Rachel's DoW 22 Anubis Oracle

[Rachelcat]

Rachel’s DoW 22 Anubis Oracle

This is a (kind of) majors deck based on an idiosyncratic rendition of Egyptian myths. The focus is spiritual more than mythological, as you can tell from the subtitle, “A Journey into the Shamanic Mysteries of Egypt.” The authors are Nicki Scully and Linda Star Wolf. The artist is Kris Waldherr, who created the Goddess Tarot and the Lover’s Path Tarot.

The deck has 22 majors renamed and featuring Egyptian deities, plus a card for each of the 4 elements, a “key card” featuring Anubis, and 8 “composite cards,” which are combinations of the subjects of 3 or 4 consecutive majors. Here's the website http://theanubisoracle.com/, if you want to see all the cards and get a computer reading. (Oh, look! I chose a majors deck for week 22!)

There is a spread associated with each of the composite cards, so I decided to do one each day, starting on Saturday of the long weekend to get in all 8. So here we go!

Entering the Mystery

Alchemist, protector who will carry me safely through the journey
7. Sekhmet, Transformation, Fierce Compassion, Healer
(Even though this is this deck’s Chariot card, I’m going to read it more as Strength because the 11 card is more like Lust.) Who wouldn’t want a lion goddess as her protector? She is fierce yet compassionate. And I see the connection to healing through the strength-like lion connection. I am reassured that I will be protected!

Priestess, intuitive, mysterious, sacred, hidden, spiritual aspects
18. Khonsu, Lunar Energies, Divine Timing, Blood Mysteries
Although I am beyond worrying about “blood mysteries,” I’m putting a lot of energy into the fact that it’s the Gemini new moon. I’m making intentions regarding what I want to study and what I want to accomplish. The mysterious moon will be helping me achieve my goals.

Queen, encouragement and guidance in the real world, bridge between physical and spiritual realms
25. The Crested Ibis, Sacred Archetypal Element of Air
My journey will result in intellectual understanding and accomplishment, which is what I’m aiming for this month of Gemini.

It’s a little confusing that the spread positions are the same as cards, but I think I’m getting the hang of it. I didn’t get any of the cards that are part of the spread, or any composite cards, so we have that to look forward to in future readings!

Happy weekend, all!

[Rachelcat]

Sacred Relationship
Spread is based on Khnum (Emperor), Sphinx (Hierophant), Horus and Sobek (Lovers), and Sekhmet (Chariot).

Khnum/Craftsman, who I am now and what needs to be changed
23. Pyramid, Sacred Archetypal Element of Earth
I am very earth-centered now. With the way things are, I think we’re all in survival mode. Although I’m perfectly fine, I am constantly checking in to be sure that’s true and that I’m surviving well. I guess that will need to change if things in the outer world stay the same though the summer and fall. I need to start concentrating on other things.

Horus, what I’m becoming, where I’m going
16. Wadjet, Life-Force Energy, Purification, Divine Awakener
I’m going to the Tower? That doesn’t sound good. But I should go with the feeling of the card, which is I’ll be going from Earth to Fire. That sounds better! Purification by fire sounds painful, but on the other end, you’re purer.

Sobek, what I have been, what I need to let go of
15. Set, Shadow, Adversarial Ally, Trickster
Oh, then this makes sense. Let go of temptation and base motives and go through a purification. From earth to fire.

Sekhmet/Chariot, vehicle of transformation, action that will bring understanding
III. Cosmic Influences, Maat, Thoth, and Khepera (This is the composite of Justice, Hermit, and Wheel, which will be tomorrow's spread.)
In order to make this transition from earth to fire, I need to stay balanced, stay self-focused, and let whatever happens to me be part of the transition process.

Voice of the Sphinx, guidance on transpersonal, spiritual nature of situation
4. Khnum, Master Craftsman, Creator of Form, Organizing Principle
If this change happens in a good way, the way will be open for me to organize my life so I can create and make things happen in the real world. This card is featured in the spread, so it's probably the most important in the reading, as well as being in the spiritual position!

I'm starting to get a feel for the way everything is linked together. And I like it! And the artwork. Have a good day everyone!

[Rachelcat]

Monday Cosmic Influences

This is a big one, a 10-card spread for a 35-card deck.

Khepera, protector, entering new cycle
15. Set, Shadow, Adversarial Ally, Trickster
I understand in an intellectual way how a shadow can be a protector, but I’m not sure how this is a new cycle for me. But it guess it ties in with reconciliation of opposites as a destiny. An adversarial ally can be a protector by bringing out the competitive energy. If I have to protect myself, I will. And/or it brings out the energy that I’m currently repressing as a shadow so it can be used instead of held down. Hmmm . . .

