#now golden thread tarot on the other hand.....

[tarotwave]

I LOVE when I see people talking about their decks’ attitude or personalities. Tarotwave is my sweetest deck to me so it’s always so funny to see someone whose like “tarotwave burned my crops and told me to go to therapy!!!” 

MY deck!?? It would never!!!

[just-a-ghost00]

Their next move towards you and the connection

For this reading, you can ask about a crush, a future lover or even your FS. I'll be using the Golden thread tarot from Labyrinthos. I found the illustrations on Pinterest but the creator isn't clearly mentioned so I'm not sure who made them.

A floating island in a hand

This person might take some time away from you before actually coming towards you. They are unsure of their intentions and feelings. For some of you, this person needs to cut ties first with a previous connection, represented by the queen of pentacles. Whether they take some time to reflect on the connection or to solve personal issues, I feel like they will leave their next steps up to fate. This person, not knowing whether you are the one for them, will have this mindset of "if it's meant to be, it will be". They will not actively search for you but they won't actively avoid you either. They may receive signs from the Universe about your connection to guide them. If during the day, they try their best not to think of you, they will be reminded of you at night time and/or in their dreams. The truth is they are currently torn between putting an end to this connection and charging ahead. They are aware of your feelings and intentions for them but they're afraid of what this means to them. They are not in a good enough state to be mature enough to make a final decision. On one hand, they're afraid that they can't give you what you want or that this is destined to fail, but on the other hand, they fear losing a very precious and meaningful connection that only happens one in a lifetime. It's like they think "what were the odds that fate would put in my hands such a precious treasure?" but at the same time they think "am I truly worthy of it? Isn't it just too good to be true?". In short, I don't see much movement for now in this connection in the near future.

Cacti pointing toward the sky

This person has been wishfully thinking of you for quite some time. They may have dreamed of you recently which persuaded them to finally act based on their wishes. They may contact you in the near future but not without a great deal of fear. They may appear as defensive or disinterested when they do, when in reality they are just super nervous about your reactions. They may invite you to their work place for some reason or ask you to hang out with them. But this might take some time before it happens. I feel like this person is at a distance from you so you may be chatting online for a while before actually interacting in person. They intend on taking their time to get to know you better. They don't want to rush into a connection without knowing what they're getting themselves into. Though they are nervous and wary, they also have a great deal of hope that this connection is meant to evolve positively. I feel like this person hasn't had a great deal of luck in their love life and/or they've been single for a long time. They don't want to date just for fun. If they're with you, they want it to be for the long run so they will make sure that you're worth it first. You also may receive messages about this person through your dreams. Maybe you will dream about this person a few days prior to their invitation. I see this person offering you to be friends first. They may add you on social media and refer to you as their friend. I'm picking up on someone boasting about their new friend to their group of friends, like "look at what my bestie does, aren't they so talented?" lmao They might share your stories in their feed or mention you everytime they do something that reminds them of you. That will be a telltale sign of their interest for you.

Palm trees by the beach

I hate to be the bringer of bad news but for some of you this person intends to move on from this connection and cut ties with you. For others, this person is already in a relatioship with someone else. That may be true for those of you who were asking about a crush. For those who were asking about a future partner, this person is currently not in the mood to look for love. They may be struggling with depression at the moment. Their priority is to get back on track and learn to love themselves first. Similarly to the first group, there's a feeling of confusion and sadness. This person has to make a choice between staying or leaving a situation, a partnership. They are slowly but surely turning their back on love. With time, this person is going to move on. They might have to cross seas to be able to be with you. I also sense the energy of someone being fearful of the feminine. They might have mother issues or were badly hurt by a feminine in the past. So I feel like the outcome for this group doesn't look very positive for now. They're really afraid to love again. For some of you maybe this person isn't in a relationship but they were so badly hurt by the previous one that they just can't imagine themselves being with someone at the moment. And maybe they are catching feelings for you, however they were not ready for those. They're not ready to face what you mean to them and what you could be. If this person is truly meant to be with you, this is likely to take a long time before they do.

[oro-junestar]

feeling very gender right now so heres some new jojo related gender terms i made up hhehehhehjehhehehehe (unless someone already did these in which case aw sorry for stealing ur idea):

joestaric: a category of genders related to the joestar family. themes of genders in this category include but are not limited to: stars, fighting spirit, unwavering courage, fate, family heritage, nobility, sunlight/hamon, spin, resolve, diamond, gold, platinum, healing/restoration, dark determination, growth, the characters in the Joestar family themselves, or their stands/abilities.

jojovillainic: a category of genders related to jojo villains. themes of genders in this category include but are not limited to: vampirism, the stone mask, red stones, the abilities of all creatures in the Earth, being made of/turning to stone, overcoming the sun, light, wind, heat, power/standing above humanity, the feeling of a greatest high, a terrifying yet alluring aura, living a quiet life, hands, bombs, cats, split personalities, overcoming fate, achieving heaven, Christianity, the 14 phrases, the United States, calamity, the Locacaca fruit, the characters themselves, or their stands/abilities.

standic: a category of genders related to jojo stands. themes of genders in this category include but are not limited to: various colors, the tarot cards, the Egyptian gods, the songs the stands are named after, parallels with the experiences of stand users, protection/standing by one's side, the stand arrow, the devil's palm or wall eyes, stand cries, the thematic significance of stands, requiem stands, the stands themselves, or their abilities.

there is great overlap between these categories, so one may identify with one or multiple. not everyone with a gender that fits these categories necessarily has to identify within these categories (for example, not all stargenders have to identify as joestaric but certainly can if they feel that their gender is connected to jojo). it's all a matter of what you feel comfortable and happy identifying yourself as!

keep reading for part-specific categories cause i'm enjoying typing these:

phantombloodic: themes of genders in this category include but are not limited to: sunlight/hamon, nobility, vampirism, the stone mask, zombies, gothic vibes, fire and ice, beginnings, fate, sibling bond/rivalry, the anime's soundtrack, or characters/locations in phantom blood.

battletendencyic ??: themes of genders in this category include but are not limited to: sunlight/hamon, the pillar men, vampires, quick thinking/rash decision making, the Red Stone of Aja or other red stones, wind/light/heat, overcoming the sun, the ultimate lifeform/having every ability of the Earth, the anime's soundtrack, or characters/locations in battle tendency.

stardustcrusadersic: themes of genders in this category include but are not limited to: great journeys/transport, deserts, vampires, stars, platinum, power, stand awakenings, culmination of fate, the anime's soundtrack, or characters/stands/locations in stardust crusaders.

diamondisunbreakableic: themes of genders in this category include but are not limited to: slice of life, small town life, diamonds, healing/restoration, hairstyles, admiration of a savior, wanting a quiet life, the anime's soundtrack, or characters/stands/locations in diamond is unbreakable.

goldenwindic: themes of genders in this category include but are not limited to: beauty, gold, healing/giving life, ladybugs, resolve, ascending in ranks, overcoming fate, never reaching truth, infinite death, requiem stands, the anime's soundtrack, or characters/stands/locations in golden wind.

stoneoceanic: themes of genders in this category include but are not limited to: the ocean, butterflies, threads, imprisonment, swamps/marshes, discs, anything within the heaven plan, reboot of the universe, the anime's soundtrack, or characters/stands/locations in stone ocean.

steelballrunic: themes of genders in this category include but are not limited to: horses/jockeys, racing, spin, the golden ratio, steel balls, one's own disability/trauma, nails, white mice, cowboy yaoi, Jesus's protection, alternate realities, dinosaurs, the anime's soundtrack when it comes out eventually, or characters/stands/locations in steel ball run.

jojolionic: themes of genders in this category include but are not limited to: fruit, search for identity, search for identity/belonging, equivalent exchange, bubbles, sailors, rock humans, calamity, the anime's soundtrack when it comes out eventually, or characters/stands/locations in jojolion.

jojolandsic: themes of genders in this category include but are not limited to: rain, lava rocks, wealth, stealth, other themes that will eventually be revealed in the story, the anime's soundtrack when it comes out eventually, or characters/stands/locations in the jojolands.

whew that took like an hour to write oh my goodness now i feel silly :)

feel free to use or modify all these terms in whatever way you wish, or come up with your own!! thanks for reading!! <3

[oraclekleo]

🖤 Kleo 🖤

☆greetings☆

As I said I'll be up for your experiments sooo here I am 🤭 . I'm hella excited as like this kitty 😺 🤣.

Okayy my all time fav universe ... Harry Potter but make it in the Marauders Era . Yes I'm more invested in them than Golden trio 🤧. Now if you have your general synopsis then go for those questions but if not then I want you to focus on these particular question :-

■ The beginning or what is my role in this ?

■ My relationship with the character Sirius Black ?

■ Would I be able to stop the war and make peace ? More like saving James and lily and stopping Sirius to go to Azkaban ?

■ What is my overall fate with Sirius Black ?

Initials :- S.P moon sign :- Taurus

Thank youu and have a great day ahead 💓

Hello and welcome to your Storyteller tarot reading.

I’m sorry I couldn’t stick to your suggested questions but they were way too specific for me. I’m not familiar with the Harry Potter saga and I have zero knowledge what is Marauders or Sirius Black (apart from sounding like a name that a 12yo girl would come up with). I stick to the questions I used for my reading, which are more general and the reading is also very likely to be more general because I don’t know the details of the HP story. 

Thank you for understanding!

P.S. You’re a tarot reader yourself. Haven’t you tried to do this reading on your own?

What would be your story about?

Cards: 9 of Swords, XIV Temperance, 3 of Swords (The Everyday Witch Tarot), Make a Move (The Everyday Witch Oracle), Death (Wild Mystic Oracle)

There’s some heavy energy in your cards and in the story of yours. It might include drastic changes in the life of your character and Sirius Black. Death, heartbreak and worries are likely to be the major themes of the story. A little bit of emo vibes I can sense here. One of you might find yourself imprisoned, having no way to break free from stagnancy and inertia. They have to only observe the story going on while not being able to affect it. The other one of you is likely to find a way to reunite with this prisoner, to set them free and help them move on and push the story forward. It’s pretty much a teamwork and plenty of action might be needed. I imagine some dramatic prison escape with being chased by guards or something like that. I see a certain remorse. Maybe there’s somebody else in the prison you will leave them there.

What relationship would you have with Sirius Black?

Cards: Knight of Swords, 8 of Pentacles, 7 of Swords (The Everyday Witch Tarot), Play (Wild Mystic Oracle), Knight, Addict (Archetypes Cards)

In terms of your relationship with the character of Sirius Black, the cards suggest a certain dependency. Your character might slip into blind worshipping of him. He might present himself as a thief of hearts masked as a chivalrous knight. While it’s good to honour someone, there’s a thin line between self-sacrifice and self-neglect and your character in relationship with Sirius Black might walk that line like a drunken clown. There’s a heavy duty and dedication energy suggested and it’s quite possible that the bond between you and Sirius Black is mainly formed due to a common task might break like a dry twig once there’s no goal you pursue together. 

What would be the ending of your story?

