𝑬𝒍𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝑹𝒂𝒅𝒕𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒓

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𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨, 𝐈'𝐦 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐞. German-English author, writer, painter & artist. Born in the late '50s. Books: pressenet.info/rider-waite-tarot.html I like pets & support writers, artists & tarot lovers. #booksky #tarot #tarotsky #writing #reading #literature

Lucky bears is a true story about two bear brothers.

Plush bears are often the first proper friends you have. You never forget them. It's really touching that someone went to the trouble of dressing the bears. They were both given two-tone overalls made from fine woollen fabric with a pretty pattern. Perhaps this was done to protect the ageing fur.

Read the full short story: Grassner and the act of creation.

Grassner wasn't surprised that nobody intervened. People walked past the postman and the teenagers as if nothing were amiss. It really did seem as though nobody was actually noticing what was happening.

Read this short story about homelessness: Soon, the little cold snake will grow into an icy python. She knows that, and before the fear of it can grip her, she stands up. Her ritual is to tidy her trolley by arranging the items and covering them with plastic bags.

The mountain lionesses' and their journey to freedom is a short story.

The mountain lioness ignores everyone except Billie. Since she fell into a trap and was held captive, the puma has mostly refused food, except when Billie appears. From the outset, there has been an understanding between the puma and the girl.

Read this short story about Batman: It wasn't that long ago that I left the Batmobile behind, a car that made me feel invincible. The police are everywhere now. People no longer lurk in dark alleyways, waiting to steal wallets.

In the Rider-Waite Tarot deck, the Four Aces of the Minor Arcana symbolise inspiration, love, truth and opportunity. Each of the Four Aces represents the pure element associated with its suit. Therefore, all cards should be viewed in this context.

Read an excerpt from "Decoding the Wisdom of Rider-Waite Tarot". Thank you for every repost or like!

My rendezvous with Death, the fear of execution is a short story by Ilona E. Schwartz.

Of course I knew it would happen – it was only to be expected. Even though the verdict had been passed a long time ago, I had this irrational thought that perhaps it would never come to that. You know something is inevitable, but you try to push it out of your mind.
It's very difficult to do so here on death row, because you can't really lie to yourself. The monotony of the days – getting up, having breakfast, doing the rounds – creates a false sense of normality that calms your nerves. At least until you're handed the paper on which it's written in black and white: 'Execution on such-and-such a day next month.'
I haven't been here long and had hoped that my rendezvous with the abyss would take a little longer. I didn't want to come here – who would? But that's just how it turned out. I couldn't fight it, it must be my fate. Perhaps it doesn't sound normal for a man of my age to talk about such things or be slightly obsessed with them. But everyone understands that special circumstances give rise to special thoughts.

Emotion Vending Machine is a short story. The story is about a young woman who becomes lost in the digital world. She uses her laptop like a magic mirror to create an idealised version of herself. In doing so, she pushes aside her real life and genuine intimacy, which fade away behind the digital facade.

A long, long time ago, the people living around Lake Constance told tales of a monster said to roam the area. For a time, particularly in the area where the town of Lindau was located – and still is today – some very strange things happened. At night, many residents claimed to have heard noises in the quiet alleys. They said it sounded like large, wet feet splashing around.

Many people in Lindau laughed it off, but not everyone did. Those who couldn't sleep at night had heard something, but they simply didn't dare open the shutters to see what was moving about in the dark alley. Many fishermen from Constance also reported incidents they had experienced at work. They spoke of sudden gusts of wind and whirlpools appearing at the most inopportune moments. Indeed, many a boat crew claimed to have narrowly escaped before their boat was dragged to the bottom of the lake.

Of course, there are always and at all times fearful people who want to believe everything they imagine when they pull their duvet over their heads, but eventually, it was no longer possible to pretend that everything was as it should be. More and more fishermen complained of empty and destroyed fish traps, and some returned from the lake with damaged boats and barges. They said that something had hit the hull with great force, causing bubbles to rise, but nothing had appeared.

The secret of the elf tree is a tragic story about safety and uncertainty. In Sarah's world, things were either safe or not safe. School wasn't safe, but the long, lonely walk home was. Talking to the teacher was safe, but not to the other children. But the only safe thing in the courtyard was the elf tree.

Nolan, the disc fighter is a fantasy tale from the arena's oval.

Nolan stands in his box, breathing deeply with his eyes closed and his arms outstretched. His feet rest on a small levitating platform. His assistants put the finishing touches to his gear, fastening the straps around his feet and securing them firmly to the disc. The soft hum of their small levitators soothes Nolan. He can hear the background noise from outside, coming from the largest airfight arena this planet has ever seen. It seethes like a storm. This noise is pure fuel for the adrenaline racing through Nolan's veins, making him willing to risk everything.

