Tarot Tuesday
Take a moment and take a deep breath. Get centered, and grounded, then pick a card. By get centered I mean to get calm, focused, and to be present in the moment. By get grounded I mean to uncross your feet and arms, with feet flat on the floor. It is also beneficial if you can quickly imagine roots shooting down from your root Chakra and feet into the Earth. Allow these roots to anchor you in a supportive way that neutralizes negativity and draws up nurturing Earth energy for stability. Sometimes more than one deep breath is needed to feel ready. Often three nice, slow, deep breaths are just right. Do what feels best for you..
Once you are ready pick the card that you feel most drawn to. I am using crystals as markers for the cards and will include them in the following mini-readings. From left to right above the cards we have a double terminated Citrine wand, a double terminated Tibetan Quartz wand, and on the left a Pietersite wand. The deck this week is the Rider Waite Smith deck, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
The Reveal
Pay attention to your initial reaction when you see your card revealed, is this the answer you were expecting? Is it something you didn’t want to hear? Sometimes it doesn’t seem to fit or make sense until later. Being aware of your own emotions, feelings, thoughts, and intuition and then trusting yourself is what it is all about. From left to right we have Citrine above Justice, Tibetan Quartz above The Devil, and Pietersite above the Nine of Wands.
Citrine
A variety of Quartz composed of silicon dioxide with a yellow tint that is derived from iron. It has a trigonal cellular shape. Found in Brazil, Africa, Madagascar, Spain, Russia, France, Scotland, and the U.S.A. It is associated with the Sacral Chakra, and the Root and Solar Plexus Chakras, connecting them and activating them. It carries a motivating, inspiring energy. It is known as the “merchant’s stone”, or the “success stone” and is said to assist in increasing wealth, abundance, and vitality. It is often used to encourage manifestation and empower personal will. In divination it points to a time to communicate your ideas and needs clearly.
Justice
Justice is a Major Arcana card. In the Rider-Waite (Smith) deck Waite is known to have switched the order of this card with the card of Strength. So in this deck it is numbered eleven. It carries the astrological energy of the sign Libra, and modality and element of cardinal air. Some keywords include harmony and equilibrium, fair and balanced, choosing with discernment, poise, karma, values, priorities, justice, judgement, relationships, and partnerships. the image shows the figure of Justice sitting on a throne holding scales in one hand and in the other, a double edged sword. If this is the card that you have been drawn to this week remember the Goddess Maat, and keep your heart as light as her feather. The scales will balance in your favor if you do.
Tibetan Quartz
Found in the Himalayan Mountains of Tibet this quartz is a very protective and spiritual crystal. Protecting you, your aura, your environment, and even your spirituality from outside negative influences and energies. This crystal also resonates with the Third Eye Chakra assisting with meditation and intuition. While it works particularly well with the Ajna Chakra, it can clear and heal all the Chakras due to its being quartz. In divination this crystal points out that when you know the truth about who you are you have nothing left to prove or fear.
The Devil
This card is number fifteen of the Major Arcana in this deck. This card carries the astrological association with the sign Capricorn, and the modality and element of cardinal earth. The image on this card shows a horned Devil holding a chained couple captive. Some keywords associated with this card include materiality, temptation, obsession, scapegoating, limited outlook, mistakes, overreacting, being tied to a situation, person, or even a habit, addiction, fear of real self, fears, animal nature, material over spiritual attachments, and preoccupation with the dark side of things. If you have found yourself drawn to this card this week the message for you might be to look closely at what your true needs are, as opposed to wants, habits, or even addictions. You can free yourself, as you may notice the couple in chains are loosely chained and could escape if they only tried. Sometimes we are conditioned to believe things must be a certain way, look again and maybe not. Now is the time to make your escape, and develop new beliefs and perspectives.
Pietersite
Pietersite is known as the Tempest Stone. It can clear the emotional air like a thunderstorm is known to do, leaving the aura and emotions feeling calm and renewed. It grounds physical energy centers to the etheric realm instead of to the Earth. It increases intuition, the use of the will, and the focus of one’s aim in life. It is also a powerful protective stone, especially against the elements, storms in particular. This crystal is also good for boosting confidence, creativity, and supports overcoming addictions. It is a blend of Tiger’s eye, Hawks eye, and Jasper with incredible chatoyancy (shimmery shine) that makes it seem to swirl like a storm brewing. It is a fairly recent discovery made by Sid Pieters in WIndhoek, Namibia. In divination this crystal means that you will see things in a new way, usually after something is brought to light.
