Wednesday, November 16, 2016

SEERS AND SAGES: AN INTERVIEW WITH TAROT READER FATHER OF WANDS, AKA SEBASTIAN AKESSON

 Father Of Wands aka Sebastian Akesson at work

Welcome to The Divination Nation blog!

 We are Pleasant Gehman and Crystal Ravenwolf, a duo of divination divas, “spiritual sisters from another mister”. We’re life-long Tarotistas, obsessed with all things esoteric and paranormal. Look for our forthcoming book, “Walking The Tarot Path” in 2017.

 We’ve created this blog to share our knowledge and to connect with the vibrant worldwide metaphysical and paranormal community. We hope it’s as fun for you to read as it is for us to write…Blessings!

  Father Of Wands, aka Sebastian Akesson, is a Tarot reader, numerologist and astrologer.  He’s also somewhat of a celebrity on Instagram, which, not coincidentally, is where we discovered him.  His daily Tarot draws have garnered him thousands of devoted fans because of their gentle depth and  compassionate tone. His interpretations  seem to be consistently spot-on for many, but it is his writing that really weaves a spell.  His  descriptions of each card are heartfelt and complex, full of such beautiful verbiage, it’s hard to imagine that  English is his second language!  He only recently moved from his native Sweden to British Columbia, where he now resides with his new wife, Amanda.

  Here’s what he has to say…Enjoy!

 Divination Nation: Tell us about how you started your spiritual practices-and how long you’ve been reading Tarot, how old were you when you became interested in the metaphysical…were you self-taught, did you have a mentor, or take classes?

 Father Of Wands: Spirituality has been with me since early childhood, I remember saying prayers and praying to God with my mother before bed in my childhood homeland of Sweden. Growing up I pretty much discounted organized religion as an institution developed to control the masses but the seeds of spirituality, which it had planted in me, grew and developed into a strong belief of interconnectedness and the unlimited power of the Universe. As always seeds grow and evolve over cycles of time and between being where I was and where I am now I had time to explore strange lands, both Inner and outer. At times I lost myself along the way, only to rediscover a different me, and finally reaching the stable plateau of Spirituality where I now find myself.

Stumbling upon the Tarot was pure happenstance, I’d actually taken a course in journalism thinking that would be my cup of tea as it was something I’d wanted to do when I was younger. As it turned out it wasn’t even my pot of tea. I started looking for more inspiration, this time in my childhood, and I remembered that I did a stint of work experience in a metaphysical store in my hometown as a teenager. The crystals always fascinated me, the dusty old books intrigued me, and the smell of incense and of course the astrological natal chart the lady prepared for me. An artifact I still happened to have squirreled away at home, some fifteen years after receiving it… At the time of thinking back to those teenage days I lived in Sydney, Australia, and so I looked for any courses in the vicinity of anything to do with the metaphysical. I found a course in learning how to read the Tarot and instantly applied. My teacher and mentor for the year to come was an incredibly nice chap from South Africa who’d lived in Australia for many years. At first I was slightly apprehensive and a bit skeptical but the things he taught us and the things he could discern from the cards were nothing short of amazing. I fell in love with the practice, the aspect of helping people in a tight spot, the Magic of it all. And so began my fascination with everything metaphysical, esoteric and  the interconnectedness of everyone and everything.

I’ve been reading cards and studying the esoteric sciences for three years now and I learn something new every day and every time I read someone’s cards. It’s an incredible journey and one I foresee myself enjoying for the rest of my days…

Divination Nation: How did you decide on the name “Father Of Wands”?

 Father Of Wands: At the time of starting out I was looking for a name which was tied to the tarot, one that would evoke trustworthiness and dynamic power, I looked through the deck and played around with some names before I decided on Father of Wands. It seemed to me that the name was arrived at by part logical deduction and part chance. As I later discovered nothing ever happens by chance, the king of wands, which the name is taken from, is linked to the fifth sephirot on the Tree of Life. The sephirot of Geburah and that’s where my consciousness rests in this lifetime as I’m a ruling number five in numerology.


 DN: You practice many types of divination:  you read cards, do numerology and astrology many types of divination…  what is your favorite, and how do you think they inter-relate?  

  FOW: It’s quite a few different types of divination and I’m always looking to learn new ones to add to my arsenal. I find that every single one of them is interrelated and knowing one adds to the complexity and understanding of another and vice versa. Picking a favorite is difficult as each of them have their own charm and work well in different situations and with different people. What I really love about all of them though is that they all increase my understanding and respect for other people and their situations; they help me see more clearly that we’re all One and in fact not separate beings.


 DN: How do you prepare for your work?

