Brigid Bishop on Life, Love and The Art of Living

Need a Fresh Perspective?

2012-02-11T17:08:00Z

Although I certainly appreciate client loyalty and hope that our relationship will continue to grow, I realize that sometimes we just need a second opinion or a fresh perspective on our situations.

I have formed a group of New Readers to Keen and spent today weeding out some of the inactive listings and searching for "New Talent" to invite to join this group.

If you are interested in getting a new perspective in your situation, please consider trying one of the members of my group, New Readers, Fresh Perspectives.

All of the Advisors in this group are relatively new to keen.com and will have less than 5000 points in their ratings but have diverse talents to offer.

I am also looking to recruit New Advisors who are sincerely interested in building a full time career or a steady part time career through helping others here on Keen.com. Please be sure to submit JUST ONE LISTING for membership, all others will be rejected, read the join page to ensure that you are following the instructions correctly. You may not have any listings with over 5000 points to join this group. No Email only listings are accepted.

If you are a New Advisor with less than 5000 points on all of your listings and you are logging in at least once per week to maintain and build your practice you are welcome to submit one listing to the group, please be sure to read the conditions of joining us found on the "Join This Group" page prior to submitting your listing. I do not accept listings that are Email only nor do I accept listings that sell Pay to View emails on their pages as their primary mode of interacting with clients.

Listings that appear inactive for more than three months are removed periodically from the group, I only wish to assist those that are truly dedicated to pursuing this career path and have the gifts to sustain a client base reliably.

I will be hosting a Tarot Reading Class tonight, however I will be available for calls and callbacks this evening if you wish to contact me directly.

If you prefer to work with a more experienced advisor, please visit Trusted by Brigid Bishop to ensure you continue to receive quality advice.

The Newly "BED" Game

Tough Love In the Garden of Eden

Thyme In a Bottle

Why Do People Cheat?

What is Your Power Animal?

Brigid Bishop’s Valentine’s Day Gift Giving Guide to the Zodiac

2012-02-11T17:02:00Z

Brigid Bishop’s Valentine’s Day Gift Giving Guide to the Zodiac

When we give gifts, we usually try to present the recipient with a present that we, ourselves, would appreciate. The key to being a great “presenter” is to give a gift that will appeal to the recipients’ personality and psychological expectations and pleasure centers.

When giving a gift to a lover this Valentine’s Day, if you know what sign their Venus resides in, you should try to provide a gift relative to that sign. If you only know your love’s Sun Sign, then use that for a guide.

Aries

New and shiny and sparkly, reflective, items that look new and reflect back to them! Glass, diamonds, mirrors, etc. are materials that appeal to them. Items that are personalized are very pleasant to them. Red, black and white are their preferred color schemes. Metallic wrapping paper is always a good idea.

Taurus

High quality is more important here than quantity. Textures are very important, clothing must feel good against their skin, soft and silky, pleasing to touch. Tickets to a show are not a good idea as Taureans would rather have an item they can hold onto than an experience to remember, but a gourmet meal at the finest restaurant in the city will work wonders. Flowers make them cry and will be pressed in a special book and saved forever. Colors are pastels and blue.

Gemini

Wrapping won’t matter here, it may not even be noticed! Greens and yellows are there favorite colors and since the entire world around them fascinates them, you can go in just about any gift direction you choose! A collection of little assorted and varied gifts is always a hit, the grab bag effect extends their pleasure. Joke gifts are well received by this sign. Books, books and more books, movies are a popular choice too! Or, the book AND the movie too!

Cancer

Sentimentality at its’ most profound here. Flowery wrapping paper, mushy cards that expound the depths of your feelings for them will be treasured forever. Soft gifts (to the touch) are very pleasing. A comfy, cozy blanket or shirt, warm socks or booties, something that says it will take care of them works wonders. A gift that contains sentimental value to YOU will have them choking up instantaneously, like your favorite childhood stuffed animal. Cancer colors are earth tones.

Leo

Do it big! Even if a tiny present, put it in a big box with a giant bow! They love to be the center of attention so send that singing telegram or the room full of balloons to their office. Make sure it arrives when everyone is around to see how loved they are! Flaming red, blazing orange and dead black are colors that will appeal to them.

Virgo

Think practical. This is what they will appreciate more than anything. Something that is useful in everyday life will tickle their fancy quite nicely. Make it natural, all natural fibers in their clothing, hand woven baskets or gifts from the health food store. Colors are brown, cream, wheat and khaki, humble says it best.

Libra

Cards, cards, cards, many of them to tell them how many different ways you love them! Romance!!! Flowers and jewelry are their favorites. Scented candles, poems, romance, romance, romance! Pastels, pinks, mauves, blues, reds are their colors.

Scorpio

Sexy. Colors are black and blue. The negligee’, the male version of said negligee’, a favorite perfume or aftershave will appeal. Decadent. Chocolate. Think sensual.

Sagittarius

Anything about horses, the book "How to Live Like a Horse" would be an excellent choice here. Anything fun! A fun time, tickets to the circus, lottery tickets, sporting equipment, items to use when traveling, baggy sweaters, take them to a fun party. Colors are purple, royal blue and white.

Capricorn

No matter what it is, make sure it is the BEST of it’s like. Books on how to better oneself, how to get ahead, biographies of the ultra-successful, anything that reeks of success will appeal to them. Green, black and silver are their colors. Items that they can use at work are always popular with them, anything to help them stay organized will be appreciated.

