October 18, 2018October 18, 2018 - Serena 2 Comments

the simple tarot: an interview with angie green

Hi friends! I have something really exciting to share with you today. Angie Green, creator of The Simple Tarot, was kind enough to chat with me about her upcoming deck!

If you haven’t heard of The Simple Tarot, allow me to share it with you: it’s a truly genius deck to help you learn the tarot. The card designs are (you guessed it) simple, with the card meanings on each card to help you learn. But that’s not all – while lots of decks have keywords on each card, this is the only one I’ve seen that also breaks down the imagery on each card to explain WHY those meanings exist. I can’t tell you how helpful that is in helping you not only remember the traditional meanings, but tap into your intuition about other meanings you associate with those common symbols.

The deck is currently on Kickstarter until October 31st and I highly recommend it for beginners and advanced practitioners alike – it’s a great way to brush up on your tarot studies and maybe learn a few meanings you wouldn’t have thought of! Back it, then read all about the thought process behind the deck’s creation. Without further ado, here is my interview with Angie!

What was your inspiration for the Simple Tarot?

I picked up my first tarot deck decades ago, but struggled to remember and relate to the cards. About 5 years ago, I was re-introduced to them on a date, where I was shown the logic and patterns behind the cards.

Shortly after, I began a blog (called Learn Tarot With Me) to document my journey of learning the cards. This blog transformed from a personal project to a business (now called The Simple Tarot) where I create resources and tools for other tarot lovers.

Creating this deck has been on my “things I really should do” list for years, but I absolutely dreaded taking on a project this big. I knew my customers and audience wanted and needed it, but I did everything I could to avoid starting. My fears and ego got the better of me.

But once I committed to it and focused on serving others, it came together with such ease. I went from designing the first card to holding a draft prototype of the entire deck, book, and package in my hand within 7 weeks. The images, design, and decisions just flowed out of me. I created the deck that I wish had been around when I was just starting to learn tarot.

What does your own spiritual practice look like?

I’m a rather hardcore atheist and I was raised without religion, so I struggle with the concept of spirituality. When it comes down to it, though, my spirituality is woven into my daily life and is deeply personal.

Professionally and creatively, I’m a writer, an artist, and a maker of things, and I see my purpose as serving both the work itself and the people who it touches. As a practice, this means every day I confront a blank page with faith and belief, and every day the Universe provides.

the simple tarot: an interview with angie green

What drew you to tarot as a tool?

I re-discovered tarot at a time in my life when I needed guidance and some hard truths told. I continue to be impressed with the cards’ abilities to call me on my own bullshit without fail. (Not that I always listen, of course!)

Personally, I use tarot for creativity, problem-solving, and as DIY therapy. I don’t use it for divination, but I respect people who do. I love that tarot can be read in so many ways and meet so many different needs.

What would you love for people to know about this deck?

Tarot doesn’t have to be so hard! This deck was designed to get a tarot beginner reading the cards with confidence in only a few minutes and I’m secretly hoping it acts as a “gateway deck” into the world of tarot. Once someone gains a big of confidence and experience with The Simple Tarot Deck, it’ll make reading ANY Rider-Waite-Smith-based deck easier.

But it’s not just for beginners. We all have those days when we need a quick shot of advice, and this deck acts as a quick oracle deck or an easily-readable reminder when you’re having a brain-dead moment.

***

As I mentioned, you can snag this deck on Kickstarter until October 31st. You can back the deck with keywords on each card, the deck without words on it, or both! Thank you so much to Angie for taking the time to chat with me, and best of luck to your Kickstarter campaign! <3 Don’t forget to like the Simple Tarot on Facebook and follow Angie on Instagram!

June 26, 2018June 26, 2018 - Serena 2 Comments

journaling through the tarot

Hi there, friends! Whew, has June ever been a doozy. And where did it even go? I swear just last week I was lamenting how far my Fourth of July vacation seemed to be, and now it’s next week. Ahh!!

As many of you know, I moved to Nashville in February and ever since then, to be honest, my spiritual practice has been completely out of whack. I went from having a job to not having a job to finding a new job, and my routine has changed dramatically with each new shift. I’ve been super ungrounded with no personal space of my own, sacred or otherwise (living with family will do that to you) and have just felt completely untethered to any kind of spiritual routine. It’s hard to get your spellcraft on when the TV is blasting downstairs and three other people are having a conversation in the next room, you know? I don’t know how other witches do it, but I was definitely spoiled by having my very own office space all of last year.

I desperately want to fix this, because I know I feel more stable and fulfilled when I’m regularly making space for my spiritual practice. To ease my way back into daily time for witchcraft, I decided to embark on a journaling exercise.

