Daily Draw - King of Wands

Today's draw is another wand. It seems all I get these days are Wands and Pentacles. Certainly since Samhain my Daily Draws and personal readings have been full of them. Really, it's no surprise.  I have been working on establishing a Tarot business for about nine months now. On Samhain the urgency and direction of the business changed. The appearance of today's King reminds me of the social responsibility we each have in our professional lives.

How is Abbey feeling?

I know I said I was going to continue my deck study with the help of the How To book. Using the LWB as a springboard, I was going to concentrate on what the cards and images mean to me. But that was before I ran across KK's Sick Pet spread on AT.

For the last several weeks Abbey has been nursing her left front paw. At first I thought it was a simple twist from turning to fast when chasing the cats. Now, I'm not sure. It has gotten steadily worse. She will not put any pressure on the paw choosing to walk and run on three legs. She is constantly licking and gnawing at it and whimpers as she does so. When the pain gets so bad she cries and looks at me with those big brown eyes as if imploring me to make it stop.

I am giving her two to four Tylenol a day to ease her pain and am planning to take her to the vet, but need to wait until next week due to money and transportation issues. I did want to know what was going on her thoughts so when I ran across KK's spread I thought it was a good enough reason to break my "no readings until initial deck study was done" rule. So here goes:

How does my sick dog feel?

Question 1 - What does my dog believe?
Card - Three of Pentacles
Description of Card - A worker holds a pentacle he just removed from the kiln high. There is a definite look of pride and satisfaction on his face. Two other pentacles hang, possibly bolted, above the kiln. The kiln is still hot with fire showing there is still work to be done and the pentacle being held is still alight with heat from the kiln it was recently removed from.
Interpretation - Abbey believes that what daddy (me) is doing right now is making her feel better and he will continue to help her feel better.

Question 2 - What is keeping her grounded?
Card - Ten of Swords
Description of Card - A man lies dead (or unconscious) in a field of tall grass. A deer moves in carefully to investigate the health of the man. Ten glowing swords hover just above the man on the downward descent. The sky is dark but growing lighter as we move left to right.
Interpretation - Abbey feels that as bad as the pain is, it can't get any worse and is in fact getting better because of the medicine daddy is giving her. (Personal note: She also is being a little drama queen, milking all the attention she can get out of the issue with her paw)

Question 3 - How is she feeling?
Card - Three of Swords
Description of Card - A heart is being pierced by three swords. The heart is floating in the air and has the glow of the sun behind it. Dark clouds build underneath the heart, but turn white, light and fluffy as we move from bottom to top. A Sun emblem sits in the middle of the pierced heart almost as an insignia or crest.
Interpretation - Because of the pain she is feeling (as represented by the swords piercing the heart) Abbey is feeling detached and separate from me. Usually we an in sync but the pain in the paw is not making her feel much like playing.

Question 4 - What is that sparkle in her eyes?
Card - Ten of Cups (I smiled warmly when I saw this card)
Description of Card - Two ladies sit on a bench in a yard filled with lush grass. Behind them sits a cottage with the door open and no glass in the windows. The ladies are knitting (crocheting?) what I imagine is a Home Sweet Home sign. A cat plays with the yarn as bees buzz around the house. A rainbow of ten cups cover the entire scene.
Interpretation - Abbey loves her home and feels very safe and comfortable within it. She gets excited whenever daddy returns and looks forward to greeting him at the door.

Question 5 - What is she thinking?
Card - Three of Cups (Another card that made me happy!)
Description of Card - Three young ladies dance with streamers in their hands. The are dressed in colors that represent the other three elements (fire, air and earth). Below them two cups pour water into a third cup which is overflowing and creating a body of water below it which the third cup sits on top of.
Interpretation - Abbey feels as if she has it all. She is feeling very loved.

Overall Feelings
It is clear that Abbey is hurting (I didn't need the cards to tell me that!). What is also very clear is that she places a lot of trust in me. She knows that I will do everything I can to make her feel better. She feels loved in this home.

Interview With My New Gilded Tarot - PDR #1

I received some Tarot decks and books as gifts for Channukah this year. One deck was the Original RWS I wanted because it the standard. Wherever I go on the web to get knowledge or to learn, the sites always refer to the RWS or RWS "style" decks so I figured I needed to get one. The other deck was The Gilded Tarot. I felt an attachment for this deck when I first spied it on AT. I was drawn to the art work. When I opened the deck I was not disappointed. The artwork took my breath away. It is simply gorgeous. It doesn't just speak to me it sings!!

