A few words about Snakes

Yesterday I pulled 3 cards that all depicted snakes. Two were tarot cards from The Wildwood Tarot and one was from a self-published oracle deck called Tarot in Thyme.

Yesterdays cards and my theme for the week

Two days earlier I pulled one of the same tarot cards and being an aware and perceptive person *snortle* I have picked up on this cunning subtlety and read up on Snake totems or medicine.

Goddess alive, I love snakes.

Tarot in Thyme Oracle Deck

Snakes have been revered in many cultures across the world including the Native Americans of North & South America, India, Greece, Egypt, Europe and it is one of the 12 animals of the Chinese calendar.

Snakes have a very dualistic nature and often bridge the gap between solar and lunar energies, fire and water. Whilst snakes tend to be closely associated with Goddesses they also have links with Gods. Shiva wore snakes as bracelets and Cernunnos is depicted holding a snake aloft. Snakes are fire animals which link them with solar energies but they are also strongly linked to the underworld which has lunar energies.

Snakes do not blink and this leads to what can be described as a hypnotic stare. This hypnotic aspect along with their perceived ability to enter a trance, especially before they start to shed their skin, ties very much to their aspect of inner knowing and to the Chinese aspect of clairvoyance in snake people. They also have a heightened sense of smell, and this, along with their sight, suggests strong discernment in seeing past the apparent appearance of something or someone to what is actually there or for sniffing out the truth.

The Snake is a very complex totem pulling together traits of wisdom, healing, sexuality, death and rebirth & guardianship. It is symbolic of both male and female, God and Goddess.

The Druid Animal Oracle

Briefly, otherwise this could go on for quite a while…

Wisdom:

The snake is seen as a symbol of wisdom in Greece and Egypt. In Egypt, head-dresses were worn depicting snakes that sat out at the third eye area of the forehead, these were called Uraeus. The Uraeus represented inner or extra sight and as worn by initiates indicated wisdom, understanding and knowing. These were also versions of the Eye of Horus or the Eye of Ra. I have mentioned before that I had always associated snakes with Crone energy and this is typified by wisdom. Kundalini, the eastern representation of enlightened energy is depicted as a snake coiled at the base of the spine that rises up as we develop and interacts with our energy centres opening us up to different levels of experience and knowledge.

Healing:

The most common symbol of healing is the Caduceus or the staff of Hermes. This symbol is 2 snakes entwined around his staff or rod. Healing and medicine were closely married with alchemy and transmutation. For some Native American societies, snake ceremonies involved transmuting poison from bites. This seems a bit extreme but being able to survive the bites and transmute the poison out of the body was seen as an ability to transmute “all poisons” within and without. It basically activated a kill or cure energy that could lead to all sorts of healing.

Sexuality:

In Cumbria, there are stone carvings of snakes with eggs in their mouths and this instantly calls to mind sperm and ova. Some of these carvings are centuries old and highlight the sacred and essential role procreation played in society. Snakes are also phallic symbols and tend to be sacred to various Goddesses and they are an essential aspect of creation.

Death and rebirth:

Transformation is maybe one of the most obvious things known about snakes; their ability to shed their old skins and emerge with new ones. Snakes were thought to have strong links to the underworld, the domain of death. It was thought that the underworld was where they went when they vanished into deep dark places. When they return to the world, they shed their old skin and are re-born with the new. This cycle of life and death and rebirth, which began with their sexual, life giving energy is shown in the symbol of the Ouroborus, the snake eating its tail which is a symbol of eternity.

Guardianship:

Snakes were sacred to the Celtic goddess Brighid, the goddess of wells, water and fire. Snakes were thought to curl up in the wells and protect them. Snakes also guarded the tree that the Golden Fleece was hung on to keep it from being stolen. Snakes are closely related to their cousins the Dragon in this respect.

Chinese Zodiac:

Snake people are considered to be wise, philosophical, organized, intelligent, intuitive, elegant, attentive, decisive, compassionate, charming and clairvoyant

I hope you found this as interesting as I did and I shall be looking further into snake medicine as well as some of the other symbols mentioned such as the Uraeus and Ouroborus.

BB X

Theme of the Week 22/02/16 - Basically, snakes.

Good afternoon Moonbeams,

How are you all? I’m fine and enjoying the crisp bright day going on outside. The town where I work has its own mini ecosystem. It can be up to 5° warmer, less windy and definitely drier than the village where I live, 20 mins drive away.

