Citrine is known as the money stone. Continue reading “November Crystal of the Month – Citrine”
Black Tourmaline transmutes negative energy into positive, Continue reading “October Crystal of the Month – Black Tourmaline”
Carnelian is a stone of courage and vitality. Continue reading “September Crystal of the Month – Carnelian”
Blue Lace Agate
A translucent, banded quartz, Chalcedony of wavy white and light blue bands. Continue reading “June Crystal of the Month – Blue Lace Agate”
Emerald is Green Beryl.
The stone of successful love.
Emeralds open the heart chakra to receive love in all aspects of life. Let go of negativity and create positive outcomes. Emeralds help us to find strength. A favorite gem since ancient days in Egypt, it was also sacred to the Aztec and Inca. Emeralds are associated with detoxing the body.
Crystal art journal by Kristen Nereis
Dark green with red hematite inclusions.
Bloodstone is used to ground out negative energy and remove blockages. It can increase strength and energy to combat fatigue. Bloodstone enhances the functions of the mind and boosts creativity.
Called Heliotrope by the ancient Greeks, this stone was thought to reflect the setting sun dropping into the ocean. This connects it to the Greek God Helios.
Pliny the Elder called it a stone of invisibility.
Crystal art journal by Kristen Nereis
Q: What are card rumors and misconceptions I should avoid?
A: Don’t fall into the trap of accessing popular modern dogma to your tarot readings. Just because they used a specific card attribute in a movie doesn’t mean that they got it right.
Upright vs Reversed: Generally is what it is… for example if the upright card means you should jump into this new venture with both feet, the revered may mean don’t count your ducks before they have hatched. Not all tarot card readers read reversed cards differently.
Death means someone will die!!!! No, no that is not what that card means… Yes, it does mean the end of something, but mortal death is rarely what it is alluding to. Upright can be there is a clear ending to a situation while reversed tends to mean that you are at a crossroads and need to make a decision.
The Lovers- bow-chicha-bow-wow! No, stop that… The Lovers appearing for you does not mean a new partner, blah blah blah. What it most likely means is that there is some sort of duality and the cooperation is needed to help.
Oh crap it’s The Devil!!! Yes, there is cause for alarm with this card, no you are not going to Hell. Well, even if you are, I’m not qualified to judge you. Upright this card may mean frustration with a situation. You have the means to free yourself if you are willing to do the work. Reversed can mean you need to look more internally than externally to figure out what is boxing you in.
This Two Minute Tarot was originally presented by April Kane for White Oak Grove CUUPS August 4, 2019. ©2019 April Kane
Aquamarine is Blue Beryl, a stone with flowing, soothing, and compassionate energy. It’s name means “water of the sea” in latin.
Boost courage and ease communication skills. Release anger and make positive changes in your life by using aquamarine. Embrace change and reduce tension, ease grief.
Place aquamarine beneath your pillow to aid with sleep.
Use in deep meditation to connect with spirit guides.
Crystal art journal by Kristen Nereis
Q: How do I know what the cards are trying to say. Is there a guide I can use to know what they mean in general until I am more comfortable with them?
A: There are general concepts that equate to specific cards. Most importantly though, listen to your intuition and look for patterns in your readings. If you get drawn specific cards repeatedly when asking the same sort of questions, you may have your own associations that differ from these.
Ace cards tend to key into timing:
- Wands: Autumn
- Cups: Summer
- Swords: Winter
- Pentacles:Spring
Minor Numbers:
- One: Beginnings
- Two: Duality
- Three: Self expression/ Communication
- Four: Clarity, elements/directions/seasons
- Five: instability, change
- Six: Service, compassion
- Seven: solitude, soul searching
- Eight: abundance, influence
- Nine: Wisdom through experience
- Ten: Ending and Beginning
This Two Minute Tarot was originally presented by April Kane for White Oak Grove CUUPS August 4, 2019. ©2019 April Kane
A form of quartz, amethyst is a bringer of intense spiritual growth. Strong healer of addiction. Quiet the negative mind, and clear negative energy. Connect with spirit.
A stone associated with the Greek God Dionysus, it was said that amethyst got it’s color from tears and wine spilled out of Dionysus’ cup. Ancient Greeks and Romans believed that you would not get drunk if drinking from a goblet made of Amethyst.
Crystal art journal by Kristen Nereis
Q: What do the different suits of my tarot deck mean?
A: In short, Staves/Rods/Wands equate to topics dealing with inspiration, creativity, tasks, goals, beginnings, growth. They are associated with the element and astrological signs of FIRE. Cups/Chalice are generally equated with emotions, relationships, feelings, desires, emotions, internal. They are associated with the element and astrological signs of WATER. Swords are the tool of reason, truths, observations, actions, struggles, intellect. They are associated with the element and astrological signs of AIR. Finally Coins/Pentacles tend to refer to material goods, home life, career, manifestations. They are associated with the element and astrological signs of EARTH.
This Two Minute Tarot was originally presented by April Kane for White Oak Grove CUUPS August 4, 2019. ©2019 April Kane
Earth and subtle, Garnet supports the Chi.
A protective talisman against negative energy garnet is a stone of romantic love. Linked with the heart chakra, the deep red color brings and intensity to love, Used in jewelry for protection since ancient Greece & Rome. Garnet has a deep and lasting energy, and brings passion that burns slow and steady.
