October Monthly Reading

On Sunday I will actually do two October Monthly Readings. Here at Once Upon a Time I will post the one I do using the Fairy Tale Tarot. Over at my other "card" blog, The Quest, I will post about the one I do using another deck....haven't quite decided which deck that will be yet. Then at the end of October I will post a reflection about the month to see how the cards played out in my life.

I've never done a monthly reading looking at the month ahead. Iv'e done many weekly ones but never for a month. This should be interesting because October is alos my birthday month and a month typically high in energy for me.

Well, time to head to work and throughout the day I will be pondering which fairy tale I will use for Fairy Tale Friday....hmmmm....the possiblities.

It's Tarot Spread Tuesday: Hello October

As I mentioned earlier, I'd like to focus on Tarot Spreads on Tuesdays. Some will be my own creations, some will be interesting ones I find, and sometimes I will focus on topics about spreads rather than an actual spread itself...so in some way the topic for Tuesday will be related to spreads.

For today we will look at a spread posted by Nirvie over at aeclectic forums. She called it Hello October but it is basically a monthly spread that can be used to examine the month that lies ahead. Since it is almost October first, I thought it would be a great one to share here. I think there are two good times in October to give it a try. October 1st or the full moon which this year is on Sunday October 4th.

It has seven cards with the topics as listed below.

1) Month Overview
2) Overview of Friendships this month
3) Overview of Relationships/LoveLife this month
4) Overview of Work/Academics this month
5) Positive Energies entering this month
6) Potential Obstacles of this month
7) Advice for the month

If you use it on the full moon I would suggest a circular layout, with card one is the middle and the rest of the cards around it...with the two at the top then clockwise around card one.

Comparing the Kings

The Fairy Tale Tarot represents the four kings in the deck with:

• The King of Cups: The Golden Headed Fish
• The King of Wands: Aladdin/Arabian Nights
• The King of Swords: How Raven Brought Light to the World
• The King of Pentacles: The Frost King

The King of Cups dealing with emotions and with the element of water uses the Golden Headed Fish to bring forth the ideas of diplomacy and wise caring. Exercising care and compassion are key traits of this king!

The King of Wands dealing with actions and energy embodies the element of fire. The use of Aladdin to highlight risk taking, authority, and mental vitality reflects the idea that one can transform ideas into action. Quick thinking and mental alertness are key traits of this king.

The King of Swords dealing with thinking and ideas symbolizes the element of air. How the Raven Brought Light to the World, emphasizes the analytical mind and focus. The raven is a cunning trickster who uses his ideas and thinking to reach his objective. Creativity and focus are key traits of this king.

The King of Pentacles dealing with physical pursuits, finance and work represents the element earth. The Frost King with the key word of integrity, support and wealth, is a harsh tale of jealousy and ill will. In the end the cruel Frost King spares the innocent girl but the "favored child" is frozen. Integrity and compassion for those deserving are key traits of this king. He is not easily fooled.

Each of the kings represents key human traits and could be read as an individual in a reading or as situations requiring those traits to be resolved.

Which Fairy Tale Character Poll Up

A new fairy tale character poll is up....Which fairy tale character is Taylor Swift....so vote...vote....vote...!!!

The Elements Speak

Two of Swords + Ten of Pentacles

Air + Earth..................................................................

The need to change the surrounding environment. Possibility if challenging people, events, institutions. Not enough energy to make a difference yet. Someone losing touch with reality.

Hmmm yes this pair makes a lot of sense with the events of today. Interesting. Air and Earth two very opposite elements....connected yet never really connected...

Wednesday's Pair of Elements

King of Swords and XI Justice

Air + Air.....finally a new combo....no fire....but.....

"A highly unstable combinatin. Total lack of direction, illness, potentially deterimental, running away with your thoughts." My thought: Chaos exists in the mind. There is a fine line between creative and chaotic."

Oh great....nice mid week card...lol... but not really all that surprising for the way this week is shaping up!!

RECAP:

WEEKLY CARDS (ATMOSPHERE)= Air + Fire

Monday= Earth + Fire

Tuesday= Earth + Fire

Wednesday= Air + Air

So today is a critical turn in the week....things are no longer stable....but they may get so out of whack that it is chaotic, especially in thought porcesses.

Once Upon A Time

As much as I'm enjoying the element study...I feel a need to get some new stuff going here at Once Upon A Time...

• I'll be getting a new fairy tale character poll up...I've been a bit lax with that...however our new poll will feature none other than Taylor Swift...yes the teenage swooning love song singing inspirational Taylor Swift (I mean she might has gotten upstaged by Kayne West at the VMA but we aren't going to make that same mistake here at Once Upon a Time..) ....so be thinking...what fairy tale character is Taylor Swift!!!


