King of Cups

The year draws onwards and the emotional heart of the Queen of Cups makes way for the active engagement of The King.

While the Queen stood eyes closed and barefoot, the King sits on his throne, open-eyed and engaged with his surroundings.

At his feet is a tiny crab, which reminds us of his associations with the astrological sign of Cancer.

Behind his throne lies an enormous wolfhound. The wolfhound, as a breed, are not great watch-dogs or protectors of property, but they ARE very loyal and chary of strangers.  These traits could equally apply to the King himself - he's not particularly materialistic, preferring instead to see the value of relationships rather than sparkly baubles or gewgaws.  A person with predominant King of Cups traits would rather focus on a sincere one to one conversation than be the glitterball at centre of attention.

His harp reminds us that he has a strong creative element too (the element associated with the rank of King is Fire) one that can sometimes be extinguished by his watery Cups instinct to put others needs before his own.

As a person, we have someone who is in touch with his emotional nature, but is not governed by it.  He is compassionate - but not to the extent that he is caught up in the drama.  See how his feet are clear of the water?

What action can you take that shows your appreciation for the relationships in your life?

8 Cups

The dreaming of the 7 of Cups makes way for the action of the 8 of Cups.

In the foreground we see eight cups sitting on a flat rock around which swirls the fast water from a distant waterfall

A figure in a blue hood begins to climb up the path to the side of the waterfall, turning her back on the cups and heading off into the unknown. It's an exciting and risky undertaking!

In the darkened sky, we see the eclipsed sun.

To many people, having 8 Cups would seem like a wonderful thing in itself.  So it is that people looking at your situation may think that you too have a wonderful job, family, relationship etc

And, to be fair, it IS good.  But to the character in the 8 of Cups, there has to be more.  And so you are prepared to walk away from it all - much to the bafflement of other people.

The 8 of Cups asks:

What are you holding on to that needs to be let go?
What projects/jobs offer no more for you?
Are you ready to press forward into the unknown?

7 Cups

In the Druidcraft Tarot's 6 of Cups, a youth sits dozing on a soft mossy bank beside a pool.

Within its cool waters we see six Cups, the seventh sits beside him, filled almost to the brim.

Just as the 6 Cups in the previous card showed us the value in memories, the 7 Cups shows us that this kind of memory/dreaming is important.  But dreaming without focus, without action is simply dreaming.

When we close our eyes we have a choice - we can either indulge in our dreams or we can begin to take steps to manifest those dreams into reality in our lives.

We can be seduced into inaction, preferring the perfection of the imagination to the sweat and exertion involved in birthing those dreams to reality where challenge and disappointment must be faced and conquered.

While our young man dreams of the Cups in the water, he fails to discover the Grail beside him.

The 7 of Cups asks:

What do you dream of?
What steps shall you take to manifest that dream?
Will you quest for The Grail?

6 Cups

The DruidCraft's 6 of Cups takes us to a domestic scene where a man in a darkened interior gazes out at two children playing on the sun-warmed grass, surrounded by cups.

The man feels relaxed - his hand resting on the window frame, his golden goblet in hand.  His heart is uncovered and thus his love for the children is clear - there is no part of his heart that is hidden here.

To me it looks as though he is recalling his own childhood, perhaps wistfully remembering the days when he had nothing more pressing to worry about than playing with cups.  To this end, the card can represent memories, or the past becoming alive in the present.

The clouds in the sky are white and fluffy and for me this indicates, on the whole, that these rekindled memories are to be welcomed and treasured.

The 6 of Cups asks:

What comes back into your life from the past? Memories? Forgotten friends?

Is there something in your past that you can now reconcile peacefully?

#tarot #druidcraft   (Ali)

5 Cups

The brooding self-absorption of the 4 of Cups presses forward into a more active state in the 5 of Cups.

A hooded figure stands on the riverbank, his attention fixed to the activity out in the water - an otter chases a salmon.

The otter is actually the goddess Cerridwen as she chases after the thieving Gwion - a mythological thread that weaves its way right through the Druidcraft deck.

In the grass we see three cups, their contents spilled and lost, but behind the figure, on a stone decorated with cup and ring markings, two cups remain upright.  Are you like Cerridwen - angry that something has been taken from you?

