On the fifth day in Egypt, we flew from Cairo to Aswan. We were picked up at the airport and taken to the lovely boat, the Dahabeya Afandina, where we would spend a number of days sailing on the Nile. The overall plan was to begin in Aswan and work our way back up the Nile to Alexandria, visiting sites along the way. (Bear with me here, a bit of geography and history is necessary to really understand the spiritual goals of this trip.) The Nile is a river that actually flows from SOUTH to NORTH or UP geographically. The terminology here was a little confusing for me because the Southern part of Egypt is referred to as UPPER Egypt, while the Northern part is called the LOWER. In other words, Upper Egypt is south of Lower Egypt because the upper Nile is south of the lower Nile. It helped me to think of it as the Nile beginning in the south which would be “up” river and flowing towards the Mediterranean which although in the North would be “down” river as the Nile flows.) The reason this is pertinent is because this trip was very intentionally designed and organized as a passage along the Nile from south to north in order to be a transcendent undertaking. One of the ideas behind this was to begin at the base of the Nile in Aswan as if we were beginning at the Root chakra of Egypt's or our own energy system. By moving up the Nile and stopping at various sites and Temples (or chakras) along the way until we reached the Crown chakra in Alexandia, it was representative of the spiritual awakening experienced when the primal or shakti life force energies begin to flow up through the chakra energy centers of the body. Other comparisons were made to the Nine Spiritual Bodies or the Tree of Life. The ancient Egyptians believed that the human soul was made up of nine parts, again moving from a more physical plane to a more spiritual one. If you look down on the Nile as a whole from above, it resembles a lotus flower opening up, which is another symbol for this type of spiritual awakening. Finally, the journey was reflective of the Goddess Isis on her search to collect all the parts of her lost husband Osiris in order to resurrect him. Enough history, back to day five. We left our things on the Dahabeya, and then left to visit the Kalabsha Temple. It is located on an island in the middle of Lake Nasser, near the Aswan High Dam, about 16 kilometers from Aswan. Due to flooding, the original temple was dismantled and re-erected at the present site between 1961 and 1963, which I assume is why some of the walls appear newer than others. We took a small boat out to it and there were other interesting, more modern structures to see along the way as well. Kalabsha was the first site we visited where I was really able to get up close and personal with the remains of what must have once been a most beautiful and breathtaking place of worship. I was expecting to have a very magical and enlightening experience here, but I have to say that this first stop hit me really hard. I don’t know what your feelings about past lives might be, but I know in my heart of hearts that I have this inexplicable connection to Egypt. For years I had said that I never wanted to visit because I didn’t want to see it in a way that was not how I “remembered” it in my mind and soul's heart. However, the Universe had other ideas and the circumstances that led me to the opportunity to be a part of this trip could not be denied. So, there I was walking through this amazing place and looking at these incredible remains and I felt like I had a rock in my stomach. I think I was in rather a state of shock. Nothing seemed right and I was absolutely grief stricken to see it in such a state. I mean no disrespect by this, but the only thing I can think to compare it to emotionally could be how people might feel returning to their homes or communities after they have been bombed during a war. And Kalabsha is in way better shape than many of the other sites you come across. Thank goodness we did not visit any of those first! While it was breathtaking and awe-inspiring, for me it was also heartrending to have to face the reality that the Egypt of my spirit's memory simply was no more. I sat and had a good cry there that day. Fortunately, I was with a group of loving people who understood and helped me come to terms with it so that I could let it go and appreciate what was still left there to see. Once we left Kalabsha, we visited the Nubian Museum. By then, I was in a much better place emotionally and I absolutely loved it there. It was a very charming building and the artifacts kept there were marvelous. Many had been amazingly well preserved. One of my favorites included a giant statue of Ramses II. His eyes seem to follow you and it feels like he is actually sizing you up and looking through you! I loved the energy this statue gave off. Another artifact that I particularly liked were some life-sized replicas of horses. They were unbelievably realistic and designed and decorated with such care. There were countless other interesting things to see and I will share a few more pictures below. As you leave the museum, there is a wonderful area out front where the local women sell the most delightful things like jewelry, beaded bags and clothing and other handmade items. Along the walk back to the bus I fell in love with an obelisk surrounded by the cutest statues of monkeys. The Nubian Museum was a great ending to a day that started out as rather difficult for me. Given my experience at Kalabsha, The Tarot card that I must choose for it would have to be the Death card. My first encounter with the Temple ruins of Egypt that day was a grim reminder that the magnificent days of the Pharaohs and the ancient mystical practices that were once upheld there are for the most part dead and gone. Of course, I knew this already, but to be there and to actually SEE the deterioration and breakdown of this remarkable place and its bygone customs just felt so tragic. On the flip side, the Death card not only represents something ending, but it also has the more positive meaning that from endings always come new beginnings. Egypt is still an astonishingly beautiful country with some of the most kind and charming people that I have ever met. The modern-day culture and customs are splendid and very much alive, and I loved the place with all my heart. It may not be what it once was in the days of old or how I would like it to be, but I am so thankful that so many breathtaking structures and artifacts still remain and that I had the opportunity to see so many of them. The Death card is the reminder that sometimes things must end or die so that new things can begin and be born. When I reflect on this card and this day I think of the words of Heraclitus. "The only thing that is constant is change." I am glad that the impact of the people who designed and built these ancient constructions do continue to make themselves felt even after their death. As difficult as it was for me to let go of the past, I am also glad that life goes on.