Cards: 7 of Swords, 3 of Wands, 5 of Wands (The Phantomwise Tarot), Meditation for Clarity (The Everyday Witch Oracle), Martyr (Archetypes Cards)

A deception or even treachery are suggested. It’s possible some outside forces will cause a fallout between you and Sirius Black. Dispute over something minor growing into a monstrous scale and getting out of hand. While you might seek for clarity and look into the future, Sirius Black is likely to take action and stand for his beliefs and even die for them. The red thread of self-sacrifice has been going through the whole reading and it culminates in the end of your story where someone might need to put their life at stake. Your dispute muddied the waters and prevented you both from seeing who’s the real bad guy in your story. Once you are no longer a team, you become more vulnerable. Sirius Black might lose his life while you flee to regroup and come back in a sequel.

I hope this satisfies your curiosity. If you have done reading on this topic, too, I would love to compare the results and see where we might have picked similar vibes and where our points of view differ completely. 😊

Thank you for reading!

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[itscelestefromnm3217]

Final Project

For our final project, I decided to go with Self-Identity, and attempted to develop my own personal brand. 

We were told to approach the project with a specific career in mind; since I’m quite active in my art-making, I chose to market myself as an artist, with ‘Kahlieste’ being my art brand/ pseudonym that I’ve used for a while now.

Ideation Process

I began by running a few of my existing works through a color scheme generator, just to see if there were any common threads that could help me develop a brand genuinely representative of my identity as an artist.

Generally speaking, a good number of my art is red, black, greyish, and cream, with something creeping up the characters, or blood dripping. Which was a problem, because I don’t exactly want potential employers to perceive me as broody or creepy. The somewhat more positive works had elements of galaxies or the night sky, but also mainly used dark colors as a backdrop. Thus, I chose to preserve these elements: darkness and night, in my final. 

I was particularly drawn to the color scheme at the bottom right, the gold, cream, and black. My classmates also liked that choice, and commented that the colors would complement each other well. 

With these ideas in mind, I took inspiration from tarot cards, and astronomy symbols. This was my moodboard: 

For one of our tutorials, we were told to come up with a Word Cloud, which was 6 words describing our concept. Here are some ideas that I wanted my brand to reflect:

1. Unique/ distinct

2. Dark/ominous

3. Shadows/ night

4. Elegant/ sophisticated

5. Classic/ornate

6. Bold/edgy

7. Strange/eccentric

(yep, it’s a lot more than 6 words) 

I also referenced Ivy Lane’s brand style guide, which is an alternative/ bougie wedding planning company. Ivy Lane used many of the same themes as I intended to, so it was very helpful and interesting to observe the way they presented their brand. I was especially drawn to their brand because of their golden skull logo (pictured below), above a black background. This was generally along the lines of what I was going for, so it was cool. (I didn’t rip them off though, here’s their link you can check: https://issuu.com/corinnealexandra/docs/ile-brandguide) 

Primary Logo Sketches: 

Original Logo Designs:

I was determined to retain the image of a hand in my logo; most of my art is about people, or it has human figures in it, so this was a way for me to preserve that element. Also, hands are commonly seen in tarot card designs, so this stayed consistent with the theme. I subsequently had the idea to have the moon phases ‘drip’ from the hands, or sprout from the hand through vines. I thought this was consistent with the theme of my works, but communicated it more subtly than with red or blood. I also considered the hand’s pose, and decided on the logo on the right - the composition seemed more balanced, and was comfortably spaced with the bottom border, unlike the one on the left. 

Primary Name Card Drafts: 

Font Choices:

I downloaded and experimented with a lot of fonts, before deciding on the best ones. 

I wanted my brand to have a classic feel, but I also didn’t want it to look dated. I tried some serif fonts, but they didn’t seem to complement my logo, which was very geometric in nature. More ‘vintage’, ‘theatrical’ fonts also seemed a bit too overpowering. Ultimately, I decided that the san serif fonts made my logo look more modern and clean, and settled on De Valencia for the Titles and Headings, with Courier New for the subheadings (in all caps), and the body text (sentence case.) 

For context, “Sphinx of Black Quartz, Judge my Vow” is just an edgier, more pretentious version of “the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.”

(Some of my rejected fonts tried out on my original name card draft) 

I also considered the sizing of by brand name, and how cohesive it would look within the design. 

Original Color Scheme:

Original Name Card: 

Critique: 

Following critique from class, I redesigned the name card such that the information on the back would also be in portrait orientation, for consistency. I also added in a secondary ‘light’ version - my dad commented that printing on black is expensive, and I thought it was good to have an alternative. 

My primary concern was about legibility, and that the gold wasn’t as contrasting against the white/cream color as it was against the black. During critique, my classmates commented that the gold was still clearly legible, but it was true that the contrast was weakened. In response, I added another shade of gold to the color scheme, to be used against the white.  

Here’s the before and after: 

Updated Color Scheme: 

Also, instead of purely using the new, darker gold against the white, I also used it in my brand guide for some of the subheadings, in order to contrast with the body text. I thought that the extra color added some depth to the guide, and made the text more readable. (Personally, I hate reading big chunks of text, so this made it less overwhelming.)

Other critique was about the finer details, like improving the pdf quality and consistently arranging the elements on the brand guide itself, both of which have been corrected before the final submission. 

How Adobe was used:

In this project, I primarily used Adobe Illustrator to create the logo, the name cards, and really most of the deliverables. 

An example would be how I created the moon phase pattern on my final slide. Same process as usual, ellipse tool, line tool, direct selection - change line and fill colour. But an exciting new thing I learnt (should’ve learnt earlier) was using the scissors tool to cut the circles in half. I used to just create a rectangle and put it over half the circle, but I’m smarter now. This way’s way easier. 

Same goes for how I created the logo grid and the zone of exclusion. I used a combination of the rectangle and the line tools, and changed the lines into dotted lines on the properties panel > stroke > dashed line. This was really fun for me. I was about to DIY my dotted lines by making like.. 1000 little rectangles. Good thing I googled it first, you know.  For the zone of exclusion, I copied and pasted the middle moon into the 4 corners, then lowered their transparency. Fun times. 

These elements and more were saved, and as required, InDesign was used to assemble the final pdf:

It was fun! Ok it was really challenging, but I did enjoy the process. Thanks for the semester, I had a good time. 

[edie-baby]

Baby Boy Chapter 2 | Lando Norris

Summary: Milana Navratilova is the best friend of Victoria Verstappen, and is for lack of a better word, a minx. She can pull anyone into bed with her at any time. So when she attends the Austrian Grand Prix with Victoria, the drivers make for good bedfellows. Until she finds a man who makes her finally feel like herself. Her baby boy.

Warnings: smut, swearing, non-con kiss (will be a chapter warning for that one), OC is a w h o r e and i love her.

“Well, I think you well and truly confused my brother.” Victoria giggled as the two arrived in their shared hotel room. Milana let a small chuckle pass her lips and launched onto the bed. She scooched further up the bed, letting her silver hair fan out on the pillow beneath her. She beckoned her friend toward her with grabby hands, her legs making room for Victoria’s body to slide between them, her head resting on Milana’s chest. They talked for a few hours, catching up on recent events, and occasionally returning back to the awestruck faces of her brother’s friends. Netflix was playing in the background on a low volume, their focus entirely on each other. They fell asleep after a long time, Victoria’s head still nestled between Milana’s boobs, one of her hands intertwined with the Czech’s and her other resting on the bed next to them. Milana’s other hand was beneath her friend’s shirt, resting on her lower back.

The beeping of a keycard on the hotel door didn’t stir either of the girls, nor did the slight squeak of the hydraulic arm that helped to automatically shut the door. The older Verstappen sibling stopped in his tracks as he caught sight of the two women. He looked away quickly, feeling awkward seeing his sister in such an intimate position. He shuffled around quietly and faced away from the two as he tried to come up with a solution to wake them up without seeming like a creep.

“You know, if you’re trying to think of a way to be less creepy, you probably should have done it before you came in.” A thick accent and husky voice startled Max out of his thoughts. He turned quickly to see that Milana had woken up, and had turned her head to look at him lazily, a smirk curling onto her face as his expression betrayed that it was exactly what he was thinking.

“Sorry, it’s just, there’s a party tonight for all the drivers to bring their guests and have a good night before we’re all focused on racing again this weekend and then off for the summer break. I sent Vic a few messages and tried calling, but she didn’t reply. I figured she was asleep, so I wanted to make sure she had enough time to get ready otherwise I’d be a dead man.” Max explained, his eyes avoiding the two women on the bed.

“I’ll get her up and ready. She’ll be good to go in thirty, so meet her in the lobby.” Milana told Max, her accent slowly slipping away as she woke up further. Max’s head cocked like a puppy’s, his eyes finally flickered over to meet Milana’s and he was stunned yet again by the depth and intensity they held.

“You’re invited too. You’re Vic’s guest, which means you’re mine as well. Plus, I know she would never have as much fun without you.” Max smiled as he saw the small smile on Milana’s lips. They were still quite a deep red, though they were nothing compared to that dark maroon that he had imagined wrapped around his cock a few times already today.

“Alright. Thirty minutes in the lobby. I’ll be waiting.” Max winked as he walked away from the bed, straight out the room and along the hall until he was a safe distance away. The Dutch leaned against the wall and sighed heavily. The dirty thoughts that swirled in his head when he saw that short skirt bunched up even higher on her leg than earlier today, and the smirk that curled the right side of her lip could definitely make him commit treason.

Milana began pecking the top of Victoria’s head, the hand that rested against her back began tapping in rhythm with the small kisses. Victoria let out a happy sound and snuggled further into her cocoon, a.k.a Lana’s tits.

“Come on baby girl. Your brother invited you to a party tonight. We have to be in the lobby in a half hour.” Milana whispered, and suddenly Victoria was sitting bolt upright. She scrambled to stand on wobbly legs, and hurled herself toward Milana’s suitcase.

“We have to get ready now then! Fuck why did he not give me more time?” Victoria whined, slipping into her native Dutch language to begin cursing her older brother.

“Wear the navy blue dress that has the spaghetti straps. It suits your figure a lot more than mine.” Milana commented, watching as Victoria rifled through the Czech’s suitcase as she had more ‘party appropriate’ clothes. Victoria’s hands fell on the familiar fabric and pulled it from the case with a victorious smile. She pecked Milana’s lips quickly before stripping down, plucking a navy blue bra and thong set that was a similar shade of blue to the dress. Milana paid her no mind, pouring through her suitcase for a dress to wear herself. While Victoria was tall, slim and an athletic build, Milana had the ‘Instagram curves’ as Victoria had so affectionately named them. Her waist was naturally quite small, and growing up pulling around a tarot reading booth in the streets of Prague had meant she had a very strong lower body, essentially meaning she had muscular thighs and a large, well sculpted ass. It also meant that nine times out of ten, dresses off the rack of her and Victoria’s favourite shop wouldn’t fit as nicely as they did for her blonde friend. Still, she pulled a maroon suede dress that was so tight around her hips, ass and legs, it might as well be a bodycon. Deciding to forfeit a bra, Milana pulled a white lace thong up her legs, followed by the tight dress. She could hear Victoria rustling in the bathroom, presumably starting her makeup. Milana began styling her hair in the large mirror across from the bed, messy waves it was.

“Hey babe, should I do a nude lip with this?” Victoria’s voice called loudly from the bathroom. Milana walked up behind her, arms instinctively wrapping around her small waist.

