December 30, 2020: 7 of Swords and 9 of Pentacles

We are almost to the end of this calendar year.  Let's look at the Decameron Tarot cards of the day, both Minor Arcana cards.

My Inner Focused card is the 7 of Swords.  The image on this one is another of the few images in this deck that does not contain a single person.  It shows a square-shaped castle surrounded by a solid stone wall up on a hill; the hill is covered by green growth with a clear, blue sky in the background.  The arched doorway and arched windows appear open and they are dark; we can't see inside the castle at all.  The key phrases for this card are: plans within the darkness of night; hidden complicity.  

The scene depicted in this card image seems harmless.  The sun is shining, the sky is clear, the grass and trees are thick with summer growth, and there are no enemies in sight.  However, there are no friends in sight either, and in fact, there is not a single person to be seen either in or around this castle.  The castle itself is made of strong stone blocks, and the windows appear kind of small for such a building.  While things appear quiet, we have no idea what is going on inside of the building, and it appears that everyone might be in on whatever is being planned, except for the observer.  If we think about the meaning of the suit, the element of Air, the mind, and the qualities of thought, we could interpret this card as representing someone who has shielded themself from the outside world, not because there are others around or because there is a storm outside, but rather so no one can see what they are thinking.  

My Outer Focused card is the 9 of Pentacles.  We just saw this card the other day, also in the Outer Focus position, but this time the meaning is changed a bit by that Inner Focus card.  The image on the Decameron 9 of Pentacles shows a naked woman laying on a made bed with her eyes closed and a smile on her face, her arms behind her head and her knees and lower legs hanging off the mattress; beneath her are her multi-colored pieces of clothing (appearing to be harlequin) and a belt.  She is wearing a hat that covers most of her hair and a mask over her eyes and nose; she appears quite pleased with herself.  The key phrase associated with this card is: a pleasant surprise and long-lasting situation.

Previously the 9 of Pentacles was paired with XVI The Tower, and while The Tower is not pleasant to deal with, there is nothing hidden about the effects of that card.  Now, however, we are dealing with hidden complicity, and suddenly there are changes to the meanings of our 9 of Pentacles.  Yes, she looks happy, but she is alone.  The bed is made, not rumpled as if a partner had just left.  The belt lying next to her suddenly looks like a serpent.  Even her mask becomes something to think about; why is she hiding her identity?

I'm interpreting these two cards as a warning.  Someone has been working behind the scenes, hiding in plain sight, to manifest their own agenda, and they are pretty satisfied with how things are going.  Things are not hopeless, though.  In the end, those conspiring in the dark are blind to what is happening outside their strong walls, and spending time alone in order to gloat can create a false sense of power.  I need to be aware today, and to protect myself but not to the extent that I block out the outside world.  If I do that, I will end up as blind as those portrayed in these two cards.  

December 27, 2020: 6 of Chalices and VII The Chariot

My Inner Focus card today is the 6 of Chalices.  The image on this one really does have an inner focus, and unlike most cards in the Decameron Tarot, this one has a serenity that is connected to solitude rather than sex.  The image shows a person with his/her back to us, sitting alone with legs crossed and spine straight in a flowery meadow beneath some thickly-leafed trees, reading from a book.  The key phrases for this card are: melancholy, the need for serenity, and sad memories.  I can identify with the feelings created by this card because I enjoy my times of solitude and I grab them when I can.  I rarely have the opportunity to create the scene in this image, but I walk daily for exercise, and that is usually my time to contemplate, meditate or ponder the world and its complexities in a solitary fashion.  

My Outer Focus is VII The Chariot.  Like many cards in the Decameron Tarot, this one exudes light-hearted sexuality.  In this image, we see the rear of a primitive yet strong two-wheeled wooden cart.  On the cart are two people, a woman we see from the shoulders down who is laying on her back with her legs below the knees dangling off the chariot bed, and a man laying on his side, visible from the chest up, next to her.  The man, who is grinning broadly, is resting his chin on one hand while lifting the bottom of the woman's dress with the other hand, exposing her thighs and pubic hair. The woman is reaching toward the man's broad-brimmed hat and lifting the hat away so she can see his face.  The key phrase for this card is: there could be a pleasant surprise during this journey; be careful not to allow the opportunity to slip away. 

I think the message of this pair is specific to me now, after a few days of safely-distanced holiday celebrations.  I do value my solitary time, and I need that time to be healthy and balanced.  But like everything else, too much of a good thing creates imbalance.  I am in the end the one in control of my personal Journey.  Yes, I cannot control the many challenges that appear on the road, and I cannot control the gifts that are offered as I travel through life.  The timing of both of those things and when they appear are also not always under my control.  While the messages of these two cards appear on the surface to be opposing, I can see them as representing polarity (opposing energies that support each other in order to create balance) as opposed to duality (opposing forces the repel each other in order to create chaos).  

