On our Facebook page, we often ask our fans to tell us what story three cards tell them. What do you think these three cards say? How would the reading change if you read it from right to left?
The Chinese Tarot is being reprinted in 2013. Learn more here.
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Welcome to our stop on the Tarot Blog Hop. The blog before us is Morgan Drake Eckstein. If you didn't get here from there, don't miss him!
The topic for this Hop was posed by Aisling the Bard of Tarot Witchery. She asks, "What is "in your Belly"? What do you wish to give birth to, to nurture, during this new season? What is the Poet, the Healer, the Maker, within you longing to do, to Become?
Because we publish cards, we like to show off our beautiful things. Who better to represent the concept of "in the belly" than the Empress of the tarot? She is the third numbered Major Arcana but the fourth if you see the Fool as the first. Her energy is abundance and fertility and creativity. Most often, this card is shown as a pregnant woman.
Enjoy these images from some of our decks.
Tarot of the Cat People, 1985, republished 2003
Gummi Bear Tarot, 2004
Chinese Tarot, 1988, republishing in 2013
Joie de Vivre Tarot, 2011
Dreaming Way, 2012
Ukiyoe, 1992, republishing in 2013
Ghosts And Spirits, 2012
Rider-Waite, 2009 edition
What we want to know is how will you embody this creative, fertile force today? Now hop to it and go see what Joanna Ash has in store for you in her Tarot Blog Hop post. If you get lost, check out the Master List. That will help you navigate any broken links.
PREVIOUS | MASTER LIST | NEXT
On our Facebook page, we often ask our fans to tell us what story three cards tell them. What do you think these three cards say?
How would the reading change if you read it from right to left?
The Ukiyoe Tarot is being reprinted in 2013. See more images here.
It's a blast from our past! First published in 1982, this deck celebrates a specific style of Japanese art. Ukiyo-e is Japanese woodblock prints or paintings that depict the everyday life of ancient Japan (c. 16th century).
This Marseilles-style deck has long been a collector's dream and now we are bringing it back.
Aeclectic.net review by April Wagner "You can’t please all of the Tarot readers all of the time, but I think this deck could come very close. Readers of all skill levels and most backgrounds will find this deck useful. Although this deck has a very specific theme, it is not a niche deck."
Tarot Passages review by Michele Jackson "The art is beautiful. The colors are rich and deep and the drawings are very detailed, particularly in the patterns depicted in fabrics."
What do you think of this deck? Are you excited that we are bringing it back? Check back on Wednesday to test your reading skills with this deck
This is the last of six posts about our NEW Tarot Magnets. All those who follow this blog will have their name entered into a drawing. Names will be drawn randomly and Prizes will be awarded. Six winners will have their choice from the six magnet sets along with a note from Stuart Kaplan
himself to stick to your fridge. Comment to let us know you are following this blog even if you already follow. Winners will be announced 12/4/2012.
U.S. Games is excited to announce how attracted we are to Tarot. So attracted that you might call it...magnetic!
Available December 2012. Each set contains six different versions of a Major Arcana Card. What do you think of the Moon? Did your favorite deck make it?
Remember, to win, you have to follow this blog and comment. Whose stocking would you stuff with this fun Tarot gift?
Available December 2012. Each set contains six
different versions of a Major Arcana Card. What do you think of the Wheel of Fortune? Did your favorite deck make it?
Remember, to win, you have to follow this blog and comment. Whose stocking would you stuff with this fun Tarot gift?
This is the fourth of six posts about our NEW Tarot Magnets. All those who follow this blog will have their name entered into a drawing. Names will be drawn randomly and Prizes will be awarded. Six winners will have their choice from the six magnet sets along with a note from Stuart Kaplan himself to stick to your fridge. Comment to let us know you are following this blog even if you already follow. Winners will be announced 12/4/2012.
U.S. Games is excited to announce how attracted we are to Tarot. So attracted that you might call it...magnetic!
