Tuesday, October 26, 2010

King of Pentacles reversed/Judgement reversed. The King of Pentacles (the cusp of Aries, “I want,” action oriented, pioneering, assertive, competitive, and Taurus, “I have,” sensual, cautious, stubborn, physically focused) is a steward of his kingdom, as well as a ruler who exhibits controlled strength, who is responsible for every physical manifestation as well as the end, tangible result. He is the ultimate Girl Scout, always prepared, always ready to lead and to take responsibility within the physical realms of resource allocation, finances, prestige, and craftsmanship or construction. Because he is reversed today, this King is telling me where I should **not** focus. He is telling me that I have not reached the point, for whatever reason, where I will be able to skillfully control and direct my physical world; not today, at least. He is telling me to focus elsewhere if I feel the need to take action. Judgement (Fire, hot/separates and dry/shapes, and spontaneous, impulsive and energetic change; Pluto, power, metamorphosis, cycles of dying and becoming; Shin, fang; and the Path between Malkuth, the physical world of action and outer, physical reality, and Hod, which provides analysis and communication) in an upright position tells of a time of reckoning which may end up being uncomfortable, however that discomfort will go a long way towards cleaning the slate. This card in a reversed position tells me that it is likely that I will not find the end resolution today that offers a glimpse of the big picture. But the card is there, and so is the potential, however hidden.

My Thoth card is the Seven of Wands. “Valour” is what Crowley calls the Seven of Wands (Mars, action, spontaneity, aggression, drive, in Leo, “I am,” passionate, dramatic, noble, egotistical), and it represents valor and bravery, having an effective defense, and the presence or possibility of experiencing animated discussions, negotiations and competition. Because this is a Seven card, in keeping with Crowley’s Naples Arrangement, this card also represents the beginning of the end of the cohesion of the group. Crowley uses a military group as his example, and he sees this card as foretelling a time of “every man for himself.” Is that effective for me, or destructive? That is the question to ask today. I also need to remember that victory in small matters may not carry the day in the end, so I should choose my battles carefully. This card could very well be offering more meaning to the King of Pentacles reversed and Judgement reversed above.

My Legacy card is the Four of Swords reversed, flavored by The Fool. The Four of Swords (Jupiter in Libra) in an upright position tells of the need of a time of rest and recuperation, usually to be brought about by a time of truce or pause. This card is similar to some extent as The Hanging Man, but since it is of the suit of Swords, this pause is not necessarily about changing perception, but rather it indicates a pause that helps me to prepare to re-engage. Because it is reversed, I am being told that the time of intellectual pause is coming to a close, and I should begin to gather my belongings in preparation for moving on. Aaaahhh, The Fool. An optimistic card. He corresponds with Air (hot/separates and wet/adapts, quick and animated, intellectual, usually presents problems or challenges), Uranus (technology, the future, innovation, radical change), Aleph (the head, youthful learning), and the Path between Chokmah (male active energy, the origin of vital force and polarity) and Kether (the source, limitless possibility), as well as the Sacred Child. He is flavoring my Four of Swords reversed, and he is indeed validating my thoughts today, for his presence tells of the potential of some new impulse originating from an unexpected source presenting itself to me today. Whatever happens, the glistening ribbon of Spirit will be laced throughout.

My 6-digit date number is 10, the number of completion of manifestation, which reduces further to the number 1, which represents position and new beginnings.

My horoscopes: “Are you entertaining tonight, Sagittarius? If so, you might be a little worried about what your guests think of your home and your skills as a host. Don't waste any time worrying. A good time will be had by all, including you. Everyone is likely to have a memorable evening. Just do your best, be your usual jovial self, and concentrate on having fun.”

And: “You are so serious and sober right now, immersed as you are in working out strategies and calculations aimed at enhancing your persona and personal power. But perhaps you should look up and see what's going on around you. Many people have been behaving irresponsibly. However, there may be one who has an ingenious idea to contribute. It is likely to be done in a joking way, so pay attention!”

I leave tomorrow for this year’s Witches Gone Wild 2010, in Florida’s Disney. I will be flying to Orlando tomorrow and staying with Lilyth and Keith, who have once again graciously offered their time share for the use of the Student Council.

I am looking forward to this long weekend. The members of the Sacred Mists Student Council work together intimately, sharing emails and board posts, Instant Messages and Private Messages, joys and stresses as we continue our efforts to maintain the Boards, Forums, Community and Coven of the Sacred Mists, and to help the entire shebang to continue to evolve and remain relevant to each of its many members. Our interactions are predominantly within that layer of the Astral Plane we call the Internet, and that certainly is an effective venue for the creative process. However, we all need a bit of grounding into the physical realms every so often, and this time of eye-to-eye and face-to-face contact is quite useful to us all; so are the processes of performing in-person rituals, magickal workings, and socializing (read: paaaah-taaayyy, snorts and giggles, and squishy hugs) of all kinds. I believe that the rest of the Student Council and the entire student body all benefit from this time-without-time in a place-that-is-not-a-place that is Disney World. After all, it is called the Magic Kingdom, isn’t it??!!

As I got ready for work this morning, I watched a program that talked about the rise of mammals in general, and of humanity in particular. Two things were talked about that really resonated as important to me.

Interestingly enough, the narrator equated words and the ideas and concepts represented by them to DNA. It was stated that words are actually a means of accomplishing evolution, for words convey information, just as DNA conveys information. DNA stores the “instruction manual” for the creation of a specific life form and a unique individual; words convey the patterns and images and information and knowledge and wisdom and experiences of the individual, and to an extent, the species. DNA changes with evolution, and so does the human mind and psyche. The cool thing is that thoughts, intentions, feelings and emotions have chemical effects on our physiology, and thus they have physical effects on our bodies.

That means that to an extent, the reverse is true. Our physical bodies have an effect on our thoughts, our emotions, our feelings and our minds. The chemical makeup of our body at the time a child is conceived, which to an extent would depend on our current non-physical state, would affect the building blocks of the new child.

LOL, I am certainly not a microbiologist, and I don’t have any proof that any of this is true. But I wanted to document my mental ramblings as I thought about the concepts presented in this program that resonated.

The other concept that seemed important to me was that we have affected the environment of our world, just as microbes did in the past. When our Earth was young, the environment was not hospitable to life as we know it now. It took many years and several ice ages, and the actions of microbes in the seas, to affect our atmosphere and make it supportive to life.

Humans are the only other life form that has exhibited the power to change the environment in a world-wide fashion. Yes, I have known this for a while, but somehow having this knowledge presented to me in this way has made me stop and think. Our world and life itself were permanently changed by the combined actions of those ancient microbes; somehow I get the feeling that we as a species just might be on the path to orchestrating our own extinction. Talk about consequences. Again, I am very aware of the effects of climate change and of the prognosis for the environment predicted by the experts, but seeing it this way, as more of a “big picture,” is pretty powerful. We are not Gods, and humans need to remember that we contain the light of Sacred Fire, not the Sacred Fire itself.

Okay, I want to end on a less ominous note because I feel very empowered again today. I revisited Danu’s cliff. It turns out that the place I was standing yesterday was not really a cliff. When I stood there today, a slight breeze temporarily thrust back the fog and mist a bit, and I could see that I was standing at the edge of a well, a huge round hole edged with what looks like Belgian block, with a diameter about three times my height. I could not see down into the well because of the fog, but I got a sense of immeasurable depth. I looked around for a pebble to drop into the well, however the area was swept clean of even the tiniest shard of rock. What was this place?

$

Monday, October 25, 2010

The Emperor reversed/The Universe. The Emperor (Fire, hot/separates and dry/shapes, and spontaneous, impulsive and energetic change; Aries, “I want,” action oriented, assertive, competitive; Heh, window and illumination; the Path between Tiphareth, the hub of the creation process where energies harmonize and focus to illuminate and clarify, and Chokmah, male active energy and the origin of vital force and polarity) in an upright position tells of order and structure offered because we care. Because he is reversed, I am being told that today should not be a day of structure and regulation, and perhaps there are ore important messages to be had through connecting with my senses and the natural world around me. The Universe/World (Earth, cold/binds and dry/shapes, stable, physical, material, slow to change; Saturn, discipline, responsibility, limitations and resistance; Thav, mark or sign; and the Path between Malkuth, the physical world of action and physical reality, and Yesod, the place where patterns and images emerge that may manifest into Malkuth) is an interesting card to show up next to The Emperor in a reversed position. The Universe tells me that I have achieved union with both my conscious and my subconscious mind, and the next step is union with the Divine. The Threshold has presented itself to me, the Gateway is right in front of me; I need to remember that once I step through, I will not only be dealing with the unknown (because any structure or order that I have attained thus far will be no long applicable), but I will also once again become a neophyte (because along with that order and structure, everything that I have come to know as my own personal “truth” will be changed). The Empress is the polar opposite of The Emperor, and she would not fear the step represented by The Universe, so I will not fear it either. How appropriate to consciously accept and embrace this transformation during these final days before Samhain!

My Thoth card is the Ten of Cups. “Satiety” and emotional completion, but of course, Uncle Al does not see the Ten of Cups (Mars, action, spontaneity, aggression, drive, in Pisces, “I believe,” feeling, spirituality, soul growth) as the happy card that most interpret it as. Crowley sees this card as the manifestation of the warning, “be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it!” Pleasure is all around me, but when my senses become drunk on pleasure, there is a huge danger that they will also become bound to that pleasure. Within the Thoth Tarot, the Nine of Cups is seen as a better card because with the Ten, all movement has ceased and the end has been reached. The Cups on this card are set up to correspond with the Sephiroth of the Tree of Life, and to me that is one good thing about Crowley’s card; after all, evolution is good, even when we have reached the end of one cycle. We just need to be certain that we don’t allow our success to hold us back!

