Love that strength card... Any more pics???

Plenty. Apparently, there's this stuff, Leno-something-or-other - or so I hear. Absent. And try pairing. I don't like it when it comes around as an intro. I much prefer it in the future and outcome.

When I read for a tarot site professionally, the owners of the site insisted we give each card a positive twist, and that was the only thing that I found difficult about the job. Life is full of unpleasant experiences, big or small, there are disruptions, shadows that we carry from our past, and the results of mistakes that we make. That's just life, there is no smooth path for anyone, and we shouldn't expect it. One thing I love about the tarot (as opposed to some oracle decks that are only, only positive) is its honesty. It reflects happy times, balanced situations and great opportunities, but also times of tension and misery, lack of balance and botched opportunities. And that's how it should be. Otherwise, what use would a deck without the Hanged Man, the Seven of Swords, or the Three of Swords be? Of course, each of these "negative-at-first-sight" has a potentially positive twist. It can serve as a speed bump, preventing us from crashing into more difficult situations. It can turn into a wake-up call. It can reveal unpleasant truths that we don't want to acknowledge. It can tell us clearly: move on, this ship has sailed. But the "positive" cards have the same potential. There is a warning hidden even in the most idyllic and harmonious card. In the RWS, a subtle hint can be the line that indicates a set painting for a theatrical stage. Oh, just look at the beautiful Ten of Cups! Everything is hunky-dory, isn't it? But maybe this is just a painted set, an illusion, a fata morgana? Maybe it's a performance for our family, our neighbours and ourselves? There is no card without hidden depth. We don't even have to use reversals to find it. Decks like the Tarot of Oppositions spell it out for us and helps us find the hidden potential of each card, but we can do the same with any tarot deck, just digging a little deeper. If a seemingly positive card makes us feel uncomfortable, that's a place where we should dig. I have never really connected to the idea of white light in visualisations, as a spiritual cleansing experience. When I think of light healing or cleansing me, it's rainbow coloured or flecked with shadows, like on a sunny day with clouds, or the purple light of Yesod, or the light of the Moon... all kinds of light. That's probably a bit weird of me... Anyway, I don't want purely uplifting messages from my tarot deck, I want the truth. I want it from my husband, my children, my friends, and I want it from the tarot as well. And that's what I can give others. Tactfully, yes, non-confrontational, yes. But no sugarcoating. Where is the learning experience, the challenge, the opportunity for growth?