Winter Solstice 2016

If you’ve been following along, you know that the Winter Solstice is my New Year. Naturally, I celebrate the calendar along with everyone else, but the Solstice is when I do all my yearly thinking and planning. I also do a full rune cast to see what the coming year has in store for me. (It looks like a good year!)

One of the things on my bucket list is learn to read tarot. I love my runes but they don’t go into as much detail as cards. I’ve tried several different decks and have never been able to connect with the cards. Earlier this fall, I ran across The Herbal Tarot. Herbal? Hmm. Maybe I could connect with that deck? So, I bought a set, along with the companion book.

The companion book has been shelved. First, it’s aimed toward healers who want to use the deck in a consulting practice and I don’t consult. Second, it’s a wee bit too touchy-feely (and perhaps “love and light”) for my taste. The little book that comes with the deck gives all the information I’d need. (I noticed some of the Latin binomials are misspelled. Just sayin’.)

I quickly discovered the rote memorization ability that has served me well all these years no longer functions as well as it once did. I couldn’t remember a card’s meaning from one day to the next, yet spirit tells me this is something I need to learn. So, another tack, the same one I took with the runes: using them.

I don’t do daily divination for myself anymore. My life is, for the most part, very calm and predictable. (Thank goodness. At this age, I’d hate for it to be anything but.) I only cast the runes twice a year (at the Solstices) and when spirit prompts me to do so. (Or, if a friend asks for a reading.) So, that won’t work. While doing my annual thinking and planning, I came up with another method.

I’m going to borrow something from my friend, Renee. She’s been learning wire wrapping and chose “A Year of Mastery” as her theme, posting her progress both on her blog and over on her Facebook page. (If you’re a jewelry-type person, you need to check out what she & her husband do. It’s fabulous!)

Starting 1st January, I’m going to pull one card a day, using the universal, “what do we need to know for today?” as my question. I’ll post it, along with my thoughts, on my Facebook page. (Sorry, Twitter. I doubt 140 characters will be enough.) There will be a one week exception: we’re going on vacation (yay!) the end of January. I’m not hauling everything with me.

And…if you want a free reading, pop me an email with your question. It’ll give me some practice at switching my focus from runes to cards. (Note: this offer subject to withdrawal at any time.)

What do we need to know for today?

So, follow along with my Year of Mastery.