Siri Vincent Plouff (they/she) is the author of "Queering the Runes" and co-host of the "Chaos and Cunning" podcast. They are currently working on a novel.
LftE Retrospective: In Process
Published 15 days ago • 2 min read
Troll Brev.
Creative Support and Tarot
Hello!
This is the first post in my series looking back on tarot spreads from "Lessons from the Empress," my first book. But before we dive into the spread, I have some announcements.
First up: A reminder that I'm closing Lore! The last day to make any purchases will be Halloween - October 31st. Everything is 15% off on the website right now, discount should be automatically applied. You can shop here.
But now, more exciting: I'm opening up this Queering the Runes lecture for general admission!
The October lecture for the Queering the Runes course is my lecture on Death Runes. As the leaves turn and we head into the winter season, many cultures begin to celebrate the ancestors and the dead, performing rituals of remembrance and reverence. Heathen culture is no different, with the celebration of Alfablot, Disablot, the Wild Hunt, and other death-related festivities.
How do we celebrate as rune readers? How can we use runes to support death work? Are there specific runes that indicate death or spirit contact?
In this talk I will:
Talk about the different autumnal festivals
Talk about death rituals in Nordic and heathen culture
Cover several runes that are related to death or spirit work
Guide you through a meditation and some exercises to connect with Hel
If you're not a member of the Queering the Runes Course, you can purchase tickets to this lecture for $30! Sign up and purchase option is here.
This is a reading that I did for myself as I learn to better understand my own creative process. Shifting from writing nonfiction to writing fiction has been a really thrilling ride, particularly because I can just write. My nonfiction writing is fairly meticulous, involving years of research, and in contrast with fiction it is so much faster and more generative. But I also always have to balance other creative work, like the Chaos and Cunning Podcast, writing essays for the Patreon/newsletter, and my other hobby creative pastimes.
I thought this spread would be the perfect place to start - the next four posts in this series will be centered around spreads from each of the four suits. So instead of diving straight into the suits, I'm sharing this spread.
Lessons from the Empress: Creative Support Identification Spread
Deck used: The Hollow Valley Tarot
If you want to do this spread for yourself, it is on page 38 of "Lessons from the Empress."
This was SUCH a cheeky little spread. The fact that the first card of the first spread of this "Lessons from the Empress" is actually The Empress is hilarious. And also very fitting for this specific reading.
The Empress shows up in the spread position "What card represents me, in this moment?"
This was a deeply affirming card to receive in this position. The tarot is basically saying that I am the Empress, a flowing fount of ideas, channeling into my work. And one of the things I love about this particular deck is the focus on symbolism, so I'm going to expand a bit into the symbols on each card. The Hollow Valley Tarot is reminding me that I'm building strong foundations with the oak leaves, but my foundations are charged and directed by the arrow. My power lies in happiness, creativity, and abundance. I have what I need to succeed in this cycle of my creativity.
Siri Vincent Plouff (they/she) is the author of "Queering the Runes" and co-host of the "Chaos and Cunning" podcast. They are currently working on a novel.