# Tarot with Ilsa the Tarot Rat



## 461537 (Nov 15, 2015)

Hiya,

This is more a game than a topic, and is one that my little Ilsa loves to play on all the other forums we frequent, you see - Ilsa is a tarot rat, and can answer questions using tarot cards...

...so, heres how it works - ask a question in the thread below, preferably not a yes/no question, but one that requires a longer answer and Ilsa will draw a single card from her tarot deck. I will then let you know the meaning of the card that Ilsa has drawn, and we can see how her divinatory skills are developing. For anyone interested, Ilsa uses a cut down mini-sized Radiant Rider Waite.

So... anyone have a question for Ilsa so she can practice her skills?


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## cookiebear<3 (Aug 2, 2013)

I don't really understand the premise behind tarot cards so a brief explanation whenever you aren't busy would be super awesome. I'll bite! What does the almighty tarot rat think about adding another baby to my pair of boys?


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## 461537 (Nov 15, 2015)

Ilsa watches the cards as I shuffle them in front of her, also nibbling on a bit of walnut she had stashed nearby. As I shuffle slowly past her she nibbles one, selecting the King of Swords. Yes, you should most definitely get another rat, preferably a pure white one as Ilsa says they are the most intelligent, and Swords is the suit of knowledge in tarot. This rat will have dominance issues though, and you should watch for acts of aggression against your current pair, which wont be carried out in front of you but when you're not around. The new rat will settle quickly if its intelligence is engaged however, but be on the lookout for strange behaviour from your current rats, wounds, or dehydration and quickly separate them until you can work out the cause.


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## 461537 (Nov 15, 2015)

Tarot is, for me, a psychological tool for exploring the subconscious through direct application of imagination. I don't believe it can tell the future, but I do believe that it can identify other ways of looking at the present and assist in navigating towards a future you wish to have. It's also a fun way to pass the time, telling stories with cards, and I like collecting decks .


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## Guzzi (Oct 23, 2015)

Cool! Go on then, I'll have a shot. I'm going through a compensation claim for some (very) serious injuries, when (if ever) does Isla think I should expect a settlement? Dun dun daaaaaa.....


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## 461537 (Nov 15, 2015)

Guzzi said:


> Cool! Go on then, I'll have a shot. I'm going through a compensation claim for some (very) serious injuries, when (if ever) does Isla think I should expect a settlement? Dun dun daaaaaa.....


I hold the deck out for Ilsa and she quickly darts forward and starts to nibble the corner of one card that protrudes delicately out from the deck. This card turns out to be the Wheel of Fortune. Obtaining compensation is going to require a dedicated and ongoing effort from yourself, and will take some time. The Wheel card represents that all things have a place and a time, and that what goes around will in turn come around, so is a very positive card in regards to whether you have a chance of not receiving compensation - you will get there, but it will also take time. Make sure that you aren't being charged by the hour by any lawyers that may be involved, I know I ended up paying a small fortune in legal fees when contesting the legality of an extension to a house I was planning on buying because every time I spoke to my lawyer to check the progress I would be charged. Therefore, try to factor costs versus benefit in regards to how you best use your resources and apply yourself - is it beneficial to use services which cost money to speed things along, or are you just happy to sit back and wait?


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## Finnebon (Jul 15, 2013)

That is so cute! Do you consider yourself a witch? Since Isla is interested in tarot (and maybe other things?) it seems like she is an actual familiar! Are her cagemates like her at all, or is Isla special? I would love to learn more about these kind of things.

The only question I can think of really.... We live in a new place, that we own. It's a townhouse which means it's difficult to access many areas compared to a normal house, and the neighbors share walls with us on 3 sides. I think we should sell it when we move rather than rent it out because I think it could have possible expensive issues (though I DO like the idea of renting a lot, just not this property). Does Isla think we should sell the place when we move, or does she think it would be ok to rent it out after we move?

Another bonus question maybe: Is it possible that any of my 3 remaining babies from Bijou's family will reach 3? They are 2 years and 4 months now.


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## Finnebon (Jul 15, 2013)

I don't know if those questions are good for tarot at all, but they are ones I'd like to get an opinion on from little Isla maybe!


