Nine Of Wands: Self Defense (You Won’t Believe This Invention!)

Posted on December 12, 2012 by tanlee3

Nine Of Wands: A man stands holding onto a wand looking ready to defend his territory. The bandage around his head suggests he has experienced heavy fighting. The line of wands at his rear are the skills he has drawn on during these battles. Now he has chosen one in particular to lean on. He may be beaten and bloodied but he’s not bowed. This is a card of strength and determination. It suggests that even though you may feel like you’ve come to the end of your fighting powers there is strength in reserve. You can attain victory through courage and endurance.

I thought of this card when reading a story doing the rounds on Facebook this week about a remarkable new invention. The story goes like this…

A medical technician in South Africa named Sonette Ehlers never forgot a rape victim saying, ‘If only I had teeth down there.’ Rape is a pandemic in South Africa. Some time afterward a man came into the hospital in excruciating pain because his penis was stuck in his zipper and Ehlers had a lightbulb moment. She developed a product named the RAPEX. It’s a hard plastic tube with barbs on the inside. A woman inserts the tube like a tampon. Any man who rapes her impales himself on the barbs and must go to hospital to have the RAPEX removed. When critics complained that it was a medieval punishment Ehlers replied, ‘A medieval punishment for a medieval deed.’

The RAPEX is like the wand the man is holding in the card above. It is the last line of defense against rape for the women of South Africa. Im(humble) opinion someone should give Ehlers a Nobel Prize. Think of the pain and suffering she is going to prevent.

What do you think of the RAPEX?

P.S. I tried to post a picture of the device in this post but it didn’t work. Will leave a link on my Facebook page if I can or you can just google it if you’re curious.

Four Of Pentacles: A Christmas Carol And Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past

Posted on December 11, 2012 by tanlee3

I sat down last Saturday night to watch ‘The Muppet’s Christmas Carol’ movie with my youngest daughter. For old time’s sake. We watched it together a lot around this time of year when she was younger. Tweenies love it. The story is based on Charles Dicken’s classic tale ‘A Christmas Carol’ about Ebenezer Scrooge, a rich old bugger famous for being tight with his money. One Christmas Eve he’s visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future who show him visions of his life. When Scrooge wakes the next day he is a changed man. Kind and generous.

Another movie based on Dicken’s tale is the romantic comedy ‘Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past’ starring Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner. Matthew’s character, Connor, is famous for his womanising ways. For dumping girls the minute they get tooooo serious. The night before his brother’s wedding he’s visited by three ghosts who take him through his romantic past, present and future. After which he comes to his senses and gets back together with the girl-next-door of his dreams.

Both Scrooge and Connor are classic Four of Pentacles figures. One is tight with his wallet, the other with his feelings. I recommend watching either movie if you want to get to know the Four of Pentacles card better.

Can you think of any other films starring a Scrooge type character?

The Tarot Of The Kate Middleton Radio DJ Phone Prank Tragedy

Posted on December 10, 2012 by tanlee3

The big news in Australia at the moment is about the Radio DJ prank that went horribly wrong. The story goes like this…

The Empress: Prince William’s wife Kate Middleton falls pregnant.

The Star: Unfortunately she suffers from a little known pregnancy condition called Hyperemesis Gravidarum – otherwise known as ‘living hell’ to sufferers – that causes severe vomiting forcing her to be hospitalised for bed rest and rehydration.

The Magician: An Australian radio production team comes up with the bright idea to ring up the hospital where Kate is staying for a lark. The two DJs pretend (badly) to be Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles.

The Wheel Of Fortune: In an unexpected development the radio DJs are put through to Kate’s room by a nurse who was filling in on reception where they hear personal details about Kate’s condition. The radio station broadcasts the phone call.

The World: The prank captures the attention of the world. British paparazzi are miffed that two obscure antipodean DJs got the scoop ahead of them. One of the DJs boasts on Twitter that he will never ever top this success in his future career.

Five Of Swords: We are far away in Australia and not as obsessed with the royal family as the British but it seems that the two nurses who spoke on the phone must have been put under enormous pressure either by their superiors or by the press. This is the only thing that can explain what occurred next.

Death: Unfortunately, tragically, one of the nurses who spoke on the phone is believed to have committed suicide. (Note: If you’re feeling emotionally fragile while reading this post please contact a health professional.)

Judgement: As a result the two DJs who performed this prank are themselves now under enormous pressure to explain themselves. Yet there are many people who contributed to this tragedy: The station manager/lawyers/owners. The press who whipped up the story. Those who passed it on.

What we all really need is…

Four Of Swords: Time out to reflect on the situation. The radio station that the DJs work for has released a statement saying that prank calls will cease immediately across all its networks while a comprehensive review takes place. It’s the least they can do in the circumstances.

Six Of Wands Reversed: There are no winners here. Kate’s privacy was invaded. Two nurses were humiliated in front of the world. Two young DJs are now being persecuted. And absolutely worst of all: A woman has died. My thoughts are with her husband and children at this time.

