My text-adventure game was (first and foremost a struggle and) an attempt to dive a little bit into the world of python and deal peacefully with the potential trauma of coding. The first unsuccessful try started by making a map on paper with all the possible rooms, corridors, spaces and the potential inputs of the player. It was proved to be a too ambitious plan though. So this was the time when the super(de)construction game was born! My intention was to make a fan fiction text adventure game(!) of the marxist superstructure theory. There are three basic rooms where the player can navigate : the Base-ment, the Apparatus and the Megaroom. People can grab specific "objects" from each room and check their inventory (for example you can have unpaidlabour, church, mostlywhitemen from base-ment, apparatus and megaroom respectively in the same bag!). The aim of the game is to accumulate enough points in order to bring eventually the revolution and win. The fermentation and the radicalization happen only in the base-ment.
Will you be part of the revolutionary class?
rituals_archive will go here
*He who dreams of drinking wine may weep when morning comes; he who dreams of weeping may in the morning go off to hunt. While he is dreaming he does not know it is a dream, and in his dream he may even try to interpret a dream. Only after he wakes does he know it was a dream. And someday there will be a great awakening when we know that this is all a great dream.*
*And when I say you are dreaming, I am dreaming, too.*
**Zhuàngzi**
### ✧ Preface
Have you ever woken up feeling like there is a word, at the tip of your tongue, in a language you don't quite understand?
It's the same feeling you may have felt when a dream has left too quickly once you woke up, like a regretful lover. You grasped and reached but it was gone and you have forgotten something so fundamentally important that your stomach has caved into itself.
This deck of oracle cards invites you to go back into that cave, that pit, to the start of that word. Tarot and oracle cards are always tools for self-exploration, but the Oracolotto will guide you to explore deeper, into the subconscious realm of your dreams.
Oracolotto includes twenty-one cards and one guidebook. The cards follow the paved journey of Tarot's major arcana, but do not be fooled by the numbers, as they will not give you insight into the path. You do not need any previous knowledge to use these cards, only the ability to dream and a soul, yours or other.
The Oracolotto cards present illustrations of collective dream archetypes, as delineated by Neapolitan tradition. While the cards symbolically follow the traditional Tarot journey from the fool to the world(minus the Emperor), they are based on the Neapolitan art form of the Smorfia, intended not as the grimace but the dream interpretation method.
The Smorfia is an ancient art form in which symbols and archetypes from a person's dreams are analysed and converted into numbers. To use the Smorfia, one would thus recall every event, person and object that appeared in their dream, and then use the extensive list of dream archetypes to find the associated numbers. This may be used to find out the meaning of your dreams or, most commonly, to find numbers to play the lottery (Ricciardone, 1987; Zezza, 1835).
In this case however, the archetypes were used as a story telling device, an exploration tool for imagination and self-discovery. You may chose to use these cards in the two ways I have imagined, or create your own.
1. The first, and the one I recommend, asks your soul to sit with the cards, ask them a question, read the answer in the following pages and find a language for new or old feelings.
2. The other way I have imagined requires you to keep the deck next to your bed, or wherever you sleep. Once you wake up, while the dream is still supple and alive, reach for the Oracolotto and try and find the cards that resemble the dream most closely. This way you may give a language to the unformed and find on the cards apparent truths.
There is a possibility, that you have read thus far because you wish to remember your dreams and connect to your subconscious, but feel like you cannot. You may almost never recall your dreams or think that they are random. If this is your case, I recommend that you use the Oracolotto in the first way I have described, as the subconscious seeps into our daily thoughts and feelings anyways. The deck may help you find these patterns.
You may also choose your own path, disregard what I said and make your own game, read old or future dreams or even play the lottery. The tools are now in your hands.
### ✧ How to care for the Oracolotto
You may have been told that objects do not have spirit and have believed it. If you have, I suggest you tuck the inner skeptic into bed and let the curious child out to play for the following sections. You see, the Oracolotto, like any Tarot or Oracle, does not believe itself to be an objects. In fact, it thinks that no object is just a thing, but most exist in the spiritual plane as well. As such, all objects have a soul, a spirit that connects to yours.
This particular one, the Oracolotto, has a playful and deep soul. It asks to be cared for as if it was a living thing, more a plant than a pet. It asks to be touched, used, cried on, laughed with. Most importantly, it asks for a place to rest every night. I would also recommend, at your discretion, to free negative intention from the cards if you stumble upon it. This may happen if you do a reading for someone who turns out to have bad intention, or just a very heavy painful load. It may also happen if you use them alone in a moment of intense sadness or anger. In these cases, I recommend finding a way to release these feelings from the cards, by leaving them out to breath, or holding them in your hands while thinking positive thoughts.
### ✧ How to Do a Reading
Set an intention to begin. You or the person you are reading for will ask a question, out loud or in your mind as you shuffle the cards. You then have two options: either spread them out or fan them, and choose one card at a time with your dominant hand; or place the whole deck on a surface and run your fingers alongside it until you feel like splitting the deck and picking a card. Do it however you wish, the important thing is that you let your intuition guide you to a card.
Lay it in front of you ( the "How to Lay Out the Cards" section follows). Turn the card over and feel, hear, see, and intuit its meaning in relation to your question. Refer to this guidebook for interpretations. If you give readings to others, it is always a good idea to keep a record of your own readings, as messages for others do usually weave together with those for you. Sometimes cards will"jump" out of the deck while you're shuffling. These cards are trying to get your attention. They're part of your reading, or perhaps the entire reading. In any case, know that they're important messages to be heeded.
Alternatively and if applicable, you may choose one card and place it on your altar or under your pillow at night to bring in deeper understanding.
### ✧ How to Lay Out the Cards
.One Card Spread
A single card can be used for several purposes:
- Draw a card in the morning for guidance about what you need to know that day.
- Draw a card after you ask a question. The one you pick is your answer.
- Draw a card to help further explain your dream.
.Three-Card Spread
A three-card spread can also be used in a couple of different ways:
- Draw three cards representing what you need to know in general terms.
- They may represent the past, present or future.
- Or answer questions about three issues, such as career, love and friendship.
If you wish to find a more fleshed out narrative, you may choose to do bigger spread. Information about those can be found in any book about tarot or online.
.keywords: beginnings, unformed potential, taking a risk, answering a 'call', trusting in the universe, overcoming self-doubt, embracing uncertainty.
Coffee is brewing, yet to be poured on the empty cup on the counter. A spiritual guide sits patiently, urging you to begin, while the sun shines outside a closed window. On the side, enormous snowdrops have blossomed, indicating the first tentative steps of spring.
While the Coffe is number 42, this card comes before the others. Like an unhatched egg it contains all the potential for the journey. The cup is empty, but you are urged to pour it, to drink it and to being the journey. A spiritual guide urges you forward. Like the prophet Muhammad who was given coffee(قهوة) by the Archangel Jibreel, you are also urged to begin.
The Coffee upright in a reading tells you it is now the time to be naive and courageous. Set on a new adventure and do not worry about the consequences. It is time, the coffee is ready.
*Reversed*
If the Coffee appears reversed, it is a warning. The coffee will spill and it may burn your or others. Be cautious about disregarding the consequences of your actions. Your eagerness for freedom and new beginnings may have harmed others of yourself. Now, you are being asked for consistency and patience. There is a time to be brave and to set off on new paths, and a time to be reliable and patient-wisdom lays in knowing the difference.
**✳**tarot correspondence: 0. the fool.
**✳**zodiac correspondence: all signs, the universe.
.keywords: magic, manifestation, setting intentions, directing energy consciously, willpower, concentration, having all the resources you need.
Two old women stand before a table, one pointing to above and one below. Their eyes glow with mystic powers and if they have appeared in your dreams you may feel their power radiating. This is particularly powerful card. While looking at it, reject what you have been told about the emotional loneliness of spinsters and focus on their ability to spin a magical web. These women are appearing to you at an important time, at the moment when you may choose your own path. You are now fully able to manifest your desires. The Spinsters are showing you the power you hold and asking you for intense concentration. There is power in your focus and dedication, now is the time to channel all your resources to achieving what you wish.
*Reversed*
If the Spinsters have appeared reversed, is is a sign that you are ignoring your own powers. You no longer see two crone magicians who have chosen the path of spiritual power but instead two unmarried older women. Do not be fooled. The power is in your hands, your potential lays dormant underneath your doubts and lack of self esteem. Trust in your ability, trust the Spinsters to weave you back to an active role within your own life.\
. keywords: intuition, subconscious, higher wisdom, knowing something you can't explain, stillness, meditation, spell-work and ritual.
The Bride sits in silence in an underground cistern, two eyes closed and a third one opened. Upon her head two crescent moons hold the globe. She is alone, but does not appear to be waiting. The Bride is a figure of divine wisdom, feminine mystery and intuitive knowledge. She is the guardian of the unconscious and she is meeting you. By receiving this card you are being gently led deeper, or asked to go deeper. To artists, she is the representation of creative potential. The bride has little care for the material as her powers lay in the true nature of emotion. Let your intuition lead the way, quiet the chatter of the rational and logical.
*Reversed*
If you are facing a reversed Bride, is is an indication to examine where you are ignoring your gut. Perhaps you have let your thinking mind run loose or have not been listening to your gut. You have even be overvaluing other's opinions or acting too hastily. Whichever is it, it may be time to be still, reflect and meditate on your intuition.\
The Mother sits on a throne in the middle of the river of life force, a crown upon her head a sword in her hand. In this iconography she is Juno, Roman goddess of marriage and family. As such, she sits near a pregnant cow and a peacock eating a pomegranate. Around her nature thrives. She is the embodiment of femininity and the bringer or life and growth. Her energy is both nurturing and fiercely protective. She is appearing to indicate that she is looking after you and your growth. She is abundant and as such so will your expression be, both creative and sensual. Deep fulfilment awaits.
*Reversed*
The Mother has appeared reversed. Juno's warlike nature is more active than her nurturing side. Your seeking of protection is keeping your from true love and joy. You were guarding yourself, and while you were in the right to do so, it is now time to let your shield down. Your emotional crops are thriving, you have put in the work. Let go of your war, lean into joy and love.
.keywords: belief systems, ancestry, study, tradition, conformity, learning about the past.
A priest stands in front of you, one hand to invite you and one towards the divine. On his shoulders sits a church, the door slightly ajar. On the bottom, you may see keys. The Church cards beckons you inside a mysteries sacred place. In Christian belief, a church is not only where religious community meets but seat of Divinity itself. I invite you to the Church card as such, and disconnect it from its Christian imagery. It stands in the place of any established social structure, spiritual tradition or source of ancestral knowledge. It is a teacher, a leader, a guru of past memory. If the Church has come up in your reading, its indicating a need for deeper meaning or knowledge. Will you use your key to follow the paved road and find out who paved it and who walked it before you?
*Reversed*
The Church is upside down. Its integrity is questioned, the status quo stumbles. The pressure of conformity weighs heavy, others' belief systems hang above your head. This card is now urging you to move. Tradition can be a teacher or a jailer and in this case, it is trapping you. It may be time to shake your ancestors wishes away and start anew, upon a path you paved yourself.
- .keywords: love (of all kinds), making heart-centred choices, compassion, partnerships and relationships, equilibrium, harmony.
Two hands reach for each other, the space between them filled with light and eyes. Around their wrists roses are growing. There is an obvious story being told, of two souls meeting in companionship. However, this is a card about balance and choices too. The Upside Down is a reference to love and the two sides of a coin. When this card appears it speaks of love and strong bonds. It is asking you to choose love, to make heartfelt, loving, compassionate choices. The Upside Down is a simple card, asking you to choose. Listen to your heart and follow it.
*Reversed*
Due to the nature of this card, up is down and down is up. However you pull this card, it is showing you both the Yin and the Yang. In this case, however, a sourness is prevalent. The eyes look away, giving you space to work out and identify within yourself why a committment has turned sour. Your inner voice is unbalanced. Use your heart for your choices and seek out harmony.
.keywords: focused*action, s*elf-belief and confidence, commitment, drive and determination, hard, passionate work, assertion.
A chariot flies across a starry sky with two half moons. Inside it, a man dressed in Roman armour with the head of turtle dove looks straight at you, welcoming you with one hand. This is the card of control and victory. The Bird has control of his own fate but it will help you with it too. It directs you to assert your will with mastery, careful practice and self-discipline. It reminds you of your own courage and your strength, an encourages you to direct your energies towards the stars.
*Reversed*
When reversed, the Bird is spinning further and further out of control. It may be due to an attempt to control too much, or an underdeveloped assertiveness. Loosen the reins, redirect your chariot. Some things are beyond your power to change and some others are just waiting for your confidence and hard work. Assess which is which and begin riding.
.keywords: inner strength and courage, dignified resistance, emotional labour, heart.
A naked woman covered in flowers looks to the side, casually taming the lion in front of her. Behind her, a natural landscape opens up. Do not be fooled by her gentle appearance, for she is not effortless. Her strength lies in her heart as this is the card for Breasts. Emotional weakness is discarded as patriarchal concept, as the Breasts are showing you a dignified taming of the wild through your heart. Emotion can steady your demeanour and your inner strength powers you. This indicates positive emotional labour of your own ferocity and expression of pure emotional strength. Go to towards your own chest, to the place of pain, anger, greed, and fear in your life. Acknowledge where these things live within you and own them, pour love all over them.
