EarthShod Blog

Cutting The Cord

Understanding when it is truly time to let go can be the most difficult process, but at the same time it can be a spiritual one. In all ways, letting go can be a time of intense introspection, in which a person searches the depth of his or her soul to understand the difference between wanting and needing. So how does one know when it is time to let go? Is there anything that can stop the inevitable cutting of ties between people?

The ending of a romantic relationship can be quick, like tearing off a band-aid, or it can be a long and gradual process. More often than not, it can be a strange jumble of the two, in which one or both people in the relationship have long periods of denial punctuated with brief moments of clarity! It can be hard to tell the difference between the right time and an overreaction. Long conversations with friends can be therapeutic, but chances are that your friends are a little biased in your favor. Consider consulting a psychic to find out whether you're just flying off the handle or this really is the straw that broke the camel's back. Likewise, clinging on too long can be just as damaging, giving the relationship a life of its own over the lives of the individuals involved!

When my father became terminally ill, I found myself faced with my own understanding of cutting the cords. I prayed frequently and hard for him to continue living, and I knew he was struggling as hard as he could against that inevitable force. My faith was strong, and his will was like that of iron, but I made a realization when he slipped into a coma one afternoon. I believe that one can keep a person alive through magic and prayer the same way a person can live on live-support. But that doesn't mean it is the life the person was meant to lead.

At some point, everyone involved has to face the decision of cutting the cord, whether that means a physical life-support decision, or a more metaphorical allowance for the possibility of death in one's mind. Cutting the cord is a process that begins with a decision. And whether you are helping yourself or a loved one through the dying process, or have a relationship that is on "life-support," please know that you're not facing those moments ahead.

Written by EarthShod. Copyright(c) 2008, PsychicRx, all rights reserved.

Crystal Ball Gazing

Crystal ball reading is also called crystallomancy, spheromancy and gastromancy. It is the practice of divination using a crystal, glass, or other translucent mineral often shaped like a ball. It doesn't matter what size the crystal is, and practitioners might use a large glass orb or even a tiny crystal on a ring or necklace. My psychic friends and I often joke that we would like to start a rumor that the smaller crystal balls are more accurate, due to the price of large pieces of quartz!

The practice of crystal reading is much like other forms of scrying. The reader might enter a trance as they gaze into the crystal and see shapes forming from the light catching on tiny occlusions in the stone, or from the reader's own visions seen forming in a misty fog. Interpretation is done similar to dream interpretation, in which the symbols may be literal at times, but more often they represent subconscious associations and Jungian archetypes. As a result, no two readers may see the same symbols unless they have the same associations for those symbols!

There are benefits and challenges to readings that involve scrying methods such as the crystal ball as opposed to divination using an established set of symbols such as the tarot. One drawback is that the divination may not be as understandable, as you may associate different things with your symbols than your reader might. Sometimes it is best to take notes during your reading as the symbols may make more sense later on when things come to pass. An incredible bonus, however, is that some things can be seen in the crystal quite clearly that would otherwise be an incredible leap to make with tarot cards. When you call a psychic who has experience with a crystal ball and specifically request a crystal ball reading, expect to be surprised and delighted!

Written by EarthShod. Copyright(c) 2008, PsychicRx, all rights reserved. Originally published under the category Crystal Ball Readings on 6/20/2008 in PsyBlog.

Buzzing In The Garden - How To Listen To What Nature Is Telling You

It was February in the Pacific Northwest and we ran laughing through the woods barefoot, like animals on a wild hunt! Mud slid through my toes and the Earth hummed beneath my feet. We laughed and pointed when we saw a flip-flop hanging from a tree. That guy had the right idea. When we all came to the time to rest it was as if I could feel Her breathing in the dirt beneath my soles.

For many of us, religious experiences happen less often in church and more often when outdoors in the beauty of nature, which is one reason why Earth based and experiential mystery religions are experiencing a revival in Western culture. Somehow the parts about being hungry and alone in the middle of nowhere got left out of most spiritual practices, but luckily there are also some enjoyable things you can do to get closer to mother Earth.

You may have to start small. I know a Priest of an Earth-based religion who has a very demanding job working for a major software company. He resolved to spend at least five minutes outdoors every day. One of the ways you might spend this time is writing in a journal about what you notice in nature, or even keeping a sketch diary. It can be very rewarding to reflect a blossom's daily progress towards full bloom in your drawings, and it can be very useful to notice how the weather and moon phase affect your mood and energy.