What has protected me in the past, karmic ties to past lives
24. The Desert, Sacred Archetypal Element of Fire
Here’s the energy that has protected me in the past. I wasn’t always afraid to show my power.

Protector of my physical body
V. Higher Love and Wisdom, Hathor, Set, and Wadjet
This is a composite of three cards also in this spread, Temperance (Hathor), Devil (Set), and Tower (Wadjet), so I think it must be important. For health, both temperance and intemperance will protect me? Everything in moderation, including moderation! I don’t just have to build up my strength and health, I need to destroy (Tower) things that aren’t helping my health, too.

My soul’s ally and guide
11. Bast, Holy Longing (Desire), Instinct, Sensuality
I’m not 100 percent sure of the difference between soul and spirit, but I’m going with soul as more like mind and emotions, all personal parts (that aren’t physical body). This is the card that I said is more Lust than Strength. I do like a cat goddess symbolizing sensuality! I need more pleasure and fun in my daily routine. (That doesn’t revolve around food!) Sounds good to me!

My spirit’s ally and guide
14. Hathor, Magic, Medicine Woman, Integration
Spirit is a more impersonal, higher part of me. Temperance is my teacher card (according to Mary Greer’s Who Are You in the Tarot) and one I’ve chosen as “my” card, not to represent me, but to represent what I’m working toward. Obviously healing and integration are good keywords here. Good to consider it as my guide, too! (But I feel like the deck is mixing up its goddesses. Hathor is the cow goddess, a mother and nurturing figure, who I would put more as Empress. Isis is the magician, who I would put more as Magician, or would fit as Temperance as alchemy. But that’s just my preconceived notions. I need to stick with the deck in front of me!)

Relationship guide, assists and protects those who support me
7. Sekhmet, Transformation, Fierce Compassion, Healer
We’ve had this card before, Chariot that’s more like Strength. Again, it’s certainly good to know that my loved ones are protected by a divine lioness. And a healer one, at that!

Guide who helps me discover and fulfill my sacred purpose
2. Nephthys, The High Priestess, Intuition, Mystery
I have to agree that the Priestess as intuition will help me discover my sacred purpose. It just hasn’t happened yet.

Maat, illumination to achieve inner balance and see my destiny
6. Sobek and Horus, Reconciliation of Opposites, Forgiveness, Understanding
When I discovered my north node is in Libra, I was upset. I didn’t want my destiny to be relationships and reconciliation. And here again, my destiny is Lovers, forgiveness, reconciliation. I’m more reconciled (ha!) to it now, but it still bugs me. Not only did I have a miserable middle of my life, now I’m supposed to spend the rest of it understanding and forgiving it! I guess it’s destiny in that it’s the next step. When one happens, the next should follow.

Thoth, inner truth and vision, allows my mind to become peaceful
16. Wadjet, Life-Force Energy, Purification, Divine Awakener
Maybe the inner truth of misery? That it was just to purify and awaken me? Understanding that will make me more peaceful.

Khepera, outcome or destiny
17. Sothis, Star Consciousness, Generosity, Bodhisattva
Because that’s the only way I can become anything close to a Bodhisattva. I have to understand suffering, my own suffering, before I can help others who are suffering. I have resisted the whole wounded healer thing so long, and still feel a good bit of resistance right now as I’m saying it. But I know it’s true. But if that’s my outcome, my destiny, to be a Star, to help and bless people, then it will be worth it. I’m not ready yet, but I’m getting closer by admitting it as a possibility.

Wow, this reading was definitely a journey. It now makes sense that the journey goes from Devil to Star.

[Rachelcat]

Tuesday, Tree of Life

Tree of Life, where I’m coming from
25. The Crested Ibis, Sacred Archetypal Element of Air
This is very true. I come from intellectual musings. I’m always planning to read something or learn something. That’s my comfort zone.

Anubis (Hanged One), what to let go of
4. Khnum, Master Craftsman, Creator of Form, Organizing Principle
Maybe I need to let go of some of my tarot projects to give me space to learn more and different things. It’s not so important that they are manifest. At least right now.

Bast (Lust), what motivates me
1. Nekbhet Mother Mut, Alchemist, Wisdom Keeper, Grand Mother
I should probably read the book on this rendition of the Magician, but I’ll go with my first impressions now. Same as the first card in this spread, my motivation is learning. I just want to KNOW. One of my earliest meditation realizations was that, while I was praised for this drive by my (Gemini) mother, and there are many worse things to desire, it’s not a virtue in itself. It’s just another desire. I like the tickling inside my brain! Just like I like the taste of a chocolate chip muffin. Not really very different.

