“Invoke the Gods: Exploring the Power of Male Archetypes” by Kala Trobe looks promising. Amazon reviews look very fair and detailed. According to the research, the book has great base material with which any occultist/pagan/wiccan/etc can alter slightly to fit their traditions. I say this because everyone slightly alters Neo-Paganism, because well, we really don’t know much of how the ancients honored the gods. We only know through anthropology, archaeology, and so on, about how they may have practiced some things. Based on the reviews, I recommend the book, though I haven’t personally read it. They way I connect to gods is through meditation and attunement through the study of history. My rites may not always be historically accurate, but they don’t have to be. Magic and Occultism operates on intent, not organized procedures, though they have their place— but that’s getting into the duality of chaos vs. order magic.

http://www.amazon.com/Invoke-Gods-Exploring-Power-Archetypes/dp/0738700967

“Wicca Spellcraft For Men” by A.J. Drew was a great book, however! It goes in depth about how to practice Wicca from a male’s point of view, and it can really help set the tone for a struggling male who seeks balance in the sometimes goddess-oriented areas of Wicca and Neo-Paganism. Hope that helps. :)

I am in a perpetual state of wondering, “Why am I still here doing the same things over and over with no resolve or change in outcome?” Einstein termed insanity as doing the same things expecting a different result each time. Surely continuing this relationship is insanity, no matter how much I love him and want to work things out. He has to want to work things out, too, which means doing something rather saying something. I do things all the time like trying to compromise, be fair, be logical, and try to be considerate and fair to us both in what we want and what goes on.

I used to think we were like sodium and water needing our one chloride to make us stable rather explosive, but now I just think we’re two atoms waiting to split. Arguing with him (even maturely as in a case or suit) is like arguing with a child who doesn’t know any better. He is so contradictory and double standard.

I was really pissed off during an argument over switching my studio with our master bedroom that we both sleep in. I put up a very detailed case as to why I deserve the space and how I would benefit most, which was all based on logic. His only argument was that he’s wanted a big room his entire life and it’s kind of a status thing. He also thinks that I can have the creepy, smelly, dark, damp, noisy basement as my studio. AS MY STUDIO. He gave me no logical reason why he deserves the space over me other than ego and pride. I need it for more natural light for my mental health, the space for my art things that are still packed and ritual space, the moon-facing window for charging objects during a full moon and rituals (it faces west, my current window is north), etc. So I got mad that he wouldn’t budge, explained to him that he was being illogical, unfair, double-standard, and childish, so I pulled four cards: One for me, one for him, a middle card for the outcome, and a clarity card for lessons.

Four Card Spread- Devil, Sun, 8w⇓, Justice⇓

He’s my bad habit and I should probably just leave (Devil) because he’s never going to learn or change because he refuses to budge towards my guidance (8w⇓) and nothing will ever get better, which is should be amazing (Sun), because he won’t change and I get too impatient with him to be the therapist and teacher of this relationship. So my best course of action is determine why I’m here and keep convincing myself of lies (Justice⇓) that not even I should believe?

Or perhaps I’m being biased and angry as hell and the spread is really saying that things will only get better (Sun) if I stop getting mad before he does and going off the handle (Devil) and that it’s not his fault he’s so damn dense (8w⇓) and doesn’t know how to communicate properly or know how to understand (Justice⇓).

Either way, bias or none, I get the impression that we both should be able to communicate properly without Ego (Devil, Sun). But on his side, he’s just so 8w⇓ in that he’s impatient also, but he’s actually too stubborn to change, and it may relate to that not being right at all (Justice⇓), and it’s not right. But it’s also not right when I get mad because things aren’t going my way (Devil). Yes, what I’m doing is noble, I feel, but I have to be patient and just keep explaining my side and how things can get better.

OBJECTIVE

• Briefly explain the primary focus for direction/clarity
• Create a spread by asking your own questions
• Write the cards out and briefly define keywords
• Interpret intuitively, logically, or psycho-analytically
• Attempt to cross-reference for deeper meanings
• Focus on any Major Arcana for overall reference

BACKGROUND

My significant other and I have been looking for a house/condo for a while to move into. We are pressed for time so we need to consider some of our options now. Here, we are looking over a condo that we first saw, but had many financial and repair concerns about.

QUESTIONS

1. Should we buy this condo?
2. Is there something better?
3. If bought, can we make it a suitable home?
4. Is the furnace going to go out beyond 1 year?
5. Will we be able to save up money or have the money for the furnace?
6. Are there hidden expenses that will break us?
7. Can we afford any hidden expenses?
8. Is my new job going to help out?
9. Will the personal down payment loan and mortgage pay well?
10. Are we taking major risks in buying this?
11. Will we want to move out after 1-4 years?
12. Is there any foreboding advice to adhere to?

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OBJECTIVE

• Briefly explain the primary focus for direction/clarity
• Create a spread by asking your own questions
• Write the cards out and briefly define keywords
• Interpret intuitively, logically, or psycho-analytically
• Attempt to cross-reference for deeper meanings
• Focus on any Major Arcana for overall reference

BACKGROUND

I got a new job this past week and my primary focus was about how well the coworkers and I are going to get along, about the job itself for my future, about how it will be conducive to my long-term goals, and any other side-related concerns.

