Winter Solstice 2018

A wonderful Winter Solstice to you all!

Morion Quartz, Fossilized Sand Dollar, Orange Calcite, Sunstone, Golden Calcite, Pyrite, Citrine, Carnelian

Earth Magic Oracle Cards by Steven Farmer (c) 2010 Hay House


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2018 Unravel Your Year and Find Your Word is HERE!

It's not about hitting goals, it's about moving in the directions of your intentions. ~Susannah Conway

Since December 1st I've been eagerly opening my email daily, hoping that the 2018 Unravel Your Year workbook and 2018 Find Your Word course/workbook would be there. Today it FINALLY came! I know, quite impatient of me, considering it's only December 7th. 😊

There's a wide variety of "plan your year" goal and intention setting workbooks, courses, and resources out there. These two have become my favorites. I used them last year and they were SO incredibly helpful.

It can be hard to find intention/goal setting resources that are actually helpful when one deals with chronic illness. Our lives, shaped by limitations, are so different from that of healthy people. While not perfect, these are the ones that I've found that best work for me. I'm SO excited to be using them again for 2018! Best of all, they're FREE! Though I would be willing to pay a reasonable fee for them, I like them THAT much.

2018 Unravel Your Year Workbook by Susannah Conway

Find Your Word for 2018 Course and Workbook by Susannah Conway

Do you use any yearly goal/intention setting workbooks, courses, resources? If so, please feel free to share in the comments.


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#TarotObsessed, The Tarot Version of #OracleObsessed

Back in July I saw an excellent YouTube video on Oracle Decks by Imogen Walters with the hashtag #OracleObsessed. You can view the Original Video Here. I'm not on YouTube, so I did a blog response instead. You can see my #OracleObsessed blog post HERE. Since I'm also really into Tarot, I decided to do a Tarot version of answering the questions as well. So here are my answers to #TarotObsessed. 

1. What was your very first Tarot deck?
     My first Tarot deck was the little novelty deck you found in the checkout line at Barnes and Noble or Borders Books. It's called Tarot Nova. I felt so daring and even a little scared to purchase it. I had relatively recently left Christianity, where Tarot cards are taboo, evil, of the Devil, etc. My heart was pounding as I included it in my purchase and paid for it. So funny to think of now... 
       The first deck I got to actually learn Tarot with was Ciro Marchetti's Gilded Tarot in the Easy Tarot Kit.

2. What is your current favorite deck?
      I can't pick just one. Currently, it's a tie between the Ceccoli Tarot, the Happy Tarot, and the Joie de Vivre Tarot.

3. What's your most used deck?
       Probably the Joie de Vivre Tarot. Though at the moment, possibly the Ceccoli Tarot.

4. What's your least used deck?
       I have to admit I have a few (well, more than a few...) decks that I just don't use very often. That's something I should remedy. Maybe I'll take this question as a kick in the butt suggestion to use them more often. The least used one is probably the Thoth Tarot (literally never been used), but there are a few others used just as infrequently, much to my chagrin... Fantastical Creatures Tarot, Zerner-Farber Tarot, Whimsical Tarot, Fairy Tale Tarot, Animals Divine Tarot...

5. How did you learn to read Tarot cards?
      I started off by reading books. I'm a HUGE bibliophile and learn best by reading. So I started with Mary K. Greer's Tarot For Yourself and her book 21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card. At the time, the deck I was trying to learn on wasn't working for me, at all. Things weren't sticking and I wasn't understanding. I got so frustrated that I set Tarot aside for a while. I still had the desire to learn Tarot. I found a deck that ultimately worked incredibly well for me, the Sun and Moon Tarot. Meanings just started popping into my head when I looked at the cards. I finally understood what others meant when they talked about intuitively reading the cards. So I went back to the books and my learning progressed rapidly. I read more books and lots online. Then I took a class at a metaphysical shop, which gave me even more information and I connected with others interested in the cards too. My learning has never stopped. I continue to read books, websites, blogs, participate in Facebook groups, and more.

6. What do you use Tarot cards for?
       I use Tarot cards for all sorts of things, lots of different types of questions. The thing I use them for the most is for helping me cope with chronic illness. It's difficult, living with chronic illness. Sometimes I need to hear a supporting and encouraging message. I like to combine them with Oracle cards. I spend a lot of time at home and don't often have a specific question I want or need answered. An Oracle card gives me a topic or message and Tarot cards give me more info on that message. I also enjoy giving professional Tarot readings to help others.

7. How do you read the cards? Guidebook, intuitively, a bit of both?
      When I read for others, I read intuitively. When I read for myself, it's a combination of intuitively and the guidebook. When I'm working with a new deck I lean a bit more heavily towards the guidebook. I really like to learn about the cards through the author's perspective.  

8. Do you use spreads?
      Generally, no. I usually draw 3 or 5 cards to answer a question. If I do use a spread, it's usually a small one, typically a 3 card spread. I had difficulties using spreads with Tarot for a long time. Then I found a suggestion by Barbara Moore to try using 2 or 3 cards per spread position, instead of just one card per spread position. That actually helped me a LOT. This meshed well with my experiences working with card pairs and triplets, which I explored after learning about the technique being used for Lenormand card readings. So if I use a spread I use 3 cards per spread position.