A disc fighter who crashes is finished. No one cares about them anymore. But that usually doesn't matter much, because anyone who survives usually wishes they hadn't woken up if they still have their wits about them. Here, in the continental metropolis, the height of the fighters is limited only by technology, unlike in smaller provincial arenas, where it's more about fun. However, the stakes aren't as high there as they are here, where someone can easily lose their entire fortune. It's an adrenaline rush, not just for the fighters. Anyone exposed to the arena atmosphere for too long can't just shake it off. This collective tension and screaming, this immense mass of noise, speed and people gets into your blood.

Arena, a day in the twilight of the Colosseum, is a tale from ancient Rome.

Today is a big day for the arena, as many death sentences have been handed down in recent weeks, and they are being carried out today. The most gracious lord has ordered an arena chariot battle.

Today, we will present three more cards from the Major Arcana of the Rider-Waite Tarot deck. Together, they symbolise vitality and joy, rebirth and awakening, as well as the successful completion of a journey.

The Sun card embodies success, vitality, and joy. It radiates positivity and enlightenment. It often signifies happiness, clarity, and personal growth, and suggests that a period of warmth, confidence, and positive outcomes is approaching.

The Judgement card reflects rebirth, awakening and self-reflection. It signals the need to evaluate past actions, make amends, and embrace transformation, and suggests that an important life decision or spiritual realisation is approaching.

In contrast, the World card symbolises completion, achievement, and harmony. It signifies the successful conclusion of a journey, representing fulfilment and integration. It encourages celebrating accomplishments and embracing new beginnings.

Last Exit to Avalon is a modern story of Lancelot from the Lake.

The story follows Anna, who picks up a hitchhiker named Lance. Despite his rough appearance, he seems friendly, but there is a mysterious air about him. He talks about love, loss, and his life's journey, encouraging Anna to discover other paths.

This fantasy short story is about Christa, who is worried about her eight-year-old daughter, Anna. The girl is in contact with supernatural powers and talks to invisible playmates – angels. Christa is looking for ways to protect Anna from these influences. The situation is further complicated by a series of inexplicable events.

Ever wondered about the mystical world of Rider-Waite Tarot? Dive into the symbolism and secrets behind the beloved deck with my book 'Decoding the Wisdom of Rider-Waite Tarot'. Uncover the hidden meanings and stories behind each card, and learn how to tap into the wisdom of this iconic deck. Get ready to unlock the mysteries of the universe, one card at a time.

This tells the story of Albert, who realises that his journey symbolises the end of his life's path. The three women are the Norns from Norse mythology. These three goddesses of fate spin, weave and ultimately cut the thread of every human life.

Ossuaries are storage places for skulls and bones, typically located in cemetery chapels. Archaeological finds show that the custom of storing the skulls of the deceased in such places dates back many centuries. There are many impressive examples of this dating back to the twelfth century and the Romanesque period. There are probably several reasons why this was done. The most obvious reason is a lack of space in cemeteries.

A few years after the burial, graves were reopened and the skulls, and sometimes other bones, were removed. These remains were treated with the utmost respect. They were cleaned and exposed to sunlight or moonlight for several weeks. This resulted in bleaching, giving the bones an ivory colour. However, there were also spiritual reasons, such as purification, that went beyond the physical aspect. The skulls were then placed in the ossuary alongside the bones of deceased relatives, in a specific location.

You eat what's on the table! Besides, it's very healthy! These or similar words of authority would often be heard as food was served, while children would pout and some adults would raise a weary eyebrow. We're talking about spinach, which was a lunchtime scourge for years.

This is quite understandable, as according to the older generation, the green health miracle usually came with potatoes and fried eggs. Children rarely liked it, and probably neither did adults, because it was boring and not well seasoned. The fact that the texture of the green vegetable is slightly reminiscent of cow dung is probably an unpleasant insinuation, although leafy spinach was hardly ever served. Instead, it was the puréed version.

When frozen food first became popular, it took the world by storm. Spinach enriched with fat was offered as creamed spinach, which was quickly defrosted and served as a bland dish, often accompanied by potatoes and eggs. Later, this lump of fat, which was unsuitable for vegetarians, was touted as the ultimate food, probably boosting sales even further. However, spinach has much more to offer.

The picture shows a cat at the window.

When you go for a walk, you often pass familiar facades that you have known for years. The arrangement of windows and doors can make a house look like a face. Some houses look friendly, while others look rather forbidding. Over time, these houses develop a personality of their own. They seem like faces you have known for a long time.

The changing seasons are reflected in the windows. Decorations change, or a window remains dark for a long time until someone turns on the light again. Tiny houses assert themselves among the chic villas of the suburbs, like poor relatives. You want to applaud them for being so brave.

