Carolyn Kerns Carolyn Kerns

Season 2, Episode 3: Where Does Tarot Come From?

A brief history of Tarot! From origins, to dispelled myths, come check out where Tarot comes from! Then follow the links and resources gathered to get started on your own deeper history-of-Tarot journey.

A brief history of Tarot! From origins to dispelled myths, come check out where Tarot comes from! Follow the links and resources below to get started on your own deeper history of Tarot journey.

EDIT: I no longer podcast, so I am not recording new information, but as my learning has grown regarding the History of Tarot I want to share that on to you.

"Tarot’s cultural roots are centered in Romani history and practices in Cartomancy which was and is a survival based trade for many vitsas. Cartomancy is the interpretation of playing cards through divination. Playing cards are the origin of the tarot, as we see in the minor arcana in the playing cards we know today. The Major Arcana came later through tarot’s journey into mainstream culture and integration into mystical and magical practices through colonialism, appropriation, and forced assimilation. We encourage folks who are creating businesses, events, and practices centered in the tarot to acknowledge the history of this practice."

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uodWydDaEpc_YJ2F7sikk0ChT2R8Vbg4ucBvpM5wf7Q/edit

Webpages

Mary K Greer “Origins of Cartomancy”“Pamela Coleman Smith”

Tom Waters The TarotL Information SheetThe Evolution of the Tarot

Simon Wintle The History of Playing Cards

Robert Chambers “The Folklore of Playing Cards”

trionfi.com “The Oldest Tarot Cards”

Aeclectic Tarot Forum

Books 
(Full disclosure, I did not read these- but they came recommended or cited from multiple sources I did read, so I'm passing them along to you. A couple are clearly out of print and very expensive; but that's interesting too! )

Greer, Mary K.
Pamela Coleman Smith: The Untold Story
2018
ISBN 157281912X


Place, Robert
Tarot: History, Symbolism, and Divination
2005 
ISBN 1585423491


Huson, Paul
Mystical Origins of the Tarot
2004 
ISBN 0892811900


Decker, Ronald, Thierry Depaulis, & Michael Dummett
Wicked Pack of Cards
1996 
ISBN 0715627139 or ISBN 0312162944


Bob O'Neill
Tarot Symbolism
1986 
ISBN 0895369362

Dummett, Micheal
The Game of Tarot
1980
ISBN 0715610147

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Carolyn Kerns Carolyn Kerns

Season 2, Episode 2: How to Cleanse a Toxic Work Environment

Do you struggle with a lot of emotional junk at work? You are not alone! In this episode, I share some super tangible tips and tricks for clearing out your energetic spaces and keeping them clean. Spoiler: it's good spiritual health practices! Come journey with me through the what's, why's, and how's of witchcraft in the workplace!

Do you struggle with a lot of emotional junk at work? You are not alone! In this episode, I share some super tangible tips and tricks for clearing out your energetic spaces and keeping them clean. Spoiler: it's good spiritual health practices! Come journey with me through the what's, why's, and how's of witchcraft in the workplace!

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Carolyn Kerns Carolyn Kerns

Episode 6: Riding the Wheel of the Year

This episode focuses on The Wheel of the Year: what it is, and how I use it with my kiddos. I also take a number of tangents around my philosophies of parenting and the history of pagan mythology so..... come on in for this ride around my Witchy Worldview!

September 15th

Podcast listener Laura (👋🏻) asked me, "How do you talk to your kids about your spirituality?", and here are my thoughts! 
This episode focuses on The Wheel of the Year: what it is, and how I use it with my kiddos. I also take a number of tangents around my philosophies of parenting and the history of pagan mythology so..... come on in for this ride around my Witchy Worldview!

October 11th

Hey y'all, 
How do you talk to your kids about religion and spirituality? I've got more stuff to say about this, and would love for you to share what you are up to too! 

Wouldn't it be a bit of a thrill to chat about this in real life? So….. I am hosting talks on a brand new app called Wisdom where we could do just that!! Is that something you’d be into?? 