Nine of Wands
This card is the ninth card in the Minor Arcana suit of wands. Astrologically attributed to the energies of the Moon and the sign Sagittarius (Moon in Sagittarius), the modality and element of mutable fire. The image on this card is one of a figure with a bandaged head, leaning on a wand with eight other wands lined up behind. Some keywords for this card include readiness, strength, watchfulness, on guard, wary, defensive, dedication and resilience, protecting one’s reputation, courage, and discipline. If you were drawn to this card this week its message is to expect the unexpected. Be prepared for things that you perhaps thought you had faced and were done to rear up again to be finished once and for all.
I hope that you have found these mini-readings helpful. If you have any questions, or would like to book a full, personalized reading please feel free to contact me at april@lodestarphx.com
Take a moment and take a deep breath. Get centered, and grounded, then pick a card. By get centered I mean to get calm, focused, and to be present in the moment. By get grounded I mean to uncross your feet and arms, with feet flat on the floor. It is also beneficial if you can quickly imagine roots shooting down from your root Chakra and feet into the Earth. Allow these roots to anchor you in a supportive way that neutralizes negativity and draws up nurturing Earth energy for stability. Sometimes more than one deep breath is needed to feel ready. Often three nice, slow, deep breaths are just right. Do what feels best for you..
When you feel ready pick the card that you feel most drawn to. This week the deck is the
This card is the tenth card in the MInor Arcana suit of cups. Tens are about endings, but the ending is usually of a cycle or a pattern with a new fresh start ahead. Cups are related to our emotions, feelings, creativity, intuition, and spirituality. Astrologically this card has the energy of Mars in Pisces, inspired action. It has the modality and element of mutable water, changing emotions. It is often portrayed as a happy card, like this image showing what would appear to be two people (their arms at least) sharing a cup with a rainbow and bounty of other cups in the air. A card of family happiness and long-lasting togetherness. Some keywords include love, peace, joy, good fortune, and contentment. If you were drawn to this card this week it is likely that you will find yourself in a good place, feeling fairly well satisfied with things. As it is a ten though, you want to pay attention to your intuition and take inspired action if you sense the winds of change blowing in directions you don’t want to go in.
This card is a court card from the suit of wands. It is mutable water and cardinal fire, or Water in the Suit of Fire, with the energy of the Cardinal sign Aries. The image is one of a regal looking woman holding a wand and a sunflower. A charismatic, self-made, warm-hearted, woman with high ideals, courage and conviction. Some keywords include fiery, passionate, energetic, powerful, imaginative, bold, aware, optimistic, outgoing, dramatic, and a benevolent authority. If you have been drawn to this card this week this card may represent you, and if so step into the position of authority and lead with confidence and kindness. If it represents someone in your life it is likely that you can expect them to be kindly disposed toward you and your plans, count them as an ally this week ahead.
This Major Arcana card is numbered zero in this deck. In different decks it is placed in different positions, sometimes zero, sometimes twenty two. In the Rider-Waite- Smith deck for example Waite placed it after Judgement numbered twenty, but left it numbered at zero. In astrology it is attributed to Uranus, and the element of Air. Zero can be thought of as the unlimited absolute, or nothingness. The image of this card shows a youth traveling with a dog ( animal nature, instinct) holding a white rose of a passion that is pure and innocent in one hand and a wand with his sack of belongings( or experiences, or karmic baggage) in his other hand. When this card shows up it often can point to the beginning of an adventure, or any new undertaking or thing that may enter your world. It can also mean innocence, idealism, risk taking, trusting, seeking, spontaneous, and imaginative. Many see this card as the seeker starting the Hero’s Journey through the Tarot. If this is the card that you have been drawn to this week it is likely that you should go ahead and start something new, take the leap of faith in yourself and do whatever it is you have been afraid of. This is a time of unlimited potential.
Take a moment and take a deep breath. Get centered, and grounded, then pick a card. By get centered I mean to get calm, focused, and to be present in the moment. By get grounded I mean to uncross your feet and arms, with feet flat on the floor. It is also beneficial if you can quickly imagine roots shooting down from your root Chakra and feet into the Earth. Allow these roots to anchor you in a supportive way that neutralizes negativity and draws up nurturing Earth energy for stability. Sometimes more than one deep breath is needed to feel ready. Often three nice, slow, deep breaths are just right. Do what feels best for you..
When you feel ready pick the card that you feel the most drawn to. I am using the crystal hearts above each card as a marker and the crystal will also be included in the following mini-reading. From left to right the crystals are Chrysocolla, Preseli Bluestone, and Pietersite. The Tarot deck this week is the 
This card is the eighteenth Major Arcana card. It’s element is water, and it’s ruling planet is Neptune. Neptune rules the astrological sign Pisces. The image shows a full moon that also contains a crescent. Beneath this a crayfish crawls out of the primordial sea. Both these images representing mutability and evolution. This is further underscored with the two dogs, one tamed the other still wild. Cycles, phases, and change are some keywords the image may conjure. Other keywords include dreams, imagination, deception, intuitive, artistic, emotional, and illusive. This week as we head toward the full moon at 0 degrees of Libra on the Spring Equinox (a Harvest moon in the Southern Hemisphere), there may be a feeling of uncertainty, or even pressure or anxiety. This is due to the energy that is building toward this “turn of the wheel” or change in season. You yourself are likely to be going through a process of change if you were drawn to this card. Align yourself with the energies of the Moon and prepare for a phase of new growth, and balance within yourself and in your outer circumstances. You will fare best if you allow yourself to navigate the new territory through your intuitive senses.