“I think so, it’ll make the eyes look less dramatic.” Milana mused. Whilst Victoria was known for bold, dark eyeshadows and a light coloured lipstick, Milana’s eyes were always framed in a light brown or peach, her lips holding the infamous dark maroon colour that had pulled many people into her bed before.

“Ok, I’m putting my hair in a ponytail, and then we’re calling it because otherwise we will still be here in three hours.” Victoria finished, her long hair secured quite high on her head, the strands falling down her back like golden thread. Milana smiled, throwing the tall heels with too many strings and laces for her to figure out at her friend. She, herself, pulled on the trusty heeled leather boots that had kept her from breaking toes at concerts and clubs more times than she could count.

“Look at that, we even have time to take a photo.” Milana drawled, knowing Victoria could take up to fifteen minutes to get the perfect Instagram pic. The Czech posed alongside her friend, the slit in both of their dresses showing off more skin despite the dresses cutting off at barely mid thigh. The two women strutted out of their hotel room, phones, purses and valuables left in the hotel room as it wasn’t going to be a responsible night.

[krinsbez]

The Heroes, Future Season Picking

maxw@jcogginsa @skjam, @maxwell-grant

As it would appear discussion of Season One has come to a halt for the moment, this thread is for discussing Season Two.

Some ideas proposed thus far...

By @jcogginsa:

As I said previously , my idea for this one was to have the principal characters come together for Keane’s funeral before getting sucked into the season’s plot. To expand on that, what I think should happen here is that Keane was familiar with several other great detectives. After they leave his funeral, they get sucked into what looks like an Agatha Christie style whodunnit, which is eventually revealed to be something of a more supernatural flavor. The big name of this season could be an aged Sherlock Holmes, but if we don’t go with that, Watson would be a fun pick.

- General Zaroff, the antagonist of ‘The Most Dangerous Game’ sinks a cruise ship, which he believes Doc Savage is aboard, believing that Savage will survive and make it to Zaroff’s island, where he can hunt him for sport. Unfortunately, he’s misinformed, because the Savage aboard the ship is actually Patricia Savage, not Clark. She, along with other pulp heroes who were aboard, then have to deal with Zaroff. Possibly with the Wolfman and Tarzan involved

- The aforementioned “The Shadow vs Lovecraft” season. This would be a later season, since I think it’d be good if Fu Manchu had a more sizeable role in it, to show that while he’s a bad man, he’s not a “wants to end the world” kind of Bad man. Additionally, as a late act twist, I think it’d be nice for a Golden Age flavor of Superman to show up, as he is thematically a foil to Lovecraft

- While most of the seasons would be stand alone, I did have an idea for a loosely connected Trilogy of seasons featuring Sun Koh, the Nazi Doc Savage. One Season would deal with a search for Atlantis, and end with Sun Koh arriving in the present day. Then the season after that would featuring Conan battling Sun Koh in the distant past, and then the season after that would see Sun Koh suffering his final defeat at the hands of Doc Savage.

- A season set on Mars, featuring John Carter attempt to stop the Martian Invasion from War of the Worlds from getting launched

By @krinsbez:

-News of the Underworld: Belgian boy reporter Tintin is back in New York City, doing a ride-along with Justice, Inc. when they’re called in to investigate a gang that’s been robbing museums. But then their leader becomes convinced that one of the artifacts is posssesed by a demon and is talking to him (I think it should be ambiguous if he’s delusional or not), and begins planning something more grandiose than mere thefts, the Avenger calls upon…not sure. Someone with knowledge of mysticism and the occult, but not so much that no ambiguity exists.

-Skull and Crosswinds: In the midst of WWI, the 20th Phantom discovers that Robur the Conqueror’s ahead-of-his time flight technology has fallen into the hands of the European branch of the Singh Brotherhood, who plan to use the war as cover to plunder the continent from the skies with impunity. To stop them, he must somehow convince G-8 and Hans Von Hammer to work together.

-Black As Night And Red All Over: In ‘70s NYC, Shaft, Blade, and Vampirella join forces to defeat Blacula. Given the pun of the title, I thought about throwing in Kolchak, but A: I don’t know that much about him ATM, and B: What little I do know suggests he lives elsewhere?

Comments by @maxwell-grant:

Funny you mentioned wanting to bring Superman into the “Shadow vs Lovecraft” season, because I’ve been tinkering with my own Shadow - Superman crossover idea for a while now, that whole text I wrote about crossing The Shadow with Lovecraft spawned out a Shadow meets Superman text I haven’t finished yet.

The inclusion of Fu Manchu though? I’ll definitely keep it in mind. Although The Shadow, Fu Manchu, and the Cthulhu Mythos are such massive properties, such quintessential pillars of pulp fiction as well as fiction in general, that Superman’s inclusion might be either too much, or perhaps the right ingredient to pulling it all together. Definitely something I have a lot of ideas for but maybe better saved for later.

“The Most Dangerous Game” starring pulp heroes definitely sounds fun though. I think one of the things I most enjoyed about these posts is that they got me to think and write about characters I’d never given much thought prior. I’d definitely like to do more with further obscure choices.

@krinsbez

Here’s an idea for that Tintin x Justice Inc crossover. When The Avenger and Tintin investigate museum robbers who run afoul a mystical artifact that might be driving them to more sinister plans, they need someone who’s familiar enough with the occult and also with historical artifacts, and so they call…Indiana Jones. Benson would have preferred calling someone else but they are in a hurry and Jones was easy to reach. Indy wants absolutely nothing to do with the dead-faced creep who names his knives and the little kid running around in a trenchcoat and demonic artifacts and whatnot, but then he gets involved and goes along complaining about being dragged into another supernatural bullshit adventure, as usual.

Comments by @skjam:

The really obvious proto-Superman for pulp stories is Hugo Danner from “Gladiator” by Philip Wylie.  He dies at the end of the book, but this can easily be handwaved; perhaps a Snake Plissken-like “I heard you were dead” from everyone who recognizes him?

“Most Dangerous Game” with Pat Savage?  If you want to make things really tough for Zaroff, team her up with Jane Clayton, Lady Greystoke.  By the third Tarzan book, Jane’s the second-best person in the world at jungle survival.  (She drops back to third once their son reaches his teens.)

Additional comments by @jcogginsa:

Been thinking more about the great detective pitch I made, and I think good characters to use for that season would be Sar Dubnotai (who I only know of because of Maxwell Grant’s Pulp tarot), and Inspector Ginko from Diabolik

Additional comments by @maxwell-grant:

@skjam I think Hugo Danner is an interesting enough character that, while I do have some plans for him, I wouldn’t just use him as a Superman analogue.

@jcogginsa Sar is definitely a great choice, in fact it’s a logical choice to have him enter the scene as a response to Ascott Keane’s murder, since Sar is an occult detective as well, far older, more powerful and resourceful than Keane, and generally being a far more interesting character too.

I haven’t yet had a chance to read the original Sar Dubnotal stories but something I really enjoyed about the Tales of the Shadowmen stories I’ve read with him is that they emphasize him being a psychologist on top of everything else, so he lends himself into scenarios where he uses his magic to help characters dig into their pasts and deal with their trauma and so on, which is definitely something that sets him apart from other pulp heroes, even those with mystical powers.

The fact that he can speak with the dead could also allow us to include characters from different time periods. For example, maybe Holmes did die a while before the story began, but Sar has been receiving visions and guidance from Holmes in the afterlife that sets him on a trip to America where he has to help some of his detective friends deal with the aftermath of the murder of an American occult detective. That way, not every character we want to include outside of their time period needs to be immortal (although Sar may be, as even in his original 1910 stories he was hinted at being much older than he appeared, and now he’s going to be appearing in the 1930s presumably unchanged).

Sar can very well serve as the link that binds different characters and storytelling elements together.

Some thoughts of my own.

-On Hugo Danner: I have to agree with @maxwell-grant that just using him as a Superman analogue is not a good idea, not least because, asides from powers they are very different characters. Not sure using Superman is the best idea either, since he’s as close as you get to a bright shining line where Pulp Heroes stop and Super Heroes begin (given that there are plenty of superheroes who are 100% Pulp Heroes as far as I’m concerned, it’s not much of a line, but still)

-On what to do next: Obviously, I’m partial to my own ideas, but of @jcogginsa‘s ideas, I like the Detectives or Most Dangerous game one’s best. Which sentiment appears to be shared by the rest of you, so let’s go for it.

-On Detectives: Unfortunately, I’ve never even heard of Sar before, so I’m not confident of my ability to do stuff with him.

-On Most Dangerous Game: I love the concept, but I can’t buy Gen. Zaroff by himself as being a legitimate threat when Tarzan is involved? (as far as I’m concerned. kidnapping Jane is a form of suicide)

[mysticmachmir]

Tarot Through a Jewish Lens (Part I)

Is Tarot Jewish?

No. Tarot was not a Jewish creation and nor does it come from Kabbalah. When Waite made his famous RWS deck, he was a Christian occultist/magician and part of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and also formed his own Fellowship of the Rosy Cross. He was a Catholic involved in 'western esotericism' and fell under the learnings of Eliphas Levi. Eliphas Levi was not a Jewish man. He was a French gentile occultist who changed his name from Alphonse Louis Constant to Éliphas Lévi Zahed -- why? He wanted his magical works to sound more authentically exotic (aka, Jewish) because he appropriated from Jewish mysticism and skewed it for his own wants. He believed that Kabbalah was the "linking factor between the Old Testament and the New Testament", and that is rooted in Christian supersessionism, a violent ideology that has resulted in many murders of the Jewish people. Another example is the french occultist, Court de Gébelin, who claimed that the Major Arcana were numbered to correspond to the 22 letters in both the Egyptian and Hebrew alphabets. It didn’t seem to trouble him that at the time different versions of the deck that was in circulation sometimes had more than and sometimes less than 22 Major Arcana cards. Or that ancient Egyptians didn’t use an alphabet. 

So no. Tarot was created as a playing card game, sprung up in Italy, Germany, and France. It was not intended for 'occult' use until much later. And still, in no way shape or form, was it ever Jewish in origin. In the Torah, besides certain kinds of divination/tools, divination is forbidden and Tarot is considered avodah zarah (idolatry) because it is a non-Jewish practice.

Now I'm sure you're asking: Well you read tarot, why are you telling me this? Aren't you incriminating yourself? I'm telling you because I want to stress and push back against cultural appropriation and Christian supersessionism that is rooted in these beliefs, and I want to make it clear that the relationship between a Jew, halacha, and G!d is on them - but to not fool oneself claiming a non-Jewish practice is actually Jewish. That, I think, is more ludicrous than just using tarot.

Alright, now onto the fun parts and what you are here for.

