A Dinner Invitation Inspired By The Queen Of Pentacles

From The Kitchen Of The Queen Of Pentacles

This blog post was written as my contribution to the Lammas 2014 Tarot Blog Hop of which I felt very proud to be the wrangler.  I chose to wrangle this particular blog hop because I wanted to celebrate Lammas by inviting all of you to dinner to celebrate my birthday which also fell on the same date, 1 August.  

Coincidentally, this Lammas 2014 Tarot Blog Hop would mark my 2^nd year of being part of this community of beautiful, generous and talented Tarot bloggers.  I would love to have you explore the contributions of the other Tarot Blog Hop participants by following the links below.

Blog Before        |             Master List              |               Blog After

Lammas – The First Harvest

For those unfamiliar with the festival, Lammas celebrated the first harvest.  It honored the bountiful crops, the first gathering of grains and the first plucking of fruits and vegetables, and a table full of food brought in from the garden well-planted in spring. As the season allows for even more opportunities for growth in the next few months,  Lammas reminded us to not rest on our laurels but to continue to work towards even more growth whilst being thankful for the blessings of abundance that surrounds us.  This was significant for me as I took a moment during this Lammas to say a prayer for more creative inspiration around my work at my consultancy,  Sun Goddess Tarot.  At the same time, I whispered my gratitude for the many blessings I got like the ardent support of my family for what my husband jokingly termed, “ another level of weird”.

Queen Of Pentacles

That was why I had decided to look to the Queen of Pentacles as my muse this Lammas.  She was the epitome of the nurturing earth mother, providing the family with warmth and love whilst managing  a productive career too.   She taught me the importance of striking a fine balance between my continuous efforts to reap a bountiful harvest of more knowledge, experiences and skills whilst being present for my family and my friends.

Like the Queen of Pentacles, I was inspired to balance my love for Tarot with my desire to be present for my family and friends.  So, I would like to cordially invite you over for dinner.  You will be treated to a 3-course meal with recipes personally designed by me and guided by my Tarot Cards.

My Dinner Menu Inspired By Tarot

Clearly as the Queen of Pentacles was my muse, I used her as a “significator” for my meal planning so she inspired my main dish of The East And West Harvest Pasta.  The dish was designed to reflect my managing that fine balance between my 2 careers as a marketing communications professional and a professional Tarot reader, that dainty juggle between my family life and my work life and the even more intricate complexities between my Eastern culture and my husband’s Western culture as expected in an inter-racial marriage. And in every aspect of these priorities, I had every desire to bring 100% of myself into everything and everyone that I touched nurturing these with lots of diligence, attention, commitment and love.

For the starter,   I picked the 6 of Cups to inspire my recipe.  Wow! That was a difficult one.  How do I come up with a recipe that reflected appropriately the 6 of Cups in Tarot?  While mulling over the possibility of  using  6 cups for presentation or stealing my son’s jello from the fridge because the card had image of kids in it, I then remembered that it was a card that represented good old familial memories.  So I had decided to create an appetizer inspired by my Mum’s version of prawn cocktail.  I loved prawn cocktail and I remembered that when I was very young, the first chi-chi dinner that the entire family got invited to was a grand wedding dinner of a relative who had invited 1000 guests from all over the world to attend that event. We were served prawn cocktail as the starter.  I felt so grown up eating it.

The last dish was of course the dessert!  My favorite! I hoped to pick a court card.  It would be easier to match a personality to a dish.  However, I ended up picking the Sun instead. Perfect.  Not wanting to risk serving you sunflower petals sprinkled over ice-cream, I had to think doubly hard about this one.  The Sun represented happiness, joy, positivity, vitality, zest, energy.  I had to create a dish that had a burst of energy in it.  So, my dessert, inspired by the Sun Card was a Fruit Salad With Orange Honey Dressing And Creme Fraiche.

I have appended the recipes below this blog post, but allow me a paragraph or two to mull over this menu that I had put together with the help of the Queen.

A Lesson From My Lammas Muse, The Queen Of Pentacles

When I re-evaluated this meal that I had put together with my Tarot cards, I saw a special message within it. To help me channel the Queen of Pentacles in my life, I was reminded about the happiness that I had felt with the wonderful memories of my childhood ( 6 Of Cups + The Sun).  No matter how busy Mum and Dad were, they always made sure they involved me in everything they did, they took me everywhere, they gave me as much room to explore my creative potential as they could.  They were present for me.  The Queen had just told me that the best way to channel my inner Queen of Pentacles, was to be present for David and Joel the way Mum and Dad had been for me.

Below are the recipes created and shared with love.


The Starter
Prawn and Mango Cocktail With Kaffir Lime Leaf Dressing
Ingredients:
2 Cups of peeled and deveined blanched prawns
1 medium size mango, sliced.

