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Combining the Power of Tarot and Astrology

11/11/2024

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Hiatus is over and I'm happy to announce my schedule is open for online readings! I love combining the sacred tools of tarot & astrology in my readings. Connecting with clients and helping them get clarity about their most pressing issues is such a privilege.

If your life seems more challenging than usual lately, something cosmic might be affecting your personal sky map! You may be in the midst of a major life transit. As above, so below...


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Visiting Musée Français de la Carte à Jouer, The French Playing Card Museum

10/11/2021

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PictureFront & oldest part of the museum was formerly the Château d'Issy of the Princes of Conti.
While it's been a few years since I went to the Musée Français de la Carte à Jouer, it is about time I shared some photos of the tarot and Lenormand cards that I viewed during my visit. The pièce de résistance is one of the oldest known tarot cards, a 15th-century hand-painted gold-stamped work. I also share photos of some fascinating antique playing cards. There are many cards in their collection as you might imagine.


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Visiting Marie Anne Lenormand in Père Lachaise Cemetery

9/30/2021

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Six years ago today, David and I visited Père Lachaise cemetery. We stopped at Oscar Wilde's tomb and the Jim Morrison shrine, but as a Lenormand reader, I first had to visit the resting place of Mademoiselle Marie Anne Lenormand.

To my great surprise, her gravesite was so well cared for and abundantly decorated with plants and flowers and cherub statuettes. 

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Leo II Decan: Six of Wands, Jupiter in Leo & the New Moon Lion's Gate Portal Activation

8/8/2021

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The Lion's Gate, a celestial stargate, is when the 2nd brightest star in the heavens, fixed star Sirius (aka our "Spiritual Sun"), aligns with Earth; and it is “activated” with the New Moon this weekend.

As I continue to read and travel through 36 Secrets, A Decanic Journey through the Minor Arcana of the Tarot by T. Susan Chang, I keep finding fascinating connections between the cards and the stars.

For example: The Lion’s Gate happens during this Leo II time, the decan of the 6 of Wands “Lord of Victory” card (Jupiter in Leo). 

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Leo I Decan: Five of Wands, Saturn in Leo

7/22/2021

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PictureThe World, Five of Wands, and Strength from Lua Tarot
​We enter Leo Season (Strength tarot energies) today. I’m exploring the 1st decan of Leo in the Minor Arcana. Leo I is associated with the Five of Wands, which starts today July 22 and ends August 1st. Put the Five of Wands on your altar or reading table during this time to see how it shows up for you.

The Five of Wands can reflect anything from disputes to competition. Because this card is considered the “Lord of Strife” we see struggle between two or more parties, but does not necessarily have to be negative, as we can look at this as friendly competition and sportsmanship, if we shift perspective. 


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Cancer III Decan: Four of Cups, Moon in Cancer

7/13/2021

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Yesterday, we entered the third decan of Cancer, represented by the Four of Cups—the Moon in Cancer decan. The High Priestess (Moon) and Chariot (Cancer-ruled). The Golden Dawn title for the Four of Cups is The Lord of Blended Pleasure.

Four of Cups can bring up feelings of boredom, apathy and discontent in one's life. As we see in the RWS Cups Four, an angelic hand reaches out to show the young person the bounty that sits right in front of them. But, they don't even notice the miracle of this divine hand. 


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Cancer II Decan: Three of Cups, Mercury in Cancer

7/3/2021

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Picture36 Secrets. Tarot Decans: Lua and Antiquarian Tarot
We've entered Cancer II, the decan of the Three of Cups tarot card that lasts from July 1st - July 11.

This is the Lord of Abundance card, associated with Mercury in Cancer—and the Magician (Mercury ruled tarot card) and the Chariot (Cancer ruled tarot card).

​Three of Cups is a card of celebration, friendship, community, creativity, fun, and abundance.

Consider how this energy may reveal itself to you in the next 10 days. Is it showing up for you yet? 


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Divine Muses Oracle New Card: Divine Androgyne

6/16/2021

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Sometimes we get stuck in dualistic thinking. Either/or. Right or wrong. Us vs. them. But what would happen if we transcended this type of thinking?

There are numerous ways of being that are not expressed in the binary. We don’t have to choose just one option. This or that. We can go beyond the binary. There’s magic to be had here. Either/or thinking becomes both/and thinking. The archetype is the Divine Androgyne—the Divine And.

This archetype is a reflection of the alchemical Rebis. The Divine Masculine & Divine Feminine are two parts of the wholeness that is the Divine.

By making sharp distinctions we are blinded to the fact that all opposites in reality spring from the same source, and that the whole of creation is in truth still one. The opposites, and the material world which they constitute, are a subjective reality, and the enlightened mind can see through this to the unity which is its true nature. –David Fontana, Secret Language of Symbols

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Dark Moon Pisces, The High Priestess & Using the Lua Tarot Box as a Stand

3/12/2021

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While I was creating a Reel for Instagram, The High Priestess card came up to remind me of the Dark Moon energies we are entering.

