Quest Cards
Quest Cards
The Quest Cards are designed for the modern-day quest for meaning, purpose and the truth. We look back in time for the place where we disconnected from our spiritual blueprint. The Greeks and Celts, and other traditions, still hold a taste of what it is we seek. The Celts believed that we must live in right relationship to the land and knew that there was a Wisdom Field that cared for us all. The Wisdom Field is the opposite of the need for war and conquest. The guardians of the sacred wells and streams know the Otherworlds and can act as gatekeepers of the Great Mystery. Looking at the state of the globe, we can say this is relevant today. To seek the Holy Grail today is to ask relevant questions that awaken us from our materialistic slumber. To seek the Grail is to value the feminine, our bodies, minds, souls, and spiritual health. The Quest Cards have been created with a 21st Century Grail Quest in mind. The practice of self-inquiry is a way to begin to connect again with what is real and true. Attaining the Grail is realizing the consciousness of the soul.
Three questions and practices accompany each card. These questions are designed to help the reader ground in the Wisdom Field. Since the Holy Grail is about finding and integrating your soul colors and capacities, each card has three colors which can also act as light codes for those who awakening to the world of color. You might find some Imaginosophy magic in the light codes, but we don’t want to give it all away. After all, this is your quest!
Inquiry or Question (Quest/I’m/On) Cards invite the reader to go more deeply into the creative imagination and into the depth of being. The Celtic Tree of Life acts as a portal or gateway into profound wisdom. No one teach you how to achieve the Grail, but inquiry can offer a starting place and a direction.
According to Joseph Campbell, the quest for the Holy Grail is the primary myth of Western civilization. It is certainly a quest that refuses to go away. Something in our consciousness wants to find the numinous vessel that can create miracles. We must ask ourselves what this chalice is: a nurturing cornucopia, a healing cup, an elixir of immortality? Or is it a reminder of the missing feminine wisdom traditions that know the sacredness of the body, life, and the Earth? Imaginosophy believes that there are many answers, and the feminine wisdom traditions are a good place to begin.
There are twelve stars in the crown of the Queen of Heaven (Revelation 12:1), and so we offer twelve Quest Cards designed to help you find the colorful aspects of your soul. An esoteric name for the soul is Sophia. The Imaginosophy Decks are designed to support the reader in discovering who they are and where life is leading them. We do not adhere to the idea that the future is fixed, because the nature of the universe is constantly changing. The Imaginal Decks invite the querent to consciously participate in patterns of unfolding personal and transpersonal destiny. This deck can also be used to become aware of generational patterns and how they still operate in our lives. There is also an emphasis on discovering and integrating the inner feminine (regardless of gender) so that she finds a place on Earth again. The goal is wholeness, unity, love for all.
SOPHIA: Queen of Heaven
Sophia, the Holy Spirit of the Trinity, is considered in esoteric Christianity to be the Queen of Heaven. Sophia gave rise to the material realm with the transference of the Divine spark to Eve. In esoteric Christianity the dragon is considered a hero who gives humanity direct knowing of the Divine. Once a human being realizes that the stars are singing and the physical realm is alive with color, sound and consciousness, there is an urge to worship deities. However, the Wisdom Field teaches that each of us must worship life itself in the form of your choosing: God/Goddess/All That Is, or simply as the Totality without image. Whether or not you wish to personify the Wisdom Field is your choice. Be willing to shift the images you work with as your understanding deepens. Sophia reminds us that we are the in-breath and the out-breath of the universe operating. Our quest is to remember our own Divinity and live from that place.
USING THE QUEST CARDS: 3 Methods
The Quest Cards have Grail practices that are designed to introduce the Western Hermetic, Arthurian & Celtic mystical traditions. They can be used for education, healing, self-knowing and the acceleration of consciousness. They can be combined and used with the Imaginosophy Tarot and Spirit Faery Cards, to open another level of knowing. Although we do not worship any deity, we do invite awareness of the deities and the energies behind them into our consciousness. We can make friends with these powerful forces. The Quest Cards are designed to help us become increasingly aware of the worlds around us. These cards are designed to help us awaken to the truth of who we are, which sometimes means overcoming challenging inner material or embracing dimensions of light.
- Quest Cards: Draw one card and place it on an altar. Simply gaze at the image and either journal or share with a friend what you feel and think. This is a practice of moving into Aware State.
- One other way to use the Quest Cards is to simply draw one and then follow the practice to see where it leads you.
- A third way is to ask a friend or two to explore the Grail Questions with you.
Each Quest Card can act as a portal or gateway to a non-dual realm, a dreamscape that is familiar to all of us. They help us become familiar with our soul’s inner landscape. This is important as we make a planetary shift towards increasingly consciousness. One way to think of this is the teaching of the 5th Dimension. By following the Schumann Resonance we can read how the templates of the New Earth are activating.
EARTH WISDOM: The Schumann Resonance
The Earth has a powerful electric circuitry. This vertical current flow has a potential of 200,000 volts. The thousand or so thunderstorms taking place around the planet are a natural part of this living current. Electromagnetic waves fluctuate and seem to be related to the electrical activity in the atmosphere, particularly during intense lightning activity. There is some change now due to solar activity, particularly solar flares, as well as the loss of a galactic sheet as we travel through the solar system.
The natural pulse or heartbeat of the Earth is 7.83hz, also called the Schumann Resonance. It was first discovered by German physicist W.O. Schumann in the 1950s. The Navy has conducted many studies surrounding it. The Schumann Resonance is the same frequency as the normal healthy alpha/theta brainwave frequencies in humans. These are the frequencies we align with when we are meditating and dreaming, which is why it is so important to spend time meditating and walking in nature. This frequency assists with cell regeneration and overall healing. People are out of resonance with these frequencies can become unbalanced, angry, violent and suffer from a variety of diseases. Tuning into the planetary frequency of 7.83hz has been shown to enhance learning, improve memory, help the body rejuvenate, and give an overall experience of harmony, balance, and well-being. You can download an app or check a website to observe the power graphs and become aware of the dynamic changes that are occurring: https://www.disclosurenews.it/schumann-resonance-today-update/
THE 5TH DIMENSION
5th dimensional (5-D) space is well known in mathematics. A breakthrough in mainstream understanding came through the Noble Prize-winning quantum physicist Gerard ‘t Hooft. Oskar Klein suggested that 5-D existed in a cylindrical form and could appear as a circle. He realized that light was something that occurred more in the 5th Dimension, which is why Imaginosophy has included the image of the Rainbow as a prism of light and color in this deck.
As a humanity we are now moving into greater 5-D awareness and beyond. Our dualistic waking state is generally 3-D. Our dream world is generally considered 4-D. During meditation, shamanic trances, and other altered states we can begin to glimpse the 5-D realities and the Otherworlds, where we begin to experience Heaven on Earth. Mystics report that there are 12 to 14 Dimensions that they know about.
The Spirit Faery Cards can give a taste of these colorful dimensions which are found inside our Selves. The Quest is our own. You can decide whether to awaken to the truth of who you are, or not. Either we operate off a program, or we discover Reality.
The non-dual understanding of “I Am That” taught by the Indian guru Nisargadatta Maharaj, reminds us that our real identity is both birthless and deathless.
The Grail champion realizes the infinite-eternal awareness and returns from the journey knowing that our lives here are expressions of the eternal play of consciousness.
THE 13 QUEST CARDS
HOLY GRAIL - Revealing the Higher Self
Keywords:
Powerful healing – Meaning – Purpose – White Magic – Wholeness
shadow:
Secrecy – Black Magic – Opposition – Wounds
colors:
Yellow/Blue/White
The Quest:
We each long for meaning and purpose in our lives. To continue our process of evolution, we must taste the nectar of something greater than the persona or lower self. It may be time to steer away from any dogmatic religious or theological teachings you have been bound to and taste Wisdom directly. Each Quest has an inherent challenge. When we Quest for the Holy Grail, we are searching for the truth. This means courageously facing what lurks in the shadows and cleaning up your own act. All spiritual warriors must take responsibilities for their words, thoughts, and deeds. You have been called on the Quest for the Holy Grail. It is time to discover a Higher Power perhaps in the form of a Goddess, the Christ, a sacred hallow, or something you haven’t expected. The unfolding mystery has begun.
