Welcome

Hello and welcome to this week’s blog!

I hope you’re all well? I’m not sure where our beautiful sunny summer has gone!
It is currently raining here in Lancashire, with intermittent thunder storms! However, storms are not all that bad – personally, I find them quite inspirational and relaxing!

Storms have a beautiful way of forcing you to stop what you’re doing and rest.
For many, wet weather creates the insatiable urge to curl up with a good book and read, or to grab a blanket, and get cosy while watching the rain.
This week’s thunderstorms thwarted my work in the garden and has kept me in the house. As such, I’ve done some reading on herbal astrology, studied some more of my herbal foundation, and, spent time resting by, and connecting with, my altar. In fact, it was this time spent with my altar that encouraged me to start doing a weekly ‘pick a card’ reading for the wider Diary Of A Folk Witch Community. You can find the community over on Facebook and Instagram.

As a Witch and Priestess, it is not uncommon for me to receive bookings for card readings, often tarot, but also oracle, rune, and intuitive readings too.
But what about my own personal practice? How do I use cards within my day to day folk witchery, and how does that enrich and benefit my spirituality?

Well, today I am going to be discussing this with you. I am going to offer you some helpful pointers on how you can create an easy to follow and low maintenance cartomancy practice…. because let’s be honest, in the busy and fast paced world that we live in, the more low maintenance the better!

What Is Cartomancy?

Cartomancy is a form of divination that uses cards to reveal what is hidden or at the very least, obscured and clouded to the querant.
The most famous, and probably the most reliable, form of cartomancy is of course, the Tarot. The traditional Tarot is a deck of seventy eight cards thought to have originated in Italian courts during the fourteenth century, and is divided up into two parts; the major arcana, and the minor arcana.

The Tarot is often used to perform very detailed readings (or spreads) in which the querant can gain insight and pointers on things. Such as the likely outcomes of future events, guidance from spirit on how you should move forward in a certain situation, or, to highlight past experiences that may be influencing or blocking the querant today.

These sorts of readings are fantastic, but not really ideal for every day use; there are several reasons for this. Firstly, readings such as this take a lot of time and energy to perform, and, such spreads are better saved for the bigger questions in life. Also, if you perform such detailed readings on a daily or weekly basis, the chances are, all that will happen is that you’re going to get mixed messages.
Or, the same answer, just with slightly varying cards. Not to mention that it is very time consuming performing in depth readings on a daily, weekly, or even monthly basis!

But what about if you really resonate with cards, and want to engage with them on a regular basis?

This is where creating a lighter cartomancy system works really well, and can be performed with both the tarot or with oracle cards. You could even potentially use other divination techniques from outside the cartomancy parameters alongside the cards. For example: runes, ogham, or lithomancy.

However, I prefer not to use divination by stone or staves on a daily basis as there are less symbols and archetypes within their individual repertoires, which mean that messages could become repetitive. Though you could of course take it in turns to use different stave or stone systems to offer up more variety.
For example, the runes have twenty four, and the modern ogham, as a Neo-Pagan revival, not as the original Celtic use, has twenty or twenty five. (For more information on the traditional Ogham, please check out authentic Irish studies and sources on the Ogham via the Irish Pagan School).

Though I personally do not use ogham, runes, lithomancy, or any other style of stave or stone/gem divination on a daily basis, these are often added into weekly or monthly guidance, or even full readings of their very own. Have a play about, and see what works for you! You may find that cartomancy as a regular practice is not your cup of tea, but other divination techniques are.

Why Create A Regular Cartomancy Practice?

The truth is, you don’t have to create one at all if you don’t want to! But for those who do, pulling a single card on a daily basis, or even a few cards at the start of every week, can be a really fulfilling way of gaining insight and guidance from spirit, deity, or higher self (whoever it is you are working with) on a regular basis.

I have found using both tarot and oracle cards as a regular part of my practice to be very grounding, helpful, and even become an extension of prayer! I will talk more about this later in the blog.