Osiris (Death), regeneration, renewal, potential
18. Khonsu, Lunar Energies, Divine Timing, Blood Mysteries
I should be going from learning as a way of knowing to more intuitive knowledge. And from productive, making-things creativity to imaginative, cosmic creativity. Creating something no one has ever even thought of before. I started with tarot as something to learn about, to tickle my brain, but I have also used it to foster trust in my own intuition--AND creativity. Looks like it’s time to at least start cash in on what I’ve been working on all these years.

[Rachelcat]

Wednesday Higher Love and Wisdom

This spread is intended to help with decisions, so I probably need a question here. Is my current new plan of study the right thing, or do I need to be studying something else?

Hathor (Temperance), pros, allies

Outer expression of love, 4. Khnum, Master Craftsman, Creator of Form, Organizing Principle
It’s good that I want to become the master of the subject, or any subject. But I can’t just read it like a novel, I have to care about it and organize the info in my mind.

Hidden energy of love, IV. Tree of Life (composite of Lust, Hanged One, and Death)
(This is the composite of yesterday’s spread.) Here, I think it means I should follow my bliss, which will free me from hanging around, and let outdated notions die off naturally.


Set (Devil), cons, adversaries

Visible adversarial aspects, VI. Right Timing and Direction (composite of Star, Moon, and Sun)
While it’s a perfectly worthy topic of study, this might not be the right time or place for it.

Invisible adversarial aspects, 5. The Sphynx, Divine Messenger, Earth Altar, Cosmic Library
You have to trust authority when you are first trying to learn something, but it seems like it may be insidious in this case. There’s a hidden danger of becoming a parrot repeating what I’ve been told and nothing more.


Wadjet (Tower), actions to take

Apparent vehicle to tear down old ways of thinking, 16. Wadjet, Life-Force Energy, Purification, Divine Awakener
Well, here’s the Tower in its own position, so the answer is clear: Whatever I do, do something different! Destroy the old, outdated ways and do something new.

Invisible vehicle to tear down old ways of thinking, 8. Maat, Truth, Radiance, Balance
But don’t throw out the baby with the bath water. Along with following my bliss, what feels good, I should do what feels right. Investigate anything that I study to see if it is correct and truthful, not just interesting and fun.

This is actually helpful. I think it’s saying I should steer away from the theoretical and work on more practical learning, at least at this time and place.

[Rachelcat]

Thursday Right Timing and Direction

This is written as a 12-card spread, 3 rows of 4. But in essence, it’s past, present, future, so I’m only going to use 3 cards today. My question is where is my participation in tarot society going?

Sothis, Star, past
IV. Tree of Life (composite of Lust, Hanged One, Death)
I was so interested in tarot that I was able to break out of my hiding shell and meet with all new people. Very brave for me at the time. It was the very earliest beginning of my new life. And the group has gone through many changes, too.

Khonsu, Moon, present
24. The Desert, Sacred Archetypal Element of Fire
I have been facilitator for a long time, and now there are new young people with new young energy coming in, which is great. I might finally be getting burnt out. On being facilitator, not a member!

Amun-Ra, Sun, future
II. Sacred Relationship (composite of Emperor, Hierophant, Lovers, Chariot)
Wow, this is a cluttered card! Let’s parse the composite first. If it’s Sacred Relationship, the focus must be Lovers, which in this card is a pair of adversaries. (With this, and Strength as Lust, I’m pretty sure this deck is based on the Thoth.) The Sphynx in in the middle as Hierophant, mediating and joining the Lovers. Below and above are Emperor and Chariot, representing the earthy and airy elements of relationships, you have to have both, connect on a physical level and an intellectual one.

Ok, now future. I’ll go with the crowded aspect! It will indeed take many people to run the show, and I’ll be happy to welcome others to do most of the work. I’ll be the Sphynx in the middle, just checking to be sure everything is running smoothly.

Almost unrelated nonsense: I read recently that sphynx means “strangler,” and now I can’t unsee that. That’s because the Greek sphynx asked passers-by a riddle, and if they couldn’t answer, it strangled them. I think about it whenever I type the word. I can only think of “sphincter.” And now I’ve ruined it for you, too! Sorry about that! Happy Thursday! Try not to think of sphincters!

[Rachelcat]

Friday Sacred Purpose

(Kitty feet included. Sophie was “helping” me read this morning. She seemed skeptical of my interpretations but offered none of her own.)

