Welcome to my new blog spot, 'Tea and Tarot'. I will be talking to some of my favourite Tarot peeps over virtual tea and cake to find out a bit more about what makes them tick as readers and people. Got a question you'd like me to ask, send it in! @firerosereadings@gmail.com
First up is Lisa Frideborg Eddy. Lisa is a Swedish-born Tarot reader, healer, teacher and prolific blogger. She lives next to a graveyard in Teesdale, UK with her husband, daughter, two cats and a dog. When she's not writing, she likes to jog, go for walks or work out in the gym. She often falls asleep reading, with a pile of books by her bedside. You can find her metaphysical musings on www.angelorum.co
Hi Lisa ! Thanks for joining me today. First things first, what cake would you like with your tea?
Hi Sandra, it's lovely to be here! I'm glad you have some nice strong Yorkshire tea in the house. I learned to love it after I moved to the UK and now some of my Swedish family members are hooked on it too, so I have to post some through every so often.
I'll have some carrot cake, please, Sandra. Ohhhhh... Thank you!
You have a very popular blog at Angelorum with hundreds of insightful posts. What are your sources of inspiration other than Tarot itself for your articles?
Life. Anything and everything that I develop a curiosity about or that inspires me. The Tarot connects the dots for me and helps me make sense of the world around me, so I'm constantly looking at the world through the lens of the 78 keys.
I'm often inspired by things I read about healing, spirituality and psychology but could just as easily find inspiration in a poem or quote. I let myself be moved and then I seek for the most beautiful and meaningful way to pass it on.
Although sometimes my posts are more of a rant than a thing of beauty. I'm passionate about our profession and when I see it abused by charlatans posing as Tarot readers, I'm moved to speak up.
Also, I really am a blogger first and foremost. I write almost daily because I have to but I don't have any interest in sticking with the same topic for the amount of time it would take to write a book. I used to feel inadequate when people asked me when I'd be writing 'that book' that you're expected to write as a Tarotist but I don't any more. I have had millions of page views on my blogs since I started and I doubt a book I wrote would be able to get that many page turns.
Actually, I think it's fair to say that the medium of blogging itself - the immediacy - inspires me to keep writing. It's just so darn fun!
You may not be writing a book anytime soon, but you do have a deck. How did the Frideborg Tarot come into being, what’s the story behind it?
The Frideborg Tarot came into being as I was browsing random images free for commercial use in the public domain online. The images just started jumping out at me on the screen, begging me to be made into Tarot cards. I digitally enhanced and made them into card images using PicMonkey. In a couple of months, I had the 79 images I wanted and needed for a full deck - 78 traditional keys + The Black Cat.
I decided to release it as a free and 'uncopyrighted' digital deck to use with Orphalese because I didn't really know how to format it to get a hard copy printed. The measurements are precise and you have to know how much to leave for 'bleed' etc.However, a few months further down the line, my husband volunteered to help with the formatting and he believed in the deck enough to encourage me to order the first print run. It really couldn't have happened without his help and support.
The deck obviously worked for me and I was incredibly happy to finally hold my baby but I wasn't sure anybody else would be interested in a modern photographic deck.The third print run is now sold out and I'm adding names of people interested in a fourth run. Mind you, we're not talking hundreds of decks for each run.
If you are reading this and happen to own one of my decks, you'll be happy to know that you own one of only 60 Frideborg Tarot decks in existence. Those of you who are good at basic maths will have figured out that the next print run (if there is one) will be for another 20 decks. :D
Do you have any unique or unusual uses for Tarot?
Ever since I first learned how to make flower essences, I started experimenting with making my own Tarot essences. I'm a firm believer in the power of vibrational medicine to effect change on the subtle layers of our organism. This change can then filter through and help us heal our emotions which in turn can contribute to physical healing. As a Bach Flower Therapist, I like to combine Tarot and Flower Essences.
I'd definitely be interested in learning more about the flower remedies! Now for a tough one ;) If you could only use one Tarot deck for the rest of your life which would it be?
Nooooooooo! This is like asking which of your children you would save in case of a house fire. How can I choose?! OK.... *deep breath* out of sentimental reasons, I would have to choose the Smith Waite Tarot. It was the first deck I started learning with and it's a classic... but damn! So many beautiful decks out there and I have a deep fondness for the Marseille Tarot.
You are trapped on a desert island with one other Tarotist. Who would you like it be?
Living or dead? Dead, it would have to be whoever came up with the original Tarot de Marseille images. I have so many questions for him! Living, I think hanging out with Enrique Enriquez would be quite fun. He sees things and is able to present what he sees in interesting and thought-provoking ways. That is a rare gift.
Great choices! I can see you really are a Marseille fan. If you could be a card for a day, which would you be?
I'd like to be the woman in the Strength card, please Sandra. *closes eyes and waits for Sandra to wave her magic wand*
My wand is in the shop today, sorry! On a more serious note ..What’s your favourite Tarot related experience?
It has to be talking at the 2016 UK Tarot Conference. Preparing for the talk was really challenging. It was my first major speaking engagement and I was filled with self-doubt... not so much about my knowledge but about my ability to speak in front of an audience of peers. So for a couple of months before the conference I started rehearsing what I wanted to say. I read a book on public speaking and I did daily self-hypnosis sessions to help with the nerves.
On the day, I was still incredibly nervous but also excited to be able to talk about death in a Tarot context. It went well, I enjoyed seeing everyone get busy using the spread I had introduced, and my proudest moment was reading Kim Arnold's conference review. Just knowing I wasn't banned for life would have been enough but she said some really nice things.
The UK Tarot Conference is a highlight every year for me and I really enjoyed meeting you there. Many of us work from home and don't get to hang out with fellow Tarotists very often. It's kind of like a big gathering of Tarot Hermits. It'll be nice to just hang out and enjoy the company this year, minus the nerves.
It was lovely to meet you too, and your talk was marvellous! Last question before the pot runs dry. The biggest lesson Tarot has taught you is?
All is well, all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well, to quote Julian of Norwich. The Tarot outlines our spiritual journey and how we are all connected. Because the Tarot has proven its worth to me in countless situations and helped me lift the veil between worlds, I know that there is no need to despair. We haven't just been dumped here, without meaning or context. The Tarot helps us to make sense of it all, to become divine co-creators of our destiny and to measure our progress.
Thanks again for taking the time today Lisa, it's been great talking to you as always.
Thanks for having me, Sandra - this was fun!