We're hanging on by our fingernails as we face the chaos of our topsy turvy political life. We need Gaia's wisdom and solid ground. I love your dreams since I rarely remember mine these days. There's a disturbance in the ether in my world. Sending you love as I wait to have my mood lifted by a warm sunny day.
It always lovely to see you here Elaine, my dear friend! Last night's dream a strange little one, I didn't enter or leave the café. The dream began with me standing and reading a poem from my journal ... only everyone was busy chattering to notice. It ended as soon as it began but the feelings of 'foolishness' gently nudged me to share my tarot poem 'The Fool'. Feels right some how.
It sounds like you’re navigating a whirlwind of uncertainty and longing for steadiness. I deeply empathise with those feelings. Indeed, Mama Gaia’s wisdom and a warm sunny day hold much promise for grounding and warmth. I hope they find their way to you soon.
Last week we saw five butterflies: two Brimstones, two Commas and a Red Admiral. I thought of you at once, Mama Monarch! Sending much love, light and hope your way as you move through these turbulent moments. 🦋🧡🦋
The first thing I stumble upon in your page: The Fool. Of course, let's start at the beginning! This card as followed me all my life (uh, really, no dude you followed it, duh).
I love these connections.
It feels I know so many people around the world that I have never met, just because all of us stand on the shoulder of the same consciousness, and still it has sometime the same taste, a similar flavor in people. And although I have never met them (you) yet I can smell the fragrance right away. That is the smell of home.
Indeed, The Fool is the perfect beginning, that first step, leap into the unknown. I love how their journey unfolds, always leading us back to familiar echoes of the collective.
It’s wonderful how the cards follow us - or how we follow them, as you say - guiding us toward synchronicities that remind us we’re never truly alone. And here we are.
Thank you for your presence too, “A Spoonful of Silence” lingers long after your final words.
“A Spoonful of Silence” lingers long after your final words. it has been with me for so long, I will never forget, while I have many similar experiences, this one felt like representing them all.
I understand, truly. Thank you Gabriel for sharing your stories. I hope they're read far and wide. Somehow, Easter feels like a fitting release. And now, knowing that 'A Spoonful of Silence' represents them all makes it even more powerful. It carries not just one story, but the weight of many, distilling them into something that lingers, that speaks beyond words. I feel honoured to have witnessed it.
Ooooo this sparked my imagination Deborah thank you. The imagery is vivid. Gently gently now is the first thought that comes to mind, holding that white rose close to her heart. I'm so pleased I am able to access your substack. Love, Susan. ps going on 12.30 here, I hear that there is a solar eclipse in Aries around 13.00 hrs - fiery combination with sun and moon in Aries. My friend in Johannesburg alerted me to this yesterday so I'm reading from her what's app. ... 'a time to return to individuality and being a pioneer, leaving the collective'.
Oh, I can't stop smiling! It makes me so happy to see you here on Substack, my dear friend. Welcome! Thank you so much, Susan, for your kind and thoughtful reply. It's such a wonderful place to be - I’ve never experienced anything quite like it before.
If you’re interested in exploring the Tarot further, I wanted to mention that in my second poetry collection, 'The Shepherd's Daughter', I share my entire Major Arcana journey. It might resonate with your own reflections and explorations.
We missed the weather news last night, so despite spending all morning hiking through the neighbouring valley and woodlands, we didn’t think to look up or notice anything unusual. I’m sure there’ll be lots of stunning photos popping up from around the world.
Those words on your friends app resonate deeply with me. In many ways, I believe leaving social media two months ago was the best decision I’ve ever made for my writing life.
Lovely words as always Deborah. I enjoyed the journey of your poem and the reemergence into light (literally and figuratively) coming after being led astray. A hopeful ending. Sometimes I have dreams that stay with me for a long time, other times I forget in the act of waking. The way you described yourself in the dream here, that is how I sometimes feel with my creative work - a little lost and foolish, doubting whether anyone will want to listen to what I have to say - but I decide again and again that if people are meant to find my work, they will. And if that's only a few people, that's okay too.
Thank you so much Sarah, for your own lovely words! What a gift. In my entire ‘Poetry of the Tarot’ series, I explore each card in reverse in the third verse to bring out its depth and shadow. As for remembering dreams, I always keep my dream journal and a pen close at hand to capture them the moment I wake. If I have to fumble around for a pen, the dream vanishes too quickly, so I like to catch it while it lingers.
