Judgement/Temperance reversed. Judgement corresponds with Fire (hot/separates and dry/shapes, and spontaneous, impulsive and energetic change), Pluto (power, metamorphosis, cycles of dying and becoming), Shin (fang), and the Path between Malkuth (the physical world of action and physical, outer reality) and Hod (provides analysis and communication) and it usually tells of an opportunity to validate the good stuff and get rid of the stuff I don’t need any more.  Today is a great day for a new start, and that new start is best initiated by owning the past, and releasing the things that no longer serve me. Temperance connects with Sagittarius (“I seek,” philosophic, adventurous, blundering) Fire (hot/separates and dry/shapes, and spontaneous, impulsive, energetic change), Samekh (the tent post), and the Path between Yesod (the place where patterns and images emerge that may manifest into the physical world of action and outer reality) and Tiphareth (the hub of the creation process where energies harmonize and focus to illuminate and clarify), and it is one of the Major Arcana cards that presents the concept of dynamic balance.  Because my Temperance card is reversed, I just might find that the imbalance present today can be used to my benefit.  Perhaps I can explode bad habits through the discord of the reversed Temperance card, and thus easily release the things that need to be released.  Ride the wave.

My Thoth card is the Queen of Disks. The Queen of Disks (cusp of Sagittarius, “I seek,” philosophic, fun-loving, blundering, and Capricorn, “I build,” ambition, caution, cunning, authoritative) is very good at sustaining the physical world, keeping things dry and cozy and safe and orderly.  I am being told that no matter what my focus is today, I need to infuse my own energies into all processes in order for them to have the desired result.  Today my focuses should be on practical things (and not on food or drink!!); no unlimited feeding of my senses!

My Legacy card is Judgement reversed (Bookends!!), flavored by Faith (The Hierophant) reversed. The reversed Judgement card can represent endings rather than new beginnings; it can represent a focus on the things I don’t want to release rather than those I should be releasing.  Or, it can tell of a time when I am not quite clear of who is to blame for mistakes and who is to be rewarded for successes. 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).  In an upright position, this is a conservative card whose power is based on orthodox and proven systems.  Since my Faith card is reversed, and flavoring my reversed Judgement card, there may be a strong focus on my own needs today, even to the point of maybe being selfish.  I may end up feeling a bit isolated during this process, but I am getting the feeling that only I can determine if that isolation is a good thing, or a bad one.

A bit more about Judgement, my Bookends card.  The Judgement card is the Spirit of Primal Fire, and it tells us that “as you sow, so shall you reap.”  It can be seen as a warning, a warning that an end or completion is approaching, and if I want anything else to count within this particular cycle, I had better address it.  Indeed, this card can present a sentence to balance out karma, often without the opportunity for me to appeal my case, so having the card appear, whether upright or reversed, means that I need to give some attention to it.  The Judgement being placed upon me from this card does not originate from within me, and I must accept whatever is decreed; I can choose to ignore the message of this card, but only at my own peril.  This card can present the best case scenario (freedom from burdens), or the worst case scenario (loss of all through the decree of another), but no matter what, it tells of both change and resolution.  It tells of breaking from the past, and of the taking of a definite step; reversed, it can tell of a postponement of that step, but it reminds us that sooner or later, the matter will be reopened.  Interestingly enough, this card also reminds us that the act of judging carries with it responsibilities.  Selfishness and bigotry cannot be allowed to infuse our own judging, of ourselves or of others.  Judgement corresponds with the planet of Pluto, and with the 31^st Path on the Tree of Life.

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

My horoscopes: “Some people with whom you spend a lot of time could get into a debate over spiritual or metaphysical concepts. This could make you and everyone else very uncomfortable. This isn't the time to try to mediate. Both parties involved are too attached to their points of view. It's best just to nip it in the bud and ask them not to discuss it now. Change the subject!”

And: “Things may seem a little cloudy from your vantage point today, but this is no reason to be blue. It could be that adjustments need to be made before you are able to smoothly relate to others. Take this opportunity to attend to things that you normally wouldn't think of dealing with. See things from the perspective of another walk of life. Realize the fun of just staying close to home and falling asleep on the couch while watching a good movie.”

And my new one: “The Moon's harmonious connection with the Sun in your optimistic sign today lifts your spirit above the mundane events of your daily life. Your current need for independence is so strong that you might not be willing to justify your desires to anyone else. Of course, you can discuss anything you want, but no one has the authority to tell you what to think. Just taking a moment to remind yourself that you're in charge of your inner world is enough to make you happy now.”

My Shadowscapes Insight is regarding the Four of Wands.  This is a card of celebration, of breathing deeply and with satisfaction as we look at what we’ve done.  But the accomplishments, as joyous as they are, are only the first results of our initial efforts.  There is more work to be done, but also more moments of enjoyment of our accomplishments to come, too.

We had such a wonderful (and LOL, fattening!) Thanksgiving weekend with our friends in Murrell’s Inlet, South Carolina.  Travel was issue-free, and the weather was wonderful, sun and 70’s during the day, and crystal clear skies at night.  I began the weekend with a Reiki Share with my much-loved Pagan Brain Trust.  This was the second share we did through Skype, and I must say, these shares are much cleaner, with much less static, than those we accomplished via other venues. 