The tarot was my gateway into witchcraft, and so I decided to go back to my roots and begin a daily journaling practice, writing about one card each day and eventually going through all 78 cards. (I’m not going to lie, this was partly inspired by how obsessed I am with that visual novel app The Arcana – anyone else??? HELP I can’t stop.) I’ve attempted this many times in the past and never made it through all 78, so who knows what will happen, but this time I know I can use my lunch break as writing time which helps a lot!

I wanted to keep the prompts really simple so I could extrapolate on them as much or as little as I wanted, so feel free to add or remove prompts to fit your own journaling style. This is just what I’m doing and I thought I’d share! You could easily make this into part of your grimoire or add it to your tarot journal – I think it helps to keep a record of personal associations you have for each card in addition to their “traditional” meanings. Tradition isn’t always best, you know!

Without further ado, here are the journaling prompts I’m writing about, starting today with The Fool.

journaling through the tarot

1. Name

Pretty straightforward – what is the name of the card? You can also include other names you’ve seen it have, such as “The World” as “Awakening” in the Victorian Fairy Tarot. The Slow Holler tarot did some cool things with the court cards and gave them gender-neutral titles which I like a lot.

2. Key Words/Traditional Meaning

What is this card “supposed” to mean? What are some of the traditional meanings, key words, and archetypes associated with this card? This can be a list of key words or a more prose-like description. It doesn’t matter – it’s all for you anyway! I’m just doing a looooong list of keywords.

3. Correspondences

Does this card have any planetary, herbal, or numerical correspondences? Are any deities associated with this card? Write all of this down.

4. What is your relationship with this card?

Does this card appear for you often? Is it one you’re not very familiar with? Is it something that appeared frequently during a particular time of your life? Do you freaking hate it? For example, the Three of Swords appeared for me many times when, unsurprisingly, I was caught in a cycle of bad relationships. Seeing it now reminds me of that time, even when I’ve drawn it for someone else. Write down what your history is with this particular card – this will affect your feelings about it, good or bad.

5. What does it mean to you?

What are your personal associations with this card? It’s okay if they vary wildly from the traditional meanings. For example, an introvery might feel comforted by the Hermit card, but for someone who is terrified of being alone it might dredge up some shadow feeiings. Death is another card that people tend to be very mixed about – in some it inspires dread, while others revel in transformation. This part can be as long as you want, can take whatever form you want, and can even conflict with itself. You just want to express your feelings here so you can return to them in the future and see what’s changed.

6. Artistic interpretation

Okay, I’m not gonna lie, I’m not doing this step for my current rendition of this exercise. But I included it because I like the idea and I have a vision that someday I’ll do this for at least the Major Arcana. I really love the idea of capturing your feelings, traditional meanings, correspondences, and whatever else pertains to this card in some artistic form. You can draw a picture, make a collage, paint some abstract colors, write a poem… whatever you’d like!

I don’t know what order I’ll do the suits in – I think I’ll probably go with whichever one I feel LEAST like writing about, as there’s bound to be a lesson to be learned in there somewhere! I’m hoping that this exercise will bring me back in touch with the cards and make them a regular part of my life again.

Have you ever journaled your way through the tarot? Were your prompts different than these? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to get some inspiration from your experience! <3

May 8, 2018 - Serena Leave a comment

interview with Jennifer Dranttel, creator of the Nomad Tarot

Hi friends! Today I have the absolute privilege of sharing an interview with Jennifer Dranttel, the creator of the Nomad Tarot. I’m sure you’ve seen this deck on Instagram – it’s beautiful, both simple and complex in its imagery. Jennifer is currently running a Kickstarter for the second edition of this deck just in time for its 5th anniversary, so if you’ve seen these cards and loved them, now is the time to hop on the train! Back the Kickstarter, then head back here and read this interview. (It’s okay, I’ll wait!)

☾ — ✨ january | ace of earth ✨ . . . #witchywoman #witchesofinstagram #witchy #witchlife #witchythings #witchaesthetic #witchery #modernwitch #eclecticwitch #greenwitch #alifeofintention #sacredspace #magictribe #divinefeminine #shadowwork #lightisthenewblack #radicalselflove #sacredfeminine #radicalselflovecoven #pagansofinstagram #paganlife #paganwitch #paganism #everydaymagic #witchvibes #witchesofig #justwitchythings #spiritjunkie #magiceverydamnday #nomadtarot

A post shared by ☾⋆ 𝚏 𝚎 𝚛 𝚗 (@sheofthewildsparrows) on Jan 1, 2018 at 12:08am PST

(Photo used with permission from @sheofthewildsparrows on Instagram!)