Be assured, kindred spirits always, always find our work, even if it takes them years and years. Now, onto The Fool and their delightful ‘fool-ishness' ... one of my favourite topics! You see, for me, there’s no greater freedom than metaphorically stepping off the edge of certainty and trusting the prevailing winds to guide us to where we want to go. Feeling ‘foolish’ sparks creation itself, opening us up to discovery as well as keeping us grounded.
Every leap we take Sarah, plants another a seed of inspiration. So, why not embrace the doubt, a little more, and trust the journey. In the meantime, your voice find its way to those who are meant to hear it. Wear your foolishness with pride and, most of all, keep leaping!
I had to chuckle a little when reading your response, Deborah. You are so right. Being in the uncertainty and allowing (or even revelling in) the foolishness is such a good place for discovery, creativity and development. No great creative work ever came from staying in your comfort zone and taking zero risks. Cheers to continuing to leap!
Thank you so much Kristin, for your kind and reassuring words. I wasn't sure how my Tarot poetry would be received on Substack, but I'm really pleased that I felt the fear and posted my Tarot 'fool-ishness' anyway.
Thanks Charlie! Sounds like your dream captured the High Priestess's essence perfectly ... trusting her wisdom and intuition while you stepped back to reflect.
Thank you so much, Caroline. ‘The Fool’ certainly marked the beginning of an extraordinary journey … much like stepping into the magick of Substack and discovering the kindred spirits I’ve been searching for my entire life. 💛
mmmm...even while eating cake and sipping tea...my ears and heart would be open to what you had to say. That last stanza, in particular, is, in a way, the reverse of your dream. in short: gorgeous!! never be afraid to share what you have to say, sweets! you never know who will be listening and where a seed will get planted.
I, for one, am blessed to have crossed your path. I pray our paths cross again and again as we each spiral into those numinous realms on our journeys. Thanks for sharing!! XO
Wow, Danielle, you’re ab-soul-utely right, you ‘Holy Fool’ incarnate! Reflecting on it now, my reversed dream does feel like a playful nudge from my psyche, urging me to embrace and share more of my Tarot-inspired ‘fool-ishness.’
Marie Antionette also came to mind upon waking with her supposed famous words of "Let them eat cake!". Well poetry is the richest and sweetest cake I know ... it’s what sustains and delights me, like a feast for the soul.
Yes, here's to crossing paths again and again, as fellow poets and dreamers navigating life's open and spiralling road home together! XO
Hi Deborah, it is morning coffee brew where l am sitting up comfortably in bed. Thank you for sharing your reflection of The Fool - she speaks to me of trusting in the natural order of the Universe, and with keeping that in mind she will in turn support the heart based creation of our being. Infinite possibilities. 😊🙏🥰
Many thanks Simone, for reading with your morning brew! The archetypal Fool resonates deeply with this poet and dreamer, forever inspiring trust in life’s flow. Indeed, by embracing the natural order of things we really do open magickal doors to infinite possibilities, keeping our hearts beautifully centred in the present moment. 🥰🙏❤️
It's afternoon brew time now 🤣 🍺 — and yes, the possibilities are infinite and manifest to match what we are energetically putting out there. It is magic. Hope you have a great day 🙏 💜
Thank you Kristi. I decided that I wanted to take myself on a big adventure, 'there and back again' (I'm a huge Tolkien fan!) and decided the Tarot would be such a wonderful journey with four verses representing a quaternity, a wholeness, of light and shadow.
If you're interested in reading more Tarot poems, my entire 'Poetry of the Tarot' series, from 'The Fool' to 'The World,' including the four radiant Tarot Queens, sleep and dream within my second poetry collection, 'The Shepherd's Daughter'. For more information, check out the 'Books' page on my poetry and Jungian thought website: (hope this link works!) www.theliberatedsheep.com/books/
Three, wow! Thank you so much, Kristi! I'm deeply touched that you've ordered three of my books. That's so very generous of you! I'm a poet with few words just a full and bursting heart! 🙏❤️
I love this Deborah! I wish I could remember my dreams most nights lol! Some I do, others, I wish I wrote down as soon as I awoke. The Fool’s Journey! I love how you’ve written a poem for each card! What a beautiful idea and what a wonderful way to share your journey through tarot. A Soul’s journey. I look forward to holding that book in my hands soon. Keep dreaming. We need you. 🙏❤️
Thanks so much for encouraging me to share this one, Jamie. I tried adding 'The Fool' poem as a comment on my last Tarot post, but when I couldn’t figure out the spacing, I decided to start a new post instead. As a poet and dreamer, I feel a deep connection with The Fool.