By the fourth day in Egypt almost all of our group had arrived, and we spent the day at a beautiful park and restaurant. It was located in the middle of Cairo and it was called Al-Azhar Park. It was a beautiful building and lush grounds. I really loved the architecture there. One of the things that I noticed more than anything were how many young couples were there taking strolls together and hanging out with their friends. The customs around dating in Egypt are obviously much stricter than ours, so it was so cute to see all of the couples there talking and flirting but rarely holding hands or touching. There were also a number of what I thought were wedding parties. The men in these groups had on suits or tuxedos. The girls had on what looked like beautiful and elaborate bridal gowns and bridesmaid dresses, only the brides were always in a mauve, pink or lavender gown rather than white ones. I asked about it and they told me that these were actual engagement parties and celebrations, not weddings. Apparently becoming engaged is a huge deal and receives way more recognition there than it does here in the United States. The woman does not wear white until the actual wedding, which is how you can tell the difference. It was just so sweet. This was one of the places where many of the younger people would surround you wanting to take pictures with you. I found it really strange, but it was just a thing they liked to do. They were always very sweet and polite about it, but it did make me feel like rather an oddity, which I guess we were. The final thing of note to me on this day was the stark contrast between the greenery, space and beauty of this place versus the crowded, busy, polluted and rather dirty city itself. Do not misunderstand me, Cairo is a wonderful and beautiful place, but it is the most populated city in Egypt. They do not have the trash collection system or environmental regulations that we are used to here, so it is definitely a noticeable difference as far as air quality and cleanliness go. It is extremely crowded; the driving is CRAZY compared to here. The cars get so close they kiss and there is absolutely no acknowledgement of lanes or any sort of structured traffic pattern that I could see. There is lots of honking and yelling and pedestrians everywhere and I have never been so relieved that I was not the one who had to drive! It was so interesting to be navigating our way through all of this while taking note of all of the history mixed in with the modern world. Again, the contrast of old versus new certainly drew my attention. The Tarot card that I think would have to represent this day is the The Lovers card. It is one of the main cards in the deck that represents relationships, romance and sexuality, but more than that, it has to do with the polarity of the things in life, in particular the differences between the male and female principals. Since one of my main memories about this day’s experiences were the customs of dating and marriage there, as well as the contrast between things, it seems appropriate. I am also sharing both the Nefertari and the Rider-Waite versions of this card again, just for the symbolism. As the Angel is shown over the couple protecting them (or keeping them apart) in the Rider-Waite card, so is the vulture Goddess Nekhbet in the Nefertari version. I love the beauty of the Nefertari card and that the lovers are shown together, but the Rider-Waite card goes deeper by showing them naked but separated. They long to be together but there are things keeping them apart; the angel, the mountain, the clouds, the sun, etc. While all of these things can be overcome, the couple must be open and honest (“naked”) with one another to do so. They must see the big picture to understand the differences between them and join together as a loving whole. The Lovers card in the Rider-Waite version makes obvious reference to the story of Adam and Eve’s expulsion from Paradise, but it also represents their RETURN to paradise and eternal life on Judgement Day. As with all of the cards in Tarot, The Lovers is multi-faceted and has many meanings and interpretations which is where intuition comes into play. It can also be referring to the need to love yourself before you can love others. As in the words of Doreen Valiente in the Charge of the Goddess, “And thou who thinkest to seek for me, know thy seeking and yearning shall avail thee not, unless thou know this mystery: that if that which thou seekest thou findest not within thee, thou wilt never find it without thee.” For me, on the fourth day in Egypt this card represents the differences between people and relationships as well communities, architecture, history, and the past and the present. All trying so hard to come together but struggling so hard to do it smoothly. Thank you for reading and may you be loved and loving.
