End of Year Practices

Now that 2020 is finally coming to an end, we are all hopeful for 2021 being a more positive year. Many people traditionally make New Year's Resolutions, but don't often stick to them long term. I find that setting short term goals, or splitting such resolutions into bite sized chunks makes things easier to handle. 

A great way to usher the old year out and the new year in is to cleanse and bless your home and household. 

I've put together a Home Blessings Bundle, which comes in two variants, with this in mind. 

This, is the Home Blessings Bundle #1:

Home Blessings Bundle #1 - Stock Item

Included in this bundle are:

1 x Wooden Pentacle 

1 x Buddha Incense Holder

4 x Sandalwood sticks

1 x Packet of 12 White Spell Candles 

1 x Crystal bracelet - choose between Green Moss Agate, Garnet, Black Onyx, Tiger's Eye or Amethyst

1 x Incense Sticks packet - choose between Frankincense & Myrrh, White Sage, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Protection, Dream Catcher, Prosperity, Luck, Buddha's Blessings, Nag Champa or Opium

1 x Fairy blessings magnet

And this, is Home Blessings Bundle #2:

Home Blessings Bundle #2 - Stock Item

Included in this bundle are:

1 x Wooden Triquetra

1 x Angel Incense Holder

4 x Sandalwood sticks

1 x Packet of 12 White Spell Candles 

1 x Crystal bracelet - choose between Green Moss Agate, Garnet, Black Onyx, Tiger's Eye or Amethyst

1 x Incense Sticks packet - choose between Frankincense & Myrrh, White Sage, Dream Catcher, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Protection, Prosperity, Luck, Buddha's Blessings, Nag Champa or Opium

1 x Fairy blessings magnet

All of the above comes neatly packed in a red velvety drawstring bag. 

Protection bundle - Stock item

Another bundle I've put together is the Protection Bundle. Each bundle comes in a velvety drawstring black/red/purple bag, and contains:

- Packet of 12 black spell candles
- Crystal bracelet (Amethyst/ Black Onyx/ Tiger's Eye)
- Packet of Incense Cones (Dragon's Blood, Palo Santo, White Sage, Frankincense & Myrrh, Sandalwood or Nag Champa)
- 1 Palo Santo stick
- 1 packet of 10 charcoal discs
- 1 jar loose leaf white sage
- 1 jar loose leaf olive

 All of the above items can be used for protection and/or cleansing, so the thought was, why not make it easier by providing this bundle?



Photo courtesy of one of our lovely customers - featuring Olive Smudge Stick, Hand of Hamsa dish, Blank Onyx bracelet and a Custom made Herbal Sachet 

Another item that has been heavily requested recently has been Herbal Sachets. Think of them as Magickal Pot Pourri, in a way. This comparison is being drawn because these little buggers smell good, but every herb in there is included because of its protective attributes. And, they typically tend to include a little crystal as well to boost it all up by a notch or two. These sachets are custom made, depending on the situation the person is dealing with.

 

Hamsa Backflow Incense Cone Burner - Stock Item

Sometimes, something as simple as a symbol is what one would prefer to go for - such as the above Hand of Hamsa.

 It is a popular motif in many countries and known by Hamsa, Hand of Fatima, Hand of Mary, Hand of the Goddess as well as the Hand of Miriam. It is often used by people of Muslim and Jewish faiths as a symbol to keep away the evil eye. 

Journaling are also a good way to start off the new year. 

Curiosities Notebook - Stock Item

Keeping a diary can help you organise your thoughts more efficiently, and keep track of the important things going on in your life. 



Hopes & Dreams Feather Journal - Stock Item

Dream Journalling is an ever growing practice, and the new year is a great time to start working on recording your dreams. The subconscious mind often processes our worries and hopes whilst we are asleep, and so dreams can be an important indication of what's going on beneath the surface which we wouldn't otherwise be aware of. 

Goddess Power Oracle Deck - Stock Item

Daily Divination practices can be helpful to improve one's divination skills, and also help create a more regular and structured spiritual practice. Oracle cards such as the Goddess Power Oracle Deck are ideal for a single card draw that sets the tone for the day. 

Mindfulness On The Go Flashcards - Stock Item

Another option to help you with daily spiritual practices is Mindfulness Meditation. It is often challenging to weave mindfulness into our day as we get caught up in the fast pace of life. It can feel overwhelming sometimes to know what to do and how to start doing something different and having to decide stops us doing anything at all. Having flashcards that provide a brief Mindfulness exercise can help manage the daily stress. 

Last but not least, a good way to see the old year out is to cleanse via Smudging. 

Selection of Smudge Sticks in Stock

No matter which type of Smudge Stick you use - be it Olive, White Sage, Yerba Santa, Dragon's Blood Sage or something else, they all work with the same premise. You'd need to light it up using a steady flame. I personally use the gas stove when at home, or a candle if elsewhere. Once lit, start from top to bottom, back to front of your home. Don't forget the corners, and all the nooks and crannies which are notorious for dust to gather there. If the dust gathers there, energy is likely to stagnate there as well. You can also smudge yourself, but that's easier to do if you have someone to help you out especially when it comes to the back. 