Where is your focus?

The 5 of Cups ask you to consider whether you are spending too much time looking at 'activity on the water' and not enough on your own affairs?

If you can turn your attention to the situation that you do not wish to face, you might find that things are not as hopeless as you might think.... where are your two upright cups?

The challenge, from the 5 of Cups, is for you to find them?

#druidcraft #tarot (ali)

Queen of Cups | Samhain

As we move towards Samhain - or Hallowe'en as most people know it - we move away from the inconsistent romantic notions of the Prince of Cups and towards the mature emotional depth of the Druidcraft Tarot's Queen of Cups.

We meet the Queen on the night of a full moon.

Her robes are intricately stitched and decorated with swirls of Celtic art - this is someone who loves the arts and is imaginative and creative herself.  It is Autumn, the end of October, yet she does not seem aware of the chill in the air - one bare foot is dipped into the waters of the loch that she stands beside.

With her eyes closed, she holds aloft her goblet, the full moon rising above it like a shimmering bubble.

Behind her we see her throne, a snake - a traditional symbol of healing.  Beside her robe, on the rock a shining black-bodied beetle.  Beetles are common symbols in many shamanic cultures  - they represent strength (if horned) shamanic power (if they can fly) and connection with the earth (they burrow)

The Queen is a woman fully illuminated by the powers of the Goddess and of the Sacred Feminine. She is a comfortable, confident navigator of our emotional terrain - perhaps a teacher, a therapist, a counsellor, a mother.  A Queen of Cups person - whether male or female - has the ability to connect, on an almost supranatural level, with other people (and creatures).

If the Queen energy is unhealthy, this can represent an emotional black-mailer, a manipulative emotional vampire.

The Queen asks us:

Do you accept your connection with the Sacred Feminine?
Can you empathise with those who suffer?
How are you expressing your creative soul?


#druidcraft #tarot (Ali)

4 Cups

From the celebratory tone of the 3 of Cups, the Druidcraft Tarot's 4 of Cups becomes reflective.  This could almost be one of the men from the 3 of Cups, the morning after......

Lordy, but life now seems dull, dull, dull.....

The young man is depicted lying along the branch of a tree, fingers to his temple - he's bored and day-dreaming.

Before him lie three empty cups - the celebrations are now over and he has simply ground to a standstill.  

But look, just round the corner, out of sight, lies the fourth cup - the prize!  

When this card arises, it warns us against becoming overly introspective - navel-gazing, brooding, mithering.  Something wonderful has been offered to you, but you just don't see it, do you?!

Which relationships are stuck in a rut?

Emotionally, are you simply treading water?

Where can you dive down and find that prize?

#druidcraft #tarot  (ali)

3 Cups

The 3 of Cups is always a joyous and celebratory card and the Druidcraft deck is no execption!  In this card we see the rarified 'love' expanded to include other people: friendship.

Never underestimate the importance of friendship in your life - lovers may come and go, but your true friends hang on in there.

We see three men seated together at a table with their goblets raised in the familiar 'Cheers!' toast.  
Who are these three men?  Are they friends? Colleagues? Family members?

They are clearly celebrating some mutually enjoyable situation - perhaps a treaty is signed (they are all wearing different coloured robes, perhaps denoting different clans?) or the hard work of the harvest is concluded in good time and with abundant results.

At this time of year, it is time to look at the relationships that you have been taking for granted.  Look to the friendships that you have let slide - make contact, rekindle warm feelings for each other!

Prince of Cups

As the energies of the Princess of Cups begins to ebb away, the incoming tides bring us the dreamy idealist:  The Prince of Cups.

This is not a fast-moving high achiever of a Prince - look at his horse, he's out for a stroll rather than a gallop.

Barefoot and holding his Cup before him like an enchanted chalice, the Prince of Cups is an imaginative, romantic soul.  But he's prone to day-dreaming and not getting terribly much done by way of questing!

The Prince of Cups can be found seated cross-legged on the floor at parties, strumming his guitar and gazing into the eyes of his latest love.  His words of love will be sincere, but, sadly, because he's an airy-fairy-change-my-mind Knight, also short-lived.  

