Traveling AT Member Deck ~ Journal ~

Daizdy

A Fool's Journey

Traveling AT Member Deck Journal


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Jeannette

Honored to Be the First

Well, here we go; a group of people from all over the globe, brought together by a common interest.

It is not, as some others might perhaps think, an interest in a deck of "pretty cards," or in "cheating fate by divining the future." It is instead an interest of a deeply spiritual nature -- an interest in learning and growing and teaching and helping others. Today we reaffirm our commitment to that interest -- and to each other, as friends -- by sharing the symbol that has become, to us, a physical representation of those nobler aspirations.

I feel very lucky to have been the first person to have held this symbol, and to start it on its journey. It was, in fact, a great deal of fun to watch the discussion about which deck to choose, and it made me so happy to be in the fortunate position of being able to provide the group with that choice. It felt a bit like selecting a "junior ambassador" for some sort of exciting school outreach program, with the candidates being reviewed, their qualifications discussed, and finally, one lucky finalist elected to take on the auspicious duties of the "Traveling AT Member Deck."

But were I not the first, I think I would have rather enjoyed being very far down the recipients' list. Those of you who will be able to hold the deck after it has passed through many hands will have an opportunity to see, I think, something very special. When the deck left here, it was freshly unwrapped, crisp and new and sterile. As it travels, I imagine it shall become a different thing entirely -- shaped by the many souls that flow through it as a canyon is shaped by a mighty river, to become a thing of wonder.

(Indeed, it's almost difficult not to feel a mite jealous of the deck, knowing that it will be traveling the world, "seeing" amazing things and "meeting" each of you in person. That is a luxury I would long to experience.)

Thanks again to Daizdy for organizing this wonderful project, and to everyone who has contributed to making it happen. I feel truly blessed to have had an opportunity to be a small part of this endeavor. And I eagerly look forward to reading the reports that will gradually comprise this thread over the coming months.

-- Jeannette
The Tarot Garden
 

MeeWah

MeeWah

Mon. 19 Sept. 2005
I was not sure I would participate in this project & had a vague idea of waiting to see, especially since the internet connection has been more wonky than usual the last few weeks & even thought I might end up missing the sign-up. In fact, lost connection sometime Sunday evening (18 Sept) & was offline until just before I realized I was up far too late. About to head for bed, I thought I would check again.

Lo & behold, found meself at Daizdy's thread, Traveling AT Member Deck ~Sign-Up~ ! How more synchronistic could one ask for? Took that to be a 'sign' & rather blindly posted to participate. Afterwards, saw I was the first. & again struck by the synchronicity.



Tues. 20 Sept. 2005
More members signed up & the thread is a few pages long already just from the sign-up posts! Glad to see Umbrae, (Tarot Garden) whom I had the pleasure of finally meeting at the Melbourne Tarot Conference amongst the participants. He showcased an impressive collection of rare & limited edition decks at the Conference, all decks most people would never get to see otherwise. Most memorable were: the #10 & last copy of a poster-sized deck; a pocket-sized metallic Thoth; an original Rock & Roll Tarot by Chris Paradis.

Jeannette (Tarot Garden) posted she mailed the World Spirit to me as the first person to start off the Traveling AT Member Deck! Should not be long now... Not having seen the World Spirit other than via online scans of a few cards, I am very curious. I think I am going to plan on acquiring a copy.



Wed. 21 Sept. 2005
Thread grown to several pages long now & more members added, some of whom unfamiliar or new faces.

Late this afternoon, Don told me a box had arrived in the post. I tripped from two left feet as I ran out to the kitchen. Not Jeannette's box but the box of books & decks I mailed home from Australia because there was no room in the small suitcase for them after I packed TemperanceAngel's soaps. (A lesson there in bringing more decks & books than clothing or too many--I think.) The good thing is Major Tom's Marseille deck, published at the Conference is in that box along with retrokat's Golden Tarot!



Thurs. 22 Sept. 2005
Jeannette's box was waiting for me whence I arrived home this evening. Literally dropped everything (so not my style)--handbag, lunchbag, sweater--to grab the book-sized white box off the kitchen table. Dimly heard Don in the background 'Well, HELLO to you, too!" but I am too busy feeling my way atop the kitchen table for a pair of scissors I just know is buried under decks, mail & papers to do more than mumble 'O, howdy, honey, love you, too!'

As usual, Jeannette packaged the deck well & with a personal note on an intriguing postcard. The deck's box is black with its exuberant Fool card pictured on the box front & smaller images of 5 other cards from the deck on the back side. It opens by a lid running lengthwise alongside the right of the box.

Quickly skimmed the deck, of a larger size than most decks I use (except for Templar & DruidCraft), the artwork resembles woodcut drawings--black outlines & deep colour contrasts. The black borders tend to emphasize the use of black. Overall, strikes as vaguely reminiscent of the Russian Tarot of St. Petersburg for the combined effect of black & bright colours though the style very different.

Showed Don the deck & he thought it 'awfully dark'. I think the black border tends to give that appearance; however, it looks like it would work as a shadow deck, too. The more I look at the cards, the more I think the deck's general intense look is the effect of bold colour tones with black, black borders. The almost primitive artwork expressive of the basics as in the primal activities & communal life as closest to nature & spirit.

Spent more time looking over the cards than doing anything with them. Seems almost sacrilegious to disturb them with shuffling, but I have finally shuffled them & thrown the cards for a rarely used spread that I think was created by Wavebreaker: New Deck Spread.

.....3.....
1.........2

1. What will you teach me?
2. What do I need to do?
3. What will our relationship be like?

Drew 3 cards I never see, so that alone quite arresting!

1. 1-The Magician: World Spirit will show me/teach me where true magick lies & where Spirit resides.

I do understand the power to effect anything lieth within me, ditto for Spirit--but sometimes I have doubts. Perhaps refers to The Magician's adaptability to different circumstances; the ability to utilize that possessed to commune with spirit & to make things happen. & despite the appearance of things.

On another level, I see it as referring to being inspired to initiate an online Samhain ritual (in Spirituality). Strongly believe that by the smaller acts of faith can one contribute towards positive change & The Magician is an initiator, a self-starter.