My Jewish Theology with Tarot

So, this is all my personal theology which obviously you do not have to share. I am Jewish and practice religious Judaism. I believe that there is only one G!d, Hashem, and that They are everywhere and in everything. In academic terms, I am a monotheistic panentheist. This aligns with a lot of Jewish mysticism, especially Chassidus, and consider myself a crossover between the Conservative Jewish denomination and Renewal, with a solid base in the American Neo-Hasidic movement . (Conservative =/= political right-wing in the Jewish movements). I deeply respect Jewish traditions, halacha, and have put a lot of thought in what I believe and how it relates to tarot. There will be of course Jews who disagree with me, but I'm not here to dwell on that. When I read tarot, I am not asking the cards to tell me the answer I am seeking - the cards are a tool, an object, and do not possess spirits of their own. I am asking G!d. Now, angels won't interfere, but sheydim (demons) can. I will talk about protections/rituals one can use to avoid sheydim meddling later. As for questions like: How does one ethically divine? How much power do interpreters have? Does G!d plan everything? Do we have free will when it comes to our future? Let’s look to source texts. “All is foreseen, but free will is given.”  —Rabbi Akiva, Pirke Avot 3:15 "Rabbi Bena’a: There were twenty-four interpreters of dreams in Jerusalem. One time, I dreamed a dream and went to each of them to interpret it. What one interpreted for me the other did not interpret for me, and, nevertheless, all of the interpretations were realized in me, to fulfill that which is stated: All dreams follow the mouth of the interpreter." —Berakhot 55b "The Gemara asks: But doesn’t Rav say that any divination that is not like the divination of Eliezer, the servant of Abraham, when he went to seek a bride for Isaac (see Genesis 24:14), or like the divination of Jonathan, son of Saul, who sought an omen as to whether he and his arms bearer would defeat the Philistines (see I Samuel 14:8–12), is not divination? Since Rav did not rely on the omen in his decision making, he did not violate the prohibition against divination, and there was no reason for him to penalize himself." —Chullin 95b "What is a diviner? One who takes his stick in hand and says, (as though he were consulting it), “Shall I go, or shall I not go?” So does it state, (Hoshea 4:12) “My people ask counsel of their stick, and their staff declareth unto them” (Sifrei Devarim 171:6). (3) מעונן — Rabbi Akiba said, Such are people who assign times (עונות plural of עונה “period”, “time”) — who say, “This time is auspicious to begin some work”; the Sages, however, say, It refers to those “who hold your eyes under control” (who delude by optical deception; they connect מעונן with עין “eye”) (Sifrei Devarim 171:9)." —Rashi on Devarim 18:10-12 "... here he does not rely on the אות which he had stipulated, but where he asked G’d in prayer for help, saying that if certain things were to happen he would regard this as a sign that his prayer had been answered favorably (compare Ibn Ezra there). When the Talmud Chulin 95 כל נחש שאינו כאליעזר עבד אברהם ויהונתן בן שאול אינו נחש, the meaning is that “any divination which is not like that of Eliezer or that of Yonatan ben Sha-ul is not a divination,” i.e. is not permissible, but is akin to relying on witchcraft [Unless the person requesting a sign does so as a prayer directed to G’d it is forbidden. Ed.]" —Sforno on Beresheit 24:14 “The true power of the tarot lies in its ability to channel a clear path for our deep intuition to shine through. Consulting the tarot can help clear creativity blockages, clarify ambitions, work through complex decisions, and make sense of emotions and relationships.” —Holistic Tarot, Benebell Wen

In my interpretation of these quotes, I gather a few things:

1. In Jewish thought, dreams are 1/60th prophecy. However, dreams follow the mouth, i.e. interpretations. Multiple interpretations can be true. Being a confident and learned interpreter is important. While I did not quote it, the sages also advise the one should pay your interpreters fairly. 

2. Hashem has given humans free will, so we can make our own choices. That is unique to us as beings, unlike angels. G!d already knows the possible outcomes.

3. It is not divination to notice and realize patterns or answers as long as you do not use it as an omen to change immediate course - examples the sages mention in specific are "a piece of bread falls from your mouth, so you decide not to walk to the lake", i.e, seeking 'signs' and omens randomly to direct your life.

4. Rashi's explanation of what a diviner and sorcerer are, compiled from different Jewish texts. Now, I am not here to say "and this is proof Judaism and halacha are actually fine with divination!" Nope, in Bamidbar 23:23, it is very clear that Jews are told to get what they need from prophets or G!d themself, and do not need augury. What I am arguing here is that by these specifications, and connecting to my final point of what tarot actually is, tarot may not fall under that category depending on how you use it.

5. I wanted to highlight Sforno's commentary here because the way I read tarot is via prayer. Tarot is a tool, and when I begin a reading, I am not asking the cards, I am asking Hashem to use these cards as a sign and communication.

6. Finally, I quoted Benebell Wen because of her poignant understanding of how tarot is less about "fortune-telling" and more about a creative psycho-spiritual exercise for intuition and is more like a mirror to our subconscious telling us what is true. Fusing this with the ideas above, this is my short rundown of how I see and view Tarot: Tarot is a prayerful, spiritual tool as a way I can interpret and communicate from G!d, and I understand the cards themselves are not going to tell the future. Tarot is a mirror for the subconscious and a way for us to work through things we do not feel we can do on our own, be'ezrat Hashem (with the help of G!d).

Jewish Tarot Spreads

As I don't want to just post photos, I am instead going to include links to the tarot spreads I have found, to their origins so you can know the creator!The Archangel Spread The Divine Threads Spread Wisdom of the Hebrew Priestess Spread Vessel, Offering, Ally Spread Do Not Play It Small Spread Rooting and Releasing Spread

Jewish Tarot and Oracle Decks

Eht/Aht Netivot Oracle Deck

Tu B’shevat Oracle Deck

Moon Angels Oracle Deck

Malakhim Meditative Cards

Raziel Tarot Deck (Out of Print)

Jewish Tarot (Never Printed, Can See All Cards Virtually)

72 Names Deck

Tokens of Light Deck

King Solomon Deck

Revealed by the Letters Deck

Cleansing and Protection

So, of course, this is so dependent on what you think is most important for you, as it is your practice. However, I will share what I do.

When it comes to doing readings, I have a very specific ritual. First, I light incense or a candle depending on what I feel like doing at the time. This is something I am still working on and trying what fits best for me and my cards. I will use incense smoke to cleanse cards or the "knocking" card trick. Then, I say two prayers - I recite the blessing:

"Blessed are you G!d, Ruler of the Universe, who opens the eyes of the blind. The reason is because of the allegory that intuition and divination are connecting to a special type of sight. Then, in the case of the concern with sheydim messing with the reading, I have decided to use the protective angel prayer: 

"In the name of the Lord, G!d of Israel: 

May the angel Michael be at my right side, 

and at my left side, Gabriel,

before me Uriel, behind me Raphael,

and above my head, Shekhinat El, G!d's presence." This is traditionally recited at night, but I felt it was just as appropriate to call on these angels for protection. Plus, Uriel is associated with illumination and is a useful presence to have during these readings. In Jewish gemology, lapis lazuli is good for bringing understanding and grounding intuition, so I use that gemstone as well while I read. Eventually, I'd like to also get an onyx as it is associated with enlightenment and wisdom in Jewish gemology. I also use a tarot cloth with a hamsa and have a protective amulet pendant.

Finally, when I shuffle my cards, I sing a very specific phrase - the "ein od milvado" from Kohelet 1:2, in a tune that puts me into a meditative headspace - and I shuffle with my eyes closed, only stopping when I feel it is right to do so. I also use a kabbalistic meditation technique to allow the divine flow (shefa) from G!d's light flow through the crown of my head. 

If you liked this work and information, consider tipping me at: https://ko-fi.com/ezrasaville!

Sources (I will post this in every post of this series): Sefaria Chabad Tarot and the Gates of Light by Mark Horn Torah, Tarot, and Tantra by William Blank The Jewish Dream Book by Vanessa Ochs Magic of the Ordinary by R. Gershon Winkler Tarot Wisdom by Rachel Pollack The Wisdom in the Hebrew Alphabet by R. Michael Munk The Encyclopedia of Jewish Magic, Myth, and Mysticism by R. Geoffrey Dennis https://www.telshemesh.org/ https://hsastrology.weebly.com/hebrew-zodiac-signs.html https://ohr.edu/this_week/ask_the_rabbi/2394 https://www.gatesoflighttarot.com/ http://www.devotaj.com/ http://www.peelapom.com/

[medinaquirin]

Grieving sucks.

I don’t talk about it much.  In part because past that first moment when you have to figure out how to tell people that someone important to you has died, I’m not quite sure what else there is to say, particularly to a collection of people on the internet that are at least 50% here for shitposts and pretty pictures.  But then beyond that...it’s difficult to unpack.  Grieving from a distance doesn’t work right.  There was nothing of his to pack away, save for a few books and trinkets he’d given me, and the weird little pocket detritus I’d never been able to bring myself to throw away.  Most of the latter has been either disposed of or relocated to its own weird little ziploc bag of sentimental trash.  An empty pack of gum and rolled up kitkat wrappers that are now well over twelve years old.

But that kind of hits on the other problem.  It’s not just long-distance grieving.  It’d been ten years since I’d flown back to the States for the last time.  And I did that first hard grieving for closeness and intimacy a long time ago.  So after he died there was no reaching for somebody that wasn’t there anymore.  There weren’t moments of turning to talk to someone who wasn’t there.  There wasn’t waking up to an empty bed in a panic and wondering where he’d gone before reality took a baseball bat to my skull.  I’d done that already.  Even the engagement ring had been packed away, one of the prongs in the setting having been bent and repaired so many times it no longer safely held the stone without worry it’d fall out. 

What there was, was an awful, detached feeling, and repeatedly catching myself waiting for phone calls that never came.  The past two years have felt...well that’s the problem.  I don’t know what they’ve felt like.  It’s surreal, is the thing.  Missing someone without a touchstone.  When there’s nobody around you that can share in the grief.  Somebody that knew them, cared about them, and misses them too.  I grieved my partner of fifteen years in an apartment building he’d never set foot in, on a bed he’d never slept in, in a country he’d never been, and the only trappings of him I had were small things, easily hidden away.

It’s hard to grieve like this because the voice on the phone was more familiar by then than the presence of the man who’d held me when my mother died (another phone call, another missed funeral), than the hugs in the morning when I’d stumble out of bed, than his hand in mine, fingers drumming anxiously against my knuckles.  I grieved the loss of him already, ten times over, not knowing when or if I’d ever make it back.  And then when the hammer came down and put an end to that wondering...  What was left?

I don’t know that I have a good answer for that either.  Except maybe just loss.  That was all that was left.  A door closed with shitty, mundane finality to say that there is no going back.  I miss him still.  Because of course I do.  But it’s all fuzzy.  Small remembrances.  A few words, a few expressions, remembered sensations.  Things I can’t box up and file away.  The first thing I think I forgot was how it sounded when he said “I love you.”  Still possibly the worst blow I’ve taken in all this.  I would’ve liked to have been left with that.  But there’s no comfort here.

Anyway.  This is all to say that I’m thinking too hard.  Yesterday would’ve been our 17th anniversary.  Today is two years since he passed.  I’m not okay, I won’t pretend that I am.  But I’m coping.  I think.  Or I’m trying to.  I think this is me finally making a last ditch effort to cope a couple years late. 

I’ve been crying on and off the past few days.  Anxiety’s been awful.  Hardly a shock.  But today started weirdly peaceful.  I’ve got that Golden Thread tarot thing on my phone and got the pop for today’s card and thought what the hell, I’ll look.  Ace of Cups.  New beginnings.  I almost laughed.  Then I got the nudge to grab one of my own decks.  Picked the Aquarian.  Gave it a shuffle.  Ace of Cups.  And then I cried.  I am, in point of fact, still crying.  I walked out of my room to get coffee and realized I was nose to nose with my messenger bag hanging from the rack.  A small, diamond-shaped pin reading “Let Love In” staring me right in the face.

