, wearing a crown of stars, and a white gown dotted with pomegranates. She rests back on her throne surrounded by an abundance of grain and a lush garden. It is possible that she is pregnant.*

Kneeling, the Fool relates to her his story. And she, in turn, smiles a motherly smile and gently gives him this advice: "Like newly planted grain or a newborn babe, a new life, a new relationship, a new creation is fragile. It requires patience and nurturing. It needs love and attention. Only this will bring it to fruition." Understanding at last that his creations will take time to develop, the Fool thanks the Empress and continues on his way.

* Pregnant. Well, not in the Rider-Waite deck she isn't. But many other decks go for pregnancy as part of the Empress' iconography.

Empress Tarot Card Meaning

The Empress is a creator, be it creation of life, of romance, of art or business. While the Magician is the primal spark, the idea made real, and the High Priestess is the one who gives the idea time and space to decide on a form, the Empress is either the womb or nursery where it grows till it reaches a certain level of maturity.

This is why the Empress' symbol is Venus, goddess of beautiful things and gardens, as wells as sex and love. Venus is the goddess of artists, and helps them painstakingly develop their pieces from clay to statue, from first brushstroke to masterpiece.

Even so, however, the Empress has more in common with Demeter, goddess of abundance, then sensual Venus, as the wheat in the background and the pomegranates on her dress imply. She is the giver of Earthly gifts, the great, fertile mother goddess. Yet at the same time, she can, in anger, withhold as Demeter did when her daughter, Persephone was kidnapped. In fury and grief, she kept the Earth barren till her child was returned to her.

Thirteen's Observations on the Empress

The Empress card is one of the easier trumps to read. She's the Great Mother, so much so that she's often viewed as one of those cards that can indicate a "positive" answer if a woman is wondering if she can get pregnant. This is the fertile womb where anything can grow and thrive (as compared to the protective "incubator" of the High Priestess). The Empress' ability to mother goes beyond the womb, however. She is patient, loving, giving, generous, devoted. The ultimate nurturer.

If defining her as the querent, you can say that they are currently feeling like a mother hen, worried about their children, new business, new creation, or new romance. Male or female, they want to dote and hover and fret over every little sneeze and problem. They likely also want to talk only about their baby, boasting of its growth and development, sending pictures of it to friends and relatives.

Likewise, the advice a reader might give on getting this card could be similar to that offered to a mother with a young child: either that young things need time to grow, and so require patience and attention, or that while an infant needs a great deal of care, a toddler needs less, and a child even less. A good mother adjusts her care as the child matures and develops, giving them room to crawl and then run and play.

If defining the Empress as someone related to the querent, it is likely the querent's mother or a woman who is very motherly toward them.

Of course, the Empress can also be about the not so nice aspects of a mom. She can smother, not know when to let go, be possessive and jealous of those who would take away her "baby." It is important for the querent to realize that plants can die from over-watering as easily as they can from neglect. Like any good mother or good gardener, the querent must have patience and the ability to adjust and improvise as their "baby" sprouts and grows.

APPEARANCE: A woman's bust (from her chest area up) with all the symbolism in the air above her.

[Madame Marigold]

2/1/2018

DECK: Nova Tarot
CARD: Knight of Wands
MEANING: As Travel: An exciting trip, and likely a long one to an exotic place by motorcycle, car, bus or train.

As Change and Movement: Like the teen years, Knights are about maturing, changes, movement and the Knight of Wands would suggest things switching, moving, or changing rapidly. Energy, in particular, might go up or down dramatically. In the negative, there is a fighting atmosphere to this Knight, the time or environment may be electric with an almost sports-like desire to do battle, even when it might not be wise to do so. Changes won't be frightening, but they may seem wild and unexpected.

As a Teen or "Teen-like" Person: The Knight of Wands is the "tilting at windmills" Knight. The kind of youth who always goes for grand, dramatic gestures. This is the restless teen or teen-like adult who loves his car and seems to live in it, driving everywhere, picking up his friends as he goes. And there is usually no telling where he'll drive to or end up.

He's popular, the center of attention, the leader who comes up with crazy ideas. He'll be voted class president or Prom King, and is likely an aggressive player on the football team, but don't expect him to be all that serious or serious minded. He's at an age where he wants to have fun and party.

