How To Develop Your Intuition, Heal with the Fairies + Origin of Tarot

WHAT ARE TAROT CARDS?

Moon Card Visconti-Sforza Tarot

Moon Card in the Visconti-Sforza Tarot

The Tarot is an ancient Western occult psychological and philosophical system consisting of 78 cards divided into the Major and Minor Arcana. The 22 cards of the Major Arcana represent in archetypal symbols wo/man’s journey through life. The remaining 56 cards, which are the forerunners of our contemporary playing cards consist of 16 Court Cards and 40 number cards divided into four suits.

Because the Tarot relies on the universal language of symbolism, its influence has, over several centuries, spread throughout the world unrestricted by language barriers or semantics. And, since symbolism is also the language of the unconscious, the use of the Tarot tends to activate the intuitive mind or right-brain center.

THE FIRST TAROT DECK

No one knows for sure where or when the Tarot first appeared. The earliest deck still in existence is the Visconti-Sforza Tarot Deck dated approximately 1432. Tarot cards are believed to be of many different origins: from hermetic sciences; Goddess times, from Egypt, spread by the gypsies, related to religious history, or created by philosophers. With this varied history numbers of avid participants throughout the centuries have been believers in the use of Tarot Cards in divination.

HOW ARE ORACLE CARDS DIFFERENT FROM TAROT?

Oracle card decs do not follow the same system as the Tarot but work instead with the system devised by their creator. Unlike the Tarot there may be no suits, court cards or major or minor arcana cards and the deck can have any number of cards within it.

Soul reading cards by Kathy Crabbe

Soul reading cards by Kathy Crabbe

SELF PUBLISHED ORACLE DECKS

I work with my own hand painted oracle card decks for giving soul readings. These decks, like the Tarot can be used for divination, to read the akashic records, or for past, present or future visions.

  • The Lefty Oracle Card Deck (52 cards) features The Leftys; guides, mentors and friends drawn entirely with my non-dominant left hand.

  • The Zodiac Goddess Power Deck (32 cards) features Goddesses for each of the astrological signs and was originally painted for my book titled The Zodiac Goddess Playbook.

  • The Cat Herbal Deck (36 cards) features cat herbal watercolors, each associated with a particular magical herb or flower. Magickal herbal healing advice is included with each reading

  • The Elfin Ally Oracle deck (72 cards) is a spirit animal deck with a thick guidebook filled with animal medicine and lore.

ABOUT THE “CLAIRS”

According to Loyd Auerbach, in his book ESP, Hauntings and Poltergeists, (Warner Books, 1986), receptive ESP consists of precognition, knowledge of the future, retrocognition, knowledge of the past, and the “clairs.”

- Clairaudience is psychic hearing.

- Clairvoyance is psychic seeing and not, as many people mistakenly think, the ability to see into the future or into the past.

- Clairaroma is smelling.

- Clairgustus, tasting

- Clairsentience, a bodily sensation or the sense of touch, not the ability to feels others’ emotions intensely. People who have this ability are called empaths.

DEVELOP YOUR INTUITION

Healing crystals and stones

Healing crystals and stones

My personal 6th sense is visual, auditory, and feeling based. I’ve kept a dream journal since I was 13 years old and recommend that you also do this to further develop your intuition. Be aware that if you do mediumship readings you may feel their feelings, perhaps even how the ancestor died so keep all senses on the alert and learn how to set good boundaries beforehand with the help of a teacher or mentor. Be aware that a reading is never set in stone and that a client’s free will is always the final determinant.

WHY GET A SOUL READING?

I find that soul readings can help shift the energy and offers insight and guidance. I use chakra balancing, crystals, herbal messages, Goddess myths, astrology, meditations, and affirmations to promote healing.

A soul reading can help a client push through fear and clear energetic blockages plus can help them acknowledge, value and develop their own creative and intuitive powers. Very often the ancestors will step in and offer loving guidance and pertinent advice. Hearing from a loved one who has passed away can be an incredibly moving experience plus the advice is often much needed.

