DON'T READ THIS IF YOU DON'T LIKE SPIDERS

Whilst getting ready for bed last night, I noticed a spider on the carpet and to stop it getting trodden on, I thought I would give it a little nudge with my toe so it would run off to a dark corner - as they normally do. I'm not afraid of spiders and usually let them get on with doing what they like doing best and accept their presence. However, this spider didn't run off, it turned towards my toe with an aggressive stance. I tried the same thing again from it's rear and it again turned to face my toe. I had been expecting it to run off and was taken aback by this behaviour. I then got a pencil and tried the same thing again - it attacked the pencil and bit it, well it would have done had the pencil been soft. I did this again just to check I wasn't imagining things and it again turned to attack the pencil.
By this time I was getting a little freaked out. It wasn't a large spider - no more than 1¼" including legs but it's attitude was a little scary.
A little research needed I thought so, off to trusty old Google having secured the spider under a glass. After trawling through a dozen or more spider photos and descriptions (for definite indentification) I discovered the following:

"....the 'aggressive house spider' or hobo spider (Tegenaria agrestis), is known to bite humans with little provocation. Despite its name, it is rarely seen in houses, preferring sheds, garages, and log piles.
... it is a spider to be avoided. It can and does bite and the poison can cause dizziness and headaches."

I was beginning to wish I hadn't tried to find out more and quite surprised what I was reading. Anyway, I don't like to kill things for no reason so I took "Mr. Hobo Spider" out into the garden and let him go.
I'll certainly be a little more careful in future when dealing with spiders and won't forget this little encounter in a hurry.

TAROT - Myths & Misconceptions

A Tarot deck is a pack of 78 picture cards - yes, that simple. However, the pictures on these cards are worth more than a thousand words - they paint a picture of life. A Tarot deck can also be thought of as a Book of Life but every time you read this book, the pages are rearranged and it tells a different story. Over the years, some strange myths have grown up around Tarot and Tarot reading. However weird and outdated these ideas may seem today, there is often some truth in their origins.
* One of the first Tarot myths encountered is that it is bad luck to buy your own deck - it should be bought for you by someone else. You could wait for ever for this to happen and then it may be one you don't like. Choose and buy your own first deck, examine the images carefully and make sure you can relate to them i.e. don't buy a dragon deck if you are frightened of dragons.
* You have to be psychic to be able to read the Tarot. Many who read the Tarot are psychic and this will lead to a different type of reading but not necessarily a better one. Anyone can learn to read the tarot although, as with anything, some will have more of an aptitude for it than others.
* The Tarot cards must be wrapped in black silk to protect them from "negative forces?" That is entirely up to you although personally I feel that dust and children's fingers may be a greater danger. By all means take the necessary precautions to keep the cards clean and in good condition. They are, after all, your tools.
* Never let anyone else touch your cards. This is another personal choice. In a face to face reading situation it can be beneficial to let the querent (questioner) shuffle the cards in order to impart some of their energies into the deck.
* You should not read your own cards. Some say this is unlucky, I say it can be difficult to read ones own cards objectively. By this I mean it is easy to see what you want to see in your own cards.
* The "Death" card means that someone around you is going to die. Theoretically, this is possible as we are all going to die but it is highly unlikely that this card on its own will prophesise someone's death.
* What the Tarot cards say is always right. Nothing is set in stone - more like written in sand. We all have our free will and the Tarot gives us guidance along with choices that we can make in our lives. It is up to us to choose our paths. If we see something in a reading that we do not like then we have the choice to do something about changing that thing.
* Tarot is evil. Also described as the "Devil's Picture Book". It is human nature to be afraid of something that is not fully understood or what is viewed as threatening. True, some of the images may be a bit scary in some decks but so are some great works of art - they aren't thought of as evil.
At the end of the day, they are your cards for you to do what you wish with them. If performing a ritual before a reading makes you feel better - then do it. Just use your common sense. As long as it harms no one else - do what you wish.