A Woman of her Word

This evening, I practiced the tarot with a friend. He read for me and I read for him. Drawing one card at a time, we answered each other's questions and it gave me a chance to try out my new deck, Dame Fortune's Wheel, by Paul Huson. The results were very accurate, and for me, the Queen of Swords answered more than one pressing problem.

I have always seen a particular friend as the Queen of Swords. Even though she can be a kind and nurturing person, like many, she wears a protective suit of amour in certain situations. At work, she knows her stuff and sticks to her word. With her children, even though being a caring and generous mother, they are more than aware of who the boss is. And as a very close friend, she has never sugar-coated her responses to the questions I have asked. If you want a straight answer or someone who won't get over-emotional in a tense situation, then this is your girl.

This friend has a special place amongst this deck. Aside from being a good friend for near on twenty years, in recent times, I owe a lot of the opportunities I have had to her belief in me. In helping me find experience within the high street fashion industry, she was the first domino in a string of contacts and contracts. In actual fact, without her initial and consistent help, the drawings on this blog might never have come into being. They represent years of practice which was either initiated or manifested with her supportive eye. As a head of graphic design, it was a true compliment for her to praise these illustrations this evening.

The Queen of Swords can often receive a bad wrap. People don't always warm to her because they don't take the trouble to find out what her harsh words or armour are concealing beneath them or from her past. But you can be assured that what she says will be as true as she sees it. It may not be wrapped up in pretty packaging on every occasion, but her word is one you can rely and depend upon.

The Social Triangle

This weekend, I was in London. Some years ago, I connected with two young men through an internet forum. The younger of which, I have become good friends with in person. We get together every so often for coffee and shopping visits locally.

The two of us made our way up to London to meet the third member of our social triangle for the first time, since he was over from Australia. It is this third member who has posed as my model for the Knight of Cups.

The Knight of Cups is a sensitive young man, which is why I chose my Australian friend for this card. Over the years, we have had many conversations. During testing times, his words have been comforting, even if from so far away. Even though we never ruled out the possibility of meeting, deep down, I never really thought we would, so when he said he was coming to London and suggested getting together, despite having little money, I knew it was something I had to do. Even though it was only a short time spent in his company, he was as interesting and kind-natured as I had imagined he would be. Just like this knight.

The Knight of Cups is a card which I always search for when looking through a tarot pack I might buy, so it is important for me to get it right here. For those who may be wondering about the small line of hearts on his scarf, I added them as a reminder that this knight is a symbol of water and emotional concerns. I have used artistic licence to add little details into my cards as I make them - such as the 'Ace of Spades' tattoo on my 'Magician's' shoulder.

When I asked my younger friend which card he identified with, he also considered himself to be a Knight of Cups. However, when choosing between the two models today, I finally decided that he fitted the role of the Pentacles Page better for now. Lowering his rank was by no means undermining his maturity, since he has far more maturity than many I know who are twice his age. It was more to do with his natural ability to study and the way in which he craves learning. When we first became acquainted, I remember him introducing himself on the forum as 'a boy who wants to learn tarot'. As I have gotten to know him better through the years, his desire to learn and travel have taken him around the world, whet his appetite for foreign language, and won him a place at Oxford University. The Page of Pentacles is a student in life, regardless of age, and I was happy to sit this friend beside the hardworking and fashionable friend who appears in the Knight of Pentalces illustration. As part of the same suit, they make a good team.

Tarot has not just given me a hobby. It has given me a community. I have met many internet friends in person - from America, Switzerland, Israel, and now Brisbane. I have one very long-term email companion in Canada. Reading the cards has brought me a good deal of personal friendships here in the UK too, as well as enriching my spiritual and artistic life.

Emotional Support

The King of Cups is mature and consistent support. With a little age and experience behind him, this king knows what to say and how to listen. We can often find him in professions where he might offer counselling or some other way of working with emotions.

Thinking about the King of Cups this morning, I sent an email to a friend, asking him if I could use him as a model for my illustration. In this technological age, he and I have never met in person, but this does not mean I care for him any less. We were brought together through the study of kabbalah, and from a few simple questions grew an important friendship. Through the power of email, webcam (and on occasion, conversation through a microphone), we have had many laughs. When a close mate of mine died last year, he was also very supportive.