On a warm day, pick a place where you can reflect in solitude. Kick off your shoes and relax in the shade. Allow yourself to be totally receptive. You might begin meditation by focusing on your breathing, but then allow yourself to listen to what is going on around you. At one point, we all had to do this every day, but now it is a treat that you must make time to enjoy. As Monique Wittig wrote in Les Guérillères,

      There was a time when you were not a slave, remember that. You walked alone, full of
      laughter, you bathed bare-bellied. You say you have lost all recollection of it, remember.
      You know how to avoid meeting a bear on the track. You know the winter fear when you
      hear the wolves gathering. But you can remain seated for hours in the tree-tops to await
      morning. You say there are no words to describe this time, you say it does not exist. But
      remember. Make an effort to remember. Or, failing that, invent.

Written by EarthShod. Copyright(c) 2008, PsychicRx, all rights reserved. Originally published as "How To Listen To Nature" on 6/20/2008 in PsyBlog.

"I Don't Believe In You!"

I almost added "I don't believe in you" as a frequently asked question to my web-site today when I abruptly realized the silly fact that it wasn't a question at all. And yet, it is certainly posed frequently to me! I have been asked, "you don't really believe in this stuff, do you?" as a barbed rhetorical from those who revile me and as a well-meaning inquiry from friends who respect me. I can certainly see the underlying questions... The ones that aren't frequently asked at all.

"You aren't just a con artist, are you?"

Okay, so I actually do get asked that one at fairs and festivals, when an anonymous public, drunk with revelry gawks at me like I am an alien. Of course, I tell them that it is my belief that I am not, but that there are those whose belief system does not allow for any true fortune-telling at all.

"By what mechanism do you think these things work so well?"

I think this is the subconscious probe from those who subscribe to the Tinkerbell theory that you have to believe in readings for them to work, or that if you shout enough that you don't believe in readings, I won't be able to read. As a follower of an orthopraxic rather than an orthodoxic religion, I come from the point of view that sometimes it's what you do that matters, and beliefs can be left up to the individual. I have a friend who doesn't believe in witchcraft, but he practices it because it works. Likewise, to some people I am the voice of their spirit guide or even their God, while to others I am merely offering Jungian archetypes that help them analyze what role they're playing in their own psychological hero's journey. I don't think it matters what you believe or even what I believe for it to work. However, for the record, I do believe that divination can be used as tools for messages from the divine or as psychological props.

Regardless of whether or not you believe in readings, they happen every day, and they can happen for you.

Speak Of The Devil

So, the other day I posted about a hostile email I received from a stranger, and I mentioned that most unsolicited emails I receive are sexual in nature.  (Women on the Internet are often subject to mind games by anonymous men who approach them inappropriately as a petty power trip.)  Well, here's an example that cropped up again today. Note the lame attempt by the stranger to manipulate me into having already agreed to a position of compromised safety. Be careful out there, fortune-telling ladies!

Stranger:

hi...saw you today on [your webcam], and i'm intrigued by your services. do you offer a session whereby the client (male) is nude and you are fully clothed? if so, i'd be interested~

Me:

My services are spiritual advice consultations, so while I don't care what you do or do not wear, I wouldn't be any kind of sexually stimulating performance! You would simply see on the webcam what you get to see of me for free already! The pay is for the email, telephone call or chat, and none of that has sexually stimulating content either!

Stranger:

thanks for the info - next time i'm in your area, i'd like to connect for such a session. i'm glad that it wouldn't be awkward for you. thanks again!

~ Four Months Later ~

Stranger: 

Hello Alexandra, Looks like I'll be in Washington soon, and should be there around the end of October or mid-November. I'm still very interested in a session with you as we talked about - where you are fully clothed and I am nude. How far in advance would you need notification? I'm looking forward to seeing you!

Me: 

I'm afraid that my in-person appointments are conducted in public locations, where it would be illegal for you to be nude. I am not willing to meet with you in private in-person, for my own safety reasons.

Stranger:

Hello Alexandra, Hm, this is different than we discussed before, but thats okay. Btw, I didn't say anything about doing anything sexually stimulating. There is quite a difference between nudism and sex! The closer to nature that one is the better.

Beating The Dead Horse

If you've ever asked the same person the same question twice in the same day, you're not crazy, you're not stupid and you're not alone! If you're asking the question to several psychics or the same psychic in one day, the same is still true, but you're not necessarily getting the best bang for your buck, or even more clarity! To understand why this is true, you'll need to know a bit about the metaphysical mechanics of divination.