I can maintain my quiet center, maintain its strength and health so it is an effective tool, and then use it to choose which road I travel upon as the day progresses.  I don't need to hide away in order to access this quiet center, and can continue to interact and have fun.

December 26, 2020: XVI The Tower and 9 of Pentacles

I hope your holiday celebrations are enjoyable.  For me, today is a "back to reality" day.  Time to get back to my day-to-day life, including exercising and eating in a more normal and healthy way.

Today, my Inner Focus card, XVI The Tower, is certainly a warning that I need to end my little holiday.  The image on the Decameron Tower is not as immediately frightening as the traditional image on The Tower with its blazing fire and lightning strikes and people jumping out of the crumbling building surrounded by powerful waves breaking on sharp boulders.  The Decameron Tower does have a crumbling building in the background, but it looks like it is crumbling more over time because of neglect than because of sudden natural disasters.  In the foreground of the image, sprawled out on green grass underneath the spreading branches of a tree are a man and a woman.  Both the man and the woman are clothed from the waist up, but both are naked from the waist down.  The man is laying on his back with his eyes closed and a smile on his face, his knees bent, with one arm under his head acting as a pillow, and the other hand resting on his chin, as if his thoughts are miles away.  The woman is seated next to him, her bare legs and pubic area visible but not involved; she is leaning against his pelvis with one hand and caressing his erect penis with the other hand. Her eyes are open and she is watching what she is doing, she also has a smile on her face.  The key phrases for this card tell us that The Tower represents the erect and triumphant penis as well as passion and sensuality, but the abilities shown here are inconsistent and possibly offer difficult consequences.  

My Outer Focus card for today is the 9 of Pentacles.  The Decameron 9 of Pentacles shows a naked woman laying on a made bed with her eyes closed and a smile on her face, her arms behind her head and her knees and lower legs off the mattress; beneath her are her multi-colored pieces of clothing (appearing to be harlequin) and a belt.  She is wearing a hat that hides most of her hair, and a mask over her eyes and nose.  She looks quite pleased with herself.  The key phrase associated with this card is: a pleasant surprise and long-lasting situation.

Oh, I get both of these cards perfectly.  The image on The Tower shows a building that has been neglected, and we can imagine that neglect is happening because those responsible for maintaining the structure are off in another world, having fun and not paying attention to what is happening with the building. While there are no sudden calamities presented in this image, it would be just as startling and frightening if the structure suddenly collapsed due to neglect.  In the end, The Tower tells us this very thing: we are neglecting our responsibilities and sooner or later, if we don't consciously balance things out ourselves, there will be a sudden reckoning.  The 9 of Pentacles tells of enjoying the rewards of discipline and focus, and of refinement created by the nurturing of skills to the highest level.  There is pleasure and well-being to be had from that kind of accomplishment but that pleasure could be addictive, blinding us to our current responsibilities.  Discipline as well can be destructive if taken to extremes.  

Bringing myself back to balance after a few days of relaxing of my healthy lifestyle is certainly necessary today.  If I pay attention to the responsibilities that had been put on hold, I will enjoy a well-earned sense of accomplishment and prevent future discomfort.  Okay, then; let's get going.

December 23, 2020: V The Hierophant and the Queen of Pentacles

My Inner Focus card for today is V The Hierophant. This Major Arcana card has a lot of symbolism attached to it, and since the card is connected to the preservation and sharing of religion, culture and traditions of the community, it also has a lot of baggage.  In keeping with Boccaccio's views on people in power, particularly religious leaders, this card image might be a bit disturbing to some, not because of nudity but rather because of what is happening.

The cards shows a man dressed in the garb of a high-ranking priest seated in an ornate chair, his face calm and his eyes either gazing at his lap or closed. Behind him is a tapestry showing the crossed keys of Papal symbolism; another indication that this man is important in the church.  To his left is a large window; his right shoulder is in shadow, almost as if someone else is standing beyond the image.  The priest wears a stole emblazoned with red equal-sided crosses, red shoes decorated with gold equal-sided crosses, a large gold cross on a substantial gold chain around his neck, and a gold and ruby ring on the ring finger of his right hand.  Red shoes have meaning within the Papacy, representing the submission of the Pope to the authority of Jesus, and the blood shed by martyrs (representing the sacrifice they made to Jesus and their willingness to die for their faith).  Before the priest kneels a woman wearing a nun's robe, coif, wimple and veil.  His right hand rests gently on her head, her face is serene, and her gaze is in his lap, as is her left hand.  We don't know for sure, but it certainly appears that she is pleasuring him with her hand.  The key phrases associated with the Decameron Hierophant are: sacredness is not always exempt from sin, power and charisma sometimes corrupts, and act prudently.