*Reversed*
The lion is now overpowering as the Breasts appear upside down. This is an indication of weakness, your strength feeble as your self-confidence lessens. Your emotions are no longer a power but an overwhelming force that you cannot control. Do not let anger or pain dictate your choice, find your strength once again.
.keywords: introspection, solitude, retreat, working things through on your own, claiming space and time for you, self-guided or guided study.
A figure cries in a cocoon underwater, wrapped in a cape of their hair and algae. They are holding themselves, as their tears make their way up. A light shines from their hands. This figure is in deep introspection. The Crying card is not a negative card, regardless of your own view of tears. It indicates a need for comfort and solitude. It is asking for a moment of introspection, the only thing that may lead you to true self discovery. Once you have expressed your pain and truly felt it, you will gain better understanding.
*Reversed*
The tears fall upon you as the Crying card is reversed. You have relied on yourself too much and over-isolated. The cocoon has served its purpose, now the time for solitude is over. You may let others in or leave your safe space altogether for the time for crying is over.
.keywords: positive luck, change, predictions and prophesies, feeling like something is 'destined' to happen, an interconnected bigger picture.
A table is set with plates spelling out the ancient names for tarot and wheel. In the center of the table you can see water, soil, air and fire. Around the table sit the four fixed signs, Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. Three eyes, symbolising the three Fates oversee the table. This is an incredibly auspicious card to pick. Like the table, your destiny has been set, the tempo will crank up as your personal vision develops into reality. This card is asking you to accept your fate, but also take responsibility for it. The table is set but it is up to you to serve.
*Reversed*
The Set Table has been turned the wrong way. This indicated elements outside your control that are spinning your fate. Luck has not been on your side and you may have found yourself unhappy with your circumstances. Take a moment to analyse what could have happened, are these elements toying with your luck internal or external? Is there someone to blame, if yes, who is it? Whatever you find, trust that the Table will be set again, and out of darkness a new light will be born, informed by your discoveries.
**✳**tarot correspondence: 9. the wheel of fortune.
A woman, justice, walks the steps out of darkness, a lament distorting her face. In the Lament, you can see justice wearing white, carrying a sword on her waist and holding scales, with a heart on one end and a brain on the other. Her blindfold stays on as her piercing eyes penetrate through the truth. It is her cry for truth, her lament, that propels her forward. This card calls out to you. Every action has an equal reaction but it is often expression of injustice that brings justice forward. It is the Lament that leads to balance, believe that your expression of injustice is worth sharing.
*Reversed*
When the Lament appears reversed it indicates a flawed system, an hidden truth or bias. This injustice may have been committed against you or by you, but however it happened the scale are not balances and soon they will be as someone faces consequences. It also begs for a re-establishing of a balancing perspective on your side. Look at the issue from both sides, hear the Lament.
.keywords: passivity, cost, holding back, patience, allowing events to unfold, meditation and mindful practice, inner peace, self-acceptance, overcoming ego
A man dangles, his foot loosely tied with rope, his wings closed by his sides, his braid falling beyond sight. Next to him other people hang, in the same situation. What we see are Purgatory's Souls, intended as the souls of people who are in a state of temporary punishment and purification as they have died in a state of grace but are not yet ready for heaven. Let the souls be of inspiration to you, in their state of acceptance, as it is not their work that will send them to heaven. They are, just like you, ready for peace and joy. What you must do now is fully succumb to your situation, release. You see, if the soul was to trust the flow of events and let go, he would realise he had wings all along. A brazen metaphor, a simple reminder that it's not time to struggle for control. Trust the universe, trust yourself and let go.
*Reversed*
As Purgatory's Souls appear reversed, they tell a different story. They are not hanging but anchored to the soil. You are pulling yourself further down, digging your heels in on a decision that has to be made. Your inaction now is pointless, it will just delay the inevitable. The souls already can fly, the punishment has been lifted and yet here you still are. You must face your inner turmoil to move on.
.keywords: the ending of a cycle, letting go and saying goodbye, ritual to honour change, not resisting, honouring the seasons of life.
A deer's skeleton lays on a blooming prairie. Close by, another deer looks into the sun that is rising above the hills. The Talking Dead card is a deeply sensitive one, invites a gentle approach. It does not symbolise necessarily literal death but more so a positive harbinger of change. The death has already happened, and the deer's spirit is ready to move into the coming day. The Talking Dead tells you it is time to let go of old habits, ways of thinking and of the buried. This is the only way to allow for more rewarding patterns. Resisting change will not bring you joy at this stage, you must embrace transformation. There is no other way, a profound experience is awaiting you, let the resting lead you.
*Reversed*
If the card is reversed it appears that the Talking Dead is being forced still. Changes are frightening you and you may be resisting them. Your life is now stagnant, the sunrise is eternal as the sun never reaches the sky. Trust that change will lead you wherever you need to be. It is not a matter of avoiding what has happened, but rather of learning to live with what it brought in the hope that better things lay ahead.
.keywords: balance, harmony, blending of dualities, seeking the middle path, not making extreme decisions, taking a non-binary attitude, testing the waters, self-care, grace, gentleness.
A large, winged, genderless dark figure stands in the sea. On their forehead shines a triangle enclosed in a square, representing that humans are bound by the Earth and natural law. The figure is taking water from the sea but as they pour it into the bowl, it transforms into a bowl of steaming soup. This card gives insight into the nuances of balance. Wherever something is taken, something else must be given. The figure is taking from the sea to deliver you the Warm Soup. See the figure as if it was keeping a close eye on how well you handle dualities. Keep to the middle path, do not make extreme decisions. You may someone who tends to have a peaceful nature or someone who swings between extremes. Either way, now is the time to test the waters of gentleness, give back what you have been given and ask for what was taken.
*Reversed*
The Warm Soup now pours upwards from the ladle. Something has been thrown off balance in your life. The coming times require meticulous care of balance. Equilibrium has to be restored once again. The costs may be too high for what you are receiving from the universe. You must reconsider your choices, find the weak point that has thrown off the balance and adjust it.
.keywords: bondage, addiction, materialism, destructive behaviours, harmful cycles, choosing to get free, or choosing not to get free, confronting fear, committing to your own freedom.
Above a reversed pentacle five little devils dance naked, holding a chain that leads to a circle of light containing a key. The Devils symbolise what keeps us bound and trapped. It is a small circle that contains you, a metaphorical jail to which you do not yet have a key. This card cautions you against finding blame, and refers instead to that which is constrained by ourself, our subconscious and direct choices. Do not let ideas, people or situations absorb you so intensely that it causes you to ignore other relationships.
*Reversed*
The Devils being upside down immediately reveals the bondage, you are aware of your own chains. The unhealthy and trapping dynamics in your life are finally emerging to the light. Caution, as this does not imply freedom but may entail further temptation to crawl back into your own trap. This is a time that needs your complete attention, use your newfound awareness to open the chains, escape your metaphorical jail.
.keywords: revolution, disaster, shock, mourning, blowing apart old structures, demolition of the status quo, toppling systems of power, potential, rebuilding after disaster, a blessing in disguise as a disaster, rehabilitation, regeneration.
An ancient pine tree towers in the night. Above, the all-seeing Storm is unleashing lightening, cutting the tree down as birds escape. The Storm, as the name suggests, is a complicated card to receive. It indicates a profound disruption, a complete reset of the known. The situation may seem grim at times, but it is fundamental that you understand that the change that will be brought is undeniably ultimately positive. You may not believe me at first, as the event that this card indicates is a demolition and toppling of a structure that can feel quite devastating. However, new growth will come from this and the old cannot last forever lest it become decrepit. Remember well that when the Storm appears in front of you, you are not the tree but the doves escaping.
*Reversed*
In this situation the Storm that topples the pine tree is coming from within. The issue is within your response to the situation, your worries within your own head. Your perception is bringing you great pain. Take care not to become a vortex of negativity, you must be mindful of your own feelings and take responsibility of how your responses affect you and those around you.
.keywords: hope, love and support, coming home to yourself, self-care, healing, being true to yourself, being guided by your intuition, integrity, honesty,a positive new start or new vision.
A Christmas tree sits lit by candles, next to a window. On the windowsill sits a still warm cup of cocoa, framed by the view of an enormous star illuminates the snowy field. Christmas is a card of hope. A time of renewal, comfort and homely-ness lays ahead. It is now time to leave the hard times behind. The star shines alone through the window, filling the landscape with positivity and opportunity. It is
.keywords: shadow work, getting in touch with your wild nature, listening deeply to your intuition, secrets, signs and symbols, non-rational, witchcraft, magic and spell-work, lies and deception, deceiving yourself, wearing a mask.
A wolf drinks from a pond of blood. Close by, a wild dog turns away from the pond to face the moon that illuminates all around them. A crab floats on a leaf, rising from the subconscious. The Blood is telling you that all is not what it seems. Unsettling as a nightmare can be, this card allows your inner wildness to be seem. The Blood represents witchcraft, spell-work and occult arts of any kind. Do not be fooled by the blood, as nobody in this figure is harmed. The moon shines its silvery light on the elements within reality that are dishonest and manipulative. Uncomfortable questions have to be asked and it may by just someone just mad enough to think of them. Things are strange, it is okay to feel disorientated. It is not time for answers now but for wild magical practice.
*Reversed*
When reversed, the Blood shows a moon shining in the front. The inner confusion is clearing. However, you may find find yourself deprived of a mask you are not ready to let go of. Manipulation has been exposed, wether you were the victim of perpetrator. While things will soon be lighter, now they will first be heavy. Mental health struggles as the truth comes forward and you initiate a process of complete honesty with yourself.
.keywords: positivity, saying yes, joy, practicing gratitude, success, things coming together, life's simple pleasures, allowing yourself to simply be, connecting to a dynamic life force.
Two children laugh in harmony on a horse, holding each other and a waving flag. The sun shines on them and sunflowers are growing around them. Laughter is an undoubtledly positive card. It represents enthusiasm, growth and victory. Your good choices will pay off, you will laugh again soon as victory is so close you may taste it already. Joy will fill your heart and life will once again seem light-hearted and effortless.
*Reversed*
Laughter is reversed, but do not panic. Victory is just not as close as you thought it would be. A setback has brought you back into a quieter place. There is a key element missing before you may achieve that state of perfect joy. The effort will now need to be given to finding once again things that make your heart swell up with joy, the things that make you walk so light you feel you may just fly away. Follow them and soon Laughter will come back.
**✳**tarot correspondence: 18. the sun.
**✳**zodiac correspondence: leo.
keywords: hope, love and support, coming home to yourself, self-care, healing, being true to yourself, being guided by your intuition, integrity, honesty, a positive new start or new vision.
A Christmas tree sits lit by candles, next to a window. On the windowsill sits a still warm cup of cocoa, framed by the view of an enormous star illuminates the snowy field. Christmas is a card of hope. A time of renewal, comfort and homely-ness lays ahead. It is now time to leave the hard times behind. The star shines alone through the window, filling the landscape with positivity and opportunity. It is
.keywords: positivity, saying yes, joy, practicing gratitude, success, things coming together, life's simple pleasures, allowing yourself to simply be, connecting to a dynamic life force.
Two children laugh in harmony on a horse, holding each other and a waving flag. The sun shines on them and sunflowers are growing around them. Laughter is an undoubtedly positive card. It represents enthusiasm, growth and victory. Your good choices will pay off, you will laugh again soon as victory is so close you may taste it already. Joy will fill your heart and life will once again seem light-hearted and effortless.
*Reversed*
Laughter is reversed, but do not panic. Victory is just not as close as you thought it would be. A setback has brought you back into a quieter place. There is a key element missing before you may achieve that state of perfect joy. The effort will now need to be given to finding once again things that make your heart swell up with joy, the things that make you walk so light you feel you may just fly away. Follow them and soon Laughter will come back.
.keywords: liberation, freedom, casting off shackles, laying down of old baggage, total accountability for self, integrity, honesty, forgiveness, allowing yourself to move forwards.
A woman with rollers in her hair stands on a balcony, looking down, where a swarm of butterflies is emerging from the darkness. This is a lofty card, as, like Lament and the Set Table, it carries the theme of accountability. In this particular case it talks about being honest and thorough about yourself. The Gossiping Woman sees all of you and calls you to do the same. It is holding a mirror to your entire life, successes and failure. You must face the Gossiping Woman to liberate yourself and fly towards freedom. To move forward unencumbered it requires acknowledgement of the present moment and everything that it carries.
*Reversed*
The Gossiping Woman now may not see you. This is an indication that you are refusing to acknowledge the hurt or pain that was caused to you and the one that you have caused yourself. However, you must own mistakes and let them be just that. When the Gossiping Woman is reversed, it is asking you to find forgiveness, for yourself and others. It will be hard work and possibly take a great amount of time, but the Gossiping Woman watches and is rooting for you to be able to free yourself of this burden.
.keywords: completion, a sense of wholeness, knowing who you are in the world, having a sense of place, feeling deeply connected to all things, reaching your goal, celebration, jubilation.
