Tarot

Is Success the New Black?

December 10, 2013 by admin Leave a Comment

Do you remember the 80’s? All those outlandish outfits, glam rock, and epic television series that focused on the cut throat world of money? Regardless of what you think of the politics of the era, the spokespeople of the times, or its glamorous image, the symbolism from the 80’s was about success.

Well, guess what? It’s BACK! Only this time it’s not dressed up with shoulder pads, skin tight Levis jeans, converse tennis shoes, and the Atari 2600. This time it’s using concepts that were considered “witchcraft” in the 80’s (mastermind groups, affirmations, power of positive thinking) and the spokespeople are not glitzy celebrities such as Michael J. Fox, Joan Collins, and Larry Hagman, yet down to earth practical people like Marianne Williamson and Gabrielle Bernstein. Regardless of how you dress up the image of the day, the urge towards success and being successful is archetypal, yet a slippery term that’s elusive and very few can define.

This month on Keep It Magic, Jacki Smith and I discuss success. Who has it? How does one get it? What the heck is it? Our discussion is very candid (as always) and I hope you get the chance to listen to our podcast (I have included the player at the bottom of the post). Since we only have 60 minutes to discuss the subject and often more information to cover than the time allows, I decided to ask some questions to my trusty tarot deck about success. I will be frank with you, I was rather surprised by the results. To perform the readings, I used the Pam A. Tarot deck.

Question 1: What is success?

Card: The Devil

What a shocker! I expected to see the 4 of pentacles, The Sun card, or the 6 of wands. The Devil appearing as the answer kind of tossed me off my chair leaving me breathless for a hot moment. The most notably keywords for the Devil are bondage, obsessions, illusions, lies, and bad relationships.

If anything, shouldn’t ‘The Devil’ be the anti-success card?

The Devil is associated with the astrological sign of Capricorn – the sign of the sea goat. Of course, this isn’t shocking since the imagery on many Devil cards is the god Pan or his artistic likeness. At its deepest levels, the sign of Capricorn reflects our need for structure, organization, and social accomplishment and in many ways, in order for us to achieve this is to embrace many of the attributes that the Devil has at his command.

For many the Devil is a card of bad omens and lesser knowledgeable querents are horrified when he appears in a reading because of his bad reputation. However, many of the qualities of The Devil are necessary in order for an individual to succeed. Karen Zondag, in her book, “Tarot as A Way of Life,” has this to say about him:

“But the Devil can also be a ‘sharply dressed dude’ who well and truly sets to work with selfish motives and lots of elbow-work to gain an advantage over others.”

In many ways, our Judeo Christian heritage, may actually invoke the darker dimensions of The Devil card. After all, Pan is the only Greek god that was cast into the pits of hell by the Catholic Church, which has made it rather difficult for us to create a relationship with an archetypal image that is associated with the instinct of self-preservation. Yet, on the flip side, we are a society populated with individuals that are self-centered, egotistical, and only out for themselves and their question for power.

The balance within the Devil card is that we might need a bit of self-centeredness, egotism, and quest for power in order to achieve anything. It might be the very qualities that motivate us, and our relationship with The Devil (and even our lack of relationship with this image) might be one of the keys towards developing success. After all, in order for us to achieve anything we must have ‘desire’ which is another keyword that is associated with The Devil card.

So, success may be the desire for us to understand what we want to achieve combined with the energy to go out and do it. This may require us to spend a bit of time with ourselves and deeply search our psyches for inner answers which will help us create a healthy relationship with The Devil rather than being in bondage to his darker qualities.

Question 2: What blocks success?

Card: The Fool

Once again, I was rather stumped by this card pull. The ability to take risks and leap out into the great unknown is a quality that many people associate with successful people.

So, why is the Fool here? One of the divinatory meanings for the Fool is recklessness. One of the foundations of any successful endeavor is the ability to be grounded and organized. Although the Fool does help us take risks, there needs to be strategy and a well-oiled game plan in motion for anyone to succeed. Otherwise, if we constantly stay in Fool mode, we are too busy leaping off of mountains in order to nurture something enough to grow.

The Fool, in this position as an obstacle card, reflects the need to be grounded and centered in reality in order for our risks to take shape and form. Discipline is not one of the Fools characteristics, yet it is necessary for him to remain focused in order to land on solid ground.

