HELLO WITCHES Nº6

Last week was very pleasant. I had a really great time during the weekend. It feels really good to share instances with people in which you feel light, loved and appreciated. It isn't very often that I get to go out and enjoy myself, but last weekend had just the right balance between work and play. Having a good weekend really helps to begin the week on the right track. That is exactly the message that last week's Hello Witches spread delivered. I'm excited to see what this week brings in.

WEEKLY SPREAD FOR 5.14 —5.20:


I have pulled another spread with balanced elements today. Pentacles, Cups, Wands, Swords and Majors are all present in the reading in one form or another. There is a higher concentration of Pentacles present, projecting the week as one of mostly work. The Swords fall under a negative connotation, with the statement that thinking too much will become a distraction prevalent. With the Majors, I get the feeling one has a lesson to highlight, and the other has a glimmer of hope for the next week.

Three Aces indicate success and new energies at work. This means that there are new beginnings in work, love and in matters of the mind. It could be a refreshing wave of ideas that pass, or little manifestations that aren't necessarily noticeable to the eye. An Ace is just raw energy, it is the suggestion or the manifestation of something that can come to pass if enough energy is devoted to it. With the Ace of Wands not present, I can foresee that without much effort, these Aces are likely to pass unnoticed. Even though the Ace of Pentacles is present as a material gain, it needs the burning passion and the effort of the Ace of Wands to come into being.


☆ Monday. Ace of Pentacles. This material Ace says to focus attention on ideas and projects concerned with work. Energy will stay as just that if it isn't materialized into something. It's time to break out the working materials!

☆ Tuesday. Eight of Pentacles. This card prolongs the message from Monday. It says to continue polishing and refining the work that is started this week. Notice how carefully she paints the star onto the Pentacle, even though there is a big build up of tasks behind her. It stands a reminders to take your time with every task, so that it turns out perfect. Once these tasks are done, there will be satisfaction in sitting back to admire the finished work.

☆ Wednesday. The Devil. This is a day of feeling tied down and not being able to run on schedule. It's clearly a problem because the creature is distracting the lady from going where she wants to go. He sweetly whispers for her to stay and play, and to worry about the things she needs to do later. Since she doesn't get the chance to play very often, she surrenders to his charms. I find this to be a warning more so than an encouragement to play after the work is done.

☆ Thursday. Ace of Cups. The girl's cup is overflowing with emotions. For Thursday, it looks like a romantic surprise. It could also mean the intuitive practice of helping others. She accepts an exchange of currency for her talents, and she loves what she does. This connection is drawn with the other two aces of working with a clear mind. I work at night time, so it is a pleasant surprise to find the moon's influence over emotions.


☆ Friday. Ace of Swords. Friday looks like a day of dialogue and quick action. In the card, she crosses a sword over her heart for protection. It is a sign to keep my guard up and to be aware of my surroundings with a sharp mind.

☆ Saturday. Page of Pentacles. Pages bring with them the news of something new, and in this case it is of opportunity. With the rabbit present at the girl's feet, it looks like a good day to try a ritual in my personal life. I may also receive something special in the mail this week, so it looks to be here by Saturday. Cheers!

☆ Sunday. The Star. This card usually makes me feel that our dreams don't materialize if we don't put effort into them. It promises hope to many of my clients with the message that something good is coming. From experience, The Star takes too long to materialize. By the time dreams spring into being, the people it alerted are already focused on another task. Still, the night is long and it holds with it hopes of light coming soon.


☆ What to avoid. Nine of Swords. Don't think too much about things, because they start blowing out of proportion and they turn into nightmares. It tends to happen. When we don't like something, we focus on it so much that it turns into the very meaning of haunting. The nightmare smiles in quiet agreement of being a product of the mind. She just needs to wave that negative vibe away with her hand, or with one of her swords.

☆ What to strive for. Eight of Cups. Walk away from difficult situations. Often when we cut negativity off from the root, we save ourselves a lot of trouble. This means to turn away the things that don't work or aren't beneficial to the situation. If it isn't that important, I will know to leave it for another day I can work with it.


Both of the advice cards look to the future. Maybe that's where I should look to go as well.
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DARK SHADOWS MOVIE REVIEW

I haven't done movie reviews before because they're not necessarily a part of the esoteric world even when employing the art of illusion. Movies appeal to the things people wish were true. They are dreams that producers and directors make into a motion picture reality. I have always loved movies with magic and witches in them; more so if they show metaphysics in a positive light. People believe a lot of what is in the media nowadays, and sending out the right information matters. Although Dark Shadows doesn't do this, I still enjoy the romantic aspects of being a vampire and finding yourself lost in a sea of emotions for years without really knowing what to do with them.