1. What was your inspiration for the Nomad Tarot?

I was inspired by the natural world around me (at the time I began the project I was living in a small town north of Seattle between the Salish Sea and the Cascade mountains), so I wanted to use those elements as visual cues, and basically began by just creating the deck I wanted to use. I wanted something that felt clean and graphic, with a modern interpretation of the imagery and the ideas behind the Tarot traditions. I tried to keep it simple and crisp, and mostly positive, in terms of the ways I hoped the cards would be interpreted. When I illustrated the deck I was still fairly new to Tarot, which I think actually helped me to create a deck that feels like looking at the Tarot with new eyes. It feels very fresh to me, very optimistic.

2. What drew you to tarot as an artistic medium?

Like you, I grew up very Catholic, so I’ve always been very attracted to religious iconography and imagery- layered and lush compositions where every element is highly symbolic. This is what first led me to research the Tarot, and what compelled me to begin illustrating the Major Arcana. I’d planned to exhibit them for an art show I was hanging in 2014- but once I finished those I couldn’t help myself and became obsessed with having the entire deck in my hands, and illustrated the Minor Arcana using “pip” cards in about three sleepless nights. I was drawn in by the many ways Tarot can be read and interpreted- and how the visual style of the illustrations, the imagery, the colour palette, and every tiny decision impacts the way a reader will feel about a card or a deck.

3. You say in your artist’s statement that your work is inspired by “traditions of healing, superstition and witchcraft, and their intersection with women’s history.” (I LOVE that.) How can we see this vision come to life in the Nomad Tarot?

Well, this research interest is incredibly personal, and it’s what first led me in the direction of the Tarot. As I began to finally embrace my reputation as a “difficult woman” (ie: someone with ideas, passion, and a stubborn refusal to be silent), I began to research stories of such women throughout history. And this led me to the interesting paradox of women’s connection with witchcraft. Those denied traditional routes to social, political, and financial power are often drawn to witchcraft and magic as a means of trying to level the playing field. But the other side of the coin is that accusations of witchcraft have also been weaponized throughout history to silence and punish headstrong, vocal, and powerful women. So I began to be really interested in the ground between these two ideas, in the way women can own their strength, can connect to the energy around them, and that’s when I started to be very interested in Tarot. For me, this deck nods to that, by using images of confident women, but also by connecting that power to the natural world. By connecting with the earth, women have been able to feel a mastery over their own bodies, which mirrors so many natural processes of change, growth, and rebirth. Men’s fear of women, of the mysteries of their bodies and the unknowable elements that come into play during menstruation, childbearing, and birth, has also always equated them with the mysteries of the earth, and he has tried to assert control over both. So for me the Nomad Tarot reflects that connection to the spiritual and physical aspects of nature.

4. What does your own spiritual practice look like?

My own practice at the moment I’d define as spiritual but not religious. I borrow bits from many traditions that I like, and leave the rest. My overarching philosophy is that I believe in a universal energy, being a good and kind person, respecting the sanctity and knowledge of the natural world, and trying to live my life to the fullest in every way. I use Tarot, I read horoscopes, I make wishes on birthday candles, I say Hail Marys when on turbulent airplane flights, and I believe in the swift retribution of Karma. I’m a bit of a mixed bag. I think Tarot is a great tool for self-reflection, kind of a framework that allows you to explore issues and questions that you are struggling with, or a way to look a little deeper at the world around you. I think people use lots of strategies and religious traditions to reach those same means, but Tarot has worked well for me.

5. What would you love for people to know about this deck?

I’d like people to know that I intentionally created the deck to feel simple, quiet, and if this makes any sense, gentle. I wanted the energy to feel very positive and introspective- I have interpreted every card as a positive opportunity for reflection and growth, and really think there are no “negative” cards- just different aspects to life that we need to address, explore, and ruminate on. And I have tried to reflect every Major Arcana as that aspect of our lives or our personality that we all have- so for me The Lovers isn’t about a literal lover, it’s about balancing male, female, and every other type of energy within ourselves. Every card is intended to facilitate looking within, and knowing yourself better.

6. Other than updates to the guidebook and artwork, are there any major differences between the two editions?

No, the artwork will be slightly altered and improved to reflect some changes I want to make- after working with the deck for nearly five years I do want to improve some small details that will make it easier to read and clearer in some of the intended meanings. But these changes will all be fairly minor. The biggest improvement will be in the guidebook, which will have beautiful full-colour pictures, more ideas for spreads, details about both the Nomad Tarot deck, but also more insights from professional Tarot reader Sara Galactica (https://www.saragalactica.com/) about how to use Tarot as a tool in your life for self- actualization and a deeper connection to the world around you.

You can find the Nomad Tarot on Kickstarter here! Thank you so much to Jennifer for taking the time to chat with me about this beautiful deck! Do you have the Nomad Tarot? Got any thoughts? Drop me a comment down below, I’d love to hear them!