9. Do you mix Tarot cards with other divination systems (Oracle, Lenormand, Runes, etc)?
       YES!!! I LOVE combining Tarot cards with Oracle cards and Runes. One of my favorite methods is to pull an Oracle card for a topic/message. Then, I pull 3 Tarot cards asking what else I need to know about that topic/message. Last, I draw a Rune asking for anything else I need to know. It's a favorite combination method that I came up with. I combine them in other ways too. I just LOVE combining them. I also combine Tarot and Oracles together in more freeform ways as well.

10. In your opinion, what makes a great deck?
        The artwork. If I can't connect with the artwork then the deck is a no-go for me.   Different things appeal to different people or even appeal to the same person at different times. Fully illustrated Minor Arcana, not just pip cards. Good cardstock is a must too. No keywords on the cards. I HATE keywords on Tarot cards. They really distract me, sometimes making it impossible for me to read with the deck. 

11. What do you feel are the differences between Tarot and Oracle cards?
          Tarot has set systems and Oracle cards do not. Within the few Tarot systems (Rider-Waite-Smith, Thoth, Marseille, etc) the decks within each system will have a similar structure. So, for the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot decks, they're generally going to have 22 Major Arcana, 40 Number cards of Ace-10 each of some version of Swords, Wands, Cups, and Coins, and 16 Court Cards, some version of Page, Knight, Queen, King for each suit. Working within a system, there's transferable knowledge between decks even though the theme of the decks may vary.
          Oracle decks don't follow any set system. Each deck is a system into itself. Decks can have any number of cards, have any theme, have any meanings or messages within them that the deck creator chooses. There doesn't tend to be specific transferable knowledge between different Oracle decks.

12. Do you have any super unusual/unique Decks?
        The Justice League Tarot is pretty unique, having all the cards based on Justice League characters. 
         Emily Carding's Transparent Tarot is VERY unique. It's literally transparent and made from plastic. It comes with a white reading cloth. You can layer the cards on top of each other to create a unique image. 3-5 cards layered together is about the maximum that will work. She also has a Transparent Oracle as well. 

13. What's your current deck crush?
       The Mesquite Tarot, Monstarot, and the Aquarian Tarot. If also LOVE to find a decently priced copy if the Margarete Peterson Tarot  

14. If you could only use one deck from now on, what would it be?
       I don't think I could ever stick with only one deck. But if I HAD to choose, probably the Joie de Vivre Tarot.  

Well, these are my answers to the #TarotObsessed hashtag. Do you work with Tarot decks? What is your favorite Tarot deck? Feel free to reply in the comments.

Head on over to Twitter and join the conversation with #TarotObsessed!!



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Using "Dark" Decks and Cards

Recently, a person in a Tarot Facebook group asked about "dark" decks and cards. They were lately feeling attracted to some decks that could be considered "darker." They brought up concerns about attracting dark or negative energies and entities when working with "darker" decks.

For me, reading cards has nothing to do with entities or dark energies. The way I look at reading the cards, they are helping me connect my subconscious with my conscious, dipping beneath the surface, as it were. So when I read cards I'm not contacting or connecting with any type of dark energies or dark entities. I'm connecting with me, my subconscious, my intuition. The cards are a bridge to help me understand what I need to know.

So it's my opinion, based on my personal perspective, that if you're looking at some "darker" decks, then maybe there's a message those decks can help you connect with easier than other decks. It has nothing to do with dark or negative energies or entities.

For me, different decks get the message we need to hear across in different ways, like a different tone or bedside manner. Sometimes we need to hear a message bluntly, no nonsense, no bullsh*t. Sometimes, we might be in a place where we need the message, but said in a gentler way, a more comforting and supportive way. You'll still get the message you need. The different decks are about the tone and bedside manner of how the message comes across.

And I've done some practice readings using multiple decks for the same spread. Not to try to get a different answer or an answer I want to hear, but to compare what the different decks are saying, how they each answer the same questions. It's awesome how so often, the same or similar message is given by multiple decks or tools for the same question or spread. :-) Just said in a slightly different way or perspective.

I'd also like to address the false equivalency between "dark" and "negative." Far too often, these two things are seen as equivalent. What's dark is negative and what's negative is dark. I don't agree with this. For me, "negative" implies bad or harmful, maybe even evil. "Dark" is dark, in shadow. It's deep, deeper, something that hasn't been brought into the light (awareness or conscious thought) recently. It's what's tucked away, hidden, buried, consciously or unconsciously. You may not want it to be brought into the light/up to the surface (awareness), but maybe it needs to be. That's not negative or bad or evil. For me, "dark" does NOT equal "negative."

Can the cards be used in negative or harmful ways? Absolutely. Any tool can be misused and abused. But that doesn't make them inherently negative, bad, evil, harmful, etc. It's all in how we use the tool, for what purposes, and our intentions. So if your intentions are to use the cards to help, yourself and/or others, don't be afraid to work with a "darker" deck. It may be just what you need at that time.

I'd like to add a final caution... There's a lot out there, especially recently, about doing things like Shadow work and that type of thing. Sometimes, things are in the dark for a very valid reason. Bringing things out of the dark and doing Shadow work is not without some risks. Please educate yourself before pursuing this work, especially for others. Please don't hesitate to work with an appropriate mental health professional if things come up that are especially troubling or difficult for you to deal with. Cards can be used in conjunction with conventional professional mental health care. It's not an either/or situation. Seek professional care and assistance if you need it.


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In the Wake of Charlottesville

I'm sorry this response is a bit late. I had a horrendous migraine for 2 days that made typing and posting incredibly difficult.

