Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Ace of Wands reversed/Ten of Pentacles reversed. The Ace of Wands (Leo, “I am,” passionate, dramatic, egotistical, Virgo, “I serve,” practical, analytical, sensible, orderly) tells of the first spark of a new and exciting creative process, and an encouraging and empowering awareness of my own valuable creative talents. Because it is reversed, I may find that my creativity could be a bit sluggish today. The Ten of Pentacles (Mercury, reason, intelligence, education, communication, in Virgo, “I serve,” practical, analytical, work and service oriented) is actually a very heavy card whose energies can weigh you down. Because it tells of the completion of a cycle of the suit, it also tells of the successful accumulation of Earthly riches and blessings. The challenge of the Ten of Pentacles is to **do** something with these riches before they become a ball and chain. The Ten is reversed, and paired with the reversed Ace, and while the heaviness is gone, so is any sense of movement.

My Thoth card is the Seven of Disks reversed. “Failure” reversed. The Seven of Disks (Saturn, discipline, responsibility, law and order, in Taurus, “I have,” sensual, cautious, stubborn) tells of what happens when you combine the element of Earth and its focus on stability with the planet Saturn, which is about responsibility and discipline. Crowley sees this card as representing extreme passivity, and since the card is the number 7, that passivity could very well have been caused by the vertical and horizontal balance of the number 6. Because the card is reversed, the pause caused by passivity is not yet happening. This movement is needed, after those two first cards.

My Legacy card is the Ace of Cups, flavored by The Lovers. Wow!! The Ace of Cups (Libra, “We are,” partnerships, balance, cooperation, Scorpio, “I desire,” intense, deep, mysterious, obsessive, Sagittarius, “I seek,” philosophic, fun-loving, adventurous, blundering) tells of the possibility of the beginning of a relationship of some kind, one that may be filled with the potential to bring enlightenment and understanding. 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, 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) 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. And He has had a voice, a synchronistic voice, for me. The Lovers is not only about love (both my own love and relationships, and the sacred love shared between Goddess and God), but it is about personal choices, and both love and personal choices will come into play for me today. Since The Lovers is flavoring the Ace of Cups, the power of The Lovers is all about emotional potential.

My 6-digit date number is 7, the number that tells of the pause that happens as balance begins to degenerate.

My horoscopes: “Today you might crave solitude, Sagittarius, perhaps for meditation or to contemplate your current situation. You may feel you're at a crossroads and need to decide which way to go. This could involve the next step in your material progress or self-expression, or it might involve your spiritual path. Emotions from the past could well up, but this is a positive development. Don't fight it.”

And: “It takes a lot of energy to meet new people, so if you aren't exactly in a social-butterfly mood, the people in your life need to be understanding. If they're pushing you to go out or to host a gathering, let them know right away that you're looking for a break in the action. It might be time to put your dancing shoes in the closet, and then dig out a comfy blanket and a nice juicy novel. Meet new people in a fictional world.”

And: “This could well be a very busy day in your community. Some kind of rally, protest, or other public gathering might be taking place. If you attend, you may not hear much of what's being said because of all the noise, and the event could seem disorganized at best. It could also render traffic impossible! If you can, stay home today. Going out may be more trouble than it's worth. Protest with your vote or purse, instead.”

My Sun reading: “Play it safe and write things down when retention is skewed today. Tonight is a lovely night for a quiet evening among friends. You and your significant other take your relationship to an enhanced level when you give yourselves permission to express your emotions to one another.”

I went for a quick walk at Higbee Beach this morning, and as I walked by the Bay underneath the morning sun and the blue sky, I thought about what I learned last night.

I think I stumbled upon something valuable last night, as I worked with the 25th Path. Contact with the higher energies of Deity can end up causing an imbalance in our own energy field, and thus, in our physical body. I think that my funk of the past weeks is in part due to an imbalance created by my contact with my own Deities as well as due to the Aha! Moments that are happening because of my Pathworking.

The Pillar of Balance is there for a reason. And perhaps the 25th Path has been a reminder to me that while it is wonderful to explore the extremes, every so often I need to come back to my foundation and do some basic, beginner energy work.

I opened and cleaned my chakras again this morning, with no elemental correspondences and no Reiki application. Again, this was pure energy work and limited to very basic work with my personal energy field. I do feel more balanced today.

I also attended the Second Degree Study Hall last evening, as the topic of Nature Spirits interested me. I ended up presenting the Chat, as the student who was to teach the Chat had a last minute emergency. The information presented gave me some food for thought.

Nature Spirits can be sophisticated entities, especially if they are connected to places that have been used and/or worshipped for a long time; however, they can also be simple entities connected to regular places. In a sense, a Nature Spirit is a thought form, created not by the focus and intent of humans, but rather, created from the presence of traits and a culture created by other-than-human entities or effects.

All matter is formed out of energy; some of that energy is cold and slow moving, and then we have solids. The warmer and the faster the energy moves, the less solid are the results. But each manifestation, whether the hardest bedrock or the most powerful gust of wind, has a “personality.” Rocks are hard, cold, slow to change; wind expands, presses against everything around it, and abhors a vacuum. These personality traits, when pooled together in one place, create a sort of thought form that is at least somewhat animated, depending on how much interaction with other energies, effects and entities it interacts with. Just as our planet was created when enough matter gathered to create gravity, which pulled even more matter together, if the right combination of personality traits is pooled together, that combination forms a sort of natural gravity, which pulls even more of the specific energies together, until an “entity” is formed. This non-human-created thought form is a Nature Spirit! Makes perfect sense to me!

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Monday, March 28, 2011

Page of Cups reversed/The Fool 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 Fool is an Air card (hot/separates and wet/adapts, and challenges that tend to require the use of the intellect to solve), and it also corresponds with Uranus (technology, science, radical change), Aleph (the head, youthful learning) and the Path between Chokmah (male in the electric sense, dynamic energy and the origin of vital force and polarity) and Kether (the source; limitless possibility). The Fool has some pretty powerful energies at his disposal, not to mention his enthusiasm and optimism; because the card is reversed, I might do better today if I plan for all possible outcomes rather than assuming that things will just fall into place on their own. It does not look like today will be an emotionally connected kind of day.

My Thoth card is the Two of Cups. The Two of Cups (Venus, beauty, allure, relationships, in Cancer, “I feel,” sensitive, family and home oriented, tenacious, moody), known as the “Love” card by Crowley, is usually about relationships which are created and strengthened because of commonalities. These relationships could be with others, or with myself. Because this card is here, interrelationships, union, and maybe even sympathy, may be important. Interestingly enough, this card is about a relationship that already exists; my first two cards seem to be pointing to potentials which are being prevented from manifesting.