We arrived in Myrtle Beach Airport by lunchtime on Thanksgiving, and had a delicious dinner; we finished the evening by sitting outside and building a fire.  Flames and smoke, and a crystal clear moonless night sky.  Friday, we pretty much hung out.  We watched Pan’s Labyrinth and The Devil’s Double at night, and ate leftovers; the nom-a-licious part of Thanksgiving.  Saturday, the guys played golf, and the girls went out to lunch and shopped.  Saturday evening, we had our traditional cow-fest at the best steakhouse in the U.S., New York Prime, in Myrtle Beach.  Sunday, we went out on a boat into the Inlet, to a beach called the Point, only accessible by boat, where we spent the day drinking wine, munching on cheese and crackers, and wandering the dunes.  We went back out on the boat in order to watch a breathtaking sunset, complete with a thin crescent moon, and flocks of pelicans heading inland for the night.  We went back home to another feast for our last evening.

Now, it’s back to reality, in many ways.  I put a bit of weight on, so I will need to get rid of it, and my inbox has put a bit of weight on as well, LOL, and I am chipping away at that.

The part of The Emerald Tablet I have been working on is: “It ascends from the earth to the heaven. It extracts the lights from the heights and descends to the earth containing the power of the above and the below for it is with the light of the lights. Therefore the darkness flees from it.”  I have really spent some time on this, and in actuality, have dealt with the last sentence, “Therefore the darkness flees from it,” in finally understanding the rest of the paragraph.

I do not see “darkness” as representing anything bad here; instead, I see the darkness referred to here as being the heavier physical world focus that can shut out the knowledge and understanding of equally important astral realm effects.  Once I finally understood these words, and what they mean to the cycles of our existence and the concept of “as above, so below,” then the “darkness” flees from the “light” that is knowledge and understanding.  Ascending, extracting the light (and understanding it, thus owning it), and then descending to the earth while holding the power of the above and the below (or in other words, looking back and sharing what I’ve learned with those behind me) is the ultimate Purpose.  Achieving this knowledge and this understanding seems to erase fear and discomfort because all experiences are a necessary part of this cycle; thus, the darkness flees.”

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The World reversed/Nine of Wands.  The World, which corresponds with Earth (cold/binds and dry/shapes, and material, stable and practical energy that is 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, outer reality) and Yesod (the place where patterns and images emerge that may manifest into the physical world), is a card of integration and involvement and understanding.  My World card is reversed, and flavored by t heNine of Wands (Moon, feelings and emotions, illusion, imagination, in Sagittarius, “I seek,” philosophic, fun-loving, adventurous, blundering) which represents being defensive or closing off.  Oy, a Major Arcana card and a Minor Arcana card telling of possible isolation. Sounds like there could be some kind of important disconnect today.  Will it be good for me, or will it harm me?

My Thoth card is the Five of Wands.  “Strife” is Crowley’s keyword for the Five of Wands, which corresponds with Saturn (discipline, responsibility, law and order) in Leo (“I am, passionate, dramatic, egotistical), and indicates a struggle caused by cross purposes.  The cool thing is that the inconveniences of this card are not necessarily evil, just uncomfortable, and they can actually represent growing pains!

My Legacy card is the Ace of Coins reversed, flavored by The Wheel.  The Aces present potential only, unmanifested, and the Ace of Coins (Aries, “I want,” action oriented, assertive, competitive, Taurus, “I have,” sensual, cautious, stubborn, and Gemini, “I think,” curious, talkative, dual, social) tells of the presence of potential that is connected in some way to the physical world of Earth (cold/binds and dry/shapes; stable, material and practical energy that is slow to change).  This Ace represents prosperity, security, stability, trust and a connection to Nature, and since it is reversed, there may be some difficulty with manifestations or connections to any of these.  The Wheel of Fortune (Fire (hot/separates and dry/shapes, and spontaneous, impulsive and energetic change), Jupiter (expansiveness and growth, justice, fortune), Kaph (grasping hand), and the Path between Netzach (the stimulating factors of emotion and inspiration) and Chesed (the place where forms and structure are stabilized and nurtured)), tells of destiny and fate and their ebbs and flows, and their effects on our lives, and it is flavoring my reversed Ace of Coins.  Actually, this is not half bad; I am being told that the blockages are not necessarily being caused by anything I’ve said or done, but rather by outside influences.  This means that if I can find a way to perceive the energy flows and then tap into them, I can ride the wave!

My 6-digit date number is 9, the completeness of manifestation and experience. 

My horoscopes: “If things begin to stir, change, or fluctuate in love and romance, your first impulse is to overreact. This is probably the opposite of what you should do. Instead of quickly jumping to conclusions, you should sit back and let things slowly unfold. Resist the urge to make a move today just because your emotions are in an uproar.”

And: “Today may be a rough day for you, in which you may find it hard for you to make a decision about anything. Refrain from making any major moves regarding finances or real estate. Concentrate on yourself and the answers will come to you from within. Be realistic and practical when it comes to your emotions. You may find it hard to connect with someone tonight, so stick close to home and focus inward.”

And my new one: “The irrepressible Sun-Uranus trine sends shockwaves of change through your life. Others may not fully approve of your need to shake things up because they only see what's working well. Meanwhile, your inner restlessness won't go away until you do something about it. Embracing an uncertain future is a good idea, but don't sacrifice your convictions for the sake of being flexible.”

My Shadowscapes Insight is regarding the Six of Pentacles.  Wow, all of the cards today seem to be honing in on my day!  This card is asking me to look at circumstances very carefully, for even if I feel that I am the one doing without, I could in actuality possess riches beyond imagining.  And those who feel as if they have it all may actually lack one necessary piece of the puzzle. 

Circumstances of late have made me pause and think about such concepts as “authority” and “leadership” and “ethics.”  It seems to me that so many people live their lives solely focused on their own destination, without realizing that there are other travelers on the road in front of, behind, and next to them.  They chuck their trash out the window without a care for their surroundings, and the swerve and dart through traffic assuming that everyone else will get out of their way.  And if those fellow travelers don’t move out of their way fast enough?  They lean on their horns, and bitch, moan and pound on their steering wheels.  And I mean this both literally and figuratively.