I watched what happened in Charlottesville. I waited and listened for Trump's response. It was NOT ACCEPTABLE. It was NOT ok. There are no "two sides" when it comes to Nazis, white supremacists, fascists, and hatred. There is a right side-the side of opposing intolerance and of supporting human rights and a wrong side-the side of hatred and bigotry, period. Trump has shown himself to be on the wrong side. He has said too little, too late, and said the wrong things. Our President has equivocated between Nazis/white supremacists and those who oppose them. There is no forgiving that.

We are SUPPOSED to vehemently oppose Nazis and hatred!! The statues they're protesting the removal of SHOULD be removed. It's not about rewriting history. It's about NOT honoring what doesn't deserve to be honored. "We should always remember the past, but we do not necessarily need to revere it."

A woman died opposing Nazis on US soil. Let that sink in a bit... People in this country have relatives who fought (and died) against the Nazis in World War II. People who fled from or escaped the Nazis live in this country. I can't even imagine what they are thinking right now...

I have friends who are afraid. I am afraid. But we must stand strong and constant in our opposition to hatred and intolerance. We must try to be as peaceful as possible, while recognizing that sometimes force is justified and necessary. We cannot go backwards. We cannot allow history to repeat itself. We cannot tolerate intolerance or hatred.

These are trying and unsettled times. Please take care of yourself and those you care about. There's nothing wrong with stepping back and unplugging for a bit. Do what you can, where you can, when you can.

6 Ways Spirituality Can Reinforce Oppression and Racism
  I've seen these happen. I really appreciate the suggestions for how to change.

I Need to Talk to Spiritual White Women About White Supremacy
  As a spiritual white woman, I appreciate this article. I'm looking forward to reading Part 2.

Blog Response to Imogen Walters' #OracleObsessed

I just saw an excellent YouTube video on Oracle Decks by Imogen Walters with the hashtag #OracleObsessed. You can view the Original Video Here. I'm not on YouTube, but I thought I'd do a blog response instead. The questions are great and I'm excited to answer them.

1. What was your very first Oracle deck?
      My very first Oracle deck was the Nature Speak Oracle by Ted Andrews. I was new to the whole "cards" thing and starting to explore Paganism. These nature based cards seemed to fit my interests at the time.

2. What is your current favorite deck?
       Tough call! I have 3 or 4 favorite decks currently... I don't know that I could pick just one. If I HAD to choose I'd say the Sacred Creators Oracle by Chris-Anne and the Wisdom of the Oracle by Colette Baron-Reid. Nope, couldn't pick just one.

3. What's your most used deck?
       Probably Witchlings by Paulina Cassidy. It's upbeat and cute but gives in touch messages.

4. What's your least used deck?
       I have to admit I have a few decks that I just don't use very often. That's something I should remedy. Maybe I'll take this question as a kick in the butt suggestion to use them more often. The least used one is probably Oracle of the Dragonfae, but there are a few others used just as infrequently, much to my chagrin...

5. How did you learn to read Oracle cards?
      I "learned" while I was studying Tarot. I started with Tarot first and branched into Oracle cards. I can't say I ever specifically learned to read Oracle cards. I bought a few decks, read their accompanying books, tried some Tarot techniques with them, loved the idea of Lenormand card pairings for working with Oracle Cards, and just basically played and continue to play around with them. So I guess it's mostly experimenting as I go. I also do a lot of Oracle readings for myself, so that's decent practice, I guess.

6. What do you use Oracle cards for?
       I use Oracle cards for all sorts of things, lots of different types of questions. The thing I use them for the most is for helping me cope with chronic illness. It's difficult, living with chronic illness. Sometimes I need to hear a supporting and encouraging message. I feel Oracle cards tend to do that a bit better than Tarot does. 

7. How do you read the cards? Guidebook, intuitively, a bit of both?
        For Oracle cards, I love my guidebooks. I almost always read the guidebook entry when working with Oracle cards. Sometimes I get intuitive hits from the cards themselves. Sometimes the card itself is self-explanatory, but I get intuitive hits when reading the guidebook. The message I'm supposed to get will often "pop" when I read the guidebook.

8. Do you use spreads?
      Yes and no. I've never been big on spreads, for Tarot or Oracles, but they're starting to grow on me. I'm starting to use spreads more often lately.

9. Do you mix Oracle cards with other divination systems (Tarot, Lenormand, Runes, etc)?
       YES!!! I LOVE combining Oracle cards with Tarot and Runes. One of my favorite methods is to pull an Oracle card for a topic/message. Then, I pull 3 Tarot cards asking what else I need to know about that topic/message. Last, I draw a Rune asking for anything else I need to know. It's a favorite combination method that I came up with. I combine them in other ways too. I just LOVE combining them.

10. In your opinion, what makes a great deck?
         A well thought out and detailed guidebook. For me, I love a good guidebook to go with the deck. Because of all the varying themes and messages an Oracle card deck can have, I really prefer having a good guidebook for the deck. Artwork and cardstock are important too, but artwork and theme are so subjective. Different things appeal to different people or even appeal to the same person at different times. Good cardstock is a must too. 

11. What do you feel are the differences between Tarot and Oracle cards?
          Tarot has set systems and Oracle cards do not. Within the few Tarot systems (Rider-Waite-Smith, Thoth, Marseille, etc) the decks within each system will have a similar structure. So, for the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot decks, they're generally going to have 22 Major Arcana, 40 Number cards of Ace-10 each of some version of Swords, Wands, Cups, and Coins, and 16 Court Cards, some version of Page, Knight, Queen, King for each suit. Working within a system, there's transferable knowledge between decks even though the theme of the decks may vary.
          Oracle decks don't follow any set system. Each deck is a system into itself. Decks can have any number of cards, have any theme, have any meanings or messages within them that the deck creator chooses. There doesn't tend to be specific transferable knowledge between different Oracle decks.