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## 461537 (Nov 15, 2015)

Finnebon said:


> That is so cute! Do you consider yourself a witch? Since Isla is interested in tarot (and maybe other things?) it seems like she is an actual familiar! Are her cagemates like her at all, or is Isla special? I would love to learn more about these kind of things.


Not a witch, no - my mother and grandmother were both trad witches (not Wiccan's, theres a difference) - what I call myself is a chaos magician. I read tarot professionally both face to face and online and have been working with it as a tool of psychological exploration, rather than reading the future, for about 20 years now. Yes, Ilsa is my familiar and I have no idea what her cagemates ended up being other than dead because shes a rescued lab rat, and her litter has no doubt been doused in some chemical or another and then cut up to find if the chemical causes cancer. She spends all day from the moment I get up to when I go to sleep inside my clothes or on my shoulder next to my ear, chittering away - I give her plenty of chances to get water and food throughout the day of course. Theres plenty of good forums that discuss such things but I don't want to run foul of the admin by posting links, or seem like I'm poaching members. If you want a couple of links to good occult material then send me a PM and I'll let you know the better ones and the ones to avoid. 

Ilsa is asleep right now however, so will draw your card when she wakes up. Thank you for your patience. 



Finnebon said:


> The only question I can think of really.... We live in a new place, that we own. It's a townhouse which means it's difficult to access many areas compared to a normal house, and the neighbors share walls with us on 3 sides. I think we should sell it when we move rather than rent it out because I think it could have possible expensive issues (though I DO like the idea of renting a lot, just not this property). Does Isla think we should sell the place when we move, or does she think it would be ok to rent it out after we move?
> 
> Another bonus question maybe: Is it possible that any of my 3 remaining babies from Bijou's family will reach 3? They are 2 years and 4 months now.


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## cirice (Nov 15, 2015)

Hmmm... I was meant to get myself a DCN for my birthday but I haven't been able to afford it... Does Ilsa think I will be able to afford it by Christmas for my little girls?

And very interesting! Ilsa sounds like an incredibly intelligent rat ;D I'm a Pagan and have dabbled in Runes but never got the hang of tarot cards


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## Rosewired (Jul 21, 2015)

This is ridiculously awesome. I think I'll ask a question too!

My boyfriend and I are going through a really rough time right now. He's recently lost his job (which has happened several times in the past year), and is struggling to find a new one, especially given his depression and anxiety. I, meanwhile, have needed to become the main breadwinner for the house, which on top of my relentless schooling and emotional struggles, has left me very tired and very anxious. I feel like we've been just barely scraping by for a year, but I know that -eventually- the pendulum has to swing the other way. I suppose my question is this...will it swing the other way any time soon? And will my life be anything like it is now by the time it does?

Now that I think of it, I have a second question (if you and Ilsa don't mind!). I'm going to school for Computer Science (I want to program video games), but this year has been really hard on my self esteem...I'm starting to think that I'm neither smart enough nor a good enough programmer to fulfill my dreams of making video games. Is it in the cards for everything to work out, or should I start seriously considering my fears rather than tossing them aside under the knowledge that they are likely just a result of my notorious self-doubt?

I don't think there's anyone I would trust more with my future than a fuzzy rodent. ;D


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## Phantom (Apr 4, 2012)

I've always wanted to get into Tarot, but I never really knew how or what cards to pick. They have so many of them. >.<
That's amazing that you started something like that with your ratty! You could probably take it as far as YouTube and allow people to ask questions on there every week. It sounds like an interesting idea. I'm sure there are a number of people who would be interested. =P

As faras asking a question goes, I do have an interesting one. I usually buy HealX Booster for my ratties. They get it as a daily treat, and it helps them recover from URI's faster when they are on medications. Lately, it's been out of stock on most of the online sites because there has been a recall. I've been told they're not sure when they will get the product in. I have been debating on buying it from EBay instead. Should I purchase it from EBay or wait for the product to be in stock again from the usual sites that I buy it from?


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## 461537 (Nov 15, 2015)

Finnebon said:


> The only question I can think of really.... We live in a new place, that we own. It's a townhouse which means it's difficult to access many areas compared to a normal house, and the neighbors share walls with us on 3 sides. I think we should sell it when we move rather than rent it out because I think it could have possible expensive issues (though I DO like the idea of renting a lot, just not this property). Does Isla think we should sell the place when we move, or does she think it would be ok to rent it out after we move?


