Judgement/Ace of Wands. Judgement corresponds with Fire and with Pluto (the planet of sex and death/birth and power and metamorphosis), and the Hebrew letter Shin (tooth or fang, the dynamic movement of the element of Fire, and Spiritual Fire), which means that even though the image on my Welsh Tarot card seems peaceful, this card is filled with power. Combine it with the Ace of Wands, which also corresponds with the element of Fire, and contains the potential to be every other Wands card in the Minor Arcana, and I have before me an incredibly powerful day filed with possibilities! I hope I can live up to this potential!

My Thoth card is the Prince of Cups. Today may be a day of outer serenity, but inside of me the waters are churning. I will be good at seeing how I can turn things to my own advantage today, but I need to be real careful that I don’t step on some toes in the process.

My Legacy card is the Queen of Coins reversed. Water (cold/binds and wet/adapts) of Earth (cold/binds and dry/shapes). These two elements are passively supportive, and in an upright position they tell of a regenerative force; in other words the emotions support and aid the senses. Astrologically, this Queen represents the cusp of Sagittarius (a free spirit who loves fun and philosophy, but can tend to be disorganized and procrastinating) and Capricorn (determined, sensual, reserved and productive, but can be pessimistic and rude). The Queen of Coins in an upright position nurtures the body and takes care of the home and garden. Not only is she a source of knowledge regarding health and finances and the management of the home, but she also takes the time to beautify her surroundings because beauty is important to her. She likes to feed all of her senses, and pleasure is as important to her as standing in the bedroom after finishing making the bed and dusting the furniture. Because the card is reversed, I am being warned that I am being distracted from these things, or perhaps I am manifesting these characteristics in an unbalanced way. Maybe this distraction happened for a good reason, but the consequences may not be pleasant if allowed to continue for too long.

I just came back from watching the most amazingly beautiful sunset. Today has been a prime Winter day: while the air is cccooolllddd, it is also clear and dry. The sky today has been the most gorgeously vibrant blue, and the ocean was surprisingly calm, given the stiff breeze. Perfect ingredients for a colorful sunset, and I was not disappointed. The orange and fiery ball that is the late afternoon sun seemed to literally drop into the ocean with unexpected speed. To the East, the Belt of Venus was intensely colored in dark blue and pinky-red. Overhead, the sky was cloudless and beautiful. And it was all over in moments! I am glad that I made the effort to be there.

This afternoon I watched John Stewart interview Admiral Mike Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. I was so impressed with Admiral Mullen (and happy that John interviewed Mullen in a serious manner) that I am dedicating this post today to all of the men and women who serve our country in the armed forces, and all the families of these awesome soldiers, who also sacrifice mightily for all of us.

I have become immensely disappointed in the Democrats (although I have not completely lost hope because I tell myself that the test of time has not yet played out), and while I find much to be valued in the core beliefs of Republicans, I cannot in any way see myself voting for a Republican candidate any time soon. Our forefathers (who I have come to respect mightily for their courage and foresight) must be spinning in their graves! The two parties are mired in partisanship and, in a country that is supposed to be separating religion and government, often seem to reek of Christian fundamentalism, and Congress is so mired in its own processes, and the preferences of big businesses and their blind striving to die with the most money, that it is totally ineffective. But the men and women of our armed forces are volunteering to put themselves in harms way and are for the most part striving to fulfill their missions.

Don’t get me wrong; I do understand that not every soldier is worthy of this praise, but no one is perfect, and for the most part I admire each and every one of them deeply. And so today, I say thank you to each soldier, and to the families and loved ones that are waiting patiently for their return. And I am also taking a moment in their name to realize just how lucky I am. I don’t have to robe myself and hide my face and hair in order to go outside, I was able to divorce my first husband and get a job, and then a career, without fear of reprisal or loosing my standing in the community. I am able to proudly declare my spiritual path if I so wish, and the law will protect my choice. Our country is striving for equality for all, no matter what race, gender, nationality or sexual preference each of us embraces. We are not there yet, but we can all voice our opinions, and our governments are actually voting on these matters, even if there are still those who are opposed to the concept of equality for all with no strings attached. Much American blood has been shed so that I can voice my dismay at the recent defeat of the marriage equality proposals in my area. I am blessed by this blood.

Thank you, any soldier, past or present, who has served or is serving who reads this. Thank you, any person who has family or loved ones in harm’s way. Your gifts are appreciated.

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