'Balancing the Moment' with GaianTarot

Here's my review of this deck on Amazon: Groovin' to their Chakra Vibe

There's a bit of a 3-D effect in this post with some extra large images...but I think it looks sort of like I've flipped cards out on the table and we're leaning over them together. Besides, 3-D is very fashionable right now.

I found this interesting technique for playing around with a new deck, by Lunalafey at Aeclectic Tarot, called 'Balance the Moment.' I am trying it out with my brand new out of the box just arrived today GAIAN TAROT, by Joanna Powell Colbert, published by Llewellyn, 2011.

Step One. Separate the deck. Look through the deck and create two piles: Cards I like, Cards I dislike.

Step Two. Reduce the piles. Study each pile carefully, and select 3-6 cards you like best of all, and 3-6 cards you most dislike.

Step Three. Find the balance. Choose the card you like the most. Read it for its negative aspects and associations. Reflect upon how that applies in your life right now. Then choose the card you most dislike. Read it for its positive aspects and assocations. Reflect upon how that applies to your life right now.

Step One.
So, I have 43 cards in my 'Like' pile, and 35 cards in my 'Dislike' pile. That's pretty close. This deck is a mixed bag for me. It always has been ever since I started looking at the scans months and months ago.  The cards that have gone in my dislike pile either don't show the suit plainly enough for me (for example, 2 of Water, ie, 2 of Cups. I expect to see two cups. Or two things that remind me of water. What I've got here is a nearly topless woman about to be licked in the face by a big white dog. There's a waterfall in the background). The cards that have gone in my 'like' pile either trigger an instant association in my mind with the card meaning, or are just beautiful and compelling to me.

Step Two.

Cards I like

Top 3 of the cards I like...

 I love all three of these cards. I am always attracted to colourful images with people in them, so the first two choices are predictable. Ten of Earth caught me because woodland walking is amongst my favourite types of country walks.  But the most attractive card of the three is the middle card, Six of Fire. The woman dancing looks so supremely confident, in the moment and beautiful. Everyone seems to be having a great time. The companion book says of the shadow meaning:

'You may be burned out and exhausted, and fearful...you may feel you have nothing to offer. Your inner fire is burning weakly and you need to be revitalised. Seek out the people and places that will ignite your fire once more.' ~ Joanna Powell Colbert, Gaian Tarot, p. 170

Spot on, as they say. Bad things are happening with my work life and with some of the goals I have set myself. The advice of this card sorely needs acting upon.

Cards I dislike

Bottom 3 of the 'boo' pile

Yuck to the dead fish! And what are all those people worshipping? Why is that one chick in the front doing a yoga pose while everyone else seems to be welcoming Prot of K-Pax to planet earth? And I'm sorry, but girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes--I mean wreaths in their hair and really bad photoshoppy looking butterflies, ugh. But which do I hate most? *sigh* Child of Air. It's just so...so...

Looking at its positive aspects, the companion book says:

'The Child of Air brings fresh insight to old situations in a light-hearted or whimsical way. Someone is very curious and may begin a new course of study or explore new points of view...She has discovered the secret of staying in the present moment (or perhaps it has discovered her).' ~Joanna Powell Colbert, Gaian Tarot, p. 212

If there's anything I could use, it's the secret of staying in the present moment. So okay, Gaian Tarot, I'm hearing you.

Well, that was interesting! I look forward to drawing from this deck over the next 5 days.