Chapter One, Page One

Saturday, October 31: As the Wheel of the Year progressed and the new year approach, I speculated on how I could dedicate myself to discovering more about my beliefs and faith.  I realized I constantly lamented that I didn't have enough time to learn about and read the Tarot as often as I would have liked.  Why not make a "new year's resolution" I would not only want to keep, but strive to keep?

I pledged that for a year, I would study the Tarot. That means that every day I would read, handle, consider, ponder and otherwise involve myself in the Tarot. 

Oh, I had made that pledge before. In years past, I got good at readings, and I could remember what the cards meant. However, I never stuck with it. I delegated readings for my husband David and I to late at night, right before bed. More often than not, I'd tell David I'd read it another night, the next night, later that week, whenever.

And day after day, my Tarot knowledge waned. And it broke my heart.

So, I decided that for the next year, I would involve myself in the Tarot. I would do a reading of sorts every day, or quiz myself — but I would handle the cards and study them literally every day.

On Samhain, I did a full Celtic Cross reading for both David and me. I shuffled the cards until he asked me to stop, then I let him cut the deck (three stacks, dealt right to left). I reassembled the deck and dealt his cards first. Afterward, I did my own reading.

David's cards:

9 Cups
Queen Cups
9 Wands
Page Cups
7 Wands
Knight Cups
9 Pentacles
6 Cups
4 Swords
Knight Swords

My cards (eight minutes into the new year):

3 Wands
8 Swords
Queen Cups
Magician
10 Pentacles
6 Pentacles
7 Wands
10 Cups
Wheel of Fortune
10 Wands

I will figure out how to list the cards, maybe import the graphics I have created for them.  I'm excited — I can't wait to see how this evolves!