12. Do you have any super unusual/unique Decks?
          I have three Oracle decks I'd consider unusual or unique. The first is Pathfinders, The Animal Totem Deck. It's an animal based deck with 83 cards, each illustrated by a different artist. It was independently published, a limited edition of 1000 decks worldwide and may be hard to find now. I believe it is out of print.
           The second Oracle deck I have that is consider unique is the Tea Leaf Fortune Cards (Amazon). This deck is based on reading tea leaves. The cards are round, like a teacup would be. There's 200 cards, which include 182 symbol cards, 12 month cards, and 6 astral house cards, along with an accompanying book to help you interpret the cards. Because the cards are round and somewhat small, they can be difficult to shuffle. I tend to just swirl them around, though a mesh bag is included for that purpose.
           The third is the Rebel Deck Tarot Cards. Not actually a Tarot deck, it's a funny and irreverent Oracle deck that gives short, to the point messages including foul language. Not for the sensitive soul, Rebel Deck is great for when you need that no-nonsense, smack in the head message.

13. What's your current deck crush?
          Affirmators! Affirmation cards to help you help yourself-without the self-helpy-ness, Affirmators! Love and Relationships, and Wisdom of the Oracle by Colette Baron-Reid.

14. If you could only use one deck from now on, what would it be?
         That's a tough one... I have a bunch of favorites. If I could only pick one, I'd have to say the Sacred Creators Oracle. The more I work with it, the more I'm loving it. 

Well, these are my answers to the #OracleObsessed hashtag. Do you work with Oracle decks? What is your favorite Oracle deck? Feel free to reply in the comments.

Head on over to Twitter and join the conversation with #OracleObsessed!!



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New Crystal Collection Additions~Ametrine and Diamantina Lemurian Quartz Wands

*New Crystal Collection Additions~Ametrine and Diamantina Lemurian Quartz*

A beautiful new Ametrine generator piece.

New Ametrine June 2017 

I also purchased two stunning Diamantina Lemurian Quartz Wands, picked out for me by my friend Shaman. The slightly smaller, rougher one is double terminated. I was thrilled to realize it also has Rutile and Black Tourmaline strands within it as well. They are so small and fine that they can only be seen in excellent lighting and at certain angles. Shaman hadn't seen them when he chose these pieces for me.

New Diamantina Lemurian Quartz Wands

These beautiful pieces were chosen for me by my friend Shaman. He always makes the best and most appropriate choices for me when asked to help choose pieces that are local to him and long distance from me.

These pieces came from a mine in Brazil. We're lucky that a metaphysical shop I used to go to regularly for classes gets a visit from a family member of the mine owners once or twice a year. We get incredible selections at wholesale prices. Since moving, I'm not local to the shop anymore, so my friend Shaman goes and takes pictures and helps me choose pieces.

To see more pictures of these incredible pieces, head on over to my Instagram!

@RenaraTarot on Instagram


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Summer Solstice 2017

Summer Solstice Crystal Grid with Orange Calcite, Citrine, Pyrite, and Sunstone

Today is the Summer Solstice, the longest day and shortest night of the year. Themes for the Summer Solstice include growth, abundance, culmination, and fruition.

I stepped outside to let my dogs potty in the backyard. I consciously stepped out of the shade and into the sunlight. I noticed how bright the sun is today. I was blessed to see two ladybugs as I looked down at the ground. That will be the extent of my ritual observance today.

I deal with chronic illness and am still dealing with recovering from the after effects and symptom flares of an outing I did on Sunday. So no big rituals for me today. I'll be lucky if I finish the Tarot/Oracle reading I'd like to do for the Solstice. I did get some pics done of a Summer Solstice Crystal Grid I wanted to share here and on Instagram. So I did accomplish one of the two things I was wanting to do for the Solstice today. And now I've written this blog post. I'm feeling quite productive. 😊

Someone shared this article in a Facebook group I'm in. When I read it I thought it was so fitting for me today.

It's Absolutely Ok To Have No Plans For The Solstice 

A second Summer Solstice Crystal Grid. I couldn't decide which I liked better, so I'm sharing them both. This Crystal Grid has Orange Calcite, Citrine, Pyrite, Green Aventurine, and Sunstone.

**How are you celebrating (or not) this year's Summer Solstice? Feel free to reply in the comments.

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Earth Magic Oracle by Steven Farmer (c) 2010 Hay House

New Fluorite June 2017

New Addition~Fluorite!! One of my favorite types of crystals and stones.

I've been waiting for for a nice, sunny day to get decent pics to show you all this new piece of Fluorite I got recently. It's absolutely GORGEOUS! I saw it in a shop and knew I just had to have it. It called to me... I needed the right light to be able to show you the stunning mix of purples, blues, and greens in this piece. I just LOVE this piece.

**Have you gotten any new crystals or stones recently? What kind? Feel free to reply in the comments.

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My Favorite Crystals Books List

Here's a list of my favorite books on Crystals and Stones.