Is this what humanity has evolved into?

Whenever we interact with others, we are perceived as being a leader or a figure of authority, at least part of the time.  I’m not only talking about conversations that happen in a teacher/student kind of situation; even a casual conversation between good friends contains moments when one of those friends is being looked to as an authority, and moments when that same friend is looking to the other for authority.  Even if that conversation is silly in nature, and just about having fun.

Our words and our demeanor greatly affect how others perceive us.  We’ve all seen this kind of thing, where a homeless person presents herself with quiet dignity despite her situation, while political leaders act like buffoons and morons.  Why is it so hard for so many to put themselves even for a moment into the shoes of another?

I have been trying in my spare time (*snort* what is “spare time” again?) to search for and read some advanced Wiccan books.  Believe me, they are not always easy to find, but I think, thanks to the built in discount provided by my new Kindle Touch and eBooks, I’ve stumbled upon one that is useful to me right now.  It is called “Advanced Wiccan Spirituality, Volume 1: Revitalizing The Roots And Foundations” by Kevin Saunders.  In the chapter discussing initiation and third degree training, Saunders addresses the concepts of authority, leadership and ethics in a way that truly resonates for me.   And the way Saunders presents things, these dangers of delusions of authority are a greater risk for the more advanced dedicant!

“There will be many cases from [a more advanced] level that get stuck at a deep emotional level which will be displayed as one of the self-deluding glamours.  At each state of development it is easy to conclude, due to the vast opening of energies previously not experienced, that the person has reached the pinnacle of development; this is the seed that develops into delusion.”  And “The glamour of being a third degree High Priestess or High Priest is a compelling one for those suffering from illusions of grandeur on the physical, emotional and/or mental planes.  To serve the Goddess and God we need to be humble, knowing that we are but a tiny cog in a very big machine.  We need to appreciate the seriousness of the role we are to perform.  We need to be willing to serve the Goddess and God for their own sakes and not our own, with all the sacrifice it entails.  Until the illusions on the physical, emotional and mental levels within the individual have broken down and the initiate is ready to serve in any way the gods choose to use us, from a spiritual perspective, then we are not truly ready for the third degree initiation and any ritual undertaken will be meaningless and cause problems for others.”

“By working as a third degree we will be looked upon for inspiration and as an example.”  “The initiate will learn to stand in the light and dim the fires of the lower self.”  And “[The third degree dedicant] is now working for the needs of the group and has an unselfish outlook . . . .”

Again and again, the importance of being humble, of serving others, and of remembering that we are not the source of all wisdom, the keeper of the only way, or the person with the one correct answer for everyone.  These are difficult and sometimes painful realizations to have, but we must strive to have them, again and again.

I believe that this manner of interacting easily carries over into my mundane world.  Indeed, as a third degree Dedicant, I should be living my Craft always, not just when I am in ritual or performing magickal workings or interacting with Coven-mates or like-minded people.  So this manner of interacting must carry over into my mundane world.  And it needs to apply to every circumstance, not just the big ones or the important ones, or the ones where I am offering guidance to another or receiving guidance from another. 

I am a healer, a teacher, a student, a Tarot reader, a Vedic Thai-Yoga Bodyworker, a Reiki Master, and a Wiccan, not through some special make-up of my mind or talent of my body, not through some marvelous accomplishment or creation, and not through my own intelligence or wisdom.  I am all of these things because someone else has already been these things, because someone else has done the work and traveled the Well-Worn Path ahead of me and then taken the time and expended the effort to look back and encourage me.

I have studied and practiced for years; this means that I have authority, that I am a leader.  Others look to me, and I open myself to the needs of others for this is why I have studied and practiced.  But in the end, if I do not exercise my authority in an ethical manner, and if I do not lead with a care for where I step and who is following me, I have wasted my efforts.  As a third degree dedicant, I must exist to serve.  This service is not to be done as a doormat; rather it is to be offered through wisdom attained via years of studies and love offered through walking in others’ shoes.  And I must always remember that without the assistance of those who went before me, I would not be where I am right now.

Blessed be!

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The Tower/The Lovers.  Oy; what a combination!! The Tower (Fire (hot/separates and dry/shapes, and spontaneous, impulsive, energetic change), Mars (action, spontaneity, aggression, drive), Phe (mouth or speech), and the Path between Hod (which provides analysis and communication) and Netzach (which offers the stimulating factors of emotion and inspiration)) tells of a violent or explosive correction.  This card tells of big changes, and of a huge release of energy that ends up bringing amazing revelations. The Lovers (Air, hot/separates and wet/adapts, quick and animated, intellectual, problems or challenges; Gemini, “I think,” curious, talkative, sociable, dual; Zayin, double-edged sword; and the Path between Tiphareth, the hub of the creation process where energies harmonize and focus to illuminate and clarify, and Binah, female receptive energy and the origin of form and structure) is a very powerful card for me personally, filled with symbolism, the least of which is the presence of Archangel Uriel and His effects on my day. The Lovers is about love, but it is also about personal beliefs, determining values, and deciding what I believe.  This is a very powerful pairing, and it is telling of some huge and powerful realizations. 

My Thoth card today is the Eight of Swords.  “Interference,” again. The Eight of Swords (Jupiter, expansiveness and growth, justice, fortune, in Gemini, “I think,” curious, sociable talkative, dual) tells of confusion and restriction, often occurring purely because of bad luck. I love Paul Huges-Barlow’s keyword for this card, “analysis paralysis.”  With these other cards, I am getting the feeling that today’s Interference is not just an irritation.