On my third day in Egypt we visited the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo. It holds the most extensive collection of Egyptian artifacts in the world and was established in 1902. It is a very beautiful old building and quite large. It is walled off and I saw more guards and military there than any of the other places we visited. I was glad that they were so careful to protect the valuable and precious items it houses. On the inside I will say that I was surprised at how run down the building itself was and at the lack of maintenance and order. It was explained to me that they were building a brand new and very magnificent structure and that they were in the process of transferring things from the current building to the new one. We did drive by the new museum building that was under construction while we were there and WOW! It really is magnificent and HUGE. I can’t wait to go back again and see it completed, but I was happy that I got the chance to go through the old one before it is gone. The energy in this building was just fantastic. So many ancient objects with such meaning all in one place. Heaven. I will share a few of my favorite pictures. You could take photos in most places, but you always had to buy an extra ticket to do so. I was blessed to be able to see the artifacts from the Tomb of Tutankhamun that day, but that was the one place where pictures were not allowed even with the extra ticket, so unfortunately, I don’t have any photos of those to share. I will say that if you ever have a chance to see them, it is well worth it. The card I feel drawn to connect with and discuss for this day is The Wheel of Fortune or just The Wheel. I am using my Nefertari’s Tarot deck for these posts, but today for those less familiar with Tarot, I am also going to include a picture from the more traditional Rider-Waite deck. The symbolism in both cards is relevant. The Wheel has numerous meanings and is one of the most fascinating cards in the deck to me. I could write a novel based on this card alone, so to keep it at least a little simpler for this post, I am just going to discuss a few of them as it relates to Egypt and my museum experience. (At this point I do want to remind people that one of the reasons that I am writing these posts in this way is to help me better connect to the cards through my own experiences. It is my hope that following along will encourage you to apply the Tarot cards to your own life in this way. I just believe that it takes you to a deeper and more meaningful understanding of the cards and how they work.) Generally, The Wheel card is symbolic of fate or destiny and the ups and downs of life. I, as so many other people, have always felt that it was truly my destiny to travel to Egypt and I was coming from a period of my life that was definitely “down.” In contrast, this trip will always be a memory of being on “high.” On a deeper level, the Wheel card has more to do with enlightenment, learning and beginning to understand that all things are connected and part of a greater whole.
In the Wheel from the Nefertari deck, the Great Mother Goddess, Nekhbet arches over and holds the wheel. In the Rider-Waite deck the Sphinx with a sword sits atop. Both images represent the keepers and protectors of knowledge. You find this image of Nekhbet over many of the doorways and arches in Egypt. For me, these images were emblematic of all the guards and security they had in place to protect the precious artifacts and the knowledge of the past that is kept within the walls of the museum. The figures shown in the corners of the Rider-Waite card are all holding books. This is representative of learning. The figures themselves have many meanings, including associations with the four elements of air, fire, water and earth, as well as one of God’s Choirs of Angels, the Ophanim. Interestingly, these angels are also known as “The Wheels.” In the Nefertari deck the blue lotuses rising up out of the mud are equated with enlightenment. As I moved through the Egyptian Museum, I could not help but be a little overwhelmed with all the amazing relics and the amount of information and history that was available there. I certainly did a lot of learning while I was there! I could have spent days going through the place and was disappointed to only have a few hours. Some of the other ancient Egyptian symbolism that I would like to point out in these cards, are also shown in a few of the pictures that I shared above. In the Rider-Waite card you see the Sphinx and Anubis, and in the Nefertari card you have the Double Crown of Egypt on the Griffin type figure, which is shown in the photo I took of the statue of Horus. This crown is connected to the Pharaoh and shows his power over both Upper and Lower Egypt and their unification. Note the relevance of the figure in the card, as he has his paws on the two people, holding them down (or together.) Finally, the Latin characters T A R O, shown around the wheel in the Rider-Waite deck can be combined into a sentence in Latin that relates to the Egyptian Goddess, Hathor in her role as the Goddess of destiny. ROTA TARO ORAT TORA ATOR which means, “The wheel of tarot proclaims the law of Hathor.” The interconnections of all of this is so interesting to me. There I was in Egypt in the year 2018 looking at these objects which were made as far back as the 31st Century BC and more, and here I am in America discussing their significance in a Tarot deck that was first published in London around 1909. Right around the time that the Egyptian Museum was established. So many interesting