My Legacy card is The Lovers, flavored by The Chariot reversed. The Lovers (Air, hot/separates and wet/adapts, quick and animated, intellectual, problems or challenges; Gemini, “I think,” curious, talkative, sociable, dual; Zayin, double-edged sword; and the Path between Tiphareth and Binah, female receptive energy and the origin of form and structure) is a very powerful card for me personally, filled with symbolism, the least of which is the presence of Archangel Uriel and His effects on my day. This card also tells of the importance of one-to-one relationships today, as well as any personal choices or decisions that need to be made; both of these will have powers in positive ways. In an upright position, The Chariot (Water, cold/binds and wet/adapts, strives to stay the same or follow similar patterns; Cancer, “I feel,” sensitive, tenacious, family and home oriented, moody; Cheth, the fence; and the Path between Geburah, the place where forms and structures are challenged or affirmed, and Binah) tells of the presence of the ability to control emotions, not sweep them under the rug the way The Emperor sometimes does, but trained toward achieving balance. Because the card is reversed, perhaps I am being told that for today, I will achieve more if I don’t attempt to get my conscious and subconscious “selfs” to line up and move forward in an orderly manner. Yes, it is more difficult to move forward that way, but just perhaps, today is not a day to move forward, but rather to choose to enjoy where I am right now.

My 6-digit date number is 9, the number of completeness of experience.

My horoscopes: “You don't normally tend toward frugality, Sagittarius, but today you could go overboard with your spending. Frustration from all sides makes you want to release it all at once by acquiring new possessions. This is fine up to a point. Treat yourself, but take care that you curb the impulse buying. You don't want to waste any time tomorrow taking unwanted items back to the store.”

And: “Keeping quiet has never been your specialty, especially after weeks of trying and getting no help from the other parties concerned. Fortunately, there's someone else who's actually as irritated about all this as you are -- and just as eager to see it all come to an end. Just this once, then, you can keep quiet. The situation will be resolved without your having to be involved.”

And: “You are apt to take a step forward today, and find that someone is standing exactly in your way. The key is to not plow right over that person like a bulldozer. Make friends with him or her and consider why they are standing there in the first place. You are apt to learn a great deal about yourself and why you think the way you do in the first place. Question your own beliefs just as much as you question other people’s.”

Four Major Arcana cards, each representing one of the elements, with Fire and Water reversed, Earth and Air upright. Actually, there is quite a nice balance here, and I get the feeling that today just might be an important day for me. Maybe not a day of forward motion, but you can’t move forward with confidence unless you know exactly where you are right now.

Typical for Monday mornings, I had trouble talking myself out of bed today. Once again, I connected with Kali Ma, and offered her my discomfort at having to leave my warm, cozy bed. Once again, I have been gifted with an increased sensitivity of the energies around me. That is always a pleasant thing, but now, at this time, during the final days before Samhain, I am truly enjoying this increased sensitivity.

My drive home from Cape May was splendid! I think we are at the peak of foliage in New Jersey, and the trees, vines and bushes along the Parkway are blazing with colors. I passed patches of greens and olives and yellows and oranges and reds, framed with browns and taupes and the intense blue of the Fall sky. It is interesting to me that while the energies of Nature are near the end of their gradual shift to those of the cold and dark of Winter, there is at the 11th hour this glorious presentation of color to be found. In many ways, the peak of Fall foliage is similar to the reds and oranges and yellows and indigos of sunset, as the flaming orb of the Sun passes beyond the horizon, “passing the torch” to the dark and cool of night. This weekend for me was indeed the “sunset of Fall,” for this coming weekend I will be in Florida for Witches Gone Wild 2010 (yay; can’t wait to get together with everyone at Disney), where we will be celebrating the Sabbat of Samhain and the endings and transformations that are associated with it.

I performed a short meditation, reaching out to my Patroness, Danu, and it was lovely. I began at the edge of the field where Her altar always appears; I walked through the grasses, now a soft yellow with heavy heads of grain; the trees surrounding the field were yellows and oranges and reds, with the greens and olives and blue-greens of the evergreens balancing out the flames of the Fall deciduous trees. Everything was softened by a thin fog, the kind of fog that appears at dawn or dusk on those days when it is seasonably warm during the day, but once the sun approaches the horizon, the air becomes chilly and damp. I could smell that lovely fragrance of fallen leaves and damp soil that is Fall.

As I walked, I gathered stalks of grass until I had an armful; once I came to Danu’s altar, I lay the sheaf of grain onto the altar stone, and then went down on one knee. Soon enough, I could see Her walking toward me out of the fog. I stood and smiled and walked around the altar and towards Her; she greeted me with a warm and loving hug, and then took my hand and led me into the fog, back toward the direction She had come from.

Soon the fog became thicker, and I could not see where I was going at all. I could hear the grasses as they danced in the light breeze and I could still smell the fallen leaves and damp soil around me; I could feel Danu’s hand as She held mine, warm and comforting. I trusted in Her, and I trusted that She would lead me to where I needed to go.

Sure enough, after walking for a bit, Danu stopped, let go of my hand, and then showed me a Mudra that I should use in order to call Her or connect with Her. The Mudra is simple yet powerful. Danu explained that I should begin with my right hand, which is the hand of power and of the physical, active realm; I should curl my fingers and then straighten my thumb and lean it against my forefinger, between the first and second knuckle. Then, I should move my awareness to my left hand, the hand of the subconscious, the inner focus and the inner realms, and do the same. Finally, I should bring the cupped fingers of my left hand over those of my right hand, symbolizing the choice to change my focus to the inner realms, until the heels of my thumbs touch. I did as Danu described, and then I laughed out loud. There it was! A Gateway!! Danu has given me a simple yet incredibly powerful symbol, especially since Gateways and Thresholds have been on my mind quite a bit lately.

Then She smiled and motioned for me to continue forward on my own. I moved carefully, and within a few steps the mists parted as I came to a rocky cliff with a sharp dropoff. I sensed an abyss, but I could not verify the depth of the dropoff, as the fog was thick and blocked my view downward after about ten feet of the cliff face. I stood there for a while, not moving and deciding what my next step should be. I knew I was going to have to jump sooner or later, but I felt no urgency to do so immediately. In fact, I felt that it was important for me to focus on anticipating the jump today, not actually jumping. At least for right now, I am content to stand at the edge and watch the billowing fog.

$

Friday, October 22, 2010

Six of Cups/The Sun reversed. The Six of Cups (Sun, the inner core of a person or situation, in Scorpio, “I desire,” intense, controlling, secretive) is such a lovely card; it is reminding me today that the best way to heal and get past today’s hurts is to take a moment to remember the happiness of the past so that I can once again build on that happiness. The Sun in an upright position corresponds with Fire (hot/separates and dry/shapes, spontaneous, impulsive and energetic change), our Sun, Resh (the face; reason), and the Path between Yesod (the place where patterns and images emerge that may manifest in the physical world) and Hod (provides analysis and communication) and tells of a period of time when I am aware of my accomplishments and am able to take a moment away from hard work to enjoy what I have. Because the card is reversed, I may be feeling a bit pessimistic about important events today; the Six of Cups is telling me how to deal with that pessimism: remember that I am happy, have been happy in the past, and will be happy, even today.

My Thoth card is The Sun reversed. Now why does that sound familiar? LOL! According to Uncle Al, The Sun in an upright position is about glory, gain and triumph. He is even optimistic about the reversed position (how unlike Crowley!) and feels that a reversed Sun card only tells of a lesser amount of glory, gain and triumph, and does not indicate that those things are blocked.

My Legacy card is the Two of Coins flavored by The Moon reversed. The Two of Coins (Jupiter, expansiveness and growth, justice, fortune, in Capricorn, “I build,” ambition, caution, cunning) tells me that everything always ebbs and flows, and since we can’t stop change we must learn to live with it and go with those flows. I need to remember today that “harmony” is created by the blending of different, sometimes conflicting, ingredients. The Moon in an upright position corresponds with Water (cold/binds and wet/adapts, emotional and sensitive energy that strives to stay the same), Pisces (“I believe,” feeling, suffering, soul growth, duality), Qof (the back of the head), and the Path between Malkuth (the physical world of action and physical, outer reality) and Netzach (the stimulating factors of emotion and inspiration), and talks about the imagination and fear of the unknown. Of course, both of these concepts can be positive or negative, and since the card is reversed, it is flavoring my Two of Coins by distracting me from the harmony that is truly possible today.

My Pearls of Wisdom Full Moon card is . . . eep! The Tower. **sigh** Okay, The Tower (Fire; Mars, action, spontaneity, aggression; Phe, the mouth or speech; the Path between Hod and Netzach) according to the Pearls of Wisdom Tarot: The continuity of reality is pierced. You are challenged to summon your courage and the spiritual wisdom you have grown to cope with circumstances such as this. The Tower invites self-examination. Grieve your grief. Release resistance. Find clarity within yourself. It is not in your best interest to set things right before chaos has completed its lessons.

My 6-digit date number is 6, the number of vertical and horizontal balance. Well, that is good news.

My horoscopes: “Indecisiveness could be your biggest nemesis today, Sagittarius. The general tone of the day is apt to be quite explosive as a feeling of restriction and discipline comes into conflict with a need to fight and conquer. You might find that your go-with-the-flow, easygoing attitude is exactly what saves you on a day like this. Lay low and let someone else take the lead now.”

And: “Mundane responsibilities may be the last thing you want to deal with -- you've got bigger things on your mind and in your heart. However, your boss doubtless has a different take on what your priorities ought to entail. Meanwhile, your attitude is likely to be along the my-way-or-the-highway axis. You really can deal with this if you try to be a little bit obliging, and it might be a good idea to give it a whirl.”

