CeltiC

lenormand
by Chloë MCCRACKEN &
Will Worthington
 Copyright © 2014 U.S. G A mes Systems, Inc.
CONteNtS
All rights reserved. The illustrAtions, cover design,
Introduction .................................................... 5
A nd contents A re protected by copyright. No p A rt of
this booklet MAy be reproduced in A ny form without WHAT MAKES this A PAGAN-THEMED deck? ...... 6
permission in writing from the publisher, except The God AND Goddess ......................................... 7
by A reviewer who wishes to quote brief pASSAges in
ADDITIONAL CARDS ............................................... 10
connection with A review written for inclusion in A
The People CARDS ......................................... 11
MA gA zine, newsp Aper or website.
The SPIRITUAL TRADITION in
LenorMAND READINGS ................................. 13
First Edition The Wheel of the YEAR ...................................... 14
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 DARK AND Light .................................................. 15

MAde in ChinA AffirMATIONS ....................................................... 18

PLAYING CARD ASSOCIATIONS AND
LenorMAND Numbering ............................ 19
The Celtic LenorMAND CARDS ........................ 23
How to Use the CARDS ..................................... 167
Combining CARDS ............................................168
Working with Deity ..................................... 169
Using the CARDS in Spells ...............................170
Published by CARD SPREADS ....................................................176
U.S. GAMES SYSTEMS, INC.
Moon PHASES AND SABBATS .......................182
179 Ludlow Street • StA mford, CT 06902 USA
www.usgA mesinc.com

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 iNtRODUCtiON

T he PAGAN-THEMED Celtic LenorMAND

deck brings the NATURE-BASED focus of
PAGAN beliefs to the INCREASINGLY POPULAR
LenorMAND method. The 45 CARDS of this deck
FEATURE LANDSCAPES of BRITTANY, LOCATED in the
North of FRANCE. This AREA WAS POPULATED
by Celts for over five hundred YEARS, AND
is still considered one of the six surviving
Celtic NATIONS, bringing AUTHENTICITY to this
depiction. It ALSO connects the deck with the
more modern French LenorMAND TRADITION.
The 36-CARD structure HAS been MAINTAINED
in the numbering of the IMAGES. In this
WAY, the deck CAN be used AS A TRADITIONAL
LenorMAND ORACLE. However, nine ADDITIONAL
CARDS HAVE been CREATED for the Celtic
LenorMAND to EXPAND the deck’s MEANINGS
AND to further develop the Goddess AND God
ASPECTS of the CARDS. ADDITIONALLY, the deck is
designed to offer symbolism AND INTERPRETA-
tions BASED on the PHASES of the moon, AND
the Wheel of the YEAR.

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In the 36-CARD form, the Celtic LenorMAND PHASES of the moon, which ARE often used
CAN be READ following ANY of the common
by PAGANS to decide when to TAKE AN ACTION,
LenorMAND systems. READINGS CAN INCORPORATE for EXAMPLE: PLANTING or REAPING, doing A
RITUAL, or in determining the kind of energy
the ASPECTS of the Goddess AND God, the moon
PHASES, the elements AND the Wheel of the
surrounding A SITUATION.
YEAR INTERPRETATIONS, too. You CAN ADD in AS This deck ALSO includes specific CARDS for the
MANY of the EXTRA CARDS AS you like for ADDI- god AND goddess; MALE AND FEMALE ASPECTS
TIONAL possibilities AND UNDERSTANDINGS . of the divine, AS WELL AS SUGGESTIONS for deities
APPROPRIATE to the other CARDS. These CAN be
used in deciding on A deity to CALL on in A
WHAt MAKeS tHiS A PARTICULAR SITUATION, or to ADD A SPIRITUAL
PAGAN-tHeMeD DeCK? ASPECT to your INTERPRETATIONS. This APPROACH
CAN be PARTICULARLY useful for PAST life or
T he CARDS in A TRADITIONAL LenorMAND deck
show IMAGES of specific objects, ANIMALS
spirit READINGS.