• Next we will be featuring Fairy Tale Fridays here at Once Upon a Time....I'm not sure exactly how that is going to unfold...but I'd like to do a bit of fairy tale comparison...versions I mean...using some of the ones from the Fairy Tale Tarot as well as others...so we will take it week by week and see how it works out!


• Comparing the Kings....sort of got off track with that....I wrote about Comparing the Queens and now I need to get started on the Kings...Kings...fascinating cards...depth and color...well....more about that later


• Tarot Spread Tuesdays....a new spread to try or a review of one I have discovered somewhere!!

We will start with these items and once I have them completed or at least have them underway...I'll be back with another grouping of things to explore.

A Twin Pair?

This is so odd. I shuffled the deck several times, cut it into thirsda and restacked.....and the pair I drew for today is EXACTLY the same as yesterday.

Four or Pentacles and Princess of Wands.

At first I was going to shuffle and redraw but then I decided NO....these two cards are trying to tell me something....so I need to listen.

I really don't have a lot of time this morning as I have an early morning meeting to prepare for....so I will ponder this throughout the day and come back later to write it up!!

Let's Tie It Together

First I'll start with a few thoughts about today's pair and the link to the weekly draw. The earth plus fire played out about like I read it. The change process is slow and hindered by rules, regulations, the "old way" etc. I think that the Air + Fire weekly card is still on target...the atmosphere is one of change and trying to move forward with plans...but it's sort of one of those two steps forward and one back things!

Card meanings for today's pair...

Four of Pentacles: Material gain, Security

Princess of Wands: Creative energy, determination, self confidence, adventure

Adding in the elements....I am going to say: The need for security creates a situation in which change is slowed but with determination and creativity some progress will be made.

Wow I like the way the elements help round out the card meanings.

Monday's Elemental Focus

Well today's two card draw is Four of Pentacles and Princess of Wands. Since I am looking at elemental dignities this week...I will start with that...

We have EARTH + FIRE.....firm foundation, slow steady growth. I think that's a nice start to the week....but I also wonder about something that just sort of popped into my mind. Perhaps it means: "Change tempered/slowed by being stable or grounded.....or even change blocked by the status quo"

Sometimes when I see a combo or read the meanings as proposed...I draw a blank and just go with the meanings....at other times...thoughts or sayings just sort of "present themselves" to me...and when that happens I try to jot them down also. I like that the ideas of others become the spingboard for my own growth and ideas....powerful stuff.

I really want to delve into the fairy tale/tarot meanings but will leave that for this evenings post...Have a GREAT day!!!

P.S. Forgot to add....that makes two fire cards this week...one in the weekly/atmosphere drawing and then today's. I will be watching as the cards unfold to see if a certain element is overpowering or attempting to "take over"...or perhaps ignored so it is trying to assert itself.

My Elemental Weekly Draw

Okay so it's time for the Sunday evening draw....and it is

The Fool/Innocence and the Nine of Wands

Air (or Spirit) + Fire

A combination that has air fueling fire...a problem solved or plans working....NOW that would be a good thing at work right now!! I'm a bit concerned that with nothing to hold it in check it might run wild...that parts a little scary!!

Still I think overall a nice combo for the week....we will see how it unfolds along with the daily two card draws. Remember I am proposing that the weekly draw be sort of considered the atmopshere or the "energy" so to speak of the week.

My Two Card Elemental Dignities Study

This week I am going to be taking a look at elemental dignities and two card draws as suggested by Catherine and Douglas of Tarot Elements and Tarot Eon in their new series about using elemental dignities. This will be a slight variation of the daily draw. I am also going to weave into it the whole weekly card pattern that I have been exploring. Here's how it will work:

On Sunday Evening I will draw a pair of cards for my weekly draw....I will focus on reading the elemental combination of those two cards and record both what Douglas and Catherine have to say and any of my own reflections about the combo. I will not use all of their ideas but intuitively pick the one that "speaks' to me. I find that too many choices can muddy the water.

Then each day I will draw my pair and do the same thing...with the added idea of how does the daily pair impact the weekly draw. Here's what I'm thinking. The weekly draw is proposed to convey a weekly message or overall theme. With the elements I would propose the idea that it will convey an over all atmosphere. For example two waters might indicate a week full of strong emotion or a week where one gets stuck in an emotional state. Another example might be a fire and water combo. Since fire and water are enemies and weaken each other, the week might turn out to be one in which very little gets accomplished or a week where there is conflict between change and things staying the same.