MY FAVORITE FAIRY STORY

My favorite paranormal experience involves the wildflower fairies of Southern California and a Native American Spirit Guide who lived near my home on the traditional land of the Payómkawichum. Scattered around my property beginning in late Spring, are a multitude of seed pods belonging to the wild cucumber plant; (otherwise known as Big Root or marah fabaceus which has a spine covered melon filled with nut-like seeds.)

wild cucumber

wild cucumber

I spend a lot of time in nature acquainting myself the flora and fauna in hopes of meeting with the local nature spirits (elementals). The fairies never appeared to me in 3D but instead shimmered and sparked out of the corner of my eye, almost like a dream vision loaded with information!

INDIGENOUS HEALING LORE: DEATH WISH

During my time spent with the wild cucumber plant I was in contact with a very sad and withdrawn young Native American woman who had shut herself away from the world. She seemed to be very connected with the wild cucumber plant. I later looked up the Native American herbal healing lore associated with this plant and discovered that:

Earth Goddess poem by Kathy Crabbe

“According to oral history, either this plant’s seeds or the root (or both) were once used to put an end to human lives. Here, so it’s said, was a suicide plant for Indians consumed by the death wish.”

I was astonished that the Spirit of this indigenous woman was in contact with me so I wished her well and blessed the land for allowing me to have this vision.

About Kathy Crabbe

Kathy Crabbe

Kathy Crabbe inspires others to live their dreams. In 2000 Kathy was bored and blocked creatively so she switched to her left hand. This awakened her intuitive right brain in a holistic way and inspired her to create a Lefty Oracle Deck and become a professional soul reader.

Kathy lives and works near Temecula, California on the traditional land of the Payómkawichum and in the 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada on traditional Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee territories with her wee doggy Djinn Djinn and architect husband Mark in an adobe style home and lakeside cottage they built themselves.

Need Soul Coaching? Click here

How to Give a Soul Reading

Break out your Moon Journals, my sweets and get ready for the first ever soul reading with the new Cat Herbal Oracle Deck plus some How-To for giving your own soul readings with any oracle or tarot deck.

Cat Herbal Deck

How To Read Oracle or Tarot Cards

You will want to make sure and have a journal and pen ready (or a computer or recording device). Take note of the date, time, moon phase and the zodiac sign that the moon is in.

To begin, I protect and purify the space I’m in along with my oracle cards by saying a simple blessing such as, “Mother Earth, Father Sky, please protect this space I’m in.” You could also sage your space or sprinkle water/salt in a clockwise circle around you.

Creating a Sacred Circle

Next I call upon the directions: North (Earth), East (Air), South (Fire), West (Water) and Spirit so that we are within a sacred circle and oriented in time and space with the planet.

Goddess Altar by Kathy Crabbe

Goddess Altar by Kathy Crabbe

Time to ground and center - we need to stay supple in this work by being both intuitively spot on and practically grounded. If you need more assistance finding that still, calm, peaceful spot inside yourself here are some simple meditations I created.

Next, call upon your spirit guides, ancestors, Divine(s), Gods/Goddesses, a Higher Power (whatever you choose to call it), Mother Earth, Father Sky to be with you now in the reading.

As you shuffle your oracle or tarot cards you can prepare any questions you might have or simply ask for spiritual guidance. You may want to decide beforehand if you’re going to do a simple single card pull or a basic 3 card layout to see into the immediate past, present and immediate future.

Soul Reading Card Layout by Kathy Crabbe

Soul Reading Card Layout by Kathy Crabbe

Soul Reading Prayers for Spiritual Guidance

I always say these prayers before beginning a soul reading, past life reading or ancestral reading:

“I ask that this soul reading be for the deepest, highest and most profound good for all concerned.”

”I ask for an open heart and to be a clear channel for the Divines.”

Kathy Crabbe Prayer

Your Non Dominant Hand is Your Intuitive Hand

I use my non dominant, intuitive left hand to pick an oracle card. Often I will not look at the card until after the reading is over, because if the card confirms the information I received in the reading it’s double confirmation and helps build trust in one’s intuition. With the Cat Herbal Oracle Deck I do tend to look at the card right away and at the back where all the spiritual, magickal, astrological meaning is written.