Exciting news! Your book arrived late yesterday, and as I held it in my hands, I kept admiring the stone circle on the cover. So I was thrilled to recognise blessed Castlerigg! I love, love, love the Lake District, I call it my 'hireath,' my soul’s home. Whenever we visit, we stay in Shelley’s former cottage, and I’ve spent countless hours there sitting in that sacred stone circle. I'll be there this summer too!
On my first Substack post there's a black and white photo of me looking over Buttermere on my descent from the breath-taking Innonimate Tarn, it's the very place I wrote "Dear Poet", a love letter to the poets and poetry (one of many!) which you'll read in "The Shepherd's Daughter".
I’ll wait for the right moment to open your poetry book, it feels like there’s always a calling for these things. 🙏❤️
Thanks Deborah! Castlerigg! Beautiful place! We had it to ourselves that morning. The Lake District is beyond beautiful, and I’ll be back one day to climb a few more of those hills. I can certainly see how it inspires creativity. I hope you enjoy the book and I can’t wait to have my hands on yours. Thanks for all of your support. 🙏❤️
Castlerigg’s timeless beauty must have added its own poetry to that morning! As poets reading each others words, may we both find inspiration and shared truths that deepen connections and inspire the soul. May it be so. 🙏❤️
I'm so happy you shared this, love the imagery. The poem is beautiful.
I've never thought of The Fool, as a fool. See... perspective! My vision of them is naive with so much to learn...but I work with little ones so my filter....is through those eyes.
You reading a poem to a crowd, I can see it. Have you thought of designing your own deck?
Thank you so much, Maryellen. I believe there are many kinds of fools, but I hold a special fondness for the 'holy fools' ... the poets, dreamers, artists and writers I meet on life's open road. There’s something so beautiful about their gentle naivety and unwavering faith, a fool-ish charm that speaks of courage and possibility.
Oh no, as much as I adore all forms of art, I can’t imagine myself ever designing a tarot deck. Writing about the cards, absolutely ... but being as bold and creative as you? That takes a special kind of bravery I don’t possess. When your deck is finished, I’d love to see it and marvel at your artistry!
You know, there are twenty-two Major Arcana cards—have you ever considered writing a book with twenty-two tales, each one inspired by a different card? It could be an incredible way to explore their unique symbolism and weave their stories into something truly captivating. What an incredible journey that would be!
I'm already intrigued! Through my favourite Jungian lens, your story will beautifully embody the archetypes of the senex (the wise elder) and the puella (the youthful maiden), psychological opposites that harmonise to create wholeness. The grandfather’s grounded wisdom and his experience will balance the granddaughter’s curiosity and her openness to possibility, mirroring the integration of past and future, structure and spontaneity. Their shared journey reflecting the transformative alchemy of opposites, where both 'guide' and are 'guided', weaving deep magick into every step of the path.
Substack is a rather special place, isn't it? I'm so pleased to have met you here, Maryellen.
This was exactly how this duo came from, experienced elder & youthful naive kiddo. I'm experiencing the cards through each filter, and it is uncovering so many more layers to me. And hopefully the story will be FUN & magical on the surface as well as contain a deeper meaning to those open to it.
I'm so happy to have found you. Substack is magic. 💗🙌💗
We're hanging on by our fingernails as we face the chaos of our topsy turvy political life. We need Gaia's wisdom and solid ground. I love your dreams since I rarely remember mine these days. There's a disturbance in the ether in my world. Sending you love as I wait to have my mood lifted by a warm sunny day.
It always lovely to see you here Elaine, my dear friend! Last night's dream a strange little one, I didn't enter or leave the café. The dream began with me standing and reading a poem from my journal ... only everyone was busy chattering to notice. It ended as soon as it began but the feelings of 'foolishness' gently nudged me to share my tarot poem 'The Fool'. Feels right some how.
