Three of Pentacles/Three of Wands reversed.  The Three of Coins (Mars, action, spontaneity, aggression, drive, in Capricorn, “I build,” ambition, cunning, competence) tells of competence, planning and teamwork, and those seem to be the energies that will be the most productive today. The Three of Wands (Sun, the inner core of a person or situation, the deepest self and personal power, in Aries, “I want,” action oriented, pioneering, assertive) tells of being successfully established after some effort expended, but my Three of Wands is reversed, so I need to keep in mind that while it is okay to feel a bit of pride after establishing a beachhead through personal effort, I should be careful that I don’t give that pride free reign.  After all, I did not get to this place alone!

My Thoth card is the Four of Cups reversed.  “Luxury” is Crowley’s keyword for The Four of Cups (the Moon, feelings and emotions, illusion, imagination, in Cancer, “I feel,” sensitive, nurturing, tenacious, moody) in an upright position, reminds me that sometimes too much pleasure deadens the senses.  Since my Four of Cups is reversed today, I should be able to work my way through any lethargy or numbness.  All I have to do is tap into the energies of my one upright card, the Three of Pentacles!

My Legacy card is the Five of Coins reversed, flavored by Justice reversed.  The Five of Coins (Mercury, reason, intelligence, education, skill, communication, in Taurus, “I have,” sensual, cautious, stubborn) traditional image shows a woman and a child, one of them injured in some way, travelling in the cold wind, with a church window behind them.  This card in an upright position tells of possible financial or physical world need, but also tells of a spiritual tool that could bring positive resolution.  Since my Five of Coins is reversed, I won’t worry so much today about finances or physical comfort, mainly because of a strong spiritual connection.  Justice is a card of adjustment, and it corresponds with the element of Air (hot/separates and wet/adapts, and quick, animated energy that usually brings problems or challenges that bring growth), Libra (“we are,” partnerships, balance, cooperation), Lamed (ox goad; training or teaching), and the Path between Tiphareth (the hub of the creation process where energies harmonize and focus to illuminate and clarify) and Geburah (the place where forms and structures are challenged or affirmed).  Justice tells of enlightenment and an awareness of cause and effect, however my Justice, which is flavoring my reversed Five of Coins, is reversed.  Perhaps I will have a bit of difficulty viewing the things that brought me to this place on this day with an objective eye. 

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

My horoscopes: “The economy could well take a small dip, Sagittarius, and you might hear from people expressing concerns about financial matters. Don't take them to heart, and certainly don't worry about your own financial condition. The trend will probably reverse itself soon, and this time in the right direction. Take no drastic action just yet. Wait and see what happens. You'll probably breathe a sigh of relief.”

And: “Your mind is extra clear today. Make sure you are helping yourself as well as others. Take care of any tasks that require a great deal of brainpower. You have a tremendous ability to figure out any mental problem that might come your way. Communicate to others with confidence. Mail letters, make phone calls, and send packages to people you haven't heard from in a while. They will be pleasantly surprised to hear from you.”

My Shadowscapes Insight is regarding The World.  Oooh, lovely card!  The energies of this card are described as “a wonderfully discordant harmony, the essence of balance, a unity of disparate parts,” and that makes perfect sense!  The World tells of all the energies in play, from the least to the greatest and back to the least again; each energy is different, yet taken as a whole, there is balance in the end.

Gunas! I’ve talked about the gunas of Heavy and Light, Liquid and Dry, Hot and Cold, Easy and Difficult, and the tastes of Sweet and Bitter.  Next up: Clear and Gooey. 

Clear foods aren’t necessary clear in color.  Rather, they have an ability to clear the digestive tract, the blood, the lymphatic system, or the mind, or they can clear mucus or end fluid stagnation in any organ. Clear foods are good for reducing any fluids being retained; they also assist in purging toxic buildup in our tissues. Clear foods reduce muscle and fat tissue (called karshana and lekhana in Ayurveda).

Clear foods are mostly **not** sweet, sticky, gooey, or oily; Clear foods are mostly bitter, sharp, warm, drying, and light. Turmeric clears the blood and improves circulation by dilating blood vessels; dandelion clears the blood because bitters increase the transformation of cholesterol, fats and sugars into energy, and because it is a diuretic. Aloe vera clears the digestive tract because it is a slight laxative. Mint refreshes and clears both the mind and the respiratory tract. Lemon clears the liver and gall bladder because it encourages the draining of excess bile. Black pepper clears tissues by irritating them, and Heat clears by purging the sweat glands.  Clear foods also encourage inspiration, awe, and open mindedness.

As a “recovering Kapha,” I need Clear.  I should remember that the body naturally cleanses during the spring, so I should bring more Clear into my life during this season, when my body needs the most help with cleansing and detoxification.

Gooey foods are slimy, smooth, and sticky; they not only increase mucous, but sometimes even resemble it.  All foods with a Sweet taste are considered Gooey because they create more mucous. Cheese and wheat can be bad for Kapha because they make the blood sticky,

Gooey can rehydrate extremely dry skin, and within Ayurveda, dry skin often indicates a dry colon.  Oatmeal will help to keep a colon moist.  Gooey helps the body to heal wounds quickly (unless they are infected) and with less scarring. Gooey protects tissues, but it also slows down many body functions, metabolic activity, and dulls the mind.  More Clear and less Gooey for me!!

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