Restoration and Renewal with ✩ The Star ✩

Restoration and Renewal with the Star ✩ Words by Amadia Djali ✩ Film Photography by Adora Wilson-Eye ✩ Model ~ Ayomide ✩ Styling by The Tarot Woman/Empress Vintage ✩ Location ~ The Empress Garden

Here we present a most lovely embodiment of the sacred Star, number 17 of the Major Arcana. Following the torment of the Devil (the last 4 years with 45,) and the Chaos of the Tower (2020 as a whole,) each and every one of us is in need of a relieving cleanse like only the Star frequency can offer. The Star awakens us to a time of healing, an opportunity to rejuvenate after we have struggled to fight with all we have during a time of crisis. They offer us, even for just a moment, a respite from a stage of blight and dismay. As the Star draws from the Universal Pool of collective imagination and memory, we find ourselves liberated from the illusion of isolation, the burden of survival. The Star sings us back to the our core nature, invites us further along the glorious path of our true calling. With renewed self-worth, we return to awareness of our precious and unique qualities that only we can shine into being.

By reclaiming our resilience and the gems that emerge from the pressure of turmoil, we are rewarded with a wealth of Self to offer back to the Collective. The Star pours back into the pool of togetherness from the heart. 2021 will grant us with a chance to come into our humanitarian prowess in a ways unlike any other era has required. Thru acts of mutual aid, community and self care, education and communication, we may uplift a global faith in humanity and ignite visions for the future never before perceived.

The Star asks us to savor the present, and reminds us that although interdependency is the only way forward, we have nothing to prove. Our worth is self-evident, as we arrive at new levels of self-possession. The calm starry eye amidst the storm is a moment of revelation. Offer others inspiration from your own tale of triumph, listen deeply to the stories of others, for there is much to learn and much to gain from one another as we dance together into the next age.

Ayomide in The Empress Garden wearing black and white Star dress from Empress Vintage

☆ Nine of Pentacles ☆

The Nine of Pentacles ☆ Film photography by Adora Wilson-Eye ☆ Wardrobe & props by The Tarot Woman/Empress Vintage ☆ Shot in the secret Empress Garden ★★★★★★★★★

The 9 of Pentacles. Always looked upon as a favorable card in the tarot deck. A woman in a golden robe enjoys time in her garden. She has worked hard to create the harmony and beauty that surrounds her. In tune with nature, the birds and the animals, she cares for the Earth on which she depends. Meanings of this card: self-reliance, self-care, financial abundance, grounding, stability, harmony, luxury. I find that the 9 of pentacles pairs quite well with The Empress card ~ if you get both in a reading that is quite a good sign!

TAROT 2019 ☾☼ The Year of The Empress + The Hanged One ☼☾

2019 ☾☼ The Year of The Empress + The Hanged One ☼☾

2019 = 2 + 0 + 1 + 9 = 12 (The Hanged One) ~ 1 + 2 = 3 (The Empress)

Seventh Sphere Tarot de Marseille deck

THE EMPRESS ♀️ THE GREAT MOTHER ♀️

This year is quite the combo. The Hanged One meets The Empress and many questions come about.

The Empress brings the environment into focus.  Our material reality.  How are we working to make this world a more beautiful place? Be in tune with the earth, hold meditations with nature and spirit. Ground yourself with aragonite crystals and herbal teas.

“I believe in the radical possibilities of pleasure, babe.” ~Bikini Kill

Sensuality and pleasure play a key role in this year. What lessons have we been taught about our sexuality? What do we need to unlearn? Are we pleasing ourselves? Of course the root of all of this is self love. What have we done for ourselves today? Deep fulfillment is the goal.

Creativity and projects are an important part of The Empress’s reign. She calls for beauty, abundance and a fertile garden. Pay attention to the details. As well as who is around you. What is The Empress without her community? Create a nest of loved ones, people that are on your side for the highest good.

THE EMPRESS ♀️ Film photography by Adora Wilson-Eye + Hair/Makeup by Lindsay Bauman

 ↡☞ THE HANGED ONE ☜↡

I sat in meditation one day as The Fool. I came across The Hanged Man. He acknowledged me and then jumped off his position on the tree. He did a little dance. While he was a serious character, he brought humor to all situations. He reminded me of the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz. “Which way should I go?” I asked. “Well, you can go this way, or this way, or that way!” he answered. ☜ ➹ ☟⤴ ☞

This year, when life shifts perspective and shows you all of the options, do your best to stay calm. Be in the present. The Hanged One appears when we need to take time to see all the possibilities. No need for final action or decision making right away. EXPLORE ALL OPTIONS. Use your intuition as a guide.

THE HANGED ONE asks us to inquire. Film photography by Adora Wilson-Eye + Hair/Makeup by Lindsay Bauman

The World also makes an appearance. 12 is 21 backwards, and also adds up to 3. So within this configuration is The Empress, The Hanged One and The World.