It sounds like you’re navigating a whirlwind of uncertainty and longing for steadiness. I deeply empathise with those feelings. Indeed, Mama Gaia’s wisdom and a warm sunny day hold much promise for grounding and warmth. I hope they find their way to you soon.
Last week we saw five butterflies: two Brimstones, two Commas and a Red Admiral. I thought of you at once, Mama Monarch! Sending much love, light and hope your way as you move through these turbulent moments. 🦋🧡🦋
The first thing I stumble upon in your page: The Fool. Of course, let's start at the beginning! This card as followed me all my life (uh, really, no dude you followed it, duh).
I love these connections.
It feels I know so many people around the world that I have never met, just because all of us stand on the shoulder of the same consciousness, and still it has sometime the same taste, a similar flavor in people. And although I have never met them (you) yet I can smell the fragrance right away. That is the smell of home.
Thank you for your presence in this world.
Indeed, The Fool is the perfect beginning, that first step, leap into the unknown. I love how their journey unfolds, always leading us back to familiar echoes of the collective.
It’s wonderful how the cards follow us - or how we follow them, as you say - guiding us toward synchronicities that remind us we’re never truly alone. And here we are.
Thank you for your presence too, “A Spoonful of Silence” lingers long after your final words.
Thank you.
“A Spoonful of Silence” lingers long after your final words. it has been with me for so long, I will never forget, while I have many similar experiences, this one felt like representing them all.
I understand, truly. Thank you Gabriel for sharing your stories. I hope they're read far and wide. Somehow, Easter feels like a fitting release. And now, knowing that 'A Spoonful of Silence' represents them all makes it even more powerful. It carries not just one story, but the weight of many, distilling them into something that lingers, that speaks beyond words. I feel honoured to have witnessed it.
Ooooo this sparked my imagination Deborah thank you. The imagery is vivid. Gently gently now is the first thought that comes to mind, holding that white rose close to her heart. I'm so pleased I am able to access your substack. Love, Susan. ps going on 12.30 here, I hear that there is a solar eclipse in Aries around 13.00 hrs - fiery combination with sun and moon in Aries. My friend in Johannesburg alerted me to this yesterday so I'm reading from her what's app. ... 'a time to return to individuality and being a pioneer, leaving the collective'.
Oh, I can't stop smiling! It makes me so happy to see you here on Substack, my dear friend. Welcome! Thank you so much, Susan, for your kind and thoughtful reply. It's such a wonderful place to be - I’ve never experienced anything quite like it before.
If you’re interested in exploring the Tarot further, I wanted to mention that in my second poetry collection, 'The Shepherd's Daughter', I share my entire Major Arcana journey. It might resonate with your own reflections and explorations.
We missed the weather news last night, so despite spending all morning hiking through the neighbouring valley and woodlands, we didn’t think to look up or notice anything unusual. I’m sure there’ll be lots of stunning photos popping up from around the world.
Those words on your friends app resonate deeply with me. In many ways, I believe leaving social media two months ago was the best decision I’ve ever made for my writing life.
Lovely words as always Deborah. I enjoyed the journey of your poem and the reemergence into light (literally and figuratively) coming after being led astray. A hopeful ending. Sometimes I have dreams that stay with me for a long time, other times I forget in the act of waking. The way you described yourself in the dream here, that is how I sometimes feel with my creative work - a little lost and foolish, doubting whether anyone will want to listen to what I have to say - but I decide again and again that if people are meant to find my work, they will. And if that's only a few people, that's okay too.
Thank you so much Sarah, for your own lovely words! What a gift. In my entire ‘Poetry of the Tarot’ series, I explore each card in reverse in the third verse to bring out its depth and shadow. As for remembering dreams, I always keep my dream journal and a pen close at hand to capture them the moment I wake. If I have to fumble around for a pen, the dream vanishes too quickly, so I like to catch it while it lingers.
Be assured, kindred spirits always, always find our work, even if it takes them years and years. Now, onto The Fool and their delightful ‘fool-ishness' ... one of my favourite topics! You see, for me, there’s no greater freedom than metaphorically stepping off the edge of certainty and trusting the prevailing winds to guide us to where we want to go. Feeling ‘foolish’ sparks creation itself, opening us up to discovery as well as keeping us grounded.