Dressing:
1 tablespoon finely chopped spring onion and red onion
Extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons Kaffir lime juice
Chopped kaffir lime leaves
2 Tablespoons lime juice
2 Tablespoons orange juice
1 red chilli de-seeded and chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon sugar

Whisk dressing ingredients together and mix until the sugar has dissolved. Spoon over the prawns and mix well. Spoon marinated prawns over mixed lettuce leaves. Garnish with some mint and coriander, and decorate some mango slices around it.


The Main Course

The East And West Harvest Pasta - Inspired By The Queen Of Pentacles
Ingredients:
1 cup roasted pumpkin pureed in food processor
1/2 cup roasted aubergine sliced
1/2 cup roasted zucchini sliced
1/2 cup chopped bok choy blanched in salt water
1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
1 cup toasted pine nuts
Dash of Olive oil
1 cup cream
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 leek, white part only clean and sliced.
1 teaspoon whole coriander
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1 chilli de- seeded and chopped.
salt and pepper to taste
1 pack pasta, cooked to package instructions
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 leek(s), white part only, cleaned and sliced
1 teaspoon whole coriander
a pinch of ground cinnamon
Chopped basil


Method:
Pour olive oil into a skillet or large sauce pan and sauté garlic until aromatic. Add the leek and tomatoes. Stir in the coriander and cinnamon and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add white wine and raise heat to reduce volume by two-thirds. Add cream and then puréed pumpkin, then simmer. Set aside.

Add the penne to the sauce and warm thoroughly. Toss with the zucchini, aubergine, bok choy, chilli, pine nuts and Parmesan cheese. Then serve.


The Dessert
Fruit Salad With Orange Honey Dressing And Creme Fraiche - Inspired By The SunIngredients:
1 cup blueberries
1 cup cubed pineapples
1 cup cubed cantaloupe
1 cup strawberries
2 bananas sliced

Dressing:
Juice from 1 orange
2 tablespoons honey
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon of chopped mint leaves

Method:

Whisk all dressing ingredients till honey is dissolved and pour dressing over the fruits. Toss, spoon into individual bowls and serve immediately with a dollop of Creme Fraiche. garnish with a sprig of mint.


Do remember to explore the contributions of the other Tarot Blog Hop participants by following the links below.

Blog Before        |              Master List               |               Blog After

If you like this blogpost, do follow my blog at http://sungoddesstarot.blogspot.com and LIKE my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SunGoddessTarot

About The Writer:

The writer of this blog post is a marketeer by trade, and a tarot card reader by accident. She was awarded a Certified Professional Tarot Reader qualification from the Tarot Certification Board of America (TCBA) and is also a certified numerologist.  She is currently running a Tarot consultancy based in Singapore called Sun Goddess Tarot,  which provides confidential intuitive readings combining the metaphysical disciplines of Tarot, Numerology and Astrology via face to face and emails as well as readings at corporate and private events and workshops.  A member of the American Tarot Association (ATA) and the Tarot Association of the British Isles (TABI), she is also a reader for the Free Tarot Network and mentors Tarot protégés on behalf of the American Tarot Association

Website: www.sungoddesstarot.com
Email:  Joanna@sungoddesstarot.com
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/SunGoddessTarot

Twitter: www.twitter.com/SunGoddessTarot 

Effectively Managing Work Family And Me During This Full Moon InCapricorn

Blessed Full Moon everyone!  I love the fact that Full Moon is the time I manifest my goals and bring to fruition whatever intention I had set for myself.  

Setting My Intentions At The New Moon

When I entered the New Moon a few weeks ago, I was forced to confront some residual resentment from the past.  I set my intention then to "plant seeds of joy" once I  let go of that past hurt and resentment. I moved past those old wounds and set out to be aware of what fulfilled me, create my own opportunities and  build my own happiness.   So, as I walked towards this  Full Moon, I strived to create a harmonious balance between my family life, work life and my business.  I worked very hard to create "my abundance".

Juggling Work, Business And Family

When I arrived at this Full Moon in Capricorn, I pushed myself to put 200% into everything I did.  I did not believe in barriers, and my take on life was "never say never"... almost like that resilient mountain goat that represented the zodiac sign of Capricorn.  Have you ever seen how mountain goats climb the mountains to hunt for food without the fear of any obstacles? I refused to allow any obstacles to get in the way of my effort to create abundance.

 Juggling the demands of family life, a career and a business was no easy feat.  However,  aided by the energies of this Full Moon, it had given me the impetus to conquer these challenges with a "I want it all" attitude.  