Ilsa spends a fair bit of time with this question, and initially nibbles not one card but two. I draw both cards and give her the choice between them. After a few licks and a bit of sniffing, she eventually chooses the one on the left by grabbing it and trying to drag it up my sleeve - the Four of Pentacles. This is the card that reminds us to protect our resources, and to make sure we have alternatives to fall back on if things don't go according to plan. When this card appears it is saying that you should look to save rather than sell, or to at least think long and hard about getting rid of important assets. Renting the property out will give you another revenue stream, and will increase your income, but if you follow this path make sure you sent a rent that covers small repairs and eventualities that you may not be able to plan for. Property tends to only increase in value, and can also be used for security. Can you see yourself ever owning another house if you get off the property ladder now? They will only increase in price too, and without capital to sell if you do decide to buy another place in the long term you may struggle to come up with a deposit. 

Out of interest, I turned the other card too to see what the choice was between - Nine of Swords. Keeping the other property and having to act as landlords may cause you deep anxiety and worry, so maybe consider getting a rental company to look after the house for you? I know here in New Zealand its common for house owners who don't want the hassle of also being land lords to get larger rental companies to run the leasing side for them. Having experts in the field tends to remove all the worry and hassle of making sure the rent is paid on time and the place is kept clean and tidy, plus if your property market is anything like ours there will be people lining up to rent quality accommodation, so you run a better chance of getting good tenants. 




Finnebon said:


> Another bonus question maybe: Is it possible that any of my 3 remaining babies from Bijou's family will reach 3? They are 2 years and 4 months now.


For this question Ilsa draws the Seven of Wands. There is every possibility that they will reach the ripe old age of three, but may not do so in good health. You may be faced with the need to decide what is right for them - a long life or a good life, as they become more infirm and start to get sick more often. The Seven of Wands is about defending what matters - does it matter more that they live to three or that they have all their faculties intact and can move freely and without pain? If they start to get ill, and are so close to the end of their standard life span, would you fight to keep them alive or put them out of their misery?


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## 461537 (Nov 15, 2015)

cirice said:


> Hmmm... I was meant to get myself a DCN for my birthday but I haven't been able to afford it... Does Ilsa think I will be able to afford it by Christmas for my little girls?


After a break to nibble a walnut, some dried apricot and a quick drink or spring water, Ilsa sits on top of her tarot deck and cleans herself. I prod her and she jumps off and turns to drag the top card off the deck - the Four of Wands. Yes, you will be able to get a DCN for Christmas, but should consider asking for it as a gift from someone else rather than purchasing it yourself, or at least make it known amongst family and friends that that is what you want, and any contributions towards you getting one will be much appreciated. Your girls will definitely appreciate this gift from you, and be happier as a result.


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## 461537 (Nov 15, 2015)

Okay, Ilsa has decided that thats enough for now and has gone to have a quick nap. I'll post more readings when she wakes up. Thanks guys - this is lots of fun and gives Ilsa some practice too.


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## Finnebon (Jul 15, 2013)

Thanks Isla! I've definitely considered both things, the idea of finding a rental company to handle all the busywork would be great too if we decide to rent out instead of sell.

I will always put quality of life over longevity. I still deeply believe my heart rat Bijou would have made to 3 and maybe beyond, but a badly placed tumor and sudden respiratory distress took her away from me sooner and she had to be pts. But she was so full of life still even as she was getting older. Nothing slowed her down. I don't remember if my childhood rats lived past 2 1/2, but all adulthood rats havent made it past 2 yr and 6 months. I hope at least one of the 3 babies left from her litter make it to a healthy 3 (or near 3).

Can't wait to see what Isla says for the other questions posted!


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## nataliea (Oct 14, 2015)

i was wondering if i could get one i want to know if my current ratty training will go the way i hope it dose


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## 461537 (Nov 15, 2015)

Rosewired said:


> My boyfriend and I are going through a really rough time right now. He's recently lost his job (which has happened several times in the past year), and is struggling to find a new one, especially given his depression and anxiety. I, meanwhile, have needed to become the main breadwinner for the house, which on top of my relentless schooling and emotional struggles, has left me very tired and very anxious. I feel like we've been just barely scraping by for a year, but I know that -eventually- the pendulum has to swing the other way. I suppose my question is this...will it swing the other way any time soon? And will my life be anything like it is now by the time it does?