Once you're done, you can either snub it out like a big cigar, or let it go out by itself. 

And so, this brings us to the end of the last blog post of the year 2020. Feel free to share what you decide to go for from the above, or anything else not mentioned perhaps! Stay safe, everyone! 

Until next time, 

Ros 💜

Death in Tarot

 

Anansi Boys - Stock Item 

 

Today I'd like to touch on the subject of Death. Morbid of me, right? Death is something that affects us all, and yet few people feel comfortable discussing it. It is seen as the ultimate personification of the unknown, something to be feared. And yet, it is unavoidable. We can postpone our due date, but there is no escaping it.

 

Around this time of the year, many of us will start preparing for the upcoming Spooky Season, as I like to call it. And yet, what is Halloween, Samhain, Dia de Muertos - call it what you will - without Death?

Death sign - Stock item

Whilst I could go on about literal Death for quite some time, that is a subject for another day. Today I'd like to explore Death within a Tarot context.

 

Death is an undeniable fact that will touch everyone at some point in time. Many people tend to think that when they get the Death card in a tarot reading, it means literal death - that they, or a loved one, is about to die. 

In Tarot, Death means changes and new beginnings. 

Rider Waite Tarot Deck

Death from 'Rider Waite Tarot' - Stock item

"The Death card shows the Messenger of Death – a skeleton dressed in black armour, riding a white horse. The skeleton represents the part of the body which survives long after life has left it; the armour symbolises invincibility and that death will come no matter what. Its dark colour is that of mourning and the mysterious, while the horse is the colour of purity and acts as a symbol of strength and power. Death carries a black flag decorated with a white, five-petal rose, reflecting beauty, purification and immortality and the number five representing change. Together, these symbols reveal that death isn’t just about life ending. Death is about endings and beginnings, birth and rebirth, change and transformation. There is beauty in death, and it is an inherent part of being alive.

A royal figure appears to be dead on the ground, while a young woman, child and bishop plead with the skeletal figure to spare them. But, as we all know, death spares no one.

In the background, a boat floats down the river, akin to the mythological boats escorting the dead to the afterlife. On the horizon, the sun sets between two towers (which also appear in the Moon Tarot card), in a sense dying each night and being reborn every morning."

- source: Biddytarot

Thoth Tarot deck

Death from 'Thoth Tarot' - Stock Item

Death is the thirteenth card, and renders 'total change'. The Death figure wears Osiris' helmet, linking it to the previous card. This is the resurrection - the Hanged Man- has been through the agony, and now there is rebirth; the redemption, the salvation, the change had come to pass. Death is the ultimate operative of the natural cycle, destruction being the force in nature that paves way for the new. Change occurs in life, whether desired or not. This has to be met with acceptance. The card also signifies alchemical transformation, and life and death are illusions from a perspective superior to the human senses. To the universe, as a concept of all-there-is, no matter or energy has 'left' it when an organism dies. 

- source - Hellshaw.com

Themed Decks

Most decks out there are based on either the Rider Waite system or the Thoth system - however the imagery used can vary quite a bit, especially in themed decks. For example, this is the Death card in the Animal Wisdom Tarot:

 

Animal Wisdom Tarot - Stock Item 

This, on the other hand, is the Death Card from the Oceanic Tarot:

Oceanic Tarot - Stock Item

 

As you can see, the theme greatly influences the imagery used - but not the meaning.

 

No matter what deck you use, know that Death is not to be feared. It is but the next step one has to take in life, in order to keep evolving and growing and adapting to the ever changing reality around them.

Until next time, stay safe!

Ros

Tarot or Oracle cards?

Many customers have been asking me the same thing lately, namely, 

"What is the difference between Tarot cards and Oracle cards? How do I know which one to pick? "

Let's start by examining the purpose of using such a card deck, to begin with. 

Both Tarot and Oracle cards are divination tools. Divination, as explained by the Cambridge Dictionary, is the skill or act of saying or discovering what will happen in the future. This is not to say that it is an absolute fact. It merely is the most possible outcome should one continue on the path they're currently on. The moment one makes a significant change in their life, that outcome will become less likely to happen, if at all. 

An important thing to mention, is that there is no devil or demon involvement in divination (unless the reader chooses for there to be. That, would boil down to their personal choice and is not representative of every single person out there who practices divination. 

Two Greek Deities linked to the tarot and Oracle respectively that instinctively come to mind are Hecate, and Apollo. 

Hecate or Hekate (/ˈhɛk.ə.ti/; Ancient Greek Ἑκάτη, Hekátē) is a Greek Goddess, most often shown holding a pair of torches or a key and in later periods depicted in triple form. She is variously associated with the Crossroads,  entrance-ways, night, light, magic, witchcraft, knowledge of herbs and poisonous plants, ghosts, necromancy, and sorcery.

Hecate Statue - Stock item.

