Major Arcana

Seeker

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A new beginning The Seeker begins a journey, taking a moment to contemplate the road ahead before setting off down the hillside. Perhaps she is murmuring a prayer, or setting an intention. She travels light, carrying all that she needs in her bundle. She has embroidered a butterfly on the back of her vest, signifying [...]

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Magician

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Spirit made manifest The Magician is a ritual drummer, the drum his magic wand. He plays the djembe, caught up in the bliss and ecstasy of the trance created by the sound of the drum. He knows that the rhythm of his drumbeat matches the heartbeat of the Earth. Firelight flickers on cave walls, painted [...]

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Priestess

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Dreams, voices and visions The woman of mystery calls upon us to turn within when the moon is waning. Listen, she says, to the voice of the wind with its pungent salty scent . . . listen to the voices that arise in your dreams or from your wombs during the time of moonflow. She [...]

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Gardener

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Sensuality, creativity, abundance Our Lady of the Land revels in the fertility and lushness of the midsummer fields, the first fruits of the harvest and the ripening of her own body. She is the mother Demeter of the wheat and poppies. She is the daughter of the Great Goddess of Willendorf. She is the butterfly [...]

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Builder

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structure, boundaries, foundation The Builder is a master craftsman, shown here carving a design of oak leaves and acorns into the post that flanks the front door of his home. He is committed to the ethics and principles of sustainability and has built an earth-friendly house. Drying herbs hang from the rafters, firewood is stacked [...]

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Teacher

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Learning and teaching The Teacher is a humble and spiritual figure in the tradition of the Holy Fool or Crazy Saint, known in Sufi tradition as well as in Tibetan Buddhism, Hasidic Judaism and Christianity. Crazy saints speak in riddles, they tease, they laugh uproariously and act intentionally ridiculous. At the same time, they are [...]

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Lovers

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Follow your passion The Lovers celebrate the sacred feast of Beltane (May Day) in their green- wood bower, attended by the swan of Aphrodite and her twin doves. He is re- splendent as the sun and she, green as the growing earth. He is crowned with leaves, she with May-flowers — hawthorn blossoms, which remind [...]

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Canoe

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Stay focused on your path The paddler sets out on his quest, unencumbered by baggage or even excess clothing. He is focused on his goal, in- tent, looking neither to the left nor right. The phrase “paddle your own canoe” indicates self-determination and self-reliance. He brings his strength, will and courage to the task at [...]

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Strength

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Courage and inner fire A strong and beautiful woman holds a cougar in her arms. Both wear a crown of flowers. The mountain lion symbolizes her passion, her instincts, her sexuality and her wildness. Instead of believing that her animal nature needs to be subdued, she embraces it and makes it a friend. Choices are [...]

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Hermit

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Sacred solitude The Hermit retreats from the company of others to replenish his soul in solitude as he communes with the natural world. He listens to the calls of birds as he writes and sketches in his journal at twilight time. He ponders his own mortal- ity, and the gifts and challenges of aging. His [...]

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