EDIT: well friends, I completely mispronounced the (longer, more challenging name I don’t use personally but still…) name for the Pagan holiday around August 1, Lughnasadh. It’s pronounced “Loo-NAH-sah”. As Daniel Tiger sang to me just this morning: 🎵 “It’s ok to make a mistake; just try to fix it, and learn from it too” 🎵

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Carolyn Kerns Carolyn Kerns

Episode 5: Where Does Morality Come From?

The Lake Superior Freethinkers invited me to participate in a panel featuring joke-worthy guests “a monk, an atheist, and a witch” (we did not go into a bar, unfortunately...) This recording is only my portion—check it out! I’m super into it, I hope it feeds some part of your mind and spirit ✨

March 7, 2021

The Lake Superior Freethinkers invited me to participate in a panel featuring joke-worthy guests “a monk, an atheist, and a witch” (we did not go into a bar, unfortunately...)

I really appreciated the opportunity to reflect deeply on this topic, and I enjoyed presenting on the panel (I was received with comments such as “I’d expected to disagree with you, but found we are on the same page” 🤷🏻‍♀️…Only a few micro aggressions from the old white dude crowd—I get them rarely so always an interesting awareness when it happens.)

ANYHOW, check out my presentation on morality! I’m super into it, I hope it feeds some part of your mind and spirit ✨ (This episode is an after-the-fact recording of my presentation, and only features my contribution)

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Carolyn Kerns Carolyn Kerns

Episode 4: Altars

Here are some of my favorite ways and reasons to use Altars, a spiritual practice near and dear to my heart. In this episode I experiment with recording-while-parenting; I have done a lot of work building a wholistic, children-inclusive practice so this fits my model—how is it to listen to? Much love in your journey!

Feb. 28, 2021

What’s the fuss about altars? Let me tell you!

In this episode I experiment with recording-while-parenting and I talk through a few of my favorite ways and reasons to use Altars, a spiritual practice near and dear to my heart.

If you’re interested in my “origin story” (referenced a few times) you can read a bit more about it here in a talk I shared with our local Unitarian Universalist congregation back in 2016.

It was certainly a different vibe for me to record this while my son roamed about; what did you think? I have done a lot of work (you can read this and this to start) building a wholistic, children-inclusive practice so this fits my model—how is it to listen to? Much love in your journey! -Carolyn

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Carolyn Kerns Carolyn Kerns

A Prayer in Chaotic Times - Bonus Track

This moment [insurrection at the Capitol in Washington, DC] calls for community to gather in and seek our way forward together, aligned with our highest values. This prayer is from my very real daily life to you: we are not alone.

On this day (insurrection at the Capitol in Washington, DC) I felt both called to respond and uncertain what to say (apart from the obvious repudiation of lies and violence). This is what came through.

Jan. 7, 2021

This moment calls for community to gather in and seek our way forward together, aligned with our highest values. This prayer is from my very real daily life to you: we are not alone.
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"The Charge of the Star Goddess” has relatively long lineage in Goddess Tradition; shared first by Doreen Valiente and then re-written by Starhawk. This is how I like to pray it.

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Carolyn Kerns Carolyn Kerns

Episode 1: Grounding

In this inaugural episode I offer you one of my favorite daily rituals: a guided meditation through the process of grounding.

Start here, return often!

Welcome! I’m Carolyn—aka Northwoods Witch— a modern Spiritual Health professional practicing the ancient arts of my ancestors: the Goddess path, plant wisdom, herb magic, and Tarot. I offer my clients support in their healing and transformation through potions, readings, and rituals—including spiritual direction.

This is my Village Witchery podcast! It’s dedicated to offering you companionship in the witchy world, whether you are new and learning or seeking synchronicity and a friendly worldview. I talk spiritual practice, social justice, family and thealogy—and anything else that flows from my heart of a morning over a steaming brew! Do you have a question? Ask away, I’d love to hear from you!

In this inaugural episode I offer you one of my favorite daily rituals: a guided meditation through the process of grounding. 

Start here, return often!

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