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Ancient knowledge de-mystified

Understanding Tarot – The Cups

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Written By: Dr. Nikki The Cups are the best known suit in the tarot. Symbolizing our deeper emotions, this suit can be represented in a number of ways. Cups are the more standard and most often seen in decks, but they can appear as Chalices, Bowls, and Hearts. The Cups equate to the suit of Hearts in a standard card deck. The Cups are aligned with the element of Water, which rules emotions and, especially, love. Water is fluid, as our emotions. Water reflects how we express our inner selves to the world. Man can live without food for weeks, but can only survive a few days without water. Water, and our emotions, are the stuff that life is made of. Strongly influencing the relationships you have with others in the world, Cups can indicate a need for transforming or changing the way you interact with others. Creativity is said to come from the heart – from the emotion. As a representation of water, the Cups invite us to drink from the flow of life …

Magickal Uses of Mint

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Written By: Psychic AlyciaRose Of all the well known culinary herbs, Mint is one of the most versatile. Whether its aromatic foliage is used in cooking, as a deodorizer, teas and drinks, a garden insect repellant, medicinally, or in spellwork, mint lends its own unique magic. There are over 40 species of Mint which hybridize easily, producing infinite variations. Peppermint is in actuality a natural occurring hybrid of spearmint and water mint. As an herb, Mint originates in the Mediterranean and Western Asia, and was cultivated in ancient times by the Greeks, the Romans, and the Egyptians – most notably used in Egyptian and Roman funeral rites. Mints commonly used are: the Chocolate Mint is used in desserts, Spearmint for drinks, Peppermint for drinks & desserts Pineapple Mint for salads, and regular garden mint is used for general cooking. The name Mint comes from Greek mythology, there are many versions of the story but the most popular legend tells us Minthe was originally a nymph, and was seduced by Hades. His wife Persephone, in a fit …

Understanding Tarot – The Pentacles

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Written By: Dr. Nikki Pentacles are represented in decks in many different ways. They can be shown as Disks, Pumpkins, Coins, and even Diamonds (also the suit Pentacles relate to in your regular playing deck). The Pentacles are often elaborately decorated; for example, the Queen of Pentacles is normally shown amidst abundant natural growth and vegetation to represent her fertility and fecundity. Aligned with the element of Earth, these are the cards that relate to money, material and earthly matters. When considering the elemental connection, Pentacles are not just about money. The Pentacles show the material world that you live in and how you relate to it and these are important aspects of your spiritual nature. Fertility is a strong component of the Earth element and sensuality, sex, and the fertility of creative energy are all represented in this suit. You will want to consider your foundation when Pentacles are present. When reading about health, pay particular attention to the Pentacles in your spread as health is governed by the Earth element. When there are …

Summer Herbal Harvesting Tips

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Written By: Psychic AlyciaRose The July Moon is known as the Wort Moon, a peak time to gather herbs (worts) to be dried, for use in spells and natural medicines long after summer has passed, with the full moon’s energy being seen as especially potent in influencing the natural qualities of the plants. ‘Gardening by the Moon’ is still a longtime tradition, utilizing the age-old practice that cycles of the Moon affect plant growth. You can find out more about this simply by consulting your Farmer’s Almanac for your planting zone. If you are just getting started growing and harvesting herbs, the following guidelines will help. Do visit the garden often, noticing the changes when the various herbs are at their peak. Medicinal and magickal qualities, flavor and aroma are preserved best by cutting at optimal times for their intended use. One you know how to harvest them, and how to preserve them, you can have the fresh taste of summer in your cooking all year long. Some good general guidelines to use: Harvest using …

Understanding Tarot – The Swords

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Written By: Dr. Nikki Arguably, the most standard of the representations from deck to deck in the Tarot, you can find Swords are in nearly every deck. For example, the suit of Cups can be represented as Bowls or Chalices in different decks; Pentacles can become Coins or Disks; and the Wands can become Staves or Rods. However, the Swords – the suit that responsible for the hidden motivations and thought processes – are nearly universal and seen in almost all decks. Even in the standard playing card deck, the Swords are very easy to identify. The Italian word for sword is “spada.” It is not difficult to see how the suit of “Spades” got its name. Aligned with the element of Air, the Swords are the cards that speak to the internal intellect. Air as an element is associated with the spiritual realm and relates to things such as thought, speech, communication, your connection with your Higher Power and your own decisions. This element is associated with the head and thinking. It is said …