My Legacy card is Temperance reversed, flavored by the Seven of Wands reversed. A Sagittarius card, Temperance in an upright position also corresponds with Fire (hot/separates and dry/shapes, and spontaneous, impulsive, energetic change), 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 corresponds to Archangel Uriel, and tells me that balance is dynamic and the ability to maintain a dynamic balance takes constant practice and work. The Seven of Wands (Mars, action, spontaneity, aggression, drive, in Leo, “I am,” passionate, dramatic, natural leader, egotistical, selfish) has a personal significance for me, given to me by Archangel Uriel. I see this card as representing the approach of a Threshold, and the need to pass the tests of the Guardian; since the card is flavoring the Temperance card, also reversed, I am led to believe that some important convergence of opposites which may have offered an opportunity to learn or grow has passed or is moving away from me. Did I take advantage of it?

My 6-digit date number is 6, the number of vertical and horizontal balance.

My horoscopes: “Travel plans might have you confused, Sagittarius. You may have a number of possibilities in mind, and all seem equally attractive. It probably isn't feasible to go for them all. You may also face decisions regarding your education. You're probably going to have to make a choice, but today isn't the day to do it. Confusion is likely to reign. Wait a few days and then consider your options carefully.”

And: “Just because you have a lot of decisions to make doesn't mean that they all deserve the same amount of consideration ... you cannot waste too much time mulling things over right now. There is absolutely no time for hesitating, so try to act quickly. You know what to prioritize first -- the issues that affect the people you care most about. Put school, work or your public life at the end of the list. Some of those choices might end up choosing themselves, anyway.

And: “Today there are many areas that you can shine in. You need only be yourself to win over the hearts of others. There is a graciousness to your manner that draws people close to you, whether you've ever noticed it before or not. Realize this, and know that it is not a fluke. You need not take much action; it will come to you.

My Sun reading: “The Sun square Pluto makes even the nonproductive productive during an exciting, unusual day. Be decisive and make long-range plans, because Jupiter opposes Saturn and you will make great strides. Someone you connect with tonight may not be completely honest about things.”

More about the 25th Path. This Path can be thought of as a bridge as well as a source of balance. Working with this Path can bring us new opportunities to go within, deeply within, while still keeping one toe touching the ground and acting as a tether.

Looking within usually brings us face to face with “the beast” who lives within our shadowy self. Often, Aha! Moments and deep interactions with Divine energies can bring an imbalance between the physical body and the non-physical self. Sacred energies are pure, vibrating at the highest tone or level possible, and any interaction with that “higher energy” will in the end raise our own vibrational levels, which is a good thing. But the process of integrating the Cosmic Downloads that come with these Aha! Moments can be difficult.

I wonder if my recent difficulties with the Equinox and the time change have to do with my intense contacts with the Sacred of late. I never considered before what unsettling effects this kind of energy might have, even if the end result is positive.

And so, in the interest of achieving balance, I filled my tub with hot water, heated the room, and sat in the tub, raising my body temperature, and then I opened and cleaned my chakras. This was pure chakra work, with no Elementals, no correspondences and no Reiki. Just my own energy field. Maybe this is what I needed to do in order to balance my physical body after all the contact with the Sacred Energies. My chakras are clean, and feeling more balanced and filled with my own power.

I am also coming off of a great weekend with Sarah, Greg, Gus and Maxi, with walks at the Higbee Wildlife Management Preserve each morning, and shopping in the afternoons. Sunday morning, we tried a new path, and found Little Davey’s Lake. This was a different walk and a different lake, more woodland and meadow than Delaware Bay. It was a cloudy day as well, and the only other visitor was a huge grey heron, who flew away when he heard our voices.

The daffodils are out, the crocuses are fading; the hydrangeas are filled with green leaf buds and even the clematis is awakening. But the air is still cold; I am waiting patiently to dive into my garden.

For now, I paint woodwork. And balance my energy field.

Happy birthday, Brian and Tara.

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Thursday, March 24, 2011

Eight of Swords/The Chariot reversed. 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. Am I thinking too much? Thinking is okay, but I need to take a moment every now and then to make sure that I am grounded. The Chariot corresponds with Water (cold/binds and wet/adapts, and sensitive, emotional and imaginative energy that likes to stay the same or follow the same course), Cancer (“I feel,” sensitive, tenacious, nurturing, moody), Cheth (the fence), and the Path between Geburah (the place where forms and structure are challenged or affirmed) and Binah (female receptive energy and the origin of form and structure), and is related to emotional control and the training of our emotions so that we can use them to bring greater good into our lives. This card is reversed, too; sounds like I need a bit of balance here.

My Thoth card is The Wheel, reversed. “Fortune” is what Crowley calls this card, which corresponds with Fire (hot/separates and dry/shapes, and spontaneous, impulsive and energetic change), Jupiter (expansiveness and growth, justice, fortune), Kaph (grasping hand), and the Path between Netzach (the stimulating factors of emotion and inspiration) and Chesed (the place where forms and structure are stabilized and nurtured). In an upright position, it tells of coming change and reminds us that sometimes change is inevitable, and happens in its own time. The interesting concept that Crowley presents is that the axle of the wheel does not move, which reminds us that while the manifestations of Fate may circle around us, we remain rooted within ourselves and as long as we are patient and versatile, we can deal with all turns of the Wheel, no matter where we end up on that Wheel. The Thoth Wheel also has ten spokes, which directs us to the sephiroth Malkuth, the physical world which is governed by fate. The fist at the bottom of the circle of the Wheel (Kaph, grasping hand) has six rays emanating from it, and tells us that the force that moves the Wheel is Balance, and all will be balanced in the end. I know I have presented this information before, but somehow I feel that it is important for me to remember this today, especially because this card is also reversed.

My Legacy card is The Emperor, flavored by The Tower reversed. The Emperor (Fire, hot/separates and dry/shapes, and spontaneous, impulsive, energetic change; Aries, “I want,” action oriented, assertive, competitive; Heh, window, illumination; and the Path between Tiphareth and Chokmah, dynamic male energy and the origin of vital force and polarity) represents the power of the mind and of intentions to shape the world. The Emperor is about taking responsibility, and he is about manifesting his good intentions through ethics and order and stability and structure and regulation. He is telling me that unless I remember hs message, I won’t be able to get rid of the effects of my reversed cards today. The Tower corresponds with Fire (hot/separates and dry/shapes, and spontaneous, impulsive, energetic change), Mars (action, spontaneity, aggression, drive), Phe (mouth or speech), and the Path between Hod (which provides analysis and communication) and Netzach (which offers the stimulating factors of emotion and inspiration), and if it was in an upright position it would be reminding me that there just might be some outdated facets of my life that need to be demolished and swept away. Since The Tower is reversed today, I may have passed the uproar stage, and since the dust is settling, I need to look to The Emperor for my next step.