Available December 2012. Each set contains six different versions of a Major Arcana Card. What do you think of the Strength? Did your favorite deck make it?
Remember, to win, you have to follow this blog and comment. Whose stocking would you stuff with this fun Tarot gift?
This is the third of six posts about our NEW Tarot Magnets. All those who follow this blog will have their name entered into a drawing. Names will be drawn randomly and Prizes will be awarded. Six winners will have their choice from the six magnet sets along with a note from Stuart Kaplan
himself to stick to your fridge. Comment to let us know you are following this blog even if you already follow. Winners will be announced 12/4/2012.
U.S. Games is excited to announce how attracted we are to Tarot. So attracted that you might call it...magnetic!
Available December 2012. Each set contains six different versions of a Major Arcana Card. What do you think of the Lovers? Did your favorite deck make it?
Remember, to win, you have to follow this blog and comment. Whose stocking would you stuff with this fun Tarot gift?
This is the second of six posts about our NEW Tarot Magnets. All those who follow this blog will have their name entered into a drawing. Names will be drawn randomly and Prizes will be awarded. Six winners will have their choice from the six magnet sets along with a note from Stuart Kaplan himself to stick to your fridge. Comment to let us know you are following this blog even if you already follow. Winners will be announced 12/4/2012.
U.S. Games is excited to announce how attracted we are to Tarot. So attracted that you might call it...magnetic!
Available December 2012. Each set contains six different versions of a Major Arcana Card. What do you think of the Magician? Did your favorite deck make it?
Remember, to win, you have to follow this blog and comment. Whose stocking would you stuff with this fun Tarot gift?
Here's a sneak peek at some of the cards from the Dreaming Way Tarot coming out very soon. You know how we like to tease! Today is the Three of Cups. Cheers to you!
Hopefully you hopped here from Jaymi Elford's site. If you didn't, or a link is broken, check out the master list here. This Tarot Blog Hop's theme is "Celebrate The Sunrise" which we are doing by sharing the Ghosts & Spirits Tarot by Lisa Hunt (2012). Even ghosts like the new day.
Ghosts and Spirits Tarot explores the fascinating subject of ghosts, surveying supernatural lore and legend from around the world. This luminous presents 79 ethereal beings, some frightening, and some friendly. Through the symbolism of tarot, they deliver their messages from beyond, shedding light on human experiences.
This is a very special deck, that could easily be used by anyone, from any background. Bonnie Cehovet
The amount of research and work it took to put together this deck, not to mention all of the illustrations, boggles the mind. Within these 78 works of art you are introduced to a myriad of ghosts and spirits from all around the world, down through time from many different cultures and traditions. Koneta Bailey
I am stunned by the possibilities. Christiana Gaudet
This deck is simply too amazing and powerful that just descriptions alone do not come close to the wonder of holding this treasure in your hands and letting the Ghosts and Spirits speak to you in there own unique voice. Lizzie of Lizzie's Logic
Lisa has gone above and beyond by including the individual spirit/ghost that is depicted in each card and has given brief background for each one. Misha
Lisa has made it thought provoking instead of dark and scary. Mary Nale
Perhaps you too will hear the siren’s song of spirit and come not to investigate, but to learn what moves, motivates and perhaps what manifests itself to you, the reader. Barbara Oliver Tarot's Voice
"[T]his will be a "go to" deck for special readings that require something different." Michael on Amazon.com
"[I]t can easily be considered a portable illustrated encyclopedia of ghost and spirits." W Neko-san on Amazon.com
Now hop on over to Chloe's Inner Whispers blog.
The blog before us was Amanda Donnelly's 78 Whispers.
We are very excited to be the kick-off blog for the Beltane Tarot Blog Hop. It was a lot of fun to share pictures from various decks last time so we thought we would do that again for you.
This round's topic is "Fire Tends To All". We thought we would turn to the Sun card to show you different ways this card has been interpreted.