April 23, 2018 - Serena 4 Comments

tips for taking pictures of your tarot cards

Hey friends! Happy Earth Day! It’s pouring rain here today so my plans to get outside have been thwarted, but I’m enjoying nature from a distance by looking out the window.

Today I thought I’d share some of my tips for taking pictures of tarot cards, whether it’s for Instagram, your blog, or just for your own personal reference! I was thinking about it when taking some Instagram pictures the other day and about how much I’ve improved since I first started blogging.

I just want to clarify that I’m not in any way a photography expert – just someone who’s had a lot of trial and error since I first started! This article is certainly not meant to be “learn how to take FABULOUS AND INCREDIBLE photos just like ME, THE EXPERT.” They’re just some tips I picked up along the way, and I hope they can help you too! (Some of them are weirdly specific so bear with me.)

I also realize that some of you might really hate the way my photos look and that’s okay!! I love the really washed-out foggy look, so that’s how I like to edit them. But you can edit your pics however you want: this is more about dealing with the struggles of trying to photograph your tiny cardboard loves! Without further ado, here are my best tips:

tips for taking pictures of your tarot cards

1. avoid direct lighting if possible

This is especially important for shiny decks – try not to have your lighting source shine directly on the cards when you’re taking pictures. There’s often a glare, and even with mostly-matte cards you can sometimes see the light reflecting weirdly off the cards. I try to take my pictures in a sunny space so there’s natural light, but I take the pictures themselves in the shade, if that makes sense.

Natural light is my favorite kind of lighting for photos, but if you’re inside and your lighting ends up being too yellow-looking, don’t worry: you can adjust the warmth of your photos in Instagram! I like cooler-toned, almost gloomy pictures, so I end up doing that a lot.

2. for card back pictures, don’t use the whole deck

Have you ever wanted to take a picture of a card next to the rest of the deck so people can see the pretty backs, or maybe the edging on the sides of the cards? If you have, you’ve probably found it’s really hard to keep the deck in a neat stack. Mine always slip all over the place and look really messy.

My solution? Only use part of the deck for pictures like these! You really can’t tell from pictures how many cards are present, so if you just want a neat little stack next to your daily draw, using half or 3/4 of the deck makes it much more manageable to work with. As long as you angle the camera/your phone so you aren’t showing the full side of the deck, no one will notice it’s a little shorter than usual.

tips for taking pictures of your tarot cards

3. be really careful with outside pictures

A lot can go wrong with an outdoor photoshoot: your cards could get wet, get muddy, get bent, or blow away. I would recommend keeping as much of the deck in the box as possible so you don’t end up losing anything important. If you have a glass plate or tray, you can lay that down first so you’ll still be able to see the grass/whatever through it without your cards actually touching any outside surfaces.

4. accessorize!

I feel like my Instagram feed looks really boring if all I do is take pictures of the cards on their own. One way I mix it up is by playing with props! Sometimes I’ll include the deck’s guidebook in the picture, sometimes I’ll lay the cards on top of my tarot journal, sometimes I’ll include crystals or candles or other witchy tools, or sometimes the cards themselves are a prop in a picture of a book I’m reading. I feel like this is a really easy way to give your photos a little more visual interest (but then again, I like the slightly-cluttered look.)

tips for taking pictures of your tarot cards

5. play with angles

This is more for if you have an Instagram account, but honestly sometimes I feel like my feed gets really boring if I’m just posting pictures of my cards all the time. One way I change it up is to play with taking the pictures from different angles – some slanted one way, some slanted another, some dead on, and stuff like that. This way even if I have two pictures of the same deck next to each other, there will be some contrast going on and it won’t all look the same! (Unless uniformity is your thing, in which case heck yeah, you do you!)

6. background matters

Since your tarot cards are going to be the focus of your picture, I’ve found it’s usually best to find a simple background to photograph them on. In the past, I’ve used hardwood floors, marble countertops, and even a white poster board as a background (I seriously just bought one from the store and pulled it out for pictures.) I’ve used my comforter before as well, but the wrinkles stand out too much for my liking – just something to consider if you’re going to be using a cloth of some kind as your background.

Try to clear away any dust or clutter that might be in the pic before taking it. I can’t even tell you how many times I thought I had a great picture only to notice that I accidentally got part of something else like a book or paper in the photo, as well, or that there was a spill or mark on the background that ended up being distracting. Always look at your picture after you take it to make sure it looks the way you want it to!

7. don’t worry about being perfect

Taking pictures is something you get better at with time, but there’s no pressure to be perfect – just be yourself! This should be something you do because it’s fun and you enjoy sharing about your tarot journey in a visual way, not something you feel like you have to do in order to build an Instagram following or anything like that. Don’t stress about having un-straight lines or dust on your floor or not getting it just right. You’re your own harshest critic, and taking pictures you don’t like will help you grow and learn how to take pictures you DO like.