My 6-digit date number is 11 (Archangel Uriel), which reduces further into the number 2, the number of balance and polarity.

My horoscopes: “A rather unsettling communication could cause you to dwell on the negative side of whatever you learn, Sagittarius. Don't fall into this trap. The positive side will become more apparent as the day wanes. You might decide to purchase some new equipment to enhance your communications, perhaps a phone or new computer. Try not to spend too much of your day learning how to use it!”

And: “When you see a chance to improve your life today, you have to take it -- there is just no question about it. This may require some major sacrifice in your time or patience, but it will be worth it. There is a chance for a new beginning right now, but the window is narrow and it will be closing soon. You know what you need to do to put things in motion, so just do it. If you need inspiration, call up an old friend or a cherished family member for a pep talk.”

And: “Things could be up and down for you today. You might experience some confusion as a result of communications snafus or computer glitches that affect financial issues you are trying to solve. Persevere and you will succeed. Don't be surprised if you are recruited to join a project that is totally new to you. You may be apprehensive at first, but you will do just fine. Go ahead and say yes.”

My Sun reading: “Once again it's hard to concentrate on the everyday tasks at hand. You won't get a lot done, but you will enjoy breezy rapport in the workplace. Socially tonight (where we should be overly friendly), people relax and generally have a good time under the Sagittarius Moon.”

Okay, I don’t want to sound like I am belittling the Dark Night of the 26th Path, but I think I am ready to move on. Really, this one shook my world. It was one of the most devastating Dark Nights that I have ever experienced, and my energy body was actually tender from the shocks that buffeted me, tender for several days afterward. I have spent some time remembering this Aha! Moment, reliving the total disappointment of having the rug pulled right out from under me and the following moment of enlightenment; I know that this moment was absolutely necessary. And boy, am I glad that it’s over.

The experience was absolutely necessary for my spiritual growth, and it needed to happen through being smacked in the forehead by that metaphysical 2 by 4 in order to be worthwhile.

The 25th Path (which runs between Yesod and Tiphareth) is the other Path that Ellen Cannon Reed’s Major Arcana assignment does not correspond with other sources. It is on this Path that she places The Tower, whereas all other sources use Temperance to correspond with this Path. The 25th Path is on the Pillar of Balance, the Middle Pillar of the Tree, so to me it makes sense that this Path correspond with Temperance. However, I can certainly see why Reed sees the connection of Yesod and Tiphareth as The Tower; after all, The Tower is about the forceful opening of the Third Eye, and going from the place of the birth and death of the personality to the place of abstract balance could be traumatic.

Okay, here is something else that is interesting. I see the Temperance card as being significant to me, in part because its astrological correspondence is Sagittarius, but also because the traditional image associated with this card is an angel. Yup, Archangel Uriel. And my 6-digit date number for today is 11, which also tells me that Archangel Uriel is around, plus it reduces to 2, the number of both balance and polarity. Temperance.

Uh oh. **braces self for something big**

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Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Page of Cups reversed/Two of Cups. 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 Two of Cups (Venus, beauty, allure, relationships, in Cancer, “I feel,” sensitive, family and home oriented, tenacious, moody) is usually about relationships. They may be an issue for me today, especially with that Page of Cups reversed pairing up with my Two of Cups. I need to also remember that it is possible that this card is not referring to a relationship with someone else, but rather could be referring to my relationship with myself.

My Thoth card is the Ten of Cups. “Satiety” is Crowley’s keyword for The Ten of Cups (Mars, action, spontaneity, aggression, drive, in Pisces, “I believe,” feeling, duality, spirituality, suffering and growth), which offers an unexpected lesson: achieving happiness takes work, which is to be expected, but maintaining that happiness also takes work, hard work. The cool thing about the happiness that is associated with this card is that it is completely emotional in nature; no physical possessions are necessary in order to create this kind of happiness, and actually, they can actually be a distraction from it. My three Cups cards are certainly presenting a valuable message.

My Legacy card is The Empress, flavored by the Four of Swords reversed. . The Empress corresponds with Earth (cold/binds and dry/shapes, and stable, material, practical energies that are slow to change), Venus (beauty, allure, pleasure, relationships), Daleth (door or womb) and the Path between Binah (female receptive energy and the origin of form and structure) and Chokmah (dynamic male energy and the origin of vital force and polarity). She has appeared a few times for me lately, and represents creativity, fertility, the physical body and its senses, and the material world and the workings of Nature. The Empress can be seen to be a part of the Seven of Cups, as she is said to correspond with the Cup that contains a beautiful woman. The Four of Swords (Jupiter, expansiveness and growth, justice, fortune, in Libra, “We are,” partnerships, balance, cooperation) reversed is flavoring my Empress today; in an upright position it tells of the need of some time of rest and recuperation, usually to be brought about by a time of truce or pause. But this card is reversed today, so it is encouraging my Empress to manifest fully.

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

My horoscopes: “If you've wanted to get involved in some type of volunteer organization, today may be when you sign up to support a worthy cause. Whether it's Habitat for Humanity or the Nature Conservancy, you realize that working to better the planet is an important element that has been missing in your life. Life glows all that much brighter with your new altruistic outlook, Sagittarius.”

And: “In a group situation at work, you might be the only person who sees the problem for what it is. Your clarity will cut through the politics and red tape like a laser, and what you see might not be good news for everyone involved. Wait until you know for sure that your insights will be appreciated before speaking up. Just because you are correct doesn't mean that everyone else needs to know it. Someone's ego can be quite fragile, so tread lightly.”

And: “Some pretty heavy soul-searching could reveal to you that the time has come to make use of a talent which you may have always had but never developed. This could involve nothing more than a little practice, or you could decide to go in for some formal training in the matter. This is a positive sign, but your determination might waver over the next few days. Don't hesitate - stay with it!”

My Sun reading: “People believe they know what everyone else is thinking when the Moon is in psychic Scorpio. However, with lunar aspects today and tonight, few really know what they think yet, so are prone to changing their minds. For some, feelings are stronger than any sense of reason.”

Back to the 26th Path. This one is not as difficult as it could be, because I have experienced this Dark Night already. See my entry for August 2, 2010 in this Blog. I also have learned some non-traditional information about the Tarot Major Arcana card that corresponds to this Path, The Devil.

