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The Queens in the Tarot of Quotes

queen of wands tarot

The Queens in the Tarot are the mothers of the court card family.

They often represent women, but they can also relate to men, who display feminine traits (e.g. nurturing and caring) or need to get more in touch with their feminine side.

Together with the Kings, the Queens in the Tarot have authority and lead by example.

They are the ones, who take care of the emotional and nurturing aspect of their leadership, as they are linked to the element Water.

Other characteristics include maturity, experience, stability, confidence.

In a reading, the Queens may indicate people, such as a person surrounding the querent or the querent him/herself.

They can also suggest an energy surrounding the querent or character traits that need to be developed or avoided.

Queen of Wands

Esoteric Title: The Queen of the Thrones of Flame

Astrological attribution: Aries

Elemental association: Water of Fire

Characteristics and personality traits: passionate, enthusiastic, exuberant, creative, energetic, active, extrovert, fun-loving, sociable, generous

Negative traits include vanity, tyranny, jealousy, egotism, domineering, catty, pushy

queen of cups

Queen of Cups

Esoteric Title: The Queen of the Thrones of the Waters

Astrological attribution: Cancer

Elemental association: Water of Water

Characteristics and personality traits: sensitive, compassionate, imaginative, intuitive, reflective, introvert, quiet, observant, artistic, calm, receptive, emotional

Negative traits include depressive, emotional overwhelm, irrational, fearful, apathy, inertia, smothering, impractical, clingy

queen of swords

Queen of Swords

Esoteric Title: The Queen of the Thrones of Air

Astrological attribution: Libra

Elemental association: Water of Air

Characteristics and personality traits: witty, clever, diplomatic, firm but fair, objective, stoic, stiff upper lip, sensible, perceptive, independent, outspoken

Negative traits include coldness, deceitful, impatience, bluntness, heartless, bitterness, calculating, devious, lonely, vindictive, unapproachable

queen of pentacles

Queen of Pentacles

Esoteric Title: The Queen of the Thrones of Earth

Astrological attribution: Capricorn

Elemental association: Water of Earth

Characteristics and personality traits: practical, down-to-earth, crafty, sensual, homely, resourceful, industrious, striving, health-conscious, nature-loving, frugal, thrifty, conservative

Negative traits include miserliness, stinginess, neglectful, sluggishness, dullness, greediness, overbearing, timid, possessive

I’d love your feedback. Please leave your comment below or just click the like button.

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

PS: Check out the Cosmic Faery Tarot Guidebook

The Cosmic Faery Tarot Major Arcana Special Edition

cosmic faery tarot major arcana special editionA milestone has been reached in the development of my own Tarot deck. It started off as the Tarot of Quotes and evolved into the Cosmic Faery Tarot.

The Major Arcana special edition with two bonus cards is no longer available, but you can now purchase the Cosmic Faery Tarot, which includes the Cosmic Cat.

The Cosmic Cat

This card depicts my little familiar of 14 years, who now resides in the spirit world.

I adopted Mondy when she was five years old, and she died at the age of 19, a ripe old age for a cat, which makes me believe that she felt content living her life with me and my family.

After all this time with her, I still sometimes see her from the corner of my eye in the house or in the garden at her favourite spots (where she is also buried), and I know that she is still around.

cosmic faery tarot major arcana bonus cardsWhen this card comes up in a reading, it indicates that a loved one (person or pet), who has passed on, is still watching over you.

They may want you to know something important, so you can pull an extra card to see what message they want to convey.

The Cosmic Cat may also represent your spirit guide or guardian angel, so do pay attention to what they are trying to say to you.

The Happy Bunny (no longer available)

Whatever challenges or strife you are currently battling with, the Happy Bunny indicates that all will be well in the end.

Despite your worries, fears and insecurities, don’t forget to enjoy the little and simple things around you that can lift your spirits even in the darkest of times.

Life can be short, the future is unknown, so make the most of what you have in the present.

The Happy Bunny may also ask you to be vigilant. Protect yourself by not being too trusting and apply some healthy scepticism. You will be okay as long as you keep your eyes open to any harm that may just lurk around the corner.

I hope you enjoy using these two additional cards in your readings. Please do feel free to add your own interpretations to these cards.

For more information on the deck and to buy, please click here.

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

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Tarot Astrology: Venus In The Tarot

venus in the tarotThe journey through our solar system continues from Mercury to Venus.

Here you can see, which cards in the Tarot are linked to Venus, and how this planet‘s energy may influence and add to the meaning of each card.

Venus is named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty.

No wonder it has been linked primarily to the Empress, who encompasses the typical Venus characteristics of love, nurture, affection, passion, indulgence and beauty.

The astrological glyph for Venus is depicted on the heart-shaped shield, and her flowery symbol is the rose (red, pink and white).