Forge female friendships. Honor the divine feminine within. Film photography by Adora Wilson-Eye + Hair/Makeup by Lindsay Bauman

♥♥♥ Happy 2019 + Lunar New Year ♥♥♥

♥♥♥ Get in touch if you’d like a Tarot reading ♥♥♥

Exploring The Cups ~ Tarot in the Pool

Vintage clothing and jewelry from EMPRESS VINTAGE

The Lovers tarot scarf from DIOR

MOTHERPEACE + DIOR ♤ ♡ ♢ ♧ Interview with Vicki Noble

In 2007 I was handed a Tarot deck by a psychic healer friend.  The deck had a triple spiral on the back, which is my sacred symbol (I discovered the symbol during a Neolithic Goddess journey in Malta & England).  Soon, with my friends guidance, I was reading the Tarot.  Not long after I received my first deck, the Motherpeace Tarot came into my life.  The deck has multiple companion books and a small guidebook inside as well, so I got to studying.  Motherpeace was the deck that made me comfortable reading for others.  The deck was beautifully done, with divine feminine multicultural imagery, which made it easy to read anyone.  No longer were we stuck with only white, European images.  The Motherpeace shows a time before the patriarchy, connecting us to our ancestral roots and the time of the Goddess.

Christian Dior Motherpeace scarves 2018 resort cruise collection

When the 2017 Ready to Wear collection by Dior came out, I knew something special was happening.  The Tarot and feminism was being featured in one of the most iconic luxury brands, and a new creative director was at the helm.  {see one of my previous blog posts for pics of the Tarot gowns from that collection}  Dior’s first woman couturier is Maria Grazia Chiuri.  In her research of Christian Dior, she saw that fortune telling and tarot cards are part of the house codes.  Dior would get a reading before each collection was shown.  The visibility of Tarot on the worlds fashion stage was exciting, but little did I know that soon my very favorite deck would become interwoven with the Dior legacy.

Vicki Noble reading Motherpeace cards to a client at the Dior San Francisco party

The Dior 2018 Resort Cruise Collection came out with a stunning show in Calabasas, Southern California.  The Motherpeace imagery was everywhere, in the gowns, the bags, the jackets.  The divine feminine has risen!  In January, I was invited to a private Motherpeace pop up party to view pieces in the collection and to receive readings from Vicki Noble and Karen Vogel, the creators of Motherpeace.  Pictured below:  Motherpeace Wheel of Fortune and Death handbags, my reading from Vicki Noble, my reading from Karen Vogel, Karen reading a client in the lovely Dior shoe boutique room, Motherpeace death scarf, the embroidered Judgement round bag + detail shots of front and back.

Wheel of Fortune Motherpeace Dior leather jacket

The party was a blast!  Now on to my next journey with the Motherpeace ~ interviewing Vicki Noble in her home in Santa Cruz.  She feed me delicious homemade honey and we sat at her kitchen table with the California sun shining through.  We discussed her time in Berkeley creating the deck, her relationship to healing and of course, Dior!  Pictured below:  Vicki's synchronistic vision board that led her to Dior.

Listen below to the INTERVIEW WITH VICKI NOBLE!

Interview with feminist Tarot card maker Vicki Noble.

A visit with Vicki would not be complete without a reading!  She read my chart and pulled cards, clarifying a lot for me!

In our interview, she talked about her magazine, Snake Power.  Here are a couple pics of the mag.

Thanks for listening!  Feel free to email empressvintage@gmail.com with any questions or comments. 

Wearing the High Priestess Motherpeace x Dior t-shirt at Dior in San Francisco

2018 WITCHES RISE UP

THIS IS THE YEAR OF THE HIGH PRIESTESS, STRENGTH & JUSTICE.  THE DIVINE FEMININE IS RISING.  WE REFUSE TO ACCEPT THE DISEASES OF RACISM AND SEXISM.  STAY IN TOUCH WITH YOUR SPIRIT GUIDES.

2018 WITCHES RISE UP

2 + 0 + 1 + 8 = 11   STRENGTH and/or JUSTICE

1 + 1 = 2   HIGH PRIESTESS

The ultimate card of 2018 is the High Priestess.  This year we will see the Divine Feminine rise stronger than ever before.  As we saw in 2017, “feminism” was the most searched word according to Merriam-Webster and the #metoo movement (originally founded by Tarana Burke) gave a voice to survivors of sexual harassment and violence.  This is just the tip of the iceberg.  2018 will not only continue the feminist movement but integrate intersectionality at its core.  We will no longer stand for “white” feminism.  Witches will continue to rise into a much more visible element of the resistance of white supremacist capitalist patriarchy (bell hooks phrase).  