On the negative side, this teen can be headstrong, bossy or a bully-and a risk-taker, meaning he could do dangerous things and convince others to do dangerous things. A little narcissistic, he's not always sensitive to others feelings.

Don't expect him to be reliable or on time, but he can be fiercely loyal to his friends, and his religion whether that is sports, a philosophy or church.

APPEARANCE: Shows a young man riding on a horse holding a torch in one hand and a staff in the other with 3 odd looking bird things flying behind him...

[Madame Marigold]

2/2/2018

DECK: Nova Tarot
CARD: THE FOOL
MEANING: With all his worldly possessions in one small pack, the Fool travels he knows not where. So filled with visions, questions, wonder and excitement is he, that he doesn't see the cliff he is likely to fall over. At his heel a small dog harries him (or tries to warn him of a possible mis-step). Will the Fool learn to pay attention to where he's going before it's too late?

At #0 (or, in some decks, #22, the last card as much as the first of the Majors) the Fool is the card of infinite possibilities. The bag on the staff indicates that he has all he needs to do or be anything he wants, he has only to stop and unpack. He is on his way to a brand new beginning.

But the card carries a little bark of warning as well. While it's wonderful to be enthralled with all around you, excited by all life has to offer, you still need to watch your step, lest you fall and end up looking the fool.

Thirteen's Observations on the Fool

As a card, the Fool ultimately stands for a new beginning often involving a literal move to a new home or job. The querent (meaning the sitter, or the one asking the cards for advice) might be starting to date again, or trying out some new activity. There's more than just change here, there is renewal, movement, and the energy of a fresh start.

In the Tarot, cards like The Magician or The Hermit can often stand for the querent or for someone in the querent's life. The Fool, however, usually stands for the querent, himself. They are back at zero, whether that be in romantic affairs, or career, work or intellectual pursuits. Far from being sad or frustrated by having to start over, however, the querent feels remarkably *free*, light hearted and refreshed, as if being given a second chance. They feel young and energized, as excited as a child who has discovered a new toyshop. Who knows what they will find on the shelves?

In addition, they likely have no idea where they're going or what they're going to do. But that doesn't matter. For the Fool, the most important thing is to just go out and enjoy the world. To see what there is to see and delight in all of it.

Unfortunately, this childlike state can make one overly optimistic or naive. A Fool can be a Fool. That business opportunity might not be so surefire or amazing as it seems, and that new lover might not be so flawless.

Like the Fool, you might be so busy sightseeing and imagining the possibilities that you completely miss the fact that you're about to go right off a cliff! The card advises that one listen to that watchful little dog, which might be a concerned friend, a wise tarot reader, someone harassing you from the sidelines, or just your instincts. However exciting new beginnings may be, you still have to watch your step.

APPEARANCE: Shows The Fool riding on a big cat holding his staff with a bag on the end.

[Madame Marigold]

2/5/2018

DECK: Nova Tarot
CARD: 2 of Pentacles
MEANING: Standing before the waves of an ocean, a fellow deftly juggles two pentacles. The meaning is pretty straightforward. This is the juggling finances, jobs, responsibilities card. We pay one bill, and don't pay the other (which is up in the air). When it comes down and we can't put it of any longer, we pay that and let the other one be up in the air.

The querent may be doing this because they want to or may need to do this. They may feel they've worked so hard on both that they haven't the heart to put either one aside. And so they switch off put "work" or money into one thing while neglecting the other, keeping both alive, but allowing neither to thrive.

Yet this juggling may be a good idea. Having two jobs or projects also allows there to be a fail-safe, something to fall back on if the other goes wrong.

As with the swords, there's no keeping this up forever, but it may suffice while you're waiting for your luck to change or circumstances to help make the decision for you.

APPEARANCE: A young person looks to be dancing with 2 pentacles in the air in front of them.

[Madame Marigold]

2/6/2018

DECK: Nova Tarot
CARD: Strength
MEANING: A woman in white with a lemniscate hovering over her head, a lion.
The Fool, victorious over his enemies, is feeling arrogant, powerful, even vengeful. There are hot passions in him, ones he finds himself unable and unwilling to control. It is in this state that he comes across a maiden struggling with a lion. Running to help, he arrives in time to see her gently but firmly shut the lion's mouth! In fact, the beast, which seemed so wild and fierce, is now completely at her command.

