My Planetary Week # 16: September 8 - 14

[Joan Marie]

yes, i ordered the guidebook separately and it is an absolute jewel! she gives the details of all the images she used and explains how she changed them, what she added and why.

I really like this idea a lot. To do it well you would almost need to keep a kind of diary as you go, as you create the deck. You could take it as far as you like, discussing how you chose the images, maybe ones you changed your mind on. So many things about the process could be included and I think would create a really fascinating companion book to any deck.

It makes me think of this book by Jean Cocteau, a diary he kept while making the film Beauty and the Beast.

adds another dimension to the poetry of the film

[Joan Marie]

Wednesday, Mercredi, Mercoledi, Miercoles, or as the Germans so efficiently named it, Mittwoch.

To contemplate my interactions and changes I have this gentleman to assist me.

Thanks, don't mind if I do.

It's the King of Wands and the keyword is Assistance and he seems to be offering me a seat. I see being helpful or able to assist as a gift. Someone is giving you the chance to be useful and not many things feel better than knowing you've been useful or helpful or supportive in some way.

So today I will keep myself open and take every chance I get to be of assistance.

[shadowrose]

The Four Heavenly Kings has a gilded border which is really really beautiful.

The other deck is the Mantegna Deck by LoScarabeo, and I don't draw - these are simply the planet cards for each weekday.

Thank you!

[Joan Marie]

Thursday: Power and Influences.

IX of Pentacles: Wealth

I have to admit, I have benefited today from another's wealth and that benefit will certainly influence me for some time to come.

I received the gift of the most comfortable office chair I have ever sat in.

I expect great things to come from this chair.

[Nemia]

For two days, I did my daily cards but didn't write it down.

Wednesday:

Wednesday with Mercury -and the Four of Pentacles.

We had on the morning shocking news about a death in the family - and I couldn't grasp it until the late evening. I couldn't let her go, couldn't accept the facts. I saw the upwards movement in the card of a soul going to heaven, but also the possessiveness that is such part of this card.


there is also again the "contrary" element: the most light footed of planets, and the most stubborn, immoveable of cards...



Thursday:

And Thursday, the strong figure of Jupiter, king of the Gods, and the Emperor, king of the family For the first time, the Four Heavenly Kings play nicely with the planets. Maybe because Jupiter is a Heavenly King and so is the Emperor in a way...?

Yes, I noticed something playful about this deck. It really surprised me. I have often wondered what made me jump one lonely night some years ago and click the "buy" button. It was the last of these decks and the only one I ever saw. I have often felt it's more a gimmick than a real deck - the RWS scenes simply translated into beautiful art, but where is the special something? I don't know enough about the culture this deck comes from to read all the symbols it contains. And I thought that maybe this was really a spontaneous buy without future, that the deck is actually wasted on me. But now I'm really happy with this deck. I can't believe this week is nearly over again...

[CharlotteK]

Failed again! Poor Dierdre did not get much airtime this week.

[Joan Marie]

I almost forgot to do this today, and it's love day. hmmm.

Seems appropriate

The Hanged Man always makes me think about just going with the flow of things. Seems like good advice.
I'm home alone and the object of my affection is at a hockey game. So, a super romantic evening here.

Think I will find me an old black and white movie to watch.

[Nemia]

My last day with the Four Heavenly Kings. A Friday, Freya's Day, Venus Day...

And it's the Chariot. Again, quite a contrast. Easy-going, loving Venus with disciplined high-achiever Chariot.

Now will it surprise anyone that my own personal Chariot project has been taken out of holland covers and lavenders...? I might even surprise myself and finish it. Have been dancing around it for more than a decade

Oh Chariot, give me power!!!!!


I don't want to part with this deck, it has given me such a lot of food for thought....

[Nemia]

Before I continue to the next week, a look back at my week with the Four Heavenly Kings:

It's beautiful, it's graceful, it went totally against the grain of the planetary days and the contrast made me really think and made everything stand out in clear relief. I'm so grateful that I bought this deck - it's great, warm, kind and thought provoking.

I had very good weeks lately with my decks. Now I'm jumping in at the deep end for next week - the Tyldwick...

[Joan Marie]

I said it already several time this week, but that deck is just gorgeous Nemia. And apparently a rarity as well.

I just wanted to add here that a really enjoyed getting acquainted with the Stretch Tarot this week. What really struck me about it was how the imagery, the choices seem so odd at first but upon careful contemplation I realise they are not random at all.

The keywords are pretty standard to the Thoth deck (I believe they are, I haven't done a direct comparison yet) but the images make me consider those concepts from alternate points of view. For example, the “Power" card, does not portray any standard image of power that we usually see. It's not a big man, or a rich man, or, well even a man at all. Yet you can't deny the power portrayed in the image. It's a real power, not a cartoonish one.

And the "Defeat" card is altogether strange depicting two very satisfied gents and another who is being punished or otherwise mentally or emotionally harmed, possibly for the same thing the other two are able to enjoy? I don't know, there is a lot to unpack in that card.

interesting choices

I am newly intrigued with this deck and have a new appreciation for it.

[CharlotteK]

Now I'm jumping in at the deep end for next week - the Tyldwick...

I have got my Tyldwick out having learned Neil Lovell of Malpertuis passed away recently. I havent had the heart to read with it yet but I may now join you.