Hermes Trismegistus popularized a phrase that struck a chord with divination professionals everywhere; "As above - So Below." The theory is that the universe is full of repeating yet chaotic patterns like fractals. If you look close-up at a tiny curl of a fractal represented in a crystal ball or a teacup, you can also zoom out to view the same curls and loops on a much larger scale in the life of a person. In the same way, the grand dance of the stars above can mirror our miniscule actions on Earth. So why might multiple readings on the same subject in the same period of time yield different answers?

Part of the reason is purely scientific. Heizenberg's uncertainty principle is a complicated way of saying that when you measure anything, you change it. Sticking a thermometer in a piece of meat will change the temperature of the meat, if only very slightly. Likewise, when you get a reading, you are able to change your life, since that's the whole point of the thing! Each moment is a choice, and those choices are changing your life as you read this sentence. Instead of getting multiple readings on the same question, it is best to clearly make your choice and then move on to the next decision!

Relying on multiple readers for a more clear picture might seem smart, but it is counterproductive. There is a South Asian story about six men examining an elephant. One feels the leg and decides the animal is like a pillar, one feels the trunk proclaiming the elephant is like a tree branch, the one at the tail says it is like a rope, one at the ear believes it is like a fan, and one a the belly believes it to be a wall. Just as all scientific tools are calibrated differently, you may find even your most trusted psychics to differ in their answers. Like a scientist uses the same tool to detect a change before and after an experiment, a better way to use us is to pick one psychic for a particularly complicated issue, so that he or she can stand back and look at the whole picture as well as carefully examine the details you wish.

Written by EarthShod. Copyright(c) 2008, PsychicRx, all rights reserved. Originally published on 6/20/2008 in PsyBlog.

Asking The Right Questions

"What should I be thinking about as I try to rekindle a relationship with my old flame?" I, and my fellow psychics, breathe a sigh of relief when we see or hear a question that is thoughtfully phrased by the client! We'll gladly take that question over a "will I get my ex back" any day! Not only does it mean the client is ready to actually use our readings to plan his or her destiny, but it confirms that the client isn't simply hunting around for somebody who will tell anyone what he or she wants to hear!

So how can you be the dream client? You'll go a long way towards forming a good question if you can decide what you want before you call. Instead of asking "will I..." or "will it..." you can decide what you want to have in your future and then have your reader help you plan a road map to get you there! What should I do in order to...?" That way you won't have us on the other end worrying that you're hoping everything is just going to either fall in your lap, or never happen at all! We all know that's not the way things work! When you phrase the question in a way that shows that you're willing to put the work into your life to bring about your dreams, well you're half-way there!

And what if you don't know what you want? Hey, it's great that you're being honest with yourself! But just because you haven't made a decision yet doesn't mean somebody else is going to make it for you? Not knowing what will happen is no excuse to bust out the "will it happen" questions! Instead, you can use the reader to help you with the process itself . "What should I be thinking about as I make my decision about...?" Or, conversely, you could use the psychic to help play out a scenario to make your decision. "What would I need to be concerned with if I chose this course of action?" Exploring scenarios and having your reader help decide which scenario is best is better than imagining we live in a world where things happen because of somebody else's decisions besides our own!

Written by EarthShod. Copyright(c) 2008, PsychicRx, all rights reserved. Originally published on 6/20/2008 in PsyBlog.

Press Release

Local fortune-teller and former schoolteacher Alexandra of EarthShod Tarot and Tea Leaf Readings in Renton had no idea that she was going to cause a stir when she tried to do a good deed by offering a discounted coupon for King County's Waste Free Holiday's Program. The program,which encourages King County residents to,"give experiences instead of stuff," attempts to reduce almost twenty-five percent more waste that is generated each holiday season. But Alexandra, who normally entertains for bridal showers, childrens' birthday parties and family events such as Renton River Days was shocked when her offers were declined as having "a controversial nature" for at least one judgmental environmentalist. King County Solid Waste Devision representative for Recycling and Environmental Services Megan Sety told Alexandra that her offer to help was inappropriate because, "some people do not believe in such activities." Though the program also allows consumers to choose from experiences like massage sessions and yoga lessons, it looks like Alexandra will have to support her community behind closed doors.

(This version of the Press Release has been altered to comply with Keen's policies regarding personal and contact information.)

Don't Eat The Soap!