My Legacy card is The Star reversed, flavored by Justice reversed.  LOL, what a day! The Star (Air, hot/separates and wet/adapts; Aquarius; Qof, back of head; the Path between Malkuth, the physical world of action and outer, physical reality, and Netzach, the stimulating factors of emotion and inspiration) is the “good will to all” card.  My Star card is reversed today, and it could very well be reminding me that love must flow.  No matter what.  And if love flows, all will be well; today is not a day to hold back.  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), and is about cause and effect.  Since my Justice card is reversed, this will not be a day of moving on, or of making connections.  I need to keep in mind that I may not be perceiving the world in a completely clear way, so today is not a good day to make any choices that could have long reaching bindings.

My 6-digit date number is 7, the number that tells of the beginning of degeneration and warns of a possible choice to be made: hold or strive more.

My horoscopes: “You tend to be intellectually inclined. Today you might put some of your knowledge to work in a creative way. Your intuition and imagination are working overtime. If you've been thinking about starting a new project, this is the day to do it. The only downside is that you could get so obsessed with your work that you can't concentrate on anything else. Pace yourself so you don't burn out.”

And: “Things should generally go quite well for you today. Your romantic nature is piqued and you will find that a slightly aggressive approach toward your loved one is just what is needed to jump start the relationship. If you are a single Sag looking for love, today would be a good day to get out and boldly ask someone to dance. Neaten up your appearance, buy some perfume and wear one of your snazziest outfits today - regardless of what kind of situations you find yourself in.”

And my new one: “Talking about moderation is one thing, but following through with sensible behavior can often be a challenge for you. Although your key planet Jupiter has recently bestowed his extravagance on you, it's strict Saturn's turn today, reminding you to tighten your belt and show some common sense. Then again, the radiant Sun's shift into your sign tomorrow suggests that your self-restraint may not be long-lived.”

My Shadowscapes Insight is regarding the Four of Pentacles.  This card tells of possessiveness, of protecting something of value, and of the cage of limitation that can be created when this possessiveness becomes our sole purpose.  Letting go might bring more pleasure and serenity than protecting, but that might be missed.

Last night, I attended a shamanistic Healing Journey, my first.  My good Pagan Brain Trust friend, Tara, asked me if I was willing to fill in for their regular Reiki Master; needless to say, I was willing.  I went to Starseed Yoga in Bloomfield, where I had gone to attend the recent Fire Ceremony, found a parking space right in front, and proceeded to offer Reiki to the 17 attendees of the Journey, and the other three participants.  20 Reiki applications within two hours!!  Needless to say, I was totally filled with incredible energy by the time the Journey was completed, in part from the Reiki energy that had flowed through me, in part because of the smudging, and in part because of the singing of the quartz bowls; the energy built and built until the entire room was trembling on the verge of a huge release, and then the sigils created for each of us were released.  Oh.  My.

I came home, still flying high, and gradually came down.  Not a huge crash, mind you, but more of a gentle settling.  I slept like I was drugged, yet my night was filled with vivid and powerful dreams.  Needless to say, I can’t remember a single one of them.  But that is typical for me.

This morning, three different people who I interact with have told me, two without knowing what I was doing last night, that they feel different today, more settled or more grounded.  This does not surprise me at all, because something very powerful happened during this ceremony.  I normally close my eyes in order to visualize the Reiki symbols while I am applying Reiki to a recipient; last night, each time that I closed my eyes, I felt the room move.  Soon, I could tell that the entire room was no longer of this world, and we had all been transported to somewhere else, somewhere I had never been before.  If someone had gone and opened the door at that point, I am convinced that all they would find would be fog and clouds.  The hallway and the outside world was surely somewhere else.  I channeled some incredible Shaman Healers last night, and I am awed by this experience and honored that They would use me as a conduit.  I even heard whispers as the quartz bowl corresponding with the crown chakra was played; a voice whispering and breathing, a voice not of this physical world.

I have drawn down the Goddess, so I am familiar with the sensations surrounding this kind of possession, but I was very surprised that this happened during the Healing Journey.  What an experience!! 

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The Star reversed/Six of Cups. The Star (Air, hot/separates and wet/adapts; Aquarius; Qof, back of head; the Path between Malkuth, the physical world of action and outer, physical reality, and Netzach, the stimulating factors of emotion and inspiration) is the “good will to all” card.  My Star card is reversed today, and this could possibly represent the presence of some anxiety.  However, my other card is the Six of Cups.  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 fun and blessings.  I may begin the day feeling a bit of anxiety, but with that Six of Cups card, I will feel connected and serene by the end of the day.

My Thoth card is the Four of Swords.  “Truce” for today. The Four of Swords (Jupiter, expansiveness and growth, justice, fortune, in Libra, “We are,” partnerships, balance, cooperation) tells of the need of some time of rest and recuperation, usually to be brought about by a time of truce or pause or quiet. In fact, “truce” is Crowley’s keyword for this card.  It is about a pause, but the pause is more about mutual deterrence so it is temporary in nature.  I need to take advantage of it.

My Legacy card is the Ace of Swords, flavored by the Nine of Wands reversed. The Ace of Swords (Capricorn, “I build,” ambition, caution authority, cunning, Aquarius and Pisces, “I believe,” feeling, duality, soul growth, artistic) tells me that challenges may appear, but I have the tools to solve them.  This Ace is about the intellect, and circumstances may very well necessitate the use of my mind today to solve problems. The Nine of Wands (Moon, feelings and emotions, illusion, imagination, in Sagittarius, “I seek,” philosophic, fun-loving, adventurous, blundering) in an upright position represents being defensive or closing off.  Since my Nine of Wands is reversed, and flavoring my Ace of Swords, this may be a good day to let my mind have free reign, because my mind is strong and open, and optimistic.  These two cards together are powerful.

