Sasha Graham's Blog, page 6

The High Priestess is tarot favorite as she represents intuition, inner knowledge and the powerful hidden force of the female. Her connection to the moon and water, flow and magic make her an iconic soul sister and mirror to the spirit.

Gazing at her image, I am reminded of invisible forces thriving deep inside. These unseen strains emulate via thoughts and actions. They become the gestures which ultimately create and determine our lives. What we turn into reality seems to spring from somewhere beneath her white robes.

Is your destiny written on her scroll? When you sense de ja vu, is it because she’s already whispered it to you? And where are the bubbling, rushing waters behind her leading you?

It is not her lunar energy or water connection I’ve been preoccupied with but the pillars she sits between.

Kabbalah study, in relation to tarot, is fascinating, yet challenging. How does this philosophical rendering relate to us on a personal level, let alone a reading?

The High Priestess sits between two pillars as does the Hierophant and Justice. On a basic level, the two pillars represent opposite spectrums, dark to light, masculine to feminine, push and pull, creation and destruction. The middle pillar is the fleshy figure in the card and if taken literally, is YOU.

Understanding the nature of these pillars may unlock those special parts of yourself and give you fresh, unfettered access to the High Priestess.

New Age thought tells you to follow your passion and live your purpose. Good advice. However, I think true magic erupts when you work from a collision of opposites. Acting from the middle pillar, embodying the High Priestess.

A painter uses a collision of colors to bring a canvas to life, the composer uses the combination of unexpected notes to create a symphony, novels and films use the mash up of characters to create compelling narrative. In cooking, it is the salty and sweet, the creamy with smoky, the combination of opposites, that makes our mouth water.

New and unexpected are the hallmarks of creativity. Admittedly, the most creative thing each of us does every day is craft our own lives.

And isn’t this what makes the thrill of love and infatuation so exciting? The blending of the known (you) and the unknown (your lover). The uncovering of the unknown.

Lots of the things we want and desire, be they people, objects or passions, don’t necessarily come from the same place, nor are they compatible. They are from opposite pillars. We are often told by society and the “outside world” that they are unacceptable.

But it is inside the collisions and contradictions of you that makes you … well … you.

Complicated, deep, silly and profound. Unique among 7 billion people.

And isn’t the very nature of life itself made up of the collision/integration of seen vs. unseen? When you really think of it, the very experience of life wrapped and contained inside the interpretation of our own heads.

Seen (Pentacles)

Physical world, outward appearance, stuff we can see, feel and touch.

vs.

Unseen (Wands, Swords and Cups)

Passions, desires, dreams, plans, our perceptions of the world and events and imagination,  thought and most importantly emotion.

I’m paying extra attention right now to the HIgh Priestess see how the opposites in my life create interesting tension and frisson.

Do you have thoughts on embodying the middle pillar?

How you have successfully blended oppositional themes, aesthetics and desires in your life?

If so, please share them below. Would love to hear your thoughts.

tarotdiva:

Hi all. I was going to share a March spread from 365 Tarot Spreads but I see that this wonderful writer has already done so. Hope you enjoy the Wisdom of Minerva Spread and here’s to hoping there’s a lovely spring warm up in your part of the world!

And a huge thanks to Her Sixth Circle for this awesome post!!

Xo

Originally posted on her sixth circle:

In my other life, I read and review a LOT of books, which means I’m a member of NetGalley. When I saw this book come up in my radar, I couldn’t resist, and I requested a copy of this book. Thanks again to Llewelyn Worldwide for providing this galley free of charge, in exchange for my honest review.

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365 Tarot Spreads: Revealing the Magic in Each Day

by Sasha Graham

Coming: May 8, 2014

My Rating: ★★★★★

[Add to Goodreads]

[Pre-order from Llewelyn]

[Pre-order on Amazon]

For many cartomancers, tarot is a hallowed daily practice. Now you can navigate important life choices every day, all year with 365 Tarot Spreads. Featuring spreads for multi-cultural traditions, holidays, rituals, lore, and magic, this daily guide explores a tarot quest for every occasion and helps you discern answers to any question with…

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Happy 2014! It’s a huge thrill to share the cover art for my shiny new book, 365 Tarot Spreads, Revealing the Magic in Each Day with you. Pre-order it right now on Amazon.

Inside, you’ll find a tarot spread for each and every day of the year. Each spread is based on an event, holiday or historical occurrence on that particular day.

Discover answers to any question using:

love spreads

work and career spreads

goddess spreads

occult spreads

creativity spreads

abundance spreads

health spreads

home and family spreads

much, much more!

Spring into spring with me when Llewellyn releases 365 Tarot Spreads this May.

Looking forward to seeing you between the pages and over the cards.

October arrived as quick as a kid running a corn maze, candy apple caramel drizzling down their wrist. Stop, savor the sweetness, lick your wrists, and any other place Halloween sugar drips.

Before Fall slips away, bring its magic inside you. Doing so, you can cultivate its yumminess each and every day of the year.

I’ll pop up through the month offering you ways to incorporate the beauty of the witching season.

The Star Card from Lo Scarabeo’s Dark Grimoire Tarot

Bend Time Like a Sorceress:

Have you noticed time speeding up as you age? I do and don’t like it. Time itself doesn’t change but our perception of it does. Scientists propose a theory reasoning why childhood experience of time feels slow. They say our experience of time is slow in childhood because we are laying fresh, new experiences into our memory. New and novel experiences create a dense memory awareness as the brain is recording them. Driving to a new destination feels exceedingly long compared to the ride home because of this theory.

How can you slow time down? Simple. Lay down new memory patterns by embracing and trying new things. Visit new places. Break out of routines. Navigate different routes. Travel everywhere you can. Meet and get to know new and fascinating people.

Your broom won’t sweep you off to Italy tomorrow? That’s okay. Find a different town, museum, restaurant close to you. Just be sure you’ve never been there before. The more “newness” you embrace, the slower time will feel. And the more precious life you will have to enjoy.

For more on theories on our perception of time see Robert Krulwich’s NPR Science Blog.

Do you have a special way of manipulating time? Did you ever have one of those magical few days or hours where time itself stopped? If so, I’d love to hear about it.