A Reading for 2014

In my opinion, one of the best Tarot spreads suitable for annual readings (whether at the New Year, one's birthday, or other yearly milestones) is Joanna Powell Colbert's Out With the Old, In With the New Spread.  I did my reading or 2014 yesterday, using Zach Wong's Revelations Tarot.

 

1. What do I leave behind in the Old Year?
3 of Wands Rx
This year, I leave behind my tendency to let things go until opportunities fall apart - I will stop dissipating my energy so that nothing worthy manifests. I will stop expending my energy with no commitment to my goals.

2. What do I open up to in the New Year?
3 of Pentacles
This year, I open myself to accepting the mentoring of those who can help me grow and develop my ability to create something concrete of lasting value.  This year, I will learn what I need to to be able to contribute to our financial and material wellbeing. (we being at home, at the Grove and elsewhere where I share a group identity)

3. Key Opportunity of the New Year
6 of Wands
My key opportunity this year is to be able to achieve in a way that comes with public acclaim and appreciation - I should expect to find myself more in the spotlight this year, and to be a motivating force for improving the morale of those around me.  This is the year to get comfortable with being noticed and appreciated. (this feels so much more like a challenge than an opportunity to me!)

4. Key Challenge of the New Year
3 of Cups
My challenge this year is to maintain friendships and a sense of celebration.  I must be mindful of how work and play, friendship and conflict can overlap and not forget how much I like and enjoy the people around me.  My challenge is to approach our encounters with joy and gladness, but also to not lose sight of the distinction between playing as friends and working as colleagues.

5. Hidden concern (pull from bottom of the deck)
0 The Fool
My hidden concern is that I don't know what I'm doing, and that where I am not worrying it is because I haven't noticed the problem.  I don't want to land on my face or bring anyone else down with me.  I'm also concerned that others see me as a fool and too inexperienced to be doing what I am. I am concerned that others may be actively hoping I will fail.

6. Deep Wisdom / Advice from God/dess (pull from middle of the deck)
III Empress
The mother/queen goddesses (Juno and Frigga, primarily - but all of them in some way) are those that call to me - this year, I must lean on their wisdom and operate from within their guidance.  My role as mother is called on - to be a nurturing caretaker of those around me, and of the Earth itself.  To be firm, without being hard.  I should also remember to approach the year from a place of prosperity and abundance - of more than enough and plenty to share, and to help others to grow their own stores.

7. Key Theme of the New Year
2 of Pentacles
My key theme this year is Balance and Meditation - the ability to juggle multiple concerns without undue stress, to see the playfulness in all tasks, to learn to balance physical and material expenditure with recuperation.


Highlighted are wands (energy and will) and pentacles (concrete manifestation).  3s are strongly highlighted - III Empress, and 3 3s (missing is the 3 of Swords - heartbreak and unvarnished honesty).  Working with others to manifest results in a way that strengthens and nurtures the group is important this year - it is a time of teamwork, leadership as gentle guidance and diplomacy.

Frigga and Her Handmaidens - A Tarot Spread

 This entry is a part of the Tarot Blog Hop, which gathers together many tarot themed bloggers every High Day.  The theme for Mabon is Divination and Myth.  From here, you can view the Master List of Participants, travel back to Stella at US Games, Inc., or forward to Chloe at TABI.  Have fun, and welcome!

***

Frigga Spinning the Clouds, H.A. Guerber (1909)

Our Grove held a Norse-centered Autumn Equinox last night, with Frigga and Freyr as the Deities of the Occasion.  Frigga holds a special place for me, as she has been honored on my hearth altar since last Yule.  In preparing for the High Rite, I thought a lot about what she means to me.

Frigga is the wife of Odin, and as such, she is the Norse and Anglo-Saxon Goddess of marriage and domesticity - but it is important to understand that this is not in the sense of servitude or drudgery, but as the keeper of the house and hearth.  Frigga is Odin's partner in the truest sense, and is foremost among Goddesses.  She is the sole deity, other than Odin himself, allowed to sit in Odin's seat, and stories tell of her gentle wisdom in guiding him toward wise decisions. She is the one who keeps things in order - no small feat in world that leans toward chaos.  She helps us to understand the vital importance of 'mundane' effort.  She is also the one who spins out our fate and is associated with divination, sometimes called She Who Knows All, But Speaks Not.

Finally, and this is an important aspect for me, Frigga shows us how to keep Frith in our own homes and in our community.