The truth is, as folk witches, we don’t usually perform spells, workings, and detailed rituals on a daily basis. There just aren’t enough hours in the day – not to mention, the need.

We don’t need to perform complex acts of magic every day to personally feel qualified to take up the title and role of ‘Witch’. Much of our practice comes down to our daily spiritual and lifestyle choices. To paraphrase something I have said before, ‘Witchcraft isn’t solely in the grand action of spells, it’s in the little things too’. It is in the intention you stir into your morning tea or coffee, the affirmations you may speak over a home made remedy. The thank-you that you whisper to a plant that you have lovingly foraged from, or the crystal or charm you choose to carry in your pocket. Witchcraft is in the entirety of our practice – big and small.

I have noticed that for some witches, there can be a sense of guilt, or even shame when their practice does not look as grand or ‘insta-good’ as others practitioners.
That because they are too busy, too tired, not feeling well, are recovering from an illness, etc, that their practice is some how less-than others. Well, I am here to tell you that your practice is NEVER less-than another’s. It’s your own, and completely valid. Whether it is low key or full submersion.

I’ve been asked a few times “how can I keep my practice going when I don’t have the energy or time to perform spells or attend moots and open ritual?“
My answer to this is usually quite simple… make space for a simple and flexible practice that can both grow when you grow, and slow when you need rest!

One of the easiest ways to keep your foot in the door of a spiritual practice such as folk witchery, when you don’t have much free time or energy, is daily or weekly cartomancy for guidance. And it does not have to be strict! It can be flexible!

Be Flexible, And Go Easy On Yourself!

Your practice does not need to be rigid, formal, and inflexible – in fact, I would strongly advise against this. Should you choose to adopt a regular cartomancy practice, let it flow and be organic. You may find there are days or weeks where you choose a card every single morning, as a way of receiving advice for your day ahead. Then there might be days where you’re busy, on holiday, or even not feeling well.

These days are just as much part of you as your practice.

You see, life is cyclical. We have our seasons of activity, inactivity, rest, and building up again… and that is normal and to be embraced. It may be that when you pick up your practice again, it picks up from where you left off, or even evolves! If you like keeping a grimoire or journal, take notes of your divination practice. You might start spotting cyclical trends in your mood and practice, or even a piece of guidance that comes up time and time again!

Try Different Styles Of Readings.

You in no way have to just do a simple draw of one card a day! Play about with your chosen deck of cards and see what works for you. For example, I have ADHD and remembering to choose a card every single morning is really tricky for me. I’m also not a morning person, so remembering to do anything before I have had coffee and allowed time for my face to fall into place, and my hair to be tamed is not always going to happen.

Perhaps you might be more of a night owl? If so, why not try pulling a card for guidance for the next day before you go to bed? Or ask that the spirit of the card may speak to you through the night in your dreams?

If you really struggle with remembering, or having time to pull a card every day, there is always the option of doing a short reading for the week ahead. This is personally one of my favourite ways to do a regular oracle or tarot card practice, as it is fairly low maintenance, and allows the cards to stir in the cauldron of both my conscious and subconscious for a good few days.

For this, I like to do what I call the ‘3+1’ reading.

It involves you as the querant choosing three cards to act as your main guidance for the week ahead. You then place these cards somewhere the cards are going to be seen by yourself often. Somewhere such as an altar space, mantlepiece, or even on your desk. This way, the cards and their meanings are always nearby, and, you can really digest and work through their guidance as the week progresses.
If throughout the week, you find that you need additional guidance because something has come up, or that you feel that you need extra clarification on the cards you already chose earlier in the week, you can go back to the deck and ask for further guidance. This card can then be added to the reading.

Another possible reading of choice might be the ‘five stars of guidance reading’. For this, the querant chooses five cards for the week ahead. The first two cards represent what lessons, from the past weeks or months, you should consider when moving forward into this new week. The third card represents where you are now, going forward into the new week. The final two cards represent the guidance you need for the week ahead.