I manage to separate Ilsa and Rauha from their clandestine smuggling of dried apricots and almonds into their new communal sleeping bag, and Ilsa quickly runs over to her tarot deck, followed closely by Rauha, who obviously wants to know what all the fuss is about. After a big scratch, Ilsa first licks and then nibbles a card about half way through the deck - Death. This card isn't as scary as it first sounds, there are much scarier cards in the tarot than this one, as Death simply means that a change is on the way. Things will get better, but you need to make some significant changes and your partner needs to look both seriously and honestly at why he is having so much trouble retaining a job - is it something he is doing wrong himself, or is he simply doing the wrong job and should look at either retraining or looking at alternatives? While Death speaks of change it also speaks of endings and new beginnings - is there a better way of doing things? Could the depression and anxiety be creating a vicious circle where constant feelings of failure from not being able to provide for you both are simply building upon the anxiety and making it worse? If he isn't already, maybe suggest that your boyfriend seek counselling for his illness - getting professional help will pay dividends in the long run, and even the most loving family member can add to feelings of depression without even knowing about it - I know my parents made me feel god-awful without meaning to many times when I failed at things.

So yes - change is on the horizon, and your present situation will come to a close shortly, but you are going to have to champion this change and make sure it benefits you both. This change may see your boyfriend returning to school to learn new skills, but will ultimately be better for you both in the long run.



Rosewired said:


> Now that I think of it, I have a second question (if you and Ilsa don't mind!). I'm going to school for Computer Science (I want to program video games), but this year has been really hard on my self esteem...I'm starting to think that I'm neither smart enough nor a good enough programmer to fulfill my dreams of making video games. Is it in the cards for everything to work out, or should I start seriously considering my fears rather than tossing them aside under the knowledge that they are likely just a result of my notorious self-doubt?


Ilsa seems hesitant to choose a card for this question, and heads over to Rauha, who proceeds to groom her and clean her ears. After a bit of grooming, Ilsa returns to the deck and sits right on top of the cards. Taking this to mean that the top card is the one she has selected, I turn that one over for her - Three of Wands. This card warns that planning for the future is important, and in order to achieve greatness we must work for it, not just expect it to come easily. You need to decide if the end result is worth the journey, and if you may be better off in another course. This doesnt mean that you wont succeed if you stay doing what you are doing, but in order to do so you have to be prepared to work long and hard at it, and accept failure as much as success. This is the same of any career however - could these fears that you're not good enough actually be your subconscious telling you that this isnt right for you? A quick story to highlight this... I always wanted to be a teacher, and I went to college and university to gain my teaching degree. When I eventually got the degree and went to teach I found that it was completely wrong for me, the job so full of paperwork and a need to follow accepted school protocol that what I had seen as being a way to make kids think and enjoy learning quickly became an exercise in crowd control and surrogate parenting. I took the qualification and had a successful career in consultancy and training, but it goes to highlight that what you believe to be right for you may not be so in the long run, and sometimes you need to drop an idea that isn't working and look at better alternatives. Take some time to seriously assess where you are and where you want to go, and then take the necessary action to either change course or work out ways to maybe improve your skills outside of the course through self guided study - you would be surprised how much better your self esteem can become if you take full ownership of your destiny and have both a manageable plan and way of achieving what you wish to achieve.


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## 461537 (Nov 15, 2015)

Phantom said:


> I've always wanted to get into Tarot, but I never really knew how or what cards to pick. They have so many of them. >.<


Hmmm... that is always a hard choice. I would suggest that if you want to get into tarot that you choose a deck you can read intuitively in a style you find visually appealing. I personally use several decks professionally, and have a collection of over 200 decks in total, and I find the decks that tend to work best are ones where I can look at the card and immediately understand the cards meaning from the images on it. Certain decks are significantly more popular than others - the Rider Waite being the standard deck people tend to think of, and the model that many other decks use as a benchmark. I dont like it myself, its too religious for me being a Hermetic deck and thus based on Christian mysticism, but I do use other decks that mimic many of the images, albeit in less religiously influenced ways. 