The traditional message of The Devil is connected to addictions and bondages of all kinds, and its illustration usually contains a traditional Christian Devil and a man and woman bound in chains. In many situations, this image and this meaning have a powerful message, but every so often a different, less evil message is appropriate. The thing about The Devil card is that it represents a focus on the physical world and the feeding of the physical senses, in exclusion of all other realms. This imbalance is mostly seen as evil, especially by Christians, who tend to discount the pleasures of this life because they are focusing on the next life in Heaven. (And this is by no means a judgment, just an opinion.)

The Devil can be seen as a perversion of two other Major Arcana cards: The Lovers (which is about important, loving relationships and personal choice) and The Hierophant (which is about religion/spirituality, teaching/learning wisdom, and the preservation of culture). He is about turning those cards upside down in order to release and feed the power within, offering bondage rather than choice, and hurtful wisdom rather than support of others and self. But, The Devil can certainly be a profitable businessman, and there are times when his traits are beneficial.

However, from Wiccan eyes, and from a worldview whose Goddess says that “all acts of love and pleasure are done in My name,” focusing for a time on the pleasures of the physical senses is not a bad thing, as long as it is done with harm to none, and not as an exclusive plan. The way of perceiving things that comes with The Devil is only negative and hurtful if it is used to manipulate self or dominate others.

Even so, my worldview is more than the physical world and its pleasures, much more. And shattering the bonds of The Devil is the only way to connect with and understand those other Universes. Perhaps the message I need to remember this go round about the 26th Path is that these temptations to dominate can very easily be justified in my own mind, especially if my initial intentions are good. Yes, Force needs Form, but it also needs the freedom from Form.

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Monday, March 21, 2011

Eight of Cups/Seven of Swords reversed. The Eight of Cups (Saturn, discipline, responsibility, limitation, law and order, in Pisces, “I believe,” feeling, duality, suffering, soul growth) tells of an ending or a change of direction. Often this change is voluntary, and involves the sacrifice or giving up of something that may not be healthy or positive. The Seven of Swords (Moon, feelings and emotions, illusion, imagination, in Aquarius, “I know,” friendships, cause-oriented, the group, aloofness) in an upright position tells of the effort to maintain things as we want them, usually to the point of using unethical means. Crowley sees this card as weak; it tells us that cunning will work better than forcing the issue, but often when we use cunning, ethics become blurred. Thankfully, the card is reversed, so while there may be some regret as the releases of the Eight begin to happen, I should be able to allow things to progress.

My Thoth card is the Four of Swords. The Four of Swords (Jupiter, expansiveness and growth, justice, fortune, in Libra, “We are,” partnerships, balance, cooperation) tells of the need of some 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. It can also represent the balance of power that acts as a deterrent to attack, which is why Crowley calls it “Truce.”

My Legacy card is the Four of Wands, flavored by the Ace of Wands. The Four of Wands (Venus, beauty, allure, relationships, in Aries, “I want,” action oriented, assertive, enthusiastic) is about building enough to become established, as a beachhead, a pause before continuing, not as a finished product. The Ace of Wands (Cancer, Leo, “I am,” passionate, dramatic, egotistical, Virgo, “I serve,” practical, analytical, sensible, orderly) tells of the first spark of a new and exciting creative process, and an encouraging and empowering awareness of my own valuable creative talents. Sounds like things are going to get interesting around here!

My 6-digit date number is 8, the number that represents a focused attempt to maintain balance and harmony.

My horoscopes: “Today your imagination is likely to be flying high, Sagittarius, drawing on past images and events that you may have forgotten. You may wonder about the commercial potential of your thoughts. A conversation with a friend who knows this subject could prove enlightening. Write your ideas down and learn as much as you can about your various options over the next few days. You might be surprised!”

And: “Whatever happens today, you should trust your judgment. If something doesn't seem legitimate or someone doesn't seem genuine, then steer clear as quickly as possible. You might feel like it's easier to just suffer through something, but it really isn't. The time you waste tolerating unacceptable behavior could be much better spent working on your own goals, enjoying time by yourself or just relaxing. Remember, your time is yours to spend anyway you want to.”

And: “If you are not careful there is a strong possibility that you will overindulge today. Your career frustrations may manifest themselves in the form of overeating, excess drinking or reckless spending. These are just symptoms that are masking the real problem. If you can take some time to meditate, you will find that your nerves calm and the root of your frustrations are revealed. Once you are working with the facts, it will be easier to devise an effective solution.”

My Sun reading: “With a conjunction of the Sun and Uranus, genius ideas abound, but follow-through is the key to success. You'd better obey the rules while you're at it, too. Tonight's revelation could be that one person is more involved than the other, at least for the time being.”

Yesterday’s drive up from Cape May was lovely. During my journey, I went to Danu’s Well, and Lady Danu joined me. She told me that the reason she had kept me away from the Well lately (and the reason that Archangel Uriel was appearing to me standing in an empt Winter field) is that Danu wanted me to achieve my recent aha! moment from my own energy, not from the Well. “You must find the power here, and her, and here,” She said, as She pointed to my third eye chakra, my heart chakra and my solar plexus chakra. “Those are the sources of the knowledge you seek.” Then She continued, “But for today, you should focus on balance, My Daughter; balance that comes from within.” And that was my focus as I drove.

I reached the part of the trip where I usually connect with Cernunnos. The road is being widened, and so many trees that have become friends to me have been cut down. For weeks now, I mourn as I pass this area. On this trip, as I passed mile marker 54, Cernunnos joined me.

“Do not despair, Daughter of Danu; life will prevail,” He whispered. And He showed me a vision of the same swath of cleared land, later in the Summer. New growth was already reappearing. I realized that He was right; humanity can certainly create surface changes in our world, but life will indeed prevail.

And so, I think of balance and equilibrium as I sit here. I attended the Sacred Mists afternoon Ostara Sabbat Ritual, and I am feeling a deep connection to my fellow students and to the energies of this time of new growth. This has been a lovely respite.

I will finish this post with words posted by a fellow Sacred Mists student:

If the Goddess had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it,
if She had a wallet, your photo would be in it.
She sends you flowers every spring and sends you a sunrise every morning; face it friend, She is crazy about you.

The Goddess didn’t promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but She did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way.

Read this line very slowly and let it sink in: If the Goddess brings you to it, She will get you through it!

The brightest of Ostara Blessings!