One of the first deck U.S. Games published was the iconic IJJ Swiss in 1970. This deck represents an older style of Tarot. It is considered a Marseilles variant. With a woodcut design, these cards feature very basic colors of black, red, blue, green and yellow. 1JJ Swiss Tarot Deck, © 1970 U.S.Games Systems, Inc.
From the same year, the Aquarian Tarot's Sun has a very different look. Some might call it a bit creepy but others love the smiling sun. Aquarian Tarot Deck, © 1970 U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
From the Rider-Waite deck, one of the most well known Sun depictions. Here we see the child on the white horse with the sun overhead. Rider-Waite Tarot Deck ® © 1971 U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
The Tarot of the Witches sun even has a star beauty patch. Tarot of the Witches, © 1974 U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
The very old school Pierpont Morgan-Bergamo Visconti-Sforza Tarocchi Deck from 1975 (reprinted in 1984) offers an unusual sunless sun. This is said to be a card that was added later. It's very rich and lush with the gold.
One of the earliest black and white decks, the Hermetic Tarot Deck offers an almost ArtDeco type sun. © 1979 U.S. Games Systems, Inc., Here we have the Lord of the Fire of the World.
The Morgan Greer, also a 1979 publication, offers two people staring at each other, but includes the sunflower and the wall from the Rider Waite.
The first of the round decks, the 1983 Motherpeace went far afield in its interpretation of this card. A zebra and a giraffe romp in this bright yellow card while a lot of happy folk frolic.
Moving into the 90's, we see the 1995 Rohrig Tarot's Sun shows a blazing white hot sun. It looks a bit like a fried egg, doesn't it.
Kris Waldherr's 1998 Goddess Tarot moves to an old folk tale to depict the Sun.
Fradella Adventure Tarot by Frank Fradella, (c) 2003 shows an uncle playing with his niece and nephew in a nod to the family focus of the Sun.
From 2008, the Deviant Moon by Patrick Valenza remains a top pick year after year due to the unusual imagery. Here two moon people seem to be engaged in a fiery tango.
Arnell Ando's Transformational Tarot shares a masculine, confident Sun.
The 2011 Crystal Visions Tarot has the white horse but the figure is a young woman standing with the sunflowers.
Another 2011 deck is the award-winning Cat's Eye Tarot. Here we see the Sun as a bright orange sun-loving cat with daisies.
Finally, releasing this month, Lisa Hunt's Ghosts and Spirits interprets the Sun as the spirit rising up.
So which of these decks are in your collection? We hope you have enjoyed this journey through just a few of the many Tarot decks published by U.S. Games. You can find us on Facebook where we post a Question Of The Day M-Sa.
The blog after us is Andrew McGregor's The Hermit's Lamp.
EXPRESS TAROTBLOGHOP TICKET: If you hit a missing link along your TarotBlogHop, you can get back on the bloghop from this master list. TarotBlogHop Master List, May 2012.
Today's Ask A Reader comes from X who has two possible apartments to move to. We drew from the Joie de Vivre Tarot. I want to point out that I drew blind and put them on the scanner without looking at them first. I was suprised by the cards! Seems like a clear cut case, but is it?
First apartment Pro/Con
Second apartment Pro/Con
So what advice can you offer X today? Which living situation seems to be the better of the two?
It's Ask The Readers day again! You are the reader. The question is:
What should I do to find love?
What would you tell this client? I drew the following three cards for the Situation, the Action and the Outcome? See the bottom of this post for how you can be the next one we all read for.
Click for a larger image of each card
Thanks for your assistance. And if you have a question you would like answered, please send it to Stella with the subject line, "Ask The Readers". We will pull three cards and ask our blog readers for their interpretations.