DARK SHADOWS BY TIM BURTON:
Dark Shadows has been anticipated by my boyfriend ever since the posters came out. I didn't watch the trailer before I went in, so I didn't really know what to expect. However, I trust Tim Burton's work so much that I don't need a trailer to know I will enjoy his films. We're both raving fans of his, so the experience proved to be pretty vivid for us. It was particularly nice not to have children yelling in the room we were in. We were lucky.

The cast is excellent. The flaws of the characters make them feel real enough to connect with, and makes it much easier to love or hate them. Even though some of the side stories felt a little cramped in some places, in general the movie does a great job of unfolding and revealing to the general public. The aspects I enjoyed most were visual. There was something oddly satisfying about watching Johnny Depp shield himself from the sun with a stylized black umbrella. It makes me wish I saw more people that are this strange — or crazy — where I am from. Everyone in Puerto Rico is starting to look the same to me lately. Did anyone else see it as a direct reference to Edward Gorey's Gashlycrumb Tinies?

Something that I feel can be appreciated is the mild violence. I'm really tired of watching people getting hacked to pieces or bleeding to death because it's so rugged. That's part of why I enjoyed the glamor that they dressed death up in. Angelique Bouchard, the witch, looked stunning as she met her picture-perfect death. The event was sugarcoated with stylistic poses and gestures, and contrasted with white. She was a cross between a human doll and my beloved Lady Gaga. I'm really looking forward to pinning the stills from this scene to my mood boards in the future, and won't be surprised to see Nicki Minaj, Kerli and a ton of cosplayers alluding to this scene in the near future.

I didn't like the fact they dramatize the life of a witch and focus on the negative aspects of the craft. People watch these movies and adopt the opinion that witches are greedy and toxic to keep around. It's already hard enough to dispel the initial negativity that comes with



DRAWING CONNECTIONS FROM THE TAROT:
The deep blues and red accents reminded me of the Bohemian Gothic Tarot by the Magic-Realist Press. The general tone of the movie is of decadent beauty and tasteful darkness as it fuses with the world as we know it today, or perhaps knew it 40 years ago. The prevalent themes are dark romance and high magic, which have always been of interest to me. Dark romance is a lifestyle and an aesthetic, I see it as an umbrella term under which I feel most comfortable. I dare say that I identify with this subculture niche. That could be why every time I read with this deck, I wince back at the messages that it delivers with painful precision. Every time this deck is used, it washes over the bright colors of life with hues of melancholy and sadness. It serves as a good reminder that not everything can be sugarcoated, and that sometimes it is necessary to hear things that are unsettling. There is a truth hidden in the shadows, all it takes is a highlight to remind us that it's there.



DARK SHADOWS — THE STORY OF BARNABAS COLLINS:
The movie starts with the introduction of the protagonist since he was a child, the lavish surroundings that he was raised in, and in the pride of the family name. Barnabas Collins, played by Johnny Depp, is an aristocratic man whose life dates back a little over two centuries before our time. Over the years he developed a fondness for beauty, both of the world and the flesh, but he wasn't very good with expressing his feelings. That got him in trouble very fast, because he didn't have to do much to win the heart of a witch that adored him in secret. I love the undertones of obsession and possessiveness, because it makes this movie a staple of dark romance. The media has grown very used to frilly, flirty superficial love, and it often overlooks the beauty of dark romance.



When Barnabas Collins manages to come out of his imprisonment, he embodies the Judgment card. He is setting out for a second life in another time period, but his moral values and interests remain the same. In joining with his family, he is met with melancholy and new-found worth for his possessions. It is subtly implied that the objects used back then are more practical than the objects we use today. His reactions to the abrupt change from his own to ours is quirky and says a lot about the way our society has developed into what it is now. His suggestions are more practical and sustainable than the quick fixes that we use. My particular favorite is when he asked for them to prepare the horses, and he was met with the reality of a car.

