Five of Cups/Queen of Swords. 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. The thing to remember about the Five of Cups is that often when we focus on that sludge, we end up missing the good things that are still around, untouched by the muck. The Queen of Swords (cusp of Virgo, “I serve,” practical, sensible, work and service oriented, and Libra, “We are,” partnerships, balance, cooperation, grace) represents a disciplinarian, and a thinker, and so she just might be the one to help me see past the sludge to the good things hiding in plain sight. This Queen may be a bit aloof, but she is the best writer and researcher around. She provides her rulings, suggestions and insights based on her own experiences, and provides justice with honesty and ethics.

My Thoth card is the Princess of Swords reversed. The Princess/Page of Swords (Capricorn, “I build,” ambitious, competent, cautious, cunning, Aquarius, “I know,” friendships, the group, society, cause-oriented, and Pisces, “I believe,” feelings, duality, soul growth, spirituality) brings the message of the Ace of Swords (the potential for challenges which can be solved through the use of the intellect and which can offer opportunities for growth) to the day. This Princess in an upright position imitates her Queen (who happens to be in my card throw for today) but in a less experienced manner. She always asks “why?” and she can be a bit suspicious and argumentative. Because the card is reversed, I may not fall into the trap of only reacting to what is presented to me; that is a good thing.

My Legacy card is the Seven of Wands reversed, flavored by the Nine of Cups. 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; for me this card represents the approach of a Threshold, and the need to pass the tests of the Guardian. However, the card is reversed and I am interpreting this card in this position as telling me that I have just passed through a threshold. The Nine of Cups (Jupiter, expansiveness and growth, justice, fortune, in Pisces, “I believe,” feeling, duality, soul growth, spirituality), which is flavoring my Seven of Wands today, validates this interpretation. This Nine is about powerful satisfaction on all levels (emotional, physical and spiritual) and a fulfilling sense of accomplishment. Granted, the happiness and fulfillment associated with this card may be present because I am in the right place at the right time, but I’ll take it, gladly.

My 6-digit date number is 10, the number that represents the completion of a cycle, which can be further reduced to the number 1, new beginnings, potential and position. More validation of my interpretation of the reversed Seven of Wands.

My horoscopes: “You may feel like you're ready to get the party started today, Sagittarius, but for some reason, the people around you aren't exactly following suit. Perhaps you need to slow down and wait for others to catch up. They may end up not coming around at all. If people say they're doing fine, don't necessarily believe them. There's most likely something brewing beneath the surface that needs attention.”

And: “Sometimes when you finish a journey, you arrive at a place that looks very different from what you thought it was going to look like. You might be disappointed, you might be pleasantly surprised; but you should definitely be hopeful that things will get better. You are where you need to be, and if you aren't happy about the accommodations, be patient. Learn to live with it and explore what it offers. This place you are in has much more to offer than you realize.”

Technology: “When it comes to the workplace, you will be dealing with more global issues -- even after you go home. Try not to get in too deeply with the details; however, make sure you take care of the most important stuff first.”

My Sun reading: “This morning's Moon/Saturn trine stimulates the desire to settle matters of importance, search for answers to questions, or overcome obstacles in general. Although Mars and Pluto are dynamic helpers, however, temper the impulse to race to the finish line. You have several days to work things out.”

I am now blogging on Tumblr as well as here on Blogspot. This Blogspot Blog will continue to offer detailed Tarot card interpretations and descriptions of my evolution as a Mystic, Witch and Woman. My Tumblr Blog, also named Dancing Sparkles, will be more light-hearted and fun. The posts will be shorter, and many of them will contain images of cards from the Legacy of the Divine Tarot with explanations, or quick, down-and-dirty readings offered for someone or some thing in the news. Please Follow me there [dancingsparkle.tumblr.com]; my first reading posted on my Tumblr Blog will be a one-card reading for the USA in honor of the 4th of July. Also, as a reminder, if you Follow me on Twitter [@ Dancing_Sparkle] or Like the Dancing Sparkles FaceBook Page (or both!), you will be instantly alerted to any Blog posts I submit. I’ve posted the necessary info above and to the left on this Blog; no more shameless plugs, promise.

More on the 17th Path. This Path connects Beauty with Understanding; thus we can say that the 17th Path bring us an Understanding of Beauty, and it shows us the Beauty of Understanding. Two different experiences.

I think one useful way to understand the difference between the 18th Path (which evolves from Might to Understanding) and the 17th Path (which combines Beauty and Understanding) is to look at the Tarot Major Arcana card associated with the 17th Path, The Lovers.

Yep, everyone shudders with pleasure when they see this Major, but in actuality The Lovers is so much more than the name implies. First of all, this card is connected to a Path which bridges The Abyss, Da’at; that alone should wave a few red flags. Within the Major Arcana, The Lovers can be seen as connected to The Hierophant (which is about the group), and The Devil (which is about bondage, dependencies and addictions). Often, the traditional images of The Hierophant, The Lovers and The Devil have similarities; each often show s two people standing before some figure of authority.

The Lovers corresponds with the element of Air (hot/separates and wet/adapts), which is about quick and animated energies or actions. The element of Air corresponds to the intellect and the workings of the mind, and thus Air is associated with problems or challenges that are difficult to solve and yet offer opportunities for personal growth. The Lovers corresponds to the astrological sign of Gemini (“I think,”), which is dual in nature, and is curious, talkative and sociable. The Hebrew letter associated with this card is Zayin, the dagger or double-edged sword. A bit different from The Chariot of the 18th Path (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)), which is about feeling rather than thinking.

Read that again: The Lovers is about thinking, and The Chariot is about feeling. Interesting, yes? I bet you expected the opposite! After all, The Lovers is connected to the archetype of those who feel love!

If we look at all the correspondences associated with The Lovers, we will see a common theme: pairs or duality. The Lovers is about connections for sure, and most of these connections happen through the emotion of love. But this card is about a one-to-one connection, an important one-to-one connection; a connection that you choose to allow, or not allow. Because the choices associated with this card are so important, they can either help us or hinder us; hence the two-edged sword associated with Zayin. We’ve all experienced both the pleasures and the pains associated with loving someone else, and so trusting in the power of love, even though our minds may be giving other advice, is a very brave personal choice. In fact, we really can’t truly open ourselves to love unless we’ve experienced both the joys and the sorrows associated with love. More duality.

And for anyone who believes in the existence of Deity, any love that we humans may feel or experience is an echo or a reflection of the purest and most powerful love offered to us by Deity. Since Tiphareth can bee seen as the Lesser Countenance which reflects or hints at the Greater Countenance of Kether, the 17th Path can be seen to bring us a true understanding of the beauty of love, an emotion which can cure us or kill us, and to show us the Divine nature of the choice to open ourselves to love.

$