Frith is an Old English term that means peace or harmony, but more than that - it indicates a relationship of kindred, with rules of behavior attached so that those in frith with one another are committed to stand up for each other, to not engage in unrestrained strife or seek to cause harm to one another. Frith is the sense of security that comes from being within one's tribe. The bonds of blood or marriage confer frith, but so too might a relationship in groups who have come together purposely, such as a spiritual group, or a working group of almost any sort.  I very much like this statement about Frith:

In essence, frith is not an absence, but a presence. It is not the absence of strife; rather it fills the spaces between people with something that is stronger and more important, more meaningful, than strife. That "something" that fills in the spaces is frith: a closely woven relationship with a distinctive pattern to it. If frith were merely an absence of strife, we could not speak of frithweaving: how does one weave a vacuum? One weaves a fabric, filling empty space with substance, pattern, and tensile strength that is created by the interweaving of many threads into a strong whole. Strife can occur between people who are in frith with each other, though there are limits to the severity of expression allowed. Strife is a natural component of existence: consider its linguistic connection to the word "strive", a word that expresses part of Heathen thew. Strife only becomes dangerous when there is no frith, no committed relationship with recognized rules and patterns of behavior, to control and counterbalance it.

 This idea of Frith, both within our household, but also in various groups and communities in which I find myself intrigued me as an idea for a Tarot spread.

I also have been increasingly interested in learning more about Frigga's Handmaidens.  The lore indicates that Frigga had twelve handmaidens, some householders in their own right, each with their own particular aspects and strengths.  In some cases, the stories tell us very little about them - in others, we are able to glean more about how they were perceived.   Diana Paxson wrote a wonderful article, Beloved,  several years ago discussing this, and this is what I mainly worked with in putting this spread together.  In looking over the aspects of the handmaidens, it occurred to me that each of them embody and aspect that is vital to the development and maintenance of Frith.  I will only be speaking briefly of each Handmaiden, so please do go read her article to learn more about each one!

The purpose of this spread is to explore how we might establish, build, and preserve Frith in our kindred relationships - in our household, within our wider family, in our community and meaningful groups.  It can be treated as a general wisdom reading, or be used to hone in on ways to improve group dynamics or to ask ourselves "How can I contribute to the wellbeing of this group/family/community?

I found it to be very indepth and on target and a bit overwhelming (my experience with Frigga is that she is all about the personal responsbility and does not really let us make excuses for not doing what we can and should).  You may decide to reel this reading out over a span of days or weeks, or even months, to give yourself time to really focus on each aspect.

If you use this spread, please come let me know how it worked for you!  It should go without saying that this should also work well with Runes.

Frigga and Her Handmaidens - A Tarot Spread

Lay out your cards with one in the center, and 12 in a circle around it.  Read the center card, and then work 'clockwise', starting at the 1 o'clock position and ending at the 12 o'clock position.

Center. FRIGGA - All-Mother, Spinner of Fate, Keeper of the Household, Frithweaver
What is the most important thing I must understand about keeping and maintaining Frith in my home and community?

1. SAGA - Keeper of Stories, Poetry and History
What can learn from my past, family or cultural stories or history about keeping Frith?  What is  the past of the matter? What do I already know from experience?  What is our baggage?

2. GEFION - The Giver, Goddess of Good Fortune and Prosperity
What gifts have I been given that assist my ability to maintain Frith?  What abundance do I have to offer to my Kindred?

3. SJOFN - Goddess of Passion and Love, She Who Eases Strife in Marriage
In what ways can I better show my love and affection for those with whom I share Frith?  How can love be applied as an antidote to strife?


4. VOR - Goddess of Faithfulness in Marriage, She From Whom Nothing is Concealed
In what way do I need to use my intuition to develop greater awareness, in order to preserve Frith?

5. LOFN - She Who Pleads for Forbidden Love
What aspect of my life feels 'forbidden' by those with whom I maintain Frith?  What is something I need "permission" in order to pursue?

6. FULLA - Guardian of Secrets and Mystery, Treasure Keeper
What secret treasures do I hide away in order to better keep Frith?  What is important and best kept confidential or known to only a few?

7. SYN - Protector of Our Boundaries, Advocate for Those On Trial
In what area of my life do I need to establish stronger boundaries, in order to preserve Frith?  Where do I need a stronger defense?

8. HLIN  - Goddess of Consolation and Protector From Harm
What area of my life requires active protection from me in order to preserve Frith?  In what way do I need to be a warrior for the sake of Frith?  What is worth fighting for?

9. EIR - Healer, Herbwoman
What do I need to heal in order to better maintain Frith?  In what way can I be an agent of healing?

10. SNOTRA - The Wise, Goddess of Virtue and Self-Discipline
In what way do I need to focus on self-discipline, courtesy and rules of conduct that will improve Frith?  What virtue do I need to strengthen in order to be a better frithweaver?

11. VAR - She Who Hears Oaths and Punishes Oathbreakers
What oath - spoken or unspoken - do I need to make to those who share my hearth, in order to maintain Frith?  What commitment can I make?  What vow have I broken or neglected that needs to be addressed?

12. GNA - Frigga's Messenger, She Who Carries Frigga's Wisdom to the Wider Community
What divine inspiration can I carry with me in my daily life in order in order to widen Frith outward into the world?

***

 I hope you enjoyed this spread and I look forward to hearing how you use it!  Time to hop back onto the Tarot Blog Hop! From here, you can view the Master List of Participants, travel back to Stella at US Games, Inc., or forward to Chloe at TABI.  Happy travels!