links. We are not only connected through our common experiences and qualities, but throughout time and space as well. One of the deeper implications of the Wheel of Fortune card. Thank you so much for reading and may the Fates be kind to you! The second day of my trip to Egypt was mostly spent trying to adjust to the time zone change and my general surroundings. I was so amazed and impressed with how lovely everything was. I believe that Egypt gets a bad rep sometimes. It is not how I have seen it depicted in the movies. (Although some parts are.) The hotel was lovely, and the people were so kind. They fall all over themselves trying to make sure that you are happy and have everything you need. I was relieved at how many people spoke English and that the fact that I don’t speak Arabic (yet) was not a huge issue. If you have any desire to go I would strongly encourage you. I found that all of the things I believed about how dangerous it would be were mostly unfounded and over-exaggerated. I am not naive enough to say that there is absolutely no foundation for this, because sadly in some parts this is true, but my experience was that they care deeply about tourism as their livelihood and were extremely careful and very protective of the people visiting there. I didn’t really venture far from the hotel that day, but spent time recovering from the long flight, taking it all in and enjoyed getting to know the other people in my group. The Tarot card I am choosing to represent this day is The Tower card. This card has many meanings, but I am choosing it because of the symbolism of the falling from your ivory tower. I was seeing the beliefs that I had taken on about foreign countries and the people there were false. The division of countries and my tendency to have a “my country is better than everywhere else” attitude because of that and the fact that I didn’t really know better from my own experience was apparent to me. I felt a little ashamed and sheepish to see the reality of what Egypt was really like versus some of the false ideas that I had about it. I think I expected to see the city and the people and transportation as something more from the movie The Jewel of the Nile. No beat-up bus full of chickens and people in poverty pulled up to get me. (I said I was embarrassed about my ignorance, right?) The other reason I like the Tower card for this day is the symbolism in it about language. It goes along with the Biblical story about the Tower of Babel. Basically, the Babylonians were unable to understand each other’s languages and the Holy Ghost descended on them with storm and fire, tore down the tower they were building, and they were all then able to understand and speak their old mother tongue. The fall of the tower broke through barriers and led to better understanding and communication between people. As I personally began to get to know Egypt and it’s people, I had to recognize my own arrogance and understand that many of my own beliefs were simply illusions or false images planted in my mind by the media and other sources. I was forming opinions without any actual knowledge from encountering the place myself. False borders and language differences are just boundaries we create in our mind. We are all the good same people from the same good Source. Lesson learned. Interestingly, in this particular Tarot deck, the Tower is represented as the Djed Pillar or the backbone of Osiris. It is a powerful symbol that signifies the resurrection of this much loved and well-known Egyptian God of the Afterlife. Things fall but they can be rebuilt. The Djed Pillar can also denote the powerful and intense rising of life-force energy within a person. If you have back or spine problems like myself, I find that meditating on this symbol can be very helpful for relaxing the muscles in this area and providing some pain relief.
I realized that one year ago today I was getting ready to board this plane to Egypt. It was such an incredible adventure and so much about me has changed since then. I was thinking about how much I would love to relive this experience and since I can't logically go back this minute, I thought it would be fun to go back through my memories and my pictures and have another visit if only in mind. And since this is a blog relating to tarot, I wanted to choose a card from one of the Egyptian decks that I actually took with me that represents my mindset as I went along. So this post represents the first day of my trip. Yep. The Fool card. This card is assigned the number Zero in the deck. It suggests that one major phase of your life is wrapping up and a new one is about to begin. In the Rider-Waite deck, the figure has his bag packed and is taking a moment to reflect on his journey so far. In this deck the cat represents Spirit pushing (or scratching, LOL) the person in order to get them moving on their way. This card is about having trust and faith that even though you might be afraid or unsure of yourself or what the future might bring, everything is going to be okay. If you know me at all, you know that I am a giant fan of the cat Goddess Bast so I love that the cat is encouraging the person rather forcefully to just GO! That is exactly what Bast did to me and that is exactly what I did. More tomorrow...
Well, I realized that it is the last day of January and I never posted my 2019 New Year's spread! I wish I could say that it is because I have been doing all kinds of fascinating things, but in truth, it has more to do with mundane things like remodeling our bathroom. Anyway, better late than never, so here it is!