This card is the eighth card in the Rider-Waite -Smith tarot deck. It is attributed to the sign Leo, and has a fixed modality with the element of fire. Leo is ruled by the Sun. The image shows a maiden retraining the jaws of a lion, gently controlling the animal nature. A lemniscate, the symbol above her head that resembles a figure eight on its side, is known as the infinity symbol. This represents a need for continued mindfulness of that which is occurring in ones consciousness, and as much as possible just beyond. Some keywords include strength, power, energy, force, heart, vitality, self-esteem, will, animal nature, instinct, mastery, and lust. If this is the card you have been drawn to this week you may need to use your courage and determination to dive deep into any past issues that you don’t want to continue to carry with you into the new phase that will be ushered in with the Spring Equinox next week. Wouldn’t it be a blessing to start off the Spring with an open heart?
This card is the first card in the MInor Arcana suit of Swords. All Aces represent new energies. The suit of Swords represents the element of Air. Astrological correspondences are Libra (Cardinal in the suit of Air), Aquarius (Fixed), and Gemini (Mutable Air). The image shows a hand emerging from clouds, grasping a crowned sword. Palm and olive branches hang from the crown. Six yellow flames known as Yods hover around the hilt of the sword. The hand grasping the sword appears to be the right hand which symbolizes action, rather than the left which symbolizes receptivity. Some keywords include action, initiating force, rational mind, inventive, innovative, communication, thinking, success, victory, conquest, justice, and liberation. If this is the card you have been drawn to this week it is likely that new thoughts and ideas will arise, perhaps due to new information being uncovered, that will lead to new and improved situations. The saying “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them”(attributed to Albert Einstein) applies here.
Take a moment and take a deep breath. Get centered, and grounded, then pick a card. By get centered I mean to get calm, focused, and to be present in the moment. By get grounded I mean to uncross your feet and arms, with feet flat on the floor. It is also beneficial if you can quickly imagine roots shooting down from your root Chakra and feet into the Earth. Allow these roots to anchor you in a supportive way that neutralizes negativity and draws up nurturing Earth energy for stability. Sometimes more than one deep breath is needed to feel ready. Often three nice, slow, deep breaths are just right. Do what feels best for you..
Once you are ready pick the card that you feel the most drawn to. This week’s tarot deck is the 
This card is a Minor Arcana card or pip card. This card is an Earth element card, and is said to carry the energy of Venus in Virgo. The number nine is a number that represents culminating energy. Pentacles represent money and wealth, but also physical health and the material world itself. The card itself shows a woman in her garden with a falcon. This image speaks of self-sufficiency, self-empowerment, financial well-being, independence, and even creativity and spiritual connection (being able to use spiritual messages in practical ways). She is alone in that she is the only person in the image, yet there is no evidence of her being lonely. A small snail near her feet might suggest a that it took some time to grow and develop not only the wealth but possibly the self-assurance as well. If you have chosen this card it may be time to focus on growing your “garden”. Now is not a time to build your world around what anyone else wants for or from you, instead build it to suit yourself. Learn to be happy with your own company, it is better to have fewer friends than many false ones.
The Eight of Cups is the eighth card in the Minor Arcana suit of Cups. The astrological correspondence is Saturn in Pisces, the modality and element of mutable water. The image in this card shows a figure walking away from eight carefully arranged cups, suggesting as Waite said of the card, that the figure is abandoning all of it’s previous undertakings. The element of water is associated with feelings, emotions, and in some cases the sub-conscious, or unconscious. The number eight in numerology represent power, and a need for decision making. Eight also is a number of balance and harmony, of material and spiritual. In divination this card shows a need to make a decision to leave or quit something (or someone) that is not working, or is not balanced (power struggles that leave you emotionally drained for instance). You can do it fast like ripping off a band-aid, or slowly leave the scene, but emotionally as soon as you make the decision, you are as good as gone.
