Basic Tarot for BeginnersWritten by Sam Stevens
If you would like to learn to read tarot cards, but have no idea who to ask to teach you or how to go about it, following tips should help you get started on your path to telling fortunes just like a pro! Your first challenge is to choose a deck from 8,000 or so published brands of fortune telling cards on market. What works for one person often doesn't for another. Some people are comfortable reading several decks and others only identify psychically from a single brand. Your local bookstore will probably carry several choices of decks and online store at Psychic Realm also has a selection of introductory Tarot. However, I highly recommend going to a store, picking up a deck and seeing if you like feel of cards. The feel, weight or look of cards often "speaks" to you. If you a feel a connection with images on cards or even how they feel in your hands, then that is probably deck that you will relate to best. I also recommend a deck that comes with a small book inside package or box so you will have something to quickly reference if you should get lost in meaning of cards. When I first read Tarot, I typed myself up a one sheet that a resembled a chart on a computer so that all meanings of each card right side up and upside down were apparent to me at a glance. Your next step would be to get acquainted with your cards. The best way to learn is to study image on each card, one at a time, while memorizing it’s meaning. Be patient. There are usually 78 meanings to learn so this is not always a fast process. Some tarot teachers recommend that you put deck of cards under your pillow at night so you can get better acquainted with them. The idea is that your subconscious will absorb meaning. You can also meditate or dream upon individual cards in same way by placing them under your pillow. Some people like to charge their cards after they first get them, either by praying or meditating over them, passing them through smoke of incense or placing them in light of full or new moon for a night. Finicky readers believe power of cards is enhanced if they are placed inside a special box, pouch or wrapped in a silk pouch. I personally don't think this makes much of a difference but pomp and circumstance is supposed to add to power of all ritual and magic, so if storing your cards in a special way or in a special place helps you read them better than by all means do so. Also many readers protect their cards by not letting anyone touch them. There is a belief that others can "infect" cards with their beliefs, fears or anxieties. The cards do act as a portal through to other side, so keeping them away from other people may be a good way of preventing people from accidentally "touching" you through cards and passing along possibly toxic energy. This however brings up issues when it is time to decide who is actually going to shuffle cards. Some readers hand cards over to questioner and others prefer to always do shuffling and never let cards be tainted by another's hands. My personal take on this is that if you don't like person's energy, shuffle them yourself or even -- don't do reading at all! Most Tarot decks consist of 78 cards: 22 Major Arcana, and 56 Minor Arcana cards. The Minor Arcana consist of four "suits”, just like a deck of regular playing cards... The four suits are, Pentacles or Coins, which deal with work/money/success issues, Wands, or Staffs, which deal with more spiritual issues, Cups, which deal with emotional issues, and Swords, which some see as representing negative experiences and loss. When starting out, I highly recommend making your life easy, and getting person to ask you a question out loud. Both parties should focus on question while you shuffle cards. As you get more experienced or confident with cards, you won't care if they ask a question, but repeating questioner's question out loud yourself does seem to assist divination process. Shuffle cards until person you are reading for feels it is "right" to stop or until you feel it is right to "stop”. After you are done cutting, you need to cut deck. Most readers divide deck into three piles. At this point you can either have person you are reading for pick which pile to pick up as top of deck, or you can pick them up in an order that feels right to you. Another option, is to fan cards out face down, and have person you are reading for pick out cards they want you to read Two Simple Spreads: The Three-Card Spread: This spread is good for yes or no questions. After you are done cutting deck lay cards out from left to right. The first card to left represents past/issues affecting problem. The second card in center represents present/problem. The third card to right represents future/outcome. The Celtic-Cross Spread Lay out cards on table in following order:
| | Herbs for ProtectionWritten by Sam Stevens
If you have never used plant matter in magic before, I explain in detail in column Plants, Herbs and Roots for Prosperity different ways these substances can be practically used in rituals and everyday practice. In brief, main methods of using plant material to summon protection are: carrying substance on your person in a locket or a sachet, boiling herb and sprinkling residual water around your residence, putting a sprig of it under your bed or pillow, bathing in a distillation of it or burning it as incense. Also with love attracting, just keeping living plant in your house can help increase your vibrations. Below I have detailed where an herb can be used for a specific protective purpose. Ague Weed: A bath in this herb is alleged to banish evil spirits. This herb is also known as Boneset. Agrimony: Is burned or sprinkled around house to send bad spirits back to sender. Angelica: Worn on person to protect from evil spirits, however a drawback of this herb is that it also may protect you from opportunities. Used formally in rites of exorcism to get rid of bad spirits. Brew into a tea it and sprinkle in corners of a house to protect from evil spirits. It is also warn on person in a locket or sachet for personal protection. Anise: Stuffed under a pillow it protects from nightmares. Ash: The branches can be shaken and rattled like a wand to cleanse a place of bad energy. Asafoetida: Kept in a potpourri or burned for protection. Bergamot: Usually used for money, but some sources say it can be used for personal protection and to attract good spirits as well. Borage: Place in an area that is suspicious it is said to make truth come out or have dishonesty, plots or secrets revealed. Broom Tops: Boiled in salt water to keep evil spirits and ghosts away. Caraway: Carry seeds on your person to protect from disease and ill health. A few seeds in clothing of a loved one are said to protect your marriage from infidelity. Carnations: A bouquet of fresh or dried blossoms is said to protect home and family from rivals and attackers of all sorts. Camphor: Worn as a balm it is used to ward off physical attack or unwanted advances from others. Cedar: The boughs or incense are burnt to protect home from spirits. It also protects those in deep meditation or doing rituals from picking up unwanted energies and astral attack. It is toxic to reptiles and birds, however, so you should be careful using it if you have either as pets.
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