I haven’t a clue how to start over.  But I know the nudge when I feel it.

Goodbye, baby.  I miss you.  I hope you knew how much I loved you.

[thelittleoracle]

What is coming for me in the next month? | Timeless Reading

This tarot card reading looks at the energies that will be in play in the next 30 days for you. It is a timeless reading. When you cross paths with this reading, your 30 days starts now.

Take a deep breath, and let your intuition guide your choice of piles. Whichever one feels right, or feels like it is grabbing your attention, is the right one. You might also try hovering your hand over the screen, and seeing if any of the cards feel warm.

Pile 1, amethyst cluster

Pile 2, milky quartz

Pile 3, rose quartz

Decks used: The Golden Thread Tarot, The Wild Unknown Tarot, Moonology Oracle Cards

As always, because this is a collective reading, take what resonates and leave the rest. 

Readings are behind the break!

Pile 1, amethyst cluster

Your cards: Death, III of Wands, The Emperor, Mother (Queen) of Cups, The Emperor, Ace of Cups.

Oracle: Waxing Crescent Moon

A big change is coming for you, but don’t be afraid of it. You are safe and protected (with two Emperors to watch over you!). This change will bring positive things into your life. This change might be something that you have been working on manifesting. If so, hold on to hope. You should see payoff this month. This could be an emotional month. Change is often emotional, and it is our nature to resist it and seek the comfortable known. But blessings lie along this new path that is opening up to you. For some of you, this change will be a new relationship coming into your life. This might be a romantic relationship, but I am sensing that for most of you it will be some kind of career-related relationship, perhaps a new boss or a new mentor. This person, or perhaps two people, will be strong-willed and protective, but could become overbearing. Don’t lose sight of the ambitions that have carried you to this point. The cards are advising you to prepare yourself for this big change—but to be excited for it. This new cycle serves your highest purpose. Focus your energy on what you want to manifest.

Please leave a comment if your reading resonated with you!

Pile 2, milky quartz

Your cards: IV of Wands, VI of Wands, Fool, Daughter (Page) of Wands, Son (Knight) of Cups, IV of Pentacles

Oracle: Blue Moon

If you picked this pile, you are probably someone who has a very free-spirited nature, who walks their own path with determination. You act first and consider consequences later. You might be a fire sign, or have someone in your household or inner circle who is. In the next month, you can expect to see the rewards of all of the work you have been putting in. This means a time of peace and celebration for your community, recognition of your hard work, and financial stability. That recognition of your work might be public, or it might be just one person who tells you that they notice and appreciate the things you are doing. All of these things might sound really impossible to you right now, because you’re in a rocky place. But believe in the impossible! By the end of the next month, you will feel like you have a fresh start. This is the end of a period of hardship, and the start of an exciting new chapter. You have a lot of creative energy this month. You will be full of new ideas. These cards say: follow your creative heart. Like the Fool, you must be wary of having your head too much in the clouds. But if you trust yourself and believe in your creativity, abundance awaits you.

Significant numbers: 4, 14, 44

Please leave a comment if your reading resonated with you!

Pile 3, rose quartz

Your cards: The World, Queen of Wands, V of Pentacles, Hierophant, The Hanged Man, Daughter (Page) of Cups

Oracle: Full Moon in Aquarius, New Moon in Taurus

Group three, you have to let yourself ask for help. You have a tendency to try to be everything to everyone, but if you just keep pouring out of your cup you will soon find it is empty. I sense that for some of you, you have learned this lesson recently. There might have been a conflict or upheaval in your life that has left you feeling too drained to move. Reach out. There is help available to you this month, and if you can find the courage to ask for it, prosperity lies ahead. This help could be financial, or it might be emotional or spiritual. You may have reached a point in your education or career where you are realizing you need a mentor to grow into your fullest potential. If you have been considering therapy or counseling, now is a good time to pursue that further. You are someone who puts on a mask of happiness and stability for others. In the next month, try to find a way to become more authentic. No one is an island—we all need other people. Reach out and accept help. There is a new, genuine and lasting stability and fulfillment available to you if you can do so.

Please leave a comment if your reading resonated with you!

Disclaimer: As always, because this is a collective reading, take what resonates and leave the rest. This reading is provided for entertainment purposes only. Please use your own judgment when making decisions.

[townpea04]

60+ Tarot Analysis Suggestions

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We'll additionally give you a couple of suggestions on what to expect during your initial tarot card analysis, as well as discuss just how tarot card analyses function. A three-card spread has the visitor draw three cards from the deck after it's been shuffled and also halved by the querent. Generally, the very first called pulled represents the past, the 2nd stands for the present, and the 3rd represents the future. How those timelines are analyzed relies on the analysis as well as the concern being asked-- "future" might suggest tomorrow or it could suggest one decade from now. One of the most prominent and also widely known deck is the Rider-Waite, drawn by illustrator Pamela Colman Smith as well as released in 1910. These cards are understood for their easy images, their basic color design, as well as their meaning. Furthermore, the Minor Arcana also includes 40 phoned number cards which are arranged right into 4 Matches of 10 cards each. These stand for the different circumstances that we come across in our day-to-days live. Oranum is your go-to option if you like online tarot card reading services using video conversation as opposed to messages or call. Although there are a a great deal of love psychics available online, it is important to choose a service that is genuine, reliable, and customer-friendly in nature. With numerous selections offered at the click of a mouse, choosing a real tarot analysis location is always hard. Shuffling and managing the cards is a wonderful way to physically connect with the deck that you're using. As intuition is an crucial aspect of a reading, you'll require to bring yourself into the cards. Attempt to shuffle at the very least as soon as, but however often times you really feel is required to get the cards " gotten rid of". I'm sure if you're right here, you're currently filled with concerns. The majority of people become interested regarding tarot card when they are faced with wonderful uncertainty in their lives. And also when the cards are made use of correctly, they verify to be a formidable device to help you think about other viewpoints and also move forward in the best method possible. I've been making use of Psychic Source for many years and also they have actually constantly been very friendly, thoughtful, as well as accurate. Due to the fact that the earliest tarot cards were hand-painted, the variety of the decks created is believed to have actually been small. It was just after the innovation of the printing machine that mass production of cards became possible. The expansion of tarot card beyond Italy, initially to France and also Switzerland, took place during the Italian Wars. Below at Golden Thread Tarot card, we acknowledge that tarot is not about exposing a fixed future, however instead about discovering your subconscious self. He pulled a deck from his breast pocket-- apparently, he carries the significant arcana from the Marseille deck with him anywhere-- and selected The Lovers card. Every person normally gets delighted when The Lovers turns up in a reading, because most of us presume that it means advantages for our love life; but it doesn't always show romantic love in any way. While they are an online analysis service and also can chat, they primarily do tarot readings by phone. While that goes over by itself, what really sticks out about this network is the experience of the tarot card masters you discover there. They provide insightful analyses that utilize the tarot card as a tool to divine details concerning a person's circumstances. They have actually developed tarot checking out to the point of it being an art kind and also I've always found out more about myself as well as just how to browse my present life scenario from spending time on the site. Kasamba has actually been supplying tarot readings on the internet for two decades now. There are many different tarot card decks offered, as well as each deck and also visitor are unique. The reader will certainly set the cards out in different patterns using varying numbers of cards. Therefore, if you do choose a specialist love psychic reading, youll be able to come close to the following events in your life with more courage. You can figure out every detail you require to know about your existing as well as future lovemaking. Likewise, youll find out to make the right options as well as trust fund the right people. What you genuinely require in order to utilize the power of a tarot analysis to the maximum, is a highly user-friendly and also educated overview. The analysis provided by a real psychic is the outcome of experiences given from generation to generation. According to many psychic resources on free love tarot card details, you must ask flexible inquiries. This is since tarot cards can help you clear up the subject, not tell you what to do. Many people advise the Rider-Waite deck for novices, as the cards' meanings are so frequently user-friendly-- and when they're not, lots of analysis overviews exist in books and also online. Many decks, consisting of the Rider-Waite, come with a little sheet of paper specifying each of the card's most typical analyses. Though tarot cards have taken on a mystical definition in the cultural imagination, they were initially planned as even more of a parlor game. The cards have been utilized given that a minimum of the mid-15th century; the earliest tape-recorded decks came from different parts of Italy. I think I can help you comprehend the hidden significance of points. Our complimentary tarot card readings need to allow you to recognize your future better and also recognize what awaits you. Tarot card analyses are a powerful type of divination that make use of an ancient deck of cards to aid you locate answers to your most important questions regarding love, partnerships, your career, financial resources and more. Psychics and also foreteller have used Tarot card cards for centuries, and also Relied on Tarot will certainly provide you an exact reading that's individualized based the cards you pick as well as the order you choose them. Every card has a various definition depending upon its setting, so you will certainly get a special and also detailed point of view on your current situation. To plan for your analysis, I recommend that you listen to this grounding excercise - after that scroll down and pick your cards. The tarot card deck includes 78 cards, each of which is related to its very own particular imagery, significance, as well as story. Out of the 78 cards, there are 22 significant Arcana cards that stand for the karmic as well as spiritual lessons of a person's life. The 56 Minor Arcana cards symbolize the adversities and tests that we, as human beings, face in our day-to-days live. Amongst the Minor Arcana cards, there are 16 Tarot Card Court Cards which stand for 16 various personality traits that we share at different times.

[coffinandclover]

When I saw some of the artwork and the product samples for this new tarot deck from Labyrinthos I HAD to have it. My preorder arrived yesterday. This is the Arcana Isis Sacra deck, which came out along with a similar styled astrological oracle deck called Claves Astrologicae. I have them both but for this post I'm focusing on the tarot deck.

This isn't my first Labyrinthos deck- when I first started getting interested in tarot I used the Golden Thread tarot app and right away bought the Golden Thread physical deck- I love these cards, and even though I've bought quite a few other decks since then the Golden Thread has been one I use regularly. I have the Seventh Sphere Lenormand deck from Labyrinthos as well. I'm a huge fan of Tina Gong's work and these new decks are not at all a disappointment

The Arcana Isis Sacra deck comes in a box that's designed to look and open like a fancy book. It's beautiful but to be honest I'll probably find a cloth case for these cards- the box it ships in lays slightly agape unless you use the attached ribbon to tie it shut. I was surprised that there was no magnetic closures.

The card themselves are beautiful. They're slightly smaller than the typical tarot card which makes them more comfortable to handle and shuffle in my small hands. The card stock is very sturday and has gilded edges. They feel both antique and very new at the same time.

The card designs use quite a bit of astrological and Kabbalah imagery, and I'm not fully familiar with either, and as I look through the cards these feel a little more sophisticated than a typical Rider-Waite inspired deck, most notibly in the major arcana. I'm really looking forward to learning more about the symbolism in this deck and hoppefully be able to appreciate the added depth.

I don't have a ton of space to spread out right now to do this interview spread- the shape is wrong but the card order is borrowed from this interview spread.

1. What are you here to teach me?

IV of Swords - to pause and reflect.

2. How do you see yourself?

Princess of Wands - I see myself as a free spirit.