Divination:
If you have pulled the “Holy Grail” card in a reading, there is a call to the Quest for a Higher Power. This may be a Quest on the physical plane, but it may be illusory and have a 5th dimensional element. The Holy Grail may challenge your sense of what is real.
Shadow:
Something is being kept secret. This could work against you. It’s best to be transparent.
Symbolism/Image as Guide:
The artwork is a depiction of the Holy Grail, which is always by necessity an illusion. Because we have four limbs and a head, five represents human beings. The multi-colored flowers and five overlapping circles are symbolic of the wonders of spiritualized humanity and the many dimensions of being. The golden roses in the upper right symbolize the human soul and the link to the Mystery of Golgotha, which is taught in Rosicrucianism. Those who are tasked with carrying the wisdom of the ages are concerned with the spiritual aspect of the Rosy Cross or the Higher Self. The Holy Grail represents white magic, as opposed to the black magic of those who misunderstand or abuse the mysteries. The Ash leaves in full bloom suggest that the mysteries of the Grail have antediluvian origins. In Norse mythology the Tree of Life was an Ash tree known as Yggdrasil. Odin hung himself upside down and received the gift of the Runes. The Ogham name for Ash is Nuin (pronounced “NOO-un”) which means letters. The Cosmic Tree is even more ancient than human beings and is associated with the Cosmic Axis. In the Celtic world the Ash, known as the World Mother, was the feminine counterpart to the masculine Oak. An old teaching suggests that the understanding of our true self comes through our wound that is tended by the secrets of the ancient ones, which links us back to the mysteries of the Holy Grail and its unremitting relationship with the Goddess.
Legend:
The legend behind the Quest for the Holy Grail is a story told about the chalice used at the Last Supper. There is an inherent mystery that the Grail involves the Quest for meaning. The Brotherhood of the Holy Grail consists of initiates who preserved the secrets (the transfiguration) of the Christ. The chalice became the Holy Grail when blood dripped from the body of Jesus as he hung on the cross. The chalice was held by Joseph of Arimathea, and then taken to the island of Avalon (near Glastonbury). As is told in Arthurian legends, the Hallow was kept hidden until those who were ready could receive the vibrations of this healing vessel. The cup is a reminder that in mysticism the human soul is always represented as feminine. The Holy Grail re-etherizes blood, opens the heart and pineal/pituitary centers, and leads to the spiritualization of an individual which is symbolized by the rose.The legends of the Holy Grail have become part of our cultural heritage. The tales originate in the 5th to 9th centuries and are designed to steer the initiate away from bloodshed and toward individualization. The stories are embused with spiritual currents of energy which are designed to awaken a seeker to the Christ Mystery or Spirit-Self, but the correct questions must be asked. An individual who is not prepared will suffer when encountering the Grail. The Grail heralds the True Self, which is whole, united, and eternal. The illusion of the lower self is then seen as mortal and transitory. The roses are symbolic of the immortal Self. This is the promise that each ordinary person may blossom into the Higher Self, epitomizing the spiritual evolution of humankind.
Quest 1: If you have pulled “The Holy Grail” you are called upon a great Quest. According to legend, something is missing in Camelot, and the land had become a barren wasteland. Those called on the Quest must find the Holy Grail, the hallow with great healing powers, and only the bravest knights will return. There is a stirring in the soul to leave the familiar behind and obtain what will heal the land.
3 Imaginosophy Practices:
1) Write down, draw, or tell a trusted friend about your relationship (or lack of) with a Higher Power.
2) Pull one of the Court Cards and see if that deity has resonance for you.
3) Imagine what it would be like to attain the Holy Grail.
Adage:
“The highest imaginable ideal of human evolution results from the ‘knowledge of the Grail’.”
– Rudolph Steiner
Grail Questions:
What is the healing power of the Grail?
What is being held as secret?
What is the Holy Grail?
Mother Spirit – Eternal Creative Power
Keywords:
Wisdom – Awareness – Transformation – Sense – Intelligence
shadow:
Judgment, opinion, condemnation
colors:
royal blue/green/pearl
The Quest:
Those who seek Sophia’s Wisdom are looking for an aspect of Mother Spirit, that can take many forms. It might be a goddess, or Sophia, or Danu or simply a golden light. There is always an inherent challenge in a Quest, some motivating factor that makes you seek. The Quest generally begins because of a disruption. For some it may be because you think of yourself as broken, or perhaps you don’t trust authority figures anymore, or you feel like an exile. There are thousands of reasons. What you seek is the Wisdom that can heal you and bring wholeness back to you again. It’s a process, and for some, it’s a life path. We come from the Mother and to her we will return.
Divination:
Sophia, the personification of Wisdom, presents herself in a variety of ways. In Greek myth, Sophia was an abstract persona with no myth. To the Romans, Wisdom was considered a virtue and was generally depicted as feminine. Plato came up with the term philosophy which means φιλοσοφία, love of wisdom. Today, she is recognized as a goddess. Other goddesses of Wisdom include Isis and Mary. Imaginosophy recognizes the triplicity in the wholeness of Wisdom.
Shadow:
Sophia is tied to the fall in the Judeo-Christian traditions, which made it very difficult for woman to find a place biblically. Exiled, Sophia had to wait for the time of her return, which is now.
Symbolism/Image as Guide:
The card depicts Cosmic Wisdom in the form of a Mother Spirit. Her eyes are closed, as though she is in deep meditation. There are stars in her hair and flowers blossoming around her. In the background the Moon and Earth can be seen. Her left ear seems slightly pointed, as if there is something of Faery in her. The overall sense of the card is peace.
Quest 2: If you have pulled “Mother Spirit,” something within you seeks Sophia’s Wisdom. You want to find your true Self and walk the path that is correct for you. Your heart may feel empty or perhaps there is a deep longing in your soul for what is real, true, and eternal. It is time to respond to the call of the Grail.
3 Imaginosophy Practices:
1) Write down, draw, or tell a trusted friend how Wisdom appears to you, or alternatively, how it does not appear. How does that make you feel?
2) Pull one of the Court Cards and ask intuitively if this deity is a portal to the Wisdom Field. Sense in your body-mind to the subtleties of the answer.
3) Imagine yourself going on a Quest for the Holy Grail. What is the color, sound, deity, or soulful aspect that you feel would bring healing into your life? How would the Quest begin in earnest?
Adage:
“The goddess has never been lost. It is just that some of us have forgotten how to find her.”
_ Patricia Monaghan
Grail Questions:
3 Questions: One famous question that is always asked in Grail legend is about who the Grail serves. The answer is always paradoxical, but the right answer will lead you in the right answer. Of course, you can’t really get it wrong either, you will just be asked the same question until the right answer is found.
1) How does Wisdom appear to you?
2) Who guides you?
3) Who does the Grail serve?
CHOICES - Trusting Inner Wisdom
Keywords:
Preferences – Discernment – Integration – Totality – Clarity
shadow:
Confusion – Binding – Addiction – Running Away
colors:
Red/Yellow/Green
The Quest:
Every day we are offered a series of “Choices.” Our free will ensures that we are tested to see if we choose the more materialistic energies that bind and enslave; or the energies that make us wish to escape reality (often through addictions); or the middle path of balance and higher consciousness. Imaginosophy would call this harmonious middle way Wisdom. The main idea is that as we awaken to our True Nature, we need to become increasingly mindful and discerning. The point isn’t to push any of the forces away, but to become fully aware, integrated and wise. Sometimes we must remain bound to a project or need to flee a situation that does not work for us. Wisdom knows how to respond to each situation with appropriate power. The aim is increased consciousness.
Divination:
If you have selected “Choices” in a reading, it is time to become fully aware of a situation you are currently involved in. Do you feel enslaved or bound? Do you wish to run away? Do you need to deal with an addiction? Can you trust Wisdom to show you the way forward? “Choices” indicates that you are being shown the middle way of balance, harmony, and freedom.
Shadow:
Addictions, the forces that bind, and the desire to escape.
