HAPPY ALMOST HALLOWEEN SPOOKY ONES! Sadly my favorite month of the year is coming to a close, we have a little less than a week left til Halloween, Samhain, All Hallow’s Eve, etc. and October for me personally, in my Tarot 101 course, was supposed to be my month of PRACTICE: practicing my readings and building my cliental. Come November, my goal is to spread my wings and take flight into the magickal world of holistic professionals, and really establish my own business as a tarot reader, healer, and personal development guide.

Today I pulled a card and asked “What could I do to really enhance my business as a Holistic Professional come November?” I have received The Emperor card, which to me suggests that I have to develop my MALE brain a bit more. The Emperor represents a very male energy based in structure and discipline. Most business minded individuals have a very strong male energy which keeps them motivated and on track, disciplined when working toward their goals.

The emperor in the Halloween Tarot by Karin Lee is represented by Frankenstein… who is the result of EXPERIMENTATION. This also tells me… DO NOT BE AFRAID TO EXPERIMENT! Trial and Error is probably the BEST way to learn something. We are human, we make mistakes, but when we make mistakes, it is also teaches us very valuable things in the process! Experimentation breeds GROWTH and expansion of the mind … which is what I am gathering from those flowers growing out of that test tube filled with brains. This card is marked with the sign of the planet Jupiter which suggests evolutionary development (maturity, and knowledge gained through a time of growth).

Feel Free to pull your own card to represent how you can approach your business for November…
​
What card did you get? 
What messages did it relay to you? 
Please share in the comments!

I pulled five of cups in today’s Tarot of the Day reading from Paulina Cassidy’s Joie de Vivre tarot deck.

Keywords are hope solitude disillusionment disappointment and loss. 
“Mourning for three dying cupflowers, Wistful forgets momentarily about the two vibrant cup flowers in front of him. Glowing golden hearts spiral upward waiting for him to open his eyes to a new frame of mind. when a situation seems bleak there’s always hope that something can be rescued from what is left and builds upon to make it greater then what was. As new prospects arise have faith that your needs can be met. Unrealistic expectations results in disappointment. Accept the past and move onward with new energy as you begin to reconnect with the magical side of life.” 
​
My Interpretation: Again I think this is telling me to focus on the things that I already do have in my life and not worry so much about the things that I am having more trouble obtaining. It’s also letting me know that it is ok to have faith but there has to be that balance between having faith and unrealistically expecting something to happen.

​Hello Fellow Tarot Lovers!
​
I wanted to share this photo I had the pleasure of collaborating on with Avinash Patel of  Avinash Patel Photography. He is currently doing an October Photo Challenge, and one of the day’s themes were “Darkness”.  I helped him conceptualize this photo, spotlighting the darker cards of the Tarot that really illuminate or bring our shadow self to surface. The cards I chose were: The devil to represent our own personal vices and a sense of feeling tied to them, the moon which represents the fears and anxieties we may have that are buried deep within our own subconscious, preventing us or hindering our own personal growth, and also the Tower which to me represents a dreaded, but necessary loss… and the shattering of perceptions or illusions that you have created for yourself that keep you stuck in the clouded state of mind. It is our shadow, these darker parts of ourselves that keep us from reaching our fullest potential, or that light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak… These blockages keep us living in fear, living in the darkness… it is only when we acknowledge these fears, that we can begin to bring them to surface, remove them, and move closer to the light…
​ ‪
#‎treetalkerart‬ Tree Talker Art ‪#‎octoberartchallenge‬ ‪#‎tarotdemarseilles‬

Yesterday was packed with a lot of signs but today is gloomy and I’m having some trouble believing that things will see themselves through. Also fearing that I’ll remain in this rut forever. I need that change. I decided to light my wish candle and pick one card at random just to see what this feeling of unexplainable doubt I’m feeling today is all about. I got the three of swords from the Paulina Cassidy Joie de Vivre Tarot deck.

Keywords are REPAIR, CONFLICT, DISAPPOINTMENT, CLARITY, FOCUS. 