Aquarius Tarot by Dawn Aquarius ~ Photo by The Tarot Woman

STRENGTH:

Tap into the Source and Universal energy as well as within to find your strength.  The Strength card in the Tarot represents a marriage of The Magician and The Empress energies.  Take your anger and frustration and channel into your higher purpose, with grace and calm.  Strength is a great ally in this time.  Face fear with love.

JUSTICE:

In this material world, we have left Spirit behind.  The card Justice showing up now asks us to balance our spiritual, physical and emotional planes.  This is a great opportunity for healing in the realms of mental and physical health.  Connection with the spirit world will bring blessings from our ancestors as well as messages to guide us in the Earthly realm.

Those that have been hiding (whether in plain sight or not) their misdeeds against others will be brought to justice.  Social and environmental justice movements will pick up speed.  It is during this time that we rise above our past pettiness and competition.  Love is the mantra we must be speaking.

Note:  In the Tarot, Justice originally started out as Major Arcana 11.  The Waite-Smith deck switched the card positions of Strength and Justice (Strength to 8 and Justice to 11).  Many decks have either stayed in line with the original placement or have decided they resonate more with the Waite-Smith positions.  That’s why we have three cards to represent this year!

THE HIGH PRIESTESS:

A divine feminine oracle, The High Priestess channels her deep, ancient knowledge through her intuition.  The Moon and water energy of the card add to her mystery.  She is the key to the tradition of passing knowledge from teacher to student, master to apprentice.  Learn from those wisdom keepers in your life.  Seek them out.  The illumination will be felt from within.  

The High Priestess is a protector of the waters and the mystery of the feminine cycle, of time.  We will work with 2018 in heightened awareness of our psychic abilities.  The web we witches weave this year will create a strong foundation in which to lead in the future.  Support each other. 

High Priestess card from the iconic Motherpeace tarot deck.  Photo by The Tarot Woman

The Tarot Woman ♥ Lightning in a Bottle 2017

The Tarot Woman ♥ Lightning In A Bottle 2017 ♥ Tarot Workshops + Tarot Readings!

Join The Tarot Woman in The Cauldron, an esoteric arts classroom space.
Thursday from 1-2pm The Magic of Tarot ~ An Introduction
In this workshop, we will explore the magic of Tarot. An introductory workshop, we will start with the Journey of The Fool, the first card in the deck. Through the Fool’s journey all discoveries are made. From how to clear your deck from previous readings, to the Major and Minor Arcana to working with your intuition, this workshop will get you on the path to reading cards with confidence!

Sunday 5:30-6:30pm
Tarot Secrets ~ The Major Arcana and Its Meanings
We see the imagery of Tarot in film and popular culture. What does it really mean? Here we will explore the Major Arcana of the Tarot and its powerful archetypes, including The High Priestess, The Empress and Death. The Tarot acts as a map for our life journey. It is in these reflections that we receive divine guidance through the cards.

Plus, Tarot readings by The Tarot Woman in the Folk Arts Hub, on Friday and Saturday from 3:30-5pm.  

LEARN THE MAGIC OF THE CARDS

The Tarot Gowns of Christian Dior Spring/Summer 2017

Christian Dior 2017 Ready to Wear Collection Review by The Tarot Woman

A feminine delight with tons of tulle wisping down the runway in classic reds, pinks, black and white.  The sporty elements and nod to the 90s choker that just won’t go back out of style.  But most striking are the Tarot themed cosmic gowns.  Apparently Christian Dior welcomed the mystical realms and believed in fortune telling and good luck charms.  Maria Grazia Chiuri channels this through her own vision with a divine feminine edge.  Coupled with feminist t-shirts, this collection is a modern day woman’s dream come reality.  The t-shirt emblazoned with “We Should All Be Feminists” is from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s book of the same title.  Garnering support for intersectional feminism, Chiuri is going full on with her title of first female artistic director of the house of Dior with a powerful & distinctly feminine collection.  I can’t wait until late February when the pieces are in stores.  Click through the images below {photos courtesy of Vogue magazine}.

In these pieces we see a diviner’s dream.  To invoke the magic of the Tarot in a garment is a powerful act.  Are you feeling like basking in the warmth of the sun surrounded by friends and family with your inner child at peace?  Choose “El Soliel” {The Sun} dress.  Feeling the need to explore your shadow side and creativity?  Choose “El Diable” {The Devil} dress.  Also in the deck of Chiuri are the Ace of Swords, Death, The Moon, The World and The Lovers.  What card do you choose?  Or will these pieces choose you?

Ace of Swords

The Tarot gowns are designed as a wearable Tarot card, with the names of the cards at the bottom.  It seems that the main inspiration is from the Tarot Marseilles with nods to the Rider Waite Smith.  Most of the Tarot dresses have celestial themes as backgrounds.  