My Outer Focus card is the Queen of Pentacles.  This Queen usually represents nurturing, practicality, prosperity, success, independence, and high social status.  Again, we are seeing Boccaccio's scorn for those who see only their own wealth and not the need of those around them.

The Decameron card shows what appears to be several peasants, both men and women, standing in the background and watching as a finely dressed woman and her guard walk by.  The guard walks behind the woman and is wearing a leather vest, a helmet on his head, and he is carrying a large and fearsome pike.  The woman wears a crown, a fine dress trimmed with fir, and a gold necklace; she carries a bag filled with coins.  Her guard, who has his hand over his mouth and is obviously thinking "uh oh, I'm in trouble," has stepped on the train of her dress, causing the dress to rip so much that we can see one of her breasts and her belly, the tops of her thighs, and her pubic hair.  The woman is frantically holding her bag of coins with one hand and trying to grab her torn dress to cover her lower body with the other, and she is not succeeding in either effort.  Coins are spilling from her bag and her dress cannot cover her nakedness because her guard is standing on it.  The key phrase associated with this card is: denial in the name of greed and vanity creates absurdity and the loss of identity.  

Again we have interesting meanings that offer useful messages. To me, all people and most deities are capable of both good and evil.  Being a priest, priestess or other leader of a spiritual or cultural tradition carries with it responsibilities.  One of those responsibilities is to think, speak and act with Perfect Love and Trust, for others are watching and emulating, and depending on the leaders to act within the rules and laws of the accepted faith and to care for all.  Even as a solitary practitioner of Wicca, I have these responsibilities.  I need to be aware of them, and to make certain that each word and each act is offered with the best of intentions.  Being lucky enough to have a roof over my head, food to eat, and winter clothes to keep me warm, does not mean I am above others, and I have no right to act that way.  Today both my thoughts and my deeds need to be beyond reproach.  Even the act of offering charity can be belittling to those I am helping if I present my aid with a superior mindset.  Money does not make anyone superior, and getting caught up in the finery of success, whether in the material world or within my spiritual practice, stains the glow of a healthy Self, and erodes it away.  This does not mean I can't enjoy the pleasure of my senses; it just means that I must do so in Perfect Love and Trust, with Harm to None.

Happy Holidays, however you celebrate.

December 20, 2020: The Empress and The Hermit

Interesting combination of Major Arcana Cards for today, Yule Eve.

My Inner Focus card is III The Empress.  The image on the card shows a jester wearing motley purple and gold sitting on a throne in a strong and majestic room, with a mature and solidly-built Queen, dressed in her finery and wearing a golden crown inset with red, blue and purple gemstones and a golden necklace with a large pendant containing an image of a sheep, sitting on his lap (and I'm assuming, his penis).  Her feel are strongly planted, her skirts are hiked up to her knees, and her hands are resting on her thighs.  Her eyes are open and her lips are parted, and she appears to be enjoying herself.  We don't see too much of the jester; his eyes are wide open as he looks at the Queen over her shoulder, his arms are around her, one arm around her waist holding her bottom firmly against him and one hand on her breast, and his feet are more relaxed, as if she is the dominant one in this image.  The key concept connected to this card is that love and pleasure do not have age limits, however a bit of discretion is good.  

Interesting symbolism here: the sheep is considered a harmless, guileless and innocent animal that represents the natural life that flows into a human's consciousness from Spirit.  Our Decameron Queen is telling us that she is the manifestation of the natural world.  Indeed, on her shoes are equal-sided crosses (representing the four classic elements) contained in a diamond shape which could very well be an octahedron, representing our presence on the plane between Above and Below.  Pairing her with a jester is another interesting symbol.  The jester was seen as being a fool (and there could be a connection here to the symbolism of The Fool of the Majors), however the jester was allowed to make jokes at the expense of very powerful people, usually without suffering consequences.  Indeed, it was often seen as bad taste to punish a jester for his words or deeds.  

My Outer Focus card is IX The Hermit.  Now that right there sounds like a conflict, an "outer" card being represented by an "inner-facing" concept.  The image on this card shows a commonality with The Empress: a jester seated in a chair with his arms around the waist of a woman.  This time, the jester is dressed in more coarse clothing, with a lit lantern on his thigh and a hood and cloak that hint at the garb of a monk. He has a happy smile on his face. The woman is young and curvy, and is standing before him, facing him as he removes her clothing.  We can't see her face but both of her hands are out to her side, the right hand facing upward and the left hand facing downward (similar to the stance of The Magician in traditional Tarot imagery), giving him access to her clothing and her body.  The key phrases associated with this card are: an attractive body distracts even the most staunch ascetic, but don't be deceived by hypocrites and false virtue; deception is present.