Aquarius

Any Aquarian you know will have some type of current passion, find out what it is, and gift accordingly. Since these passions may change hourly, make sure you wait until right before the holiday to shop for it. Electronic gadgets, puzzles, brain teasers, unusual and hard to find objects, either ultra modern or ancient in nature will all have appeal. Velcro and zippers turn them on. Colors are white, electric blue, yellow and green, and oh, they LOVE stripes!

Pisces

Appeal to their imaginations, put a little magic into their gift. Velvety soft clothing, velvety soft foods, velvety soft wrapping paper and cards will do well. Poetry, mystical books, a psychic reading, an astrology chart will also make them happy. The colors on a peacock feather on the colors for Pisces, and purple. They also tend to like coconuts for some odd reason.

Published Friday, February 08, 2008 4:10 PM by Brigid Bishop

Are You Codependent?

2012-02-11T17:00:00Z

Are You Codependent?

Codependency is a slippery psychological slope. Often times it is hard to differentiate as to whether one is a kind, caring and loving partner or in a codependent state.

How does one know if one is codependent? No one can tell you that you are codependent, you need to work through the identification process on your own. All love affairs and serious relationships have hints of codependency about them, it is a normal and natural part of the loving process to want to help and encourage our partners. The difficulty comes when the boundaries between who is responsible for what blur, codependency has often been described as a “loss of self”.

Here are some factors that may help you to determine whether or not you suffer from codependency.

Caretaking

Codependents tend to feel over responsible for others. They cannot allow anyone to sink or swim, they are the people who continually rescue others. They feel that they are responsible for the feelings, thoughts and actions of others to the degree that they violate personal boundaries on a regular basis. When someone they care for has an issue or problem, the codependent reacts as if the problem is their own. Whether their assistance is sought out or not, the codependent will try to “fix” other people’s problems. Codependents become angry when or if their help is not effective. Codependents will anticipate the needs of others and spend the bulk of their time fulfilling those needs. Codependents harbor resentments because they do not receive the same level of assistance in return from those that they make their lives revolve around.

Low Self Esteem

Codependents tend to come from dysfunctional families and situations, yet at the same time, deny that any dysfunction existed. Codependent persons criticize themselves brutally but cannot accept criticism from others. They regularly reject compliments and praise. They have frequently been the victim of some form of abuse and tend to relish the victim role.

Become Obsessed

Codependent people are overly concerned about other people’s worries and problems and frequently suffer great anxiety over these issues. Worry about slight details is common. Codependents tend to speak about other people rather than themselves, as their focus is always outward, not inward. Codependents regularly check up on other people and have issues with trust, they try to catch people lying or doing hurtful things as they expect to be hurt or betrayed in some way.

Controlling

Backgrounds of codependent people frequently had them live through situations which were very much out of control, therefore, a good deal of the codependent’s energy is spent trying to control other people and their environments. Codependents cannot allow events to happen naturally but must push to move situations in the direction they prefer. When they fail to control people and events, they tend to become very angry and frustrated

Denial

Codependents ignore their own problems or pretend that they aren’t there. They tend to suffer from depression and a myriad of ailments. They can become workaholics, alcohol abusers, self medicate, overeat or spend compulsively.

Dependency

Codependents rely on outside sources for happiness, they cannot be happy in their own skin, they have extreme difficulty being alone.

Poor Communication

Codependents cannot express dissatisfaction or their wants clearly, instead they lie, beg, demand, blame, coerce, threaten and bribe. When these tactics fail, they frequently go into a codependent rage.

Codependent Rage

Because the codependent is unable to express dissatisfaction or displeasure in a timely manner, they frequently allow resentments to build and build until a trigger event, that may be quite minor in nature, sets them into a full-blown rage. Codependents can become extremely angry and even violent while in this state, everything that has been boiling inside them, sometimes for years, will explode during these outbursts. Issues that have long since past or been resolved are brought up as if they happened just yesterday.

If any of these qualities sound like you or someone you know, you may well be dealing with codependency issues.

Coping With Codependency

The first step in dealing with codependency is to understand and accept that you cannot control other people. You must learn that the only person that you can control is yourself. You must learn to set clear boundaries between your own responsibilities and the responsibilities of others. In learning to let go of the urge to fix everything and everyone you can begin to lead a happier, more relaxed life.

Whenever something is upsetting you, you can try this little exercise.

Write down why you are upset, in detail. Write down what you can do about it, what can you really do to change the situation? If there is a solution, start working on it, but, if it turns out that there is nothing that you, personally can do to change the situation there is only one thing that you can do and that is accept the situation for what it is, and let go.

Do this each and every time that you get upset and you will begin to see that you may be wasting a lot of your emotional and psychological energy on episodes that are totally beyond your control. In disciplining yourself to analyze situations this way, you will begin to recognize those issues that you cannot influence and find, over time, that you are becoming upset less and less frequently.

If Brigid is Unavailable to Take Your Call, Please Try These Well Qualified Advisors to Ensure You Continue to Receive Quality Guidance!

Get Your Copy of Brigid Bishop's Latest Book, "The Dating Game, Insights Into Affairs of the Heart " Today! Available at Fine Booksellers Everywhere!

Start Making Your Relationships Work For You!

So He Left His Wife, Now What? An Excerpt From My Book "The Dating Game"

2012-02-10T21:00:00Z

He Left His Wife! Now What?

by Brigid Bishop

Ok, you had been in the midst of a fairly serious affair with this married man. You survived all of the mayhem as discussed in my blog Cheating and Affairs and now you think you’re troubles are over.

Stop.

This is not the end of your problems, it is just a new set of challenges.

There are two ways that this situation can go. Let’s explore both of them.

Scenario One

The married man you love has left his wife and your relationship is still “iffy”.