The interpretation reads “Embracing a heart punctured by three swords, it’s time for gloomy chagrin to rest so that he can restore his energy. chagrin finds comfort in focusing on the beauty of the candlelight. Through sorrow’s shadow comes release and the only way out is through. Better actions that replace old ones could not occur without the transformation pain brings. Moving toward the light at the end of the tunnel you begin the process of healing.” 

I am personally interpreting this as I need to just take this gloomy day today to focus on the candlelight and the beauty that’s already in my life, and just gave gratitude. I also need to refocus my energy….hopefully soon, maybe even after tomorrow, things will just fall into place…not just for me but for everyone important in my life who remains frustrated and stuck. We all effect each other.

​The message here is, when you feel in lack, it is time to practice GRATITUDE!

*This post is not meant to offend any one of any religious background. These musings are based solely on my personal experiences and spiritual journey through this weird thing called life.  All negative and disrespectful comments will be deleted.

So I’ve been toying around with the idea of making a spiritual blog for quite some time now.  I dunno, maybe it’s the fact that I am 30 and still feel completely lost in life.  I have neglected any sort of spiritualism all throughout my adolescence.  I grew up Catholic, went through about half of the Holy Sacraments as a young kid, not even fully knowing why I was taking part in these rituals…. I just went through the motions, cuz that’s the path your parents wanted for you.  The thing is, religion can’t really be TAUGHT.  I mean, yea it can… you can read different books that were written by man, including The Bible, The Kabbala, books on Paganism, Wicca, Shamanism, VoooDoo, HooDoo, You-do??… or any other book for that matter… but ironically enough, It’s kind of like putting a science to this thing you’re supposed to not see, but believe in.  Now before you assume that I am agnostic, that is very FAR from the case.  I guess what I am trying to say, is that I have always looked at church as some kind of obligation. An obligation that you feel like you HAD to do, or you would be looked down upon, from family, peers, the church, etc.  These people look down upon you and fear for your soul, for where you would end up after you died, because you didn’t go to church on Sunday.  I can’t help but laugh at that notion. I would be punished because I didn’t show up to “God’s House”, a man-made building, every Sunday at the “Ungodly” hour (pun intended) of the ass crack of dawn? Yea. right….

I do remember one instance when I was about to make my confirmation in the 8th grade.  First things first, they make you do an “interview” with the priest to make sure you know enough about the 7 sacraments, The Bible, the Church, The Religion, your Beatitudes, Commandments, who the Pope is, who the Archdiocese is, etc. etc. etc. You’re questioned, Interrogation Style… Like a cross-examination… and if you failed, you weren’t supposed to make your Confirmation.  So I went to this interview a couple weeks or so before my confirmation ceremony. It was a very intimidating process, and if you ask a 13 year old those heavy questions… they’re either gonna spit out answers that they studied, without any inclination as to how religion should not work, but FEEL like… OR they’re gonna do what I did, and look at the priest like, “Um… I left talent show practice for this?” (which was exactly MY situation). So I left there feeling less than enthused about moving on with my peers to the next stage of “spirituality”.  I didn’t get my grade right away either…

So a week goes by or so, and I was in my regularly scheduled CCD class on Wednesday afternoon, and our teacher decided to take us over to the church to practice and go through the motions of the ceremony. I don’t remember exactly how it came up, the kids were bugging him to give them their grades or something. He said something along the lines of, “I can’t tell you right now, but I can tell you that only one person in this class has failed”. Of course now the kids wanna know, so they bugged and bugged him a bit more and then finally he goes, “Ok Ok”… he looked in my direction and said, “Justina You Failed”… In front. of. the. whole. class….. Who does that? Who just picks out one person from the bunch and discloses their personal information.  That information should have been confidential, especially in a group of kids who have NO respect for feelings, and poke fun at other people’s failures.  That was the very moment that I knew the Catholic religion was not for me.  I was at the age where I was able to start forming my own opinions, and my opinion at this point was that I shouldn’t have to feel bullied in my beliefs… Beliefs and religion are a VERY PERSONAL THING… Which is why I was debating to even start up a blog in the first place.  I’m a pretty private person when it comes to pondering things like this, and I only talk about these things to people who I know can handle what I have to say, and RESPECT my beliefs, even if they don’t agree with them.