APPEARANCE: A naked woman stands beside a lion petting it.

[Madame Marigold]

2/7/2018

DECK: Manga Tarot
CARD: 7 of Swords
MEANING:

A thief sneaks off with five out of seven swords. It's no surprise that when it comes to swords, attacks are sneaky and tricky, not direct like with Wands. Yet this is still an attack that requires creativity and steadfastness. The image also us back to number five (stolen swords) and "loss" along with what remains behind, number two, and choices.

This is the "Thief" card, and though it can be taken literally (protect yourself against theft), it usually means a different type of stealing. Being the intellect and communication, what might be stolen are ideas, something you've written, or even an internet password. The querent should be warned to be on their guard, especially against those who are trying to extract information from them.

Stand guard over what you value, and try to outwit the thief. In some cases, in fact, this card might be advising the querent that they have to be the thief. They need to be tricky, sneaky, even dishonest because, in some situations, honesty is not the best policy. Sometimes flattery, lies, dissembling is necessary to get back what you feel belongs to you

APPEARANCE: A rat curls all around the 7 swords (with hearts on the hilts) that look like they are about to impale him...

[Madame Marigold]

2/9/2018

DECK: Nova Tarot
CARD: JUSTICE
MEANING: The Justice figure seated or standing between pillars, scales in one hand (usually left), upraised sword in the other hand. Sometimes blindfolded.

Justice Tarot Story

The Fool is looking for a new path, a new aspiration and inspiration for his life. Sitting uncertain at a crossroads he notices a blind wise woman listening to two brothers argue over an inheritance. They have come to her for judgment. One brother has the whole inheritance, the other has nothing.

"I ask that all of it be given to me," the poor brother demands, "Not only because I have a better right to it, but because I will not be wasteful with it, as he is!" But the rich brother protests, "It is rightfully mine and that's all that should matter, not what I do with it!"

The woman listens, then awards half of the rich brother's inheritance to the poor brother. The Fool thinks this only fair, but neither brother is happy. The rich one hates losing half his wealth, and the poor one feels he ought to have gotten all.

"You were fair," the Fool remarks to the woman after the brothers have left. "Yes, I was," she answers plainly. "With only half the inheritance, the rich one will stop being so wasteful. And the poor one will have as much as he needs. Even though they cannot see it, this decision was good for both."

The Fool thinks on this and realizes that he has spent his life achieving worldly ambitions and physical goods while leaving his spiritual self to starve. He ought to have given half his time and energy to his spiritual self, but he didn't. It's no wonder that he feels unbalanced. Thanking the woman, he heads out to restore equilibrium to his inner scales.

Justice Tarot Card Meaning

With Libra as its ruling sign, Justice is about cold, objective balance through reason or natural force. This is the card that tells the querent that excesses have consequences. Indulging in drinking and drugs will affect their health, just as excessive exercise can damage muscles and joints and working too much can make one neglect family and friends.

Justice urges the querent to make adjustments, do whatever is necessary to bring things back into balance: physically, emotionally, socially, spiritually. In a more mundane sense, this card may signal a court case, legal documents, adjustments in a marriage or partnership. The outcome of all of these may not be exactly what the querent wants, but it will be what they need. It will also be scrupulously fair. If the card is reversed, it can indicate bias, obstruction of the law, or legal complications.

Thirteen's Observations on Justice

I think Justice is a good card (as compared to Strength) to stand as the first of the next ten cards of the Major Arcana. The reason I think it right is because with it we move from the physical world (first ten cards) into the metaphysical world (next ten). When I look at Justice, I always see the two worlds balanced on her scales. "You've spent all your time in one," she seems to be saying, time to move into the other and balance things out."

One thing to remember about the Justice card is that it is not about punishment, good, bad, right or wrong. It is about adjustment. The sword suggests that sometimes this won't be pleasant. Justice pares things down with that sword so that the scales end up equal. Swords represent the mind and suggest that Justice only listens to reason, logic and facts. She will not be tricked by appeals to emotions or passions, nor bribed for that matter. She will be rational and cool-headed.

The message is to that you must be cool-headed as well, and do what's necessary, no matter how hard, how disagreeable, in order to gain, or re-gain equilibrium. It is not a nice card, but it is a very wise card.