So those are my tips! Do you have any special techniques you use when you take pictures of your cards for Instagram? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear all about it!

August 30, 2017August 30, 2017 - Serena 4 Comments

5 tarot and oracle decks to lust over

As you might have gathered from my “Things I Wasted My Money on while Trying to Figure out My Spirituality” post, I’ve always been a spend now, ask questions later kind of gal. That had to change this summer when I quit my full-time job and suddenly found myself in need of a budget more than ever before. That’s been good for my spending habits but also I’ve been dying of decklust ALL SUMMER. Not buying frivolous things is super boring, guys.

It has, however, really made me realize which decks I REALLY need in my collection and which were just passing fancies. So here are 5 decks that I’ll be slowly adding to my collection over the next few months! If you’re looking to add to yours too, you might want to check these babies out.

(I’m embedding images from the artists’ Instagrams to show you the cards when I can – I really encourage you to go follow them! ♥)

A post shared by Tony DiMauro (@darknesstarot) on Aug 17, 2017 at 11:16pm PDT

The Darkness of Light Tarot

If you follow me on Instagram, you’re probably like “… really?” because this deck is very different than my usual pastel aesthetic, but I’m completely in love with it. (And I do have a lot of non-pastel decks that I love!) This deck is a bit gloomy but with some subtle pops of color that work so well together. Each suit is in a different shade family, such as pink for the suit of Wands, and the cards are just so lovely. I think this would be a great deck for a wide variety of people, as the imagery is dark but not in a “scary” or foreboding way!

A post shared by Michelle Black △ Nature Maven (@michelleblackvision) on Mar 10, 2017 at 6:28am PST

The Universal Mind Oracle

I was so out of the loop on this deck that I didn’t even hear about it until all of a sudden everyone I follow on Instagram was receiving their pre-orders! I absolutely adore the vibe I’m getting from this deck from afar. The imagery is very nature-inspired but with dreamy, otherworldly effects that really make the cards come alive.

The Rider-Waite Smith Centennial Edition

I’ve really warmed up to the artwork on the Rider-Waite Smith deck over the years, but the copy I have has the most garish color scheme that I never want to read with it. The Centennial Edition has much more muted coloring and I think I’ll like it much better. I feel like a RWS deck is a staple in any tarot reader’s collection even if you never read with it just for the sake of being able to consult the original artwork every once in a while, and this is a lovely copy to have if you don’t own one already!

A post shared by Black And The Moon (@blackandthemoon) on Jul 6, 2017 at 5:31am PDT

Compendium of Constellations

This is the latest oracle deck by Claire of Black and the Moon and holy wow, it’s gorgeous! (Okay, I love everything Claire has ever done ever so this isn’t a surprise.) I have her second edition Arcana of Astrology deck and I absolutely adore it – the beautiful colors and uncluttered cards are exactly my style. This deck looks to be a different size which is fun, and I love love LOVE the artwork, like, so much. I think I’m going to pop this one on the ol’ birthday wishlist, so fingers crossed it doesn’t go out of stock before November!

Legend of the Wizard Laird Lenormand

I love everything from Malpertuis and have known for quite some time that I wanted my first Lenormand deck to be one of Neil’s. I had been lusting over the Malpertuis Lenormand for quite some time, but as soon as I saw the Legend of the Wizard Laird deck I fell head over heels. I love the gloomy aesthetic and the folk tale behind it. It’s still in-progress right now, but if you’re interested in ordering it when it’s released, you can reserve a copy on the deck’s page!

So those are the five decks on my wishlist right now! What decks are you lusting over? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to know!

July 11, 2017July 11, 2017 - Serena 10 Comments

the ostara tarot: a review

Today I’m coming atcha with a review of the Ostara Tarot! I don’t usually do reviews of tarot decks because I feel like it really all comes down to personal preference, maybe even moreso than with oracle decks. People have SUCH different tastes on everything from the thickness of the cardstock to the type of artwork on the deck, so there’s really no right or wrong when it comes to tarot decks – unless the cards literally fall apart in your hands or are terribly misprinted, Ithink it’s pretty hard to find a deck that would universally be considered bad. But there are a lot of interesting things about the Ostara Tarot that I think could make or break it for some people, so I thought I’d throw this post out there so you can see for yourself if it would be your jam!

The Ostara Tarot is a deck I’ve been in love with from afar for a LONG time and only just got my hands on. I’ve heard a lot of stories about people getting their preorders canceled or pushed back which is a huge bummer, but they’re available in some Barnes and Noble stores if you want to snag one for yourself. They’re also back in stock on Amazon!