Being Present

I know however that I was increasingly driving the hubby crazy with my ambitions and high expectations of myself.  He had been worried about the way I had been driving myself very hard with a punishing schedule of multiple commitments from endless work meetings, managing my marketing team, back to back Tarot and Numerology readings, and taking care of my family. Unconsciously, I attempted to be Super Mum, Super Wife, corporate hot shot and Wonder Woman all rolled into one.  However, those who mattered, really just wanted me to be present. The hubby wanted me to stick to my promise of putting everything down for that date night once a week. The boy wanted me to just sit by him from time to time when he was doing his homework, so that he could tell me about his day at school.    The team at work just wanted part of the old me back when they enjoyed "happy lunches" with me.   

Clearly, the Full Moon cast light on the fact that I needed to spend time nurturing relationships with the people who mattered by being present for them.  I was not surprised.  These relationships were so important to me because I would not be as successful as I am today without these people who mattered. I finally saw the full reflection of the Full Moon from what sat opposite - the Sun in Cancer.  As you know, the watery sign of Cancer influences emotions, intuition, and relationships. I could not run away from the fact that as I worked hard to build my successes in my career and my business, I needed to remember that I could be successful only with the love and support of the most important people in my life.

Taking Care Of Me

The Full Moon in Capricorn also illuminated the fact that sometimes, I needed to be more down -to -earth and attempt to keep my ambitions in check. Yes, I wanted to live life with a "I want it all" attitude, but if I did not spend time taking care of me, then there would not be any point in having it all.  

So this is what I am manifesting during this Full Moon - I resolve  to be present for my loved ones by putting as much time aside for them as possible whilst taking care of me.  The new entries in my diary looks something like this, "Date night with my man - Friday.  Happy lunch with my team - Thursday.  Long chat with the boy - every night.  Visit Mom and Dad - Sunday. Personal training - Monday to Friday. Absolutely no Tarot and Numerology readings on weekends if possible." 

Making a conscious effort to take care of me,  I have transformed  my lifestyle with a healthier diet and a 5-days-a-week fitness regime that included kickboxing.  I believe that by being fit and healthy, it will ensure that I meet the demands of work, business and family life even more effectively. 

"Taking good care of you means that the people in your life recieve what's best of you and not what's left of you." ~ Carl Bryan

If you like this blogpost, do follow my blog at http://sungoddesstarot.blogspot.com and LIKE my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SunGoddessTarot

About The Writer:

The writer of this blog post is a marketeer by trade, and an intuitive reader by accident who deploys the combined modalities of a Tarot, Numerology and Astrology overlaid with her Clairvoyant and Clairsentient skills to deliver her readings with authenticity. She was awarded a Certified Professional Tarot Reader qualification from the Tarot Certification Board of America (TCBA) and is also a certified numerologist.  She is currently running a consultancy based in Singapore called Sun Goddess Tarot,  which provides confidential intuitive readings combining the metaphysical disciplines of Tarot, Numerology and Astrology via face to face and emails as well as readings at corporate and private events and workshops.  A member of the American Tarot Association (ATA) and the Tarot Association of the British Isles (TABI), she is also a reader for the Free Tarot Network and mentors Tarot protégés on behalf of the American Tarot Association

Website: www.sungoddesstarot.com
Email:  Joanna@sungoddesstarot.com
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/SunGoddessTarot
Twitter: www.twitter.com/SunGoddessTarot

A Lesson In Letting Go During The New Moon In Cancer

Tomorrow, we celebrate the New Moon in Cancer. It marks a new beginning for me of epic proportions.

The synchronicity of the Universe was just amazing. My friend Martin sent me this photo yesterday that described this New Moon in Cancer so appropriately.  The watery element of the New Moon was like a swelling of emotions from within me.  These emotions had been bubbling just under the surface, waiting to burst through, only to do so when I confronted my past hurts yesterday.   I believed that the Universe had intended to wash me with these waters of my past so that I could come out from the pool cleansed and ready to serve my purpose.  

This New Moon in Cancer was particularly special for me because the Universe devised a wonderful plan to teach me an invaluable lesson about myself. I learnt to let go off aspects of the past that bound me to emotional insecurities, the need to always obtain validation and the fear of the unknown. I was forced to confront such useless energies last night. 

Here was what had happened. 

Caught Up With A Past Filled With Anger And Resentment

Yesterday evening, I parked my car at the building at which I had worked some 7 years ago. I was about to join my husband and my son for a drink to celebrate having crossed mid-week without having to throw a shoe at anyone at the office.   At the lift lobby, I bumped into an ex-boss who had caused me 2 years of immense depression and a lifetime of hypertension issues because I did not agree with his management style. I bristled in anger the minute I saw him and stomped out of the building in tears when memories of all that hurt and disappointment came flooding back in that instant. A tiny voice buzzed menacingly in my head then, attempting to convince me of how bad a marketeer I must have been, or how useless an employee I might have been that caused the rift between him and I.