Symbolism/Image as Guide:
The artwork depicts three swords which bear some semblance to King Arthur’s Excalibur, the magical sword given to him by the Lady of the Lake. There are also other magical swords such as the fiery blade from Welsh mythology called Dyrnwyn, the sword of Rhydderch Hael, which would blaze with fire if drawn by a praiseworthy individual but burn a disreputable person to death. King Arthur had another blade called Clarent, which was designed to be a sword of peace. However, it was used by Mordred to kill his father and was henceforth known as the coward’s blade. The sword Arthur pulled from the stone was called Caliburn, which possessed magical powers associated with rightful sovereignty. These magical swords unveil ancient forces that must be freed by the rightful person who then assumes some sort of power. The “Choices” artwork depicts an esoteric concept taught by Rudolf Steiner, founder of the Anthroposophy Society. The concept’s focus is on the three “Choices” available to humanity if we wish to become wise, integrated, spiritual human beings. “Choices” is a spiritual test. The three swords are face down in the soil, bound to the physical plane and manifest reality. These are large swords and each one wields a familiar power. The sword on the left with a red crown and flame represents the Ahrimanic/Satanic force that binds, divides and enslaves. The smaller green sword on the right represents the Luciferic force, that wishes to escape, perhaps into addiction, egotism, illusion or false conclusions. The middle golden-yellow sword represents the middle way, that of the Sophia-Christ impulse or the Cosmic Consciousness of full Presence. The only way to deal with the confusion Inherent in the Ahrimanic and Luciferic forces is to connect to Inner Wisdom. Rudolf Steiner believed that once we become aware of these forces within ourselves, we can avoid many traps, stay increasingly aligned, conscious and balanced by the golden Christ impulse. Eventually the integration of these energies leads to an evolved Spirit-Self. The Christ Consciousness is more powerful than any other impulse.
Legend/Theology:
In Christian theology the forces of Christ are set against a single devil, an embodiment of all that is evil. It makes one wonder why the dualistic knowledge of good and evil is bad. Perhaps the purpose of the serpent is to assist in the evolution of humankind? Maybe it is useful to know the difference between good and evil so that we become increasingly wise. According to mystic Rudolf Steiner, who was an esoteric Christian, the influence of Christ is set against the forces of Lucifer and Ahriman (Satan). All of these forces are designed to enhance our human evolution. According to Steiner, the Luciferic attributes include: frenzy, hyperactivity, generalization, fantasy, globalization, even desiring transcendence. The Ahrimanic traits include: atheism, boredom, statistics, dogma, literal reading of the Gospel, materialism, slavery, mathematical astronomy, division, and technological advances that enslave humanity. The power of the etheric Sophia- Christ drives away the darkness of the soul. The emergent Spirit-Self is whole, healed awake, and wise.
Prophecy:
According to Steiner, Lucifer incarnated the third millennium before Christ, and Ahriman will incarnate in the third millennium after Christ. Which makes us ask how we prepare for the coming of Ahriman, which is marked by less culture, art and literature, and increased materialism, division, dogmatism, and technological advances. Steiner wrote that Lucifer and Ahriman are two scales of a balance and were held in check by learning to walk the middle way. Steiner taught that the Paganism of the West, especially Egypt and the early Greeks, prepared the way for the Christ impulse that gave rise to Christianity, which few fully understand. The understanding behind these forces can be realized on the Quest for the Holy Grail. When integrated, this Christ/Sophia impulse becomes integrated as the loving Spirit-Self of the 6th Epoch or next era of humanity. Rudolf Steiner taught that the Earth also has its own spirituality, and it is most awake to the Christ impulse between Yule/Christmas and Epiphany (January 6th).
Quest 3: If you have pulled “Choices” it is time to examine your life and see how the forces that bind, that make you wish to escape, and the forces of love and light operate in your life. The human story tends to combine the three, but we have Free Will, and our choices will decide our future.
3 Imaginosophy Practices:
1) Write down, draw, or tell a trusted friend about the way these three forces are operating in and around you.
2) Take the Choices card, then pull a Spirit Card and place it upon the central sword to see what energies will help support the Sophia/Christ impulse.
3) Imagine a life in which you choose the Sophia/Christ impulse and the love of Wisdom.
Adage:
“It is always darkest before the dawn.”
– Samuel Lover
Grail Questions:
Think of a way in which you experience the binding forces of Ahriman that make you feel trapped in materialism and lack of belief in divinity; in the Luciferic forces that make you feel like escaping into drugs, alcohol, sex, or grandiosity. Then sense the third option, the universal force of the Sophia/Christ impulse that invites in the spiritual impulse and the love of Wisdom.
1) In what ways do you feel bound to materialism or technology?
2) How do you escape when you are under pressure?
3) What happens inside of you when you choose the spiritual impulse?
ANCESTORS - Ancestral Healing
Keywords:
Love – Messages – Gifts – Conscious Dreaming
shadow:
Trauma – Unfinished business – Haunting
colors:
lilac/emerald/light gold
The Quest:
We each carry the spirit and blood of our mother, father, and ancestors. One thing to keep in mind is that our ancestors love us. They see differently from the Otherworld, view us with a higher or more integrated consciousness and more objective perspective. It is likely that from this place of increased awareness they understand more about their lives now. An ancestor would never wish harm, and we always practice no harm. We carry the gifts of our ancestors within our hearts. Often our skills and talents are similar to other family members.
Divination:
If you have drawn “Ancestors,” ask yourself who in your lineage is trying to get your attention. Sometimes our ancestors will come to us in a dream. We may sense that a relative who has crossed on wants to be in touch, or that a wise elder wants to help us understand the keys to life.
Shadow:
We can also inherit ancestral trauma, which could be familial or national. For instance, those with Scottish Jacobite ancestry might carry trauma from the defeat at the Battle of Culloden (1746).
Symbolism/Image as Guide:
The card depicts a woman’s face which is that of Evienne, the fictional daughter of Merlin and Nimue who appears in Nimue: Freeing Merlin. Merlin and Nimue stand beneath their daughter, encouraging her to step firmly and lovingly into the future. Nimue holds a golden Grail in front of Evienne’s heart, as if reminding her to always stay aligned with wisdom. Below a white rose blossom symbolizes the purity, love and loyalty between mother, daughter, and father. The Periwinkle flowers in Evienne’s hair signify eternal love. The Sun behind her indicates that the Spirit of the Sun is encouraging Evienne to bloom into her perfect design. The butterflies behind her suggests a metamorphosis is taking place. The horizontal crescent moon on her forehead is an ancient symbol for feminine empowerment. It indicates that Evienne is in the lineage of Diana the Huntress (mythical mother of Nimue) and Greek Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt, Wild Animals, and the Wilderness.
Quest 4: If you have chosen “Ancestors,” it’s time to start communing consciously with those who have come before you, especially the more loving and talented ancestors. Feel how their light supports and guides you. Samhain (Oct 31-Nov2) is a time when it is good to create an ancestral altar and thank those who have come before you for your life. It’s good to be at peace with the ancestors.
3 Ancestral Practices:
Practice 1: Ask yourself if an aspect of the Lady of the Lake or her family — Nimue, Merlin, Evienne, Diana, or Artemis – has a message for you. In Imaginosophy we encourage play and creativity. The elusive Lady of the Lake can offer magical gifts and insights.
Practice 2: Listen to your ancestors with the ears of your heart, for it is through the heart that the Otherworld can speak. If a relative or deity calls you from a dream, they probably do have a message, so connect if it feels correct. Imagine what conversation you might have with them. You will know in your belly, your center of innate awareness, if the conversation has truth in it. You can also draw what comes into your mind, write a poem, or create an ancestral journal.
Practice 3: Ho’oponopono (pronounced HO-oh-Po-no-Po-no) is a beautiful Hawaiian prayer and forgiveness practice. The basic idea is to think of the person you are struggling with and repeat these words like a mantra: “I love you. I am sorry. Please forgive me. May we live in peace.” You can repeat it over and over. True forgiveness begins by understanding the wrongdoing and holding space for the feelings that arise. There are rumors that a psychologist did this practice and was able to clear out a mental institution just with this mantra. Once we become aware of our feelings, and we have learned what we needed from the experience, then we can move on. As well as reciting these words, you can imagine you are standing under a waterfall or swimming in a lake or Cosmic Ocean. Just allow all your suffering and the challenges (karma) of your ancestors to wash away. It is a good way to forgive yourself and others. Basically, the mantra releases any pain and suffering you may be experiencing and opens the doors to a new way of living and being. You forgive not because what someone did was correct, but to free yourself so you can go on to live a good and healthy life. You can also help the ancestors liberate themselves from anything that is holding them back.
Adage:
“We forget that the soul has its own ancestors.”
– James Hillman
Grail Questions:
Is there a relative or deity that is trying to get in touch with you?
What ancestral trauma is part of your lineage?
