Cult of Tarot Forum

I’m getting a head start on Valentines-related decks this week. (I have 2 more weeks of valentines planned, which will cover my entire love and romance deck collection.) This week we have the heart-shaped LS Heart Tarot, Giordano Berti’s Sibyl of the Heart, and, just for fun, heart-shaped playing cards with conversation heart backs.

I don’t know how much I’ll use the playing cards, but . . . heart-shaped! In yesterday’s tarot society meeting, we discussed the possibilities of reading with playing cards, so I figure I can give it a try!

The Sibyl is created from circular alchemical illustrations from 1617 that almost all feature a red, puffy heart in various situations of peril and prosperity. Numbers and keywords have been added. There are 40 cards. I’ve investigated and tried to logically arrange its cards in the past, but I haven’t really read with it very much.



I’m not sure about spreads and such for my daily reads, but today it’s all about the interviews!



Deck’s most important characteristic: 10 Wands
The deck has a lot of its own energy, and that can be a bit difficult to handle, like the storks trying but failing so far to pick up all those sticks.

Deck’s strength: 9 Pentacles
Even though it is unusual, and has a very specific theme, it is a practical deck. It can give helpful readings. The illustration looks more like a miser card at first (4 Coins), but not really. He’s laying them out, not holding onto them. Perhaps he’s just being prudent, figuring out how much he should pay for something. I wonder how much he paid for that amazingly long feather in his hat!

Deck’s weakness: 8 Swords
Here’s a pierced heart, literally a pincushion, which seems more 3 than 8. But the woman is getting on with her work, whether she’s happy or not. Maybe she’s trapped in her duties. The weakness is it’s trapped in its own theme.

What the deck can teach me: Knight of Chalices
I don’t know what kind of critter he is, but I love the heart-shaped hat! The deck can indeed teach me about romance and emotions, and how to act on them.

How I can learn it: 7 Chalices
I need to let my emotions flow, and realize that there are lots of options for me to express them. The leaves are falling, but the fairies have found flowers for courting.

Outcome of our work together: Knight of Swords
I will appreciate the deck most as an intellectual exercise in reading the unique illustrations. The dragonfly is small but powerful enough to carry the fairy knight.



Deck’s most important characteristic: Conflict
Very much like a lenormand whips card plus a heart. And hands. I’m going to say that it’s important that sometimes my interpretations of the cards conflict with the keywords. Not this one, though!

Deck’s strength: Union
Similar to a lenormand ring. But grander and more symbolic, with the crown and altar and bones and hands. As a strength, the deck has a lot of symbolism, so you can basically choose which you want to use, but it all hangs together.

Deck’s weakness: Coffin
It is confusing exactly what the heart stands for. Here it is the opposite of death. On other cards, it seems to represent the soul or person or seeker. Or maybe the weakness is that the deck is limited. We come to the end of its usefulness quickly?

What it can teach me: Clarification
It can teach me to see (eye) the light (lantern) and to understand it (book). This seems much more spiritual than a lenormand book.

How I can learn it: Balance
I shouldn’t be too critical or too slavishly following the deck concepts. Take what works and leave the rest. I like this illustration. If the heart tips either way, warning bells will ring!

Outcome of our work together: Jealousy
This keyword seems a little random. I’m going to go with something less specific. The heart is fruitful and growing but also surrounded by thorns. The outcome is that I will constantly trying to clear away the arbitrary and get to the more true flowering meaning.



Deck’s most important characteristic: Ace of Hearts!
Well, that’s appropriate! It’s whole purpose is hearts, hearts, hearts! And valentines.

Deck’s strength: King Diamonds
It fulfills its mission of manifesting valentines and conversation heart candies.

Deck’s weakness: 8 Diamonds
It imitates valentines and candy. It’s an intellectual product, not the real thing.

What can it teach me: 5 Spades
Everyone is always confused about love and romance. That’s just the way things are.

How can I learn it: Queen of Clubs
By being strong but feminine.

Outcome of our work together: Queen of Hearts!
It will help me embrace my emotional and feminine side.

Well, that was fun! I hope you enjoyed the decks! Have a super Sunday! See you tomorrow!

Monday
Cards of the day!



4 Pentacles, Balance, Hug Me, Joker
The boy and girl are going their separate ways to find their hearts’ desires. Maybe they’ll meet up again in the middle of the maze and they are each other’s heart’s desire. Maybe they’ll wander far apart. Is this an encouragement of individuality or a warning of putting material goals over relationships?

Balance is a card we already had in the interview. I still like the warning bells. If you hear the bell, the heart has gone too far one way or the other.

The Joker is a broken heart, with Hug Me on the back. Maybe someone needs a hug because their heart is broken.

I think the reading is that it’s important to keep to the happy medium between complete emotional independence and putting your all happiness in the hands of another person. I’m not sure exactly how that applies to me or today, but that’s what I’m sticking with!

Have a happy day and week ahead!

Tuesday
Opportunity, Challenge, Resolution x 3



Opportunity Queen of Hearts, Challenge Joker, Resolution 8 Hearts
I’m an emotional, loving person who has been unlucky in love. The way to deal with that is to think about the causes and conditions and how to get over them and then avoid them.