Grateful For A Present Filled With Abundance

My husband bounded me off into the car to comfort me and promptly turned on the car radio.  When I heard Andrea Boccelli's magical voice, I suddenly remembered the new life I had created after resigning from that job.  Today, I lead a marketing communications team for a company that I truly enjoyed working at everyday. I felt privileged to have bosses and colleagues who inspired me and who accepted and appreciated my skills.  I built  a successful business doing Tarot, Numerology and Astrology readings that allowed me to guide my clients through their issues using my intuitive skills. My family gave me immense love and support. I was on the road towards regaining back my health and fitness. I felt so much abundance.  It was as if, I had finally come home to myself.   

Tapping On My Inner Queen Of Cups

I meditated on the Tarot Card that represented Cancer - the Queen of Cups.  The Queen was emotionally-charged, sometimes she needed to learn to balance heart and head.  She was a dreamer, who had to make special efforts to ensure that she could discern between illusion and reality.  Her highly intuitive nature guided her to navigate difficult situations introspectively.  When I came face to face with past negative energies of anger and resentment, I forced the Queen of Cups in me to  balance my emotions around what was in the now, and what had happened in the past; what energies I deemed as useless so that I could let them go and what lessons I could learn from them; the illusion of my ex-boss' dislike of me and the reality that he did not give a toss what had happened between us then, so many years ago.

I was led by the Universe to put my hand into the bag of seeds of past anger, resentment and sadness. I gave myself permission to be angry for awhile, then sprinkled these seeds of past negative energies onto the ground so that they could be healed by the cleansing earth energy in preparation for my growth.

Planting Seeds Of Joy This New Moon 

If I was not forced to step out of my comfort zone at that point when I could not get along with that ex-boss 7 years ago, I would not have found this life of abundance! When I started to think back about what I had learnt when I was caught in the middle of that career cross-road, I realized those lessons were well-leveraged when I guided my clients who went through similar situations.  I became a better manager, a better friend, a better mentor, a better wife, and a better mum because of what I had been through.  My experience taught me that only I could plant my own seeds of joy, success, fulfillment and abundance.  

I felt immense gratitude for that experience with my ex-boss. I could finally let it all go. And I let it go with love.  

So this New Moon in Cancer was a lesson for me in letting go of what was holding me down and not serving me anymore so that I could birth new strength and courage to create a better life, gain new knowledge and perspectives, and serve my purpose that was meant to be.  

If you like this blogpost, do follow my blog at http://sungoddesstarot.blogspot.com and LIKE my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SunGoddessTarot

About The Writer:

The writer of this blog post is a marketeer by trade, and an intuitive reader by accident who deploys the combined modalities of a Tarot, Numerology and Astrology overlaid with her Clairvoyant and Clairsentient skills to deliver her readings with authenticity. She was awarded a Certified Professional Tarot Reader qualification from the Tarot Certification Board of America (TCBA) and is also a certified numerologist.  She is currently running a consultancy based in Singapore called Sun Goddess Tarot,  which provides confidential intuitive readings combining the metaphysical disciplines of Tarot, Numerology and Astrology via face to face and emails as well as readings at corporate and private events and workshops.  A member of the American Tarot Association (ATA) and the Tarot Association of the British Isles (TABI), she is also a reader for the Free Tarot Network and mentors Tarot protégés on behalf of the American Tarot Association

Website: www.sungoddesstarot.com
Email:  Joanna@sungoddesstarot.com
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/SunGoddessTarot
Twitter: www.twitter.com/SunGoddessTarot

Queen Of Cups From The Rosetta Tarot Deck By M.M. Meleen

Photo Credit: Martin Hook

What Can I Bring From My Table To Enrich The Community

What Can I Bring From My Table To Enrich The Community?

Welcome to my blog post written to celebrate the harvest festival of Lammas.  You may be my regular blog reader, or you may be visiting this blog after having read Jordan's at http://jordanhoggard.wordpress.com/2013/08/01/tarotbloghop-lammas-tenders-wisdom. Or you may have worked your way backwards from Vivianne's blog at http://kismetscompanion.blogspot.sg/2013/08/tarot-blog-hop-lammas-2013.html.   Should the links be broken at any point or you would like to read the rest of the contributions from the other Tarot bloggers, please visit the master list of blog links at  http://tarotbyarwen.com/?p=10468

Today, as friends around the world celebrated the harvest festival of Lammas, I celebrated the fact that I came full circle with the Wheel of the Year as a member of this fabulous Tarot blog hop community.  It had been a critical component of my growth as a Tarot reader.  I had studied under various Tarot teachers and taken many Tarot courses in my attempts to raise the bar on my Tarot reading skills.  However, nothing beat the knowledge I gained and the friends I made within this Tarot blog hop community. 