Scenario Two

The married man you love has left his wife and he is making definitive plans for a future with you.

In Scenario One you may be dealing with a man who has spent years in an unwanted marriage, and although the time you had together may have had it’s good points, and you may have thought that he loved you, he may feel that he has been living his life in a very restrictive manner and the divorce now gives him the freedom to live as truly single again.

Your relationship with him may start to suffer. He may blame you for his divorce, pick fights for no reason, cheat on you, or outright leave you.

Some men, when they divorce, get a feeling of “out of the frying pan and into the fire” and they will never commit to the woman that they were with when they left their marriage. This happens in about 50% of the cases I have worked with when the man does exit his marital commitment.

Many times the catalyst to the breakup of the affair in question is the pressure that the woman who has been waiting for years applies to the man to progress the relationship. The woman may feel that she has spent more than enough time waiting for this to be real, and now that he is “free”, he should immediately commit to her.

The man in question, as stated, may need a period of time to spread his wings, sow his wild oats again, and you, the woman in waiting, may find that not only is your waiting not over, but the relationship itself may be falling to pieces just when you thought your dreams were coming true.

In some cases, this stage, or breakup, may only be temporary, however, more often than not, this is when the affair loses its’ appeal and things start riding the highway to hell.

Scenario Two

Your married man left his wife with the explicit intention of building a life with you, and he has made that very clear to you.

Good for you. Now, perhaps, you believe that you can really start your relationship for real and that you can have a fresh start.

Although this scenario, rare as it is, can initially be a very happy one for the two of you as a couple, you’re not out of the woods yet.

First of all, there may well be a very difficult (and expensive) divorce proceeding for your married man to contend with. Child custody battles, drawn out settlement negotiations are common. Divorces of this type are usually much more vindictive than any other type of divorce because of the involvement of the third party (you), no one likes to be cheated on, and your married man’s soon to be ex may be trying to hurt him in any way(s) she can to punish him for cheating.

Even worse, the soon-to-be ex-wife is even more hurt and angry because if she is aware that he intends to build a future with you, he has moved on very quickly and that stings. No one likes to be replaced, especially before they are “gone”. So be prepared for a nasty divorce battle.

Now, there is his family to contend with. Do you actually believe that his children and his parents are going to welcome you with open arms? To be realistic, the children may very well hate you for the rest of their lives for disrupting their home life. Even if it wasn’t happy, and the parents were fighting a lot, it was the “norm” and their dad was a part of their day-to-day living, and now you “took him away”. They are likely to resent you big time. If the ex-wife is particularly vindictive, she will poison the children in many ways against you and probably against him too. This does not make for a happy foundation for a blended family.

Finances may be difficult for a long time to come when the divorce is over. He will likely have child support and possibly alimony as well, so you will have to continue to contribute to the financial stability of your pairing, more so than if this situation did not exist. Be aware that you may begin to resent the additional financial burdens that the ex-wife and children present, the younger the children, the longer you are restricted.

He may still be required to live a separate life when it comes to his children. To keep peace he may have to keep his relationship with his children separate from you, it happens very often, so keep your fantasies of a happy blended family to a minimum.

His parents may or may not accept you, it will depend upon your individual circumstances, so again, you may feel like you are still an outsider.

You will also need to be concerned about joint assets. Suppose he moves into the home you already own and you marry. Be sure you have a will defining how your assets will be distributed. What if you have children as well, if you die first and do not define who the house goes to in your will, your now-husband will inherit it automatically, and then when he passes on who gets it? Your kids? His kids? You must look at the situation realistically to protect yourself as well as any children you have on your own.

As time goes on, the situation may improve, children grow up, exes move on, people adapt, but be aware that these are just a few of the challenges you may face when you enter into this volatile situation.

People fall in and out of love all of the time. Your situation is not unusual to say the least, but it is more challenging in the obstacles and pressures that come your way due to the way that it began. Keep that in mind.

This content may not be copied or reproduced in any way without the express written permission of the author. You are welcome to link to or bookmark this page, but please contact the author via Keen Mail if you wish to reproduce this article in whole or in part.

On The Outside Looking In

Brigid Bishop Relationship Coach

Have You Read Brigid Bishop's Classic Blogs?

The Newly "BED" Game

Tough Love In the Garden of Eden

Thyme In a Bottle

Why Do People Cheat?

What is Your Power Animal?

The Bridal Bouquet

(This Article Contains Links to More Wedding Rituals and Myths)

Independence, Codependence and Interdependence

Premarital Ponderings at 2 a.m.

On The Outside Looking In

Doing The Relationship Limbo?

Be Careful What You Wish For!

Relationships From All Angles, The Geometry of Relationships

He Chased Me 'Til I Caught Him

Visit Brigid Bishop

HAVE YOU PICKED UP YOUR COPY OF "THE DATING GAME" YET? A must read no matter what your relationship status.

Look for it online and at fine book stores EVERYWHERE! Ask for it by name!

The Dating Game
Insights Into Affairs of The Heart
Authored by Brigid Bishop

Social networking sites, cell phones, texting, online chat and dating make it easier for us to access each other, but more difficult to form solid emotional bonds.

The 21st Century has life and relationships moving at a pace never before realized in earlier cultures. People are plugged in and connected on a 24/7 basis, yet, many still struggle with establishing healthy relationships.

The Dating Game provides insights into modern relationships and provides the reader with strategies for coping with dating, breaking up, affairs, divorce and codependency issues.

Find dating tips and relationship strategies that will help you build the healthy connections you want and begin making your relationships work for you.

Written with a sense of humor and true understanding of what the single person is facing today.

