Modern Oracle Tarot by Ronda Snow

Updated 22 Feb 2014
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Q&A: Getting back together

Q: How does he feel about me? Will we get back together?

A: Hi ****** 

I understand how emotional of a time this is for you. It always hurts when relationships end, for whatever reason.

I'm sorry to be so hard on you, but it feels like you need a real wake up call here. We've talked about all of this before. A lot. This is exactly the wrong questions to be asking. This is exactly the kind of situation that scam psychics take advantage of. This is the opposite of what psychic tarot is all about.

• Psychics and Tarot can NOT tell what other people are thinking, are feeling or what they will do
• Even if psychics or tarot could do that, I wouldn't. Put yourself in *****'s place. How would you feel if he asked a stranger from the internet what you feel and what you plan to do. How would you feel if a stranger looked into your heart and your mind and your intentions all behind your back and without your permission and then spilled everything to your EX? Sounds pretty stalker creepy to me. I won't do that to another person, and I hope no one ever does that to you.
• Sometimes when we are doing a reading, we can get a sense of permission on the soul level, some sense of the other person sharing with you...that is not the case here

I know a little of that happened in your sister's reading, and she told me that the two of you have talked about it BUT she came with a whole different question. Like she told you, she wanted to know what she needed to do to help fix things...not a prediction about her ex. Maybe get some advice from her. Real world advice from someone who knows you and knows the situation is always a good thing. Tarot can help you know what to do for you - but it can't take the place of people who care about you, or make predictions, or read minds....

....I know that isn't the answer you were hoping for, but it is the only honest one I can give you right now. Be safe, be happy. 

Q&A: Double Trouble - Career and Romance

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Q: Hello. The reading we did last year turned out to be right on target, so I wanted to talk to you again. It isn't good news. It turns out I will need more schooling to get the job I want, but the couple of applications I've put in have been rejected. Six months ago, I connected with an old friend, and we started dating. I really care for her, and thought she was my true soul mate. Then a month ago she stopped talking to me. I don't know what happened, but can you tell me if we will hook back up or have any future together? With both of these things together, I'm starting to feel really discouraged and am losing hope. What is your advice?

A: Hello *******

I'm so glad you found our last reading together to be helpful.

I'm sure you understand that there is no way to predict if you and your friend will get back together. Tarot can not read her heart, mind or intentions. She is as much a part of this as you are. The only way to know why things have changed and what she wants is to talk to her directly if possible. If she won't talk with you, then there is no choice but to respect that and move on. Who knows? This might be an opening to meet someone new who truly is your soulmate. Keep hope, keep the light in your heart. The best way to attract your perfect soulmate into your life is to be your truest self. To bring love, give love...be a kind, bright person and your soulmate will come to that light, whoever she may be.

I'm sorry to hear that there have been so many set-backs getting into school, too.

My hunch is the best thing right now is a "mediation" reading. Let's stay focused...the card will give you and idea. It is something to ponder, and it might show you the way forward. My hunch is it will be a career focused card, since the relationship is at a point that needs real-world conversation more than tarot guidance.

After three shuffles, your card is "Justice" from the major arcana portion of the tarot deck.

Being a major arcana card, it feels as if energy and change is just on the horizon. It does feel more career connected. Perhaps with little going on in the romance department, now is the time to put your energy all into career and education. It takes a LOT of time and energy to work and go to school at the same time if that is how things need to be. Don't forget, two things...1. Persistence pays off. There is a saying "fake it until you make it"...keep going, keep applying, keep looking, don't lose hope. It does feel as if energy and change and movement is on the horizon for you. And 2. All the energy and effort you invest in your career is an investment in YOU...your quality of life. It may be part of the learning / growing process that helps you become the perfect soulmate for your ultimate mate. This time of trial may the process that helps make you into the person you want to be...and that your soulmate wants to be with.

The justice card means "wisdom"...wisdom is made up of heart and mind, logic and intuition, all working together. Also there is a sense of "find wisdom". Although there are other cards more specific to this, it feels like this card is calling in that energy of finding a mentor. Is there someone who you can turn to for advice, guidance, a referral, or anything else to help you along with academics or career? Is there one of the schools that would be willing to talk to you to say why they rejected the application and what you can do to get a better outcome later or on other applications? Do you have access to any career counseling or any how-to information about applying to schools? Are there online resources that can help??

Hang in there...I hope the positive energy really turns out as nice for you as this card seems to say. It really does feel like good stuff is there for you, as long as you don't give up. Please keep trying...it feels as if it will pay off in the long run. It usually does.

Good luck!

Q and A: Why do psychics give different interpretations for the same card?