And: “It's true that having to earn a living isn't always the most agreeable thing that we have to do in life. However, we all know that it is necessary. Have you thought about adding more balance to your life? Remember that all work and no play make Jack a dull boy. This would be a good day to examine your daily life and add some new elements. Yes, it is time for you to choose a hobby.”

Something interesting happened to me at lunch yesterday. Suddenly and without warning, I felt the presence of my Patroness, Danu. She cupped my face in Her hands, and then kissed my mouth, my nose, my ears and my eyes, and then blew gently on my third eye. With a smile, She then disappeared. What was that about? I soon found out; She was celebrating the aha! moment to come.

I came back from the store, sat down with my salad, and finally began to read Gateway of the Gods: An Investigation of Fallen Angels, the Nephilim, Alchemy, Climate Change, and the Secret Destiny of the Human Race, by Craig Hines. I had tried to pick the book up as soon as it arrived, but I just couldn’t seem to focus on it. Now I know why: I was supposed to read the Book of Enoch before this one, and I needed to have the Grimassi book as a catalyst and then do the research that led me to the Book of Enoch. Everything in its own time!

I was instantly fascinated by how Grimassi sees the Watchers, and by the Four Royal Stars of Persia. LOL, my Blog posts make that apparent. But the more I read about Watchers, the more dismayed I became, because Watchers are considered by many to be the Fallen Angels of the Bible who disobeyed Yahweh and did terrible things with humanity, and in the end were cursed by said Yahweh. The Book of Enoch states that Noah’s flood happened because of the interference of the Watchers with humanity! Somehow, as my research led me to the Book of Enoch, and even after I had read the Book of Enoch, I kept thinking and knowing in my heart that Watchers just could not be the evil entities portrayed by many of the “experts” on the subject.

And so, I began reading Gateway of the Gods. To set the stage, my research has already shown me that the terms “Watcher” and “Angel” are mostly interchangeable, representing entities which have completed their evolutionary process and don’t need physical bodies to exist (although they can manifest one if desired). Each of the following paragraphs are all direct quotes from Gateway of the Gods. Since I went back and forth through the chapter several times, I have placed them in the order of their importance to the creation of my aha! moment.

These angels are the same beings referred to as the Watchers in the Book of Enoch. According to the ancient lore collected by Raven Grimassi, the Watchers once had physical bodies of matter, but evolved into non-physical Beings of Light long before humankind came into existence. The Watchers were associated with the stars, and perhaps had even come from the stars in the very remote past. Later, some Stellar cults even considered them to be “stars” who had descended to earth. These angels revealed to the human race things previously hidden from the world of mortals. We are told that the angels were punished for their misdeeds, but their influence can still be felt in today’s religions.

The Book of Enoch is not the only ancient source you can turn to for further information concerning “the fallen ones.” Throughout most of the world, ancient cultures have described gods or god-like beings that came to earth and taught them about agriculture and the ways of civilization. But what was it within Enoch that made so many of the church fathers uncomfortable? It was because the book made implications that were contrary to their accepted doctrine – notably that angels were able to take physical form and have sexual relations with humans.

Just what were these “eternal secrets” that the angels taught to humanity? . . . Therefore, the implication is that these secrets were not bad – only that they were not supposed to be revealed to humanity until a later time.


It was right about there that I suddenly had the most incredible and lovely aha! moment! All Watchers aren’t bad! They are indeed evolved beings, and they have much information, knowledge and wisdom because they are evolved, because they have completed the evolutionary process. Like all power, this information and knowledge and wisdom is not good or evil; rather it is the way the information, knowledge and wisdom are used that can be good or evil. And a group of Watchers (about 200 of them, according to the Book of Enoch) decided to disobey the most basic and important concept of all. They disobeyed the Prime Directive! Yes, I mean **that** Prime Directive.

Okay for all you non-Trekkies out there, here is how Wikipedia defines the Prime Directive:

The Prime Directive is Starfleet's General Order #1, the most prominent guiding principle of the United Federation of Planets. The Prime Directive dictates that there can be no interference with the internal development of pre-warp civilizations, consistent with the historical real world concept of Westphalian sovereignty [my note: the principles of the sovereignty of states and the fundamental right of political self determination, of (legal) equality between states, and of non-intervention of one state in the internal affairs of another state]. It has special implications, however, for civilizations that have not yet developed the technology for interstellar spaceflight (“pre-warp”), since no primitive culture can be given or exposed to any information regarding advanced technology or the existence of extraplanetary civilizations, lest this exposure alter the natural development of the civilization. Although this was the only application stated by Captain Kirk in “The Return of the Archons,” by the 24th Century, it had been indicated to include purposeful efforts to improve or change in any way the natural course of such a society, even if that change is well-intentioned and kept completely secret.

Humanity itself has been guilty of this very kind of interference. Think about just about any time that “modern man” has interacted with “primitive cultures” and brought modern technology to these peoples in order to “better their lives,” and think about the inevitable result, and you will understand very well why the Watchers who disobeyed the Prime Directive were reviled and cursed.

But they can’t all be that way; after all, the existence of Watchers/Angels is acknowledged and mentioned within many cultures, and most of the non-Christian cultures see these entities as non-harmful, and even helpful. I understand now!!! Seeing all Watchers as evil because of the action of a segment of them would be like seeing all humans as evil because of the action of a segment of us.

I knew I needed to completely understand the nature of Watchers/Angels and the Nephilim. I was able to do so as I continued to re-read the chapter again and again. Below are more quotes, paragraphs that helped me.

As stated earlier, the word Nephilim is usually reserved for the children of the Watchers [my note: created when the Watchers had sex with humans]. However, considerable evidence has already been shown that it may not necessarily be so. Nephilim may still indeed refer to the children, but not exclusively. It may be the result of their divine heritage that the have inherited this title.

The most common meanings of nephal [my note: the root source of the word “Nephilim,” the “offspring of Watchers and human women]: 1. To fall (to the ground); 2. To fall (as in battle); 3. To be cast down; 4. To desert a location; 5. To fail. . . . The fourth definition concerns the desertion of a location, which fits with other descriptions of these angels when we are told that they willingly chose to leave their “home” or domain” . . . .

Many mystical teachings describe the earthly plane as being in the midst of several different levels or layers of a heavenly realm. These levels are interconnected, but appear separate because they are operating on different “vibratory frequencies.” As a result, a higher vibration frequency might be considered “up,” while a lower vibrational frequency would be “down.”

The “sons of God” [my note: a Biblical term for Watcher/Angel] is a title reserved for angels when in their heavenly domain (“up”) – but when they “descend” or “fall” to earth, they are lowering their vibratory frequency and the new title of Nephilim, or “fallen ones,” applies.

This also explains the seemingly odd contradiction of why only Noah’s family and the animals in the ark were supposed to survive, and yet the Nephilim apparently weren’t wiped out as intended. . . . It states that the “Nephilim were **on the earth** in those days,” but some translations state that they were “in” the earth. . . . In light of my new explanation, though, perhaps it suggests they were **in** the earthly dimension.


So, what do I see as the real difference between Watchers and Elementals? Elementals are of our earth, they exist because of the effects of the elements and their interaction with each other. They are mostly existing on a non-physical plane but the manifestations of their existence can be felt on the physical plane. Watchers/Angels are of the Universe and all of its dimensions, and beyond. Because Watchers have completed their evolutionary process, they are not as restricted as Elementals (which have their own necessary functions and true values). Watchers are also able to easily guard, guide and affect our workings, although the input and support of Elementals are equally important in their own way, as they directly interact with the elements of our world.

Yes!! Now I can work with Watchers with a clear mind, without worrying that I am tapping into an inevitably destructive entity. Dangerous? Maybe, but so is electricity, if you are careless when working with it.

$

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Ten of Wands/Queen of Cups reversed. The Ten of Wands (Saturn, discipline, responsibility, limitations and resistance, caution, in Sagittarius, “I seek,” philosophic, fun-loving, adventurous, blundering) ends up to be the complete reverse of the Ace of Wands. This card tells me that the creative energy within me may have become detached from its spiritual source, and thus tasks that should be bringing me joy and fulfillment have instead become burdens. The Queen of Cups (cusp of Gemini, “I think,” curious, sociable intelligent, dual, and Cancer, “I feel,” sensitive, tenacious, nurturing, moody) in an upright position is considered to be the minor equivalent of The High Priestess; she is very in tune with her subconscious and she can easily hear and understand her Inner Voice. The reflections on the surface of the Water do not prevent her from seeing into its mysterious depths. Because she is reversed, she is reinforcing and validating the message of the Ten of Wands: unless all things are connected to Spirit in some way, they become meaningless burdens. This is important, I can feel it!

My Thoth card is the Prince of Swords reversed. Two reversed court cards today; I am being told how **not** to be. In an upright position, Crowley sees the Prince of Swords (cusp of Taurus, “I have,” sensual, stubborn, physical, sensual, and Gemini) as being pure intellect, filled with all kinds of different ideas that bounce off of each other like bumper cars, causing chaos because there is no focus, no grounding and no substance. There can be a danger of deviousness and cunning being misused today, as well as ruin coming from the misuse or misdirection (whether inadvertent or on purpose) of the pure Air energy around me, so I need to be alert and aware all through the day, not just right now as I explore this card, in order to head off or at least lessen the effects of any catastrophes. There might be a potential for a struggle to present itself, a competition of sorts with a rival; I need to diffuse that struggle, for today may not be the day for me to be the hero.

Hmmm . . . “I think,” “I feel,” and “I have,” all reversed, and all connected, by Gemini. Is that a road block? Or a suggestion for a new way to change my perceptions? A fast indeed!