Learn more about Venus as her role of Roman goddess, and you will know more about the Empress, who embodies her.

Venus in astrology is ruler of Taurus and Libra, so we can see a connection to the Hierophant (Taurus) and Justice (Libra).

Some Venus aspects of the Hierophant are those of security, stability and aeasthetics.

Venus loves to be part of a family, a collective, surrounded by people who adore her, which is reflected in the pope-like figure of the Hierophant. There is little room for change as symbolised by the stone pillars and dominant figure preaching to his acolytes.

There is also a sense of vanity and arrogance surrounding the Hierophant – elaborate robes and rituals together with grandeur interiors (e.g. cathedrals) can be signs of guru-syndrome.

However, the Hierophant’s positive Venus link is his association to community, and the love, care and support it provides to its members.



As a ruler of Libra, Venus’s energy is also reflected in Justice. Her diplomatic abilities are mainly based on female charm, such as seduction and allure, which are meant to temper her masculine counterpart Mars, God of War (the Tower).

So, Libra reflects Venus’s drive to create harmony and balance, especially in relationships and at home.

Interpreting Justice with Venus in mind, consider making decisions based on feminine strengths and characteristics, especially when trying to alleviate disarray or damage caused by masculine traits.

How is Venus reflected in the pip cards? Here are some suggestions:

Four of Wands (Venus in Aries)

The RWS-based image depicts a couple celebrating under a flower canopy. There is celebration, joy, love and a sense of achievement.

Venus heralds good fortunes, which are reflected in this card. So far things have run smoothly, and all is set to continue this way.

More examples: turning a house into a home, a winning partnership, creative / artistic achievement

Two of Cups (Venus in Cancer)

Attraction, desire, confidence, harmony, cooperation, partnership, trust, emotional balance

Seven of Cups (Venus in Scorpio)

Desire of many things, especially those that give pleasure; creative imagination; flights of fancy; pursuit of beauty; artistic ambitions

In Roman mythology Venus also embodied victory and prosperity, traits which are embedded in the Five of Swords and Nine of Pentacles.

Even though the victory of the Five of Swords (Venus in Aquarius) seems hollow or indicates a lose-lose situation, the Venus energy offers a sense of benevolence and goodwill. Something good can emerge from this scenario despite despair or pessimism.

This card also shows how badly love can go wrong: love turned sour; a nasty break-up; control issues within a relationship; abuse; lack of empathy; the upper hand.

Nine of Pentacles (Venus in Virgo)

Luxury, beautiful surroundings, enjoying the riches of life, security, self-reliance, self-care, nurturing and bonding with animals / pets.

Exercise:

Take all the cards linked to Venus from your deck and explore the connections and similarities.

You can use the journaling sheets I have created by downloading them from my Tarot Astrology online course page.

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

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My Top 10 Self-Published Tarot Decks

top 10 self-published tarot decksFollowing on from my last post about why you shouldn’t use mainstream tarot card images on your professional website, here is my list of top 10 self-published tarot decks.

From personal experience, most of the creators of these decks don’t mind, if you promote their artwork on your professional website and social media in reviews, sample spreads, free tutorials etc.

Please make sure that you always include accreditation, and if you want to use any images or cards for branding or paid products and services, you must ask for permission first.

1. Dame Darcy’s Mermaid Tarot

high priestess mermaid tarot
Dame Darcy’s Mermaid Tarot

A fun and somewhat kinky mermaids and sailors themed deck. The new 3rd edition has been given an overhaul with some updated images and a bleed-free border.

Check out my review of this deck, or head straight to Dame Darcy’s Etsy store.

2. The Wild Unknown Tarot

six of cups wild unknown tarot
The Wild Unknown Tarot

Kim Krans’s creation has become quite a hit, and the images are incredibly popular on Instagram. Post a pic of a sample reading with the #wildunknown, and you’ll get loads of likes.

The Wild Unknown Tarot started off as a self-published deck, but now it’s available at Amazon and the Book Depository.

3. Prisma Visions Tarot

six of swords prisma visions tarot
Prisma Visions Tarot

The style of this borderless deck is surreal and a mesmerising combination of light and dark. Each image looks like a mosaic. When you lay the cards of each suit in numerical order in a row, they form a large picture.

Buy it at prismavisionstarot.com.

4. Tarot of the Zirkus Mägi

art temperance zirkus magi tarot
Tarot of the Zirkus Mägi

A vintage-style, circus-themed deck, perfectly catching a bygone world of the clowns, trapeze artists and tamed wild animals.

Check out my review, or go straight to its website.

5. Pearls of Wisdom Tarot

fool pearls of wisdom tarot
Pearls of Wisdom Tarot

Roxi Sim’s vibrant deck is full of detail and symbolism. The Fool on the image above is from the 1st edition, but the latest 3rd edition is borderless. It is available to buy at the Gamecrafter.