The Dark Moon is the Moon for priestess magic. The time to tap into your mystical or spiritual discipline, to quiet down and hear / understand the teachings intuitively.

Moon entered Pisces early this morning and the New Moon in Pisces is Saturday at 2:21am PST! This is an invitation to recharge your mind and body if you've been feeling emotionally drained. May you be restored during this time.

You can easily turn your Lua Tarot box into a card stand like this:
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RIP Stuart R. Kaplan

2/11/2021

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Thank you, Stuart R. Kaplan, for bringing Pamela Colman Smith and Arthur Edward Waite’s work to the masses and for helping to awaken the Tarot in the USA. Your passion and dedication will never be forgotten. May you rest peacefully on the wings of eternity. Peaceful blessings to those close who are grieving.

​Working with my pre-1974 Rider Tarot Deck today in honor of Mr. Kaplan. (In 1970, he reissued the RWS Tarot, which had been out-of-print at that point in time.) The Hierophant came out and I wondered what his Tarot cards were. His birthday, which US Games listed today as April 1st, 1932, shows his Tarot cards as Judgement and The High Priestess. So, I placed them with the Hierophant.
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The Eternal Student; a Teacher who Awakens Secret Knowledge.

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New Spread Mats in the Shop

1/9/2021

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Reading mats are here! I’ve restored two antiquarian plates and made them into spread mats, which I'm offering for the first time in the shop! They're nice and large at 16" x 20" (406mm x 508mm).

​Fabric with rubberized base, they’re perfect for tarot, oracle, Lenormand, Rune, or dice divination.

I love these mats because they’re non-slip, stay flat, have a smooth surface, and roll up easily for storage. I keep one on my reading desk at all times. I have amassed a small collection of them in various sizes & designs, which I created for personal use (except when I offered one as a stretch goal in the Divine Muses Oracle's Kickstarter). More photos below:




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The December Devil. Using Dice with Tarot

12/12/2020

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The Devil is not some evil outside of ourselves, he’s a reflection of the untamed mind left to its own devices.
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Those unfamiliar with Tarot can get triggered by the Devil card in the pack when he rears his monstrous head in a reading. He seems scary and perhaps for good reason since his archetype is a representation of the dark corners of ourselves that we hide. More about this tarot reading using dice:


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Reading Mats Coming to the Shop

12/8/2020

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I just got this prototype for a new reading mat I’m calling Moon Magic. ✨🌒🌕🌘✨

I restored this beautiful antique plate with illustrations of our Moon, and Jupiter & Saturn and their moons.

I prefer these fabric mats with rubberized bases for my readings because they don’t shift and they roll up nicely for storage. It’s the same mat as the Divine Muses Oracle stretch goal reward, but larger. This one is 16” x 20”. A good size for small or larger spreads. I’m planning to order 50 to begin with. If you’re interested in something like this, please raise your hand.​

If there are more than 50 folks who are interested, I’ll order more. I’ll open a pre-order listing soon so you can claim one for yourself. 🌝✨

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Lua Tarot and Sovereign Oracle: Combining Tarot and Oracle Decks

8/24/2020

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Incorporating multiple decks in a layout can bring some fun and unique dimensions to your readings.

I love the Sovereign Oracle, by my dear friend Theresa Pridemore, and enjoy using it in this way.

In this particular reading I am combining it with my proof copy of the Lua Tarot. I received an incredibly potent reading with this combo I wanted to share! 


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A Divine Muses Oracle Reading about this Period of Time

7/28/2020

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Strong Minds, Strong Bodies, Strong Hearts. I want to believe that there is more love than hate that exists in the world. That people are doing the work even if we can’t see it. The work behind the scenes and screens.
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I want to focus on the millions of small actions of love, peace, and faith and consider them the glue of the structural change of our greater evolution. Those little stories that don’t get the media’s attention because they aren’t deemed worthy, because they aren’t dramatic. But, glue is invisible, and rarely gets attention. (Unless you’re a collagist. Don’t get me talking about my glue collection. Each different glue has its perfect job!)


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    Maree Bento is a collage artist and practitioner of the mystical and healing arts.

    As a tarot reader and deck creator, she also enjoys studying the stars and using astrology in her work. 


    Maree is a licensed massage therapist of 20 years and has practiced various holistic modalities for body, mind, and spiritual well-being. 
    ​​
    ​
    Her background in the healing arts deepened her intuitive abilities and inspires her approach to tarot, creativity, and divination. When necessary, she brings these healing tools to her readings to address the specific needs of her clients.

    She is Portuguese-American and loves to travel and connect with fellow seekers around the world.

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