Question 3: What does one need to do to achieve success?

Card: 6 of Wands

referred to the 6 of Wands as the card of “victory”. The keywords associated with this card are optimism and confidence. Rachel Pollack says in her book, “The New Tarot Handbook”:

“Believe in yourself enough, assume you will get what you seek, and not only will it happen, but others will expect you to triumph.”

This card is rather clear. The more you believe in yourself and the more you are optimistic about your future, success will truly come your way.

You can learn more about success by listening to the latest episode of Keep It Magic!

More Spirituality Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with KeepItMagic on BlogTalkRadio

Storm Cestavani is the co-host of the top rated metaphysical show “Keep It Magic” and the co-creator of the “Tarot Magic” with Coventry Creations. Storm is available for consultations by setting up an appointment to speak with him. Simply click on Get a Reading at the top of the page.

If you like this post please hit the +1 button at the bottom of your page or the LIKE button. We thank you!

22 Different Ways to Use Your Tarot Deck

June 11, 2013 by admin Leave a Comment

Did you know that the first explosion of spirituality beyond the “one world religion” occurred in the 15^th century?
That’s right! The invention of the printing press allowed people who could afford to purchase books the ability to read texts and manuscripts that were only available to the affluent. This miraculous invention of the printing press was the beginning of the historical period known as the Renaissance.

Since the Renaissance alternative forms of spirituality have slowly grown. Moreover, during the 1980’s the birth of the New Age movement created a pop culture surge between the arcane sciences and spirituality. Metaphysical bookstores began to open in growing number throughout the world, and for the first time in history interest in the unseen world and psychic phenomena became part of mainstream life and has grown ever since. In the 21^st century, we are experiencing a new Renaissance as technology and distribution of information have reached a point that people are questioning what they believed to be true, and are utilizing alternative tools to understand true spirituality.

One of the most popular tools for spiritual self-discovery is the mystical tarot. Many believe that the tarot is only a tool used for predictions, but the tarot is much more than that! If you have a question about anything; the tarot has an answer! You can utilize tarot to ask questions about yourself, get insight into others, ask worldly questions, or simply get additional information about anything.

Here are 22 Different Ways to Use Your Tarot Deck

The Fool: Have you taken a risk lately? Discovering the general energies around you is a great way to use the tarot. The cards can give you a great description of what you have to work with at this point. This can provide you with insight and options of the path of least resistance you can take.

The Magician: The Magician in the tarot has to do with communication and our ability to understand life. This is why the Magician is associated with the planet Mercury in astrology. If you need to understand the underlying energies of an area of life that concerns you, tarot can provide you with these answers.

The High Priestess: Would you like to develop your intuition? The tarot is a great visual map for you to tap into the deepest parts of your soul and understanding the feelings within.

The Empress: Everything is cyclical. One day we are up and the next day we are down! The Empress in the tarot deals with fertility and our ability to birth things. If you are starting a new project understanding how to utilize the energies for your best possible benefit is a great way to use tarot. You can use a card to represent every single aspect of the business, and even use additional cards for things you should avoid and details you should concentrate on. You could also use this concept for dealing with children or anything that needs to be nurtured.

The Emperor: Sometimes you can get very caught up in the need to control a situation that you forget that creating more structure around you can be of benefit. If you experience difficulties in your life; whether these are romantic, career, or financial – you can ask tarot how to bring more structure and foundation in your life.

The Hierophant: Events often occur in our lives that are difficult to understand. The tarot can be used to see the larger spiritual purpose for an experience or an event.

The Lovers: Do you need insight into a relationship? The tarot can allow you to explore all the dimensions of your relationship and can give insight into how to manage it in the future.

The Chariot: Being stuck in a situation or feeling you have no choices or options can be very difficult. The tarot can give insight into how you can move forward. You can ask the tarot what would be the best path for you at this time.

Strength: Understanding our urges is profound spiritual insight. You can use the tarot to understand why you do the things that you do. Getting a bit of insight into our selves can provide us with the power to make changes to ourselves and make our lives more manageable.