Okay, let’s get into the review!

the ostara tarot: a review

The first thing I noticed was that the box is really nice. It’s sturdy and pretty and has a magnetic closure so it stays closed. The cards are in two piles inside but there’s room for them to move around, which irks me a little – I like when the cards fit snugly so I don’t have to worry about them getting banged up. You can see how there’s a gap between the bottoms of the cards and the edge of the box. The divider between the two piles isn’t connected to the box, which makes it kind of hard to get them back in. It’s kind of a downside but not a huge deal – I can always glue it in myself.

the ostara tarot: a review

There were two unfortunate things I noticed about the cards right away. First, they were completely stuck together in huge chunks from the gilding. I was able to unstick them all with no damage to the cards, but the gilding flaked glitter all over my hands and workspace. I like glitter so I was fine with it, but I’ve had plenty of decks with gilded edges that never gave me this problem (the Fountain Tarot, the Starchild Tarot, the Faerie Enchantments Oracle, and the Sacred Creators Oracle, to name a few.) That tells me there’s a better quality gilding out there that just wasn’t used in this case. Like I said, it was pretty easy (if time-consuming) to unstick them. Just not a great first impression.

My second issue is that all four corners of every single card are bent upward. I think it probably happened when the cards were being cut. I’ve literally NEVER seen this in a deck before and I’m actually pretty bummed about it. From pictures I’ve seen on Instagram, I don’t think this is just a one-off problem, either – it seems like every copy I’ve seen out there has this problem, and I’ve heard for some people it’s not all four corners which would bug me even more. I guess I’m glad that it’s every card because at least it’s uniform, but still, it’s kind of crappy when your cards arrive bent. It’s subtle, but you can see it in the picture below:

the ostara tarot: a review

The negatives end there, though. The artwork on these cards is beautiful and the gilding still looks intact despite flaking all over the place. I personally like the cardstock – it’s thin but it feels laminated, which does make the cards slippery but makes me worry less about bending or scuffing them while shuffling. I love that four female artists worked to create this deck and even though their styles are very different, I think all the cards work wonderfully together. (And I’m in no way faulting the artists for the production issues. I’m pretty sure that was 100% on the publisher.)

the ostara tarot: a review

The guidebook is really nice, too. It’s full color! That doesn’t usually happen. Each page has some keywords for the card, a picture of the card, and a description of both the meaning and the reversed meaning.

Looking at the cards themselves, it’s interesting to note that the minor arcana cards don’t say which suit they are. It’s pretty easy to tell in most cases just by looking for wands or pentacles or whatever in the image, but in some of them it’s actually kind of tough to tell from first glance. I don’t think this is a bad thing – if anything, I think it could be a cool way to work with your intuition, and it might be good practice for a tarot newbie to try and figure it out on their own. (But if you’re really stumped for some reason, they’re all in the guidebook.)

the ostara tarot: a review

Overall, I really love this deck despite the bent corners. It’s a little thicker than your standard tarot deck but my boyfriend Dave from Gear Box Leather made a custom case for it so I don’t have to worry about keeping it in the box. (You can get your own tarot case in his shop and take 15% off with the code “LAVENDERMOON”, because he’s a nice guy!) I can tell I’m going to use this one a lot and have been carrying it around pretty much everywhere since it arrived so I can bond with it a little better. The cards are rich with imagery and I’m so excited to do some readings for myself with it before I use it with clients!

So those are my thoughts! Have you ordered the Ostara Tarot? What do you think about it? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear!

July 8, 2017July 8, 2017 - Serena 6 Comments

international tarot day blog hop: the knight of cups

Happy International Tarot Day, everyone! If you’re new to my blog, welcome! I’m writing this post today as part of the big International Tarot Day Blog Hop organized by Nym’s Divination, where a bunch of tarot bloggers are each writing about one of the 78 tarot cards. The lovely Starr preceded me with the Page of Cups, and Kriss is right after with the Queen of Cups! Be sure to check out their posts if you haven’t already (when you’re done reading mine, that is! 😉 ) You can view a master list of posts here!

My card is the Knight of Cups! This Knight is a sensitive soul who’s in touch with their emotions. They are charming, sensitive, and a true romantic. This Knight is an artist – a poet’s soul, a dreamer, someone who understands others and attracts them whether they intend to or not. The flip side of this is that they can be overly emotional, maybe even tending on the dramatic side of things. Still, the Knight of Cups is actually my favorite Knight of the tarot, so I’m excited to be working with this card’s energy today!

In the spirit of the natural charm of the Knight of Cups, I’ve put together this Knight of Cups Charm Potion to make the user more attractive in the eyes of others. Note that by attractive, I don’t mean that any sort of physical change will come over you; rather, it will cause others to be drawn to your natural charm. Whether you’re looking for a new friendship or a romantic encounter, this could bring more opportunities your way!