The prevalent theme of love and the proper way to court a lady is enjoyable for those that miss the way it used to be done. The movie depicts openly the shades of jealousy that cripple the soul. It reminds us the harm of taking love away from others and manipulating them for the sake of a hidden agenda. Angelique pays the price for love and jealousy after her attempts to win Barnabas over with superficial passion. The characters had enough substance to relate the message of what happens to people that can't make the difference from needs and desires. I drew some connections amongst the characters and my own waking life. It was a worthwhile exercise to compare and contrast what others do around me, and how I have behaved before under the same effects of jealousy. Once the spell wanes, the jealous aggressor is left alone and empty on the inside. Even now, when I look back at my most recent cases, I shudder a little at the thought of getting caught in the mundane web of a bad romance.

This is a romanticized tale of witches, vampires and werewolves with many contemporary twists. It takes the monsters that I grew up fond of and it sheds a new light on their fascinating lives, extending the magic for a couple of more hours. I thoroughly recommend it!

DARK SHADOWS LOVE:
With Dark Shadows now showing, it's a good time to find some dark romantic themes to spice up your personal life. I leave you with a make-up tutorial by Charisma, and a few songs by the industrial vampires, Blutengel. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Dark Shadows Inspired Makeup Tutorial (NYX Face Awards) by Charismastar.

Blutengel — Children of the Night.

Blutengel — Nachtbringer.
Thank you for taking the time to read my review! This post is in anticipation to a review of the Bohemian Gothic Tarot. Consider it a sneak peak to the world of vampires, witches and werewolves of the Magic-Realist Press.
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GILDED TAROT ROYALE REVIEW

CIRO MARCHETTI'S GILDED TAROT MAKEOVER:

Today I am very excited to share with you a fresh addition to my modest collection. It grows slowly but steadily, and proves to be an invaluable source of advice for me and my clients. This review covers the Gilded Tarot Royale by Ciro Marchetti.



This reworking of the Gilded Tarot contains real magic within it. The experience starts at the box, which comes with an open-sesame kind of dynamic to it. The cards are quite large, 3.75" x 5.5" inches, composed of quality stock and gilt edges. They are of thick stock, but thin enough to shuffle nicely and they fan out pretty easily. I particularly enjoy the dramatic use of vivid colors and the dreamy feel of the environment. The figures contained within look too ethereal to be from this world. It feels as if you're watching ascended masters as they float in their astral plane of perfection. They know what it is like to live in a mundane setting, but they are far removed from it as well.

The way I came across this treasure — as it proclaimed itself to be during a quick card pull — was through the search of information for the Gilded Tarot. I first saw it on the all of a dream interpretation community I am a member of on Facebook. I saw the spread cloth that comes with the set and a few scans of the cards, and they really caught my attention. As I joined the dialogue, I quickly learned that they are an updated version of Ciro Marchetti's Gilded Tarot. I had noticed Ciro Marchetti's work before, but I had not yet attained any of his decks. He devoted his time to build a second version of the same deck seemingly from scratch. I love how big the cards are because they can be used for meditation. It's easy to get lost in the ethereal dreamscapes that Ciro has carefully crafted out for us. It feels as if everything about this deck of cards has been thought out with excruciating attention to detail. He did a wonderful job! 




The Gilded Tarot Royale comes with a CD rather than a booklet. Screensavers, avatars, diary templates, and a PDF with information about the cards is contained within. It's a key to a secret world from the creator of the popular series of tarot decks. The CD offers a sample reading from Ciro with cards chosen at random. It was very easy to see how the images showed movement from one situation to another. With this new arrival I may take the time to study each card. It might even come to work as a replacement for my infamous partner in crime, the Vertigo Tarot. They have a similar dialogue amongst them, which I can really appreciate.

I have considered purchasing the Legacy of the Divine Tarot before as well as the Tarot of Dreams, but the Gilded Tarot Royale is definitely a perfect fit for me.





Due to the lavish presentation of this tarot deck, I recommend it for professionals; anyone that will pick this deck up more than once a day.  It begs to be used — with care, of course — and to tell the fortunes of hundreds, maybe thousands of people, and the best part is that it is built to last. Due to the collector's value of this deck, it isn't a set for beginners to use. Beginners can start with the Gilded Tarot and work their way up to this when the time is right. You should be familiar with the archetypes of the tarot already if you are going to invest in a treasure such as this. While it is a worthwhile investment, I find that it is a bit over the top for a beginner. That is, of course, up to the person always.

These special decks are my treasures. They are employed in more introspective ritualistic readings for when I am seeking an intellectual challenge. They are more dear to me than any other of my possessions, and I intend to enjoy the wisdom they share as long as I am able to. I have not yet worn out any cards with gilt edges, but the Gilded Tarot Royale is certainly begging to see the chance.