This card is a court card in the Minor Arcana. It is known as Air in the Suit of Fire, and it has an astrological affinity with the Mutable Fire sign of Sagittarius. The image on the card is of a young knight rearing up on his horse in fiery appearing attire, holding a wand or staff. If this card doesn’t represent an actual young man in your life then it may concern all types of dynamic communication. Movement, travel, active, issue oriented and fighting for a cause are all keywords associated with this card. In divination it may point to an actual person of this nature that you encounter, or it may suggest travel or even a move. If you have been waiting to take action on something this is a sign to take steps to make things happen.
I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love crystals. I would pick up random rocks and bring them home with me. Right before I started kindergarten I can clearly remember a new neighborhood friend showing me her rock collection. It was a very small box with different types of stones glued down in it. Suddenly it clicked that there were actually different varieties with different names, and you could collect them. I couldn’t stop thinking about that little box of rocks. Later I got introduced to gem shows when my grandfather would take me to “Gold Rush Days” in Wickenburg, it is an event that lasts several days and includes a celebration and rodeo. They had a small gem show where you could get “mystery bags” filled with small rough and tumbled stones in them. I was hooked, now not only did I want to just collect rocks, I wanted to learn about them.
As I learned more about different types of stones I was better able to make sense of the differences I had been feeling between them intuitively. It began to make sense that many Jaspers for example have warm and supportive energies. It felt different from quartz energies, which feel cooler and faster, more laser-like in focus. Even though as an aggregate Jasper contains quartz. It also contains chalcedony and other minerals. I was perfectly satisfied to continue to learn about and use crystals individually, or sometimes combined in jewelry, pouches, or spell jars.
I started hearing about grids a few years before I began making them myself. For some reason I was resistant, or hesitant. I think I thought it was too “new Age” for me. The more I learned and thought about grids though the less this seemed to be true. After all one could make the case that Stonehenge for example is a type of giant crystal grid. What grids are essentially is a previously selected and defined number of crystals arranged in a harmonic, or sacred geometric pattern. The idea is that you can use the energy of crystals each individually with the other crystals to strengthen each other, and when combined in different patterns they become even more powerful. Some patterns might suit some purposes better than others. I have seen classic sacred geometry like Metatron’s Cube, the Seed of Life, the Flower of Life, and the Fruit of Life. I have also seen spirals, hearts, and any other shape or form one could think of. Which one you use could be chosen intuitively, or researched to find the best for your purpose.
If you feel that you want something that a single crystal might not have enough energy to accomplish alone, or if you want to make sure that there is energy constantly working for you then a grid may be just what you should use. Grids essentially enhance and focus crystal energy. You decide what that energy will be focused on when setting up the grid. Grids can be set up just about anywhere where they will not be disturbed, and will then continue to work on what they were constructed for until they are taken apart again. Maybe you want to set up a protection grid for your house while you go on vacation and then you would take it apart when you get back home again. Some other examples might be to set up a grid while job hunting, or if looking to start a relationship, or even for passing a test at school. The only limit to why you might want to use one, or what you can use one for is your imagination.
A simple grid can be easily set up, and taken down again when it has finished doing it’s job. Most grids can be set up on a geometric shape that can be printed onto paper. You can also buy or make fancy sacred geometry patterns to create your grids on, but it really isn’t needed. You can also just set them up by imagining a pattern and placing them in alignment with that, no pre-printing necessary. The usual method of creating a grid involves a main focus stone that is placed in the center of the grid. Many choose to use a point or generator crystal for this. A set of Way stones, usually six, or more, but in even numbers is also used. Finally a set of Destination stones is also used, again usually six, or more, but in even numbers.
The focus stone gathers, focuses, and amplifies the energy. the stones called Way stones are the closest to the Focus stone. These stones further modify the energy brought in by the focus stone with their color and other characteristics. The energy then flows on to the Desire stones which are the outermost stones in the grid. They are the desired end state, or destination you want from the grid. These stones should relate as directly as possible to what you wish to accomplish. They are stones you might use alone for the issue at hand, say Amethyst for example if your grid was for general healing, or to cease using alcohol. A final consideration is the Path, this is the path the energy follows on the grid. From the Focus stone to the Way stones and finally to the Destination stones, the Path connects all the energies of the stones and make the grid complete and synergistic.
The part some may say is most important is the activation. Once all the stones are placed the grid needs to be activated. For this get focused, grounded and centered. You can use a crystal wand, a crystal point, or even your index finger. Start with the focus stone and imagine the outcome you desire while touching or “activating” each stone. Follow the Path from the Focus stone through the Way stones and to the destination stones, imagining the whole grid lighting up with energy as you do. Focus on your desire becoming real.
Once you have the basic idea of how to work with grids then go ahead and experiment. Make it unique, and personal, try new shapes and stone combinations. This is an area where the rules can be broken in my opinion. The true test of if you have done it “right” or “wrong” is “Does it work for you?” Play, have fun, the crystals want to help us and want us to feel good, this is great energy to load into a grid.