I have chosen this man as the King of Cups because of his sensitivity. During bad times, he has been a sympathetic ear and consistently dependable. This king has learnt to deal with his own emotions, so can help others feel secure through empathy. When I draw this card, I am aware that emotional support is in my environment. It is something I can either choose to administer or receive.

What You Put In ...

In other tarot-related articles, I have always compared the Knight of Pentacles to my ex-boyfriend. He and I were together for five years, and in that time, lived as a couple in three different places. Even though we are no longer in touch now, I still think of him when the Knight of Pentacles turns up in a day or reading.

My ex and I were miles apart in personality. Where as I would jump into something with both feet and hope for the best, he would arduously plan every step to assure it's success. Being inpatient by nature and one to skip the boring details, this frustrated the more spontaneous side of me, as everything took us twice as long to do. Where as I could zip through and clean our flat in an hour, it would take him that long to devise a cleaning schedule before even starting. This difference in one another lead to many an argument. In my mind, he took too long to do anything. And in his, I didn't invest enough time into doing things properly.

But even though my ex-boyfriend's obsessive attention to detail irritated the hell out of me at times, it was also one of the things which I deeply admired in him. Possibly, because it was a quality that I didn't possess myself. I knew that if someone wanted a job done, he would do it to the very best of his ability. How ever dull the challenge was for him, a job done was worth doing properly, and he never cut corners. He was never work-shy and would roll up his sleeves for many a task. I think this is the main reason that he has always been successful within work. He is dependable and hardworking. When the Knight of Pentacles falls into a reading, I think of my ex's characteristics. The card is a good challenge for me, as it often turns up to remind me that some serious graft or planning is needed.

On searching for a fresh model for the card, I came across a friend. Many tarot commentators see this card's energy as being a little on the dull side, but my friend is far from boring. In fact, as my closest friend at university, I probably had the wildest nights [and days] in her company. We partied a lot. And I mean 'a lot'.

But despite the partying, this friend, like my ex, is an incredibly hard worker. As well as spending her early professional days on either her own work or assisting others for unpaid experience, she would then rush off and work behind a bar to make money. In recent times, her effort has brought her exposure and well-deserved success in her career. Like all Knight's of Pentacles, she is far more than an overnight success. She plans, pays attention to detail, and even amongst tight deadlines, always found time to help me with my work when I was having a tantrum with the sewing machine.

I chose to illustrate this card today because it is always useful to remember that things take time. When the Knight of Pentacles turns up, it lets us know that something will manifest, slowly but surely. Every step counts and none should be missed. As someone who has planted seeds here and there in recent times, I must acknowledge, like any gardener, that a full-grown Oak tree is not going to be standing on my doorstep in the morning. Things take time to grow, but consistent nurturing, effort and elbow-grease will ensure results, as both examples here know.

How did we get here?

For many, discovering tarot is an extremely personal and spiritual experience. If you believe what you read, a handful of tarot commentators will suggest that your first deck should be gifted to you and the cards must not be explored until such a time. Many of us could literally wait until the day we die for this to happen. Without a fortune-telling granny or friends with an interest, eleven years on, I would probably still be sitting here waiting.

My introduction to the tarot cards was anything but miraculous. I discovered my first pack during my weekly shop in a supermarket in North London. Sold as a beginners set, it sat alongside other 'How to ..' gift-packs on a shelf. I examined the box for a few minutes, before casually tossing it into the trolly with the frozen chicken, tinned peas and bottles of wine.

That evening, my boyfriend and I had a couple round for dinner. After the meal, I pulled the unopened pack out and showed it to my friend's wife. She said that she had a French pack at home, but didn't know how to use them. After a refill of our glasses, we sat on the floor, spread the cards out and consulted the accompanying book for their meanings. It was all very entertaining.

Some months passed and I continued to use my supermarket deck. As much as I found it interesting, something didn't feel entirely right. Until I spoke with a friend's housemate, I had no idea that there might be a selection of other sets on offer, so on a hot summer day, she and I made our way to a small shop in London's Covent Garden, called 'Mysteries'. The shop owner had an album of samples to look through, showing a selection from around sixty different packs. Leafing through them, I continued to return to one page, showing a deck called The Rohrig. The eyes of The Devil card in one of the samples continued to lure me back to it, and I eventually bought the cards. My real tarot journey began on that summer's day with The Rohrig Tarot.