What are your thoughts on this terrible tragedy?

Seven Of Swords: The Christmas Sneak And The Telephone Scammer

Posted on December 7, 2012 by tanlee3

As I’ve been telling you ad infinitum every Tarot card comes in many shades. Both positive and negative. And the Seven Of Swords is no exception.

You can use your wiles to do something nice…

Like be the Christmas sneak. It’s reached that time of year when I’m tip-toeing around buying presents for my children behind their backs and hiding them around the house. Like on the television show Survivor my mission is to outwit outplay outlast my children so they are surprised come Christmas Eve. It’s this great game I get to play every December. I looooove this part of Christmas. And if I shop early enough I don’t feel under pressure so it’s a hootenanny on every level. I also get to play my other favourite game afterwards: Hanging out at shopping centers just before Christmas watching everyone who is not as organised as moi stress out (hmmm, sounds kinda mean when I put it like that. But there you go, lol!)

Or you can use your wiles to pull the wool over someone’s eyes…

Like run a phone scam. There are stories about this on a regular basis in my local rag which I find quite entertaining. But it wouldn’t be fun to be duped by one. I feel especially for the elderly who are more easily tricked by these blighters. Here’s an example from today’s Herald Sun in Melbourne which quite tickled my fancy (it has a funny ending):

‘Myra took a call from a scammer telling her that the Windows program on her computer wasn’t working and that she’d need to upgrade it. ‘I don’t have a computer,’ she said. ‘Do you have a fridge?’ asked the scammer. ‘Yes,’ she replied. ‘A television?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘A microwave?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Well you should have a computer,’ said the scammer who then hung up.’

Ha ha ha ha ha. Talk about cheek! I like to be cheeky with THEM. My favourite trick is to leave the phone on and walk away to waste the b———s time and money.

Have you been scammed by a scammer? Or had one attempt to scam you? Do you have any tricks for turning the tables on them?

Or to focus on something more pleasant: Do you like being the Christmas Sneak as much as I do? It’s kinda like being the opposite of the Christmas Grinch, eh?

Ace Of Cups: Treat Yourself! Love Yourself!

Posted on December 6, 2012 by tanlee3

The Ace Of Cups: A gift of love.

I treated myself today to a two hour massage after work. Not something I do very often. In fact it had been so long since I last visited my favourite beauty shop my records were no longer on their computer, lol. Massages are very much the terrain of The Empress card. But because I brought it as a gift to myself I consider this afternoon to have been more an Ace Of Cups experience. And I enjoyed every minute of it.

There seems to be some confusion in Tarot circles as to whether an Ace card signals the beginnings or an intense experience of something emotionally enriching. A topic I would like to tackle another day. For now the point I’m trying to make is that you can receive the love this card intimates from YOURSELF. Nothing wrong with that. In fact, as we all know, you have to love yourself before you can really open up to receiving love from anyone else. And sometimes that is the hardest love to find of all. Took me awhile. Into my forties.

Anyone else a slow learner when it comes to luuurve?

The Eight Cards: A Deepening Of The Tarot Journey

Posted on December 4, 2012 by tanlee3

The Eight cards in Tarot signal a shift in the journey through each suit. They ask that you dig deeper inside yourself than you ever have before. They ask you to be brave. To face challenging situations full-on. Take a look…

Eight of Wands: Being rewarded for the effort you’ve put in and now having to step up to the plate in some new aspect of your career/life e.g. A bank finally gives you that mortgage you were after and now you’re going to commit yourself to actually buying a house. Yikes!

Eight of Cups: Leaving behind a relationship/career/home to search for something better. It’s never easy to let go of something, no matter how unsatisfying it may be, when you have nothing in particular to replace it with.

Eight of Swords: Fighting your own negative self-beliefs. The hardest critic to ignore is the one who lives inside your own head.

Eight of Pentacles: Working harder than you’ve ever worked before. Because you’re committed to some goal you want to achieve and nothing is more important than that. As my new favourite saying goes: You don’t get what you wish for. You get what you work for!

Even in Life Lesson Tarot the number eight signifies a deepening of the Tarot journey. It’s the step from childhood into adulthood.

Strength: Standing up for yourself.

So if you get a number eight card be brave. It won’t be easy. But know that Tarot wouldn’t give you this card if it didn’t think you were up to the challenge. And the reward is a significant one. Inner strength. Empowerment. Feeling like a proper grown-up in other words. In charge of your life. A fully fledged adult!

Can You Change Your Tarot Future?

Posted on December 3, 2012 by tanlee3

I do a special Tarot card spread on my birthday each year. It gives me three Tarot cards to represent each month of the following year and three to represent my year as a whole. I don’t particularly like knowing my future (because it can look depressing) but I usually can’t resist having a peek and I find it a great way to deepen my understanding of the cards.

The three cards I got for this month are as follows:

Two Of Swords: The ‘leave me the hell alone’ card.

