Page of Cups reversed/The Sun reversed. The Page of Cups in an upright position corresponds to Libra (“we are,” partnerships, balance, cooperation), Scorpio (“I desire,” intensity compulsion, mystery) and Sagittarius (“I seek,” philosophic, adventurous, blundering), and I am being warned that my physical senses will not be helping me to hear the message of my Inner Voice. I need to beware of any strong or vivid emotions, for today they may end up leading me to a place that I do not want to be. 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 tempted to feel a bit pessimistic about important events today; however, I need to remember that I attract to me what I think and feel. The energies of The Sun may be temporary, but so, too, are the energies of The Sun reversed. The rain storm will soon be over, and then everything will be fresh and new and re-energized. These two cards being reversed might mean that I could feel that I am walking in the dark today, not able to get messages regarding where I am or how I really feel.

My Thoth card is the Six of Disks reversed. The Six of Pentacles (Moon, feelings and emotions, illusion, imagination, in Taurus, “I have,” Sensual, cautious, stubborn) is “Success” and brings an awareness of resources to the situation, both those that I have and those that I don’t have. The Six of Pentacles also reminds me to be generous; I have grown and evolved through the assistance of others, and now it is time for me to pay forward what I have received in the past. The success of this card is temporary, and since it is reversed, that success may not be apparent at all, at least for today.

My Legacy card is Temperance reversed, flavored by The World reversed. Another Sagittarius card, Temperance in an upright position also corresponds with Fire, Samekh (the tent post), and the Path between Yesod (the place where patterns and images emerge that may manifest into the physical world of action and outer reality) and Tiphareth (the hub of the creation process where energies harmonize and focus to illuminate and clarify). This card is one of the cards that has always had a personal message to me; it tells me that balance is dynamic and the ability to maintain a dynamic balance takes constant practice and work. It is reversed, and for some reason I feel that today it is reversed because while the day may start balanced, events will continuously attempt to tip me to one side or the other. The World, which corresponds with Earth (cold/binds and dry/shapes, and material, stable and practical energy that is 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, outer reality) and Yesod (the place where patterns and images emerge that may manifest into the physical world), is the card flavoring my Temperance reversed. It tells me that at least for today, integration should not be my goal. First, I need to get the return to balance that is Temperance upright. But all is not lost! In order to be balanced, I need to experience the extremes that I am to integrate.

My Pearls of Wisdom New Calendar Year card is the Three of Pentacles. The Three of Pentacles (Mars, action, spontaneity, aggression, drive, in Capricorn, “I build,” ambition, cunning, competence); the message of this card is that my own creativity can lead me to both hard and rewarding work, and renown, or a good reputation. Great message for the first day of the calendar year.

My 6-digit date number is 4, the number of stability and depth. This date number today is composed entirely of 1’s, and thus filled with the potential of contact with Archangel Uriel.

My horoscopes: “Do you help the world evolve, Sagittarius? You may ask yourself this kind of delicate question today. Even if you're a person of action who knows how to react to situations, you should be careful not to be too impulsive. You have a specific role to play. Don't get thrown off track by emotional circumstances."

And: “Sometimes inspiration strikes at very inconvenient times, so be prepared. Grab a pen and a pad of paper and bring it along for the day's adventure -- you will need it. Ideas will be swirling all around you, and when you're ready to pluck one out of the air, you should go for it, wherever you are. Bring a camera with you to capture some surprising or beautiful moments, because there could be some historical significance to this day, and you will want to remember just where you were."

And: “Beware of unexpected circumstances today. The good news is that your flexible attitude is perfectly suited to deal with the twists and turns that this day is likely to offer. While other people may get upset when their plans go awry, you will find that you can surf the waves easily, and turn any situation into a positive one, regardless of the way in which you originally planned things to work out."

Today is a day absolutely filled with potential! 1/1/11 positively screams Archangel Uriel to me, and sure enough, He appeared to me as I walked on the beach this afternoon. Uriel brought me to the castle which I entered during a meditation early in my Third Degree training. Nothing had changed much; except for one thing: I arrived at the castle in daylight rather than at dust. In the sky was the sun, rather than the full moon.

When I first stepped into the castle, it was hard to see anything at all. The fireplace at the other end of the room was dark, and none of the torches were lit. Bright golden beams of sunlight angled down from the small windows high on the walls, crossing each other in mid air and creating a walkway of golden rectangles on the floor.

I walked forward on my own; Uriel stood behind me, just inside the door, watching. The four robed figures waited for me behind the altar in front of the dark hearth; on the altar were two candles, unlit, and that pointy tool that I remember. This time, I knew exactly what it was capable of.

One of the four robed figures stepped forward. This time, they did not wear their identifying brooches, so I did not know which Guide stood on the other side of the altar, facing me, face hidden in the shadow of the black hood attached to the robe. He/She/It waited, silently, and I knew that I needed to give some indication that I was here willingly, so I nodded. The other three figures moved forward then, and they all came around the altar to stand next to me. Uriel moved silently forward to a better vantage point, watching silently still.

One of the figures picked up the pointy tool and came before me, reached out to hold my head steady, and brought the point slowly towards my eye, giving my every opportunity to halt the proceeding. But I have done this before, and so I did not fear. Each eye popped quietly as it was punctured, this time without any pain at all, and liquid flowed down my cheeks. I could no longer see at all. Next, the being tilted my head, and brought the pointy implement to my right ear and allowed it to rest for a moment at my ear canal, once again giving me the chance to halt the proceeding. When I stayed still and silent, the procedure continued. The last thing I heard from each ear was the crackle of the tool puncturing the drum, again painlessly.

For long moments, I felt as if I had been locked in a dark, soundproof room. I felt totally isolated, totally alone, totally separated from my senses and from my physical body. A strange feeling, but I felt no panic; perhaps because I had been through this before and trusted my Guides. I spent a bit of time thinking about how my ears and my eyes were not the source of my sight and my hearing, but only tools that brought data to my brain, to be interpreted. My eyes don’t actually see, my brain does. My ears don’t actually hear, my brain does. I remembered that the last time my senses were removed, I was tasked with learning to “see” without my eyes. The stakes are raised this time, for both my eyes and my ears have been taken from me.

Then, I was no longer alone. I could feel hands wiping my eyes and my ears gently, and then wrapping bandages. I was not alone; my Guides were there, even if I could not hear them or see them. Once they had completed their ministrations, I was alone again in silence and darkness for a moment, but then I felt Uriel’s hand on my shoulder. I heard Him speak, not with my ears but with my mind. He said: “Listen. Observe. Understand.” And then he was gone.

Interesting way to start the year.

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