The blog topic to celebrate Lammas was themed “What can we share from our table to enrich our community?”  It was not difficult to find what I could share with my community.   I knew I wanted to share my experience and expertise as a Tarot reader with those who are still at the beginning of their Tarot journey, the way my fellow Tarot bloggers did. They had been sharing so much of their bountiful experience and expertise with me about Tarot and life in general.  This Tarot blog hop community was exemplary of the spirit of Lammas.  Inspired by them,  Tarot mentoring and coaching became my biggest passion.  But they served only 1 group of people within my community, so what else could I bring to the table and to whom?

Celebrating Abundance At Lammas With The Queen Of Pentacles

First, for those unfamiliar with the festival, Lammas is a festival celebrated on 1 August throughout the world, to honour the first harvest.  It honoured the bountiful crops, the first gathering of grains and the first plucking of fruits and vegetables, and a table full of food brought in from the garden well-planted in spring.  In short, it meant Abundance.  Lammas was particularly special for me because it fell on my birthday.  There was nothing I wanted more on my birthday each year, than to know that whatever  gifts bestowed on me by the Universe, served the purpose of bringing abundance to people around me.

The Queen of Pentacles was aptly picked as the “Lammas Muse”.  I saw her as the epitome of a nurturing earth mother and a capable career woman providing financially, emotionally, physically and spiritually for the family and the people around her.  In the Radiant Rider Waite deck, the image on the Queen of Pentacles card depicts a Queen sitting on a throne decorated in luxuriously abundant flowers, fruits, animals and angels.  The tree in the picture and all around her are adorned with flowers and lush greenery. These are symbols of prosperity and wealth.   A rabbit is seen at her feet, a symbol of fertility.  The Queen was my inspiration.  As I juggled a career as a marketeer, my passion as a professional Tarot reader and my roles as mother, wife and daughter, I aspire to be as successful, as generous, as giving, and as selfless as the Queen of Pentacles.

The Abundance From My Table Tarot Spread

Using the Queen of Pentacles as my Significator, and acknowledging that I have been blessed with gifts that allowed me to perform my multiple roles in my life, I created the Abundance From My Table Tarot spread to gain insights on what I could “bring from my table to enrich the community”.  To me, the community was specifically focused on 3 groups of people most important to me.  They are 1) my family, 2) my team at work and 3) my Tarot and Numerology clients and friends.  The cards picked were from my Radiant Rider Waite Tarot deck created by Virginijus Poshkus and published by US Games. 

What Can I Bring From My Table To My Family?  - Temperance

Temperance is depicted by an image of an angel with one foot in the water and the other on land, representing his balancing the realms between the material and the subconscious world. This was a reminder that I had to strike a balance between what my inner consciousness tells me and my rational mind as I managed my day-to-day routine at home.  The angel is also seen mixing water, pouring it from one cup to the other, a reminder that one had to adjust to circumstances and people, approach everything in moderation, and proactively create balance and harmony in one’s life.    

I see Temperance as a card advising me to think long-term as I reevaluate my priorities in life. I had been putting my work, my clients and everything else outside of my home before my family. My daily routine was controlled by 4 devices, a laptop, an ipad, a blackberry and an iphone.  They formed my army of technological administrators, dealing with my Tarot reading appointments, Tarot coaching sessions, Tarot events,  creative agency briefings, work meetings, PR events, courses and industry networking events.  I have not yet added my visits to Mum and Dad, medical appointments, David’s jamming sessions, photography assignments and time with Joel.  Temperance knocked me on the head with 1 word – BALANCE. 

As Joel was starting to spend more time out of the home, David and I had to familiarize ourselves with our new roles as Pre-Empty Nesters. This should have been the perfect time for David and I to have more time with each other.  However, my multiple projects, mounting work pressures and Tarot appointments were getting in the way.  Even my weekends were filled with Tarot appointments and coaching sessions.  When David started asking me over facebook if I was coming home for dinner, i knew the messages of these cards were very clear.  What I had to bring from my table to my family was my commitment to get my priorities right, and spend more time with them by balancing my busy lifestyle and multiple projects. 

Temperance supporting the Queen of Pentacles were the perfect cards pointing to the desire for creating balance in my life for the sake of my family’s and my happiness.  I could not get a more resounding message than this for my role as a wife, mother and daughter.

What Can I Bring From My Table To My Work?  - Chariot

The Chariot card depicts an image of a charioteer steering the chariot with 2 sphinxes in front of him. The stars and crescent moon depicted in the card point to the spiritual forces at work supporting his quest to victory.  The charioteer is not brandishing reins but just a wand which signifies passion and determination leading him towards his goals. 

