Rachel’s DoW 8 5-Cent Tarot

[Rachelcat]

This is a very Victorian, very keywordy tarot! It has several upright and reversed keywords for each card. I passed on it when I first noticed it because I’m not big on keywords or reversals, but then I realized it’s also a very animal tarot, so I thought I’d give it a try. (I’m not big on keywords for tarot, but I’ve backed the Two-Penny Oracle by the same creator, a very keywordy oracle. My anti-keyword prejudice doesn’t extend that far. Plus, who doesn’t like a round deck?!!)

Suits are Matches, Cups, Needles, and Buttons. Extra majors are The Unknown, The Beyond, The Universe, and The Messenger.

I’m doing a serious shuffle, leaving in reversals for optimal keyword reading. Then on to the interview!

Deck’s most important characteristic: Chariot reversed, uncontrolled, reckless, indecisive
Well, I don’t think it’s indecisive. All the keywords make it TOO decisive, and controlling, maybe it means the reader has to give us some control to read with the deck. The animals are a reindeer with sphynx moths. Very Chariot.

Deck’s strength: Knight of Cups reversed, heartbreaker, jealousy, inconsistency
Hmm, its strength is inconsistency. That makes sense actually. It follows its theme, but not slavishly. The knight is a seahorse, and is hanging out with jellyfish and goldfish.

Deck’s weakness: Seven of Buttons, perseverance, diligence, rewards
Maybe the opposite, that it was a stretch to stick with the theme through all cards of the deck. The animal is the busy beaver.

What it can teach me: Page of Cups reversed, immaturity, envy, irresponsibility
I don’t want to learn envy, but I’m open to learning immaturity and irresponsibility! This is similar to the Chariot reversed. The deck can teach me to give up some control in readings and go with the flow of the deck. The page is an alligator. And he really should stop making all those allegations!

How I can learn it: Empress, creativity, nature, nurture
Interesting that it’s both nature AND nurture. But that IS very Empress! I need to bring creativity to it and pay attention to the animals and plants are the cards. The empress is a butterfly with pomegranates. And I really like the heart lock.

Outcome of our work together: Nine of Needles reversed, letting go, hope, coping
So the reversal of a negative card is a positive. I think I will let go of some of my tarot prejudices and learn to cope with various tarot points of view! The animal is a slow loris, which always looks sad.

Well, I look forward to learning with this deck this week! Have a happy day!

[Rachelcat]

Monday
Opportunity, Challenge, Resolution

All birds reading, duck with ducklings, crow, rooster

Opportunity: Ten of Cups, family bliss, harmony, well-being
I have the wonderful opportunity for happy family and happy group. We can all swim in the same direction.

Challenge: Justice, cause and effect, truth, fairness
But to be truly happy, we have to have truth and fairness. You can’t just rely on good will when there are real differences that need to be hashed out and adjudicated.

Resolution: Page of Needles reversed, haste, dishonor, all talk
Hm. It won’t be resolved to true harmony because some people (I know who they are!) are going to do just that, gloss over the problems and pretend that nothing’s wrong or needs to be fixed, therefore keeping things uncomfortable and up in the air.

Well, that was depressing but true. I hope you have a great Monday!

[Rachelcat]

Tuesday
What can traditional religions and philosophies do for us today?
3 cards, no positions.

Six of Matches, Acclaim, success, victory, ostrich
Eight of Cups, Inner Journey, walking away, introspection, hermit crab
Wheel of Fortune reversed, Misfortune, loss, upheaval, monkeys (see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil)

So we have outer, inner, and a warning!

Publicly adhering to a religion can bring success and acclaim. And it may influence others to trust you. They know who you are and where you’re coming from. It’s important to note that this is NOT reversed to “arrogance, pride, disgrace.” So there IS a public advantage that doesn’t include being a narrow-minded fundie idiot.

The inner advantage is the questioning itself. Different religions have different answers to all those questions: Why do bad things happen to good people? What is sin? What happens after death? How is the best way to live? Wondering about and seeing the myriad answers that are out there is the journey, and you don’t always have to know or care where the journey will end.

Oh, this just came to me! This isn’t a warning. This is a key. One of the most important questions is the problem of evil. What is the cause of misfortune, loss, and upheaval? Sometimes people cause them for themselves, sometimes other people cause it, but sometimes, stuff just happens. And very bad stuff, too. As I said above, learning the many different answers to this question that different philosophies provide is the way to open our minds and hearts and to take that inner journey.

Cool! I was wondering if a keywordy deck could address such a philosophical question. And it did very well!

Have a very happy Tuesday!

