Positive Focus Thursday - Collections

Most of us 'collect' something.

For me (and I don't think of books, fabric and fiber as collecting), I am INTO orchids and Divination Cards.

For me, not only are they beautiful and strange, but they are not really a plant everyone grows. I love the challenge of keeping them going, and especially, getting them to rebloom. 

Of course, at the present time, this 'collection' is going to be a challenge to transport from Montana to North Carolina. My present plan is to soak them for about 24 hours in the bathtub and then wrap up in newsprint and lay on top of each other in a large box. Just like they would be shipped if I had ordered them online. 

Hopefully, fingers crossed, I will have room in the back of the car to put the box and not have to put on the moving van.

Anyway, that's the plan.

My other 'collection' are tarot and oracle cards.

Right now, this is the deck I am using. I just boxed up most of the cards I have purchased since moving to Montana. I do have a few still in storage in North Carolina (I think if I remember correctly), but I did lose some in the fire.

But loving this deck. The artwork is beautiful. 

Artwork is probably one of the reasons I buy some of my decks.

Another deck I purchased due to the artwork is the second time around for me. 

The story behind this deck is fantastic - 4 different tribes of cats, each with their own personality and culture. 

I had purchased it several years ago and gave it to Savvy because she loves cats so much. Unfortunately, it didn't last well in her hands at that time. So I found it and bought myself another deck.

Another deck I love is the Osho Zen Tarot. 

I usually try and pull one of these cards once a month to see how my month is going to go or what I need to work on. However, the book which goes with this deck didn't survive the fire, so I am trying to see if I can get a replacement copy from Osho.

Another deck of 'oracle' cards is my Goddess cards.

Once again, the artwork is lovely and I enjoy seeing goddesses I have no knowledge of. I did have to pause in my packing and picture taking when I opened the box and pulled a card and it was 'Mawu' or  'Mother Earth'. My thoughts have been turning to gardening and plants. Things like the gardens I want to grow in North Carolina. Planning areas for Savvy's yard for her and when we buy a house in another year, the gardens I want.

I have been immersing myself in gardening shows on TV too. Plus, Charlotte has a very active recycling program which I am delighted to learn about. So I can really start recycling more and they make it fairly easy (or at least easier than where I am now).

So being conscious of the environment and Mother Earth was right on the mark in many ways.

Along the line of plants and flowers is one of my newest decks.

It follows the Rider-Waite cards pretty closely, but with an herb on each card and it's meaning in relationship to the card and how to use/grow the herb.

This is my Waite Deck and, if I remember correctly, I have a Rider-Waite Deck back in North Carolina. This is one of the 'standard' decks to have on hand.

A couple of decks I picked up inexpensively to use with my writing group for prompts and inspiration. I lost the boxes and don't know the name of the decks.

I love the backs of these cards, the mariner's compass and constellations.

This one I just have the book of and just found where I can get the cards only to go with the book. So those are on their way to me.

Two different decks I picked up inexpensively also are...

I haven't really don't anything with these yet, but I love the artwork on the Mah Jongg cards. In fact, I would love to learn how to play Mah Jongg with the tiles.

I have only taken a quick look at this deck before I packed it up for the move, but it is a very positive feeling deck. And the artwork, once again, is lovely.

My last two new purchases, also packed away, are these 'sister' decks. 

Same artist on both decks and the artwork is so much fun. 

And we won't discuss the ton of cards I have on my wish list on Amazon to purchase.

But in a way I am coming out of the closet with my cards. I have dabbled for years, but really kept it hidden away and didn't talk about. Mainly because of the criticism of others and I didn't want to have to defend my use of them. Please note - tarot and other divination methods are not Satanistic, regardless of what others might say.

Anyway, my desire is to have an altar setup again when I get to North Carolina and have my own room again. I have the cutest 'wishing well' for my water aspect and a lovely Buddha's head for or air since it is also a heated oil burner. (Doesn't feel right calling Buddha an 'air-head'.

On my altar too I want a couple of easels to display my 'card of the week' or 'card of the month'. I also saw a display set up on the wall beside someone's altar where they could lay out the entire deck. I would really like to make that as the artwork on the decks are so lovely it would be nice to display the whole deck as artwork, changing them out peiodically.

I also want to get back to the study of the cards. When I first started working for American Airlines I worked with a woman who taught me tarot and who did readings at psyhic fairs. I did a few readings for others way back when, but I don't feel comfortable doing so at the present time. Thus my desire to start studying cards and all the different meanings of signs and colors and numbers.

In the meantime, all but one deck is packed up, awaiting relocation across country.

And another collection?

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