While I was at Hempfest vending tarot readings, crystal ball readings and candles, I was also selling my friend's hand-made Mystic Nile soap on consignment. I had them sitting in front of me stacked in a pyramid so that clients would be seated near enough to smell the essential oils.  A literally countless number of times an old hippie would come bounding up out of nowhere from a distance, snatch up the soap and ask "are those medicinal brownies?"
"No, no, no! It's soap, it's soap, it's soap!" I'd have to yell as I intercepted hands moving towards the mouth! A couple of gentleman even pretended it was the soap they were after, nonchalantly explaining that they would be back later to make the purchase. I was so afraid that I'd make a trip to the bathroom and come back to find a hippie wolfing down my soap! My best friend claims that if she were in my place when asked if they were brownies she would have coolly replied, "Yes, ten dollars, please!" I hope you enjoyed this funny anecdote of the day.

The Black Cat - Pet Reading Tarot Spread

A couple of years ago I created this spread which I've used with much success on my own pets and the pets of others. Feel free to use and share it, with credit to me, of course! When laid out, the 2nd and 3rd cards angle away from the 1st card like ears and the 1st card is turned sideways like a face. The four cards at the bottom are paws. The order they are laid out draws a number "2" on the reading surface and the final layout should be shaped somewhat like a cat, if you use your imagination.

1.) Significator (the pet) and it's mission.
2.) The Owner: The pet's bond to its owner. Why the pet is in this owner's life and what can be learned.
3.) Others: The people around the pet. The pet's bond to other people.
4.) Emotional: To whom or what the pet's heart belongs. The pet's state of mind.
5.) Physical: The pet's health, location and surroundings.
6.) Past: A look at the pet's history.
7.) Present: The pet's situation.
8.) Future: An overall look at the pet's destiny.

Hostile Emails

Yesterday I received a strangely aggressive email. At first, since the person used an invalid email address and was unusually vicious, I was paranoid that it was the robber from last weekend contacting me from the business cards in my purse. With relief, I quickly realized that it was a person from a rather distant country.  (Well, at least now I know that I'll have opposition if I ever open up a tea-leaf reading shop in Cork, Ireland!)  But I still wonder how often fortune tellers get unsolicited harassment from the Internet? I know from the nine years my web-site has been live it has been infrequent. Most of the unwanted emails I get are of a sexual nature, and it's not impossible that this person had the same motivations. Blogger Mistress Matisse wrote an entry called "Public Woman" in which she recounts a similar incident. She writes that, "a comment like that suggests to me that he does want to reach through the Internet and scare her, just a little. It’s like saying, 'I’m not going to do anything bad – but let me just remind you that I could.' It’s a petty little power trip, designed to make sure he has her attention, and to make sure she spends some time thinking about him and how she might be vulnerable to him. And it worked, she did." Likewise, since the events of this weekend I've been jumpy. Below is my correspondence with the angry person, with names and email addresses removed.

Stranger: Tea-leaves? Oh, come on...there are better ways to spend your life. I mean, that's just silly. You cant reply to this address, if you want to reply; you can use [email address removed] But if fortunes were to read in tea-leaves, well, I'd read my own.

Me: Due to your contempt, I would advise you against trying tea leaf readings at all! Are you contacting me requesting an appointment? I'm not sure that I understand the purpose of your email.

Stranger: Well, I appreciate your reply, Alexandra. Thank you. The purpose of my email was, I suppose, to make known my total distrust (contempt is too strong a word) of people who practise divination. If you take money for this, then, let's be honest, you're just another chancer. (What's so important about money? I never had much, and it never bothered me.) Let us deal with facts: the future is not contained in tea-leaves. Like the earth isn't flat, unicorns didn't exist, God is a joke. Okay, maybe you make your living with this nonsense - but what a sad living! Preying on the hopes of gullible people. You wont like this, I know. But at least I tell it true, and you do not.

Me: I think you have a misunderstanding of what divination is, so I will respectfully have to agree to disagree with you. I hope that you feel better having contacted me.

"Am I Pregnant?"

Before I was born, my mother went to a psychic who used pendulum dowsing to correctly predict my gender and was able to lay hands on my mother and move me from a breech position into a healthy placement for birth. Since the dawn of time, divination has been used to predict birth and pregnancy and even today questions on pregnancy are the top search terms used to find my divination web-site on the Internet. My husband and I joke that this is because my readings are cheaper than most pregnancy tests! All joking aside, there is a right way and a wrong way to use divination for family planning!

The wrong way: If you or your significant other has woken up in the morning as sick as a dog and with two distinctly different memories about whether or not you've taken your birth control pills, this is not a subject to bring up with your psychic consultant yet! Likewise, if you're part of a couple who has been trying for a while and are starting to suspect a physical problem, your trusted psychic consultant should not be the first person you call! Of course your trusted advisor will be able to help you and perhaps put your mind at ease, but good spiritual advice should always be paired with good medical advice in matters of health and pregnancy! Make tracks to your doctor first and then hop on the phone with your psychic when you get back home!