Closure is Not a Gift

2012-02-10T20:59:00Z

Closure is Not a Gift

At least once per day, usually much more frequently, I receive calls from clients asking about exes from whom they wish to be "given closure".

Sometimes it is a freshly broken relationship and quite understandable that they would like to have a logical and mature discussion with the ex as to why the relationship failed, in order to learn from the experience and begin the process of moving on.

There are some clients, however, who are looking to be "given closure" for situations and relationships that are ancient history, perhaps having ended many months or even years ago. These clients tend to be stuck, they are unable to move forward into new relationships, forgoing any opportunities for moving on by waiting and wondering if they will ever "get closure".

They focus on wondering if their ex partner ever thinks about them, how they feel about them, even when the ex partner is obviously involved with someone new! They live in constant anticipation, regardless of how much time has passed, of the old flame making contact and some how, some way, "giving" them the "closure" that they need to move forward.

This is not only unrealistic, it is down right unhealthy. I find that the clients who have this insatiable need for the "gift of closure" are harboring the hope that the ex will see what a mistake they made and return to the failed relationship.

Some actually believe that unless they are "given closure" the relationship still has a chance of resurrecting itself, even if years have gone by.

Closure is not something you are given. it is not a gift.

Yes, some relationships do end with some very clear and defined energies of closure, most have been very long-term and committed in nature, such as marriages and engagements where social expectations are high, but clear-cut closure is the exception in relationships, not the rule. Closure is something that you TAKE.

In most cases, closure is an experience that you go through alone, not with your ex, but alone.

How do you "take" your closure?

There are many ways to do so.

Closure is simply an acceptance that the relationship you once had is now over. You are no longer partners. You are once again two separate entities who are now free to look for a more compatible partner. Closure requires letting go. Some people "take" their closure once their ex becomes involved with a new love, some take their closure after a month or two of no contact and no attempted reconciliation occurs, some take their closure when they meet someone new and feel a true interest in moving forward with the new person, everyone is different.

The people who never receive closure are the people who sit around waiting for their ex to "give" it to them. They surrender all of their power to an ex who has most likely taken their own closure quite some time ago, waiting for that "gift of closure" that never comes, from an ex who is long gone.

If you would like closure to your situation, reach out and take it, that's the only way to get it. It's all about acceptance. Accept the change that has occurred, you are not half of a couple, you are an independent individual and you can move forward, you don't need your ex recounting all the reasons the relationship failed to you. Will hearing your ex say "It's not you it's me" or "We grew apart" or "We fought too much" or "I just don't want to be in a relationship right now" really make you feel better? Will it make any more sense to you?

Does knowing with a certainty exactly why your relationship failed make it any easier to move on? Perhaps, but waiting months or years for a "gift" that never comes is just wasting your time and energy. In my experience, those who have an actual "closure" discussion rarely find comfort in it, it leaves them trying to argue the point/counter points of the relationship with the ex rather than freeing them to move on.

Instead look at it this way, we had a relationship, it did not work, think of the positives and negatives of that particular partnership and learn from them. Take the good into your next experience and leave the bad behind. Take you closure and move on! The sooner you do, the happier you will be.

If Brigid is Unavailable to Take Your Call, Please Try These Trusted Advisors to Ensure You Continue to Receive Quality Guidance!

Get Your Copy of Brigid Bishop's Latest Book, "The Dating Game, Insights Into Affairs of the Heart " Today! Available at Fine Booksellers Everywhere!

Start Making Your Relationships Work For You!

Self Forgiveness, a Path to Inner Peace

2011-12-29T00:51:00Z

Self Forgiveness, a Path to Inner Peace

by Brigid Bishop

Guilt is a heavy burden to carry around.

We have all done wrong in our lifetimes, not one among us is without "sin", but do you let your past mistakes and transgressions haunt you, or are you able to forgive yourself and let go?

If you lay in bed at night and think of the past and a painful memory of something you did that caused another pain surfaces, are you able to look beyond it and get some rest that night or do you ruminate, run it through your head over and over and build that sick feeling in the pit of your abdomen, robbing yourself of sleep.

Few of us are able to forgive ourselves easily. The narcissist is likely the only personality type that has no issue with self forgiveness as they are only concerned with when others will seek their forgiveness, as they can only see how others hurt them.

Barring the fact that we suffer from a narcissistic personality, how do we begin to forgive ourselves and lay our past sins to rest?

First, we must acknowledge that we have done wrong, project ourselves into the emotions of the person or persons we may have knowingly or unknowingly damaged (and this includes ourselves). Allow yourself to empathetically feel the pain that they may have felt and acknowledge to ourselves that it was wrong to put another human being into that state of emotional distress.

We do not try to justify our actions is any way, we simply feel their pain.

Now, we look at what we could have or should have done differently given that situation were to be duplicated. Odds are that in retrospect we have gained much clarity and can see how perhaps a different course of action or no action at all would have been a better path.

We are not looking for excuses for our poor behavior, however, we should look at the person we were at the time the incident occurred and compare it to the person we are now. We may want to gain some psychological insight into our behavior by considering our state of mind, our age, our level of intent to cause harm, our emotional state and so forth, remember, we are not trying to justify our actions, we are simply trying to gain an understanding of them.

Once we are clearly able to identify the dynamics of the incident we must allow ourselves to heal, yes heal, guilt damages us from the inside just as much as outside influences affect us when inflicted in a negative way.

Now that we have accepted our wrongdoing and understand it a little better, we can forgive ourselves and let go, bringing ourselves to true "Inner Peace". We can look back, see the error of our ways, and move forward without our burden of guilt holding us back emotionally or psychologically.

