Tarot Astrology: Mercury In The Tarot

Following up from the moon cards, we are now looking at Mercury in the Tarot and how this planet influences the cards it is associated with.

As “God’s Messenger”, Mercury is linked to communication, reason and self-awareness.

Other areas of influence are languages, travel, transport, logic and intellect.

In the Tarot, Mercury is linked directly to the Magician, and it may seem obvious why.

It is the Magician, who symbolises the power of communication, presenting ideas, arguing a cause, making a winning sales pitch and so on.

The Magician creates Magick with words, including spells, mantras and affirmations. He is influential but can also be manipulating.

Mercury rules Gemini and Virgo; therefore there is some indirect influence on The Lovers and The Hermit.

The pip cards Mercury is linked to are:

Eight of Wands (Mercury in Sagittarius)
Three of Cups (Mercury in Cancer)
Five of Pentacles (Mercury in Taurus)
Ten of Pentacles (Mercury in Virgo)
Six of Swords (Mercury in Aquarius)

How is Mercury’s energy reflected in these cards?

Here are some suggestions:

Eight of Wands – movement, travel, quick thinking, living life in the fast lane, seizing an unexpected opportunity, taking a calculated risk, gaming, travel by air

Three of Cups – communication (social), travelling in a group, building friendships, bonding (also at work), witty conversations, social networking, internet dating

Five of Pentacles – Asking for help, trying to make sense of a negative situation, bad news, mental overwhelm / meltdown, travel delays, being stranded, lost for words, looking for inspiration, learning difficulties

Ten of Pentacles – good organisational skills, nurturing a network of friends/ family / support, being established as an influencer / speaker / advisor, clever with money and long-term investments

Six of Swords – Travel, a new direction will bring clarity, a decision to leave something behind is based on reason and knowledge, fickleness, travel by sea

If you are reading reversed cards, consider thinking “Mercury retrograde”, when these cards show up upside down.

And if a Mercury retrograde is actually taking place while these cards come up in a reading, you can also take that into account.

Here’s an interesting exercise you can do:

Pick out all the Mercury cards from your deck. Which of the pip cards would you assign to which Major Arcana card?

You can look out for visual clues but also take similar meanings into account.

For example, I see the Six of Swords linked to The Hermit and the Three of Cups with The Lovers.

But it is perfectly fine, if you have different ideas. How do you see the Mercury cards connected with each other?

For this exercise I have created journaling sheets, which you can download from my Tarot Astrology online course page.

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

Tarot Of Quotes Update

I’ve been working on my own Tarot deck since 2012, and the Tarot of Quotes has turned into a challenging labour of love, which is still in the process of being completed.

When you have a look at the Empress one the left and compare it with the original version, then you’ll know why I haven’t met my self-imposed deadlines over the years.

The Tarot of Quotes has evolved, and only the free downloadable images will keep the quotes on the cards.

I have decided to remove the quotes from the printed version and change a couple of images along the way.

Not many cards are left to do, but heck it’s tough to create the images for them.

Getting it right takes time, especially when I’m also working on other projects.

But now that I’m totally in love with my new Empress card, I’m determined to get this deck finished – one day very soon!

In the meantime, it’s Earth Day tomorrow, which also coincides with it falling on a Friday.

Friday is dedicated to Venus, the Goddess of Love and Beauty, who in turn is linked to the Empress in the Tarot.

Although the Empress symbolises the archetypal mother, who on my card is represented by a Madonna and Child statue, she also embodies creativity relating to art, crafts, writing, home-making and gardening.

So in order to celebrate Earth Day, nurture your creativity by ditching electronic devices and work with what Mother Nature has on offer.

Some ideas:

plant flower bulbs
plant a tree
paint motifs on pebbles
bake a cake
make something of twigs
paint, draw, sketch
write poetry
knit or crochet
woodwork
make beeswax candles
pottery…

And for a paper craft project, you can make your own rune set and even print your own oracle deck together with greeting cards, journal inserts and more.