Apartment blocks stand like rocks in the cityscape. They are huge landmarks, but they obstruct the wider view. Familiar cosiness lines the paths you walk along. You know some of them well, but you know far less about others, because they don't know how to sneak into your line of sight.

Almost everyone loves music, and it's something wonderful. Thanks to resourceful minds, we can enjoy music as often as we want. Imagine a world without sound recordings, where music could only be enjoyed live. People who play an instrument would be highly valued. Wouldn't it be hard for our spoilt generation to imagine that?

We are used to hearing music, or something similar, coming from almost every window, originating from some kind of recording. Supermarkets bombard us with it, and every other car blares out the groove. However, this has less to do with the category of 'music lovers' and more to do with incomprehensible urban rituals. At least it gives us an idea of what's in the charts at the moment. The fact that young people are becoming less and less responsive is not, anymore, largely due to generational conflict, but to those tiny earphones attached to equally tiny devices that can store an incredible amount of music. In fact, the environment in terms of the listening experience has changed rapidly and often over the last hundred years.

With the invention of the gramophone in the 1880s, music could be heard everywhere, not just in concert halls, at folk festivals or from street musicians. Wherever there was no domestic music, silence reigned in private spaces. However, this changed with the advent of the gramophone record, which was initially made of shellac. These discs achieved something unprecedented: you could take the music home with you and listen to it as often as you wanted.

After the abundance of spring and summer, autumn tends to make people a little sad. Gardens are being prepared for winter and, slowly but surely, fallen leaves are appearing on pavements and in parks. However, there are also some beautiful flowers to be found at this time of year.

Pretty autumn crocuses with delicate purple flowers can be seen in meadows and parks, spreading a kind of magic similar to that of spring blossom. However, be careful, as these beauties are poisonous and their leaves appear as early as spring. These leaves can easily be confused with healthy wild garlic, which has resulted in cases of poisoning among careless foragers. The leaves of autumn crocuses contain a highly poisonous alkaloid.

Anyone who enjoys autumn walks will be familiar with goldenrod. These lush, yellow-flowering shrubs add a splash of colour to the landscape before the grey-white season begins. Goldenrod greatly contributes to the beautiful image of a golden autumn.

The tradition of memorial boards was widespread in Bavaria and the Alemannic region in the 19th century. It has also been documented in the Bohemian Forest in the Czech Republic. However, this old tradition of erecting memorial boards has now largely disappeared, except in a few places in southern Germany, particularly in eastern Bavaria and the Alpine foothills. In these areas, long, narrow boards bearing names, inscriptions and verses can occasionally still be seen standing by the roadside or grouped together in specific locations. These beautiful pieces often have a small canopy to protect the inscription from the elements.

These long boards are not used for laying out the body. Instead, they are memorial plaques erected in honour of the deceased. They were never used for this purpose. This tradition dates back to a time when coffin burials were uncommon in our culture. The body would be laid out in the house where the person had died, usually their own home. It would be placed on a long board, tied down, and carried to the grave.

Often, the body would be buried with the board, or the board would be slid gently into the grave. This process was called 'board sliding' and was also used as a euphemism for death and burial. The venerable death board was also aptly named the 'sliding board'. Unlike today, death was more integrated into life in centuries past, so this practice was not intended to be disrespectful.

A new day begins for Julia is a Short story. Julia giggles to herself again. As long as Mum doesn't come and wake her up, it's wonderful to imagine what the day ahead will bring. Julia's bed is positioned so that she has a great view of the garden. That's why she knows how beautiful today will be.

Today, I will present three more cards from the Major Arcana of the Rider-Waite Tarot deck. Together, they represent unexpected change and renewal after hardship, leading to a deeper sense of self-awareness in our life's journey.

The Tower card symbolises sudden upheaval and chaos. It represents unexpected, often destructive, change that leads to revelation and growth. It prompts us to reassess beliefs and structures that no longer serve us.

The Star card embodies hope, inspiration and serenity. It signifies healing and renewal after hardship and encourages trust in the universe. It suggests guidance and a sense of direction, illuminating the path forward with optimism.

In contrast, the Moon card reflects intuition, dreams and the subconscious. It serves as a warning about illusions and uncertainty, urging introspection. It encourages embracing one's feelings and navigating fears to ultimately lead to deeper self-awareness and clarity.

Read the short story Flowers for Tom!

The woman walking ahead of me on the narrow forest path sparked my interest. It wasn't her appearance. She was rather plain, wearing a rain jacket, jeans and ankle-high hiking boots. Her hair was grey and cropped short. I hadn't seen her face yet as I was walking behind her, but I was close enough to notice her behaviour. The woman was throwing small, coloured flowers onto the path, which she was carrying in a thick bouquet.