♡ What is your most important characteristic? Three of Wands. I wait for the right time to be used. You know that there is something there; obscure knowledge and promise of something coming back However, at the current stage you are at in your life you may not be ready for what lies herein.

♡ What are your strengths as a deck? Ten of Pentacles. Oh, the wealth! You have enough material in here to dig, dig, dig and dig. My sparkle and shine can be rather distracting. You will have to learn how to get past that to find the immense riches that I hold. I am pretty to look at and substantial.

♡ What are your limits as a deck? Ten of Swords. I can not enter where there are mental boundaries set up. Sometimes I won't be the appropriate go-to deck if you don't have the time to meditate on the messages I tell you. It takes time to understand me, and I prefer to be used with an abundance in time and attention. I won't work well otherwise.

♡ What are you here to teach me? Temperance.

♡ How can I best learn to collaborate with you? The Magician.

♡ What is the potential outcome of our working relationship? Six of Pentacles.

♡ What is your favorite card? The Fool.

♡ What is your preferred style of reading? Ten of Cups.

♡ How do you see me? King of Swords. Surprisingly masculine and logical for a female. While others are so focused on romance and feelings, you're clearly set on sharpening the mind and your psychic intuition. You follow your goals and settle your problems objectively. There is a strong sense of diligence and discipline coming off you, which can make you a rather intimidating person.

♡  How do you see yourself? Three of Pentacles. uuuuuupuij
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HELLO WITCHES Nº5

WEEKLY SPREAD FOR 5.7 — 5.13:


There is no suit missing in my spread, which makes it pretty general. It covers every aspect of my life with a suggested focus on labor with Wands. The reading also includes two majors, or two karmic aspects of my higher self that I will be working with this week. Whenever a Major Arcana card pops up, I know I can't ignore the issues at hand.


☆ Monday. Seven of Swords. This card gets my week started on some suspicious airs. In the card, the person is stealing 4 swords and hopes that no one will notice the shortage, since 3 are left. He is so preoccupied with slipping away that he doesn't notice there are two pairs of eyes watching over his back as he does it. It gives him the courage to do things behind people's back with a false sense of victory. Two possible interpretations are of not trusting myself enough or finding something I believe true to be a lie. Since this is the suit of the mind, it could also signify a secret that could benefit others.

☆ Tuesday. Ten of Wands. This card has tired drawn all over it. Sometimes we load ourselves with numerous tasks (wands) and several extras (rocks) to deal with. Work is not glamorous but it is necessary. The growing field makes me feel as if there is still a lot of work to go before rest. The burden seems self-imposed, and it's true that we load ourselves with more than we can handle for daily activity. When a task is priority, everything else blurs out of focus; even rest.

☆ Wednesday. Six of Wands. On Tuesday it may be that I had to meet a deadline, because this is a card of triumph by teamwork. This threefold (Human over a bird with two heads,) team is ascending to new heights and basking in the light of what it feels like to be accomplished.

☆ Thursday. Ten of Cups. After all the glory comes the right time to enjoy some quiet time with people I really care about. The ones in the card look like lovers hiding by the tree to tell one another how they feel. The cups decorating the tree have paper heart garlands hanging from them as a sign of celebration. This card can signify a new-found meaning in love, or a celebration to have found one another. They embrace the moment with their happiness and love.


☆ Friday. Judgment. This card showed up last week, so I still need to relate to the turning point it represents higher calling. It could be a call to serve my responsibility or the beginning of a new cycle. Whatever it is, it must be important because it showed up twice.

☆ Saturday. The Lovers. This card has not graced me with its appearance in a while. The animal the couple rides on brings with it a message or news. He embraces her in cold jealousy to onlookers while he whispers stories of unknown places to her. She delights in adding color to his cheeks and engaging in a conversation that only the two of them know about. They delight in one another and forget about the world around them.

☆ Sunday. Two of Pentacles. Back to work on juggling real life responsibility with work. This is an aftermath to a celebration that requires some attention, as well as the reminder that I need to work hard. Sunday is my most productive work day of the week. Get back to work!

☆ What to avoid. Four of Wands. Getting too comfortable with the way things are going. Hard work is the foundation of any future, not relying on the things in progress to sort themselves out.