I have been seeing evidence of The Magician at workplace, especially today in getting what I want accomplished & then some.


2. 13-Death: This one is fairly easy. I shall need to relinquish an old way of thinking/doing. Be willing to embrace the new. A sense of 'Today be the first day of the rest of thy life.'

I have heard mention of this deck oft enough to remember its name, but never got to check it out any further than seeing some scans of the cards in passing. I was recently struck by a card that I thought I saw somewhere & from the deck, but I have looked through the entire deck a few times & do not see it. Oddly, it had the same look & intensity of what I thought was The World--in this deck, the card is The Universe & not the card I thought I saw.

On another level, it resonates with some changes I want to make. It does involve discarding to make way for the different/new.


3. Sage of Pentacles: Our relationship will be that of a wise one & student. Respectively, World Spirit & I. That works for me!

Since I associate the suit of Pentacles with readings, it alludes to honing the abilities, too. That works, too.

[Edited for spacing.]
[Edited for typos.]



Fri. 23 Sept. 2005 - 6 of Swords
As is usual, I carry 1-2 decks with me to workplace, mainly to facilitate personal Tarotwork & any readings being done for others during breaks. So, of course one of the decks the World Spirit & the other the DruidCraft for a reading I am in the midst of. They both share a roomy & thick black velveteen drawstring lined in gold satin--a bag that formerly contained toiletries.

I have to note that I love the back design of the World Spirit: an hourglass with multi-coloured sand on black; set against a diagonal juxtaposition of sun & turquoise sky & starry night.

Don is right for noting the deck appears to glow in the dark. An 'illusion' fostered by the combination of vibrant colours against black & with black accents & lines. I like the linocut/woodcut style that reminds me of M.C. Escher's use of black & white contrast for the optical illusions for which his artwork is famous.

6-Swords appropriate for the day. The figure of a woman in muted red garment & with a feathered hat in same colour alludes to the use of the active intellect & planning to effect a goal. She is reaching up to folks standing on a dock to help them into the boat she is in. The boat is loaded at one end with swords & a chest--protection & provisions towards the journey ahead. Orange boat reminds me the autumnal season & Samhain just around the corner. Here, the boat represents life's passages within the cycle of Life & Death. Me Da been coming to mind frequently--his birthday was in September. I learned so much from & miss him. Much to do in preparation for the seasonal observances.

Number 6 alludes to the 6th day of the week, tomorrow/Saturday whence the rest of the weekly work must be done & usually overnight, after which I get the remains of Sunday off.

Though faced with volumes of work, felt relatively calm & at peace, knowing work progressing well despite the various issues that tend to arise. Know the practice of working ahead will pay off in less problems at week's end, whence the majority of the work must be completed in preparation for the new week beginning Sunday.

Also spoke to my Ass't at some length, detailing the concerns I have had regarding her work. Very productive whence focussed but not for some time now due to personal matters. This evident from perceiving the need to follow behind her, which takes away from the resources. The emphasis not on her person, but on the general thoroughness required as our work depends heavily on attention to details & accuracy. No leeway for shortcuts as that tends to overlook aspects that can impact on a larger scale & bite us directly.

Card imagery reminds me of the rescue efforts underway for those affected by Hurricane Katrina & Hurricane Rita. (Why are not the storms with male names referred to as Hymmicanes? Must be the traditional association of storms with the 'feminine' aspect.) Note, too, the seagull perched on the piling at the end of the dock. Watching the proceedings closely, as if an onlooker with more than a passing interest or concern. So 'tis with the wider audience at large--the eyes of the U.S. & the global community.

Almost forgot: spent the majority of last evening transcribing a portion of reading with the DruidCraft--a Swords activity. Transcribing takes longer than a reading itself as it involves the use of notes & working from a semi-meditative state. Aim to finish by the weekend if not sooner in order to go on to other readings.



Sat 24 Sept 2005 - 2-The High Priestess
The deck now has a nick-name, inspired by Don's remark: the Glow (in-the-dark) Deck.

A card I occasionally see: 2-The High Priestess. The sky-clad Priestess stands with her arms aloft holding a billowing cape-like piece of cloth behind her, in a grassy clearing ringed by low-lying stones & trees. An opening between stones in front of her leads to a path between two trees in the foreground. The path appears to be laid with yellow stones but could be a reflection from the moonlight. Above her is a dark blue sky with a waning moon--a thin sliver of crescent moon & the rest dark Her pose speaks of 'drawing down the moon', a serious & beautiful Pagan/Wiccan rite wherein the Goddess is invoked to be channelled through the person leading a circle, usually the High Priestess of a coven. The Moon is associated with Goddess energy so such rituals are conducted according to the phases of the moon & the particular purpose.


The High Priestess card one of my favourites in most decks, & this one no exception. The Samhain ritual planned for next Friday for the Aeclectic folks has been on my mind. Hoped to reflect on it during a break at work & to possibly coincide with a mirror version in private as I have done for past Aeclectic rituals. A formal solitary version usually conducted on Halloween, after the trick-or-treaters.

A wee wary leaving for work because in the rush, I dropped the cards which I had left out to look at. Took that to mean I ought to be extra careful to avoid figuratively 'dropping the ball'. Resolved to check the work closely for possible glitches, especially since head feeling fuzzy & I could inadvertently miss something. Checked to see that all the cards picked up & in the same position before tucking them into the same bag they have been kept in.

I tend to see The High Priestess as affirmation of the plans later in the week. Also as encouragement to utilize the intuition & even at workplace, where I spent the afternoon from just before 3PM & through the night until almost 3AM Sunday (today). The head store manager spoke to both Ass't & I regarding in-store pricing & policy on other matters. Made a point of emphasizing that he was glad the previous Scanfile Coordinator no longer in-house. & added he was being nice about it. Ass't & I discussed the oblique way of telling us what he expected. He known for a hair-trigger temper. Later, whilst I was making my rounds on the floor, he stopped to remind me about a meeting on Wednesday (my day 'off') for area Coordinators at another location. I want my Ass't to be present also, but meeting does not include other staff, only the department leads.

