Page of Swords/Five of Cups. The Page of Swords (Capricorn, “I build,” ambition, caution authority, cunning, Aquarius, “I know,” friendships, cause-oriented, the group, aloof, and Pisces, “I believe,” feeling, duality, soul growth, artistic) brings the message of the Ace of its suit. He tells of the need for vigilance and alertness, of the need to examine and understand; he also tells of the possibility of a bit of spying, or maybe of the use of a disguise in order to be not seen. The Five of Cups (Mars, action, aggression, drive, in Scorpio, “I desire,” intense, controlling, mysterious, obsessive) tells of the cloudy sludge that is stirred up when still waters are disturbed. This card is reminding me to not give up hope, even if there are a few snags in my day.

My Thoth card is the Knight of Swords reversed. The Knight of Swords (the cusp of Taurus, “I have,” sensual, stubborn, cautious, and Gemini, “I think,” curious, talkative, dual, intelligent) is idealistic, but since emotions and compassion are not a part of his tool kit, he can be cruel as well, and often the ends justify the means in his eyes. This Knight often has great ideas, but they tend to bounce against and run over each other in chaos, without grounding, he has trouble focusing on jut one idea. He is thought in the highest degree, but unstable in purpose. Thankfully, the card is reversed, so perhaps I will have a bit more focus than this Knight!

My Legacy card is the Six of Swords reversed, flavored by the Eight of Coins. The Six of Swords (Mercury, reason, intelligence, education, communication, in Aquarius, “I know,” friendships, the group, cause oriented), tells of recovery, of the onset of transition, and of the continuation of a journey. 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 reminding me to be persistent, and diligent, and I will succeed.

My 6-digit date number is 5, the number of motion that dispels stagnation.

My horoscopes: “You must be wondering what in the world is going on? On the one hand, you have humanistic and harmonious thoughts about your family and work environment. On the other hand, you also have a deep desire to destroy everything in order to start fresh! You will have to choose. In any case, given the current climate and the fire inside you, any sort of compromise will prove difficult. Don't go overboard!”

And: “You've had things pretty easy for a long while now. You have all the power and resources in your corner, and people recognize you for the formidable opponent you are. But there are things you want more of in your life, and the only way that's going to happen is if you go out there and make it happen. Even if you don't feel like rolling up your sleeves and putting sweat equity into your life today, you should. Your efforts will create amazing results.”

And: “When it comes to home decoration, there is something to be said for immediate gratification. Today you could find yourself doing some "necessary" shopping. Think carefully about what will truly beautify your home over the long run. Fashions come and go, and following them can be an expensive undertaking. You would be better off buying only those items that match your true style. You may not purchase as much, but what you do buy will have lasting value.”

For some reason, today I am focusing on connections. Danu has been with me almost continuously since the beginning of the week; She is silent, but She is there, standing behind me and occasionally placing Her hand on my shoulder. I feel a special connection to Her at this time of the year, when the God is resting and the Sacred Masculine barely discernable. I love having Her with me like this, and as much as I am looking forward to the return of the Sun Father and the active energies associated with Him, these times of one-on-one companionship have become incredibly valuable to me.

As the dark phase of the solar year comes to an end, I am becoming increasingly aware of my connection to Nature and the cycles around me. Like the time of Dark Moon, when even the dimmest of stars is visible, twinkling softly in the dark night sky, I seem to be sensing the gentler and less obvious flows of energy around me, throughout both the day and the night hours. I have always loved the way the lacy branches of the naked trees look against the Winter sky, but now I am also noticing how high in the night sky the moon is, and how lovely it is to wake up in the middle of the night with the silvery light of the newly waning moon in my eyes. I am noticing the difference in the light of the day, due to the lower arc of the sun and the corresponding lower angle of its golden light. And I have adjusted to the long nights; no longer does it seem like it’s midnight when it is only about 7 pm.

I am also thinking about my connections to other people. I guess this is normal at this time of the year, but I am appreciating the ways that everyone in my life adds to the flavor and texture and depth of this life’s experiences. I am truly blessed with the companionship of family, friends, and several communities of seekers, all of whom share joys and sorrows, and challenge me to grow and evolve.

And, I am also renewing my connection to myself, and to my own personal energy field. LOL, after several weekends of being away with friends and eating too much, I am finally getting back with the program. Not only has my Patroness come to me, but I am feeling my own energy field again. Awesome!

How fitting that the next sephiroth to be considered as I move through the Tree of Life is Tiphareth.

Tiphareth (Beauty) is the sixth sephiroth on the Tree, the second on the Pillar of Balance (the first being Kether, the Crown), and represents harmony, equilibrium, and the epitome of balance. Tiphareth is the Child of the Goddess and God, the balance between active and passive, force and form; the hub of the wheel, the Sun in the sky. Which actually is quite interesting, because Tiphareth was seen as corresponding to our Sun before the Sun was known to be the center of our solar system.

Tiphareth is the Lesser Countenance, reflecting to us the power of Kether, the Greater Countenance. Tiphareth tells us to remember that karma is about evolution, not retribution, and that who we are is more important than what we do, and we must in the end only define ourselves by who we are.

My correspondence list for Tiphareth is:

Magickal Image: King, Child, Sacrificed God

Planetary: the Sun

Vice: False Pride

Virtue: Devotion to the Great Work

Deity: Sun Healers Illuminators Sacrificed Kings

Spiritual Experience: Vision of the Harmony of Things, Understanding the Mysteries of Sacrifice

Briatic Correspondence: Centrality, Wholeness

Illusion: Identification

Obligation: Integrity

Path: Path 6, the number of vertical and horizontal balance and harmony.

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