For this week I will be using my beloved Fairy Tale Tarot cards for the draws....as a side bar I will jot down card meanings also.....then at a later date I will attempt to weave the two together for at least a few of the pairings....thus weaving card meanings and elemental dignities into a joined interpretation.

Okay the game...lol...well it is playing...will start tomorrow but I of course have to play a bit this morning so...here's a little combo...for reflection:

Princess of Cups and XIV Temperance so....Water + Fire

Water and Fire are enemies. Water is passive and fire is active. When I read from Catherine's and Douglas's ideas about this combo..here's what jumps out at me. "Canceling each other out." "Can be seen as passive aggressive." "reluctance to act." I would add my own thought...."A person/situation where the person feels the need for change but will do very little to actually bring it about."

Okay so I can't resist looking a little deeper...card meanings...

Princess of Cups: Romantic, sensitive, "the coming or going of an emotional matter.

XIV Temperance: Balance, inner reflection, moderation "patience"

My take on combining the two: The person will spend a lot of time in inner reflection about an emotional matter but very little will change. They may feel the need for change or the situation may call for it but nothing much will change at this point and time.

Commercial Break: Elemental Dignities

If you are interested at all in understanding elemental dignities...you have to check out the new series over at Tarot Eon and Tarot Elements....it will explore the elements and be sort of like a dictionary in much the same way keywords provide direction for card meanings.

If you haven't started exploring this aspect of card reading, I suggest that you do. It adds a new level of richness to readings and to life in general. This series is a combined effort by both bloggers and is sure to be insightful, as well as, thought provoking!! CHECK IT OUT!!

Fairy Tale Friendship Sample Reading

I wrote about the Fairy Tale Friendship Spread yesterday so this morning I thought I'd try a sample reading. As I started it occured to me that even though I have named this the Fairy Tale friendship reading, it would work equally well for any relationship.

Card One: (The Seeker): Ace of Cups. Overflowing emotions, love This card also indicates the beginning...so even though overflowing emotions...it is only in the beginning stages, a possiblity if you will. Cups are also Water indicating 'things are not moving, things are staying the same."

Card Two: (The Other Person/Friend) Nine of Wands: Eventual Victory, Tendency to obstinacy
Hmmmm...interesting. Wands are fire. Things are moving, things are changing.

Card Three: (What connects the two people) Two of Pentacles: The ability to handle multiple situation, harmony during change, balance between two choices. Pentacles are the earth..Things
are stable, things are grounded.

Card Four: (What divides them): XVIII The Moon: Going within, illusions. deception, trickery, double-dealing. The Moon is Water...things are not moving, things are staying the same.

Putting it all together. There are several possiblities here....for the sake of time...I will only explore one this morning but will be back later to offer alternatives.

As a person I see the Ace of Cups as a person of passion and strong feelings. A person with strong intuition but one who is only just beginning to trust and rely on this. Change may be hard for this person because they are who they are. They believe strongly in some basic things and are not quick to "throw the baby out with the bathwater."

As a person I see the Nine of Wands as a person who is constantly changing and moving. Sometimes this is a good thing and creates a positive energy and at other times it can be disruptive. This person is always seeking eventula victory. But victory is whose eyes? Their own? With a tendency to obstinacy they frequently set course to victory without considering other viewpoints or options.

What connects the two? The need or the desire to maintain harmony. Neither seriously wants to upset the apple cart so to speak. there is a balance between not agreeing but remaining "together" on certain issues or topics. The need for an appearance of harmony often overrides the true nature of things and keeps them connected. add in the element: earth...there is a need to stay grounded and stable and so they do.

What divides the two? The Moon: Deception, trickery, double dealing. Hmmm this might be major behind the scenes stuff or it might be referring to the "falseness" of What connects the two...or a bit of both. I get the feeling that there really is deception and double dealing or at least one or both of the people think there is. Water...things are not changing....this is an aspect of the relationship that will not change easily...there is no trust. With two waters and an earth...I'd say slow moving or not changing...the fire is there but it is being dampened by the other three...and perhaps that is a good thing. Change for the sake of change is not desirable. Also change that is selfish is troublesome.

Hmmm....those are my first thoughts....more later.

Fairy Tale Friendship

Here's an interesting little spread to try with the Fairy Tale Tarot cards. I call it Fairy Tale Friendship...

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Card One is the seeker (person you are reading for)
Card Two is the other person (the friend)
Card Three is what grounds them (makes friendship exist or makes it strong).
Card Four is what divides them (what is a problem or a weakness in the friendship)

This can be based on either card meaning or the fairy tale. I personally like to use the fairy tale message but either way or a combination will work. I'll do a sample reading with the spread next.

