Sunday, February 28, 2010

Nine of Wands/The Wheel of Fortune reversed. Change is stability, and the Nine of Wands is telling me that I am getting the hang of defending myself without locking myself in a “safe room.” I am able to be strong ~and~ mobile. The presence of the Nine of Wands not only tells me that I have weathered the storm thus far, but it also warns that the final chapter is at hand. But I am reassured because this Nine may warn of a possible challenge ahead, but it also validates that I have the ability to deal with it. The Wheel reversed is also warning me that the challenges to come are not necessarily due to any actions I have taken or chosen to not take; I should not waste energy blaming myself, and I certainly should not waste energy trying to prevent the changes for they will happen whether I allow them to or not.

My Thoth card is the Nine of Cups. The “Happiness” card for my magickal self today. Interesting that Crowley sees this card as being “a dream within a dream,” because so far today, I have felt that a good part of my awareness is not in the physical realms. This card tells of satiety due in part to luck, but it offers a typical Uncle Al warning: don’t allow Happiness to intoxicate instincts, or stagnation will result.

My Legacy card is The Fool. The Fool corresponds with the element of Air (hot/separates and wet/adapts), the planet Uranus (the unexpected, innovation, the future), and the Hebrew letter Alef (the head, to learn and to teach), and represents the Holy Idiot who brings both emptiness and infinity, for he is the seed of possibility and all creation. I am being told today to forget everything I already know, and begin anew with the wonder of a child.

My 6-digit number today is 4. The number 4 is about stability, about a time when things don’t easily tip over, at least for a bit. I just can’t allow myself to think that the serenity will continue indefinitely for then stagnation will take hold.

Because it is almost exactly the moment of Full Snow Moon (11:38 am, about 20 minutes from now), I once again extended my morning meditation/chakra cleanse/Reiki application, and reached out to Danu as She taught me. I opened my sacral chakra and became aware of my physical body. I thought about the miracle of its workings, and I realized that I love this body. Despite the fact that I sometimes abuse it by eating or drinking too much, it still takes care of my life essence. I then opened my heart chakra, and thought about the love I had for myself and then transferred that love to the world around me and everything in it. In may ways this world is an organism, just as my body is filled with cells and molecules that “do their own thing. I allowed myself to feel love for this world and every occupant. Then, I opened my brow chakra, and for a moment I once again sensed that glimpse of the Machinery of the Universe that came with what I am calling my DNA Download. There is sooooo much more to life than fancy cars and lots of possessions. I am blessed to have these moments of an awareness of “more.” In a way, I am selfishly glad that I really don’t have the words to describe this sense of Purpose, and of Connection, not only to this world but beyond it, into the vast universes of the astral realms. Publicizing this awesome and healing knowledge might necessitate describing the process to get to this understanding, and I could not even begin to give the steps for the process is seven years in length, and more. Those of you who have received these Cosmic Downloads or glimpsed the Machinery of the Universe will understand what I am saying here. Those of you who have not, keep trying. Your key is out there, and it is different from mine. One lock, one key to fit into it. All I can do is tell you that the door will open at the right time if you do the work, and once it does, you will not regret the efforts you expended to get in.

This time I received a message from my Patroness; I heard Danu’s voice saying, “You have made much progress, my daughter. I am pleased. Know that I am always with you. The Path ahead of you may contain tears, but again, you are not alone. I am with you.” I asked Her why there must be pain; Her answer was, “As you go in deeper and become closer to Me, all of your senses become more aware and you feel, with strength. But pain and discomfort are the gifts of life, as are joy and ease of being.” After a moment, She continued: “Love heals all. And I am always with you.” And then she was gone.

That is the second time that Danu has hinted at some stormy weather ahead, and I don’t mean another snowstorm, although we will surely have at least one more of those before Spring fully blossoms. She means spiritual pain, and I know that She considered pain as a gift, for it is proof of life. Whatever happens, I will strive to see the Journey as She does. And just to clarify, I did my meditation before I threw my Tarot cards of the day. Those cards seem to be validating the message of Danu.

I attended the Sacred Mists Full Snow Moon Esbat this afternoon, and will be heading North, home to Hackensack and Hubby, in a bit.

Full Moon Blessings!

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Saturday, February 27, 2010

Ace of Pentacles/Queen of Cups reversed. Today will be filled with potential and opportunity for growth within all that is connected to the physical realm and my own bodily health and well-being. That Queen in an upright position tells of Water of Water (cold/binds and wet/adapts), and tells of someone who is comfortable with all emotions and who is connected to the inner self. Because it is reversed, I may find that no matter how much I want to focus on the inner worlds, the physical realms will be calling me, presenting for my perusal all kinds of possibilities.

My Thoth card is the Four of Swords reversed. Hmmmm . . . no court cards for a few days. Strange . . . . Anyway, the Four of Swords is Crowley’s “Truce” card, and it tells of the momentary balance or truce that is created by equally armed adversaries. Since the card is reversed, that balance is unlikely to happen for me today.

My Legacy card is the Five of Coins reversed. Marchetti sees this card as representing the need that causes both miserliness and generosity. I am being reminded that the choice of results is up to me, because while we cannot change or prevent the things that life presents to us, we do have the power of choosing how to react to them. Because this card is reversed, it is telling me that these energies may not be in my face today, but they are there just the same.

My 6-digit date number is 3. The number 3 tells of the concept of “surface” and of building something out of the pure energy of 1 and the new manifestation of 2.

My horoscope: “You have an innate psychic ability that only needs some fine-tuning and strengthening for it to develop into a formidable power. Even now you sometimes find yourself reading other people's thoughts. This sensitivity gets you into trouble sometimes, but mostly it works to your advantage. In relationships, especially, you’re able to put an end to hurt feelings before they evolve into something irreparable.”

I took a bit of extra time after my usual morning meditation/chakra cleanse/Reiki application this morning to open my sacral, heart and brow chakras, and invoke the Goddess on this Full Snow Moon eve. To my delight, I was filled with Her warmth, a syrupy, warm tingling, starting behind m brow chakra, then moving down to my heart chakra, where the warmth spread. I was filled with Her lovely presence for several long minutes, before the lovely pressure began to fade away.