☆ What to strive for. The World. This means to seek opportunities and to accomplish those goals waiting to be met. It is a sign that anything can come from effort, and dreams can become a reality thanks to that. It sets the grounds for a possible trip to consider.
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HELLO WITCHES Nº4

This past week went as foreseen, and better. It revolved around a new-found love for my career and a very productive schedule. The increasing motivation tasted sweet as the week went by, I was very pleased with the results.

This week projects an extra layer added to my emotions as I face conflicting thoughts. I can see where it is going clearly, thanks to the identification of suits by color. This week projects two Major aspects of my life in emotions and in the mind. The two Majors present are Judgment and The Star. With Judgment I get the looming sense that I may have some difficult changes to get used or adjusted to. It could come in the form of decision or a consequence of something else. Judgment also feels as a realization that some things are not so pleasant, and will instead require work to rectify. With the Star present, I get a sense of hope needed to get mt through the week. In the darkness, twinkling stars can tell sailors of their way back home. They offer solace to lovers and dark romantics seeking answers to their questions, and solutions to their problems. It could very well be an answer to a question.



☆ Monday. Two of Hearts. This card signifies a union in emotions, a balance of the male and the female in alchemy. I see this particular card as two people opening up to each other and having a heart to heart. The converging of ideas solidifies their plans and their expectations in their partnership.

☆ Tuesday. Judgment. A call for change or awakening. This could be to leave the mundane things that don't matter and to focus on the priorities of the mind and of the spirit. I have been ignoring my higher calling for the sake of finding some other stability, and in the process I tend to feel saturated when this happens. Sometimes these abrupt changes are paintful but necessary.

☆ Wednesday. Five of Hearts. This card could mean making sense of losses, or trying to. Sometimes when we have a spill of emotions or illusions, we focus on what we now lack rather than on what we can salvage. In the feelings of loneliness we can sometimes turn to our darker selves and wallow in our own pity without letting ourselves out of the rut. It feels like a tough day ahead.

☆ What to strive for. The Star. Look for peace and tranquility. When there is too much noise going on, cut it out and seek a higher ground. Reconnect with your emotions and understand them as they flow. It feels like a control over the tumultuous waste of emotions and words.

☆ What to avoid. Eight of Swords. Avoid thinking you're stuck. when we find ourselves in compromising throughts or positions, we don't see the possibilities or the way forward. In concentrating on what we lack, we dig a rut for ourselves to hide in from the rest of the world. We're not en route to our goals until we start moving.



☆ Thursday. Prince of Swords. Thursday will be the day to rebel against the spell of the dark emotions and to charge into the depths of the mind. In seeking answers too quickly, sometimes we miss out the details. This card could also mean impulsive argument or defense from an attack that is made. It was present last week.

☆ Friday. Nine of Swords. Friday is a day to openly face nightmares. It isn't easy to face things you fear, but sometimes you come out stronger after facing a difficult situation. It is definitely not comfortable to do so, though.

☆ Saturday. Four of Hearts. This card showed up last week as well. Last time I took it was a sign of emotional stagnation or boredom. It tends to happen when you reach a point in which you can't foresee or feel growth is possible. It is the feeling of floating and not really having anything to fall back on but reality. It can also be seen as the card of day dreaming and of finding possibilities away from the problems that remain in the atmosphere.

☆ Sunday. Ace of Hearts. New emotions arise. This looks like a wonderful new start, a time to get away from anything that may be bugging me over the week. The Ace is new energy in the field of the emotions and even intuition. I love without condition, but sometimes I keep that love close to the people that are even closer.



I wanted to know more about my reading so I pulled a final set of cards. They are both romantic suggestions of messages of love. I feel as if the message for the week is to accept my blessings and to relish the amount of love that I am given, rather than focus on the love that I wish I was given. I really enjoy feeling appreciated and comfortable with the people I care for. When I feel rejected, I go into a sense of loss of direction. I seek the reasons and possible amendments, forgetting that I deserve to love myself first and foremost. I can't ask others to love me or expect them to, but I can expect a healthy dose of self-love to help me find my way.

☆ Extra. Nine of Hearts. Enjoying emotional stability and everything it has to offer. All the hearts are pointing at her, but she's looking at the knight in the next page.

☆ Extra. Prince of Hearts. The dreamy knight delivers messages of love. He offers a world of illusions and promises of coming back to stay. I feel like he's saying, "come with me to Wonderland!" Perhaps I should get lost with my boyfriend for a few days...
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