A Year in the Wildwood

For Yule, my brother got me "A Year in the Wildwood" by Allison Cross.  It had been on my wishlist for a while ever since I got the Wildwood Tarot.   This deck - while still being fairly traditional follows the Wheel of the Year and a lot of Celtic Druidry.  I decided to use this as a study deck to compare tarot with the changing seasons and rhythms of the earth.  I started working my way through the book and deck with Imbolc.  Each suit is connected to different elements and seasons where the Arrows (Air) are the time of spring and now I am moving into Bows (Fire) as Beltane approaches.  These make sense to me as this is also how I use timing for seasons in my own tarot practice.  The book discusses each card in depth and asks questions based on the lesson/meaning of each card while also connecting it to nature and the natural rhythms of our bodies.  So far I have found a profound impact with just how perfectly the correlation between my life, the cards and the environment connect.  I have been journalling each step of the way which is helping me pull out patterns and learn more about myself in the process.  There is also a Facebook Study group devoted to the book where you can discuss with others also meandering their way in the Wildwood.  

Each sabbat has a Hub card, Guardian and Inner and Trans-personal energy cards.   The court cards arise every now and then, to give strength or teach a lesson.  They are all associated with significant animals in Druidry. I have been displaying these cards on one of my altars as reminders (which you can see in the background of this mentor video I made)

I also began 2022 with a year ahead spread using the Wildwood Tarot drawing a card for each month.
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Jan : 3 of Stones - Creativity
Feb:  The Journey (Death)
Mar: The Pole Star (Star)
Apr: 8 of Stones - Skill
May: Knight of Vessels - Eel
Jun: King of Arrows - Kingfisher
Jul: Queen of Stones - Bear
Aug: 10 of Bows - Responsibility
Sep: 8 of Arrows - Struggle
Oct: The Seer (High Priestess)
Nov: Page of Stones - Lynx
Dec: 5 of Bows - Empowerment

I have been very consistent in my journey with this deck and will continue until the end of the year.  If this is something that interests you, then by all means begin!  You can start at any time of the year and both the book and deck are very affordable.  This is one of many way to connect with a deck and if you are interested in Druid mythology or the Celtic Wheel of the Year then you will absolutely find knowledge.  If you were wanting to start a tarot journal this is a great way to do so and also help you learn more about yourself and how tarot and its lessons play out in our daily lives.