Tarot Blog Hop Samhuinn 2017: Birth, Death & Rebirth

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Welcome to Alison’s Alembic!   You may have arrived here as a stop on the Tarot Blog Hop from either Hannah Berg's or Lore Lore M's blog. Or you may have found this through TABI’s Facebook page, or though one of the many wonderful tarot bloggers in the ether... It doesn’t matter – what does matter is that you’re here!

It’s the time of Samhuinn (“summer’s end”), a liminal time when the veil that separates us from those who are no longer walking in this world is thinnest. The Day of the Dead, a time to honour the ancestors - and, in the old Celtic tradition, the end of the year.  Our wrangler for this particular Blog Hop, Jay Cassels, has asked us to look at where we are at the end of this cycle – what’s happened to us since last Samhuinn, and where we might be headed as we begin a new year.

This resonates with me more than usual, as I’m approaching the end of an even bigger cycle early next year – my Saturn Return!  Not only that, but this year sees Jupiter travelling through Scorpio, the home of my natal Jupiter, so I’ll be experiencing the end of yet another cycle during the coming year.

With all that in mind, I’ve decided to use the Spirit of the Circle spread (as described in the accompany book to the Druid Animal Oracle) and my ‘go to’ deck for this time of year, the Wildwood.

Card 2                                   Card 7                                   Card 4

Spirit of the Ancestors             The Gift                           Spirit of Time

Card 1

Self

Card 5                                   Card 6                                   Card 3

Spirit of Place                     Spirit of the Journey       Spirit of the Tribe

Self: Queen of Bows - Hare

This suggests that over the past year I’ve become kinder to, and more understanding of, myself – and, I hope, others too. These qualities have certainly helped me to complete several of my long-term projects earlier this year, and I'm sure they will stand me in good stead in whatever I set out to do over the coming year.

Spirit of the Ancestors: 5 The Ancestor 

(I kid you not - I really did draw this card!)

I’m at the gateway of a new cycle, I know. A turning point. I’m wary of what lies ahead but I know that if I listen to my ‘inner ancestor’ and draw from all my past experience – not only from the past year but from all my experiences – I will have the strength and patience (I’m a double Taurus, after all!) to keep me going on whatever new path calls me.

Spirit of the Tribe: Page of Bows - Stoat

Second card from the Bows, and second court card too!  The stoat is a hunter, with the ability to change the colour of its fur. That, and the fact that it lives underground, has given me a strong sense of secrecy (highlighting my Scorpio Ascendant), of staying hidden when necessary and adapting to changing circumstances.  There’s a bit of the “free spirit” at work too, underlying all the “shoulds” and “ought tos” that The Spirit of the Tribe – today’s culture, in other words – projects, which I’d be wise to listen to. Keep my head down until it feels right to pounce! 

Spirit of Time: Ace of Bows

Subtitled “The Spark of Life”, the Ace of Bows (the third Bow to appear in the spread), this suggests that the “spirit of the times” is inviting me to start a new fire burning, to kindle a new spark of creativity, to hunt out new skills to learn.

Spirit of Place:  6 The Forest Lovers

I have been working with the image of the Forest for the past couple of years, as part of my path, so seeing the Forest Lovers representing Spirit of Place  resonates on that level.  I feel I'm nearing the end of this part of the path, so this card reminds me that I'll have choices to make when I reach the next "fork" in my journey.

Spirit of the Journey: Ten of Arrows

Subtitled “Instruction”, this card conjures up the completion of two long-held writing projects over the past year.  The passing on or sharing of knowledge and ideas…that’s the journey I’ve been on this year – perhaps there’s more to come as the wheel continues to turn...

The Gift: King of Bows – Adder

A bit of a shudder when I drew this card (snake phobia) but I also felt a shiver of excitement at this gift. Maturity, strength of resolve, energy and wisdom are phrases associated with this card – what wonderful qualities to receive as the new year begins.

Thank you for stopping off here on your travels through this Samhain Tarot Blog Hop!  Please do come back and read some of my other posts.

The next stops on the Tarot Blog Hop are - depending on whether you’re moving backwards or forwards through the list - Hannah Berg's or Lore M’s blog. The Master List can be found here.

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Commune, commemorate, communicate - Tarot Blog Hop Samhuinn 2015

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Welcome to Alison’s Alembic!   You may have arrived here as a stop on the Tarot Blog Hop from either Karen’s Waxing Oracle or Joy Vernon's blog.  Or you may have found this through TABI’s Facebook page, or though one of the many wonderful tarot bloggers in the ether... It doesn’t matter – what does matter is that you’re here!

It’s the time of Samhain (“summer’s end”), a liminal time when the veil that separates us from those who are no longer walking in this world is thinnest. The Day of the Dead, a time to honour the ancestors - and, in the old Celtic tradition, the end of the year.

There are many traditions that have been passed down through the years surrounding Samhain. One of these involves the souls of the dead re-visiting their old homes. To this end, rituals are performed, inviting them in, and places are set at tables for them.  Food and drink would be left out for them.  It’s the likely origin of the tradition of dressing up at Hallowe’en - based on the mumming and guising of older times, with people going around their neighbourhoods in disguise, reciting verses or performing in exchange for food.  I have fond memories of All Hallows Eve as a child, dressed up as a witch or ‘gypsy’ (complete with crystal ball, of course!), having to recite something in order to receive my ‘soul cake’, my favourite treat, baked by a family friend.

Our wrangler for this particular Blog Hop, Arwen, has asked us to write about a loved one, or someone we admire/dislike, that ties in somehow with tarot, Lenormand or oracle decks.

