The Universe/The High Priestess.  Now, there is a powerful card pair!  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) in an upright position tells of reaching the maximum available integration between the physical self and the mental/astral/energy body.  This Major does show a completion of a cycle, but the cool thing is that it also contains the seed of the next cycle, which is already beginning to germinate.  The High Priestess (Water; the Moon, feelings and emotions, illusion, imagination; Gimel, the camel who safely crosses Da’ath, the Abyss, and thus, has the secret of life; and the Path between Tiphareth, the hub of the creation process where energies harmonize and focus to illuminate and clarify, and Kether, the source, limitless possibility), is the source of the power of The Magician, the feminine version of The Hierophant, and the Keeper of the Mysteries.  She can be seen to represent the occult sciences, and both the spiritual bride and the spiritual mother.  These two cards seem to be telling me that the Sacred Mysteries flow from me and to me, and within me is the Source. 

My Thoth card is the Two of Cups.  “Love” is Crowley’s keyword for this card, and he sees it as an indicator of the presence of love and happiness.  The Two of Cups (Venus, beauty, allure, relationships, in Cancer, “I feel,” sensitive, family and home oriented, tenacious, moody) is usually about relationships which exist and are strengthened because of commonalities.  These relationships could be with others, or with myself, but the common thread throughout is the emotion of love. 

My Legacy card is the Two of Cups reversed, flavored by the Knight of Cups.  Bookends!!  If the upright Two of Cups tells of connections and commonalities, the reversed Two of Cups would be telling me that those things will not have a powerful impact on my day.  The Knight of Cups (cusp of Aquarius, “I know,” friendships, the group, cause-oriented, and Pisces, “I believe,” feelings, duality, suffering, soul growth) in an upright position tells of a person who focuses intensely on feelings and emotions and the Inner Voice, which can either be a good thing, or it can tell of a time of imbalance with too much emotion and not enough grounding.  This Knight can be romantic or overemotional, he can be sensitive or temperamental, he can tap into his imagination or he can be unrealistic.  He is different from the Knights of Wands and Swords, because he is less active, less out there, however beneath that calm exterior are fiery passions.  These two cards together (along with the other cards I’ve thrown today) seem to be telling me that while I may feel outwardly serene, my Inner Self is glowing with the soft light of Deity and the presence of the Sacred Energies.

More about the Two of Cups.  This Two usually represents relationships, marriages or other unions, usually dealing at least in part with emotions.  It can be about the recognition that a bond is beginning to happen, or it can be about the restoration of a bond after forgiveness is offered and received.  All in all, it is about positive energy and about being drawn towards.  Because this card is about working together, it can indicate wealth and honor, and favorable situations within business.  Besides love, affinity and connections, this card can represent the desire that is not found in Nature, but that is sanctified by Nature.  The Golden Dawn sees this card as representing the harmony that comes from a deep and abiding wisdom.  The danger associated with this card is its compelling nature; sometimes pairing off can end up excluding the outer world in preference for gazing at the other party in this union.  Indeed, one meaning offered by Ciro Marchetti for the Legacy of the Divine Two of Cups is your reflection in your lover’s eyes (in other words, how you believe your lover sees you).  There are all kinds of dangers inherent in that concept. 

Some of the older and more “traditional” images of the Two of Cups contain the Caduceus of Hermes (the Messenger of the Greek Gods, guide of the dead and protector of merchants, gamblers, liars and thieves), with a lion (representing strength, courage, authority over the subconscious, sound judgment and prudence) between the wings at the top.  The Caduceus of Hermes or Staff of Hermes shows a staff being climbed by two serpents (representing peace, rebirth, restoration and regeneration) entwined in the form of a double helix, and sometimes surmounted by wings.  The Roman version of Hermes is Mercury, and so the Caduceus of Hermes can be used to represent both the planet Mercury, and the elemental metal of the same name; thus, the Two of Cups is connected to alchemy. 

By the way, the Caduceus of Hermes is **not** the accepted symbol for medicine; that is the Rod of Asclepius, which has only a single snake and no wings.

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

My horoscopes: “Deliveries that you expect could be delayed, Sagittarius. Today you might learn something shocking about a neighbor or relative. The gossip might spread rapidly through your community. This could have you reeling even though it might be exaggerated. You might visit a few people nearby or spend a lot of time on the phone trying to learn the truth. Don't take anything you hear at face value.”

And: “One of your biggest strengths is the way you can evaluate a situation and call things as you see them. That sort of clarity will come in extremely handy when some people may try to pass things off as being much different from how they really are. Watch your words carefully though -- you don't want to burn any bridges. Overall, try to keep thing impersonal and limit your emotions. You'll be taken more seriously and, ultimately, you'll have a bigger impact.”

And: “Issues may get a little heavier than you would perhaps like today. Your job is to infuse some amusement into the situation. Your powers of adaptability will be put to the test, as other people seem to be completely fixed on their opinions. Be extra conscious of how you use your words as other people, especially superiors or elders, are apt to get offended by careless offhand remarks.”

My Sun reading: “A bountiful Jupiter/Neptune sextile not only ensures opportunities but also that you will know the right ones when they come along. Today's Moon square Mercury stimulates the mind with ideas and plans. You will meet lots of potential new friends tonight if you're single and social or just out and about.”

Well, after two great belly dance classes last night, and a really great meditation and energy cleanse during my walk after work, I am ready for my weekend Vedic Thai Bodywork workshop.  My serenity has returned, and that is a good thing.

I will not move on to the next Path until my workshop is over.  I am feeling a tiny bit apprehensive, mainly because of where I am on the Tree.  Paths 18 through 14 cover the ways to cross the Abyss.  Somehow I get the feeling that experiencing them will involve another important one-way doorway.  Enter only, no going back.  Oh, I have every intention of continuing; after all, I cannot unsee what I have seen.  I am, however, taking this time to think about what is to come.  This is important enough to pause in order to finally go forward with awareness.

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