[Rachelcat]

Wednesday
My friend’s 60 birthday is on Sunday, and I’m joining her family for brunch. Will all go well on Sunday? 3 cards, no positions

Ten of Cups, Family Bliss, harmony, well-being, ducks
Death, Endings, change, transition, crow
Star, Hope, faith, renewal, starfish, ibis

Well, I think we’re good with Ten of Cups and Star! I think Death is here to say a 60th birthday will make her think differently about herself and others to think differently about her too, including her family. Her husband is disabled, so she’s like the workhorse of the family. She works to support them, but the girls do pitch in and do most of the housework. But still, it’s a lot of pressure. I think they’ll realize that at 60 she’s no spring chicken, and she needs as much help as she can get. An important change.

And the Star says yes, there’s hope for the future. Life won’t always be this stressful, and it is a true blessing to have a family around you, even if it does add to your responsibility! And with harmony and swimming in the same direction, things will be good.

And we celebrate all that on Sunday!

Have a very happy Wednesday!

[Rachelcat]

Thursday
Just a card of the day, since it’s already so late!

Eight of Matches, Acceleration, air travel, quick decisions, gull
Everything does seem to be going quickly today, thus doing my morning reading at 1pm! I think we can rule out air travel, though. I am kind of thinking about a decision, so maybe I should make a quick decision!

Have a happy Thursday, everyone!

[Rachelcat]

Friday
Opportunity Challenge Resolution

All bugs all the time!

Opportunity: Seven of Cups, Possibilities, wishful thinking, choices, dreamer, water scorpion bug
I have the opportunity to make some choices based on my dreams, not on necessity.

Challenge: King of Buttons, Affluence, discipline, acumen, horned Taurus beetle
But my concern for necessity and security might influence the choice negatively, or at least against my dreams and for my self-discipline.

Resolution: Devil reversed, Detachment, freedom, self-control, release, stag beetle
The resolution is to not be so attached to either my dreams or my need for security. I need to choose what’s best for all of me, not cutting off one side of my personality to feed the other. Interesting that this positive or advice card is Devil reversed, so a positive meaning. What if it were upright? I should give in to temptation and dependency? Or just flip it, and say resist addiction?

Also interesting to see the connections between these otherwise unrelated cards by the animals chosen to represent them. One of those things that makes tarot infinitely interesting and useful!

Have a lovely Friday, everyone!

[Rachelcat]

Saturday
Full moon in Virgo, Sage Moon
The Sage Moon spread is chakras. Which works well with reversals. So here we go!

Ok, ALL reversed. Let’s get as negative as we can! And THIS is my full moon reading. Back in the day, I heard that if you get all reversed, you can turn everything upright. But maybe I’ll turn upright as advice?

Root: Page of Needles reversed, Haste, dishonor, all talk, rooster
I’ll take this to mean I’m not quite in the right mindset for my weight loss. I’m pushing too hard, and then swamping when I make a mistake. The classic all or nothing. And it’s all in my mind. That tracks with haste and all talk. I’m talking the talk, but I need to walk the walk in a more positive way.

Sacral: Six of Needles reversed, Change of Plans, trapped, baggage, frog mother
And my relationship with pleasure is similar. The plan is not to not enjoy myself! The plan is to enjoy the right things and the things I have.

Solar: Two of Buttons reversed, Spinning Plates, overwhelmed, overcommitted, octopus
I truly do not feel that my energy is overwhelmed or overcommitted. But maybe I am having trouble balancing my energy. Again, that all or nothing thing!

Heart: Universe reversed, Decadence, stagnation, regress, nautilus
First time I’ve gotten one of the extra majors. The quarantine has pushed me backwards on my introversion. Now that I don’t see anyone, I’m starting to feel afraid to do it. A flare up of the weird. But I’ll get over it.

Throat: Empress reversed, Dependence, smothering, creative block, empress butterfly
Creative block, yes! I just don’t seem to have anything to say these days. And I beat myself up over it because I actually have time to say it, but nothing to say.

Third eye: High Priestess reversed, Repression, superficiality, secrets revealed, owl
The understanding I’m coming to about religion and spirituality is also holding me back. I want to believe, but to be true to myself, I really can’t. And I should probably keep my mouth shut about that.

Crown: Ten of Matches, Delegation, burnout, stress, ant
So spiritual burnout and stress, yes, I guess. I certainly am not getting any spiritual refreshment. I’m not depressed or anything, but I’m just living day to day. Not a bad way to live, but maybe not right for me now.

Well, that was a bummer. Maybe by the new moon, I’ll have a better report.

Have a happy weekend, everyone! I’ll be back tomorrow with a new deck. Without reversals!