Apollo, on the other hand, barely needs any introduction. He is best known by the general public as the Sun God, however he is also God of Healing, Archery, Music and Arts, Knowledge, Herbs & Flocks, Protection of the young, and Prophecy, with the Oracle of Delphi being sacred to him.

As the Patron Deity of Delphi (Apollo Pythios), Apollo is what would be called an "Oracular God" —which in simple terms means he is the prophetic deity of the Delphic Oracle. 

Onto the differences between Tarot & Oracle Decks now - Starting with Tarot.

Rider Waite Tarot - Stock item

The Rider Waite Tarot is one of the most popular decks out there, and many other decks are modeled after it. 

A Tarot Deck typically is made up of 78 cards, which are split between Major Arcana and Minor Arcana. The Minor Arcana is then further divided in 4 suits - Pentacles/Coins, Wands, Swords and Chalices/Cups. Each suit is made up of 10 numbered cards, and 4 court cards. 

The Major Arcana consists of Named, Numbered cards. The Fool is numbered as 0, and is therefore both the first and last card. Each card in the Major Arcana is a life lesson/experience that The Fool experiences on his journey out into the world. 

The Minor Arcana's suits are reminiscent of a deck of playing cards, however each suit holds specific meaning. 

The Pentacles/coins represent the element of Earth, and are linked with the mundane, everyday life, family and work. 

The Wands represent the element of Fire, and are linked with Inspiration and Spirituality. 

The Swords represent the element of Air, and are linked with Intellect and Creativity. 

The Chalices/Cups represent the element of Water, and are linked with Emotions and Feelings. 

Each Court Card is said to represent either a significant person embodying the qualities of the respective suit, or that aspect of the person for whom the reading is being done. 

Past, Present & Future - Rider Waite Tarot

Tarot cards can be laid out in several different ways when doing a reading, and can involve as little as 1 card, or as many as may be necessary. My personal go to layout is the 3 card spread seen above. 

Three Card Spread reading, using Rider Waite Tarot

At times there may be the need for a clarifier card to be drawn (aka."pulled"), to elaborate further on a specific area, or a Course of Action card to help figure out the way forward. In the reading I did for myself below, the message was pretty clear to me, so no further cards were necessary. 

Each Tarot deck typically includes a little guide book, however there are much more detailed books out there that go into the nitty gritty. 

The Ultimate Guide to the Rider Waite Tarot - Stock Item coming soon

In some Tarot decks, the name of the suits of the Minor Arcana might be changed in order to fit the theme of the deck itself, and at times, there might also be some changes made to some of the Major Arcana cards for the same reason. With time and experience, these tweaks become trivial when interpreting the outcome of the reading, and can actually be a welcome new insight. 

Tarot decks in stock as at beginning July 2020

Oracle cards, on the other hand, are more free format. Most Oracle decks range between having 44 and 55 cards - but there is no rule as to how many or how few cards such a deck should contain. 

When creating an Oracle deck, the author has the freedom to take whatever direction they wish - number of cards, theme, appearance, card names, description, meanings - you name it. 

Many people use Oracle Cards as a standalone reading - one such reason could be pulling a card to act as a Card of the Day. It would act as a theme or message to carry with them during the day, a little personal mantra or motivational message of sorts. 

Others, like I often do, use Oracle Cards in conjunction with Tarot. 

Angels & Ancestors Oracle Deck - Stock item

The Angels and Ancestors Oracle Deck features a mix of people from around the world taking on a variety of roles - Deities, Angels, Spirits etc. Included are also a variety of symbols and animals, and there are even the seasons included. The way that the imagery has all been tied together in one neat package is by no means an easy feat. Including a vast variety of imagery can come across disjointed at times - but the matte quasi-pastel, earthy tones in the artwork does a great job at giving this deck a consistent feel. 

This specific deck includes 55 cards, and a little guidebook. Truth be told, just by looking at the card, you can very easily get the gist of the meaning, as can be seen below:

Angels and Ancestors Oracle - Stock Item

The card I pulled for myself was the Fire Guardian, whose message is, "Ignite Your Passions". By observing the imagery of the card, it is easy to see Creativity, Passion, Strength and the peace of mind that comes from a place of confidence in one's skills. 

The Guidebook that comes with the deck gives a more eloquent explanation with regards to the meaning of the card, as can be seen below:

Angels & Ancestors Oracle Deck - Stock Item

Ultimately, it is up to you which type of Divinatory deck you opt for. 

Oracle Decks in stock as at beginning July 2020

To finish off, let us address a question that pops up pretty regularly. 

Absolutely. 

Urban legend has it that your first Deck should be bought for you, given, or stolen but you should never buy it for yourself. If you do, the deck won't work for you, or it'll have negative energy, or bad luck. 

That is definitely not the case. There will be times when a deck seems to be calling out to you, beckoning you. That love at first sight moment is a good indicator that it may very well be the deck for you. 

Most people would be stuck waiting for years to be gifted their first deck - it isn't exactly your typical birthday/housewarming/special occasion gift!

So don't worry - if you like a deck, go for it! 

Until next time, stay safe!

Ros