St Bride's Bay, Marloes

Pembrokeshire Coast, Summer Solstice 2012

(I got a sunburn. Didn't know it until the next day. Well, that's what I get for praying for the sun to 'pink my skin'!) We'd been out all day long, doing a circular walk around the headlands. That afternoon, with the sun still shining, we couldn't help but go back out to the coast path, but rather than walk it, we plunked ourselves down in this grassy spot and just sat there for nearly an hour. We didn't see another soul the whole time. Amazing day. 

Tarot Blog Hop: Celebrating the Longest Day

Hubby and I will be celebrating Litha on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. We'll get up early (but not early enough to greet the dawn), then we'll spend the entire day walking the path and enjoying the light. Because even if it rains, there's still the light. 


I've never really understood why people contemplate darkness on the longest day of the year, and dwell on the light on the longest night of the year. It's like living your life in the future rather than in the now. For me, it makes me feel all out of balance. A couple of years ago, taking some advice from a book, I created an elaborate observance for Winter Solstice that involved a round candle encrusted with gold glitter, invocations of the sun, with music and a meditation asking for the sun to light the dark corners of my life. I was to shine light on things I wanted to change. Which resulted in all sorts of emotions being dredged up and causing me to feel very unsettled and disturbed for the following week. I realised later, what I personally needed was to revel in the quiet darkness, to rest and enjoy the fallow peace of that time of year. And at Summer Solstice, it's my time to revel in light and life. That's how I work, and that's how my spirit works. The prevailing energy is all to me. I don't like worrying with the 'yin yang' of the sabbats, and I don't like this constant New Age/neopagan obsession with using each sabbat as a time to 'reassess' myself and 'set goals'. How about just feeling what's there and loving it? What's wrong with that? And so I pray,


Blaze on me, O Sun,
blaze down.
Burn through me,
quicken me.
Warm me from scalp to soles,
Illuminate me.
Glint and glimmer,
tear my eyes,
pink my skin,
swarm and drone and ripen,
and I will wallow in your warmth,
I will squeeze every drop of your sweet juice,
and drowse on the hillside.


And here is my tarot draw for Litha. I decided the natural deck choice is Sol Invictus--the Invincible Sun. For this draw, I removed the entire suit of Wands and major arcana19 The Sun and used only those cards. 

Tarot Blog Hop: Beltane, The Fire Tends to All

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I'll wash my face in the morning dew

Bathe my soul in the sun

Wash my face in the morning dew

And keep on movin' along. 

~Tom T Hall

Beltane is a fire festival...but I'm feeling a softer spirit this Beltane. Oh, I know the fire's burning in the bosom of the earth --and in us all-- but this year, I'm feeling a spirit more of refreshment than of flame. Maybe it's because my part of the earth is awash with much needed rain. I can hear the wind blowing outside the windows and see the droplets dashing against my window as I type this. The flame of Beltane is a soft glow, a steady warmth. It's speaking to me of hearth and health.

Another Rocky Horror Picture Show Reading

Here is a sample reading using the Rocky Horror Spread I created, with feedback from the recipient:

Davis Celtic Tarot 

1) Science Fiction Double Feature -- What influence from your past colours the way you see and experience everything to this day? (In the way that science fiction B movies did for the narrator of this song) -- 4 of Cups
2) Dammit Janet -- What do you feel passionate about in the here and now? --9 of Cups
3) Over at the Frankenstein Place (There's a Light) -- What has suddenly emerged that might be of help to you? (Or does it just seem helpful? Could it be harmful?) -- Page of Pentacles
4) Sweet Transvestite -- Who is the real you? -- Queen of Wands
5) I Can Make You a Man -- What is your greatest strength/skill? -- 5 of Cups 
6) Sword of Damocles -- What is your biggest fear? -- 10 of Wands
7) Rose Tint My World -- What is your greatest desire, ie, what you like to not dream, but be? -- 4 of Swords 
8) I'm Going Home -- What outcome would be the most deeply satisfying to you? -- 10 of Cups

All those cups in your reading make me believe you are led by your emotions and that relationships and feelings are very important in your life. Also, the lack of majors suggests to me that things are going pretty good for you right now, on an even keel, and you've got no big 'life changing' moments or decisions upon you any time soon.

Your past suggests to me that you don't want to feel bored or unfulfilled in life. Perhaps there were examples in your past of people who let life slip by them and you don't want that to happen to you. (4 of cups)

So this has led you to passionately pursue a feeling of deep self-satisfaction and confidence in yourself. Material success isn't the goal for you, but feeling that your life has been a happy one is what matters to you. (9 of cups)

1st GT -- Near and Far

To finish my first Grand Tableau, I had a look at where the cards were in relation to each other. To my surprise, I began to get messages from all over the board and so instead of doing a 'card analysis', the best I could do was jot notes. In the GT for the next four weeks, I saw:

• Niggling, repetitive thoughts about money
• A decision about socializing with work colleagues
• A change involving a powerful female at work; the change brings more stability but also lots of nervous chatter and anxiety.
• House guests.
• The Key is in the House of Birds. The Key seems to be an answer to a problem with a female, and its being in the House of Birds suggests chatter is key. Perhaps it means, to stay quiet.
• Husband in House of Bear, with Ring beside it. Strong commitment, support from that source.
• Bear in House of Lady. Possible confirmation of deep connection with Husband. Also suggests strength on my part. 
• Lady in House of Clover--despite all these cards showing decisions and doubts around me, I don't think they will have a strong effect on me personally, but I will remain upbeat.

And that's that, really. Now to watch over the next 4 weeks and see how these manifest.