The Chariot card urged me to maintain focus and determination as I worked towards our goals with my team at work.  My team is a very lean team built on highly skilled and experienced marketeers managing brand strategy, product marketing, corporate social responsibility, sponsorships, customer communications,  public and media relations.  As one could appreciate, the scope is humongous so I likened the 6 of us in the team to circus acrobats, juggling many big projects all at the same time in our bid to meet the company’s growth targets.  The energy and camaraderie within this team had been my motivation to jump into the trenches with them to ensure that we exceeded expectations with the delivery of these project objectives.

I do get really exhausted from time to time because of near-impossible project deadlines, cross-functional team complexities, last minute changes in project plans and resource limitations.  However, the Chariot reminded me to ascertain what the end-goal was and to work towards it.

That was when I thought I saw the light with the Chariot card.  There are 2 sphinxes in the card, one in black and the other in white.  It resembled the Asian concept of balance between the forces of Yin and Yang. It was urging me to balance my inner consciousness and my rational self to manage the challenges at work. 

The Chariot supporting the Queen of Pentacles were the perfect cards reinforcing the need for me to balance my determination to attain my career goals while appreciating that journey (bumpy roads not withstanding) I was making towards my goals.  As one would say, it really was not about the goal, but the journey towards the goal that mattered.  I loved that journey with these girls I called, the A-Team. These cards reminded me to nurture my team with the same appreciation for the balance between attaining their career goals and their journey towards these goals.  That would ensure that they came to work every day, loving what they did and doing what they loved.

What Can I Bring From My Table To My Tarot Clients?  - Queen Of Cups

The image in the Queen of Cups depicts an introspective Queen holding on to a cup sitting on a throne by the sea.  The water symbolize emotions over which the Queen governs and the fish represents her inner consciousness. The cup is closed indicating that her emotions run deep and that she could also be a trusted guide and mentor who could keep one’s secrets.

The Queen of Cups supporting the Queen of Pentacles together provided me with a clear message that as I sought to balance the commitments in my life with my passion as a professional Tarot reader, I had to do it with a lot of compassion, patience, emotional maturity and sensitivity.  As the Queen of Cups is a highly intuitive Queen, the card urged me to trust my higher self as I gained intuitive experiences and spiritual wisdom through my Tarot journey.  My rational mind sometimes got in the way as I indulged in the questioning of the science behind these intuitive experiences.  With such doubt in my mind, I had limited the opportunities to expand my professional Tarot practice beyond what I was currently capable of doing.  So, the Queen of Cups assured me of my purpose.  With the intuitive gifts that the Universe had given me, beyond the Tarot readings that I had been doing for clients, I should be doing more to help mentor and coach beginning Tarot readers. 

When I was a beginner Tarot reader myself, I was very involved in the different Tarot communities like the American Tarot Association (ATA), Tarot Association of the British Isles (TABI), the Tarot Guild, Aecletic Tarot, and Biddy Tarot.  The immense knowledge I got from the more experienced Tarot readers within these communities was invaluable.  I am still involved in these communities and I hope I could give back the same to the beginner Tarot readers by contributing my own knowledge and experience.

Making Abundance Count

The Tarot spread created to support the "Queen of Pentacles" reminded me that whatever gifts and skill sets I have would mean nothing if I gave only “bits and pieces” of my time and effort to my community. The cards were resoundingly hitting me on the head with one word – BALANCE.  

I realized I cannot offer the best of myself to the people that mattered if I did not strive for balance and harmony in my life.  This was critical for me to perform my roles as wife, mother and daughter, as well as marketeer and professional Tarot reader and Tarot coach.   The dynamics have changed.  It was no longer about my needing to raise the bar with even more certificates and qualifications under my belt to enhance my skills as a marketeer, a Tarot reader and a Numerologist.  It was more important for me to optimize my existing skill sets and re-prioritize my commitments so that everyone within my community gets the best of me.

About The Writer:

The writer of this blog post is a marketeer by trade, and a tarot card reader by accident. She was awarded a Certified Professional Tarot Reader qualification from the Tarot Certification Board of America (TCBA) as well as a certified numerologist.  She is currently running a Tarot consultancy called Sun Goddess Tarot based in Singapore. A member of the American Tarot Association (ATA) and the Tarot Association of the British Isles (TABI), she is also endorsed as a reader for the Free Tarot Network and is a mentor for the ATA.   She can be contacted at www.facebook.com/SunGoddessTarot or www.sungoddesstarot.com

The Abundance From My Table Tarot Spread

Celebrating The Full Moon in May

Full Flower Moon

The full moon in May will occur on the 25th.  It's called the Full Flower Moon for obvious reasons - there are flowers blooming everywhere during this time.   It's a time one sows the seeds planted in April, and for light workers like me, it's a great time to set my personal intentions to manifest abundance and prosperity.