I had a nicely productive day, and I was able to cross a few things off of my To-Do List. I even did a few Tarot readings on the SMPDA Board. I did about 45 minutes of yoga and belly dance stretches, and then took a walk down to the beach for sunset. LOL, Tara, you really should have been here this weekend. Another beauty. I stood on the beach during what I consider my “power time,” with the almost full moon (full at 11:30-ish tomorrow morning, so close enough) above the ocean and the Eastern horizon, and the orange flame that is the setting sun above the ocean and the Western horizon. This time of power and transition is very important to me, and I go to the beach whenever the nearly full moon rises just before sunset, to soak up the incredible energies of the Sacred Feminine and the Sacred Masculine, and the ocean, the cradle of life on our world.

Once the sun had fallen below the horizon in a blaze of color, I stood at the edge of the ocean, opening my chakras completely, balancing them, and then releasing them, after allowing the breeze to blow into me. I felt wonderful, and powerful. Balanced. Then, I collected all that loveliness and power, and brought it into my Core Value Anchor for storage.

Well, we have mice again. At least this time, they are hanging out in the laundry room, and not among my pots and pans and silverware. Ugh, last time I had to wash everything.

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Friday, February 26, 2010

The Star reversed/Eight of Pentacles. The Star corresponds with the element of Air (hot/separates and wet/adapts), Aquarius (I know) and the Hebrew letter Tsadi (fishhook; experience and thought), and in an upright position it tells of hope for renewal after some kind of upheaval or disaster. Because the card is reversed, I am being told that now is not the time to think about the future or hope for a happy ending. Instead, I am being told to put my nose to the grindstone, for sometimes fulfillment comes directly from working hard, working for work’s sake and not for a reward.

My Thoth card is The Heirophant. Crowley sees this card as a representation of the Holy Guardian Angel; it is about faith, about patience, and about getting help from ones superiors. This card corresponds with the element of Earth (cold/binds and dry/shapes) with Taurus (I have), and with the Hebrew letter Vau (the nail).

My Legacy Card is the Page of Swords. Earth of Air. Hmmm . . . they seem to be the elements of the day! If the Pages present the message of the Ace of their suit, then this Page is offering me the possibilities found within the intellect, along with a warning. The intellect is a two-edged sword, and I need to remember that while Air is an element, the intellect is not a natural elemental force. I need to be aware of how I wield its power.

My 6-digit date number is 11, which reduces to 2. 11 is the number that tells me that Archangel Uriel is around, and the number 2 tells of an initial manifestation of creativity; it also manifests the concept of distance between two points.

My horoscope: “You tend to be very intuitive, Sagittarius, but today your channel to the other side could appear to be totally blocked. You can't sense what others are feeling, and oracles like the I Ching just don't make sense any more. You may try to fall back on logic, but that doesn't work today either. Don't think this is a permanent situation, however. Your mental biorhythms are low. You should be back to normal in a few days.”

Well, we had another snowstorm; Hackensack got about a foot of snow but this time Cape May got off easy. Although it is beautiful! All the trees look like they are covered with white cherry blossoms! My drive down was very easy, mainly because there was hardly anyone on the road. I saw the most incredible sun pillar just before sunset!! It reached higher up from the horizon than I have ever seen! Tara, you would have loved it! And the moon was peeking out from between the clouds as I drove into Cape May. Perhaps it will be clear enough tomorrow for a sunset on the beach.

Mystery and I have been working with black amethyst, and I must say, this is a very cool stone!! It is healing and soothing, and it grounds without shutting you down. It is supposed to be good for all chakras, and excellent for astral travel. Generally speaking, amethyst is a stone of both spirituality and contentment. It clears the aura and facilitates bringing lower energies into the higher frequencies of both the spiritual and ethereal selves. I have been sleeping with the stone in my hand, and as I stated a few days ago, it is doing something to my energy field, something good. Tonight I will see if Miss Pauline likes it.

I am hoping to get lots of things accomplished this weekend, and hopefully I will be caught up by Sunday evening. *wink* I’ll keep you posted.

I have submitted a short story to a great women’s fiction Internet magazine, called Luna Station Quarterly, and it will be published in the magazine’s first issue on March 1. As of that day, I will be a published author! That was my first try at a short story, and while I am not completely happy with it, I think I have become addicted to stories at 1,500 words or less. Me! Raushanna! Miss Diarrhea of the Mouth, She-Who-Cannot-Write-Anything-Less-Than-10,000-Words! I find that I actually like the challenge of trying to say what I am trying to say in as few words as possible. I even have begun to think about drabbles!! I know; who am I and what have I done with Raushanna!

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Wednesday, February 24, 2010

The High Priestess/Three of Cups. The High Priestess corresponds with the element of Water (cold/binds and wet/adapts), the Moon (feelings, illusion and imagination) and the Hebrew letter Gimel (camel, holds the secret knowledge that preserves life), and is my personal significator card. I am being told that my own knowledge and my own Inner Voice are important today, not only to myself and my own well being, but also to the joy and happiness and health of the community. It is the community that will bring me joy today, and I need to remember that sometimes the love that is manifested by the community is not obvious; it is there, just the same.

My Thoth card is the Seven of Cups reversed. The “Debauch” card, and thankfully reversed, considering my other cards today. I may be immersed in enough pleasure and satisfaction to create an imbalance, but that imbalance will be temporary and most likely will not present any lasting harm.

My Legacy card is the Six of Swords. Mercury (intelligence, education, skill) in Aquarius (I know), and this card tells of a change from problems to success, and it indicates that help is available to me in this endeavor, should I choose to access it. The card can literally indicate a journey over water, but we shall see. **wink**

Because everything seems so good as far as my cards for the day, I tempted fate and threw a clarification card from my Legacy Tarot; Six of Pentacles. Another Six!! This one corresponds with the Moon (feelings, illusion and imagination) in Taurus (I have), and thus it presents a focus on both what I have and what I do not have. Okay, I can do that.

My 6-digit date number for today is 9. Wow, another good omen! The number 9 tells of completeness of experiences, having experienced and absorbed all there is to offer within a particular cycle.