Daily Draw: King of Wands

Had to laugh...King of Wands..."be open to messages that will help guide you through challenging situations." I needed this card...like a week ago when the holiday boards disappeared into cyberpsycho land.....I'll come back and do a more detailed talk about this card....but one thought...I sure get a lot of Wands cards....wands ....fire...hmmmm...

Fairy Tale Friends

Just a quick side note....I will be back to blogging about the Fairy Tale Tarot shortly. I have a holiday site and forums that have experienced some technical difficulties so I am working on getting that project back online quickly...I mean the holidays will be here before you know it. So just wanted to let you know...I'm still around...just super busy at the moment.

Friday's Card: Queen of Pentacles

Queen of Pentacles:

Traditional:

• As a Person: mother earth type,
• As Events: changing jobs or careers, family gatherings. good times
• As Inner Processes: increase in awareness, loving self, reconnecting with nature

Fairy Tale Tarot: Domestic concerns, responsible, sensitivity.

Pentacles are earth...stable, grounded....hmmm feels anything but that right now. Lets add the elements together from this week.....

Fire + Earth + Water + Fire + Fire + Earth

Lots of fire...the week was constantlt changing..back forth and all around. I'm hoping the earth here on Friday means things are going to stablize for the weekend.

Three Major Arcana cards this week...hmmm.

Three of Wands

Today's Card: Three of Wands....Energy, Communication, Opportunity.....hmmmm....Three is "things growing". Well after the dreadful day yesterday, I hope this card is a good sign...!!! More later this evening....I hope...!!!

HUH....well there was energy and communication....but it wasn't a great day. I run a holiday site with forums and boom......the forums went down...yet to be fixed...sigh.

Perhaps it fits because of the opportunity...I can view this as an opportunity to start fresh or try something new

Awaken: XX Redemption Clarifies

XX Redemption is the card for today...hmmm...Traditionally Judgment. Awakening, Renewal.
In the Fairy Tale Tarot....transformation, liberation. Becoming more fully aware and integrated. Yes, I can see this starting to become woven into my week.

I'll be back this evening to add detail but for now I want to reflect on the elements for this week.

Fire (Weekly) + Earth + Water + Fire......hmmmm. I would say the weekly card element wise is telling me that this will be a week of action...things are moving...thing are changing (and I'd say so far very accurate). I think the earth indicated that I still have a firm foundation. Things overall are grounded and stable so there may be less need to worry or be stressed out by this week's events. Next the water which means things are not moving, they are staying the same it might seem a bit confusing...but I take it to mean that...things are "happening this week" lots of action, lots of stuff to do, some changes in thinking etc...BUT overall nothing big changes...it is grounded with water reinforcing that. The we have fire again...so more "stuff to do" today.

Becoming more fully aware....wow...that does describe today but not in a good way. Dear me!

The Spread so far...Ten of Wands....+XV Temptation + XII Entrapment...+ XX Redemption....

The Ten of Wands is the overall framework...being overwhelmed, heavy burdens....Temptation is lurking there saying...do you REALLY want to know the truth...BUT I am trapped in the tower and unable to escape. There is no way out. Even Redemption says you will awaken....but awaken to what? A nightmare? Maybe tomorrow's card will tell...

Entrapment Blocks the Way

As I did yesterday, I will post today's card and then return in the evening to embellish on my understanding of it. Today's card: Entrapment....well doesn't my week look like it's just shaping up to be something special. :)

Element: Water....Things are not moving. Things are staying the same.

Number: XII=12=1+2=3 Three is things growing.

Traditional Meaning: Suspension, change reversal, readjustment

Fairy Tale Tarot: Being stuck, suspension, transition

Fairy Tale: Rapunzel....hidden away in the lofty tower Rapunzel waits for the Prince to rescue her...

Element and number do not coincide...however...things are not moving could indicate the situation...while the three indicates the frustration!!!

Okay let's tie the Weekly Card and the two Daily Draws together.

Elements:
Ten of Wands.....Temptation......Entrapment.........................................................................
Fire + Earth + Water....

Fire and Earth strengthen each other but are neutral while Earth and Water are friendly but passive. Hmmm the spark of fire is strengthen by earth but it doesn't go far...too much neutral and passivity.

Numbers: Ten + Six + Three

Ten is the completion or the end...with six being a path the seeker must tread....and three being things growing. Okay....this week will show the end of something and by walking the path my understanding of the situation will grow.

Meanings: Overwhelmed + Controversy + Readjustment

The week will be overwhelming with controversy but with a readjustment things can move forward.

Hope this makes sense so far, please ask questions if you need clarification!