The Tower/Queen of Pentacles. The Tower corresponds with Fire (hot/separates and dry/shapes, and spontaneous, impulsive and energetic change) Mars (action, spontaneity, aggression, drive) Phe (mouth or speech), and the Path between Hod (provides analysis and communication) and Tiphareth (the hub of the creation process where energies harmonize and focus to illuminate and clarify). This card has a powerful message; all you have to do is look at the traditional image of The Tower, and you figure that out. It is about change, sudden, powerful and chaotic change that completely changes our world in the blink of an eye, usually leaving us asking “WTF just happened?” There are two things I need to remember today: first, hanging on to the way things always have been might not be the best plan, and second, sometimes destruction is necessary for new growth. All the walls may get knocked down today, even those that are the tower of my ego. The Queen of Pentacles (cusp of Sagittarius, “I seek,” philosophic, fun-loving, blundering, and Capricorn, “I build,” ambition, caution, cunning, authoritative) is one of my favorite Court Cards. She is in effect a mirror of The Empress who brings the messages of The Empress lower in vibration, so that all can understand them. Her specialty is sustaining the physical world, keeping things dry and cozy and safe during the storms of life, and her only weakness is that her focus on protecting and maintaining can sometimes cross the line into obsession. Interestingly enough, it is this very obsession that can often cause The Tower to rear its head, and perhaps I am being given a hint as to what could have led to the energies of The Tower impacting my day.

My Thoth card is the Three of Swords. **gulp** The Three of Swords (Saturn, discipline, responsibility, limitations and resistance, in Libra, “We are,” partnerships, balance, cooperation) is named “Sorrow” by Crowley, and while I do see this card as definitely indicating the possibility of experiencing sorrow, I think this card also tells of the potential for experiencing the isolation that comes when we are excluded from something. What makes this card so potent is that the discomfort it hints at has a more universal feel to it; it’s not just about stubbing your toe on the shoes that your husband left in the middle of the hallway, it’s about being conscious of the pain that sometimes comes because of basic differences in focus that can happen between two people. Because of Libra’s flavoring in this card, it is likely that if the Three of Swords does manifest in my day, its effects will involve another person and not be initiated solely from within myself.

My Legacy card is the Ten of Coins, flavored by the Seven of Coins. The Ten of Coins (Mercury, reason, intelligence, orderliness, communication, in Virgo, “I serve,” practical, analytical, work and service oriented) may be a happy card, as it indicates the realization of all that I have worked for in the physical realms, but it also is a card of warning. If I don’t do something with what I have, all those blessings end up turning into burdens that need to be cared for, kind of like what happens when you put money in a savings account and then the bank’s fees slowly eat away at it. The Seven of Coins (Saturn in Taurus, “I have,” sensual, cautious, physical, stubborn) is another card that is filled with inertia; it tells of an assessment of accomplishments thus far, but it also warns us that the work is not over, and we need to “use it or lose it.” Lots of suggestions to see and be aware of what I have, but also lots of warnings that if I stop too long to look at all the shinys, I will lose my momentum.

My 6-digit date number is 3, the number of new creation out of the polarized balance of the number 2.

My horoscopes: “If you knew the truth of all the things that are going on outside your world, you'd be appalled, Sagittarius. You shouldn't take things at face value today. It's important to simply go and see things for yourself. Don't trust another's word on what is true and what isn't. Question what you see. Make sure you don't let others pull the wool over your eyes.”

And: “At work you could very likely have the feeling that something new is starting. Is it a new project for which you've just been tapped as lead? Or is it that new cutie that just started in accounting? Or the smell of coffee from the new cappuccino maker? Whatever it is, follow your instincts wherever they lead. They'll find something new. Work could be quite a roller-coaster ride now, complete with highs, lows and loops galore. Each new twist presents a new opportunity for you. Just don't let your fear obscure your options -- otherwise, you'll miss what's coming up around the bend.”

And: “It may seem as if someone has dumped a huge bucket of water over your head today. Your fire is extinguished. Keep in mind that this is only temporary and that your internal flame will be rekindled soon. For now, however, you may want to take this time to slow down and relax. Use this as an opportunity to reflect and tune in to your sensitive, caring nature. Sit back and let someone else take the reins.”