AND people. In the Celtic LenorMAND, these

IMAGES ARE BASED on Celtic versions of these
tHe GOD AND GODDeSS
figures. However, the symbolism within the
deck is ALSO specifiCALLY designed to represent
IMPORTANT ASPECTS of the PAGAN PATH AND
T he Celts worshipped A GREAT number
of different deities, some of which were
perception of the world. FAIRLY GENERALIZED ACROSS Celtic NATIONS, others
of which were specific to CERTAIN LOCALITIES.
For INSTANCE, the eight SABBATS or HOLIDAYS THAT
The LOCAL deities were connected to NATURAL
ARE CELEBRATED AS PART of the CHANGING of the
FEATURES such AS LAKES, rivers, MOUNTAINS
SEASONS, the turning of the Wheel of the YEAR,
AND so forth. In this deck, MANY of the more
ARE represented in these CARDS. So, too, ARE the
GENERALIZED Celtic deities ARE represented, not

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in ANTHROPOMORPHIC or HUMAN form, but in The CARDS specific to the Goddess ARE the
the form of ANIMALS AND ASPECTS of NATURE. three Birds CARDS. Songbirds represent the
MAIDEN ASPECT of the Goddess, SPECIFICALLY
In TRADITIONAL LenorMAND decks, there ARE four CLIODNA. Chickens ARE the birds of Cerridwen,
“people” CARDS, but MANY other CARDS CAN ALSO in her Mother ASPECT. FINALLY, Owls symbolize
be READ AS people, depending on surrounding the Crone Goddess, in this CASE embodied
CARDS AND the question. In Celtic LenorMAND in Blodeuwedd.
deck, there ARE three CARDS SPECIFICALLY for the
TRIPARTITE Goddess (the three Birds CARDS), AND
Every single CARD in Celtic LenorMAND CAN be
ASSOCIATED with A number of deities. These ARE
two CARDS for the DUAL ASPECTS of the God (the
Tree CARDS). However, ALL the CARDS HAVE deities listed in the CARD descriptions, AND CAN be used
AS A FOCAL point on your ALTAR. They CAN ALSO
ASSOCIATED with them, if you choose to use
them in THAT WAY. be used AS A focus for spells AROUND the subject
reflected in the CARD. I HAVE tried to identify
The CARDS specific to the God ARE the two APPROPRIATE Celtic deities, but HAVE ALSO
Tree CARDS, representing the OAK King AND included deities from other PANTHEONS. This
the Holly King. These trees HAVE been used decision WAS BASED on my sense THAT MANY
in PAGAN TRADITION to represent the story of PAGANS ARE either HAPPY to explore MANY
the God who grows in the summer AND is cut perspectives, or would welcome seeing deities
down by winter, REPLACED by A SUCCESSOR, only from the PARTICULAR PANTHEON they
to rise AND grow AGAIN the following YEAR. This MAY worship.
is AN ALLEGORICAL reference to the SEASONS, AND
to the PATH of the sun in the sky, AS the sun is
often ASSOCIATED with the God, while the moon
is more often ASSOCIATED with the Goddess.

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 choose Fierce SNAKE. And for A good BALANCE,
you CAN include both in your READINGS.
ADDitiONAl CARDS
FINALLY, there is AN ADDITIONAL CAT CARD to go
I HAVE ALREADY mentioned the ADDITIONAL CARDS
specific to the God AND Goddess. There ARE
ALONGSIDE the Dog CARD. PARTLY, I felt THAT no
PAGAN deck would be complete without this
two Tree CARDS for the God; the OAK AND the most TRADITIONAL of FAMILIARS. ADDITIONALLY,
Holly. And there ARE three different Birds CARDS the CAT represents A more independent kind
for the three ASPECTS of the Goddess, MAIDEN, of LOYALTY AND friendship, one THAT thinks for
Mother AND Crone. These CARDS ALSO HAVE itself, unfettered by CULTURAL RESTRAINTS, AND
other NUANCES of MEANING, if you WANT to yet still brings love AND support in its DEALINGS
include the different VARIANT in your READINGS. with people.
For EXAMPLE, the VARIOUS Birds CARDS look AT
different ASPECTS of COMMUNICATION. Besides these ADDITIONAL PLANT AND ANIMAL
CARDS, there ARE ALSO four ADDITIONAL people
Celtic LenorMAND ALSO includes AN ADDITIONAL CARDS, whose use deserves A more DETAILED
SNAKE CARD. This CARD WAS ADDED BECAUSE EXAMINATION .
the SNAKE is A CREATURE with A GREAT MANY
symbolic ASSOCIATIONS . In TRADITIONAL The People CARDS
LenorMAND decks, the SNAKE is often seen in A There ARE four ADDITIONAL “people” CARDS in
limited AND quite NEGATIVE WAY. This deck ADDS this deck, COMPARED to A TRADITIONAL 36-CARD
A more positive APPROACH to the SNAKE. So, LenorMAND deck THAT CONTAINS one MAN,
if you see SNAKE in its more positive, HEALING LADY AND child. These EXTRA CARDS HAVE been