Even though I have learnt a lot about the tarot over the years since, I still look back at those early years with the Rohrig fondly. When my boyfriend and I would have social gatherings in our North London flat, halfway through the evening, I would slip into our bedroom with a friend and my wooden box of cards. We would sit together on top of my red double-bed, light the incense and lay out the tarot. With little knowledge, the images were intense and mysterious, and we would work together in interpreting the messages within them, often surprised by their accuracy.

For the last nine years, tarot has become a part of daily life. I use a pack as part of my morning routine, and in recent years, have begun to read professionally - having regular clients and working at organised parties. The idea of making the move from hobby to career was not an easy one, for that very reason. As a designer for the high street, I never considered that I might make money or a living from reading tarot. I simply saw it as an interest. It was only when I showed both my graphic design portfolio and a page of tarot-inspired scribbles to a business advisor a few months ago that she surprisingly said 'I would be quite happy to back you as a professional tarot reader'. She went on to say 'Most successful businesses are built on something we are passionate about'.

I want my business to have a distinct feel. While researching this idea, I came across many kinds of sites and readers. I see myself as someone who uses the cards to provide guidance and I believe that the 78 tarot cards are a map of all possibilities in life. Some people will have experienced a handful of these lessons already, but there are many buttons waiting to be pressed. When I lay out the cards, the tarot highlights these areas for my clients, and gives them the opportunity to make changes in their life, based on the conversation we will have. I don't channel dead relatives, I couldn't tell you what you had for breakfast this morning, and I don't use spirit guides or angels, but if you are willing, I can simply, and effectively, help you to see the bigger picture through a selection of connected images. Being aware of what and who is coming into our lives allows us to manipulate the future to our benefit.

Remote Control

Even though the bulk of my readings will be done in person, after responding to a request a week ago, I will be performing a remote reading this evening via Instant Messenger. In actual fact, since the beginning of trading, this will be my first customer.

Personally, I prefer the contact with people that face to face reading gives. Some readers will draw cards with little to no contact and post a reading to the client in the mail or over the internet. I have done this in the past, and even though it has had good results, it is not my preferred way of working. Unfortunately, distance means that I can not get to everyone who wishes me to read for them, but a service such as Instant Messenger allows bridges to be formed. A remote reading enables conversation between two people and provides the client with a certain level of control over their own reading. We might see the computer as another tool of The Magician.

Talking of The Magician, I just received an email from yesterday's 'card' model. I was pleased to hear that he is working on his own fashion line. His email concluded with the thought that to reap any benefits in life, we need to give things a shot. This made me smile, since it entwined quite perfectly with the interpretation of the card I chose him for. The traditional Magician has a table of tools. Each has it's own use and it is up to him to choose which will benefit a circumstance or situation. Even though remote readings will not suit all of my clients, for tonight's lady, it is a way of bridging a gap and helping her join the dots.

It's Showtime!

The Magician is the first numbered card of the tarot and begins our story. As if by magic, he pulls inspiration, fantasy and possibility down from the heavens above and grounds it in physical reality. I use the words 'as if by magic', because all of us have the ability to bring our dreams to life in one way or another, regardless of whether we feel we have the resources or not. I chose to both illustrate and kick-start my blog with this card because as well as symbolising a first step, it reminds me of how my new business venture has descended from a dream.

I flipped through many old photographs to find my Magician and stopped at the one which I have used as a resource for this illustration. It is of a young man who modelled for me on several occasions during my last year at university. In this drawing, I include a little of the card's magic, as he pulls down an inspirational flash from above and uses it as a means to create something tangible here on earth. While the magical threads and stars in the picture flow from his right hand down to the ground, he is a conductor of raw energy. At best, artists, performers and writers aspire to become a channel for this kind of creativity, wanting to transmit it into their paintings, songs and books.

The friend I have used for this card was more than an aesthetic choice. While working with him on my course, his input helped bring my projects to life, so it seemed fitting to use him as a symbol of and vessel for inspiration here. As my blog truly opens with this card, the hard work begins. I need to now find a way of putting all of my ideas, conversations and aspirations into some kind of real and conscious action. It's showtime, as they say.