The right way: If you've already been to your doctor to take appropriate steps to plan a pregnancy for you or your partner and need help deciding whether now is the right time to have children, go ahead and call a trusted psychic. If you're already pregnant and receiving prenatal treatment from your doctor and want to know about the gender and personality of your baby, it is all right to call your psychic. And finally, if you child-rearing days are years in the future, it is absolutely appropriate to consult a psychic about what children you are destined to have. Just please visit your local drug store if you need a cheap pregnancy test done fast!

Written by EarthShod. Copyright(c) 2008, PsychicRx, all rights reserved. Originally published as "Divination and Family Planning" under the category Divination: Predicing A Pregnancy on 6/20/2008 in PsyBlog.

Summer Psychic Parties

It was a hot summer night in Tennessee and the party was well under way! Out on the deck ten women sat in a circle around a table. Three candles dripped wax on a mirror in the center of the table. Dinner plates were empty, but wine glasses were full. Mosquitoes lazily waited on the breeze, kept at bay by citronella. The ladies sat in rapt attention, with wide eyes focused on... a speaker phone?

Thousands of miles away in drizzly Seattle, I was the guest of honor! These women were part of a monthly psychic party, at which the hostess would call me on speaker phone and there would be fine drinks and readings all around as the friends laughed, excitedly asked questions and goaded each other on about handsome mutual acquaintances and babies on the way!

Starting your own psychic parties are easy to do, and a fun and unique way to get friends to catch up with you! You'd be surprised how many busy schedules will suddenly and mysteriously clear up at the chance to giggle and enjoy readings amongst old friends! Consider making it a theme party! A girls-only love angst party with chocolate served and no significant others allowed so that you can all confide in each other, or a prosperity party with all green foods where everyone gets advice on career choices! Even if you don't have a psychic near you to come to your party, you'll always have your favorite advisors available by phone to help your parties be a hit!

Copyright(c) 2008, PsychicRx, all rights reserved. Originally published as "Psychic Parties" on 6/20/2008 in PsyBlog.

Correspondence

Email reading shared with client permission.

Lisa: Well, I would like to know if I should tell my husband that I am leaving him (I am leaving him) or should I wait until I am able to leave (have the money to leave). I am having a hard time dealing with living a lie.

EarthShod: Your situation is the Eight of Wands influenced by the Ten of Wands. Wow, two high Wands cards right off the bat! I can already see that you're a fiery, strong woman, and I don't think you like to take anyone's crap for very long! I think that, if you don't tell your husband outright, you're already hinting with your actions and demeanor! Power like this is hard to hide! You will, indeed leave him, and you feel burned-out and like you've just had enough.

In your destiny is the inverted Two of Swords. Conflict in life can never be avoided entirely. Though you shouldn't act on impulse (meaning, this reading isn't an excuse to fly off the handle at the last straw), this card confirms that you can't have a "fake" peace or an artificial truce. You have to come clean to him about your feelings in as respectful a manner as you can.

We'll skim briefly through the past section of your spread. In your distant past, the Magician card is inverted, showing a lot of confusion. It looks like one or both of you didn't know at all what you were getting into with this marriage. More recently, the inverted King of Swords shows that your husband may be deliberately holding back information from you as well! This card shows that you have the tendency to over-think things when you're making a decision.

In your near future lies the Seven of Cups. Don't be seduced or tricked by an illusion. Again, you cannot be phony or fake, because that's not who you are. Right now, you are the Five of Cups. With loss there is opportunity. Letting go of dispair, your heart can open up again. Internally, the Death card is a powerful, major arcana showing your life at a crossroads as you clear away the old baggage to make way for renewal. Externally, the inverted Five of Pentacles is the first card that your reading has referenced towards money, showing that's not truly what is important to your heart here. This card says you will make a slow financila recovery. This card traditionally says that if a relationship is based on support, either financial or as victims of difficult circumstances, as the foundation of the relationship dissolves the situation will gradually improve. Your final card is the Star. Trust your gut feelings and your intuition right now. It will bring you healing!

Lisa: Thank you! I told him yesterday and I feel like a great weight has been lifted! I would like to know if a future is possible with a man named Thomas.