Q. I've gotten several tarot readings over the past couple of years. A couple of weeks ago I asked for a general reading about romance because I was curious what the cards would say. When the psychic asked, I told him my boyfriend and I have a good relationship, but he just laughed at me. He said that my boyfriend was bored and looking for excitement outside of our relationship. The Wheel and The Lovers cards keep turning up again and again, but each time the psychic interprets them a different way. This last time was the only one that was so negative. What does the Wheel and the Lovers card really mean? Why do different psychics give different interpretations of the same card?

A. Thank you so much for asking this! Excellent question! I could write a book about this kind of thing...and am working on doing just that. Please forgive me if I get long-winded with your answer.

The real root of the answer lies in the way Tarot is an art, not a science. There is no standard way of doing a reading, and no one interpretation of any given card. If you look at the books about Tarot, especially the ones that come with card decks, you'll find there are a dozen different 'meanings' for the card. If you change the meaning for the times the card turns over upside-down (known as "in reverse")...then that just doubles the problem.

If there is a card or cards that keep turning up, that is probably a big clue that they are particularly important, and that they have a message for you that just isn't quite getting through the way it should. When that happens I suggest taking matters into your own hands. Read what books and the internet have to say about the card(s). Focus on any common threads about the cards that keep turning up in the readings and let the conflicting stuff go. Most important of all - what does YOUR intuition say? I see a reading as a collaboration between two people - not the psychic sitting there spewing some immutable special knowledge. YOUR insight, intuition, YOUR "ah-ha" moments are more valid and important than anything I could tell you.

As for the general romance reading about you and your boyfriend - I am very deeply opposed to the kind of reading this person did. I don't think that a psychic (or anyone for that matter) can tell what your boyfriend thinks and feels. Even if were possible, I wouldn't do it...looking into someone's heart and mind without their consent would be the deepest violation of privacy and dignity imaginable. Even the pretense of it is unethical, to my way of thinking anyway. My instinct would be to just flush that particular reading entirely. 

For the wheel card, that usually just indicates change.  

No matter which of the many card meanings seems right to you, it helps to put it into context. What is it about change do you need to learn? Do you resist the inevitable changes in life? Are you too stuck in your ways and slow to change? Or are you an early adopter and tend toward the reckless? Is it a suggestion to slow down or get a move on? The position of the card in the spread gives even more context, and can give subtle shades of meaning to the overall message.

The common myth is that the lovers has to do with romance, marriage, soulmates, dating, all that. In my experience that isn't necessarily the case. The idea of "desire" can extend to anything...people, things, situations...you name it. It has to do with "your hearts desire" whatever that may be...no just lust or grand romance.

Put the two together, and you could get a variety of messages...perhaps advice to change your priorities...change the things you desire. Or maybe you already have and this is a validation of your spiritual growth, or change in values. It is hard to say...agian your instincts are paramount here. If a reading seems off to you...it is. If a reading seems right to you...it is. Even if the psychic is totally honest, and deeply believes everything they say, the message may not be quite what you need. Not every psychic is the right match for every person. It may take some trial and error to find someone that really resonates with you. Tarot isn't always the right tool for everyone. I believe that cards, astrology, runes, tea leaves or what have you are just tools that help us listen to our innate intuition better. It's the collaboration, and the inner knowing that counts.

I hope this helps clear things up a little. If this doesn't fully answer things, feel free to ask a follow up. With your permission, I'd like to post a version of this on my blog and website(changed a little with your name removed to protect your privacy) You could see it at http://www.ModernOracleTarot.com. I think your question is a really good one, and I would guess there are lots of other people wondering the same thing. Sharing your question could help a lot of people I think.

If any of this process kind of stuff is interesting to you at all, please keep an eye out for my book "Modern Oracle: Intuition for the 21st Century"...I hope to have it up on amazon.com next year. It is about generally learning to listen to your own intuition. The follow up book "Modern Oracle: Tarotbytes" will be a smaller 'how-to' specifically about reading tarot.

For daily meditation style tarot readings, and for full content not available here, please consider subscribing to Modern Oracle Tarot Blog for KINDLE.

Q and A: Will My Girlfriend Come Back To Me?

Q: My name is ****. My girlfriend +++  and I broke up a year ago, and we haven't talked since, but I can't stop thinking about her. We've were together off and on for two years before that. My friends set me up with ###, but I'm not sure if I want to get to know her with +++ on my mind so much. Will +++ and I ever get back together? If so, when and how? If not, will I end up with ###? What is my love life going to end up like? I'm so confused I feel like I'm loosing my mind.

A: I've said it before, and I'll say it again. The future depends on your choices, there is no "end up", just the consequences of your choices...and other people's choices too.

That why romance questions are the hardest of all in Tarot. There isn't a way to know what is in ### or +++ heart and mind. Even if there was a way to know what they are thinking and feeling, I wouldn't use it = out of respect for their dignity and privacy. Would you want them know your innermost thoughts and feelings without your permission??

Let's look at this logically, step by step. Sometimes it takes logic to balance out an emotional situation, just like intuition and spirituality can guide us in times where logic can't.