Apart from the constant wind and rain that was buffeting my village, I had a cracking weekend. My chaps parents were visiting for the weekend so I wasn’t expecting to see much of them, but I did and we had fun. We went to the pictures on Friday evening, and saw Dads Army. It was fine, easy watching with a few chuckles. York on Saturday night to watch my chaps’ daughter and her band belt out a fantastic set that had the whole place bouncing; a truly cracking performance. Sunday saw us in one pub having a roast lunch and then when he sorted his parents out and took them to the train station, I went on to another pub to meet up with my dad to watch football. You’d think a 6 goal match would be a thriller, it wasn’t…

What I can’t shake though, is a strange feeling about this coming week. I feel anxious about it as if I am expecting some news or an event but I can’t think of anything out of the ordinary that I should be expecting. So what does upstairs have to tell me?

I have asked upstairs for guidance and, well, there is definitely a theme for the coming week. I have shuffled for England and these three cards all flew out. Spirit have been as subtle as a brick here and I suspect even I can’t miss what this is telling me. I really need to hoick out my book of totems and fully read up on snakes.

Energy: King of Bows (Adder) 

I pulled this card on Saturday whilst I was looking for a bit of guidance and here he is again. This card represents balance, magical power and healing. This card also talks of creativity, charisma and individuality. As this King has shown up twice now, barely days apart, should I be expecting a person who contains these aspects to enter my life? Someone mature and confident to help me shake up my own latent King of Bows and to help me on my way?

Advice: Knight of Vessels (Eel)                                   

This card suggests a quest. I need to set my intent, be crystal clear on my desire and use the energy of this card to set me on my way. How can I grow and develop? This card talks of emotional currents that need navigating.

2 people cards, 2 individuals or 2 aspects of 1 person?

Oracle Overview: The Snake

I have always considered the snake to be a representation of Crone energy, mainly wisdom and healing. This is supported by the King of Bows to a large extent. I know snakes are also symbols of re-birth and transformation and initiations; all things that lead to personal growth and development which are talked about by the Knight of Vessels.













All things considered, if I am not ending this week a different person to who I am today, I should at least be on my way to changing or metamorphosing.

I will definitely be reading up on snakes tonight.

Wishing you all a happy and fruitful week

BB x

The Wildwood Tarot: Mark Ryan & John Matthews 2011

Tarot in Thyme: Kathryn Thyme Giese 2015

It's the New Year! (SIC)

Good afternoon Moonbeams,

How are you? I hope you are all well and happy and cracking on with 2016. I am just about getting up to speed and raring to go now.

At the end of November last year, my world got turned upside down and my time wasn't my own for a while. It was a little surreal and even though I only managed being in work for 2 days in December I still have my full holiday entitlement intact! I need to take 20 days before the end of March... It isn't going to happen as I am currently in work now, today, Sunday 14th February and I have been here since 8.30 this morning and I am here until about 7.30 this evening and I am doing the same hours tomorrow too and I will be working overtime until 8.45 on Wednesday evening so I will have accrued 3 days just this week. If we have a nice summer, I may take a month off to wallow in some sunshine.

Everything is OK now though, I wasn't hurt or ill and no-one died (except my Nan's cousin who had been ill, I adored my Aunt Doreen though and it was sad when she passed in January) and I am getting back into my usual routine. I admit though, I have been extremely lazy, even by my standards and I haven't seen anyone or done anything interesting at all this year so far.

I haven't been on any social media at all either so I have no idea what anyone else is up to.  What are you all up to?

I haven't done anything spooky at all since November but as I had nothing else to do I have knitted up a storm, completing 3 shawls. I am so addicted to triangular shawls I am sat here typing away with one draped around my shoulders as we speak :). I have knitted my first pair of mitts, they are not brilliant but I love them and wear them and am going to have another go for next year. I am nearly 2/3 of the way through a cardigan/jacket. I am on with knitting squares for a blanket for my chaps son's Christmas present and also crocheting squares for his daughters blanket for her Christmas present. I am not buying any more yarn, unless it is for their blankets, until I have busted my stash! it is getting ridiculous, I have enough yarn for 4 definite projects and still lots of oddments, plus, my sister bought me a hank of a beautiful silk yarn for Christmas. The colour isn't really me so I assume it is to make something for her...