It's also particularly auspicious as many around the world will celebrate the Buddhist festival of Vesak day then and a lunar eclipse is expected. With the occurrence of the full moon, we can expect high energies abound.  Also one can expect to feel the effect of changes happening in one's life then, perpetuated by the energies of the lunar eclipse.

Full Moon Meditation 

I will be meditating to the energy of this Full Moon together with hundreds of women around the world who are part of this Full Flower Moon ritual spearheaded by Athena Perrakis from Sage Goddess.  At this meditation, I will be giving thanks to the Universe for saving me from that stent, and asking for blessings for my family's and my health.  I want to manifest good health so that I could effectively do the work that the Universe has meant for me to do.  Indeed, health is wealth to me.  At the same time I will be holding my personal intention for the victims of that devastating tornado in Oklahoma recently.

The month of May was also mythically dedicated to the Greek Goddess Maia who symbolised motherhood and nurturing.  This month, is definitely about the feminine. And I am so glad to be part of this group of gorgeous women who dedicate themselves to supporting others with healing energy, love and light. To find out more about the Full Flower Moon meditation with Sage Goddess, do visit https://www.facebook.com/events/591016170908617/

Tarot Readings At The Goddess Marketplace

On May 25th,  I also have the privilege of being invited once again to lend my Goddessitude to the Goddess Marketplace, where I will be doing mini Tarot readings.  This will be held at High Street Centre, #06-31 at North Bridge Road  

If you are in Singapore this weekend, please come visit us. Meanwhile, as we gear up for the full moon, I strongly urge you to light a candle every night to set your intentions for May in your prayers.

About The Writer:

The writer of this blog post is a marketeer by trade, and a tarot card reader by accident. She has a Certified Professional Tarot Reader qualification from the Tarot Certification Board of America (TCBA) and is also a certified numerologist based in Singapore. A member of the American Tarot Association (ATA) and the Tarot Association of the British Isles (TABI), she is also a reader for the Free Tarot Network and Biddy Tarot as well as a mentor for the ATA.   She can be contacted atwww.facebook.com/SunGoddessTarot

Creating Abundance This Chinese New Year

Welcoming The Lunar New Year Of The Snake

This Chinese New Year, we welcome Spring and celebrate the Lunar New Year of the Snake.  I thought it was quite apt as it reminded me of the stories friends told me about how snakes, a symbol of fertility, would appear out of their hidey holes to test the weather, some time after Imbolc, which celebrated the midway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox.

Chinese New Year is the most important event in the Chinese festive calendar as the food cooked for the all-important reunion dinner, the cookies and cakes hand-baked for visiting family and friends, the home decorations, and indeed right down to the cultural gestures of giving mandarin oranges and  red packets filled with money to children and the oldest, nearest and dearest, were all geared at ushering in abundance and prosperity. 

Every symbol and gesture during Chinese New Year is not only about hopes for good health, great wealth, career growth, and better business opportunities, it is also about upholding the Asian values of familial piety and respect.

For more information about the significance of Chinese New Year, please do read my other blog post at http://thecrazyangmoandhisangrywife.blogspot.com/2013/02/chinese-new-year-is-family-thing.html

The Abundance Tarot Spread

As our traditional customs at Chinese New Year is geared to ushering abundance and prosperity in our lives, I had decided to create a Tarot spread in the hope of getting advice about how I could create abundance around myself.  For this purpose, I used the Tarot of the Pagan Cats deck.

The Significator - The Empress

Central to this spread is my significator, the Empress, chosen to represent abundance.  Within the card, the image of the Mother cat wearing a golden crown lying luxuriously on a red cushion, reflected an archetypal Earth Mother surrounded by lush greenery, little kittens and flowers in full bloom, all symbols of fertility, prosperity and abundance.

I loved the Empress card and it is always a reminder to me to appreciate the love and abundance around me by nurturing my familial relationships with care and support and inject postive energy into everything I do.

Khalil Gibran said," You pray in your distress and in your need; would that you might also pray in the fullness of your joy and in your days of abundance."

Creating Abundance In My Career - The Fool

The Fool is a card promising of unlimited potential.  It encouraged me to take on my career with an entrepreneurial spirit, inject it with an overflowing stream of creative ideas as well as a boldness and courage to try new things, and treat each project presented to me as a new learning curve.   The Fool is unconventional, passionate and enthusiatic.  Most importantly, he doesn't cripple himself with unnecessary worries and anxieties but would trust in the universe to guide him on his journey towards his goals. 

I will need to harness the energy of the Fool, remembering always that sometimes, it is not all about that goal.  Rather it is all about the efforts that I put into every step I take to achieving that goal.

Harry Callahan said," Experience is the best teacher of all.  And for that, there are no guarantees that one will become an artist.  Only the journey matters."