The Hermit: Tarot is a powerful tool for meditation and reflection. Simply pull a card out of a deck and see what message it gives you.

Wheel of Fortune: Need a glimpse into the future? You can ask a simple (or complex) question to the tarot and it will reveal to you the answer.

Justice: Often our emotions take control of us and we have a hard time looking at our circumstances from a rational perspective. The tarot gives us the tools to look at things detached from our emotional expectations.

The Hanged Man: Life is about sacrifices. Often we come to a cross road that requires us to let something go. The tarot can be used to help you understand the best thing to let go of at this time.

Death: Have you experienced a loss of a relationship, loved one, or career? Death is a very liminal place and it can be very terrifying. You can use the tarot to help you let go and begin to move forward.

Temperance: One of the best attributes to living a healthy life is to live in a balanced way. If you are feeling out of balance, you can use the tarot to help you understand your situation and bring your life into balance.

The Devil: Do you need to understand self-defeating behaviors? Need to let go of a bad habit? The tarot can help you understand why you have this habit and help you resolve your issues.

The Tower: There are times in our life when we feel that things are falling apart. The tarot can provide us with insight to begin again.

The Star: The Star card in the tarot is a card of hope. We can use its energy to give us hope into our own lives.

The Moon: Did you have a disturbing dream that you need insight into. Use the tarot to help access your unconscious and provide you with deeper understanding of your night life.

The Sun: The tarot is a great way to understand our purpose and inner destiny.

Judgement: Understanding our karmic patterns is very important. We can use the tarot to access our past lives and how they are influencing us now.

The World: Need to move to the next level and leave the past behind? The tarot will give you a road map to move f

Top 10 Tarot Decks For Beginners

June 11, 2013 by admin Leave a Comment

The world of tarot is a fascinating and exciting discovery. The tarot can answer virtually any of your questions about life. Our advisors have come across a resistance to tarot, and mainly because it is deeply misunderstood, yet the tarot is probably one of the best psychic tools on the market. In fact, many psychics will use the images of the tarot to jump start their intuitive feelings and use it was a doorway to psychically connect with their clients.

Our advisors believe that the problem with tarot resides in the fact that those that become interested in tarot are overwhelmed by the number of decks on the market. Some of them are very hard to understand are best for advanced readings.

We have compiled a list of the Top 10 Tarot Decks for Beginners:

