daily tarot practice
recently i have been practicing tarot once daily as often as i am able, even if it's only a single card drawing each morning. i'll be sharing that here as much as possible both to air out my thoughts and try and make more of a habit of it :-) below are some details about the decks i use, followed by a section of daily card drawings (listed in order most recent to oldest).
the wild unknown is the tarot deck that belonged to my late partner, and what initially started me on my path. she is, as he described her, 'universally positive' :-) this deck identifies with the empress card and has a kind nature. the wild uknown deck has very pretty artwork, a lot of monochrome stark black and white with some stunning additions of rainbow colors. there are no humans in the artwork of this deck, only plants and animals! the deck has some interesting unique features, such as the creator theming the court cards after a familiar familial structure (daughter, son, mother, and father).
the wildwood tarot is a gorgeous deck. its themes and aesthetic really resonate with me, because i love nature and pre-celtic mythology. it has several similarities to a standard rws deck, with four suits each containing 10 pip cards and 4 court cards, and 22 major arcana numbered 0-21. the entire deck has seasonal themes and places certain cards along the wheel of the year - it's super thematic and i love the unique major arcana. one of them is called the blasted oak, and combines a bit of the tower with a bit of the hanged man.
4/12/22
the emperor and the guardian
yesterday i did a personal reading with the wildwood tarot deck, and it seemed to echo in part the message i was interpreting from the wild unknown's morning card drawing (the two of wands). out of curiosity, i decided to draw a daily card from each deck today as an experiment, to see if they would play well off of one another. the result is interesting. the emperor is the patriarchal major arcana and complement to the empress, the maternal figure. he represents stability, decisiveness, and protection. the guardian is key 15 in the wildwood tarot, and thus is kind of that deck's version of the devil, though fairly unique. i like this card a lot. it represents facing your fears to overcome them, and accepting the darker aspects of yourself. the figure of the skeletal cave bear, a guardian of wisdom with a fearful demeanor here, reminds me of the demonization of pagan gods into, well, the devil. these cards are definitely connected to me; i wonder if anyone else feels the same!
4/11/22
the two of wands
this card represents determination and direction! it is recognizing my recent focus in creative endeavors and affirms that i am making great efforts in achieving my goals. however, it reminds me to be kind to myself and recognize negative thought patterns while on this journey. this is an important lesson that i am sure many of us forget - it is certainly something that i have struggled with throughout my life. remember to be kind to yourself as often as you are able. we are all human, and the acceptance that we will make mistakes as a simple truth of life can be helpful. there are enough challenges and obstacles in life already - be an ally to yourself just as you are to others.
4/10/22
the nine of cups
the wish card appears! this card represents total bliss and harmony - as though life is granting your every wish. the weekend was honestly really excellent and exactly what i needed after an emotionally trying couple weeks. i feel far more balanced and harmonized in my life currently. we also found a great sidewalk area shaded by trees within a block of here to walk along as the weather gets nice and my pain flare ups have been lessening - i certainly feel humbled by my many recent blessings <3
4/9/22
strength
in this deck, this card represents mastery over emotions. unlike in many rws inspired decks, there are no human figures in the wild unknown, so the lion is not tamed by anyone other than himself. he wears a lemniscate on his crown, representing the endless nature of his focus and self-control. this was definitely a week when i needed to have a handle on my feelings. luckily i'll be able to take a personal day on thursday and i have been making a habit of doing deeper personal readings on those days :-) interestingly enough, this card is also my zodiac card in this deck, since the creator switched justice and strength back to their original places as opposed to rws swapping them to better align with their astrological correspondences.
4/8/22
the three of wands
this card represents having had a lot of support (typically from two other people, like your parents, two close friends, two partners, etc, thus the three wands bound together), and having had this support help define your own ideals and path. however, it is primarily about envisioning your own future and remembering that you are the decider of your fate. remember not to let others' judgement or opinions sway you from the future you truly desire. having support to help as a foundation is great, but i'm inclined to agree that following the morals of others too closely may stifle your own journey if your values and goals are not in complete alignment with the other party's. being anxious about other peoples' thoughts and opinions regarding you is natural, but when it comes to magic and spirituality, you really have to trust that you are doing what is best for yourself - and although studying many paths and ideas is something i enjoy and recommend, even (and sometimes especially) when they are not something you agree with - it is important to remember not to let yourself get bogged down by self-doubt. your future is your own, shape it in a way that best suits you.