What are the gifts of your ancestors that you carry in your blood and spirit?
Sovereignty - Leading from the Heart
Keywords:
Courage – Intuition – Revelation – Peace – New Phase
shadow:
Exile – Division – Battle
colors:
The Quest:
Ceasair’s challenge is about overcoming judgment, establishing independence, and trusting yourself to make the right choices regardless of the opinions of others. The granddaughter of Noah, Ceasair, must make a difficult choice. Ceasair has been told by Noah that she cannot board the Ark. She is from the lineage of Cain and not Abel, and so she is not to be saved. Ceasair is aware that a flood is coming, and so she takes matters into her own hands and builds her own Ark. As the flood comes, she sails into the coming storm with three men, fifty women, her horses, and her inner knowing. To survive, Ceasair must trust her own inner authority. She takes the light off her heart and throws it into the future trusting that she will be guided to safety. In the Irish Creation Story, it is the Goddess of Sovereignty Eriu who recognizes the light of Ceasair’s heart and pulls her safely to shore.
Divination:
If you have pulled “Sovereignty” as a Quest, it is time to make a choice. You might feel judged in some way. Will you choose to stay with what is familiar, or do wish to break free from unreasonable demands and start a new path? For some, it takes a catalyst of some sort to shock us out of our comfort zone, perhaps a betrayal. There are moments that feel more like a heart break, but these are times when the heart can awaken. We get to choose again for ourselves, and the path we follow – or the path we trailblaze – can make all the difference.
Shadow:
Frightened for your own survival. Feeling the hardship of exile. Being abandoned by family. The challenges of learning to trust your own intuition and reclaiming your independence and Sovereignty.
Symbolism/Image as Guide:
Sovereignty depicts a beautiful maiden, Eriu in the form of a May Queen in the blossom of youth. Eriu is both young and wise. Her green and gold clothing links her to the Goddess and the land. The Goddess of Sovereignty is an ancient Celtic archetype and ruler.
Legend:
In pre-Christian Ireland the Goddess of Sovereignty chose the correct king, and the right leaders. Appearing as a beautiful maiden, or as a hag, she may ask for a kiss from the king and often more. If a king is not a fit ruler, the power could be taken away from him. It is Eriu who saves Ceasair from the judgment of the patriarchy, responds to the call from her heart, and pulls her to shore.
Quest 5: If you have pulled the “Sovereignty,” you are being challenged to step outside your comfort zone and see your life from a new angle. If life seems dark or there are issues with despair, it’s time to draw the veils aside and discover why. Understanding what lives in your awakened heart, throw the light of your heart into the future and trust that you will be carried exactly where you need to go.
3 Imaginosophy Practices:
1. Write down, draw, or tell a trusted friend about the challenges you are facing right now. Be real and honest.
2. At the end of the Spirit Faery Card section you will find the 8 card SPIRIT FAERY CARD LAYOUT: “Discovering Your Light Codes & Life Mission.” Do this reading for yourself and record what it is you have learned about your true path. What trail are you meant to blaze? What is your unique life purpose and mission?
3. Imagine what it would look like if you broke free of your survival programs based on lack, poverty, and limitation and instead followed your own awakened heart? Write down what you feel. Then dare to imagine a life in which you were free to do exactly what was correct for you. What is your life purpose and mission?
Adage:
“If you feel like you don’t fit into the world you inherited it is because you were born to help create a new one.”
– Ross Caligiuri
Grail Questions:
Sovereignty requires trusting yourself and your own inner knowing.
Are you ready to wake up and free yourself from the oppression that has bound you?
Can you trust yourself to step into the mysteries of the unknown?
Can you break with authorities that do not have your best interest at heart, and follow your own awakened heart?
GRAIL GUARDIANS - Keepers of Knowledge
Keywords:
Meditation – Receptivity – Gentleness – Calmness
shadow:
Disconnection – Hidden secrets – Withdrawal – Hiding
colors:
orange/pink/turquoise
The Quest:
When we quiet our minds through meditation and become receptive, we are more able to sense the gentler aspects of nature. With visualization we imagine an alternative reality, but with meditation the mind remains calm through practices such as focusing on the breath. Meditation is restful. Non-doing creates stillness in the body and mind. For some people a more activate type of meditation works better, such as mindful walking meditation. One minute of meditation at the same time each day can be powerful. When we meditate, we become increasingly sensitive to the subtle realms known to the Grail Guardians.
Divination:
If you have pulled “Grail Guardians” it’s time to learn the secret power of meditation. Once a day, practice clearing your mind. We live in such an active world, but when we take time for silence we can renew and restore.
Shadow:
Feeling disconnected from your soul or spirit. Inability to quiet the mind.
Symbolism/Image as Guide:
The depicts a full moon that lights up the sky beneath the Glastonbury Tor. Three faery women and a child emerging from a well. The figures are symbolic of the four phases of awakened womanhood: maiden – mother – priestess – elder. The colors of the dresses of the women also have meaning. The child/maiden wears pink, the color of youth and unconditional love. A mother looking pregnant in her orange dress looks toward the questor inviting life-affirming questions into the nature of creation. The blonde priestess wearing turquoise reaches skyward holding a golden Grail, an ancient Otherworldly symbol of regeneration. It may be the cup of Christ, but there are even older Celtic stories where cups or cauldrons of healing, wisdom and rebirth can be discovered. The Faery realms are at the heart of Grail myths and legends. The fourth woman with long grey hair holds the hand of the child-maiden. She wears a rainbow dress signifying that she knows her next phase will be into the realm of spirit. This elder is at peace with her life and knows that beauty can be found in all aspects of incarnation. The design on the well is of the Vesica Piscis, inextricably linked to divine and human creation. Near the top of the card, the symbols including the silver flowers from the Otherworld are held within a silver circle, representing eternity. A dove and a white butterfly appear at the bottom by blossoming white roses, symbols of young love, spiritual peace, and unity.
Quest 6: This quest is about entering the silence and finding the power of the present moment from which all life springs.
Legend (Chalice Well):
An ancient spring flows between the Glastonbury Tor and the Chalice Hill into the Chalice Well Gardens located in Somerset, England. It is called a chalybeate spring or red spring because the water is high in iron content. This healing water flows from deep within the Earth and fills what is known as the Chalice Well. The well, spring and gardens are protected by the Chalice Well Trust, founded in 1959 by Wellesley Tudor Pole (1884-1968). The well lid made of iron and oak shows a Vesica Piscis and he said represented a bleeding lance interlocking the visible and invisible worlds. There are many myths that surround the Chalice Well. One is that the uncle of Jesus, Joseph of Arimathea, visited and buried a cup containing the blood of Christ in the holy water of the well. Other mystics claim the Joseph took the daughters of Mary Magdalene and Jesus there for safe keeping. People from all spiritual paths are welcome at the Chalice Well. It is a garden which inspires a connection between people, nature and the divine and acts as a beacon of hope around the world. If you quiet your mind by the well, you might receive guidance from the Otherworlds.
Story: During one of Tudor Pole’s pilgrimages to Glastonbury, he had a dream in which a woman’s hand holding a cup arose from the water then just as mysteriously disappeared. He later discovered that this place was St. Bride’s Well. Several people, including Annie Besant (president of the British Theosophy Society) felt there was a connection with the cup from the Last Supper. The insight was that the cup had migrated across Europe to Glastonbury. Other visionaries saw that a cup with five stars had been left in a well in Glastonbury. This vision inspired interest in the matriarchal or goddess lineages that had existed in Ireland. Perhaps what had disappeared with the coming of the Roman Catholic Church was the connection to the goddess and the land. These ideas have inspired a Celtic network of researchers and visionaries who have sought to re-discover this ancient Celtic spiritual tradition in which the divine, masculine, feminine and the land are honored as aspects of the Infinite.
3 Imaginosophy Practices:
The Chalice Well gardens are a place of quiet and contemplation. Michael’s Retreat is a wonderful place to meditate. A physical quest to the Chalice Well Trust would be ideal, otherwise imagine yourself inside the grounds of a beautiful garden where you are safe, protected, and surrounded by helping spirits, or create your own place of sanctuary.
1) Create a sacred space with a comfortable place to sit. If you can, light a candle and focus on the flame and quiet the mind. If you do not have a candle, focus on a sacred object, which could include a flower.
2) Closing your eyes, place your focus on your breath. Try to do nothing but observe your in-breath and out-breath. You may count if that is helpful.