AND TRANSFORMATIVE ASPECT you MAY choose ADDED for gender BALANCE, AND for those

to work with the Shedding SNAKE. WHEREAS, READERS doing SAME-SEX RELATIONSHIP

if you feel it’s IMPORTANT to HAVE CARDS with READINGS. However, they CAN ALSO be used to

A PERSONALIZE the deck for yourself or your

DARKER or more NEGATIVE feel to them, you MAY querents.

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For EXAMPLE, if READING for someone with A WAYS by the SAME SITUATIONS AND people.
son, you might prefer to use the Boy CARD, So, CHARGING the EXTRA people CARDS (choosing
AHEAD of time which CARD you will ASSOCIATE
RATHER THAN the more TRADITIONAL FEMALE
Child CARD. Likewise, if they HAVE A teen with which person) is A good WAY to explore
DAUGHTER, you might prefer to use the FEMALE
these FAMILY DYNAMICS.
Rider CARD RATHER THAN the MALE, or include You CAN ALSO use the EXTRA people CARDS to
both to ALLOW for both FAMILY AND exterNAL explore SAME-SEX RELATIONSHIPS, or when there
FACTORS in the READING. ARE A lot of people involved in A SITUATION—

Some READERS suggest ANY one SPREAD CAN only for EXAMPLE in A LARGER group of friends or
look AT one child within the FAMILY, requiring work COLLEAGUES.
A SECOND AND third SPREAD for other children.
Other READERS feel THAT the other children
CAN be represented by CARDS with ASPECTS like
tHe SPiRitUAl tRADitiON iN
them, such AS BEAR for someone stocky, Stork leNORMAND ReADiNGS
for someone leggy, or Fox for A REDHEAD. THAT
CAN be A little tricky to figure out, though,
W hile MANY people VALUE the simplicity
AND directness, AS WELL AS the
AND in our current MULTICULTURAL world these PRACTICALITY of the LenorMAND system, this
ATTRIBUTES do not ALWAYS seem to cover ALL the APPROACH in no WAY precludes the possibility
people we MAY encounter. of READING the CARDS for more SPIRITUAL
With the four EXTRA CARDS in this deck it is purposes. In FACT, there is A WELL-ESTABLISHED
possible, for EXAMPLE, to LAY A GRAND TABLEAU TRADITION of doing so in CONTINENTAL Europe

AND look AT the FAMILY AS AN entire system. AND elsewhere. Doing SPIRITUAL READINGS does

After ALL, the children MAY well AFFECT one not MEAN THAT you LEAVE PRACTICALITY AT the
ANOTHER, AND be influenced in slightly different

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door. It is simply ANOTHER ASPECT of life to Some of the ADDITIONAL nine CARDS CAN ALSO
explore with the help of the LenorMAND CARDS. be used for PAGAN timings, either BASED on
the Wheel of the YEAR or the moon PHASES.
For EACH CARD, this book provides A description, However, if you choose to just use the BASIC 36
which includes some suggestions for CARDS, this option is still open to you. So, if you
PARTICULAR SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDINGS of the CARD. ADD the EXTRA CARDS in, you CAN either HAVE
However, AS you use AND combine the CARDS two CARDS for A SINGLE point on the Wheel, or
more, you will come up with other WAYS to see you CAN decide AHEAD of time which one you
them AND their SPIRITUAL POTENTIAL in your life. prefer to use for timings.

