Cult of Tarot Forum

My deck for this week is the Wild Harmonic Divination Deck by Gabe Marihugh.

We’re going deep into oracle territory now! This is a round deck with a system: 8 by 8 “elements” plus one card. The elements are Shadow, Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Spirit, Celestial, and Dimensional. (In this system Air is higher than Fire, I think because it’s partially based on chakras.) I typed up the keywords, attached. The author sensibly separates out the Shadow cards so they don’t get too much emphasis, but I put them back in the regular order so we can see the symmetry of the deck. The additional card is “Presence of Absence.” The author also provides a question for each card on the instruction cards. I’m not sure I’ll use them for readings. Oh, and it comes in a round tin with a clear top!

I just sorted the cards in order to type up the table, so now I have to shuffle well! Since these are round cards, they lend themselves to washing!

Deck Interview



Deck’s most important characteristic, Shadow of Water, Bleeding Together
Well, there are a lot of Shadow cards. Not more than of any other of the elements though. Maybe it’s good at bringing out emotional blocks.

Deck’s strength, Water of Celestial, Dreaming Layers
The illustration for this card is the deck’s title card, so it looks like the creator thought it was the deck’s strength too! If we’re meta, the illustrations are the deck’s strengths. Even though it is obviously ordered hierarchically, with lower and higher elements, it is good at showing the good in all layers (except the shadows).

Deck’s weakness, Air of Dimensional, Always Already
And just the opposite: Having three elements above the four earthly ones gives the deck a little too airy a feel. It can feel very spiritualized. Also it’s not very helpful to tell someone they already are what they want to be, if they can’t see it themselves.

What can the deck teach me?, Sprit of Air, Immune System
I’m assuming this is a metaphorical immune system? It can teach me to be more open to the airy/spiritualized nature of it all. Just because you can’t see something doesn’t make it less real.

How can I learn from it?, Water of Shadow, Cast About
This reading has two what I’m calling mirror cards: Shadow of Water and Water of Shadow, and Spirit of Air and Air of Spirit. I’m not sure how much they should be read as similar in meaning. I can learn from the deck by being open to the spiritual and to emotional turmoil. Cast about can mean tossed by the waves of emotion, but it could also mean search around for anything that can help.

Outcome of our working together, Air of Spirit, Hidden Ally
Well, at least we have a positive one here! The deck can be an ally, maybe not in the way I think it will be. That’s the hidden part. And it’s not actively against me anyway. Again, I’m not sure how similar Spirit of Air and Air of Spirit are supposed to be, but it reiterates that this is a very airy and spiritual deck. And shadowy, too.

Well, that was kind of unexpected but intriguing. I’m looking forward to continuing to work with the deck this week. We’ll see if it turns out to be a favorite or just a collection of interesting illustrations.

Monday All-Purpose Spread



Me, Celestial of Dimensional, Original Awakefullness
A beautiful reminder that we are all naturally awake, enlightened Buddhas. We just have more or less stuff covering that up. It’s like a note from the universe: this is what you really are.

Issue, Shadow of Spirit, Not Worthy
Who doesn’t live with this issue sometimes: self-judgment finding yourself coming short. I haven’t been feeling like this lately, but the card reminds me that it’s just a feeling, not a fact. And if I’m truly falling short in some aspect of life, I can fix that. Nothing to beat myself up about.

Outcome, Earth of Water, Shadow Guardian
Staying humble and close to the ground and water will enable me to retrieve the pearl of great price. Because that’s where the pearl is. My first intuition for this card was my baser instincts, anger, self-preservation, will help me overcome the self-judgment. They’re the shadow guardians. With teeth.

Advice, Water of Air, Collective Insight
The illustration is very water of air: The heads link together geometrically while the hearts are held in meditation. Cool. The advice is I can rely on the understanding and counsel of my friends to overcome self-judgment.

I really like this deck, even (or especially) because there’s no book to rely on, but there’s enough theory behind it to follow along. (It’s not just pretty women experiencing various emotions.) Even though I complained that the deck might be too spiritualized, I seem to be getting the cards that apply to me and my situation. Along with a spiritual reminder of what is really real!

Tuesday All-Purpose Spread



Me, Spirit of Air, Immune System
I wasn’t sure on this one before, so I looked at the question and realized it’s about resisting and self-protection. See those layers of shields? I’m being protective and probably need to open myself up more if I want to receive what I think I want to receive.

Issue, Water of Earth, Nourishing Roots
My issue today will be focusing on food and nourishment. I know that my obsession with food has very little to do with nourishing my body and a lot to do with nourishing other parts of me. I can come to grips with some of that today.

Outcome, Fire of Spirit, Talismanic Access
I will be able to move forward and make progress on those understandings. And act on them.

Advice, Celestial of Water, Empathic Offering
This is a beautiful card. One way I can make something happen differently for me is to share my experience and understanding with others. Articulating it and living it as an example are the best way to do what you have to do.

Wednesday All-Purpose Spread



I seem to be getting a lot of repeat cards. But no shadows today!

Me, Earth of Dimensional, Creating Sacred
The lowest and the highest combine. I’m working on a little I Ching project, and I hope I will be creating sacred today!