[Nemia]

Oh no! I didn't know that. so much death lately - I'm sad. I thought that he had just started producing exquisite tarots and Lenormands... and had more plans. I love every single of his decks, they're exquisite.

I'm glad you told me though - it will make the deck more meaningful to me.

Some links:

- an interview with Neil Lovell

- AT review of the Tyldwick Tarot

- Neil Lovell about his company Malpertuis

[CharlotteK]

I felt very sad about it. He talks so passionately about creating decks and I had a lovely note from him last time ordered a deck to say that as someone who had bought several of decks from him, he would like to gift me one of his private Lenormands. It was so kind of him. I know he did this for others too. This wasn't very long ago. So all quite a shock. Makes my decks more meaningful too.

[Nemia]

How wonderful to have something to remind you of such a gifted and special person. Yoav Ben Dov was also such a generous soul. When I re-read the interview with Neil now, it was all so poignant. How lucky we all are that he left his job when he did and started to make decks. As if he knew somehow he didn't have many more years to fulfill his dreams.

[stronglove]

fallen behind with my posts this week, having quite a hard time physically, emotionally and mentally.
but here are the remaining days if my planetary week

tuesday - mars - conflict and challenges: the star - daughter of the firmament / dweller between the waters; keyword: revelation; sign: aquarius; hebrew letter: tzaddi (= fish hook, the star is hooking into the waters of subconsciousness) color: violet
what a great card to draw when dealing with the influence of mars..... a card of hope, renewal, healing and inspiration
i am feeling really low, depressed almost, so i can really use some of that star vibe.....
from the guidebook:
‘the turmoil of the tower is over. the healing has already begun,’
wish i could believe/ trust that, it doesn’t feel that way at all (yet)
the guidebook recommends meditation to find the inner tranquility that helps our awakening to our persinal purpose in life.
so i decide to take some time to be silent and to go within.

the card shows an image of the unveiled goddess by Charles Gilhousen (female nude sitting in crook of tree; 1919) with saturn added (ruler of aquarius) and one large gold star (the astral light) and seven smaller silver ones ((our seven inner stars: the chakras)

[stronglove]

wednesday - mercury - interaction and change - the knight of wands
the prince of the chariot of fire, prince & emperor of the salamanders, air of fire
ahh, it’s him again.... the loose cannon, always rushing off to right some real or imagined wrong.....
this time he represents my urge to retaliate when someone has hurt or dissappointed me. that always brings out my knight if wands energy. i am rearing to go and DO something, anything, to get even.... so i make rash decisions, to leave groups, to break off contact with people.....
this card reminds me to keep the communication channels open and not to withdraw inside my tortoise shell/ self.

the card shows a guy standing in front of a high wheel bicycle.
browsing the net i found a couple of similar cabinet cards that better represent the knight of wands’ restless energy.....

[stronglove]

thursday - power and influence - four of pentacles
the lord of earthly power, sun in capricorn.
this card is about my relationship with money. somehow, money always seems to find its way to me, and in a way i feel obligated to share it as much as possible with people less fortunate. so that’s what i tend to do whenever a new unexpected batch of gold coins ends up in my lap.....
due to my adhd brain wiring i never have a clue about how much money i actually have or where it has ended up once it’s gone. so i tend to go on giving and sharing even when my (digital) wallet is empty, and i tend to end up with debts that totally surprise me.
at the moment my extended family is trying to get the message through that i should start spending what’s left of my last windfall on myself and stop giving it away. but what’s more boring than that....? just like that guy hanging on to all his coins, totally uninspiring....
still, i am trying to listen to their warnings and keep at least a little bit of a nest egg for unexpected hard times.

today i can clearly see the relationship with the planet, because i know my money (though i still cannot really see it as MY money) has really made a difference in the lives of some people, and that feels good. money can be a very powerful ‘tool’, especially in such a materially obsessed world as ours.

the card shows an important looking business man, holding on to his precious coins. i found a couple of similar cabinet cards, all with men that look rather full of themselves. the kind of guys i simply cannot stand, because they are spiritually empty (yes, i know, very biased...lol!)

[stronglove]

friday - love and attraction - the king of swords
the lord of the winds and breezes, the king of the spirits of air, king of the sylphs and sylphides, fire of air
wow, this king is a true master of the mind, at a level that i will never be able to attain, due to my underdeveloped frontal lobe....
the guidebook tells me: ‘when this card is pulled, it may be asking us to use the power of the mind to bring what is desired into manifestation.’
okay, i can at least try to do that..... so i transform my anger about not being able to go to bath into some creative mental energy, and think up a way to still be able to go..... how about that! i’m still shaking in my boots about the way i managed to pull that off. it doesn’t make me feel like a master of the mind though.... but i was glad to be able to tap into some of that king’s mental power.

the king of wands features a cabinet card of a judge, with a library of books behind him, by Mosher photography.
charles D Mosher was a well known Chicagoan photographer who created a huge ‘database’ of portraits of well known Chicagoans and stored them in a vault that was opened 100 years later.

https://chicagology.com/prefire/prefire032/

[stronglove]

my planetary week with the antiquarian tarot

this deck totally surprised me. it was one of the first ever indie decks i bought and yet i had never worked with it, and had no idea of the esoteric depth of the guidebook and the wealth of information about the photographs used. it has opened up a whole new world for me, and the deck is really easy and comfortable to read with as well... i think i will put it on my list of decks i can’t and won’t do without!