2   3   1

Position 1
Main gift or opportunity this month. Ace of Swords.

Position 2
Main challenge this month.
Sun

Position 3
Advise.
Queen of Swords.

At first glance I would say that May is going to be active and volatile.
Next I would add that there is potential for growth and success, but it will require change and letting go of something.

This May I have the gift of clarity in thoughts and in communication. It is therefore a great time to assert my self and my vision and to clarify any misunderstanding. Writing and advertising is more effective than usual.

The main challenge is represented by the Sun, one of the most positive cards in the deck.
The Sun, Major Arcana 19 . 1+9 = 10  1+0= 1

So we have a one of Air as gift and a one of fire as the challenge.
They are both active and indicative of new beginnings, but the one of the Sun comes through a 10 indicating the end of a cycle. Also, the Ace of sword is about clear detached thinking.
The one of Fire is full of enthusiasm and passion.

The challenge this May could come from success and fast growth which will require adjustments and letting go of something I have outgrown but that I like.
This month may be intense, with lots going on and with some experience out of my comfort zone.

Something else that strikes me is how young, bright, warm and naive the child on the horse looks. Even more when compared to the sword coming out of the water and the stiff queen of swords. She is turned away from him.

The advice to me is to act like the Queen of Swords would. This may mean rising above my emotions . The child in the Sun card is an idealist, but the Queen of air lives in the real world. She is fair and honest, but she is not soft. She will do what she knows is best and practical.

One final thought. This month I may be able to get an important point across with one of my kids. The challenge would be to see the disappointment in his or her eyes, but the advice would be to do it anyway. I guess some kind of sad but important and fair reality check.

Practical advice from this realm and beyond.

ISBN 978-1-59921-993-6

I have read this book because I love Tarot and because I like to get a glimpse in the life of fellow Tarot readers. I like to find out if they embraced their path quickly or if they were reluctant. I like to see if we share interpretations and reading style.

I enjoyed the book. Stern has a good sense of humor and she is good at explaining difficult concepts in simple words.

The book works with the Major Arcana only. Stern does not deal with the Minor (the other 56 cards in the deck) at all.
She goes through the 22 Major one by one, following what is commonly known as the Fool’s path. Essentially the Fool is the soul at the beginning of his journey in life and each Major card represents a major lesson or experience.

Stern explains the experience represented by each card and gives practical  examples by relating moments from the lives of people she has read for. I do not agree with each interpretation, but I found them all  interesting. The stories are sometimes funny and sometimes sad and they usually fit well with the energy of the card explained .

Normally Tarot readers are very respectful of the privacy of their clients, so I truly hope Ms. Stern asked for their permission before sharing their experiences with the readers.

Before starting to write my humble opinion of the book I did a small search to see what was already out there. I was surprised by some of the very nasty reviews.
One of the big complaints out there was that Stern explanation of the origin of the Tarot was not accurate. It did not bother me.

On page xiv Stern writes:
Confession of a Tarot Reader is not a how-to book for would -be tarot card readers, but rather a summary of knowledge I have gleaned over my long career reading cards.
My insights and observations will show you the pitfalls of your actions-and, more important, the uncanny simplicity of finding the right answer-as well as how to recover from the cycle of hurtful habits.

Keeping that in mind I find the book clever, informative and entertaining.

Hi. This is a question I get asked often over the phone, therefore I think  it is a good one to address here.

Tarot and Numerology compliment each other because they both offer valuable guidance but in different manners. If you can afford it I would suggest you get both readings.

What though if you have to chose just one?
I suggest you get clear on what you hope to find out through the reading.

Let me help you with a few examples of Q (question) and A (answer).

Q. I am looking for a career change, but I don’t know what field is the right for me.

A. Both Tarot and Numerology are good options here. A Numerology Personality Profile could      help by showing you what you are good at, as well as what you need to be happy. It could      show you your talents and your weaknesses. Where you thrive and what drains you.

If you are considering two or three fields a Tarot reading could be very helpful. It could help     you identify the pro and cons of each options as well as the short term future of each.

Q. I am not sure what I want to do when I grow up and so I am having a hard time to decide a       course of study.

A. Is the same as above (for the career).

Q. I seem to be unable to find love. Would you suggest a Tarot or a Numerology reading?

A. They can both be useful in different ways. Let me explain how.
I believe we need to love and accept ourselves first . If we don’t, we will sabotage ourselves
and our chances to attract and sustain a happy relationship.
Knowledge is power, therefore a Personality Profile can help greatly by helping you             understand yourself better, warts and all.

I have also come up with a Tarot spread I love to use for this purpose. It will give you clear            insights to how you function in relationships. It can show you how your past experience in             love is influencing your present. What you do that helps you attract the right  mate as well as          how you sabotage yourself. It is a great spread . My clients have found it very  helpful.