 FOW: Depending on whether it’s an in-person reading or a distance reading I have different rituals but they involve crystals, grounding, lighting candles, burning essential oils and brewing tea. It’s always about creating a comfortable and sacred space for the querent and myself. If I’m doing a numerology or astrology reading I like to prepare and research the day before I see my client.


 DN: You moved from Europe to Canada very recently; have you noticed a difference in the way metaphysical arts are practiced in Europe as opposed to North America?  If so, can you please elaborate on it?

 FOW: I found that spirituality here in North America is very much in your face, it’s become commercialized, a consumer product to sell, with t-shirts and gift shop items aplenty. Back home it’s subtler, and not as mainstream. That’s popular spirituality as a whole. In terms of serious practitioners of different types of spirituality and divination techniques, I find the community to be very welcoming and warm-hearted wherever you go in the world. A wonderful world of magic to be part of!

 DN: What do you love most about your job?

 FOW: I love helping people through difficult times, through blockages and to break repeating patterns of lessons so that they may rise above them to grow and transform. I also love hearing back from my clients, months and even years down the line, telling me about their successes and where they’ve ended up.

 DN: Tell us about what you enjoy doing when you’re not working.

  FOW: I love drinking  (and smelling) new types of tea and coffee. I really enjoy cooking and I love gardening, exploring the biodynamic principles set out by Rudolph Steiner. There is something incredibly satisfying about gardening in accordance to the rhythm of nature and the heavens. And most of all I love hanging out with my best friend, who also happens to be my wife. And our dog Sprite of course…

 DN: Our readers are interested in several types of divination, so would you please share some of your favorite tips and advice for our readers? 

 FOW: In terms of exploring the arts of divination, the best teacher is yourself and your inner voice. Practice and actively tune into your intuition, it’ll be your greatest ally, and not only during sessions but all throughout life. Read that which interests you, remember the information that speaks to you, and discard the rest. Find ways of connecting with your inner child and have fun exploring the metaphysical…

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   Visit Sebastian’s website here: http://www.fatherofwands.com/

 Check out his Instagram feed: @fatherofwands


We’d LOVE to connect with you!
Visit us to book metaphysical and occult workshops, Tarot readings and healings, or to have us come out for a paranormal investigation: https://www.facebook.com/TheDivinationNation?fref=ts
Connect with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TarotAlimah
To find out more about Pleasant or request a reading or healing session, click here: http://pleasantgehman.com/tarot.html
 For more on Crystal’s background, or request a reading or healing session, click here: http://crystalravenwolf.com



Thursday, November 10, 2016

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE NOVEMBER 2016 SUPER MOON




Welcome to The Divination Nation blog!

 We are Pleasant Gehman and Crystal Ravenwolf, a duo of divination divas, “spiritual sisters from another mister”. We’re life-long Tarotistas, obsessed with all things esoteric and paranormal. Look for our forthcoming book, “Walking The Tarot Path” in 2017.

 We’ve created this blog to share our knowledge and to connect with the vibrant worldwide metaphysical and paranormal community. 

We hope it’s as fun for you to read as it is for us to write…Enjoy!



This Monday, November 14, 2016 is the Full Super Moon, a special astronomical event where the Moon is closer to the Earth than it has been in seven decades. In fact, we haven’t seen such a significant Super Moon since 1948, and we won’t again until 2034! The November Full Moon, known as the Cold Moon, will appear 14 percent larger and nearly 30 percent brighter than any “regular” Full Moon.

This unique Full Moon occurs in the sign Taurus, which (thank goodness!) is a grounded Earth sign.   Super Moons are usually emotionally charged, and things have been chaotic lately- especially in America with the election- but once the Moon shifts into Taurus, we will all experience a growing serenity. This calming effect is the practical and steady influence of Taurus. On a mundane level, this Full Moon would be an optimal time for examining   your spending habits and finances… and spiritually, its time to look for “checks and balances” too; this Super Moon is a good time to examine your feelings of self-worth as well as evaluating what you need to feel safe, cared for and emotionally secure.


In general, Full Moon is an optimal time for cleansing and recharging your tools of divination, such as Tarot, Lenormand or Oracle cards, dousing rods, mineral crystals, crystal balls or pendulums. By exposing them to direct moonlight, the Moon will recharge and re-balance them. You can place these objects outside for a Moon bath, or even on a windowsill or tabletop where they’ll get full exposure.
The Full Moon is always a potent time for magic and manifestation.  If you have an altar set up, burn silver or white candles during the Full Moon, making affirmations and setting intentions. Write them down on a piece of paper and sleep with it under your pillow.