The Hermit is traditionally a card that tells of withdrawal and spiritual seeking but in the Decameron Hermit, our monk has his priestly garb pushed back and he is using his lantern to illuminate the body of the wench standing before him as he disrobes her.  Bocacchio is said to believe that many people in power, particularly religious leaders, were somewhat hypocritical in their ethics.  This image does hint at a bit of hypocrisy and its key phrases literally mention both hypocrisy and deception.  

There are a slew of possible messages here.  I'm going to see this as reminding me that while as adults, we are expected to act in a mature fashion on certain occasions.  However, that does not mean we cannot enjoy the pleasures of life, be light-hearted and have fun, and grab hold of sexual pleasure.  If we can balance those things, we will create a kingdom that follows our lead, and ends up happier and filled with joy and well-being.  Attraction is certainly in the eye of the beholder, and we are given two different versions here, but who has the power in either of these scenes, the jesters or the women? We also need to remember that our ethical code gets applied to ourselves as well as others, and we should make certain that we are saying and doing whatever we are saying and doing completely for the right reasons.  We need to be honest with ourselves and be sure there are no ulterior motives hidden behind the happy smile or the groans of pleasure.  Spiritual seeking is very in now, and it is easy to appear legitimate in the eyes of others yet embrace different ethics internally.  However in the end, we know when we look at ourselves in the mirror if we are playing at this, or if truly making the honest effort.

December 19, 2020: 1/Ace of Chalices and 6 of Chalices

Well, I guess this will be a Watery day, eh?  In the Decameron Tarot, the suit of Chalices represents the element of Water (and all of its correspondences, including feelings, emotions, dreams and visions), and the soul (the immortal and non-physical part of a living being).  

The Aces of the Tarot Minor Arcana offer possibilities within the parameters of the suit.  No promises are offered, just a hint of the potentials that are currently being presented or that might appear in the near future.  We still have to take the steps needed to access those potentials, but they will be there anyway, whether we grab them or ignore them.  The image on the Decameron 1/Ace of Chalices (my Inner Focus card for today) shows a naked man struggling mightily to carry a huge silver Chalice.  In that Chalice is a naked woman, with her hands behind her head as if relaxing, and her eyes closed.  Despite the fact that in his efforts, the man appears to be rocking and rolling that Chalice (so much that one of her leges swings wildly), she is still somnolent.  The key phrase associated with this card is: masculine force is not enough to control desire.  This image portrays this sentiment perfectly; even the man is getting no pleasure from his efforts to lift and control this Chalice, for we can see that his uncircumcised penis is not only soft, but nudged out of the way by the stem of the Chalice.  It might even hurt to move the Chalice, but the man continues even though he is not getting his desired results.

My Outer Focus card is another of the suit of Chalices, the 6 of Chalices.  The image on this one shows a person with his/her back to us, sitting in a flowery meadow beneath some thickly leafed trees, reading from a book.  The key words and phrases for this card are: melancholy, the need for serenity, and sad memories.  This card is a bit different from the traditional meaning for the 6 of Cups (good will, innocence, indulging in play), although the melancholy presented does not preclude those traditional meanings.  This card tells us that those meanings and memories might create a bit of wistfulness, and it would be best if we spend some time alone so we can deal with those feelings.  After all, emotions can be a wild ride, particularly when they are being stirred up by others.  Yeah, a bit of mixed metaphors there, but you get the picture.

Perhaps we all can identify with these two cards during this holiday season, especially this year, with the influences and constraints of the Covid-19 pandemic.  We are being forced to adjust our lives, and to prepare to celebrate the holiday season and at the same time isolate ourselves in order to keep our family and loved ones safe.  This certainly could add to a sense of being forced to act in a certain way, or a sense that we must force ourselves to pick up the Chalice and do the work even though others don't seem to notice our efforts.  We can heal our souls by getting out into Nature and spending some time alone with the workings of the natural world.  This could allow us to deal with sad feelings, and to remind ourselves that while we might feel isolated right now, the beauty and serenity of the natural world and all the entities that live within it are always available to us.