My Top Two Favorite Crystals Books

•  My new favorite book is Crystals for Energy Healing by Ashley Leavy.
     This is an excellent book for getting started with working with crystals and stones. The book is divided into 3 sections: Crystal Basics, Crystal Healing, and Crystal Sourcebook (crystals for emotional healing, for spiritual healing and guidance, and for shielding and protection).
     There is an editing error on page 83, the Blue Lace Agate entry. The information given under the Attributes and Powers is actually for Aquamarine, which is named in the paragraph several times. Below is the actual entry for Blue Lace Agate, from the author.

"Attributes and Powers: Blue Lace Agate is a stone of forgiveness, helping you accept what has happened and release it. It encourages you to heal your emotions and find balance. Blue Lace Agate allows you to feel empathy and compassion for the person requiring your forgiveness and ensures that any energetic attachments are healed. It is a stone of positive communication, promoting assertiveness and personal power."

•  My second favorite book for working with crystals and stones is The Essential Guide to Crystals, Minerals, and Stones by Margaret Ann Lembo. 
      She gives an introduction to choosing and working with the stones, followed by the entries for individual stones arranged in alphabetical order. The pages are glossy and the pictures of the stones are gorgeous.
     Each stone's entry has a few keywords, some correspondences for each stone (colors, chakras, planets, numbers, elements, mohs scale, astrological sign), and then gives an affirmation, spiritual uses, mental uses, emotional uses, physical uses, divine guidance, and a basic geological description of the stone.

•  I'd also like to mention The Book of Crystal Spells and The Second Book of Crystal Spells by Ember Grant. These two books are about the metaphysical properties of crystals, stones, and minerals for spellwork, ritual, and magick, as opposed to crystal healing. While similar and even somewhat overlapping, there are differences between crystal healing and crystal magick.

      In The Book of Crystal Spells, the chapters are organized by style, including cleansing/charging/dedicating stones, jewelry/talismans/amulets, home and garden, glass and sand, elixers, rituals/meditations/affirmations, and grids.
      In The Second Book of Crystal Spells, the chapters are organized by style (grids and Tarot) as well as by type of stone (quartz points, chalcedony, special rock and mineral formations, quartz crystal points, even salt). There are also chapters for Sabbats/Esbats and stones for enhancing intuition. This book has a bit more of a Wiccan/Witchcraft practitioner focus.
      Both books have an appendix with entries and lists of metaphysical correspondences and associations.

•  I also love my good old stand-bys, The Crystal Bible Volumes 1, 2, and 3 by Judy Hall. 
      These books are well known to be must-haves if you are at all interested in working with crystals and stones. Volume 1 has many of the most commonly found crystals and stones. I consider it an absolute must-have. Volumes 2 and 3 contain additional stones, as new crystals and stones are being found all the time. There is NO duplication of entries between the different volumes. They each contain different stones. Be sure to start with volume 1.
      The books are arranged in alphabetical order by the name of the stone. So you need to know the name of the stone you're looking for to find the correct entry. Each entry lists attributes of each stone and psychological, mental, and emotional attributes and uses, and a section on physical healing uses as well as recommendations for positioning.

•  The Encyclopedia of Crystals by Judy Hall is another great reference to keep on hand. This book is organized by crystal color, which is enormously helpful if you're not sure of the name of the crystal or stone you have. The revised and expanded edition was released in 2013. The entries are quite similar to The Crystal Bible entries. I personally feel that the pictures in this book are a bit nicer and clearer than in the Crystal Bible volumes.

• The Crystal Healer by Philip Permutt is another book arranged by crystal color. The pictures are wonderful and each stone's entry gives information for physical and emotional/spiritual uses. There are fairly extensive listings of remedies for physical ailments and emotional ailments. I personally don't resonate with many of the remedies recommendations in this book, but that's just me. I mostly use this book for helping me to identify crystals and stones.

**What's your favorite crystals/stones book? Feel free to reply in the comments.

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New Crystals and Stones April 2017

New Crystals and Stones

Whenever hubby travels he often looks for local rock shops where he goes. He travels to New Orleans pretty regularly and has a couple shops he checks out for me each time he goes. He brought back some real beauties this time, some from my list and some he picked himself.

*Red Calcite
*Orange Calcite
*Green Calcite
*Blue Calcite
*White Calcite
*Septarian
*Diopside
*Scolecite
*Rose Quartz
*Kambamba Jasper
*Shungite
*Fire Agate


**What are your most recent Crystal additions? Feel free to reply in the comments.


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Crystals and Stones to Get Started With

Crystals and Stones to Get Started With 

There's so many crystals and stones out there. It's easy to get overwhelmed by all the pretty sparklies. Which ones do you choose to get started? Here's a list of crystals and stones to get started with. These are generally easy to find and should be fairly affordable, usually not more than a few dollars per stone. You can choose tumbled or rough, it doesn't matter which. Size also doesn't matter. Bigger isn't necessarily better in this case. Any size will do. You don't have to get them all at once. This list just represents a fairly well rounded selection of crystals and stones that represent all the major colors of the rainbow as well as many of the most commonly recommended and used crystals and stones.

• Garnet
• Carnelian
• Citrine
• Green Aventurine
• Fluorite
• Moss Agate (optional, but a nice green stone)
• Tree Agate (also optional, another nice choice for a green stone)
• Blue Lace Agate
• Sodalite 
• Amethyst
• Lepidolite (optional, but a nice additional purple stone to have; great for calming the mind)
• Smoky Quartz
• Rose Quartz
• Selenite 
• Tiger's Eye
• Snowflake Obsidian
• Fluorite (point, not required but it shows the many pretty colors Fluorite can take)
• Blue Kyanite
• Moonstone
• Clear Quartz 

Not shown but also recommended:

• Jasper (there's so many different Jaspers, choose one or more that you're drawn to)
• Calcite (available in a variety of colors, can be included or substituted for any of the listed stones)
• Black Tourmaline 

What was your first crystal or stone? Feel free to reply in the comments.

