Reading - Mabon's Gateway - 21/6/2007

OK - here's my own little trick for readings. I photograph the layout. Then with a print in front of me I find it easier to compare the cards with the layout descriptions. Plus, I can add my commentary directly onto the picture, using it like a mind-map. So, here is the layout of the cards I drew for my Solstice reading:

Just to clarify the picture, the cards were:
1. Stone Four
2. Spear Knight
3. Merlin
4. Sword Maiden
5. Sword Hallow
6. Grail Queen
7. The Green Knight
8. Stone Two
9. Grail Two
10. Grail Four
11. Grail King

The next picture shows the book description for the layout:



This final picture shows my question and my initial thoughts on the reading.


I may add my deeper, reflective feelings about this reading at a later time, but meanwhile, if anyone would like to comment on any aspect, I would be delighted to hear from you.

Inspiration Tarot

Shortly after Sim gave me the Arthurian Tarot he came across a second-hand copy of Inspiration Tarot by Gail Fairfield and Patti Provo (ISBN 0-87728-731-7). This is another workbook and I admit I have a weakness for them (ever the eager scholar yet never graduating!). One is encouraged to actually write and draw in the book - shock! horror! - no teacher ever allows writing in text books do they?

Well, for about 6 years I have carried this around with me through three changes of address and a spell travelling in a caravan. Only last month did I dare to start using this book as it was intended. My first tentative effort was to insert a photocopy of a newspaper photograph that had struck me as a great picture for Strength. Then 3 weeks ago I bravely took some coloured pens and WROTE IN THE BOOK!! (Please don't put me in detention Miss!) I also did a rough pencil sketch for The Lovers as well as in my own journal pasted a copy of an inspirational photo for the same card, with some scrawled edits on it. Now I'm off the start post I see it's not so difficult after all - plus, I have begun to value my own efforts which is key IMO.

Solstice ceremony of the Spear Hallow

Of the four seasonal ceremonies laid out in Hallowquest, I have only ever done two of them to my satisfaction. I did the Spring Equinox, Sword ceremony in 2004 and the Spear ceremony on Thursday's Solstice. I need to know that I won't be disturbed and, even living in a quiet place as we do, I am shy that my husband or far worse, someone else, will see me waving Swords (a penknife!) and Spears (a stick!) about chanting to the four directions. I am a novice, solitary witch (self taught) and I'm fairly sure that "bruxas" would not be too welcome in this traditional region of central Portugal. :-o

I judge a tarot session satisfactory when I get a real sense of moving forward, gain a new insight or have one of the cards speak to me like a real person would. On Thursday I got that. During the invocation and visualisation of the Spear Guardian, Arthur aka The Emperor, I asked his advice relating to some personal problems with my chosen lifestyle on our quinta. He told me very simply and directly to do the Mabon's Gateway spread for an answer. This I did later and it was clear and helpful. I will publish the reading in my next post.

I really should be more open and brave with ceremony. I have the ideal place to do it. Immediately behind our home are some beautiful, ancient and friendly rocks and there is a large flat stone, perfect for an altar. On Thursday, as Sim was in the UK leaving me on my own, I got up a daybreak and went for it!

First; an introduction

Sometimes people give you a wonderful gift, even though they may not realise it. I have been fortunate to find many people like that throughout my life - some of them have been complete strangers. Sooo..., if you do read this Moonchild (http://www.moonchild.ch), you are one of those special people and this new blog is dedicated to you.

I was given my first tarot set in 2000. It was the Arthurian deck by Caitlin and John Matthews (www.hallowquest.org.uk). I was already using runes, which I was very comfortable with and the I-ching, with which I was less so. I was eager and hungry for a different kind of knowledge and, my lover / now husband, was open to that kind of thing also and knew I was ready for tarot. I've always been impressed that the lady in the shop divined the Arthurian deck for me. Simon initially had chosen the Osho Zen but the shopkeeper was switched on enough to realise that Osho was actually his choice for himself. She asked him to describe me (wish I'd been a fly on the wall ;-] ) and possibly, because I am a died-in-the-wool Celtic, Cornish woman, she selected this deck.

I loved it from the start but wow, was it difficult to get going. I'd struggled to learn 25 runes - how was I every going to understand 78 cards? Then a few months later I was in a new age shop buying some crystals and the Hallowquest, Arthurian Tarot Course ( ISBN 0-7225-3448-5)jumped off the shelf into my hands. This is a very precious book to me and, along with my journals, would be the one I would rush to save from a fire. It's a complete study programme, designed to be followed throughout a calendar year. The fact that 7 years on I am still working through it is no embarrassment to me. The course of study is a big undertaking. It asks some very deep and searching questions and I am not the kind of person that can take this on in one go. Nevertheless, I have never given up on it. Instead, I go with my own rhythmic flow and dip into the study as and when it calls to me.

At the end of last year, something wonderful happened and the tarot suddenly came alive to me. The characters started leaping from the cards and engaging with me directly. I no longer needed the cards in my hands or the book open to gain new insights into this wonderful life tool. I was ready for my second deck - another gift from my husband - The Goddess Tarot by Kris Waldherr (http://www.artandwords.com/goddesses/index.html) and in India we finally purchased the Osho Zen (www.osho.com) for joint use.

Inspired and energised by the entry into summer and the land of the Spears, I am now ready to put my experiences with it into the public domain. Make of it what you will.