It was a headache that had made me decide to go for a walk on this rather dull and rainy morning. Usually, the headache would disappear after a long walk through the forest. In this weather, I didn't expect to meet many other hikers – and I didn't. That is, until I met this woman, who was scattering flowers around like a bridesmaid at a wedding.

I'm not usually the intrusive type and don't tend to observe my fellow human beings very closely. I prefer to 'live and let live'. This tendency is often interpreted by my few friends as superficiality. However, this woman's behaviour made me really curious. She wasn't walking very fast, so I picked up the pace and quickly caught up with her.

When I caught up with her, I took a quick look at her face and smiled. She was probably in her fifties or possibly older. She looked friendly, and she wasn't wearing any makeup.

This science fiction story is about the spaceship Nimue and its crew, who are tasked with disposing of dangerous space debris. The next few days were hellish, and they couldn't afford to lose concentration for even a moment:

The captain looked discontentedly at the screen hanging diagonally above the control panel, which showed nothing out of the ordinary. The grid displayed the ship's position in the quadrant, with purple squares indicating the surrounding orbits. Or did so when there were any. This godforsaken corner of space was the worst place Commander Rashkin could imagine.

The flight had been long, as always. It had started off boring, yet it still gnawed at his nerves. Anyone who owned a ship like the Nimue was not assigned to first-class missions. Rashkin worked alone, renting out his ship and crew to the highest bidder. Ultimately, the money was barely enough for the necessary repairs, let alone a new ship.

The Nimue had a faster-than-light drive, but its technology was ten years out of date. Flights took about three times as long as those in a modern ship, so short-term jobs were out of the question. All that remained were the 'hellish tours', as Rashkin called them.

Death Row is a short story from German author Ilona E. Schwartz: I was captured a few days ago. This is the animal shelter's death row. They haven't told me what I'm suspected of doing, which doesn't surprise me as they hardly ever talk to us. Yet here I am, waiting for my death.

The aura is an energy field that surrounds a person. It glows in a variety of colours that can be used to draw conclusions about a person's personality, tendencies and emotional state. This test will reveal your aura colour and its meaning. However, it only works if you answer the questions honestly!

Here's how it works: For each question, select the answer that applies to you. Your answers will be evaluated using the scoring table at the end, where each answer is given a score. Add up your points, then read the evaluation below to find out what it means.

Tell me the truth! Yes – but whose truth? What kind of truth? Whose view of things makes up the world? Yours or mine? What about other people's truth? What about their view?

When I ask my child if it broke the glass, it shakes its head violently and says no, no, no. Is that a lie? Or is it just not wanting to deal with it because it is an unpleasant thought?

If I say that I will be in a certain place at a certain time, can that be the truth? Isn't truth happening in this moment, here and now?

Is there a future truth? And if I'm not there, have I lied? Or did I believe something wrong?

When I remember, I remember the images in my head, the feelings I had. Someone else can't remember that and sees their own images, feels their own stored emotions.

Suesskind of Trimberg: He was a poet and probably a singer too. He wrote and recited poems for the nobility and wealthy people of his time, who lived in the second half of the thirteenth century. This was not unusual; history knows of many travelling troubadours, often of noble birth, who left behind works of art. Wolfram von Eschenbach and Walther von der Vogelweide are familiar names; they are part of our perception of the Middle Ages.

Twelve songs or verses by this special poet, who left behind only a few but interesting traces, can be found in the famous Heidelberg song manuscript, the Codex Manesse. There he is referred to as 'Suesskind, the Jew of Trimberg', and a miniature in the codex depicts him as a Jew, as is evident from his name.

In the miniature, the singer stands before a court, dressed in fine clothes and wearing the distinctive Jewish cap that his people were required to wear at that time. Medieval images were highly symbolic, revealing background information through elements such as hand and body posture.

If you 'read' the illustration in a contemporary way, you can see that the scene depicts a dispute or negotiation of some kind. The third person in the picture probably plays the role of a lawyer or mediator. We don't know much else about Suesskind of Trimberg, but considering his profession, his religious affiliation alone makes him someone very special. Trimberg was probably the only travelling singer of the Jewish faith at that time.

You may have heard of the story of the Cottingley Fairies, which took place in the village of Cottingley, near Bradford, England, in 1917. Two little girls, cousins Elsie Wright, 16, and Frances Griffiths, 9, were playing outside near a brook.

Frances was visiting her older cousin and they spent a lot of time together. Nothing unusual about that – except perhaps that the children were talking about fairies they had met and played with by the brook. Children with vivid imaginations often live in more than one world, and no one thought this unusual. No one believed the girls' story, but Mr Wright lent the cousins his camera. That got the ball rolling, and it started an avalanche.