3) To learn to retain this inner peace, try a walking meditation practice in which you walk very slowly with full awareness of your heel to toe movement and the way you lift and lower your legs. Sense how the entire natural world meditates with you.
Adage:
“One conscious breath in and out is a meditation.”
― Eckhart Tolle
Grail Questions:
These questions are designed to help deepen your meditation practice.
1. How long are you able to hold your focus on an object without distraction?
2. What happens when you move into a state of awareness?
3. Do you experience peace?
Visualization
Keywords:
Inner Seeing – Psychic power – Second sight – Extrasensory perception
shadow:
Busy mind, – Confusion – Disorientation
colors:
Gold/Green/Violet
The Quest:
The Visualization card is an invitation to the inner world of dreams. Guided imagery shifts the mind from focused stillness to an aware state in which images are generated. There is generally an inner journey to follow that we see with our second sight. As the gift of Visualization strengthens, our ability to dream and journey into the Otherworlds improves. As we become proficient, we might even be able to Visualize strongly enough to consciously engage others from other realms of consciousness.
Divination:
If you have pulled “Visualization,” take time to prepare yourself for an imaginative guided meditation that takes you into the Celtic Otherworlds. It’s time to know the allies and guides who work with you and learn to travel between worlds.
Symbolism/Image as Guide:
Two faery ladies emerge from a lake. They are symbolic of the energies in our hearts that arise when we tap into the energies of the Celtic revival and remember the authentic roots of the Western Spiritual Tradition. One faery lady holds a golden cup and sword skyward. The tip of the sword is aimed directly at the sun, as if she is ready to share esoteric healing secrets. In the water is an image of a burning globe. Green and violet flames also reach skyward, the colors of the truth teller. A second lady emerges from the water. Behind her is a castle, reminiscent of Camelot and the Glastonbury Tor, an ancient site of pilgrimage and spiritual initiation. The eyes of the second faery lady are closed. The crescent moon on her forehead suggests that she is a priestess or ovate and is engaged in her inner world. The violet periwinkle flowers in her hair suggest that she is spiritually advanced, that she has access to serenity and peace. The colors gold, green and violet suggest the Quest for truth and the wisdom of the heart.
Story: In 1902 Wellesley Tudor Pole had a serious illness, during which he had a vision. Pole claimed he had dreams in which he had been a monk at Glastonbury. The dream gave him inspiration and he began to make pilgrimages there. A cup was found in Glastonbury, and there was a flurry of interest and speculation around it. At the time there was an interest amongst Christians in esoteric ideas, eastern religions, and philosophies. Pole discovered that there had been a pre-Christian authentic Western spiritual tradition that arose in Ireland and extended to Glastonbury and Iona. The idea of this Western mystical tradition intrigued him and has since then inspired numerous others. Many have been drawn to Glastonbury to study Western Hermeticism, Theosophy and Spiritualism, and additional spiritual subjects, with other like-minded individuals.
Legend (Silent Minute):
Wellesley Tudor Pole was a spiritualist as well as a quester for the Holy Grail. During the Second World War, he started a campaign called the Silent Minute, where people all around the globe united in meditation at 9 pm each evening to pray for peace to prevail. King George VI, Sir Winston Churchill, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt supported the Silent Minute. At 9 pm each evening Big Ben would sound, and the Silent Minute would begin. There is a report that a Nazi solider confessed that he felt that Germany had lost the war because of the secret weapon of the Silent Minute. There is no financial involvement attached to the Silent Minute, no political or religious affiliation, just a collective prayer for peace. The practice gained a new following after the attack of 9/11 at the World Trade Center. Some people have continued the Silent Minute since the Second World War devoting their peaceful prayers wherever they are needed on the planet. The trustees maintain that the collective focus of the Silent Minute has a benevolent effect on humanity.
PRACTICE 1 (VISUALIZATION): Create a comfortable space where you can lay down and be undisturbed. Make sure you have extra pillows and a blanket for comfort. You may wish to place a scarf over your eyes.
We are going to go to a magical garden where fairies exist. This is a place known by the Ladies of the Lake. It is deeply nurturing and healing. To prepare for this extraordinary journey, you must activate your light body. This is your energy body that is immortal. When it fully activates there are generally feelings of euphoria.
Imagine that all around your physical body is an aura with beautiful colors. Beneath you is the warm golden light from the core of the earth. See this energy rising up and filling your aura with light. Then sense your particular soul star and imagine a line of silver light flowing down into your head. Now you are connected to heaven and earth.
Fly in your light body up into the sky and ask the helping spirits to show you a special healing garden where you can always go to be healed and filled with peace…..
When you are ready return to your physical body restored and renewed. Know you can return to your special garden at any time. Stretch, yawn, and then open your eyes to a new moment.
PRACTICE 2 – Practice returning to your inner garden. Ask one of your helping spirits for a gift to bring back to this world with you. See what hallow returns, then write it in your journal, or draw it, or find an image that is like it.
PRACTICE 3 – At the same time each day, practice the silent minute and send peace around the world.
Adage:
“The power of silence is greater than you know.”
– Tudor Pole
Grail Questions:
How does the legend of the Silent Minute impact you?
Which of the sacred hallows calls your attention: the cup or sword?
What do you love most about your inner garden?
Faery Grail - Establishing Healthy Agreements
Keywords:
Magic –Stewardship – Harmony – Agreements
shadow:
Domination – Neglect – Discord
colors:
Silver/Pink/White
Meaning:
The Grail is not a fantasy but a state of consciousness that inspires unity, wholeness, and peace. Grail myths go back to the dawn of time and the very real desire humankind has of making direct connection with the Divine. Much is known about the Holy Grail, the cup of Christ, but few know about the more ancient Faery Grail. Even less know about or believe in the Faery Accord. In Welsh mythology, there are many journeys to the realm of Annwn (Annwyfn), an inner world that exists just beneath the human kingdom of Logres. In Arthurian legends, several heroes ride to discover cauldrons that test them in a variety of ways. Some of these vessels would magically crack when lies were told and mend with spoken truths. While the cup or cauldron may change in shape or size it always nourishes and heals those who are true. There is a promise that when the Faery Accord is reestablished that joy will return, and the world will flourish once again.
The Faery believe that the worst vice is to break a promise. If the Faery Grail has appeared in your reading, it is the moment to become aware of any discord in your life and vow to reestablish peace. The best way to maintain relationships and friendships is to create and keep healthy agreements.
Symbolism/Image as Guide:
Four butterflies encircle a silver cup or Grail lined with pearls. A pink flower faery with green wings sits on the base of the cup dangling her feet over a bed of Oak leaves. Stars, or perhaps flashing fire faeries, surround the cup suggesting its link to magic. The stars are reminiscent of Arcturus, the brightest star in the northern hemisphere. King Arthur arises out of an ancient knowing that truth can be found in the stars. The ancients believed he was Arth the bear, around which the heavens turned. Polaris, the North Star, is part of Ursa Minor, the small bear.
Legend:
Grail myth is always unfolding and changing. The realm of Faery in medieval literature is a parallel world close to our own and faeries were completely real to these writers. Not available to mere mortals, the blessed isle of otherworldly Avalon is for those with faery blood and the people they love. In some tales Arthur is raised in Avalon by the faery queen Argante, and Lancelot is also reared by the fey. In almost all Grail legends, at the end of his life Arthur is escorted back to Avalon for healing and restoration. It is said that Arthur returns in each generation.
In The Lost Book of the Grail, Caitlin & John Matthews explore a 13th Century French poem called “The Elucidation” as a prequel to the Christian Grail narrative. Clearly there are many Grail stories, all of which invite us to step outside of time. While the most familiar tales are about a cup or dish from the Last Supper, there are older vessels. We discover that the mysterious Grail is a hallow or treasure that exists in the realm of eternity and can surface in numerous ways. Chretien de Troyes wrote in the 1180s, which means “The Elucidation” written two hundred years later, even though it is a prequal, it is meant to be a continuation of Grail legend. The Maidens of the Well in the poem are not human. They offer hospitality from another time and space, a parallel realm. Over time the faery folk were diminished into tiny, winged beings. In older myths those of the realm of Faery are not small, and they might or might not be friendly.