Moon Journal Your Soul Reading

Make sure to capture all the messages and guidance you receive from your card(s) because this will help you strengthen, build and trust your intuition especially when you look back over what you’ve written months later. You may receive feelings, bodily sensations, visions, words, a gut hunch, colors or sounds, or maybe nothing at all. Take the time to rest your attention gently upon the card or to use this as a moment of down time instead - you may simply need to relax and dream a bit, perhaps even fall asleep - it’s all perfectly okay!

Chakra Energy Healing

You may also want to try dreaming with an oracle or tarot card under your pillow, or try holding your card up to your third eye chakra (envision the color purple) or your heart chakra (envision the color pink or green). You can learn more about chakras and energy healing centers here. They are something I incorporate into every single soul reading I give.

Intuition Is Your Best Guide

Intuition is our best guide into our inner selves, our darkness, our light and our power. We can use our intuition to guide us when all else fails. We can build trust in our intuition by using our intuitive muscles regularly and by getting confirmation that what we intuit is on the mark. A Moon Journal can help you keep track of your intuition as can a Dream Journal. When we learn to trust our intuition we will receive a beautiful, healing message: that we ARE guided and we ARE loved, just for who we are.

Become a Soul Reader

Yes, you can become a soul reader too. It just takes practice, practice, practice! If you need my help let me know. I’ll probably start off by giving you a soul reading along with intuiting a guided meditation to help you find your own way. After that I may recommend my Moon Musing eClass and spending time with your oracle cards or tarot guides to receive messages by giving readings to yourself and friends. A Moon Journal is essential as is a Dream Journal.

Here is another article I wrote about developing your psychic, intuitive abilities.

Libra Full Moon Reading (Hops from the Cat Herbal Oracle Deck by Kathy Crabbe)

Libra Full Moon Reading (Hops from the Cat Herbal Oracle Deck by Kathy Crabbe)

Libra Full Moon Reading

I pulled a Cat Herbal Oracle Card from my new deck this morning and I’m so excited because this is the first time using my new deck since I got it back from the printers on Friday - so excited!

I placed the card I pulled under my pillow and dreamed, wrote, intuited. I felt warmth, butterflies, heart opening and my critical thinking turned on too and I was inspired to write a whole bunch of ideas down. Then I felt the energy subtly shift into a feeling of self preservation. I felt that I needed more time to reflect, to simply BE and to appreciate the changing of the seasons. Now is a time to quietly share and to find peace within. I hope this reading has something in it for you too.

Cat Herbal Card: Hops Cat

Hops by Kathy Crabbe (Cat Herbal Oracle Deck)

Hops by Kathy Crabbe (Cat Herbal Oracle Deck)

Back of Hops Card

Hops (Back) by Kathy Crabbe (Cat Herbal Oracle Deck)

Hops (Back) by Kathy Crabbe (Cat Herbal Oracle Deck)

About Kathy Crabbe

Kathy Crabbe

I’ve been an artist/astrologer forever and a soul reader since awakening my intuitive gifts at age 40 while painting with my non-dominant left hand. I've published 4 oracle decks that combine with my soul readings to provide you with a healing, intuitive, heart filled experience.

I write, paint, teach at Creative Cronies Moon Diary, California Women’s Museum, Sage Woman Magazine and Wise Woman School. Canadian born, I currently live in Temecula, California with my architect partner Mark and our mini pooch Djinn-ie in an adobe style home we built ourselves.

If you are seeking inspiration and spiritual guidance you may want to consider a soul reading, past life reading, astro report or ancestor/spirit guide reading for further insight. All readings are here.

How To Develop Your Psychic and Intuitive Abilities

This blog post was written a while ago in response to a question from a client and I’ve just updated it.

Andrea’s Question: "Do you have any recommendations about how one should go about furthering their psychic abilities? I've read tarot cards on and off, and seem to have a knack, and then of course there's my natural ability to "read" people. But not necessarily with dates & times and all that predictive stuff."

My Response: I personally like to learn experientially in a hands-on fashion, but my very earliest experiences with the intuitive realms involved private exploration of dreams and dream journaling, astrology, tarot and paganism. I began learning about these things in my early teens and have gone on to develop my natural intuitive abilities (which we all have) with the help of teachers, through group classes, workshops, lectures, books and private sessions with healers and intuitive guides.

