Our Tarot History

We are Stephen Abbott and Tegwedd ShadowDancer, sometimes known as Madame Tezra. Together we have more than 89 years experience in divination.

Tegwedd started at a much later age than Stephen did. She started with the Ouija board, then branched out to divination with playing cards. When she received her first Tarot deck for Yule 69, she studied the Tarot diligently. As the years went by, she acquired more books on the Tarot, and more decks. As of now, she has accumulated over 300 decks, and is not done collecting. “As of now,” she says. “I’m waiting to get The Vampire’s Tarot of the Eternal Night. I ordered it last week, and it’s taking its own sweet time getting here.”

Tegwedd acquired many of the decks she has in her collection by reviewing books and decks from Llewellyn Publications for her Newsletter: The Greymalkin Gazette from 1989 until 2005. Many of the books were on the Tarot, and she learned much by reading them. Her style of reviewing is rather unusual as reviewing goes. She Starts with a paragraph about the topic of the book, then does what she calls “notes,” which are quotes from the book with her remarks after them. The quotes might be errors, or things that back up some theory or another that she has. Because of this, she has acquired quite a few decks and other divination tools which she uses in her readings. Sometimes the readings turn into counseling sessions, and to this end she has taken a short course on counseling from Cherry Hill Seminary, the online Pagan seminary. Over the years, besides all the books she has read on the Tarot, she has had three teachers; Barbara Fredick, one time best friend and former roommate, Rowan Woods, friend, now deceased, and Stephen Abbott, her housemate and now her partner in this venture.

Stephen started studying the Tarot at age 10 under the capable tutelage of his paternal grandmother Beatrice McCaulley Abbott. His first deck was the same deck that Tegwedd had received back in December 1969, the Rider-Waite-Coleman-Smith Tarot. Maybe the text was by Arthur Edward Waite, but the artwork, the images on the deck were by Pamela Coleman-Smith. Both Stephen and Tegwedd call this deck the “boring Tarot”. His second deck was the Marseilles Tarot. His third deck was Aleister Crowley’s and Lady Frieda Harris’s Book of Thoth. His first paid reading was when he was 20 in 1970. It was at a rather large fair at the Berkeley Marina, where he made several hundred dollars.

Stephen has a certain scheme and motif he looks for in the decks he selects for his collection. “The artwork has to be topnotch,” he says. Tegwedd agrees. “I like drop dead gorgeous artwork too,” she says. “It has to have decent symbolism.” Tegwedd’s copy of the Vampire’s Tarot of the Eternal Night arrived today, and oh, is she pleased with it, especially now that she has a real opportunity to peruse the book, and bookmark the different parts of the book, such as the Trumps, the suits, and the spreads. “The other thing a deck has to have is decent information such as key words on the cards themselves. In some ways, having them in the book is a cop out. They’re trying to cut some corners by not having them on the cards.” “Yeah,” agrees Tegwedd. “When I’m doing a paid reading for someone, I don’t like having to refer to a book. It just doesn’t look professional.”
Abbott uses the Elemental Druidic cross layout, a spread that he developed himself. It uses 5 cards, and can take from as short a time as 15 minutes to a couple of hours to complete. He developed this spread while on psilocybin and mescaline. It partakes of the 5 elements, Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and in the Sacred Center, Spirit. Each position has an element in the four directions, you know East Air Swords, West Water Cups, Earth North, Pentacles and Fire South Wands. When he does a reading on the board which was created especially for the spread, he will say, depending upon the card, _______ of Fire or Fire of Spirit, and the card will be weakened or strengthened depending upon the position it’s in. There are 12 positions, and 4 magickal treasures. The position cards represent standing stones or menhirs. The final card, card 11, is the lintel or cross piece.