But first the girls brought home photographs of winged creatures. Beautiful miniature women who looked very fragile and elfin, and who were undoubtedly something like fairies or elves. Naturally, the pictures caused a minor sensation and were discussed among family and friends, but nothing happened for a while. In fact, the pictures were forgotten for three years – until they came to the attention of the theosophist Edward Gardner, who sent them to a photographer for examination. And this expert, Harold Snelling, declared the photographs to be genuine. In his opinion, the photographic plates had only been exposed once, so double exposure was out of the question. The fairies, he said, were not made of a flat material like cloth or paper – and they could not have been drawn on the plate.

But the most puzzling thing was that the little creatures were moving when they were photographed. Snelling's testimony had already caused a sensation – and attracted the attention of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The self-confessed spiritualist was impressed and took the photos to a Kodak expert.

You might be familiar with Stephen King's book 'The Green Mile'. Or the film? If so, you may have been fascinated by the little mouse, Mr Jingles. I certainly was, right from the start. I knew a wonder mouse just like him. Maybe not quite like the circus mouse in King's story, but still very special.

The story is set in the early 1970s. I had just moved into my first flat and felt very grown up. My grandmother lived on the same floor and always helped out when she thought it was necessary. She was always right, too.

No pets were allowed in this building, at least not cats or dogs. Nobody probably cared about anything else. However, one of my friends had a mother who loved animals and wasn't afraid to take daring action. Long before 'animal liberators' came to public attention, this kind woman stole laboratory mice from an American school where they were used for biology lessons – a sad fate for the mice.

Once she had exhausted her own capacity to care for them, she distributed the little creatures among her acquaintances' households. I was given two mice: one white with red eyes and one with wild colouring. Following an inspiration, I named the two little housemates Squeakwood and Silverleaf.

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry saw himself more as a pilot who wrote than as a great author and thinker. However, Antoine did not go down in history for his career as a pilot, but for his literary works. His true great love was probably flying, a passion he developed as a child after going on a flight.

This passion came with many enforced breaks, which perhaps encouraged his writing. In any case, he wrote his first work, 'Southern Mail / Courrier Sud', while working as a manager at a stopover airport, waiting for the next plane. He flew again, married a young widow, became an instructor, and wrote books – his life was marked by sudden changes and a series of positive developments and failures that followed one another quickly.

De Saint-Exupéry was a sensitive and deeply emotional person who, due to the circumstances of his life and his conflicting passions, was forced to reconcile great contradictions. The way he develops and unfolds his stories, which often revolve around aviation, reveals a profound insight that sees beyond the surface. He encapsulated this in the phrase: 'It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.' This saying is so well known that hardly anyone does not recognise it. It is uttered by a fox in the author's book 'The Little Prince'.

Now available: "Decoding the Wisdom of Rider-Waite Tarot".

"Unlocking the Secrets of the Arcana". A book by Eleonore Radtberger.

Have you ever wondered about the mystical world of the Rider-Waite Tarot? Dive into the symbolism and secrets behind the beloved deck with my book 'Decoding the Wisdom of Rider-Waite Tarot'.

Uncover the hidden meanings and stories behind each card, and learn how to tap into the wisdom of this iconic deck. Get ready to unlock the mysteries of the universe, one card at a time.

I discuss all 78 cards of the Rider-Waite Tarot in detail in my book. Further articles provide valuable tips on how to use the Tarot and alternative perspectives on the metaphysical.

The original German edition is already considered 'one of the most modern Tarot books around'. Readers are particularly fascinated by the sensitive presentation of the dual nature of each card, which demonstrates that they can have both negative and positive connotations, in line with the idea that everything has two sides. Eleonore Radtberger offers a positive and encouraging perspective. Her interpretations are characterised by great intuitive clarity.

In her novel "The Hunger Angel", the author Herta Müller masterfully describes the small impressions of everyday life that repeatedly flash up like lightning and illuminate something with pinpoint accuracy. The green woollen gloves of an aunt or the red silk scarf – these things are brought to the fore as if by chance. They appear in the casual focus of the protagonist, who is only 17 years old and about to be deported to a Russian camp.

It is precisely this casualness that quickly gives rise to an unease that is just as urgent as that of the young man, who actually sees the impending deportation as a stroke of luck. This is due to his own sense of confinement, which has nothing to do with the overcrowded deportation train. His confinement is the result of fear. He lives in a time when 'rendezvousing' with men in the park or public baths is outlawed and punishable by law. And cautious as he is, he is afraid. Offensive words, accidentally dropped, send him into a panic or a state of compulsive brooding.