First, no, you are not loosing your mind. It's an old adage...if you think you are, you're not, because people who have real issues usually don't think they have any. I've done readings for people all over the world, and this is a very, very common question and feeling. Thinking about a lost love is difficult, emotional...and normal.

As for getting back together with +++, there are reasons you kept breaking up in the first place. Have any of those reasons changed, really? If you haven't talked to each other in a year, what would have in common to build a relationship on?? Anything is possible, but given your two's history of multiple breakups, and the year that has passed, I'd say the chances of you two having a successful relationship at any point is very, very small.

As for ###, how things go from here is up to you AND ###. It is up to you if you want to let your old relationship dominate your life, or if you want to move on and let yourself heal over time. Whether that healing process includes getting to know  ### (or not)  is up to you to decide. There is another option..."none of the above"...you could spend some time on your own in no love relationship at all to heal, put yourself back together, and be the best you that you can be for the next relationship down the road, whether that is with ###, with +++ or with someone you haven't even met yet.

I know that didn't include any Tarot cards, and wasn't the kind of reading you may have been expecting, but it is the honest answer, given the way Tarot works. It is all about choices, not predictions, and so much is up to you at this point, the cards can't really be of any good help.

Try reading the post about "how to find your soulmate", and give those ideas a little thought. My hunch is that will help more than a tarot reading right now, anyway.

Good luck!

www.ModernOracleTarot.com

Question for a Question

Q:  Will T***** ever come back to me? I know G***** is interested in me - will we get together? Will I ever get married?


A.  Hi C******


I know you've read my blog and website, so you know what I think about predictions. Did you read those "How to find your soulmate" blog posts I sent you? I'm guessing, no. Here are the links again, in case you lost them.


http://modernoracletarot.blogspot.com/2009/09/how-to-find-your-soulmate.html/


http://modernoracletarot.blogspot.com/2010/04/how-to-find-your-soulmate-part-2.html


I'll do a three card yes/no reading for you on two conditions...


1. You write back and tell me how YOU would feel if a stranger from the internet suddenly started reading your mind, reading how you feel, and predicting what you are going to do to your EX


and


2. You promise that you understand that predicting the future like this is impossible. YOU create the future through your choices...and these guys have their own choices to make too. Promise me that you realize any reading I do for a question like this is about as valid as one of those magic 8 ball toys.


I don't mean to be snarky and rude, but thinking about other people and taking responsibility for your part in this really is important thing to learn...especially in relationship questions. We've worked together enough, I know you can handle the bigger ideas.

Today's Tarot - The Lovers

The Lovers card is less about romance and relationships than you might think at first glance. It can also talk about desire - any desire - not just wanting a certain love-interest. What we want isn't always what we need. For a happy person, "want", "need" and "have" are pretty close together.


www.ModernOracleTarot.com

Q&A: What do these cards mean?

Q.  I wanted to know if I am generally on the right path, so I drew three Tarot cards with no question in mind. I just wanted to be open to any message they would give me. I admit I am very interesting in a guy named A*****. He (is having a difficult time...redacted for privacy) I got the Moon, Justice and The High Priestess in that order. What does this mean? Could it have something to do with A***** and I?


A. Having worked with you before, I know you get it about predictions. You are exactly right in the way you approached your question and the way you are keeping an open mind is excellent! That always gives the best reading. 


You didn't say what card spread (how the cards are placed on the table) you were using. Each position in the layout has a symbolic meaning, in addition to the symbolism of the card itself. Without knowing that, we are missing some good context-clues about what the message might be for you.


Before looking at the individual cards, anyway, it helps to look at the general pattern, and the obvious thing here is that all three cards are from the major arcana portion of the deck. This can be a hint that there are big lessons, big changes or big energy of some kind moving through life for you. You might be on the edge of an adventure, if not literally, then mentally and emotionally.


When you look at cards individually, the best place to start is the card's "meaning" then add on any intuition you might get about the card. To find the meaning, a good place to start is the book or guide that came with the Tarot deck itself when you bought it. If you don't have that, there are several really good books. The best way to choose the right reference for you is simply browse through them whenever you get a chance, and see which one "speaks" to you or seems to really seem to be the most on target for how you see the world. 


I never quite found the perfect book, that's why I'm writing the "modern oracle" books I told you about...the one telling how to do readings for yourself and the other with my take on the card meanings.  It seems like there are no in-between books for people learning to read cards...either they are too basic (like the ones that often come with card decks) and more advanced books, like the "Animal Wise Tarot" by Ted Andrews that I've been using lately (I'm pretty sure its available on www.dragonhawkpublishing.com if you are interested). ANYWAY....


(The following sections have been edited to protect privacy...what you see is a generalized version)


The moon has to do with spiritual journeys, internal learning, intuition...that sort of thing. Basically that means that no matter how things turn out for you and A*****, in the long run it will prove to be an important lesson. You will learn and grow just from the experience of this time.


