Tarot Blog Hop: Asking Advice of Our Ancestors

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For this edition of the Tarot Blog Hop we are focused around the the holiday of Samhain, this time of year when the veil between this world and the next is thinnest. Each blogger will be communing with the tarot and with their ancestors to see what interesting and rewarding connections can be made. I chose to use The Mary-el Tarot deck to communicate with my ancestors because I feel like this deck holds that magic potential to contact spirits and guides. Here are the cards I drew with the questions and interpretations that I gleaned from them below:fullsizerender

What ancestors am I communicating with today?- 7 of Cups The Wolf is my animal self and my higher self. I encounter the Wolf when I go off of the well-beaten path through life and instead strike out on my own. When I create my own path through life, I encounter the Wolf. He leads me through my subconscious, reminding me that reality as I know it is just one way of perceiving some of what exists in my own way. The Wolf is earthy. He connects me to this planet. The Wolf is also otherworldly and mysterious, connecting me to the Moon.

When I asked what ancestors I'm communicating with, I'm not entirely sure what the answer is with this Wolf. He lies outside of that path through life that my ancestors created for me. He is all of reality and also outside of my reality. He shows that special meeting point when I change myself and therefore change reality, opening up the possibility of seeing more than I saw before. The Wolf is my spirit guide through the darkness.

What can you tell me about the meaning of human life on Earth?- Queen of Disks The Queen of Disks is the embodiment of love on Earth. She is The Empress in physical form: womankind, motherhood, fertility, joy, and sustenance. The physical form is important to the meaning of life. The Wolf understands this and works harmoniously through the Queen of Discs. The Earth is where we are nurtured and where we grow. The limitations of physical bodies and senses constrain us, shaping us into societal norms. We are part of the garden of humanity, nurtured by this Queen. We are here to learn love, to learn joy, and to be shaped into abundant creatures.

What lessons do I need to use from my heritage?- 9 of Disks This is the integration of all elements, the knowledge that I am made up of fire, water, air and earth in equal and balanced measures. The 9 of Disks reminds me to know myself and that I do already know myself.  I am a beautiful part of the natural order of life. I am meant to be here. I am an intentional person. I am part of the whole, connected to the eternal through my eternal soul as well as all the tiny bits of this and that which are a part of me for a instant and then gone. The lesson here is a simple but powerful reminder that I am a part of everything and this life has meaning.

What should I know about the present?- The Star This card was immediately my favorite message from the Wolf ancestor. It was great to see a Major card for the present moment. This vibes with my desire to live fully in the now and bring hope and joy into it. Now is the most important time. Now is the only time. The Star is a messenger of hope. She shines bright in the darkness. She is authentic and true. She spreads peace and understanding. These are beautiful ideals to bring into the present. I must strive to be true to my Higher Self, to my inner Star. This requires me to set aside my ego, my illusions of separateness, my regrets, and my fears. To be The Star is no easy thing in practice, but at least it is a wonderfully easy thing to understand in theory. The theory is written upon our hearts. It is a constant in our souls. We all live in hope.

What message do I need about the future?- 6 of Swords The imagine on the 6 of Swords is a heartwarming one. I see an angel guiding me and protecting me in my future. He is helping me along my path, providing lessons with empathy and thoughtfulness. This is the angel Raphael, who leads us towards completion and integration by enlightening us in our ignorance, healing us, and caring for us. His gentle manner allows the weaker and neglected aspects of myself to be helped along in order for me to become my whole self. I can lean on his acceptance and guidance in the future, knowing that this energy is a natural part of myself.

I enjoy how the symbol of the Wolf is now my friendly dog spirit guide in this image. This animal energy is as essential to me as the developing balance of masculine/feminine or light/dark energy represented by the children. The symbol of the caduceus that Raphael holds, which was also in the 9 of Disks, represents this perfect balance of all aspects and parts of myself coming together in harmony. What a peaceful message to keep in mind for the future. It might not be an easy path, but I am not alone or unprotected on it.

Well, there you go. Some messages from my ancestors. Why don't you give this reading a try as well? I found it to be insightful and comforting. The Mary-el Tarot is suited to this type of reading with it's heavy symbolism and deep spirituality. It would be interesting to do this with a more light-hearted deck and see if I got more whimsical messages or more something else. If you would like to read more thoughts and ideas about contacting your ancestors with the tarot, follow along on the Tarot Blog Hop!  Here are the links to hop along!!

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