Here, Kitty, Kitty,Kitty

It's funny, how a deck you think is just another quirky deck can be one that talks to you the most. Kitty Kahne's deck is the one for me. This predominately lavender and blue deck, populated with strange looking people speaks volumes.

In the six of pentacles we see that you can get what you want. This child dreams of life at sea, he wears a sailor suit and now he is getting the toy of his dream. a boat to call his own. I am reminded by this card that I want to make sure everyone has what they need, this can be a kindness or a pathology, depending on how it manifests. The questions to ask yourself are; is the gift given from a place of abundance, or a place of fear, are there strings attached?


The Moon card reminds me not to let my dreams fall by the wayside. Don't give to others at the expense of myself. I may find myself howling at the moon, asking where's mine?

Note the towers in the distance of this card, one capped with a woman's head--the other with a man. The Kitty Kahane deck is full of similar images, static objects bearing human heads, people with birds for hats, opening the way for a new slant on the card meanings. In the case of the Moon card I am reminded that people have their own stories which remain mysteries to us. We may not know a fraction of the inner lives of our closest companions, how little then can we know about strangers? Sometimes we are strangers to ourselves. Our lives are storied (many storied, as the towers are) and who has explored their own castle in its fullness?

I'm back

After a many months hiatus I have returned to regular blogging. My computer set up was less than ideal, but we've got a new machine, and scanner, and I'm ready to start blogging about tarot. In 2 weeks I'm going to BATS with my friend Deb. Looking forward to being part of a larger tarot community.

9 of Pentacles

I've been thinking about my garden lately. Our house has lots of potential in the garden area, but most of that potential is waiting to be discovered. I feel lost when facing a blank canvas, be it an actual canvas, a piece of paper, or an expanse of soil. The 9 of pentacles reminds me that a wonderful vibrant restful garden is the result of hard work, planning and time. And before I can get to the end, I have to start the process.

But look at the rewards!

Pairs Exercise 8 of Pentacles and Death

The dance of Death and the 8 of Pentacles is one of creation and destruction.

This month I begin participating on the Comparative Tarot e-list's Pairs exercises. In the Pairs exercise you are assigned a card to compare with the card of the month. The card of the month is the 8 of Pentacles, Death is my assigned pair card. What an interesting combination. I laid out this pair from a number of different decks and was struck by the way they relate to each other depending on the way the characters on the cards face.

In the Ator tarot (as in the RWS) Death and the craftsperson on the 8 of Pentacles face the same direction. When the Death card comes before the 8 of Pentacles it suggests that Death/change can come upon us unexpectedly. When the 8 of Pentacles comes before Death it suggests that even in the face of Death and endings, creation carries on.

In the Sheridan Douglas Tarot (sorry I don't have scans of these cards) Death and the 8 of Pentacles face different directions. When they face each other you see the tension between the two. The craftsman looks Death in the face and defiantly carries on. When they are back to back it seems that Death has passed by and the craftsman has been spared. Perhaps he has been too busy at his task to take note of Death's passing.

The Aquarian Tarot shows close ups of the faces of Death and the Craftsman. I am struck by the differences in their expressions. Death is dispassionate, looking straight ahead, while the craftsman on the 8 of pentacles is passionately engaged in the process of creation. So engaged that he does not realize who is creeping up behind him.

4 of Wands

Transitions, celebrations, passages. This is the 4 of wands. The image speaks of this and more. In the International icon we see two flower bearing celebrants in the background, coming from a walled castle to a flowered canopy held aloft by 4 wands. This is the gateway, how will you change as you pass through? What are you celebrating? What is your rite of passage?

This appears to be a joyous image, but passages and transitions can take all forms. You could be celebrating a wedding, as the Spiral Tarot image suggests. Or you could be acknowledging a death.

I often see this card as a seasonal turning point, the World Spirit version shows this best, with their reference to a May Day celebration.

7 of Swords

The 7 of swords is one sneaky card. Like a thief in the night our actor has swiped someone else's weapons. Where is he taking them? What will he do with them? Why doesn't he take everything? Is he looking back at those two swords with regret that he can't carry them too, or has he just spotted them and is about to turn around and grab them?

The suit of Swords represents the mind. I see these swords as thoughts. Are these other people's ideas? Are they your own ideas which you are gathering up to evaluate and compare? Notice those tents in the background. What do they hide? Perhaps these represent other places to find inspiration.

5 of wands, Spiral Tarot

The 5 of wands in the Spiral Tarot seems more aggressive than the International Icon version. This is 4 against one. Note how the legs of the 4 seem to be one unit, bringing to my mind a multi headed foe. Each head/foe with it's own unique fighting style which must be understood before it can be overcome.

This card reminds me that each obstacle one faces is unique and should be approached fresh. Accomplishing one task may not solve the problem, but with persistence and flexibility success will be achieved.