6. The Fountain Tarot

nine of coins fountain tarot
The Fountain Tarot

A contemporary deck with geometric lines and cool water colours. It comes with a silver edging, which sadly makes the cards stick and hard to shuffle, but this will improve the more you use it. Visit fountaintarot.com.

7. The King’s Journey Tarot

hanged man kings journey tarot
The King’s Journey Tarot

This 94-card deck consists of the standard tarot cards together with two extra Major Arcana cards and a spirit suit.

Choose between a bordered or borderless edition at James Battersby’s website, where you can also learn more about his latest project, the Twisted Tarot Tales.

8. The Alchemical Tarot

the world alchemical tarot
The Alchemical Tarot

An old favourite of mine, I like Robert Place’s clean and no nonsense artwork full of magickal symbolism. You can buy the deck at robertplacetarot.com.

The following decks are on my wishlist and will be bought as soon as I’ve sold some of the tarot books and decks I no longer need:

9. The Starchild Tarot

I’m a sucker for anything starseed and cosmic, and I’m still saving up for this beauty, which will probably be one of the most expensive decks I’ve ever bought (including the premium shipping charge from Canada and possibly UK customs charge on top). I haven’t got an image, so you just have to trust me and go straight to the Starchild website.

10. Tarot of the Holy Light

A colourful, esoteric deck based on European mystery teachings. Created by Christine Payne-Towler and Michael Dowers, the artwork is distinctively late renaissance, similar to the Swiss 1JJ Tarot. Learn more about the deck at Tarot University.

Two more decks I also have my eyes on are the Tarot House Deck and the Tarot of Trees. Please do check them out.

Looking for alternatives to the Rider Waite Smith (RWS) and Thoth decks?

For RWS alternatives, check out the sparkly Illuminated Tarot and the digital only Aquatic Tarot (free download).

For Thoth alternatives, take a look at the Rosetta Tarot and soon to be released coloured version of the black and white Tabula Mundi Tarot.

Some of the decks I have chosen here are recent publications, others have been around for a while.

This is just a small selection of self-published decks, and no doubt there are lots of others out there that deserve a mention.

So please do let me know and share with others, which ones are your favourite self-published tarot decks in the comment box below.

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

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Going Pro: Why You Should Avoid Posting Mainstream Tarot Images On Your Blog

ace of swords tarot of quotes
Cosmic Faery Tarot

If you are a professional Tarot reader hosting your own website, then you are probably aware of the usual copyright and fair use regulations, which you need to adhere to, so you won’t find yourself getting sued.

However, you might not be aware that most of the mainstream publishers of tarot and oracle decks, such as US Games, Lo Scarabeo and Llewellyn, expect you to pay them a licence fee, if you are monetising your blog, i.e. charging for readings or getting paid for other products and services.

This is important for you to bear in mind, if you regularly blog about decks (reviews, unboxing videos etc.), demonstrating spreads, posting tutorials or simply just post an image on your Instagram.

Perhaps you are thinking that this is covered under the fair use policy, but you need to realise that this is open to interpretation, especially if you are a professional using your website as your business hub.

Before you get yourself into a tangle and wonder, if you are a copyright criminal by posting a card of the day, here’s something very simple you can do:

Avoid posting mainstream tarot images on your blog and social media.

Personally, I have just quit this voluntary marketing position I held with the mainstream publishers for years promoting their decks, while all I get in return is threats of court action, because I am making a living as a Tarot reader.

I am sick of arrogant publishers, who defend their copyright very aggressively, antagonising their customers (a lot of them professional tarot readers!) along the way.



The solution is beautifully simple:

Collaborate with self-published artists, who love the opportunity to have their decks promoted while their images enhance and prettify your blog posts.

I don’t need to go into detail about how tarot blogs and social media have led to a considerable increase in deck sales, yet these publishers want us to pay for “product placements”.

What the big publishers seem to forget:

Professional readers, who have been in the business for years, run well-known blogs and have a big subscriber list, are influencers.

How many tarot or oracle decks have you bought, which were recommended by your favourite blogs or Facebook pages?

Here’s an idea:

It is time for Tarot readers to demand payment from the publishers to feature their decks on their websites. 

After all, it’s advertising!

If publishers wanted to run a TV commercial, they’d have to pay for it, so if I did a YouTube video review about one of their decks and demonstrate how well it works in a reading, then I want to get paid for it, too Cool

Perhaps you think I’m crazy, but as you know we sometimes need to let go of outdated attitudes and beliefs, the traditional thought process that says “it’s always been this way”.