As a Knight, he hasn't got the experience to be in a relationship for the long haul.  Although he really wishes that he was.  He really TRIES to be constant, you know? But the heart wants what the heart wants!

So what is he telling us?

Are your day-dreams sucking energy out of achieving your goals?

What steps can you take to turn your dreams into reality? 

Forgive your fickle heart!

Understand other people's change of heart!

#druidcraft #tarot

2 Cups

The promise of the Druidcraft Tarot's Ace begins to be fulfilled in the 2 of Cups.

Two lovers stand in a windswept landscape, gazing into each other's eyes as they hold their cups aloft for each other to drink from.

They are equally matched in stature, pose and even in the billowing of their robes!

No surprises here - this card is about love.

While it often speaks of romantic love - and usually the misty-eyed idealistic stage of a relationship, it can also point towards partnership in other areas too; maybe family, friends, or colleagues.

The 2 of Cups promises that the creative juices will be flowing when like-minded people work together.

This card can also indicate that it's time for you to be more loving to a part of yourself too - perhaps you deny or ignore your creative urges?

For me, the woman having the stone at her side signifies good solid groundedness on one partner's part.  The Water beside the male and the grave behind him can indicate that a tumultuous emotional time is now behind one of the partners in the situation.

The 2 of Cups asks:

Where can you bring healing through love?
How can you be more loving towards your creative self?

#tarot #druidcraft  (Ali)

Ace of Cups | Autumn Equinox | Water

As we approach the Autumn Equinox, the fiery energy of the Wands is finally extinguished by the arrival of the watery Cups suit.   Cups are associated not only with the element of water, but also the season of Autumn and of dusk.

Water spills from a golden chalice, flowing in five rivulets over the brim and onto the rocks beneath. There the chalice waters mingle with the fast-flowing waters from a river which is fed by a distant thundering waterfall.

A sliver of waning moon hangs in the darkening sky.  Dusk is a 'gateway' time where the boundaries between our world and the Otherworld mingle and merge;  a time for inspiration to strike.

In the foreground we see over-hanging hazel branches, pregnant with nuts.

As an Ace, we know that this card offers us a gift from the divine source.  Since this is the suit of Cups, we know that the gift will be associated with relationships and love in its many forms.

The salmon and the hazel nuts remind us that this gift is also a form of wisdom (both are strongly associated in the Druidic tradition with knowledge); being emotionally intelligent is to be prized. The Ace offers us this gift in its potential state; the results of the Ace will take time to germinate and make green shoots in our lives.

We are offered the gift of loving abundance.  Will you accept?

#tarot #druidcraft   (Ali)

XVI The Tower

Cernunnos helped us identify our delusions and obsessions and with that new awareness, we now encounter the destructive forces of the Druidcraft's Tower.

A bolt of lightning darts out from a brooding storm cloud, striking at the great tower, shattering the walls and illuminating the interior with its explosive power.

Two small figures plummet from the Tower, towards the rocks beneath.

When The Tower appears in our life we can expect cataclysmic change - change that threatens to dash us to death on the rocks; change that rocks our very foundations.

We begin to immure ourselves into Towers from the moment we are first labelled with a role:  We are Son, Daughter.  Perhaps at the same time we become brother or step-sister.  Then we become 'Pupil', 'Colleague', 'Friend', 'Enemy', 'Boss', 'Girlfriend', 'Wife', 'Mother' and so on and so on.

These are all roles that society has made for us, or we have made for ourselves.

You know that you are not the same person with your children that you are when you are advising on mortgages in your place of work.  You are not the same person that you are with your lover that you are with...your husband?

They are ALL you, but different facets of you.  Behind that ever-growing facade YOU sit, unable or unwilling to start chipping at the plasterwork that holds you, Rapunzel-like, in the Tower.

SUDDENLY!

A bolt of lightning comes out of nowhere and strikes at your Tower.  And yes, your very foundations are rocked as your defining roles are blown apart, like bricks in the wall.

And the Tower begins to shake and tumble to the ground.