My horoscope: “Financial prosperity is just around the corner, Sagittarius, especially with your recently acquired money-management skills. It’s likely that you’ll receive a windfall in the near future, although it may not seem like a windfall to you, since you’ve been expecting this money for a long time now. Use your new abilities to invest it soundly and wisely. You’re bound to be quite pleased with the results you achieve over the long term.”

Well, something is certainly happening to me because I am holding onto that crystal while I am sleeping. Monday night, I slept like I was drugged, and last night I slept (or **didn't** sleep, LOL) as if I had just had some strong coffee. My thoughts were not racing, but my brain was tense, and I could not relax enough to fall asleep. It was almost 3 am by the time I nodded off, but right now I feel light and pure. Something is being “burned off” of my energy body, fer sher. My cards this morning are awesome, as is my 6-digit number. Even my horoscope is promising, although it focuses more on the physical realms, but hey, there is that Six of Coins as a clarification card.

I received an email from Saets; I am officially a Reiki Master!! I am very pleased about this!!

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Tuesday, February 23, 2010

The Tower reversed/Three of Swords reversed. Oy, and oy. Yes, I know; the cards are reversed, but they are there just the same, which means the energies of the cards are a factor for today. The Tower corresponds with Fire (hot/separates and dry/shapes), the planet Mars (action, aggression, spontaneity), and the Hebrew letter Phe (mouth, speech), the last correspondence being very strange upon first examination. In an upright position, The Tower shows us what happens if we insist on resisting change, and the Three of Swords in many ways is a Minor Arcana version of The Tower, as it represents hurt and betrayal on an intellectual level.

My Thoth card is the Four of Disks reversed. This is the “Power” card in that the heavy stability of the energy outweighs any weaknesses. It is the card of the perfect defense, pure Law with no aggression. Is that good or bad? Because the card is reversed, this heavy stability may end up being a liability today in some way.

My Legacy card is the Nine of Cups. Whew, that is a relief. Jupiter (expansiveness and growth) in Pisces (I know), and “completeness” of Water (cold/binds and wet/adapts), tells me that no matter what realms the challenges of the day present themselves, I will be pretty happy with the ways that I deal with them.

My 6-digit date number is 8, which is about responding to the beginnings of degeneration that is the number 7. The number 8 is an echo of the vertical and horizontal Balance of the number 6; not quite as powerful, but pleasant just the same.

My horoscope: “Too much mental or physical exercise could have you feeling a bit burned out today, Sagittarius. You could be considerably slower on the uptake than usual, and those around you could be surprised that you, normally very energetic, seem to be moving like a snail. Spend as much time resting as you can, because you'll need to recoup your stamina. If you must work, concentrate on routine tasks requiring very little conscious effort.” LOL, ya think??!!

I slept with my black amethyst crystal last night. Oy, I had a night of very deep, almost drugged, sleep, and I am still bouncing off walls a bit, even after two cups of coffee. I did feel a bit more alert after my usual application of Reiki into my chakras, but I am very sluggish today. Could I be detoxing in some way? Or is this sluggishness due to burning the candle at both ends, as suggested by my horoscope? I will sleep with the crystal again tonight, and see how I feel tomorrow.

The Student Council met last night strictly for ego boosting purposes. We have been really working hard to assess everyone’s roles within the Council, and this assessment is at times painful. But the good thing is that we are dredging up all the stuff that has been pushed into dark, dusty corners, whether because no one has the time to deal with it or because no one is brave enough to deal with it. We are being asked to look at ourselves, our attitudes and our performance with a microscope, and also to look at each other in the same way, and assess with brutal honesty in perfect love and trust. Talk about walking a tightrope over a chasm! Last night was all about focusing on the good things that we each bring to the Council, and I think we each needed that. In any event, I believe that working through these sometimes difficult issues will make us stronger and more effective as a Council, because in order to work through them, we need to increase our confidence in each other and ourselves.

This is going to be another busy week for me. I have three things on my To Do List, and if I can cross them all off by Friday, I will be very happy indeed!

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Monday, February 22, 2010

Temperance reversed/Two of Cups. Temperance corresponds with Fire (hot/separates and dry/shapes), Sagittarius (I seek), and Samekh (tent post), and in an upright position tells of maintaining equilibrium and of learning through trial and error. The Two of Cups is the Minor Arcana version of The Lovers, and it tells of the importance to me of how I appear in the eyes of those who care for me. Balance may be difficult for me to attain today, and this difficulty may stem from the fact that I am very aware of the state of my relationships. In fact, the state of my relationships may be the main focus for me today.

My Thoth card is a Major Arcana card, The Moon reversed. Crowley sees this card as representing “the darkest time before the dawn,” and in an upright position it tells of coming change that is masked in illusion and mystery. Things may not be as they seem on the surface, and I need to be aware of that. The Moon corresponds with Water (cold/binds and wet/adapts), Pisces (I believe). and Qof (the back of the head).

My Legacy card is the Ten of Coins. This is such an interesting card because it tells of arriving at the point when we are aware of the blessings we have attained through hard work, but it also warns us that if we don’t do something with those blessings, they become dead weight. I need to be very aware of this and use my judgment to determine when the best time is to use my blessings to better my world.

My 6-digit number for today is 7. This number tells of the beginning of the degeneration of the Balance of the number 6. That Balance is past its prime.

My horoscope: “An emotional issue with a family member could have you wanting to run away and hide, Sagittarius. Don't fight the urge. This may be just what you need in order to clear your mind regarding the problem and heal your wounded psyche before you face this person again. You might also receive some rather disconcerting revelations about yourself and old traumas that you’ve long since forgotten. Don't fight these either. Simply release them.”

Well, Miss Pauline kept me up a bit early Sunday morning, and LOL I was tired by last night. I get the feeling that she enjoys teasing me, because she will bounce on the bed to wake me up, and then try to pull off my covers. She’s having fun!