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

My horoscopes: “Information received today might make it possible for you to change your job, residence, or at least the way you think or operate. You might feel nervous at the prospect, but you'll pull it off all right. Don't be afraid to go with the flow and make changes. This is only one hurdle in the course of your personal development.”

And: “Some new people who appear interesting could move into your neighborhood, exciting your curiosity. Conversations of a spiritual or metaphysical nature could take place today, either over the phone or over coffee. The concepts discussed might be deep, exalted and inspiring, yet bring up more questions than answers. Books on the subject could prove enlightening, and you might even want to write down your own thoughts or memorialize them by drawing or painting.”

And my new one: “It's difficult to know what's real as your fantasies flood your imagination today. Ironically, others may not realize that you're on a mental holiday because they see a more practical side of you that shows up to take care of business. Fortunately, it doesn't require much effort to meet your obligations now, so you can continue to gain inspiration from your inner world while simultaneously making progress in your outer world.”

My Shadowscapes Insight is the Knight of Pentacles.  The message of this card?  Slow and steady wins the race, so keep your eyes on the goal, and don’t allow distractions to gain a foothold.  Assess before moving, and play by the rules!  After all, the rules are there because they work.

My last couple of days have been busy but good.  Thursday night, Bob and I met friends of his for dinner and a concert.  We saw Leon Russell, and the cool thing is that waaay back in the early 70’s, when I was a young ‘un, the very first live concert I attended was Leon Russell, and Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City.  I must say that even though he is going on 70, Leon can still rock n’ roll!!  And I had a kind of teary, nostalgic bookends moment, remembering the younger and more innocent Raushanna and comparing her to who I am now.  The nice thing is that I like who I am now.  I am not perfect, not by any means, but I like the way I am “becoming,” 

Friday night I drove to Cape May as usual, and spent the night setting up my brand new Kindle Touch.  I had been looking at eReaders for a while now, and just did not want to spend a lot of money for a tablet that contained functions that I already have on my laptop.  Looks like my patience paid off, because the Touch is just what I was looking for.  It is very comfortable, a good size, and it takes .PDF, .docx and .doc files as well as eBooks, and it has a WiFi connection which allows me to email and download files, as well as the ability to download the files onto my computer and then drag them to my Kindle.  LOL, I was a bad girl yesterday; I spent most of the day reading the Sherrilyn Kenyon book loaned to me by my dear friend, Lilyth.

Today, it’s back to reality. 

I’ve got a busy day ahead of me, with a Shamanic Healing Journey this evening, at which I will be offering Reiki to probably 15 people or more.  And so, just to keep in touch with my new TO, I threw three cards, and got card 36, a North card, Guide: Bear (a card of instincts, strength and protectiveness card 53, which is a Below card, Guide: Sidhe (which basically tells me to look beyond my everyday perception in order to see the magick), and card 23, a West card, the element of Water (which is the element of emotions and feelings which can take many forms).  If I look at the cards as they were dealt, the downward facing triangle that is the element of Water is facing to about 2 pm on a clock face; the other two cards have almost lined up with the numbers at the bottom.  Once I line up all three cards, almost the entire field that is the face of the cards is filled, with the element of Water being the center, the three Sidhe faces each supporting one side of the triangle, facing the triangle (and the triangle is framing the spiral at the center of the Sidhe faces), and the sleeping Bears facing outward, as if maybe protecting the center of the image.  Each card is visible, although it is obvious that the Sidhe Guides are partially hiding the Bear Guides.

To me, this spread is telling me that today, I need to look to my feelings and my emotions in order to perceive the magick to be had in my daily situations.  My instincts are my foundation, and I do need to rest upon them or lean upon them, but it is more important that I look to my feelings and my emotions as they are central to the efforts and effects of the day.  However, I do need to be responsible regarding these interactions.  I should be able to use my magickal perceptions in order to fulfill any promises of the day, in fine fashion. 

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Seven of Cups/Three of Pentacles reversed.  The Seven of Cups (Venus, beauty, allure, relationships, in Scorpio, “I desire,” intense, controlling, obsessive, mysterious), which represents the distraction and dissipation that can happen when we are presented with enticing choices.  This card can tell of the danger of indulging in wishful thinking and the dissipation that can happen from it. The traditional image of the Seven of Cups shows seven cups, each filled with what appears to be a wonderful gift: the Wreath (Saturn and The World); the Castle (Mars and The Tower), the Woman (Venus and The Empress); the Snake (Mercury and The Magician); the Veil (the Moon and The High Priestess), the Jewels (Jupiter and The Wheel of Fortune), and the Dragon (our Sun and The Sun).  The Three of Pentacles (Mars, action, spontaneity, aggression, drive, in Capricorn, “I build,” ambition, cunning, competence) in an upright position tells of competence, planning and teamwork.  Oh boy, two cards that tell of the possibility of dissipation.  Choices are going to be real important for me today, and I need to really try to keep my nose on the grindstone, because I just might be easily distracted.  Now, where did I put that “To Do List”??

My Thoth card is the Six of Disks.  “Success”!  LOL, after those two, I need the Six of Disks (Moon, feelings and emotions, illusion, imagination, in Taurus, “I have,” Sensual, cautious, stubborn) which brings an awareness of resources to the situation, both those that I have and those that I don’t have. Resources are important, because they bring both knowledge and power.  Options are important too, but I need to remember the presence of the Seven of Cups in my spread. 