The Devil

Surrealist and childlike, beaded and embroidered, these fantastical pieces have a multi-dimensional quality.  Like getting lost in a fairy tale or working with your intuition to discover hidden truths, these Tarot dresses are magical works of art to wear.

Tarot Forest Ritual with 22 + 1 Deck by Viviana Druga

Tarot Forest Ritual.  Photos by Josh Farria.  35 mm film photography.  Modeling and styling by The Tarot Woman / Empress Vintage.

INTERVIEW WITH VIVIANA DRUGA, MAKER OF THE 22 + 1 MAJOR ARCANA DECK.

I sat down with Viviana on the last day of my travels in Berlin, right before heading to the airport. She made me tea with the most delicious honey and we cozied up on her couch to begin the reading.  Her deck, modeled after the Tarot de Marseilles, is beautiful and bright.  I loved the insight I received from her reading.  Interview below:

How did the Tarot find you?  At what point in time did you start reading for others?

Tarot did find me. I did receive another deck before on my birthday maybe in 2011. A Crowley deck. I kept it in my house for a few weeks and then without thinking about gave it as a gift to a friend - who then lost it in a secret garden party and fell asleep with cards covering the whole garden. When she woke up all cards where in the pack. This was the story of the first pack who did not stay with me. Tarot de Marseille did. I was familiar with A. Jodorowsky and his consciousness expanding cult movies but I had no idea he is a big tarologist as well. I remember Michael Northam ( a sound artists from North West of the U.S.) showed me a book in OTannenbaum bar one night:  Psychomagic: The Transformative Power of Shamanic Psychotherapy. I was psyched - I felt a call. I ordered it same night online, read it and there I was obsessed by what he was calling: a way to understand a human soul: the tarot. The I ordered The Way of the Tarot and my boyfriend gave me the Marseille Deck as a gift pretty much same time so all the tools at this point were on the table. During this time of theoretical study, costume designer Tata Christiane contacted me saying: I want to do something with you. The idea came stoke me: You can work with me on creating this Tarot deck: i will chose the people interpreting the Major Arcana according to my own intuitive vision and we will create the set and costumes together. Said and done but....took 2 years. Amazing time. Really grateful. At the the 22+1 Tarot de Berlin exhibition in 2014 during which time I had on-going readings sessions with the big installation cards - I realized I was ready to do it on a regular basis. Trial and Error worked. I use only the Major Arcana in my readings. I feel its Jodorowskyan style.

What was your spiritual process of making the deck?  What guided you?  Angels, ancestors, dreams?

I would say dreams and my own personal upbringing in the Transylvanian nature landscape and its inherent mythology. I would be searching for my characters while being in a club and see someone that would fit my Hanged Man idea so would just approach him right away and his answer would be: wow I feel like that, yes let´s do it! Thats how the process would be.

What does The Empress card mean to you? Is there a particular card that you see yourself as?

The Empress is a young girl waiting for compliments at the beginning of her becoming a woman. She is ready to give birth (legs open) to a new project. Yes, I guess I can be her, though I connect more to High Priestess out of any singular woman character sitting on a chair. There is a mystery about The High Priestess that I connect to. She keeps a secret, she is absorbed in her studies but does not reveal much yet. You can only imagine her inner journey. 

As a performance artist I do show quite a lot of my inner world but the rest of time when am not performing am more into the Priestess role.

The deck is called 22 + 1 ~ what is the meaning of that?

There are 22 images in the deck. 1 stands for the person for whom the reading is being done. In total 23 - magic number. My birthdate 23rd. Discordianism... I can go on forever... :) 

Anything else you would like to share about the creation of this beautiful deck?

It's a psychomagic object. It started as a psychomagic act to place real people interpreting 2D characters. The real people would become the cards and in the transfer there is a spirit travel involved - a connection to other realms. I do believe we can transform our realities. We are our own healers. 

Reading for The Tarot Woman by Viviana Druga in Berlin, July 2016

The Lovers card in the 22 + 1 deck

Clothing and rings styled by Janina Angel Bath from the Empress Vintage vaults.  Rings available in store and can also be requested for purchase online.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT VIVIANA HERE

Occult School

Pictured below are Tarot spreads/altars from the four part series of Journey Through the Minor Arcana ~ a Tarot class taught by The Tarot Woman at Empress Vintage.  Please inquire within to find out when the next class will be!  empressvintage@gmail.com

WANDS

SWORDS

PENTACLES

CUPS

The High Priestess

THE HIGH PRIESTESS ~ Archetype of divine wisdom, ancient knowledge, the feminine, psychic ability and intuition, initiation, mystery, meditation, keeper of records, the Moon and its cycles, tarot reader, musician, writer.

ISIS   DIANA   SARASWATI   VIRGIN MARY  ||   Veil between the physical & spiritual realms

The High Priestess   ||   Knowledge is power   ||   Consult the Oracle