My Legacy card is The Wheel reversed flavored by the Four of Coins. The Wheel (Fire, hot/separates and dry/shapes and spontaneous and impulsive change; Jupiter, expansiveness and growth, justice, fortune; Kaph, grasping hand; the Path between Netzach, the stimulating factors of emotion and inspiration, and Chesed, the place which crosses Da’ath and where forms and structure are stabilized and nurtured) in an upright position represents the cycles of life, of living, of the earth and Nature, and of the Universe, cycles that are ever in motion, always manifesting, always presenting important and powerful messages, but not coming from me. In fact, upright, the card tells me that not only are these cycles not coming from me, but I most likely won’t have an effect on their manifestation, so I am better off riding the wave and knowing that change will happen whether I want it to or not. The Four of Coins (Sun, the inner core of a person or situation, in Capricorn, “I build,” ambition, cunning, authority, caution) was in my card throw yesterday, but in a reversed position. Sounds like a progression is happening, and today is indeed turning out to be a day when I am realizing and recognizing that I have something precious in my possession, something that may be in part coming to me from the cycles around me, but not entirely; hence the reversed position of The Wheel. Whatever this valued possession is, at least for today it needs to be sheltered and protected and nurtured by me, in order for it to manifest in a complete and understandable way.

My 6-digit date number is 5, the number of motion. Yep; fer sher!!

My horoscopes: “Peace and harmony are in the regularly scheduled program for the day, but there is a good chance that there could be a warring force with strong opinions and vindictive tendencies. Hold onto your hat, Sagittarius, and make sure you have your actions well aligned with your soul or else you could be thrown into a battle that has nothing to do with you.”

And: “It's time to let go and let the universe have its way with you. First of all, there's no other way for things to go right now -- and anything is possible at the moment -- especially if it's something from the past. Your job is to surround yourself with loved ones who are good at saying 'Sure. Why not give it another shot?' You know exactly who to call, and you know they'll be supportive.”

And: “You may have an urge to invent new things. You feel compelled to create something, either in the artistic, technical, or philosophical fields. If only you would give yourself enough time to pursue these imaginings. Today, realize that concentration is the key to accomplishment. Put away such distractions as books, magazines, and newspapers, and you may well be surprised by the wealth of inspiration that comes to you.”

It is so awesome when I decide what I am feeling, and then either my cards or my date number or my horoscopes, or all of them, are pointing in exactly the same direction that I determined before I even looked at them. Today is one of those days!

I decided last night that I was going to make use of the information I learned from reading Raven Digitalis’s chapter on fasting; I was going to see my extreme efforts expended each morning as I get up 45 minutes early to exercise as a fast, as me giving up that extra 45 minutes of sleep. I decided that I would offer that discomfort to Kali Ma, my own Dark Goddess who teaches me that physical pleasures can be a distraction from learning and evolution. As soon as I made that decision, I realized that I should see my twice daily devotion to Hecate in the same way; something clicked inside of me as I made those decisions. Cool; this certainly is one thing that Hecate wanted me to discover!

So, when the alarm went off literally before dawn (this morning, sunrise was at 7:14, about twenty minutes after my alarm goes off) and I felt the urge to reset the alarm, I consciously dedicated my efforts as I denied myself that extra sleep to Kali Ma, and got out of bed. I went through my usual morning routine, making certain that I chanted to Hecate right before sunrise; the last thing I do before I leave is throw my cards of the day. As I opened each of my chakras and shuffled my decks, I became aware of a sense around me of preparation, of dealing with minor details. My cards gave that message and reminded me that I need to not fight those flows of energy, but rather ride the wave and make use of them. Okay, I can do that.

I got into my car and began my usual chakra opening/cleanse/balancing/Reiki application, and connected with my Spirit Guide, Ailm, as usual. She told me that everyone in her group was feeling uneasy, looking over their shoulders, because they felt that something was coming. She asked me if some big storm was on the way, because she could feel that sense of holding one’s breath and pausing before the plunge, just as I had been feeling it since I got up this morning. I told her that she should expect clouds and showers today, but nothing too potent; she shook her head and said once again that something was coming. To my surprise, my other Guides joined me as well; each of them watched me carefully, as if this morning’s meditation was a final exam and I was being graded on my skill level and on my presentation.

All day so far, I have been feeling the energy in my Hara Point as it revs up, activates and prepares for action; it is as if my subconscious knows of something of which my conscious awareness is totally unaware. While I have been feeling the presence of the Sacred Masculine these past days, as the God prepares to die and rest at Samhain before being reborn at Yule, this was not energy of the Sacred Masculine. While I have been turning my awareness more and more inward and to the Sacred Feminine as the cold and dark of Winter approaches, this was not Goddess energy that I was feeling. This is my own energy, and as I sit here typing, I can feel it awakening and flowing through me, touching base with each of the talents I have nurtured and the skills I have worked so hard to attain, waking each one up and sending them into “ready mode.”

Something is going to happen today, something important. I don’t get a sense of great evil or great joy, just great power. Whatever it is that will manifest today will not be inherently good or inherently evil, and it will have the potential to be turned into either a benefit or a disaster. Does it have something to do with the fact that the Veil is thinning as Samhain approaches? Does it have something to do with the fact that today is the first day that I have consciously offered with awareness a fast and the efforts and energies associated with it to Hecate and to Kali? What awareness is coming to me? What recommendation is being offered to me?

I have learned that as I immerse myself into my Craft and strive more and more to live each day with awareness of the many times that I am touched by the Sacred, I am more and more aware of the messages that are being offered to me. It is more than a coincidence that immediately after turning unpleasant tasks into offerings to the Gods, I suddenly receive this new level of awareness. Everything that I have learned thus far is important today. I need to be ready for anything, as I don’t know exactly what I am looking for, and I get the feeling that the event or effect may possibly not become apparent to me immediately, depending on where it is coming from.

Samhain corresponds to the Death card of the Tarot, which tells of the passing through a gateway into the unknown, with no methods available to turn back. It tells us that we are being pulled toward that gateway whether we want to be there or not, and so we are better off allowing ourselves to be brought to its threshold and then through to whatever is beyond. We are also told that there is absolutely nothing unnatural about this event; it is a valid and useful part of the cycles of the Wheel of the Year and of existence. Our task is to travel with awareness, and to learn from both the pleasant experiences and the uncomfortable or frightening experiences with equal enthusiasm.

I feel soooooo much already from just these few fasts, and the cool thing is that I have been doing them all already, just not with the intent to offer them as gifts to my Deities. All this in response to what amounts to a used gift?

Today, I am certainly treading upon the “event horizon.”

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Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Nine of Wands/Nine of Swords. Two Nines! The Nine of Wands (Moon, feelings and emotions, illusion, imagination, in Sagittarius, “I seek,” philosophic, fun-loving, adventurous, blundering) tells of being pro-active in response to issues, of reaching a point of drawing a line in the sand and saying “no further!” The saying associated with this card is that if it doesn’t kill you, it makes you stronger, and I always try to see a challenge as an opportunity to test myself. Looks like there might be a few tests today. My other Nine, the Nine of Swords (Mars, action, spontaneity, aggression, in Gemini, “I think,” curious, talkative, social, dual) reminds me that I don’t have to carry my burdens alone. It also reminds me that sometimes my intellect can be my worst enemy, particularly at 3am! Worry is such a waste of energy, and visualizing the worst just might attract it to me.

The number 9 tells of complete*ness* (rather than the comple**tion** of the number 10); that is not always a good thing, and I happened to throw the two challenging Nines, rather than the nicer Nines of Cups and Pentacles. But challenges are good things, and if I can make it through the day with my sense of humor intact, without a trip to the pity potty, I will be happy.

My Thoth card is the Five of Wands. “Strife” is Crowley’s keyword for the Five of Wands (Saturn in Leo), and while this card indicates conflict, this could be a good conflict, such as competition, or a bad conflict, such as aggression and hostility. In any event, things are unstable, so a pro-active response is probably going to be necessary. After all, someone needs to make the decisions.

My Legacy card is Temperance reversed flavored by the Four of Coins. The upright Temperance card (Fire, hot/separates and dry/shapes, spontaneous, impulsive and energetic change; Sagittarius; Samekh, tent post; the Path between Yesod, the place where patterns and images emerge that may manifest into the physical plane, and Tiphareth, the hub of the creation process where energies harmonize and focus to illuminate and clarify) is one of my favorites. It tells of moderation, of a balance that is created and maintained by constant adjustment, and by the knowledge that trials and tribulations make us stronger. Since it is reversed, I may be facing issues of bad timing, of being “out of sync,” or maybe an overreaction. The Four of Coins (Sun in Capricorn) is presented in an interesting way in the Legacy Tarot: it represents the realization that we have something precious in our possession, and we need to protect it. This need to hover and protect can be a two-edged sword, because sometimes things and concepts of value need to be protected and nurtured in order that they may be manifested in the best way, but sometimes that protection brings only stagnation. Since this Four is flavoring a reversed Temperance card today, I get the feeling that any efforts on my part to control the flow or protect the process will not have positive results. Sometimes we need to allow things to progress on their own and our interference only prolongs the time of imbalance.

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

My horoscopes: “You might consider taking a short trip today, Sagittarius. Perhaps you need to get out of the house and go across town. Whatever it is, introduce your brain to a new reality. It's time to expand and explore. You itch to see new places and experience new things, either physically or mentally. Perhaps a religious sanctuary or quiet place in grove of trees is what you need in order to quench this inner thirst.”

And: “For days, it's been all about them -- everyone but you, that is. Enough. Enough with the care-taking, the sympathizing and the listening to sob stories. It's time for you to indulge in some much-needed playtime -- and there will be absolutely no reason for you to feel guilty. If necessary, sleep in tomorrow. If you're smart, you'll make sure tonight is so much fun that you'll need to.”

And: “It might be absolutely impossible for you to make a decision about anything today, but do your best. Don't be surprised if tension mounts, as you feel more and more pressured to make a move. Don't do anything until you are ready. The worst thing possible at this point is to make a rash decision. Be practical and grounded in your approach, despite how freedom loving and adventurous you may want to be.”

