13th Brumaire Year II (3rd November 1793)
The Darkness of Nephthys is a reading only suited for times of loss. It must be undertaken with a true and open heart, where no resentment or anger dwells. If what you have lost fills you with ire, and you seek vengeance, do not under any circumstances attempt to undertake this reading. If, however, you wish to reach across the veil and find resolution with lost loved ones, or even if you wish to touch the heart of one lost who is not dead but forever separated from you, then the Darkness of Nephthys is a reading that illuminates the heart and mind of your lost loved one. For some, it will bring solace, but others may encounter hard truths.
Nephthys is the shadowy sister of Isis and is called ‘the mistress of the house’. She is lesser known and less revered than Isis, but I believe her presence is as powerful. Together, transformed as kites, the two sisters raised their brother Osiris from the dead. They did this by allowing the wind created by their beating wings to flow as air into Osiris’s nostrils and give him the breath of life.
In some legends, Nephthys chooses to remain childless, and in others, she is the mother of the jackal-headed god, Anubis, the guardian dog of the cemeteries. Indeed, all dogs share ancestry through Anubis and his mother Nephthys.
If you are visited by a storm and fancy you hear a woman calling as the wind wails, this is Nephthys bringing you messages from the dead. She is the dark side, which must exist so that we may see the light.
The Darkness of Nephthys Tarot reading requires the use of both Major and Minor Arcana cards.
Before you begin, light a candle to illuminate when Nephthys’s darkness draws in. Shuffle the deck of cards, and when you are ready, split the deck into two, turning one pile of cards upside down, before putting them back together again.
Lay out the cards in the same configuration as the illustration above.
The shape you create represents the spread wings of Nephthys as the kite.
Read the cards from the right wing first, for these represent you.
The first card is how the world sees you or represents your body and its circumstances at present.
The second card is what you keep hidden from the world or otherwise is the shadow side that lurks in your mind.
The third card is who you truly are and what resides within your heart.
On the left-hand wing, the fourth card represents those who wish to communicate with you from beyond the veil.
The fifth card is what they wish to tell you.
The sixth card is the action they ask you to take.
The final three cards represent the body of the kite and are the guidance Nephthys wishes to give you.
In the seventh card, Nephthys reveals any secrets your lost one may have kept from you – this may not necessarily be unpleasant to learn, for you can discover truly how they cared for you.
The eighth card is Nephthys’s counsel on what you can resurrect from your lost one.
The ninth card is their counsel on what you must let go.
As I have warned, this reading is not to be undertaken lightly but with great forethought. The patterning of the cards may haunt you for months to come if you do not find the resolution you seek.
14th Brumaire Year II (4th November 1793)
My heart is broken. I am bleeding.