In Logres, the land over which Arthur rules, the faery and human folks live amongst each other. Many Arthurian knights fall in love with mysterious fey women, but danger lurks around the faery folk. Some say they are ancient gods and goddesses forced to live in the hollow hills, others claim they are fallen angels. When the Faery Accord was honored, there were glorious maidens who had a cup from which all could drink and become well again. “The Elucidation” speaks of the time when the peaceful accord was broken, and the faery folk could no longer be seen. Once the faery horn of plenty was stolen, the gateways between the worlds closed. With distrust between the two races, the kingdom became a Wasteland. Now a veil exists between the two worlds, and there is a question about whether we can heal the Faery Accord. If we can restore our faith in one another; if we listen to the voices of the wells once again; if we enter into communication with what is sacred and healing, then we might enter into a state of unity once again.
Practice/ Imaginosophy Quest: :
The Quest for the Faery Grail is about reestablishing harmony within our bodies, minds, and souls, and also with the living world around us.
Adage:
Faeries, come take me out of this dull world. I would ride with you upon the wind, Run on the top of the disheveled tide, And dance upon the mountains like a flame.
– William Butler Yeats
Grail Questions:
Do you believe in Faery? What is it you hope to find in the inner world? What nourishes you?
ANAM CARA - Inviting the Soul Friend
Keywords:
Good friend – Faery Helper – Guardian Angel – Soulmate – Spirit Guide
shadow:
Looking for love – Lonely – Unrequited love
colors:
white/coral/emerald
The Quest:
Anam Cara is a Gaelic term for soul friend or soulmate. The Anam Cara is a soulful presence yet can also appear in your life as a very specific relationship: a uniting of two people who become stronger for this unique connection. You will recognize a soul friend because you are stronger together than you are apart. Your Anam Cara is a light in the darkest of times, and when we keep something bright and beautiful alive in our hearts, it helps us survive the difficult times. Anam Cara is a 5th dimensional invitation into the realm of love. It is the higher octave of the VI Lovers. The Celtic view is that an Anam Cara can take one of many roles, that of the romantic partnership, a friendship, business partner, or even a spirit guide. In some traditions, you could not be whole until you discovered your Anam Cara.
Divination:
If you have drawn the Anam Cara card in your reading, it is time to tend your soul as a friend. All through your life your soul walks with you, and even in your last hours, it is the awareness of the soul that will carry you in love back to your origin. The soul is the bridge to your Higher Self that knows your destiny, and also where you belong. You may also have an Anam Cara who is a physical friend and/or spirit guide.
Shadow:
A feeling of loneliness or unrequited love.
Symbolism/Image as Guide:
A woman wearing a golden dress with green trim radiates with such brilliancy that she attracts the attention of a magical white stag and a host of faery folk. This spiritual luminary is standing on the Earth and appears to be a mirror for the wonders of creation. Even the trees in the forest bend toward her. This soulful woman has tapped into her Lightbody, or energy field (aura), that recognizes itself as a conscious holographic template. She stands in the 4th Time, or no-time, where all worlds reside as one non-dual unity. Nature is wise and understands that all of life exists as an unfolding hologram. This is the embodiment of Gaia, Mother Nature herself, walking the land. The Faeryfolk celebrate her arrival. (For more of the story, see Undina’s Spell .)
Quest 9: This quest mirrors the IX Hermit, where it is necessary to go within to find the light within and develop a relationship with the Anam Cara.
Practice 1: Prepare a poem, song or drawing for your Anam Cara, or soul friend.
Practice 2: Visit your Inner Garden (see “Visualization” practice 1). Ask if to meet your Anam Cara in a visual form. Make sure you offer them a gift, such special poem or song written in their honor. You may wish to follow the Visualization below.
Take a moment to focus on the back of the card showing the Celtic Tree of Life. Notice that the Mandorla where the trunks of the two trees embrace is radiant and filled with life. When you feel ready to enter the portal of the card, step through into the Otherworld. You may wish to fly with the Dragonflies and Bees past the Ivy and into the branches of the tree where a friend awaits you. Walk into the image and encounter your Anam Cara. Greet your friend with open arms. Describe who you see in this living landscape so that you will never forget. What does your heart feel? When you are ready, step back into your physical body. Stretch, yawn, and then open your eyes to a new moment.
Practice 3: Remember to tune in often to your Anam Cara so your relationship with your soul friend deepens.
Adage:
“May you realize that you are never alone, that your soul in its brightness and belonging connects you intimately with the rhythm of the universe.”
– John O’Donohue
Grail Questions:
Who is your Anam Cara?
Are you aware of your Guardian?
Who loves you?
Shadow Self - Awareness of the Unconscious
Keywords:
Ego-Ideal – Wild Child – True Self – Soulful Wisdom
shadow:
Vicious – Divided self – Projection – Judgement
colors:
Black/White/Grey
The Quest:
On the path of Self-Realization, we must take an inner journey to discover wisdom, a precursor to our wholeness. Often the part of us that is wild and angry has been relegated to the unconscious. If we do not acknowledge our wild destructive side, we set ourselves up for defeat, depression, illness and/or dullness. Then again, we may act out in damaging ways, even becoming vicious or violent. Sadly, we see this sort of destructive behavior on the news regularly. Some of the soulful wisdom that we might encounter is the natural intelligence inherent in emotions which lead to essence. Instead of living as a victim, we may need to call back our power.
Divination:
If you have pulled the Shadow Self card in a reading, it is time to embrace the aspects of yourself that have split off through judgements, betrayals, or traumas. What have you suppressed? Look within and see what inner part wishes to reveal itself so that you can feel fully alive. Can you sense your mirror image? Reverse the spelling of “evil” and you get “live.” This battle produces a third choice, an integrated and authentic True Self. Your power, talent and unique skillsets might be found in the shadow also.
Shadow:
The Shadow Self is complex and fascinating. The Ego Ideal wants to be perfect and so it judges, criticizes, divides, and points out the evil in others. Meanwhile, what we don’t’ like in others hides in the shadows. We wind up splitting ourselves into the “Good Persona” and the “Shadow Self” that we don’t want others to know about. The way out is an alchemical discovery of the True Self.
Symbolism/Image as Guide:
The Shadow Self card shows a woman looking at the mirror image of herself. The two selves look the same, but if you look with your inner knowing, you will see the Shadow Self is looking at the Good Persona. What reveals itself is a third option in silver – a Grail – which appears between the two women. One way to know the Grail is to know the mirror image of yourself. This card is all about perception and increased awareness as a gateway to wholeness. Love in its many forms is what leads us ultimately to the discovery of the Grail.
Story (Projection): Every person has an Ego Ideal (Good Persona) and a Shadow Self. They are generally in battle with each other. We tend to project what we don’t like onto others and to refuse to see these faults in ourselves. The Shadow Self not only contains what we have rejected about ourselves, but often what is magical and powerful too. What our families and culture have rejected about us tends to lurk in the shadows. As Carl Jung wrote in Archaic Man, “Projection is one of the commonest psychic phenomena… Everything that is unconscious in ourselves we discover in our neighbor, and we treat him accordingly.”
Legend:
The 9th century Welsh poem “The Raid on the Underworld” (Preiddeu Annfwyn) is found in the Book of Taliesin (Llyfr Taliesin). The sixty-line poem details Arthur and his men on the ship Prydwen as they voyage into the underworld region of Annwn, a journey from which only seven men returned. The purpose of the expedition was to steal a magical cauldron of plenty from the Lord of Annwn. The ridge of the cup is lined in pearls, but it will not boil the food of a coward. It is similar to the Dagda’s Coire Ansic (the un-dry cauldron) could nourish all people. The Pair Dadeni (cauldron of rebirth) could bring the dead back to life, although afterwards they could not speak. Taliesin’s wisdom came from Cerwidden’s magical cauldron.
Quest 10 (The Divided Self) The Good Persona that we project into the world usually claims respectability, innocence, and civility. We want people to recognize this goodness and can be furious when others see us any other way. This Good Persona knows deep down that the impulses of the Shadow Self are real and have wisdom in them. Whatever we were shamed for, we put away into the Shadow Self. We are not to blame, because we were trying to do the right thing by locking up our bestial and murderous instincts, our hatred and rage. The only problem is that we often put our power in the shadows too and sometimes our life force. The serpent that lives in the depths is ultimately knowledgeable and life-affirming. We simply must have enough maturity to use these complex energies wisely. The greatest challenge with the Good Persona is that it often represses not only the Shadow Self and its wild fragments, but limits access to the authentic True Self as well. As Carl Jung says: “The fact is that if one tries beyond one’s capacity to be perfect, the shadow descends into hell and becomes the devil.” – Carl Jung
Quest 10 continues (The True Self): The issue with the Shadow Self is that when we splinter off, we lose our authenticity. We forget who we truly are. The Good Persona places a mask over the True Self, who must tear off the disguise and look in the mirror. Eventually we discover where we have stored our creativity, soul qualities and power. When the Shadow Self and the Good Persona face each other, there is the third possibility of discovering the True Self, which is much more wholesome.