"This deck is so well conceived that each card could stand as its own little universe. In readings it communicates in a clear, rich and friendly way thanks to the lovely card images and characters that inhabit them." -- John Alan, The Tarot Guild
Joie de Vivre Tarot by Paulina Cassidy, U.S. Games Systems Inc, 2011
Two card spreads are fun to do because they are fast, but do they give you enough information? I think that they do if you consider that you can eliminate the situation card and just ask two questions about it.
Here are just a few ways to do that.
"Should I Stay Or Should I Go" This lyrical two question spread can be applied to many situation including a relationship, a job or even a housing situation.
"Hold On or Let Go" will answer whether or not you need to try harder or just step back from a situation.
"Fold 'Em or Hold 'Em" is a poker version of whether you should commit to something or bow out.
"Step Up or Step Back" would be whether or not to volunteer your time and energy.
So let's try one, shall we? Your client wants to know if they should volunteer to be a chaperone for their child's field trip to the museum. You draw the Tower for the Step Up card and the 2 of Coins for the Step Back card.
What is your advice to your client based on these two cards from the African Tarot?
What are some other two card spreads you can think of?
The vibrant imagery draws largely on the African experience, depicted in a primitive art style. Evoking universal childhood emotions, African Tarot can help you explore your true inner nature. Review by Lizzie of Lizzie's Logic
You are the reader today. I had the following question so we are going to throw this open to all our blog readers. This is now your client. The question is:
What do I need to do to grow my business exponentially?
What would you tell this client? I drew the following three cards for the Situation, the Action and the Outcome? See the bottom of this post for how you can be the next one we all read for.
Situation: Ace of Coins
Action: 9 of Coins
Thanks for your assistance. And if you have a question you would like answered, please send it to Stella with the subject line, "Ask The Readers". We will pull three cards and ask our blog readers for their interpretations.
"Fantasy artist Galasso has transformed classic tarot imagery into a vibrant tour, through a crystal ball, into a magical world filled with fairies, fantastical creatures, and exotic flowers. Color creates the backdrop against which the story of each card is told. Lyrical and mysterious, the illustrations almost sing." -- Anna Jedrziewski, Retailing Insight Magazine
Tomorrow, February 7th brings us a Full Moon in the sign of Leo. Native American tribes refer to it as the Full Snow Moon, the Little Famine Moon, or the Full Hunger Moon, referencing the time of year, weather conditions, and how the tribes were affected. Leo brings in the energy of an increased sense of purpose, and how we creatively express that purpose.
The Full Moon itself is viewed by many as a time for bringing to fruition the seeds that were sown during the New Moon, and releasing those things that are no longer working for us. While I do hold that to be true, I also believe that the full energy of the Moon can be used to begin new projects. The choice of releasing the old, bringing in the new, or doing a combination of both is up to each individual.
We will be looking at our individual freedom (which is rapidly changing as the structures that make up our society change), as well as our responsibility to community (local and global). We need to take care of ourselves – to create personal time, to take the time to meditate, ground ourselves, and connect with whatever we accept as Spirit. A new paradigm is coming into being – as we adjust to it, we need to find our sense of balance in life – personal/professional, work/play, family/self … the list goes on.
Leo is all about spontaneity and freedom of expression. It is also good to remember that Leo is a Fire sign – it wants to be out and about and doing things! It is time to share stories, and to allow ourselves to grow from both sharing our own stories, and listening to other people’s stories.
Leo also asks us to express our dreams and hopes for the future. To do this, we need to be grounded in the present. Other energies to keep in mind as we navigate the Leo Full Moon are those of the Hierophant (2012 is a number five year, relating to the Hierophant in the Tarot), and the Dragon (from the Chinese New Year, which started January 23rd).
The Leo Full Moon has a partner in all this – the Aquarius Sun. While the Leo Full Moon is more about individual self-expression, the Aquarius Sun brings our energy and focus to the common good, towards helping humanity as a whole. It is all about community, groups, and social causes. Push/Pull between individual good and common good.