EarthShod: Your situation is the inverted King of Swords influenced by the Ten of Pentacles. There's already some advice needed to build a healthy future with Thomas. Be careful about communication. Since there's some pain for one or both of you whenever information is withheld, it is best to be honest without cruelty. With this warning is also great promise! There is the potential for a happy family life with many blessings with Thomas. However, it won't be easy! One or both of you has some serious issues to work through. I hope this reading will give you a heads-up on those issues and some advice.

Destiny has the Ace of Wands. Incredible creative energy here! When I see this in a couple's future, it often predicts the birth of a child. When this card come in the more "metaphorical" sense, it simply means that both of you are energetic enough to begin big projects and relationships, however it is harder to sustain them than to begin them! In the past is the Four of Cups inversed and the World card. You both have needed some hard times and stagnation in order to truly appreciate a good future. The World says that in him is both the seed and the world, meaning that he has all the things that you need. However, in the near future comes another warning card, the Tower! Use some patience, because right now is not the time to build the foundation of a future. The ground beneath your feet is rocky and shifting. Wait until the world around you has again become still and peaceful before making any serious decisions or moves involving Thomas.

You are the Five of Pentacles. Loss and dissolution is hard on the soul, even when it is needed. Internally, the Eight of Swords shows you feeling free from restrictions. Obstacles will go away and you will make progress in your life, but just be careful that you aren't spiteful! Externally, the High Priestess reminds you to always trust your intuition enough to make your dreams manifest in the outside world. That doesn't mean you have to rush! It just means don't throw them away! Your final card is the Nine of Pentacles showing a great potential for financial stability and personal success in your future.

Lisa: Are the past cards our cards together? We were once married. We have two children, one we gave up for adoption we reunited with last February and have been talking ever since. This, of course, was twenty years ago. We have always loved each other, but I felt he didn't want to be a father, so when I got pregnant with our second child I left him, so there are plenty of past issues. I'm willing to wait for him to want to be a family but I don't want to be hurt or used by him.

EarthShod: Yes, the past cards represent the two of you together. The child part of your reading is very prominent, so make sure he's ready to be a family before building a future with him.

Lisa: This is going to be the beginning of a great friendship! Love this reader! Thanks! Talk to you again next week! Tell me what ever you see... Ask my guide (spirit guide. I call her Rose ) if she has anything she needs to tell me.

EarthShod: Your first card is the inverted Seven of Wands. Boy, it has been a struggle, hasn't it? You have had to endure other peoples' objections and felt overwhelmed, but now that you've made the hard decision, you're ready to welcome success into your life! The Ace of Pentacles says little by little the financial situation that has gone sideways will right itself again! A new door here says you're on the verge of getting money you need. Perhaps a new job or project is in order? The inverted King of Cups says don't yearn for another committment too soon, especailly if he seems unable to do so! You really do have that stability coming up in your future, as long as you're careful! Beware of somebody who is abusing either drugs or alcohol. This kind of escapism can be dangerous, of course!

Lisa: Great, as always, thanks! I'm ready, oh so ready for my weekly three-card reading, thanks! Same as last week! Talk to Rose.

EarthShod: Okay! Here's your message from Rose this week! The inverted Seven of Wands says part of growing older and getting more mature means being able to delay your gratification. Rewards will soon be coming for all the waiting you've done already! Remember not to let others' thoughts impede your success! The only person's judgement that matters is your own! Moving along from inverted Seven of Wands to the inverted Eight of Wands. If you see a situation that seems to drag on without conclusion, shift your attitude and shift it again until you see it moving forward!

Finally, in your future is the Four of Pentacles. Build your wealth carefully and use your power wisely. This is your foundation, but it shouldn't be a preoccupation. If you find yourself withholding compassion or worrying about relationships because of money, stop and think some more. Money doesn't protect you from inner loss. Root yourself strongly in the world and flourish with the sense of inner-strength this gives you!

Lisa: Great, as always! Try her, you won't be sorry! I'm going to try the new deck this week!

EarthShod: Thanks for the bonus! I appreciate it! Here's your Special Offer tarot reading with the New Orleans Voodoo Tarot. Hopefully you'll find this helpful! I'm assuming you'd like me to get a message from Rose for you with the deck, so here you go!

Your past influence is shown by the Rada spirit of Legba. You've accomplished many tasks in your life simply with words. When obstacles are removed, the door is wide open! Voodoo practitioners would leave a gift of pipe tobacco outside for Legba to increase that influence in future life.

Present influences are the spirit Madame la Lune who reminds you that orderly cycles return you to beginnings. Notice the enchantment and happiness associated with different points in the cycle. Give her white seashells to notice more of this happiness returning again and again.