Opportunity Prudence, Challenge Temptation, Resolution Jealousy
Two winged hearts, one protecting a snail on his way, another flying from a demon. The dilemma is slow and steady wins the race, but sometimes you have to fly. The resolution is yes, both. Life is both flowers and thorns, fast and slow. You can’t change the way the world is, you can only change how you deal with it. I think is actually a very mundane reading about my weight loss. I wanted very much to be down a certain amount this week, but it didn’t happen. But it’s still down. I shouldn’t worry about the numbers because that can be a temptation to quit. Just keep on keeping on!



Opportunity Ace of Pentacles, Challenge 6 Chalices, Resolution Queen of Wands
I have an opportunity to manifest something, but I have to be able to express my feelings in order to do that. I have to be a queen of wands, someone who combines emotional savvy with action.

Wednesday
A short one today because I worked through my usual early card reading time. Cards of the day it is!



Knave of Swords, Surprise, 4 Diamonds
Even a very smart and motivated young person might find love instead of the fulfillment of her practical plans for material success.

Have a happy rest of your Wednesday! I hope I can get back to a morning reading tomorrow!

Thursday
New moon in Aquarius, Wolf Moon, Instincts



The Wolf

Me: XXI World
I am complete in myself. If I could get my ego and instincts together, all would be well.

Ego: XV Devil
My ego does what an ego is supposed to do: Make me want to protect myself by all means necessary, even if it means cutting off someone’s head (metaphorically of course). And it’s not always rational, but always self-focused. I’m fixated on those cloven hooves. She’s beautiful above, but deformed below.

Instincts: XVII Stars
My instincts are more gentle, even though just as self-focused. The angel that comes to me in my dreams is doing it for my own, deeper good, not just self-preservation in the so called “real world.”



The Moon

Fears: 4 Wands
I fear birthdays and getting older? Not really, I don’t think. I kind of fear celebrations now because they break my familiar routine. That’s why quarantine is easier but then harder for introverts. We really get into it, and are now afraid of coming out of it!

Hidden: 1 Magician
What is hidden from me is my inner power and confidence. My ability to manifest. It’s in there somewhere!

Shown in the light: Ace of Wands
It shows up as a more general, less focused ability and urge to act. It’s less refined than the Magician, but it can be developed into him. They’re both ones after all.

Well, I think I did ok with this reading. Have a happy month ahead!

Friday
Opportunity, challenge, resolution, Sibyl of the Heart



Opportunity: Surprise
I could fish something up to the surface that’s been hiding. And maybe threatened by those sharp-toothed fish. The boat in the distance emphasizes something new coming.

Challenge: Protection
But I feel like it’s not ready to see the light of day yet. I’m still hiding it under a cloud. And feathers.

Resolution: Enemy
It’s up to me to decide if I want to expose it to the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, and snakes and raptors, or continue to keep it hidden.

Well, this makes perfect sense! Have a very happy Friday, everyone!

Saturday
Last day for hearts
All-Purpose Spread x 3 no questions



Me: Chariot
I’m looking for a change. I’m ready to move on to a different stage in my life. But it might be kind of hard to control those very large pigeons (or that very small me).

Issue: Knight of Chalices
I’ll be tempted to make the change in a romantic area. I might be distracted by the heart hat and cup of beauty, but I need to be wary of what lies below.

Outcome: 5 Wands
But it would only lead to conflict. I would be tethered to something, but home would be far away.

Advice: 3 Wands
Indeed, I should concentrate on building my own nest and being in my own comfort zone, like the fish, not going out on a limb for something I don’t think I really want. Manifest my energy in a more constructive way.



Me: Hypocrisy
Well, these are all lovely keywords! I’m a sad salamander, stomping on a perfectly good heart. In the uncomfortable wind. What is it I’m keeping down? It does kind of seem like hypocrisy, doesn’t it? I’m usually a very honest person though . . .

Issue: Lie
I’ve graduated to a monster with a crazy curved horn, pumping the poor heart full of lies with a bellows. Why am I doing that? Again, I don’t know what this is about! Unless I’m the heart! Then I need to be really careful of hypocrisy and lies!

Outcome: Trial
The heart will be rescued, but only after suffering a lot of turbulence, emotional and in understanding.

Advice: Reward
The advice is keep my eyes on the prize and cultivate my own garden. Obey the rules of civilization and getting along with fellow citizens, and things will be fine. I don’t know what all this is about, but I will be on my guard!



Me: Queen of Hearts
I’m emotional and self-reflective. This is my card according to sun sign and birthday.

Issue: 10 Clubs
I’m going to have to deal with a whole lot of energy and activity by people around me. I’ll feel overwhelmed or even attacked.

Outcome: 6 Spades
But then I’ll be able to figure it out, solve the problem by thinking it through. And confronting the situation through what I believe in.

Advice: 6 Diamonds
To figure it out, I need to follow the money. And be generous if that is called for. Maybe generous in this case is giving someone the benefit of the doubt.

Hmm, some strange situations described here. Well, I’ll just have to wait and see what happens! Have a happy Presidents Day weekend and Valentine’s Day!