Greetings from the Mary-el Tarot Deck

For my birthday last week I was gifted the Mary-el Tarot deck by Marie White, published by Schiffer. This deck has been on my wish list for a number of years and I was super excited to receive it from my sister. I was also delighted to see that the deck came in a cute box with a magnetic lid and a companion book. I decided to ask the deck for a message and found it has some pretty deep lessons to teach me. It's no wonder with this intense deck that big life wisdom is contained for me in the cards. The theme of the deck is described as "the alchemy of the soul; of finding balance, symmetry, mastery of the self, and becoming your own genius." Here is what the companion book had to say about the cards I drew from each of the elements from the Minor Arcana and one card from the Major Arcana:

The Hierophant: "Babylon is a gateway to the powerful truths that lie inside us and are completely blasphemous to any who believe you need something external for redemption, salvation, happiness, an immortal soul, and life after death. She is a monster to those who fear their own power. She is a devil to those who fear the vision of their true self." (pg 27) "Here you will dive into the jet black pit of earth, completely separate from God, and face your deepest fears and your shadows... And if successful, you will see it for what it is, embrace it and love it as part of yourself and you will become more whole and powerful and illusions about the earth will begin to melt away." (pg 28)

Six of Wands: "Slay your dragons, conquer your demons. Be direct and forceful." (pg 105) "The dragons are whatever opposes you or your situation. Spiritually the dragons are darkness and ignorance within ourselves. Illuminate the darkness with fire." (pg 104)

Five of Swords: Work through the pain and suffering, illness, depression. Whatever is afflicting you, you must keep going. Question all paranoia. Resolve conflicts and disputes with reason and intelligence." (pg 99)

Nine of Cups: "Accept who/what/where you are with compassion, love, amazement, and humor." (pg132) "In our earthly incarnation we live with both black and white in somewhat equal measure and they weave themselves into the checkered ground pattern that we walk upon. No matter where you step, you will surely have some black and some white under your feet." (pg 130)

Knight of Discs: "Don't look outside for the answer to the problem, look inside to find peace. You already have everything you are looking for. Look in your own home. Do not have doubt in yourself, you are made for this and already have all the tools. Take the middle path, use just what you need, no more or less." (pg 162) WOW, that's a lot to take in, but my overall impression is one of finding wholeness within myself. I am made up of both light and shadow, happiness and depression, health and illness, loss and gain, suffering and relief. I am part of the black and white duality of existence. When I embrace this, my wholeness, and my connection to both Earth and Spirit, I am in the present and I am me. This isn't a goal or a static state. Life is a continuously unfolding balance between different states, cycling around and around in never-ending flow. Somedays I will find the force to conquer my demons head on. Somedays I will have the mental fortitude to reason my way through my demons. Somedays I will find joy and wonder in my amazing accomplishments. Somedays I will stride along the middle path between Earth and Spirit with certitude. Every day I will be a conduit for that connection without end.