The Beltane Spread

Recently, I created this spread for the Circle of Stones.
I thought I might pop it into this section for those that look for a Beltane Spread. I did not create the actual layout yet....so you can place the cards as you see fit.

****************THE BELTANE SPREAD*****************

Created by WhiteRaven

At Beltane the Pleiades star cluster rises just before sunrise on the morning horizon, whereas winter (Samhain) begins when the Pleiades rises at sunset. The Pleiades is a cluster of seven closely placed stars, the seven sisters, in the constellation of Taurus, near his shoulder. When looking for the Pleiades with the naked eye, remember it looks like a tiny dipper-shaped pattern of six moderately bright stars (the seventh can be seen on very dark nights) in the constellation of Taurus. It stands very low in the east-northeast sky for just a few minutes before sunrise.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The seven "sisters" are:

Alcyone (whose name means "queen who wards off storms" threw herself into the sea) - What does your soul wish to cleanse?

Asterope ( Her name literally means Lightning.) - What needs to be struck down?

Celaeno (Celaeno has often been called the "Lost Pleiad" because she was hit by lightning according to mythology.) What do you presume "lost", but in reality, it's still there?

Electra (`amber', `shining', `bright' ) - What needs to be illuminated?

Maia ( Eldest and most beautiful of the sisters; a mountain nymph in Arcadia) - Wisdom to take into consideration.

Merope ( meropia is a condition of partial blindness ) - What is being hid behind one of the thinnest veils of the year?

Taygeta (Seduced by Zeus and gave birth to Lacedæmon, founder of Sparta, to which she was thus an important goddess.) - What is in the process of being conceived?

Quintessential card as the path being walked upon...

For those who don’t know what the quintessential card is.......

It is the total of all the numbered cards added together.......court cards are NOT included. The number is then reduced until it fits between 1-22 so that it can be matched to a Major.

e.g. Total of cards = 95.......9 + 5 = 14 Temperance.


Let me know how it goes please.

WhiteRaven,

I am a beginning Tarot student and I am at the moment looking at various spreads to use beside the traditional ones and I liked this one because of its various mythological associations

Maka

This is a very beautiful spread. You put a lot of thought into it and I can't wait to try it out.

~Azarial~

Fascinating spread. I love the lore behind it and will try it out tonight. Thank you for sharing this with us.

It was quite fun and interesting to do the research for the different "sisters". Someone in the Circle of Stones tried the spread to see if it flowed well or not before using it for next weeks exchange and it seemed to work quite well. I'm anxious to see what others say so let me know how it goes please. Thanks for the compliments.

It is a beautifully put together spread - I'm looking forward to useing it.

WhiteRaven said:

Recently, I created this spread for the Circle of Stones.
I thought I might pop it into this section for those that look for a Beltane Spread. I did not create the actual layout yet....so you can place the cards as you see fit.

****************THE BELTANE SPREAD*****************

Created by WhiteRaven

At Beltane the Pleiades star cluster rises just before sunrise on the morning horizon.

Click to expand...

Done on Beltane morning, with IJJ Tarot, and supplementary Bird Oracle:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The seven "sisters" are:

1.Alcyone (whose name means "queen who wards off storms" threw herself into the sea) - What does my soul wish to cleanse?

Judgement Rx: the wimpy, Christian/New Age wish to 'forgive', as opposed to the real challenge of making the habitual reflex of judgement conscious? With Eagle/air => make judgements, "for the highest good of All"! Past judgments coming back to 'haunt' me (not!); taking responsibility for own actions, past and present; spiritual awakening; facing consequences; learning from experience; reaping what I have sown;-))

2. Asterope ( Her name literally means Lightning.) - What needs to be struck down?

Chariot: not really sure what this means here. Wish to make holiday plans, and bookings, with or without John, in his 'new'/old car? With Crane => show-offy urge to 'perform' and 'strut my stuff', i.e. restlessness in motion?

3. Celaeno (Celaeno has often been called the "Lost Pleiad" because she was hit by lightning according to mythology.) What do I presume "lost", but in reality, it's still there?

Moon Rx: mystic lunar conjunction with beloved, temporarily gone into eclipse and incommunicado; also, active, lucid dream-life (wonder if he "dreams" of me? Or if "dreams" mean anything at all to him as he struggles to keep his head above the waters of his psychosis? ;-P). With Albatross Rx => I still have my "real home'" in Norway, in his heart?

4. Electra (`amber', `shining', `bright' ) - What needs to be illuminated?

Sun Rx - also not really sure what this means here, but Solus did just come up for me and my beloved in a faery oracle reading! Positive outcome in marital circumstances, i.e. the best possible, under the circumstances? ;-))

5. Maia ( Eldest and most beautiful of the sisters; a mountain nymph in Arcadia) - Wisdom to take into consideration.

3 of Swords: estrangement from mother; releasing my adult child to individuate and freely live his own life, as I wish my own mother would do for me! With Tawny Owl => one or both of them at least still dream of me?

6. Merope ( meropia is a condition of partial blindness ) - What is being hid behind one of the thinnest veils of the year?

Junon, High Priestess, who gives this deck its name [+Chaffinch Rx]: no need to disguise or camouflage my real identity, as (solitary) high priestess of my own temple! You should read this in conjunction with the last card (Hermit!). With her sacred bird, the Peacock, I can walk in full pride and dignity in the privacy of my sacred circle. I plan to paint someone wearing a peacock feather today, in full splendour as 'performing diva'. The peacock covered with eyes, i.e. many ways of perceiving, and intuitively knowing, especially as the veils thin! Real gnosis ;-))

7. Taygeta (Seduced by Zeus and gave birth to Lacedæmon, founder of Sparta, to which she was thus an important goddess.) - What do I conceive?

Hermit [+ Ibis reversed]: in my solitary practice and celebration tonight, focus not so much upon deities perceived as 'external' to myself, as my own, inner divinity (cf. Sun reversed!) ;-))

8. Quintessential card as the path being walked upon...

= 79 = 16, a very special card to me, the first I ever drew, plus, in the Secret Dakini Oracle, where it appears as "Holocaust", a visible reminder of my beloved institutionalised, with the Virgin Mary still honoured among the rubble... Never mind, it makes sense to me! Also all the eyes exploding...reminds me of the peacock's tail in the High Priestess card!

Thank you, WhiteRaven, for this Beltane blessing; I wish you the same, brightest blessings, for Beltane/Samhain! ;-))

P.S. to Beltane reading

From Meewah in Tarot readings section: personality of the Hermit = one who marches to the beat of a different drum, i.e. not to the tune of the masses, and I can really relate to this!

I was looking for Wheel of the Year spreads last night and stumbled across this one for Beltane. It's such a beautiful spread! Very thoughtful, and the positions corresponding to the myths behind the stars work so well I googled the constellation for an idea of how to lay the cards out:
(http://www.naic.edu/~gibson/pleiades/)

…………..3…………….......
………………..5……………….
…..1…….4……..7…….Q….
………………..6………………
……….2……………………….

1 – Alcyone
2 – Merope
3 – Asterope
4 – Maia
5 – Taygeta
6 – Electra
7 – Celaeno
Q – Quintessential card


This is definitely going in my spread journal as one of my favourites