3. How do you see me?

The Fool - You are eager but have a lot to learn.

4. How can I best work with you?

The Hierophant - Educate yourself.

5. What are your strengths as a deck?

The Lovers - Questions regarding relationships and important choices.

6. What are your limitations or weaknesses?

IV of Disks - I may not provide the best money advice.

7. What is the potential of our working relationship?

Lust - We will have an instinctual bond.

[undeadcourier]

cesario makes a deal wc: 1567

Cesario tapped the tarot deck against the tabletop to straighten it. Their fingers tingled where they touched the cards with the faint pins-and-needles sensation of blood rushing back into a limb that had fallen asleep. 

The feeling was as familiar to Cesario now as was the design on the backs of the cards. They traced a fingertip over the wings of the eagle painted in cerulean and turquoise over a golden sun and sighed.

Before the ache in their chest that always bloomed when they thought of home could grow to distraction, the bell on the door tinkled to announce the arrival of a customer and Cesario set the deck down.

The man who entered was surprisingly tall -- almost as tall as Cesario themself, though they shared little else in common. The stranger’s worn leather jacket and the layer of Mojave dust on his sturdy boots were a far cry from the flowing shawl and hand-tooled huaraches that Cesario wore. 

The man didn’t acknowledge Cesario right away but instead browsed the selection of candles, charms, oils, and other items that they had displayed for sale. He didn’t appear particularly interested in anything until he came to Cesario’s crystal ball, set on a stand by a selection of dried herbs. 

“I would appreciate if you didn’t touch that,” Cesario said. 

Apparently, that was precisely the wrong thing to say, because the man cocked his head slightly before he lifted the ball off its stand and held it up in one gloved hand. He turned it in the light and examined it in a detached sort of way, and Cesario knew at once that he wasn’t so much interested in the ball as in being contrary. They pursed their lips.

“Is there something I can help you with?” they prompted. 

“You have to ask?” he teased. His roguish grin was warped by the crystal ball as he held it up between them and looked through it at Cesario. “You didn’t foresee that I’d come?” 

Cesario resisted the impulse to roll their eyes. “It doesn’t work like that,” they explained. They kept their eyes on the ball, perched precariously in the man’s hand, and wished he’d just set it down already. “Perhaps you’d like a reading?”

The man scoffed. “I don’t need a witch to tell me my future,” he responded. “I intend to shape it.”

“Curious that you should choose to come here, then,” Cesario pointed out. When the man didn’t take that as his invitation to leave, they swallowed a sigh. “As it happens, I’m not in the position to entertain guests at the moment, so if you don’t intend to buy anything, I suggest that you be on your way.”

“I’m looking for someone who came in here,” the man said. “A friend of yours, I’m told.” His tone was casual enough, but there was something about the way he spoke that made the hairs on the back of Cesario’s neck stand up.

“I have many friends,” they replied. “You’ll have to be more specific.”

The corner of the man’s mouth twitched up at that.

 “The man I’m looking for is one of the Chairmen over at the Tops,” he said. As he spoke, he picked up one of the devotional candles with la Virgen de Guadalupe on it and his grin twisted down. “Es un pinche cabrón se llama Benny.”

When he said the name, his gold eyes flicked up to meet Cesario’s. It was a calculating stare, the look of a poker master sizing up the other players at the table, looking for a bluff.

He needn’t have bothered, really. Cesario never liked lying, nor had they ever been good at it.

“I wouldn’t call him a friend,” they answered. “He left the Strip a few days ago, I suppose he’s somewhere in the desert.” Ordinarily, they might have tried to get a few caps for that information, but at the moment, they were more preoccupied with getting this man to leave before he dropped that ball. He still hadn’t set it down, and it was beginning to make Cesario anxious. It wasn’t as though genuine crystal balls were easy to come by…

Only then did it occur to Cesario that the man had not taken it simply out of spite, but as a kind of hostage, to ensure that they answered his questions about Benny. They set their jaw and made a mental note to keep such valuables out of reach in the future, but the man was still turning the ball idly in his hands.

“He didn’t tell me where he was going,” Cesario said, “so if that was all you came to ask, I’m afraid I can’t help you.”

“No?” The man sounded amused. “I would have thought a private investigator would be precisely the person who could help me.”

A knot of unease twisted in Cesario’s stomach at that. They no longer advertised as an investigator. They hadn’t in years, not since the conflict between the NCR and the Legion had escalated to all-out war. It was too dangerous, and besides, with the troopers on the Strip, they got more than enough business with their tarot and palm readings to live comfortably behind the walls of New Vegas and avoid all that legwork. 

“I don’t do that anymore.”

“You haven’t even heard my offer yet,” the man argued, and he finally set down the crystal ball so that he could take something from an inner pocket on his jacket. “I went out of my way to get this for you, too.”

Cesario watched as he unwrapped several layers of crinkled crepe paper. Some cheap trinket, no doubt. Did he think wrapping it up like that would be enough to fool them? 

When the man folded back the last layer of paper, however, Cesario couldn’t help the soft gasp that escaped their throat.

They were gloves, and they were exquisite. Crafted of rich cobalt leather with pique stitching and embroidered with an intricate celestial design in silver thread. Cesario noticed, too, that they appeared to be exactly the right size to fit them.

“Do you like them?”

Cesario looked back at the man’s face and saw a glint of pride in his golden eyes. He already knew the answer to that question. He’d known before he’d even pulled out the gloves, no doubt.

“Found them in a department store in Utah,” he went on. “They’re brand new.”

The skin on Cesario’s arms prickled. There was too much weight to the man’s tone for that final statement to have been anything but a hint. He obviously knew why Cesario had a preference for items that were new, and why gloves, in particular, would be a tempting offer in exchange for their services.

Due to the nature of their work and their various gifts, they usually knew far more about their clients than any of them would ever know about Cesario, but clearly, this man had done some research.

The tension Cesario had felt when the man was waving the crystal ball around was nothing compared to the acute unease they felt then. As uncomfortable as it often was to learn what they did about the people who came into the shop, Cesario found it was even worse to be on the other end, to have someone digging up their past. 

Maybe it wasn’t so strange that this man would have learned about their former P.I. work, but they were far more careful to keep their talent for psychometry a secret. They had done a few such readings long ago, out of desperation during much leaner times, and they’d done everything they could since then to keep word getting around about it. They still would wake up drenched in sweat from nightmares wherein they relived the things they had seen from those readings. 

As Cesario met those gold eyes again, fear prickled in their limbs. Who was this man? How had he come to find out what he had about them? They couldn’t begin to guess, but they knew one thing for certain. This person would be nothing but trouble, and the less they had to do with him, the better off they would be.

Still, they hesitated, and their gaze flicked back to the gloves. They needed those. It wasn’t just that they were gorgeous, though they were. Gloves like that, new gloves, would be a reprieve Cesario couldn’t afford to pass up. They could hardly leave their rooms here at the Ultra-Luxe without accidentally touching something that would inevitably dredge up some horror or another. Everything here, even on the Strip, was tainted by the Great War, infused with tragedy. 

Gloves meant freedom from the constant assault of information that occurred whenever Cesario had to touch something that didn’t belong to them. They’d had a pair, once, when they’d first crossed into the New California Republic from Mexico, but years of use had worn holes in them until they could no longer serve their intended purpose. These cobalt gloves would last the rest of Cesario’s life, and since they were new, they wouldn’t come with memories already attached.

They were wrenched from their reverie when the man began to wrap up the gloves again, and Cesario flung out a hand to stop him.

“I’ll do it,” they said quickly. “I’ll help you find Benny.”

The man grinned. “Then it’s a deal.”

[voidiots]

⚔️- Celtic Cross How will recovering lost memories impact me moving forward? -- Tek has been dying to know about his mysterious past ever since he woke up with no memories of who or where he was. This is absolutely a question he'd ask. Or really anything pertaining to his past, or recovering memories. He's a precious bab who just wants to know his own place in the world.

[Emoji Tarot Reading]

The query is posed and Una’to nods in understanding as he picks up the deck, starting to shuffle it with a faraway look despite his concentration on his task. After a long silence, only filled with the sound of the cards and their breathing to indicate any amount of life, he stops shuffling, and lays out the spread. Flipping each card as he places it to have it’s face drawn skyward, to stargaze.

The spread is set. Two cards in the middle, four surrounding them in a cross, and four on his right side.

He lay’s his hand gently on the cross formation’s two cards, looking at the Miqo’te man across from him as he speaks. “We start the grand spread here with the heart of the matter and the challenge to overcome. First, the heart, as it is the key component to the reading that impacts all other cards that follow it and are shows us the biggest influence on you presently. Our heart is a card of fear, lack of objectivity, and despair. You become worked up over small things, making you nervous in all endeavors. As a result a spiral of negativity devours you. The advice here is to take a step back and look at things with a clearer perspective...” he says as he lifts his hand away from the cross. A card of sunflowers of one of nine swords placed around a humanoid jawbone. He picks up the card with sunflowers.

“We now move on to the challenge. The forces working against your resolution, and what you must overcome to resolve the issue. The card here speaks to us of resilience, pushing forward, and the last stretch before completion. You are close to being able to achieve a victory after battling through the heart. It’s been a challenge and draining to you, though you are pursuing what you think is right. Exhaustion is setting in. I believe then the challenges lie in not giving up too soon when you’re close to the end of your fears. Keep working on them to overcome them and achieve that which you have been seeking.You’re almost to a prize it should seem.”

His eyes go to the cross around that of the center, landing on the card closest to him. An images of a skeleton woman holding a ring above her head, and plant life surrounding her. “Here we start to consider other aspects that may be impacting you presently and set your future course, should you choose to continue following the road you’re on the results will not change. Mind you, the future is yours to shape... Enough of my prattling though. Our next card is your unconscious. How you truly feel about the matter, and some hidden emotions that maybe impacting you. The card here symbolizes practicality, creature comforts, and financial security. The woman here is blessed with gifts of sensual comforts, and talents related to domestic life. She is motherly, and seeks to bring her loved ones joy through worldly means. She creates a home. Often times human figures like this can be transposed on to ourselves, or others in our lives. I ask to you ponder who this figure maybe. This person maybe impacting your unconscious feelings on the matter, or perhaps you’re looking to overcome your challenge through such means unknowingly. I can’t say for certain, the threads are endless and unknown to me as your person it yet.”

Eyes shift up to his left. The next card depicts seven swords, the middle most one with a halo around their handles. “Your past is what we look to next. What attitudes, feelings, or beliefs of the past shape your current self. There is a message here of turning a new leaf, a desire to reform, and a desire to change. In the past you may have found yourself in a place where you needed to lie to survive. How ever a spark was ignited to over come such underhanded tactics to survive. You left you feeling smothered and as if you were lacking freedom. Is that perhaps why you’re trying to recover you memories? From your turning over a new leaf? Or, perhaps it’s how or why you lost them? Some people wish to turn over so thoroughly that the destroy their past, never completely though, as memories can live on in others. Again, I can’t say. I can only offer you advice and conjecture.”

