But that isn't all the Hanged Man is good at. I struggled with this card for a long time, hitting a mental wall whenever he would come up, it got incredibly frustrating incredibly quickly. This is a great card for those whose minds are slightly left of center. Those that find themselves outside the neurotypical spheres that much of society inhabits. The Hanged Man is not looking at the same map you are in the exact same way you are. Instead, this upside down figure sees multiple strings he could pull, roads he could wander down. 

For many, when this card appears they shrink away from the pain that this card communicates. Traditionally, this card is an indicator of heartbreak, loss, suffering, and emotional trauma.

For many people, whether you are part of one generation or another, the tarot is a solace. It acts as a guide, a thing that allows us to center ourselves, and provide us with doorways through which we can help ourselves to become unstuck. In modern times, eyes are riveted to the news as black and brown bodies continue to pile up while racism, bigotry, and ignorance hold the reins in more than one country. 

As I first laid the cards out, I was immediately taken in by the richness of each image, and found that I could read intuitively with it quite well, as well as with the book meanings, because all the requisite symbolism was present.  The kit comes with a full color book though the meanings are somewhat cut and dry. I would have loved to see something done with the book to help bolster this otherworldly, utterly magical deck. 

Sometimes the dust can settle and our nerves just aren't up to the task. We are still in fight or flight mode, ready to spring into action one way or the other at a moment's notice. What happens when waiting for that shoe to drop becomes ingrained in who we are? 

A person stands on a cliff overlooking the sea. What do they see coming over the horizon but a ship, their ship. Their ticket out into the world and the edges of their current knowledge. This has been all they know and now the time is here to take the next steps. 

This kindly figure lounges in an outdoor scene, sometimes depicted with swollen belly, and we feel her power over the natural world. She is the Empress. 

We all want something. That's human nature. It's also human nature to back away when we start getting what we want. This spring—as some pagans celebrate Ostara and may others, pagan and not alike—celebrate the arrival of the season, commit to staring down the fear and rising with renewed focus and dedication to the life you want to lead rather than the what if that has been holding you in stasis all winter long. 

Since when is getting everything you want something hard to decipher? I mean, if you work hard and invest enough then surely everything will go your way and come up roses. Right? Well...

Humanity is obsessed with death. From the business of dying to horror movies to what comes next, contemporary society is saturated in death. Yet, as we are obsessed with it, we are terrified of it. Even today we discuss in quiet rooms behind closed doors, often fighting an almost instinctual panic when the subject is broached. Of course, there are many other traditions, cultures, countries in this world that do not share such a troubled relationship with death or their dead, but I am not the most up to date on those things so I will let you seek out that information for yourself, it's truly fascinating so I hope that you do. 

There are times when we can't help but cry over the spilled milk. When that happens we can so thrown by small bumps in the road that we lose sight of our goals. When this happens it is best to take stock as quickly as one can before the feelings of the moment overwhelm everything and we can't get out of our emotional wallow fast enough. 

A man appears at the edge of his kingdom, globe firmly clasped in hand. Standing between two tall wands, he must choose the kingdom or the world. He cannot have both his comfort zone and the larger things that he desires so the question is, what does he do? 

I brought with me the Wild Unknown Tarot and as we went over the cards, sorting them out, I noticed the Emperor and the Empress. In the cards they are depicted as trees with a moon featured in each. 

Balance is something we all strive for but how to go about getting it? Some people try each day to balance work and pleasure, so that they get equal amounts—only to find that that balance becomes harder to maintain every day.

The After Tarot is a unique spin on the snapshot images of tarot cards and what takes place immediately following the moment previously captured. This deck aims to shed further insight onto a set of cards that have been capturing hearts and minds of all ages since their inception in 1912. 

There is nothing worse than feeling at utter loss and not see the light at the end of the tunnel. The 9 of Swords is a card that represents all the fears, doubts, and insecurities we have about ourselves, the world around us, and well, everything.

A figure stands on an unsteady surface, balancing precariously. In their hands they hold two swords in the shape of an 'X' across their chest. In some card decks they have their eyes closed, in others they are blindfolded. This is the Two of Swords. 

The Lovers is a card that can cause many querents to rejoice. This card certainly means love is in the air for them. But it can also mean a lot of work is on the horizon. Think about it, a lot of long, committed relationships take time to grow. They take effort to maintain and we as a society are fascinated by those who manage to stay together for decades on end; often asking them: "How did you do it?"

The Tower is often heralded as a card that signifies downfall, either of our ideas or practices, all the way up to things on a macro scale. Of course, this is often accomplished via disaster, chaos, and disruption. But does that have to be all?

First, and foremost, the cards exist on a plane of consciousness like our own. Not only do the cards reflect-at any given moment-the thoughts and attitudes of the person interpreting them, but they also change as both points of view and situations shift. For example, you may do a reading on a job prospect one day and divine that this job is totally yours. Imagine your dismay if you receive a phone call later say that they filled the position. Bummer, for sure. Grabbing the cards again you ask what happened, and the cards tell you that they hired someone from within the company. This could have been a last minute applicant or their goal all along-either way you're looking at a situation that can and did change.