tHe WHeel OF tHe YeAR DARK AND liGHt

T iming is often A thorny question in

READINGS. While there ARE MANY
T RADITIONALLY, LenorMAND CARDS ARE often
seen AS positive, NEGATIVE or NEUTRAL,
systems for determining the TIMEFRAME in which CAN be helpful if you WANT to READ for
LenorMAND READINGS, these ARE GENERALLY quite ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions, or to ADD context to
COMPLICATED AND not PARTICULARLY intuitive. If A READING. For EXAMPLE, A VERy positive
you ALREADY use one of those systems, you CAN CARD
continue to do so with these CARDS. However, will bring A more positive light to A NEUTRAL or
eight of the CARDS in this deck CAN be used slightly NEGATIVE CARD.
to represent the eight SABBATS commonly
Beyond this, though, it CAN be useful to see ALL
CELEBRATED in the PAGAN YEAR. LATER, in the
CARDS AS HAVING both positive AND NEGATIVE
SPREADS section (see PAGE 182), there ARE
INTERPRETATIONS inherent in them. Psycho-
suggestions for specific WAYS to use these CARDS,
LOGICALLY, ALL symbols (including words) CAN
both in SABBAT-BASED SPREADS, AND in more
connote more THAN one MEANING, AND CAN
GENERAL SPREADS.
ALSO be interpreted in NUANCED WAYS. On A
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more PRACTICAL level, we CAN think in business MAY need to sweep out your own NEGATIVE PAT-
terms, TAKING AS AN EXAMPLE the CLASSIC SWOT terns, or brush someone out of your life if you
WANT to BREAK free of the PAIN INDICATED by the
ANALYSIS (Strengths, WEAKNESSES, Opportunities
AND THREATS ). With this APPROACH, every
whips ASPECT of the CARD.
strength implies AN opposing THREAT, AND This “solution-within-the-problem” APPROACH
every WEAKNESS suggests opportunities. CAN be APPLIED to MANY LenorMAND CARDS.

Following these IDEAS, we find even within For INSTANCE, the Fox CAN represent someone
TRADITIONAL LenorMAND MEANINGS THAT
deceitful. In this CASE, you MAY need to trust
A SIMILAR APPROACH is possible. TAKE the CARD
your instincts or bring PARTICULAR skills into
PLAY in order to DEAL with the SITUATION .
Birch rods, for EXAMPLE. In some decks this
is titled Whips, in others it is CALLED Broom. SIMILARLY, if you see someone poisonous in
And if we TAKE A look AT the Celtic LenorMAND the SNAKE, you MAY need to TAKE A WINDING
IMAGE, we see how these ARE both POTENTIAL
route to your DESTINATION in order to AVOID
uses to which A bundle of Birch rods CAN be this person.
put. Lift those rods high AND bring them down In the SAME WAY, there CAN be difficulties
on someone, they ARE CLEARLY A WHIP. Hold inherent in positive CARDS. The Sun CAN
them with the free tips down, AND you CAN represent optimism AND energy. Yet DISPLAYING
sweep the floor CLEAN. these QUALITIES might ENCOURAGE others to try
INTERPRETATIONS of this CARD CAN ALSO be both to divert our energy TOWARD their projects, AND
positive AND NEGATIVE. It CAN INDICATE A tongue our sunny NATURE could MAKE it HARD to SAY
-LASHING, PHYSICAL ABUSE, or A PATTERn of neg- No. Still, if we ARE AWARE of these POTENTIAL
THREATS , we MAY be better equipped to DEAL
ATIVE BEHAVIOR. And WHAT might be A SOLUTION
to these SITUATIONS ? Performing some kind of with them.
CLEANSING; of your mind, BEHAVIOR or life. You

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This WAY of looking AT the CARDS AS HAVING
their POLAR opposite MEANING—OR their
solution—within them is not A blind DENIAL PlAYiNG CARD ASSOCiAtiONS
of the difficulties life CAN throw AT us, nor of AND leNORMAND NUMBeRiNG
the GENERALLY positive or NEGATIVE NATURE of
PARTICULAR CARDS. INSTEAD, it is intended AS A
PROACTIVE AND empowering WAY to use the
CARDS’ MESSAGES to NAVIGATE our lives.

AFFiRMAtiONS

In this booklet, I HAVE included AFFIrMATIONS

for ALL the CARDS. These ARE simply
suggestions, AND you should feel free to CREATE
ALTERNATE AFFIrMATIONS THAT feel true AND
useful to you. These CAN be used with A SINGLE-
CARD DRAW to give you A focus for the DAY,
week or LUNATION. They CAN ALSO be used to
choose one or two AFFIrMATIONS from A LARGER
DRAW, to help support the MESSAGE of the
OVERALL READING.

A t the top left corner of EACH CARD is the

LenorMAND CARD numbering. For EXAMPLE,
Ship is number 3, AND Moon is number 32.
These numbers CAN be used to find the CARD
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MEANINGS quickly AND EASILY in the book. They The Child is ASSOCIATED with the JACK of SPADES
CAN ALSO be used to discover the essence of A (J ), the STARS with the 6 of HEARTS (6 ), And
READING. So, you CAN ADD the numbers up, AND
the PATHS with the Queen of DIAMONDS
then ADD EACH consecutive digit in the TOTAL (Q ). Some people use these ASSOCIATIONS
until you get A number between 1 AND 36, AND with ESTABLISHED CARTOMANTIC INTERPRETATIONS,
AND for specific CARD counting PRACTICES . They
THAT expresses the deepest MEANING or AREA of
CAN ALSO be used to find A quintessence of the
influence of the READING.
READING, this time between 1 AND 10, BASED
on NUMEROLOGICAL UNDERSTANDINGS . Others

33 Key
18 Dog
MAY just use the suits AND/OR colors (red or
5 TREE

BLACK) to see WHAT AREA is most represented in

A PARTICULAR READING. In this APPROACH,
HEARTS ARE ASSOCIATED with WATER, emotions,
FAMILY AND RELATIONSHIPS. DIAMONDS ARE
As AN EXAMPLE, if we HAVE A line of three CARDS
ASSOCIATED with fire, projects, AND enterprise.
CONTAINING 5 (Tree), 18 (Dog) AND 33 (Key)
SPADES ARE
then the NUMEROLOGICAL essence would be
ASSOCIATED with AIR, thoughts, government AND
5 + 18 + 33 = 56 = 5 + 6 = 11 (Whip/Birch
TRAVEL, AND Clubs ARE ASSOCIATED with EARTH ,
Rods). This would suggest THAT the HEALTH
HARDSHIP, AND the MATERIAL world.
of A friend is CERTAIN to improve, but might
recommend they do some exercise or A SPACE Enjoy!
CLEANSING to help the process.

The second number on the lower right HAND

corner of the CARD is A SIMPLIFIed version of
the PLAYING CARD TRADITIONALLY ASSOCIATED
with THAT LenorMAND CARD.

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tHe CeltiC leNORMAND CARDS
 Description: A young MAN rides A DARK
brown horse helter-skelter ALONG A COASTAL
PATH TOWARDS the right side of the CARD. He
MAle RiDeR — BARD WEARS A thick green CLOAK, connecting him
with the green MAN, AND red PANTS, color of
PASSION, with A blue shirt, showing his ABILITY
to COMMUNICATE. He CARRIES A HARP AT his side,
the tool of his BARDIC TRADE.
MEANINGS: This ENTHUSIASTIC young MAN
is hurrying ALONG, CARRying MESSAGES from
VILLAGE to VILLAGE. Some of his MESSAGES ARE
GENERAL inforMATION, some ARE more PERSONAL.
Riding DAY in AND DAY out CAN be AN ATHLETIC
CHALLENGE. Still, he enjoys the exercise, AND
Keywords when he is A VISITOR in A VILLAGE, GLADLY joins in
Nouns: news, APPROACH, delivery, MESSAGES, sports AND GAMES. When he ARRIVES in A new
inforMATION, opportunity, movement, START, VILLAGE, he MAY MAKE ANNOUNCEMENTS from
speed, DECLARATION, ANNOUNCEMENT, sport the TRIBAL LEADERS , before settling in with more
Descriptors: youthful, DYNAMIC, ATHLETIC, GENERAL news from the LANDS he HAS ridden
inforMATIVE, ENTHUSIASTIC, outgoing through. He is ALSO HAPPY to deliver PERSONAL
Verbs: inform, come, go, move, begin MESSAGES, PERHAPS from FAMILY in A neighbor-

Timing: soon, quickly ing VILLAGE. He is ALWAYS welcome, not only

BECAUSE he brings the opportunity to HEAR
Person: young/youthful MAN, lover, visitor TALES of derring-do, but ALSO BECAUSE of his
PLAYING CARD ASSOCIATION: outgoing AND DYNAMIC NATURE. More THAN one

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young VILLAGE girl HAS TAKEN him AS her lover, AND HEALING, ASSOCIATED with horses,
enjoying his TALES AND his CHARm. ATEPOMAZZRUS —BRYTHONIC-GAULISH Horse God,
Hermes—Greek Messenger of the Gods.
SPIRITUAL READINGS: MESSAGES from spirit
CAN come in MANY guises, brought by A
STRANGER, A friend, signs from NATURE, or from A
more focused source. Look to ALL the elements FeMAle RiDeR — BARDeSS
AND beings AROUND you for these signs. You
MAY ALSO HAVE to ACCEPT THAT such MESSAGES
MAY not seem AS IMPORTANT to others AS they
do to you.
DARK AND Light: Sometimes, we CAN be too
HASTY in our response to MESSAGES we receive.
This CARD, so full of DYNAMISM, is often A
perfect EXAMPLE of this. So, it MAY ADVISE us
to TAKE time before we respond to something,
RATHER THAN CHARGING STRAIGHT in.

Spell Use: Use to support AN exercise regime, Keywords

to help strengthen SOCIABILITY, or to CALL for Nouns: news, MESSAGES, inforMATION, START,
MESSAGES from spirit. opportunity, movement, APPROACH, delivery,
AffirMATION: I listen to the MESSAGES of speed, DECLARATION , ANNOUNCEMENT, sport
the Universe. Descriptors: youthful, DYNAMIC,
ATHLETIC, inforMATIVE, ENTHUSIASTIC,
Deity: Gwydion—Celtic (Welsh) WAR
CONSIDERATE, outgoing
God, Belenus—Celtic God of Light, Sun
Verbs: inform, come, go, move, begin

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 SPIRITUAL READINGS: This CARD represents the
Timing: soon, quickly
MESSAGES we MAY receive from EARTH ANGELS—
Person: young WOMAN, visitor those people who enter our lives AND bring
PLAYING CARD ASSOCIATION: lessons, hope AND GUIDANCE. They MAY not
Description: A WOMAN rides CALMLY ALONG A even know the VALUE of the inforMATION they
COASTAL PATH, TOWARDS the left side of the CARD. provide us. GUIDANCE MAY ALSO come from
She WEARS A flowing dress, INDICATING her GREAT NATURE so it is IMPORTANT to keep yourself open
ABILITY to COMMUNICATE, AND A VIOLET CLOAK, to MESSAGES from the world AROUND you.
suggesting her wisdom AND SPIRITUAL connect- DARK AND Light: We do not ALWAYS WANT to
edness. She CARRIES A lyre, tool of her TRADE, for HEAR the MESSAGES THAT ARE sent to us. Even
she is A BARD. when the MESSAGE is positive, if it involves
MEANINGS: This FEMALE BARD TRAVELS FAR AND CHANGE, we MAY resist it, preferring to try to
wide, bringing news to different VILLAGES, STAY AS WE ARE. This CARD ENCOURAGES us to
connecting them despite the DISTANCES between REALLY listen to WHAT is going on AROUND us.
them, MAINTAINING A GREATER sense of commu-
Spell Use: Use to support AN exercise
nity. She ALSO CARRIES PERSONAL MESSAGES from
regimen, to help strengthen SOCIABILITY,
DISTANT lovers or SEPARATED FAMILY members
or to CALL for MESSAGES from spirit.
AND friends. As A person, this young WOMAN is
ENTHUSIASTIC but CALM. When the BARD comes AffirMATION: SPIRITUAL MESSAGES ARE on their
riding in you CAN expect news from AFAR. She is WAY to me.
A WELCOME visitor, inforMATIVE AND outgoing. Deities: EPONA—CELTIC Horse Goddess,
She quickly MAKES herself AT home, but just RHIANNON—CELTIC Goddess ASSOCIATED with
AS quickly, is on the move AGAIN. Her sporty horses AND songbirds, IRIS—GRECO-ROMAN
physique helps her cope with the rigors of her Messenger Goddess
profession, AS does her ABILITY to connect with
ALL kinds of different people.

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