You learn a lot about Tarot cards when you compare them with one another. Especially those that come as pairs. The Empress and Emperor certainly do. So what’s the difference between them?
Let’s look at them closely…
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Bali felt like Empress country.
Welcoming.
Rich with vegetation.
Delicious food to savour.
Beaches and fish laden seas to explore.
It was a very sensuous experience.
Let’s explore the meaning of The Empress…
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Ah, another Mother’s Day has come and gone.
That beautiful day when mums get to sleep in and their children bring them toast with a little bit too much Vegemite* spread over the top and gift presents bought at their school Mother’s Day stall, such as chocolates they actually want to eat themselves.
Mums are, of course, represented by this Tarot card…
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There are some key male/female pairings at the start of Life Lessons Tarot that can teach us a thing or two.
Let’s have a look at them…
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I’ve written before about how Tarot contains a holy book that charts the journey of a human soul through all the stages and experiences of life. I call these cards Life Lessons Tarot, although they’re better known as the Major Arcana.
These lessons are divided into three parts.
The first volume covers childhood.
As follows…
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I recently attended a music festival in my home state of Victoria, Australia.
Not something I do all the time but it reminded me that I should, because you get to experience this card in abundance…
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Happy Easter 2021!
On Easter Sunday we remember the resurrection of Jesus Christ. According to Christian lore, his emergence from the tomb 2000 years ago proved he was the son of God. For Christians, this event signifies the new life we can experience when we embrace the Word of God.
But before Easter was a Christian celebration, it was a pagan one.
According to St. Bede The Venerable, the word ‘Easter’ was derived from ‘Eostre’, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and fertility. This is also where we get the word ‘oestrogen’ from (Makes sense that a female hormone would be named after a female being). Many of the traditions and symbols that play a key role in Easter observations have their roots in Her celebrations.
The very date of Easter betrays its pagan origins. It is always celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox. Nothing related to the date of Jesus’s death at all. However, full moons and equinoxes were highly significant for our European ancestors.
The period of fasting that precedes Easter is a reminder of the dire food reserves our ancestors were left with at the end of winter. Rations needed to be used sparingly. Much of the good stuff was gone. We suffer as they did.
The eggs that birds produce as daylight starts to increase would have been one of the first fresh foods our ancestors could lay their hands on. Same same for rabbits. Their breeding season begins mid-February. These were the first signs of new life. Thus their significance to the ancient Vernal Equinox celebrations: A festival of gratitude that the darkness was receding and the natural world was springing back to life.
Egg rolling and egg decorating customs were created to acknowledge the life-saving role of eggs at this critical time of year.
At its core, the Easter story has always been a reminder that no matter how bleak the world may seem, things can get better.
Whichever version of the story you prefer, Easter is a time of hope.
Enjoy your celebrations today!
Like many others, I spent the Christmas-New Year period glued to Bridgerton on Netflix. An 8 part series produced by the wonderful Shonda Rhimes. Based on a series of Regency romances written by Julia Quinn in the noughties.
Let’s investigate the Tarot of Bridgerton, shall we?
Obviously, it falls under this category…
The Lovers: Romance
As is typical of this literary genre, the female protagonist Daphne is…
The Fool: A naive ingenue
And the male protagonist, the Duke of Hastings, is…
Knight of Wands + The Devil: Dashing and damaged
They both come from…
Ten of Wands: Wealthy families
The plot is centred around Daphne’s attempt to…
Four of Cups: Get married to another member of the ton – a word used to reflect a member of English high society during this period of history
In order to improve her chances of appearing desirable, and, so he can avoid appearing available, she and the Duke make a pact to…
The Lovers Reversed: Pretend to fall in love
And we all know what happens when characters pretend to be in love…
The Magician: They create that reality!
But before there is any chance of a happily ever after…
Seven of Wands: They must battle many obstacles…
Not least of which is…
The Moon: Their own personal faults
One of the things I love about this series is the rich array of supporting characters, whose own stories are explored in some depth.
There’s the eldest Bridgerton son, Anthony, head of Daphne’s family…
The Emperor Reversed: A dysfunctional autocrat
Daphne’s mother, who sometimes provides…
The High Priestess Reversed: Terrible counsel
My personal favourite is Eloise, Daphne’s slightly younger sister…
Seven of Wands + The Empress: A raging feminist
Also notable is Eloise’s best friend, Penelope Featherington…
Three of Cups Reversed: The wallflower at every ball
There’s also the mysterious Lady Whistledown, who provides biting commentary on the London season, without ever revealing her true identity…
Knight of Swords Reversed + Seven of Swords: A sneaky barbed wit
Bridgerton has been brilliantly created by Shonda’s protege, Chris Van Duesen, who is an absolute…
King of Wands: Master of his craft
The tone is…
Six of Cups: Hyper-reality
The books and the era have been…
Wheel of Fortune: Given a modern spin.
This allows the series to have interesting conversations about…
The Empress + The World: The role of women in society
There is even more to Bridgerton that that.
Watch it for yourself and see!!!
As a mom (or mum, as we’re called here in Australia), I’m always happy to laugh at our funny ways.
Here, for your Friday night enjoyment, is a selection of my favourite Mom Texts…
The Tarot Teaclub 