The deck was a part of a set with a Learn To Read Tarot book called, "Easy Tarot." I have been reading Tarot on and off for 10 years with my Merlin Deck, so after cracking open the deck and drooling I decided to do a reading. I threw a Interview Spread to see what kind of personality my new Gilded had. Only after the reading did I open the companion book and found Rule #1:

Rule #1
Do not rush right in and do a reading by throwing a spread and looking up the meanings of the cards.

OOPS!

Oh well. I decided that I wanted to learn Tarot properly and so I now approach the deck as a total newbie. One of the learning techniques the author shares is to keep a journal (this site) and to write down your thoughts of each card in your journal. Not the book definition but your own thoughts and feelings on the card. I will share this information, as well as any readings I do on a weekly basis (sometimes more often, sometimes less).

So to start 2009 off right we will start with the Interview with my Gilded Tarot:


Interview With The Gilded Tarot - January 1, 2009

Question 1 - Tell me about yourself. What is your most important characteristic?
Card - Judgement
Description of Card - A helmeted female messenger is about to sound a Golden Horn. Judgement day has arrived. Around the horn are beautifully drawn humans that seem to be dancing (at least in ballet/dance poses). The woman gazes down on the horn and/or the humans.
Interpretation - You will reap what you sow. Whatever you put into getting to know me I will give you back. We are partners in this journey so do not expect me to do all the work.

Question 2 - What are your strengths as a deck?
Card - Six of Wands
Description of Card - A gentleman sits atop a horse parading through an adoring crowd. He sits proudly with a wreathed wand in one of his hands. Banners wave behind him as he is honored for his accomplishments.
Interpretations - I will reward your hard work to get to know me.

Question 3 - What are your limits as a deck?
Card - Three of Cups
Description of Card - Three young ladies dance with streamers in their hands. The are dressed in colors that represent the other three elements (fire, air and earth). Below them two cups pour water into a third cup which is overflowing and creating a body of water below it which the third cup sits on top of.
Interpretations - I am a pragmatic tool that can help you increase your understandings. I will not help celebrate your successes. I am not your friend. I really do not care about affairs of the heart.

Question 4 - What do you bring to the table? What are you here to teach me?
Card - Seven of Swords
Description of Card - A man holding five swords is exiting a dwelling. Two more swords lay on the floor. The man is looking back, as if making sure he is not spotted. Clearly this man is up to no good and is stealing the swords. A cat watches the thief with apathy as he leaves.
Interpretations - I will teach you how to deal with disappoint and loss. All is not rosy and you will need how to learn to deal with these situations if you are to find peace and contentment.

Question 5 - How can I best learn from and collaborate with you?
Card - Four of Pentacles
Description of Card - A well dressed merchant stands in a room, possibly a balcony, clutching four pentacles to his chest. He is garbed in a lush purple gown with rings on his fingers. His hands are clasped around the pentacles.
Interpretations - The best way you can learn from me is hard work. Nose to the grindstone, shoulder to boulder. Be serious in your studies and your desires to learn and grow and I will reward you. Paradoxically, let go of a results oriented goal system. For that is not me and not the nature of Tarot.

Question 6 - What is the potential outcome of our working relationship?
Card - Page of Wands
Description of Card - A page strolls confidently across a checkered floor of the balcony. He holds a wand in front as a trophy he is entitled to. Orange trees grow in the background. My but he is full of himself!!
Interpretation - You will be able to receive messages and understand the vibrations around you. You will grow to feel comfortable with your gifts that have been developed with my help. You will find new directions to apply your skills.

Overall Feelings
Wow!! I think my deck is a haughty, confident little bugger!! It is a no nonsense, pragmatic partner that will very often "coach me up." It is more likely to kick me in my ass than console and commiserate with me when things take a down turn. It is very full of itself. I don't know if that is arrogance or confidence. The presence of the Page would leave me to say arrogance.

If my deck was a person I don't think we would be good friends. In fact, from this reading, I get the very distinct feeling that we will not. It will be a successful relationship but my deck will never let me forget it is above me. It will always remain aloof.

Haughty is the perfect word.

As far as the deck. The artwork is full. The deck sits comfortably in the hand and shuffles well. Despite my decks full opinion of itself, I still look forward to working with it.