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Chronic Illness Plus Acute Illness Sucks

I just recently got over having a cold. Hubby caught the cold initially and unfortunately passed it to me. This cold was a bad one. Lots of coughing, very hard hitting. Hubby (who is healthy) usually kicks a cold in a couple of days, but was down with it for about a week. I was down for a week too.

Being regular sick on top of chronic illness SUCKS! Acute illness (colds, flus, etc) makes you feel awful. Put that on top of feeling awful from chronic illness and you've got a double whammy. Acute illness makes all your chronic illness symptoms worse. It takes longer to recover. Sometimes acute illness causes chronic illness flares.

If you get an acute illness while dealing with chronic illness, be gentle with yourself. Rest, rest, rest. And then rest some more. Allow yourself time to heal. Rest even after the acute illness symptoms stop. Slowly ease yourself back into your regular routine. Eat well, hydrate a lot, and rest. Take good care of yourself.

I spent extra days in bed and am taking a bunch of days to try to slowly get back to my normal routine. I've watched a LOT of Netflix and slept a lot. I knew I was starting to feel a bit better when I started feeling bored and didn't have to take such long naps. But I did my best to resist the urge to jump back into my normal routine. It was hard, but going slow is best when dealing with chronic illness.

What helps you the most to get through acute illness while also dealing with chronic illness? Feel free to answer in the comments.


Please consider also following me on social media (Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest): @RenaraTarot

A Way to Remain Objective When Doing Divination for Yourself

Using the guidebook to remain objective for personal readings...

I just read an excellent suggestion for a way to remain objective when reading Cards or doing Divination for yourself. A person in a Tarot Facebook group said someone told her they utilize the deck's accompanying guidebook meanings when reading for themselves. They stick with the guidebook meanings only for interpreting personal readings. That way the message isn't affected by their own personal thoughts and biases. I thought this was a great idea.

I often use the deck guidebook when doing readings for myself, even though I feel very proficient with Tarot, for a couple of reasons. One, I like to get the deck author's take on the cards. Another is that due to chronic illness, I often deal with limited energy and brain fog. Using the deck guidebook for personal readings saves me some of my limited physical and mental energy. This lets me read for myself even if I'm dealing with symptom flares. I've still found these readings to be applicable and accurate for myself, even when using the guidebook.

Far too often I hear the recommendation to "throw the book away." I've always disagreed with this as I'm a book learner. Now I have another reason to ignore that advice and keep and use the guidebook that accompany decks and divination tools.

**Do you ever use the guidebook when doing a divination reading for yourself? Why or why not? Feel free to reply in the comments.

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Spring Equinox Crystal Grid (A Little Late...)

Spring Equinox Crystal Grid

Sorry this is a little late, but Happy Spring Equinox. It was on March 20th.

On the Equinox, day and night are of equal length.

The Spring Equinox is about finding balance, rebirth, renewal, new growth, new beginnings, new potentials, new possibilities, and resurrection.

This Crystal Grid for the Spring Equinox is made with Selenite, Green Aventurine, Citrine, Moss Agate, Tree Agate, and Black Tourmaline. The Spring Equinox card comes from the Earth Magic Oracle. The Green stones symbolize growth and abundance. The Yellow symbolizes the Sun and energy for growth. The White and Black symbolize the balance of equal day and night.

**What new beginnings are you planning and looking forward to? Feel free to reply in the comments.


Earth Magic Oracle (c) 2010 Hay House

When Having a "Mediocre" Life is Enough

What if All I Want is a Mediocre Life?

What if I have chronic illness that limits me every single day so I'm not able to think of a life "that" big because I'm not physically capable of it? So I just want to be content with a simple life... Because that's me. All this "dream big, there's no limits" just doesn't resonate with me because for me, in my life, there ARE limits, inescapable ones. So those platitudes ring false to me every single time I hear them.

I don't write that to make people feel sorry for me. I write it to give voice to the many of us who HAVE to live with limits and limitations and can't just "dream big, BIGGER!" For many of us, there's a limit to what and how much we can do, and no amount of "RAH! RAH! Yelling positive affirmations" is going to change that. Can't walk up stairs if you need a wheelchair, and that won't change just because you think positive.

For so many of us, the limitations we cope with are inescapable. Doesn't mean we can't contribute or do big things. But for many of us, that's just not our reality. For many of us, a "mediocre" life is what we aspire to because it represents an improvement on our lives or maybe even the best life we can achieve. And that's ok.

Right now, I'm working my way through Esme Wang's Ass Kicking With Limitations course It's a short, 5 day email course, to help you think about how to work better within your limitations. I'm enjoying it. It's simple, but makes you think. It's taking me longer than 5 days to finish because I need to work on it on "good" or "better" days. Been having some ups and downs a lot lately, especially due to trying to find allergy meds that work for me and that I'm not sensitive to. I'm looking forward to finishing the course soon.

We all have to figure out how to live the best life we can, given our own personal circumstances. All we can do is try and put in the effort. Everyone is different. Everyone's view of a good and successful life is different. Don't let what others are doing make you feel discouraged because it's not what you want or are able to do.