But, in that terrifying demolition and release comes an exhilarating liberation and opportunity for growth.  You can clear away the rubble, get back to your foundations and build anew.

Tower asks:

Where has destruction provided illumination?
What roles no longer define you?
How does the way you see yourself differ from how others see you?


#druidcraft #Tarot    (ali)

Princess of Cups | Autumn Equinox

The Wheel now moves around to the first of the Druidcraft's Cups Court cards to guide us through the next couple of weeks: The Princess of Cups

A young woman stands, barefoot, at the side of a lake.  A breeze catches the surface of the water and plays with her golden hair as she holds a golden goblet respectfully before her.

Behind her a great tree displays its russet foliage and fields show their golden harvest.

Welcome to autumn!

The Princesses in the Druidcraft equate to the Pages in a traditional deck and symbolise the same child-like approach to life - straightforward and open hearted.

No matter what age you are and how challenged you have been by life, the Princess of Cups asks you to open your heart and welcome in tender feelings.  Now is the time to let warm and loving heart-felt burst through the dam of fear that you may have built up within you to keep yourself 'safe'.

As the harvest is scythed and the fruits picked from the tree, she asks us:

Are you prepared to cut down your old pains?
How can you be more loving in the world?
Are you ready to open your heart?

#tarot #druidcraft  (Ali)


PS - this painting was originally entitled 'Autumn' before she became the Princess of Cups.

10 Wands

The fiery suit of Wands has blazed out since the Summer Solstice.  As we encounter the energy of the 10 of Wands we are also preparing for the powerful emotional currents of Cups to pour into our lives at the Autumn Equinox.

As we look back over the energies of the Wands, we can see that it is of constant challenge, struggle and hard-won victory.

The image in this card shows a man struggling beneath the weight of his burden - 10 Wands.  He has made it along the winding path and is now on the final push to reach his destination before nightfall. The path gives way to a rocky climb - is nothing ever easy for the Wands?!

The sparky promise of the Ace of Wands is now reduced to the glowing embers of the campfire.

We can accrue the trappings of a successful life and it can be wonderful, but they are also a burden to that striving, constantly moving flame that makes the Wands so special.  The task in the 10 of Wands is to recognise where you are over-wrought and over-burdened and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

What can the man in this card do? 

For a start he could get off those boulders and go up the grassy slope - same journey, just makes life a little easier.

He could take some time to organise his burden so that becomes easier for him to carry.

He could set some of his burden aside?

The 10 of Wands asks:

Do you know where you are carrying too much on your own?

What are you going to do about it?

#tarot #druidcraft   (Ali)

XIV The Fferyllt

We now find ourselves in the company of the Fferyllt, the healing druid.

She stands before her cauldron, carefully pouring liquid from one vial into another.  The white and the red substances mix together to create gold, the Alchemist's dream.

From the rafters above her hang the healing herbs and tools of her trade.

Through the doorway we can see over the water towards the Tor of Glastonbury and its rainbow - Glastonbury Tor is shrouded in myth and legend and is said to overlook the Isle of Avalon - is this where the Fferyllt is working?

Our healer is also the powerful goddess Brighid,  patron of medicine, poetry and high craftsmanship.

Turning base metals into gold isn't really what it's all about, is it?  The Fferyllt asks us to blend together those different elements of ourselves to create the REAL Alchemist's goal: a strong and unified whole.  It's time to unpack those parts of yourself that you find difficult to accept or trust and work towards accepting them as part of your glorious, complicated nature!

Bridhid asks:

What parts of yourself are you unwilling to own?
Will you accept any paradoxes within you
Where can you help opposing factions work together?



#druidcraft  #tarot   (Ali)

*** sorry this was scheduled to post back in August and I must have hit 'save' instead of 'publish' and it didn't post :-/

XV | Cernunnos

After the blending and healing offered by the Fferyllt, we enter the presence of the Horned One, Cernunnos.

We see the lovers sated after their love-making, sleeping in the long grass.  Behind them stands the imposing figure of Cernunnos.

In traditional decks, this card is The Devil, but here Cernnunos represents the dangers of becoming enslaved to our passions.