Three friends are celebrating, drinking Good Wine and dancing on the world, surrounded by a crown of vines for victory. One holds a flag and another a wand, bringing your journey to closure. This is the end of the road, the last card in this deck. The spiritual guide that brought you Coffee now has brought you here. The completion of the cycle and the celebration that comes thereafter. You have changed and grown and now the energy of wholeness shines. Soon it will dissipate as life shifts into a new beginning but for now, the Good Wine urges you to relish in your successes. One day you will surrender again to the flow and remember that you are the same person that started this journey, filled with infinite possibilities.
*Reversed*
The Good Wine may not be drunk yet, completion is not within reach yet. The end seemed in sight but you tried cutting corners and there is still work to be done. The result will only bring fulfilment if the effort has been thorough and earnest. Keep dreaming, keep working and soon the Good Wine will be yours.
- Paola De Sanctis Ricciardone,*Il tipografo celeste. Il gioco del lotto tra letteratura e demologia nell'Italia dell'Ottocento e oltre*, Bari, Dedalo, 1987. ISBN 88-220-6066-0
- Michele Zezza,*La smorfia ossia Il nuovo metodo per perdere denaro, e cervello con maggior sicurezza al gioco del lotto*, Napoli, Torchi della Società filomatica, 1835.
- 莊子*,* 齊物論*, 12. Zhuàngzi, "Discussion on making all things equal," 12. from Zhuàngzi, Burton Watson trans., Chuang Tzu (New York: Columbia University Press, 1996), 43. ISBN 978-0-231-10595-8 [1]*
i deleted it woops. i want to write a paragraph about my mindfulness game here.
---
title: Papa Louie’s Ghosteria
author: Ada, Irmak, Boyana
---
:::::{#papa-louie .has-images}
# Papa Louie’s Ghosteria
## Papa Louie’s Ghosteria is a comic-like fan fiction written by Ada, Irmak and Boyana.
Following the discussions we had about the texts 'Notes on Deconstructing The Popular' by Stuart Hall and 'Game Modding: Cross-Over Mutation and Unwelcome Gifts' from The Player’s Power to Change the Game by Anne-Marie Schleiner, we split into groups and started dissecting the ideology behind games some of us have played as children. To do that, we utilised several prompts to help us examine the ideology that two popular video games enforce through their narrative and gameplay.
The list of questions we needed to answer while playing the game includes:
What are the win conditions?
If the game is quest based, what types of quests are you asked to complete?
What is the gameplay?
What is the narrative?
How much space is there for alternative ways of playing this game?
What is missing?
What type of relationships are you allowed to form?
What is the role of non-player characters?
What are the requirements for surviving the game?
Which behaviours are rewarded?
What real-world values are reproduced in the game you are playing?
How are you situated in the hierarchy of the game?
What change in status is promised?
What are you being trained for?
What fantasies are lived out or explored?
Our team, Irmak, Ada and Boyana, worked on the famous Papa Louie: When Pizzas Attack. Soon after we started investigating the game, its elements and modifications, we discovered that other people already have done numerous fan fiction about it. We were bewitched by this the multitude of stories fans have written and the really good memes they have created about Papa and his businesses. Yes, plural. Freezeria. Sushiria. Donuteria. Burgeria. PanCakeria. CupCakeria. Taco Mia. You name it.
After spending some time analysing the ideology behind the game, we discovered a few elements that reinforce the capitalist narrative, such as the need to fight to survive and collect coins to purchase weapons. In response, we decided to create a new version of the game with a storyline that focuses on healing and coping with grief and loss, rather than violence. Also, to link the new storyline to SI20's topic we felt like adding somehow ritualistic elements as actions during the gameplay.
What we decided to change was the topic, purpose and outcome of the game. Papa no longer fights to save his customers, but he deals with his own loss and grief over what happened. Our version is promoting rest and rituals for healing instead of revenge-seeking, violence and toxic pizzeria culture.
We started by putting some keywords and suggestions on a blackboard about "How To Cope With Grief" and "How to Use Rituals and Ceremonies to Overcome Grief" to define what Papa Louie lost and what rituals could help him heal.
We also liked the idea of making a comic-like storyboard that visualises the new narrative for Papa Louie's Ghosteria. To create a few scenes depicting some of the 5 levels we outlined earlier, we used an app called Papa Louie Pals. The images turned out pretty nice! Playing around with the app was fun mainly because it allowed us to materialise our idea in just a couple of hours.
The gameplay revolves around things Papa lost and the needs he needs to fulfil. Different types of losses are organised into five levels of the game:
1. loss of safety (innocence, physical safety)
2. loss of community (clients, belonging)
3. loss of future (hope, dreams)
4. loss of identity (dignity, making things himself)
5. loss of labour (money, time, effort, pizza)
To cope with grief, Papa Louie performs various rituals to unlock a new stage in his grieving process and heal from that loss. Rituals are the actions players need to execute at each level.
And so our story goes like this:
The Onion ring mafia kidnapped Papà Louie's clients, and he lost his Pizzeria. However, along with this external change, he lost his identity as a pizza owner/maker. He is full of grief and seeks ways to cope with grief and ease himself. He tries different rituals throughout this process, builds his new identity and overcomes his troubles.
:::::
---
title: Tetris Fantasies
author:
---
:::::{#tetris .has-images}
# Tetris Fantasies
### Death, Geometry and the Structure of the Individual
Tetris is a game where a single player is encouraged to organise the chaos given to them from above, a limited space for play of ten by twenty units leads to a limited ability to approach the perfection implied by the simple shapes that are encountered in the world (always a collection of four squares, in their seven permutations). The harnesses of time and gravity make perfection impossible in this world; instead the player can only attempt, approach, increase their efficiency. A life's function approaching the limit, there is no way to win, only to get higher and higher scores, to live as long as possible through increased throughput. Death is inevitable in Tetris, and each passing block seems to come faster than the last. Why does it feel like everything just keeps getting harder?
There are many squares to be organised in tetris, an infinite number apparently, but there is only one player organising them. Other people can only be seen by this individual in faint ghosts; their high scores that are there only to be beaten. And the current player can only hope to reach those people through leaving their own mark on the high score table. Employee-of-the-month, world's-best-mom. But maybe there is an alternative, a world where there is more to each falling tetromino than simply an obstacle to be overcome, a problem to be solved. Maybe there is a story behind the fatal pixels, a bigger space than the 10 x 20 grid on the screen. Maybe there are humans out there with more to them than what they produce.
This fanfic takes the form of a series of hand-drawn illustrations depicting fantastical tetris pieces, each of which is accompanied by a fragment of a story. The cards can be read and arranged in any order, intentionally removing the linear and framed limits of the original tetris, although the illustration and text on any one card have a relationship to eachother of some sort.
:::::
---
title: Holographic Oracle Deck
author: Boyana and Cara
---
:::::{#holo-deck .has-images}
# Holographic Oracle Deck
## 'Crystals & Energy' is a holographic oracle deck exploring a range of energy sources through the magical (mystical) nature of crystals as energy-storing matter
'Crystals & Energy' is a holographic oracle deck exploring a range of energy sources through the magical (mystical) nature of crystals and minerals as energy-storing matter.
Lidia and Artemis, Special Issue 20 guest editors, asked us to modify an oracle deck of our choice. We, Cara and Boyana, prototyped a holographic oracle deck where a type of crystal is coupled with a type of energy resource in a single card in an attempt to talk about the global energy crisis we are facing today. It (the deck) provides an educational experience through the use of a DIY prism and complimentary audiovisual materials, together serving as an immersive learning environment.
After a quick research, we decided to couple Aquamarine and Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) which we thought would fit nicely as a first example of such a card.
Why Aquamarine? It looks like water that has been crystallised; stored energy; compression; solidified; being put under pressure or exposed to a specific temperature so that it changes its state (from liquid to solid).
Why LNG? It is natural gas that has been liquified; compressed; liquified; being put under pressure or exposed to a specific temperature so it changes its state (from gas to liquid); stores energy that can be channelled later.
Then, we wrote a short poem weaving the two elements into the everyday narrative. Later this poem served as a script to create a voice narration (one-minute-long audio piece) that went into the video creation process. Although the final text is a slight deviation from our initial idea, we felt inspired by the conversation we had with Steve earlier that day. He talked about his childhood memories of collecting rocks in notebooks, perhaps similar to what geologists do when they document their discoveries. He also mentioned a few things about caverns and a mine (later turned into a museum) located near the city where he used to live.
To visualise the card, we used a hologram video maker app. The process was easy and fun. All we had to do was simply find a hi-res image of the Aquamarine crystal on a black surface and upload it into the app. Lastly, we made a model of a pyramid prism so that we can demonstrate the prototype fully. To get the full holographic effect, we had to put it on top of a phone screen and play the video, which we uploaded on YouTube and embedded the link onto a website.
We saw in this prototype a potential to provide new knowledge, create an engaging and fun learning experience around energy sources, and add a sense of magic to everyday life. By combining these different elements, we were hoping to create an unusual experience that can help people better understand and appreciate the importance of energy sources and sustainability. It will be interesting to see how our prototype evolves and what kind of impact it could have on people's perceptions of these topics.
:::::
---
title: Fortnite
author: Stephen
---
:::::{#fortnite .has-images}
# Sometimes the world as it is and the world as it could be are devastatingly close to each other.
Is there any point in imagining something that is so similar to the nightmare we already live in? The future is a dream but it's just that dream where you remember putting your keys somewhere but where, and you're wandering around looking for them for what feels like hours. Was it real or not isnt important you were still there. Why are we staying here, what's even here for us? If you don't get them, they'll get you first. Then you wake up and you still can't find the fucking keys. But sometimes it's sunny and you're standing there and there's something cinematic about the whole thing, is it worth it just to be there for that maybe. There's really no difference between a dream about falling and a dream about flying.
:::::
:::::{#fortnite .hide-on-web}
You search the entire planet, all seven planets, drinking every last drop, and still no fucking keys. You're just watching the whole thing anyway so enjoy it I guess. If you get the rifle you can use the scope on it to see things in the distance, but then again maybe you don't need to see that far. The start is always the best part. Maybe I left them in the bathroom for some reason? Can I help them, even one of them? They are all so busy killing each other I don't think they can hear. The forests are beautiful here. One time I sat down with some of the bots and really got to know them. Until the players arrive they just sit there together, chatting. They're really nice actually. And then a player ran up beside us, saw that we weren't trying to hurt them, and left. Maybe they were helped, or changed somehow.
The only reason I'm still here is because you're still here.
🚶
:::::
---
title: Long Time
author:
---
:::::{#tetris .has-images}
# Long Time
## Six Sigma Fortune Telling
While the future cannot be predicted with certainty, present understanding in various scientific fields allows for the prediction of some far-future events, if only in the broadest outline. These fields include astrophysics, particle physics, evolutionary biology, plate tectonics and sociology. The far future begins after the current millennium comes to an end, starting with the 4th millennium in 3001 CE, and continues until the furthest reaches of future time. This timeline includes alternative future events that address unresolved scientific questions, and is in fact not six sigma accurate at all.
This timeline (based on Wikipedia's [Timeline of the Far Future](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_far_future)) claims to make accurate predictions far into the future at timescales that are difficult to comprehend; beyond our lifetimes, beyond the death of the earth, beyond the death of atoms. The scientific method claims to have an intense relationship to the material world which is "orders of magnitude" more accurate than other ways of interacting with and understanding where we are. The scientist often pits themself as "against" the fortune-teller, the tarot reader, or the mystic, and yet they make even bigger claims about our collective future. Is there any way to disprove the scientist's method in their own mind?
This web-based game attempts to highlight the uselessness of this approach. Sometimes a human can have no effect on the extreme truth that science offers, or to put it more usefully, sometimes science has nothing to offer humans. This timeline uses scientific and objective distance to avoid the most inevitable and obvious event in the future: your own death. Death is non-relational: no one can die in one's place, and we cannot understand our own death through the death of others (Heidegger, Being and Time, 1962). Just like the scientist, the philosopher doesn't have much to offer solace here. So where do we go to talk about death?
This publication is a free publication: you can redistribute it and/or modifyit under the terms of the SIXX License as published by XPUB, either version 1 of the SIXX License, or any later version.
This publicationis distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
See the SIXX Licensefor more details. You should have received a copy of the SIXX License along with this publication. If not, see <https//issue.xpub.nl/20/license/>
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this publication to use, publish, or distribute copies and to permit persons to whom the publicationis furnished to do so.
Any other use, including modifying, adapting, reverse engineering, decompiling, or disassembling, is permitted under the delineatedterms.
XPUB is the Master of Arts in Fine Art and Design: Experimental Publishing of the Piet Zwart Institute. XPUB focuses on the acts of making things public and creating publics in the age of post-digital networks. Find out more at xpub.nl
# Some Gossip on gossip and what coffee has to do with it.
Godsipp (God and sib (akin), godmother or godfather) was in the 12th century a word used for both men and women in fables and amongst society. The church recognized the word as well. It was used to name companions present at childbirth, just like the midwife. Sometimes, it was used to mention close friends. It represented the strong ties between women, which surpassed their relationship with their husbands. Was it witchery that strong and independent women preferred their gossip over their husbands? Well, that is something that hasn't changed since the middle ages.