APPEARANCE: A woman with the scales of justice hanging off of her shoulders with different fruits in each one.

[Madame Marigold]

2/12/2018

DECK: Nova Tarot
CARD: 4 of Wands
MEANING: This card, with its four wands holding up garlands, implies that the foundation is finished and ready to be developed. It signifies the successful completion of a first stage or a first draft, first full rehearsal, first election to a small but significant post. It also predicts that the querent will (or has) enjoyed this moment of completion, celebrated it.

Often this card is read as indicating marriage, this because marriage is seen as the "completion" of the first stage of a relationship. The couple cement the foundation they've laid down with a commitment ceremony.

There is a danger when this card comes up, however, of the querent feeling like they've finished the project when, in truth, they've only finished that first part. Many see marriage as the goal of a relationship rather than the completion of a stage. A reader might do well to remind the querent that while a celebration for having completed this first stage is well deserved, they need to also think of ways to re-energize themselves. There is more to do.

APPEARANCE: Shows a blue bird flying above the boughs.

[Madame Marigold]

2/13/2018

DECK: Nova Tarot
CARD: DEATH
MEANING:

Death Tarot Story-- Having left the tree from where he hung, the Fool moves carefully through a fallow field, head still clearing from visions. The air is cold and wintry, the trees bare. He knows he has started on his spiritual journey in earnest, but feels strangely empty and profoundly sad, as if he has lost something.

Before him he sees, rising with the sun, a skeleton in black armor mounted on a white horse. He recognizes it as Death. As it stops before him, he humbly asks, "Have I died?" And the Skeleton answers, "Yes, in a way. You sacrificed your old world, your old self. Both are gone, dead."

The Fool cannot keep from weeping. "Forgive me," he says, embarrassed by his tears.

"There is nothing to forgive," Death replies. "Mourning is natural and you must deal with your loss before you can accept anything new. Keep in mind, however, that old leaves must wither and fly away from a tree's branches, leaving them bare, before new green leaves can appear."

As Death rides away, the Fool sees the truth in those words. He, too, feels like a skeleton, all that he was stripped away. This, he understands, is how all great transformations start, by removing everything down to bare bone or soil so that something new has room to grow.

Death Tarot Card Meaning

Perhaps the most common question asked about Tarot Cards is, "Can the Death card mean a real death?"

Yes, it can. The Death card is about endings, and that includes the ending of a life. What everyone seems to forget, however, is that the Death card is not exclusively about the end of a human life. In fact, it's far more likely that the card is telling you that a goldfish or a houseplant will die. Death can mean the "end" of anything: The end of an era, the end of a trip, the closing of a restaurant, the breaking up of a band, the conclusion of a very rough week.

Any and all of these as well as a million more possible interpretations can be applied to the Death card. So it is foolish to fear it for the fact that, once in a great while, it will let you know that some sick, elderly relative might not be long for this world.

Even more important to remember: the Death card is less about something dying then about how a person deals with endings.

We might be delighted that something is finally over and done with, like a terrible job we hated. Or we might be heartbroken, like over the loss of that poor goldfish. Either way, we require time to come to terms with the fact that something we were used to is no longer a part of our lives.

With Scorpio as its sign, the Death card is as much about transformation as about loss. Scorpio has three forms: scorpion, serpent, eagle. The Death card indicates this transition from lower to higher to highest. In addition, Scorpio is also about sex. So even as something is taken from us, something new is created.

That new thing will not be the same as what was lost, but it will step into that empty space and give us reason to carry on.

Thirteen's Observations on Death

The connection of sex and death in Scorpio (the sign stands for both) is a strong indication of what this card is all about. We westerners see "Death" as a frightening card because we often see Death as an end, and we hate for things to come to an end. However, in other traditions, Death is just a natural and important, if sad part of an on-going cycle. In a karmic sense, you die so that you may be reborn. Winter comes so that there can be a spring, and we can only appreciate what we have when we know that there is loss. The Death card signals such things. This is a time of change.

Before or even as this change occurs, however, the querent needs to mourn, cry, and grieve. Wang notes that Death "humbles" all. Which means that we are brought low, feel empty or stripped to the bone. Once we have gone through this low point, however, we will find that there is room for something new, fresh or different to come into our lives. Something that might exult or transform us.

