Temporary Retreats

The tarot deck I'll be using this week is a nontraditional one known as Waking the Wild Spirit.  The deck and its companion book were created by Poppy Palin; the deck was published by Llewellyn and the book (revised edition) by Slippery Jacks.  Today's draw is Going to Ground (Ten of Pentacles):

Palin explains that this card refers to a cycle of creation that is coming to a close.  The fox has raised its kits and now spends time alone waiting for the spring when it will start a new family.  The snail will burrow down in the earth, seal off the opening in its shell, and rest until winter passes.  In the human world, this cycle might be seen in a person who has spent their life building a career and has chosen to retire.  Or, it might be reflected in a woman who has spent the past years raising her children and now has chosen to go back to school.  Like the annual that dies but leaves its seeds behind, purposeful, creative action will begin again after a period of dormancy.

The oracle deck and book set I'll be using this week is the Fairy Ring; Anna Franklin and Paul Mason (artist) are the creators and Llewellyn is the publisher.  The draw for this morning is the "Woodwose:"

A woodwose is a forest spirit, also known as a wildman, who hides from human contact.  Some of these beings were originally human; Merlin was said to have retreated to the forest, insane with grief, where he became one of these creatures.  In the woodland he learned the deep truths that eventually transformed him into an accomplished seer and magician.  This fairy figure teaches me (like the card above) that sometimes I must leave the known for the unknown, letting go of tradition and pure logic in order to find a deeper understanding.