The Universe/Judgement. Whhhoooaah! How prophetic are those cards?! The Universe corresponds to Earth (cold/binds and dry/shapes), Saturn (discipline, responsibility and resistance), and Thav (mark or sign), and Judgement corresponds with Fire (hot/separates and dry/shapes), Pluto (power, metamorphosis, cycles of becoming) and Shin (tooth or fang). Fire and Earth are the purest of extremes and because of this they tend to offer balance. The Universe tells of successful integration and dynamic arrival, and Judgement tells me that I need to know and be aware of the tie for action, and I need to act or suffer the consequences. Today is a day of combinations, and of an awareness of what I have done and what I have not done to date.

My Thoth card is the Knight of Swords. Clever yet unstable; this Knight is Air of Air (hot/separates and wet/adapts); he is the uncompromising awakening of the mind so that the heart and mind can work together. Not a comfortable card.

My Legacy card is the Four of Swords reversed. In an upright position this card tells of the need to give the mind a rest in order for it to recuperate, but since the card is reversed, taking a pause might not be the right thing to do today.

My 6-digit date number is 9. My number. The number 9 is about completeness, about having it all, as opposed to the number 10, which is about completion, or an ending.

My horoscope: “Group activities, perhaps with a social, ecological, or humanitarian focus, could take place today somewhere in your neighborhood, Sagittarius. You might decide to attend with your romantic partner. You could encounter some friends in the process, and all of you could well be caught up in the excitement generated by those in the spotlight. Listen well and think about what you learn today. It might make a difference in your future.”

Where do I begin? Friday night I had the most awesome meditation. The four robed figures that first appeared to me during my Third Degree Entrance Assessment appeared to me again, standing in a row. The first one on the left, wearing the brooch of a Celtic tree, representing Earth, approached me first; he held out his arm and pointed to a hole in the ground that suddenly appeared at my feet. I got down into the hole and stretched out, and the robed figure began shoveling dirt onto me until I was buried. By now, I had learned not to fear these things and I relaxed as the weight of the soil pressed gently but firmly and evenly against my body. I felt supported and protected, and I filled my lungs with the fertile fragrance of the earth.

After a bit of time I sat up, and then climbed out of the hole. Next to step forward was the robed figure representing Water, and before me appeared a well. I jumped and did not fall long before I plunged into the water. Once immersed, I found myself in a dimly lit world; the water was clear and lit by a diffused light, and was teeming with light. I watched as tiny fish darted around in dense schools, and then were eaten by bigger fish, which were in turn eaten by even bigger fish. Soon, there was only one great big fish, and he set his eyes on me. I waited, floating in the water, as he came up from below me with his mouth gaping (no teeth, thankfully); he gulped me down and I was in the dark. Suddenly I shot out of the well and landed back on the ground, sopping wet.

I stood up as my clothes rapidly dried in the light breeze; I turned to look at the robed figure with the yellow tornado brooch. He did not move, but raised his arm and pointed at me; the breeze got stronger and stronger. I staggered against the onslaught, and then was swept away. I tumbled for a few moments but then got control of myself and rode the wind!

Eventually I circled back and landed before the robed figures, feeling refreshed and empowered. The last one, wearing the flame brooch, stepped forward and gestured; a huge bonfire appeared before me. I knew what to do; I stepped into the flames. There was no heat, just a comfortable warmth. The flames brushed against me, tickling me as first my clothes, and then my body hair, were consumed. When I stepped from the flames at last, I was new and pink and completely naked. And the robed ones were gone; instead, before me stood Young Cernunnos. He smiled and nodded in greeting, and gestured for me to approach Him; when I reached His side I turned back toward the fire. Cernunnos gestured, and the fire died down to ashes; He took my hand and led me to the fire, and then He reached down and coated two fingers on His right hand with ashes, and then once again drew the two lines along each of my cheeks, stretching from each ear to the corners of my mouth. He looked at the result of His work, and then smiled and nodded. He then very firmly reminded me that Beltane is approaching, and I need to get done the task He has set before me. LOL, He told me that He will take what He wants even if I don’t bring the results He has asked for, but it would be better if I am in the position to offer the results rather than having Him take them. Oy. Okay, then.

I expected to have an interesting weekend, and I did. The good part of the weekend was that I spent both days in my much loved Cape May garden. The bad part was that I was physically uncomfortable all weekend. I had a headache, and I must have been clenching my jaw while sleeping for my jaw ached. And I had a hemorrhoid flareup that is still hurting. I know, TMI, but it is interesting that my head, the place where I think, my mouth the place where I communicate, and my . . . er . . . bottom, the place where I void waste, are all being red flagged. Physical challenges are certainly a part of an initiatory process!

There have been changes in my responsibilities at Sacred Mists as well. I now am working with Brianna as my Co-Director of Divination. Hopefully there will be no more upheavals; LOL, just as I think the dust has settled, things churn up again, but finally the clouds of dust have blown away, and hopefully we will be able to get things in order. Exciting things happening in the Student Council, as well as in my Third Degree studies!

Today, more shakeups. The company for which I work has signed an agreement with a larger company; the larger company is going to purchase the company who employs me, and I may be out of a job in a few months. More challenges, and it is going to be an interesting Summer.

Danu has been with me all morning, standing behind me with Her hands on my shoulders, whispering encouragements in my left ear. She keeps telling me that there are purposes to these recent discomforts, and She keeps reminding me to be patient and to trust Her. Okay, I think I can do that. I feel like I am standing on the edge of a high cliff, the ground waaaay below me, as I contemplate whether to jump or turn around. The Universe/Judgement. . . . I need to keep looking at those cards.

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