I had an interesting moment during my morning ritual; Danu came to me as I opened my crown chakra, spilling Her soft and vibrant energy through my chakras and energy meridians, flushing out the debris of life and replacing that debris with Her silvery light. She then told me that my time of testing had come.

Danu explained to me that learning is necessary, throughout life, but at some point I need to make use of the skills and abilities I have already acquired. I need to make them all an everyday part of my life, use them in different situations, for it is only in using them that I will become aware of my own strengths and my own weaknesses. That point in time was now, and Danu explained to me that I needed to step up and make use of my skills and abilities in every facet of my day-to-day life, and with a smile, She told me not to worry, for if I missed a particular focus or direction, the circumstances of the day will give me a wake-up call.

Danu also reminded me that chaos and destruction are not to be feared. She reminded me of Her own Consort, the God, whose Cycle of Life includes the trauma of birth, the ecstasy of union with Goddess, and then the destruction of His Incarnation in the current Cycle.

After all, without trauma and ecstasy and destruction, life would be bland, and life would not be immortal. It is through the presence of both ecstasy and trauma that we all are able to learn and grow, and be tested so that we experience confidence and courage. We cannot understand trauma unless we also understand ecstasy; one is needed in order to understand the other. It is as if trauma and hurt and suffering act as a corrosive that hollows out a place within us, and then that place is filled by our joys and triumphs and moments of serenity. That cauldron would not be there, would not be large enough and strong enough to be a vessel for our ecstasies, without the effects of the more difficult aspects of life and living.

Her message is timely, for look at my cards today! Both The Tower ~and~ the Three of Swords! But Danu is right; I do feel up to the challenge, even though I hope it does not materialize. And my three Pentacles cards give me some valuable advice as far as what to look for and how to be today.

Speaking of Danu, I finally did it, I jumped into Danu’s Well. I fell and fell and fell, endlessly; at first my stomach turned and I spun out of control, but then I put my arms and legs out, careful to not brush against the walls of the Well as I plummeted downward, and steadied myself. I could feel the wind, see it blowing my hair, and with some effort, I kept myself steady and flat as I fell. And fell. And fell.

Just as I became convinced that I would never stop falling, I shot out of the tube of rock that was the Well, into what appeared to be an endless dark void, totally black. I was still falling; I knew that much because I could feel the winds pushing against me, but with no reference points in the inky darkness, I could not tell how fast I was dropping. I kept looking around, and finally, I saw something below me, a dark gray wall stretching out in all directions as far as I could see. What was it? Was it fog or smoke? Was it stone? Would I pass through it? Or would I be smashed by it?

The wall continued to approach, and suddenly I decided that if I was going to die, I would choose to do so with strength. I twisted myself like a competitive high diver, changing my body’s position from horizontal (in an effort to slow and control my descent) to vertical, with arms stretched out in front of me. If that wall was solid, I was dead anyway; might as well make my exit spectacular.

The closer I got, the faster the surface moved toward me. Then it was there! In one brief moment, I broke through what felt like pastry or a huge cracker, with a crackle and a sense of breaking through something solid but only just barely so. And then, I stopped falling.

I opened my eyes to bright light, white with a greenish tinge here and there, so bright that I could not see very well. But here is the strange thing: I did not feel human any more. Oh, I was seeing, and smelling this lovely fragrance of earth and flowers and leaves, and I was feeling comfortable and cool air against my skin, but my senses were a bit off and I was not perceiving my surroundings in a normal way. I can’t describe the difference; no reference points to compare. I looked down at myself, squinting in the bright light, and to my surprise, I did not have a physical body!!! I was a bright spark of white light, glistening and twinkling like those photos of stars taken with the Hubble Telescope.

Suddenly, I felt myself being pulled backwards, as if I was being sucked back the way I came into this realm, slowly at first but then with more strength and speed. I tried to stay; I wanted to understand where I was and what I was feeling, but there was nothing to hold onto. I passed back through the hole I had punched into the wall, and as I moved faster and faster, I watched the wall fade into darkness. Then I was back in the Well, flying upward. Without warning, I popped out and fell down hard in the grassy meadow next to the bedrock surrounding the Well.

I lay there for a while, catching my breath, and finally I took stock of my astral body gently. Only bruises, thankfully. I am still wondering what realm I entered when I jumped into Danu’s Well.

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