The engineer who is helping us with our project at the Cape May house came on Sunday morning to bring initial drawings and talk to us, and I got to meet him and hear what he had to say. What has me tense that after the engineer left, for the third time since we started talking about fixing the living room floor, I had to remind Bob that I am 100% certain that I do not want to move the living room ceiling up. He keeps brushing me off; this time he said that we would be doing all of this in phases and that would be the last phase. Bob was calm, but somehow I get the feeling that he is calm because he thinks he will be able to slip this by me. I think I need to sit down and talk to him again. But in any event, the first phase of the project will be a new roof (which we need badly), and a new ceiling in the bedroom. That work I am 100% in agreement with, and it is more complicated than it sounds, because the beams in the attic need to be tied in together in a stronger fashion during the process of redoing the roof.

Once we are certain that everything is tied in the way it needs to be in the attic, we can take out the living room floor, install the footings in the crawl space to hold the new pillars that will properly support the stairs, and then we will be replacing the living room and dining room floors, and installing hardwood in the living room. *crosses fingers* Hopefully this will be done by the Summer. Not the painting and finishing, but the installation of the floor and the new stairway. Please, let it be done by the Summer!!!!

The snow is melting in Cape May, finally. Before I left last night, I could actually see most of our sidewalk. And the crocuses are poking their green heads out of the soil!! Can Spring be on its way??!!

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Saturday, February 20, 2010

Ace of Cups/Four of Cups reversed. Well, sounds like my day will be filled with “feelings” of all kinds. Water (cold/binds and wet/adapts) and the astrological signs associated with Fall (Libra, we are; Scorpio, I desire; and Sagittarius, I seek) will rule today, and there will be no stagnating corners in the part of my mind that deals with emotions and the subconscious. Will that be good or bad? That is entirely up to my chosen perception of the day.

My Thoth card is the Knight of Cups. Another Cups card! Crowley sees the Knights/Kings as kind of being past their prime and more useful as advisors, and Uncle Al does not seem to respect and like this Knight. He sees the Knight of Cups as an amiable but passive gentleman, a “weak Jupiter” (expansiveness and growth, justice, fortune) who may be enthusiastic but does not have the ability to endure to the end because he is easily distracted by outside influences. Pair this card with the Four of Cups reversed, and we have the potential for so much emotional stimulation that there is danger of a disconnect.

My Legacy card is the Ten of Coins. Well, I needed some grounding today and here it is. Mercury (intelligence, order, skill) in Virgo (I serve, service-oriented and order), completion in the physical realms, will all offer Balance. I need to make certain that I **do something** with the ballast offered by this “ultimate Minor Coins” card, and today that activation of a somewhat passive suit may be the key to making today a valuable day.

My 6-digit date number is 5. This number tells of the imposition of motion onto or into the stability of the number 4 in order to prevent stagnation. LOL, sound familiar??

My horoscope: “You’re feeling especially psychically and mystically inclined today, Sagittarius. You might want to read about such matters or attend a lecture or workshop given by someone in the field. Telepathic communications are coming your way. Don't be surprised if more than once during the course of the day you and another say the same thing at the same time. You might also experience a powerful kinship with people from the past.

It has been an incredibly busy week. Multiple Sacred Mists projects have been re-energized and are in the process of being refined. I am now a Facilitator of the Sacred Reiki Boards, and I have already responded to three Reiki I and II Assessments. I love doing this! Checking First Degree homeworks has added so much depth and texture to my own knowledge of First Degree level information, and I expect that working with Reiki I and II students will do the same.

One of my goals resulting from my Peer Review is to post on the Journals of First Degree students, and I am enjoying this, too. I am surprised at how many of them are posting on my own Journal, pleasantly surprised because I stopped by their Journal and thanking me for dropping by. There is an important lesson here: no matter how much we think we are visible and attainable, we need to make every effort to post on Journals. The student Journals are “personal spaces” and my posting there is kind of like stopping by their homes to say hi. I have learned a valuable lesson!

I actually remembered a dream last night! Or parts of it anyway. I was at a place where a huge group of Hindus of all walks of life had gathered. Some were young (children of kindergarten age) and some were very old. Some were dressed in plain clothes, and some were dressed in their finest ethnic garb. Many had all kinds of beautiful gold jewelry with emeralds and rubies (beautiful Burma rubies and lovely clear emeralds, like Columbian emeralds, my very expensive favorite), and many (old, young, rich or poor) had headpieces on, with jewels or beads hanging in front of their third eye, and long strands of gold beads worked into their hair. There was a huge room where people were seated on folding chairs set up in rows; the walls of one entire side of the room folded back and I was with the overflow group outside of the room. On a small stage in front of that room was an ornate chair, and the "guru" sat there. I don't know what else to call him; he was older, dressed in ornate clothes, lots of red with gold ornamentations, and dark trousers. For a bit, he stood and led the group in a prayer and a chant in their language. Then the "guru" moved out of sight to prepare. We were all there because we were going to dedicate ourselves to Kali Ma, and I seemed to be accepted as one of the faithful by the crowd because no one was looking at me strangely. I remember one or two of the little bejeweled children smiling at me, but they were smiling at everyone, happy and excited. And guess what? I did not put together a dedication for Kali, and I might be in the dog house. I need to think about this for a bit. Kali Herself did not appear, but we were all there for Her, so I think there is an important message in this dream.

I actually wrote a short story to submit to Luna Station Quarterly! Yes, me, Miss Diarrhea of the Mouth, She-Who-Cannot-Say-Anything-In-Less-Than-10,000-Words, has written a short story. The editor of the site, my dearest fellow PBT-er, J, has given me some valuable editing advice. Now I know why an editor is so important! Hopefully I can get the story in shape and submitted over the next day or two.

The sun is out, and I am energized and ready to get to work. Time to do my belly dance stretches and my Yoga.

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Sunday, February 14, 2010

Eight of Cups reversed/Five of Pentacles. I may find that I have trouble tapping into my ability to get motivated today. One description that I read as I researched the Eight of Cups tells me that in an upright position this card sometimes tells of a physical sacrifice which must be made in order to attain spiritual growth. Because the Eight is reversed, and because it is paired with the Five of Pentacles (which tells of a perceived hardship in the physical world), I may be focusing too much on the physical event and not enough on the lesson that accompanies it.

My Thoth card is the Nine of Pentacles. Crowley sees the “Gain” card as telling of a satisfaction at having harvested what was sowed, but in typical Uncle Al fashion, it also warns that if left to itself, satisfaction becomes stagnation.