December 17, 2020: The High Priestess and the King of Wands

**rubs hands together with enthusiasm**.  Okay, a Major Arcana card!

My Inner Focus card is II The High Priestess. The image on the Decameron High Priestess card is interesting.  It shows a naked woman wearing a crown and veil, and a gold necklace with a gold penis pendant than hangs down between her breasts.  She is seated on a book, with her knees drawn up close to her body and her hands also pressing down on the book.  She is holding a large key between her feet, with her left thumb hooked in the loop at the top of the key.  While she is facing the viewers, her eyes are looking at someone or something to the viewer's right.  She has a very serious look on her face.  In the shadows behind her are two men.  The one over her left shoulder has dark skin and is facing the viewer but because of the shadows, we can't see his eyes.  He is wearing a crown and some kind of ornate stole.  The man over her right shoulder is dressed in a dark brown hood and cloak; he is looking at the viewer and is holding his erect penis.  The message of this card is: unhoped for goals can be achieved through study and work, bur remember that every success has its price, so act prudently.

Traditionally, The High Priestess is seen as the guardian of hidden knowledge, knowledge that she protects so only those who have learned to understand and manifest that knowledge may access it.  The usual image associated with The High Priestess shows a robed woman with a rolled up scroll in her lap, seated before a curtain or veil that is held up by two pillars, one is white and one is black.  Our Decameron High Priestess is guarding her hidden knowledge and the key to that knowledge, literally with her body.  We can understand why she is uneasy, for behind her are representations of a guardian of tradition, and temptation to indulge in physical pleasures.  Either one of those two persons could make her job easier in the short term, but in the end they will distract her from her job (guarding knowledge), either by imposing accepted traditions or by offering hedonistic pleasures.  She appears uneasy and uncomfortable, but she is sticking to her role as guardian of knowledge without allowing either man to taint what she guards.  

My Outer Focus card is the King of Wands.  The image on this card shows a gray-haired and bearded man dressed in kingly clothes and wearing a crown and holding a wooden staff that is topped by a penis and a crown, taking a naked woman from the rear.  He is reaching around her with his left hand to grasp her breast.  His eyes are closed and he appears to be roaring with pleasure; her eyes are open and her lips are parted.  The key phrases for this card are: absolute power without questioning, and the weakest partner must surrender.

The traditional keywords for the King of Wands are leadership, charisma and authority.  While this Decameron King appears to be experiencing intense sexual pleasure, he also appears to be completely dominating the situation.  She is naked, he is dressed.  She is on her hands and knees, facing away from him; he appears to be squatting behind her, using his thick and powerful staff to steady himself.  He is exhibiting authority for sure, manifesting the strong passions and extreme experiences of the suit of Wands.

There appears to be a huge difference between the message regarding my inner self and my outer self.  I am being told that I need to protect the knowledge and beliefs that are valuable to me and stick to the plan, even if I feel oppressive or tempting distractions.  I can certainly submit to authority and keep true to myself at the same time, and I do know exactly what situation this is referring to.  I don't need to explain more here.  

This deck seems to present its messages in a convoluted manner, but as I untangle those convoluted messages I get valuable insight.  

December 16, 2020: 1/Ace of Wands and 10 of Chalices

The description of the 1/Ace of Wands may be found in my December 11th post, but to make things easy, it is as follows: 

The image on the card shows a naked woman with beautiful curves and red hair embracing the symbol of the suit of Wands: a tree trunk with rough bark that on this card is growing from thick green grass.  There are branches near the bottom that have leaves growing from them, but about halfway up the trunk the bark has been removed and the wood is carved into an erect circumcised penis.  The woman's arms are around the penis and she is resting her cheek against the head, with her eyes closed and a gentle smile on her face.  Her right leg is wrapped around the base of the penis and her left foot rests on one of the branches growing from the bottom of the tree trunk.  According to the LWB, this card offers the possibility of the beginning of a loving relationship, and it reminds us that sex is a part of nature, and comes from within the cycles and workings of nature.

We get to look at another shade of meaning of this card today, as it is paired with the 10 of Chalices. The image on this card shows a naked woman standing on a rumpled bed, her hands on her waist, leaning over to see her partner, who is on the floor with just feet and legs to the knees on the mattress; that is all we see of her partner.  We can't see either of their faces to determine their moods, but I kind of get the feeling that she is wondering just what her partner thinks he/she is doing. The key phrases associated with this card are: success that may actually be compromised, and an invitation to continue the battle.  One thing I noticed: the drawn-back curtains around this bed have a similar circular design to the curtains on The Lovers (we talked about The Lovers on December 13).  The design is not the same; the design on The Lovers has circles inside of circles, while this card shows only one circle.  So this may be an important relationship, just not one with the depths and texture of that portrayed in The Lovers.

Now, the suit of Chalices represents the element of Water (and all the things associated with Water, such as dreams, visions and feelings), and the soul.  The soul is defined as the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, emotional or intellectual energy or intensity, and a person's moral or emotional sense of identity; the soul is considered to be immortal.  That definition gives us some insight into the image on this card.  