'Called' upon Goddess to guide me to possible problem areas for the new ad officially beginning Sunday morning at 6AM. Reminded Ass't to check off items & prices in an ad copy for those shelf tags she hung. I had already checked a portion from starting the weekend price changes Friday as usual to lessen the amount of work for Saturday night. The majority of the signage already printed in advance by me on Friday, I did a store walk to check on displays or changes that tend to not be included in any material I am privy to & found more that needed attention--as usual. Afterwards, informed Ass't I would sort through the hardcopy of price changes which I printed earlier in the evening as part of the plan to work ahead--almost 900 pages (!)--for the week ahead rather than wait until Monday morning since the volume evidence of a rough week. On Monday, there would be other paperwork associated with it to prepare in kind. Happily, she took the initiative to do a last store walk so I could address the paperwork.

Just prior to leaving, my eye was caught by a few items in the ad I realized I had not seen any data for, & we both went to check on them. Sure enough, they needed to be fixed to match the new ad. After she left, I wrote a note detailing the major issues & corrections & left it with the ad check for the opening manager.

Unable to peruse my notes & the deck during a late break after midnight due to the chatty presence of other late night co-workers in the breakroom, I did so after returning home & before hitting the sack.


[Edited for clarification: I am employed at a national chain supermarket. Job entails handling price changes on store level; ensuring price integrity at check-out; trouble-shooting & customer service. I am not a department head per se as I am not salaried (& better off that way), but answer directly to store managers & work closely with other department managers.]



Sun. 25 September - 10 of Cups
The diversified look of the Wild Spirit version speaks to me: 3 people of various cultural backgrounds clasping right hands with upraised left arms & dancing on a grassy plain.10 golden cups arch over their heads. A young child is smiling & clapping her hands on card left. A dog at the legs & almost underfoot of the male dancer, reminiscent of the traditional Fool & dog. In the distance on card right is a rough-hewn home. Autumn leaves on the ground & flying through the air.


My family a blended family of different cultural backgrounds & nationalities. It has been an illuminating journey of relationships & the things that make a family--none of which depends on the blood lines. Certainly significant as the second appearance of this card--first appearance almost 2 weeks ago in an RWS daily draw. Note the autumn leaves to indicate the season & again, reminiscent of the circle celebrations. Especially meaningful for today: love of blended family; harmonious relationships; joyful celebration in gatherings; living in the moment; abundance; excess.

Stumbled off to bed about 5AM after giving up on trying to stay up instead of sleeping away a chunk of a day off. Saturday the only day I have to work overnight, & it usually takes me at least a couple of days to recover from the disrupted routine. Awoke to a phone call inviting me & Don to lunch at a nice restaurant from K, girlfriend of youngest son, J. She apologized profusely for waking me, familiar with my schedule but trying to coordinate with my older son's plans whilst he in town for the weekend. He meeting up later in th day with older brother also in town for weekend to see the Pittsburgh Steelers at a local sports bar. Daughter unable to attend due to work. Peering myopically at the luminescent numbers on the alarm clock & saw nigh 11AM--slept half the day away again on day off! Assured her the phone call fine as I intended to be up earlier anyway & overslept through alarm clock. Got in a few hours which is good for me. We agreed to meet at 1PM at Captain George's, a seafood restaurant known for its buffet & decor.

Due to everyone's work schedules & the older boys working out of town, very challenging to arrange gatherings so the spur of the moment oft the only means. & I rather like the spontaneous occasions as expressive of living in the present. We have an agreement to be willing to suspend other things in favour of touching base with family &/or friends whence the opportunity presents.

I let Don sleep on whilst I went on online to do the usual: check in at Aeclectic Tarot; address PMs & e-mails. Also to continue work on a reading with the intent of finishing it by evening. Suddenly, heard Don yelling in drill sargeant voice 'Less than 30 minutes to get to Captain George's! MOVE IT!!' Phone rang twice before we got out the door. First J checking on our progress & then C to say he picking us up. Don & I had a hearty laugh: the boys must be hungry.

Captain George's famous for a seafood buffet, an all-you-can eat feature & also has a regular menu. We generally do not go to such places because that kind of feature wasted on us & prices on the high end; however, the advantage is the choice of an array of dozens of dishes, from appetizer, soup, salad, main courses through to dessert. The last time I was there the kids still mere babes. In the vestibule, we saw a large sign apologizing for the appearance due to a remodel. As we neared the dining areas, we saw black plastic taped to portions of the muralled walls at intervals like so many scattered wall hangings. Speculated aloud that perhaps windows being installed & hoped the magnificent artwork would not suffer unduly. Black plastic struck jarring notes amidt its otherwise fascinating decor.

Detailed sea themed murals run across all the walls. Stunning large pieces of stained glasswork & etched glass; solid wood tables contrast with the formal gray upholstered chairs. Spotting our 'hosts', we headed to their table. I was charmed by the rectangular tables with inlaid centers of seashells in a sort of mandala design. J said he thinks he could duplicate it. Pointed out the etched glass running atop the length of the room divider next to our table (etched with dolphins cavorting amidst waves) as part of the addition he helped build & install with construction crew by a former employer. After a waitress took our drink orders & returned with them, we headed to the buffet area.

Stunned by the copious array of foods, saw the card's Cups arching over the view. Abundance & excess. Took my time to choose a select variety in sample portions on a luncheon-sized plate instead of a dinner plate (to leave room to try dessert): salmon, catfish, mashed red potatoes, broccoli, baby green beans. Once I sat down, J asked me if I like scallops. Love them & he passed over some from his plate. Don dismayed to find what he took to be hush puppies actually those breaded scallops. I directed him to the ribs, which more his type of food. We spent over an hour at the restaurant, enjoying the food & touching base with each other. I was both amused & chagrined to see C & J bicker as they did whence their 5 years' difference more evident, but relieved they kept it low-key. K told me she needed to order wedding dress well in advance since it can take months to receive order. I have offered to do the silk flowers for the bridal party if K interested as an alternative to the real flowers to keep the cost down & also for keepsake purposes.