Rider Waite Smith – The Rider Waite Smith deck is the most popular tarot deck in the world. Designed during the earth 20^th century by Pamela Colman Smith under the direction of occultist Arthur E. Waite, the RWS deck is the father of all beginner tarot decks and the inspiration for hundreds of new decks called “RWS clones”. Many of the beginner books on tarot use some derivation of the RWS decks in their illustrations. This is an incredible beginner’s deck for someone who wishes to seriously study tarot.
Gaian Tarot – The Gaian Tarot was released in 2011 by Joanna Powell Colbert, and is very popular with the bulk of the tarot community. Although the Gaian Tarot follows a numerical sequence consistent with most tarot decks, it diverts from traditional scenery in favor of a more nature oriented deck. Although you could successfully use this deck to predict, the primary tone of this deck lends itself more towards healing and introspection. The Gaian Tarot is an incredible deck for those that want to use tarot for journaling work.
Legacy of the Divine Tarot – The Legacy of the Divine Tarot was created by award winning graphic artist Ciro Marchetti. Although Mr. Marchetti claims that he is not a tarot reader, his understanding of tarot’s depth and nuance are noticeable and leads one to believe that he is just being humble. The images (for the most part) follows an RWS format, yet are created with stunning imagery and colorful hues. If you are interested in beautiful tarot cards this is a highly recommended deck.
The Gilded Tarot – The Gileded Tarot (like the Legacy of the Divine Tarot) is designed by Ciro Marchetti and was his first leap into the artist world of tarot. The Gilded Tarot is a traditional RWS clone with stunning CGI graphics. The text for the Gilded Tarot was written by accomplished tarotist and author Barbara Moore. The companion book describes the cards and provides significant information for interpretation.
Tarot of Ascension – The Tarot of Ascension is a deck released in 2010 by Lo Scarabeo. This deck focuses around the ever popular Mayan Calendar lore, and the belief that the world will enter into a spiritual enlightenment in 2012. If you are interested in what spiritual ascension and enlightenment then this deck is the one for you. This deck is great for predictive work or self-discovery readings.
Wheel of the Year Tarot – If you are attracted to Pagan or Wiccan themes this deck by Lo Scarabeo is a great tarot beginner’s deck. The deck created in vibrant watercolors reveals our yearly passage of the seasons and what seasonal symbolism means on an inner level. This deck is great for predictive work or those experiencing health or aging related issues.
The Wizard’s Tarot – This deck was designed by prolific tarot author Corrine Kenner. If you are a fan of the Harry Potter series the themes within the Wizard’s Tarot may speak to the adventurer or the hero in you. The cards are done in beautiful CGI graphics and the book penned by Kenner is one of the best books packaged with a tarot deck. The Wizard’s Tarot is excellent for any type of tarot work.
The Fairy Tale Tarot – Are you one of the 10 million fans of ABC’s “Once Upon a Time?” If you are, you will surely enjoy this deck! The Fairy Tale Tarot was designed by one of the best tarot artists of our time – Lisa Hunt. The deck takes you through the world of Fairy Tales, and introduces you to the inner meaning of these timeless stories. This is an incredible deck for children or those interested in self-discovery. The book included with the Fairy Tale Tarot is a must for any tarot library.
The Mythic Tarot – Originally published in the 80’s, the Mythic Tarot was re-illustrated as the New Mythic Tarot and released again in 2011. The images now in CGI graphic (the most popular new medium of tarot) are vivid and colorful. The Mythic Tarot explores the world of Greek Mythology, and is one of the best decks for predictive and psychological work. The deck includes (probably) the best book written on tarot penned by Liz Greene and Juliet Sharman Burke.
The Sharman Casseli Deck – This is the most recent deck designed by Juliet Sharman Burke (co-creator of the Mythic Tarot) and illustrated by Gionnani Casseli. This deck is a very close Rider Waite Smith clone stripped of its excessive religious symbolism. For those that are interested in studying tarot and NOT esoterica this is an incredible all-purpose tarot deck.

These are our picks for the Top 10 Tarot Decks for Beginners. If you have one of your own – feel free to post in the comments below.

Will Rosie O'Donnel's Marriage to Michelle Last?

December 13, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Talk Show queen Rosie O’Donnel announced that she will marry girlfriend Michelle Rounds during the Christmas holidays. O’Donnel who currently hosts “The Rosie Show” on OWN, met Rounds earlier this year at a Starbucks before making their first public appearance in September. The couple plan to live in a 2.5 million dollar town home that Rosie recently purchased in Chicago.

Rosie – an Aries has always been a firebrand and (as of late) known for her rather controversial political views. Her last foray into daytime TV was as the moderator of the View which was mired in infighting and bickering amongst Rosie and co-star Elizabeth Hasselbeck. Uranus is transiting Rosie’s natal Sun creating a rather high energy period for Rosie. However, Rosie’s Venus (also in Aries) will be transited by Uranus in 2014. This could lead to relationship problems for O’Donnel and Rounds if the relationship is not nourished and Rosie feels constrained.

What is the future of this relationship?

I asked the Tarot for some insight into this relationship. I pulled Knight of Wands, 9 of Cups, and Page of Wands.

I found this trio rather interesting. I must admit I have a bit of concern over this spread. The two fire cards reflect the power of highly idealized romantic love. I would have preferred to have seen a Pentacle to give this a little bit of ground to go the distance. Unfortunately the 9 of Cups is often too idealistic with its vision of perfection, and Rosie could have difficulty maintaining romantic idealism long term.

canadian viagra price

If I was reading for Rosie, I would suggest that she really take a good look at her tendency to become frustrated when the world of responsibility and details becomes a player in the relationship. If she can build a solid structure underneath this relationship (in her last one she tried by having 4 kids), then this could work out. Otherwise, as I stated earlier, Uranus could be this couples undoing

How Kris Humphries Can Move Past His Marriage to Kim Kardashian

December 11, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

On December 9, 2011, Kris Humphries appeared on Good Morning America and sources close to the 26 year old NBA star claim that he is livid over the interview. He referred to Josh Elliot as “this guy” because the interview revolved more around his marriage to Kim Kardashian than his basketball career.