It need not matter whether the person or persons we have harmed forgive us from the outside, at times, others may need to hold onto their anger. What matters is that we have forgiven ourselves.

Are You Having Problems Contacting Brigid Bishop?

Is so, Please Read!

I will be available for calls this evening, Thursday, 9/4/08.

Please try the wonderful advisors in my group

if you cannot wait for my return,

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Thank You!

What Women Want

*Brigid Bishop, often imitated, never duplicated*

"Uncloaking the Tarot" Now Available! Learn to Read Tarot Cards!

2011-12-20T03:02:00Z

UPDATE: "My latest book "Uncloaking the Tarot" and it's companion workbook "Uncloaking the Tarot, Workbook Companion and Tarot Journal" are available for purchase at fine book sellers everywhere!

The titles have recently arrived in bookstore, and available at Amazon!

So if you've ever wanted to learn to read tarot cards for yourself, or if you'd like to go deeper into understanding the symbolism of the tarot, look for my book! This book and workbook set also makes a great Christmas present!!! There are two versions of the book available, black and white, and full color."

Okay, so a lot of people on the internet are interested in the Tarot........and a lot of people just don't understand it, it's shrouded in mystery and superstition..........

I have been using this tool for nearly all of my life and let me explain something about Tarot......it is not a dark tool, it does not open doorways that let demons come in.........it is not going to put a dark spot on your soul.....

The Tarot was developed based on the Archetypical Symbolism on the Human Condition. It is basically a Soul's Journey through this lifetime, and although you can use The Tarot for divinatory purposes (predicting the likely future outcome) of a situation.......it is not written in stone.

The Tarot is best used for personal growth and self-development.

The Major Arcana contain the twenty-two Archetypical Images of the Soul's Journey through Life, they are seeped in symbolism........combining the symbolism of many, many other esoteric systems. When you look at any ONE card, you are looking at a Qabbalic Meaning, a Numerology Meaning, an Astrological Meaning........the Colors need to be interpretted....there is so much DEPTH to any ONE card that study of the Tarot can last a lifetime. (I know).

Let's explore the word ESOTERIC. The Tarot is ESOTERIC as it was developed to have "hidden meanings", so that not everyone would or could understand the deck. It was developed by monks, as a SPIRITUAL tool......and only these cloistered scholars knew the true meanings of the cards. They were a politically charged issue and were hidden deep within the confines of our traditional religions. They carry with them the "Lifeprint" of the Human Condition.

So, it came to be that the Tarot was surrounded by mystery and awe, hence, the title of my book "Uncloaking The Tarot". My personal mission in life is to introduce the New Age to the General Public, and have the general population gain a better understanding of these arts.

My book was born when I got SOOOOO Irritated with those old "Miss Cleo" commercials........she was such a psychic fraud, feeding psychic junkies all over the country, it made me sick.

So, I wrote my book in order to try to get people to truly understand what the cards are meant for.

The best and highest use of the cards is to use them for your own Spiritual Growth........how well are you learning the 78 Lessons of the Tarot as you pass through time, are you learning and growing, or are you repeating past mistakes over and over and over.

Fortunately for you, I have made just about every mistake known to womankind (and mankind) and have understood the Tarot well enough to limit my repetitions of the same mistakes, and I can help you understand yourself and your relationships better (with or without the use of Tarot).

Updated: November 2011.

After over a decade of professional reading, I pulled out the book "Uncloaking the Tarot" that I wrote ten years ago and EXTENSIVELY rewrote and revised it, as, you see, in the past decade, MY interpretations of the Tarot have grown and expanded as well.

I am currently finishing the final editing process of the book and expect to release it soon, hopefully before Thanksgiving, and I would like to strongly recommend to anyone, novice, intermediate, or professional level of reader, that they pick up a copy of this text to add to their own understanding of the tarot.

As stated, you never STOP seeing more and more messages in the Tarot, your interpretations can only expand if you continue to study.

I have also produced a Workbook Companion to help you to go through the cards one by one to build on your interpretations. The workbook contains a Tarot Journal as well, where you can record your readings, and follow up with what your actual results are, it is entitled "Uncloaking the Tarot Workbook Companion and Tarot Journal". This book is already available at Amazon and is beginning to populate bookstores now. The workbook can be used with ANY 78 card Tarot deck, although the text is written and illustrated with the Universal Waite Tarot, the deck I recommend for beginner and novice readers.

Using this book to interpret your cards and learn Tarot is just like having a professional reading by me. I do hope that readers of this blog will seek it out and add it to their New Age Libraries!

Brigid Bishop’s Holiday Gift Giving Guide to the Zodiac

2011-12-20T02:47:00Z

Brigid Bishop’s

Holiday Gift Giving Guide to the Zodiac

When we give gifts, we usually try to present the recipient with a present that we, ourselves, would appreciate. The key to being a great “presenter” is to give a gift that will appeal to the recipients’ personality and psychological expectations and pleasure centers.

When giving a gift to a lover this Holiday Season, if you know what sign their Venus resides in, you should try to provide a gift relative to that sign. If you only know your love’s Sun Sign, then use that for a guide.

Aries

New and shiny and sparkly, reflective, items that look new and reflect back to them! Glass, diamonds, mirrors, shiny ornaments, etc. are materials that appeal to them. Items that are personalized are very pleasant to them. Red, black and white are their preferred color schemes. Metallic wrapping paper is always a good idea.