Now I am not knocking what other people believe at all, and if THEY want to believe that’s what will happen after they leave this earth, then by all means… Believe what makes you FEEL right, and at peace.  I just don’t agree with the preachy nature of such structured religions.  I do respect them, and I will never knock someone else’s beliefs, or try to convert ANYONE to MY personal beliefs… I just wish some (I realize not all behave like this) members of other religions would have the same respect.  But I guess that’s why this is world is as crazy as it is.  No one will ever believe the same thing, and no one will ever agree to disagree… Which is why there is so much violence and death over what everyone else believes in, which is so unbelievably sad and disgusting to me.

If these people who are so offended at the THOUGHT that there are people different from them in the world, could just get past their personal prejudices, the world would be such a better place.  Now I am not pointing the finger at Catholics for the suffering in the world, that is not what I am doing AT ALL… I am merely using them as an example in my own personal experience… but I am recognizing that there are prejudiced people from EVERY religion/race etc. Being bullied in a religion that was supposed to be my safe haven, it was so contradictory to me for the church to even behave this way.  Now I did end up making my confirmation after my mom told off my teacher for embarrassing me like that, in front of my peers… but that was the end of my time with the Catholic Church. After that my mom had us try out a smaller chapel of the Protestant religion.  I’m still not really even sure what that means, but it definitely was a lot more engaging to me to be surrounded with such loving people. They welcomed us with open arms, we attended bible school and went on retreats, etc.  It was a lovely atmosphere.  This church really welcomed people from all walks of life, and they still do.

However, such a structured practice of the church on Sundays deal, still did not appeal to me as I grew older, so eventually we had stopped going.  For ME personally, I feel like religion starts WITHIN yourself.  Praying is not something I feel comfortable doing around other people, so a congregation type of atmosphere is not ideal for me.  It’s the same reason I hate going to the gym… I feel like when I am engaging in something that should be to better myself, it’s a very personal thing, and I don’t like feeling like I’m being watched, or judged for doing things the “wrong way”… and there are always those hardcore zealots of any religion who have SOMETHING to say about the way things SHOULD be done… Anyone who thinks they know it all about any one religion or belief system, and anyone who thinks they know where we go when we leave this earth because of what a man made book tells them, I just personally can’t buy it… Cuz here’s the thing… NOBODY KNOWS! Yes there are accounts of people having near death, out of body, gone to heaven and back experiences, but at the end of the day, nobody truly knows anything… we are mortals, still in our life on earth.  No one can sit there and tell you that you’re going to heaven or hell, or that you’re not going anywhere, or that you dissipate like dust into the many farticles of the universe, or that you’re going to come back as a butterfly, or another person in your next life. There accounts of ALL of these things… but no one REALLY knows for sure…

Maybe different things happen to everybody? Maybe some people go to heaven, some go to hell, some come back as butterflies, some come back as other people, some disappear into the oblivion of the galaxy of some crazy 5th dimension.  Whatever you believe in, it’s all very possible.  Believe in whatever makes you feel whole… whatever gets you excited when you think about it, whatever makes you excited enough to talk about it with other like-minded individuals. Save your arguments and your waste of breath hashing it out with people who don’t respect what you have to say.  It’s more than okay to have deep philosophical conversations with people who believe in other things, but only when they can be open minded enough to see things from another’s perspective. There is a difference between healthy philosophical debate and flat out ignorance and closed minded argumentative personalities. Don’t get too caught up in those fights that leave you feeling negative, bullied, or judged.  Engage in conversations that leave you feeling uplifted and curious. Study other religions or belief systems, don’t close yourself off, you are only doing yourself a disservice.