And our passions may begin innocently enough - the buzz from buying a pair of new shoes, the occasional recreational drug with friends, the high of sex.  But we would do well to remember that these material trappings cannot be allowed to become our masters.  If they do, then we then fall into the chains of servitude before the altars of addiction, obsession and greed.

Some people never raise their heads to appreciate the pale glory of the moon or accept that there is more to life than worshipping the almighty dollar.  They are as blind to the true glory of the life-force as the sleeping lovers in the long grass.

Cernunnos calls us to AWAKEN to the world and to live to our fullest potential within it.  We are not asked to turn our backs to the world and deny its wondrous gifts, but to harness our desires, accept our responsibilities and live as gloriously conscious creatures on this magnificent planet.

Cernnunos asks:

What enslaves you?
Are you sleep-walking through life?

#tarot #druidcraft    (Ali)

King of Wands

The watery energies of the Queen of Wands have now burned off and we are in the entirely fiery realms of the Druidcraft Tarot's King of Wands.

Expansive, magnetic and passionate, the King of Wands is a compelling authority figure.

With a nod to the Rider Waite Smith symbolism, the King's collar shows two lizards biting their tails - the famed salamander who represents the element of Fire.   Likewise, the rams heads on the throne suggests a link with Aries.

Very much a Big Picture character, the King of Wands is not interested in the minutiae or detail of a project.  He likes the unfettered horizon of the whole project leaving the thrashing out of the nitty-gritty to others better suited to the task.

He is a restless soul who dislikes being confined by physical, mental or spiritual restraints, preferring to roam freely to express himself without constraint.

Being purely a fiery creature, the King of Wands runs a risk of overwhelming those around him with his all-consuming passions - whether it's for making beer, keeping bees or running for President.  His inability to thrive if restrictions are too tight can affect personal relationships - never has the phrase 'he needs his space' been more appropriate!

Today the King asks you:

What grand projects will you dare to launch?
What passions ignite you?


#druidcraft  #tarot   (Ali)

9 Wands

At last, the challenge seems to be over - the javelins have all been thrown.  Surely the struggle must be over? In the 9 of Wands, the Druidcraft presents us with the final battle : defence.

In the card image we see the javelins of the 8 that have thudded into the ground. But now their ends have been sharpened and they make a lethal wall, pointing out into the unknown.  In the distance a fire rages out of control. Behind the barrier, a wounded warrior stands, waiting.

He is poised and prepared for further enemy aggression.  He doesn't truly believe that he has overcome his challenges, but simply driven them back.

When this card arises in a reading, it can represent a fear that there is more to do; that the enemy will mount another assault.  Your energy is taken up with watchful defence - your wound makes drawing a line under the situation difficult to do.

Yet in order to make progress, this is what you must do.  Cultivate an awareness around your fears - what or who pushes your buttons and has you mentally raising the defensive wall? By becoming attuned to when your 'enemy' appears, you can develop a strategy to implement - disarm your fear and once again achieve victory over it.

But always move forward, strive for progress. Don't let old fears hold you back

9 of Wands asks:

What are you afraid of?
How would you handle it if it happened again?
What old wounds are you carrying?

#tarot #druidcraft   (ali)

8 Wands

And so the Warrior who has hurtled himself off the ramparts and into his challenges needs to act quickly.  Here in the Druidcraft's 8 of Wands we see that speed taking shape.

A young man stands on a hill, the sea glittering in the distance.  Before him, 7 Wands are jammed into the ground and he takes the 8th and throws it with all of his might.

This is the Wand, not as weapon, but as javelin - whistling through the air and coming to rest....where? Somewhere far below!  Imagine the people's reactions to the arrival of his Wand!

This is the core of the 8 of Wands - something flies at speed - could it be a message? News of some kind?

As it hits the ground, its journey is complete - the task is done - the thrower has accomplished his goal. You might find, when this card arises in a reading, that something is now reaching its natural conclusion.

The news or message might be expected or - like the javelin - an unexpected surprise.

The 8 of Wands asks:

What has carved its arc across your sky and is now coming to rest?
Be alert for news - especially good news.
What's unfolding quickly in your life?