He looks to the card closest to his querent, two skeletons in a loving embrace, despite their necks being coiled about by a snake. “Now we look to your conscious, the card is directly across from your unconscious. In this position it tells us how you are seeing your situation, your assumptions, convictions, and beliefs. Both for this reading and your actual situation. The message here is heavy handed, a changing point on the road for you, something that will change you. A devil in reverse speaks to us of freedom, release, and restoring control. Where there was codependency, enslavement, and debt is being cleared and an understanding of what is important and isn’t is achieved. What chains do you need to yet break to be completely free however? So it seems you expect this to be freeing, enlightening maybe? Clarity being granted, a key to escape but not escapism.”

Following the circle around they land on the last card of the cross. A skeleton hangs from a rope upon his foot, or he would by Una’to’s perspective were he not in reverse. “This card is another major one that ushers in change. The messenger here tells us of the future. The influences that are coming your way that will impact how you see your situation, and your developing concerns. Our should be hanging friend speaks of stalling, needless sacrifices, and a fear of sacrifices. Often to move forward when there is a rock in the road, we have to take a few paces back. You may understand this, but it isn’t always easy to lose an ilm of the hard work you’ve put in to getting to this point already. Or, a sacrifice may have already occurred, and you soon come to find out that it wasn’t all you had hoped for in your results. Do not lose heart however. What is lost can be regained often enough, with time certainly.Understand the sacrifices you must make or have made that have not panned out as expected. Remember, your heart is one of fear, and you’re close to the end. Put the rest of the work in rather than succumbing to the hardships you face.”

The row is all that is left of the spread components. He moves, and taps the card closest to him. Two skulls, a halo about them, their craniums being opened as cups. “This is you. How you are approaching the problem. Your beliefs, fears, and preconceptions that impact the outcome of your situation. The card that represents you at this time tells me of imbalance, broken down communication, and tension. This break down has lead to two parties being unable to connect in a lasting and equal partnership, making it difficult to get on the same footing again. It asks of you to look and see what you can do to make the relationship more meaningful. However, I’m uncertain if this is in relation to another person who has been impacting you, perhaps the figure of your unconscious? Otherwise, it may be two parts of yourself. Your present self, and that of your forgotten past? The answer is yours to find, as I lack all the pieces that you yet carry.”

Eyes shift one card up, the pattern by which the end will be reached becoming clear. “Next we look to the environment by which you must orchestrate yourself and move through. It is the climate of the situation. The card here speaks of giving up, confidence being destroyed, and feeling overwhelmed. I suppose that’s why you are filled with fear and asking me to help divine some answers. There are constant battles to defend yourself, and it’s wearing down upon your self image, as you are forced to compare yourself to others, rivals of sorts. Exhaustion is mentioned here once more, mind all things that are repeated in a reading for they hold more and more weight and demand your attention. Build up your confidence once more, take that time to do it. Again, you’re so close.”

The next card depicts three skulls, two pouring golden ichor into one below them, a sunflower blooming from it’s crown.Differing from the one prior, a halo of flowers. ”We have no arrived to your hopes and fears. These are your expectations of the situation and this reading. There seems to be a fear here of herd mentality, conformity, and solitude through being cut off to a community. Sometimes having too many people around you can cloud your views from what you truly believe, and the fear may lie in here. Or perhaps you have no group support. Ponder these fears, and see what you can do to alleviate them. Do you fear that your resolution with make those you love leave you? Are they truly worth it if they aren’t there for you and your own growth? Or are these fears present and all consuming in regards to your environment. Seek out the cause, and resolve it if you can.”

The final card is reached. Two skeletons once more, this time in a truly loving embrace, on equal footing, though they are too upside down.”Finally, we reach our outcome and conclusion. Where this path is leading should you continue on it with out correcting and changing it as all factors come into play. This is the grand evolution of the situation. The card here is major once more, speaking of a great change, a way point in life. The lovers  here speak of a loss of balance, one-sidedness, and disharmony. The partnership here feels like one side is taking too much. Are the feelings mutual? Otherwise, there are disagreements between two parts of yourself, or amongst your relationships with others. I ask again, to consider your environment and all things that impact you. Your fears, those working against you, and your shattered confidence. Recover these things before you go for the end. Consider what you are seeking freedom from through this reading, and destroy the lasting chains of dependence. I ask you consider all things I lack the ability to reveal, take these keys and maps and find your way.”

He collapses the cards before him into a neat pile, and returns them to the rest of deck. Stretching upwards, a small crack from his back, likely from being bent over the cards to read their messages. “I do hope you were able to get some clarity into the situation of recovering your lost memories and the feelings you have that are impacting the incoming outcome. I will say once more. The future is yours to shape, it can be changed until is is at such a point that it becomes the past. Should you need more insight or advice, simply ask. I can divine them, or perhaps fill in some blanks myself with insight, should you so wish.”

Thank you for the ask @bellsandspells​, as well as for the wait it took to get this reading set up, deciphered, and typed up! It took about two and a half hours to suss through, and ended up pretty long, but I hope it’s a fun read none the less and able to hit home on some fronts. I never know, I just read the cards, haha. Sadly, I lost the light as I read them, so no pictures this time, sorry!

Cards drawn : Nine of Swords reversed, Ten of Wands, Queen of Pentacles, Seven of Swords Reversed, The Devil Reversed, The Hanged Man Reversed, Two of Cups Reversed, Seven of Wands Reversed, Three of Cups Reversed, and The Lovers Reversed.

[british-order-of-thelema-blog]

Do what thou wilt shall be the whol of the Law.

March 24th, the 4th day of the 22 day pathworking, we are studying Atu IV - 'The Emperor' which corresponds to the path of Tzaddi. Todays reading therefore is Liber Tzaddi!

Tzaddi = Fish Hook. Phallic like. The window (receptive to light more suited to the Star).

Originally the Emperor was associated with the letter He meaning ‘window’. This change was made by Crowley as he outlines in the Book of the Law. It was channelled to him to swap the Hebrew associations of the Emperor and The Star, the latter being originally assigned Tzaddi which is now attributed to the Emperor.

This also means that on the Tree of Life, the Emperor and Star Cards also swap places

Tzaddi: The eighteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, Tz or Ts. Represents the number 90 (or, as a final letter, 900). The eleventh of the twelve "single letters." A Hebrew word meaning "fishhook." Corresponds to Aquarius, the 28th Path (between Netzach and Yesod), and in the system of Aleister Crowley, the Thoth Tarot Atu IV The Emperor.

LIBER TZADDI

vel

HAMVS HERMETICVS

SVB FIGVRA

XCA.'. A.'.

Publication in Class A.

Imprimatur:

N. Fra A.'. A.'.

0. In the name of the Lord of Initiation, Amen.

1. I fly and I alight as an hawk: of mother-of-emerald are my mighty-sweeping wings.

2. I swoop down upon the black earth; and it gladdens into green at my coming.

3. Children of Earth! rejoice! rejoice exceedingly; for your salvation is at hand.

4. The end of sorrow is come; I will ravish you away into mine unutterable joy.

5. I will kiss you, and bring you to the bridal: I will spread a feast before you in the house of happiness.

6. I am not come to rebuke you, or to enslave you.

7. I bid you not turn from your voluptuous ways, from your idleness, from your follies.

8. But I bring you joy to your pleasure, peace to your languor, wisdom to your folly.

9. All that ye do is right, if so be that ye enjoy it.

10. I am come against sorrow, against weariness, against them that seek to enslave you.

11. I pour you lustral wine, that giveth you delight both at the sunset and the dawn.

12. Come with me, and I will give you all that is desirable upon the earth.

13. Because I give you that of which Earth and its joys are but as shadows.

14. They flee away, but my joy abideth even unto the end.

15. I have hidden myself beneath a mask: I am a black and terrible God.

16. With courage conquering fear shall ye approach me: ye shall lay down your heads upon mine altar, expecting the sweep of the sword.

17. But the first kiss of love shall be radiant on your lips; and all my darkness and terror shall turn to light and joy.

18. Only those who fear shall fail. Those who have bent their backs to the yoke of slavery until they can no longer stand upright; them will I despise.

19. But you who have defied the law; you who have conquered by subtlety or force; you will I take unto me, even I will take you unto me.

20. I ask you to sacrifice nothing at mine altar; I am the God who giveth all.

21. Light, Life, Love; Force, Fantasy, Fire; these do I bring you: mine hands are full of these.

22. There is joy in the setting-out; there is joy in the journey; there is joy in the goal.

23. Only if ye are sorrowful, or weary, or angry, or discomforted; then ye may know that ye have lost the golden thread, the thread wherewith I guide you to the heart of the groves of Eleusis.

24. My disciples are proud and beautiful; they are strong and swift; they rule their way like mighty conquerors.

25. The weak, the timid, the imperfect, the cowardly, the poor, the tearful --- these are mine enemies, and I am come to destroy them.

26. This also is compassion: an end to the sickness of earth. A rooting-out of the weeds: a watering of the flowers.

27. O my children, ye are more beautiful than the flowers: ye must not fade in your season.

28. I love you; I would sprinkle you with the divine dew of immortality.

29. This immortality is no vain hope beyond the grave: I offer you the certain consciousness of bliss.

30. I offer it at once, on earth; before an hour hath struck upon the bell, ye shall be with Me in the Abodes that are beyond Decay.

31. Also I give you power earthly and joy earthly; wealth, and health, and length of days. Adoration and love shall cling to your feet, and twine around your heart.

32. Only your mouths shall drink of a delicious wine --- the wine of Iacchus; they shall reach ever to the heavenly kiss of the Beautiful God.

33. I reveal unto you a great mystery. Ye stand between the abyss of height and the abyss of depth.

34. In either awaits you a Companion; and that Companion is Yourself.

35. Ye can have no other Companion.

36. Many have arisen, being wise. They have said "Seek out the glittering Image in the place ever golden, and unite yourselves with It."

37. Many have arisen, being foolish. They have said, "Stoop down unto the darkly splendid world, and be wedded to that Blind Creature of the Slime."

38. I who am beyond Wisdom and Folly, arise and say unto you: achieve both weddings! Unite yourselves with both!

39. Beware, beware, I say, lest ye seek after the one and lose the other!

40. My adepts stand upright; their head above the heavens, their feet below the hells.

41. But since one is naturally attracted to the Angel, another to the Demon, let the first strengthen the lower link, the last attach more firmly to the higher.

42. Thus shall equilibrium become perfect. I will aid my disciples; as fast as they acquire this balanced power and joy so faster will I push them.

43. They shall in their turn speak from this Invisible Throne; their words shall illumine the worlds.

44. They shall be masters of majesty and might; they shall be beautiful and joyous; they shall be clothed with victory and splendour; they shall stand upon the firm foundation; the kingdom shall be theirs; yea, the kingdom shall be theirs.

In the name of the Lord of Initiation. Amen.

Blessed pathworking and meditations on this 4th day of the Holy Season, March 24 Era Vulgari!

Love is the law, love under Will.

[thepilgrimofwar]

The Hanged Man

Art by Leandro Henriquez 

The Hanged Man is one of the most mysterious cards in the tarot deck. It is simple, but complex. It attracts, but also disturbs. It contradicts itself in countless ways. The Hanged Man is unsettling because it symbolizes the action of paradox in our lives. A paradox is something that appears contradictory, and yet is true. The Hanged Man presents to us certain truths, but they are hidden in their opposites.

The main lesson of the Hanged Man is that we “control” by letting go - we “win” by surrendering. The figure on Card 12 has made the ultimate surrender - to die on the cross of his own travails - yet he shines with the glory of divine understanding. He has sacrificed himself, but he emerges the victor. The Hanged Man also tells us that we can “move forward” by standing still. By suspending time, we can have all the time in the world.

In readings, the Hanged Man reminds us that the best approach to a problem is not always the most obvious. When we most want to force our will on someone, that is when we should release. When we most want to have our own way, that is when we should sacrifice. When we most want to act, that is when we should wait. The irony is that by making these contradictory moves, we find what we are looking for. -Macauley Williams

Sederis wandered the grounds of the Sunguard encampment, dressed and ready for war. Though it was only the eve of battle, he wore his armor all the same. It was his way, this fine line between safety and paranoia; a paranoia that had, so far, kept him safe. He approached the tent of the Lifespeaker. It had been long since they last spoke. Too long. Not only as friends but even as colleagues. He had been so caught up in bringing order to the Emberglades and preparing it for war that he had neglected the world. It was time he changed that.

“Miss Stormsummer?” He asked tentatively at the entrance to her tent. But there was no response. He moved closer, lifting one of the flaps to her tent and saw only trees. Old and gnarled, reaching for light that did not exist.

I’m in a dream.

He stepped inside, into a dark forest where trees grew twisted and tall. The tent had fallen away, in its place, was Elleynah. She stood at a crate, at a crossroads. Her hands were still, and before her; a spread was a silk cloth... and a deck of cards.

"You have great need of the cards." The voice that came was flat and even; but its speaker still bore the shape of his friend.

He was taken aback at first, expecting the bright-eyed and cheery girl who he had spent his off-time with in Dalaran. But the sensation quickly passed. He understood. Times change, and so do people. Light knows that he had. "I do," he replied, low and even. "I do have a great need of the cards, and so does the realm. More than ever."

Elleynah nodded, two shining lights glowed from beneath the hood the woman wore. "Fate-filled times. Much is needed." The voice, hollow and unalive seemed to shift. "Speak, soldier, seeker. What would you ask, of fate?"

Sederis gave himself a moment to think. Of some things he was certain, but of others... Old and eldritch like the copse of trees he stood in, or the... Thing, that handled a deck of little windows into the unknown before him... Perhaps it was time to indulge an old belief. One that Sederis had thought he forgot. "How do I best venerate Lady Death. I am done appeasing her, slowly bleeding my life away, living in remorse for sins I can never atone. How do I best pay tribute?"

The Lifespeaker paused, and her fingers moved over the cards. "Oh, a worthy question. Worthy indeed." There was a thread of something in the tone, and then-- the woman's body shuddered, as though something was struggling within her flesh. Something made her flinch, and then... its over, and she is still once more. Her hands moved to the deck, and lifted it, sending the cards rolling through her hands like fluid. "Tell me when to stop."

Sederis waited, and waited until the forest is still. Silent. As if a predator had stalked amongst its ancient roots of the wood. "Stop," he said at last.

The girl seemed to shimmer before his gaze- hands too fast to follow- cards flowing like liquid shimmering light, and then at the word, they stopped. The world stopped. Everything; his heartbeat in his ears, the rhasp of breath. Cards exploded in every direction, catching alight, flames raining down around the pair like a storm. All cards, save five, which glowed in his face, floating, before rotating around him. He could see them, for a moment, and then- he was washed in bright and brilliant light, the forest fading into a battlefield; the undead charged against a line of bannermen, and then- on another flank, the elves of Teldrassil and Stormwind against the Sin’dorei, and on another flank- there, infernals and demons of all kinds against the Deathseeker. Chaos- confusion- every war. Every battle. Before Sederis, was Riah; she wore red and white, a wedding gown and banner both. She held Stenden in her arms; he was bleeding from a wound in his brow.

Suddenly, Elleynah was at his side, and her words were somber, soft. “You are drawn in too many directions- overcommitted to each act and war, to every part of what you have broken and forgotten.” Her voice wove, and the fighting stopped- freezing as a moment in time. “You will learn to choose your battles- or perhaps you have. But was it soon enough?” Riah crumples, Stenden with her, but before Sederis can so much as reach for them, he is swept into the Dawnspire halls.

He stands next to Telchis, and there is a wartable in front of him; across, Lor’themar and Kaelthas nod as the pieces move- a living Sylvanas lays a hand over the shifting map. Sederis feels the weight of his mantle and cloak; the age of him now. He hears Elleynah, but cannot see her. “To satisfy death is to feed death. To give it what it wants; to consume. Destroy. The end of living is a force that can be woo’d, can be turned in the direction of your foes for great effect, but she is a monster.” The table changes- Sederis stands with none but the wounded, ancient veterans and fresh-faced youths. The doors reverberate with the sound of the enemies that pound at them. Sederis is not himself; he is a young man, lost, alone, knowing that those gilded halls and great elven lords have set this fate upon him. The walls are breached, and he is then on a familiar hill.

He turned, expecting to see Riah, but instead it is a fairhaired woman. It’s Lirelle. She turns to him with her gleaming smile, but it is Elleynah’s voice that pours out. “You rely too much on those who wish for your life to continue. You have promised too much to both the living and the dead. You will never keep your promises. You must learn to accept you cannot be everything… not even to those you wish you could be. A lesson offered many times. Never learned. Choose truth; true clear sightedness. Choose what it is to be both man, and to be leader, but know you cannot always hold both masks.”

Lirelle shifts, and the starry night begins to burn again, the stars falling in flames like the cards had, until suddenly he was alone in the black. Alone, and the world was silent. For ages- aeons- it was nothing. And then, a single star broke from the nothing, and he once more beheld… someone. She was lovely; she was Elleynah, and Keltressa, and Lirelle, and more than that Riah, Caeliri, Azriah, Thanidiel- every woman. Her eyes glowed. She radiated heat. She spoke. “Death above all, is peace.” Her hand reached out, and she placed a fingertip on his brow. “Death is quiet, in the end. It is the peace of the battlefield, a hundred years after the dying is done.” She dimmed, a moment, and collapsed into his arms.

Sederis caught her, and the world dropped out from beneath him; he turned, inverted, and saw that this was a Lirelle as he had never seen her before. What she was- and all of the changes he bore witness to- were lost to him. For now he saw the war, the battles, the golden room and the starry hill in a new light; and understood everything. Then he saw himself, upside down.

“Now, you see.” The other Sederis spoke. “Welcome to perspective.” It offered him a sketched salute… and then he was in the dark forest, and there was no Elleynah, and the dream began to fade. Later, when waking finally caught him, he would remember this, in parts. But for now, waking from a daydream within a dream, he shifted to move, and a single card flittered to the ground; a man, suspended, seeing the world in a brand new way.

Sederis blinked once, twice, and then called out into the darkness. "Elleynah?" He never used her first name.

Whatever had been there was gone; though an echo in the wood followed, just a moment; like the girl was crying out from far away... and then nothing.

Sederis reached out into the darkness. Leaving the card behind him, turning his back on what the fates had revealed to him. True. False. It did not matter. Not to the man who had forged his destiny and the destinies of others with the edge of his sword. Lady Fate could wait, and if she was truly who he thought she was, it wouldn’t matter. They’d always come back to her in the end, whether they liked it or not. So he stepped into the darkness, deeper than anything he had ever known. "Elleynah," he called again, travelling through woodlands undone; the world was trying to steal him awake before he could find her, evict him from the dream. But his Patron was already too clever, too quick, and he slipped the reigns of the dream, pulling himself from the magic by knowing where it began, instead of ended. And he... found her.

Unlike the creature in the woods, this was Elleynah as she was; her face scarred, empty socket black and open, caul-covered frame a litany and hymnal of scars and freckles. She sat alone, staring into nothing, shaking. Her fingers bled, and they bled onto cards- her palms cut deep, strange and alien runed burned into the backs of her hands and up her arms.

Sederis approached, slow and cautious as if approaching a wounded animal. The girl he had sought out the find, the girl he remembered, was here. Beyond the waking world, trapped in a dream wreathed limbo of blood and darkness, here she was. Alone. A conduit- no- a vessel to things both great and terrible. "If I cheat Lady Death of what she's owed. If the fates allow it. I'll come back for you. But for now, this is all I can do." Sederis whispered, taking her bloodied hands into his, in the same way he did long ago when the dream had first begun to take hold of her in Shallowbrook. Just like he did then, he placed his hands over her rended palms, and channelled whatever he could into her. Chi. Life. Whatever the gods and mortal men gave names to things older than hunger itself. He shared it.

Elleynah had been still as he spoke, still as he neared. But as he touched her, her face jerked upward, and he could see the tears running down her face. She looked at him- really looked- and he saw the moment she realized. "You're real." Her voice broke. "You're real. You aren't-" She seemed to break down, bowing over their hands, the magic he gave her; it was and was not his own; he had tricked the Dream, and in so, taken some of it with him. It flowed into her, seemed to push her away- the more he gave, the less she was caught in this hell. He saw her skin clearing, cuts closing, burns fading.

Feeling her slipping away from the dreamscape, and unsure of what it meant, his grip softened. But she grabbed for him with ephemeral hands.

"No-- stop, don't go!" She cried, and he saw the torture; she did not know she was asleep. She did not know she could wake. She was alone, when the magic took hold; unknowing when it would ever let her go again.

So Sederis stayed. Determined to stay as long as the Dream allowed. Mending what wounds he could. Wounds of her dream wreathed flesh. Wounds of her dream addled mind. "I don't think it's up to me," he began, looking out into the darkness like he had done many times before. "But I'll stay with you. As long as I can." Sederis gripped harder, continuing to bleed into her. "You're in a dream," he said, in an attempt to calm her.

Elleynah 's cries grew weaker as he healed her, brought her back from this hell and pushed her out of the Dream. She gripped at his arms though her fingers grew translucent, reached for him, her sobs almost whispers as she tried to hold on to the only real thing she had ever seen here. The only thing that wasn't the magic, the whispers, the visions and sights. “Sederis!” Her voice was a scream, turned so low as to be only a breath in the silence. “I’m sorry, don’t leave me…” Pain, fear, it etched her features, and then… she was gone. Awake, somewhere far from here.

And yet… a voice remained. “She is young. She will learn.”

Sederis looked up and around him, not fully comprehending it all, but understanding that the voice belonged to something old. Older than anything he could imagine. "She will learn if she chooses to. Actions can be forced, but knowledge cannot," he spoke into the darkness. "She isn't yours to claim."

The dream vibrated with some emotion between laughter and indignation, huge and uncanny. He felt it roil, and a shadow appeared to him, briefly- so much like Elleynah, and yet not, her hair long and tangled, body softened by motherhood. Her eyes were empty, shifting, myriad colors within. "Some fates cannot be changed, Deathseeker. You will see." The being smiled, and smiled, too wide, too many teeth... and then in a thunderous roar came, tore the world, tore the woman, and the Dream was done.

Sederis stirred, disoriented. But as he stirs, the card that was Chosen- or had Chose him- slipped from his bed and to the floor.

A Hanged Man, seeing the world... in a brand new way.

@retributionpriest  @stormandozone @thanidiel @thenaaru @dorksworn @curiouslich @azriah @forever-afk