In the first month of 2020 I ordered Mickie and Daniel Mueller's wonderful Magical Dogs Tarot, and then put it aside for awhile. It would be eight months later before I had another look at this deck. Today, I did the first reading with the cards. It's a nice set, and the images are a little fluffy looking at first glance; however, it does stand up to a more serious reading.
The deck features fanciful images of dogs of different breeds in all sorts of adventurous scenes; some are pure fantasy, some are inspired by mythology and many more are realistic. Mickie Mueller's original artwork is likely to include some sort of herbal essences in the wash of the colors, and although there aren't any notes to that effect regarding this deck, it's likely that some interesting herbs made themselves known at the time of coloring in the sketches.
Magical Dogs and Metaphysics
When I got the deck, I was assisting an elderly dog ... the last of four dachshunds that have come into my life ... in what turned out to be the final phase of his journey in our shared incarnations. A week before he passed, I had put the last touches on moving the Temple of Fortuna dot com website over to blogger, so that it will hopefully continue in perpetuity as long as blogger exists in the online world. As our goal was reached, so ended his natural life.
A dog's life can have meaning; a beginning, a middle and an end that coincides with reaching a major goal. Those of you who have read my book from cover to cover (you know who you are!) will know the story of my Halloweener dog, Woofie, pictured above on his seventeenth birthday (in the "boo" sweater), with new girl Angelicka photobombing (to the right).
Woofie was pretty much my third generation doxy, along with his half-brother Solstice, who was about six months younger, having been born around mid-summer. Solstice's story is also in my book, which is dedicated to all lost and found animal friends and those who lovingly care for them. The two half-brothers are pictured below as young dogs having a fun day in the park, Woofie in black and tan to the left, and Solstice in shaded red to the right.
Two dogs, who don't appear in my book, are the birth mother of Woofie and Solstice, who lived with us for more than half her life, and my first doxy; a half-gift from a former post-college roommate (half-gift because I paid half-price, maybe because I was paying for half the rent and utilities ... somehow it made sense at the time). Mama dog came to us with a given name, which scared her when she heard it spoken aloud. So she just became Little Mommi in our household. Little Mommi is shown below, freshly groomed and lounging on a purple plush toy.
To the best of my knowledge, all my doxies have lived very long lives, and have chosen the date of their natural passings. Those who were in my care, chose to be near me when the day came. I remember who was in my arms, who was on our last walk on the green grass, and who was basking in the sunlight as it shone through the window on the kitchen floor.
Woofie was pretty much my third generation doxy, along with his half-brother Solstice, who was about six months younger, having been born around mid-summer. Solstice's story is also in my book, which is dedicated to all lost and found animal friends and those who lovingly care for them. The two half-brothers are pictured below as young dogs having a fun day in the park, Woofie in black and tan to the left, and Solstice in shaded red to the right.
Two dogs, who don't appear in my book, are the birth mother of Woofie and Solstice, who lived with us for more than half her life, and my first doxy; a half-gift from a former post-college roommate (half-gift because I paid half-price, maybe because I was paying for half the rent and utilities ... somehow it made sense at the time). Mama dog came to us with a given name, which scared her when she heard it spoken aloud. So she just became Little Mommi in our household. Little Mommi is shown below, freshly groomed and lounging on a purple plush toy.
To the best of my knowledge, all my doxies have lived very long lives, and have chosen the date of their natural passings. Those who were in my care, chose to be near me when the day came. I remember who was in my arms, who was on our last walk on the green grass, and who was basking in the sunlight as it shone through the window on the kitchen floor.
 |
| Curious Dachshund Puppies and a Frog painting by Carl Reichert, public domain image |
The readers of my book may know which dog has been a sort of mystery to me, and that mysterious dog was the subject of today's reading. I brought out the Magical Dogs Tarot for an important personal consultation about each of my four doxies, and shuffled the deck for the first time, with the intention of laying out four cards. One for each doxy, in order of their birth. Here is the reading:
Three doxies, each as an air and a court card. I read this as an indication that these three have passed peacefully, and now reside with light hearts on the other side of their earthly incarnations. Dogs of air, light and spirit, all pictured with blue skies and some with flying birds. Are these angel dogs or faerie dogs? The cards tell their tale; it is up to the reader to interpret their meanings.
There is one more card. The unknown. One who was six months younger than one who passed nearly six months ago. An elderly dog; not the lively, joyful puppy I remember. One who has been on my mind, and in my heart, for more than a decade. Is he a super-ager? Somewhere, somehow? After all these years, it's time to know. I laid out the card.
A feeling of calm came over this reading. This was a deck which was shuffled for the first time. Four court cards, of the same suit, arrived in my reading in exact consecutive order. Is it possible that I merely shuffled too quickly? What other possibility exists? Is this reading wrong? Maybe, as recently as a year ago, I would have wondered. Now, in the strange year of 2020, when we've lost so many people, I no longer wonder. It's no mistake. This is real, and it makes perfect, absolute sense.
Yes, it's a sad reading. But it's a peaceful reading too. And, after all this time, it's okay. Like all of us who have lost someone we loved this year, I am thankful for those moments we had together. And I am thankful for a legacy that inspired me to write a book. Good dogs, all, and a blessing of pleasant dreams in the ever after.
Card one: My first, post-college doxy
Air
Alpha Male
Card two: Woofie and Solstice's Little Mommi
Air
Alpha Female
Card three: Woofie, who passed in 2020
Air
Guardian
Air
Alpha Male
Card two: Woofie and Solstice's Little Mommi
Air
Alpha Female
Card three: Woofie, who passed in 2020
Air
Guardian
Three doxies, each as an air and a court card. I read this as an indication that these three have passed peacefully, and now reside with light hearts on the other side of their earthly incarnations. Dogs of air, light and spirit, all pictured with blue skies and some with flying birds. Are these angel dogs or faerie dogs? The cards tell their tale; it is up to the reader to interpret their meanings.
There is one more card. The unknown. One who was six months younger than one who passed nearly six months ago. An elderly dog; not the lively, joyful puppy I remember. One who has been on my mind, and in my heart, for more than a decade. Is he a super-ager? Somewhere, somehow? After all these years, it's time to know. I laid out the card.
Card four: Solstice
Air
Puppy
Air
Puppy
A feeling of calm came over this reading. This was a deck which was shuffled for the first time. Four court cards, of the same suit, arrived in my reading in exact consecutive order. Is it possible that I merely shuffled too quickly? What other possibility exists? Is this reading wrong? Maybe, as recently as a year ago, I would have wondered. Now, in the strange year of 2020, when we've lost so many people, I no longer wonder. It's no mistake. This is real, and it makes perfect, absolute sense.
Yes, it's a sad reading. But it's a peaceful reading too. And, after all this time, it's okay. Like all of us who have lost someone we loved this year, I am thankful for those moments we had together. And I am thankful for a legacy that inspired me to write a book. Good dogs, all, and a blessing of pleasant dreams in the ever after.