"Godsipp" began its journey with nothing but good and emotionally strong connotations. Women bloomed and blossomed among each other and were autonomous in their existence. Men were never a part of this party women were throwing. By the 16th century, as things began to change, the traditional meaning lingered on. In 1602, the word was still used to signify female friendships. This can be seen in Samuel Rowlands's *Tis Merrie When Gossips Meete*, a satirical piece describing three London women spending hours in a tavern talking about men and marriages. It implied that 'women could create their social networks and their own social space' and stand up to male authority(Federici, 2019). Solidarity and friendship amongst women were demeaned and female-exclusive parties were banned; women who met in public were identified as "witches" and women's first duty was now to be obedient and quiet. The talk about husbands at taverns was too hurtful for the sensitive male ego that public, church and the law, forbid women to engage in "idle talk". Centuries past, the sensitive male ego remains but now is attacking to mutilate women from many resources including cyberbullying, mobbing at the workspace and many more that tie to act violently in any sort.
Wives who were seen as "scolds" and "witches" were forced under sadistic torture with a "scold bridle". Looking back from today, I can't help but see these sadistic, desperate acts as a meek scream of how men couldn't get even close to satisfying women physically or mentally. If they spent some time working on female anatomy rather than these horrifying torture methods, we would be living in a different world today...
Here is an excerpt from a song which portrays women in a tavern. These words on ale and wine are an ancient remedy for us to consider today when we are out drinking with our "gossips":
"In a 1630s song, Fowre wittie gossips disposed to be merry, a group of married women in a tavern debate the merits of ale and wine in relation to cost and value. They conclude, 'If our opinions do not faile: / a quart twelve cups [of wine] containeth, / Its cheaper then a dozen of ale, / where froth and snuffes remaineth'. ('Snuffes' was the 'backwash' left when, as was common, multiple people drank from a single vessel.) The wives also point out that the after-effects of drinking sack (a Spanish white wine) are much less injurious than those of drinking too much ale. In consequence, they will not suffer hangovers from drinking all night, as all their husbands are. (McShane, 2016)"
It was in this context that 'gossip' turned from a word of friendship and affection into a word of denigration and ridicule(Federici, 2019).
**So what does coffee have to do with it?**
Fortune telling over coffee stretches back to the 16th century when the beans made it to the Middle East and Ottoman Empire. The reality is that in the Ottoman Empire, concubines in Harem were banned from talking and "gossiping". They had a great influence (although not officially recognized by men themselves) on sultans and therefore affected the political decisions and affairs of the Empire. Out of solidarity, women began to perform fortune-telling over the remains of coffee inside and outside coffee cups. This way they could talk about their fears and inner worlds freely. I can't help but see the similarity with the oppression women went through of gossip. The striking difference is how fortune telling over coffee didn't change its connotation in time. Today, it is also an act of solidarity or a chance to "gossip", one might say.
"In this painting, an Ottoman woman drinking coffee and her maid serving her is depicted. It is known that the painting is from the first half of the 18th century. The work of Jean-Baptiste Vanmour, 'Turkish Girl Drinking Coffee on the Sedir' was based on this Ottoman woman, who is the main figure of the painting. The maid, who is positioned on the right side of the painting and serves on her knees, is noticed as the other interesting side of the painting. The large and ostentatious headdress on the head of the Ottoman woman stands out as another element that focuses attention on the work. It is also known that the headdress in question was inspired by the picture of a serpentine woman in the book of the Dutch painter Cornelis de Bruyn, who visited Turkey in the 17th century."
Whether with gossip or chatting over coffee, women have always found a way to express themselves regardless of oppression. These rituals were performed by women as an act of sisterhood and out of respect for both their inner worlds and each other. It is undeniable that gossip still brings people together and that centuries of oppression failed to change that. Through the centuries, as the word began to be weaponized against women and became a tool to turn against each other, I can't help but wonder how unfair pop culture was to women. In any magazine or TV series, anyone can spot a gossip scene with negative consequences or aim. A woman is sassy, "bitchy" or evil when she gossips, but why do we still let our acts be defined by the misogynistic portrayal of men? Today, the word gossip or fortune telling may be used as something you wouldn't want to be a part of because it could harm someone. Let's oppose the negative connotation assigned to this word by men and use it as a joyful gathering. Reclaiming gossip and fortune telling as an intimate support system, a strong web, is the least we can do to honour the women who met at taverns and shared a part of their souls with each other.
How to make the perfect Turkish coffee and some guides to fortune-telling:
1. Put two teaspoons of coffee in "cezve" the traditional pot.
2. Add one cup of cold water to the pot. Mix once with the spoon. The ratio is one cup, and two teaspoons of coffee.
3. Begin cooking at a low temperature until the top coat gets darker.
4. Cook at a high temperature until the point where the coffee begins rising.
5. Take the pot off the oven right before it overflows.
6. Take the foamy part with a teaspoon and put it in the cup before pouring the rest. This will protect the foam. The foam is important for quality check 😊
# An hypothesised and randomly factual History of Tarot Cards
What follows is the story of a deck of cards and of all the more-or-less believable claims that were made about its origin. This brief history was complied following sources that attempted accurate historic recalling instead ofthemost commonly shared semiotic, occultist story. However,despite all efforts all the found sources tolda convoluted story due to the misinterpretation of age, sources and authorship common in any ancient text on magic and mysticism (Dummett, 1993).As such, the following text will recall the disproven stories that were told about the origin of Tarot, some factual sourced material and a modern description of its usage.
What follows is the story of a deck of cards and of all the more-or-less believable claims made about its origin. This brief history was compiled, following sources that attempted accurate historic recalling instead ofthemost commonly shared semiotic, occultist story. However,despite all efforts, the found sources tolda convoluted story due to the misinterpretation of age, sources and authorship common in any ancient text on magic and mysticism (Dummett, 1993).As such, the following text will recall the disproven stories that were told about the origin of Tarot, some factual sourced material and a modern description of its usage.
When we talk about Tarot cards we are talking about a deck of playing cards composed of ten numeral cards and four court cards(Jack, Knight, Queen and King) for each of the suits, Swords, Batons, Cups and Coins. Alongside these more common cards Tarot includes 22 'trump' cards with allegorical illustrations. The trumps form a sequence, usually numbered from 1 to 21, with the single card of the Fool being separated (Decker, Depaulis & Dummett, 1996).
When we talk about Tarot cards we are talking about a deck of playing cards composed of ten numeral cards and four court cards(Jack, Knight, Queen and King) for each of the suits, Swords, Batons, Cups and Coins. Alongside these more common cards, Tarot includes 22 'trump' cards with allegorical illustrations. The trumps form a sequence, usually numbered from 1 to 21, with the single card of The Fool being separated (Decker, Depaulis & Dummett, 1996).
This specific deck of cards' history begins at the bottom of a well in Norther Italy, in the 1440s, where we place its first appearance in history. From there we can easily find links to the common usage of these cards in Norther Italy, from Milano to Bologna e Ferrara (Steele, 1900).These cards, initially called *Trionfi* and then *Tarocchi* are thought to have been intended to be used for card games, regardless of their occasional usage in future-telling(Dummet, 1993).This finding helps us trace a factual beginning of Tarot but leaves an open question to how these cards gained their place as the primary tool used in modern occultism and mysticism for cartomancy.
This specific deck of cards' history begins at the bottom of a well in 1440's Northern Italy, where we place its first appearance in history. From there we can easily find links to the common usage of these cards in Northern Italy; from Milano to Bologna e Ferrara (Steele, 1900).These cards, initially called *Trionfi* and then *Tarocchi* are thought to have been intended for card games, regardless of their occasional usage in future-telling(Dummet, 1993).This finding helps us trace a factual beginning of Tarot but leaves an open question to how these cards gained their place as the primary tool used in modern occultism and mysticism for cartomancy.
While this is where the story began to intricate itself, it can still be seen that the first wide spread future-telling uses appeared in France in the 18th century.
While this is where the story began to get intricate, it can still be seen as the first wide spread future-telling performance appeared in France in the 18th century. At this point, the history of tarot began to be influenced by what each fortune teller imagined the history of the cards to be. To fully disclose this, I will first attempt to estimate the most notable occultists that used the cards and wrote historical notations about their deviance and then the stories they told about them.
At this point the history of tarot beings to be influenced by what each fortune teller imagined the history of the cards to be. To fully disclose this I will first attempt to estimate the most notable occultists that used the cards and wrote historical notations about their deviance and then the stories they told about them.
The first encounter we have between Tarot and magical theory and practice happens in the *Monde primitif,* an incredibly long essay about Tarot cards written in 1781 by Antoine Court de Gébelin. With this text, the pastor began what would be the endless repository of arcane esoteric wisdom within Tarot that will follow the cards for generations (Chisholm, 1911). In this text, Gébeling attributed the cards' origin to ancient Egypt, a theory that is to this day shared as truthful. This belief was based on an erroneous link to "The Book of Thoth", an ancient Egyptian text about magic that is believed to have been spread through Europe by Romani people. This belief was then substantiated by a similar essay by the by the comte de Mellet(Decker, ). Promptly, a Parisian fortune teller named Jean-Baptiste Alliette, professionally known as Etteilla, having found these theories, adapted the esoteric view of the cards to his own uses. He switching his own practice from traditional French piquet cartomancy to the use of a self-made Tarot card deck. This deck was based on the previously shared Hermetic ideologies and was named "The Book of Toth"(same).
The first encounter we have between Tarot, magical theory and practice happens in the *Monde primitif,* an incredibly long essay about Tarot cards written in 1781 by Antoine Court de Gébelin. With this text, the pastor began what would be the endless repository of arcane esoteric wisdom within Tarot that will follow the cards for generations (Chisholm, 1911). In this text, Gébeling attributed the cards' origin to ancient Egypt, a theory that is to this day, accepted as truthful. This belief was based on an erroneous link to "The Book of Thoth", an ancient Egyptian text about magic that is believed to have been spread through Europe by Romans. This belief was then substantiated with a similar essay by Comte de Mellet (Decker,1993). Promptly, a Parisian fortune teller named Jean-Baptiste Alliette, professionally known as Etteilla, having found these theories, adapted the esoteric view of the cards to his own uses. He switched his own practice from traditional French piquet cartomancy to the use of a self-made Tarot card deck. This deck was based on the previously shared Hermetic ideologies and was named "The Book of Toth"(Decker,1993)
The next fundamental spin that was given to the cards' background was down by Éliphas Levi, another French esotericist. Levi repudiated Etteilla's theory and integrated a version of the cards that was closer to the original to his own Cabalistic magical system. However historically mistaken was Levi's understanding of the cards' travel from Egypt to Judea into Jewish tradition, it nonetheless revolutionised the cards in ways that live on till today. His Cabalistic theory about signs being letter, letters being absolute ideas and absolute ideas being numbers can be seen in even modern iterations of tarot.
From here on over, Tarot's journey speeds up as the cards leave France and become absorbed into new esoteric movements like Swedenborgianism, Mesmerism and spiritualism (Decker, Depaulis & Dummet, 1996).
The next fundamental spin that was applied to the cards' background was done by Éliphas Levi, another French esoterist. Levi, repudiated Etteilla's theory and integrated a version of the cards that were closer to the original than his own Cabalistic magical system. However historically mistaken was Levi's understanding of the cards' travel from Egypt to Judea into Jewish tradition, it nonetheless revolutionized the cards in ways that survived till today. His Cabalistic theory about signs being letters, letters being absolute ideas and absolute ideas being numbers can be seen in even modern iterations of tarot.
From here on over, Tarot's journey speeds up as the cards leave France and become absorbed into new esoteric movements like Swedenborgianism, Mesmerism and Spiritualism (Decker, Depaulis & Dummet, 1996).
Before we make a jump through time to the next biggest relevant development of Tarot, I will share the last of the three false widespread theories about the origin of Tarot, the first two being Egypt and Judaism(despite its influence in modern tarot).
Before we make a jump through time to the next biggest relevant development of Tarot, I will share the last of the three false widespread theories about the origin of Tarot, the first two being Egypt and Judaism (despite its influence on modern tarot).
This last theory is harder to trace back to one esoteric influence, but nonetheless claims a Chinese origin to the cards. Most likely, this is due to the similarity with the I Ching, a divination manual from around 1000 BC. The manual was grounded in cleromancy, the production of random numbers to predict divine intention. However, there is no traceable connection between Chinese cleromancy and Tarot divination. Modern analyses of Chinese Tarot divination draw direct correlation between Western occultism and Tarot divination, leaving little room to imagine any direct causation starting from China (Fu, Li, Lee, 2002).
This last theory is harder to trace back to one esoteric influence, but nonetheless claims a Chinese origin to the cards. Most likely, this is due to the similarity with the I Ching, a divination manual from around 1000 BC. The manual was grounded in cleromancy; the production of random numbers to predict divine intention. However, there is no traceable connection between Chinese cleromancy and Tarot divination. Modern analyses of Chinese Tarot divination draw direct correlation between Western occultism and Tarot divination, leaving little room to imagine any direct causation starting from China (Fu, Li, Lee, 2002).
For the purpose of this recalling but unsurprisingly for those familiar, the next big step will bring us to the late19th century in Britain, in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. The Golden Dawn was a secret society devoted to occult Hermetic Kabbalah and one of the largest single influences on Western occultism as a whole (Jenkins, 2000). While the society itself had a wide curriculum, including astrology, alchemy and geomancy(soil divination), our only concern at the moment is with their links to Tarot cards.