My Legacy card today is The Star reversed. Hmmmm . . . a little less optimistic than I would have hoped. The Star corresponds with the element of Air (hot/separates and wet/adapts), the sign of Aquarius (I know; best interests of the group), and the Hebrew letter Tsadi (fishhook; experience and thought), and in an upright position it tells us that hope and inspiration can be found both above (divine) and from below (unexpected help may appear if I am true to myself). This card is the Anima Mundi, the soul of the world, and tells of the calm after the storm. There is that phrase again: If it doesn’t kill you it will make you stronger. I may find that I am a bit overwhelmed today by distractions of the physical world (and let’s hope that they are just distractions); I need to strive to remember that I have the ability to take care of everything, with a smile on my face and gratitude for the opportunity to test myself in my heart. Not as pessimistic as I thought.

My 6-digit date number is 8. The energies of the number 8 tell of a reaction to the beginning of degeneration of the number 7. The number 8 is similar to the number 6, which brings horizontal and vertical balance from the chaos of the movement of the number 5, only the balance achieved by the energies of 8 is not quite as pure and it does not last quite as long as the balance of the number 6.

I am making progress on crossing things off my To Do list. I checked my very first Reiki I and Reiki II Assessment last night, and I actually enjoyed doing this, even though checking a Reiki Assessment takes a lot longer than checking a First Degree Homework (and I did quite a few of those so far this weekend, too). My Second Degree Lesson is officially done. I still need to print it out and read it through once more, and make certain that my homework questions are good, but that is minimal.

I attended the Sacred Mists Esbat last evening, and I am using the energies of the transition from Dark Moon to New Moon as I continue to organize my life. Steps are happening, baby steps for sure, but I am moving in the right direction.

I spent some time last night and this morning working with Mystery on our ritual, and I spoke to Lisa on the phone in part about her book binding class and the permanent Book of Shadows that I am commissioning her to create for me. Lisa gave me lots of things to think about, and I will be working on visualizing my “perfect BOS” so that she and I can manifest it.

I am sitting in my kitchen, looking out into my yard. The sky is a beautiful blue and the sun is shining, so even though the air is cold and there is quite a bit of snow still blanketing the ground, I can hear and see the meltwater dripping. I am thinking about all that has happened, both good and bad, and I am excited about what might be just beyond the horizon.

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Saturday, February 13, 2010

Three of Pentacles reversed/The Magician reversed. Well, looks like my main focus will **not** be regarding physical manifestation today! Mind you, these two cards are about the efforts and the skills involved in having an effect on my physical world, and because the cards are there at all, efforts will be expended in that regard. But the results may not be apparent to me today.

My Thoth card for today is the Six of Cups. Uncle Al must be in a good mood today. “Pleasure,” and pleasure that roots itself in the most convenient soil, which means that I will be able to easily manifest pleasure and please my senses today. Wahoo!!

My Legacy card is the Four of Wands reversed. Another card that is telling me that while the creative effects and enthusiasm are present (or the card would not have shown up), there will not be a resolution or evidence of completion today.

My 6-digit date number today is 7. The number 7 tells of the very beginning of the degeneration of the vertical and horizontal harmony of the number 6. I see it as representing that time after the crops are harvested but before the degeneration of the Fall.

The Pagan Brain Trust had a meeting this past Thursday. Awesome, as always. It appears that several of us are experiencing our own Dark Nights of the Soul, some short and intense, and some gradual. I think it is very helpful to know that others are having the same blockages.

We are going to set up a distance Reiki Share over the next week or two, before our next meeting. I am really, really looking forward to that experience.

The more I work with my chakras, the more supportive they become. Thank you, Cernunnos, for starting me on this!. And thank you, Danu, for showing me this new way to connect with you. I realized this morning that before I throw my two Welsh cards as I shuffle the deck, I open my sacral chakra, then my heart chakra, and then my brow chakra, and then I open that spot in my brain that Danu showed me. While I shuffle my Thoth Tarot, I open my throat chakra. And while I shuffle my Legacy Tarot, I open my solar plexus chakra. I just love all these new layers of connections to my chakras and my energy field.

Helen and I did two workouts this afternoon, belly dance stretch and yoga, and we are getting together tomorrow as well. I am pleasantly sore. I have begun to work on a writeup for Reiki, and will post it in this Journal once I complete it. And I will be taking a three day workshop in June in order to learn Thai Massage. I really can’t wait!!

Tonight is the last of this month’s Dark Moon. I really do feel as if this is the true end of the intensity of Winter, even though the greater Sabbat of Imbolc represents Winter’s peak. While a part of me is really enjoying the inner work of this Winter, and the challenges that are still being presented to me (yes, Uriel is still appearing in the dark, with His two glowing eyes like golden flashlights, and He will not explain the message), I am beginning to miss my garden. I have promised to Danu that I will create a small area that will be dedicated to Her, and I have been thinking about this, trying to decide what part of my garden will work the best as a shrine to Her. But Spring will begin to show her face soon enough. For now, I will begin my preparations for the Sacred Mists Dark Moon Esbat, and then give some time to the magickal working that Mystery and I are preparing.

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Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Six of Wands/Eight of Pentacles. Today I will be feeling victorious for I have mastered my own Fire (hot/separates and dry/shapes). I have worked hard, often without acknowledgement, but that is fine for I am able to receive much fulfillment from the knowledge that I have given my all to a particular project. But today those efforts will be legitimized.

My Thoth card is the Three of Swords reversed. “The Lord of Sorrow” does not reign over any lowly conflict between individuals, but rather he rules universal sorrow and melancholy. This card being reversed today tells me that while there is or has been the potential for these energies to affect me, I will be able to overcome them.

My Legacy card is The Lovers reversed. The suit of Air (hot/separates and wet/adapts), the sign of Gemini (I have; interactions and connections), and the Hebrew letter Zayin (the two-sided blade) are the correspondences of this card; The Lovers also represents to me the presence of Archangel Uriel, who has been appearing to me of late. The card is reversed, so the personal choices involved in its energies are not a factor today. I should not be worrying about myself today, but rather I should be thinking about the benefits needed by the group.

My 6-digit date number for today is 4. The number 4 is about stability and depth; it tells of stillness and its only danger is stagnation.