Taurus

Gemini

Cancer

Sentimentality at its’ most profound here. Flowery wrapping paper, mushy cards that expound the depths of your feelings for them will be treasured forever. Soft gifts (to the touch) are very pleasing. A comfy, cozy blanket or shirt, warm socks or booties, something that says it will take care of them works wonders. A gift that contains sentimental value to YOU will have them choking up instantaneously, like your favorite childhood stuffed animal. Cancer colors are earth tones.

Leo

Virgo

Libra

Scorpio

Sexy. Colors are black and blue. The negligee’, the male version of said negligee’, a favorite perfume or aftershave will appeal. Decadent. Chocolate. Think sensual.

Sagittarius

Capricorn

Aquarius

Pisces

Visit Brigid Bishop to Find Out How Things Look!

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Have you picked up your copy of "Uncloaking the Tarot" yet? An excellent course in Tarot, suitable for novice, intermediate and professional reader alike. Available at fine bookstores everywhere!

Hey Jude! The Patron Saint of "Lost Causes"

2011-11-26T00:26:00Z

Hey Jude!

The Patron Saint of "Lost Causes"

by Brigid Bishop

Desperate times may call for desperate measures, but please, do not fall prey to those who may be unscrupulous.

In today’s economic climate, it is of no surprise to me that many of my clients are experiencing extreme difficulties. Financial stress can weigh so heavy upon us at times like these that we fear losing our homes, possibly being unable to provide for our loved ones, and at times, have difficulty securing employment.

These extreme stressors can cause serious relationship problems and health issues inclusive of, but not limited to depression.

Some folk, in desperation, may fall prey to those that offer a “quick fix” by trying to market them spells and magickal cures to solve their problems. As I have written in my previous blog, “Magick is NOT Magic!”, a spell is nothing more than a very powerful, heartfelt prayer and is most effective when done by oneself and within the boundaries of the religious dogmas that they are familiar with.

In times of struggle many Catholic Christians call upon Saint Jude for help. This prayer, in effect, is a “Catholic Spell” or “Catholic Ritual” and you may find yourself more comfortable saying this prayer if you are a Christian, than calling on the deities of a Pagan Religion.

The Apostle Saint Jude Thaddeus is "The Miraculous Saint," the Catholic Patron Saint of "lost causes" and "cases despaired of." When all other avenues are closed, he is the one to call upon, and his help often comes at the last moment.

He was one of the Disciples of Jesus, he is distinguished by the fact that he often wears and holds a golden metal pendant of the type carried by people seeking his aid. Additionally, in some images of Saint Jude, there is a small flame atop his head, signifying the Baptism by Fire (also known as the Baptism of the Holy Ghost) which was received by the Disciples of Jesus at Pentecost.

Saint Jude is one whose aid is sought when all hope is lost, especially in grave health matters and life and death situations. It is customary to make a vow that if he helps when called upon, one will publish a notice of thanks in the newspaper. Thus there often appear in the personals column of newspaper classified ads notices to this effect.

The typical wording is a terse, "Thank you, St. Jude." or "St. Jude, I thank you for your intercession in response to my prayers." Each one of those notices represents a prayer that was answered by Saint Jude. This magnifies the saint's name and gives hope to those who read the notice and realize that they too may find, through Saint Jude, the help they sorely need.

PRAYER TO SAINT JUDE

Oh Most Holy Apostle,

St. Jude,

faithful servant and friend of Jesus,

People honor and invoke you universally,

as the patron of hopeless cases,

of things almost despaired of.

Pray for me, for I am so helpless and alone.

Please help to bring me visible and speedy assistance.

Come to my assistance in this great need that I may receive the consolation and help of heaven in all my necessities,

tribulations, and sufferings,

particularly (state your request)

and that I may praise God with you always.

I promise,

Oh Blessed St. Jude,

to be ever mindful of this great favor,

to always honor you as my special and powerful patron,

and to gratefully encourage devotion to you by publishing this request.

Amen.

I hope that my Christian brothers and sisters out there who choose to utilize this powerful novena will find success with it and that you find this ritual brings you some peace and faith in God.

Blessings.

Brigid Bishop

New Listing at a Reduced Price for Limited Time!

2011-11-21T22:35:00Z

I have just created a new listing and to establish it in it's category I am offering a special price, just 3.99 per minute, for a limited time!

See Dick Run

2011-11-20T19:00:00Z

See Dick.

See Jane.

Jane sees Dick.

Dick sees Jane.

Dick asks Jane out.

See Dick and Jane having fun.

See Dick and Jane kiss good-night.

See Jane.

Jane sees her phone.

Jane wants her phone to ring.

Jane is impatient.

See Jane pick up the phone and call Dick.

See Dick run.

See Jane.

See Jane call Brigid Bishop at Keen.com.

See Jane ask why Dick is running.

See Brigid.

See Brigid say, "Jane, be patient. We can still work with this".

See Jane learn.

See Jane.

See Jane run.

See Dick see Jane run.

Dick sees his phone.

Dick sees Jane running.

Dick realizes Jane is cool.

See Dick call Jane.

See Jane smile.

Any questions?

For Further Insight Read:

"He Chased Me Until I Caught Him!"

Brigid Bishop's Little Book of Magick Spells, A Guide to 21st Century Magick, Releasing December 2011

2011-11-19T02:31:00Z

Forward to My Next Book,

Releasing December 1, 2011

"Brigid Bishop's Little Book of Magick Spells, A Guide to 21st Century Magick" is currently being completed and scheduled to release by December 1, 2011. Simple spells and rituals that you can do yourself to initiate communication, find and keep love, locate lost objects and more! Look for it in December!

What is a Spell? Magick is NOT Magic!

Abracadabra! I will create as I speak!

That is the actual ancient Aramaic translation of the word.