It’s just important to find a path that’s right for YOU. I consider myself eclectic, and for the longest time, I thought I was just not religious or didn’t believe in anything at all because I couldn’t just choose any one religion that I completely and whole-y believed in.

Did I abandon the Catholic and Christian beliefs that I was raised with completely? No, not completely… I was raised with it, and no matter how much I move forward with other beliefs, it will still be a part of me.  I still go to church when there is need for it, and sometimes there is a need for it… I also grew up studying earth based religions such as Paganism & Druidism which have been around centuries before the Catholic religion had even formed. The Catholics had actually taken a lot of their practice from those older world religions and passed it off as their own, giving the earth religions a bad wrap.. accusing people of witchcraft or satanism, which is not what Paganism, Wiccan, Druidism, Shamanism, etc. are about at all.. They are solely about your love and respect for Mother Nature, and using the natural earth around you to heal yourself and others, or manifest things you may need more or less of in your life…The negative connotations of these Earthy religions still exist today, which is very unfortunate, because they have nothing to do with devil worship, which is what most uneducated people assume. I also identify very much with more eastern philosophies like the idea of reincarnation and karma.

I believe that whatever you put out into The Universe, you’re only going to get back… What goes around comes around, and I’ve seen it happen time and time again.  I also believe that we do come back in another life, maybe not right after we expire, but maybe if we haven’t fulfilled our soul’s purpose in this life time, maybe it will be in a next, whenever your soul decides to re-manifest in another human being, animal, tree, etc.,    Eastern beliefs appeal to me very much so, I’ve dabbled in studies of Buddhism which touches more on principals of spirituality and thought & meditation as opposed to a set of rules or principles like that of a structured religion.  Also Hinduism and the aspects of being Polytheistic is intriguing to me, looking to different gods & goddesses to aid you in your workings and prayers toward the different areas of your life.  And it doesn’t even stop there, there are tons and tons of religions to delve into, to really educate yourself about, and that to me is a beautiful thing.

I just needed to figure it out for myself.  Upon all of my research and experiences up to this point, I seem to mostly identify with principles of Pantheism. I don’t believe in any one supreme being…I believe that The Universe as a whole is responsible for how things carry out in our lives… ( I have had instances with receiving signs from The Universe, but I will delve into those occurrences in another post at another time)  … But I also believe that we are also responsible for creating our own lives within that Universe.  So this year for me, has been me coming to terms with my Spirituality, and acknowledging that it does in fact exist, that it does beat in my heart, and pulse through my veins.  I don’t need a set religion or list of rules to follow, or an expensive list of tools to help me carry out these crazy rituals (although it is much fun to collect beautiful crystals or tools of divination).  All I need is the earth, myself, and the power that I hold within.
​
I do believe in the afterlife, in spirits, spirit guides, and all of that fun stuff… So I do believe that there is some weird higher and beautiful power out there controlling this weird thing called life…. Is it God? I don’t know if you can give it a name.. maybe it is God… but I can tell you it’s probably not some Man with a white beard sitting on a fluffy cloud.. is it even a man? Maybe it’s Morgan Freeman in a white suit? Maybe not.. Is it a woman? Maybe not… I think it’s all encompassing… it’s greater than anyone will ever know….

Today’s Tarot Spread For Thursday, August 20, 2015

Hello Lovelies and I hope you’re having a marvelous day in the sunshine!

Our Tarot Spread for today comes with many blockages and frustration as all 3 cards I have pulled are in the reversed position. They are also all court cards so this can represent that many little issues involving many different energies or actual people who are pulling you in various directions, enhancing your frustration even further. This spread is heavy in the suit of Wands, which is all about passion, your motivation and drive, so your frustration with being pulled in many different directions, may very well be affecting your ability to focus and keep yourself motivated and press forward with your personal goals.