The possibilities for spreads and types of readings are endless, and only limited by how much time and inspiration you have to put into exploring and developing this practice.

Don’t be afraid to add other simple readings throughout the week too. If you find there is a situation where you need additional guidance then simple ‘yes/no’ spreads are ideal.

Keep Your Cards On View.

Keeping your cards somewhere where you can see them on a regular basis is really helpful. It serves to reinforce the guidance of the card(s), which at times can be comforting, or even powerful and inspiring!

Having your card(s) in view also helps your mind to consistently ponder upon the card meaning and break down the sometimes hidden meanings behind powerful symbols, correspondences, colours, and archetypes. All of these hold potent psychological meaning and interpretations to the person using the cards, but they may not be fully taken notice of at first glance.
If you are interested in learning more about the archetypes behind the tarot, I highly recommend Paul Blakeman’s ‘The Moon & The Priestess’ (Troy books), which looks at each of the tarot cards from a Jungian archetypal view.

When we don’t keep our cards on view, it is easy to forget we even pulled a card for guidance! Then, even if we do remember what card we pulled, it is really easy to have all of the important finer details, like symbolism. fade into the background of our mind. Which makes it really hard to recall in detail.

You can purchase single cartomancy card holders, or even multiple card holders from artists over on Etsy (see here for the seller I bought mine from). These can be placed on your altar, if you have one. Or even on your desk, bedside table, or wherever you want them!

If, for whatever reason, you are unable to have your cards out in the open (for example, you’re not openly practicing witchcraft yet) why not take a photo on your phone or tablet? You can adjust the photo size and keep it as a screensaver, or just stored in your device’s gallery. That way, it is always nearby to reflect upon when needed! `

Consider Correspondences And Things You Can Carry.

If you want to, you could expand upon your card by looking at it’s wider correspondences, and how they might be sharing guidance or influencing your life.

For example, my favourite deck is the herbal astrology deck, by Adriana Ayales.
It is an absolutely stunning deck that speaks to me as both a folk herbalist, and as a folk witch who likes to follow astrology. Within this deck, I find a perfect blend of herbs, fungi, archetypes, and planets, that offer up powerful symbology and meaning. If there is a day, or week, where I feel that I need additional connection or power, then it is not uncommon for me to make up little soul medicine/charm bags that contains a sample of the herb mentioned on the card, and perhaps a crystal or other natural item added in too. For example, If I was to pull the card ‘Rue’ at a time in my life where it’s symbol of protection was particularly strong and resonating, I might make up a little charm bag for protection that contains rue, a piece of paper with a charm, prayer, or protection sigil written on it, along with a native hagstone for protection. I could then carry charm bag/soul medicine bag about with me in my backpack or pocket, to invoke the meaning and message of the card – protection.

Note: Above, I mentioned the hagstone being native to me. In England, hagstones are found all along the coastlines, and are well documented within folk lore and history for their apopotraic uses. There is no harm in using ethically sourced crystals, and the like, which come from far off places. However, using items that have been found by yourself, or gifted to you from a loved one, that come directly from your own landscape, will hold so much more power and connection for you!
First and foremost, the folk witch seeks to use the tools around them – tools that connect them to their local landscape, and spirits of the land. Items found or bought from further afield are appropriate, but always come second.

Consider Turning Your Card Meanings Into Affirmations.

Another element that you can potentially incorporate into your practice is turning your card meanings into affirmations that can be recited either daily, or as and when needed. I first got this idea when I became a Birth Doula. I really did not like pregnancy affirmations cards, they always seemed so fluffy and generic.
Yet, as a trained Hypnobirthing Teacher, I also know just how powerful affirmations are for women when they are expecting a baby, and about to go through the rite of passage that is birth!

So, I did what folk witches do best! I looked at what I had to hand, and I used that! In this case, it was a mix of oracle cards and my lithomancy kit.