So while a Tarot Reader needs to tell their querent, quite honestly, that they will be going through a time of sorrow and mourning, we can also tell them that this, too, is not forever. Our sadness will end in a sunrise, in a newborn phoenix rising from the ashes of the old.

APPEARANCE: A skull sitting on top of a hourglass with 3 butterfly's flying around it....

[Madame Marigold]

2/15/18

DECK: Nova Tarot
CARD: 9 of Pentacles
MEANING: A woman walks among nine "blossoming" pentacles while delighting in a bird that has alighted on her hand. Like the Hermit, the woman here has retreated from the world, but unlike him it is into a private garden of beauty and pleasure.

This is a card about being able to spend money on yourself, work for yourself, etc. What the pentacle suit seeks--health, luck, money, solid work-is achieved in this card. It is important to understand, however, that it is achieved on an intimate rather than grand scale, one of comfort for the self, not opulence that extends beyond the self.

This is not obscene wealth for yachts and mansions, but rather money enough for a cozy home in the right neighborhood or a small sailboat to take out on weekends. Health-wise, you may not be in shape for the Olympics, but you look good and feel good.

This card can signify a lucky windfall or payment for work well done. It could indicate a healthy bank account or making a final payment on something and knowing that you own it outright. It can also indicate a retreat to a spa or one of those beautiful bed & breakfast inns where you're pampered and waited on hand and foot. It might, as well, indicate finally getting your own office at work, or a job position that suits you.

Or, perhaps, it is just being able to afford an apartment where you can live on your own. This card may predict only a very small paradise, but it will be private and it will be all yours.

APPEARANCE: 9 pentacles set up like flowers blossoming out of a crown...

[Madame Marigold]

Friday 16th 2018

DECK: Nova Tarot
CARD: THE EMPORER
MEANING: Fool was given options by the Magician, and decided on one with help from the High Priestess. He learned how to develop it thanks to the Empress. Now it has reached as stage where he must find a way to manage it. How to do this?

He approaches a great Emperor seated on a stone throne. The Fool is amazed by the way the Emperor is instantly, eagerly obeyed in every particular, at how well his Empire is run and organized.

Respectfully, he asks the Emperor how it is he does this. And the Emperor answers: "Strong will and a solid foundation of laws and order. It's all very well," he explains to the Fool, "to be imaginative, creative, instinctual, patient; but to control one must be alert, brave and aggressive."

Ready now to lead and direct rather than be led, the Fool heads out with new purpose.

Emperor Tarot Card Meaning: The Emperor, as Aries, the Ram, naturally follows the Empress. On the one hand, he is Mars (the planet that rules Aries) to her Venus, her lover and compliment, father to her mother, civilization to her nature, imposed order to her artful creativity. He is the "All Father" giving his children the structure they need in their lives to help them become responsible adults.

Aries is also, however, the first sign of the Zodiac, metaphorically the "infant." Like an infant he is filled with enthusiasm, energy, aggression. He is direct, guileless and all too often irresistible. Unfortunately, like a baby he can also be a tyrant: impatient, demanding, controlling.

In the worst of circumstances, the Emperor is a despot, imposing his will capriciously on his subjects. In the best of circumstances, he signifies an intelligent, enthusiastic leader that everyone wants to follow, the great monarch of an orderly, lawful, thriving Empire.

Thirteen's Observations on the Emperor

The Emperor card is the "Who's the boss?" card. It is an important question. The meaning of the card includes being in control over your environment, your body, your temper, your instincts, your love life. This card gives the querent permission to be aggressive, brave, bold and in command.

If the card doesn't seem to indicate the querent, it could be emblematic of their father or a father figure who was, is or will be in their lives, a leader, employer, teacher or partner. This could be either type of father-figure, the demanding tyrant, hated and feared, or the charismatic leader, respected and admired.

The Emperor can also be a warning to the querent to think about whether their Empire has become an unwelcome chore. If it has, are they now a bad leader, demanding, unreasonable, unhappy? It might be time to abdicate the throne.

If, however, what the querent is building has merely gotten to a point where it's outgrown the nursery, then the advice is to switch from loving mother to structured, organized father. To set down laws, discipline and rules, to plan out the future and lead the way.

APPEARANCE: This deck as it as a face in the center of a very colorful cowboy boot! Weird I know...