And by turning off your electronic devices, TVs and not use the car for the next couple of days in honour of Earth Day, you save on valuable energy and will also reduce your utility bills while enjoying some good old-fashioned creative fun.

Happy Earth Day!

Christiane

Going Pro: How To Say No To Giving Free Tarot Readings

how to say no to free tarot readings — Six of Pentacles, Morgan Greer Tarot

When you first start out as a professional Tarot reader, it can be tempting to offer free readings to attract clients, hoping they will pay for your services in the future.

Perhaps you even get requests for free readings via your website, and you feel inclined to help.

Or your friends keep asking you for free readings, and you feel taken for granted or your skills aren’t valued.

But offering free readings won’t pay your bills and rarely attract clients that are prepared to pay you for a reading later.

And only because you are a caring soul, doesn’t mean you can let people take advantage of you and turn your business venture into a charity.

I know there are some odd folk out there (sadly some fellow readers), who regard professional readers charging for their services with disdain.

They come up with lame excuses, such as you should offer your “gift” for free, however, these people are most likely financially supported in other ways, so they don’t need to charge for readings to make a living.

I also feel that people with such strong opinions are very judgemental, and it is best to avoid any discussion with them about this topic, as it is a waste of your time and energy.

Remember, what is most important is that you look after yourself and your business success, which includes being able to make a living as a Tarot Reader and feel good about receiving in exchange for giving.

So, how to say no to giving free Tarot readings with grace and in a kind, professional manner when you are asked?

First, you don’t have to apologize when you say no, and the only explanation you may want to give is that you do this work professionally and not as a hobby.

If you have a website, you can say:

I’m not offering any free readings at the moment, but you can sign up to my newsletter to receive special offers and discounts in the future.
I don’t do free readings, but fees for my email readings start at just £10.00, so there is something for every budget. Take a look at my readings page for more info.
I currently offer a free mini reading, if you buy one of my ebooks (or other products you are selling)
I currently offer a free one-card follow-up reading with every email reading you purchase.
I don’t offer free readings, but check out my FB / Instagram for my daily/weekly readings I post there.
I can offer you a free reading, if you agree that I can use it on my blog to share with my readers (your name will not be published!)
I’m currently offering free readings on my FB page / blog using a brand new deck I bought, and I need to try it out before I use it for paid readings. All you need to give in return is your honest feedback.
I’m currently running a Tarot reading giveaway on my blog, which you can enter by leaving a comment. There will be one winner, and perhaps you’ll be the lucky one 😉
I don’t do free readings, but I can offer you a (%) discount on readings over £15.
Have you thought about buying a deck and learning to do your own readings? You can find lots of free resources on my website to get you started with learning the Tarot.

As you can see, sometimes it is okay to say yes, as long as you receive something else in return that is of equal value to you.

Learn to feel good about receiving money for the work you do. Remember you are worth being paid for your skills and the time and effort you invested into developing them.

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

The Cosmic Journaling Oracle Update

Last week I received the printed version of my Cosmic Journaling Oracle deck, and I’m very pleased with the result!

Does the world need yet another set of oracle cards? I hear you ask 🙂

Well, it’s up to you to decide, but I have created this one to offer you something different:

The universal keywords on the cards all refer to one of the Major Arcana cards in the Tarot and are easy to make sense of (unlike card names such as The Hierophant). This way it should work well in readings whatever issue you’d like to explore.
The cards have been designed for you to create your own meanings and interpretation for each keyword. Journal about the cards to explore what each keyword means to you, so you can apply it in your readings (hence the word ‘Journaling’ in the name of the deck).
There is a digital version available in addition to a very limited printed edition. With a digital copy of the deck you can print the images as often as you like for personal use – a reading copy on good quality heavy card stock (any kind of paper in quality and colour of your choice) as well as prints on paper to cut out and stick in your journal.
The pocket-size cards are cute and ideal to take with you on your travels, to the coffee shop, work, uni, etc…
They work very well combined with the Cosmic Faery Tarot, which is also available as digital and printed copy in the same style (except the size of the tarot cards will be larger).

abundance cosmic journaling oracle digital As you can see above, the printed version has a black background and border.