Samhain is only 11 days away. Less than two weeks!! And I am feeling this crossroad, this time of transformation, with quite a bit of strength. With very noticeable effects on my life.

Weeks ago, I was told that this segment of my Journey would not be an easy one, and this was correct. But I have survived thus far! I am stronger than ever, and I am learning to not be bothered by the negative opinions or words or actions of others. Not that I am ignoring them by any means, but I am not dwelling on them or allowing them to drag me down.

There is so much swirling around in my mind! I keep thinking of what I have learned about the Watchers. I keep thinking about what I have learned about Thai Massage and the subtle body. I keep learning about my chakra practices, and the new uses for their energies that have been given to me by my Patron. I keep thinking about my Reiki practice and the affects of my own daily Reiki applications. I just know that all of this information fits together, but I can’t quite see the configuration yet. But I will see!

Last night, during a meditation I did just after sundown, Hecate appeared to me, silent as always, but I got a nod of recognition of the efforts I have expended thus far to accomplish the goal She gave me: reciting my chants at sunrise and sundown. Not that I received any indication at all that I was done; no, I will need to continue, and I will need to strive to make my timing better. But even so, I feel that I am once again moving toward some unknown aha! moment that lies just beyond the horizon, and I am really excited about this! I was told in that same meditation by my own Patroness that the time of Transformation was nearly upon me, and I had better be a good Girl Scout and make certain that I was prepared.

During this meditation, besides connecting with Divine energies, I also connected with elemental energies, and I felt the beginnings of a new “flavor” to those energies; could this be related to my research of the Watchers? I feel that I need to be able to digest all that information and make it all a part of my Craft, and I am working on this as we speak. More meditations to come!

The cycle always repeats; this Summer a new level of understanding of the Machinery of the Universe was given to me. Now, it is time to begin again at a new level, to become once again a small fish in a big pond. Through the years of my studies at Sacred Mists, I have learned to relish these moments of changeover from being well versed on certain concepts to becoming a neophyte at a new level. This is what growth and evolution are all about. This is the Great Work. Somehow I get the feeling that my recent funk was a respite given to me to prepare for the next level; I don’t think it’s gonna be easy.

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Monday, October 18, 2010

Page of Pentacles reversed/Three of Pentacles. In an upright position the Page of Pentacles corresponds with the season of Spring (Aries, “I want,” action oriented, enthusiastic, competitive; Taurus, “I have,” sensual, physical, cautious; and Gemini, “I think,” curious, talkative, sociable, dual, intelligent), tells of the presence of a “young body and an old mind,” and it tells of the potential for exciting opportunities which will require me to hone my physical world skills in order to take advantage of them. The Pages bring the message of their Aces, and this Page reversed is warning me that I am not taking the right steps that will bring tangible results. I need to be aware of the fact that I may miss any important possibilities if I don’t hone my skills on a regular basis in order to be ready. The Three of Pentacles (Mars, action, spontaneity, aggression, drive, in Capricorn, “I build,” ambition, cunning, competence) reminds us that often, the reward for hard work is not necessarily to be found in a paycheck, but rather can be found in a more intense way by being aware of my talents, and the skills I have worked so hard to master. If I know in my mind, my heart and my soul that I have done the preparation work, I will have the confidence to act well.

My Thoth card is the Four of Wands. “Completion,” but not an end result. The Four of Wands (Venus, beauty, allure, relationships, in Aries) is about building enough to become established, as a beachhead, not as a finished product. It represents a good, solid manifestation of Fire, but the work is not done yet and I should not stop looking for new ideas and reviewing alternate plans. This is a pause before continuing, and the dangers Crowley mentions as being associated with this card are a lack of steadiness, unreliability, and unpreparedness.

My Legacy card is the Four of Wands reversed flavored by The Lovers. This second Four of Wands is reversed; in and of itself, it is telling me that while I may feel that I have accomplished a lot, the foundations I am leaning on may not be as strong and solid as I thought they were. I may need to look to myself today, to my foundations, just to be certain that all is as it should be before I move on. The Lovers corresponds with Air (hot/separates and wet/adapts; Air is quick, animated, intellectual and usually is about solving problems), Gemini (“I think,” curious, talkative, dual, sociable, intelligent), 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 and the origin of form and structure); this card has a personal significance to me because it usually appears when Archangel Uriel is getting ready to visit me again. The Lovers represents important personal relationships, as well as personal choices and their consequences. This card tells me that this examination of my foundations may be more important than I realize, and the failure of those foundations could have far-reaching consequences.

Having the Four of Wands appear in both the upright and reversed positions tells me that there could be an important crossroad appearing in my immediate future; the presence of The Lovers validates that. The two Pentacles cards are warnings of a sort, advising me where I should best focus in order to prepare for the decision necessitated by the presence of a crossroad.

My 6-digit date number is 11, again to me an indication of the presence of Archangel Uriel; 11 reduces to 2, the number of balance and polarity.

My horoscopes: “Your financial situation could be greatly boosted by a development you hadn't expected, Sagittarius. Perhaps some investments suddenly skyrocket in value, or maybe the homes in your neighborhood are suddenly worth more than you thought. Whichever it is, don't try to cash in on it right now. Chances are the value of your investment will continue to increase. Hang in there and watch it grow.”

And: “Your freedom-loving nature may be feeling a bit tied down today. It could be that instead of venturing out into the unknown, you would rather just stay at home and snuggle up into a warm bed. Stay close with your loved ones. Feelings of nurture and protection are essential to maintaining your emotional well-being on a day like today. This is a great time for you to turn inward.”

I am finally feeling the background hum that is the energy of Nature around me, and I am finally feeling that I am cutting through the sludge that has filled my aura and my energy field for the past few days. I still cannot decide what exactly caused this lethargy. It really was unexpected, and I wonder exactly what its purpose will turn out to be.

In any event, I have energy, I have enthusiasm, and I have the incentive to get things done. My physical world needs my attention for the next day or two, and my physical self needs my attention as well. The chocolate has done its work, and today I will attempt to do without it. LOL, a difficult task.

I finished reading Raven Digitalis’s “Shadow Magick Compendium” this weekend; at least I didn’t totally waste my time of “slug-ness”! One thing that Digitalis talks about is fasting as a tool for changing consciousness and raising energy. He talks about what most of us anticipate when we think about fasting: not eating and/or drinking for a certain period of time, and indeed this would be one way to change my consciousness and perception of the world. However, this method is quite stressful to the digestive system and the entire body. His suggestion is to go on a water, juice and rice fast; eating small amounts of rice several times a day will keep the digestive system active yet still provide that lack of nutrients that a fast is all about, drinking water will maintain hydration, and drinking juice will offer the barest minimum of vitamins and minerals needed to keep healthy despite the deprivation. This would still be difficult enough to change consciousness and raise energy.

What interested me was Digitalis’s descriptions of alternate methods of fasting. For instance, he suggested choosing to be a strict vegetarian for a period of days, or choosing to eat only non-processed foods for a period of days. To me, this would be the best of both worlds, for I would still need to hold back from eating, but I would not be starving myself and shutting down my digestive system.

No matter what, Digitalis states that cold turkey fasting is not a good thing. A fast should be eased into, and eased out of, in order to protect the digestive system.

Another alternative offered involves not abstaining from food, but abstaining from other parts of our lives. For instance, I have known since my very first lesson of my First Degree Training at Sacred Mists that silence has power, and choosing to be completely silent and not speak for a period of time can be even more difficult than a food fast. Choosing to be still for a period of time offers similar power.

There are other ways to choose to disconnect from the world. We can turn off our cell phones for a period of time, or we can shut down our computer and choose to not communicate in that way. For that matter, we could choose to not make use of all technology for a period of time. Imagine the changes in the perception of our world that would come from one 24-hour period of not accessing any technology at all. No lights, only candles. No televisions or internet, only books and conversations. No meals popped into the microwave, only grilled meats (no lighter fluid or propane; fires started the traditional way) and raw fruits and vegetables. Big changes in lifestyle!

I think this kind of fasting is the reason that I find my trips to the Dominican Republic so revitalizing. Yes, we have electricity and water and gas stoves, but the power goes off just about every day for an hour or two at random times, the only potable water is bottled water, and the gas for the stoves is from a tank which needs to be replaced when empty. In order to maintain a household in the Dominican Republic, everyone needs to have an awareness of whether or not the power is on, in order to take advantage of having power to take care of necessary chores like doing laundry. Everyone needs to always be aware of how much water is in the container, and how much gas is in the tank, or when either of them is really needed, they might not be there. These may seem like small differences in lifestyles, but that is only because we have all these things on a regular basis and don’t have to plan for them. Remember for a moment the last blackout; for a while chaos ruled, because we are not prepared to have our services interrupted!

It feels sooooo good to be thinking again!!

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Sunday, October 17, 2010

King of Wands reversed/Death reversed. The upright King of Wands corresponds with the cusp of Cancer (“I feel,” sensitive, nurturing, moody) and Leo (“I am,” passionate, dramatic egotistical), and tells of a charismatic and influential personality which is flavored by compassion; because this King is reversed, I may find that today I am not the most tolerant or compassionate person. I may have difficulty effectively connecting with my ability to match my surroundings with my own plans or desires. Death in an upright position corresponds with Water (cold/binds and wet/adapts), Scorpio (“I desire,” intense, controlling, deep, obsessive), Nun (fish head, liberation), and the Path between Yesod, the place where patterns and images emerge that may manifest into Malkuth, and Tiphareth, the hub of the creation process where energies harmonize and focus to illuminate and clarify. The Death card tells of letting go and of transformation, but since the card is reversed, this process is not happening and instead I am mired in stagnation. Actually, this makes sense to me!