In your future lies the Carnival card encouraging you to seek physical release to relieve your stress! Sacrifice bright cloth and beads to enjoy more joys of the flesh. In the invisible world is the Zombi card telling you that you must only sacrifice anything of your free will. If you find yourself being forced, it decays your spirit. If you find yourself feeling sapped, write a statement about which you feel strongly and cast it into a fire. In the visible world Oludumare is manifest. Allow yourself to focus on the material and notice what affect it has on your life in times of "weath" and "poverty" of such things. Sacrifice a material symbol of an aspiration of yours to bring it about.

I hope you enjoyed this type of reading!

Lisa: You are great, as always! Much happiness to you! A regular ten-card this week, please.Tom... Ask Rose what she thinks about Thomas, thanks...

EarthShod: Here's your ten-card tarot reading on what Rose thinks about Thomas! The situation shows the Eight of Cups and the King of Cups! Two emotional cards right off the bat! Sometimes to seek a higher purpose you have to let go of one thing to move onto the next! Stepping away is not necessarily a rejection of one thing, but the embracing of another! Rose thinks Tom is a compassionate man who can be wise. He is responsible and mature, which can sometimes be a life-conflict because responsibility can keep a person away from the freedom of an artistic and inspired life! He is caring, cheerful, sincere and tolerant. He might even make a good therapist! He may seem to be demanding because of his intense feelings.

In his past, the Five of Pentacles shows that Tom has had some hard times that have shaped him into what he is. He has suffered a great loss. More recently, the Four of Wands shows him wanting more stability because of that and desiring to build a happy home. In the days ahead, he may tend to playfully challenge others. This isn't because he's just being argumentative or a jerk, but it is the way he figures things out about people. His destiny has the Six of Cups showing his desire to reunite his feelings of the past with those of the present and creating lasting family values.

He is the inverted Seven of Pentacles. He gets easily fed up with things that don't seem to be rewarding him for the efforts he has put into them. Internally, the Moon card inversed shows that he is a sensitive person, and should stay away from the temptation of substance abuse to protect himself. Externally, the inverted Eight of Swords shows him trying to break away from some restrictions. Don't believe things that some people might say about Tom. His final card is the inverted Two of Wands. A sudden change is coming to him because tension can only be held for so long!

Lisa: Great as always, thanks! A reading from Rose, please, thanks!

EarthShod: Rose gave your situation with the Nine of Wands influenced by the High Priestess. You're using caution because you've emerged from a struggle but are guarding for the next problem or conflict. However, your final battle will likely be an internal one! Look to your intuition and your dreams for that inner wisdom to appear. Your unconscious is the divine feminine!

Behind you now are the Nine of Cups and the inverted Hierophant. Recognize your past achievements with contentment. You have realized some old dreams. You've had to rebel and reject some codes or values int he process but your eccentricities should not be regretted!

In your near future is the King of Pentacles. Go forward being responsible and steadfast and you will find an improvement in your finances and material circumstances. The progress may be slow but steady. In your destiny, the inverted Seven of Pentacles shows that you'll feel some dissatisfaction with a job or project when you feel that you are not getting rewarded for the energies you're putting in. Don't allow the resentment to build to melancholy. Some people are built for that kind of life, but not you.

You are the Eight of Cups. You have to let go to seek your higher purpose at many points in life. There is a season and a cycle for everything. Don't blame anything or anyone in the past, but see the future calling for you as you acknowledge and give thanks for the experiences of the past. Internally, the inverted Two of Pentacles warns you against juggling too many things. There's a line between carefree and careless. Externally, the inverted Prince of Swords says to be careful not to overreact to a situation and charge into something. Sit back and slow down. Be careful about a con-man who cannot be trusted, and don't plan a big trip right now if you don't have to.

Your final card is inverted Temperance. You may find this a time of imbalance and extremes and so you may feel fragmented. Now is not the time to make big decisions, but to seek harmony and communication. Prepare the ground for what is to come.

Lisa: Can you please tell me when the next new moon is and when the next full moon?

EarthShod: Certainly, Lisa! The next new moon is May 5th and the next full moon is May 19th.

Lisa: Great read as always! It has been a while. I would like a reading. I met someone new, his name is Will, his birthday is may third. Do you see any long-term relationship between us?

