The Universe/Eight of Swords. 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) tells me that I have reached the maximum integration between my physical self and my mental/astral/energy body self attainable within this cycle. While I should continue to ponder the lessons learned, it is time to move forward into the next cycle. The Eight of Swords (Jupiter, expansiveness and growth, justice, fortune, in Gemini, “I think,” curious, sociable talkative, dual) shows what happens when you abuse the power of the Swords through the intellect: that power turns against you. Perhaps my subconscious is a bit nervous about moving forward into the unknown that is a new cycle; I need to remind myself that I have braved other dangers and come out in a better place. While caution is always a good thing, I should not let caution blind me to the new experiences ahead.

My Thoth card is The Hanging Man reversed. The Hanging Man reversed again. In an upright position, this card is about suspension, about self-sacrifice, and about changing perspective in order to think out of the box. It corresponds with Water (cold/binds and wet/adapts; emotional and imaginative energy which attempts to prevent changes), Neptune (inspiration, spirituality, magick, altered states), Mem (water, stability and balance, the reflective quality of thought), and the Path between Hod (which provides analysis and communication) and Geburah (the place where forms and structures are challenged or affirmed), and it has appeared reversed, again. Uncle Al sees this card as offering the possibility for redemption or repair rather than the traditional sacrifice associated with this card; he also sees a sense of fatalism attached to this card, a tendency to either wait for something to manifest on its own, or even to expect something bad to happen. Because the card is reversed, I am being told that I should not be passive today.

My Legacy card is the Six of Swords reversed, flavored by The Devil reversed. The Six of Swords (Mercury, reason, intelligence, education, communication, in Aquarius, “I know,” friendships, the group, cause oriented) in an upright position is about hitting the reset button in order to move away from a problem or blockage. Since this card has been showing up for me often, usually reversed, I need to remember that sometimes you don’t get a “do-over,” and you have to play the hand you were dealt. The Devil corresponds with Earth (cold/binds and dry/shapes, and stable, material, practical energies that are slow to change), Capricorn (“I build,” ambitious, competent, cautious, cunning), Ayin (the eye, senses), and the Path between Hod (which provides analysis and communication) and Tipareth (the hub of the creation process where energies harmonize and focus to illuminate and clarify). In an upright position, it represents bondage, which can also be seen as a lack of choice. Because it is reversed, I am being reminded that I **do** have a choice, and I need to make use of my power of choice. Sounds as if that Hanging Man reversed is being validated here.

My Pearls of Wisdom New Moon card is Judgement reversed. Judgement corresponds with 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 physical, outer reality) and Hod (provides analysis and communication), and represents the integration of my entire self by answering for my actions and receiving the appropriate response. The Pearls of Wisdom Judgement card is a wakeup call that encourages me to identify both toxins and benefits, so that the toxins can be released and the benefits can prosper. The card is reversed, so I may need to change my focus a bit; I might not be judging the situation correctly.

Not only am I seeing the same cards over and over again, but I am also seeing the same pairs over and over again. That first pair, The Universe/Eight of Swords appeared in December; yesterday’s Devil/The Hermit was a repeat. The Six of Swords and The Hanging Man have also been appearing multiple times, as has Judgement. All of these cards have appeared both upright and reversed, sometimes alone and sometimes paired together. The interesting thing is that in interpreting the repeat performances of these cards, I am learning new shades of meanings for some of them.

For instance, The Hanging Man/fatalism connection. That is a new thought for me. And the connection between The Devil and the power of choice. Another new connection. **smile** Gotta love the Tarot! Last night, the Sacred Mists Psychic and Divinatory Alliance performed readings after our Imbolc Sabbat Ritual; at one point, someone jokingly said that I had a “Th.D” in Tarot. LOL, how true that is, and how excited I am that even after over five years of detailed study, I can still be enthusiastic about new meanings for my cards.

My 6-digit date number is 7, the number that tells of a pause at the beginning of degeneration.

My horoscopes: “A business or romantic partner might be in a foul mood and not very likely to tell you why, Sagittarius. It won't be all that easy to deal with, but it probably doesn't relate to any trouble between you. Therefore, it's best to let your partner work it out alone. Take care to stay cool and keep a safe distance between you, at least for today. The mood should pass by tomorrow.”

And: “Today is not the day to run around willy-nilly or act spontaneously . . . it is a day to plan every little detail out to the nth degree. You definitely need to get a better grip on the forces around you, because there is more going on than you may realize right now. There's no danger lurking, but there are facts you should uncover that could trigger a major change in your point of view. Educating yourself is always a good idea, so dig a little deeper and don't accept things at face value.”

I seem to finally rising up out of the funk I’ve been in since I got sick a few weeks ago. I am much more connected to my own awareness, and I find it much easier to connect to my Will, in order to get things done. Could this be an effect of my Pathworking? Or is this awareness happening because it is Imbolc, and a New Moon, and I am moving out of the “null time” that is between Yule and Imbolc?

I had a busy night last night. First was the Sacred Mists Imbolc Sabbat, an awesome celebration of the return of the light; next was the Sabbat Reading Event with the SMPDA. All this was capped off with a Reiki Share with my beloved Pagan Brain Trust. Needless to say, I was very energized by the end of the last event, but despite being charged up, I slept like a baby.

I am ready to move on to the 31^st Path. Interestingly enough, both The Universe (32^nd Path) and Judgement (31^st Path) have shown up in my card throw for today. The 31^st Path is the second of the three initiatory Paths which connects Malkuth and Hod, body and mind. This is the Path of Perpetual Intelligence, of psychic development, and of former incarnations which have brought me to where I am in this life. The purpose for experiencing many lives is growth and evolution; however, we are pretty much restricted to only knowing one particular incarnation per lifetime. But even if I can’t remember my past lives, they have had a direct impact on who I am.

The 31^st Path leads to the base of the Pillar of Form/Restriction/Severity. Ellen Cannon Reed offers a very logical (*giggle*) Star Trek metaphor for this Path: if Mr. Spock represents Malkuth, then the 31^st Path would be his Vulcan culture, which strives to maintain an unemotional people who are ruled by logic and the intellect. Humans are not Vulcans; we are the result of all three Pillars of the Tree of Life, and those Pillars are united in Malkuth through the three initiatory Paths, each of which connects Malkuth to the bottom of one of the three Pillars. Interestingly enough, the Vulcan salute (the “live long and prosper” mudra) is directly related to the Hebrew letter associated with this Path, Shin (tooth or fang).

I am off to a good start in my Journey along the 31^st Path.

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