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 This column is dedicated to my tarot twin, Val, who knows what I am going to before I do. Thank you, sweetie, for being a great friend and mentor, and inspiring this month's column.
Now I've got the sappiness out of the way I must apologize for my long absence. It was never my intention to disappear for four months. I managed to get a really good job and that has been taking up most of my time and energy so the Tarot was put on the back burner for a while. It was necessary, but I'd be lying if I said that I didn't feel guilty about it. Once again my career took centre stage and everything else suffered for a while. I definitely had Temperance issues, but now I think I have achieved a better balance. I've also had to make changes regarding the publication of this column. Instead of writing a column every week [Editor's Note: Column appears at Stacey's Live Journal Blog, Wisdom of the Queen of Swords.] I am going to write one at the beginning of the month probably on the first Sunday, my work schedule permitting.
When I was unemployed I promised myself that once I got a job I would buy myself the Tarot of Dreams, which I duly purchased after passing my probation period. I had said to myself that I would not need any more decks after buying that one. Yes, I can hear you all chuckling in the back row at that... I even posted on how it was a strange feeling not to have any decks on my wish list. That lasted about ooooh two hours until I found some books and a deck. The deck in question is the Bright Idea deck. This is proof positive, if any were needed, that I suffer from Tarot Mania Syndrome, or TMS. Possible symptoms of this affliction include: always having decks that you want to purchase decks screaming, "BUY ME!!" in shops running out of space to store them
A sufferer is always on the look out for new decks, and it is also a common feature of this syndrome that you may purchase more than one deck at a time. It is not solely confined to decks. It may apply to bags and tarot-related books as well. A tarot mentor or buddy is a very good thing to have, but for a TMS sufferer it can have far reaching consequences. A friend may innocently show you pictures of a deck that he or she may have acquired and it almost instantly ends up on your wish list. Of course, one can exert some degree of self-control but once you have TMS, you have it for life. I know it happened to me today with the Hanson-Roberts deck now also appearing on my list. As well as the inevitable consequences for one's bank balance, there are also other things TMS sufferers have to negotiate, such as the reactions of their family and friends upon hearing you may have purchased another deck. Reactions vary but common ones include, 'Not another deck!' or 'What do you need another one for?' For those who suffer from Tarot Mania Syndrome the answer can be quite simple... For each Tarot deck that we own, it is like having another friend to consult and confide in. Each deck provides a valuable different insight into our lives, and helps us make better decisions. To us, each new deck gives us a better understanding of ourselves. That alone is worth the occasional strain on the bank balance. I leave you now with my own wish list... Decks:Bright Idea Deck: Breakthrough to Brilliance Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck Books:Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom Forest Of Souls: A Walk Through the Tarot Mary K. Greer's 21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card Putting The Tarot To Work: Creative Problem Solving, Effective Decision Making & Personal Career Planning What's In The Cards For You?: Test the Tarot
Stacey Riley lives in the UK and has taken a serious interest in the Tarot for the past four years. She currently writes a monthly Tarot column called, "Wisdom of the Queen of Swords." Stacey owns 6 decks with another one on order... As well as sharing her thoughts on the Tarot, she teaches English, Math, and IT. In her spare time she likes listening to music, and occasionally writing. |
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