At first glimpse, you might think "justice" is that law-and-order, book 'em danno kind of justice. At the heart of it, it really is more about wisdom. This is both an advice and a validation kind of message. Use your wisdom with A*****. If you are steady, supportive, loving, compassionate and wise toward him during all this, he'll notice. This card underscores that positive loving feeling from earlier. It feels like he is giving his soul-level or etheric-level permission for me to tell you that. More than just advice, there is a reassurance here that you have what it takes...you really do have the wisdom and patience to be there for him in the way he needs right now.


The High Priestess is "mystery". I don't think that traditional meaning applies here, not directly. It is more a reminder of discretion as the better part of valor...it is a reminder that not all love is "out there". You don't have to tell all of your friends or announce yourselves from the rooftops. I think this card is asking you to let things unfold naturally, don't push, and give yourselves the time and privacy he (and maybe you too) might need for good things to happen. 


I usually wrap things up with any general intuitive feelings or impressions that come through, whether they are related to the cards or not. Since the reading is originally yours, I'm not getting anything in that respect. What I suggest is that you pull those cards again, and just look at them quietly, then do an inventory of what you feel. Are there any mental images, words, sounds, sensations, memories...anything...that comes to mind to give you any additional clues to what the reading's message for you might be.


That's all I can help with at this point...to carry the reading any further is up to you. Given the amount of time that has elapsed between the reading and now, what I would suggest is a "one card daily meditation" type of reading for you...


Pull another card, but this time keep you and A***** clearly in mind, but stay open. Let it show you whatever you need to know with regard to the two of you. Look up the meaning of the card in a few places, then try the restful meditation/review of feelings that we just talked about.


Good luck and best wishes to both of you!


Ronda


www.ModernOracleTarot.com


www.RondaSnow.com

Q&A: Should I Call My Ex-boyfriend?

Q. 


I ran into my ex-boyfriend. He said he would call me because he wants to be friends again, but isn't interested in dating. I still care about him, so it would be nice, but I know that just being friends would never be enough for me and I could get hurt again. Should I call him and stay in contact, or should I just end things now?


A.


Good question. You are definitely on the right track in the way you are thinking. You can't control what he'll do or how he will feel or react...all you can do is decide whether to call him or not.


The key to solving these kinds of problems most of the time is asking the right question, with or without tarot cards. Right now the key question is who is calling who...


If he calls you, like you said in the first part of your question, then you don't have to decide anything now. You can wait for that call, and when it happens, you can use that conversation to make the decision at that time. Listen to his voice, listen to what you both say, but most important of all, listen to your heart and your feelings as the call goes on. If you are open to following what you know "deep down" and what you "feel in your bones", then you will know just exactly what you need to do. You might even know that now, no call necessary.


If he doesn't call you as promised, well, that gives you a pretty clear answer too. All you have to do is decide how long you are willing to wait for the call to come - or not come - as the case may be.


The most important question is why...why would you call him? Why would you be the one to pursue this? You already know that keeping on as just friends isn't acceptable to you. You already know that a romantic relationship isn't acceptable to him (or you wouldn't have broken up in the first place). If he doesn't want romance and you don't want friends, what is left?


Another question: Is calling him a healing thing or false hope? Has anything really changed since the breakup? If you put your energy into calling him, doesn't that take you away from a path of healing and of finding someone who is interested in romance? Doesn't that keep you from meeting someone new?


Tarot cards are just a tool to help us reach our intuition and inner wisdom. For you, I think "creative visualization" meditation would be a better tool for this job...would you like to give that a try?


To do this, just make some time where you can be alone without being interrupted. You can set a mood with music, candles, incense...whatever feels right and special and powerful to you. Sit comfortably. It can be in a chair, or on the floor. Be comfortable enough to sit for a little bit, but not lying down or so comfortable that you fall asleep!


Once you are set, take a few deep breaths. Work your way up from your feet, and just think about each body part...just a little check to make sure you are letting each part relax. Then take another deep breath.


Imagine him calling you. Imagine what the conversation would probably be like...NOT what you HOPE or WISH it would be like, imagine what you expect it would REALLY be based on what you know about Ryan and the times you've talked before. Imagine how you think your relationship would be after that call. Imagine that relationship and how you think it would go over time. Imagine how you think it would end up this time. Just follow your imagination to where ever the story ends, naturally. Don't force it one way or another...just follow the thoughts.


When that seems to wrap up, take another deep breath and check in with all of your body parts. Is there any muscle tension? If so relax it, just take note of the stress...is your body trying to tell you something?


After another deep breath, imagine what it would be like for you to call him. Then do the same thing...imagine how the call would go if you started it. Imagine how things would be between the two of you after that, and follow that imaginary path to its conclusion.


Then repeat your inventory. Any stress or tension now? Once a gain relax, take a deep breath.