In 1909, two mystics and members of the Golden Dawn, A.E. Waite and Pamela Colman Smith published with the Rider Company a deck of re-made Tarot cards based on the society's magic system. These cards, later known as the Ride-Waite Tarot(Dean, 2015). This deck was based on the Sola Busca deck, with symbolism being taken from Levi's descriptions and Egyptian and Christian symbolism. This deck has become the paradigm and touchstone through which modern occultists think of Tarot. Between the distribution of this deck and the use of the cards in the Golden Dawn, it became axiomatic among followers many traditions of mysticism that the Tarot is an essential component of any occult science.
For the purpose of this recalling but unsurprisingly for those familiar, the next big step will bring us to the late19th century in Britain, in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. The Golden Dawn was a secret society devoted to occult Hermetic Kabbalah and one of the largest single influences on Western occultism as a whole (Jenkins, 2000). While the society itself had a wide curriculum including astrology, alchemy and geomancy (soil divination); our only concern at the moment is with their links to Tarot cards. In 1909, two mystics and members of the Golden Dawn, A.E. Waite and Pamela Colman Smith published with the Rider Company a deck of re-made Tarot cards based on the society's magic system. These cards, later known as the Ride-Waite Tarot (Dean, 2015). This deck was based on the Sola Busca deck, with symbolism being taken from Levi's descriptions and Egyptian and Christian symbolism. This deck has become the paradigm and touchstone through which modern occultists think of Tarot. Between the distribution of this deck and the use of the cards in the Golden Dawn, it became axiomatic among followers many traditions of mysticism that the Tarot is an essential component of any occult science.
Nowadays, Tarot is emblematic and incredibly wide spread as the most common future-telling method and device. Thousands and thousands of different formats exist, often falling under the category of Oracle cards and as such not having the clear formatting rules of Tarot but still implicating divination and self-reflection through the interpretation of allegorical illustration.
Today, Tarot is emblematic and incredibly wide spread as the most common future-telling method and device. Tens and thousands of different formats exist, often falling under the category of Oracle cards and as such not having the clear formatting rules of Tarot but still implicating divination and self-reflection through the interpretation of allegorical illustration.
Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this license document, but changing it is not allowed.
#### Preamble
The SIXX license is a free, copyleft license for rituals, games, books and consolations in any medium, both software and hardware.
For the purpose of this paper, licensing is understood as responsibilitytowards an audience, towards each other and towards other people who might want to contribute to, use or amplify any work.
The precise terms and conditions for copying, distribution and modification follow.
#### TERMS AND CONDITIONS
*1\. Basic Permissions.*
All rights granted under this License are granted for the term of copyright and are irrevocable provided the stated conditions are met.
This License explicitly affirms your unlimited permissionto use any software, publication or any ritual or game-related medium. Anyoutput from running a covered work is covered by this License only if the output, given its content, constitutes a covered work.
This License acknowledges your rights of fair use or other equivalent, as provided by copyright law.
You may make, run and propagate covered works that you do not convey, without conditions so long as your license otherwise remains in force.
You may convey covered works to others for the sole purpose of having them make modifications exclusively for you, or provide you with facilities for running those works, provided that you comply with the terms of this License in conveying all material for which you do not control copyright. Those thus making or running the covered works for you must do so exclusively on your behalf, under your direction and control, on terms that prohibit them from making any copies of your copyrighted material outside their relationship with you.
Conveying under any other circumstances is permitted solely under the conditions stated below. Sublicensing is not allowed.
*2\. Terms for Attribution*
You may convey a work based on anything under the License, or the modifications to produce it from the licensed material, in the form of source code under the following, provided that the workalso meet all of these conditions:
- a) You must give prominent notice of the original intent of the product.
- You must also follow the guidelines indicated in section 4a.
*3\.Terms for Commercial Use*
Any work under the License may only be used for commercial purposes, intended as usage with the purpose of commercial advantage or monetary compensation, provided that it meets all the following conditions:
- a) Disclaiming warranty or limiting liability exactlyas in the terms of sections X and X of this License;
- b) Requiring preservation of initial specified spiritual and emotional purpose of the original product;
- d) Written notice must be given to the initial publisher of any following commercial use;
- e)Use of the license and any product under this license is specifically strictly forbidden to any person who falls under the umbrella of being one of Ada's past romantic partners.
- 1e. In case of usage by any of the prior specified parties, the publisher of the License has to be informed.
- 2e. Permission for usage of the License or anything covered by the license to anybody identifiable upon reasonable suspicion as a previous romantic partner of Ada may be granted by Ada alone.
- f) Identification of yourself as a party wishing to use SIXX license for commercial use is necessary, through means of contacting any XPUB 2023 student or teacher.
*4**. AdditionalPermissions.*
Additional permissions" are terms that supplement the terms of this License by making exceptions from one or more of its conditions. Additional permissions that are applicable to the entire Program shall be treated as though they were included in this License, to the extent that they are valid under applicable law.
The following conditions must therefore be additionally met:
- The true nature of the license for this document cannot be understood through reading alone, but only by entering into harmony with the rights-holders of its production and distribution.
- To obtain the power to reproduce any document under the SIXX license, the product has to be held firmly in front of the body of the new rightsholder(s) (henceforth referred to as "the alchemical apprentice(s)", or simply "the apprentice(s)"), who should close their eyes. The alchemical apprentice(s) should whisper the statement of control silently to themselves seven times or until a clarity of mind is achieved. Through the objects's contact with the skin of the apprentice(s) during this incantation they will begin to absorb it's knowledge, in addition to the associated rights and intellectual property in the eyes of the effective national jurisdiction. When they start to feel an increased level of unity with the secrets of the publication, the alchemical apprentice(s) should conceal the publication within their garment in order to return it to their laboratory for further investigation. By this means the apprentice(s) shall have the glory of the whole world and thereby all obscurity shall fly from them.
You, intendedas License claimer,may place additional permissions on material, added by you to a covered work, for which you have or can give appropriate copyright permission.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this License, for material you add to a covered work, you may (if authorized by the copyright holders of that material) supplement the terms of this License withadditionalterms.
*5.**Disclaimer of Warranty.*
THERE IS NO WARRANTY FORTHIS PUBLICATION, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. EXCEPT WHEN OTHERWISE STATED IN WRITING THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND/OR OTHER PARTIES PROVIDE THE PROGRAM "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE PROGRAM IS WITH YOU. SHOULD THE PROGRAM PROVE DEFECTIVE, YOU ASSUME THE COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR OR CORRECTION.
*6.**. Limitation of Liability.*
IN NO EVENT UNLESS REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW OR AGREED TO IN WRITING WILL ANY COPYRIGHT HOLDER, OR ANY OTHER PARTY WHO MODIFIES AND/OR CONVEYS THE PROGRAM AS PERMITTED ABOVE, BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY GENERAL, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE PROGRAM (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF DATA OR DATA BEING RENDERED INACCURATE OR LOSSES SUSTAINED BY YOU OR THIRD PARTIES OR A FAILURE OF THE PROGRAM TO OPERATE WITH ANY OTHER PROGRAMS), EVEN IF SUCH HOLDER OR OTHER PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
*7**. Interpretation of Sections 5 and6.*
If the disclaimer of warranty and limitation of liability provided above cannot be given local legal effect according to their terms, reviewing courts shall apply local law that most closely approximates an absolute waiver of all civil liability in connection with the Program, unless a warranty or assumption of liability accompanies a copy of the Program in return for a fee.
The future cannot be predicted with certainty, but our current understanding in various scientific fields means we can predict some far-future events, if only in the broadest outline. These fields include astrophysics, particle physics, evolutionary biology, plate tectonics and sociology. The far future begins after the end of the current millennium,in 3001 CE, which is the start of the 4th millennium, and continues until the furthest reaches of future time. This timeline includes alternative future events that address unresolved scientific questions, and is in fact not six sigma accurate at all.
The future cannot be predicted with certainty, but our current understanding in various scientific fields means we can predict some far-future events, if only in the broadest outline. These fields include astrophysics, particle physics, evolutionary biology, plate tectonics and sociology. The far future begins after the end of the current millennium,in 3001 CE, which is the start of the 4th millennium, and continues until the furthest reaches of future time. This timeline includes alternative future events that address unresolved scientific questions, and is in fact not six sigma accurate at all.
This timeline (based on Wikipedia's [Timeline of the Far Future](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_far_future)) claims to make accurate predictions far into the future at timescales that are difficult to comprehend; beyond our lifetimes, beyond the death of the earth, beyond the death of atoms. The scientific method claims to have an intense relationship to the material world which is "orders of magnitude" more accurate than other ways of interacting with and understanding where we are. The scientist often pits themself as "against" the fortune-teller, the tarot reader, or the mystic, and yet they make even bigger claims about our collective future. Is there any way to disprove the scientist's method in their own mind?
*They who dream of drinking wine may weep when morning comes; they who dream of weeping may in the morning go off to hunt. While they are dreaming they do not know it is a dream, and in their dream they may even try to interpret a dream. Only after they wake do they know it was a dream. And someday there will be a great awakening when we know that this is all a great dream.*
*Those who dream of drinking wine may weep when morning comes; those who dream of weeping may in the morning go off to hunt. While they are dreaming they do not know it is a dream, and in their dream they may even try to interpret a dream. Only after they wake do they know it was a dream. And someday there will be a great awakening when we know that this is all a great dream.*
*And when I say you are dreaming, I am dreaming, too.*
**Zhuàngzi**
**莊子**
# ✧ Preface
Have you ever woken up feeling like there is a word, on the tip of your tongue, in a language you don't quite understand?
Have you ever woken up feeling like there is a word on the tip of your tongue, in a language you don't quite understand?
It's the feeling you may have felt when a dream leaves too quickly after you wake up, like a regretful lover. You grasp and reach out, but it is gone and you forget something so fundamentally important that your stomach caves into itself.
It's the feeling you feel when a dream leaves too quickly after you wake up, like a regretful lover. You grasp and reach out, but it's gone and you forget something so fundamentally important that your stomach caves into itself.
This deck of oracle cards invites you to go back into that cave, that pit. Back to the start of that word. Tarot and oracle cards are always tools for self-exploration, but the Oracolotto invites you to travel deep into the subconscious realm of your dreams.
Oracolotto includes twenty-one cards and one guidebook. The cards follow the paved journey of Tarot's major arcana, but do not be fooled by the numbers, as they will not give you insight into the path. You do not need prior knowledge to use these cards, only the ability to dream and a soul – your own or another.
Oracolotto includes twenty-one cards and one guidebook. The cards follow the paved journey of Tarot's major arcana, but do not be fooled by the numbers– they will not give you insight into the path. You do not need prior knowledge to use these cards, only the ability to dream and a soul – your own or the soul of another.
The Oracolotto cards present illustrations of collective dream archetypes, as delineated by Neapolitan tradition. While the cards symbolically follow the traditional Tarot journey from the fool to the world (minus the Emperor), they are based on the Neapolitan art form of the Smorfia, intended not as the grimace but as a method for the interpretation of dreams.[steve notes: I don't understand 'grimace']
The Oracolotto cards present illustrations of collective dream archetypes, as delineated by Neapolitan tradition. While the cards symbolically follow the traditional Tarot journey from the fool to the world (minus the Emperor), they are based on the Neapolitan art form of the Smorfia, intended not as the grimace but as a method for interpreting dreams.[steve notes: I don't understand 'grimace']
The Smorfia is an ancient art form in which symbols and archetypes from a person's dreams are analysed and converted into numbers. To use the Smorfia, you would recall every event, person and object that appeared in your dream, and then use the extensive list of dream archetypes to find the associated numbers. This may be used to find the meaning of your dreams or, most commonly, to find numbers to play the lottery (Ricciardone, 1987; Zezza, 1835).
In Oracolotto, the archetypes are used as a storytelling device, an exploration tool for imagination and self-discovery. You may chose to use these cards in the two ways I have imagined, or create your own.
In Oracolotto, the archetypes are used as a storytelling device, an exploration tool for imagination and self-discovery. You may choose to use these cards in the two ways I have imagined or create your own.
1. The first method, and the one I recommend, asks your soul to sit with the cards, ask them a question, read the answer in the following pages and find a language for new or old feelings.
2. The second method requires you to keep the deck next to your bed. Once you wake up, while the dream is still supple and alive, reach for the Oracolotto and try and find the cards that most closely resemble the dream. This allows you to give a language to the unformed and reveal the apparent truths the cards hold.
2. The second method requires you to keep the deck next to your bed. Once you wake up, while the dream is still supple and alive, reach for the Oracolotto and try and find the cards that most closely resemble the dream. This allows you to give language to the unformed and reveal the apparent truths the cards hold.
If you have read this far, you may want to remember your dreams and connect to your subconscious, but feel unable to do so. You may never remember your dreams and think that they are random. If this is your case, I recommend that you use the Oracolotto in with the method I first describe, as the subconscious seeps into our daily thoughts and feelings, the deck will reveal hidden patterns.