Many who belong to "mainstream" religions have a view of the Magickal religions that is so skewed I feel it necessary to post a little educational information for you.

First of all, let's talk about SPELLS!

What is a spell?

A spell is a very emotionally charged incantation, often accompanied by ritual practices such as candle burning and incense burning, that is done by an individual to achieve their goals and satisfy their desires. It is usually poetic in nature and those who follow the Magickal Paths believe that their Deities appreciate the rhythm of the spells' flow and will grant more readily if the spell is well performed, sincere.

What is a prayer?

A prayer is a very emotionally charged incantation, often accompanied by ritual practices such as candle burning and incense burning, that is done by an individual to achieve their goals and satisfy their desires. It is usually poetic in nature and those who follow the Religious Paths believe that their Deities appreciate the rhythm of the prayers' flow and will grant more readily if the prayer is well performed, sincere.

Do all spells work? No.

Do all prayers work? No.

Can anyone guarantee a spell? No.

Can anyone guarantee a prayer? No.

Magick is not magic, it is not Abracadabra! Your Lover Returns.

If you are from a mainstream religion and curious about spells, it is in your best interest to stick to the prayers (rituals) of your own religion to try to manifest your desires, as your energy and your belief systems will be in tune.

If you are not from a Magickal Religion, and you still wish to try to do spell work, remember, Spells are nothing more than powerful prayers, there are no guarantees, but focusing your energy on your spellwork is empowering in the sense that it makes you feel that you are taking control of a situation that you otherwise have no control over.

I was raised Catholic, and I am still a Christian, I have studied spells in depth and realized that the Catholic Religion is filled with spells and rituals, I just never understood it. When you light a candle in a church for someone, that is a spell. It makes sense as Christianity did evolve from the pagan cultures of the ancients, so there is a lot of overlap.

If you wish to learn about spells, how to do them, how to customize them, how to manifest with your own personal energy those things you want, I can teach you about it if you call me, but I DO NOT perform spells FOR people like you see advertised elsewhere, that would be like canvasing people to pay you to pray for them. It's just not my cup of tea. I will teach you anything you wish to know, help you compose your spells or even sell you via pay to view email information on how to compose them or perform them, but I strongly recommend that you stick to the faith that you are comfortable with and utilize the magick contained in your own religious system.

Bright Blessings!

Brigid Bishop

Don't Forget to CHECK OUT THESE GREAT READERS!!!!

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Stop, Drop and Roll!

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Where Did The Devil Come From?

Timing and the Tarot

2011-11-19T01:37:00Z

Tarot Tips by Brigid Bishop: Timing and the Tarot

When? When? When?

The most difficult skill in interpreting tarot is pinning down time. Many querents fail to realize that the timing of events is static to begin with, many factors can change or “adjust” the timing of predictive readings.

The first and foremost factor that affects timing is any action that is taken by the querent that was not premeditated at the time the reading was given. For instance, the most common question asked is “When will he/she contact me next?”

We do a spread and it looks like a one week to ten day period. First of all, in the divulging of timing, if I say “one week to ten days”, it may actually be day ELEVEN that the contact occurs in, I am NOT a pinpointed timing reader. Anyway, we get a read with this timeframe and the querent gets “antsy” and picks up the phone, calls and leaves a voicemail or sends a text……the Free Will of the querent has changed the situation and the reading is no longer valid. Yes, at times, taking the bull by the horns like this may push things to happen more quickly, but, more often than not, it pushes things back. (See my blog on Masculine and Feminine Energies for more info): The Dating Game, Exploring Masculine and Feminine Energies

Anyway, to calculate timing in a reading, I use a combination of several different methods. First of all, I generally use a spread that divulges timing based on the position of the cards. The positions give me a “guesstimate” of the timing. We have positions that include, but are not limited to, one to two weeks, three to six weeks, three to six months, and six months to a year. The cards themselves relate to timing as well, certain cards indicate immediate action, certain cards are passive and hint at delay, etc. Where they land in the spread aids in the interpretation of “when”.

I also take into consideration the parochial version of tarot, which assigns Wands to Spring, Cups to Summer, Swords to Autumn and Pentacles to Winter, and then, secondarily, the Aces are the first week, the Twos are the second week and so on, this is taken into consideration as well.

The general intuitive or “psychic” interpretation I get when looking at the spread as a whole is also a key factor in calculating timing.

There is also a method that I can use, but rarely do over the phone unless the querent requests it (it is not “quick” and you are paying by the minute, so I only perform upon request). This is where they want to count off the days or weeks or months until an event. The question is asked, such as “How many days until he calls?”, I shuffle and cut and begin flipping over and counting out the cards until I hit an Ace, that is your answer. Obviously, there are 78 cards in the deck, and the first Ace could possibly be card number 74, this is not a quick method when reading by phone, but if requested, I will perform it for you.

So, calculating timing is a complex process and it is very difficult to pinpoint to an “exact” day. Usually, in my readings, if I see an event in days, I am only off by a day or two, if I see it in weeks, it may vary by a week or two, if I see the answer in months, it may vary by a month or two, but the event will ultimately happen, it’s just difficult to pin down, it’s like sticking your hand into a bucket of water and wanting the hole to remain after you pull your hand out……water seeks its’ own level, and events happen in their own time, I can give you my best estimate through Tarot, but I do not claim to be exact.

Generally, the closer in the event is, the more clearly it comes up in the cards, and the more "exact" the timing is.

Please be sure to visit Brigid Bishop to receive an ethical and professional tarot consultation.

Learn How To Choose the Right Advisor for YOU

Tarot Tips: When Will?