My Legacy card is the Two of Wands, flavored by The Empress.  Oooooh, baby! The Two of Wands (Mars, action, spontaneity, aggression, drive, in Aries, “I want,” action oriented, pioneering, assertive, enthusiastic) tells of power, influence and authority.  Because my Two of Wands is flavored by The Empress (which corresponds with Earth (cold/binds and dry/shapes, and stable, material, practical energies that are slow to change), Venus (beauty, allure, pleasure, relationships), Daleth (door or womb) and the Path between Binah (female receptive energy and the origin of form and structure) and Chokmah (dynamic male energy and the origin of vital force and polarity)), my power, influence and authority will be connected to creativity within the physical world.  Life and living, and the effects and experiences of living that life, are my forte today.

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

My horoscopes: “Finding the answers you seek is easier when you take a more adamant position about where you stand now and where you want to be later. If you continue to be uncertain and relaxed about which way to proceed, others may take advantage of you. You have the strength and power to fuel your desires. It's time to put these into effect.”

And: “There is more than meets the eye to your money situation today. Errors may have been made in your financial records, or someone is not telling you the truth about an important factor. You are by nature a caring and trusting person, but this is not the day to blindly accept anyone's statements as reality. Check into the facts and see for yourself. Then act according to the facts in order to maintain your own best interests.”

And the new one: “You have plenty of great ideas today and, fortunately, the energy to turn some of them into reality. Although you might not be quite as charmed as King Midas, you could create fantastic opportunities everywhere you go. Your high spirits can inspire your co-workers to support you, even if your vision seems overly ambitious. Don't let this bountiful day pass without moving ahead on your next journey.”

My Shadowscapes Insight is regarding the Nine of Pentacles.  This card is about striving to perfect the balance of spiritual and physical, but it is also about taking the time to enjoy the fruits of my labors.  Since I’ve got several fertile cards today, I am seeing this card as telling me to enjoy the many blessings I have achieved.  I can do that!

I have been given the Transparent Oracle as a birthday gift by my dear friend, Carolyn.  Oh my, I am hypnotized by this lovely Oracle.  I love, love love the idea of stacking these cards.  And guess what, Tara??  You can use them to create sigils!!!

But oh boy, I’m gonna have to start from scratch with this deck, because it is not a Tarot.  But it is perfect for me! The 70 circular transparent cards (did I mention that they are transparent??) are divided into seven categories: East, South, West, North, Above, Below and Within. Absolutely awesome!!  Within those categories are several sub-categories.  For the four cardinal directions, we have element, weather, time of day, season, elemental, and several guides.  Above connects to the stars and planets, Below offers guides and grail hollows, and Within offers connection to our senses.  Talk about a meditation tool!!!

I don’t know yet how I am going to learn this deck, but I’m going to.  I will probably post info about the cards on my in-between days, but I have to decide if I’m going to throw them randomly or work through the directions.  LOL, it’s going to take a bit of practice to be comfortable shuffling a round deck.

But I do want to jump right into the deep end of the pool, so I will shuffle (or LOL, attempt to shuffle) and throw three cards, no positions assigned, after asking the question “What potential can this new Oracle bring to me?”

Okay then, cool.  Three cards: #69, DNA/Labyrinth (Within), #56, Grail Hollows: The Cauldron (Below), and #45, Mars (Above).  And isn’t that a cool start!  These cards are not going to work like a traditional Tarot deck for me.  None of the cardinal directions have shown up in this initial card throw, and the answer to my question is that this Oracle will offer me potential regarding learning about my own senses and inner world, they will offer me guides and tools to assist in exploring both spiritual realms, the Underworld below us ~and~ the realms above and beyond the four elements.

DNA/Labyrinth is a Within card, and DNA is very symbolic for me.  LOL, go back to my Aha! Moment regarding DNA and life being created in the image of Deity, and you will see that I perceive DNA as the “image of Goddess.”  The image on this card is based on the Cretan Labyrinth, the one that kept the Minotaur captive.  This Labyrinth kind of looks like a many-lobed brain, which makes sense when you look at some of the keywords for this card: identity, self-exploration, secrets, potential, mystery, code.  Ancient wisdom and modern science, all rolled into one lovely card. 

The Cauldron is a Below card, and the keywords for this card are: abundance, initiation, healing, transformation, rebirth, inspiration.  This card expresses the element of Water at its most sacred level, as divine healer and provider of the needs of the soul.  We all need healing, each of us; and our souls have needs, just as our bodies have needs. 

Mars is my third card, from the realm of Above, and it is the only male card here.  This one corresponds to the element of Fire, and the keywords associated with the Mars card are: aggression, power, conquest, courage, passion, energy.

When I pile the three cards on top of each other, I see that Mars is being contained by The Cauldron, and the arrow of the Mars sigil is pointing to the “brain” that is the Labyrinth.  To me, I am being reminded by these three cards that Initiation is the “container” but in order to truly “see” the Divine, I must have the courage to “look.”  Here is the possibility being offered to me by the Transparent Oracle!!

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Page of Cups/Justice. The Page of Cups corresponds to Libra (“we are,” partnerships, balance, cooperation), Scorpio (“I desire,” intensity compulsion, mystery) and Sagittarius (“I seek,” philosophic, adventurous, blundering); this Page is intuitive and dreamy, easily touched, and very social in nature.  He is at the mercy of his feelings because of his openness, but seeing the world through the open expectations of a child can be a good thing. 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), and is about cause and effect.  The familiar figure of Justice is blind, but the image on this card shows Justice looking straight into my eyes, so I need to look carefully at my world today.  Indeed, she carries a sword, representing the element of Air and the Intellect, as well as the scales.  I will need to balance every factor, including what I believe.  That Page of Cups is a great card here, because he tells me to be compassionate, a nice emotion to add to the analysis connected with Justice.