QUESTIONS

1. How was my first day over all?
2. Andrew’s view of me?
3. Jenny’s view of me?
4. Brian’s view of me?
5. Will these views prevent me from working here?
6. How will tomorrow be?
7. Will the training information come in easily?
8. How will working here change me for the better?
9. Will working here change me for the worse?
10. Is college in line with me saving up?
11. Should I get a bank account?

Read More

This is an example reading that I sent to one of my clients through email. She has been kind enough to let me share it in this post. I have used this spread found here. This post is not so much a step by step for a beginner with meanings, but rather a deductive howto for seasoned readers and those looking to advance themselves as a card reader.

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The Clouds ~ Cedargrass Oracle

That which moves us, the weather, the origins of the sky, that which brings down rains that not only erodes the land into new forms, but also waters the seeds of our worldly dreams. This is the great father sky who brings paternal love in the form of encouragement and that windy push that we often need. The Clouds remind us that we may not be in control of the weather without, but we are in control of the weather within— is it raining, storming, hailing, thundering, peaceful/calm, foggy, moist/damp, disastrous/violent, windy, or creative? We decide what we do in this world by our thoughts, so as spiritual beings, we attempt to manifest this inner world into our outer world. We cannot control what is beyond our grasp without first settling the storm within.

When we attempt to change the world outside of us as a means to obtain our worldly riches/dreams, we become spiritually, mentally, & emotionally ill, we stagnate, and depress when our dreams don’t exactly come into manifested fruition. Why is that? Well, the lesson here is in our energy source. You cannot operate in changing the world outside to better suit your dreams by changing the world outside with your own energy, this causes dysfunction because you cannot control nature. By trying to change the outside world to change the outside world, this only changes the world within, thus we are weathered and in a negative way. But when we change the world within, the weather within changes to become more favorable, thus we can now focus on using our thoughts to manifest into the physical plane, thus as our physical world changes by perspective, the weather of that world also changes, allowing our dreams to finally be fertilized and reaped after a time for growing.

See, the state of the world creates the weather and also how we view the world in return by how stormy or calm the weather is. If we calm the world/weather within by healing, we can then convert mental to physical. One should not try to convert physical to physical, this exhausts us, thus converting physical to mental in a negative way.

Background

Cedargrass Oracle is a curious and intuitive project of creating my own oracle cards from the inner intuition of my own guidance and soul path. They will be printed, packaged, and sold in person as well as in an online store. These details will be later advertised.

Several days ago, I had posted a thank you to reaching 100 followers, but since only one person has responded and it has been several days, the rules have been changed for Cedargrass’s 100 followers accomplishment. Stone tossing, self-made runes, tea leaf reading, tarot, or oracle will be done.

These will either be intuitive or a spread of 16 cards, it’s your choice! It is by this type of thanks to everyone who has followed Cedargrass, for it has provided inspiration and motivation for not only myself, but also others, and has served as an outlet for creative and productive communication, expression, and growth.

The first ten people (before or by September 21) who will receive free life readings should send me a message at cedargrassoracle (at) gmail (dot) com to redeem.

Good luck and thanks!

I have quite a few concepts already on the oracle cards. Here are three examples, which I’m using in a spread. I’m so excited to be making these! Can’t wait to send them to the printer and use them. ♥ :)

• Geraniums- True friendship, peace, fondness, enjoyment, positive intentions, softness, healing, abundance, enrichment,
• The Cemetery- The dead, afterlife, resting, other realm, ending, rebirth, salvation, change, remorse, forgiveness, funerary, guidance beyond,
• The Wish- Dreams, aspirations, hopes, desires, will power, motivation, determination, effort, energy, manifestation, work, 

Perhaps I would say, “You lost a loved one who was very dear and close to you. Your biggest hope is to know that they are doing well in the afterlife. Well, they are perfectly well and happy, but your loved one is much more so concerned about your well-being. Continue your life and have happiness in knowing they are with you when you need it most and they are having a blast up there. :)”

The Eye of Horus

Created this spread on a train to Boston about 4 years ago. I’ve used it for evaluating relationships of love, friendships, classmates, and those in opposing view sides for clarity on both ends.

A tarot card spread of my own creation, this I use in my professional readings at holistic fairs, expos, and shows. Deeper meanings from the spread can be extracted by comparing parallel cards diagonally, horizontally, and vertically. You can also read across rows, even down the columns in a story form from top to bottom. This spread is one of my favorites, one because I created it and it’s much more personal for me, but also because it encompasses so much.

I would say that an average reading time is approximately 15-20 minutes.

With this spread, I’ve accurately predicted (by the testimony and word of my clients) financial calamity due to potentially being laid off, the type of woman a man would meet, a blackmail situation regarding a coworker, the finalization and foregoing of a divorce, one’s current mental-emotional embodiment, relationship patterns, messages from diseased relatives and loved ones, and more.

I do believe that this spread was a gift to me from the Akasha, and I feel more than happy to share it with you all. The best way to use it is by applying a trinity concept to the emotional, physical, and spiritual, for it is the physical and emotional which makes up the spiritual, and vice-versa.