The first card I pulled is the Queen of Wands Reversed. In an upright position, it is a very nurturing figure, who takes great pleasure in sprinkling their magic into her ventures and watching them slowly grow. This process proves to be extremely rewarding, but beware in its reversed position, not to try to manipulate a situation to complete the process much faster or make things rule in your favor against nature’s wishes. Things take time, and you need to be patient. Trying to manipulate a situation to your advantage will only come back to bite you in the long run. Take your time, TRUST THE PROCESS. Nurture your project slowly. It’s all about the SLOW BURN… Avoid the BURNOUT!

Our next card is King of Wands Reversed. The King of Wands in this position can represent someone who is extremely pushy and impulsive. Beware of other people pressuring you to make important decisions that you are not yet ready to at this time. Again, take your time, weigh your options and decide what the right direction is FOR YOU! The King of wands in upright can be a very courageous and take charge type of leader, but beware of him in the reversed position, as he can very well abuse that power and take advantage of those more vulnerable. This can also represent you… be weary of pressuring others to jump on your bandwagon. If the many different people or energies are creating a blockage for you because it is not in their best interest to make a decision at this time, then maybe you need to go it alone! Be that fearless take charge King of Wands that you are! No one else will be as passionate about your project or life purpose as you.

Our last card is our Nine of Cups Reversed. Cups are associated with the element of water, which rules our emotions and the way we feel about a certain situation. She is normally a very loved and respected figure, abundant in friendships and relationships, but beware of the reversed 9 of cups. Be careful not to burn any bridges at this time, with your anxiousness to make things happen that are beyond yours or anyone else’s control. Don’t be too pushy in your efforts, or you will lose relationships with business partners or even friends who can no longer put up with your ego and self-centered nature. Try to remain fair to all who are around you and if things really aren’t working out with them, then again, maybe it is best to part ways.

You can’t force anyone to join you for the ride. I think the lesson of this spread is TRUST THE PROCESS. Take your time, nurture your project. And if your ideas are not aligning with others, maybe you should venture off on your own. Don’t try to force chemistry with your relationships. No one likes a Pushy Patsy!

Blessings,
Justina
​xoxo

Hello Lovelies and Welcome to Today’s Tarot of the Day Spread for August 19, 2015.

This is a very positive and lovely spread and extremely encouraging for those of you who feel like you are not sure if you are on the right path or not. This spread is assuring us that we are! Let’s take a look at the card for specifics.

I pulled The Hermit, Ace of Wands, and King of Swords. The first thing I am noticing about this spread is that there are no reversed cards, so right now is a very positive and open time for you. Maybe you feel like you’ve made somewhat of a breakthrough as to deciding if a certain path for you is the right one to follow. The court cards here (wands and swords) are indications that there is a LOT of passion, focus and drive as well as logic, for whatever it is you are setting out to accomplish right now. This spread encourages us to keep following those intuitive feelings and spiritual guidance.

The first card I pulled is The Hermit. The figure we see here is following their guiding light through the dark. Maybe you have been extremely confused as to what you should be doing, for quite some time now, but this is a sign that you need to keep following that inner voice, that guiding light deep inside you that has been (consciously or even subconsciously) bringing you closer to your bliss. The hermit is a figure that represents solitude. When you can quiet all the noise, and focus on that inner voice, that is when you will be able to find your enlightenment.
The next card is the Ace of Wands which is a very BOLD card! It represents passion, the fire within you. The figure in this card is charging toward her desires on that back of a wild and courageous lion. She suggests that now is the time for you to take your initiative, come into your power, and charge at whatever it is you want to accomplish, full speed ahead. Be FEARLESS. Be BOLD. Be COURAGEOUS. This card also represents intuition and creativity. Use those gifts of yours to fuel your desires.

Our last card is the King of Swords. He is a very confident and courageous figure who stands tall with his sword. Swords is air, it represents wisdom and logic, which is a very nice balance to have along with your intuitive suit of wands card. Both your intellect and your intuition combined is a super powerful resource and weapon to have, and you should take advantage of that. It will be your calling card!