Check.

I often get over-stimulated and overwhelmed at this crazy time of year and feel the need to stay at home for long spells of what I call ‘dark cupboard time’.

The Empress. A lady of leisure and pleasure.

Double check.

As you know I spent a ridiculous amount of money updating my DVD collection on the weekend without bothering to see if I could actually afford it (doh!) I’ve booked a full body massage for later this week. Something I always want but rarely do. Not to mention I’m spending a great deal of my time at the moment lolling around on my bed reading novels. And I thought I wasn’t in touch with my inner Empress, ha!

But here’s where we come a cropper…

Eight of Swords: Over-thinking something. Feeling trapped, powerless, under pressure to hold your tongue, anxious about your next step. A victim. Unable to see a way forward.

Um, no.

Even though it’s now confirmed that I have to move into a new position at my workplace next year I don’t feel scared about that. I would have last year. Maybe even six months ago. But now I feel more like this…

The Fool: Open to the possibility it could be a good move for me.

So what I’m wondering is: Can you change your Tarot future? (Or is the Eight of Swords going to rear it’s ugly head in a different way over the next couple of weeks?) I guess I believe that you can. That we have free will and the potential to change our destinies no matter what the cards say. And I think the further Tarot tries to predict into the future the less reliable it gets.

But what do you think? Especially those of you with experience of the cards. Please share.

Four Of Swords: Sunday – The Day Of Rest (Thank God!)

Posted on December 2, 2012 by tanlee3

If ever a Tarot card was made for describing a day of the week it is this one.

Four of Swords: Time out. Especially from thinking. Talk about summing up Sundays in a nutshell. It’s the one day of the week you feel you have permission to cut yourself some slack and kick back a little bit. Hang out with your loved ones. Forget about the paperwork. Have a rest.

We all spend way too much time doing this…

Eight of Swords: Over-thinking. There’s just too much information to process these days. At work. At home. We’re all hooked into the mainframe wherever we are downloading bytes for our brains to snack on. Shouted at by advertising billboards wherever we go. It’s hard to get your head straight with all that noise. So its great to have a day when you can give yourself permission to not think at all. Clear your mind.

On that note, God forbid I add to the white noise pollution. Write a post just for the sake of it. Because all the ‘experts’ out there say you have to post consistently to get peeps to follow your blog. Because PR rules dictate that is how you become successful. I can feel myself on the verge sometimes. Especially when I’m tired. But usually the most amazing thing happens. Once I force myself to start thinking Tarot again all these ideas pop into my head. But still, I’m making you a pledge here and now dear reader. If ever I feel like I really don’t have something to say I won’t post that day. I know you can tell the difference. Smell when something’s not authentic. And even though I’m a Gemini I don’t want to write just for the sake of it. I want it to be meaningful (that’s my Mars-Pluto conjunction in Virgo.)

And if you think I’m talking out of my arse about something please call me on it. It’s only by sharing our knowledge that we can get the full picture about Tarot (or anything for that matter) 🙂

The Tarot Of O.C.D.

Posted on December 1, 2012 by tanlee3

O.M.G. I’ve been acting totally O.C.D. today. Wonder if there’s something going on in the stars? As I’ve explained ad infinitum I’m usually a massive cheapskate/good budgeter but in the last 24 hours I’ve spent god knows how much updating my DVD collection ($800? Ouch!) I just couldn’t stop myself. What I couldn’t find in the shops I ordered online.

The thing is it was long overdue. We’re still watching most of our favourite movies in video format in my house because that’s how I brought them years ago and the few DVDs we have only work when they want to in the old DVD player. (Did I mention I brought a new DVD/Blu Ray player as well?) To prepare for the renovation I’m planning sometime in the next year or two I’ve been wanting to chuck out all those old videos and replace them with DVDs. I’m quite emotionally attached to our movie collection as I’ve spent a lot of quality time cuddling my girls on the couch watching chick let flicks as they’ve grown. They represent precious memories for me. Maybe that’s why I went so over the top.

So it got me thinking about the Tarot of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I reckon it would be represented by this card:

The Eight of Pentacles. The picture shows a man repeating an action over and over again. Maybe in the reverse position? Or in conjunction with The Devil (feeling trapped)? Or both? I’ve also heard people mention The Hierophant (he represents ritual) and The Magician (don’t get the connection myself) as being indicative of O.C.D. Anyone got any other suggestions?

Ten Of Wands: Christmas Overload!

Posted on November 27, 2012 by tanlee3

At this time of year it’s easy to feel overloaded by all the tasks we have to perform in order to be ready for Christmas. There are presents to buy, seasonal functions to attend, get-togethers with loved ones to organize not to mention the big day itself, which as we know can be mighty tricky to arrange what with everyone being so emotionally attached to their own way of celebrating Christmas. In Australia it’s also the end of the school year so we have the tasks associated with that on top of everything else.

Enter this card: Continue reading →

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