My Thoth card is the Queen of Disks reversed.  I love the image on this Thoth card! The Queen of Coins (cusp of Sagittarius, “I seek,” philosophic, fun-loving, blundering, and Capricorn, “I build,” ambition, caution, cunning, authoritative) is very good at sustaining the physical world, keeping things dry and cozy and safe and orderly.  My Queen is reversed today, and she presents a warning: be very careful that I do not allow myself to be reduced to going through the motions like a robot, without infusing my own energies into a task, and without being aware of the effect of that task on my subtle and physical bodies.

My Legacy card is the Queen of Wands, flavored by Strength reversed. Lots of feminine Court Cards today!  The Queen of Wands (cusp of Pisces, “I believe,” feelings, duality, soul growth, spirituality, and Aries, “I want,” action oriented, assertive, competitive) is energetic and enthusiastic; she gives 100% of herself into any situation, and does so with a smile on her face.  The Strength card (Fire, hot/separates and dry/shapes, and spontaneous, impulsive and energetic energy; Leo, “I am,” passionate, dramatic, egotistical; Teth, sieve or basket, digestion; and the Path between Geburah, the place where forms and structures are challenged or affirmed, and Chesed, the place where forms and structures are stabilized and nurtured) traditionally tells of emotional endurance and control, rather than physical endurance and control.  In the past, I have described this card as taming the wild emotions, but I can see now that this is not necessarily correct for every situation.  Sometimes we don’t need to tame our wild emotions; rather we need to direct them.  There is a difference here, and since my reversed Strength card is flavoring my Queen of Wands today, I will need to be very careful about plunging myself into any situation 100%, or I may end up on a windy downhill road, without brakes.

My 6-digit date number is 8, the number that tells of a conscious, sometimes powerful and sudden, response to the beginning of the degeneration of the number 7, striving to maintain for a bit longer the balance of the number 6.

My horoscopes: “If you've been thinking about writing, this is the day to get started. Your mind is particularly sharp and your imagination rich. Unusual developments, mostly positive, could take place in your neighborhood. You might not know the facts about exactly what's going on, and a lot of unfounded rumors could be circulating. Reserve any opinion until you know the truth.”

And: “You will find that you can soar to great heights today on a moment's notice. There is a fast-paced, socially minded quality to the day that will encourage people to share more of themselves with others. You will find a great deal of support from many different people at this time. Welcome this help with open arms. Don't try to do things by yourself when you are surrounded by such a strong team spirit.”

And a new one: “You enjoy taking a sweeping philosophical approach to life, but today's data-gathering Gemini Moon prompts your interest in just about everything. Unfortunately, you might appear scattered as your attention jumps from one fascinating topic to another. But the Sun's presence in your 12th House of Soul Consciousness reveals an intense inner world in contrast to your outer appearance. Slow down and choose a spiritual path now, since it can lift you out of the mundane world and take you to a more magical space.

My Shadowscapes Insight for today is The Emperor.  Oh, I am drawn to this card for some reason today.  The Emperor is about the man-made world.  Yes, much of what man creates is an imitation of the sacred, or an attempt to replicate a sacred process or effect, but this attempt to create and to be his own sacredness is man’s way of attempting to control his own destiny.  There is heavy responsibility irrevocably infused into this attempt, and The Emperor wholly accepts that responsibility and completely lives by his rules and regimens without exception, because he believes his rules and regimens are of the highest good for all, and are the best way to do things.

After yesterday’s entry regarding The Emerald Tablet, I decided that today I would meditate and go to the Ancient Altar.  And so, after breakfast and coffee, I headed for the beach. 

It is a lovely Fall day, breezy, with a blue sky and fair weather clouds.  Once I got to the beach, the breeze was stiff and blowing on shore.  Once again the waves were gentle but relentless, one after another they rolled on shore, pushing globs of foam up onto the sand.  LOL, I came to one place where the foam had collected in a large area and gotten covered by a thin dusting of sand; it looked like the beach was jiggling and dancing.

I walked over to the jetty, and sat in line with it so I could watch the waves hit its end and then split and roll to shore.  I brought my awareness to my astral self, made sure I had matches, pine needles and pine branches and pine cones in my bag, and began the climb to the Ancient Altar.

I reached the last stairs, and stepped onto the top of the mountain.  The breeze was stiff and brisk here, too, coming directly out of the East.  I undressed and piled my clothes neatly, then got out the matches and pine fuel for my fire.  As usual, I started my fire in the rock bowl before the stone altar.  The flames took quickly and soon were hissing and crackling as they consumed the pine needles, branches and cones.  I cast my circle, evoking each Watcher and Elemental Guide; then I invoked the Sacred Feminine and the Sacred Masculine, lighting each of the ancient candles with a pine branch from my fire. 

I stood there with eyes closed, facing East, allowing my awareness to fill with the essences of Those who had joined me in my circle.  I felt the wind grow stronger, buffeting my body, and as the gusts pushed against me and then passed through me, I felt bits of myself being blown away.  These bits were dried out and used up, and I actually felt lighter as they were unattached from my subtle body and carried away. 