Right now, what I want to do is get my Tarot reading business going and work towards being a Crystal Energy Healer. Toward that end I'm blogging and posting on social media when I'm able to. A lot of the "conventional" business wisdom just doesn't help or apply to me, as it's not designed for those with limitations. So I'm stumbling my way through, learning as I go along, finding what works for me.

How do you "kick ass" given your own personal limitations? Feel free to reply in the comments.



Please also consider following me on social media (Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest): @RenaraTarot

My Top 10 Favorite Tarot Books

Here's a list of my favorite Tarot books. They are in no particular order, with the exception of number 1.

1. 21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card by Mary K. Greer (Probably my favorite Tarot book. So incredibly helpful.)
2. Tarot 101 by Kim Huggens (Deeper than many 101 type books. A comprehensive course in Tarot, with exercises and journaling.)
3. Tarot Spreads by Barbara Moore (Covers a wide variety of Tarot spreads.)
4. Holistic Tarot by Benebell Wen (This is a monster of a book, over 900 pages! I haven't read it all yet, but what I have read so far has been incredible. A comprehensive reference for the serious Tarotist.)
5. Tarot for Yourself by Mary K. Greer (An excellent Tarot workbook with LOTS of exercises)
6. Who Are You In Tarot by Mary K. Greer (A very interesting book on Numerology and Tarot that covers personality archetypes.)
7. Tarot Tour Guide by Christiana Gaudet (Tarot and the Four Elements)
8. Practical Tarot's Quick Start Guide to Learning and Reading the Cards by Barbara Moore (two short ebooks that are decent and inexpensive)
9. Your Tarot, Your Way by Barbara Moore (helping you to figure out how you best work with Tarot)
10. A Magical Course in Tarot by Michele Morgan (My very first Tarot book. Great for helping you start with Tarot without getting bogged down in lots of card meanings.)

What are your favorite Tarot books? Feel free to share in the comments.


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My Favorite Oracle Deck/Tarot Deck Combinations

One of my favorite methods of doing readings, especially personal readings for myself, is a combination method I came up with. I draw an Oracle card as a topic card, asking "What do I need to know right now?" Then I draw three Tarot cards to get more information about the topic or message brought up by the Oracle card. I also draw a Rune, asking "What else do I need to know?"

This combination method is really great for when you're not doing so well and need a message but aren't sure what to ask. Using the three different tools helps make sure you don't just see what you want to see, but see the actual messages. If the three tools are all saying similar or coordinating messages, then you can be more sure you're not just seeing what you want to see.

This method really helped me a lot. Using this style of reading, I was able to get myself out of a couple of very deep ruts while dealing with coping with chronic illness.

I like to use decks that have similar or related themes. I looked at my collection of Tarot and Oracle decks and combined those that had similar themes and seem to work well together.

Here is a list of combinations I really love. They are in no particular order.

Favorite Oracle and Tarot Deck Combinations

1. Witchlings/Joie de Vivre Tarot
2. Oracle of Shadows and Light/The Deviant Moon Tarot or The Happy Tarot
3. Oracle of the Shapeshifters/Tarot of the Magical Forest or The Animal Wisdom Tarot
4. The Faerie Guidance Oracle/Joie de Vivre Tarot or The Paulina Tarot
5. The Ceccoli Oracle/The Ceccoli Tarot
6. Earth Magic Oracle/The Gaian Tarot
7. The Wild Unknown Animal Spirit Oracle/The Wild Unknown Tarot

Honorable mentions go to:

Favorite Oracle and Tarot Deck Combinations Honorable Mentions

• Wild Wisdom of Faery Oracle/The Crystal Visions Tarot
• The Transparent Oracle/The Transparent Tarot both by Emily Carding
• Oracle of the Mermaids/The Shadowscapes Tarot
• The Oracle of Visions/Legacy of the Divine Tarot or The Steampunk Tarot by Barbara Moore
• Froud's Faery Oracles (either/both)/The Wild Unknown Tarot or the Runes
• Oracle of the Dragonfae/Fantastical Creatures Tarot
• The Faery Forest Oracle/The Tarot of Trees

Do you have any divination tools that you like to use together? Feel free to share in the comments.


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My Top 10 Favorite Oracle Decks

The following list of my favorite Oracle decks is in no particular order.

My Favorite Oracle Decks

1. The Oracle of Shadows and Light
2. Oracle of the Shapeshifters
3. Earth Magic Oracle
4. Ceccoli Oracle
5. Witchlings
6. The Faerie Guidance Oracle
7. The Wild Unknown Animal Spirit Oracle
8. The Nature Speak Oracle
9. The Wild Wisdom of Faery Oracle
10. The Oracle of Visions

Honorable mentions go to:

Favorite Oracle Decks Honorable Mentions

• Myths and Mermaids Oracle of the Water by Jasmine Becket-Griffith 
• The Transparent Oracle by Emily Carding
• The Faerie Oracle by Brian Froud
• The Heart of Faerie Oracle by Brian Froud

What are your favorite Oracle decks? Feel free to share in the comments.


Please consider also following me on social media (Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest): @RenaraTarot

My Top 10+ Favorite Tarot Decks

This list is in no particular order, with the exception of number one.

