The Horned One/Eight of Swords reversed.  The Devil (Earth (cold/binds and dry/shapes, and stable, material, practical energies that are slow to change), Capricorn (“I build,” ambitious, competent, cautious, cunning), Ayin (the eye, senses), and the Path between Hod (which provides analysis and communication) and Tipareth (the hub of the creation process where energies harmonize and focus to illuminate and clarify) tells of being caught up in the physical world and the effects of the physical senses, to the point of being bound or addicted to those things. The Llewellyn Welsh card is named “The Horned One” because it presents a more natural, physical world energy based Devil, without chains and bindings.  This version of the Devil is more about the alluring call of the wild, and I am very attuned to this energy today, so the presence of this card makes sense.  The Eight of Swords (Jupiter, expansiveness and growth, justice, fortune, in Gemini, “I think,” curious, sociable talkative, dual) in an upright position tells of a confused and restrictive response to obstacles.  Thankfully my card is reversed, and it makes sense, if I am deeply connected to natural and wild physical world energy that I will feel a lack of restriction.  The best way to enjoy and benefit from the kind of pleasure being offered by my Horned One is to go with the flow and allow that energy to empower me. 

My Thoth card is the Ten of Swords reversed.  Another reversed Swords card!  Crowley’s keyword for the upright Ten of Swords is “Ruin”; this card (the Sun, the inner core of a person or situation, in Gemini, “I think,” curious, sociable, dual, talkative) tells of the perception of the complete manifestation of interference, powerlessness and restriction.  The key word here is “perception”; since my card is reversed, even if the energies manifest, I will be able to get past them because my perception will be that they are not going to hold me back. 

My Legacy card is the Nine of Coins, flavored by the Five of Cups.  The Nine of Coins (Venus, beauty, allure, relationships, in Virgo, “I serve,” practical, analytical, work and service oriented) tells of accomplishment through the imposition of discipline.  Yes, I know; that seems like the opposite instruction from The Horned One above.  But if we look at the card flavoring my Nine of Coins, we might be able to make sense of things.  The Five of Cups (Mars, action, aggression, drive, in Scorpio, “I desire,” intense, controlling, mysterious, obsessive) tells of an emotional setback, or perhaps the belief that a wrong choice has been made.  There is a sense of isolation that comes with this kind of setback, and the discomfort of that isolation tends to distract us from the potential of a silver lining in all those dark clouds surrounding us.  So the Nine of Coins tells me to hang in there, to stick to my program, and maybe even to use that sense of isolation for my own benefit.  After all, relying on myself can be seen as a sort of isolation, eh?

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

My horoscopes: “You could be introduced to a celebrity you admire, probably a woman, perhaps at a lecture or book signing, Sagittarius. This could make a profound difference in your life, as this person may inspire you. A romantic partner could meet her as well, and the two of you should have a lot to discuss over dinner. Relax and enjoy your evening. It could change your life in a very subtle way.”

And: “Warmth, happiness, and a sense of peace reign in the home today. You may be uncharacteristically quiet throughout the evening, as you might be reflecting on your spirituality. A female visitor may be in the same space, so the conversation could well turn to metaphysics and the occult. This may not be a typical conversation or a typical day, but it'll be right for what you need now. Enjoy!”

My Shadowscapes Insight is regarding the Two of Pentacles.  Oh, how I understand this card today!  The image on the Shadowscapes Two of Pentacles is a young man standing on top of a rocky promontory, balancing precariously on one foot as he juggles two Pentacles.  I’ve got a list of things to get done today, and this card is reminding me that in order to juggle them all, I need to pay attention to each of them as individuals, and I need to be able to keep a sense of the big picture, too.  I can do this!

My next Wild Unknown card is perfect: The Six of Pentacles.  This card shows the branch of a flowering plant, with each of the six flowers being a perfect Pentacle.  The plants in my beloved garden are nurtured; they get watered, they are grouped together with others of their kind when that is beneficial, and kept isolated when that is not beneficial.  I practice the “if it germinates, that’s what I grow” method of gardening. I try to stick to local plants; they seem to handle the environment much better than exotics.  And when I see a branch covered with perfect blossoms, I am very aware that this is a mini-perfect storm of resource management, performed by the plant.  Next time, things might not work out this good, but that, too, has value; after all, even in the plant world, survival of the fittest is the law of the land.  This card is also showing me the interesting relationship between the giver and the receiver; there always is an exchange, even if we can’t perceive it. 

Another busy day.  I just received the news that my submission to PaganPages will appear in this month’s issue!!  So be sure to stop by tomorrow at www.PaganPages.org or stop by here at DancingSparkles; I’ll be posting a link, as I jump up and down with excitement.

Tomorrow, I will also be packing for my yearly long weekend in the Dominican Republic, at my son’s place.  This year, I’ve got a little ceremony to perform at my son’s well, in honor of my Patroness, Danu.  Hopefully, my flight will be uneventful.

$>