The Hierophant/Nine of Swords. The Hierophant corresponds with Earth (cold/binds and dry/shapes), Taurus (“I have,” sensual, cautious, stubborn), Vau (the nail which holds tradition in place), and the Path between Chesed (the place where forms and structures are stabilized and nurtured), and Chokmah (dynamic male energy, the origin of vital force and polarity). The Hierophant is the nail that holds in place tradition and culture, the keeper and teacher of arcane secrets. This card tells me that the answers I am looking for may be found within the old ways and the ancient traditions. The Nine of Swords (Mars, action, spontaneity, aggression, in Gemini, “I think,” curious, talkative, social, dual) represents brooding and worrying, the kind that takes place in the wee hours of the morning. Together, they are reminding me of two things. First, worrying is a useless pastime. Answers can be found within the traditions and teachings left by others who have struggled, so I need to look for those answers. Second, I need to be a bit cautious that I don’t allow worry to siderail any efforts I put forth to understand my life. The Hierophant can tend to be a bit fundamentalist, and often extreme behavior can be sourced to fear of the unknown. I can’t allow any worry I have to be a catalyst for such negative end results. I do not need to worry or fear; I need to learn and to rely on tradition. At least for today.

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) in an upright position tells of a heavy pause that just might be hard to counteract, due to the Earthiness of both the number 7 and the suit of Disks. Most Tarot decks see this care as offering a bit more optimistic possibility, but Crowley sees the pause indicated in this card as presenting inertia that is difficult to overcome. Thankfully, the card is reversed, so if any stagnation appears, I should be able to wash it away pretty quickly.

My Legacy card is The Hanging Man reversed, flavored by the King of Wands. The Hanging Man corresponds with Water (cold/binds and wet/adapts, and emotional, sensitive and imaginative energy that tends to move deep, and attempts to take the same path as in the past), Neptune (inspiration, spirituality, magick, enchantment, dreams, altered states), and the Hebrew letter Mem (water, stability and balance, the reflective quality of thought). He is reversed, so I am being told that I should not fear action today. The King of Wands (cusp of Cancer, “I feel,” sensitive, nurturing, moody, and Leo, “I am,” passionate, dramatic egotistical) has a Fiery nature, particularly if you see the rank of King as corresponding with the element of Fire. This King is not good at creating; his forte is transforming his world to match his vision. In his job as an influence for The Hanging Man reversed, he is most certainly telling me that today is not the day to look inward. I need a bit of reality perhaps, and clear vision, in order to make it through the day. Focus!!

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

My horoscopes: “This is a pleasant day, Sagittarius. Indeed, the celestial aspects are predicting that it will be rather radiant, though likely less intense than the past week or so. You probably had some new perspectives to set up in your professional life, and now you will have to get to work setting goals! You were waiting for just this moment? Perfect!”

And: “After months or even years of going back and forth in a relationship, you will reach a major turning point and a revelation. Sometimes things come to an abrupt ending, while other times they just slowly fade away. Certain truths are starting to become too obvious to ignore -- so you will have to stop ignoring them. Until you see things as they truly are, you can't move forward and give your full attention to someone who is much more deserving of your time.”

And: “Today might be somewhat of a difficult day for you, Nancy. Instinctively you will want to escape the situation and explore your freedom but somehow something is holding you down. Take care of the stack of bills on your desk and deal with the mess in your bedroom. Clearing the physical space around you will help to clear the mental space in your head. You will be footloose and fancy free soon enough.”

My Sun reading: “A Mercury/Saturn trine makes it a good day to troubleshoot potential problems. You get lots done, with a little Jupiter luck thrown in for good measure. New scenes tonight represent advantageous changes. Inspire old friends to go with you, because the more new friends, the merrier.”

I feel as if I survived a major storm, battered and tired, and yet finally seeing the skies beginning to clear. I am grounding myself, drinking lots of water, trying to be as aware as possible, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually aware, all in preparation for my Vedic Thai-Yoga Bodywork Workshop this weekend. I have been watching what I eat, and a new series of belly dance classes start tonight, so I have been exercising. I am certain that the hard work of this class will clear out my energy field, once and for all.

And so, I will complete my work with the 19th Path by talking a little bit about the Tarot Major that corresponds to this Path. Strength. Yep, now this makes perfect sense to me. 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. The thing is, we can’t tame ‘em until we’ve met and understood ‘em. The Strength card can also be seen to represent magickal power and sexual power, both of which require internal “strength.”

The lessons of this card teach me to take heart despite setbacks, to deal with frustration in a calm manner, to temper force with benevolence, to be able to effectively wield the power of patience, and to be understanding, tolerant and accepting of others. This card always reminds me of the personal shields worn by the heroes and warriors of the book (and the movie) called Dune. Those shields repel a fast and powerful strike, but there is a way around those shields: by moving slowly and evenly, with deliberation and focus, an attacker can make it through that shield.

Look at the traditional image of this Major, and the meaning is easy to see. No matter how strong “the beast within” is, I am the only person who can really control that beast. Control is not achieved through brute force and it is not achieved overnight. How fitting that I am learning this, learning through personal experience rather than through reading the words of others, as I finish working with the Paths that explore the qualities of higher spirituality. I have been well prepared to move onward and I am ready to consider the methods for crossing the Abyss. But I truly don’t think that this cycle through the Tree will be my last.

Thus ends my considerations of the 19th Path. For now.

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