My Thoth card is the Two of Cups reversed. “The Lord of Love” in an upright position tells of the presence of love, harmony and happiness; however the Two of Cups (Venus, beauty, allure, pleasure, relationships, in Cancer) is reversed so they will not be readily apparent in my day. Still, the card is there!

My Legacy card is the Six of Swords reversed, flavored by the Eight of Coins. This Six of Swords (Mercury, reason, intelligence, education, communication, in Aquarius, “I know,” friendships, cause-oriented, the group) in a reversed position is validating the two Welsh cards. Yes, the possibility for recovery is there, after all, the card is there; but it is reversed, so stagnation rules. The Eight of Coins (Sun, the inner core of a person or situation, in Virgo, “I serve,” practical, work and service oriented, sensible, critical) is actually giving me a hint: sometimes it is doing the work and doing it well that is the reward. Today is the first day of the rest of my life, and it’s time to make the effort.

My 6-digit date number is 10, the number of completion, which reduces to 1, the number of position and new beginnings.

My horoscopes: “Perhaps you've been impatiently waiting for the moment to jump into new adventures after your meditation during the last few months. Know that the moment has almost arrived! You now have the strategy, objective, and means at your disposal to succeed. Just a bit more work remains to be done. Gather your strength and get ready to take action with renewed vigor.”

And: “Ever notice the strange nature of a construction site? You see the skeleton of a structure for months and months -- and then one day you go by and there's a brand new building standing there! Transformations in your own life can be like that -- apparently slow going, then suddenly complete. So if you're feeling frustrated at the progress you are (or aren't) making right now, buck up. Changes are happening, and before you know it, you'll wake up at the finish line!”

And: “For some reason, you may not feel like you are exactly flowing well with the energy of the day, Nancy. You might take this as an indicator that you should perhaps spend some time alone. Use this as a time to recharge your battery and reflect on the past few days. You will find that inner reflection is quite a powerful tool for you at this time. Good things are coming your way.”

I feel better today, finally. Yesterday was the beginning of my recovery from this funk, and it took chocolate to make it happen. Yes, Tara, chocolate!! Today’s Sacred Mists Reiki Share worked wonders for me as well, and my brain seems to be getting back to normal.

I am hoping that when I get up tomorrow morning, I will be back to normal.

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Thursday, October 14, 2010

Seven of Cups/The Hierophant. The Seven of Cups (Venus, beauty, allure, pleasure, relationships, in Scorpio, “I desire,” intense, controlling, compulsive, secretive) tells of the dissipation of focus because of too much of a good thing. Could this be the diagnosis of my intense lethargy these past days? The Hierophant (Earth, cold/binds and dry/shapes; Taurus, “I have,” sensual, cautious, stubborn; Vau, nail; the Path between Chesed, the place where forms and structure are stabilized and nurtured, and which crosses Da’ath, and Chokmah, male in the electric sense, the origin of vital force and polarity) . The Hierophant offers addiction to being the figure of authority, being “in the know”; seeing oneself as the source of wisdom rather than the teacher of wisdom is a real danger that is connected with the energies of The Hierophant, especially when combined with the energies of this Seven.

My Thoth card is the Ten of Wands reversed. “Oppression” reversed; I am glad to see this one as a reversed card. In an upright position, the Ten of Wands (Saturn, discipline, responsibility, limitations and resistance, in Sagittarius, “I seek,” philosophic, fun-loving, blundering) tells of an idea that has become a monster. The Fire of the suit has done its work too well, and while this card can tell of oppression, it can also tell of repression; either way, the burden is almost unbearable. Thankfully it is reversed, so I may find that my creativity and my ability to think out of the box will not be held back today, and I may find that the lethargy that has plagued me for the past few days may finally begin to fade away.

My Legacy card is the Five of Swords flavored by The Devil. Hmmmm . . . these two cards support each other, and interestingly enough, The Devil can be seen as another version of The Hierophant. The Five of Swords (Venus in Aquarius, “I know,” friendships, cause-oriented, society, aloof) tells of empty victories usually achieved by forcing ones Will onto a situation, even to the point of being unethical. Like The Hierophant, The Devil also corresponds with the element of Earth, but The Devil also corresponds to Capricorn (“I build,” ambition, authority, cunning), Ayin (eye, the senses), and the Path between Hod, which provides analysis and communication, and Tiphareth, the hub of the creation process where energies harmonize and focus to illuminate and clarify). The Devil, however, focuses on achieving what he desires for himself, while The Hierophant focuses on achieving and then sharing with others. Both cards offer the danger of addiction; The Devil offers addiction to the pleasures of the senses and the physical world; accepting surface effects and not making the effort to delve deeply or understand and accept consequences is the danger associated with this card.

My 6-digit date number is 7, the pause and beginning of the degeneration of the harmony that is the number 6.

My horoscopes: “Stimulating conversations could take place with partners of all sorts, Sagittarius, from business to exercise to romantic. Some new and useful information could come your way that you will want to explore further. This is a great day to execute legal papers or enter into any kind of agreement or commitment. It's a good time to sign up for a class or workshop. Make good use of the energies of the day.”

And: “Don't miss any opportunities today. No matter how tired you may feel, this is not the time to rest. This is one of those days when it is simply easier to be you. There is no need to shy away or hide your true desires. Say what you want and you will get it. There is no need to beat around the bush. Keep in mind, however, that there are unexpected energies that will get thrown into the mix.”

Sounds like the energies of the day are going to be tempting yet dangerous. Which will be a change for me. I have been mired in the most intense lethargy since Monday, and I just don’t know what it could be stemming from. No other symptoms have appeared, just this mind-numbing tiredness. I have been going to bed earlier, sleeping well, but I have still been feeling tired during the day, mentally tired and physically sleepy. But finally, today my mind is becoming clear once again. At last.

I am 2/3 of the way through Raven Digitalis’s Shadow Magick Compendium. Next on deck is a nice, easy translation of the Book of Enoch, and hopefully some more insight into Watchers. This weekend, I am doing a Reiki I class at the shoppe where I teach belly dance, and then heading down to Cape May.

Fall is in full force! Every morning as I walk out to my car, I am surrounded by falling leaves. The leaves on the trees are beginning to change colors, and the mornings are crisp and cool. Good morning!

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Sunday, October 10, 2010

Ten of Pentacles/Queen of Swords reversed. My Ten of Pentacles (Mercury, reason, intelligence, education, communication, in Virgo, “I serve,” practical, analytical, work and service oriented) is upright today, and flavored by a reversed Swords Court Card, the Queen of Swords (cusp of Virgo and Libra, “We are,” partnerships, balance, cooperation). I am being told that I can accomplish much in the physical realms, but I need to remember that I’m not supposed to just sit on those riches. I am supposed to do something with them. The one thing I should not be doing is trying to analyze all this, because today is not a day of the intellect. Instead, I should look to my feelings and my Inner Voice for instruction.

My Thoth card is Adjustment. “Balance against each through its exact opposite. For Marriage of these is the Annihilation of Illusion.” This is Crowley’s Justice card, and it is in the number 8 position of the Majors. It tells of adjustment, and of the suspension of action pending a decision, and it is usually referring to a relationship of some kind (not necessarily romance; can be business related). This card also warns that if balance cannot be achieved by adjustment, then the law may need to be imposed. But in any event, my focus should be on attempting to adjust.

My Legacy card is the Seven of Swords reversed, flavored by The Emperor. The Seven of Swords (Moon, feelings and emotions, illusions, imagination, in Aquarius, “I know,” friendships, the group, cause-oriented, aloof) is about striving to keep things the way you want them, even if the way to do this is unethical. This card can also represent indecision; however it is reversed, so the need to control will not be what I experience. The Emperor (Fire, hot/separates and dry/shapes; Aries, “I want,” action oriented assertive, competitive; Heh, window, illumination; and the Path between Tiphareth, the hub of the creation process where energies harmonize and focus to illuminate and clarify, and Chokmah, male in the electric sense, the origin of vital force and polarity) is about order and structure imposed with love. The Emperor is also about the power of the mind, and it is about the ways that the mind can be used to affect the world. The Emperor tells us that rules have a purpose, a good one, and he certainly seems to be actively supporting the reversed energies of the Seven of Swords, as The Emperor is very ethical.

My 6-digit date number on this numerically auspicious date is 3, the number of new creation.

My horoscopes: “You might need to put on the brakes today when it comes to love and romance, Sagittarius. Don't think that this means you have to break off any sort relationship that's in the works, but realize that you may need to take a more realistic approach to how you handle it. The problem is that you may be getting so caught up in the fantasy of things that you aren't tending to practicalities."

And: “If you're angry about something, find the best way to communicate it without hurting someone. While anger is a healthy emotion that signals you when something isn't right for you, how you express it makes all the difference in the outcome of any situation. There is considerable skill in effective communicating. It's not just words but also tone of voice, facial expression and body language. If you're unfamiliar with an 'I statement,' you may want to read some books on the subject to help you express yourself in a better way."

What a beautiful sunset I saw last night! I left late (LOL, talking to more neighbors), so I did not get all the way down to the Cove, but that did not impact the moment at all. The sky was completely clear, the sun a huge orange ball, and I watched it fall completely into the Bay, until there was one pinprick of orange, and then even that was gone.

In less than ten minutes it was dark enough to see the thin crescent moon, low in the sky. I looked for it last night, but the moon set within less than 15 minutes of the sun, and was too thin to see without a pair of binoculars. Since I was driving at the time, and since there were trees and no clear view of the sun on the horizon, I would not have had success. But last night, I saw her, Diana’s Bow, the fingernail clipping moon, glistening in the blues and reds of the Belt of Venus, right after the sun set.

