Beltane is coming. Or, by the time your read this, Beltane is here. And welcome to the Tarot Blog Hop!
Perhaps you read what Chloe from the British Isles has to say about Beltane and Tarot.
It’s been a VERY cool spring here in Central/South Texas. Nothing even close to summer weather.
The tradition of warm, humid and wet springs has been broken by the axe of global weirding.
I’m a Capricorn rising, but am not huge on tradition.
I certainly respect tradition, but I am by no means a keeper of it.
What is Beltane?
Beltane is a cross quarter day. What that means is it marks the center of the sun’s movement between the spring equinox and summer solstice.
In summary, it’s marking the height of spring growth and push forward .
Traditions include phallic celebrations, gathering flower baskets, raging bonfires, and Eeyore’s Birthday in Austin, Texas.
What is Tradition?
As I said before, I have a healthy respect for tradition but am not necessarily a keeper of it.
Tradition, associated with Capricorn, is a structure upon which ritual can be built. The cross quarter day of Beltane is part of the structure of the earth’s movement around the sun.
That structure won’t change.
What will change is the arrival of spring. Or how spring presents itself. As I mentioned, the axe of global weirding has changed our spring weather patterns.
Which week is the week to plant tomatoes? It’s up for grabs.
What will serve us better, a last freeze date based on 150 years of climatic data or feeling into this particular Beltane and determining the date to plant on the fly?
Traditionally, no one in this area uses water walls with tomato plants. My intuition is telling me that this spring it might be a good idea. Okay, that’s not intuition, that’s direct observation.
Tarot and Tradition
When reading Tarot, it works the same way for me.
Tarot itself has a very specific structure:
- 78 cards
- 22 major arcana
- 4 suits
- 4 court cards in each suit
- 10 numbered cards in each suit
That’s one of my favorite things about Tarot, is the structure.
I play with the structure often. I group the Majors into groups of 3 each, then 7 each. I ask myself which cards can be linked to Astrology. Which can’t? Are the Kings initiators or masters? Play it both ways and see what happens.
The Kings never disappear, the major arcana cards don’t follow a different numerological sequence, only the way I’m reading them does.
This week if I read for you I might use a spread based on the moon phases. Next week it might be a free form based on your question. The week after I might pull a card for each letter of your name.
The internal structure remains the same, the creative ritual around it changes.
So, when are you going to plant your tomatoes?
To continue on this Tarot Blog Hop, visit Christiana Gaudet at Tarot Trends.
View the complete Tarot Blog Hop list here.
Hello from ATX! 😀 I haven’t put out tomatoes yet but I feel as if I’m missing the season already. This was a fun tie-in to the tarot traditions theme. 😀
Howdy, Arwen. I’m looking forward to meeting you in person soon.
I’ve never heard of a water wall. But this was a good post.
I like this acknowledgement that we have to move through tradition based on the now, rather than being tied up in knots by tradition 🙂 Good luck with the tomatoes!
Thanks, it’s supposed to be in the 30’s this weekend.
Spring feels like a long way off in Scotland. I planted up some veg in the poly tunnel and was delighted to see that the beetroot had germinated. But my delight was short lived when I realised that they were weed seedlings, not beetroot! Howcome weeds ALWAYS germinate faster than the seeds you want….it’s like they KNOW!!!!
The structure is important as it gives strength, but, as you say, it’s nice to change the drapes regularly to keep things fresh 😀
I know how you feel, Alison. I lived in the mountains of Arizona for 10 years and it regularly snowed in May. Glad those days are behind me!
When am I going to plant my tomatoes? I have no idea, but I’d better clear out last years crop from the green house before I try, hadn’t I? It’s not possible to grow a fresh crop if the ground is all messy and needs clearing – a task for this long weekend 🙂
Good luck, Louise.
“The internal structure remains the same, the creative ritual around it changes.” Wonderful distinction! No tomatoes, here, alas – too many trees!
That was a problem for me until this year. We lost a red oak on the south side of the house. But I still haven’t planted anything.
Fun, well-written, thought-provoking and smart. What a great post!
Thanks, Christina!
Great post! Enjoyed hopping with everyone.
Me too! It was my first one and it was loads of fun getting to know everyone.
I like how you play with the structure of the cards according to your observations and intuition. I had never likened mine to planting tomatoes before but that was quite interesting:)
Glad it sparked something for you.
And I will plant the tomatoes after Mother’s Day, as is Utah tradition…and I love your tour of traditional structure, and when to avoid it…Well done!
Thanks for chiming in on the Utah tradition around tomatoes. Best of luck with them this year.
Hello, neighbor! I’m in Houston, and the tomatoes (aside from the recent wind event snapping two stems) are flowering and starting fruit (yes, my British friends, outdoors and not in the greenhouse!). That’s ’cause my intrepid gardener (and hubby), Matt, planted them in March, I think it was. Risky, though, this year, since the “global weirding” has definitely has some effect, and we’ve been biting our nails through several cold mornings with different plants in the garden.
I love your comparison of reading traditions with planting ones. Makes me think that, yes, we are likely called upon to keep an eye out for new and interesting traditions to add based on changes in our own mental/spiritual environment as well. Staying open to what works, with the underlying structure for stability.
Looks like we need a regional Texas meet-up with Arwen and whoever else is in the southern half of Texas…
Howdy, Houston neighbor. I agree we need a Texas Triangle meetup (all be it a weirdly shaped one) for Houston, Austin, and San Antonio.