Tom-Tom

Many creators use a different name for the second trump of their tarot. Rather than The High Priestess, some shorten it to just The Priestess, where as others change it entirely. In the Gay Tarot by Lee Bursten, it is named The Intuitive. For the same gender reasoning, I have altered the title of my version too.

I have always been interested in clowns. Surprisingly, as a child, I would not leave our second floor flat if I saw someone outside dressed as one. They prettified me then. But as I got older, the more theatrical side of clowns and jesters became an interest.

In my early 20s, I had two bedrooms at my parent's house. The one I slept in was painted in childlike orange and aqua. On the walls were many framed pictures of clowns. Mostly from fashion shoots. Hanging around my bed were puppets, and sitting in various places were old rag dolls and shining Pierrots. My friend and I would dress up as them and photograph one another, so it is not completely unusual for me to turn to Pierrot as a basis for my self-portrait now.

When I think of The High Priestess, I see her as a guide. She is what lurks beneath our consciousness. In recent times, she has urged me to follow gut reactions. Today, I have been linked very much to my subconscious, regarding work decisions. The High Priestess is your very own Tom-Tom. You know what a Tom-Tom is, don't you? Those things you put in your car to help you when you are lost. When conscious thought and decision has been switched off, this card relates to that personal navigation system which we all have, helping us to steer our way out of trouble. The silent clown is mine - waiting on his moon, amongst the stars, until he is needed.

Straight to the Point

For me, the Knight of Swords is one of the most dynamic characters in the tarot. Where as the Knight of Cups may find himself lost in love or the Knight of Pentacles can be found up to his (or her, since my own illustration here is female) elbows in work, the Knight of Swords is all about movement. When this young man charges into your day, you'll most definitely notice him.

For this card, I have chosen my friend Thijs. I first began speaking with him a handful of years ago. We met through a tarot forum. As a couple of swordy guys together, we enjoyed the conversation and debate shared with others at the time. On occasion, we could both be likened to this knight, charging into and slicing through conversations with our strong and forceful opinions.

Thijs and I continued to talk away from the forum, and after a good few years, have now reconnected again. He has a good mind and says what he thinks. In a world filled with many a back-stabber and flaky personality, it is good to have friends around you who don't sugar-coat what they tell you and are straight to the point.

Not everyone is ready for the Knight of Swords, since he can represent sudden change which can sometimes be disruptive. But generally, I think we all can appreciate the kind of person he is - one of intelligence, conversation, great enthusiasm and wit. Personally, I need this kind of man in my life - someone who knows how to whip up that which is stagnant and stimulate my mind.

Lucky Star

Even though the last few weeks have been pretty productive in terms of teaching and tarot reading, things have not always seemed so positive. In the current climate, for many people, work has been hard to find. Although it has got me down on many an occasion, I have always clung to the hope that things would get better at some point.

When I think of The Star in tarot, it is that small pocket of hope which I draw on. I imagine it as a tiny window of light amongst the darkest of days. When things are not working out as I might like them, it is this window which I aim to squeeze through eventually.

My model for this card is Zorian. Even though we see a bright, youthful and attractive face looking out to us from this card, things have not always been so easy for him. He has had to deal with many obstacles and personal problems in his life so far, and I have chosen him to be The Star because through such hardship, he managed to carry on towards that small window of hope. He is a fighter and an inspiration.

So for today, as one teaching project is now finished and I have no up-and-coming appointments, I look into this card. Zorian's eyes offer hope as he invites us to join him amongst the frame of this card and seek out small areas of opportunity, rather than fixing our attention on the darker side of the world around us.

Beneath the Armour

I spoke with a prospective client last night, and during the conversation, thought it might be a good idea to spend five minutes here, talking about how I work. Many people who I talk to are often put off by having their cards read, due to bad experiences in the past. I remember my cousin's ex-girlfriend once telling me that a reader had informed her she would be dead by 40. For your interest, I read for this woman when she was 42.

Quite recently, I was booked to read at two fairs. Due to the unprofessional nature of the organiser, I am no longer involved with the events, but one of the things I became aware of when talking with him, was that his regular readers professed to be psychic and a lot of their customers expected it. Often, I think people misunderstand what a tarot reader actually does. Even though some will carry these add-ons, not all readers make contact with the other side, dress as gypsies or charge you an extra twenty-quid to remove a previous curse. I have had psychic skills since I was a child, and even though I sometimes draw on them when reading, they are not part of my marketing make-up.

The cards that I design for this blog have a lot to do with the image I want to project as a reader. They are of real people; all of which, have a place in my life at the moment. I try my best to provide practical and realistic guidance for such characters in the world. The word 'fortune' suggests that our fate is not in our hands. If the future can not be changed, then what would be the point of shelling out cash for a reading? My aim is to provide my clients with control over their lives; to be the cause, rather than the effect of what happens to them.

When I read for you, I will lay out ten cards. They will look at your present, your past, your hopes, and your fears. They will advise you as to where you are stuck and who can help you to move forward. They offer suggestions and guidance, but only you can affect your future by using the information I provide.

The illustration for today's post is of the Page of Cups. I have always had a strong affection for this card, and as with yesterday's, wanted to choose a model who was youthfully vibrant and creative. Today, I add my friend Sergio to the clan. Sergio is a good example of the new beginnings symbolised by the rank of page, since he uses himself as a canvas in many ways. I do not mean this as obviously as in his love for tattoo, but more around the general images he creates - each look is organic and naturally fresh.

The Page of Cups works with his feelings, and from knowing Sergio, I also recognise someone who is emotional and caring beneath the armour of his image and self-design. As a friend, he has been consistent in his care and contact with me, which is the reason I chose to use him for this illustration.

The Spark

Even though the tarot page's depict young people, many readers use them to describe events. Because of the youthfulness of these characters, it is often new situations or projects that they will describe. In terms of the Page of Wands, we have a person or theme which is fresh, excitable and creative.

The Page of Wands might be a good card to describe how things are going for me at the moment. Since I started this blog, things have begun to pick up. I have had a handful of new tarot clients, and through them, my name has been recommended to further people who are now getting in touch. With regards to my work as a designer, I have just spent two weeks in a grammar school, guiding teenagers through the process of creative learning. I often see this card as a lit match which has been tossed into a stack of dry wood. It is the original spark before the fire. As with my tarot clients, I am hoping that other schools will respond to my newly acquired and successful teaching experience.

As I have been updating and creating this site, I have chosen the models without too much prior-thought. I could be thinking of a card and a person will come to mind, or as in this case, I will see someone and their personality traits will remind me of a character from the tarot. I chose my friend Lizzie for this card. We met over a year ago at a party. In the same way that the initial spark of a match can turn into a forest fire, we quickly hit it off, spending a long portion of our time there sitting in a bathroom, talking. She has a very captivating personality, and as with all members of the wands court, is creative, inspired and inspiring in her own originality.