In the cards this week: Good News

Time to pat yourself on the back

We’ve all been working so hard, keeping up with the long list of responsibilities the world has heaped on us. It can be really wearing, really tiring. And it can feel like running in place, or treading water, never making any headway and sometimes just barely managing to stay even. Which is why I’m so happy to see this pair of cards today.

Finally, a little progress. A little forward movement.

This is a Minor-Major pair, suggesting that this progress and momentum applies in both ordinary, daily affairs and the larger arc of life as well. I like that the combo balances the practical and material (the Nine of Horns) with the spiritual (the Adept) because that’s the way life should be: a little bit of both. Whether you view us as human beings having a spiritual experience or spiritual beings having a human experience, it takes both aspects to create a fulfilling life.

As I’ve mentioned before, the Minors in this deck aren’t pips, even though some of the images are fairly simple. Here, we see a fancy fresco (a kind of wall painting) with nine pairs of sacred horns and a detailed border and background. This is the kind of thing a well-to-do person in ancient Crete would have had in their home. In other words, they would have earned it via hard work.

And our Major card today is the “flagship” card for this deck - the one the publisher chose to use as the cover image, though slightly altered for the cover to make room for the title:

The Snake Goddess is iconic of Minoan civilization and more specifically, Minoan spirituality. The original figurine is very faded now (she’s 3600 years old!):

She was originally deep red, yellow, and black. I have two reproductions of her, one that’s an accurate depiction of what she probably looked like new (minus the cat, which archaeologists say may or may not actually belong to this figurine):

And an amazing custom-crocheted reproduction, several times the size of the original (which is about the size of a Barbie doll):

This glorious work of crochet art was designed and created as a custom order by Opal Luna of Fiber Magick, and you can watch me giddily unboxing her here, and see how big she really is.

I hope your week is full of good news, progress, and satisfaction!

This week’s cards:

Nine of Horns: You've done the work, put in the honest effort, and you're on your way! You've already attained some of your goals, and the rest are within your grasp as long as you maintain your work ethic. Be sure to take time to enjoy what you've earned.

The Adept: Speaking of putting in the effort, you've done that on a spiritual level as well. You've found balance and harmony within your spiritual life. That doesn't mean you know all the answers, but it does mean you now have the experience to find the divine within and around you and to find meaning in everyday life.

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About Laura Perry

I'm an author, artist, and creator who works magic with words, paint, ink, music, textiles, and herbs. I'm also the founder and Temple Mom of Ariadne's Tribe, a worldwide inclusive Minoan spiritual tradition. My spiritual practice includes spirit work and herbalism through the lens of lifelong animism. I write Pagan / polytheist non-fiction and fiction across several different subjects and genres. I'm currently working on an illustrated book of modern Minoan myths and a Minoan entry in the Moon Books Pantheons series (publication date available soon!). I’m also an avid gardener and living history demonstrator.