Five of Swords/Three of Cups reversed. Well, that does not sound good. The Five of Swords (Venus, allure, pleasure, relationships, in Aquarius, the group, progressive, eccentric, aloof) tells of an attempt to actively manifest a plan, even if others are trod upon in the process, and an inability to release the past. It tells of malice and slander and malicious actions for the originator’s own gain. The Three of Cups (Mercury, reason, intelligence, communication, skill, in Cancer, “I feel,” sensitive, family and home oriented, moody, tenacious) in an upright position tells of the joy of connection to others and the good feelings that happen because of those connections. The card is reversed, and it certainly seems as if its reversal may be happening because of the influence of that Five of Swords.

My Thoth card is The Lovers reversed. In an upright position, The Lovers corresponds with Air (hot/separates and wet/adapts), Gemini (“I think,” curious, talkative, sociable duality), Zayin (two-edged sword), and the Path between Tiphareth (the hub of the creation process where energies harmonize and focus to illuminate and clarify) and Binah (female receptive energy, the origin of form and structure), and Crowley sees this card as representing not only love, but inspiration and intuition, and the need to make an important choice. Because the card is reversed, it may not be a good day for choices of the important kind. But the card is there, and so its energies are present. I just need to figure out how best to tap into them, or if today is a day to even try.

My Legacy card is the Three of Coins reversed, flavored by the Six of Wands. Another reversed Three card. This one (Mars, action, spontaneity, aggression, drive, in Capricorn, “I build,” ambitious, cautious, competent) in an upright position tells of being dedicated, detail oriented, and of loving ones work. Reversed, I am being told that satisfaction is not to be mine just yet, but since the card is flavored by the Six of Wands (Jupiter, expansiveness and growth, justice, fortune, in Leo, “I am,” passionate, dramatic, noble, authoritative), if I keep my nose to the grindstone and act with honor, I just may be able to turn that Three of Coins around.

My 6-digit date number is 4, the number of depth and stability.

My horoscopes: “Don't be surprised if lots of visitors show up today. Perhaps you're hosting an impromptu social event or neighbors bring news of changes nearby. You should be brimming with energy, so you can handle it, but you might find it a bit unnerving if it gets too exciting. It's best just to go with the flow and enjoy situations like this. You can think about it later.

And: “A family member who tried to spring a surprise on you yesterday will be treated to at least the same shock today -- coming right back at them. In other words, you won't bite -- not one little nip -- but you'll definitely shock them. After all, if you still feel the need to return the favor, at least you'll make yours a pleasant surprise. And why not? It's not like you have anything to lose. You, after all, were warned by their haste -- a big plus.

And: “A subject that might not have interested you much previously now all of a sudden becomes one of your passions. You might find yourself delving into all possible sources to learn as much as you can about it, and you might even get in the car and drive some distance to seek out more information. A woman friend might accompany you. In the evening: Expect to feel a powerful desire for romance! Plan your day accordingly!

We had our first Sacred Mists Reiki Share of the Fall this morning. I think there were only a few of us, but what a lovely Share it was. We had decided to offer Reiki to the Earth for our final five minutes of our share. Once I reached that part, I visualized Gaia, the Earth Mother, and sent Her Reiki. For most of the 5 minutes the Reiki energy swelled within me and passed through me and into the Earth, but for the last minute or so, I felt energy return to me, a lovely, warm, tingling pressure that filled my body and brought tears to my eyes. The Goddess always answers when we reach out to Her, even if we are the ones offering the gift of contact; we have only to “listen” for Her, to allow ourselves to “feel” Her loving touch.

I am overjoyed: the rain let up, and I was able to ride my bike to Cape May Point again and walk the trail again.

The sky is still overcast, so there was a feeling of Fall in the air. As soon as I got away from town, the cool breeze was filled with the sweet and exotic fragrance of Virgin’s Bower. The blossoms were so thick in places, with vines festooned over trees and undergrowth alike, that it looked as if we had an early wet snow!

I thought the Point would be empty, but there were lots of people on the hawk platform, in the museum, walking toward the beach, and getting ready to climb to the top of the lighthouse. I parked my bike, locked it up, and headed into the trail. There were people on the trail, too; mostly birders with binoculars and tripods.

What a difference a week makes!! Every tree or bush that gives fruit of any kind was heavy with the products of the Summer’s sun and rain, ranging in colors from yellow-green to deep wine purple to brilliant scarlet. The heads of the grasses were bent towards the ground, heavy with grain of all shades of green and brown and yellow. Last week, it was about dragonflies of all sizes, and beautiful moths, some black and white and others with beautiful eye patterns on their wings. This weekend, it was about monarchs. Literally hundreds and hundreds of monarch butterflies, clouds of them, were fluttering and dancing from flower to flower. Some of them were intensely and brilliantly colored, as if they had just slid from their cocoons this morning; others were faded and tattered almost beyond recognition. I saw one monarch whose wings were so tattered that their black edgings were almost gone. I wondered where this fellow had come from, and how long and difficult his journey was so far, with miles to go before reaching the Winter roosts in Florida and Mexico. How amazing that a creature with wings with the tensile strength of tissues could make such a journey!

An osprey circled over me as I walked through a meadow filled with cattails, following the stream that circled through the meadow, looking for lunch. I watched what looked like an eagle, circling high above. Then, I stopped and followed a snowy egret with my eyes as it waded along the edge of a pond, hunting. And still there were more monarchs!

I stopped on one of the bridges that spanned one of the streams that meandered through the meadows, breathed deep the fragrance of grasses and water, tinged with Fall and dried leaves, and connected with Deity. I offered my deepest gratitude for the gifts I had been given . . . for the family, friends and loved ones who fill my life, for the valuable lessons that have been offered to me, for the exciting new opportunities that may be finally manifesting in my physical world, and for my ever-deepening connection to Goddess and God, and the world around me.

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