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Friday, March 18, 2011

The Magician reversed/Ten of Wands reversed. The Magician corresponds with Air (hot/separates and wet/adapts, and quick and animated energy which usually presents problems or challenges), Mercury, Beth (house; builder) and the Path between Binah (female, receptive energy and the origin of form and structure) and Kether (the source, limitless possibility), and he has the power to transform his world through the use of his Will and his connection to the Divine. The card is reversed, however, and perhaps the message here is that I can’t always have control. The Ten of Wands (Saturn, discipline, responsibility, limitations and resistance, in Sagittarius, “I seek,” philosophic, fun-loving, blundering) tells of the blocking of the creative power of the suit of Wands, most likely because the Fire of creativity has run out of fuel. It sounds like these two cards being reversed is telling me that I am being held back from acting.

My Thoth card is the Two of Cups. “Abundance” is the keyword for this card, that Crowley calls the Lord of Love. The Two of Cups (Venus, beauty, allure, relationships, in Cancer, “I feel,” sensitive, family and home oriented, tenacious, moody) in an upright position is usually about relationships. They may be an issue for me today.

My Legacy card is The Hermit reversed, flavored by the Knight of Coins. The Hermit, which corresponds with Earth (cold/binds and dry/shapes, and material, practical and stable energy that is slow to change), Virgo (“I serve,” practical, analytical, work and service oriented, orderly), Yod (open hand, touch), and the Path between Tiphareth (the hub of the creation process where energies harmonize and focus to illuminate and clarify) and Chesed (the place where forms and structure are stabilized and nurtured), is about looking within for answers. The Legacy Hermit stands in the wild, mountains behind him; he looks like he has had somewhat of a difficult time of it, and yet he is not surrendering. His message is that the journey is the goal, not the destination; because he is reversed, perhaps I am hiding myself away just a bit too much. The Knight of Coins (cusp of Leo, “I am,” passionate, dramatic, leader, and Virgo, “I serve,” practical, analytical, work and service oriented) is about stamina and endurance; he puts aside glory and focuses on getting things done. His persistence is flavoring my Hermit reversed, but this may not be a good thing in the long run.

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

My horoscopes: “A group gathering you attend today could have long-term beneficial ramifications, Sagittarius. Perhaps you will strike up a conversation with a stranger who turns out to be an expert in a field you're interested in. Or you may deepen a relationship with a casual acquaintance, who ends up a friend for life. Keep your heart open to whatever and whomever this day brings!”

And: “You've reached a real turning point, and you could react in a whole new way. When you reach a difficult point in your work or your relationship, what do you usually do? Back off? Try to appease the other person? Concede too much too soon? Today is the day to try something different. Don't let guilt or anything else lead you to do something that's not right for you. Stick to your position and you'll get what you need.”

And: “A close friend or family member may be in a very bad mood, and therefore won't be the easiest person in the world to deal with. Your friend could be very resistant to opening up, and this could be frustrating for you. Try to remember that your friend has a lot of resistance today, which has nothing to do with you. Put the Mother Teresa side of you on hold, and don't feel guilty for walking away. The best course of action will be to leave your friend to work things out alone.”

My Sun reading: “Mercury opposes Saturn today. Get the facts or you risk certain setbacks because of miscommunication. People fickle to the max tend to outnumber the more stable personalities in tonight's social scene. That means that it isn't the time to take a chance on romance.”

This has been a week of exhaustion; I do not “spring ahead” willingly, and my body clock is always disrupted by the switch to Daylight Saving Time. Who would think that an hour could be this potent?!

In starting my work with the 26th Path of the Tree of Life, I enter a new segment of three Paths. These three focus on exploring the differences between materialism and spirituality. Ellen Cannon Reed refers to these three Paths which lead to Tipheroth as the three Dark Nights of the Soul. As I said to my dearest Tara this evening, pain can be an effective tool for evolution. I guess I am going to be finding out just how effective a Dark Night can be.

Here is more of what Reed has to say about dedication and the tests of the Dark Night:

“After Second Degree initiation, however, the Lord and Lady test that dedication, and these tests are difficult enough for those whose dedication is real. Can you imagine what they would be like if the dedication is not real? Let me reiterate that these Paths, like all paths, are traveled by all of us in our spiritual growth – in each life, in all lives, depending on our rate of advancement. Those of us on magickal paths are taking the harder and faster way of deliberate striving. Therefore, the experiences are harder and hurt more. These experiences are of three types, one for each Path leading to Tiphareth. Depending on the person, traveling these paths can cause three types of devastation. I use the term advisedly. The devastation is only temporary but the results of the experience are not.”

I am reminded once again of the power of The Tower and the 27th Path, and how being broken down can open us to amazing moments, moments that we would have missed if we had control of our Will.

And so, I turn to the 26th Path. This Path connects Hod, the bottom of the Pillar of Form/Restriction, with Tiphareth, the center of the Pillar of Balance. And the lesson of this Path is a tough one, especially to someone like me, who needs choreography, for it tells us that there is no Form, and that there is no proof of this, either, because proof involves precise parameters, and the 26th Path does not have them.

I think that possibly, this Path is a bit easier for me right now because of the Aha! Moment I just had with the 27th Path. I have already ascended to the abstract, to that place where there is no physical body, and while I can’t prove that I was there, I know that I was there.

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Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Four of Wands reversed/The Emperor reversed. The Four of Wands (Venus, beauty, allure, relationships, in Aries, “I want,” action oriented, assertive, enthusiastic) is about building enough to become established, as a beachhead, a pause before continuing, not as a finished product. Because it is reversed, I am being told that now is not the time to pause at all. The Emperor (Fire, hot/separates and dry/shapes, and spontaneous, impulsive, energetic change; Aries, “I want,” action oriented, assertive, competitive; Heh, window, illumination; and the Path between Tiphareth and Chokmah, dynamic male energy and the origin of vital force and polarity) represents the power of the mind and of intentions to shape the world. In an upright position, he is about taking responsibility, and he is about manifesting his good intentions through ethics and order and stability and structure and regulation. But he is reversed here, and perhaps I am being told by these two cards that I might want to pause a bit before doing anything.

My Thoth card is the Four of Wands. Bookends! “Completion” is Crowley’s keyword for the Four of Wands, but even so, the manifestation presented by this card is not finished. The dangers Crowley mentions as being associated with this card are a lack of steadiness, unreliability, and unpreparedness. But since the card is upright here, I should be good.

My Legacy card is the Ten of Swords, flavored by The Chariot reversed. The Ten of Swords (the Sun, the inner core of a person or situation, in Gemini, “I think,” curious, sociable, dual, talkative) tells me that failure is not fun, but we can’t release the failure unless we play it through to the end, without feeling sorry for ourselves. The Chariot corresponds with Water (cold/binds and wet/adapts, and sensitive, emotional and imaginative energy that likes to stay the same or follow the same course), Cancer (“I feel,” sensitive, tenacious, nurturing, moody), Cheth (the fence), and the Path between Geburah (the place where forms and structure are challenged or affirmed) and Binah (female receptive energy and the origin of form and structure), and is related to emotional control and the training of our emotions so that we can use them to bring greater good into our lives. Sounds like I had better be darned careful today about what I feel, particularly if I think that things are not happening the way they are supposed to be happening.