Now imagine how things would be if you stopped right now...imagine if the two of you never spoke again. What would your life be like then? How do you feel about that option? Is it a tragedy all it's own, or is it the beginning of healing? Is it a loss, or an opportunity for something new and better? How would your life go if you and Ryan never spoke? Follow that train of thought to its natural end.


Now, very gently, very slowly start to move around again. Let your logical mind kick in a little bit. Of those three paths, which was the most loving, most compassionate one for the two of you? What felt best to you? Which do you think is most logically likely to happen?


Tarot cards, runes, tea leaves, "psychic" dold readings, meditation...all of them are just different roads to the same place. All of this sort of thing is just a way to find the inner wisdom you already have, and the find the deep-down answers you already know.


Best wishes to you!


http://www.modernoracletarot.com

Profound Strength

The strength card is about strength of character and integrity, not about brute strenth or power over others. Like Craig Ferguson sung about "Dr. Who"...it is about "intellect and romance over brute force and cynicism"


I was watching the President's speech to AIPAC yesterday (Sunday) and the summary contained my new favorite quote...one that resonates quite a bit with the Strength card, and with integrity in general. It is a beautifully poetic expression of a deep and well-known truth. This is the kind of deep intellectual and emotional authenticity to which I aspire, and hope we all as a country and culture can value.


"... if you want to know where my heart lies, look no further than what I have done..."   


~Barak Obama

Money, Romance and Stress

Q. Thanks for your last reading, it really helped. Since then, I've found someone new. ****** is great, and we are really happy together. Now I want to know about money. Finances and school have been a huge stress for me lately. Do you see any calmness coming my way? What can I do to deal with all of this stress?

A. Hi ***

I'm so happy to hear about you and *******. My first instinct is to say treasure that, and put your energy into that. If you have a happy loving supportive relationship, you can cope with all the rest. What would pay for a relationship like that?...it's priceless! So finances and school stress take a back seat to love and relationships sometimes. The important thing is don't let the school and financial stresses put stress on the relationship. Don't let the other bad things corrupt the good thing...give your energy to the relationship, not the stress. Focus on the loving good things and take refuge in that to let you cope with the other stuff and keep it at bay.

But all of that is easier said than done. Another thing that springs to mind, even before picking up the cards, is to work on calming your nerves and dealing with the stress rather than worry about what is coming down the road. More often than not, that's what stress IS, worrying about things that might or might not happen, rather than paying attention to what you have right here, right now. Look at the good things you have now, like ******. Are you familiar with aromatherapy? A blend of lavender and roman chamomile with a drop of sandalwood in a lotion comes to mind. My hunch is that it would be more effective in a body lotion rather than a room scent for you. If you make your own, use good quality oils, 12 drops chamomile, 10 drops lavender, 1or 2 drops sandalwood in 2 oz of whatever unscented oil or lotion you like. Apply it whenever you feel stressed, or at the very least, rub some on your hands, and inhale the scent deeply when you are feeling stressed.

That being said, you probably remember from our other readings that tarot doesn't predict a single thing....so can I see calmness heading your way? No...tarot doesn't see the future, it helps you create it.

So I'm looking at this as a "pathway to happiness" reading, NOT a looking at what is coming.

First, in the general pattern, we start with minor arcana cards then move to a major arcana card. The suggestion there is act now...manage things now to prevent bigger problems later, or at the very least, prepare for what may come in the future. My feeling is that this is a crossroads. Choose your priorities (cherish and take care of things with Angel, don't get so caught up in money stress that it damages things there). Choose well, act wisely, and you can prevent problems later.

The first card is the page of swords. It traditionally means faith. Sometimes I also associate it with trust. Being in the "lessons from the past" position, my instinct is to ask if there is someone you trust to give you advice about the finances. In my mind's eye I see an older man, with white hair. The hair could be literal or just symbolic. But it is something to think about. If you get guidance and make a plan about what to do with school and money, and plan for the various outcomes that are causing you stress, then they won't seem as stressful anymore.

The "lesson now" is the 4 of wands meaning a strong foundation. This card is more cautioning than the advice of the last card. This seems to say 'rely on your foundation' 'go with what you know'. Now may not be a good time for risk or searching the unknown.

This may seem like a paradox compared to the final card, the High Priestess. Traditionally, this card is read as "mystery" or "mysteries of the universe". I get the feeling that learning to see hidden meanings may help you move forward. If you learn to read the subtitles of a situation, that makes them feel less risky and stressful too. What is a mask, and what isn't? What is the hidden messages behind the things that worry you? What is undue worry about the future, and what is your intuition giving you a warning that something may be wrong now, or may go wrong soon if you don't act. You've learned difficult lessons about romance. Now is the time to learn cunning, wisdom about the world at large...less focus on the emotional, more focus on the "nothing personal" "it's just business" work-a-day (and sometimes very cut-throat competitive world)

As I look at this without the cards, I again get the image of you and ****** in a bubble, light, light blue, a separate thing from the other stresses.