Humphries – an Aquarius with Venus and Mars in Aries may find that the intersection between the personal and the professional will continuously collide throughout 2012. Uranus will activate both planets throughout the first part of the year forcing him in and out of the spotlight despite his desire to move forward. Further, Kris could experience troubles in his social circle with Pluto moving through his 11^th house of friends. Expect more news about his marriage to surface around April 22 – April 28^th as Jupiter squares his natal Sun.

What Can Kris Learn From His Marriage To Kim K.?

I pulled some tarot cards to give Kris some additional guidance. The cards were pulled as follows: Judgement, 3 of Cups, and 2 of Pentacles.

Judgement: This is a major arcana card and reflects Kris taking responsibility for his actions. Was the marriage real? Was it a giant publicity stunt? The focus of the public is judging this rather harshly, and Kris may need to realize that it will take some time for people to take his feelings and his emotions seriously.

3 of Cups: I found this card rather interesting. In tarot, it can mean either a celebration or the coming together of relationship. It is one of the marriage cards in the tarot deck. Kris can really delve into himself with this energy and figure out what “marriage” and “relationship” really mean to him.

2 of Pentacles: This card reflects Kris needing to learn how to juggle different parts of his life. Intertwining his personal life and professional life was probably not the best decision he has made. This card gives him the ability to see that both are important, but if you are going to be in the public eye then you might need to put up some proper boundaries.

Kris Humphries Future:

I pulled a card for Kris’s future – the 7 of Cups. This card reflects choices to be made. Kris can decide that he likes the fame that was involved with being Mr. Kim Kardashian, yet sacrifice much of his private life. He could also chose to focus on projects that really matter to him and push beyond this. The 7 of Cups will guarantee that many opportunities will arise so he can chose one or the other.

It’s Time To Lend a Helping Hand

September 2, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

The tragedy and devastation that occurred with Hurricane Irene has crippled much of the Northeastern United States. After having email exchanges with several friends whom are currently paralyzed by the storm; it appears that there is no end in sight. Many are still without power and running water with no estimation date to when their utilities will be restored. It has truly been an awakening for those that believed a Category 1 Hurricane would be nothing for the Northeast to bear – when it actually could come close to rivaling Hurricane Katrina in estimated damage costs.

As an astrologer, it has been very difficult to watch. Since I do know enough astrometeorology to be dangerous, I have written several times about an East Coast Hurricane occurring around the time of the grand square in August. We are not out of the woods yet, it is possible for another major storm to strike the United States in the month of September.

On a much more positive note, this weekend could prove to be the beginning of relief for the storm ravaged areas on the East Coast. The Sun in Virgo (help and service to others) will make a trine to Jupiter in Taurus. This is a great aspect for lending a helping hand, as well becoming more optimistic about the future. For those suffering through the hardship of the storm, this could prove to be comforting. For those not affected by the storm, Sun trine Jupiter will provide you with self-confidence, hopefulness, optimism, and you will feel that luck is on your side. However, be careful not to be self-indulgent and self-righteous. If you get a chance to lend a hand to others take advantage of the good karma points this will provide. You may need to spend them later!

Over the Labor Day weekend, the Moon will move through Scorpio until Saturday evening when it will transition into Sagittarius. The Moon in Scorpio can make us feel very intense, and since the majority of the aspects on Saturday are difficult we could find ourselves feeling anxious (Mercury) and a bit off-center (Neptune). It will be imperative that we think things out before reacting to them, because things may not be as they seem and we will find our emotions running wild.

On Saturday evening, The Moon will move into Sagittarius and we will notice a huge change in the energy. Sagittarius is known for its ability to have fun so take advantage of that energy while it is available. The aspects of the Sagittarian Moon on Labor Day are very positive so make sure you take a day to relax, recharge your batteries, and celebrate your accomplishments of the past year.

Tarot Tune-Up: Get out your tarot or oracle decks. Shuffle the Cards. Ask yourself the following question, “What can I do to be a blessing to others?” Draw a card out of the deck. What card did you draw? Let me know in the comments below.

If you like this post, please hit the like or +1 button at the bottom of the page.