To be honest, payment for me doesn’t necessarily mean money; a little gratitude would be enough, and – lo and behold! – a surprise gesture of a free tarot deck as a token of appreciation would send me over the moon.

But no, instead I have court action threats looming over my head in the form of the publishers’ “terms”. Not nice!

Heck, I don’t need to promote their decks. Instead I collaborate with people, who value my support and in return support me – win / win !

So, ditch those mainstream decks from your blog and start supporting self-published indie artists.

In my next post, I will introduce you to my Top 10 self-published tarot decks I love using on my website and social media.

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

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How To Supercharge Your Daily Tarot Card Draw

supercharge your daily drawWhen you start learning the Tarot, most books and more experienced readers recommend pulling a daily tarot card in order to familiarise yourself with your deck and the images.

At this stage there is no pressure to come up with a relevant interpretation; just record the name of the card on a sheet of paper together with a note of the day’s events to compare.

The next step is to ask a question before you draw your card, such as “What do I need to pay attention to today?” 

Quicker than my more detailed one-card reading approach, the random question technique offers you new insights every day.

Asking a question will help you focus and make your daily draw a little more specific. Even better when you ask a different question every day.



For this purpose, I have compiled a list of questions you can ask at random:

  1. What do I need to do differently today?
  2. What do I need to embrace?
  3. What do I need to avoid?
  4. How can I invite positive change into my life?
  5. What will be my strength today?
  6. How can I tackle a challenge today?
  7. What new opportunity do I need to look out for?
  8. How can I be more positive today?
  9. What new potential will be emerging?
  10. How can I nurture new growth?
  11. What do I need to let go of that prevents new growth / opportunities?
  12. What can I be grateful for today?
  13. How can I nurture myself?
  14. How can I help others?
  15. What can I let go of without losing anything?
  16. How can I simplify my life today?
  17. How can I increase abundance in my life?
  18. What can I do to have a good day today?
  19. What lesson will I learn?
  20. What is happening in my life that I am not aware of?
  21. What step can I take today to reach my goal?
  22. How can I raise my confidence / self-esteem today?

Over time, you can add more questions to this list to expand your self-exploration.

And here is a cool way to choose a random question to answer each day:

Make your own question cards!

Here’s how:

Use old greeting cards you received (e.g. Birthday, Christmas, etc.) and cut them into mini size cards (mine on the image above are approx. 45 x 75 mm). Write a question on the back of each card.

Mix the cards and lay them face down. Pick a card and hey presto, you’ve got your question for the day.

As I mentioned before, you can extend your card set when you think of new questions you would like to add.

Take a look at what I have created:

Random questions are a great way to add variety and depth to your daily tarot card draws, and hopefully you are inspired to create your own set of questions cards ?

For more journaling ideas, please check my freebies page, where you can also join my mailing list for updates and more free resources.

And if you want to save yourself some time, you can download my ebook Cosmic Journaling Through The Year, which includes printable cards with above questions (and some new ones), healing cards and much more…

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

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The Tarot of the Zirkus Mägi Show

Tarot of the Zirkus Mägi
Tarot of the Zirkus Mägi © 2015 Duck Soup Productions

Slowly but surely I’m adding the decks on my wishlist to my collection, and the Tarot of the Zirkus Mägi is my latest acquisition.

This vintage / retro style deck exploring a bygone world of travelling entertainment is fun, fascinating and a little creepy.

The Major Arcana cards are unnumbered, so whether you follow the RWS or Thoth tradition, the sequence – especially regarding Adjustment (Justice) and La Force (Strength) – is up to you.

A lot of Major Arcana cards are renamed to fit the circus theme, such as The Clown (Fool) and The Ringmaster (Emperor).

Other card names follow the Thoth tradition, such as Art (Temperance) and The Aeon (Judgement).

The court cards have also been renamed:

Governor – King
Duchess – Queen
Rider – Knight
Billposter – Page

The suits are:

Batons – Wands
Buckets – Cups
Blades – Swords
Rings – Pentacles

The pip cards all have keywords at the bottom, some of which are obvious and others you may have to think about. Here are some examples:

Ace of Batons – Inspiration
Three of Batons – Arrival
Five of Buckets – Regret
Ten of Buckets – Straw House
Three of Blades – Heartache
Seven of Blades – Audacity
Six of Rings – Patronage
Eight of Rings – Transformation

If you would like to see all the cards of the Tarot of the Zirkus Mägi, here’s a video I have made earlier:

Overall, this is a very readable deck, if the artwork and theme appeals to you, and I look forward to working with these cards over the coming weeks.

Join me on Facebook and Instagram to see them in action.

The Tarot of the Zirkus Mägi is self-published and available at:

circustarot.blogspot.co.uk

Hope you enjoy my video show of this deck. If you do, please click the like and share button on my YouTube channel. Thank you!

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

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