I get the sense of protecting that through advice, logic, learning the "street smarts" of things...but not dragging that mud and dark into your place of light and love. Kind of the emotional equivalent of taking off muddy boots before you go inside the house, if that makes sense.

And there it ends.

I certainly wish you and ****** all the best, and good luck with school and everything else too!

Baihu
http://www.modern-oracle-tarot.com

(Sometimes I do readings for a volunteer online consulting site...I use the pen name "Baihu" there.)

Valentine's Day 2012 - How to Find Your Soulmate

I first wrote about "How to find your soulmate" in 2009. Soulmates, and finding that special someone is always a popular topic. Here is the latest edit - Happy Valentine's Day!

I get the question a lot. I ASKED the question a lot when I was younger and first started going to get psychic readings. I had no idea at the time that I would wind up doing readings and be asked that self-same eternal question - How Do I Find My Soulmate? After seeing the soulmate question from both sides, here are a few of the ideas that I've found to be most helpful.

My soulmate is a he, so I refere to "soulmate" in the masculine here. Gender doesn't matter. The same principles apply, either way.

• Don"t worry about time...love is one of those cosmic truths beyond time. It doesn't need, want or respond to our time schedules or expectations. "it happens in its own time" and "you can't hurry love" are both very true. So don't worry about WHEN. After you take that pressure off of yourself, and off of your soulmate out there, then that creates more energetic space for the relationship to step into.
• Why not let your soulmate find you? "Finding" hints at action, searching, seeking, struggling. "Finding" a soulmate is often counter-productive. If it is meant to be, it will happen naturally, and in the flow of things. Fighting the current, not 'going with the flow' only makes things harder. Think more in terms of a light in the darkness. If you are happy, relaxed, loving, compassionate, and being your genuine self, then you are more likely to attract your perfect mate to you. Not to sound like an e-harmony commercial, but they got that one right...you want to find someone who loves you for the real you - and the best way to have that happen is just to live fully, and honestly, and just BE your genuine self...not be someone on the prowl, hunting for a mate, like a wolf hunting for a rabbit. BE yourself, let your light shine, and if it is meant to be, your soulmate will be drawn to you. You might have heard that called the "law of similars"...like attracts like. If you are loving, you attract love. If you send out signals you are a hunter, you find preditors. If you send out signals of wanting to be with someone, then you find someone who mutually wants that too.
• Do things that you love to do. Going to bars or whatever with the sole purpose of "finding a soulmate" seldom works. Do something you love, and you might meet someone who loves that same thing and viola! you find someone where you have something in common to help you get things rolling. For me that was martial arts. I LOVE doing tai chi. So now I'm married to a certified national martial arts tournament judge. Same is true for any hobby, sport or activity you really enjoy. That vibe of enjoyment will help the attraction process.
• Love life. Be happy. Compassion, confidence and joie de vie are sexy and attractive.

If you have any questions, please e-mail them to faq@modern-oracle-tarot.com to be answered here in the blog. If you like what you read here, and would like a private reading with the author, please visit www.modern-oracle-tarot.com for details.

Romance, Relationships and the Ace of Cups

At Valentine's Day, those of us who aren't thinking of chocolate are probably thinking of romance one way or another.

  

When it comes to Valentines day and the tarot deck, most people think of "The Lovers" card from the major arcana. When you get to the layers underneath, that card is really about lust, a moment's passion and any strong desire in the abstract. It isn't about finding a real, long-lasting relationship, or about celebrating /preserving such a relationship if we have one.

There are a number of cards that relate to established relationships...cups, wands, even swords, reminding us of wisdom, and loyalty and steadfastness and compassion...the many things that impels us toward wanting a relationship beyond the initial passions of the Lover's card.

All of which begs the question: What card does lead the way to love and romance?

To my way of thinking, it is the Ace of Cups.

That isn't as much of a break with tradition as you may think. Cups cards have long been associated with water, intuition...intuition is a very helpful thing when it comes to affairs of the heart, one place where science and reason doesn't seem to apply as much. Some believe that, historically, the suite of cups in the tarot deck became the hearts suite of our modern gaming card deck because of that connection with the heart. I can't believe that it is just coincidence that "heart" is associated with generic love (I heart NY t-shirts), romance (see everything Valentine's related) AND intuition (a.k.a. "follow your heart").

Ace of Cups means "let your inner light shine". It has to do with your own inner voice, your inner knowing, your true self.

So what does that have to do with finding true love?

The best way to attract your best mate is to be your true self. Being your true self is the path to true love...not hunting, posturing, lusting or any of the other difficult lessons associated with the "Lover's" card. (Although those things can play a part in the early stages of the relationship, it may not help much in finding it in the first place).