Phantom said:


> That's amazing that you started something like that with your ratty! You could probably take it as far as YouTube and allow people to ask questions on there every week. It sounds like an interesting idea. I'm sure there are a number of people who would be interested. =P


Yeah, I'm seriously considering adding 'Rat drawn readings' to my site - there seems to be enough interest in the novelty of having a rat tell your future. I donate 50% of everything I make to charity, so maybe we could start donating half of Ilsa's fee to some form of animal rescue?



Phantom said:


> As faras asking a question goes, I do have an interesting one. I usually buy HealX Booster for my ratties. They get it as a daily treat, and it helps them recover from URI's faster when they are on medications. Lately, it's been out of stock on most of the online sites because there has been a recall. I've been told they're not sure when they will get the product in. I have been debating on buying it from EBay instead. Should I purchase it from EBay or wait for the product to be in stock again from the usual sites that I buy it from?


Ilsa sits and watches me fan the card in front of her, but it is Rauha who ends up choosing one. Ilsa chitters to herself when Rauha chooses a card, and a tug of war ensues, Ilsa winning and dragging the card under the coffee machine - Seven of Swords. Be careful of tricksters and fraudulent activity, especially from people who wish to use other peoples needs to make a quick dollar. If you do decide to buy it from EBay then go with a trusted seller, don't just jump for the cheapest offer. If you do decide to purchase from EBay then make sure you are getting what you are after, not some knock-off alternative, and ask to see pictures of the sealed and unopened container. Also consider purchasing more than you need and stocking up, as if the shortage lasts for a while then the price will only increase exponentially.

The Seven of Swords also suggests that you may wish to look for alternatives - do your homework and see if there is any other similar product you could use in the interim, or maybe even look in to developing a product yourself - many remedies are based on natural products, so is there a natural alternative you could switch to and maybe even sell to fill the void left by the recall?


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## 461537 (Nov 15, 2015)

...and thats it again, sorry guys - Ilsa has decided that dried apricots and yogurt covered raisins are far more interesting than tarot, and has gone off to have dinner. We'll answer more questions tomorrow morning.


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## Nieve5552 (May 20, 2014)

Greetings to another Kiwi!  The rat tarot reading sounds awesome!



Clockwork Ghost said:


> Yeah, I'm seriously considering adding 'Rat drawn readings' to my site - there seems to be enough interest in the novelty of having a rat tell your future. I donate 50% of everything I make to charity, so maybe we could start donating half of Ilsa's fee to some form of animal rescue?


This would be so cool, especially if you donated to New Zealand Rat Rescue!  It would be a great way to promote how great rats are as pets, and also to promote the rescue

I have a question, Ive been trying to think of one for a while. I am due to be getting a new rat (6 weeks old, male) and will be introducing him to my two oldish boys (20 months old) after 2 weeks of quarantine, when the new boy is 8 weeks old. This will be my first time adding new rat to an existing group of rats. Will I have any trouble with the introduction?


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## 461537 (Nov 15, 2015)

nataliea said:


> i was wondering if i could get one i want to know if my current ratty training will go the way i hope it dose


I'm out and about today, but managed to catch Ilsa while she was awake and happy to participate. After a couple of slow shuffles she selected Temperance. Try to be creative and imaginative with the training, and look to compromise on things if the training doesn't go exactly as planned. Your rattie may decide that they are more interested in a specific aspect of the training, and may ignore other elements to concentrate on this one area, like if you were training them to come on command and they choose a different word as the trigger instead of their name for example - you would still be calling them to you, but not with the word you want.

Temperance is all about experimentation and development of new strategies, so be prepared to adapt and modify the training, don't get stuck in the idea that specific things need to happen in order for the training to be a success, and celebrate all the small wins with your pet. Therefore, to answer your question, the training will not go as planned, but will be a success. It will also be fun, if you make sure you don't stress about it, and will show you a different side of your rat - maybe even one you hadn't seen before?


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## 461537 (Nov 15, 2015)

Nieve5552 said:


> I have a question, Ive been trying to think of one for a while. I am due to be getting a new rat (6 weeks old, male) and will be introducing him to my two oldish boys (20 months old) after 2 weeks of quarantine, when the new boy is 8 weeks old. This will be my first time adding new rat to an existing group of rats. Will I have any trouble with the introduction?