#tarot #druidcraft   (Ali)

7 Wands

In the 7 of Wands, the Druidcraft Tarot depicts the moments before a lone warrior confronts his enemies!

The Warrior is poised, one foot on the edge of the battlements, ready to lash out at the soldiers climbing beneath him.

What I notice about the spears of the men beneath is that they are all pointing skywards - are they raised in attack or are the soldiers just holding them up as they climb towards the fort?  Are they his enemies? Or are they just weary brothers in arms?

While this card can speak of the bravery involved in taking action when all others stand still, it can also warn us against lashing out at those whom we PERCEIVE are attacking us.

His Wand has no metal tip and the oncoming soldiers' weapons all do - so, one thing's for sure, the lone warrior is in for an almighty struggle!

If you had a pole (which is what his Wand is, really) and a SWORD, would you go for the sword or the Wand to mount your defence?

Me too :-D

So while the card's interpretations indicate confrontation and overcoming challenges, we should also bear in mind that acting in the heat of the moment can result in us hitting out at people who are not actually our enemy and being poorly prepared for the ensuing fight!

What challenges face you?
How can you turn your challenge into an opportunity?
What can you do to avoid knee-jerk reactions?

#tarot #druidcraft      (Ali)

PS - how do you like the Druidcraft trimmed down to image-only?

6 Wands

In the Druidcraft Tarot's 6 of Wands, the hunter and his men are making their way home as the sun sinks low on the horizon.

From the ungainly banging around in the 5 of Wands, we have made great progress and now stand victorious over our recent trials.

The hunter, on horseback,  carries his hawk on his wrist.  Behind follow the beaters who triumphantly carry home the game.  The hawk does not wear a hood and he (and the horse!) look towards us with great interest as the group makes its way towards us on the puddle-dappled path.

This card trumpets victory and leadership!  Only one person sits atop the horse - the rest follow behind.

It can also indicate that you have attained a degree of mastery over the self.  But take care because this is only today's victory, the process must be repeated in order to ensure continual victory.

We must remember that without the abilities of the hawk, there would be no success for the hunter - give respect to the gifts that enable your victory.

The 6 of Wands asks:

Recognise where you are victorious in the outer world!

Where do you demonstrate your powers of leadership?

Acknowledge that 'victory' is an ongoing process!

Can you find the valour of the 6 of Wands within you?

#druidcraft #tarot  (Ali)

Lammas | XIII Death

Spanning Lammas - or Lughnasadh as this Festival is also known - we have XIII Death.

The image we have here is of the Cailleach - the Goddess in her Crone aspect.  She stands at the entrance to her cave and gently strokes a human skull as she gazes out into the growing light of a new day.

We are reminded of the transformative meaning of this card - the snake that sits behind her not only has the power to kill, but also to heal.  It also sheds its skin - just as we shirk off our carcass when the Cailleach's sickle points towards each of us.

There is an inevitability about this card - just as night follows day behind the dolman in the background of this card, night will fall once again; we cannot fight it.  We need not strive to achieve - she waits patiently for us all!

Death shows us that we have an opporunity to cut down and clear away old and worn-out aspects of our lives, in order to make way for the new.

What are you lugging around with you like a tired old body? What detritus does Death call you to discard?

Make no mistake - the cutting out that Death requires hurts like hell.  If it was easy to do, you would have done it aaaaages ago, but it's difficult and you've grown attached to it ......no matter how drained the toxic friendship might be..... no matter how lifeless the relationship now is.

Change is scary - you must venture out of your comfort zone (as our Wands cards have also indicated). 

Transformation is scary - but a butterfly can't remain a caterpillar for ever! Embrace the Cailleach and see what NEW LIFE she breathes into you!

Lammas | The Queen of Wands

At Lammas, we see that the excitable energies of the Prince of Wands have given way to the more mature energies of The Queen of Wands.

With the bobcat crouched beneath her chair and her confident open-kneed seat, we are under no illusions about the power and sexual confidence of this person.  Passion and a can-do attitude are the watchwords of The Queen.

The blaze behind her rages, but her heavy-lidded gaze is unconcerned.  This is something that the Queen of Wands needs to watch out for - it's marvellous to be assertive and passionate about life, but if you lose touch with your compassion for others or let your assertiveness tip over into aggression, you will find yourself playing alone in the school yard.