There are old and respected spiritual principles at play here. We've all heard of it:

First there is "like attracts like" and "birds of a feather flock together". If you LIVE to show who you are, then it is easier for a truly compatible person to find you.

Second there is what some call the "Rule of Threes"...what you give to the universe returns to you threefold. What goes around, comes around...do unto others and all that. So if you wallow in loneliness and focus on what you don't have, what will or won't MAY be...then you can make yourself pretty miserable, pretty fast. Miserable attracts miserable.

If you want love an happiness in your live...then love and be happy. Only YOU can do that for yourself.  ONLY you can make you happy, if you let yourself. If you are loving and happy, you attract loving and happy. The ace of cups trumps the lovers and you win. Easier said than done, it's true, but simple just the same.

I wouldn't blog if I didn't really think it, and I believe it because I've lived it.

The best example I can give you is my own. In my 20s I was working hard being the "good" person that I was always taught was a "good" person...working hard at a social-service kind of job, going the extra mile at church, even serving as a council member and liturgical deacon at one point. I handbell choir, cooked, danced, cleaned and did all the things I was supposed to do to be what I was supposed to be...but what I wound up being was cheated on, alone , bone-crushingly lonely, and miserable.

Be it luck, destiny, or divine intervention, I began to see another way and CHOSE to walk another path.  I the religion that I found to be empty and un-helpful, started on a spiritual path that made sense and helped me be happy. I got a new job that still served, but was more secular / scientific about it, and started studying Chinese martial arts, taoist philosophy, read about Buddhism, and started to do the things that I loved, being who I really was, and focused on building a good life for myself. 

Then I met my soulmate, the light and love of my life, the one who matters most...my husband Jon...in Kung Fu class. Who would've thought. Then came our daughter, and the time to blog, and the rest, as they say, is history.

So this Valentine's week, my best advice to everyone...in a romantic relationship or not....is simply this: Love Life, and it will love you back. Someone else just might love you back too.

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Soulmates and Psychics, Love and Destiny

Q. My problem is that i want to forget some of the predictions psychics have given me (i used to ask a lot). I know you would say the future is unpredictable. But some predictions did come true. That's why i am so sad, because not all of the predictions were so positive(about love) I'm not sure if they were really gifted psychics or not.
I want to know if, maybe,  i have the ability to make my love life the way i want it? I know relationships depend on both partners--so does that mean that i'll probably not have the relationship turn out the way I want? (well i am not saying that i am selfish, i 'll take care of my partner too) I want to make a right choice for my future husband...can i really do this?
one psychic even told me that i have destroyed all positive things in my destiny because i asked too many questions about the future.


Please just give me some advice about how to cope with all this. Thank you.




A. You are living proof of why I believe predictions are not just impossible, but HARMFUL.


Sometimes so-called predictions catch a glimpse of what is probable and seem to come true just through probabilities, math, and logical insight. My guess is that through the things you said (or subtle body-language clues if it was an in-person reading) the psychic could see the path you were on, and how your mind was already set, and just confirmed the decisions you had already made. Predictions that say the most likely thing to happen - the most probable outcome - often do come true by means of pure statistics.


Other times, predictions come true through "self-fulfilling prophecy". By planting an idea in your head, by convincing you that a particular outcome is inevitable, a "prediction" causes you to either consciously give in or unconsciously act to cause the "prediction" to come true.


Romance questions are tricky at best, because it involves two people. We have no right to look at your potential future partner's feelings, choices and concerns without their permission. Like I tell everyone...think of how it would feel to have the shoe on the other foot. How would you feel if some psychic that you don't know anything about went rummaging around in your mind and heart for what YOU were going to do or how YOU felt about someone? It is a c creepy, and very violating to think about. I won't do it. I have a hard time respecting anyone who says they can and will do that kind of reading. One of my teachers did tell me about "etheric permission"...the significant other can give permission to participate in the reading, and volunteer to share their feelings on a etheric or soul-level, even if they don't give actual physical permission. While I have had that happen on some very very rare occasions...I will never never ever read a person that hasn't given permission, and will only trust that "etheric permission" if it is extremely crystal-clear.


That being said, there are some very real things YOU can do to help you find the right path to the right person. I've written a couple of pretty long blog posts about it. I won't re-copy all that here, but you can read it free on www.ModernOracleTarot.com. Just click the links on the right hand side of the page under the "extras" section.


What that one psychic said about your destiny and questions about the future is kind of true on one level...but absolutely ridiculous nonsense on another. Let me explain...


Relying too much on psychic predictions is a terrible idea. You can't grow, learn, or take control over your own life. By giving your personal power and decision-making over to someone else sets you on a path to learn some very difficult and very important life lessons...and learn them the hard way. So in that sense, asking for predictions and taking them to heart really does suck the life right out everything and it may SEEM  that you have "destroyed all positive things". BUT what they didn't tell you is you can restore your destiny...you can CHANGE, you can LEARN, you can START making better choices, you can STOP relying on "predictions", and even get readings less often. Ted Andrews, whose writings I totally, totally respect and recommend, suggests only getting readings once or twice a year, or better still only when really needed. 


