A Description of the Cards

Sacred Space Cards are designed to be used for creating sacred space and doing ritual with a portable set of cards. The deck includes the following collections: Directions, Planets, Astrological Signs, Numbers, Astrological Houses, Candles, Moon Phases, Mandalas, Sacred Elements, Parts of the Self, Tarot Suits, Seasons, I-Ching Trigrams, the Eightfold Path, the Four Noble Truths, Crystal Colors, and Stones.

The Directions

There are seven Direction Cards: North, South, East, West, Above, Below, and Center. They can be used to create a sacred space or altar space and are helpful when you are not at your home altar.

The Planets

On the backs of the Direction Cards are the even Planet Cards. These cards relate to the seven ancient planets and not to all the actual planets of our solar system. The seven cards are: The Sun, The Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. They can be used for astrological readings, to record the placement of planets in signs and houses, or to mark the seasons. The Sun card can be used for solar rituals.

The Astrological Signs

There are 12 Astrological Sign Cards. They are: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. Each contains an image for the sign, a color to represent the four sacred elements, and a small symbol to represent the mode and polarity of each sign. They can be used for astrological readings.

Numbers/Houses

On the backs of the Astrological Signs Cards are the Numbers Cards. The numbers 1 to 12 each have a card and can be related to the 12 astrological houses. Each card also contains a keyword related to the house. These cards can be used for keyword meditations, as a random number generator, for astrological readings, or as a sky map.

Candles

There are four candle cards which contain an unlit candle on one side and the same candle but lit on the other side. These can be used to simulate the lighting of a candle in places where real candles cannot be used. The Candle Cards can also be used as a focus for meditation without risking taking in too much light with a real candle.

Moon Phases

There are 4 Moon Phase Cards to represent the four phases of the moon: full, first quarter (waxing), new, and last quarter (waning). These can be used to represent the current phase of the moon or stages in a cycle. They can also be used for moon rituals.

Mandalas/Noble Truths

On the backs of the Moon Phase cards are 4 Mandala cards. Each can be a focus for concentrated meditation. Each one is also based on geometric shapes that represent the numbers one to four. The number one is represented by a circle, number two is represented by a rectangle, number three is represented by a triangle, and number four is represented by a square. The square mandala is based on a typical Buddhist mandala and contains keywords for the Four Noble Truths of the Buddha.

The Four Noble Truths:

1. All living beings experience suffering.
2. Suffering is caused by desires.
3. Suffering can be diminished by a release of desires.
4. A release of desires can be accomplished through the Eightfold Path.

Sacred Elements

There are 5 Sacred Element Cards. The term sacred elements is to designate the symbolic elements of the ancient Greeks and not the elements found in the Periodic Table of the Elements. The Sacred Elements are: earth, air, fire, water, and spirit. Each element uses a different color

Parts of the Self

On the backs of the Element Cards are the Self Cards. Each represents one of the five representative parts of the self: mind (thoughts), body (sensations), heart (feelings), soul (intuition), and spirit (relationship beyond self). The first four are related to one of the four tarot suits: sword, disk, wand, and cup respectively. They can be used to represent ways of knowing and feeling or focal points of the self. The suits, with the Number Cards, can be used for light tarot readings

The Seasons

There are nine Season Cards. Each represents the four seasons: winter, summer, fall, and spring but divides each into two aspects of rising (waxing) and declining (waning). Each of these eight seasons is labeled with names of the eight pagan sacred days: Yule (winter waxing from the solstice), Imbolc (winter waning), Ostara (spring waxing from the equinox), Beltane (spring waning), Litha (summer waxing from the solstice), Lammas, (summer waning), Mabon (autumn waxing from the equinox), and Samhain (autumn waning). The ninth card is to mark any special day. The cards can be used to mark and celebrate the seasons at the beginning of each solstice and equinox.

The Trigrams/Eightfold Path

On the backs of the Season Cards are eight I-Ching Trigram Cards with keywords that represent each one: receptive earth, arousing thunder, clinging fire, joyous lake, creative heaven, gentle wind, deep water, and still mountain. The ninth card is blank.

The keywords help to illustrate the meaning of each trigram. Single trigram cards can be used for basic I-Ching readings or representations of the changing condition of a thing. More complicated readings can be done by selecting two trigram cards to represent a hexagram. The blank card would represent a repetition of the other card. Readings can inferred by the names of the two cards or a more in-depth reading can be obtained by referring to an I-Ching book.

Each of the eight Trigrams also contains keywords that represent the Buddhist Eightfold Path to enlightenment: right concentration, right vision, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, and right awareness.

The Trigram Cards can be used for I-Ching readings (trigrams and hexagrams), reading current conditions, or as a reminder and meditation guide for the Eightfold Path.

The Crystal Colors

There are nine Crystal Color Cards that contain the image of the face of a crystal in nine different colors: red, yellow, blue, green, orange, indigo, violet, black, and white (clear). The colors can be used in combination with other cards to connect them with specific colors. Each color can also represent particular properties. The first seven cards can be used to represent the chakras.

Possible color properties:

• red = passion
• orange = exploration
• yellow = joy
• green = growth
• blue = calm
• indigo (red purple) = unstable power
• violet (blue purple) = stable power
• black = darkness
• white = lightness

Chakras

• red = root (survival)
• orange = sacral (emotions)
• yellow = solar plexus (will)
• green = heart (compassion)
• blue = throat (expression)
• indigo = third eye (intuition)
• violet = crown (spirituality, consciousness)

The Stones

On the backs of the Color Cards are nine Stone Cards. Each is the same and looks like an ordinary stone in the sand. The Stone Cards can be used to mark a circular space. They can also be used (with Number Cards) to represent the ten sephiroth of the Kabbalah. The Stone Cards can also be used like a set of prayer beads for prayer or meditation or to mark the nine days of a Novena.