The actress Nell Gwyn came from Drury Lane, which was outside London, surrounded by fields and meadows. But the street was a kind of red-light district, with one brothel after another. Nell was very popular with the public.

This fantasy story is about loneliness and the illusion of a strong bond.

Even as a little girl, she liked to give names to things – not just her dolls, stuffed animals and teddy bears. As soon as she liked something, she thought it was alive. Her parents laughed at her and her older sister teased her.

Her childhood world was populated by countless interesting characters, and they all had names. Her tricycle had one, as did her little sand bucket, her Disney bedside lamp and, of course, her first school bag. She firmly believed that there was something like a soul, or perhaps a spirit, in all the things around her.

Years later, as a schoolgirl, she would clap her hands in delight when she saw raindrops falling into a puddle. She thought the tiny raindrops were like little dancing creatures. The adults would smile benevolently and say: 'The child is a little dreamer.' At school she did not give up her special way of seeing things, she just stopped talking about it. The smile, which had been amusing at first, had given way to a certain seriousness. School was a serious matter and she was 'no longer a little girl'.

Master Till and the local press is a short story by Ilona E. Schwartz.

My job means that I go to a lot of events, and as a former reporter for a... well, let's just say 'local paper', almost everything was important enough to cover. It was at one of those big company parties where they say goodbye to people who are retiring that I first noticed him.

Standing on the podium was a man I would never have bought a used car from. He was talking a lot of sweet nonsense – about loyalty and commitment, about everyone being part of one big family – and whatever other platitudes there are. He spiced up the nonsense with witty remarks and, just to be on the safe side, followed it up with his greasy laugh. Then the 15 people who had to go were presented with a certificate and a fake copper relief mural of the company.

Everyone here knew that the company was nothing but a rip-off, so I actually felt really bad about it. In this small town, almost everyone knows someone who works for the company, if only because there are practically no other major employers. So I wondered why someone would feel the need to lie to people.

While I was half listening to the programme, I saw him. He was standing against a side wall near the stage, arms crossed, grinning in a way that somehow caught my eye. He was wearing jeans and a jacket, so he was actually quite inconspicuous. A slide show was now announced on stage and I immediately felt this almost uncontrollable urge to yawn. For a moment I didn't look at the wall – and the guy was gone.

If you want a really cool friend, you have to build a snowman. Starting in November, it's hard to avoid these cute fellows with their pleasant, round shapes and cheerful faces. The ones in shop windows and in children's drawings they are made of materials like polystyrene, cardboard, wood and wool. They're not made of snow yet, because there isn't usually enough of it around at this time of year to build real snowmen.

These friendly fellows symbolise the pleasant side of winter and are often depicted with a little bird perched on their obligatory nose, chatting happily with their host. They are an integral part of Christmas, and their real home is on postcards sent at this time of year, as well as on virtual Christmas greetings. In December, websites are flooded with snowman-themed content.

Since 2010, there has also been a designated Snowman Day, which comes as no surprise. This special day takes place in January, when there is usually enough snow to build such a sculpture in the garden, yard or countryside. However, the day is not just intended for everyone to rush outside and get creative with sculpting. It also has other purposes. On 18 January, you can choose any activity you like, whether it's a charity event or something related to the environment, as long as it involves a snowman or has some connection to one. It's a nice idea because, with a little imagination, you can link any event to this guest of honour.

Jan and the Magic Puppet Theatre is a fantasy short story by Ilona E. Schwartz.

He ran down the stairs so fast that he almost lost his footing more than once. And then, almost on the last step, it happened: Jan's heel missed the edge and he landed painfully on his side. From upstairs he heard a thud, a woman shouting a name in a rising voice. His name.

Lurching and holding his ribs, Jan left the gate and turned at the next corner, followed by the screams of his mother, now standing at the open window, shouting after him. "Don't you ever come back here, you bastard!" Not that this was anything new, the boy thought, because she did this at least three or four times a week, and the neighbours didn't even open their windows to see who was going crazy. Today was one of those days, and he had hardly had a chance to please her.

Since Helge had left, she had been drinking more than usual, and then it was always like that. Her last boyfriend, Helge, had left her because she was rarely sober enough to bring food to the table. He didn't drink much, but he had nothing to do with Jan. He'd slap him once in a while if he didn't like something, but otherwise he ignored him. Helge hadn't been too bad, Jan's mother had far worse friends.

His ribs hurt from the fall, but not as much as his hip, where she had hit him with the pan this morning. He should have gone to the kiosk for a drink. The man refused to sell to him because Jan was only eleven and quite thin for his age. Jan didn't want to go, so she lost her temper and hit him with the pan, which was still covered in stinking grease from who knows when. School was no longer an issue for a while – but he was often absent anyway. Then she slammed his head against the wall and threw on her coat to get something herself.