I had my Peer Review Interview with Lady Raven last night. I am pleased that nothing bad has come to light, and that I am seen by the other Student Council Members as being as fulfilled and excited about my responsibilities as I actually feel. It turns out that my worries did not manifest, but that brief yet intense Dark Night of the Soul was not wasted. Not only did my self-examination assure me that my spiritual path is still the right one for me, but I have proved to myself that I have pretty much conquered the “you are a failure” monster. I am more confident than ever, and more fulfilled. Lady Raven and I talked about possible goals for me, and together we put three of them in place.

What a weekend we had!! We lost power during the night, at about 4 am, when a tree fell on to a wire. We had left our computers and our cell phones charging before going to bed because we thought the power might go out; when I woke at 4 am, I decided to go down and unplug them. My goodness, it was like a lightning storm, except the flashes of light were live wires! Needless to say, the power was out.

It snowed all day on Saturday. We spent the day shoveling, and checking on our elderly neighbors. We cooked on the stove top (darned new fangled oven pilots!), and Saturday night we stepped outside; what a beautiful sky! With no background light, the stars were incredible. Sunday morning we got up to a fantasy world! Two feet of snow, still no power! We shoveled our cars out again, and left for home before dark. Our house ended up getting power back on Sunday evening.

I am home today because the New York area is experiencing its own blizzard, after having dodged the bullet last weekend, when Cape May received two feet of snow with power outages. We are expecting anywhere from 10 to 18 inches of snow in Hackensack, but what worries me is the snow is wet and the winds are coming, so we may end up with power failures.

Cape May is on the fringe of this storm, hopefully not receiving more than 10 inches total with much of that being rain, but oy, there is still the two feet from last weekend, on top of the 15 inches from the weekend before!

Bob and I went to see Avatar, and I was deeply affected, moved to tears to such an extent that I was having trouble talking about the movie without sobbing. Don’t get me wrong; I fully understand that this is a work of fiction and that these beings are created through computer animation, but the message of the movie was so much in line with my recent glimpses of the Machinery of the Universe and the Cosmic Downloads that are even now being processed by my brain that if I had written the script myself, I could not have made it better.

Several images within the movie haunt me with their accuracy as far as how I see the world. Two in particular stand out: first the aerial view as the hero is officially made a member of The People, where those closest to the hero reached out to touch him and then each layer moving outward touched the persons in front of them until a living and energetically connected “tribe” was show, with everyone either directly or indirectly connecting simultaneously with each other and the new member. The second was both times in the move where ill or injured beings were brought beneath the tree and everyone joined hands and pulsed like one giant beating heart.

We are indeed all connected. All life on our world is dependent on all other life to some degree in order to exist and in order to reproduce and continue onward. In previous journal posts I mentioned the connection between pond scum and Stephen Hawkings, and how each of those extremes have been created in the image of Deity. I have never been more aware of the sacredness of both all life and the cycles that serve to keep life immortal.

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Friday, February 5, 2010

Four of Wands reversed/Two of Swords reversed. Although I may believe the time is right to look at what I have accomplished so far, this is not what I should be doing today. My inner fires may appear to be settling in, but I need to add just a bit more fuel to the fires to keep them burning a little longer. The good thing is that today my mind is very active, and I should be a good “fire minder” because of that. No stagnation or stalemate today!

My Thoth card is the Princess of Swords reversed. This card tells of the presence today of a clarity of sight that will allow me to see through all subterfuge, however since the card is reversed, I need to be wary for my intellect could cause harm since it does not contain compassion.

My Legacy card is the Five of Wands. I just love what Marchetti writes about this card! His LWB says: “From a single energy, several different intentions can arise and fight for your attention. Striving mightily, inextricably bound together, they seem to be at cross-purposes. But is their struggle for domination or for freedom? Can your life include more that one intention at a time?” Oh, I love this! It really sums up my life of late; I want to do it all!! But there just aren’t enough hours in a day, and that darned day job eats up so much time!!

It is Friday night, and I made it down to Cape May before the initiation of the “major snowfall” of this weekend. Last weekend we ended up with over a foot here, and this weekend the weather pundits are predicting between 18 to 24 inches once the storm has passed. Thankfully, my boss let me get on the road early, so I did not see my first snowflakes until mile marker 44 on the NJ Parkway. I made it to the Blue Moon House just as the snow was beginning to stick, and hubby had our blue light on and dinner in the oven, with a lovely bottle of Chateaux Ste. Michelle in the fridge just for me!

It was a strange day at work; half of my mind was anticipating a stressful drive down in snow, and the other half was preparing for a weekend alone in Hackensack; after all, I don’t want to drive in blizzard conditions, and that is what is predicted. But here I am, with a full belly and a full wine glass, listening to Anita O’Day sing Sweet Georgia Brown.

Tomorrow I have a few First Degree Homeworks to check, I have to do my Yoga and belly dance stretches, and then I am taking out my sketch pad so that I can work on the artwork for Sola’s book. I expect to awaken to a faerie land of diamond sparkles and icicles.

I am very blessed!

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Thursday, February 4, 2010

Queen of Cups reversed/The Emperor reversed. This Queen could be considered a Minor Arcana version of The High Priestess, and she is real good at reflecting the feelings of others back at them while keeping hidden her own feelings. She is Water (cold/binds and wet/adapts) of Water, the purest manifestation of the element into a person, and she is reversed, so I will have difficulty applying her effects with good results. The Emperor, on the other hand, corresponds with the element of Fire (hot/separates and dry/shapes), Aries (I Want), and the Hebrew letter He (window, seeing), and represents the combination of confidence and the ability to wield authority. This one is reversed also, and it seems that today I will have trouble keeping my emotions orderly.

My Thoth card is the Two of Cups reversed. Crowley calls this card “The Lord of Love,” and sees it as a great indicator of love and happiness. And, of course, it is reversed. This does not necessarily indicate that I don’t have love in my life or the potential to experience happiness, but it does tell me that I am not looking in the right place to tap into these things.