You should use this proverbial sword in your own life to cut away things that are no longer working for you, and make the space for new ventures that excite you and nurture your need for knowledge and growth. Right now is an excellent time to seek out a mentor for guidance, or pick the brain of someone much older and wiser than you, who has been through much more of life experiences. Don’t be stubborn to your old ways, open your mind and take their suggestions. Trying new things promotes personal growth and is excellent for your own personal well being.
This encouraging card combination is surely a recipe for SUCCESS! Just remember to keep following  your guiding light, charge toward your dreams fearlessly, and take the advice of your elders. You will surely be on your way to your bliss!
​
Did this spread ring true to your own personal experiences? Definitely feel free to share! I’d love to hear about them!
Blessings,
Justina
xoxo

Today’s Tarot Spread for You Guys: Tuesday, August 18, 2015

The cards I pulled are The Emperor, the 6 of Cups Reversed, and the Queen of Wands Reversed. The first thing I am acknowledging is that there are more minor arcana cards in this spread, as well as more reversed cards than upright. This could signify that there are many small things that have all added up, to create blockages for you in achieving your goals. The Emperor on his own symbolizes a confident and authoritative figure who is very in control of his/her life. He is a very masculine energy that thrives off of structure and it is this connection with discipline that will bring you closer to putting forth the action to achieve your goals. The emperor has no time for procrastination.

However, your next card is a 6 of Cups Reversed. Cups is ruled by the element of water which plays on our emotions, and the 6 of cups reversed signifies that you are stuck in a daydream state that is making it a bit hard to accomplish said goals. You might be caught up in little details about things that USED to work that no longer do, and you may very well suffer from analysis paralysis. You lack the ability to update your actions to suit what would work best for you now.
The last card is the Queen of Wands Reversed, which in the upright position would be a very nurturing card. It’s a very feminine energy who doesn’t mind giving things a little extra focus and attention aka TLC, in order to ensure growth, success, and happiness. However, in its reversed position it signifies an inability to see things through, or making a hasty decision just to try to manipulate the situation to your own advantage, not taking others into account. Wands is synonymous with the element of fire, which symbolizes passion and motivation. In the reverse position here, it signifies that you lack the motivation and passion that it takes to come into your authoritative power of The Emperor.
​
Maybe it is time for you to stop over thinking so much, take a break from the project you can no longer focus on with a clear head, or even switch directions completely. It seems as though I have been pulling a lot of reversed cards lately, which all seem to be signifying blockages, and that could very well be the result of the Venus Retrograde. It might be best to put off starting any new projects at this time. Use the rest of this month to contemplate and carefully formulate your next plan of action.

So here is today’s daily tarot spread for you guys, Monday August 17, 2015.

The cards I pulled were The Hanged Man, the Queen of Wands Reversed, and the Three of Cups.
Let’s start with the Hanged Man. He represents that right now you are in a very contemplative state of mind. You are kind of in a waiting period at this time, where very little action can be done. Right now is a good time to do research and be that sponge that takes in all of your information before you go forth and take action. This will enable you when the time comes, to be able to make a more educated decision, a decision from a more practical place, as opposed to that hasty one that you might later on regret.This will ensure lasting success! 

The Queen of Wands upright would have normally depicted that you are feeling quite motivated and balanced, carefully thinking out the little details to ensure that you will be setup for lasting success… but in this reversed position, this card denotes that you are growing quite impatient with this stagnant contemplative period that is displayed by your Hanged Man aspect. The Queen of Wands reversed warns that you should not try to manipulate your situation to make things happen faster for you. This could in turn backfire on your efforts of success, and leave you with your cup quite empty, maybe even emptier than when you started out on your venture. I see the 3 of cups as a payoff card. If you can keep your Queen of Wands Reversed in check, then your period as a Hanged Man will pay off in the end. 

The 3 of cups represents a very abundant time for you, and this will come forth through working via partnership, and not as a solo effort. So if you have been thinking of partnering up with someone to make that idea of yours happen… just know that you should keep forth on that path, and the doors will fly right open when the time is right, but don’t force it to happen unnaturally. Just go with the flow and things will happen as they need to.

Overall Message:
SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE!