First Blood 'Butterfly' Spread

Kiama

Dear all,

Firstly I am beginning to realise that the spreads I create are usually created by being inspired by others! A previous one, the Wheel of the Year spread, was created for my housemate's birthday and I have been using it alot ever since. This one is special to me. It is created for my little sister, Nicola. It is easiest if I just type out what I wrote in my Tarot journal so you can see what I mean:

"31st Jan 2004.

I suppose there is some significance in my creating this spread today, on the eve of Imbolc- Imbolc is a time for purification, healing, rebirth from infertility, and initiation. In a sense, this is what a girl's first moontime is: a birth from pre-pubescent infertility into a fertile life and body, a purification and subsequent healing of her womb for the first time. With her first flow of moonblood a girl is initiated into a community of women that stretches back to the dawn of time. Today's society, in my opinion, does not do enough to honour this important time in a young woman's life, and does not recognize the spiritual (instead of just physical) importance of it to her.

This spread is designed to help the young woman understand what the transition is about, how it will affect her, and most importantly: who she is as a woman. This is terribly important I feel, because the first flow of moonblood can be the onset of the young woman's questions about her identity, her responsibilities, etc. It can be a confusing time, and I hope this spread will help with that.

For Nicola, my little sister, whom I have watched grow from the Pixie Ears baby to a girl on the brink of womanhood, and whom I hope will soon be able to be more than a little sister to me: I hope she will be my best friend."

This spread is laid out to look like a butterfly, since the butterfly represents transition and growth from one phase of life to another, just as the first period is.

16...............................................17
...........................1.........................
.....................12..5..13...................
..14...................8..4..9...............15
...........................3.........................
...........................2.........................
......................10....11....................
..6..............................................7..

(It looks like a butterfly in my journal, I promise!)

There are 17 cards, 17 being the number of the Star card: the card of hope, healing, and regeneration. This card can also represent the Maiden aspect of the Goddess, and thus the young woman having her first Moonblood. :D

I have used the traditional idea of the Triple Goddess as Maiden (Waxing Moon), Mother (Full Moon) and Crone (Waning Moon) in this spread, because it goes so well with the cycles of the womb aswell. But I also see the Moon as having a fourth face, and thus the Goddess as having a fourth face: the Dark Moon, the Whore. The Whore is not somebody who just goes around having sex with everybody. She is called the Whore because she turns away nobody who comes to her (in a metaphorical sense.) She is misunderstood I feel, and she is certainly the least accepted face of the Goddess. But I feel she has a place in this spread all the same.

Card 1- Her self-image, how she views herself.
Card 2- Her personality in its Maiden aspect (her qualities that are still growing, what she is unaware of, what she has yet to become. The sparks that are there, the seeds of potential with her.)
Card 3- Her personality in its Mother aspect (her qualities that are at their fullest now, what she excells at, what she creates in her life.)
Card 4- Her personality in its Crone aspect (her qualities that are on the wane, the aspects of her personality that she will leave behind because of the transition.)
Card 5- Her personality in its Whore aspect (her qualities that are not acknowledged by others or by herself, her most powerful and potent aspects, and what she fears about herself.)
Cards 6 & 7- How she copes with change and transition.
Cards 8 & 9- How this change will affect her life.
Cards 10 & 11- What she now needs to cut away, what she has outgrown.
Card 12 & 13- What she now needs to learn.
Cards 14 & 15- What defines her as a woman.
Card 17- Blessings and advice to he from the Gods/God/Goddess/the Divine.

Anyway, I am hoping that this spread will be of use in making the First Blood experience alot nicer and less terrifying. It will be one of the gifts from myself to my sister when she goes through the change.

Blessings,

Kiama
 

Rhiannon

This is a really beautiful spread, Kiama! I can see how it would also be of good use for a woman at the beginning of pregnancy and also for a woman who is beginning menopause. What a lovely gift for your sister, and to all of us as well. Thank you!

R :)
 

Fairyheart

Dear Kiama

This truly is a wonderful spread, but what happened to card 16? Is it supposed to be together with 17 or does it have a different meaning?
 

Fairyheart

I just added card 16 to card 17.
 

Kiama

Oh, yes- card 16 should go with 17. Sorry about that! Glad you like the spread though. I know its quite large, but I tend to read cards in pairs or triplets so it doesn't seem so large to me. And anyway, it's only once in your life you have your first period!

Kiama
 

Demon Goddess

thanks for sharing...

Kiama, my daughter 13 is on the verge of her first moonblood and drives me nuts asking me to read for her. I don't read for children as the possibilities are so huge that the readings are just astronomical. I'm hoping this will be a pleasant treat for her when I finally tell her that she is no longer a child and I can read for her with this first spread.

It looks beautiful and I look forward to using it.
 

ArwenNightstar

Kiama said:
Anyway, I am hoping that this spread will be of use in making the First Blood experience alot nicer and less terrifying. It will be one of the gifts from myself to my sister when she goes through the change.

This is a lovely spread. I have a Coming of Age for a Young Woman ritual. I will be adding this spread to that ritual. It's perfect. Thank you so much for taking the time to write this down.
 

ArwenNightstar

Demon Goddess said:
I'm hoping this will be a pleasant treat for her when I finally tell her that she is no longer a child and I can read for her with this first spread.

It looks beautiful and I look forward to using it.

I would love to know how this reading goes. :)
 

wildchilde

Kiama, this is so exciting!!! Just the title of your thread gave me wonderous goose bumps! And the spread itself is exquisite!!! Thank you so much for creating this spread and sharing it with us, it seems so few women provide this type of support and transitioning help for young girls coming of age. And I agree with Rhiannon that there are many other applications this could help with for the stages we go through in life.

Arwen, I agree! I'd love to see this spread in action...I too have a niece coming close to her time and I hope I can offer her this spread as well! I would love to know more about your ceremonials too as I offer these as well. Would you be willing to PM me?
 

Demon Goddess

ArwenNightstar said:
I would love to know how this reading goes. :)

Well, she has just turned thirteen, so she could start at anytime. I have no idea when, but on the night of her change, I will do the reading for her.

I will post it here thereafter. She is very excited. As I said, I refuse to read for the children, so she is in a state where if she could kick start her first blood just to get a reading, she would.

Arwen, if you're reading... I'd also love to use your first blood rituat in its entirety. Coming of age, should be very special. This will help make it so for my girls. :)

Anyone got something for boys??? Ok, that's another thread, I know.