Return of the Queen, ...careful with that...

My perennial card in readings.  She is Penelope in the Mythic Tarot, associated with the Air sign of Aquarius.

The card in the position of 'finding' me.  Crossed by the Page of Swords, a messenger.

Used to be, one would try to 'find' oneself.  The Dhamma says one should create oneself.  Selves, rather,  bearing in mind anicca -impermanence- following creation.  Arising, persisting, ending of aspects of the self.

So the message of the tarot is for me to become the Queen of Swords.  To embrace her qualities and learn her ways.  Its the old story of looking everywhere for something that is already found.

I just have to realise it.  My goodness, I appear to be carrying a sword.  Furthermore I have a certain regal bearing now that I think of it.  Just as well.  I really must be... careful with that...

Tarot reading practical

The deck is Robin Wood, in the tradition of Rider-Waite-Smith.

The layout used is the Celtic cross, with an extra card as significator at top left.

The suit of Swords is predominant, with four cards.  The entire vertical axis of the cross, in fact.  Since this axis shows the present time, then the person (the querant) is busy with intellect and communication.

Of note is the heart transfixed by three swords - quite a graphic image.  Often interpreted as a loss, the card is more about resolution.  

There are two cards from the Major Arcana:  the pregnant Empress and the High Priestess; the female spirit guide.  In Greek myth they are the mother and daughter - Demeter and Persephone.

My favourite mala

My first malas used glass beads, which have a satisfying weight and texture.

This has turquoise, metal, and garnets. There are three groups of twenty beads, not counting the garnets.

The wire has extra length to allow me to slide the beads along it.