The Queen urges us to develop our passions but with sensitivity.  Be confident, but kind.  Be assertive, but understanding of other's needs

If you can master all of that, you might just escape a vicious poke from her little Wand!

What steps can you take to nurture a passion?
What fires within you need stoking up or tamping down?
Which challenges can you turn into opportunities?

5 of Wands

After the celebration of the 4 of Wands and our imminent arrival at Lammas on 1 August, we find ourselves in the energies of the 5 of Wands.

We see five young men, each wielding a long stick, all clattering into each other with gusto!

In some decks this looks like the boys are fighting, but here there is an element of joy about it - like a very physical game is being played and the competition is fierce!

Perhaps they are building something.  The arrangement of the Wands in this card always reminds me of a star so perhaps they are trying to work together and it's all getting a bit out of hand.

This card reminds us that just as we try to make our own way in the world, we might accidentally poke other people - even tread on other people's toes.  But it's not deliberate and to take it as a slight says more about you than the other person.

We're all just trying to do our best and sometimes we get it wrong - apologise and move on, but above all, don't take it personally - just jump in and enjoy the game.

Life is not a spectator sport!

4 Wands

In the four of Wands we have moved out from our place of safety and are now feeling celebratory!

In the image foreground we have a fire pit - where the flames gaily dance - surrounded by four tall posts, garlanded with flowers.  There are boulders around that could be used as seats.

This feels like a place where people get together around the fire and celebrate!

However, celebrations are temporary - Cinderella has to go home from the ball!  And the flimsy bower looks like quite a temporary structure.  See how the flames are licking perilously close to those wooden uprights too!

Fear not!

Look at the path - yes, it does lead down from the house to the bower, but it also leads from the bower BACK to the house!

Unlike the 2 of Wands where to emerge from the copse and head towards the figure carved into the hillside left you exposed and potentially vulnerable, here we have an easy way to travel back to our homes.

With this card, therefore, we remember the importance of pushing out into the world and celebrating our achievements and good times with others, but also the importance and stability that home provides.

XII The Hanged Man

The energy of the Hanged Man is still with us at this point in the Wheel of the Year, shortly to give way to the transformative powers of XII Death.

In the Hanged Man we see a naked man, almost a greenman, hanging by one slender ankle from a tree. There are also fruits and mistletoe on this tree.  This, coupled with his ritualistic bonds, makes me feel that this is a sacred sacrificial act.

Behind him stands a golden field of wheat with a scythe lying amongst the cut stubble.  There are meadow flowers and blackberries.

Why is he hanging upside down - perhaps to get a different perspective on life? Certainly this is one of the messages from this card.

Because he is hanging upside down, his flaccid penis looks erect, showing us that in surrender, we can find potency.

Sometimes we just need to stop raging against the machine and go with the flow.  Sometimes we can lose the battle, but still win the war.

How has the Hanged Man been showing up in your life?

Prince of Wands

The Prince of Wands energies have taken over from the confidently striding Princess.

The Prince is depicted here upon his horse, leaping over a tussock of grass as he gallops forward to meet.....well, everything really!

He has a huge appetite for life and is the sort of person who says YES to everything.....only later, as he's nursing a hangover or worse, sitting in a jail cell, does he look back at his hasty actions and wonder whether he might have made the wrong decision.

But he's not the sort to dwell upon his mistakes.  Life is for seizing and the Prince of Wands doesn't think terribly much about the consequences - he's young, he's ambitious and fiery - it's not his job to worry about what might happen.

The Prince of Wands urges you to seize the day!  He advocates action - any action - just don't stand still and wait for life to come to you!

3 Wands

In the 3 of Wands we find another man on a hillside, but this time the figure is a real man in his prime, not the enormous outline of the hillside giant!

The man stands in a fairly relaxed pose - one foot resting on a rock, one hand resting against the trunk of a great tree.

By his side we see three saplings, now growing strongly from the ground.

The man looks off into the distance, where a path snakes down the valley floor.  What is he waiting for?  What are YOU waiting for?