I used my Tarot Draconis deck and did a simple past, present, future spread. I drew the 6 of Coins in the past position, The Chariot in the present, and 2 of Cups in the future. The 6 of Coins is a card that represents a win-win situation. It may indicate feelings of either giving or receiving in unequal amounts, but it is a reminder that when you give, you are also receiving the positive karma and emotions of the act itself. Release any guilt you may be carrying from fears of giving or receiving TOO much in the past. Give thanks for the things you have received or the lessons you have learned and celebrate your growth. It's time to move on. The Chariot is telling us to get control of things. We have been stuck for far too long and it is time to grab the reins, steer our own course or drive our own destiny. We will make more progress by considering both the light and dark within ourselves and our situations. By considering both we become more balanced and can move forward unhindered. The future looks encouraging with the 2 of Cups. This is a card of friendship, peace, and love between people. It indicates the healing of relationships and suggests an offering of peace in order to reconcile differences. These cards may be interpreted as advise for both your own personal life (the microcosm) or as advise for how you deal with the world at large (the macrocosm.) In the words of Dos Equis, "Stay Strong My Friends," and have a fabulous 2019! Today I used Nefertari's Tarot deck and the Hanged Man presented itself to me. The Hanged Man is a card with many meanings, but for me, when it comes up it is suggesting that you make some sort of sacrifice that is for your highest good. I associate this card with the story of the Norse God Odin who hung himself from the Tree of Life for nine days in order to gain the wisdom of the runes and divination. The sacrifice that you are being asked to make may not be comfortable. It could be as minor as tightening up your budget so that you are able to give more to others over the holidays or it may be as major as a close relationship, job or home. The blessing and reassurance of this card is that whatever it is that you have the strength to let go of, the outcome is bound to be one that has positive implications for you as well those around you. Sometimes the old must be sacrificed so that the new and better is allowed to flow and enter into your life and circumstances. I wish you blessings on this journey! Kennedy
"First Day in Heaven" by Kerolos Safwat As the holidays draw closer, I keep coming across this image and it so touches my heart. I just felt that I had to share it because it perfectly expresses the impressions that I get from spirit about how they feel when they cross to the other side and join lost loved ones again. I see so many clients who really struggle during this time of the year and I just want to remind you that you WILL see the people that you love and who have passed away once again. I just want to write this post as a way to share love with you if you are in emotional pain from a loss and to remind you to try and keep your chin up. One of the messages that I most commonly receive is that our loved ones on the other side so want to see us happy. They are always trying to give you support and help you through your recovery process. It pains them to watch us suffer and they really do try to send signs to let us know they are there, but it is so difficult to recognize them when our hearts are still grieving. Take the time that you need for your own healing to take place, but do know that it is okay to ask them to help you with this. They love to be remembered and talked about so I always encourage everyone who comes to see me to include them in holiday celebrations somehow. Instead of avoiding the subject and trying to put it out of your mind, put out a picture, set a place for them at the table, give them a toast or whatever you might feel called to do to help honor them and their memory. They will hear you and will be trying to let you know that they are there. More than anything they just love to check in and see family members having a good time so as difficult as it is I do hope you will try. My heart goes out to everyone who is dealing with loss around the holidays or any other significant dates. Please reach out if you are struggling and ask for support from me or anyone else that you love. Know that the image in the painting I shared here will one day represent you but until then there is so much more life here to enjoy with those that remain in your life. Your loved ones are rooting for you from the other side, I promise you. I am also sharing a suicide prevention line number if you or anyone else you know is having trouble getting through things alone. Sending so much love to you at this time of the year and every other. Blessings to you. Kennedy xoxo
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1 800 273-8255suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ Hello, beautiful ones! I will be in the Nashville area this weekend reading at this lovely event. There will be many wonderful speakers and lots of great vendors there, so if you are looking for something fun to do come on by and give yourself some good ol' self-love! Or let us do it for you! Follow the link below for more information and I hope to see you soon.
xoxo Kennedy www.empoweredlight.com/events/holistic-expo-oct-2018-tn/ I am really enjoying using this new deck by Matt Hughes! I had a hard time finding it and finally stumbled across it in one of my favorite stores in Santa Fe called The Ark. (If you are in the area you really should stop by!) This is one of the cards that I really love because the cat and the lions remind me of the Egyptian Goddesses Bast and Sekhmet who are both always in my heart. The Queen of Wands follows her passions and her confidence and poise often make her the center of attention. She encourages you to believe in yourself and to let your gifts and creativity shine. Wands are associated with fire and this Queen will always go after the things that her heart burns for. If this card calls to you, then you are being asked to do the same. Draw on your will power and drive in order to gain the things that you most desire. I wish you luck!
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AuthorRev. Kennedy Turner is the owner of The Cat's Meow, Tarot and Talismans, LLC in Louisville, Ky. She is a Psychic Medium, Professional Intuitive Tarot Card Reader, and Certified Healing Reiki Practitioner. She also designs and blesses jewelry for use as protective personal talismans and charms, tailored to meet your individual needs. Archives
August 2023
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