This draw takes even longer, and Ilsa appears to not want to choose a card at all - she turns her back on the cards to sniff the coffee machine and computer mouse a few times. I manage to bring her back to the deck, where she distinctly sniffs one, but again refuses to select it. Taking this card as the one she has chose, I turn over The Tower. Be prepared for some serious problems in adding a new rat to your existing pack - this card is one of the most negative in the deck and speaks of sudden shock, destruction, and chaos. Don't make any hard and fast plans about how this introduction will go, but instead be ready to remove the newcomer at a moments notice. Make sure to watch for dominance issues - there will obviously be some fighting amongst them as they work out where each rat now is in the pecking order, but be wary of the new rat being badly hurt during this as your existing pack reorganises. 

Equally, this card speaks of questioning your core beliefs and going against tried and trusted methods, so can be seen as entering into something forewarned and without assumptions. If you take this introduction slowly, and step by step - making sure that everything is okay every step of the way, then there is no reason why it wont succeed, but avoid just copying what others have seen work and assuming that it will work for you too.


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## Nieve5552 (May 20, 2014)

Clockwork Ghost said:


> This draw takes even longer, and Ilsa appears to not want to choose a card at all - she turns her back on the cards to sniff the coffee machine and computer mouse a few times. I manage to bring her back to the deck, where she distinctly sniffs one, but again refuses to select it. Taking this card as the one she has chose, I turn over The Tower. Be prepared for some serious problems in adding a new rat to your existing pack - this card is one of the most negative in the deck and speaks of sudden shock, destruction, and chaos. Don't make any hard and fast plans about how this introduction will go, but instead be ready to remove the newcomer at a moments notice. Make sure to watch for dominance issues - there will obviously be some fighting amongst them as they work out where each rat now is in the pecking order, but be wary of the new rat being badly hurt during this as your existing pack reorganises.
> 
> Equally, this card speaks of questioning your core beliefs and going against tried and trusted methods, so can be seen as entering into something forewarned and without assumptions. If you take this introduction slowly, and step by step - making sure that everything is okay every step of the way, then there is no reason why it wont succeed, but avoid just copying what others have seen work and assuming that it will work for you too.


Wow thank you very much Ilsa and Clockwork Ghost! I will be sure to not rush it, and keep an open mind in regards to the methods


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## nataliea (Oct 14, 2015)

Thanks! ive actually been havin trouble with tge coming to the name they want to come to kissy noises but if i call their name they will poke their heads up so i can find em >_


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## 461537 (Nov 15, 2015)

Thanks everyone - this has been lots of fun, and I hope Ilsa has spread some rattie light on the questions asked. She's happy to keep going, so please feel free to keep asking questions if you wish  .


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## Moo-Michonne (Nov 16, 2015)

I've read through all the comments and oh wow Ilsa has impressed me. I've got a question if she's willing to answer it, my fiancé and I have been trying for a baby the past 7-8 months and I was just wondering is it going to happy soon or at all? I have pcos and endometriosis and it's really not looking too good for us.


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## Augustine (Nov 14, 2011)

How fun! I'll have a go.

My family (which is comprised solely of my mom, myself, and our pets) is going through a very, very difficult time right now. A few of these bad things are slowly starting to improve with our help, but will things continue to get better without any more rough patches? Or are there even more ups and downs in the near future?


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## crow (Nov 18, 2015)

i'm really into astrology and just getting into Tarot, this is all super interesting! i have a question but take your time, i see a few other askers up there. 

my question is if i need to get a job, and if not what exactly is going on with my life. i'm disabled and homeless and i've had a rough time since my parents kicked me out. i feel like they left me with no resources or knowledge of the world. not sure if i can continue to scrape by without a job, not sure what kind of job a disabled dropout can possibly work, not sure what kind of direction my life has if a job is not the answer.

feel free to just skip over me if my question is too vague! your rat sounds like a gem.


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## 461537 (Nov 15, 2015)

Moo-Michonne said:


> I've read through all the comments and oh wow Ilsa has impressed me. I've got a question if she's willing to answer it, my fiancé and I have been trying for a baby the past 7-8 months and I was just wondering is it going to happy soon or at all? I have pcos and endometriosis and it's really not looking too good for us.