If you have read this far, you may want to remember your dreams and connect to your subconscious, but feel unable to do so. You may never remember your dreams and think that they are random. If this is the case, I recommend you use the Oracolotto with the method I first describe. As the subconscious seeps into our daily thoughts and feelings, the deck will reveal hidden patterns.
You may also choose your own path, disregard what I said and make your own game, read old or future dreams or even play the lottery. The tools are in your hands.
You may also choose your path, disregard what I said and make your own game, read old or future dreams or even play the lottery. The tools are in your hands.
:::::
:::::{.hide-on-web}
### ✧ How to care for the Oracolotto
You may have grown up believing that objects do not have spirit. If so, I suggest you tuck the inner skeptic into bed and let the curious child out to play. The Oracolotto, like any Tarot or Oracle, does not believe itself to be an object. It thinks that no object is simply a thing, but also exists in a spiritual plane. All objects have a soul, a spirit that connects to yours.
You may have grown up believing that objects do not have spirit. If so, I suggest you tuck the inner sceptic into bed and let the curious child out to play. The Oracolotto, like any Tarot or Oracle, does not believe itself to be an object. It thinks that no object is simply a thing, but also exists in a spiritual plane. All objects have a soul, a spirit that connects to yours.
The Oracolotto, has a playful and deep soul. It asks to be cared for as a living thing (more like a plant than a pet). It asks to be touched, used, cried on, laughed with. Most importantly, it asks for a place to rest every night. I would recommend, at your discretion, to free negative intention from the cards. This may happen if you do a reading for someone who turns out to have bad intentions, or a heavy, painful load to carry. Or it may happen if you use them alone in a moment of intense sadness or anger. In such cases, find a way to release these feelings from the cards, leave them out to breath, or hold them in your hands and think positive thoughts.
The Oracolotto has a playful and deep soul. It asks to be cared for as a living thing (more like a plant than a pet). It asks to be touched, used, cried on, and laughed with. Most importantly, it asks for a place to rest every night. I would recommend, at your discretion, to free all negative intentions from the cards. This may happen if you do a reading for someone with bad intentions, or a heavy, painful load to carry. Or it may happen if you use them alone in a moment of intense sadness or anger. In such cases, find a way to release these feelings from the cards, leave them out to breathe, or hold them in your hands and think positive thoughts.
### ✧ How to Do a Reading
Set an intention to begin. You or the person you are reading for will ask a question, out loud or in your mind as you shuffle the cards. You then have two options: either spread them out or fan them, and choose one card at a time with your dominant hand; or place the whole deck on a surface and run your fingers alongside it until you feel like splitting the deck and picking a card. Do it however you wish, the important thing is that you let your intuition guide you to a card.
Set an intention at the start. You or the person you are reading for will ask a question, out loud or in your mind, as you shuffle the cards. You then have two options: either spread them out or fan them, and choose one card at a time with your dominant hand, or place the whole deck on a surface and run your fingers alongside it until you feel like splitting the deck and picking a card. Do it as you wish, it is important to let your intuition guide you to a card.
Lay it in front of you (the "How to Lay Out the Cards" section follows). Turn the card over and feel, hear, see, and intuit its meaning in relation to your question. Refer to this guidebook for interpretations. If you give readings to others, it is always a good idea to keep a record of your own readings, as messages for others do usually weave together with those for you. Sometimes cards will"jump" out of the deck while you're shuffling. These cards are trying to get your attention. They're part of your reading, or perhaps the entire reading. In any case, know that they're important messages to be heeded.
Lay the card in front of you (the "How to Lay Out the Cards" section follows). Turn the card over and feel, hear, see, and intuit its meaning concerning your question. Refer to this guidebook for interpretations. If you give readings to others, always keep a record of your readings, because messages for others often weave into your own. Sometimes cards will "jump" out of the deck while you are shuffling. These cards are trying to get your attention. They are part of your reading, or perhaps the entire reading. They are important messages, take heed.
Alternatively and if applicable, you may choose one card and place it on your altar or under your pillow at night to bring in deeper understanding.
Alternatively and if applicable, you may choose one card and place it on your altar or under your pillow at night to usher in a deeper understanding.
### ✧ How to Lay Out the Cards
@ -65,71 +66,71 @@ A single card can be used for several purposes:
.Three-Card Spread
A three-card spread can also be used in a couple of different ways:
A three-card spread can also be used in several different ways:
- Draw three cards representing what you need to know in general terms.
- They may represent the past, present or future.
- Or answer questions about three issues, such as career, love and friendship.
- The three cards may represent the past, present or future.
- The three cards answer questions about three issues, such as career, love and friendship.
If you wish to find a more fleshed out narrative, you may choose to do bigger spread. Information about those can be found in any book about tarot or online.
If you want to arrive at a more fleshed-out narrative, you may choose to do a bigger spread. Information about those can be found in any book about tarot or online.
.keywords: beginnings, unformed potential, taking a risk, answering a 'call', trusting in the universe, overcoming self-doubt, embracing uncertainty.
Coffee is brewing, waiting to be poured into the empty cup on the counter. A spiritual guide sits patiently, urging you to begin, while the sun shines outside a closed window. On the side, enormous snowdrops have blossomed, indicating the first tentative steps of spring.
While the Coffee is number 42, this card comes before the others. Like an unhatched egg it contains all the potential for the journey. The cup is empty, but you are urged to pour it, to drink it and to be the journey. A spiritual guide urges you forward. Like the prophet Muhammad who was given coffee(قهوة) by the Archangel Jibreel, you are urged to begin.
While the Coffee is number 42, this card comes before the others. Like an unhatched egg, it contains all the potential for the journey. The cup is empty, but you are urged to pour it, to drink it and to be on the journey. A spiritual guide urges you forward. Like the prophet Muhammad who was given coffee(قهوة) by the Archangel Jibreel, you are urged to begin.
The Coffee upright in a reading tells you it is now the time to be naive and courageous. Set on a new adventure and do not worry about the consequences. It is time, the coffee is ready.
*Reversed*
If the Coffee appears reversed, it is a warning. The coffee will spill and it may burn you or others. Be careful not to disregarding the consequences of your actions. Your eagerness for freedom and new beginnings may harm others or yourself. Now, you are being asked for consistency and patience. There is a time to be brave and to set off on new paths, a time to be reliable and patient. Wisdom lays in knowing the difference.
If the Coffee appears reversed, it is a warning. The coffee will spill and it may burn you or others. Be careful not to disregard the consequences of your actions. Your eagerness for freedom and new beginnings may harm others or yourself. Now, you are being asked for consistency and patience. There is a time to be brave and to set off on new paths, a time to be reliable and patient. Wisdom lies in knowing the difference.
**✳**tarot correspondence: 0. the fool.
**✳**zodiac correspondence: all signs, the universe.
.keywords: magic, manifestation, setting intentions, directing energy consciously, willpower, concentration, having all the resources you need.
Two old women stand before a table, one pointing above, the other below. Their eyes glow with mystic power. If they appeared in your dreams you would feel their power radiating. This is particularly powerful card. While looking at it, reject what you have been told about the emotional loneliness of spinsters and focus on their ability to spin a magical web. These women appear to you at an important time, at the moment when you may choose your own path. You are now fully able to manifest your desires. The Spinsters show you the power you hold and ask you for intense concentration. There is power in your focus and dedication, now is the time to channel all your resources to achive what you wish.
Two old women stand before a table, one pointing above, the other below. Their eyes glow with mystic power. If they appear in your dreams you will feel their power radiating. This is a particularly powerful card. While looking at it, reject what you have been told about the emotional loneliness of spinsters and focus on their ability to spin a magical web. These women appear to you at an important time, at the moment when you may choose your path. You are now fully able to manifest your desires. The Spinsters show you the power you hold and ask you for intense concentration. There is power in your focus and dedication, now is the time to channel all your resources to achieve what you wish.
*Reversed*
If the Spinsters have appeared reversed, it is a sign that you are ignoring your own powers. You no longer see two crone magicians who have chosen the path of spiritual power, but two unmarried older women. Do not be fooled. The power is in your hands, your potential lays dormant beneath your doubts and lack of self esteem. Trust in your ability, trust the Spinsters to weave you back to an active role within your own life.\
If the Spinsters have appeared reversed, it is a sign that you are ignoring your powers. You no longer see two crone magicians who have chosen the path of spiritual power, but two unmarried older women. Do not be fooled. The power is in your hands, your potential lays dormant beneath your doubts and lack of self-esteem. Trust in your ability, and trust the Spinsters to weave you back to an active role within your own life.\
. keywords: intuition, subconscious, higher wisdom, knowing something you can't explain, stillness, meditation, spell-work and ritual.
The Bride sits in silence in an underground cistern, two eyes closed and a third eye open. Upon her head two crescent moons hold the globe. She is alone, but does not appear to be waiting. The Bride is a figure of divine wisdom, feminine mystery and intuitive knowledge. She is the guardian of the unconscious and she is meeting you. By receiving this card you are being gently led deeper, invited to go deeper. To artists, she is the representation of creative potential. The bride has little care for the material because her powers lay in the true nature of emotion. Let your intuition lead the way, quieten the chatter of the rational and logical.
The Bride sits in silence in an underground cistern, two eyes closed and a third eye open. Upon her head, two crescent moons hold the globe. She is alone but does not appear to be waiting. The Bride is a figure of divine wisdom, feminine mystery and intuitive knowledge. She is the guardian of the unconscious and she is meeting you. By receiving this card you are being gently invited to go deeper. To artists, she is the representation of creative potential. The bride has little care for the material because her powers lay in the true nature of emotion. Let your intuition lead the way, quieten the chatter of the rational and logical.
*Reversed*
If you are facing a reversed Bride, it is an indication to examine when you ignor your gut. Perhaps you have allowed your thinking mind to run loose, you have not been listening to your gut. You overvalue the opinions of others or act too hastily. Whichever it is, it may be time to be still, reflect and meditate on your intuition.\
If you are facing a reversed Bride, it is an invitation to examine when you ignore your gut. Perhaps you have allowed your thinking mind to run loose, you have not been listening to your gut. You overvalue the opinions of others or act too hastily. Whichever it is, it is time to be still, reflect and meditate on your intuition.\
The Mother sits on a throne in the middle of the river of life force. A crown on her head, a sword in her hand. In this iconography she is Juno, Roman goddess of marriage and family. As such, she sits near a pregnant cow and a peacock eating a pomegranate. Nature thrives around her. She is the embodiment of femininity and the bringer or life and growth. Her energy is both nurturing and fiercely protective. She appears to indicate that she is looking after you and your growth. She is abundant and as such so will your expression be, both creative and sensual. Deep fulfilment awaits.
The Mother sits on a throne in the middle of the river of life force. A crown on her head, a sword in her hand. In this iconography, she is Juno, the Roman goddess of marriage and family. As such, she sits near a pregnant cow and a peacock eating a pomegranate. Nature thrives around her. She is the embodiment of femininity and the bringer of life and growth. Her energy is both nurturing and fiercely protective. She appears to indicate that she is looking after you and your growth. She is abundant and as such so will your expression be, both creative and sensual. Deep fulfilment awaits.
*Reversed*
@ -139,42 +140,42 @@ The Mother has appeared reversed. Juno's warlike nature is more active than her
.keywords: belief systems, ancestry, study, tradition, conformity, learning about the past.
A priest stands in front of you, one hand hidden and the other towards the divine. On his shoulders sits a church, with a black door highlighting a shining key. The Church cards beckons you inside a mysterious, sacred place. In the Christian belief, a church is not only where the religious community meets, it is the seat of Divinity itself. I invite you to disconnect the Church card from its Christian associations. It stands in place of any established social structure, spiritual tradition or source of ancestral knowledge. It is a teacher, a leader, a guru of past memory. If the Church has come up in your reading, it indicates a need for deeper meaning or knowledge. Will you use your key to follow the paved road and find out who paved it and who walked it before you?
A priest stands in front of you, one hand hidden and the other towards the divine. On his shoulders sits a church, with a black door highlighting a shining key. The Church card beckons you inside a mysterious, sacred place. In the Christian belief, a church is not only where the religious community meets, it is the seat of Divinity itself. I invite you to disconnect the Church card from its Christian associations. It stands in place of any established social structure, spiritual tradition or source of ancestral knowledge. It is a teacher, a leader, a guru of memory. If the Church has come up in your reading, it indicates a need for deeper meaning or knowledge. Will you use your key to follow the paved road and find out who paved it and who walked it before you?
*Reversed*
The Church is upside down. Its integrity is questioned, the status quo stumbles. The pressure of conformity weighs heavy, others' belief systems hang above your head. This card is now urging you to move. Tradition can be a teacher or a jailer and in this case, it is trapping you. It may be time to shake your ancestors wishes away and start anew, upon a path you paved yourself.
The Church is upside down. Its integrity is questioned the status quo stumbles. The pressure of conformity weighs heavy, the belief systems of others hang above your head. This card is now urging you to move. Tradition can be a teacher or a jailer and in this case, it is trapping you. It may be time to shake your ancestors' wishes away and start anew, upon a path you paved yourself.
- .keywords: love (of all kinds), making heart-centred choices, compassion, partnerships and relationships, equilibrium, harmony.