Q. I am having trouble in my current relationship. What can I do?

A. A Tarot reading is likely the best choice. Numerology could help also if you are willing to             order a Personality profile for yourself and one for your partner and then spend the necessary         time to compare them. A Tarot reading would be the most direct and cheaper route to go.
Q. I do not have specific questions or problems. I am just curious and I would like to have an             idea of what is coming up in my future. What do you think I should have? Tarot or                   Numerology?

A. With a Numerology Personality Profile you would get your Life path ( a general idea of the             opportunities and challenges you will encounter in this life.) Your Expression Number ( your         targets in life.) Your Karmic lessons. The four main Challenges you will work with in this              life time .The Four Pinnacles, which represent four cycles in your Life Path where you deal            with specific issues.

With a Numerology Year Forecast you get general information for the next two years and in            more details for the next twelve months. You get the four Pinnacles and the four Cycles in             your life.

With a General Tarot Reading you get to take an overview of your life now. We address your
Focus, plus two specific areas of your life. For many that would be Love and Work . We take a
look at the cards considering past influences, present situation and future(within 6 to 9                months). We consider the course of action that the Tarot would suggest for you and see how          it compares to your personal approach.

Q. I have a job, but I am considering taking a position with an other company.

A. A Tarot reading is clearly the best choice here.

Q. I am interested in two guys. Which one would make me happier?

A. A Tarot reading would be the easier and cheaper way to answer the question.

I hope this helps you decide.

Whenever I buy a new deck I restrict it to my personal use for a while. I want to get familiar with it, develop a bond.

I have come to realize that the Druid Craft deck speaks to me quite differently than other decks. Some of the images in the cards are very different from the R.W.S. and the 7 of Swords is a good example.

The man in the R.W.S.  is walking away from a village in his tippy toes. He carries 5 swords in a way that in real life would most likely cause him some  nasty wounds. His eyes also seem closed to me.
I usually get a message of sneaking around, hiding things because he does not want to face the objections of others to his actions or decisions. This behavior often backfire, as the actions are discovered and the two swords left behind are used against him. Swords are usually about thoughts and communication. Often , the hidden actions are discovered and the person  has to face the angry people who are affected by them and who would not have agreed to the conditions in the first place.

The feeling I get from the image of the 7 of swords in the Druid Craft is totally different.
Here we have an old man, hopefully indicating wisdom, busy writing something.
The expression in his face suggests to me he is not doing it lightly. The fact that it is night makes me think he has been pondering over it for quite some time.

As it happened, this card came up for me yesterday. I had been thinking to address a matter in writing for a couple of days. I had not done it yet, because it was a delicate matter. The Ace of Sword came up in the same reading, telling me in no uncertain words that it was time to speak up.
As I was looking at the image I also noticed the way the swords are resting in an intricate pattern, which made perfect sense to me as it related well to the situation I was dealing with.

To sum it all up, I am finding the Druid Craft deck a very reliable one. The images have a way to reflect well my day to day life. It also confirms my belief that it is a good idea to use several decks, as in this case this card fitted the situation so much better that the same card in the other deck could. I have offered my clients several choices of decks for a while now and after this experience I know it is a practice I want to continue.

My Question:

“What does January 2012 has in store for me?

Position 2   Position 3   Position 1

Position 1
Main gift 4 of Swords (A)

Position 2
Main challenge 9 of cups (W)

Position 3
Advice or best course of action. Page of swords (A)

The first thought to come to my mind is “May I return the gift?”

I am using the lovely Anna K Tarot deck.

The 4 of Swords
shows two women in a dark bedroom. Through the window we can see snow. The younger woman in bed is clearly sick and distressed. The older lady sits besides her to provide her with any comfort she can. Two swords are behind the head of the sick lady, one is to her right and one barely visible is at the feet of the bed.

This is obviously a dark, sad card. What kind of gift can it represent?

Will I be grateful to have someone at my side in my time of need?
Or
I will be thankful to be able to be there for a loved one when he or she will need me most?

9 of Cups
A jubilant young couple is shown dancing while a crowd of happy, loving people cheer them on.
This is a happy scene, but the card is positioned in the main challenge for the month. It also follows the sad 4 of swords as a gift.
Perhaps it will be very hard for me to be truly happy and  celebrate an important occasion while experiencing sadness at the same time.
Page of Swords
A young person prepares to do battle with some kind of scarecrow armed with a sword and a shield.

I could interpret this card in two different ways.

A) Practice makes perfect. Rehearse my response will help me face the obstacle better when the time will come.

B) Being aggressive and negative all the time is a waste of energy.

How do I sum up this reading?

Perhaps January will bring me joy and sadness at the same time.

Living in the moment may be hard, but the best thing to do. Face the sadness and be there for whoever may need me. Truly be happy and grateful for joy when it makes an appearance.

Being happy is not a betrayal to whoever I am sad for. Life is a wheel constantly turning. Celebrating happiness is even more important when we are aware of how fleeting it can be.

(A) = air, (W) = water, (F) = fire, (E)  = earth.