Every leap we take Sarah, plants another a seed of inspiration. So, why not embrace the doubt, a little more, and trust the journey. In the meantime, your voice find its way to those who are meant to hear it. Wear your foolishness with pride and, most of all, keep leaping!
I had to chuckle a little when reading your response, Deborah. You are so right. Being in the uncertainty and allowing (or even revelling in) the foolishness is such a good place for discovery, creativity and development. No great creative work ever came from staying in your comfort zone and taking zero risks. Cheers to continuing to leap!
That's the spirit, Sarah. In the words and wisdom (of I don't know who) "Leap and the (metaphorical) net will appear!"
Thank you for inviting us to take this leap with you into those "numinous realms below."
Thank you so much Kristin, for your kind and reassuring words. I wasn't sure how my Tarot poetry would be received on Substack, but I'm really pleased that I felt the fear and posted my Tarot 'fool-ishness' anyway.
I dreamt last that my high priestess told me to go back to the room while she dealt with matters. It just made sense to me.
Thanks Charlie! Sounds like your dream captured the High Priestess's essence perfectly ... trusting her wisdom and intuition while you stepped back to reflect.
Thank you for this soulful and heart-filling poem, Deborah 💛
Thank you so much, Caroline. ‘The Fool’ certainly marked the beginning of an extraordinary journey … much like stepping into the magick of Substack and discovering the kindred spirits I’ve been searching for my entire life. 💛
mmmm...even while eating cake and sipping tea...my ears and heart would be open to what you had to say. That last stanza, in particular, is, in a way, the reverse of your dream. in short: gorgeous!! never be afraid to share what you have to say, sweets! you never know who will be listening and where a seed will get planted.
I, for one, am blessed to have crossed your path. I pray our paths cross again and again as we each spiral into those numinous realms on our journeys. Thanks for sharing!! XO
Wow, Danielle, you’re ab-soul-utely right, you ‘Holy Fool’ incarnate! Reflecting on it now, my reversed dream does feel like a playful nudge from my psyche, urging me to embrace and share more of my Tarot-inspired ‘fool-ishness.’
Marie Antionette also came to mind upon waking with her supposed famous words of "Let them eat cake!". Well poetry is the richest and sweetest cake I know ... it’s what sustains and delights me, like a feast for the soul.
Yes, here's to crossing paths again and again, as fellow poets and dreamers navigating life's open and spiralling road home together! XO
That fits, love, I can be a Holy Fool.
Poetry is wonderful. I don't mind a good piece of cake now and then, but it doesn't nourish my Soul like words and poetry. XO
Indeed, poetry feeds the soul in ways even the sweetest cake cannot! XO
Hi Deborah, it is morning coffee brew where l am sitting up comfortably in bed. Thank you for sharing your reflection of The Fool - she speaks to me of trusting in the natural order of the Universe, and with keeping that in mind she will in turn support the heart based creation of our being. Infinite possibilities. 😊🙏🥰
Many thanks Simone, for reading with your morning brew! The archetypal Fool resonates deeply with this poet and dreamer, forever inspiring trust in life’s flow. Indeed, by embracing the natural order of things we really do open magickal doors to infinite possibilities, keeping our hearts beautifully centred in the present moment. 🥰🙏❤️
It's afternoon brew time now 🤣 🍺 — and yes, the possibilities are infinite and manifest to match what we are energetically putting out there. It is magic. Hope you have a great day 🙏 💜
Hahaha! I do love a cold beer myself! 🤣 🍺 Have a great day, Simone! Time for my morning tea, me thinks! 🙏 💜
I like the form...reminiscent of four cards:)
Thank you Kristi. I decided that I wanted to take myself on a big adventure, 'there and back again' (I'm a huge Tolkien fan!) and decided the Tarot would be such a wonderful journey with four verses representing a quaternity, a wholeness, of light and shadow.
I love it. Look forward to reading more<3
If you're interested in reading more Tarot poems, my entire 'Poetry of the Tarot' series, from 'The Fool' to 'The World,' including the four radiant Tarot Queens, sleep and dream within my second poetry collection, 'The Shepherd's Daughter'. For more information, check out the 'Books' page on my poetry and Jungian thought website: (hope this link works!) www.theliberatedsheep.com/books/
I just ordered three of your books!