I struggled quite a bit with this, and nearly pulled out of the blog hop in frustration. But then I started rifling through tarot decks for inspiration. It usually works – and sure enough, I was stopped in my tracks by Margarete Petersen’s stunning version of the Magician.

(detail) Margarete Petersen Tarot

Copyright ©2014 Königsfort-Urania Verlag

It was the mask that drew me in. Masks worn at Hallowe’en, All Hallows Eve – but also the mask that represents drama, the theatre.  For those of you who don’t know me well, the theatre is one of my great passions - most evenings find me at rehearsals, on stage, or behind the scenes! This started in childhood when my parents joined the local drama group at the suggestion of the woman who essentially ran it – who just so happens to be the same woman who baked the soul-cakes for All Hallows Eve!

So for me, Samhuinn and the theatre are strongly linked by Paddy, who died a number of years ago. At Samhuinn we honour the ancestors but also the warriors, protectors, healers, teachers, mentors who have guided us through life. Well, she was so many of those things to me and my family. When my father made the decision to emigrate when I was a child, she and her family met us off the train to welcome us to our new home. She took us under her wing, and absorbed us into her family. She was also the person who encouraged me to dance and to join the local theatre group, and instilled a love of both in me that has never died.

She represents the Magician for me because she showed me not only all the ‘tools’ I had at my disposal, but also acted (yes, the pun is intentional) as a mentor as I learned how to use them. Her house was like a second home to me – not only at this time of year when I went to claim my soul cake!

I’ve always regretted not asking her for the recipe, but I found one recently that produces cakes not unlike the ones she handed out. I honour her today by sharing this recipe with you.

Sift 340g/12oz sifted plain flour with ½ teaspoon each cinnamon, mixed  spice, and nutmeg
Rub in 170g/6oz cold unsalted butter.
Mix in 170g/6oz caster sugar.
Add 2 lightly beaten eggs and 2 teaspoons white vinegar.
Mix until it forms a firm dough. Wrap this in Saran Wrap/cling film (depending on which side of the Atlantic you’re on!) and chill for 30 min.

This is where the recipe diverges from my memory. It says to roll out into rounds 5mm/2” thick, 7mm/2 ¾” diameter and put them on cookie sheets (baking trays) – but Paddy used to make them as cupcakes. I think either would work here.

The tradition, apparently, is to make the initial of an ancestor on the top with dried fruit or crystallized ginger, but she used to mix both into the dough, as I recall. Your choice.

Glaze the top with a beaten egg. Bake for 15 minutes at 200°C/390°F/GM6. 

Enjoy!

Thank you for stopping off here on your travels through this Samhain Tarot Blog Hop!  Please do come back and read some of my other posts, looking at astrology in the tarot.

The next stops on the Tarot Blog Hop are - depending on whether you’re moving backwards or forwards through the list - Karen’s Waxing Oracle or Joy Vernon's blogs. The Master List can be found here.

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Still waters run deep

Today, at 17.46 GMT, the Sun moves (astrologically) from Libra into Scorpio.  

The leaves continue to change colour, but now they’re falling from branches, covering the earth in a blanket of gold, bronze, and orange.  The autumn winds lift them up; they whirl through the air, twisting and swirling in a vortex... Since the equinox, the nights are growing longer, giving us the opportunity to spend more time dreaming.   Here in the mid-latitudes of the northern hemisphere, people are planting bulbs – the ‘seed’ of life being sown underground where it will lie protected and nurtured until it’s ready to ‘spring’ forth in a few months’ time.  Is it any wonder that Scorpio, the scorpion, is the sign of transformation?  All around us, in nature, the world appears to be going to sleep; animals are starting to hibernate, the birds are gathering and forming their migratory v-shapes as they head for warmer climates.  

Before long it will be Samhuinn (“summer’s end”), the end and start of the Celtic New Year. It’s also the Day of the Dead, the time we look to and remember our ancestors.   It marks the time of transformation and change, which is what we’ve come to associate with Scorpio.  In astrology, Scorpio is one of the three Water signs, along with Cancer and Pisces, as well as being one of the four Fixed signs.   It ends the second cycle of the elements (Cancer through to Scorpio), and opposes Taurus on the axis of resources.  While Taurus is interested in material resources, Scorpio – as a water sign – is more interested in what I think of as ‘emotional’ resources.  As a fixed sign, Scorpio wants to know what’s going on at a deeper level, not at the bubbly surface – “still waters run deep” is a good description of Scorpio’s focus.  Only by diving into the depths can Scorpio unearth the root of a problem and attempt to transform it – and it will probably take a crisis or something similar before Scorpio will take that plunge.  

Scorpio’ ©Alison Coals

The traditional ruler of Scorpio is the planet Mars, providing passion and drive.  It also has a modern ruler, Pluto, named after the Lord of the Underworld, reflecting the cycle of life and death and the change involved.  Both planets are associated with power; “knowledge is power” is another good description.  We’ve just left Libra, with its 7^th-house focus on partnership, and the need for harmony and balance through negotiation and diplomacy. Now we’re about to move into 8^th-house issues with Scorpio –shared resources: the fall-out from, if you like, or follow-on within, those partnerships.    Emotions run deep, and power struggles within relationships can ensue.  Intensity.  Any transformation, under the auspices of Scorpio, will be intense!

The image comes from my AstroArt series, inspired by walking the Glastonbury Landscape Zodiac.  ‘Scorpio’ is a collage, using watercolour on paper.