Ilsa quickly selects a card close to the end of the deck as the cards are shuffled in front of her - the Three of Swords. I'm sorry to say that things don't look good for a future pregnancy, and there is a chance that this will create friction and arguments if you let it become a bigger issue. Sometimes things happen when we least expect them to, or when we stop trying to force our will, so maybe consider taking a break from actively pursuing this and look at putting the energy into something else that unites the two of you and takes your mind off things? A holiday away somewhere may bring you good results - getting away from things and rekindling the romance again, I know when we were trying for our second child it was only when we stopped trying that my partner got pregnant, and we had no end of medical problems with our first child to the point that we were told trying for a second may be impossible. We ended up forgetting all about it and going off to a beach for a couple of weeks, and Freya was born nine months later 

This card is also a warning that sometimes you need to sacrifice one thing in order to protect or achieve something else, and in this instance it may refer to your health - don't chance fate if there is any chance that pregnancy could cause you greater harm due to your medical conditions, or if your own body may fight against the pregnancy and result in illnesses in your child. If you feel that your life simply isnt complete without a child, and I understand this - I love my kids like nothing else, then maybe consider adoption? At the end of the day it is important that you look after your health, so be careful not to take measures that may compromise either your long term health or that of any child you may bring into the world in the future.


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## 461537 (Nov 15, 2015)

Augustine said:


> My family (which is comprised solely of my mom, myself, and our pets) is going through a very, very difficult time right now. A few of these bad things are slowly starting to improve with our help, but will things continue to get better without any more rough patches? Or are there even more ups and downs in the near future?


Ilsa really is on a roll with her card draws today, and selects a card before I even finish asking her your question - the King of Swords. The court cards in the tarot deck tend to relate to either people in your life, people who you will meet in the future, or a specific state of mind that you must adopt. This card is all about logic, intelligence, and taking control in a proactive manner. In this instance, I would read this as saying that whoever is the head of your family, whether it be you or your mom, needs to look at the situation in a solely logical manner in order to find ways in which things can improve. Don't let emotions cloud your judgement, and instead set clear and achievable plans moving forward that you can focus on, succeed with, and then celebrate your wins. Working through major problems in life is like eating an elephant - you do it one small bit at a time, so break down the bigger problems into smaller issues and you may surprise yourself with how much easier you can focus on making things better for yourselves. 

The key here is to celebrate your wins - you will put yourselves into a much better mindset, and will gain in confidence and ability to make bigger and bigger positive changes if you can see your efforts bearing fruit. Make sure to focus on the good things as well as the bad and your morale will improve significantly and this will give you more energy to move yet further forward. Make sure that you remain purely logical however, focus on what is real, not how you feel, and focus on the end goal. There will be times that you have to take a step backwards in order to move forwards two steps, so factor this in to your logical assessment too - it isn't a failure if you have to make a small loss in order to achieve a bigger gain - the end will ultimately justify the means. 

Therefore, to answer your question, things will continue to get better if you continue to work at this, but you have to remain focused on approaching the problem almost as an outsider - if you can remove the emotional element of being involved right in the middle of everything and instead look at the bigger picture logically and work out ways to move forward then you will achieve much more than if you make mountains out of mole hills. There will be ups and downs, but the down parts will reduce and the up parts increase. Stay strong.


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## 461537 (Nov 15, 2015)

crow said:


> my question is if i need to get a job, and if not what exactly is going on with my life. i'm disabled and homeless and i've had a rough time since my parents kicked me out. i feel like they left me with no resources or knowledge of the world. not sure if i can continue to scrape by without a job, not sure what kind of job a disabled dropout can possibly work, not sure what kind of direction my life has if a job is not the answer.