 

These are my mitts :)

This is one of my shawls. It is a much deeper brown in real life though.

I have also read umpteen novels and I am now on the 3rd book in a series of 8 by John Le Carre classed as the George Smiley series. I watched the film adaptation of "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" and I thought Gary Oldman was superb as George Smiley. Of course I had to read the book then and since I started reading them, the  literary description of George Smiley bears absolutely no resemblance to the wonderful Mr Oldman... ah well.

And that is it, 2 1/2 months in a nutshell.

Today is the first day that I have wanted to get my cards out to see what is going on and what I need to start working on with myself. I have decided that I am going to fully get to grips with the Wild Wood Tarot and so it is going to be my working deck this year with random dips into my other decks whenever I get the urge.

So, to break myself back in, here we go; we have the 8 of Bows and The Mirror.

Energy: 8 of Bows - Hearthfire

Very appropriate. I am ready to get back into the world and join in with my brothers and sisters. Community and companionship are essential and to celebrate the joy of living and experiencing.


















Advice: The Mirror

It is cards like The Mirror which have thrown me when using this deck in the past. But, as my New Years resolution is getting to grips with this deck, bring it on!

Whilst I may be ready to get on again, I must be aware of acting in time with the universe and not setting my own pace just yet. Have I fully processed all that has gone before me or do I still need to look in the mirror and see what is really there rather than just dealing with what I want to. The key word of my life is Patience and I am being advised to exercise it again. My soul and the universe know what is best for me and if I need time, they will ensure I have it whether I want it or not

Whilst I am ready to leave my hermit life behind and join in again, I am being cautioned to not just jump in, but to test the waters first and proceed gently.

Well, all in all this is comforting. I am thinking of engaging again and I will get there when it is appropriate.

Well back to work for me and wishing you all a great Sunday and a fab week to come.

Bright Blessings to you all





The Wild Wood Tarot: Mark Ryan and John Matthews 2011

Full Moon check in with Tarot de Marseille

Good evening Moonbeams

How are you all? I am well and in fine form which is just as well as we are busy at work and I have a lot to get through before we finish for the Christmas period.
It is great here, we finish at close of business on the 18th December and start back again on the 4th January NEXT YEAR! isn't that brilliant? I am so looking forward to it.

I had a week off a few weeks ago and I spent a few days down in London with my mum. We didn't do much really, just pottered about but on the Friday, my sister joined us and we went to The British Museum to see the Celt exhibition. It wasn't as big as I thought it was but it was interesting. The early and original Celts were fascinating with so much to offer. The only downside was that they either didn't have a form of writing or they only wrote on extremely perishable materials that self-destructed after 5 seconds. There is absolutely no direct writing on any form of their lives, all that is available is the writings of the Greeks and Romans who considered the Celts to be very alien.

I bought Alice Roberts' book The Celts and its turning into an excellent read. I will give an update when I have read more than a few chapters.

I was lucky enough to win a prize, which was lovely and so I chose Tarot de Marseille by Mary Packard. I do not have a Marseilles type deck and this was one of the few that was in English. I am looking forward to learning tarot with this deck and I have decided to christen it with a full moon check in. I can't actually see the moon from my office but I know she is out there and I will see her later.

I have been shuffling this deck for a couple of days now. I always spend the first few days just shuffling and loosening them up. Any cards that fall out just get put straight back in without being looked at so this is my first reading with this deck. Lets see what we have:

Energy & Advice: 4 of Cups and the King of Pentacles.

These cards are telling me that at this time I am comfortable in my skin and with where I am in general, currently. I will need to look to the future though and sort my plans out, knuckle down and get my plans into action.

This is definitely echoing what is going through my mind at the moment. It's all OK just now but the future I want isn't just going to appear; I need to work for it/at it.

Full Moon blessings to you all

X



Tarot de Marseille: Mary Packard 2015

In which I need a health check.

Hello there Moonbeams,

How are you all? Hope you are all well and happy and looking forward to the weekend. I have lost time this past couple of weeks and it is the end of the month already! I don’t know where time goes anymore.

A couple of weeks ago I developed a head cold that still hasn’t fully shifted. A bug seemed to have been going around that others caught whereby they developed a cold but with a temperature that burned the cold out in 2 to 3 days. I didn’t catch it. I am a very visual person when it comes to illnesses and stuff. I get a head cold and people’s eyes start watering when they look at me. I also get cold sores and not just one but many and people wince and cringe when they see me… My boss hates me having a cold, he can’t bear to look at me and keeps sending me home.