Lavender: It’s History, Use, Lore and Magick

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Written By: Psychic AlyciaRose “And lavender, whose spikes of azure bloom shall be, ere-while, in arid bundles bound to lurk admist the labours of her loom, and crown her kerchiefs witl mickle rare perfume.” ~William Shenstone, The School Mistress 1742 Lavender is one of the most ancient aromatic herbs, used and cultivated since the beginning of recorded time. Even to modern times, lavender has been valued mostly for the virtue of its fragrance. It is a woody evergreen member of the vast mint family, originating as a native plant of the mountains of the Mediterranean region. Its cultivation and use has spread, but the most common are the English Lavenders. These hardy varieties were brought to England during the Medieval period and are mentioned in the writings of William Shakespeare. There are over 15 different species of lavender and many varieties, each with their own fragrance and color, which can vary from deep purple, pink, to white. The name lavender has its roots from the latin “lavare’ meaning to wash. It as used in ancient …

Understanding Tarot – The Wands

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Written By: Dr. Nikki Known by several different names, the suit of Wands covers physical passion, struggle, personal spiritual life force and more. In a normal deck of playing cards (and in some tarot decks) the suit of Wands is represented by the suit of clubs. Depicted as Wands with new growth, Staffs, Rods, and, of course, Clubs, this suit is normally shown as something that feeds fire. Whatever their depiction, the suit of Wands speaks of passion in all its guises. Aligned with the element of Fire (a rod or staff can burn), the Wands speak to that elemental part of us. Fire can be a fantastic tool, when controlled and used properly it can create rebirth and regeneration. Fire warms us, helps cook our food, and lights our way. When not controlled however, fire can burn uncontrollably and destructively, devouring all that is in its path. Many of the attributes of fire are represented in the suit of Wands. Fire is transformative. When you see a Wand in your spread be sure to …

The Magickal Language of Flowers

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Written By: Psychic AlyciaRose “There is a language, little known, Lovers claim it as their own. Its symbols smile upon the land, Wrought by nature’s wondrous hand; And in their silent beauty speak, Of life and joy, to those who seek For Love Divine and sunny hours In the language of the flowers.” –The Language of Flowers, London, 1875 Flowers are so much a part of our everyday life that they are often featured at events or holidays. Flowers are given to those we love. They are used in everything connected with love, including bouquets on Valentine’s Day, wedding ceremonies, bridal bouquets, and flowers in the bride’s hair. Did you know that these flowers also hold meaning? This is how the tradition of delivering bouquets began. Although it was very popular to use flower meanings as messages in the Victorian era, this old tradition of flowers having attributes is ancient – stretching back thousands of years. This old custom is now coming back, with new books being written on the subject. Although flowers have always …

Understanding Tarot – The Major Arcana

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Written By: Dr. Nikki The Major Arcana is comprised of the cards that have no equivalent in a standard playing card deck. Each of the Major Arcana cards is named as well as numbered normally by Roman numerals. Beginning with The Fool, card 0, the Major Arcana traverse through the cards to end at card 21, The World. The journey through the Major Arcana is often referred to as “The Journey of the Soul”. One of the first things that I look for in reading tarot is how many, if any, of the Major Arcana appear in the spread. If I am doing a three card spread and all three cards are Major Arcana, I know that this reading will be intense for the person I am reading for. If there are no Major Arcana it does not mean that the reading has no value, it just means that the context of the reading is more outside the individual than inside. What is the big deal about these cards anyway? Signifying its importance, the Major …

Understanding Tarot – The Overall Basics

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Written By: Dr. Nikki You may have heard a lot about tarot. Maybe you heard that it was invented by the ancient Egyptians, or that it was developed by the Romany as they moved into northern Europe. In reality, Tarot dates back to 15th Century Italy where it was developed as a card game of entertainment for the nobility as they escaped the plague-ridden cities for summers in their country villas. The deck for the card game, tarrochi, consisted of four suits – Wands, Pentacles, Cups, and Swords (which have fourteen cards each) and another grouping called the Major Arcana (which is composed of twenty-two cards). A full deck of tarot includes a total of 78 cards. The deck has been revamped and some cards renamed by different artisans through the years, but the basic deck of 78 cards remains the same today as it was when first created. Each card in the tarot deck is assigned specific meanings or concepts. For example, the Cups are aligned with the element of water; the element responsible …