While pregnant with my son, which happened just after I trained as a Doula (talk about great timing for learning and testing new birthing techniques first hand) I would choose something from my lithomancy kit, but more commonly, a card from one of my oracle or tarot decks, and I would take the cards meaning, and turn it into an affirmation.

For example, if I pulled the ‘two of cups’, from the tarot, my affirmation might be:

“I am in a safe and nurturing relationship. My husband and I love each other, and he is a strong birth partner for me”.

Now obviously, the above mantra was very specific to the needs and interpretation of a pregnant woman. However, you can create an affirmation for yourself, and it will be entirely different, as this element of practice is subjective to your needs and interpretation of whatever cards you are using.

What I will say is, don’t be afraid to to turn reversed cards, or cards you may perceive as ‘critical’ into positive affirmations. This is a perfect opportunity for growth and the working through of issues held within the shadow self.
The folk witch is not all ‘love and light’ – in fact, many of us are virtually allergic to that kind of toxic positivity. For the vast majority of folk witches, we have one thing in common; we work with both the light and the dark, the good and the bad. As such, we seek to strike a balance in the liminal space between each of those things.

Consider Incorporating Card Meanings In To Your Prayer Practice.

If you’re the type of witch who has a regular prayer practice (see here, for my previous blog on prayer), you could potentially work card meanings into your prayers.

For example, if you are perhaps listing all of the things you are grateful for, you could add in the cards and their meanings. This is a very basic but effective way of linking cartomancy to prayer practice.

Or, you could take particular cards that held the most meaning or resonance with you, and create written prayers to be used throughout the week – or longer if you want too. This might be particularly helpful if you notice that you have certain cards that come up time and time again – indicating that it has a message you need to work on in more depth, over time.

For example, if I was using ‘The Wisdom Of Avalon Deck’, and the card I pulled was the spider, the symbol of creativity and creative expression, I might write a prayer that looked something like this:

“I call upon the spirit of Great Spider and her creative energy.
Weave for me a sacred silky web that I may dance upon.
A sacred space and foundation where I might create and express myself.
Help me to find the truth of my expression, and guide me as I birth
my creative projects into the world.
I willingly seek to release all fear, and stand firmly within my power.
Blessed be/So mote it be/In thanks and devotion (etc).

If, for whatever reason you do not feel comfortable calling upon the archetypal figure or spirit of the card, that is ok! You can substitute lines such as “I call upon the Great Spider”, by calling on a particular deity that you work with, or even your ancestors.

As you become more experienced with working cartomancy readings into prayers, you may even choose to work multiple cards into those prayers – allowing for a whole new depth of meaning and practice to occur.

The benefit of using cartomancy guidance to link in with any potential prayer practice that you may have, is that it can deepen your practice, thereby offering a new and detailed meaning and teaching related to the cards lesson. It can also provide a beautiful sense of continuity and connection to your witchery practice as a whole.

I have personally really enjoyed doing this, especially with cards that come up regularly.

I hope that you have enjoyed this week’s blog, and that you found it helpful and insightful. The next blog will be on the animal familiars and spirit guides series, and is due to go out during the fourth week of the month.

From the time, mists, and distance between us. Blessings from me to you.

List Of Sources:

1. ‘The Only Tarot Book You’ll Ever Need’ By Skye Alexander.
2. ‘Understanding Tarot’, By Liz Dean.
3. ‘The Moon & The Priestess’ By Paul Blakenham.
4. ‘The Tarot, History, Symbolism, And Divination’, By Robert Michael Place.
5. ‘Tarot Made Easy’, Kim Arnold.
6. Wikkipedia
7. ‘Strictly Supernatural: Tarot’ Documentary Narrated By Christopher Lee.
8. ‘Tarot Versus Oracle Cards’, By HappyPiranha.com
9. The Irish Pagan School.
10. The Herbal astrology deck
11. ‘Oracle Cards, History And Use’, By LearnReligions.com
12. The wisdom of Avalon oracle deck.
13. The Druid Craft tarot deck.