Two hands reach for each other, the space between them filled with light and eyes. Roses grow around their wrists. There is an obvious story being told, of two souls meeting in companionship. But this is also a card about balance and choices. The Upside Down is a reference to love and the two sides of a coin. When this card appears it speaks of love and strong bonds. It asks you to choose love, to make heartfelt, loving, compassionate choices. The Upside Down is a simple card, asking you to choose. Listen to your heart and follow it.
Two hands reach for each other, the space between them filled with light and eyes. Roses grow around their wrists. There is an obvious story being told, of two souls meeting in companionship. But this is also a card about balance and choices. The Upside Down is a reference to love and the two sides of a coin. When this card appears it speaks of love and strong bonds. It asks you to choose love, to make heartfelt, loving, compassionate choices. The Upside Down is a simple card, that asks you to choose. Listen to your heart and follow it.
*Reversed*
Due to the nature of this card, up is down and down is up. However you pull this card, it shows you both the Yin and the Yang. In this case, a sourness is prevalent. The eyes look away, giving you space to identify within yourself why a committment has turned sour. Your inner voice is unbalanced. Use your heart for your choices and seek out harmony.
Due to the nature of this card, up is down and down is up. However you pull this card, it shows you both the Yin and the Yang. In this case, sourness is prevalent. The eyes look away, giving you space to identify within yourself why a commitment has turned sour. Your inner voice is unbalanced. Use your heart for your choices and seek out harmony.
.keywords: focused*action, s*elf-belief and confidence, commitment, drive and determination, hard, passionate work, assertion.
A chariot flies across a starry sky with two half moons. Inside it, a man dressed in Roman armour with the head of turtledove looks straight at you. The dove drives through the sky, led by stars. This is the card of control and victory. The Bird has control of his own fate but it will also help you with yours. It directs you to assert your will with mastery, careful practice and self-discipline. It reminds you of your courage and strength. It encourages you to direct your energies towards the stars.
A chariot flies across a starry sky with two half moons. Inside it, a man dressed in Roman armour with the head of a turtledove looks straight at you. The dove drives through the sky, led by stars. This is the card of control and victory. The Bird has control of his fate but it will also help you with yours. It directs you to assert your will with mastery, careful practice and self-discipline. It reminds you of your courage and strength. It encourages you to direct your energies towards the stars.
*Reversed*
@ -184,12 +185,12 @@ When reversed, the Bird is spinning further and further out of control. It may b
.keywords: inner strength and courage, dignified resistance, emotional labour, heart.
A naked woman covered in flowers looks to the side, she casually tames the lion in front of her. A natural landscape opens up behind her. Do not be fooled by her gentle appearance, she is not effortless. Her strength lies in her heart as this is the card for Breasts. Emotional weakness is discarded as a patriarchal concept, as the Breasts show you a dignified taming of the wild through your heart. Emotion can steady your demeanour and your powers of inner strength. This indicates positive emotional labour of your own ferocity and expression of pure emotional strength. Go towards your own chest, to the place of pain, anger, greed, and fear in your life. Acknowledge where these things live within you and own them, pour love over them.
A naked woman covered in flowers looks to the side, she casually tames the lion in front of her. A natural landscape opens up behind her. Do not be fooled by her gentle appearance, she is not effortless. Her strength lies in her heart as this is the card for Breasts. Emotional weakness is discarded as a patriarchal concept, as the Breasts show you a dignified taming of the wild through your heart. Emotion can steady your demeanour and your powers of inner strength. This indicates positive emotional labour of your ferocity and expression of pure emotional strength. Go towards your chest, to the place of pain, anger, greed, and fear in your life. Acknowledge where these things live within you and own them, pour love over them.
*Reversed*
@ -199,12 +200,12 @@ The lion is now overpowering as the Breasts appear upside down. This is an indic
.keywords: introspection, solitude, retreat, working things through on your own, claiming space and time for you, self-guided or guided study.
A figure cries in an underwater cocoon, wrapped in a cape of hair and seaweed. They are holding themselves, as their bright tears float upwards. This figure is in deep introspection. The Crying card is not a negative card, regardless of your own view of tears. It indicates a need for comfort and solitude. It asks for a moment of introspection, the only thing that may lead you to true selfdiscovery. Once you have expressed your pain and truly felt it, you will gain better understanding.
A figure cries in an underwater cocoon, wrapped in a cape of hair and seaweed. They are holding themselves, as their bright tears float upwards. This figure is in deep introspection. The Crying card is not negative, regardless of your view of tears. It indicates a need for comfort and solitude. It asks for a moment of introspection, the only thing that may lead you to true self-discovery. Once you have expressed your pain and truly felt it, you will gain a better understanding.
*Reversed*
@ -214,42 +215,42 @@ The tears fall upon you as the Crying card is reversed. You have relied on yours
.keywords: positive luck, change, predictions and prophesies, feeling like something is 'destined' to happen, an interconnected bigger picture.
A table is set with plates spelling out the ancient names for tarot and wheel. In the center of the table you can see water, soil, air and fire. Around the table sit the four fixed signs, Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. Three eyes, symbolising the three Fates oversee the table. This is an incredibly auspicious card to pick. Like the table, your destiny has been set, the tempo will crank up as your personal vision develops into reality. This card asks you to accept your fate, but also take responsibility for it. The table is set but it is up to you to serve.
A table is set with plates spelling out the ancient names for tarot and wheel. In the centre of the table, you can see water, soil, air and fire. Around the table sit the four fixed signs, Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. Three eyes, symbolising the three Fates oversee the table. This is an incredibly auspicious card to pick. Like the table, your destiny has been set, the tempo will crank up as your vision develops into reality. This card asks you to accept your fate, but also take responsibility for it. The table is set but it is up to you to serve.
*Reversed*
The Set Table has been turned the wrong way. This indicated elements outside your control, spinning your fate. Luck has not been on your side and you may have been unhappy with your circumstances. Take a moment to analyse what could have happened. Are the elements toying with your luck internal or external? Is there someone to blame, if so, who? Whatever you find, trust that the Table will be set again, and out of darkness a new light will be born, informed by your discoveries.
The Set Table has been turned the wrong way. This indicated elements outside your control, spinning your fate. Luck has not been on your side and you may have been unhappy with your circumstances. Take a moment to analyse what could have happened. Are the elements toying with your luck internal or external? Is there someone to blame, if so, who? Whatever you find, trust that the Table will be set again, and out of darkness, a new light will be born, informed by your discoveries.
**✳**tarot correspondence: 9. the wheel of fortune.
A woman, justice, walks the steps out of darkness, a lament distorts her face. In the Lament, you see justice wearing white, carrying a sword on her waist and holding scales, with a heart on one side and a brain on the other. Her eyes are closed but the piercing light around her penetrates to the truth. It is her cry for truth, her lament, that propels her forward. This card calls out to you. Every action has an equal reaction but it is often an expression of injustice that brings justice forward. It is the Lament that leads to balance. Believe that your expression of injustice is worth sharing.
A woman, Justice, walks the steps out of darkness, and a lament distorts her face. In the Lament, you see justice wearing white, carrying a sword on her waist and holding scales, with a heart on one side and a brain on the other. Her eyes are closed but the piercing light around her penetrates the truth. It is her cry for truth, her lament, that propels her forward. This card calls out to you. Every action has an equal reaction but it is often an expression of injustice that brings justice forward. It is the Lament that leads to balance. Believe that your expression of injustice is worth sharing.
*Reversed*
When the Lament appears reversed it indicates a flawed system, a hidden truth or bias. This injustice may have been committed against you or by you. However it happened, the scales are not balanced, but soon they will be as someone faces consequences. It also begs for you to re-balance your perspective. Look at the issue from both sides, hear the Lament.
When the Lament appears reversed it indicates a flawed system, a hidden truth or a bias. This injustice may have been committed against you or by you. However it happened, the scales are not balanced, but soon they will be as someone faces consequences. It also begs for you to re-balance your perspective. Look at the issue from both sides and hear the Lament.
**✳**tarot correspondence: 11. justice.
**✳**zodiac correspondence: libra.
**✳ 85. purgatory's souls**
**✳ 85. purgatory's souls or ll'aneme o priatorio**
.keywords: passivity, cost, holding back, patience, allowing events to unfold, meditation and mindful practice, inner peace, self-acceptance, overcoming ego
A man dangles, his foot loosely tied with rope, his wings closed by his sides, his braids falling beyond sight. Next to him others hang, in the same situation. We see Purgatory's Souls, the souls of people in a state of temporary punishment and purification, in a state of grace but not yet ready to enter heaven. Let the souls be an inspiration to you, in their state of acceptance, as it is not their work that will send them to heaven. They are, just like you, ready for peace and joy. What you must do now is fully succumb to your situation, release. If the soul trusts the flow of events and lets go, he realises he has had wings all along. A brazen metaphor, a simple reminder that it is not time to struggle for control. Trust the universe, trust yourself and let go.
A man dangles, his foot loosely tied with rope, his wings closed by his sides, his braids falling beyond sight. Next to him, others hang, in the same situation. We see Purgatory's Souls, the souls of people in a state of temporary punishment and purification, in a state of grace but not yet ready to enter heaven. Let the souls be an inspiration to you, in their state of acceptance, as it is not their work that will send them to heaven. They are, just like you, ready for peace and joy. What you must do now is fully succumb to your situation, and release. If the soul trusts the flow of events and let's go, he realises he has had wings all along. A brazen metaphor, a simple reminder that it is not time to struggle for control. Trust the universe, trust yourself and let go.
*Reversed*
@ -259,99 +260,104 @@ As Purgatory's Souls appear reversed, they tell a different story. They are not
**✳**zodiac correspondence: pisces.
**✳ 48. the talking dead**
**✳ 48. the talking dead or 'o muorto che pparla**
.keywords: the ending of a cycle, letting go and saying goodbye, ritual to honour change, not resisting, honouring the seasons of life.
.keywords: the ending of a cycle, letting go and saying goodbye, a ritual to honour change, not resisting, honouring the seasons of life.
A deer's skeleton lays on a blooming prairie. Close by, another deer looks into the sun rising above the hills. The Talking Dead card is deeply sensitive and invites a gentle approach. It does not necessarily symbolise literal death but is a positive harbinger of change. The death has already happened, and the deer's spirit is ready to move into the coming day. The Talking Dead tells you it is time to let go of old habits, ways of thinking and of the buried. This is the only way to allow for more rewarding patterns. Resisting change will not bring you joy, you must embrace transformation. There is no other way, a profound experience awaits you. Let the resting lead you.
A deer's skeleton lays on a blooming prairie. Close by, another deer looks into the sun rising above the hills. The Talking Dead card is deeply sensitive and invites a gentle approach. It does not necessarily symbolise literal death but is a positive harbinger of change. Death has already happened, and the deer's spirit is ready to move into the coming day. The Talking Dead tells you it is time to let go of old habits, ways of thinking and of the buried. This is the only way to allow for more rewarding patterns. Resisting change will not bring you joy, you must embrace transformation. There is no other way, a profound experience awaits you. Let the resting lead you.
*Reversed*
If the card is reversed it appears that the Talking Dead are being forced to be still. Changes frighten you and you may resist them. Your life is now stagnant, the sunrise is eternal as the sun never reaches the sky. Trust that change will lead you wherever you need to be. It is not a matter of avoiding what has happened, but rather of learning to live with what it brought in the hope that better things lay ahead.
If the card is reversed it appears that the Talking Dead is being forced to be still. Changes frighten you and you may resist them. Your life is now stagnant, the sunrise is eternal as the sun never reaches the sky. Trust that change will lead you wherever you need to be. It is not a matter of avoiding what has happened, but rather of learning to live with what it brought in the hope that better things lay ahead.
.keywords: balance, harmony, blending of dualities, seeking the middle path, not making extreme decisions, taking a non-binary attitude, testing the waters, self-care, grace, gentleness.
A large, genderless, dark figure stands in the sea. On their forehead shines a triangle enclosed in a square, representing how humans are bound by the Earth and natural law. The figure takes water from the sea but as they pour it into the bowl, it transforms into a bowl of steaming soup. This card gives insight into the nuances of balance. Wherever something is taken, something else must be given. The figure is taking from the sea to deliver you the Warm Soup. See the figure as if it was keeping a close eye on how well you handle dualities. Keep to the middle path, do not make extreme decisions. You may someone who tends to have a peaceful nature or someone who swings between extremes. Either way, now is the time to test the waters of gentleness, give back what you have been given and ask for what was taken.
A large, genderless, dark figure stands in the sea. On their forehead shines a triangle enclosed in a square, representing how humans are bound by the Earth and natural law. The figure takes water from the sea but as they pour it into the bowl, it transforms into a bowl of steaming soup. This card gives insight into the nuances of balance. Wherever something is taken, something else must be given. The figure is taking from the sea to deliver you the Warm Soup. See the figure as if it was keeping a close eye on how well you handle dualities. Keep to the middle path, do not make extreme decisions. You may be someone who tends to have a peaceful nature or someone who swings between extremes. Either way, now is the time to test the waters of gentleness, give back what you have been given and ask for what was taken.
*Reversed*
The Warm Soup now pours upwards from the ladle. Something has been thrown off balance in your life. The coming times require meticulous care of balance. Equilibrium must be restored. The costs may be too high for what you receive from the universe. You must reconsider your choices, find the weak point that has thrown you off the balance and adjust it.