Garnet comes from the latin word for pomegranate.
Crystal art journal by Kristen Nereis
Q: What is the difference between the tarot cards with numbers, and the cards named for people?
A: There are generally 78 cards in a tarot deck; and I say generally because some decks are only the Major Arcana or sometimes liberal with a few additional cards. The tarot deck is broken down into Major and Minor Arcana. There are 22 Major Arcana cards (usually numbered 0-21) and 56 Minor Arcana cards which are spread over 4 different suits Ace through 10, and Page, Knight, Queen, and King. The most common used are Staves (or Wands), Cups, Swords, Coins (or Pentacles).
Think of the Major Arcana as major happenings, milestones, events, and energy that one can use or call upon. The Minor Arcana can be viewed as smaller (daily) happenings, details, or events. The Minor lends insight into the steps needed to reach goals or changes that need to be made.
You can do a tarot reading with just the Major Arcana, but most will not do one with only the Minor Arcana. The Major helps to clue you into the large events that may be supported by the Minor.
This Two Minute Tarot was originally presented by April Kane for White Oak Grove CUUPS August 4, 2019. ©2019 April Kane
Q: Now that I have a Tarot Deck, what should I do with it?
A: Once you have your deck, now you need to get familiar with it. Remember that it is helpful to learn about your deck and look at the cards before you jump in and start reading for your friends. Do your homework!!!
My favorite way to do homework is this:
Take your new tarot deck, the book that came with it, a writing utensil, and paper…
You are going to start with the Major Arcana. If you are not familiar with what that is- your book will have it labeled. They are the cards that are not part of the 4 suits that your deck utilizes.
Locate the first card in the book and locate that card in your deck.
- How does the book describe the meaning of that card? Do you agree or disagree?
- Take a few minutes to think on its imagery. What do you see?
- What is happening in the picture and why?
- How would you interpret this card?
Write down your conclusions on paper. Now move onto the next card.
Work through at least the Major Arcana. Even if you have read tarot for decades, this process is helpful especially for decks that don’t follow the typical symbols or imagery you may be familiar with. It is also a great tool at handling your deck and getting it familiar to you.
Beyond this task, a daily card pull and study can be helpful as well. You can ask, What do I need to know today? or What do I need to focus on today? Pull your card and reason out what the card is telling you and why. It is helpful to write this down you may need that information later in your day and not necessarily when you pull your card.
This Two Minute Tarot was originally presented by April Kane for White Oak Grove CUUPS August 4, 2019. ©2019 April Kane
Q: Where did Tarot come from?
A: There is no agreed upon date when tarot cards as we know them came into existence. There is a theory that the origins came into being in the late 14th century with cards used in a game where they person would need to make a poetic story from the cards dealt. It is also around the same time and elsewhere in the world that playing cards depicting royalty were made using the four suits of staves, coins, cups, and swords instead of what would become hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades.
We jump a few centuries to the late 18th and the cards have become more widespread and there is a written work created by Antoine Court de Gébelin. He wrote on an analysis of tarot (and many other things throughout the wold in his nine volumes) and attributed their being stemming from a holy book that came from Egypt and appeared in Europe thanks to Gypsies. Despite his baseless conclusions, the Europeans ate up every word of the mystical tarot.
Ten years later Jean-Baptiste Alliette, a known French Occultist released the first tarot deck that was specifically made for divination and wrote a book on how to use the cards as a divining tool.
Moving into the Victorian age, near every well to do family had a tarot deck due to the explosion into mysticism and the afterlife. Most house parties had entertainment that included a séance, tarot, tea leaf, or palm readings.
The most recognizable tarot deck- the Rider-Waite Tarot was first published in 1909. Arthur Waite worked with artist Pamela Colman-Smith to create the infamous deck. Over 100 years later, it is still one of the most recognizable decks and the one that most people use for imagery and symbolism references.
This Two Minute Tarot was originally presented by April Kane for White Oak Grove CUUPS August 4, 2019. ©2019 April Kane
Q: How do I learn to read Tarot Cards?
A: Learning to read the tarot can include going off of the symbology of the cards and what you interpret them to mean, memorizing the book that comes with your tarot deck (everyone seems to have their own opinion with overarching similarities), journaling a daily diary with a meditation on the card and what impressions you get from it, reading books on tarot, taking classes on tarot (paid and free versions are available all over the internet), or diving in through dabbling.
Whatever method you have for your knowledge, tarot in many ways is very subjective. There is an overarching similarity in themes of cards, ie. The World, Death, numerical symbology, etc. however it is up to the reader with the impressions they are receiving with the reading that will likely influence how a card is or is not read. Also, it is the knowledge of the reader that _____ card means _____ that governs what is interpreted. Not all decks are created equally if you only go off of the words of the deck author.
Trust your instincts with the cards and know that there is no “one way” to make tarot work for you. Go forth and TAROT!
This Two Minute Tarot was originally presented by April Kane for White Oak Grove CUUPS August 4, 2019. ©2019 April Kane
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a shrine and an altar? In a previous White Oak Grove discussion, we talked about the differences, and saw a few contrasting examples for different paths and purposes.
White Oak Grove CUUPS 