One way to share our stories is through divinatory readings. I am going to add the small thought here that these readings can be done as individuals, or they can be done within a group setting. Or we can read as individuals with a focus on global issues/connections. Do what feels right for you.
This is my offering for the Leo Full Moon. Cards were drawn from Patrick Valenza’s “Deviant Moon Tarot” .
My Story
The Seeker is conscious of new information coming into a situation, and, on a more personal level, of the influences that a possible romantic interest is bringing into their life. It can well be that the new insights, and new opportunities, are opening up because they are opening themselves up to another person.
The Seeker is not yet conscious of the fact that they are accessing their imagination, and their creative/emotional self. They are beginning to experience and express a greater degree of compassion in their life.
What is coming into the consciousness of the Seeker is a need to get to the truth of things – in their own life, and in the world around them. During this time, the Seeker will be walking alone.
The Seeker literally needs to release their need to control everything, and to be the one that makes things happen in their life. They need to step back, take a time out, and learn to flow with life, to allow Spirit to do its work.
What the Seeker needs to bring in is the ability to make decisions on the fly (sometimes pondering too much is not a good thing!), to allow themselves to be impulsive from time to time, and to go on a journey that may come to them in a very sudden manner.
The Seeker can access their creative self by being willing to nurture themselves, to give themselves time and attention. They also need to open themselves up to the feminine mysteries. The Seeker needs to be willing to birth their own ideas.
The Seeker can best express themselves in a creative way as an individual by living their life in harmony with those around them, by not creating or adding to conflict.
The Seeker can best express themselves in a creative way in community by going within themselves, recognizing the answers they will find there, and sharing the strength of that wisdom with others.
The new goals that the Seeker is forming are coming out of the previous cycle of their life – they are at a point where their life is coming together on all levels. They need to take the time to enjoy being “whole”, they need to enjoy their sense of “victory”, before they move on to the next level. The goals that percolate during their time of celebration will be the ones they take into the next cycle of their life.
The new goals are taking the Seeker into the land of opportunity, into a time of success, prosperity and abundance in the physical world, but also into a sense of balance between their physical and spiritual worlds.
I would love to see comments on this interpretation – to see how others interpret this spread!
Scans were taken from the “Deviant Moon Tarot”, Patrick Valenza, U.S. Games Systems., Inc, 2008.
© January 2012 Bonnie Cehovet
This snippet is from a rather unusual Tarot deck. I'd give you clues but I can't bear to!
It's small, but can you tell us what deck and what card this is? Leave your guess in the comments.
Here's a snippet from one of our more popular Tarot decks. Can you tell us what deck this card is from and what deck?
Leave your answer in the comments. I'll announce the winner on Friday January 25th. You win bragging rights and a cool spread sheet from U.S. Games Systems Inc.!
3Jane requested that her Astral Pyramid reading use the Happiness house.
In row two (which actually starts with row one the Astral House card of Happiness), she got the Crown and the Ladder. The next two weeks will see her getting a lot of attention at work. She will not have to work too hard to be noticed. There may even be a promotion in the works. If she has any projects out, I think this indicates a lot of good news for her.
Row two, the three week (or day or month...I'm just sticking to week for now) shows the Eagle, the Star and the Knot. So this is a two-against-one week. Two cards indicate triumph and one failure. I am going to say that 3Jane's happiness may take a blow but it will all work out. And for the better in the long run. This feels like one of those arguments that brings out old issues that will finally get fully worked out. Good week. Hard discussions that lead to more commitment. When I look at these I also see that 3Jane will need to avoid tying herself into knots over little things.
Click on image to enlarge
Row four is a bit of a mixed bag. Looks like 3Jane will need to be careful not to overdo it with the partying otherwise, she may need bail money! She's going to have to stay strong though to overcome any blocks to her personal happiness.
So that's my first Astral Pyramid reading. I did not use the book. I wanted to show you how easy this deck is to read with even without the detailed write-ups in the book for each card.