My Favorite Tarot Decks

1. The Sun and Moon Tarot (This deck is the very first deck I ever learned Tarot with. It is the first deck I ever got intuitive impressions with.)
2. The Happy Tarot
3. The Joie de Vivre Tarot
4. The Gaian Tarot
5. Tarot of the Magical Forest
6. The Steampunk Tarot by Barbara Moore (because there's more than one Steampunk Tarot)
7. The Shadowscapes Tarot
8. The Deviant Moon Tarot
9. The Ceccoli Tarot
10. The Wild Unknown Tarot
11. The Crystal Visions Tarot
12. The Oracle Tarot (has Major and Minor Arcanas but no Court Cards)

Honorable mentions go to:

Favorite Tarot Decks Honorable Mentions

• The Transparent Tarot by Emily Carding
• The Paulina Tarot
• The Animal Wisdom Tarot
• The Tarot of Trees
• The Zombie Tarot
• The Housewives Tarot
• The World Spirit Tarot

What are your favorite Tarot decks? Please feel free to share in the comments.


Please consider also following me on social media (Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest) @RenaraTarot.

2017 Yearly Tarot Reading

Finding Your Card of the Year
I like to do a yearly Tarot reading for myself. One of the components of that reading is using Numerology to deterine a Major Arcana Tarot card of the year (COTY). The COTY helps us understand the overarching energy that the year will embody, a running theme for the year.

To find this number, you add up all the numbers of the year you're doing the reading for, so for 2017 you would add 2+0+1+7=10. This would correlate with The Wheel of Fortune Card of the Major Arcana. In traditional Numerology, you'd reduce any double digit numbers to a single digit, 1+0=1, which is The Magician of the Major Arcana.

When I'm working with Numerology and Tarot and the Major Arcana, I allow for double digits up to 22. There are 22 Major Arcana cards. Since no cards will ever add up to 0, I consider The Fool to be card 22. I found this suggestion in Mary K. Greer's book "Who Are You in Tarot?". Traditional Numerology always reduces double digits to a single digit, 1-9. I do both when doing a COTY.

2017 COTY The Wheel of Fortune and The Magician

2017 COTY The Wheel of Fortune and The Magician

The Wheel of Fortune card (10) is all about change and acceptance of change. Because this change is inevitable, we need to learn to go with the flow of these changes. The change can be positive or negative, but there will be change. Putting yourself in alignment with these changes and working to go with the flow will help make these changes easier. It also helps to remember that if the changes aren't so great, they will continue to circle around and change for the better, eventually.

Another theme likely to be apparent in 2017 is The Magician (1). The Magician is about Self-empowerment. It's about focusing your energies for manifestation of goals. This is a very action oriented card. It's about creating what you want. So create the changes you want to see! Do the things you want to do!

Minor Arcana 10's and Aces

If the Major Arcana are about the overal theme and energies of the year, the big picture, the Minor Arcana are about the nitty-gritty details of daily life. If we look at the 10's and Aces of the Minor Arcana, we can see echoes of the themes of the COTY.

Tarot Minor Arcana 10's are about transition, completion, and preparing for a new cycle. Aces are about beginnings, new opportunities, the seeds of potential.

Swords

Minor Arcana 10 of Swords and Ace of Swords

For the Swords, we see the end of a cycle of thoughts, attitudes, perceptions, beliefs. We may even hit rock bottom, with stress, anxiety, or depression. But a new outlook is coming! There will be new ideas, new ways of thinking, new directions, new perspectives to consider. New mental energy and a new outlook will come. Choose carefully what to focus on, a new and different way of looking at things!

Wands

Minor Arcana 10 of Wands and Ace of Wands

For the Wands, there's a heavy burden that was being carried. It will be time to put that burden down, to stop carrying dead weight. Stop doing things just because you think you SHOULD do them. Find a new passion, new interest, new creative venture and pursue it! Seek out what YOU truly want to do and make it happen!

Cups

Minor Arcana 10 of Cups and Ace of Cups

For the Cups, your cup has been FULL. Lots of feelings, lots of people and relationships. Things will shift emotionally and in your relationships. New cycles will be beginning. Make sure you go with the flow here. Resisting will lead to unnecessary struggle, frustration, and difficulties.

Pentacles

Minor Arcana 10 of Pentacles and Ace of Pentacles

For Pentacles, there will be new and different things coming in daily life. You'll likely see changes with your home life, work, family, health, and finances. Remain steady and grounded so you won't feel so thrown off as things shift. There will be seeds of new potentials, new opportunities . Only you can choose which seeds to plant, water, and nurture. Choose wisely.

My Personal Year Card-The Sun

While doing a yearly reading, I also do a personal year card. This involves adding up the month and day of your birth with the current year. So, for me, it's 2+1+6+2+0+1+7=19. The Major Arcana card 19 is The Sun. Interestingly enough, it also falls into the constellation of this year's COTY as 1+9=10, 1+0=1. Your personal year is from birthday to birthday. So for me, this card's energies will come into play on and after my birthday of February 16th.

Personal Year Card The Sun

The Sun card is about joy, happiness, clarity, positivity, and light. It also warns of being careful about burnout. Not too bad of a personal year card. :-)

I hope you've enjoyed this year's Card of the Year reading. Please also consider joining me on social media. I can be found on Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Pinterest @RenaraTarot.


The Oracle Tarot by Lucy Cavendish (c) Hay House 2003

Welcome

Hi everyone!

Welcome to Renara's Cards and Crystals. This blog will focus on Tarot and Oracle Cards, Crystals and Stones, and Coping with Chronic Illness.

I decided to start this new blog for a fresh start and to simplify finding me here and on social media.

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