I also put my back out. I think it may have been sciatica. Golly does that hurt! I had my brother’s dog for the weekend and I bent down to put his lead on and stayed down for about 10 minutes.

You know when you knock your ankle or elbow you don’t breath for a minute and do a silent scream? That lasted about 10 minutes. I eventually got almost upright and managed the walk but it took me well over an hour to do what should only have taken 20 minutes.  So my first experience of back pain was horrible. I spent the next few days jacked up on ibuprofen, my pockets are still filled with moss agates for inflammation and lepidolite for pain relief and sciatica. I dug out my magnetic bracelet and I still have magnets in my knickers around my lower back and I haven’t been in pain for a few days now but I am still a bit twingy.

The magnets have been a great but even though they are small and covered in padded fabric at the front and Velcro at the back, I have had to wear substantial knickers to cope with keeping them in place. Ha, who am I kidding? I don’t need any excuse for big knickers, my mantra is “comfort, comfort, comfort”. Actually, my underwear is one of the reasons why I have a platonic relationship with a mythological God who is well known as a ladies man. It was one of the first things he pointed out to me!

So, I have asked upstairs about my (lack of) health and how I can better look after myself and I have been given the Aces of Pentacles and Swords.

Ok, whilst I have not been up for the uprush of any energy unless it was cocoa and scooting to bed whenever I could this is something to think about.

The Pentacles are reminding me to look after myself in a practical way through sustenance and nutrition and being comfortable. My diet isn’t bad at all but I should do more with medicinal foods to help keep my immune system healthy. I should find a way to get more strengthening herbs and similar into my food and drink.

The Swords are reminding me to be more mindful of what I do. I need to pay more attention to my thoughts and actions and look out for signs and signals that I am not doing the best I can.

Samhain blessings to you all

Take care

BB x

 Images: The Mythic Tarot, Juliette Sharman-Burke

 

New Moon spread 13/10/15: Mind, Body and Spirit

Good evening Moonbeams,

How are you? I'm shattered already and it is only Tuesday night. My mum hasn't been too well and she is suffering the side effects of some medication at the moment. I'm sure she will bounce back but I just have to acknowledge my parents are getting old; and they get ill now.

Anyway, back to the matter in hand. Tonight is the New Moon moonbeams which means what do I need to focus on this lunar cycle? Last night I (eventually) got rid of what no longer serves me, ready to have a clean slate for now.

I have been using a pretty heavy deck for shadow work this last 2 weeks and I really felt the need to pick up a light and airy deck tonight. My Linestrider has stepped up and offered herself for my needs.

I shuffled and asked Spirit what I need to think about this particular cycle in relation to my mind, body and spirit and we have The Knight of Swords, The 9 of Cups and The 2 of Swords.
I am very grateful that they are just minor arcana cards. I have had a lot of majors already this month.

Mind: The Knight of Wands

This is very apt. I have been pulling cards that have called on me to be creative, or to start being creative or to stop drowning my (latent) creativity before it has a chance to show itself. I have started a project to see how creative I can be and I am seriously going to need this chaps energy to help me. I am not looking for the finished article, just a proper effort to see how I can channel the creativity that Spirit keep pushing me to acknowledge.

I need to make sure I do some of it every day. I have read that it takes 31 days for something to become a habit. Is this right? If I purposefully do some of it every day for 31 days, then hopefully I will be in frame of mind to do something creative every day.
I was keen yesterday on day 1 but today was a bit of a struggle and tomorrow will be a challenge but I will make sure I definitely do something with it before my head hits the pillow tomorrow night.

Body: The 9 of Cups

Ok, this is a mystery to me. There is no way I feel 9 of Cups about my body at all. Unless unlike the mind card that will help me all month, this card is just confirming how I feel at this moment. I am stuffed full of a wonderful dinner :). I am struggling to keep my eyes open and I just want to go to bed and sleep and dream of wonderful things.

Spirit: The 2 of Swords

Well I think this is a fairly standard state of mind for me with regards Spirit. I adore Spirit. I can't imagine a life that didn't involve Spirit but there is always conflict, well there is on my side. I question and argue and even deliberately wake myself up from lucid dreams if I am not happy with what they want to share with me.

I am taking from this, that my relationship with Spirit wont get any easier this cycle. Still I am always grateful to have my relationship, even if it is rocky. I would hate for them to leave me.

In Summary:
I need to concentrate on creating. It does not matter what I create or even that there is something to show for it at the end, I just need to willingly put myself in a position of being able to create something. No doubt I will eventually find a path or medium that suits me and which enables me to express myself but for now, what is important is that I make the time and try.
My body enjoys being fed but it doesn't enjoy being tired. I really need to get a better grip on myself. One of my lessons is learning to not take on so much. When things/people/issues leave my life I must not rush to fill the gaps. I need to learn to be simpler and do a few things well instead of a lot of things haphazardly.
Spirit will continue to try to help me and I need to learn to be a bit more gracious. They have repeatedly pointed me in the direction of creativity and I know they will help me with my body. I just need to stop being awkward.

Well, good night moonbeams.
Wishing you all a smooth and comfortable ride this lunar cycle.

BB x


Images used by kind permission www.linestridertarot.com

Theme of the week: 11/10/15

Good evening Moonbeams,

 

How are you all this fine Sunday evening? It has been a lovely weekend here but, as usual, vanished far too fast. 

My chap became a great uncle on Saturday which is fabulous and the first of the next generation in that family. Mother and son are doing well so that is brilliant news.

I have been very thoughtful this week as I am doing shadow work this month and so far it has bought up some real eye openers. I am not going to share information here as it is mainly a journaling exercise. What is not surprising is a number of issues that were highlighted last month have appeared already this month. The main theme so far centres on Cups. I have drawn 7 Cups, 6 Major’s, 2 Wands, 2 Pentacles and 2 Swords and we are only on the 11^th. I haven’t done todays challenge yet and that is a 3 card draw when I get round to it later. What has been coming up from the cards and the questions is that I need to create more, or stop stifling my creativity. This is hard, I’m not too sure how and where to even begin to be a bit creative. Hopefully this month will throw out some inspiration.

What is an exact duplicate is that so far my greatest fear/challenge is the 2 of Cups! No doubt I will receive some clarity on this over the month but it is beginning to bother me.

As the month is being taken care of in challenges and is a huge learning curve, I have asked upstairs what I need to be considering for the week ahead:

Energy: 8 of Coins

 

This is the card of the artisan, the craftsman and the artist. I think I got this card twice last month. Ok, universe, I understand what you want from me. I do. I just don’t know how to go about it. I can only hope that I will spot the opportunities when they present themselves (don’t hold your breath though. The universe is a bit subtle and I am a bit dense). It is so odd; I have never considered myself to be creative in any way. Some people just seem to be naturally creative or artistic and it shows in every little thing such as what they wear or even how they can present a simple sandwich. I have always considered it a skill for which I have zero aptitude.

Apparently, I need to find some creative spark from somewhere… Anybody got any spare?

Advise: 10 of Wands
 

I have to let some things go. I am taking on too much and getting nowhere with any of it. It is better to do a few things and well instead of making a mess of a lot of things. A mess of a lot of things seems to have been my motto for quite a long time now. Of course this is easier said than done. How many commitments can I let go? Which ones do I have to stay with because I have signed on the dotted line and therefore can’t abandon, even if I wanted to? How do I prioritise them?

I suspect that some things will naturally leave my life because that is the way of the universe. The trick will be not automatically rushing to fill the void and therefore keeping up with doing too much.

Maybe if I don’t fill any gaps, I will find some inspiration to be a bit creative or to dabble in a few things and see which creative avenue talks to me.

It’s all a bit much; all I really ever want to do is eat and read.
Talking of which, I have recently got a cracking new book about the supernatural landscape of the
British Isles. It talks about how stories of giants shaped the physical landscape and how giants came to be in Britain. As the book progresses I will learn about how the tales of kelpies, black dogs and dragons came to life and somewhere in all this glory there will be tales of my beloved green man. Seriously, all I want to do is read.

Because I am also getting addicted to oracle cards, I have pulled a card for the week too:  Convolvulus: Find a flexible and easy going approach.

 

 

Well Moonbeams, wishing you all a happy and fulfilling week

BB x

Images used by kind permission www.fountaintarot.com

Plant Ally cards by www.lisamcloughlinart.com