Cartomancy Corner

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29 February 2016

#WithinWithoutAdvice

Patrick of In The 78 Cards and Kelly of The Truth in Story are "hosting" an Instagram Tarot challenge for the month of March.

Dig out one of your meaty, intense, challenging decks and go deep with it, using the Within Without Advice spread created by Marie White for her Mary-El Tarot companion book, hence the hashtag #WithinWithoutAdvice.

My deck of choice will be the Tarot Balbi - because a) I've already committed to using it exclusively for the next 2 weeks, and b) I'm not drawn to "challenging" decks, so the Balbi is as challenging as it gets for me at the moment.


All the details are in Patrick's intro video. I'm weirdeye on Instagram - hope to see you there!

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26 February 2016

Open Reading 7

In keeping with my commitment to use only the Tarot Balbi for the next two weeks, here is a new Open Reading for you. 


An annoyance or disappointment is affecting a personal relationship. It requires careful consideration of how to go about making favourable changes. Work together to find a way forward.

The cards add to 14: Temperance - Strive for balance and a shared outlook. Look beyond your normal way of doing things, and have hope for the future.

If you're familiar with RWS meanings, I should point out that the Balbi's are sometimes a bit different. So if you're looking at this interpretation and thinking "What??", bear with me, LOL!

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24 February 2016

A Fortnight with Balbi

I have decided I need to focus on one deck, and one deck only, for a time, and I'm telling you for accountability.

I've settled on two weeks. I know that doesn't sound like much but I will find that a challenge. And the deck will be my beautiful Tarot Balbi. I've reduced (not eliminated, that would be impossible) temptation by clearing my desk of all the other decks I normally keep "to hand".

Here's my inaugural reading -


The meanings applied to this deck, based on those of Eudes Picard in his book "Manuel Synthétique et Pratique du Tarot" (1909), are quite different from the RWS standard. I believe the Gran Tarot Esotérico and the Universal Wirth are in the same vein.

The Priestess
La Sacerdotisa – Este arcano, que corresponde a la letra hebrea Beth, es el dos sin el cual nada existiría. Es una carta dominada por la luna, simbolo de la imaginación y del análisis, lleva consigo los germenes de la ciencia y el error, de lo positivo y negativo. Es, en una palabra: La Ciencia.
This card, which corresponds to the Hebrew letter Beth, is the two without which nothing would exist. It is a card dominated by the moon, symbol of imagination and analysis, carries the seeds of science and error, positive and negative. It is, in a word: Science.

5 of Wands
Ambición, irritabilidad. Trabajo penoso. Mal examen.
Ambition, irritability. Drudgery. Bad (evil) test.

Ace of Swords
Simboliza la Justicia. Fuerza, poder, éxito. Fertilida
Symbolizes justice. Strength, power, success. Fertility.

So...
This experiment will be difficult and at times tedious but potentially successful and worthwhile.

Wish me luck!

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17 February 2016

Reading Mash-Up

Another video - In which Judy confesses to doing something she said she wouldn't do - i.e. use more than one deck to answer a single question (Earth Magic Oracle, playing cards and Tarot).


In my defense, when, as part of Ethony's 31 Days of Tarot Challenge, I answered that question, I envisaged spreading several decks at once and then commencing the reading. What I did was spread and read each deck one at a time, and then round off by combining the overall message from all three.

The person I read for knows I'm only practicing on him, so I felt comfortable trying something a bit different. It was fun seeing how the three spreads, plus the 4th "Don't Do/Do spread (check out the Angelo Nasios link below), all seemed to align. It was also interesting to spot patterns between them. For instance, three of the four began with an Ace, a different one for each.

I don't think this is something I'd make a habit of doing, but at least the prospect isn't as daunting anymore.

Links to things referenced in the video:
Nikkiana (shop) - https://www.etsy.com/shop/nikkiana
Nikkiana (YouTube) - https://www.youtube.com/user/nikkianah
Angelo Nasios "Master Tarot Lesson with Rachel Pollack" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJRQ0DwKBUs

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15 February 2016

Open Reading 6

An open reading for whoever needs to see it.

You have a choice. 


One path looks full of promise – warm, energetic and happy. The other feels stifling – cold, restrictive and heavy. Do you follow your joy or your duty?

The card numbers add up to 90 which reduces to 9. Counting down the deck to the 9th card we find Lemon.


Lemons need the Summer to ripen. They also speak of cleansing and purifying. Take some time, perhaps even until summer, to work with your hopes and fears until you’ve sloughed away the impurities and have a clear sense of Direction. 

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12 February 2016

Divining the Dentist's Decision

I’ve had a tooth that has been giving me all sorts of trouble, frankly for years, but particularly for the past 6 months. This week my husband and I were due for our regular dental check-ups and I’d made up my mind to tell the dentist I wanted that tooth pulled!

Would he agree? Would he do it today or would I have to wait and come back another day?...

The closer we got to the clinic, the more these questions nagged at me. Eventually I thought I’d try a bit of bird augury. If the next bird I see flying across the road is heading right, the dentist will pull the tooth today. If it’s flying to the left, he won’t .

So I sat there, looking up into the sky expectantly (hubby was driving). And I waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Not a single bird flew across the road in either direction for what felt like ages. It didn’t seem feasible that no birds would be flying anywhere in the vicinity during all that time.

And then finally I spotted him. One lone seagull, fairly high up, flying to the right. Tooth out today, then.

As I lowered my gaze, my eyes fell upon a street sign. Of the road my dentist is in.

Ah, that would explain it. Nice touch, guys.

Was the augury correct? Let me put it this way –
The worst part of having a tooth pulled is the crunching sound.

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02 February 2016

Day 31 of the Challenge - the Grand Finale

Oh! I've only just remembered that I haven't shared my final video for Ethony's 31 Days of Tarot Challenge. Sorry! I know you've all been waiting with bated breath. Here you go - I hope it was worth the wait.


All things considered, I think it went quite well. And I am hugely relieved, LOL!

I really enjoyed this challenge. Yeah, I was nervous, but it was still fun answering the questions. I hope I find another good challenge soon. I really don't know what else I'd want to commit to "film" and inflict on the general public. If there's something you'd like me to tackle go ahead and leave a comment. And please subscribe to my YouTube channel, just in case. I wouldn't want you to miss anything!

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