Since I had time, I walked back along the beach. Oh my, the beach is lovely at sunset! There was a large group of oyster skimmers sitting in the sand; they are sooo fun. They look like little men in black tie with red cummerbunds, and they make the most adorable peeping noises. The water was calm, and every so often a gull passed, hurrying to its nighttime roost.

Once I got home, I spent over two hours sitting on the front porch with a glass of wine, two lit candles, and the sounds of the waves as my company. I am blessed.

Today is October 10, 2010. I decided to do my regular meditation and time it so that it reached its peak at ten minutes after ten this morning.

I prepared for this moment by doing my usual morning meditation: I opened and balanced my chakras, and then applied Reiki to each. Once I had done that, I allowed the Reiki to fill my energy body; then I opened my crown chakra completely, offered to Deity as a gift the energy I had raised and prepared, and then opened myself to receive back any messages.

To my surprise, I was filled with an amazing sense of connection to humanity, to my brothers and sisters at Sacred Mists, to my friends and family and acquaintances and loved ones, and to all life forms, whether physical or astral. After all, we are connected; we each contain a spark of the fertility of Goddess and the activating catalyst of God. We all have that in common.

How wonderful this world would be if we all took a moment to be aware of that connection, and then think about that connection every so often to remind ourselves that despite our differences, we have Goddess and God, however we choose to see Them or perceive Them, in common.

I don't think it matters when we do this. We can do it at a date and time that means something to us individually (such as a birthday or anniversary), or a date that means something to our culture (such as this "curiosity" of 10:10 on 10/10/10), or on a regular ordinary day when the sun is shining or the comfort of rain and thunder and lightning has us snuggled up with loved ones. Like any other important life form, this "thoughtform of awareness of connection" just needs occasional tending; then, it will give back in many good ways.

LOL, sounds kind of "fluffy," but I believe I will give it a try. I may not change the world, but the Law of Attraction tells me that I will change my own environment, for the better.

After my meditation, I headed out to Point Park. Another beautiful day for a bike ride: blue sky, sun shining, I even stopped to take off my jacket. Point Park was mobbed; there were quite a few birders on the hawk platform, which is no surprise as usually someone “in the know” is up there, identifying birds. I was hoping that the nature trails wouldn’t be too crowded, and once I got away from the parking lot, things thinned out a bit.

This trip, most of the people on the trails were birders, with binoculars, cameras with huge lenses, and bird books, in hand. They were there with good reason, for I saw coopers hawks, broad winged hawks, turkey vultures and black vultures; I even saw what I thought was a juvenile bald eagle, and LOL, that got verified for me at the end of my walk. But I am getting ahead of myself.

The salt meadows have changed since the last time I walked this path. Now, besides the yellow-green and brown, the only color comes from the asters and the goldenrod. There still were a few monarchs around, and moths and dragonflies, and here and there, bees were buzzing. I stood on a bridge, watching a turtle (painted turtle?) floating in the stream, and then watched about five black vultures as they sat on a nesting platform.

As I headed out of the meadows and woods, I climbed for a moment onto the berm, and watched a huge three-masted sailing ship moving into the Delaware Bay; that was cool!! Then I turned and looked back at the ponds, and watched as several flights of Canadian geese came in for a landing, honking all the while. I paused several times to watch falcons flying overhead. I headed back toward the parking lot.

And then, I saw an osprey fly overhead, fish in claws. Right behind the osprey was that juvenile bald eagle. I was treated to a dog fight! For a few moments, I thought the osprey was going to get away, but then he zigged when he should have zagged, and the eagle was right there. The osprey had to choose between his fish and his life, and down went the fish. And the eagle.

Well, I guess my Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America is right, bald eagles **will** take fish from ospreys!

I have a lot to think about as I drive home from Cape May tonight. I am aiming to make the sunset again, and I am still filled with waves of energies from the Sacred Feminine.

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Saturday, October 9, 2010

Two of Pentacles reversed/Knight of Wands. In an upright position, the Two of Pentacles (Jupiter, expansiveness and growth, justice, fortune, in Capricorn, “I build,” ambition, caution, cunning, competent) tells of both balance and change, and the dynamic and active balancing act that is needed to remain balanced despite the change. The card is reversed, and judging by the feeling of the day, I would have guessed that change would not be a part of my experiences, but pairing the Two with the Knight of Wands (cusp of Scorpio, “I desire,” intense, controlling, deep, obsessive, and Sagittarius, “I seek,” philosophic, fun-loving, blundering) tells me something different. This Knight is about action and change, and the change could be powerful or it could be unexpected, or it could be both. But, this Knight is also known for his courage, so I think I should be okay, despite the fact that I may not feel that my handling of potential situations will be graceful.

My Thoth card is the Ten of Disks reversed. “Wealth” reversed; another “good” Pentacles card in a reversed position. Crowley sees the Ten of Disks (Mercury, reason, intelligence, education, communication, in Virgo, “I serve,” practical, analytical, work and service oriented, critical) as a powerful card (for a Coins card); it tells of the sum total of the work of the Disks, and it even tells of the Tree of Life and the totality of experience that comes from studying it. He sees this card in an upright position as being similar to The World of the Major Arcane. However, Uncle Al also presents a warning (as usual **grin**): once you have achieved your wealth or acquired your blessings, you need to do something with your bounty. Otherwise, the riches just become more “stuff” to take care of and to be burdened with. The card is reversed, so I may not have completed my work in the physical realm, but I need to be certain that I don’t allow the weight of the suit to hold me back from beginning that new creation.

My Legacy card is the Five of Coins flavored by the Eight of Swords. Errr . . . okay then. The Five of Coins (Mercury in Taurus) in the Legacy Tarot is about charity; sometimes we are in need of it, badly, and sometimes we are gifted with the opportunity to offer it to another. Charity is paired with dire need, and since this is a Coins card, that need will most likely appear in my physical world, either regarding money, security or health. The thing to remember about this Five is that while the energy of the number seems to be upsetting my world, the upset is the first step to better things. The Eight of Swords (Jupiter in Gemini) also presents a situation where things seem much worse than they actually are, and since this card is flavoring the Five of Coins, I feel doubly certain that any perceived difficulties will have a major silver lining available. I just need to look for it!

My 6-digit date number is 11 (Archangel Uriel), which reduces to 2, balance and polarity. Okay, everything is telling me this is not going to be a serene day. But at least my cards are all Minors.

My horoscopes: “You're apt to be somewhat fickle when it comes to love and romance right now, Sagittarius. The key for you now is freedom. The problem with this mindset is that it might be misinterpreted. Your partner may think you simply aren't interested in him or her anymore. Remind your partner that it's OK to love someone while also needing time and space to do things on your own.”

And: “Expect some great news today via phone, e-mail, fax, or the Internet. This could involve a lucky break of some kind, auguring beneficial changes in both profession and lifestyle. A number of short journeys in your near neighborhood may be necessary, and you could stop by the homes of friends or neighbors to tell them all about what's been happening with you. Enjoy your day. You won't have too many quite like this one!”

In many ways, the “endings” nature of my Tarot cards for today make sense, because in many ways I am feeling the season of Fall. I got a late start today (haven’t been down to Cape May in three weeks, so I spent a good portion of the day chatting with neighbors), so I decided to go right to Sunset Beach on my bike. Right off the bat, I could feel a change in the air; Fall has arrived. Maybe it was the fact that all the fields I passed had been mowed or harvested, maybe it is because all the greens of the leaves and vines and grasses are fading to yellows and oranges and browns, or maybe the light itself is different, filled with that glorious late afternoon glow created by the sun being lower in the sky; and I love every bit of it. I even passed an area where leaves had fallen, and I could smell their fragrance as I rode my bike through them.

Sunset Beach was pretty crowded. I parked by bike and headed up toward the stream that bisected the beach. The tide was low, the sky was an incredible blue and the air was warm; a perfect day for a walk at the Delaware Bay!

There were huge dragonflies everywhere, probably left over from the monarch migration. I saw a few monarchs, stragglers, and I wished them a good journey although they were late enough that I worried a bit about their safe arrival at the winter roosts. Moths where around also, larger and smaller, in the grasses at the foot of the dunes.

Turkey vultures and black vultures were around as well, of course, and at one spot they were joined in their circling pattern by a larger hawk.

I saw two ospreys, one low down as he came out of the dunes and the other up overhead, wings spread out as he soared effortlessly. I watched a kestrel wing by, seeming to be busy on a mission, and saw a few of what looked like larger falcons; merlins maybe? And I watched as a harrier rose sharply up out of the grasses, flapped his wings a few times, and then soared over the tops of the grasses, swooping here and there as he hunted.

But today was coopers hawk day. I saw them everywhere, mostly in groups of four to six. I did not realize how many coopers hawks there were in this area. Incredible!

Then, as I finally turned and began my walk back to my bike, I got the biggest reward. Out of the dunes came a bald eagle. He flew right over my head, winging steadily out into the center of the Bay; he turned then, and headed up into the Bay, probably hunting as he traveled towards his winter home in Maryland or Delaware. Glorious!!

As I arrived back at my house, I heard geese. I stopped and stood next to my bike as about 40 of them flew by, in a perfect V, honking to each other in encouragement.

What a beautiful Fall day!!

I have noticed that I am feeling less and less of the energies of the Sacred Masculine. Like the trees and plants around me which are gradually slowing down the flow of sap and energy in preparation for the cold and dark days to come, the energies of the God are changing. No longer is He robust and strong and in the prime of the cycle; now, He is an older gentleman sitting in the late afternoon sun, warming His bones with a smile on His face as He remembers fondly the days that have passed.

More and more, I feel the energies of the Sacred Feminine, washing over me and filling me with the essence of the Goddess. Her time is coming, and soon my focuses will turn inward as I begin to explore and understand the changes that have happened to me this year, under the summer sun. I am truly excited about this task; I have changed so much, and I need to get to know myself anew.

