Words hurt (& how the 5 of swords helped)
I am not writing this for sympathy, the situation is past and resolved, I am writing because it may help someone else work it out a little quicker than me. It is roughly a year ago now that my husband sat me down for a little chat. He wanted to tell me he was leaving because; there was a long list of reasons. All abut me, all personal and none nice. I literally felt the earth fall from under me. I have had many difficulties with my parents, and now my husband too was reject

Blending Tarot & Shamanism
A couple of weeks a go I attended a workshop teaching me to carry out a Soul retrieval. (Part of a much longer year long course) This involves finding a part of the soul that was lost due to trauma or shock. Tracing the energy back to its source, and finding where in the body the energy is blocked. It is a strange experience with stones, drum, rattle, journeying & pendulum. This is really diving deep into the shadow realms, to forgotten memories, lost ties, and often past l

Relationship Readings (or how Tarot saved my marriage)
Relationship readings are hard because; They involve at least two people. People are usually looking for a clear answer. And they usually know what they want to hear. About eight years ago I did a relationship reading for my marriage, and the cards were 100% clear – headed for divorce. (tower, 3 swords, 5 cups) Yet I am still happily married to my husband. The reading highlighted clear flaws in our marriage (not taking time out for each other, both lost in our own exhaustion

Using Tarot to Ease Stress
Meditation Pick a card you love. A card that helps you to feel more at ease, more confident, more hopeful. Use this card to meditate on. (3 of wands is always a good choice...) This helps in two clear ways; Meditation is a fantastic way to help ease stress. The card sinks into your unconscious, helping you to achieve a more positive state of mind. Planning It is very easy to get caught in a panic mode, leading to either over work, or total procrastination. And whatever you ar

Blended shamanism
I held my first “Blended” shaman’s group today . My time learning the Norse traditions in Orkney was completely transformational. However – personally I was in a very bad place. A large part of my time in Orkney was personal transformation. I had no desire to teach, heal, or share what I was learning with anyone else. In time I came to use the tarot as a transformational tool for others. Helping them, inspiring them, supporting them through the tool of Tarot. Then I was “enco

A Shaman's thoughts on tarot
How my Tarot understanding deepens, as my shaman training goes further… I have been a Shaman guide (leading others on their journey) for several years, and am now undertaking some training with Evelyn Brodie to become a Shaman Healer. So much of what I have experienced this weekend resonates with Tarot, especially; “Because human beings remember with neurons, we are disposed to see more of what we have already seen, hear anew what we have heard most often, think just what we

Learning to Retrieve a Soul Part
Reflections on my shaman training. It was the most empowering, yet also soul naked experience; Ten students, all with some energetic or shaman experience behind them, jumping into the void of offering shamanic healing to each other. After the process is demonstrated, we split into pairs and work. The room is filled with soft whisperings, tears, gentle voices, escaped gasps, rattling, drumming, smudging. It is exhilarating to be energy working in this concentrated way. As I w

A simple tarot spread for difficult times
A simple Spread I often think Tarot can get over complicated. I’d like to share with you a simple technique I use when life gets chaotic, confusing and overwhelming. When life is really difficult I find it hard to use detailed spreads for myself. My mind gets over focused on either the hope, or difficulties, and I lose perspective and clarity. I also don’t like to be too predictive with my spreads at this time. If I am in a negative spiral any small issue in the cards can ca