Mythic Tarot Readings by Natasha

20/03/2016

Mabon, the Autumn Equinox is the time of the second harvest where we give thanks for the bounty we have reaped and gathered at the end of summer. We also give thought to the balance and flow within our own lives.
The goddess Demeter is a fitting symbol of this seasonal change. She is also the image of The Empress in the Major Arcana of the Mythic Tarot Deck.

19/03/2016

Today is the Autumn Equinox in the southern hemisphere (at 3.30pm), where there is a balance between day and night, dark and light.

I have chosen the Major Arcana card of JUSTICE, symbolised by ATHENA, the goddess holding the scales that weigh one thing against another to arrive at a fair judgement.

The black and white floor on the card are like the mind's capacity to integrate light and dark into something cohesive.

The card of Justice is the first of the "Moral Lessons" the Fool encounters to build character and develop faculties to deal with life's experiences. But justice is not possible without respect for fairness and truth as ethical principles that enrich the human mind and spirit.

Today there are Palm Sunday marches that call for "Justice for Refugees". Perhaps this card will inspire us to find a balanced policy toward those seeking asylum across the globe, that also points to the next Moral Lesson, a balanced heart, represented by Iris, in the card of Temperance.

01/02/2016

February 2nd in the southern hemisphere is the seasonal equivalent of Lammas (Lughnasadh), the first harvest, celebrating abundance, and appreciation of things coming to fruition. Here, the image of the Celtic queen Dana symbolises the reaping of the grain. At this time we may meditate on the bounty in our lives and what we hope to "harvest".

At the height of summer, the major arcana card of The Sun, in the Mythic Tarot deck, Apollo, "Phoebus", "the shining one", the god of enlightenment, knowledge, vision and culture, that comes to the fool after holding hope in despair of the Star card, and the esoteric world of the feminine in the womb of the The Moon card, represents this period well.

This is the masculine principle of the power of consciousness to dispel fear and the darkness, showing us the indomitable spirit of faith in ourselves and human purpose. With clarity, optimism and renewed trust we can move forward toward the goal.

22/01/2016

With the Full Moon to be in Cancer, I thought we could choose the KING OF CUPS to help examine our lives.

In this deck, Orpheus, the singer, priest and healer with the tragic love story, is depicted sitting on a golden throne, engraved with crabs. At his feet, there is a crab emerging from the harbour waters.
This card is an image of the wounded healer, who expresses empathy to others but cannot heal his own hurt heart.

So the central issue of feeling is about trust. And letting go of control.
He is an ambivalent figure - the feminine world of sensitivity - the masculine image of king. It is the world of the unconscious he fears.

In a spread, this card would indicate that someone with these qualities is likely to enter your life to show you these aspects of yourself as life requires you to acknowledge these characteristics.

30/12/2015

Happy New Year for 2016!

"THE WHEEL OF THE YEAR"
spread is designed for the calendar year or your birthday. I discovered it in my first Tarot deck, given to me by my 2 children 20 years ago.
It is a good spread for New Year's Eve. It takes a couple of hours (plus time for feasting and the conversation it provokes)
I have given many people this reading, where they take a court card to represent themselves .
You place and reveal 3 circles of 12 cards, turning at the hub - you and your card - around the present; the coming 12 months and your destiny. It is an interesting uncovering of the depths of the person grappling with decisions and issues that confront them, particularly at the end of the year when we reflect upon where we've been and where we're going, all tied into who we are.

THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE
Major Arcana card, which comes just after The Hermit, and just before The Hanged Man.
The image is of The Moirai,(the spinner, the measurer and the cutter) the Greek Fates, reflecting the lunar phases- waxing, full and dark, which speak of the 3 stages of life.
The Wheel of Fortune is an image of the sudden changes of fortune that disrupt the normal pattern of our lives. The Moirai represent the intelligent and orderly plan, within us, behind seemingly random events, which constitutes what we'd call destiny:
"Rooster one day, feather duster the next".
Whatever way the wheel turns, it will bring growth and a new stage of life. We should turn to meet it, as we also meet who we are.

24/12/2015

The major arcana card of THE SUN, is represented in the Mythic Tarot deck by Apollo, the Greek god of prophecy, music and knowledge. Following the card of The Moon (feminine unconscious), he brings the light, an image of the power of consciousness (the masculine principle) to dispel darkness, and therefore fear.
When this card appears, it augurs a time of clarity, optimism and renewed trust, allowing the seeker to move forward with foresight and purpose.

24/12/2015

As the full moon beams upon Christmas Day, I would like to recall older rituals and meanings that look to the seasons as they turn. In the northern hemisphere, yuletide or winter solstice has just turned, whereas here in the southern hemisphere, on 22nd December, we enjoyed the longest day of the year, known in pagan terms as Litha. A time to celebrate our achievements in the glow of the sun, knowing that the days are getting shorter, so we can look at where we may need to work on aspects of out lives that need growth.
Amaterasu is the Japanese goddess of the sun, and here she evokes an image of Litha.

24/11/2015

24/11/2015

TEMPERANCE
Iris, goddess of the rainbow and messenger between the gods and mortals represents the second Major Arcana card in "The Four Moral Lessons", where the individual needs to build character and the faculties needed to deal with the experiences life commands. Having met Athene, goddess representing the card of Justice - to think clearly and cultivate a balanced mind - The Fool next encounters Temperance, to form a balanced heart.
Here, feeling is an intelligent, active function of choice, with the goal of harmony and relationship.
When this card appears in a spread, we see the need for flow of feeling in a relationship, where cooperation can lead to a happy partnership.

24/11/2015

To use the power of the full moon, 25th November, collect the following , herbs of Aphrodite in a rose-coloured satin bag, tied with blue thread:
acacia flowers, Balm of Gilead buds, jasmine, lavender, myrtle, rose, tansy, valerian, vervain, violet.
Charge with love for a healing purpose, using the following resolutions:
"be creative"
"be open to new ideas and perspectives"
"cast away limiting, judgmental voices; make positive changes in your life"
"open your heart to love and truth; let it flow through you"

30/10/2015

The THREE of CUPS portrays the wedding of Eros (Greek god of love) and Psyche (the princess whose name means 'soul'), representing the completion of the first stage in the journey of feeling and relationship: the "in love" stage, an initiation into the depths of the heart.
This card, when it appears in a spread, augurs a celebration, perhaps the start of a love affair, a wedding, the birth of a child, where there is emotional fulfillment and promise.

THE LOVERS card in the Major ARCANA portrays the Trojan Prince Paris facing the problem of choice in love. He faces Hera, representing the worldly authority of her husband Zeus (who has commanded Paris to judge a beauty contest between the three goddesses), Athena holding the sword, symbol of the cutting power of the mind, and Aphrodite, goddess of love, holding the cup that symbolises relationship.
On an inner level, the choice represents the problem of free will compared to the compulsion of our instincts. In the case of Paris, his desire for Helen resulted in the great conflagration of the Trojan War.
It is at the base, a test of our values.
When this card appears in a spread it can imply the need to look carefully at the implications of your choices, perhaps in a love triangle, a hasty marriage, a choice between love and career or a creative project.