Three, wow! Thank you so much, Kristi! I'm deeply touched that you've ordered three of my books. That's so very generous of you! I'm a poet with few words just a full and bursting heart! 🙏❤️
Well, I went to the link you shared and all of your books looked so tempting. Can’t wait<3
I love this Deborah! I wish I could remember my dreams most nights lol! Some I do, others, I wish I wrote down as soon as I awoke. The Fool’s Journey! I love how you’ve written a poem for each card! What a beautiful idea and what a wonderful way to share your journey through tarot. A Soul’s journey. I look forward to holding that book in my hands soon. Keep dreaming. We need you. 🙏❤️
Thanks so much for encouraging me to share this one, Jamie. I tried adding 'The Fool' poem as a comment on my last Tarot post, but when I couldn’t figure out the spacing, I decided to start a new post instead. As a poet and dreamer, I feel a deep connection with The Fool.
Exciting news! Your book arrived late yesterday, and as I held it in my hands, I kept admiring the stone circle on the cover. So I was thrilled to recognise blessed Castlerigg! I love, love, love the Lake District, I call it my 'hireath,' my soul’s home. Whenever we visit, we stay in Shelley’s former cottage, and I’ve spent countless hours there sitting in that sacred stone circle. I'll be there this summer too!
On my first Substack post there's a black and white photo of me looking over Buttermere on my descent from the breath-taking Innonimate Tarn, it's the very place I wrote "Dear Poet", a love letter to the poets and poetry (one of many!) which you'll read in "The Shepherd's Daughter".
I’ll wait for the right moment to open your poetry book, it feels like there’s always a calling for these things. 🙏❤️
Thanks Deborah! Castlerigg! Beautiful place! We had it to ourselves that morning. The Lake District is beyond beautiful, and I’ll be back one day to climb a few more of those hills. I can certainly see how it inspires creativity. I hope you enjoy the book and I can’t wait to have my hands on yours. Thanks for all of your support. 🙏❤️
Castlerigg’s timeless beauty must have added its own poetry to that morning! As poets reading each others words, may we both find inspiration and shared truths that deepen connections and inspire the soul. May it be so. 🙏❤️
I will drink and write to that. 💝
Εβίβα!💝
I'm so happy you shared this, love the imagery. The poem is beautiful.
I've never thought of The Fool, as a fool. See... perspective! My vision of them is naive with so much to learn...but I work with little ones so my filter....is through those eyes.
You reading a poem to a crowd, I can see it. Have you thought of designing your own deck?
Thank you so much, Maryellen. I believe there are many kinds of fools, but I hold a special fondness for the 'holy fools' ... the poets, dreamers, artists and writers I meet on life's open road. There’s something so beautiful about their gentle naivety and unwavering faith, a fool-ish charm that speaks of courage and possibility.
Oh no, as much as I adore all forms of art, I can’t imagine myself ever designing a tarot deck. Writing about the cards, absolutely ... but being as bold and creative as you? That takes a special kind of bravery I don’t possess. When your deck is finished, I’d love to see it and marvel at your artistry!
You know, there are twenty-two Major Arcana cards—have you ever considered writing a book with twenty-two tales, each one inspired by a different card? It could be an incredible way to explore their unique symbolism and weave their stories into something truly captivating. What an incredible journey that would be!
My fictional version I'm working on is a grandfather & granddaughter walking the path....magical realism of course. Still working through it.
I love the different perspectives & filters we share here. It nourishes creativity & expression.
I'm already intrigued! Through my favourite Jungian lens, your story will beautifully embody the archetypes of the senex (the wise elder) and the puella (the youthful maiden), psychological opposites that harmonise to create wholeness. The grandfather’s grounded wisdom and his experience will balance the granddaughter’s curiosity and her openness to possibility, mirroring the integration of past and future, structure and spontaneity. Their shared journey reflecting the transformative alchemy of opposites, where both 'guide' and are 'guided', weaving deep magick into every step of the path.
Substack is a rather special place, isn't it? I'm so pleased to have met you here, Maryellen.
This was exactly how this duo came from, experienced elder & youthful naive kiddo. I'm experiencing the cards through each filter, and it is uncovering so many more layers to me. And hopefully the story will be FUN & magical on the surface as well as contain a deeper meaning to those open to it.
I'm so happy to have found you. Substack is magic. 💗🙌💗
. 💗🙌💗