Knight of Cups Charm Potion

You will need:

1 teaspoon loose black tea, or 1 teabag
1/2 tsp rose water (you can buy this at the store or make it yourself!)
1/3 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp honey (or more to taste)
Small, clean rose quartz crystal

international tarot day blog hop: the knight of cups

What to Do

1. Prepare for this little ritual however you’d like. I personally recommend cleansing your altar or sacred space with whatever method you prefer. I also like to take a bath before I do a spell or ritual and envision any negative energy dissolving and flowing down the drain. A shower works, too! If you do that for this potion, focus particularly on dissolving any limiting beliefs you have about yourself. This potion is all about boosting confidence and revealing your natural charm!

2. Brew the tea as you would normally, making it as strong as you’d like. While the tea is brewing, gather the other ingredients at your altar or sacred space. Place the rose quartz in the center of the altar and make room to put your cup of tea once it’s finished brewing.

3. Bring the tea over to your workspace. You’re going to add the ingredients one by one, saying the following as you do:

“As roses draw bees, I draw others to me
As honey’s a treat, my words will be sweet
As vanilla blooms, I do too.”

Be intentional as you add the ingredients and picture your desired outcome in your mind. Is it you surrounded by new friends? Flirting with the cute barista? Try to picture it in your mind as you say the words.

4. Let the tea cool off enough for you to drink it (but not until it’s cold! Blowing on it a bit should help.) Before you drink the tea, dip the rose quartz crystal in it. As you hold the crystal in the tea, envision that positive energy you’ve channeled for the potion flowing into the quartz. Then drink the tea, feeling yourself filling with confidence and charm as you do so.

5. Carry the rose quartz in your purse or pocket as a little boost the next time you go out into a social situation. You’ll find that others are naturally attracted to your personality!

And that’s it! I hope you enjoy this lovely little pick-me-up potion. Once again, don’t forget to continue on to Kriss with the Queen of Cups, and head back to read Starr’s post on the Page of Cups if you haven’t already! Happy International Tarot Day! <3

June 13, 2017June 8, 2017 - Serena 2 Comments

upcoming tarot and oracle decks to watch

Hi friends! Just a short post from me this week, because as you’re reading this I’m probably relaxing on the beaches of North Carolina. (Or so I’d like to think, but I’m probably sunburned and hiding inside with a book instead.) It’s family vacation time and I’m hoping I survive! It’ll be okay. There’s always wine, after all.

So there are a lot of really need tarot and oracle decks coming out pretty soon, and I thought I’d highlight some that I’m really excited about! If there are any I’m missing, totally feel free to let me know in the comments. I’d love to check them out! (All pictures belong to their original owners, since I don’t have any of these decks yet so I can’t photograph them!)

The Darkness of Light Tarot

I’ve been looking forward to this deck for so long! The cards are gorgeous and while it’s a darker color scheme than I usually go for, there are some lovely pops of color and I think it would be a great deck to use for shadow work.

The Mesquite Tarot

A simple, lovely deck that’s meant to be a great starting place for beginners. As of now the Kickstarter is over, but I’m sure there will be ways to preorder the deck soon, so keep an eye out!

The Mystic Mondays Tarot

This bright deck looks like so much fun! I’ve heard SO many people excited about this one. It’s reached its goal already, but you can still get on board with the Kickstarter until June 30th.

The Wild Moon Deck

I’ve been eyeing the Wild Medicine Herbal Deck from this site for a while, and their upcoming Moon Deck looks just as lovely! I’m crazy about this art style and this looks like an amazing deck for working with the phases of the moon.

Ethereal Visions Dreamscape Oracle

I haven’t seen anything about this oracle on social media, but holy crap, it’s gorgeous! The funding goal is kind of lofty but I’m hoping they can make it. I absolutely love this art style and the finished deck will have gold foil, which sounds SO my style.

So those are the decks I’m most looking forward to lately! What decks are you excited about? Tell me all about it in the comments!

June 5, 2017 - Serena 4 Comments

the inner star oracle: a review

This was originally going to be a May Favorites post, but to be honest I didn’t really try anything new or exciting during the month of May so it would have been pretty boring. (Where did May even go? I maybe just spent the whole month sitting on the couch applying for writing jobs like my life depended on it, which it kinda does.) But I did try ONE new thing, and that’s the Inner Star Oracle! So I thought maybe I’d just talk about that instead.

This is a deck by Jo Klima of The Darling Tree. I follow her on Instagram and fell in love with her aesthetic from the start, so when I found out she was developing an oracle deck my response was “my body is ready.” I anxiously awaited the Kickstarter, then backed it immediately and did more anxious awaiting until the deck was finally in my hot little hands. And this is a seriously pretty deck, my dudes.

the inner star oracle: a review

The deck comes in a black and white version, called Clarity, and a full color edition, called Magic. I obviously went with the Magic edition because I can’t say no to watercolors. Each card features a lovely geometric shape and a message of a few words. I find I can read with this deck intuitively, but I’m grateful for the little guidebook it comes with because some of the messages weren’t as clear to me at first. The color scheme reminds me a lot of the Sacred Creators oracle and the Starchild Tarot, which I’m telling you in case you like your decks to match as much as I do.