A bit of extra information about the Four of Wands that is my Bookends. The number 4 is about depth and stability, while the suit of Wands is connected to the element of Fire, which is not exactly known for its stability. Interestingly enough, I have heard this before; what we have here is Force and Form. This card is related to Justice of the Major Arcana; it, too, is about actions (Force) and consequences (Form). So this Four tells of a pause, but not a permanent one; soon enough things are going to start moving again, and if the Four of Wands is there, that movement will have good potential.

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

My horoscopes: “A rather black mood that's been plaguing you since early morning could suddenly disappear when a business or romantic partner brings wonderful news your way, Sagittarius. It could involve a goal that finally manifests that you may have given up long ago. If so, you could feel a little overwhelmed. Take some time to sit still and let it sink in before celebrating. Congratulations!”

And: “Just because a pot is on the back burner simmering on low heat doesn't mean it isn't still cooking. You may feel like you're in a fog today, but things are happening in your subconscious -- big ideas are forming and they will make themselves known when the time is right. Just wait and see what develops. In the meantime, you can keep yourself busy with your latest romantic project. Invest in some new clothing or a way to create a brighter appearance.”

And: “Today, you might decide to attend a group activity of some kind that is primarily concerned with an intellectual, philosophical or spiritual interest of yours. You might meet a charismatic person whose conversation stimulates your mind and causes you to come up with insights you never dreamed of before. In the cause of the day, you will notice that this person is very appealing to you and you could imagine getting romantically involved at one point.”

My Sun reading: “Life issues are handled easily and immediately when the Moon trines both Mercury and Jupiter. Do you need something? Ask, because today you get what you want. Tonight, with heavy Leo accents, people think they can't be wrong, but they very well may be.”

It is interesting to me that I ended up picking up Stuie Wild’s book this weekend, while working on the 27th Path and The Tower. My moment of connection on Sunday has changed me, but not in ways that can be seen, or even put into words. I am still processing the Cosmic Download that happened when that connection happened, still trying to find my place in the hugeness to which I connected. And Stuie is helping me.

“At a higher level, there’s only one female and one male in the entire universe. Our separation is an illusion – we’re not billions of different men and women. We’re each inside an epic evolution, a digital, fractal formula that describes the vastness of the Celestial Man and Woman; you belong as an integer inside a complex blueprint. It’s the same in that a cell in your kneecap isn’t really a separate entity; it’s a piece of a larger being – namely, you. To that cell you’re God, the Universe.”

I can’t find the words to describe what I connected to, but I feel good when I remember it.

Tomorrow, I will move on to the 26th Path.

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Sunday, March 13, 2011

Strength/The Emperor reversed. The traditional meaning for the Strength card (Fire, hot/separates and dry/shapes, and spontaneous, impulsive and energetic energy; Leo, “I am,” passionate, dramatic, egotistical; Teth, sieve or basket, digestion; and the Path between Geburah, the place where forms and structures are challenged or affirmed, and Chesed, the place where forms and structures are stabilized and nurtured) is the presence of the ability to tame our primitive and wild emotions. This card can also be seen to represent magickal power and sexual power. The Emperor (Fire, hot/separates and dry/shapes, and spontaneous, impulsive, energetic change; Aries, “I want,” action oriented, assertive, competitive; Heh, window, illumination; and the Path between Tiphareth and Chokmah, dynamic male energy and the origin of vital force and polarity) represents the power of the mind and of intentions to shape the world. He is about taking responsibility, and he is about manifesting his good intentions through ethics and order and stability and structure and regulation. Looks like today will not have structure to it, but I won’t be out of control.

My Thoth card is the Princess of Disks. The Princess of Disks (Aries, “I want,” assertive, action oriented, Taurus, “I have,” sensual, cautious, stubborn, and Gemini, “I think,” curious, sociable, dual) is a listener and a learner; she watches his world with curiosity and wants to learn how everything works. Crowley sees this Princess as representing the renewal of the Court Cards, and thus, on the brink of a significant change.

My Legacy card is the King of Coins reversed, flavored by Judgement. The King of Coins (cusp of Aries, “I want,” action oriented, assertive, competitive, and Taurus, “I have,” sensual, stubborn, cautious, physically oriented) is the expert on physical manifestation; he is about working independently and still being effective. Because he is reversed, he supports the energies of the reversed Emperor who is also a part of this spread today. This will not be a day of physical order or accomplishments. 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) represents the integration of my entire self by answering for my actions and receiving the appropriate response. It seems that I am being told that despite the fact that order and structure and physical world accomplishments will most likely not be a part of my day, a profound realization of some kind may present itself.

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

My horoscopes: “If you've been studying astrology, numerology, or any other occult science, Sagittarius, today you might find some of the concepts you're studying a bit confusing. You may have glossed over some of the ideas that are prerequisites to what you're looking at now. Go back and review last week's lesson and everything might make more sense to you. You will probably progress that much faster for doing this.”

And: “Your sign's resume has never included a fondness for being meticulous, discreet or frugal. Those traits, sometimes even in others, bore you to tears. You're known for being a bit too blunt at times, but you're also honest and generous -- which explains the cast of amazingly different characters you call friends. Your mission now -- and it won't be easy -- will be to rein in any urge to go overboard, in any department. Good luck.”

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. . . .”

My Sun reading: “On Sunday prepare for debates for no reason with people who think their suspicions are well founded. A new romantic partner isn't distant, just shy and nervously putting their worst foot forward. If you think you're interested, take a chance. (The same thing may happen if you're in a steady relationship.)”

This has been a strange day for me, so far. Not what I expected at all.

Friday night, my much-loved Pagan Brain Trust Wayne Contingency came down to Cape May. We sat up late, Tara made an awesome breakfast on Saturday morning, and then we went out. The weather cooperated nicely; we had sun and warmth. We had crocuses blooming, and the first bees buzzing. We drive down to the Cove and spent some time by the jetty. Then we drove to Point Park; well, three of us drove, and Tara walked. We spent a bit of time on the beach there, and Bug and I continued beachcombing while Curly and Tara climbed the lighthouse. Then, the four of us walked the 2-mile hike. We came home for a bit of lunch, and then went to Higbee Beach for a while; we then went to the Cove for sunset. Lots of lovely time outside as I shared some of my favorite places with the Wayne Contingency, and despite each of us having our “Tower” moments, we ended the weekend with a deeper sense of connection, and a stronger and healthier tribe. There is nothing like a day of immersion into the energies of the sea and the sand and the sun to bring the healing that happens with distraction.