However, the digital version has a white background and a small black border.

The reason for this is to make this deck printer-friendly (won’t be using up all your black ink!) and also allow for the flexibility to choose the colour of paper you prefer.

With a digital copy it is also easier for me to offer you some free bonus cards as I create them. Oh the wonders and delights of the virtual world!

Watch out for my Facebook page competition to win a free printed copy!

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

The Sun Cards in The Tarot

The planets are linked to Major and Minor Arcana cards in the Tarot.

A while ago, I looked at the moon cards in the Tarot and noticed some interesting visual connections.

Here are some of my observations of the sun cards in the Tarot.

The best deck to use for this exercise is the Rider Waite Smith (RWS) Tarot.

On a visual level, we can see a connection between Strength and the Six of Cups. There is interaction between the two main figures.

I also see a link between Strength and the Four of Pentacles. The woman and man are holding on to something.

And yes, The Sun and Strength both depict people with animals.

I leave you to explore more visual similarities and what they could mean.

What additional interpretations does the sun as a planet add to each card it corresponds with?

Here are some suggestions:

The Sun – primary link with the sun, which in astrology represents the ego, life force and creativity. Additional interpretations therefore could be confidence, extroversion, selfishness, survival instinct, hedonism.
Strength – linked to the zodiac sign Leo, which is ruled by the sun. Strong physical energy, vitality, health and resilience.
Ten of Swords – Here, the sun represents a new beginning, new life, new opportunity, birth, resilience, survivor spirit, looking at the bright side, blessing.
Three of Wands – optimism, focus, alert, enthusiastic, adventure spirit, creative drive, ambition.
Six of Cups – contentment, benevolence, joy, nurture.
Eight of Pentacles – job satisfaction, vocation, workaholic, creative energy
Four of Pentacles – selfishness, self-protection, possessiveness

These are just a few ideas. Explore the cards and see what else you can find that relates to the sun – additional interpretations or visual connections.

Also bear in mind that the sun adds the element of Fire to each card.

If you would like to learn step-by-step more about astrology and how to apply it in your Tarot work, then check out my Tarot Astrology self-study course, where you can download the complete planet exercise together with some funky journaling sheets.

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

Using the Tarot to Communicate with the Dead

Samhain / Halloween is fast approaching, a time when the veil between the world of the living and the dead is at its thinnest.

So it comes to no surprise that if you wish to make contact with dearly departed, this is the perfect night to do so.

I am no spiritual medium and therefore no expert in making contact with dead people, but I do feel it is possible to have a conversation with them through the Tarot.

Many years ago I tried to make contact with my mum, who had died the year before, and even though nothing spooky happened during the reading, I did have some interesting dreams on several occasions afterwards, some of which where astounding to say the least.

This year I intend to make contact with my Dad, who passed over in July this year, so while I’m still going through the process of coming to terms with it, I have the need to reconcile with him in some way.

I do believe that making contact with a departed loved one can help bring some closure and therefore contribute to the healing process.

So, my advice is only to communicate with the dead, if your intention is reconciliation, closure and healing.

The Ritual

1. Questions

Before you begin, think about the questions you would like to ask your loved one. Write them all down, so you won’t forget during the reading.

Although it’s always worthwhile wording your questions wisely, you can ask anything you like, because you are trying to talk to someone you once loved (and still do), and they loved you too, so they won’t mind!

Questions like “How are you?”, “Are you at peace now?”, “What’s it like?” are perfectly okay. You don’t need to censor yourself. In addition you can also ask your loved one for advice just like you used to when they were still with you.

2. Timing

Do your spirit reading later in the evening on the 31st October. The best time would be around the witching hour. Make sure you won’t get disturbed by anybody, like those pesky trick-or-treaters or whoever lives with you.

3. Sacred Space

Set the scene with seasonal decorations, candles and crystals (see also Halloween ideas).

For this kind of work I love using my Black Obsidian Skull. The energetic vibrations of carved crystal skulls are said to make a mental connection with your brain, thus helping you to be more receptive to messages from the spirit world.