I make no predictions...but my advice is to read those posts, and use the tools there to take matters into your own hand...and your own heart. The best way to attract love is to give love. To find a loving person, be a loving person. 


Let your light shine. Only YOU can make you happy...not a husband, not a lover, and certainly not a psychic.

Romance Reading Q&A

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Romance Reading: Relationship With a Married Man


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Daily Meditation Tarot Reading - 2 of Swords

Two of Swords: The over-guarded heart is starved and isolated...not protected. Emotion, good and bad, is part of the human experience.






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Romance Reading: The Lovers and The Magician

Q:  I met a man who seemed to be all anyone could want...a little older, financially stable, professional, interested in me. But he could be pushy, too, and he pushed me to go on a vacation together, his treat. Turns out he is a horrible gambler. The whole trip was a disaster...shocking. I keep attracting men like this, and after this experience I wonder if I will ever have a good relationship. I had a career reading with you last year, and liked the way you look at things. Can you give any insight to the romance side of things?

A:  

I think you are right...this experience was shocking, but it got your attention. It helped you see a pattern, and to realize you want something different. As traumatizing as it was in the short term...in the big picture this may actually be a valuable experience.

There are two tarot cards that are exquisitely applicable to your situation: The Lovers and The Magician.

They are both major arcana cards...which speaks to the power and importance of the things your are thinking about.

The Lovers symbolizes desire, and The Magician represents transformation and manifestation.

Your experience with this man, and the way it felt inevitable, shows it is an important and powerful lesson: it shows you that what is deep down matters more than the initial outward appearance...and that the deep down important stuff is what matters to you. Now you know. This will give you a wonderful contrast...the shadow to show you what you want to bring to light.

You know, now, what you DON'T want to repeat...the next step is to define in your mind, very clearly, what you DO want in a relationship...what you do want in your relationships an in your life. The feeling I got reading the first part of your story is that your connection with this man grew out of expectations...your hope for a relationship and what other people define as a good prospect...stable, professional etc etc. That doesn't, as we see here, necessarily bring the intangible, subtle good things, like respect, caring, compassion, empathy....all those things that are REALLY important.

When I was younger, I saw a psychic, also wondering if I would ever be with anyone. She gave me an exercise...I may have mentioned this last time...that proved to be pure gold. Even if you've done this before...try again, start the exercise over, using your new insights and perspectives gained from the trip to vegas...

Make a list of all the things you want in a partner. What kind of relationship do you want? Marriage? Companionship? List every detail, literally, on paper. LIst physical things, interests, personality traits...anything, everything. Don't put negatives...don't say "not a gambler" put "enjoys ___________" That part is very important...the energy of the "not" might actually draw the undesirable trait to you rather than block it. Always list ONLY the things you WANT in a positive way.

Then release the list. Put it away, or, if you are inclined to such things, burn it in a respectful ritual of some sort. Whenever you feel the impulse, send a thought to the universe. Pray it...however it feels most powerful to you....not the whole list, just the feeling of desire for "the best of the list" or "husband for the highest and best"...something like that. Send the cry from your heart to the heart of outer space...then let go and trust the universe to guide you to the right path.

There are no time limits. There may be more things to learn along the way...but if you ask for the path to the best, you will find that journey, no matter how long it takes to get to the destination.

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Today's Tarot - The Lovers

Unclear desire is like an unfixed compass.

You've heard that art imitates life. Remember Jack Sparrow's compass from the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies? That is art imitating life in an esoteric way.

If you don't have a clear idea of what you want or need, then it is hard to go find it.

The same is true, to some extent of the 'moral compass'. If you don't have some idea of what is right or wrong for you, or to cause no harm,  then the compass spins and we feel lost, even unloved.

The Lovers are a major arcana card for a reason. Desire contributes to what we attract into our lives. If we desire true love, like attracts like.  If we focus on superficial things, we surround ourselves with a shell. If we navigate by compassion, we find compassionate seas.

Deciding what you desire is the first step in first step toward finding it.

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Today's Tarot - 2 of cups

Two of Cups: Loving relationships are built of two wholes joined, not two halves cobbled together.


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Today's Tarot -

The World card is a hopeful, encouraging end to the major arcana. It speaks of career success, happiness, love, abundance. It hints at an ability to touch infinity, and draw what we need into our lives in an insightful, productive way.


This card is part of the major arcana because it also carries some potent reminders about success. Sometimes there are costs, balances that must be struck. Sometimes that balance is carried on the back of perception. Success comes and goes in an eyeblink when we shift our perception of our life and of the world around us.


The World card can remind us that success doesn't have to be huge or immediate in order to be valid, valuable, and enduring.


May you touch infinity and abundance.








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