Tarot, Divination and Witchy Stuff

A very bad photo of some of my tarot cards being used as God/Goddess/Unity symbols on an altar.

So, Texas has waited until mid-September to have a summer. That kinda sucks. I was hoping that with such a cool August I would be able to enjoy an early fall, but it appears that I can’t. Still, temperatures are below 100F, so I should be thankful for small mercies.

Divination is a practice that us Witches are supposed to practice. I could argue that I don’t because I don’t have time to go around predicting the future. Actually, that is not why I don’t do much of it.

I own the Goddess Tarot deck and I do like it for the most part. I have gotten familiar with it, and I have used it several times. However, when I have used it for myself, I have not gotten a single comprehensible response. For example, a couple of months ago our old car was dying and the new Prius had not yet arrived. I did a reading to see if we should fix the old car or purchase a temporary junker. I don’t recall if I used the Celtic cross, the Faerie ring or what exact spread I chose, but I do recall looking at the result and feeling WTF?

I have been trained to first look at the cards visually and develop an impression of what they might mean from appearances before going to the books to interpret them. Try to tell a story from the pictures. So that is what I did, jotting down my thoughts about what I saw in a journal. That was not very clear to me, but I kept at it until I had a complete and confusing story. Then I turn to the book and try to apply the meanings of the cards. I look for themes via the four suits running through the reading, then I look at the individual cards’ meanings. After that, I blend it all together and get . . . nothing. It is totally incoherent.

Frustrating to say the least. After all, I had argued to my skeptical friends that if nothing else, Tarot introduces a random element into any situation and can be used as an answer (that is too strong of a word, maybe probability? Suggestion?) generator. I myself am of the belief that the Divine is bound or restricted by the physical laws of this world, like She created it and does not transcend or supersede those laws. I think She also respects our free will. So we have to invite Her into our life to get connected. I view Tarot as one way of doing just that.

Maybe the Goddess just doesn’t see my car troubles as a priority. I don’t blame Her, if that is the case. That’s kind of like calling a nuclear airstrike to deal with a fly.

Later I am doing some Tarot readings for covenmates and I follow the same procedure, the same steps and this time . . . well, they were pretty impressed. I can’t say I felt anything or saw anything special. I would not say they were “ooooh” or “aaaaahhhh.” They were more reacting along the lines of, “Hey, you have a pretty good start going here with these cards. They seem to come naturally to you.”

So, of course, I have not touched them in weeks.

On Saturday I was in a local mall . . . a small one that is kind of on the decline. As a result they get some funky little shops. One of the shops was an “aromatherapy” shop. I put that in quotes because it was pretty blatantly a Pagan/Wicca shop. I was approached by someone who offered to do a reading.

I never really do those because I am still somewhat a skeptic and feel like a lot of them are scam artists. For some reason, and I really cannot say why specifically, I felt that I should.

So, I got my palms read.

Nothing miraculous happened. I received no divine insight. In fact some things seemed way, way, way off. For example, she said something about two kids in my life. One is a possibility, but unless we conceive twins, two is a no (I guess it is possible through extreme circumstance, but unless the circumstance is extreme, I don’t see it happening).

She did say that I would have one great love or relationship in my life and that made me feel good.

The reason I mention this reading is twofold:

1. She got all over me about not using my creativity and

2. I felt a connection with her, a strong connection—not a let’s have sex connection, but a kind of kindred spirit connection

I did not mention this at Coven because I did not want to admit in a room full of practicioners of Divination that I paid for a reading (I hate hurting people’s feelings) and I was not sure what to say about this.

The first one I know what I have to do. I have to write. I have to market my writing. Repeat. It is that simple. I just haven’t done it.

The second one? I have not a clue. I know this woman as a paying client. If I were her, I would slightly freak out if a client were to say anything about a “connection”—or assume he was looking to score. I don’t know why I got that feeling or what I am supposed to do with it. I just know I felt it.

So what am I going to do with that feeling? The same thing I do with all things involving emotions that I don’t understand or “get”. I am going to ignore it and hope it goes away. How’s that for a sorry response?

Good Morning Goddess Brigit, my name is still Andy and I am still a drunk. I am sober because You have been a part of me and I know I cannot stay sober on my own. I thank You for this gift. Today is a good day to be Sober.

Thank You, Blessed Be.