The traditional keywords associated with the 10 of Cups are well-being, harmony, and family.  The traditional image shows a man and woman, are and arm, enjoying a rainbow of Cups in the sky.  They are standing in a green field with a stream or lake nearby; in front of them two or three children play, and in the distance is a home surrounded by trees. The 10 of Cups card is basically seen as representing the fullness of manifestation for the suit in the current cycle.  Perhaps that is what the woman in our Decameron Tarot thought she was getting with her partner, but that hoped-for future may have suddenly come into doubt.  She has not come to physical harm, but it appears that her emotions and self-worth are in protective mode.

The 1/Ace of Wands is my inner card, so once again I am being reminded of the connection between the senses and the sensations of my physical body and the workings of nature around me.  It seems that I am trusting those senses and allowing them to manifest in my connections with others in an open way because I am assuming that everyone is manifesting sensations and pleasure and love the same way, without the taint of selfishness or betrayal.  Somewhere around me there is doubt as to integrity, trustworthiness, and the manifestation of love.  Of course, these are feelings and perceptions and they might not be actually true, only true to the beholder.  The situation is not completed, which is a good thing.  That means a chance to explain and reinitiate the connection is a part of all this.  

Just being myself should not cause a conflict, but even if the intentions are not to cause harm, conflict does happen.  When we care about others, we also care about how they perceive us, so we want to do something about this situation.  

Understanding the natural cycles and manifestations of Nature is a good thing; however we humans can interfere with those cycles, either deliberately or inadvertently.  Today, I am being told to be aware that perhaps things are not as I assume they are and maybe through no fault of my own, but I should not panic.  Just being aware that there could be a misunderstanding approaching could cause a tweak in my own words or actions that prevents it from occurring.  Being proactive in my words and actions could actually create deeper bonds, allowing that 1/Ace of Wands to manifest even further.

December 13, 2020: 1/Ace of Pentacles and VI The Lovers

Okay, three days in a row. I don't expect that to continue, particularly with the Holiday Season being upon us, but I have time today, so here we go.

My cards for today:

Inner Focus: 1/Ace of Pentacles.  The suit of Pentacles represents the element of Earth, the body, and material goods.  This card introduces the suit and its symbolism.  In this deck, Pentacles are represented by a golden coin on which is embossed a picture of a woman with her legs spread in a V shape.  Upright, she appears to be leaning forward and looking through her legs at the viewer; reversed, she appears to be laying down and looking through her legs that are stretched upward.  The image on this card shows a pile of coins, both silver and gold, in a neutral surrounding.  The top coin is upright and on it is embossed a view of a woman who is in the Yoga pose called Embryo, facing away from us.  Her long hair is in a braid, which rests along her spine.  Laying face-up with her spine across the rim of that coin is a naked woman, her toes and her hands are each resting on the pile of coins below her and her torso is arched.  We can't see her entire face, but we can see that she is smiling. There is another person (and here once again I will say "he," but that could be different to you) resting an arm and his cheek across her torso, with the fingers of his other hand tickling her pubic area.  He is also smiling.  The key phrase for this card is: love is indifferent to commercialization, but wealth can sometimes encourage affection.  

That is a really interesting take on the Ace of Pentacles.  Traditionally, this card offers the potential for security, abundance, and tangible results.  It does not say those things will definitely occur, but that they are within reach and it is up to us to act, if we want those things.  Within the image on this card, we see a balance of masculine and feminine energies.  The coins are gold and silver.  The woman is in a vulnerable position yet she is smiling.   The man is holding her in place, yet he is relaxed, not appearing aggressive at all.  Even the coin on which the woman is sprawled is a mix of masculine and feminine symbolism: the coin is gold but the woman is in a submissive pose, facing away.  There is just so much potential to be seen in this image, potential to mix two opposing energies (male and female, inner and outer, expanding and contracting), but the most important potential to me is that joyful affection.  If we can manifest that, the rest is easy.

Outer Focus: VI The Lovers.  Ah yes, a Major Arcana card.  The image on this card shows a man and a woman in a bedroom.  The woman is laying on a bed, her eyes closed, her back arched, and her knees relaxed open.  Her eyes are closed, and by her head is a black and white cat, curled up and looking at the viewer; her hand rests on the cat's rump by the tail.  The man, whose eyes are also closed, appears to have his feet on the floor, with his upper body resting on the bed.  He is kissing the bottom of her ribcage; one arm is bracing himself, elbow on the bed, with his hand gently caressing her breast.  The bed is surrounded by curtains (which are pulled back) and beyond the bed is shadow.  Within that shadow and peaking past the curtains is a man who does not look happy.  The key phrases for this card is: if you have the joy of winning the favor of a young and beautiful person, offer real proof of your passion.  

