New Orleans Voodoo Tarot - the ONES - my take

Grip Dellabonte

Impressions I get from the first 4 cards:

- Damballah Wedo: Of these four, my favorite card...just because there's a serenity to it. I really do get the feeling that through patience and careful planning the eggs can bring forth life. The snake seems totally unconcerned...all will happen as it's meant to happen.

- Damballah La Flambeau: Funny, Damballah Wedo has a forked tongue and Damaballah La Flambeau has fangs. Plus, this snake doesn't just have the intensity and passion of the Fire cards, but it looks like it could be very impatient and aggressive with its focus of energy. It is also coiled to strike where Damballah Wedo was much more loosely wound on the tree.

- Ayida Wedo: Reminds me a bit too much of Professor Quirrell! Actually Voldemort on the back of Professor Quirrell, right down to the wrapped head!
Soooo.....there are really two entities in this card, but through the dance, they become as one.
Does the snake take over the dancer? Or does the dancer control the snake? I guess that would depend on the person who's getting the reading...

- Olodumare: This one is very abstract for me. I am going to pretty much let the book's and your interpretation sink in for a while.
Biggest feeling I get from the card is that the caring Olodumare has for his creation bears it up, and protects it.
 

Little Baron

Grip Dellabonte said:
Impressions I get from the first 4 cards:

And very interesting ones too!

Grip Dellabonte said:
- Damballah Wedo: Of these four, my favorite card...just because there's a serenity to it. I really do get the feeling that through patience and careful planning the eggs can bring forth life. The snake seems totally unconcerned...all will happen as it's meant to happen.

This is interesting. My knowledge of snakes is very slim. But I get the idea that Damballah has been protecting the eggs. Like you say, this is a patient procedure. And in that, the card might be about planning. Where as Damballah de Flambeau strikes out, this card might be about 'thinking before speaking'. The plan of action, rather than the action itself, which is left to another ace. If they are all pure, then we just have the thought.

Grip Dellabonte said:
- Damballah La Flambeau: Funny, Damballah Wedo has a forked tongue and Damaballah La Flambeau has fangs. Plus, this snake doesn't just have the intensity and passion of the Fire cards, but it looks like it could be very impatient and aggressive with its focus of energy. It is also coiled to strike where Damballah Wedo was much more loosely wound on the tree.

He does look like he is about to strike, doesn't he? And like I just mentioned about the 'thought' of Damballah Wedo, here, we have the pure physical movement of Damballah de Flambeau. All reason is stripped away. He is all strike and fire. I think that these are such great depictions of the core elements, because we can see them in practice.

Grip Dellabonte said:
- Ayida Wedo: Reminds me a bit too much of Professor Quirrell! Actually Voldemort on the back of Professor Quirrell, right down to the wrapped head!
Soooo.....there are really two entities in this card, but through the dance, they become as one.
Does the snake take over the dancer? Or does the dancer control the snake? I guess that would depend on the person who's getting the reading...

I love these ideas, Grip. I really hadn't looked at it that way. I am going to add that last sentence to my note book. I suppose that in readings, you could try to find out [from the querant, or even by upright or reversed position] if the subject is in control of their emotional life, or if it is taking over them to ill effect. That really is an interesting point.

Grip Dellabonte said:
- Olodumare: This one is very abstract for me. I am going to pretty much let the book's and your interpretation sink in for a while.
Biggest feeling I get from the card is that the caring Olodumare has for his creation bears it up, and protects it.

There is a feeling of nurturing, isn't there? It feels like a very parental card. Unlike the others, this one is not just the core-element, because emotion has been brought into it and effected it's meaning. It depends, in readings, whether we decide to ignore the emotion or think there is a point in drawing attention to it. I suppose that if other cards are around it that suggest being ruled or overcome by emotional issues, it might be fair to ask our quenrant if emotions are having effect on the more mundane and grounded areas of our lives, such as the home, work or family.

Thanks so much. Some really interesting ideas there.

LB
 

Grip Dellabonte

Yay! I had some good ideas! I'm having fun! This is very encouraging.
I'm touched that you're going to put part of what I said in your journal.
Thanks for kind of thinking out loud while you're reading my responses....I especially liked "'thinking before speaking'. The plan of action, rather than the action itself, which is left to another ace. If they are all pure, then we just have the thought." That helps to clarify two cards for me at the same time.

I knew nothing about snakes, either. When I got Loa it was so I could understand "snake energy" in connection with this deck, and you know what? He helps a lot!

Gotta go kill an hour in the gym, then I hope to come and tackle the twos before I lose the computer for the night. Thanks for all your insights today, Little Baron! I am going to print off all our comments and keep them in a file as a study tool.
 

Little Baron

You are more than welcome! I am really glad that they are helping. Some decks can be a lonely journey without any company. And often, when we are on our own with them and cannot discuss, that is when we end up quitting. So I very much appreciate having you around too.

I will go back into the archives and refresh some of the other threads about the cards and might start some new. They may help you, also.

I have also been doing readings in the exchange. They are only my interpretation of the cards, but they might be interesting for you to read through at some point.

Enjoy the gym! And I look forward to your insights on the TWOs.

LB