The Writer

The Queen of Swords

If you're truly curious about me, you've probably looked at the little sidebar "About Me" and discovered something relatively interesting - there's next to no information about me on it. This can be contributed to the fact that I really, really like my privacy (as I publish my most private thoughts on the internet for all to see). Plus, I tend to think that any autobiographical "About Me" blurbs tend to be slightly misleading at best and outrageous lies at worst. Thus, I usually just let my writing speak for itself.

However, this is not just a personal blog, with stories, vignettes, narratives, essays, etc, but a blog with information and anecdotes that I hope people will learn from. As a person accustomed to research, I know that information about the source is as important as information provided by the source, as what I say and how you interpret it is influenced by who I am.

Therefore, it is my moral obligation to provide any readers who desire it with more information about myself than is available on my profile.

I write under three pen names, none of which is my real name: Southern Darling, Sarah Darling, and LA Henderson. I've always been a writer - shortly after I read my first book in kindergarden, I was crafting tales of my own.

In the recent past, I've focused on my other blog Southern Ineloquence, a collection of personal journal-like entries, short stories, philosophical ramblings, and vignettes. My philosophy for posting there is, "Most of what I write is crap. But I write a lot, so probability is with me." Southern Ineloquence has been about quantity rather than quality, although I've recently come to the decision that as I turn my attentions to other projects (eg, Ineloquent Tarot, my novel, and my school work), that it would behoove me to add new writers to Southern Ineloquence and change the content.

I've been studying the tarot for several years (translation - more than five, less than twelve), almost entirely in the context of Wicca-based paganism. To me, the tarot is a form of magick (as opposed to magic, which is performed by stage magicians), deeply personal and highly cosmic. I have my theories on how and why the cards work, most having to do with the influence of our thoughts on reality and psychological theories on how symbols acquire meaning. However, my purpose does not include seeking clarification on that particular matter, and I suspect that, as a reader, you bring your own beliefs and philosophies with you. In this particular context, I consider that debate to be one of mental masturbation. What matters here is that the tarot, as a system, works. I seek here to learn more about the applications of the system rather than the mechanics behind it.

I was first attracted to tarot by the richness of the symbols. Artists incorporate elements of meaning into every card, some universal or cultural and others drawn from their own experiences. These symbols make the cards a very flexible system; the cards come to be understood not only through the little white books they come with, but through the reader's culture, studies, and experiences. Through symbolism, tarot becomes both a measurement of change and an impetus for change.

As a witch, I consider change and growth to be paramount. As a result, I tend to view the cards as calls to action. It is not enough to perform a reading - one also has to act on it, through magickal means if mundane options have been exhausted.

As a human, I am flawed. There will be times when I will misinterpret the cards or do something stupid, or even fail to do anything at all. I will occasionally say things I regret, and every once in a while, sometimes more frequently, I will offend you. I urge you to question everything I say on this blog. Don't take my word for anything, but try things for yourself. Tarot is about magick, about personal experiences, about action, and about you.

I'm just writing a few things down to give you ideas.