3Jane, what do you think?
In Rae Hepburn's Tea Leaf Oracle, there are a total of cards with 182 of those being the symbols that you might see if you sat down with your own cup of tea leaves. Rae went through the exhaustive process of culling over 500 images down to 182 to make this deck manageable.
For the past two days, you have seen the back of the Tea Leaf cards as well as the bowl, the butterfly, the wheel, the ladder, the needle and thread. Now here are the last three that we are highlighting.
How do you compare these cards and their meanings with Tarot cards? What card or cards would the Goldfish make you think of? What about the Horseshoe? And the Feather?
Remember that all comments on this week's Tea Lead Fortune series will be in the running for a reading by Stella T'arot using this deck. Don't miss the previous posts that include the Astral cards, the Month cards and a video showing Rae Hepburn herself reading with this unique deck. Your comment on every post will count as a separate entry.
The winner will be drawn Monday and announced Tuesday on this blog, Twitter and Facebook.
In Rae Hepburn's Tea Leaf Oracle, there are a total of cards with 182 of those being the symbols that you might see if you sat down with your own cup of tea leaves. Rae went through the exhaustive process of culling over 500 images down to 182 to make this deck manageable.
Yesterday we showed off the bowl and the wheel as well as the back of these cards. Here are three more.
How do you compare these cards and their meanings with Tarot cards? What card in the Tarot would you associate with the Ladder? What about the Needle and Thread or Butterfly?
Visit with Lizzie as she reviews this intriguing deck.
Remember that all comments on this week's Tea Lead Fortune series will be in the running for a reading by Stella T'arot using this deck. Don't miss the previous posts that include the Astral cards, the Month cards and a video showing Rae Hepburn herself reading with this unique deck.
In Rae Hepburn's Tea Leaf Oracle, one of the three groups are the twelve months. This is to help you determine timing for some of the layouts. You can lay out the months and then the cards to see what will occur in a given month.
Do you use any specific sequence to determine the timing of your readings? What do you think of this oracle's use of timing in this way?
If you love the artwork, you can read an interview with Shawna Alexander here.
Remember that everyone who comments on this Tea Leaf Oracle series (which started on Monday of this week) will be put in a drawing. One winner will get a Tea Leaf Oracle reading done by Stella.
U.S. Games is happy to announce the release of three new Tarot decks plus two new oracle decks for your holiday happiness.
The Cat's Eye Tarot by Debra M. Givin, DVM, is an unusual deck in that the author and artist is also a feline-focused veterinarian. The card meanings and numbering follow Rider-Waite interpretations, with reptiles, fish, birds, and mice replacing the usual suit symbols. Even the newcomer to tarot will be able to relate to these delightful images of cats and learn valuable lessons from them.
Then we have Jennifer Galasso's Crystal Visions Tarot. It combines her love of crystal balls with a nod to a famous rock-and-roll singer. The luscious card imagery also illustrates the elemental aspects of each suit in order to aid the novice in forming associations with the cards.
Joie de Vivre Tarot is the latest from Paulina Cassidy. It features her trademark fantastical creatures and eye for detail. Those who take a journey through this wondrous realm will rediscover their own child-like spirit.
And don't miss our latest oracle card decks!
The Woodland Wisdom Oracle deck by Rev. Frances Munro features artwork by the talented Fantasy artist Peter Pracownik. Elves and fairies share their Woodland Wisdom to help you move your life forward in positive ways.
Last but certainly not least is the Rae Hepburn's Tea Leaf Fortune Cards. Rae Hepburn, an accomplished tea leaf reader, teaches you to unlock the ancient secrets of reading tea leaves. Follow a few simple guidelines, and you can immediately read your fortune.
Here are some recent reviews and interviews. If you have reviewed any of these, please send that link to Stella at US Games. We would love to feature that here and on our Facebook page and our Twitter feed.
So which ones do you want? Leave a comment. We want to hear from you.