Creating Abundance In My Finances - Four Of Pentacles

The Four of Pentacles reminded me to not be too attached to material gains.  With financial security as one of my goals, I had to plan to slowly and steadily build long-term savings.  I was advised by the card to continue to be prudent in my expenditure.

In my younger days, I spent years indulging in irrational spending on branded handbags, shopping trips in New York and London, expensive dinners at posh restaurants.  When I grew up and had to take on life as a single mother right after my divorce, build a stable career at the same time,  financially provide for my elderly parents and grandmother too, I realized this irrational spending and moments of instant gratifications had to stop.  I have been paying the price for the years of irrational spending since.  Today, I am slowly but surely trying to grow my savings.  In fact, after a life wrought with difficulties, I grew up to dislike the trappings of a lifestyle of luxury.  My main goal is be happy and be financially secure enough, just enough, to provide for the family, pay the bills and maybe have a little extra to buy more Tarot decks (LOL!)

Suze Orman said, "A big part of financial freedom is having your heart and mind free from worry about the what-ifs of life."

Creating Abundance In My Family - Six Of Cups
The Six of Cups is a card of past happy memories, nostalgia and childhood. The card must have appeared because Chinese New Year is a time that I try to connect with the happy memories of the past as a child.  Mum and Dad used to dress me in the prettiest frock, tied my hair with the cutest bows and take me out for home visits.  I loved collecting the red packets filled with money because it meant I could have more money for candy, ice cream and chocolates.  It also meant I could save up to add bits and bops to my doll's house.

The Six of Cups reminded me to create abundance within my family leveraging my happy memories.  I had to create opportunities for Joel to share the same when he grows older in the future.  As a family, I thought we had been leading our individual lives way too much.  Joel is now at the age where he spends more time at his school than at home.  Having a girlfriend didn't help hence my possessiveness of his time with me.  David is always busy with work, meeting clients and practising with his band mates.  I am the worst culprit when it comes "doing my own thing".  I juggle my time between my work projects, nurturing my team, studying for my various courses, mentoring my Tarot proteges, and doing Tarot readings for clients and at events.

So the Six of Cups advised that I should bring back the happy memories of my childhood and bring these happy moments into my own family now by creating opportunities to have more quality time with David and Joel.   Mum used to prepare a picnic basket full of food and took me out to the beach for a swim and a fun picnic.  I should be doing that more.

Charlotte Davis Kasl said, "Happy memories become treasures in the heart to pull out on the tough days of adulthood."

Creating Abundance In Myself - Three Of Pentacles
The Three of Pentacles is a card that signifies the manifestation of a goal through hardwork, cooperation and inspiration.  The card encouraged me to continue to work hard towards achieving my dreams, always fanning the fire of enthusiasm without the fear of failing.  In due time, prosperity and success will naturally come to me. 
As this card assumes that success can come quicker with teamwork and collaboration, it advised me to leveraged the skills, experience and knowledge of the people around me to guide me to my success.  As a Tarot reader that treads a neverending road of learning, my mentors, my proteges and my friends within the Tarot community worldwide are key to holding my hands along my journey with Tarot.  I see this spiritual journey as a combination of individual efforts  from amongst us, Tarot readers and fellow light workers in our respective spiritual paths, walking towards a common goal of bringing clarity and assurance to the people that matter.

I am well-stoked with this card because I also foresee a future of opportunities, working with my Tarot reading and Numerologist friends here in Singapore, creating unique individual and corporate coaching sessions and workshops using Tarot and Numerology.

I am assured myself, that I will never walk alone.

Henry Ford said, "Coming together is a beginning.  Keeping together is progress.  Working together is success."

Abundance 

Finally, before I end this blog post to go stuff myself with Chinese New Year goodies, I'd like to bring you back to the true meaning of abundance.  We will indeed be surrounded by abundance, only when we are ready to recieve it with an open and a grateful heart.  Never forget that gratitude is the mother of abundance and that life is a cornucopia of gifts waiting to be recieved.

Joel Osteen said, "When you focus on being a blessing, God makes sure that you are always blessed in abundance."

About The Writer Of This Blog:

The writer of this blog post is a marketeer by trade and a Tarot card reader by accident.  She was awarded a Certified Professional Tarot Reader qualification from the Tarot Certification Board of America (TCBA) and a Tarosophy Tarot Diploma from Tarot Professionals Ltd.  She is also a certified numerologist, hence her reading style blends numerological significance with Tarot card interpretations. 

A member of the American Tarot Association (ATA) and the Tarot Association of the British Isles (TABI), she is also a reader for the Free Tarot Network (FTN) and is a mentor for both the ATA and the FTN.

She can be contacted at www.facebook.com/SunGoddessTarot or www.sungoddesstarot.com