And there was a fifth element surrounding and connecting us all this weekend while we were climbing and camping and communing together: the love and humanity that binds all humans to one another and to the other four elements. It’s like the dark matter that holds us intact, keeping us from falling apart and floating through space and time without purpose or intention.

I have researched the spiritual practices of the ancient Celts and continuously find ways to integrate pieces of their belief systems and rituals into my own life. But even with years of reading about the Celts and the Picts and the Vikings, it wasn’t until recently that I learned about the Cailleach.

The Hierophant & The Page of Pentacles

The Four of Wands & The Hermit: With less and less sunlight every day, humans need to be reminded of the warmth and comfort of community, but every day cannot be a celebration. Just like the trees and the animals and the earth itself, this time of year is meant to be a time of hibernation.

There are so many different approaches to tarot - some people use them as true divination tools that predict future events, while others see them as ways for divine or spirit beings to communicate with us. Some people, myself included, see tarot as a way to help humans better understand the world around us - in other words, I take a secular approach to tarot.