Ilsa hops over the deck - never seen her do that before, almost as if it's some kind of hurdle. She then goes and gets a dried apricot and returns, nibbling on the apricot as the cards fan in front of her. After a few moments consideration she chooses The Magician. You are the only person who can make your life better here - you have to become your own best friend here as nobody is going to give you anything. This card is about making things happen through application of your will, and suggests either self-employment or the need to become selfish and focused solely upon what you want, not what others want from you. The Magician is part of a trinity in the tarot deck that ends in the Hermit, a complete removal from society and its controls. In your circumstance, I would read this as saying that you should use the system to get every kind of help you can from the government and organisations that help the disabled, but you shouldn't let your life be defined by either the help you receive or your own illness. You are not your disability, it is simply a barrier that makes things more difficult at times - you are therefore stronger than many other people by default, you have to overcome problems that other people have no idea of, and that is a strength in itself.

The Magician says that you are the master of your own destiny, whatever it may end up being, and therefore may wish to consider work in which you have a greater degree of personal freedom, not working a 9-5 in a call centre or something. The Magician also suggests that going to school and learning a specific skill that you feel interested in may be a good option, or even teaching yourself a set of skills from self study online. Have you considered Life Coaching? The best Life Coaches are those who have been through very hard times and have emerged stronger as a result of them. The thing to remember is that you are in control of your life, no matter how much others try to influence you and your decisions, and any future you have will be created through your own actions. Don't let others tell you that you can't achieve things, believe in yourself and become your own best friend.


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## Minky (Apr 4, 2013)

This is a fun game!  I have a question for Ilsa: What do the cards say about the future of the rat species?


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## Moo-Michonne (Nov 16, 2015)

Well that sucks.  I want to be a prep teacher but because it doesn't look like I'll be able to have kids I've settled for being a business manager.. It just doesn't feel like this is what the universe truly planned for me. Oh well. :/ Thank you for responding to me


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## 461537 (Nov 15, 2015)

Moo-Michonne said:


> Well that sucks.  I want to be a prep teacher but because it doesn't look like I'll be able to have kids I've settled for being a business manager.. It just doesn't feel like this is what the universe truly planned for me. Oh well. :/ Thank you for responding to me


I don't personally believe that the future is set in stone, and if anything, all that tarot can foresee is the path you're currently on, not every possible path you may walk in life. Much like tossing a coin and realising you wanted the other option, sometimes being able to see where we are heading through the different perspective that tarot can bring helps us to see where we really want to go. You obviously want children very badly, have you maybe considered talking to a doctor about IVF? I know it's a very expensive option, but unfortunately so is adoption. If there is any chance of pregnancy making you seriously unwell, consider the consequences - my son was born seven weeks premature and was dead at birth due to an unknown existing medical problem my ex-wife had, and it really was touch and go for a while there. She ended up in ICU after an emergency C-section and he was in neonatal care for a couple of months, he was so small a friends big fat male rat was about as big as him from nose to tail. Good luck whatever path you choose to take.


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## crow (Nov 18, 2015)

thank you for the reply! i think i should stop letting others around me pressure me with their feelings. my housemate is always telling me to get a job. maybe i am just allowed to live without "contributing" to capitalism. i was considering some kind of work-from-home venture, i love to cook so i was considering writing a cookbook or something. you have a very talented little familiar!


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## 461537 (Nov 15, 2015)

Minky said:


> This is a fun game!  I have a question for Ilsa: What do the cards say about the future of the rat species?


Ooops! Almost missed this one, sorry 

I'd like to try something slightly different for this reading, as it's quite philosophical and rather too deep a question for just one tarot card to answer, so we are switching to Lenormand cards instead. Ilsa has watched me do Lenormand readings, but has never done one herself, so this might be interesting or a complete chaotic mess, so lets see...

...I fan the cards out in front of her and wait for her to choose two - Lenormand cards are read in a minimum of pairs. Ilsa chooses the Rider and the Coffin. The survival of the rat species involves a message of death for the dominant paradigm, that being the human race. We have ruled the planet for a very long time now, but will one day most likely destroy ourselves and leave a power vacuum. Rats are born survivors, and once our species has gone they will proliferate, their intelligence and manual dexterity allowing them to manipulate many of the tools that we leave behind, their exposure to us and knowledge of our society gained through observance giving them a great edge over other contenders.

Rats will outlive humanity, and as nature returns to a state of balance, thousands of years after we are scrubbed from the worlds surface, the rat empire will emerge as the new master race, enslaving cockroaches and wetas to be their beasts of burden, exterminating those predators that prey directly upon them through use of human military technology and rat cunning.


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