Legend: In Nimue: Freeing Merlin, the protagonist Nina/Nimue faces a mortal challenge and so instead of dying she splits herself into a spirit and a demon. She survives, but her demon-self wanders causing destruction. Nimue realizes that the only way to reestablish wholeness within herself is to find and embrace her demonic Shadow Self. Recovering her wholeness takes the three-fold effort of an invisible white wizard, Merlin; a water spirit, Nectan; and the dark Lord of the Underworld, Gwyn Ap Nudd, who is skilled at rescuing lost souls. Click on the link below to see an excerpt from the book:
Practice:
Practice 1: In the Imaginosophy Quest Cards, we use active imagination to create an interior dialogue or conversation between the persona/ego and the unconscious. We begin with the Ego Ideal. Most of us want to be considered a good person, so we split off from what is bad (hatred, anger, etc.) and place it in the unconscious. We might go for a spiritual bypass and pretend that we are completely virtuous, moral, and even without blame. This is the self that we generally show the world.
- In this first practice, we gently acknowledge our Ego Ideal or Good Persona. We might wish to place this idealized self in the chair opposite us and have a dialogue with it. This is fun and we can find a lot of wonderful things out about ourselves.
Practice 2: We live in a dualistic world, so the brighter our light shines, the darker the underworld becomes. Inevitably, someone or some event tests us and then knocks us off our pedestal. It may feel like a betrayal, but ultimately this is a gift because we have a chance to bring awareness into the places that hurt. We might feel like our Good Persona is in a dualistic battle with our Shadow Self. The Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung taught that integrating our Shadow could lead to a more fulfilling life. To effectively live within our relationships, families and in our societies, we have often designed a personal mask to please others. This means that parts of our persona (ego identity) must be suppressed or placed in the subconscious. The aspects of ourselves that we believe to be too negative, too wild, uncivilized, or even too magical and powerful are placed in the shadows of the unconscious. These fragments and rejected parts create a Shadow Self. The purpose is to bring awareness into the darkness to illuminate what is there. Jung’s shadow work is recorded in his grimoire, The Red Book.
- In this second practice, we gently acknowledge our Shadow Self. A reading or series of readings can be done focused on the Shadow Self. We might want to create our own grimoire, or book of shadows.
Practice 3: To behave and fit into our societies, we often relegate our inner Wild Child to the shadows. While we try to suppress it, the Wild Child tends to emerge as a fragment of the Shadow Self. When this happens, we may act in odd unconscious ways, saying or doing things that we do not mean. To navigate through this world of fragmented selves, we must be kind and gentle, bringing increased awareness into the unconscious. We need to get to know our Wild Child again and remember how to play. Writing, painting, dancing, and any other form of creativity are generally helpful as you explore the underworld. When we take care of our Inner Child, the Wild Child tends to relax.
- In this third practice, draw, paint or write with your non-dominant hand. Allow yourself to be wildly creative. As you work, see if you can catch a glimpse of the True Self.
Adage:
“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.”
– Carl Jung
Grail Questions:
How does the Shadow Self play out in your life?
Can you describe your Good Persona?
Have you caught a glimpse of the integrated True Self.
Veil Keeper - Oracular Gifts
Keywords:
Clairvoyant Oracle – Ovate – Augur – Healer – Diviner – Prophet
shadow:
Sorcerer – Illusionist – Emotional manipulation
colors:
Sky blue/Silver/Pomegranate
The Quest:
The Priestesses of Avalon were trained Ovates or Seers and developed healing and oracular gifts. They learned the language of the trees (Ogham) and studied herbalism. Magic was sacred to them and they knew how to access the universal intelligence to heal, read the future, or tap into prophecy. They would often use a scrying dish, the reflection of a sacred well, the flights of birds, or Ogham for prophecy and divination.
Divination:
If you have pulled the Veil Keeper card in a reading, regardless of gender, it is time to awaken to your natural psychic and mystical abilities. Find a talented clairvoyant and learn how to read the cards, trees, and stars. Learn to trust your intuition.
Shadow:
Beware of those who wish to manipulate others for financial gain. Giving people false spiritual information creates some of the worst karma known to the human realm. Always tell the truth as you see it, even if there is information that is hard to hear.
Symbolism/Image as Guide:
Nimue, an enchanting young woman, gazes at the reader. At this phase of her training, she is innocent. The red flowers blossoming around Nimue indicate that she is in touch with her red strength essence and has the potential to fulfill her destiny. The Oak spreads out behind her as a Round Tree, which can act as a gateway to the Otherworld. The horizonal crescent moon on her forehead is an ancient symbol connecting her with Egypt and the goddess Isis. Nimue is part of an age-old goddess tradition. Her blue eyes sparkle with curiosity and there is already a hint of magic in her aura.
Legend:
The Mother Goddess Isis made her way through the Greco-Roman period as a lunar deity. The Greeks associated all goddesses with the moon, especially Artemis. Selene pulled the moon across the sky with her chariot. The Romans worshipped the lunar goddess, Diana. In the Celtic world the Morrigan is the triple moon goddess. Cerridwen is the Welsh moon goddess. Mother Mary is also often depicted in religious art with a crescent moon beneath her foot, connecting her to the lunar goddess Isis, and perhaps even more ancient magical deities. All of these moon goddesses are Veil Keepers, guardians of the feminine mysteries, prophecy, and oracular gifts.
Quest 11: The Quest is to enter the animated or living world in which stars sing and plants whisper. The Veil Keeper says this is the moment to remember your inner magic. Read with your own deck of cards today or go outside and simply observe nature. Talk to the trees and listen to them with the ears of your heart. Notice the phase of the Moon, the change of the seasons, and see if you can practice developing a deeper connection to Mother Earth.
Practice:
Practice 1: Learn the Celtic Cross Layout by heart. Delve deeply into the meaning of the Tarot so that your intuition can link with the Wisdom Field, and you can confidently offer readings. This takes time and practice. If you have already mastered Tarot, then learn how to read with the Spirit Faery Cards and how to heal with color and activate the light body.
Practice 2: Learn to add other types of divination to the cards, such as color therapy and Ogham. Or go outside and collect flowers, sticks, and leaves and make a wheel of life that is intuitively in alignment with the sun, moon, starts and living earth.
Practice 3: It is important to read the cards for ourselves and others, however we can also read for the planet. Turn to the last layout in the book and learn how to do a reading for Gaia.
Adage:
“Most women I know are priestesses and healers, although many don’t know it yet, and some never will. We are all of us sisters of a mysterious order.”
― Marianne Williamson
Grail Questions:
What is the phase of the moon?
What season are you celebrating?
How are you using your intuition?
Wise Woman
Keywords:
Oracle – Augur – Healer– Diviner – Prophet – Clairvoyant
shadow:
Sorcerer – Illusionist – Emotional Manipulation
colors:
Violet/Orange/Black
Sky blue/Silver/Pomegranate
The Quest:
The Wise Woman, Grandmother or Elder is someone who has lived a long life and has metabolized the inner and outer darkness they have encountered so that they possess some wisdom. This is generally the matriarch that the family and even the community revolves around. The Wise Woman tends to have soup on the stove and warm bread in the oven. People feel comfortable around the Wise Woman’s hearth, and sense they can share what ails them. The Wise Woman may bring an insight forward which may help to resolve an issue that is heavy on someone’s heart. The Wise Woman is a natural healer. Often, she is a good storyteller too. This Wise Woman has an understanding in her bones that the world is alive, time is a hologram, and that in truth she is eternal. The Wise Woman knows that once we gather all the colors of the rainbow, we restore ourselves to Oneness.
Divination:
It you have chosen the Wise Woman, it’s time to embrace the mystical hag. Our culture tends to be frightened of old age, and is terrified of witches, although most of us secretly long to discover our magical powers. Our elders are our wisdom keepers. Wise Women know they are shapeshifters. If you have met an old woman with a twinkle in her eyes, know that some magic might be brewing. Have a good laugh, make a good tea, and trust your Wisdom.