My Legacy card is the Page of Cups reversed. This Page represents the season of Fall (Libra, we are, Scorpio, I desire, and Sagittarius, I seek); it is Earth (cold/binds and dry/shapes) of Water (cold/binds and wet/adapts), and this Page in an upright position calls for us to use our senses to interpret our emotions. The Page of Cups can be seen to represent the practicality of emotions, and since, like all of my other cards today, it is reversed, my emotions don’t look like they are going to be very practical today.

The date today reduces to the number 7, which is about the pause that happens between balance and the degeneration of that balance, with the beginning of movement towards degeneration. Combine this with my four reversed cards, with three of them Cups cards and two of the three Court Cards, and this certainly looks like it will be an interesting and frustrating day, at least emotionally.

As I looked at the Legacy Tarot LWB writeup on the Page of Cups, I decided to check out the rest of the Pages to see what seasons they each correspond with. Understanding these seasonal correspondences might help me to understand the Pages a little bit more, and as I researched, I realized that it was not the season itself that was corresponding with the Pages, but the three astrological signs within each season. I need to also remember that the rank of Page corresponds with the element of Earth (cold/binds and dry/shapes), which is about security and a strong foundation and everything needed for physical health; but the rank of Page is also about having a young mind or a youthful outlook on life. The Pages also bring to a seeker the message of the Ace of the suit.

The Page of Cups corresponds with Fall (Libra, we are, Scorpio, I desire, and Sagittarius, I seek). As stated above, it is Earth (cold/binds and dry/shapes) of Water (cold/binds and wet/adapts), and since Earth and Water have the cold/binds trait in common, the Page of Cups can be seen as representing the practical (Earthy) part of emotions (Water); he is trusting (Earth) as he opens his heart to you (Water). He brings us a message: emotions and imagination can be used to make our world more exciting, and it is okay to enjoy our senses for it is through our senses that we connect to and communicate with our world and everything in it. The Fall is about the ripening of crops, and so this Page can represent births also.

The Page of Swords corresponds with Winter (Capricorn, I build, Aquarius, I know, and Pisces, I believe). Earth (cold/binds and dry/shapes) of Air (hot/separates and wet/adapts) wherein the senses subdue the intellect. This makes things challenging for the Page, whose job it is to find practical (Earthy) applications of ideas (Air), but despite this challenge, this Page is probably the most mature of the four. He is considered the acolyte of the power of the mind and he is always fascinated with the mind’s workings. He is very good at exploiting opportunities, and LOL, he makes a good spy because his youthful mindset will eagerly rise to the challenges of using his intellect to outsmart others. Can’t you just hear him saying “My name is Bond; James Bond”??

The Page of Pentacles corresponds with Spring (Aries, I want, Taurus, I have, and Gemini, I think). Earth (cold/binds and dry/shapes) of Earth, and while the Page of Pentacles is the most responsible of the Pentacles Court Cards, the addition of youthful thinking to the mixture prevents this Page from being totally weighed down by all that Earth. He tells us that now is the time to plant our seeds, but he tells us that we need to also have enough faith to live as if we were already enjoying the fruits of our labors. His energies are great to have around when we are beginning a big new project, for he is very good at teaching us how to see every step of our day as filled with wonders and possibilities.

The Page of Wands corresponds with Summer (Cancer, I feel, Leo, I am, and Virgo, I serve). Earth (cold/binds and dry/shapes) of Fire (hot/separates and dry/shapes), with the senses supporting the will. This Page attempts to apply practicality to passion and energy, and while he is very good at making plans, he is sometimes not mature enough to see them through to the end. His best trait is his ability to deal with fear; he shines the light of the sun in the dark corners and bravely chases away the monsters. **smile** Kind of like a Mini-Me to The Fool.

I gave Gypsyballad her second distance Reiki treatment last night. I have a regular client!! How cool is that!! What a pleasure it was; she is lovely to connect with, and she is very open to receiving Reiki, so the entire treatment is invigorating for me as well.

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Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Queen of Pentacles/Justice. Earth (cold/binds and dry/shapes) of Earth, plus Libra (we are), the element of Air (hot/separates and wet/adapts), and Lamed (ox whip, to learn), are correspondences of the energies presented by my Welsh cards. I will be able to tap into my nurturing skills today, although I need to be careful that I don’t get too caught up in keeping things safe because that would end up as constriction. My actions of this day may be important, and I need to keep aware of this, as well as keep alert for the results of past actions, for they may be apparent today.

My Thoth card is the Knight of Swords; back to Court Cards again! This Knight represents the powers and the dangers that come along with operating through the intellect only, without the added balance of the other elements. I need to be very aware so that I can take advantage of the positive sides of this concept yet guard against the possibility of the negative sides manifesting in my day.

My Legacy card is the Ace of Wands reversed. This card reversed was in my throws for yesterday, as a Welsh Tarot card; it is the purest essences of the element of Fire (hot/separates and dry/shapes) and the season of Summer (Cancer, I feel, Leo, I am, and Virgo, I serve) are to be found in the upright Ace, but since it is reversed, I need to be careful because the element of Fire and all of its potential will not be presented in a balanced way today.

Today’s date reduces to the number 6; according to Crowley’s Naples Arrangement, this is a number of both horizontal and vertical balance. Good number!! And I will need it, for my cards contain lots of Earth, Air and Fire, but no Water to balance things out. Looks like I will need to actively manifest Water today.

My horoscope for today: “While long-term trends in your life may not be going exactly the way you want them to, Sagittarius, you certainly have plenty of short-term pleasures to enjoy, especially today. Feel free to indulge in things that you might normally say no to. There is a great opportunity now to form an extremely powerful bond with someone close to you. Find this connection by immersing yourself in the things that you love to do the most.”

My belly dance classes are doing great! I have three new students for my three week class (which mainly consists of Belly Dance Stretch), and I may have two more new students for the six week class (which also includes choreography). Awesome!! This means that I already have the $300 put aside for the BOS that I am hoping to commission Lisa to create for me. Now, I can start saving for the June Thai Massage three day workshop that I am hoping to take. Yes!!! Raushanna is hoping to add Thai Massage to her repertoire. How absolutely cool is that??!!

