Three of Pentacles reversed/Seven of Swords. Today may not be a difficult day work-wise, but there are some hidden agendas that may have a blocking effect within my physical world. Perhaps this is not a day of “security through convention,” and I am better off “dazzling ‘em with fancy footwork” because then I will be using unexpected methods to get the job done.

My Thoth card is the Princess of Cups. Well, Thoth equals Court Cards for me, apparently. This one tells me that I will be able to get through my day appearing outwardly serene and unaffected, yet my inner self will be completely involved in every one of my senses.

My Legacy card is the Six of Swords. What I love about this card is that even though the boat is traveling through the dark and appears to be weaving its way carefully around the obstacles of the swords, the woman in the image is standing in the bow of the boat, proud and confident, eyes forward and looking into the future rather than focusing on the obstacles at her feet. Great advice for the day.

My horoscope: “It's a good day for you, dear Sagittarius, to put some of those creative ideas to work. Pull out your favorite craft supplies and have some fun exploring color and design. If you have children, consider including them in on the activities. It may amaze you to listen to the incredible ideas and innovative thoughts your own kids have that you never thought of. If you don't have an "idea box" where old bottles, egg cartons, odd buttons, ribbons, and scraps of colored paper can collect for times like this, start one today!”

And: “Physically, you should be feeling especially energetic and full of stamina. Reading, or sitting behind a desk, won't go well for you today. You're likely to be feeling restless and rather antsy. This is the perfect day to go for an all-day workout, or participate in sports. At some point you may feel exhausted, but that will pass. You'll get your second wind soon: In the evening: Go out to a movie, concert or play.”

We head down to Cape May tonight; I can’t wait. We didn’t go down last weekend, and I am experiencing severe withdrawal.

I am going to begin working on a list of my skills. They are:

Typical secretarial skills: Microsoft Word XP, EDGAR filings, corporate and securities work, past experience with real estate purchases, foreclosures. A side skill that is effective: grammar and punctuation nazi.

Tarot: I have been reading Tarot cards (live readings as well as internet and chat room readings, within private venues and public forums) for over five years, and teaching for over four years. My teaching experience includes regular beginner’s classes, as well as regular workshops regarding individual cards, the Court Cards, numerology, archetypes and the Tarot, Aces, card pairs, and spread construction, to name a few.

Reiki: I have received attunements through Master level, have been giving Reiki treatments, both in person and distance, for over three years, and have given attunements up to the level of Reiki II.

Sacred Movement: I have been performing and choreographing belly dance for over 25 years, and teaching belly dance for over 15 years. I have also taught classes and workshops focusing on sacred movement in general, and on the workings of the human personal energy field, including channels or meridians, auras and chakras.

Yesterday morning, while doing my usual morning meditation, Danu came to me. I could tell that She was not just there to give me a hug, and so I asked her what She needed to tell me. She said, “It is time to take the next step.” I told Danu that I was ready for that next step, whatever it was. She proceeded to challenge me!

Danu explained that I had gotten better at stopping my judgment of others, and I had gotten real good at preventing a focus on negative things and on cleaning the aftereffects of those negative focuses out of my aura when one snuck in under my defenses. She praised me for one part of the process that I had recently initiated: when someone cuts me off or acts with rudeness, instead of getting angry, I visualize a perfect rose, cut from a rose bush, with a few healthy leaves but all thorns cut from the stem, and I send the visualization of this rose to the rude person with the intent that whatever is initiating the distraction or rudeness is eased so that this person is happier. Danu explained to me that while these skills are useful and necessary, they are defensive in nature. They are a reaction to the actions of others.

Now, She explained, the time has come for me to choose to act, not to react. I need to send serenity and balance and peace into my aura so that I leave a residue of these emotions behind, wherever I go. There is a benefit to this because in doing so, I will be changing my personal environment to be more serene, more balanced and more peaceful. I need to actively open myself to the messages and symbolism of such things as the Tarot. I need to not only accept the messages, but I need to share them with those who need to know them.

I must act, and I must act with confidence. Not as an authoritarian ruler whose commands must be obeyed, but rather to offer positive effects to others so that if they choose to, they may absorb them. I must also take actions with confidence because these actions are like seeds being sprinkled onto the soil under the leaves of orange and yellow and red and brown. Those seeds will rest quietly, protected, through the quiet of the cold and dark, and when the time is right, they will burst forth with life; I have only to believe and to act with quiet authority.

Take the next step. Act. Believe.

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