After everyone left, I literally crashed on the couch. I stumbled up to bed at about 11:30, and slept through the night. It was when I first opened my eyes at about 5:30 that I remembered this was “spring forward” day. Ugh. I never do well with this one, because the springing forward of an hour goes very much against my body clock, and usually messes me up for most of the day. Sure enough, I have felt out of sorts since I first opened my eyes.

I mentioned above and in my last post how many friends and family of mine are experiencing their own Tower moments, all at the same time. Well, the PBT is not exempt from this. Phillie is experiencing illness of and loss of family members, Bug had a migraine on and off for both Friday and Saturday, Curly had tooth pain, and Tara is recovering from a hugs Tower moment. My intense Tower experiences of the past few days were more of the physical world this time; I spent Thursday evening through Friday morning pumping water out of the basement in Hackensack, had a stressful day at work on Friday, and then watched and read with horror and a strange empathy as Japan dealt with an 8.9 earthquake and possible nuclear reactor meltdowns.

Today, I managed to get my exercises done, despite feeling very out of balance, and I took a walk to the Acme. Instead of feeling better after becoming physically active, the lethargy has been increasing. I spent some time just sitting on the couch, and then laying down, but I didn’t feel tired or sleepy, just very heavy. I sat there, breathing deeply for a while, mentally taking inventory within my heavy, lethargic body. I found no illness, just a huge power drain of some kind. I opened my chakras as I continued with slow and deep breaths, but even the opening and balancing of my chakras did not result in an infusion of physical energy. So, since I decided that I needed to re-read Stuart Wilde’s “The Art of Redemption,” I grabbed the book and wrapped myself in a blanket.

And bang! As usual, good old Stuie gets my brain working, by page 9 this time. I read the words, “It’s as if you step through the doorway going from a very solid yang world to a more hazy yin one, and you do that in order to immerse yourself into another evolution.” Those words seemed powerful to me, and I raised my eyes from the book and looked off into the distance. The physical world was very yang, and the internal world was indeed hazy and soft. I am housed within a physical body, but yet my life force is non-physical. I tried to increase my awareness of that life force, and I realized at that moment that this awareness was completely couched within physical sensations. My physical senses provide the feelings and experiences and the patterns used for recognition of my energy body; all, or at least the majority, of what my energy body is and does and knows is tied to my physical senses and my physical body.

It’s good that I have been continuously increasing my ability to tap into my energy body, but I realized that in many ways, that connection is one-sided or limiting because it depends on my physical body. How can I connect to and experience and understand that which I have no knowledge of? I don’t have an entry in my “pattern catalogue” for this one, so how can I recognize it? How do I get beyond the tie of my physical body?

Stuie says: “I believe that this recognition is an imprint on your soul, an ancient memory meant to remind you that no matter what happens in this life, you belong to a faraway land. Your true home is a dimension beyond fear and pain, a place on honor and nobility – a realm to which one day you’re destined to return.”

Again, I raised my eyes from the page, and looked off into the distance as I thought about this. I thought about the 27th Path and The Tower, and I thought about the way we deal with pain and chaos. All around me were examples of uncomfortable experiences and grief-filled losses, and the many ways of dealing with them. For a long moment, I allowed my focus to return to my heavy, lethargic body. Even taking a breath was an effort, and I wondered if this is what it would feel like to approach physical death. I experienced each inhalation, and the effort it took to expand my lungs in order to draw in air, to draw in oxygen and race it to my brain, to gather the physiological trash and transport it to the recycling centers of my physical body for disposal as I exhaled. The more I focused my concentration on the maintenance of life in my physical body, the slower and heavier the process became.

Without warning, I felt my physical body fall away, like heavy icicles breaking away from a rain gutter on an early Spring afternoon, falling to the ground and shattering. For a brief moment that seemed to last an eternity, I lost my connection to my physical body and its senses. I did not see with my physical eyes, I did not hear, I took no physical breath because I was not physically connected. Time stood still, and I sensed something, an awareness or way of being, that was not connected to the physical. I was above pain and lethargy, above the focus on details and maintenance of self that is life and living in the physical world. I was not “me” any more, and for just that one moment, for that eternity without end, I felt The Source, The All; I was a part of it.

I don’t know how long I was there, although “there” is not the right word because I was not at a specific place. “There” and “place” can only happen in the physical world. I blinked suddenly, and inhaled sharply as I slammed back into my physical body. What was that?? I wanted back in!

I tried to get back to wherever/whenever/whatever that was, without success. But I knew this sensation; I had one pattern in my catalogue that compared to it. This was the place/time/experience/state of being that was at the bottom of Danu’s Well.

This is the purpose of The Tower, with its pain and anguish. This is the knowledge offered by the 27th Path to those who embrace its lessons. It’s like basic training of the military; we can’t tap into this “whatever it is” unless we are broken down and pushed out of our physical body, and this breaking down and pushing out can’t happen unless we wear out our survival instinct (which is what keeps us connected to our physical body) and thus, loosen its grasp on our life force. I was able to let go not because of being faced with traumas of my own, but because I had been empathizing with and feeling compassion for the traumas of others, both those known to me and much-loved by me, and those on the other side of the world who were facing death and fear and pain and horror. Faced with the perfect storm of springing ahead and the energies of The Tower, and perhaps aided by all of the energy work I have been doing, I broke away from my “self” and the exclusiveness and self-focus that it involves.

This is it. Oh. My. This is the Aha! Moment I have been reaching for. And more than ever, these mere words absolutely do not come even remotely close to describing what I experienced and what I am feeling right now. Not even remotely close. This is the loss of ego and of a connection to physical things and the ability to control my individual world that The Tower hints at. This is the reward of the 27th Path that comes by enduring, by experiencing fear so that I know I have courage, by experiencing loss so that I know I have faith. Now, I understand in a new way the message of Kali; I have glimpsed what lies beyond physical existence, and even that tiny glimpse shines brighter than any physical world “thing.”

I am going back there. Now that I have this place/time/state of being, or whatever it is, in my pattern catalogue, I am going to find it again. And already, I am lonely for it.

