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Christmas Cracker Spread |
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Welcome to this Yuletime
Tarot Blog Hop, where one post leads to many more. What's a blog hop? Well, here you'll find bloggers from around the world writing about the same subject and the same time, from very different perspectives. So, let's go!
Our topic this time, from the lovely and inspirational Arwen, is the Joy of Gifting. What sprang to my mind for this is the joy of spending time with family (I like mine, which helps!). I thought about the gifts we offer one another round the table when we come together. These go both ways, giving and receiving, though sometimes with more seeming to fall on one side than the other, depending on your perspective. And yet, things seem to even out eventually, rather like the shared crackers at Christmas dinner...
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My mother |
Christmas Cracker Spread
For this, I drew two cards for each person who will be sitting with me this Christmas:
1) The gift I offer them
2) The gift they offer me
Obviously, this could get pretty big, if you have lots of family over, but mine is quite compact. Still, another thought if you have a tarot-friendly family is that you could go round and have people draw cards for the person next to them, each one saying what they see in "their" card for the other. The focus is on looking at their relationship and giving thanks....
My Mother - Queen of Cups/Two of Wands
When I first saw these cards, I thought they were the wrong way round. After all, she is far more the Queen of Cups than I, how can that be what I offer her? And yet, I give her recognition for her compassion and intuition. And in my own way, I try to follow that path.
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My stepdad |
The gift she gives me, the Two of Wands, is to accept that the path I choose to express that Queen of Cups-ness may be very different from hers, yet is still an honouring of this inheritance: an expression of emotional nurturing and healing.
My Stepdad - Five of Pentacles/Knight of Swords
Originally, when I was trying to decide on how to do this spread, I thought to include my father here, as my family who has given me much, at least genetically. Then I realised that I wanted to honour those with me, and that is my stepdad, who I don't believe I have ever included in a tarot reading before!
And that realisation is expressed perfectly in this Five of Pentacles, showing the Our Lady of Guadelupe watching over day labourers, people at the outskirts of society. I can offer him loving acceptance, hospitality, and express just how much I feel he is a part of my family now.
As for what he offers me, it took me a moment to recognise him in this Knight of Swords. Often, he will sit by silently, then suddenly offer a flash of insight, or a witty jest. Like this Knight of Swords opening the way for a ray of sunshine, he brings good cheer with his sharp intelligence.
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My DO |
My Dear One - The Hanged Man/Nine of Pentacles
My biggest gift to my Dear One has been a willingness to put myself in
limbo, and to make physical sacrifices. My plans seven years ago, five years ago, even three years ago,
did not include having a second child. I absolutely dote on both my boys,
and yet it's also true that I had to put a lot of things on hold to
have another child. And as a woman in my forties, it is also somewhat challenging at a physical level (though I'm pretty fit for my age). I wasn't sure I really wanted to do it, but I knew
my partner wanted another baby, very much. And I'm glad I did, it has definitely made
our family life more joyful. As for my career, I'll start getting back
into it slowly next year...
As for his gift to me, I see in this Nine of Pentacles his total support of all my projects, no matter how strange they may seem to him. Not everyone would be so tolerant, or supportive of someone going off and doing their own thing. I really value that loving fallback, which allows me to go off and explore and create!
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My elder son |
My Elder Son - Five of Swords/The Emperor
What I gift my elder son is the Five of Swords, hmm... I'm fairly confident in saying that my DO and I have never made our son feel like the child in this image. We may not manage the idyllic perfection of the Ten of Cups, but we don't argue in front of him, and we don't ignore him.
I think I'll go with a different, more intuitive reading of this card. I see the woman standing between her child and a judgemental man in a suit, an authority figure. I always stand for my son, defending his best interests in the face of the medical establishment and educational authorities.
And he gifts me the Emperor, well, that surely resonates! The Emperor came up quite often after he was born. For one thing, he can be a bossy little dictator ;) However, that has meant that I have learnt to be more structured, more disciplined, and more of an Emperor myself, to give him healthy boundaries.
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My younger son |
My Younger Son - The Magician/Six of Cups
With my baby, I gift him the feeling of being a Magician. With every little squeak or yell, he has the power to manifest miracles: milk from mummy, food for his tummy; a clean nappy to keep him happy; smiles and hugs and toys, delights for little boys :)
And oh, that last card is so true! His gift to me is a reminder of the simple joys of childhood. This is exactly why my DO so wanted another child. It has been a miracle to see how easy and fun it can be to have a "normal" child. We can just enjoy his mad rampages around the living room, his drumming on whatever he finds, and eating everything, and exploring the world!
Now, I wish you much joy exploring the other posts in this hop, and a wonderful Yule time however you celebrate it. And if you should happen to try out this Christmas Cracker Spread, either for yourself or in a group, I'd love to hear how it goes!
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