Have you ever wondered about the mystical world of the Rider-Waite Tarot?

Dive into the symbolism and secrets behind the beloved deck with my book 'Decoding the Wisdom of Rider-Waite Tarot'. Uncover the hidden meanings and stories behind each card, and learn how to tap into the wisdom of this iconic deck. Get ready to unlock the mysteries of the universe, one card at a time.

I discuss all 78 cards of the Rider-Waite Tarot in detail in my book. Further articles provide valuable tips on how to use the Tarot and alternative perspectives on the metaphysical.

The original German edition is already considered 'one of the most modern Tarot books around'. Readers are particularly fascinated by the sensitive presentation of the dual nature of each card, which demonstrates that they can have both negative and positive connotations, in line with the idea that everything has two sides. Eleonore Radtberger offers a positive and encouraging perspective. Her interpretations are characterised by great intuitive clarity.

The little girl with the matches. This story recounts the experiences of a 14-year-old girl who is living in poverty. She tries to survive, but her situation worsens when she becomes addicted to drugs. According to the newspapers, she was the youngest drug victim in recent years.

The old man was drunk and in a bad mood. The girl knew this all too well. She just tried to stay out of his way. Yesterday had been her birthday. She was now fourteen, but that hadn't changed anything.

Nevertheless, she had gone home that day, hoping to find a surprise waiting for her. But there was only her father, lying smelly and asleep on the dirty sofa. After her mother died, social services had snooped around for a while, but her aunt, who lived in the same building, kept an eye on father and daughter.

Back then, her father still had a job and earned quite well. After school, she would go to her aunt's to eat, do her homework, and play outside or in the flat until her father came home. He didn't really know what to do with her, as he had never cared much for the little girl. Her mother had looked after her until she fell ill. Things didn't get any better for her until she was admitted to hospital more frequently, and didn't come home again.

Jeanne Hebuterne: This young woman with strikingly beautiful eyes has never left my mind. Her portraits, created by an obsessed artist, are extremely impressive. The painter who portrayed her so vividly was the famous Amedeo Modigliani. He was very fond of Jeanne, the paintress, who was 14 years younger than him.
She came from a rather bourgeois family; her father was an accountant. Like her older brother André, who became an established painter, she was talented and encouraged by her parents, who allowed her to study painting privately. A photograph taken around 1914 shows an attractive young woman with a confident, penetrating gaze. Jeanne was described as rather quiet, as calm. The picture suggests that there was a strong will beneath the surface.

Here, I'll present three more cards from the Major Arcana of the Rider-Waite Tarot deck. Together, they illustrate the cyclical nature of life, balance and temptation in our life's journey.

The Death card is often misunderstood, but it symbolises transformation and new beginnings rather than a literal end. It embodies the cyclical nature of life, suggesting that letting go of the old is necessary to make way for fresh opportunities.

The Temperance card represents balance, moderation and harmony. It encourages a measured approach to life, blending different elements to create harmony. Temperance signifies the importance of patience and self-control, as well as finding peace in the midst of chaos.

In contrast, the Devil card explores themes of temptation, addiction and materialism. It serves as a reminder to look closely at the bonds that may restrict us, inviting self-reflection on what truly controls our lives.

Fantasy stories have always been very popular. They are unlikely ever to go out of fashion. It would probably take a lifetime to map all the fantasy worlds created by authors.

The heroic sagas of antiquity were the precursors of these stories. After all, the deeds and adventures of their protagonists were more in the realm of fantasy than reality – yet this did nothing to diminish their popularity. Every age needs its heroes, whether they are called Hercules or Batman.

One such hero, who was as comfortable at the court of King Arthur as he was in the Scandinavian wilderness, has been enriching the fantasy worlds of boys and girls since 1937. We are talking about Prince Valiant, as he is known in the original English version. Created by American comic book artist Hal Foster (1892-1982), Valiant lived during the time of King Arthur's Round Table in Britain. What made Foster's work special was the realistic nature of his illustrations. People, animals and nature were drawn from observation and never appeared exaggerated or caricatured.

Initially in black and white, the scenes in Hal Foster's stories had an irresistibly beautiful aura and never seemed overly clichéd. There were no speech bubbles, but a relatively large amount of text accompanied the images. This didn't bother anyone at the time because the stories were just as profound as the images. Although Foster adhered closely to the romanticised view of the 5th century AD, he did not depict a fantasy world.

Imagine spending an evening with Lieutenant Commander Data of the USS Enterprise, under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Data is an android, not a robot, especially on the outside, because an android looks deceptively like a human.