 If you’d like to see this gorgeous lunar event at it’s peak, it goes full at 5:52 am Pacific Time- check the exact hour in your time zone. On it’s own in the sky, Luna might not look quite that impressive because there’s nothing to compare it to.  But if it’s viewed when it’s low in the sky and close to the horizon, near buildings or a tree line, it can create an optical illusion, making it appear   absolutely gigantic. 
This is known as a “moon illusion” but it’s still way impressive and satisfying, like an illustration in a vintage fairy tale book.

If you don’t see the Super Moon at it’s peak, remember that the visual beauty and  the overall energy of this Moon will last a day or two before and after the actual event.
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  Crystal and Pleasant: photo  by E.A. Kohan

We’d LOVE to connect with you!
Visit us to book metaphysical and occult workshops, Tarot readings and healings, or to have us come out for a paranormal investigation:
https://www.facebook.com/TheDivinationNation?fref=ts

Connect with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TarotAlimah

To find out more about Pleasant or request a reading or healing session, click here: http://pleasantgehman.com/tarot.html

 For more on Crystal’s background, or request a reading or healing session, click here: http://crystalravenwolf.com








Tuesday, October 25, 2016

HALLOWEEN, SAMHAIN, DIA DE LOS MUERTOS AND THE THINNING VEIL

 Welcome to the Divination Nation blog!
 We are Pleasant Gehman and Crystal Ravenwolf, a duo of divination divas, “spiritual sisters from another mister”. We’re life-long Tarotistas, obsessed with all things esoteric and paranormal.

We’ve created this blog to share our knowledge and to connect with the vibrant worldwide metaphysical  and paranormal community. Watch for our book “Walking The Tarot Path” in 2017.

We hope this blog is as fun for you to read as it is for us to write…Enjoy!
 An antique photograph...back when Halloween was really scary


 The end of October is a magical time, no matter what traditions you believe in. The days are sunny, but there’s  a crisp  charge in the air and colorful leaves on the ground, heralding the coming of winter. As we draw closer to Halloween, the anticipation grows. Some say the veil is thinning, and the spirit  world is thisclose  to our mundane, mortal world.

Though kids have been planning their costumes and trick or treat routes for weeks, October 31st is no longer just a holiday for children. Thanks to voluptuous horror hostess Elvira- and the generation(s) who grew up mesmerized by her-  for decades, Halloween has been celebrated just as  enthusiastically by adults too. But for witches, Wiccans and woo-woo’s  all over the world, this time of the year is so much more than haunted houses, practical jokes, crazy parties and dressing up.

 What the average citizen calls Halloween, neo-pagans celebrate as Samhain- correctly pronounced “saah-win” or “saa-ween” – which is a Celtic Sabbath. The way most pagans see it, the  veil separating realm of the living from  the  dead has grown thinner, and on this most sacred of days, we honor our ancestors, those that have crossed the river before us.

Like the Mexican Dia De Los Muertos or Day Of The Dead, we visit the gravesites of loved ones, cleaning and tending to their burial places, often setting up ancestral altars honoring the lives of our departed. Amidst the flowers are photographs, mementos and offerings left with love for deceased family members, dear friends and well-loved loved fur babies. Many also leave random offerings outside for any lost or wandering spirits, and our dinner tables are carefully and respectfully set with a place( or places) for the dead.

2016  Has been a tough year for many; there has been a lot of loss. Since our beloved David Bowie passed in January, it  seems as though iconic celebrities have been  dropping like flies, too, affecting  the mass consciousness.  Of course, it would be more than appropriate to  set up an altar or a shrine for any or all of these gifted artists.

Samhain also marks the beginning of the  Pagan New Year, so it is a time of reflection. The long  days of winter are soon upon us, and we welcome the darkness and  silence by spending time with our shadow selves, remembering the lessons we have learned. We offer prayers of gratitude for all the blessings we’ve received in the past year.

Now is an optimal time to look back at your life- perusing any journals you’ve kept, photos you’ve taken adventures you’ve experienced.  Consider what you’ve achieved, and also what you wish to accomplish. Because the veil is lifting, Samain is also a wonderful time to seek guidance for the New Year by reading Tarot or Lenormand cards, through Runes, Scrying or any other form of divination you choose.

We love this sacred time of year… and as we prepare our offerings to the loved ones now residing beyond the veil, we wish you a happy-and safe- Halloween, and a fabulous New Year full of bright hope… may your lives be blessed and bountiful!
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 Crystal and Pleasant by Maharet Hughes


 We’d LOVE to connect with you!

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheDivinationNation?fref=ts

Connect with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TarotAlimah

To find out more about Pleasant  or request a reading or healing session,  click here: http://www.pleasantgehman.com/

For more on Crystal’s background, or request a  reading or healing session, click here: http://crystalravenwolf.com