I will say that I think it would be really hard for me personally to read with the Clarity edition, because the colors go a long way towards helping me develop the intuitive messages. But that’s probably just because of how I am as a person, and if someone was a fan of the minimalist look I’m glad there’s a version of the deck for them!

the inner star oracle: a review

The cardstock is sturdy but not too thick, so it’s pretty easy for me to shuffle. The box feels really high-quality and the little guidebook it comes with is super handy. It has a few ideas for spreads, as well as a little blurb about what each card means and an affirmation to go with it. I love me some affirmations, so this was right up my alley!

Overall, I think this is a gorgeous oracle deck to add to your collection, especially if you’re easily moved by colors and shapes. The messages are lovely and uplifting, and I could see myself using this a lot for guidance and inspiration when it comes to creating, whether it be for my blog or for my own personal projects. The readings I’ve done with it so far have gotten me SUPER fired up and ready to make some magic.

the inner star oracle: a review

It’s also super Instagrammable which, while that’s obviously not the most important trait for a deck to have, always helps.

Do you have the Inner Star oracle? Have you tried the Clarity edition? I’d love to hear what you think of it!

March 2, 2017March 2, 2017 - Serena 4 Comments

the one thing I wish everyone knew about tarot

Confession time: I hate doing predictive tarot readings. I don’t like ’em one bit. I’ll suggest some possible outcomes of a situation when it comes up, sure, but the straight-up “will we get back together?” kind of stuff – I’m not here for it. That’s not where I shine – the thing that fascinates me about tarot is the analysis of a situation, the “why” instead of the “what.”

Sometimes predictions will come up on their own, but to get the most out of your reading with me? Ask me what you can do, not what will happen. (Hilary recently wrote a post about similar feelings.) Besides, I’m not the kind of person who even WANTS to know the future.

But I know plenty of amazing tarot readers who love doing predictive readings. They wear the badge of fortune-teller with pride. They’d be happy to tell you if your ex is coming back or if you should hit the road. That’s their thing, and they’re darn good at it.

The one thing I wish everyone knew about tarot is that it’s different for everyone and that’s okay.

When I first started reading tarot for others online, I felt sick every time I announced that I was open for business because I knew that someone was going to ask me the “will we get back together?” question. I didn’t understand why it made me feel so uncomfortable. The reason I was offering readings to begin with was to help people, wasn’t it? Why couldn’t I make myself get excited about it?

The more readings I did, the more I realized – it’s because that’s not the kind of help I’m best at. My readings are here to help you help yourself. My goal is to be a listening ear and to give you whatever guidance the cards have to offer. That’s what lights me up – delivering the messages you need to hear in that moment, so you can create the life you want to have. Those yes/no readings just weren’t doing it for me.

But for a few months after I started reading tarot, I did them anyway. Why? Because it’s hard to explain tarot to someone who doesn’t know what it is, especially someone who’s just stopped by your inbox for a quick free reading.

People have an idea in their heads of what tarot and tarot readers are supposed to be, based on movies or TV shows or whatever. To say I didn’t do a certain type of reading, when I was so new to it and felt like I had to prove myself, felt like admitting I was a fraud. It was fun to read for people who already understood tarot, but the people who only found me because they wanted one of my free readings? I didn’t know how to concisely convey what I did and didn’t do, and there was a lot of self-imposed pressure to live up to what I thought their expectations were.

(Of course, I don’t do free readings anymore, and people not respecting my guidelines is a big part of why!)

It’s funny to look back on that now and remember how much I worried about what other people thought of my tarot practice, but it’s only funny because I’ve learned and seen enough to know that everyone has a different approach to tarot. Some people use the cards to communicate with the other side, some use them in spells, some tell the future, and some don’t believe there’s anything woo-woo about them at all. All of these beliefs are okay! What matters is that your tarot style works for YOU.

It’s completely understandable to worry, especially when you’re first starting out, about how your practice compares to others’. Just know that you don’t have to do it all. Find the system that works for you! There are plenty of types of readers out there – you’ll attract the clients who vibe with you. Never be afraid to set boundaries about your readings – I have my rules posted in my Etsy shop so I can easily direct people there if they have questions.

It doesn’t mean you’re a fake or that your readings aren’t legit just because you don’t do everything. It would be boring if everyone read tarot the same way! Just do you and don’t worry about what other people will think. You don’t want to read for rude people anyway – trust me.

How do you feel about predictive readings? Love ’em? Hate ’em? Let me know in the comments!