A robot is not designed to look human; it is created to perform a specific task and is equipped accordingly. Think, for example, of the large industrial robots used in manufacturing. These are independent machines, no matter how complicated their technology.

An android has a different role, especially one as advanced as Lieutenant Commander Data. His appearance may take some getting used to, but he is perfectly human. In addition, he has a positronic brain which, roughly speaking, enables the android to learn. As in the biological model, synapses form, creating an ever-expanding network that can implement experience and apply and vary what has been learned. In this sense, Data would be a complete replacement for a human companion. He is familiar with the rules that underpin the social structure of our society and is friendly. However, he has no feelings and is entirely subject to logical processes.

Hugin and Munin, the Ravens of Odin, is a short story from Norse mythology. Hugin and Munin are quiet now, as if they want to take a nap on the man's shoulders. Odins thoughts drift away, far into the past. His time should have ended long ago, but then a new age dawned. There were machines that could spread words and thoughts.

A baby dolphin talks about its everyday life: I'm still a bit clumsy at hunting, but I'm getting better and better. We move around a lot, and I know that we'll always stay together. It's great fun! Playing here is great fun. Mummy is never far away, and neither are the others. There are lots of children here who have never seen the big blue sea before. There's so much to learn, so much to feel. The funny little creatures that live in the sand get scared when we swim over them. Wherever we go, I'm at the front.

Traditionally, the study of the four elements has occupied a very important place in esotericism, and in today's world many people are increasingly turning to this way of thinking, seeing and understanding the world. When we speak of the elements, we mean the four directions in all their correspondences. For example, the south is associated with fire, the west with water, the east with air and the north with earth. We know these classifications from the Tarot, whose four 'colours' are in turn correspondences of the elements.

The actual directions are of limited importance; it is their symbolic and spiritual 'geography' that interests us. The elements are also very important in Asian cultures, although this spiritual world has yet to be experienced.

In our tradition, which is largely rooted in the spiritual worldview of the Celtic peoples, we use images and associations from our world of experience that have been familiar to us for many centuries. On a certain level this no longer matters because it is the same world – but the symbolism is adapted. For example, a European would not have much to say when looking at a baobab tree, but an African could come up with all sorts of legends and symbolic stories about it.

For our ancestors, the number four was a sacred number, representing the four foundations of the earth, perhaps related to the elements. Each of the four has its own colour, number, instrument or keynote. For example, the earth is associated with the drum and the air with the flute. Astrology also assigns the different signs of the zodiac to the elements. The Tarot has preserved these teachings in coded form and passed them on to those who are interested and willing to learn.

In a small, sleepy village called Timevalley, time seemed to have stood still. But one Thursday morning, something happened that turned the whole village upside down: an old, worn jug suddenly began to fly.

Our planet needs your garden! Our call to action is to feed the bees! Take every opportunity to plant bee pastures! Who would have thought that one day we would have to heed such calls? The advice is to plant bee pastures wherever possible.

The snowman, a very special friend. A bedtime story. During the night, Nadja wakes up suddenly. She lies quietly for a few minutes, thinking about her snowman. How is he doing out there now? Is the snowman cold or scared, all alone in the dark? Suddenly, Nadja has an idea!

Do you have a voucher for a trip through time? Well, we can certainly arrange that. We'll send you into your own future. Are you around thirty years old? Great! Now, take a leap forward to when you're around seventy or older. It's not as difficult as you might think, so don't laugh! If you're ready, let's get started.
First, we'll restrict your movement by wrapping rubber bandages around your legs and arms joints. Trying to move your joints through their full range of motion will now be painful. Movement is possible, but limited. Of course, you can only take small steps now, but that's just right. As part of the experience, you will wear special gloves made of stiff material to give you an authentic sense of the limitations experienced by older people's fingers during our little adventure.
This collar is not designed to prevent neck pain; rather, it ensures that you can only turn your head to a limited extent. That's fine. Now, regarding your hearing, these earplugs filter out noise. You will find it difficult to hear anything. You will have to concentrate very hard during conversations to keep up.
Almost done, except for your eyes. To help with that, we'll give you these contact lenses, which make everything a little blurry and, more importantly, make it harder to see close-up details. You can compensate for this by wearing these glasses, which you can take off and put on as needed. Sometimes it's enough to wear the frames on the tip of your nose to be able to see over them. Varifocal lenses will probably be a luxury item in thirty or forty years if the economic situation remains as dire as it is now. But after all, you've booked an adventure holiday, not a luxury hotel in Abu Dhabi. See how you get on with these glasses and don't complain!

The Fab Four is a story set in the near future during the apocalypse. He could feel the heat rising, and the chatter about the end of the world was slowly making him angry. Calm down, man! You'd think you were trying to bring about the Day of Judgement with all that talk!