EarthShod: Thanks for trusting me once again as your personal tarot reader! Here is your two-card tarot reading on Will. The first thing I noticed is that both cards for Will are upside-down. That doesn't mean that there's no potential for a long-term relationship, but it does represent effort that would need to be put into the situation to bring it about! The inverted King of Pentacles. He's a fun person to be with and is down to earth. He also values the idea of becoming more stable, however he does have a big stubborn side. He worries about finances sometimes. He has the potential to be a long-term partner, but you may find difficulty with him refusing to listen to you in some instances. His head rules his heart. It is up to you to decide whether you want to invest yourself in that, and I have a feeling that you would be the one losing interest rather than him in a relationship! The inverted Ace of Swords advises you not to push or rush things in this case. If you do decide to move things forward, it can be best to help him think things are his idea! I hope this makes sense!

Misfortune at Hempfest 2008

Though I vend at Hempfest every year, this year I believe I have suffered the most unfortunate fair experience ever! Read my tale of woe and try to avoid the same fate if you also sell at fairs!

Friday started out well. It was the load-in day and there were vendors only. On my way to the fair, a couple of guys in a pickup truck spotted my sign in the back of my car as we waited in choked up traffic. One of them yelled to me, "Hey! You a fortune teller?" I affirmed. "What's up with this?" he asked, gesturing at the knot of traffic.The other man yelled, "Hey, where can we find some money?"
"If I knew that," I replied," I wouldn't be sitting in this piece of shit car in this traffic, would I?" They both laughed uproariously and traffic moved. When I arrived at the park I learned that last year's main organizer for vendor services had died, and there was chaos in his stead. A levy broke and flooded the park causing booths to have to be moved. As I began setting up my canopy, I was told that the six by six stalls weren't allowed a canopy. This is insane in Seattle, where there is often rain, and Saturday had a heat advisory. I argued up the ranks to someone who offered to move me to a larger booth space, but it was too close to a stage which would be too noisy. I elected to stay at my original booth but not use my fancy canopy.

On Saturday, I hauled in my ghetto table and umbrella to use instead of my fancy canopy. I had a wonderful day of selling even though I wasn't feeling too well. The night before I had been sweating and on Saturday all day I had a sore throat. Nevertheless I met many pleasant people and did brisk and prosperous business all day! The wind was extremely strong and I fought against it blowing away my table all day.  A large fire started on the hill, but it was extinguished. I headed out afterwards to worship in a circle under the moon outdoors. I was exhausted and my throat felt worse, but I chalked it up to the long work day. That night, a thunderstorm broke my umbrella.

On Sunday, I woke up feeling sick and with a warning not to go, but knew I had to return to Hempfest at the very least because all my stuff was there. I worked the first couple of hours before suddenly becoming very dizzy, disoriented and experiencing mental symptoms as well. I collapsed at my table. Upon coming to, a number of kind fairgoers were attempting to help me. I packed up my expensive PartyLite products and let the gentleman who was vending blown glass across from me watch my stuff. I placed my most valuable things including all the cash I had earned from the fair, the large crystal ball that my mother gave me, a smaller crystal ball my Elder gave me, and my blessed tarot cards in my purse and began to stagger to my car to lie down while calling my husband. I even tried to solicit the help of a police man, telling him that I have schizophrenia since I was speaking in a disorganized manner. He brushed it off, thinking I was just another stoner at the fair. The trip to my car was the longest walk of my life. I believe that I lost consciousness several times along the way. I finally spilled myself into the back seat of my car and awoke only to mumble incomprehensible directions to my husband. It was either before, during or after that time that my purse was stolen.

My husband arrived to rescue me, and later, with the help of a Family member who just happened to be stopping by looking for me, they packed up all of my belongings. We called the credit agencies and found that my credit cards were already being used by the thieves. First they withdrew a dollar from each one to see if they worked. Then they began running up the big bills. I went to the hospital emergency room. This might be TMI (too much information), but I was placed on an intravenous drip and diagnosed with a urinary tract infection and hand and foot and mouth disease.

I filed a police report and called the credit reporting agencies. My husband changed all the locks. Luckily I have a back-up crystal ball that my Elder gave me just a couple weeks ago.  With the generosity of several Famly members and A Gathering Grove, I had a replacement for my deck of tarot cards over-nighted to me. I was told, "First, do whatever is needed to get physically well... And then we'll see to the thieves. May they gain naught but grief from their actions against you." Indeed, I might imagine that such a thief will never know peace nor bliss nor joy nor rest and ever be in cruel suffering by actions against me. Those of you who read tarot also know that well-used decks and crystals tend to take on a life of their own, and I happen to know that my divination tools are not going to like this one little bit. I do welcome positive prayers and energies for my swift recovery from my illnesses from any of you who feel compelled to help!