Upon leaving, hugs all around & the promise to keep in touch via phone & e-mail.

I think we all left in a warm & satiated haze to our respective destinations. For Don & I, that was breakfast, lunch & dinner.



Mon. 26 September 2005: 0-The Fool
World Spirit's Fool is a non-traditional depiction of The Fool but its imagery apparently takes its inspiration from the traditional with a twist. A full-bodied blonde female, her dress of full albeit ragged blue-white skirt, white blouse & red-black bodice echoes of fairytales, the old European cultures Germanic/Slavic. Perched on her left leg atop an A-frame terracotta roof whose structure seen in yesterday's 10-Cups, her left arm over her head as if in flying mode; the outstretched right arm features a yellow dove perched in her hand. Behind her on card right iridescent blackbirds wheeling in opposite directions & one holds a flower in its beak. More birds recede in the distance behind them. A brown dog is immediately behind her, its mouth closed. On card left a redorange bird holds a 4-petallled flower in its beak, as if heading straight for her. A yellowgreen bird seems headed off the roof & a dark blue bird hovering below her & over green foliage grasps a yellow flower in its talons.


The encounters with World Spirit has been characterized by the majority of the seldom-seen cards. The Fool presents as an encouragement of exploring new ideas--such as this deck. Of taking leaps of faith in that which the life is composed--participating in the journal project. Prominance of birds symbolic of Air element. Alludes to the use of the mental faculties. Logic & the irrational have their place for the combination of both dual forces comprise the life mirrored in the cards. The nature of Tarot studies & Tarotwork. The various coloured birds seem to allude to the rainbow; the chakras. Being attuned to the environment & to the inner promptings. Communications. The unexpected, the unpredictable.

Though I knew a larger than usual work volume coming from the 900 pages of hardcopy printed on the weekend towards this week's work, not until after I retrieved the weekly tag order from the 'back room' (Receiving) that I saw just how daunting. Based on first the weight of a full large carton & then upon opening, this week includes an additional sales plan besides the usual price changes. Then there is also the push to be prepared for an audit/inventory in two weeks. We really should have been preparing all along, but as usual the demands of the day-to-day operations tend to not allow time for the test-scanning on a large scale--the store is one of the largest in the area & carries tens of thousands of items. This somewhat explains the work-related premonition since last week, which preceded a rather belated announcement by thepowersthatbe of a major database & software conversion. Also a strong feeling of more changes to impact my department & supported by The Fool. This means a need to not only immediately implement a plan to handle the work load on a timely basis but to involve additional help if I can get it (not holding me breath) & to be prepared to work extended hours. Glad it occurred to me to try to work ahead as much as practical a couple of weeks ago though unsure of the means to maintain the practice in the face of the excessive.

Before I could proceed, other duties needed tending to first--a quick sign walk for display changes & missing signs; researching scan discrepancies. Afterwards sorted the sheets of price tags according to their respective headings for each day of the week they are to be hung, matching them with the hardcopy paperwork. Since Monday's price changes actually part of last week's tag delivery & already prepared by me Saturday, I left them for my Ass't & continued to determine what else needed to be prepared for today from the new tag delivery connected with the remainder of last week's work. That is one of the issues I hope to get to address during Wednesday's meeting: that some work received after the fact & contribute to the scan discrepancies at check-out.

To keep focussed & to avoid worrying, I tried to keep the figure of The Fool in mind. She is tripping the light fantastic; engaged in a dance of life to wherever it may lead.
 

MeeWah

Tues. 27 September 2005: 6-The Lovers
World Spirit's 6-The Lovers depicts a nude couple, a dark-skinned male & a pale-skinned female. That they are entranced with each other shows in the quality of their embrace & their closed eyes. He wears a crown of holly leaves; she, of 5-petalled white & pink flowers. A blazing sun rises over dark mountain peaks. At top card left, an Oriental woman in tunic & pants with a lotus blossom on the left side of her head dances & clasps a round black disc with a red heart. Towards the card bottom & behind the man, a red rose bush with a blue-winged pale-skinned cherubic fairy in front. At the opposite corner, a brown-winged dark-skinned cherubic fairy in front of calla lilies. They both face towards the couple. At top card right, a piping satyr. Love is in the air & all the elementals rejoice.


I like this Lovers card very much. Its imagery a joyful celebration of Love though does not seem to convey choices as much as the traditional Lovers' cards. The Oriental figure with the lotus in her hair seems to represent Kwan Yin, the Chinese Goddess of Peace & Mercy; & to whom I have always been drawn. The satyr strikes as the Horned God. Together, they represent the passive & the active principles. From left to right, they & the 2 cherubic figures allude to the 4 elements Water, Fire, Earth & Air. Red roses represent desire; calla lilies, purity & the spiritual. The crown of holly leaves the male lover wears alludes to the Holly King; the crown of 5-petalled flowers worn by the female lover pertains to the earthly abundance & procreation of man.


I stayed up too late last night & overslept. Oddly, Don did as well & he went to bed long before I. A sign of the changing season. Usually, he gets me up; this morning, I awoke surprised to find him still asleep; no alarm blaring away. Nudged him awake. He awoke disoriented then jerked to more wakefulness as I pointed to the clock. His jaw dropped: 'O JEEZ!!' Reminded him his eye drops come first--he has to use 2 different drops in the morning, 3 different drops in the evening for his glaucoma & cataracts. Although he can manage to apply them, it takes him a long time so more efficient for someone else to lend a hand if he sits down first, which he does in the kitchen. That done, he got up to prepare tea & breakfast. He had already set out my vitamins in a neat row with a glass of water. Swallowed them all at once & chased them down with the water. Then ran back to our bedroom for the shower. Only time for a G.I.shower to freshen up & then apply the face, don the clothes. Back in the kitchen, packed lunchbag with leftover chili, cheese sticks, bottled water & tea. Ate a bowl of oatmeal standing up whilst we chatted; then grabbed my things to head out.

As usual, Don opens the passenger side door for me. In all the years we have been together, he never ever fails to open the car door first for me or any other passenger. His acts of faithful chivalry never fail to humble me, for taking the time & effort the small acts speak the loudest. On one level, we live in a small world of our own that focusses on each other. I thought of The Lovers, how they fit together so well, one complimenting the other, in sync with each other & doing for each other.

Once settled in the car, we reviewed my work schedule (whenever the work is finished) & our daughter's in order to coordinate. I sat back & did the usual morning meditation, not having time to do so before leaving the house. With the pace of life what it is, an opportunity to sit in silence & touch base with the inner self always welcome & not to be missed. It helps set the tone for the beginning of a day & also contributes to grounding. Thus, on another level The Lovers: the relationship of self to Self.

The ride to work takes about 15 minutes in low traffic. Having started out later than usual, we made very good time to workplace. Leaned over to kiss Don & thanked him for breakfast & getting me to work. Once inside I made sure I clocked in then went into my office. I have a routine I follow almost religiously to avoid forgetting. Responsible for running the backup tapes since it was taken away from the front desk, I do that first before anything else. They back up all store transactions & payroll. On my day(s) off, then either the Store Mgr or the Co-Mgr responsible. Next, I checked my desk to see if any messages or products left. Took care of those & then went on to begin the rest of the work day. Enroute to the Xerox copier-fax-printer, stopped in the Store Mgr's office to apologize for being late. He said it was ok.

On still another level, there is the exterior, business world I am a part of. I knew there would be occasion today for the relationship-related at workplace & I was curious to see how that would manifest. Communication an aspect of The Lovers. My department needs help to hang the price tags for the rest of the week & I was intent on getting it. Each time I went to the Mgr's office, he was busy with someone or out of the office. By afternoon, I could not wait longer. During my rounds, saw two people waiting outside his office & decided to bite the bullet & also wait. Once I got inside the office, I explained the concerns & what I saw as needed. He agreed to arrange for help by tapping an associate who is a cashier/Drug-GM clerk. I was concerned because that is an extremely busy department in its own right, a truck expected & no desire to alienate that manager. He winked at me & said, 'Don't worry. I *can* do this.' Took that to mean as the Store Mgr, he can do as he sees fit or appropriate & not my call.

He paged the Drug-GM Mgr to his office. Whence she arrived, he quickly told her I needed her employee to help with work this week & next week. I quickly added 'This is his idea, not mine' which he seemed to find amusing. Drug-GM agreed & said she would check back before she wrote the schedule for next week. & she did, too.

Afterwards, I told my Ass't that we will have help. Though unsure this week due to the truck delivery & the holiday season's merchandise coming in addition to the regular stock, sure about next week. She was more than a wee dismayed at this week's prospects due to the high volume of work & bewildered I was so matter-of-fact. I just knew no point in worry because there is still time for things to change in our favour. As it is, I had planned to work tomorrow but for the staff meeting which was expected to run at least 3 hours.

Just before I left for the day, stopped in the Mgr's office a last time. He had me sit down to discuss what we needed to do for the best results where the audit concerned & where were we now. After I finished outlining that done so far, he seemed pleased. Wanted to know what I was doing tomorrow. Reminded him I have a meeting of the area Scanfile Coordinators, but knew what he was leading up to. 'What about before the meeting?' I had personal business to see to. I understand that due to union rules, he could not make me work on my day off so he was trying to get around it by hinting (that I work until the meeting). I really need a day off, but only said 'I shall see what can be arranged.' Wished him a good evening & got out of the store.



Wed 28 September 2005: 2 of Swords

A blind-folded, muscular young man in loose clothing straddles two cliffs whilst wielding 2 swords against a starry night sky with crescent moon on his right. Right arm aloft with sword brandished overhead points to his left; left arm down at his side with sword pointed to his right [card left]. Bracelet on right ankle. Silhoutted tree on his left. A small white rabbit stands before tree watching him. Immediately below the figure is yawning chasm. Behind him lies a lush valley. The body of water beyond the valley reflect light from the moon.


Imagery stunning & riveting. Hear echoes of the past: the voice of a friend's mother telling me I straddle two worlds. Twelve at the time, I was intrigued by what she said & not occurred to me to ask why she said that. Since discovered why.

Card itself a familiar one & a personal favourite from other decks, especially the RWS & DruidCraft with the addition of World Spirit. It speaks of balanced thought; cooperation; meditation; peace. Also suggestive of the martial arts, the disciplined mental focus & applied to the actions.

Again, overslept today so unable to work before attending meeting, but in view of the work demands of late just as well. Due to the lateness of the morning, had scant time to address what I had originally planned. Don supportive & said I needed to take what time there was before the meeting to relax.

Nigh all of the attendees known to me as colleagues, most of whom with far more experience than I in our position. The person leading the group is a liason from the Corporate office. Very supportive of us & with intimate knowledge of all it entails. This meeting featured a guest, a gentleman well-established within the company via his years of employment & the positions thus far held, including acquaintance with our job duties albeit of decades ago, to which he admitted changed since he last occupied the same position. Apparently hand-picked to serve as Scanfile Specialist & the go-to person with the particular concerns associated with our job duties based on his previous experience of over 10 years in the field.

Noted the meeting not only to introduce him, but also to dispel the possible dubious idea of the 'us against them'. Those of us in the trenches so to speak as opposed to those at the Corporate level or 'The Suits'. Meeting also to provide an opportunity to air our concerns & issues; to discuss the recent changes made to the database & software; the upcoming changes intended to make our work more efficient. Most of us tend to cringe at the last because from past experiences, every time Corporate announces a change to improve work conditions, it has entailed more work, not less!

He had hand-outs outlining the objectives of the meeting. Both he & the woman leading the meeting praised us as a group of dedicated professionals who oft work under challenging conditions & assured us of the Corporate support. As we have heard from other sources, we are the backbone of the operations since the profit margin affected by how well we carry out our work to ensure accuracy at check-out which in turn affects customer retention. Unfortunately, all of us experience the frustrations accompanying the endeavours & oft on a daily basis. Some of the issues we face not amenable to fix-it, hampered by the sort of built-in glitches such as the volume of price changes that tend to be in the several thousand & more weekly; the human error factors in data programming & ad typos; the lack of communications from co-workers towards timely resolution of scan discrepancies.

Emphasis placed on the development of teams composed of 3 Scanfile Coordinators based on location & proximty to each other to provide pre-audit assistance to whatever location due for its audit/inventory. Sister store to mine where the meeting held scheduled for audit the day before mine, so 3 of the attendees arrived early this morning to work on the pre-audit. I am the next to have such a team available. I am looking forward to making a better acquaintance of those colleagues I only see during meetings or contact via phone. Now that we have an online discussion group, such phone contact tends to be rare. The team slated to be at my store will be the same & slated for next Thursday afternoon (so they can work at their respective stores first) & includes a colleague I have known for many years originally based at my store whence it was another company. She has over 20 years experience as a lead to my year & a half. We tried to touch base with each other on a personal level discreetly during lulls in the meeting.

The team I am part of includes the colleague from the sister store closest to my location (also closest to my home, but I prefer my store despite the further distance) & another colleague from the next city over whom I also familar with. This means we will work together to assist a store out of our area in the coming weeks.

After the meeting ended, I phoned my store to speak to my Ass't to touch base with her on the work progress & to briefly apprise her of the meeting. Her reaction mixed upon hearing I would be sent to assist another store, which apparently at least in part due to the fact that our department can ill afford the loss of a body. I explained we will just need to continue to try to work ahead in anticipation of anything occurring--though the work volume alone tends to undermine such.

I was very glad to return home. Late in the evening, my immediate supervisor, the Front End Mgr phoned regarding a few problems which I suspect due to incorrect price checking & the customers picking up the wrong items along with a computer problem not related to my department. For the former, advised her to leave notes with details for me to follow up tomorrow. For the latter, urged her to contact Tech Support because I determined whoever used the computer in question last caused the computer to lock up where the usual methods would not remedy & could cause damage.
 

Rhiannon

I received the deck on Oct. 1, when I got home from my new moon Esbat. Meewah did a lovely job of packaging it up. I was actually so tired that I didn't open it that night, but I did the next morning with my coffee.

I've had the World Spirit deck once before and traded it, so this was very nice for me. I enjoyed going through the cards again and seeing new things in them that I had missed the first time. For instance, I don't know how I missed it... but I didn't remember the Ouroborus on the Universe card... silly me. :) I saw lots of cards that are a part of the "deck in my head" like the 8 of Swords, 4 of Wands and Devil cards. Those were some of my favorites from this deck when I had it originally.

I haven't done any readings as of yet, but I plan to tonight when I get home from work. I really enjoyed seeing the two signatures, and I am very jealous of the last person in line, who will get to see them all!
 

Rhiannon

10/05/05
Today I brought the World Spirit to work with me. A couple of co-workers looked through it and commented on the cards they liked. I explained what was going on with the deck and they all thought it was a fun idea.

I did a daily draw and pulled the Chariot.

Forging ahead today with work that needs to be done before I take off a day on Friday. Getting caught up on the accounting stuff and ordering of supplies. Tomorrow should be a little less hectic. Also had to stand up to a vendor who wanted to over-charge us. I don't like doing that, but the boss wouldn't let me wiggle out of it. :)
 

Rhiannon

Kept the deck for an extra day or two because I went out of town to Williamsburg, I have apologized to Daizdy and Rachelcat who was next on the list. :)

I did take the deck with me and did a few readings that were fun. I feel like I didn't get to use it quite enough, but work had been pretty hectic and the trip to Williamsburg was mostly to shop for Xmas and stuff.

I did sign the deck and sent it yesterday to Rachelcat, so I hope she gets it quickly and I hope she enjoys it! This was such a fun experience!

R :)
 

rachelcat

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

I got the deck from Rhiannon along with a cute Halloween card in the mail when I got home from work last night. (I also got my long-awaited Margarete Petersen in the same mailbox!) I looked through each World Spirit card while I ate a quick snack/dinner--carefully, with napkin in hand, of course!

I decided to do a reading with it every evening and a card of the day every morning until I send it on. I will offer two readings on the readings forum for tonight and tomorrow night (Wednesday and Thursday). Tuesday night's reading and the cards of the day will be for me.

After the first look-through, my favorite cards are the Seeker of Wands (so insouciant!) and the 2, 3, and 7 of pentacles. We'll see which I choose to sign. (Remember to get a gel pen!)

I moved on to my tarot table--a big heavy square coffee table in front of the couch--to do a welcome deck reading and the nightly reading. I took a few pictures of my little black cat trying to sit on the deck as soon as a laid it on the table. I hope they turn out so you can see my living tarot-reading obstacle!

Welcome Deck Reading

What will you teach me? 5 Cups!
The girl in this card is really distraught. One hand is over her face and the other is on the ground vainly trying to save the precious liquid that all the cups have spilled. Is the black unicorn (bull or donkey?) in the background going to help her or make her situation worse? The deck is going to teach me about sorrow. I've just started my Buddhist studies/reading again, which is all about the ending of suffering. The deck is saying "I [the tarot], too, can teach about suffering."

What do you need from me? Strength
If I am going to learn about suffering, I need to be strong! The lion is curled around the lady, protecting her, but the lioin is actually her own heart. (One hand is on the lion's face, the other is holding an orb in front of her chest--her heart.) Strength of mind, heart, and body are all important when dealing with suffering, including other people's.

What is our relationship going to be like? 5 Wands
The deck is going to challenge me every step of the way! Well, that's one way to learn! Two men are crossing wands on a city street. They've already broken one wand, and they each have one in reserve in the other hand. Does this mean this will be an on-going conflict? That this takes place on a city street means that it will challenge me "where I live," in my everyday experiences.

Obviously the focus of the reading is on the major--Strength--sandwiched between the two 5s.

Not the most comforting reading, but interesting! I looked down after the reading and the next card on the stack face down was the one signed by Rhiannon (on the back)! This means that my ATF friends will be here for me if my learning gets a little too confrontational! The card is 4 Wands. That means we ATF folks celebrate life, even through suffering, within the structure of the tarot.

Whew. I needed a little break before I did the evening reading, so I looked through the new Margarete Petersen! It is lovely. I am really impressed with the minors. 6 Feathers is my favorite so far. But back to the traveling deck!

The evening reading was another challenging reading, as promised by the welcome reading!

How can I be a better ATF member?
1. Issue--9 Swords
2. What am I putting my energy into?--Devil
3. How do I feel about it?--Sage of Cups
4. What do I think about it?--Star
5. What do I have do deal with it?--8 Swords
6. Advice/Outcome--Judgement

1. Issue--9 Swords
I don't really know why I feel guilty about not being a good member. I don't always reply to everyone? Don't address serious issues raised? Don't do and post my research? Although this is an image of someone who can't sleep because of guilt or fear, I often use tarot (studying in my mind) to help me fall asleep . . .

2. What am I doing?--Devil
I am totally concentrating on deck, shopping etc. This card shows materialism. The people are chained amidst food and wine and treasure chests. The forum has the potential to be so much more. I also sometimes spend too much time on the forum when I should be working. The Devil makes me do it!

3. How do I feel about it?--Sage of Cups
I feel the forum can be a healing space. It's a good balance between active and receptive forces. His throne is made out of water. The forum is always shifting and changing.

4. What do I think?--Star
Once again, I think the forum can bring healing and hope. The creative (masculine) axis of the spread has two powerful majors that are alike and opposites. And the Devil is backed by a BIG inverted pentagram/star! Obviously the focus of the reading. The key is not desire and materialism, but hope and healing.

5. What do I have?--8 Swords
(It was difficult to think how 8 Swords could describe resources. This is what I came up with.) My own thoughts in my head get stagnant, just sitting there not doing anything. But those same thoughts could help someone on the forum if I took the time to express them properly.

6. Advice/Outcome--Judgement
I should reinvent myself as a serious, spiritual, thinking member of the group. I should do that research. I should be more supportive. Anubis is weighing my soul against a feather. He says, "Don't be a light-weight!" All the people in the freize along the bottom live their daily life and work, and they have time for study, spirituality, and helping people!

As I said, another challenging reading--three majors, including one in the Outcome position, relating to a relatively benign question. That means PAY ATTENTION! This is important! And I do think ATF is an important part of my life, and I'm going to start acting like it!

Wednesday, October 12, 2005 Card of the Day--10 Swords!
There is Anubis again, this time joyfully thrusting the tenth sword into my chest. This obviously has to do with personal stuff I don't want to share (ugly relationship stuff) that I had to deal with last night (and will again today). Sad, frustrated, angry thoughts are just about overwhelming me right now. And then, of course, work had to be frustrating this morning, too! But the work stuff has all worked out. I hope the personal stuff does, too. One way or the other. I think I will study up on the more formal meanings of 10 Swords--how it's different than 10 Wands, 5 Swords, 3 Swords, etc.

Whew again! Now, on to readings forum to offer for tonight!
 

rachelcat

Thursday, October 13, 2005

I left the deck and my notebook at home today (safely on my bookcase headboard), so this is a little late. (I am now coming to you from my husband's ancient computer in his garage office!) I did the reading for jojojo last night, and again, as promised by the welcome deck reading, I found it a bit (or more than a bit) challenging. Since it was a relationship question, I used the rachelcat heart spread.

Reading for jojojo, Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Question: How, if any, will a relationship will unfold with a significant other who is teetering on the edge of my life at the moment? Will it always be this way?

--2---1--
7---3---8
--5---4--
----6----

1. Him--Seeker of Pentacles
2. Her--7 Cups
3. The relationship--5 Pentacles
4. How she sees him--Wheel
5. How he sees her--Seeker of Swords
6. Physical aspects of the relationship--Fool
7. Where the relationship came from--Justice
8. Where the relationship is going--9 Swords

[I am assuming jojojo is female and other is male. If not, my apologies, and please substitute in the appropriate pronouns!]

1. Him--Seeker of Pentacles. He is a very down-to-earth person. He is hardworking and cares about money and comfort, especially if they are the fruits of his labors. The card shows the Seeker in his fields, with many corn shock and pumpkins all around. He may feel close to nature and be the outdoors type, a hiker or skier.

2. You--7 Pentacles. Here you are, leaning back, daydreaming about all the great things this relationship COULD be. Mystical like the unicorn? Lighthearted like the fairy? Luxurious like the wine? Mysterious like the snake?

3. Relationship--5 Pentacles. Lack of money (or ill health?) is keeping you apart right now. I see this in relation to the Seeker of Pentacles. He is old fashioned and will not pursue a more permanent relationship until he is on a stronger financial footing. In other words, he is seeking his fortune before he marries.

4. How you see him--Wheel. You are looking at him as the possible fulfillment of your daydreams, even as a "lucky catch." You may even have half an eye on that fortune he is seeking. You ask "will it always be this way," so maybe you see him as unpredictable. When the Wheel spins, anything can happen.

5. How he sees you--Seeker of Swords. HE sees YOU as someone who is unpredictable! He thinks you are impetuous and make quick decisions, but that you are capable and intelligent.

6. Physical aspects--Fool. I don't know how close you are, but the Fool implies that your physical contact is just beginning. It also implies that you, the impetuous Seeker of Swords, are encouraging him, the stolid Seeker of Pentacles, to fly off the roof with you in physical abandon!

7. Coming from--Justice. You met in court! Or you had a fender bender and had to do a police report together! (Ok, maybe that's going too far out on a limb!) With the two Seekers, this implies that yours is a classic case of opposites attract. You enjoy being together because each of you has a way of looking at life that the other lacks.

8. Going--9 Swords. This is a tough card for a "future" position, but bear with me, and we will do a "clarifying card." Even after you pass through this current poverty/separation stage, you will continue to have worries associated with this relationship. Could it be guilt for being a bit too Foolish (too forward or too soon) physically? Or for thinks a bit too much about the Fortune instead of the man?

What can jojojo do to help this relationship turn out well for both of them?--Universe. Wow, what an advice card! It is saying take the larger view. Instead of being the 7 Cups dreamer or a Wheel watcher (concentrating on what you think you want), concentrate and act on the big picture--what is good for all.

There is only one Cups card in this relationship reading, but four majors. And the majors are the beginning, middle, and end (0, 10, 11, 21)! This relationship will not be a traditional romance. Instead, it has the potential to be a powerful growing experience for you (albeit not without its worries), and to have a significant impact on your life.

And in answer to your question, "will it always be this way," with the Fool, the Wheel, and the Universe in this reading, I don't think it will always be any one way for long!

The End.

Wow, I hope jojojo is ok with this reading, that I wasn't too negative on the whole worries/guilt thing . . . I look forward to her feedback in the exchange thread. How it's off to eat some pizza, draw a belated card for today, and do tonight's reading for sagewriter.
 

rachelcat

Friday, October 14, 2005

My last journal entry. The Traveling Deck and I sure have had a whirlwind relationship! Let's get right to it--

Belated Card-of-the-Day for Thursday, October 13, 2005--10 Cups!
People of different colors and ages (and a tri-color dog) are dancing an smiling and gesturing to the rainbow of ten cups in the sky as autumn leaves fall gently about. I had a work meeting today to follow up on stuff that needed to be done better (mostly by me). Even though that doesn't sound good, the meeting turned out well, with a plan and everyone feeling optimistic (and me confident) that it is going to work. I even feel that it's easier to work with everyone because everything is now out in the open! And the crazy relationship problem seems to have suddenly disappeared. We are both trying hard, and succeeding, in getting along cheerfully! Thank goodness for a 10 Cups day, even in retrospect.

I took a quick break to take some pictures of the signed cards on my altar. Again, I hope they turn out so you can see the altar and the signatures. I looked in three stores for a silver pen so I could sign in a black area, but I didn't find one. So I will sign on the white part of a back.

Now the reading for sagewriter. Another challenging reading from my buddy, the Traveling Deck! I truly hope this reading does not offend. I am doing the best I can . . .

General Reading for sagewriter
Thursday, October 13, 2005

------5------
---8-----7---
2---1-10---3
---9-----6---
------4------

1. Issue--Sage of Wands
2. You--Tower
3. Home Base--Moon
4. Relationship--6 Pentacles
5. Goal--5 Cups
6. What you're doing--4 Pentacles
7. What you're feeling--Seer of Swords
8. What you're thinking--5 Swords
9. What you have--Emperor
10. Advice/Outcome--Wheel

1. Issue--Sage of Wands
Since your name is sagewriter, this has to mean the issue/subject of this reading is you, not you as a writer (that would be Sage of Swords), but as an active force--an agent or leader. You are questioning your own actions or leadership ability.

2. You--Tower
The fiery wand in the hands of the Sage of Wands has turned into a threatening lightning bolt. Something sudden has happened to make you doubt yourself. The World Spirit Tower is an interesting one. It is the view of the person at the top of the tower, looking down right before the fall. And the lightning bolt has gone through the person and some of the light is coming out of her fingers. While whatever happened has made you feel disoriented and dizzy, some of the power of the incident is yours to command, even if it doesn't feel like it right now.

3. Home Base (your background and learning)--Moon.
Your past growing experiences are a mystery to you. You're not really sure what brought you to this point in your life. OR You have had some significant psychic or dream experiences that have led to your questioning incident.

4. Relationship--6 Pentacles.
You are in a relationship that demands a lot of your time and resources.

5. Goal (or what you honor)--5 Cups
You are overly afraid of unhappiness or losing someone. Loss can become a "goal" by "honoring" it by thinking about it and worrying about it too much. This fear may have led to your Tower incident.

6. Doing--4 Pentacles
Right next to the Relationship 6 Pentacles. You are reluctant to give the resources your relationship demands/needs. This reluctance could be caused by the fear of loss.

7. Feeling--Seer of Swords
In a snowy scene the Seer smilingly balances her sword tip on her finger. You feel like it's a cold world our there, but you are optimistic and idealistic and feel you can do what it takes to balance your life.

8. Thinking--5 Swords
Here is the fear of loss again, right next to the 5 Cups.

9. Have (Resources)--Emperor
You DO have the authority and power and leadership that you have been doubting. And the ability to create order and civilization where it is needed. When you realize this the fears will greatly diminish. This is a major card, so it has more reality than those worrisome 5s. And the Tower represents an effect of the worries, not its cause!

10. Advice/Outcome--Wheel
Everything changes. Not all changes are Tower-changes! Good luck is just a likely as bad luck. AND you can make your own luck by concentrating on and developing your strengths--

Energy and power (Sage of Wands and Tower)
Leadership (Sage and Emperor)
Skill (Emperor)
Idealism and optimism (Seer of Swords)
Strong connection to your subconscious/the mystical (Moon)

Let's switch the Sage of Wands and the 5 Cups. That makes the issue of today's reading fear of loss, and your goal developing your current strengths to even higher levels.

The End

Again, I hope my querants aren't offended by my readings. All the readings with the Traveling Deck have been humbling experiences for me. And it's much more difficult to read for others than for myself. I guess it would be easier if the person were here with me to point me in the right direction with a little real-time feedback, especially for a lengthy general reading. I may have totally taken the wrong path and just kept going!!!

Now it's time for the wrap up. I have decided to sign the back of the Strength card (and not just because it has a big cat on it!). No, really, because it was the first card of the deck that I got in a reading that I got a little intuitive with--the lion = the orb = the heart. And it's beautiful. Ok, and it has a big cat on it!

I'm going to reorder the cards and box them up and address them to bleuivy. A small corner of the card box has already torn a bit, so I am going to include a tarot bag I was saving for something special--just for protection purposes. I was also going to include the gel pen, but I couldn't find one!

So, goodbye, Traveling Deck. Thank you for the lessons you have taught me, both the easy and the difficult, and fare well on your travels. Take my good wishes to all who receive you and all who learn of your travels.
 

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