From the eager desire to set sail and explore the world that we found in the 2 of Wands, we have a more mature scenario.

The seeds have been sown, the projects/relationships have taken root and are growing strongly - just as the saplings stretch tall and begin to branch.

From his high vantage point, the man can easily see what's coming down the path towards him - this is a card that indicates good perspective and an ability to see the Big Picture.

But just as he can watches for the rewards of his labour to appear on the path, there is also the opportunity to go forth again himself and make greater use of his fiery, questing Wands spirit!

2 Wands

As the  Ace's blazing Solstice energy begins to take hold, we enter the 2 of Wands which depicts The Long Man of Wilmington.

In the card, we the viewer, seem to be standing within a little copse of hawthorn trees on the valley floor, looking up at the great figure on the sun-soaked hillside.

Although we are safe and need nothing other than what we already have, we are filled with longing to bask in the sunlight and venture out into the world.

This card reminds me of young and restless people, impatient to leave home and see the world and grab its opportunities with both hands, much to the incomprehension of their family who believe that they have everything they need right at home.

The hillside is exposed and a wholly different environment from the shaded hawthorns where we stand; it's dangerous and exciting, but we crave what the world can offer us!

The walking sticks in the Wilmington man's hands create a doorway, just as the two twisted hawthorns provide a doorway too.   Shall you travel through the doorway and out on to the hillside?

Will you be able to balance the drive to explore - new projects, new relationships, new journeys - with the very human need for security and familiarity?

Solstice | The Wheel | Justice

Apologies for this not being posted yesterday. The little bird that I had been rearing returned to the garden and was looking for another feed and it totally threw my day out of whack because we were then rushing around like mad things to catch the ferry and head to Glasgow. Hope this isn't too late for you to find useful

The Wheel and Justice

As the sun reaches its zenith, we move from The Wheel to Justice.




The image in The Wheel shows Arianrhod casting a circle – this is the circle of cyclical renewal. In her left hand we see a symbol for the Wheel of The Year (there's that number 8 symbolism again from the Ace of Wands). Her flail and her Wand (another link between this card and the suit of Wands) show us her powers to create (Wand) and to destroy (flail).

The accompanying book draws links between the X The Wheel and I The Magician, with the Wheel showing how the divine energies drawn down by the Magician and further drawn down into the land itself.

One way that we will feel The Wheel's effects at the Solstice is with the tailing off of the Swords suit and the beginning of the Wands. We are feeling the full effects of the change of gear – the internal, thought-based Swords energy is morphing into the external, physically active and enthusiastic energy of the Wands.

Another way that we will feel it is that – for better or worse – the days are starting to become shorter from this point forward!

The Wheel asks us to consider:

Solstice | Princess of Wands

Along with the Ace of Wands (posted the other day) we find the Princess of Wands marking the Summer Solstice in the DruidCraft Tarot. There is an affinity with the potentiality of the Aces and the possibilities of the Princesses.


The Princess of Wands strides down the path towards us, using her Wand as a walking stick. A playful breeze lifts her hair and fans her orange tunic out behind her. See the salamander that decorates her robe – he is a symbol of the element of Fire.

As a Princess, she is a messenger to us from the energies of the suit of Wands. So at this time we can expect the stirrings of all those Wandsy qualities – try something fun and new! Go somewhere different or try a different route to somewhere that you know. Tackle things with enthusiasm!


The Princess urges us to Get Started – it doesn't matter that conditions are not perfect!

What will you try that is new to you?
Will you stride down a new and unexpected path?
Stamp your foot on the floor and shout 'Begin'!

Solstice | Ace of Wands

We are rapidly approaching Midsummer's Day, the Summer Solstice.

According to the DruidCraft Wheel of The Year, the Solstice is governed by The Ace of Wands, The Princess of Wands and it falls at the end of the Wheel cycle and the beginning of Justice cycle.

All the Aces are special because they carry within them, like a womb, all the rest of the suit. In the Ace of Wands we can look forward to a fiery season blessed with the power of passion, action, enthusiasm and intuitive leaps! The Aces remind us of the promise that lies ahead for us in this cycle – should we choose to see it and embrace it.


Let's look at the card image: