An Image for Grace - from my Divination Deck

I just felt like looking at this image again, one of my favorite paintings

 from my Rainbow Bridge Oracle.   The painting is only 8"x 4", a study I did in painting small.  Recently, despairing of ever doing much marketing for it, I gave the Oracle deck to a friend to market, just giving me a royalty.  I want to share this rather huge body of work, and the book I wrote to accompany it, with a larger audience but seem to lack the marketing skills;  so I am hopeful she will do something with it.  I worked hard on the inspiration to create this deck, as I used to be a professional Tarot reader.  She wants to create a boxed set with a small book enclosed, as a limited edition Tarot Deck.  Sounds good to me! 

The Magician

"The Magician stands with his arm raised in the classic gesture of inspired invocation.  He draws the white light of universal energy (the Above) through his  skilled hand, his will, and then through his heart, to manifest on the physical plane (the Below).  As his creative energies manifest, they are broken into the "rainbow" components of the physical world in all of it’s lovely diversity.

The Mage is an artist in every sense of the word, for his magic arises from a skilled and disciplined understanding of the tools he has to work with, his intention, and a  connection to the infinite realm from which all manifestations originate.  The Magician card urges you to remember that you are the artist - the  Mage - of your life, and now is exactly the time to manifest what you desire.  There are many talents and resources at your hand, and you may "invoke" your potential now through wise use of will, vision and inspiration."

I seem to be going through a process this summer.  A lot keeps bubbling up like lava from some fiery underground reserve, some primal source that urges me to create some new lands, and possibly level a few landscapes existing in the process!  So today I consulted my very own "Oracle", the Rainbow Bridge Oracle deck, which I finished some 10 years ago and mostly have ignored ever since.  What came up was "Meloncholy - the lessons of depression".  The solution?  "The Magician".  Wow.  Never let it be said we don't receive guidance when we ask for it!  WE are indeed the Magicians and Artists of our lives.

To view the entire deck:  THE RAINBOW BRIDGE ORACLE

The Rainbow Bridge Oracle

I was thinking of my Oracle Deck, the Rainbow Bridge, this morning.  I've largely neglected it, and I can't say it's been a "best seller" (I think I've sold 10 decks)...............but it still means a great deal to me, and I spent many years working on it.  Just felt like sharing a few of the Cards here today.

                                                  WEAVER

 "What might we see, how might we act,  if  we  saw with a webbed vision? The world seen through a web of relationships….”

Catherine Keller

A weaver  takes threads of many colors and skillfully weaves them together into a beautiful  tapestry.  We talk about "spinning a tale", meaning a storyteller takes "threads" of different characters and weaves them together into a good story with many inter-woven events. 

The name "Penelope" originally meant "with a web on her face", a term that was probably a title for an oracle, or perhaps a Goddess of Fate. But "webbed vision" can also have a contemporary meaning as  a way of seeing the world with a unitive eye, all people connected and in relationship to each other.  That kind of vision enables you to be a "good weaver" in your community, family, and life.  You are a person who helps others to "connect the dots" -  a true instinctual networker. 

Reversed:  You  may be having a hard time seeing the connections between people and/or events in your life, partly because you feel so disconnected  and isolated from others.  Get back "on line" with your life, and reach out to re-connect with whatever it takes.

 MANIFESTATION

"Remember that not getting what you want
is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck."

The Dalai Lama

"Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it" is an old folk saying that has much truth to it.   We have all dreamed of having great wealth, or being with the best looking boy in school, or any number of  wishes.  And sometimes we do get what we think we want, but in one of the great ironies of life, our happiness can soon turn to misery and disappointment.  Sometimes getting what we think we want can be the worst thing that can happen to us, because what we want is concentrated on desires that are  immature, addictive, vindictive, greedy, or even unconsciously self-destructive. 

 The "Law of Attraction" demonstrates that we attract that which we focus upon,  and consciously (or unconsciously) what we  concentrate upon can manifest.  Loving and generous wishes attract loving and generous results. Negativity and pessimism just manifests more negativity and pessimism, creating a self-fulfilling cycle.  Bearing all of this in mind, now is an excellent time to begin to manifest!

Reversed:  You're not able to manifest what you want because of either a lack of belief in yourself, or you are too negative in your worldview. 

                                             EARTHMIND

"Speak to the earth, and it will teach you".......Job 12:8

 EARTHMIND  is included in this deck because today both science and spirituality have converged in our understanding that all life on planet Earth is  interdependent, a vast network of ecologies.  In 1979  James Lovelock, with Lynn Margulis, developed the Gaia Hypothesis, demonstrating that the Earth is one living,  self-regulating organism.  They named their theory after the primal Mother Goddess of Greek mythology, Gaia.

How would we live  if we truly experienced  Gaia as mother, friend,  as self?  We are the Earth, and it's important that we live and act sustainably, and with reverence,   for the benefit of  all beings of the Earth.  Future generations depend on us.  Thank you for your caring, and your efforts.

Reversed:  Without caring, effort, and work for a sustainable future,  the outcome is reversed for everyone.  We're all together on this one.

                     VISION

 In this immeasurable darkness,

 be the power that rounds your senses 

 in their magic ring,
 the sense of their mysterious encounter

 Rainier Maria Rilke

Among the Lakota, long preparations were made for the Vision Quest.  Those who sought  initiation fasted, prayed, and prepared themselves  to  "call for vision".  They then went to a special place in the wilderness.  When a young man returned with  a vision it was shared with the tribe,  and sometimes examined to see if it had prophetic or ceremonial significance for not only the individual, but for the entire tribe.

This is a tool we have largely lost.   True visionary experience is "soul language"; like dreams and synchronistic experiences, a vision has multiple layers of meaning, and transcends  time as we understand it.   Visions, like dreams, communicate universal and personal truths, and whether unintended or intentionally induced in some way, can  catalyze a spiritual path or a life's work.  You are encouraged to "call for vision" in your own way. Do it in a sacred manner, and share and discuss your vision with others of like mind.

Reversed:  Visions can be profoundly significant.......but sometimes there is also a fine line between spiritual revelation and highly subjective schizophrenia.  Practice discernment.

 The Card Deck may be ordered from: 

 

http://rainbowbridgeoracle.weebly.com/index.html

To purchase the accompanying book visit:  

THE RAINBOW BRIDGE ORACLE:  A Divination System

All artwork is copyright Lauren Raine MFA (2012)

             

The Rainbow Bridge Oracle - A Divination System

I realize I've been very behind the times, as far as website tech goes, and finally I found a way to make a website with a store (at a reasonable price) with Weebly.  So the Deck can be ordered via PayPal, as well as a  Portfolio of 9 Selected Gigclee Prints on the new site.  It also has links to purchase the Book.

The Rainbow Bridge Oracle:  A Divination System by Lauren Raine


Here are a few of my favorite Cards - felt good to take another look at my own  "Sibyll"!

THE PRIESTESS

The Priestess sits before the doorway to the subtle realms, to the psychic and spiritual realms.  She beats her shaman's drum in invocation as she opens, or protects, the way between the unconscious and the conscious self, which can only be accessed through dreams, synchronicities, symbols and shamanic journeying - and sometimes through the creative process as well. She represents serene wisdom that comes from  depth understanding, from intuition, and from skilled access to an intuitive way of knowing.   She is a seer, an oracle,  a guardian of the Mysteries that can only be revealed when the circumstances are ripe.  She embodies feminine wisdom as she heals and teaches, qualities that you yourself possess.  You are encouraged to listen well to your inner voice by this card, and to develop your psychic and spiritual powers.  It may also be that this is a good time to find a teacher who can assist you - she or he may have already appeared in your life. 

Reversed:  You aren't listening to your inner knowing, to your intuition.  By trying to "stay on the surface of things", and by refusing to acknowledge the deeper levels of your experience these days, you're causing many problems that could be avoided.  Conversely, the card can mean that you may be studying or working with occult knowledge in  superficial and egotistic ways, and failing to comprehend the deeper significance of what you are being offered to learn and grow from. 

VISION

 In this immeasurable darkness,

 be the power that rounds your senses 

 in their magic ring,
 the sense of their mysterious encounter

 Rainier Maria Rilke

Among the Lakota, long preparations were made for the Vision Quest.  Those who sought  initiation fasted, prayed, and prepared themselves  to  "call for vision".  They then went to a special place in the wilderness.  When a young man returned with  a vision it was shared with the tribe,  and sometimes examined to see if it had prophetic or ceremonial significance for not only the individual, but for the entire tribe.

This is a tool we have largely lost.   True visionary experience is "soul language"; like dreams and synchronistic experiences, a vision has multiple layers of meaning, and transcends  time as we understand it.   Visions, like dreams, communicate universal and personal truths, and whether unintended or intentionally induced in some way, can  catalyze a spiritual path or a life's work.  You are encouraged to "call for vision" in your own way. Do it in a sacred manner, and share and discuss your vision with others of like mind.

Reversed:  Visions can be profoundly significant.......but sometimes there is also a fine line between spiritual revelation and highly subjective schizophrenia.  Practice discernment.

 MANIFESTATION

"Remember that not getting what you want
is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck."

The Dalai Lama

"Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it" is an old folk saying that has much truth to it.   We have all dreamed of having great wealth, or being with the best looking boy in school, or any number of  wishes.  And sometimes we do get what we think we want, but in one of the great ironies of life, our happiness can soon turn to misery and disappointment.  Sometimes getting what we think we want can be the worst thing that can happen to us, because what we want is concentrated on desires that are  immature, addictive, vindictive, greedy, or even unconsciously self-destructive. 

 The "Law of Attraction" demonstrates that we attract that which we focus upon,  and consciously (or unconsciously) what we  concentrate upon can manifest.  Loving and generous wishes attract loving and generous results. Negativity and pessimism just manifests more negativity and pessimism, creating a self-fulfilling cycle.  Bearing all of this in mind, now is an excellent time to begin to manifest!

Reversed:  You're not able to manifest what you want because of either a lack of belief in yourself, or you are too negative in your worldview.