Eight of Cups reversed/Nine of Cups 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 one associated with emotions, and possibly creating a lack of interest. My Eight of Cups is reversed, thankfully, so today will me more about having the ability to endure, and maybe even about a bit of high energy. The Nine of Cups (cusp of Aquarius, “I know,” friendships, the group, cause-oriented, and Pisces, “I believe,” feelings, duality, suffering, soul growth) is about emotional satisfaction and the ability to find pleasure in the effects of my senses and my emotions.  Because the Nine of Cups is reversed, I need to understand that today is less about pleasing my own senses, and more about focusing my feelings so that they support what I need to get done, rather than dilute it.

My Thoth card is the Queen of Cups reversed. The Queen of Cups (cusp of Gemini, “I think,” curious, sociable, dual, and Cancer, “I feel,” sensitive, tenacious, nurturing, moody) is deeply connected to her feelings, her spirituality and her Inner Voice.  My Queen of Cups is reversed, so I need to be aware that while my feelings may be strong, I might not be seeing the real meaning they offer, or the real consequences they could bring.  This does not mean, however, that I need to shut out all feelings.  No water is not good; balance!

My Legacy card is the Ace of Swords reversed, flavored by the Four of Wands reversed.  Er . . . what’s up with the reversed cards? The Ace of Swords (Capricorn, “I build,” ambition, caution authority, cunning, Aquarius and Pisces, “I believe,” feeling, duality, soul growth, artistic) tells of the possibility that my mind will be the tool to solve the problems of the day.  My Ace, however, is reversed.  Oh boy; I can’t trust my emotions and I can’t trust my mind.  My Ace is being flavored by the Four of Wands (Venus, beauty, allure, relationships, in Aries, “I want,” action oriented, assertive, enthusiastic), also reversed, which in an upright position is about building enough to become established.  The reversed Four is offering a bit of restriction, which in actuality might be the most important piece of advice today.  Hold back until the energies are more conducive to positive manifestation.

I always pull a clarification card when all my cards of the day are reversed.  I decided to pull the clarification card from the Thoth Tarot, and threw the Nine of Disks.  Reversed.  **sigh**  “Gain” reversed is my clarification? The Nine of Disks (Venus, beauty, allure, relationships, in Virgo, “I serve,” practical, analytical, work and service oriented) is a card of accomplishment through the imposition of discipline, and it is reversed.  Now, what I need to figure out at this point is whether being undisciplined is going to help or hurt my day. 

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

My horoscopes: “Overspending on luxury items might have you feeling the need to tighten your belt a little. This could make you feel downhearted. Don't blame yourself too much. We all do this from time to time. Get out of the dumps by getting together with a close friend or lover. Go to a play, concert, or movie. Make time for any projects you have in the works.”

And: “The vow of silence you took recently is finally coming to an end. This was a great help to you because you had had enough of taking everything apart, finding an explanation for everything, theorizing on everything and even dehumanizing your thoughts. Great schemes are great in books, but they don't always come true in real life. Today, don't be afraid to talk about things, but just be sure and use a bit more moderation.”

And my new one: “Your path forward might grow narrower today, but this doesn't have to prevent you from focusing on the possibilities, rather than the limitations. You might believe that you're being realistic, even if someone thinks that you have lost touch with the truth. However, you could squander an opportunity for success if you waste time worrying about what others think. Instead of endlessly arguing, concentrate your attention on getting ahead.”

My Shadowscapes Insight is regarding the Queen of Pentacles.  This Queen is strong, but she manifests her strength as generosity.  She offers nurturing and protection with a sparkle in her eyes, a smile on her face, and a warm, ever-giving flow from her heart.  She taps into the very Earth in order to access her strength, and then shares with all who ask for help, healing or guidance, for this is her Purpose.

I still feel like I am rowing upstream against a strong and unpredictable current, and LOL, my Tarot cards certainly validate this.  I am telling myself that I need to be aware of the energies and flows.  I may be forced to surrender to them, but I still need to be aware of them. 

Something is in the air or the water, because I am certainly by far not the only person who is feeling the rug ripped out from under her feet, time and time again.  We are in the final weeks of darkness before Yule and the change of the energy flows, and like the approach of the moment of the highest tide, the flows of water which have been strong and clear of purpose are beginning to lose their drive and direction.  Thus each day, things seem a bit more FUBAR. 

This, too, shall pass.  I may feel like I am clutching the sides of my boat, helplessly being turned this way and that, right now, but soon enough a prevailing current will become apparent, and then I need to be ready to jump into action.  This is the time for preparation, for deciding what is not serving me any more and then, dumping it overboard.  This is the time to be sure that what I am keeping with me is in the best operating order possible. When that current appears, I will be ready.

The next part of The Emerald Tablet, “The formation of the microcosm is in accordance with the formation of the macrocosm,” is once again a placeholder for everything that has come before it.  This is the very realization that supports all that I have learned here!  And once again, without doing the work to understand the text that came before this line, we are left with empty words.

To me, this is a validation of the sometimes painful processes I experienced as I came to realize the importance of this very sentence.  Yes, the formation of the “above” is in accordance with the formation of the “below,” because one is a reflection of the other.  And by viewing the reflection, no matter how distorted that reflection is, or no matter how affected that reflection is by the interactions of other energies, I can still get a real good idea of just what is being reflected.  I can come to at least some understanding of the workings of the original by viewing the reflection.

This is how our world and everything in it is created and maintained, this very cycle.  This sentence in effect explains every miracle, every Aha Moment, every Cosmic Download, and every glimpse of the Machinery of the Universe. 

And without reading the sentences before this one, I might know and understand what is being said with my mind, but since I came to this very realization in my own way, one step at a time, I not only know this and understand this, I believe this, with every fiber of my being.

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