Shadow:
Emotional instability, or a feeling of being misunderstood. The shadow side of the Wise Woman is the sense that you don’t fit the norm. Being a fringe dweller can be lonely. The term “witch” stems from the Old English word Wicce, which means Wise Woman. Hysteria was first described in the 2nd millennium BC and comes from the Greek hystera, which means uterus. Hysteria is no longer considered a medical diagnosis. Witches don’t worship the devil but practice the law of no harm. It is healthy and normal to be magical.
Symbolism/Image as Guide:
The old woman in the card gives the impression that she is at peace with who she is as a human being, even a magical or supernatural being. She is Cerridwen, a Welsh goddess who created a brew for her son so that he could have all the wisdom of the world, but the bubble of wisdom landed on the thumb of another young man, who became the wisest man in the world and was later to be known as Taliesin. Cerridwen is wearing a magical purple dress trimmed in green. As a shapeshifter she can appear any way she chooses. In the card she appears as an old woman. While engaged in stirring a magical cauldron, she gives the impression that she is at peace with who she is as a human being, even a magical or supernatural being. Tapping into her natural faery, human, transhuman triplicity, this grandmother is a seer, an oracle, unafraid of facing the truth as it is. Playful bubbles arising from her cauldron attract a rainbow.
Legend:
The Gaelic population called a Wise Woman a Bean Feasa, and they always played an important cultural role. In Ireland the old Wise Woman was known as the Cailleach, the Veiled One, the goddess of cold and wind. As both a hag and a creator deity, she stirred her cauldron with a stick calling forth the wisdom of the world.
Biblical Story: In the King James Bible the quote: “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live” (Exod 22:18) was a murderous mistranslation. In Hebrew a m’khashepah is a person who has used spells to harm others. The original line is more accurately translated as: “Thou shalt not suffer a poisoner to live.” A poisoner is a murderer, and now the passage makes sense. Many women were burned at the stake due to a mistranslation.
Practice:
Practice 1: Becoming aware of the Wise Woman within is like being an Artist who knows how to enter the world of dreams and can discern the fields of wisdom. We might find that the inner Artist is very connected with highest states of consciousness and inner knowing. It may be time to take your pens and pencils and draw an image of your Wise Woman or magical wicce.
Practice 2: Attune to your wise inner Grandmother and write a poem or fairytale to inspire others.
Practice 3: Allow yourself to be wild and playful. Brew some herbal tea. There is wisdom in fun and joy.
Adage:
“You may find a myth that will evoke the reality in you.”
― Jean Shinoda Bolen
Grail Questions:
Do you have a sense of belonging?
Where do you find happiness?
What is the most magical thing about you?
THE BEYOND
Keywords:
Transformation – Alchemy – Restoration – Alchemy – World Soul
shadow:
Chaos – State of war – Rebellion
colors:
Gold/Pearl/Amethyst
The Quest:
The first step in stepping into “The Beyond” is moving past our limiting beliefs, and realizing we can connect with a Higher Power. The practice of praying is at least 5,000 years old and probably much older. Prayer comes from the Latin precari, which means “to beg.” We may feel as though we have no control over outside forces, and when life events seem unbearable, we tend to turn to prayer. When we join collectively in prayer, our pleas can be heard. Prayer can be linked back to any creator god or goddess. It is a form of communication that can act as a charm or spell. The Power of Eight, by Lynn McTaggart astonishes readers with the power of group intention, which can change our lives for the better.
Divination:
If you have drawn “The Beyond” card, it is time to learn about the power of prayer. When we meditate and pray, we are modeling the in-breath and out-breath of our bodies, and all the other animated beings who breathe with us. As yogi Mark Whitwell says, “We are the power of the universe, the in-breath and out-breath of the cosmos operating.” One way to begin to enter The Beyond is to pick a time each day to meditate and simply become quiet for one minute. Imagine peace in your heart and all over the planet. We have more power than we know. That one small magnanimous action can benefit all of humanity.
Symbolism/Image as Guide:
The artwork depicts a woman being pulled into a portal in which a gold Grail crackles with electricity. It is similar to the image of the Ten of Spirit, and the meanings do overlap. This is the feeling when our souls are being called in to the unknown. The woman’s eyes are closed, and the sensations may first happen in dreams, or visions, or during mediation. There is a pronounced calling for something, an absence in the heart, and that is often a pull toward a quest – the quest for the Grail. Is it an object? Does the Chalice have Christian or Pagan significance, or perhaps both? The wonderful thing about the Grail is that it is something you journey for alone to discover in your inner world.
In the silence of the dream world, or in a conscious dream, is a woman (symbolic of the anima or even the anima mundi, the world soul). She wears violet, the color of spiritual healing and transformation. She stands on the Earth and is being pulled into something greater. Meanwhile the golden Grail crackles with divine energy. Golden vibrations from the Grail also extend from the base activating a living Holly wreath. Outside floating in the universe appear the alchemical symbols for the elements. The planets associated with astrology and our solar system are held within the cape wings of this soulful woman with its pearl trimmed edges. The woman looks like she might take flight like an ancient butterfly through the Grail portal. Perhaps there she will discover the secrets of the universe – or realize that she is the gateway to direct knowing.
Legend:
The Grail has fascinated many people, and over the centuries it has become a symbol of spiritual healing, integration and unification. Many people interested in Western Hermeticism, Theosophy, Kabbalah, spiritual healing, alchemy, Tarot or simply establishing a direct connection with the divine are drawn to the Grail Quest, which can lead to many places in the living landscape both seen and unseen. The Grail acts as a doorway to the Western spiritual traditions. One place people visit regularly to contemplate Grail legend is Glastonbury, England. Visionaries are drawn to the living landscape, and there is a zodiac etched into the landscape that encircles the town. Mary Caine wrote a book about it called the Glastonbury Zodiac: Key to the Mysteries of Britain. No one knows why it is there, but there is much speculation. Some believe it was a mythical path laid out by Ancient Sumerians or other travelers. It points to the local ley lines, or lines of psychic power that can be found all over our planet. These energies are gathered in specific areas. Some wonder if the landscape zodiac was King Arthur’s Round Table, or have found a mystical connection between the two that mythical figures Merlin and Nimue may have been aware of. Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between myth, history, and stories of the soul, which operate beyond language in the world of symbols. Certainly the Grail Quest is one that still calls.
History/Story: In 1902 WWI Officer Wellesley Tudor Pole had a serious illness which included a vision of the Holy Grail and a connection with Glastonbury. Pole had been confirmed in the Anglican church, and this was understood as the Broad Church. In other words, he had a broad respect for all religions and philosophies, seeing the Grail as the symbol of unity that connected all faiths. During the Second World War, he started a campaign called the Silent Minute, where people all around the globe united in meditation at 9 pm each evening to pray for peace to prevail. King George VI, Sir Winston Churchill, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt supported the Silent Minute. At 9 pm each evening Big Ben would sound, and the Silent Minute would begin. There is a report that a Nazi solider confessed that he felt that Germany had lost the war because of the secret weapon of the Silent Minute. There is no financial involvement attached to the Silent Minute, no political or religious affiliation, just a collective prayer for peace. The practice gained a new following after the attack of 9/11 at the World Trade Center. Some people have continued the Silent Minute since the Second World War devoting their peaceful prayers wherever they are needed on the planet. The trustees maintain that the collective focus of the Silent Minute has a benevolent effect on humanity.
13th Quest: This final quest is away from what is familiar and toward the mystery where faery folk and wicces are part of a living landscape in which trees and birds speak and ladies can walk between worlds. The Beyond takes us to alchemy of the Self and the restoration of our soul.
Practice:
Practice 1: At 9 pm each night, practice one minute of silence and see peace spreading throughout the world.
Practice 2: Read The Power of Eight by Lynne McTaggart. Gather a group of eight positive and reliable people together and with focused intent to harness the miraculous energy of prayer.
Practice 3: Find local sacred sites and join people around the world who are praying for planetary healing and peace. Join the Sacred Network: https://sacrednetwork.org.
Adage:
“Silence is a source of great strength.”
– Lao Tzu
Grail Questions:
How does the power of prayer impact you.
Who are you praying for?
What alchemy is occurring in your soul?