I-Travel-Through-Inner-Space by Kathy Crabbe

Dreams

I started out by working with my dreams and recommend keeping a dream journal by your bed where you can record dreams when you wake up or by setting an alarm clock to wake yourself up at an odd hour to facilitate dream remembrance. Significant dreams will stay with you and resonate for years to come and you will begin to know which dreams are significant with practice. You can also work with lucid dreaming or by asking yourself a question before falling asleep and requesting that the answer come to you in a dream. Often dreams will allow you to re-connect with deceased friends or relatives and sometimes you may astro travel as well.

Update: Now that I’ve been dream journalling for so long I don’t like to request dream guidance very often because I often find that it disrupts my sleep. But sometimes on special occasions (significant moon phases/equinoxes etc) I will.

Recommended books: “Symbols for Self Understanding” by Betty Bethard

Capricorn Goddess by Kathy Crabbe.jpg

Astrology

There is much more to astrology than just your sun sign (determined by the day you were born.) Becoming involved with the study of the planets and stars will expand your awareness on a universal level connecting you with the bigger picture crossing generations and even universes. My own studies in metaphysics began with dreams, which led to astrology.

Recommended books: “The Only Way To Learn Astrology” (6 Volumes) by Marion March & Joan McEvers, “Planets in Transit” by Robert Hand, “Astrology for the Soul” by Jan Spiller, “The Liquid Light of Sex” by Barbara Hand Clow, “The Changing Sky” by Steven Forrest
Recommended magazine: “The Mountain Astrologer”
Recommended authors & teachers: Steven Forrest, Barbara Hand Clow

Tarot

Tarot decks are a whole world onto themselves and can involve you in an ancient study of images and symbols with mysterious origins. Working with tarot cards has allowed me to access the many realms depicted in the cards. By working with a Pre-Celtic Shamanistic deck called “The Greenwood Deck” I first encountered one of my main spirit guides while meditating upon the Ancestor card.

Update: I’ve self published 3 oracle decks (as of 2020). Oracle Decks also help to stimulate our intuition connecting us with universal archetypes. I prefer to create oracle decks because I can create my own system rather than working within an established system such as the Tarot.

Recommended books: “Tarot For Yourself” by Mary K. Greer

Elder Tree Goddess by Kathy Crabbe.jpg

Paganism
& Goddess Worship

I became involved with the study of paganism and ancient goddess religions when I was at university taking a Women’s Studies class. On a more personal level I was first introduced to this topic by a male friend of mine who liked to dress up as Pan on Halloween. I have attended several goddess groups and pagan rituals but prefer to practice my own solitary, eclectic and personal blend of reverence for Mother Earth.

Update: Currently I work within the tradition of Third Road Celtic Faerie Shamanism and was initiated into this tradition in 2017 by Francesca De Grandis.

Recommended books:”The Language of the Goddess” by Marija Gimbutas (archaeology), “The Motherpeace Tarot” deck and book by Vicki Noble, “The Book of Goddesses & Heroines” by Patricia Monaghan, “Be A Goddess” by Francesca De Grandis.

Recommended authors, teachers & leaders: Starhawk, Szusanna Budapest, COG (Covenant of the Goddess), Francesca De Grandis

Upcoming posts will delve into: shamanism, energy healing, herbs, mediumship, crystal healing, channeling, psychic work, meditation, yoga and past life regression.

To read more posts about My Psychic Background please click here and for Psychic Development please click here.

Kathy Crabbe

About Kathy Crabbe

I’ve been an artist and astrologer forever and a soul reader since awakening my intuitive gifts while painting with my non-dominant left hand. I’m here on this planet to be of service. My Lefty Oracle, Elfin Ally Oracle, and Zodiac Goddess Power decks can help awaken your intuition and creativity and my readings heal and guide. I am proud to have my work featured in women-centric places such as We’Moon Datebook, Women’s Museum of California and Sage Woman Magazine. I write for Witches and Pagans, belong to Hey Grrrl Collective and teach a Divine Feminine eClass at Wise Woman University. I make my home in Southern California with two pooches and architect partner, Mark in an adobe style home we built ourselves.