There are so many images out there associated with this card, but the traditional image shows a naked man and woman in a verdant and fertile Eden-like setting, complete with Serpent, standing before a winged being that appears to be blessing the union.   This card is about strong feelings, and about the long-term connections that can be forged by them, sometimes good and sometimes not.  In the Decameron version of The Lovers, our couple are in what they think is a safe and secure place, and they are deeply engrossed in each other.  This appears to be a long-term relationship where they each know and trust each other; their eyes are closed and neither is clinging to the other.  In fact, except for his hand resting passively on her breast and his mouth on the bottom of her ribs, they do not appear to be touching each other.  The presence of the cat also indicates a bit of discernment, as well reinforcing the sensuality of the entire image.  Not the hot passion of grasping lust here, but rather the more cool and sensual passion of a long-term relationship with deep connections.

These two cards reinforce the idea that there is the potential to create passion even within a long-term relationship if we allow worldly goods to be a foundation rather than a reason to connect to another.  We don't need to grasp and own in order to feel earthy pleasure, and we can enjoy interacting with another and still keep our independence as well as our sense of humor, honoring our own unique Self in the process.  But there is always a danger of outside influences.  We have only to look at the person peeking from behind the curtain in the image of The Lovers.  The Lovers is in the end about finding balance within yourself in order to choose important connections.  That man behind the curtain could be a spurned partner; is there danger from him?  Being alert and aware, like the cat watching us, and choosing carefully, is the answer.  

December 12, 2020: 8 of Wands and 7 of Pentacles

Today's Decameron Tarot cards:

Inner Focus: 8 of Wands.  The image on this card shows a naked woman viewed from the back who is sitting on a wooden bench, with another person kneeling before her (for the ease of description, I will call this person "he," but there is no indication of the gender of the kneeling person).  He has his face between her spread thighs and he is gripping her buttocks for leverage.  The key phrases for this card are: surprise and daring, and a part of the undertaking is complete.  

Let's think about the traditional keywords associated with the 8 of Wands, quick action, expansion, news, and the strongest expression of Fire, the element associated with the suit of Wands in most cases.  The traditional image of this card is one of the few in the Tarot that does not contain a person; it shows 8 Wands parallel to each other, as if shot from 8 bows.  This is a strong and active card that depicts expression or expansion without distraction.  

Back to the Decameron 8 of Wands.  Neither figure is being distracted, and both are focused on the pleasure of the woman.  She is leaning back on her knuckles, with her spine arched and her knees wide, as if she is pleased with what is happening to her.  We cannot see much of her face, just her lips which are slightly parted, but we can imagine that her eyes are closed as she experiences pleasure.  No distraction here.  We cannot see the face of the man who is pleasuring her either, but his fingers are gripping her buttocks with enough intensity to press into her flesh, as if he does not want her to move away.  This makes me think that he is an enthusiastic participant.  

From both viewpoints, energy is rising and becoming more and more focused.  There are no distractions visible and no deviations to the direction the energy is being built toward.  The focus of both persons is aimed at the same result.

Outer Focus: 7 of Pentacles.  The image on this card also shows a naked woman with her knees wide and her spine arched, lips parted and eyes closed.  She is astride a man who is gripping her thighs as he watches her.  There is some shadow-play in this image to be considered.  The man is completely in shadow, and the woman is in shadow from the waist down; across her upper body are shadows that could come from a window consisting of smaller panes separated by some opaque material. The key phrases for this card are: luck in business or love for women, men are bored.  

The traditional image on the 7 of Pentacles shows a person leaning on a staff or rake, looking at a lush plant or tree covered with Pentacles.  The keywords associated with this card are assessment, seeing results, and weighing a change.  Unlike the 8 of Wands, this is not an active card.  Instead, this one is about pausing and assessing what we've done so far so we can decide if it is enough, or more is needed.

In the Decameron Tarot, the suit of Pentacles is about the physical body and material goods.  In the image for the 7 of Pentacles, it appears that the woman is almost reaching the fullness of pleasure, and the man, whose eyes are open and watching her, needs to decide if he needs to do more, or if doing more would derail everything.  The woman would be depending on the man to not derail things, it is the way that she is able to close her eyes and freely immerse herself in pleasure.  While he may also be enjoying things here, the placement of the shadows in the image makes me think that she is the one who is the focus of the card's message.  Like the tree covered with Pentacles in the traditional image for this card, the woman is ripe and appears ready for harvest.  In fact, the bars of shadows across her upper body almost resemble prison bars, hinting that she has relinquished her control of the situation.  It is the man who must decide if the peak of ripeness has arrived or more time and effort are needed.