As I headed out to prepare for my walk to the Cove for sunset, I was treated with another fun sight: my next door neighbor’s yard was bathed with the setting sun. There were hundreds of tiny insects, clouds of them, dancing in the sunlight. And there were huge dragonflies, about 50 of them, swooping and zipping and diving, dining on those tiny insects. The dragonflies were so big that at first, I thought they were swallows. I stood for about ten minutes, watching the dragonflies hunt, now I'm headed for the Cove.

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Friday, October 8, 2010

Two of Wands/Knight of Swords reversed. The Two of Wands (Mars, action, spontaneity, aggression, drive, in Aries, “I want,” action oriented, pioneering, assertive, enthusiastic) tells of the concept of applied power, and today I may find that not only am I able to tap into my own energy, but also that I will be able to effectively make use of that energy. This is not about the final manifestation, however, but rather about perceiving the initial vision. It is not the right time to deal with every issue, solve all the problems, and make choices and impose judgments regarding every single detail, because now is not the time for me to be able to see things clearly and up close. Rather, now should be the time of visualizing dreams, and if I need to be detailed and purposeful in my thoughts, I should impose that type of seeing upon my dreams of the future, rather than on the workings of the manifestations of my goals. **smile** So says the Knight of Swords reversed (the cusp of Taurus, “I have,” sensual, stubborn, cautious, and Gemini, “I think,” curious, talkative, dual, intelligent).

My Thoth card is the Nine of Cups reversed. “Happiness” reversed; in an upright position this card tells of the happiness that is present when I am feeling particularly lucky. The good thing about the Nine of Cups (Jupiter, expansiveness and growth, justice, fortune, in Pisces, “I believe,” feeling, duality, soul growth, spirituality) card being reversed is that it is telling me that powerful satisfaction (which tends to slow down an ongoing effort and bring on stagnation) will not yet be a part of the processes of the day. I have not reached the achieving part yet, but because the card is present even though it’s reversed, I am being told that the potential to achieve is not bad.

My Legacy card is Death, flavored by the Three of Cups reversed. I am actually very excited to see the Death card in my spread today. Death corresponds with Water (cold/binds and wet/adapts), Scorpio (“I desire,” intense, controlling, deep, compulsive), Nun (fish head, liberation), and the Path between Tiphareth (the hub of the creation process where energies harmonize and focus to illuminate and clarify), and Netzach (the stimulating factors of emotion and inspiration), because this card tells of a major threshold. No looking back! The Three of Cups (Mercury in Cancer) reversed tells me that this transformation is not about the group; LOL, it's all mine!

My 6-digit date number is 10, the number of completion, which reduces to the number 1, the number of awareness of position and of beginnings. Wow, everything ties together nicely today.

My horoscopes: “An intense card, e-mail, or phone call could come from a sibling or other relative today. Perhaps this is a good chance to patch up an old quarrel with this person, but don't be tempted to start another! Emotions are running high now, Sagittarius, and it wouldn't take much to set someone off. You might want to go out and do a little shopping, but be careful. Traffic could be bad.”

And: “Heaven help anyone you're around now who decides they're going to take you to task in public. Whether it's in front of a cast of thousands or an audience of two, they'd better be careful. Not only will it not happen, but they'll probably end up extremely sorry they mentioned the subject in the first place. You won't hesitate to mention each and every incident they've ever been involved with that might look less than exemplary on a resume -- and that's just for starters.”

And: “The changing celestial configurations are encouraging you to ponder your purpose in life. You should find many possibilities and opportunities to finding some sort of balanced course toward attaining your professional and personal goals. Don't rule out the spiritual side of things, and don't be reluctant to imagine far-fetched solutions; this is a time of great transformations.”

I am making progress in increasing my understanding of the Watchers. While my research certainly did not leave no stones unturned, I think I have achieved a much better understanding of them by reading about the opinions of others. Here is what resonates as true and right for me; of course, these are my feelings, and what is right for me may not be right for others.

Watchers are not Elementals, although they have connections to Elementals because Watchers each rule a cardinal direction, a season, an astrological time and an astronomical event, as well as each of the many correspondences associated with each of those concepts; elements are listed among those correspondences, and thus, so are Elementals. Watchers are complicated and intelligent beings or entities (which could have originated as thoughtforms but which have been in existence long enough for them to attain a high level of independent awareness) who have completed evolving as to their own “rules of being” (for lack of a better term); they have risen as high as they are able to. They are pure energy, and while they can certainly make use of a body or a vehicle of some form if desired, they don’t need to do so in order to exist and function.

Like those highest and purest forms of sacred feminine and sacred masculine energy, our Goddesses and Gods, the nature of Watchers causes them to respond to attempts to interact with them. When I cast a circle, I call the Watchers to each of the cardinal directions for several purposes. I call them to protect my circle in accordance with each of their “specialties.” I call them to ask for their support and guidance regarding a ritual of worship or magickal working, and their intervention in support of the ritual or working (or to nullify it, if nullification is in my best interest), again in accordance with each of their specialties. And I call them to alert them to the fact that I am initiating the formal process of performing a ritual of worship or a magickal working, so that they can offer their protection, guidance and support. The Watchers come when I call because it is of their nature to come, just as it is of my nature to desire their presence; I may in a sense “command” them, but I am no better than they are and I treat them with respect. I like to think that we all feel that any ritual or working is made more complete and perfect by the inclusion of each of our essences.

Watchers rule the elements and their effects, among other things. They would not replace the Elemental Guides who have come to me through my studies and training at Sacred Mists, and under most circumstances they would not dictate the contributions or actions of those Elemental Guides, although Watchers could certainly short circuit an entire ritual or working if absolutely necessary. Elemental Guides bring much to my efforts and insert their specific energies into my workings, my rituals and my cast circle; of course, what they bring is completely connected with their individual element. Plus, Elemental Guides help me within other focuses, such as in my chakra work.

Watchers, true to their names, would watch both what is happening within my circle and what is happening outside of my circle. They can also have an affect on me directly because they are connected to times and seasons, astrology and astronomy. The presence of each of their stars, the Royal Stars of Persia, in my astrological sign can have a direct affect on me just as the presence of one of the planets in our solar system in my astrological can have a direct affect on me.

You may ask, why bother? Well, Watchers are fully-evolved entities from the stars; not so shabby to have them on your side. Plus, they guard powerful vortexes or portals, and cultivating a relationship with them might allow me to make use of the energies associated with those portals. Watchers are also vast reservoirs of information concerning the development of our civilization; many believe that they were sent to teach and guide humans as they developed.

Yes, like any other astral entity, Watchers may have their own agendas, and by many tales they are easily corrupted by we humans, so I will need to be certain of my intentions when working with them. But I try to be certain of my intentions whenever I mess with the ebbs and flows of energies around me.

Here is how I see each Watcher:

Aldebaron (“the Follower”), Persian name, Tascheter or Tishtya (also associated with Sirius and Arcturus), reaches dominance at the Spring Equinox, and thus it is associated with sunrise, the cardinal direction of East, and the season of Spring. It is found in Taurus, and has a possible planetary companion; it is associated with Archangel Michael (who is associated with Mercury, reason, intelligence, education, orderliness, and The Magician in the Tarot), and eloquence, integrity, courage, agitation, loss and violent death. This star is probably the source of the phrase “hitting the bull’s eye,” and is said to predict riches, honor and integrity, but those benefits are usually presented through the passing of some kind of test.

Regulus (“little king” or “prince”), Persian name Venant, Vanant or Wanand (also associated with Vega, Altair, Corvus, Sirius and Procyon), reaches dominance at the Summer Solstice, and is found in Leo; it is associated with the Archangel Raphael, and nobility, ambition, great power, alertness, leadership, sudden downfall, accidents and violence. Metaphysically, because I associate the element of Fire (heat, Summer, daylight) with the direction of South, my first instinct is to place Regulus in the Southern quarter. This star predicts success within your chosen field, even fame, however it also tells of the good possibility that you will be tempted to take revenge. The warning is to be listened to, for if you give in to the temptation, all that you have strived for will turn to dust.

Antares (“holds against Ares (Mars),” and “the heart of the Scorpion”), Persian name Satevis, Sataveaesa or Sadwes (also associated with Aldebaron, Crux, and the stars of Musca Australis), reaches dominance at the Fall Equinox, and thus it is associated with sunset, the cardinal direction of West, and the season of Fall. It is found in Scorpio; it is associated with Archangel Uriel (plus my sign, Sagittarius, “I seek,” philosophic, fun-loving, adventurous, blundering), and adventure, obstinacy, stubbornness and violence, as well as injuries to eyes and sudden loss. This star can also indicate trouble dealing with emotions because they are easily triggered.

Formalhaut (“mouth of the fish,” and “the Star of Alchemy”), Persian name Haftorang, Haftoreng or the Haptoiringas (also associated with Ursa Major), reaches dominance at the Winter Solstice, and is found in Pisces; it is associated with Archangel Gabriel, and magic, fame, the occult, faith, alchemy, addiction, undesirable associates and congenital birth defects. Metaphysically, because I associate the element of Earth (cold, Winter, nighttime) with the direct of North, my first instinct is to place Formalhaut in the North. This star is associated with creative mental energy, which can either have a positive effect or a challenging one.

That is a large depository of power!

We had a totally awesome Pagan Brain Trust get together last night, as always. We ended up watching a DVD on the art of Alex Grey after our usual intense discussions (watch for future information about a new and exciting form of Shamanism!) and delicious vegetarian meal. How truly awesome to see this man’s incredible work, and hear him describe each piece. If you are a healer or an energy worker and have never seen his work, you need to get yourself to his website, called The Chapel of the Sacred Mirrors (http://www.cosm.org/). Believe me, you will not be sorry!

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