The NØMAD Tarot
A new year is approaching and a new you is waiting to be born!
Winter solstice marks this transition. The trials and tribulations we have experienced, both the happy and the foul, are coming to a close. From death comes rebirth, and it is up to us to decide how 2017 will unfold.
I don’t know about you, but I enjoy reading my own Tarot whenever a new stage of my life is about to occur. We have several Tarot decks at Altar for you to explore, I personally enjoy the NØMAD Tarot Deck.
Packed for you in a hand-silkscreened muslin bag, the deck is decorated with beautiful dark images drawn from traditions of Alchemy, Herbal Medicine, Norse Runes, and Animal Totem Symbolism. And if you’re like me-- someone who is relatively new to Tarot readings--this deck is graciously set with “The NØMAD Guide to the Tarot,” an accompanying pocket reference guide to assist your personal reading.
So let’s see this baby in action. Because I am so very gracious and devoted to this product, I have decided to show you my own personal reading for what may come in 2017.
The question I asked while shuffling this deck was, “Overall in both career and romantic relationship goals, how can I make my 2017 the best year it can be?” Due to this broad question, I have chosen to use the very popular Celtic Cross Spread, as it displays feminine energy in its circular layout on the left, and masculine energy with its rightmost staff representation. This is an excellent spread to use when predicting your overall stance in life.
Wow! What an interesting display! As the four elements of air, earth, fire and water are present, so are the Major Arcana: The Empress, The World and Death. After gandering at this layout for a good while, I have come to a very sensical conclusion to my question.
The Irish circular cross section of this spread portrays a present challenge of mental and emotional confinement, blinding our current travels towards liberation. The Reversed Nine of Air speaks that we turn our pain and distress on ourselves, feeling such anguish as deserved, or even justified. Ultimately, such negative thoughts lead to self-doubt.
Next, the Reversed Nine of Earth card confirms that such self-issues originate from an internal empty space of indecisive goal setting. “If you don’t know what you want, you certainly won’t know the steps on how to get there.” With such a truthful realization, our recent past reminds us that we were once wild and distracted, losing work ethic. As I recently graduated college I was ecstatic that I achieved freedom from a Catholic school setting. You can imagine the actions I decided to take due to such bewilderment and joyous exclamation, breaking free of chains that once tied me down. The celebratory partying felt like a circular infinite journey of rash, impulsive decisions. This reminder really does apply to my life, among anyone else that has had such a common experience. As a result, the time has come to bounce back with intellectual discussion and responsible judgement. Bringing this feminine circle fully closed, the Death card comforts our thoughts, teaching us that from new life, changes take place. “You need to look to the beautiful mushrooms growing from rot, to know that all life is a cycle of reinvention.”
The latter part of this spread includes the complimentary masculine staff, receiving guidance about yourself and others, the life lessons and future direction. The Reversed Queen of Fire represents self, while the Reversed Child of Water symbolizes our environment and others. These two cards definitely relate to my past relationship, where I experienced heavy feelings of jealousy and bitterness, and externally, I acted on biased illusions, regrettable commitments. To seal this staff, The World card and Child of Fire card, sensibly complete my question. I hope and fear for the World. I aspire and worry about unifying my inner sense of being. To feel like a complete person in 2017, I must remember, with the Child of fire, comes “the innocent joy with which we start a new project or greet a new phase of life,” key to self-satisfaction. Our own happiness is our own responsibility.
As you can see, this deck does a great job in supplying its recipient with the information it needs; the reminders we must all take in, the self-affirming readings that commonly relate.
Personally, I think a lot of what ‘magic’ is, is ritualistic intention. If you intend for the good, if you intend for something to happen, if it sticks in the back of your mind throughout the days and nights, what you truly want and need to be happy, you will achieve. So do yourself a favor, and buy yourself the NØMAD Tarot Deck this Winter Solstice.
P.S. Yes, this reading may seem a bit dark and sad, so if anyone of you beautiful beings wish to send me some love, I’ll always be taking flowers at the Altar shop <3.