Both of these cards are about a similar goal. My Inner Focus card seems to indicate that I have some control over the methods for obtaining results.  My Outer Focus card indicates the appearance of surrender to the assistance of others.  Inner passions can certainly be the fuel that assists in manifestations on the physical plane.  Perhaps these messages are not as different as I initially thought they were.

December 11, 2020: A new Tarot deck - The Decameron Tarot; 1/Ace of Wands and 6 of Wands

I am pleased that you all still visit my site!!  Thank you for your interest in my ramblings.

I have found a new Tarot deck and my connection to it is deep enough that I feel I should blog about it.  The deck is called the Decameron Tarot, published by Lo Scarabeo, and it is an erotic deck based on the collection of novellas of the same name.  If you are uncomfortable reading descriptions of graphic images or sexual acts, perhaps this is not the blog for you right now. 

The Decameron (the book) contains 100 tales told by a group of seven young women and three young men that are sheltering in a secluded villa just outside of Florence during the Black Death.  The book was written by 14th century Italian author, poet, and Renaissance humanist Giovanni Boccaccio, who was born in Florence in 1313 and died there in 1375.  The various novellas telling of love and sex found within the stories in the Decameron (probably written between 1348 and 1353) range from the erotic to the tragic, with tales of wit, practical jokes, and life lessons added to the mix.  The Decameron has been translated many times over the centuries.

The artwork of the Decameron Tarot, beautifully created by Giacinto Gaudenzi, is inspired by the tales of the Decameron.  These card images contain graphic nudity, sexual pleasure and sex acts presented in the style of Renaissance art.  Several of the card images present their sexual messages in a light-hearted way, and others use sex and pleasure to poke fun at authority figures.  The deck comes with a small LWB, 2 1/2" by 4 3/4", with 62 pages.  The card meanings are very brief, mostly a sentence or a few phrases; they are presented in six languages, including English.  

My plan is to pull two cards, one for an inner-focused message and one for an outer-focused message, and blog about the card images and meanings.  Usually this kind of blogging allows me to create a deep and textured connection to a deck; hopefully that is what will happen with the Decameron Tarot.

My cards for today:

Inner Focus: 1/Ace of Wands.  The image on the card shows a naked woman with beautiful curves and red hair embracing the symbol of the suit of Wands: a tree trunk with rough bark that on this card is growing from thick green grass.  There are branches near the bottom that have leaves growing from them, but about halfway up the trunk the bark has been removed and the wood is carved into an erect circumcised penis.  The woman's arms are around the penis and she is resting her cheek against the head, with her eyes closed and a gentle smile on her face.  Her right leg is wrapped around the base of the penis and her left foot rests on one of the branches growing from the bottom of the tree trunk.  According to the LWB, this card offers the possibility of the beginning of a loving relationship, and it reminds us that sex is a part of nature, and comes from within the cycles and workings of nature.

Outer Focus: 6 of Wands. The image on this card shows several structures with thatched roofs, one of which appears to be a church, located on a hill covered with green growth; a tree to the left of the image is heavy with fruit.  A figure walks up the hill toward the structures, with his or her back to the viewer.  The meaning offered for this card is married life, privacy, and everyday love.

Here we have two types of love and pleasure: love that is instinctive and without judgement or shame, and love that is in accordance with religious, cultural and traditional rules and expectations.  Both of these are valid, generally speaking and as specifically applied to me.  

Pleasure, including sexual pleasure, is a part of being human.  Our senses can delight us and sate us, and they can torture us with pain and discomfort.  The 1/Ace of Wands reminds me that the perceptions of all of those sensations are a part of life and living. Sex occurs throughout the living beings of nature; it is how life is created and maintained.  Humans are lucky enough to be able to experience physical and emotional pleasure through sex as well as procreation. To me, nature is the robe that Deity wears so we can perceive Her/Him/It/Them.  That in itself tells me that all types of pleasure, including sexual pleasure, are sacred as long as those pleasures are indulged with and through consenting adults.  

However, we live in a world where Harming None is important, too.  We can't always openly indulge in our own pleasures if we harm others, although again what happens between consenting adults in the privacy of their home is their business.  Indeed, privacy is one of the keywords presented for the 6 of Wands, my Outer Focus card.  Choosing a mate, standing before the community and proclaiming the connection between mates (whoever and how many of them there are, and whatever the mutually agreed-upon terms are) protects the mates themselves and creates a community that supports the family being created.  Of course, it is assumed that the family will continue to conduct themselves in accordance with the religious, cultural and traditional rules and expectations that are condoning and protecting the union, at least in public.

I love that I am beginning with these two cards.  We can be who we want to be in private, and still present a public persona that does not harm others, and that supports the community of which we are a part.