The Eight of Wands from Dark Wood Tarot - by Sasha Graham
Hi Friends! Yet another week upon us - Let’s start it out right by weaving a spell. Above is the Eight of Wands card from my most magical friend’s tarot deck - The Dark Wood Tarot! See below for the gorgeous tale that accompanies this delicious card. Have an excellent Monday.
Make some magic this week.
Find new ways to share your light, Holly xo
Magical Monday’s Tarot of the Week is the Eight of Wands. The Eight of Wands is about sending your intentions into the world.
Once upon a time, a little girl named Ash was born into a world of fog and inky darkness. She lived in a dusty old root cellar. Her piercing black eyes had a cobweb crust and she traded secrets with spiders. She thought everyone lived in the same bleak, shadowy world as her.
One day, a bright, shiny girl walked by. The girl looked into the root cellar and yelled down, “Hay, wanna come play?”
“Sure!” said Ash as she scrambled up and out of the murky shadows.
They had a ball. The girl invited Ash to her home. The girl lived in an enchanted castle full of dappled sunlight, garden mazes, and soft furry creatures. Ash wiped the cobwebs from her eyes in amazement to be sure she was seeing straight. Her friend had a private treasure room filled with dazzling jewels. She also had a magic chest. The girl could wish for anything and chest would make it appear.
Ash walked home perplexed and confused.
“Why don’t I have what she has?” Ash wondered aloud as she clutched her rag doll and drifting to sleep to the sound of burrowing rats.
The next day, a little boy walked by the root cellar and yelled down, “Hay! Wanna to come to tea?”
“Sure!” said Ash as she scrambled up and out of the murky shadows.
Ash graciously accepted the warm, sweet tea from his mother. She smelled like the ginger spice cookies she spread on a plate for them to gobble up. Ash fell deeply into the mother’s soft, warm hugs and thanked them both for a lovely afternoon.
“Why don’t I have a mother like this?” Ash wondered aloud as she drifted to sleep to the chic chic chic of the rattle snake in the corner.
Ash’s own mother sat motionless like a statue. She hadn’t moved or spoke since Ash’s father climbed out of the cellar and never returned. Her skin was hard like stone and cold like ice with a melty stream of water at the outer corner of her eyes which stared blankly ahead.
The next day, Ash went walking further than she had ever been. She found a lush valley where the sun burst out, igniting everything with color. Orange and red trees blazed like flames, emerald fields glowed and marshmallow white clouds floated across the blue sky.
“Why are you so beautiful?” she yelled to the sky while throwing stones at it. “Why do I live with rats and snakes and you get all the color.”
“Who says there isn’t any beauty in darkness?” something answered back.
Was it the sky?
Was it the mountain?
Was it the field talking to her?
“Mt cellar has no color, no cookies, and no treasure. I’ve got nothing. Everyone else has everything they want.” She yelled back.
“Where do you think all this color and treasure comes from?” Asked the voice.
“I don’t know, “ said Ash indignantly, “You tell me if you are so smart.”
“It comes from the darkness,” said the voice.
“Oh,” said Ash, not sure of what to make of this new information.
“But why can’t I have a sparkly house and a warm mother?” She asked.
“Because you can’t. Not right now. But don’t worry. Nothing is as permanent as it seems. Life could surprise you.”
“How?” She asked feeling hot and looking for another stone to throw.
“Speak your heart to the darkness, “said the voice. “Words are like seeds. Your words will sprout.”
“I doubt it,” grumbled Ash with a wrinkled, sour face.
“Sometimes, we don’t know what we want until others show us. Trust me,” said the voice.
Ash was old enough to know that trusting something or someone, even if it was a voice out of nowhere, was serious business. She knew it required something of her. She liked this feeling of responsibility.
She retuned to the root cellar and began whispering to the darkness. But she only spoke when her words were true and her mind was clear. And she trusted.
Ash grew into a woman. She had managed to transform the land all around the root cellar into a thriving flower and vegetable farm. She’d planted so many trees, fruits, and flowers that it actually changed the weather pattern and sunny days were now the norm.
Ash had two beautiful children. The family took tea together every day. The children nibbled on spice cookies while snuggling into their mother’s soft hugs.
Ash returned to the root cellar on a daily basis to place fresh bellflowers and sweet peas on the very spot where her mother had melted away. She loved moving from the damp darkness and into the warm sun.
She often found her children playing hide and seek in the root cellar and she always let them be. She knew everyone has to find their way through darkness, on their own terms and in their own time. And she knew that darkness was exactly the thing that lets all the world find its light.
Best wishes,
Sasha Graham
www.sashagraham.com
Pre-order The Dark Wood Tarot:https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Wood-Tarot-Sasha-Graham/dp/0738759309
Above: Blippi, Live! What a magical and fun cast. I had so much fun in these auditions with the Round Room team. Hoping we’ll be able to get this one back up and running soon.