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Thursday, March 10, 2011

Nine of Swords/Four of Pentacles. The Nine of Swords (Mars, action, spontaneity, aggression, in Gemini, “I think,” curious, talkative, social, dual) in an upright position represents brooding and worrying, the kind that takes place in the wee hours of the morning. Often this kind of worrying is about things that have already happened or things that cannot be changed. I am being reminded that this kind of worrying is a waste of energy, and I don’t have to carry my burdens alone. The Four of Pentacles (the Sun, the inner core of a person or situation or the deepest self, in Capricorn, “I build,” ambition, authority, caution cunning), is so very grounded. This Four is a card of earthy power, but since both the suit and the number are so very stable, so very resistant to change or improvisation, I need to be careful that I don’t become so obsessed over details or protective of myself that I begin to stagnate. Paired with that Nine of Swords, the stagnation could turn ugly.

My Thoth card is the Six of Disks. “Success” The Thoth Six of Disks (Moon, feelings and emotions, illusion, imagination, in Taurus, “I have,” sensual, cautious, stubborn) has a heavy feel to it, and I guess in a way that makes sense. The thing that we need to remember about success is that it takes maintenance; we can’t just reach the appropriate level and then sit back; rather, we must keep alert and do what we have to in order to keep momentum alive. This card also tells me that today my words and actions will have influence in the physical world, probably good influence. I am glad that this card is here, in the middle of these Swords.

My Legacy card is the Ten of Swords, flavored by the Two of Cups reversed. The Ten of Swords (the Sun, the inner core of a person or situation, in Gemini, “I think,” curious, sociable, dual, talkative) tells me that failure is not fun, but we can’t release the failure unless we play it through to the end, without feeling sorry for ourselves. There might be a tendency today for me to feel a bit of self-pity. That is okay, but only in small doses. The Two of Cups (Venus, beauty, allure, relationships, in Cancer, “I feel,” sensitive, family and home oriented, tenacious, moody) in an upright position is usually about relationships. Because it is reversed, the relationship represented by this card could be not running as smoothly as expected. I need to remember that it is possible that this card is not referring to a relationship with someone else, but rather could be referring to my relationship with myself.

My 6-digit date number is 6, the number of vertical and horizontal balance. Well, sheesh; the only card that connects with this number is my Thoth card, the middle of my daily spread. Can I make use of that?

My horoscopes: “You could be planning a major journey of some kind, Sagittarius. It may be a long vacation or travel to foreign countries, or it could be an intellectual or spiritual journey into new schools of thought. Your mind is sharp now, so you will learn quickly and retain more. This is a good time to play detective, or perhaps you will simply want to lose yourself in a good mystery novel.”

And: “If you see something that's out of place or veering off track today, simply nudge it back where it needs to go -- or you can alert someone who's in the know about the situation as soon as possible. Your charm is warmer and more contagious than ever right now, so there's no way you'll come off as bossy or domineering (so don't worry about that). Your smile is your calling card today -- it will open up many doors and turn some grouchy grizzlies into cuddly teddy bears.”

And: “You may find yourself staring at a stranger on the street for just an extra long second as you pass today. Your tendency toward the new and bizarre is stronger than usual and you are being pulled into different mental directions. Go ahead and introduce yourself to that stranger. Perhaps that person will become a business partner or new best friend. You'll never know unless you ask.”

My Sun reading: “There are professional opportunities you will respond to with courage and confidence as Venus sextiles Jupiter. It's a good day, but it isn't the night for romance. You won't like the surprises someone has in store. You and your significant other can't fix problems by ignoring them.”

It has been very interesting to see how the lessons of each of my days are totally connected to which Path I am working on. Here I am, learning about the 27th Path, and people all around me are experiencing Dark Nights of varying degrees. I find it strange that life seems to be about creating a strong foundation, beginning to build upon that foundation, and then being struck by a tidal wave. When the water finally recedes, I can usually find pieces of the original foundation, and I start all over again. Each time I begin the cycle anew, I am using the parts of my old foundation that made it through the wave, I am building using the methods that survived, and I am abandoning those that failed to measure up.

Each time the wave comes, it is different. Sometimes the waters pile up so high that the wave is the only thing I can see. It rises up like a monster, filling my entire field of vision, and then tips over and smacks me down. Sometimes it is not one huge wave that manifests, but rather a succession of smaller waves, each of which breaks a little more of my foundation away until the end result is achieved.

Sometimes the water sneaks up on me, and that is what I am experiencing now. Like the incoming tide, the steams trickle in silently, filling the corners and the deep places until suddenly they all overflow. All I can see is the surface of the water; no longer can I determine where the deep pockets are or where the shallow walkways are; I don’t know where to step because I can’t tell if I will only get my feet wet or I will end up dropping suddenly into the deep end of the pool.

The end result, whether it comes suddenly or gradually, is the same: floating alone with nothing in sight but the surface of the water, with no option available to me other than doggy paddling in place until I run out of gas.

This is The Tower, this is the 27th Path. This Major Arcana card is about the sudden and violent collapse of a world view, usually because we missed the signs of the impending doom, or refused to see them or act upon them. The issue here is that our personal world view and our beliefs are a huge part of our persona, so when the collapse comes we see the attack as being personal. So, we fall apart. What we need to remember is that change is seldom quite as bad as we think it will be, and if we accommodate that change, even just a tiny bit, we own it and thus are able to ride the wave rather than be swamped by it.

The Tower can also be seen as the destruction of the House of Doctrine. This can bee interpreted as the literal world being made void and invalid, or it can be interpreted as clinging to a false interpretation of the literal world. Crowley says this about The Tower: “Break down the fortress of thine Individual Self, that thy Truth may spring free from the ruins.” Interestingly enough, Uncle Al also sees this card as representing the escape from a prison. How is that for a silver lining?!

In some ways, we can see The Tower as representing The Emperor gone mad; after all, The Emperor imposes order and structure as a father, through love. But take away that love and you end up with a tyrant who clings to his own version of order and structure until he is toppled and destroyed.

I don’t think I am finished with the 27th Path quite yet. It is uncomfortable to contemplate, and it is frustrating to keep striving to punch through to the answer on the other side, only to run up against the wall of tyvek that stands between me and the aha! moment. And all I keep seeing is Archangel Uriel, standing in the middle of that brown and gray field under an overcast sky.

And perhaps I am looking too hard for a hidden message. Archangel Uriel has brought me death, several times. And the image on Crowley’s Tower card shows the Eye of Horus, destroying the Old Aeon, symbolized by the Tower on this card. The death of the Old. The Eye of Horus is seen as connected to the third eye chakra, and the opening of the third eye results in the destruction of illusion through enlightenment. The traditional image of The Tower shows the building being destroyed by a lightning bolt; if the Tower represents the ego, then enlightenment destroys the ego.

Is that what is happening here? Is Archangel Uriel bringing me another death to experience? We shall see. In the mean time, I must turn on the pump in the basement; we are having huge amounts of rain, and I’ve got a bit of a flood on my hands.

How fitting is that?

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