Okay now let’s do a reading, shall we? The 1st position is the 0 stone ruled by the Fool, the element of Air. The card is 6 of wands so it’s Fire of Spirit. Lord of Victory. So we have scored some sort of victory, and the later cards will tell us what sort of victory we have scored. The book says: A conquest. We have won our victory in spite of many obstacles. The book tells us to be proud of ourselves. Stone #1 is ruled by the Magician: Mercury. The card is the 4 of Cups. Water of Spirit. It is weakened by being Water in the place of Fire and Air/ Lady of Luxury and Blended Pleasure, which is pleasure carried to an extreme. Fulfillment you have obtained the success you deserved and your worth has been recognized. Stone #2 is ruled by the High Priestess. 4 of Pentacles Lady of Earthly Power or Power. Consolidation of Power. Stability. You fear losing what you have accumulated and seek to avoid all risks. Your excessive frugality may transform itself into greed. It is enhanced by being in a feminine position, but weakened by being in the realm of spirit, which is male.

Stone #3 is in the realm of Earth It is the 3 of Pentacles. Earth of Earth. Lady of Creative Works. Innocence. Fount of creativity. Numerological correlation. Too much trust in those around you makes you vulnerable. Someone may profit from your ingenuousness. Stone #4 is in the realm of Fire It is ruled by the Emperor. The card is #XI Justice, Libra, enhanced because in a compatible element. Libra=Air. Rigor You are aiming at an idea of perfection that is difficult to reach. This makes you uncompromising with self and others. Stone #5 ruled by the Hierophant is in the realm of Water and the card is the Knave of Cups. Here we have an elemental correlation, so the Cups An admirer someone demonstrates affection and devotion to you, but shyness prevents them from openly declaring their feelings. Stephen says it means the beginning of an emotional situation. Helps supports the object of his affections from behind the scenes.

In position #6 ruled by the Lovers Gemini which is Air in the realm of Air we have a 2nd Major Trump 0 The Fool. Here we have an elemental correlation and an astrological. All aspects of the mind the concept of revolution. Chaos. Curiosity about life urges you towards new adventures to seek experiences aimed at self-improvement. Nothing can contain our free spirits. Stone #7 is ruled by the Chariot The 5 of Wands Lord of Strife and Conflict Enhanced yet weakened #8 we return to the realm of Fire. Strength is Fire because of Leo The card is the Emperor Windows of Opportunity Control. Rules the 4s.Solidity. Your strength lies in your capacity to persevere in your intentions without ever giving up.

Stone #9 is ruled by the Hermit 2 of Pentacles. Lady of Harmonious Change. We return to Water. Choice It is necessary to take a position on an issue to be cleared up. It would be better not to hesitate. Stone#10 Ruled by the Wheel of Fortune Jupiter rules and has three elements Air, Fire and Water 8 of Wands has to do with travel. Swiftness Reversed Swiftness in the subconscious Trying in vain to set things in place to achieve a greater goal. Situation unfolding quickly to disastrous effects on plans. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Stone #11 ruled by Justice King of Pentacles. This is actually the lintel. Fire of Earth of Earth A professional The tenacity of this man has determined his destiny demonstrates competence in his job and transmits security to those around him Master of the 5 earthly things health, wealth, romance, physical and spiritual protection. He makes a good friend or ally.

This reading gets off to a promising start, but there is conflict brewing ahead. We end with a person of great resources who will be a great friend or ally. This ally will be instrumental in giving us a better stronger work ethic.

The purpose of this page is to promote our readings, which we do for a very reasonable price. We charge just $32 because that is the number of emanations on the Qaballistic Tree of Life. It is the 10 Sephiroth plus the 22 paths on the Tree of Life. Tegwedd hasn’t hooked up her mic, headphones, and webcam as yet, but soon she will, and the readings will have the same audiovisual features as Stephen’s. You will have your choice of decks. If Tegwedd has it, and Stephen doesn’t, he’ll borrow the deck from her. The readings are available on Yahoo IM, Windows Live Msgr, and Skype. The payments can be sent to PayPal at abbotts_inn@yahoo.com or tezra.reitan@gmail.com. Call 916-455-2267 or 916-457-7476 (8 a.m. to 10 p.m.).

Next we’ll do the Pentacle layout.