4. Grounding

Start with your usual grounding ritual and include a request to the spirit world, such as “Spirit world, please open up to me, so (insert the person’s name you wish to talk to) can talk to me.”

It also helps, if you have a personal item from your loved one you can hold whilst asking him/her to come forward.

5. Reading

Once you feel you are ready, or you may even feel the presence of your loved one, you can begin the reading.

Shuffle your deck while thinking of your loved one. For each question you have, pull a card. The messages you receive from the cards may be from your loved one.

I say “may”, because they may also be from your own subconscious, which knows the answers all along and has the desire to reveal them to you, so you can heal.

graveyard tarot spread — Click on the image to save, or open it in a new tab to see a larger version and share with your friends.

Either way, this reading can contribute to your healing process by helping you feel connected to your loved one and getting some answers you need.

If you are planning to do a reading that is focused on self-exploration, then you can try out the spread in the box on the right.

And last but not least, head over to my wellness blog to download my Manifesting Change printable healing cards.

Samhain Blessings,

Christiane

PS: You can find more Halloween Tarot spreads and journaling sheets in my ebook Tarot for All Seasons.

Going Pro: Why I Don’t Call Myself A Healer

Amongst professional Tarot readers there are a few self-proclaimed job titles floating around mainly to describe more accurately the type of readings they provide.

Some of them I quite like, e.g. spiritual life coach, others I find a little unsettling, and one of them is Healer.

First of all I want to express my deepest respect for some of my colleagues, who call themselves Healer, as I am familiar with their work, and I know that vulnerable people, who come to them for guidance will be in good hands.

And already here’s the thing: vulnerable people in a difficult situation will have raised expectations from someone, who calls themselves Healer.

They’ll be thinking oh I’m going to this person and they will heal me… not realising that the only person, who can heal them is themselves.

But…

I don’t want to deny that as a Tarot reader I can help people heal.

I am happy to say that I facilitate healing with the right guidance and the client willing to put their own effort into their healing process.

So rather than calling myself a Healer, I prefer the job title Healing Assistant.

For me, Healing Assistant is less ego driven and suits my Hermit personality.

Describing myself as a Healing Assistant makes it – hopefully – clear that I am not the kind of person, who lays hands on you and – abracadabra – you are healed.

Instead, I am here helping you recognise your own power, make the right choices and take action to heal yourself.

This brings me to another point:

What exactly is a Healer?

Search the internet and you come across “faith” healers, “powerful” spiritual healers, “gifted” healers, “natural born” healers, “African” healers, healers who claim they can cure cancer, etc.

Healer as a profession isn’t legally regulated, and anyone can call themselves a Healer. Needless to say that this attracts charlatans and con-people.

Another reason why I couldn’t possibly call myself a Healer. I just don’t want to toss myself into that murky soup of various types of dodgy, obscure and unregulated healers, who make all sorts of claims.

But yes, from the positive feedback I receive for my readings and teaching, I can safely say that I help people heal themselves, and that Tarot can be a powerful therapeutic tool, when people are open to it and use it pro-actively.

Mary K. Greer once said “I’m the midwife of the soul.” Perhaps a somewhat poetic description of what she does, but it explains her work as facilitating personal growth and transformation.

James Ricklef once said “I’m not a fortune-teller, I’m a fortune-helper”, which I actually really like.

So here you are, dear Reader. I am not a Healer, but I can help you heal. I can be one of the stepping stones on your healing journey, and it is you who takes those steps.

And there will be others, who will help you too. Most of all, you are your own Healer.

“As my sufferings mounted I soon realized that there were two ways in which I could respond to my situation – either to react with bitterness or seek to transform the suffering into a creative force. I decided to follow the latter course.” Martin Luther King Jr.

“You have the power to heal your life, and you need to know that. We think so often that we are helpless, but we’re not. We always have the power of our minds…Claim and consciously use your power.” Louise L. Hay

Warmest wishes,

Tarot Astrology: Mercury In The Tarot

Christiane

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Tarot Of Quotes Update

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Using the Tarot to Communicate with the Dead

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