The Warm Soup now pours upwards from the ladle. Something has been thrown off balance in your life. The coming times require meticulous care of the balance. Equilibrium must be restored. The costs may be too high for what you receive from the universe. You must reconsider your choices, find the weak point that has thrown you off the balance and adjust it.
.keywords: bondage, addiction, materialism, destructive behaviours, harmful cycles, choosing to get free, or choosing not to get free, confronting fear, committing to your own freedom.
.keywords: bondage, addiction, materialism, destructive behaviours, harmful cycles, choosing to get free, or choosing not to get free, confronting fear, committing to your freedom.
Five little devils dance naked above a reversed pentacle. They hold a chain that leads to a circle of light containing a key. The Devils symbolise that which keeps us bound and trapped. It is a small circle containing you, a metaphorical jail to which you do not yet have a key. This card cautions you against finding blame, and refers instead to that which is constrained by ourself, our subconscious and direct choices. Do not let ideas, people or situations absorb you so intensely that it causes you to ignore other relationships.
Five little devils dance naked above a reversed pentacle. They hold a chain that leads to a circle of light containing a key. The Devils symbolise that which keeps us bound and trapped. It is a small circle containing you, a metaphorical jail to which you do not yet have a key. This card cautions you against finding blame and refers instead to that which is constrained by ourselves, our subconscious and direct choices. Do not let ideas, people or situations absorb you so intensely that it causes you to ignore other relationships.
*Reversed*
The Devils being upside down immediately reveals the bondage, you are aware of your own chains. The unhealthy dynamics in your life that keep you trapped are finally emerging into the light. Caution, this does not imply freedom but may entail further temptation which leads you to crawl back into your own trap. This is a time that needs your complete attention, use your newfound awareness to break the chains and escape your jail.
The Devil being upside down immediately reveals the bondage, you are aware of your chains. The unhealthy dynamics in your life that keep you trapped are finally emerging into the light. Caution, this does not imply freedom but may entail further temptation which leads you to crawl back into your trap. This is a time that needs your complete attention, use your newfound awareness to break the chains and escape your jail.
.keywords: revolution, disaster, shock, mourning, blowing apart old structures, demolition of the status quo, toppling systems of power, potential, rebuilding after disaster, a blessing in disguise as a disaster, rehabilitation, regeneration.
An ancient maritime pine tree towers in the night. Above, the all-seeing Storm is unleashing lightening, cutting the tree down as birds escape. The Storm, as the name suggests, is a complicated card to receive. It indicates a profound disruption, a complete reset of the known. The situation may seem grim at times, but you must understand that the change being brought is ultimately positive. You may find this hard to believe, the event that this card indicates is the demolition and toppling of a structure that can feel quite devastating. However, new growth will come from this and the old cannot last forever lest it become decrepit. Remember well that when the Storm appears in front of you, you are not the tree but the doves escaping.
An ancient maritime pine tree towers in the night. Above, the all-seeing Storm is unleashing lightning, cutting the tree down as birds escape. The Storm, as the name suggests, is a complicated card to receive. It indicates a profound disruption, a complete reset of the known. The situation may seem grim at times, but you must understand that the change being brought is ultimately positive. You may find this hard to believe, but the event that this card indicates is the demolition and toppling of a structure that can feel quite devastating. However, new growth will come from this and the old cannot last forever lest it becomes decrepit. Remember well that when the Storm appears in front of you, you are not the tree but the doves escaping.
*Reversed*
In this situation the Storm that topples the pine tree is coming from within. The issue is within your response to the situation, your worries within your own head. Your perception is bringing you great pain. Take care not to become a vortex of negativity, be mindful of your own feelings and take responsibility of how your responses affect you and those around you.
In this situation, the Storm that topples the pine tree is coming from within. The issue is within your response to the situation and your worries within your head. Your perception is bringing you great pain. Take care not to become a vortex of negativity, be mindful of your feelings and take responsibility for how your responses affect you and those around you.
.keywords: hope, love and support, coming home to yourself, self-care, healing, being true to yourself, being guided by your intuition, integrity, honesty,a positive new start or new vision.
.keywords: hope, love and support, coming home to yourself, self-care, healing, being true to yourself, being guided by your intuition, integrity, honesty, a positive new start or new vision.
In a warm room, a candle-lit Christmas appears next to a window. On the windowsill sits a still, warm cup of tea. The comforting view of the room is contrasted by the magical view through the window, where an enormous star pours light on a snowy landscape. Christmas is a card of hope. A time of renewal, comfort and homeliness lie ahead. It is time to leave the hard times behind. The star shines alone through the window, filling the landscape with positivity and opportunity. Like this card, we all contain infinite possibilities, infinite capacity for beauty, and infinite wonder. When times are hard, Christmas reminds you of your ability for healing and magic. Know that you are a creature of this earth and of this universe, that you belong here, and that you are loved.
*Reversed*
When Christmas appears reversed, you may have lost your hope. Life's challenges are overwhelming and leave you questioning everything and everybody. When this card appears reversed in a reader it is a beacon over your disconnection. Your faith in the possibility of a comforting and fullfilling life is weaning as daily routines become dreary. It is an important alarm, a light shining on the parts of your life that do not align with your joyful purpose. Now is not the time to push harder or you may deplete your energies even further. It's time to nourish yourself and your life at a deeper level, and rest.
In a warm room, a candle-lit Christmas appears next to a window. On the windowsill sits a still, warm cup of tea. The comforting view of the room is contrasted by the magical view through the window, where an enourmous star pours light on a snowy landscape. Christmas is a card of hope. A time of renewal, comfort and homeliness lays ahead. It is time to leave the hard times behind. The star shines alone through the window, filling the landscape with positivity and opportunity. Like this card, we all contain infinite possibilities, infinite capacity for beauty, infinite wonder. When times are hard, Christmas reminds you of your own ability for healing and magic. Know that you are a creature of this earth and of this universe, that you belong here, that you are loved.
.keywords: shadow work, getting in touch with your wild nature, listening deeply to your intuition, secrets, signs and symbols, non-rational, witchcraft, magic and spell-work, lies and deception, deceiving yourself, wearing a mask.
A wolf drinks from a pond filled with blood. Close by, a wild dog turns away from the pond to face the moon that illuminates all around them. Further away in the pond, a crab floats on a leaf, rising from the subconscious. The Blood is telling you that all is not what it seems. Unsettling as a nightmare can be, this card allows your inner wildness to be seen. The Blood represents witchcraft, spell-work and occult arts of any kind. Do not be fooled by the blood, as nobody in this figure is harmed. The moon shines its silvery light on the elements within reality that are dishonest and manipulative. Uncomfortable questions have to be asked and someone may be just mad enough to think of them. Things are strange, it is usual to feel disorientated. Now is not the time for answers, but for wild magical practice.
A wolf drinks from a pond filled with blood. Close by, a wild dog turns away from the pond to face the moon that illuminates everything around them. Away from them, a crab floats on a leaf in the pond, rising from the subconscious. The Blood tells you that all is not what it seems. Unsettling as a nightmare can be, this card allows your inner wildness to be seen. The Blood represents witchcraft, spell-work and occult arts of any kind. Do not be fooled by the blood, nobody in this figure will come to harm. The moon shines its silvery light on the elements within a reality that are dishonest and manipulative. Uncomfortable questions must be asked and someone may be just mad enough to think of them. Things are strange, it is usual to feel disorientated. Now is not the time for answers, but for wild magical practice.
*Reversed*
When reversed, the Blood shows a moon shining in the front. The inner confusion is clearing. However, you may find find yourself deprived of a mask you are not ready to let go of. Manipulation has been exposed, whether you were the victim or perpetrator. Things will soon be lighter, but first they will be heavy. Mental health struggles as the truth emerges and you initiate a process of complete honesty with yourself.
When reversed, the Blood shows a moon shining in the front. The inner confusion is clearing. However, you may find yourself deprived of a mask you are not ready to let go of. Manipulation has been exposed, whether you were the victim or perpetrator. Things will soon be lighter, but first, they will be heavy. Mental health struggles as the truth emerges and you initiate a process of complete honesty with yourself.
.keywords: positivity, saying yes, joy, practicing gratitude, success, things coming together, life's simple pleasures, allowing yourself to simply be, connecting to a dynamic life force.
.keywords: positivity, saying yes, joy, practising gratitude, success, things coming together, life's simple pleasures, allowing yourself to simply be, connecting to a dynamic life force.
Two children laugh in harmony on a horse, holding each other's hands and a waving flag. The sun shines on them and sunflowers are growing around them. Laughter is an undoubtledly positive card. It represents enthusiasm, growth and victory. Your good choices will pay off, you will laugh again soon as victory is so close you may taste it already. Joy will fill your heart and life will once again seem light-hearted and effortless.
Two children on a horse laugh in harmony. They hold each other's hands and wave a flag. The sun shines on them and sunflowers grow around them. Laughter is undoubtedly a positive card. It represents enthusiasm, growth and victory. Your good choices will pay off, you will soon laugh again, victory is so close you may already taste it. Joy will fill your heart and life will once again seem light-hearted and effortless.
*Reversed*
@ -363,33 +369,19 @@ Laughter is reversed, but do not panic. Victory is just not as close as you thou
keywords: hope, love and support, coming home to yourself, self-care, healing, being true to yourself, being guided by your intuition, integrity, honesty, a positive new start or new vision.
A Christmas tree sits lit by candles, next to a window. On the windowsill sits a still warm cup of cocoa, framed by the view of an enormous star illuminates the snowy field. Christmas is a card of hope. A time of renewal, comfort and homely-ness lays ahead. It is now time to leave the hard times behind. The star shines alone through the window, filling the landscape with positivity and opportunity.
A Christmas tree sits lit by candles, next to a window. On the windowsill sits a still warm cup of cocoa, framed by the view of an enormous star that illuminates the snowy field. Christmas is a card of hope. A time of renewal, comfort and homeliness lie ahead. It is now time to leave the hard times behind. The star shines alone through the window, filling the landscape with positivity and opportunity.
.keywords: positivity, saying yes, joy, practicing gratitude, success, things coming together, life's simple pleasures, allowing yourself to simply be, connecting to a dynamic life force.
Two children laugh in harmony on a horse, holding each other and a waving flag. The sun shines on them and sunflowers grow around them. Laughter is an undoubtedly positive card. It represents enthusiasm, growth and victory. Your good choices will pay off, you will laugh again soon, victory is so close you can taste it. Joy will fill your heart and life will once again seem light-hearted and effortless.
*Reversed*
Laughter is reversed, but do not panic. Victory is not as close as you thought. A setback has brought you back into a quieter place. There is a key element missing before you can achieve that state of perfect joy. Effort will now need to be given to once again finding things that make your heart swell up with joy, the things that make you walk so light you feel you may fly away. Follow them and soon Laughter will come back.
**✳**tarot correspondence: 18. the sun.
**✳**zodiac correspondence: leo.
**✳ 18. the gossiping woman**
**✳ 43. the gossiping woman or 'a donna o' barcone**
.keywords: liberation, freedom, casting off shackles, laying down of old baggage, total accountability for self, integrity, honesty, forgiveness, allowing yourself to move forwards.
A woman with rollers in her hair stands on a balcony, looking down, where a flock of ravens emerge from the darkness. This is a lofty card, as, like Lament and the Set Table, it carries the theme of accountability. In this particular case it talks about being honest and thorough about yourself. The Gossiping Woman sees all of you and calls you to do the same. It is holding a mirror to your entire life, successes and failure. You must face the Gossiping Woman to liberate yourself and fly towards freedom. To move forward unencumbered requires acknowledgement of the present moment and everything that it carries.
A woman with rollers in her hair stands on a balcony, looking down, where a flock of ravens emerge from the darkness. This is a lofty card, as, like Lament and the Set Table, it carries the theme of accountability. In this particular case, it talks about being honest and thorough about yourself. The Gossiping Woman sees all of you and calls you to do the same. It is holding a mirror to your entire life, successes and failure. You must face the Gossiping Woman to liberate yourself and fly towards freedom. Moving forward unencumbered requires acknowledgement of the present moment and everything that it carries.
*Reversed*
@ -399,7 +391,7 @@ Now the Gossiping Woman can not see you. This is an indication that you refuse t
.keywords: completion, a sense of wholeness, knowing who you are in the world, having a sense of place, feeling deeply connected to all things, reaching your goal, celebration, jubilation.
i deleted it woops. i want to write a paragraph about my mindfulness game here.
---
title: Documentation of Monday Morning Rituals
author: Cara
---
# Peace
***Peace*** is a mindfulness game Cara created as an in-class exercise in creating text adventures in python. The game can be broken at any time by saying "I am now at peace", but will also break if you simply type "peace."
***Peace*** works less as a game per-se, and more as an exercise in reconnecting to your senses (smell, temperature, touch) by imagining oneself in imaginary landscapes.
It takes on the text-adventure format by asking its players to respond "yes" in order to continue at each step.
Here is an excerpt:
You are wearing thin cotton. Can you feel the warm ground through the layer
Can you feel the warmth of the sun on your face?
***if yes, then...***
The smell of lavender and warm soil is thick in the air.
The flowers are so full.
When you just touch them,
it feels like they burst with beads of lavender oil.
Boyana
2 years ago
