Joan Borysenko

I read a lot of spiritual/self help books and listen to an enormous amount of meditation cd's. One that I came across and really liked was by Joan Borysenko, and I put myself on her mailing list and she just sent me a notice that she is giving a free on line workshop Forgiveness: An Essential Component in Health and Healing Free 3-Lesson Live Series with Joan Borysenko and Robin Casarjian
Hay House Live Online Course Thursdays: January 6, 13, 20 9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m. (Pacific Time)

I've heard recorded lectures of hers and they've been fun and enlightening, so if anyone has the time and inclination, I would encourage them to sign up for this. (I've not heard of Robin Casarjian, but I'm counting on Joan to find an equal quality companion)

Page of Pentacles

All the good things of the pentacle suit – wealth, stability and achievement are augured here. The page is the promise of grounding, of a strong start, of beginning something with legs.


If the page is a person, then this is an old soul – young of body but old of mind. This person is the best of all things – a constructive dreamer. Sometimes they may appear too serious or pragmatic, the pentacles generally lack that spark of charisma, but they are usually generous and good hearted.

Court Card Qualification

Whenever it’s time to start the court cards I find myself hesitating. The court cards most of all resist pat interpretations, and can mean significantly different things, depending on where they lie and what cards fall next to them. With the court cards, more than any other, context matters. So I find I have to write this caveat before I start, and only then can I let myself go forward and write these summaries…

10 of Pentacles, Inner Child

The inner child cards do not strictly follow the Rider Waite pack interpretations, and in the pentacles in particular they differ widely, so I will occasionally give them their own link.


This version is all about warmth and the idealized family time that Christmas can present. It’s about family traditions and togetherness, feeling true gratitude and being open to the gifts that life has for you.

beauty on the internet

When I first started reading tarot cards, there was no Internet, not even a hint of one. So I learnt through books and readings and buying the very occasional pack. I can't draw at all, but I tried to create my own pack, which just helped deepen my knowledge of the tarot.


But now there is the Internet and there are so many exquisite images out there. I just came across this amazing pack - the Fractal Tarot deck. I don't actually think I could read from it, but some of it's images are so beautiful, I don't want to lose them, so I'm recording them here...



I particularly like this image of the hermit, which shows that you focus on the inner so that you can reach out more strongly with the outer...

10 of Pentacles

Whenever I get this card I say it involves 3 words – complex / family/ money. It’s never simple to decode this card, so this more general reading is not going to be accurate – a proper interpretation depends where the card falls in the tarot spread, and how you feel about it. It can be positive or negative, but it’s not simple. It can mean established, contented wealth, but with a flutter of change… something new is coming and how does it affect the traditions already established?


This version of the card is oddly disturbing, and then you realize that the cozy father and son chess game is being held up by a person/servant/slave? Here there is affection and respect within the family but disrespect or contempt for others. You see, complex, family, money… it’s all there.

9 of pentacles

In this card we are enjoying the finer things in life. Here, after the hardship and work of some of the previous cards, comes a stroll through the park, and a sense of plenty.


This card can be the reward for hard work paying, leading as it does from the industrious 8 of pentacles. Or it can simply be about feeling comfortable in your own skin, happy with the luxuries of life. When you get this card you are letting the good stuff in, be grateful for it and let yourself enjoy it while it lasts.


The Inner Child card gives us the sweetly domestic Christmas scene, with plenty of presents promised, but love and warmth all ready there…