This morning I was drawn to send Mystery some Reiki after I completed my usual morning ritual, before I released my Reiki-filled chakras. Mystery received her Reiki attunements from Lady Raven a week ago today, and she has been experiencing all the classic symptoms of an energy field detoxification: thirst, tiredness and emotional releases. I think she is getting a handle on the changes happening within her four bodies, but still I felt I should send her a blast of Reiki this morning. I will also be performing my second “professional” (LOL, read “paid”!) treatment for someone this evening.

And just as I completed my morning ritual, I tapped into that place in my mind, behind my third eye, as usual (since this past weekend, when Danu showed me this place), and I heard my Patroness whisper “Be aware today; there are things to be noticed.” I will do my best to be aware, My Lady Danu.

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Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Ace of Wands reversed/Five of Pentacles. The Ace of Wands indicates the purest potential of the element of Fire (hot/separates and dry/shapes) but since it is revered, I may find that I have trouble tapping into my creative abilities today. Perhaps I will be distracted by issues, uncomfortable issues that highlight what I don’t have, in my physical world (Earth, cold/binds and dry/shapes). However, if I remember to consciously pull in the effects of the other elements (Water, cold/binds and wet/adapts, and Air, hot/separates and wet/adapts), I may be able to turn that Ace around!

My Thoth card is the Five of Cups; another Five card! The “Disappointment” card reminds me that the element of Water is naturally clear and placid, and any disturbances cloud the waters and cause unease. Careful, though, because anticipating discomfort may attract that discomfort!

My Legacy card is the Queen of Wands reversed. Water (cold/binds and wet/adapts) of Fire (hot/separates and dry/shapes), which could very well be indicating the sense of imbalance today which is so strong that in some ways it is creating a balance! My attitude today might be “Don’t mess with me!” because despite what the day throws at me, I will stay on my feet and in control; LOL, at least I believe I will, and that’s half the battle.

Okay, and the six digit number for today’s date is 020210, which adds up to . . . you guessed it: Five! The day may be uncomfortable for me, but if I don’t focus on the bad stuff, I will survive!

I was drawn to pull a clarification card this morning with my Legacy Tarot, and threw The Devil. The Devil corresponds with Capricorn (I build; ambition), the element of Earth (cold/binds and dry/shapes) and the Hebrew letter Ayin (the eye; the senses). Interestingly enough, Marchetti sees The Devil as being very attractive, seductively attractive, and he sees this card as a parody of the energies of The Fool, which card has a more “sacred” feel to it than The Devil. This tells me that today I need to take the time to look beneath superficial effects so that I can see things as they really are.

Hmmmm . . . looks like it will be an unsettled day. But I actually feel confident; I have been doing my belly dance stretch work and my yoga each day, I am crossing things off my To Do List on a regular basis, And I had an absolutely awesome Imbolc Ritual last night!

Since I won’t be able to be at the Sacred Mists Imbolc Ritual, I did my own ritual for the first time in a while. The cool thing about not doing my own ritual for a bit is that I experienced a noticeable increase in my ability to focus, to maintain energy flows, and to connect with my Elemental Guides and with Deity. I am still filled with a lovely glow of energy, even though it has been hours since my Ritual ended.

I also charged and lit our “bring new work” candle last night, after specifying that we are willing to work and are looking to attract new jobs to Bob’s business (in other words, we are not just trying to attract money, we are trying to attract money through a fair energy exchange). After lighting the candle, Danu told me that I needed to make some personal vow to add to the working, and so, I promised to create somewhere in my gardens at Cape May a small area dedicated to Her. I don’t know exactly what I will do, but I have several ideas floating around in my head. I am opening myself to being able to find what Danu wants and what will please Her, and I am certain that when the time is right, I will experience some synchronistic event that will point me in the right direction.

Imbolc Blessings!!

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Monday, February 1, 2010

Eight of Swords/The Horned One reversed. The Horned One (or The Devil) corresponds to Capricorn (I build), Earth (cold/binds and dry/shapes), and Ayin, the eye (the senses), and in an upright position it tells of being ruled by the needs of the senses, to the point of bondage or slavery to the senses. The Eight of Swords (Jupiter, expansiveness and growth, in Gemini, I think) represents perceived limitations, mostly self-imposed (even if I don’t realize it). These two cards have a “much ado about nothing” kind of feel; however, the presence of The Horned One, even if it is reversed, tells me that I need to beware of the lure of feeding my senses, even to the point of shutting them out.

My Thoth card is the Six of Disks reversed. Crowley calls this card “Success,” and it is ruled by The Moon, although the number 6 hints at a balanced combination of lunar and solar energies. In an upright position the Success card tells of the temporary realization of success, “temporary” being the key word, for soon the weight of the element of Earth, which corresponds with the suit of Disks, will begin to overcome the balance of the number 7. Because the card is reversed, I am being warned that any sense of success is not to be trusted just yet.

My Legacy card is the Nine of Wands. The Moon again (feelings, illusion, imagination) in Sagittarius (I seek) is reminding me that whatever does not kill me will make me stronger. I cannot give up!

I am going to try something new: I am going to reduce the 6 digit date (because 6 is vertical and horizontal harmony) into one number, and compare its keyword to the cards. Today’s number is 4, stability. From the combination of the cards and this number, I sense that today I should not let my sense of accomplishment (after crossing off a few things this weekend from my To Do List) allow me to relax too much.

Well, my day did not turn out too productive. No sooner did I type “reminding me that whatever does not kill me will make me stronger,” my computer decided to act up. We are waiting for our tech person to check it out, but thankfully I was able to get into my stuff through a back door that I found.

I had an interesting meditation with Danu on the way home last night. She is teaching me how to get closer to her! She showed me how to find the place in my brain where my crown chakra originates. Danu had me tap into my sacral chakra and the feelings and sensations of my body, then She had me move up to my heart chakra with that connection already made within the sacral chakra, and tap into spiritual love; after those two essences were mixed, Danu had me move up to my third eye chakra. That was the hard part, finding the spot in my brain, but suddenly I found it!!! Oh, how amazing the feeling was to connect with Her! She asked me to memorize where this place was, which I did, and later on I was able to open it again with the same process. Danu wants me to add tapping into this place behind my third eye chakra to my daily chakra work, so that the connection becomes stronger.

I am excited!

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