Understanding Your Past Life Connections and Memories

2011-11-10T19:07:00Z

Understanding Your Past Life Connections and Memories

Do you know how to determine a Past Life Connection?

I have two that come up very, very strongly for me.

I have always been drawn to the historical period of the Civil War and have also had a fascination with slavery in the Americas. In being drawn to this subject matter and working metaphysically in analyzing this interest, I have found that in one of my recent past lives I was a former slave who escaped bondage and became involved in the Abolitionist movement prior to the beginning of the Civil War.

How do I know this? Well, ever since I was a young child I was always drawn to the subject and felt comfortable within its’ parameters. Reading any works published in that time frame brought me a sense of familiarity and déjà vu, none of the descriptives brought me any “new” information, it was like nostalgia for me, as if I was returning home. Even as an adult, where my reading encompassed the brutalities of the era, I was not shocked or horrified, dismayed yes, but they were more like memories than histories to me.

Understanding the culture of the time was an innate characteristic within, not something learned.

Through Astrological Analysis, Remote Viewing and Tarot Reading I deciphered these feelings into actual Past Life Memories and came to understand that I escaped slavery in that life time and worked diligently to help others find their way to freedom.

The other exceedingly strong memory of a past existence, and subsequently an obsessive study of culture, is that of a Geisha. I always felt that the Japanese women were among the most beautiful and enchanting in the world, but at the same time, I had a strong aversion to Japanese men (no offense intended), what I found during my study of the culture of the time and tapping into these Past Life Memories was that I, at a very young age, was sold into the world of Geisha and subsequently lived out my life in that culture. Not all of the memories were pleasant, I tapped into a startling memory where I was beaten by a man while in training, hence my previously stated aversion.

I actually discovered this past life memory quite by accident when, again, I picked up the book “Memoirs of a Geisha” by Arthur Golden, and, again, felt as if I was reliving my own existence. Again I analyzed it Astrologically and through Tarot and Remote Viewing, and again, I tapped into a previous existence. I proceeded to consume all of James Clavell’s novels, including but not limited to Shogun and Gai Jin, and felt as if I had an innate understanding of the situations and culture.

To tap into your Past Life Memories, consider what historical eras and which cultures either strongly attract or repel you, start there, how much is familiar by rote and how much is new to you? If you feel like you are revisiting your own past, you may very well have come upon a previous existence of your own.

To read more about past life experiences, please read view my keen blog on Astrology Calculating Soul Mate Connections With Astrology and also my keen blogs on Soul Mates, http://www.keen.com/CommunityServer/UserBlogPosts/Brigid_Bishop/Soulmates-Return/124921.aspxfound under the Relationship Coach Category.

The Beauty of "Surrender"

2011-11-08T19:09:00Z

In today's world we have more leisure time than ever to focus on achieving our individual goals. We work hard, we use all of our time and energy chasing the rainbows we have established for ourselves. These rainbows can be careers, relationships, family matters, material possessions or just about anything we set our sights on and value.

This is good. This is productive. This is healthy.

HOWEVER, sometimes we get so caught up in any one particular rainbow that we fail to see that no matter how focused we are in our pursuit, that rainbow always seem to elude us.

Frequently, this rainbow comes in the form of a relationship. Perhaps it is someone we once loved and have lost and are hoping for their return. We put all of our energy and focus into when will that love once again reach out to us, when will that love leave their current partner, when will that love come back to me? Maybe it's someone that we have been interested in for a long time but for whatever reason, we haven't been able to move from the plateau of "friends" to the higher level of "partners". We focus on what they may like or want from us, we make ourselves readily available to them and we live in a perpetual state of hope.

These are just two examples of when we need to learn the lesson of "Surrender".

Surrender does not mean that we just "give up" and move on. Surrender is synonymous with the word "Faith".

When we surrender, we are telling The Universe, ok, it's not working my way, I have FAITH that you, (The Universe), will have this situation work out to benefit my highest good, so I am going to let go of trying to control this situation and take care of myself. I am going to place this issue in your hands and pray that in your infinite wisdom, you will see fit to adjust this situation to the best possible outcome. I accept if it is not meant to be, but I have FAITH that you will choose what is best for me.

We then trust that our Higher Power, The Universe at large, will set things right for us. We move on, we let go. We accept the things that we cannot change, which may be letting go of a preferred partner. We stop waiting and wondering if our relationship with them will manifest or heal and move forward and focus on ourselves.

There is nothing wrong with being hopeful that someday things may change, but we can't focus on it. We accept that the situation is not changing to our liking and we surrender our will and stop trying to force a square peg into a round hole.

If we truly can do this, we will find much inner contentment and peace and we are no longer filled with anxiety. That sick feeling in the pit of our stomach goes away. We have peace of mind and an inner calm that no one can disrupt.

That is the "Beauty of Surrender".

HAVE YOU PICKED UP YOUR COPY OF "THE DATING GAME" YET? A must read no matter what your relationship status.

Look for it online and at fine book stores EVERYWHERE! Ask for it by name!

The Dating Game
Insights Into Affairs of The Heart
Authored by Brigid Bishop

Social networking sites, cell phones, texting, online chat and dating make it easier for us to access each other, but more difficult to form solid emotional bonds.

The Dating Game provides insights into modern relationships and provides the reader with strategies for coping with dating, breaking up, affairs, divorce and codependency issues.

Find dating tips and relationship strategies that will help you build the healthy connections you want and begin making your relationships work for you.

Written with a sense of humor and true understanding of what the single person is facing today.

Update! 4/24/10, This title is available on Amazon and Kindle!!!