Issue, Water of Spirit, Ineffable Delight
I saw this card go by when I was shuffling, and I thought, “hey, I want some ineffable delight!” So here it is! Is it strange to think that some decks pick up on your thoughts better than others? I think it might be new decks you haven’t worked with much. I’m open to any kind of delight today!

Outcome, Spirit of Air, Immune System
Here are the two repeats. I will be sensibly cautious of spiritual things, but I won’t shut them out completely.

Advice, Water of Air, Collective Insight
I should pay attention to traditional learning, and I should share what I learn today.

Thursday All-Purpose Spread

I’ve got a lot of different things swirling around in my mind today, and I’m not sure which ones the cards will pick up.



Me: Shadow of Spirit, Not Worthy
Ah, I was thinking about what I can do to help people, and I was dismissing things: I can’t do THAT, I can’t do THAT . . . I can’t let my sense of inadequacy stand in the way of doing something real.

Issue: Earth of Fire, Unfolding Path
That’s the question alright. What am I going to do with the rest of my life? The path is unfolding. I hope it will soon be clearer to me what it is.

Outcome: Dimensional of Shadow, Perfect Circle
Same as the other shadow: I’m going to let a spurious perfectionism deter me from doing something good.

Advice: Presence of Absence
I guess I’m in a negative state of mind today, but the advice is show up! Don’t be absent when you can be present.

Friday, Full Moon in Sagittarius, Honey Moon Spread



Lots of repeating cards yet again, but no shadows.

What have I committed to? Celestial of Air, Spiral Time
I have committed to continuous learning and improvement. Every time I come back to a subject, I understand a little bit more. This kind of learning takes patience!

How am I receiving support? Water of Water, Transceptive Resonance
This is the same as the new moon version of this spread. My friends just emotionally support me, even if they don’t understand me or what I’m doing. They’re real friends.

How am I offering support to others? Spirit of Earth, Visceral Listening
Usually I’m not good at being there or listening. I’ve had trouble through my past with being present for people. But now I think I can offer that. I’m here, and I’m listening. That’s so important to people.

Opportunities available to me, Spirit of Air, Immune System
This card again! I’m not getting it as an opportunity. I can break down my inner blockages and be open to what I want?

How can I embrace these opportunities? Water of Spirit, Ineffable Delight
THIS card again! I can open up with delight! Enjoy the freedom of openness. I don’t need the freedom of self-protection so much anymore.

Outcome, The honey that will be created, Water of Air, Collective Insight
This card again, too! I can be part of people understanding each other and understanding how to get along. The true goal of learning and understanding is being able to make a better life for myself and others.

I really like these cards. They have depth to them, perhaps enhanced by the fact that there’s no LWB. And I like the designs. And I like round cards. Who doesn’t like round cards?

Saturday, Rachel’s Magic Square Spread

What do I need to know about my I Ching reading project?



Me: Dimensional of Shadow, Perfect Circle; Water of Fire, State Change; Dimensional of Spirit, Total Freedom
Ha ha, very funny. It’s taken me almost a week to understand an I Ching circle diagram. I’m determined to get it right! The other two cards show that I’m ready for a change. I’m hoping this project will free me from my usual routine and ideas.

Issue: Earth of Celestial, Radical Potential; Dimensional of Fire, Infinite Expressions; Celestial of Earth, Body Wisdom
Ok, Earth of Celestial and Celestial of Earth together. I Ching is an esoteric study, but it’s also down to earth. It’s about how heaven, humanity, and earth all fit together. I’m seeing two cards with hexagrams--not I Ching hexagrams but six-pointed stars made of triangles. And more circles, very idealized, programmatic circles (that I think are supposed to be the moon). The circle thing I’m trying to figure out has to do with waxing and waning, but not the moon. Infinite expressions is definitely correct here. It can say so many things depending on how you look at it.

Advice: Water of Dimensional, Watercourse Way; Shadow of Earth, Covetous Designs; Celestial of Fire, True Will
Watercourse Way is a Taoist/I Ching concept. The advice is follow where the reading takes me, go with the flow instead of trying to force my half-understood theories on it. And the challenge of card reading: How to make a shadow card advice! Avoid it, I guess. So I shouldn’t push the ideal that what I learn will be applicable to my everyday situation, at least every day. True Will sounds too Crowley for me, but as advice, I guess it’s don’t get distracted. Do what I am doing.

Now the columns:

Past: Dimensional of Shadow, Perfect Circle; Earth of Celestial, Radical Potential; Water of Dimensional, Watercourse Way
When I’ve tried a read-through in the past. I didn’t understand the circle, I knew there was so much potential and I was willing to follow it, but I just got overwhelmed.

Present: Water of Fire, State Change; Dimensional of Fire, Infinite Expressions; Shadow of Earth, Covetous Designs
I’m ready to go for it, take action. Maybe too much focus on the books.

Future: Dimensional of Spirit, Total Freedom; Celestial of Earth, Body Wisdom; Celestial of Fire, True Will
Well, I don’t think it will bring me TOTAL freedom, but it will benefit me spiritually and practically, and I’ll learn to trust myself more.

I forgot to do my diagonals first.

Indirect influences: 3 Dimensionals
Yes, there is ultimate meaning in there somewhere, but I’m not sure I’ll find it, or all of it.

Direct influences: 2 Dimensionals, 2 Fires
The project will be a balance of ultimate meaning and my will to do this.