The Hierophant reversed/The Emperor.  A little male energy, anyone? 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) is similar to The Magician; each has in his possession and understands the knowledge that unites the macrocosm and the microcosm, however each uses this power in a different way.  The Hierophan’ts job is to teach this knowledge to others and thus, preserve it.  My Hierophant is reversed, however, and perhaps that is a good thing because in a reversed position, this card is reminding me that while rules and traditions have their place, too much of either can stifle creativity.  This reminder is particularly important when we consider the other Llewellyn Welsh card I threw today, The Emperor. The Emperor corresponds with Fire (hot/separates and dry/shapes, and spontaneous, impulsive, energetic change) that corresponds with the astrological sign of Aries (“I want,” action oriented, assertive, competitive) and the Hebrew letter Heh (window, illumination), and represents confidence and authority.  In the Tarot Major Arcana, The Emperor is numbered 4, the number of depth and stability; he actively seeks balance by imposing order on his world.  If my Hierophant was upright, these two cards would be supporting each other but since one is reversed, I just might end up with a nice balance of structure and unpredictability.

My Thoth card is the Six of Cups reversed.  “Pleasure,” and emotional pleasure at that, not physical pleasure, is Crowley’s keyword for this card.The  Six of Cups (Sun, the inner core of a person or situation in Scorpio, “I desire,” intense, compulsive, deep, obsessive) is a card of emotional balance, simple joys and fun.  The blessings of this card remind us to enjoy the past, be aware of the blessings of the present, and anticipate with pleasure the blessings of the future. My Six of Cups is reversed, and I am being reminded firmly that no matter how hard I look for pleasure in the world around me, I won’t find it there.  The deep well of pleasure is within me, and I must access its depths first, before turning my awareness outward.  Look within!

My Legacy card is the Five of Wands, flavored by the Four of Swords reversed. The Five of Wands, which corresponds with Saturn (discipline, responsibility, law and order) in Leo (“I am, passionate, dramatic, egotistical), indicates a struggle caused by annoying cross purposes.  This is a card of non-cooperation, of an “every man for himself” attitude that could be powerful if everyone was in harmony.  However, if we are aware of the chaotic possibilities offered by the discord of this card, we just might be able to access its power. The Four of Swords (Jupiter, expansiveness and growth, justice, fortune, in Libra, “We are,” partnerships, balance, cooperation) can represent a pause or truce, a time of silence and isolation, and even an otherworldly peace.  “Protection in silence” is a great way to see this card; it does not represent a time of being cut off from the world, just an alert pause.  My Four of Swords is reversed and it is flavoring my Five of Wands; kind of a support of the minor difficulties presented by my Five.  But the suit of Swords is about the mind and the intellect; even reversed, the Four could be offering a bit of competent direction here.

My 6-digit date number is 2, the number that tells of balance, polarity, and “distance between.”

My horoscopes: “Today you might earn corporate kudos, Sagittarius, for all signs indicate that your imagination is flying high and can be put to work to increase your job effectiveness. You might even earn a promotion or increase in salary. However, it's important to curb the impulse to hide the downside of whatever you're doing from those in power. Be honest! It will benefit you more in the long run.”

And: “A friend, or a group with which you're affiliated, could be transforming not only your personality, but your very life. The changes could well be taking place at a very deep level, so you might not have previously been aware of them. You could be surprised, but don't be upset. Everyone changes, and for you, this transmutation will, in the long run, prove a positive one. You may not have planned it, but it's happening. Go with the flow!”

My Shadowscapes Insight is regarding the Page of Pentacles.  The perfect grounding energy!  The Pages are messengers who bring the potential of the Ace and then they offer that potential to us.  My day is filled with this kind of potential rooted in the material world, and I will value it as much as my Page of Pentacles values it.

Fall is in the air!  This morning, my 10 mile bike ride was filled with fragrances.  Right before I left, there was a brief but intense downpour, and the rain must have intensified everything!  Wet cement was the first thing that hit my nose as I went to get out my bike, then the quiet and dark dustiness of the garage.  Town was quiet, as is usual on a Saturday morning at 7:15, but people were up.  This is changeover day, and everyone who was here for Labor Day Week will be packing up and going home.  Once I got out of town, all was quiet.

The cool thing about riding is that you are hit wit waves of fragrances.  First, there was the wet and loamy smell of damp leaves as I passed a heavily wooded area.  As I drove under the reaching limbs of a huge tree, I received the gift of a cool sprinkle as the breeze shook the wet leaves.  Next came that lovely, green, spicy aroma of uncut meadows; the goldenrod is fading and the greens are gradually losing their brilliance; another sign of the changing season.

I ride past several horse stables, so I was treated to a few deep breaths of “horse.”  Is there anything more wonderful?  And I rode past a field filled with pumpkins; small ones, but still growing.  That field had a unique fragrance, very ripe and healthy. 

Laced through it all was wave after wave of virgin’s bower sweetness.  The blossoms are just past peak, but I might get another weekend of fragrance, if things go well.  I could even smell the exotic fragrance of the blossoms as I drove down the Parkway; each time I passed an area festooned with white, the sweetness filled my car!

I can find many things to love about each season.  I am always thrilled to see my garden awake in the Spring, and Summer is a time of enjoying the beach and the ocean and the bay with family and friends.  Winter is dark and cold and cozy, filled with good meals and nights in front of the fire.  But Fall . . . Fall is my favorite.  And here it comes!

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