This week I'll be using the Shining Tribe Tarot, a deck and book set created by Rachel Pollack and published by Llewellyn. The oracle I'll be using is a wooden set of Animal Tiles, hand pyroetched by my multi-talented friend Carole. My draws this morning were the Gift of Stones (Queen of Pentacles) and Box Turtle:
The two shapes in the center of this card represent the Ġgantija (Giantess) Temples on the Mediterranean island of Gozo in Malta (Pollack's representation of the Queen of Pentacles). The site is considered as one of the oldest free-standing monuments in the world, preceding Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids; some of its megaliths weigh over fifty tons. Archaeological evidence suggests that worship in the temples included fertility rites in dedication to a mother goddess. The Box Turtle's high-domed shell and the lower hinged shell are prominent features of this terrestrial turtle. When disturbed or frightened, most box turtles will pull in their head and legs and tightly close the shell. Both these cards remind me of my grandmother and mother, two women who always created welcoming, supportive spaces for others to celebrate, enjoy fellowship, and be fed spiritually and physically. Like the Queen of Pentacles, they nurtured others in simple, practical ways.
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