Nut, sky, overarching theme, coming down to me from above
13. Osiris, Regeneration, Transmutation, Beauty
I would agree that my overarching theme has been change and reinventing myself. I’m comfortable with that.

Geb, earth, grounding and supporting me
2. Nephthys, The High Priestess, Intuition, Mystery
Strange to think that intuition would be grounding, but it can be grounding for someone like me who is focused on ideas and thoughts. I have intuitions, I just usually don’t pay attention to them, or actively try to ignore them. I’m working on changing that. One of my life changes.

Anubis, what I am becoming
12. Anubis, Surrender, Shaman, Enlightened Heart
Well, here’s Anubis in his own position, but the position isn’t really the Hanged One, it’s the “key card” version. But it’s probably still important. I’m never going to find and accomplish my life purpose is I fight against knowing it, let alone doing it. I will learn to surrender to it. Another life change.

Ptah (Aeon), my creation, gift to the world, sacred purpose
V. Higher Love and Wisdom (composite of Temperance, Devil, Tower)
Well, it’s not Lovers! And it IS Temperance, my teacher card, at least partially. Figures my purpose would contain the most difficult cards in the deck. Maybe that means I’m strong enough to do this when others aren’t. What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. (I hate to say that because Nietzsche was a thoroughgoing ass, but there is some truth to it.) Looking at the card, I see a combination of love and healing (Temperance) and opposition (Devil) leading upward to a release of energy (Tower), together they give power. So, along with the Hanged One, maybe this means my purpose is to embrace the power of suffering and redemption and reinvention. I can do that.

There’s a tiny little Anubis in the middle of the card, subtly telling me I’m on the right track?

[Rachelcat]

Saturday, last day for Anubis Oracle. And I never got the very wonderful Key Card Anubis in a reading. He's the reason I still have this deck!

Alchemy (Elemental Spread)
The spread in the book follows the illustration of the last composite card, of the elements, but I’m using my more familiar and sensible (to me anyway) pentagram of elements.

My question is what should I be working on right now? (As opposed to long-term projects or study subjects.)

Earth, What should I be working on physically?
7. Sekhmet, Transformation, Fierce Compassion, Healer
I need to start working on losing some of the weight I’ve gained while working at home. Since I’ve decided this is a combination Chariot and Strength card, both work for this. Chariot: Get started already. I’m completely in charge of my own body, diet and exercise. What could be holding me back? Strength: Cooperate with your animal nature. It wants to be fit and healthy, and look good, too!

Water, What should I be working on emotionally?
25. The Crested Ibis, Sacred Archetypal Element of Air
Interesting that I’ve got two element cards in the element spread, in positions to the right of the element position. I need to work on my emotional involvement with learning. As I’ve been thinking about all week, as you can tell from my readings. The other readings have suggested that I need to focus on learning more practical things instead of just interesting stuff. I need news I can use.

Air, What should I be working on intellectually?
5. The Sphinx, Divine Messenger, Earth Altar, Cosmic Library
So instead of learning about interesting esoteric stuff, I need to focus more on traditional learning. Like what you would study in a college class. Maybe. Or, as I said for the previous card, something I can use, since I’m a 5. Learn something 5ish! I just picked up on “Earth Altar.” This is an interesting interp of the questionable Golden Dawn/Thoth association of the Hierophant with Taurus. My take on Hiero-as-Taurus is that tradition and religion are very slow to change, stubborn in maintaining the status quo.

Fire, What should I be working on energetically?
23. The Pyramid, Sacred Archetypal Element of Earth
This is reflecting back to the left Earth position. It’s saying I should focus my energy on the losing weight project, and also maybe on some other physical activity. All week I’ve been tap dancing around what I mean here: I need to use this time at home with my time completely at my own disposal to start a regular meditation practice. Why am I afraid of it? What do I have to lose to try?

Spirit, What should I be working on spiritually?
18. Khonsu, Lunar Energies, Divine Timing, Blood Mysteries
Although I’ve been trying to attune with the moon intellectually, I haven’t really tried to do it for real, emotionally or spiritually. But I think this is reflecting (the moon is reflecting!) back on the previous card: If I really open up and meditate, I might be able to trust myself more and tap into some intuition. Of course, if I trusted myself more, I wouldn’t be afraid to meditate. I’m going to have to mull this over. And not get trapped in an endless loop.

I only feel muddled about what I’m supposed to be doing because I’m resisting doing what I should be doing. Distraction is not study. It’s all ok, I’ll get where I need to be soon.