Finally, I opened my eyes and looked upward; there it was, just as I expected, the “information highway.”  The tether that had attached itself to me was strong, several strands of different colors were twisted together and they pulsed with activity as information streamed down into my crown.  I was thrilled to see how potent the “downloads” appeared to be!  As I watched all the activity, I thought about the phrase from The Emerald Tablet that I was working on, and thus, I thought of the cycles that are created by the concept of “as above, so below.”  Suddenly, I realized what was missing here.

I gathered energy from my sacral chakra and spun it into an orange thread; I did the same with my heart chakra, spinning a green thread, and my crown chakra, spinning a purple thread.  Then, I allowed the three to twist together.  As soon as they touched, the three strands knotted and twisted around each other, moving ever upward on their own, until the triple strand finally reached the information highway, and “plugged into” it with a solid clunk. 

And suddenly, I understood this part of The Emerald Tablet.

“It ascends from the earth to the heaven. It extracts the lights from the heights and descends to the earth containing the power of the above and the below for it is with the light of the lights.”  There it was, all along, the instruction I needed. 

First, “It ascends from the earth to the heaven.”  Okay, that is what we all should be striving to do, because that is the process of evolution.  We should be striving to purify our own essence, to “lighten” our energy selves and to “raise” the vibrational levels; not that “heavy” or “lower” are bad or undesirable.  They are necessary effects and provide a foundation, as well as an extreme that offers the possibility of balance.  But the Purpose (and I capitalize that “P” in order to indicate the importance of the concept) of life is to strive upward, to accumulate experiences that are not of the physical world and the physical senses.  Those are the lessons presented by an upward climb of the Tree of Life.

Next, “It extracts the lights from the heights and descends to the earth . . .”  This is what I accomplished today.  The connection moving downward is important, as I will explain in a moment, but I needed to consciously achieve an upward connection as well as consciously open myself to the downward connection, in order to comprehend the message.  I knew there was a message here, I could perceive it, but I could not comprehend it.

Once I reached up and consciously achieved an upward connection, I finally “. . . contain[ed] the power of the above and the below,” for that connection is two way, as is every process and operation of the essence of life. 

So, here is where the real Aha! Moment came for me.  As I stood on the Ancient Altar, watching the flames of the Goddess and God candles dance in the brisk wind, feeling the presence of my Elemental Guides, the Watchers, the Sacred Feminine and the Sacred Masculine, and the Source of all, I understood the upward motion of those who live within a physical body, for that is the direction our essences are drawn.  Life after life, we are offered lessons and challenges to assist us in our evolution; we sometimes reach the point where we begin to attempt to create futures for ourselves, futures that we believe will bring some value to us.  The physical world, the effects of matter and of the Elements, and the challenges that attempt to weigh us down or the physical effects that try to lure us from our Purpose are necessary to this process, for they serve as a foundation for us to stand upon as we look for the next step upward, and they serve as an abrasive of sorts that cleans the tarnish and oxidation from the windshield, so we can see more clearly what lies ahead and thus, make better choices. 

But assuming I would eventually approach the end of this process, why would I cycle back downward?  If life is eternal, then this process should be eternal, too.  Is that the prize?  If I win the game, do I get sent back to Go, without collecting my $200?

The downward process is explained by thinking about the nature of Deity.  I believe that my life force and the life force of Deity both consist of the same essence, with my life essence being infused with the “impurities” of the physical realm (and I don’t mean that in a negative way; after all, impurities can create the most awesome crystals and gemstones!), and Deity’s life essence being the purest and farthest removed from those physical realm impurities.  To me, it is this similarity that manifests “as above, so below,” and that manifests the reflective nature of this phrase.  And just as my physical realm laced subtle body is naturally drawn upward (with “upward” meaning “drawn to purify itself from the effects of the physical world”), the subtle body of Deity (and of every life essence that has succeeded in moving towards a level that leaves behind the distractions of the physical world) is drawn downward.  It is this very effect that causes Deity to respond to an attempt to interact, to respond to a prayer or a request for intervention.

In order to communicate, we need to know a bit about the language spoken by the entity we wish to communicate with.  This is why we physically-focused beings meditate and strive to “see” beyond what our physical eyes show us; this is the way we learn to communicate using the language of symbols, which is the language of our Higher Self (“Higher” meaning less physical, not necessarily better), who is able to communicate with Deity.  This means that in order to respond to a request for communication, Deity must remind Itself/Herself/Himself of our language; Deity must immerse a part of Itself/Herself/Himself in the physical realms and “lower” Its/Her/His means of communication (with “lower” meaning closer to the physical, not necessary worse) in order to use the language of words. 

The cool thing is that while this instance describes the movement of the highest and purest essence of life downward to the lowest and physical world-infused essence of life, anyone who teaches or leads is “walking in the footsteps of Deity.”  If we reach the point where the higher vibrational tone of our subtle body draws to it others who are also striving to evolve, we are presented with an opportunity to light the path of another.  In doing so, we are adding to the downward motion of the “so below” part of this cycle.  There is danger here, because it is sooooo easy for us to assume that as Teacher, we are God, or at least the mouthpiece of God.  And this is sooooo not true!  The only reason I am where I am is because someone else went before me, and took the time to look backward and to plant the seeds and challenges that have guided me.  These realizations, this Aha! Moment I had this morning and am attempting to document using the ineffective language of words, have only come to be because I have followed the training of others.  Yes, I myself have opened to the message, and that is not a skill to belittle, but receiving the download and installing the program and then starting the program so it can run does not make me God. 

It only makes me someone who can occasionally manage to tap into the Sacred Essence of the Source, and actually understand the glimpse I am given.  

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The Chariot reversed/The Hierophant reversed. The Chariot corresponds with Water (cold/binds and wet/adapts, and sensitive, emotional and imaginative energy that likes to stay the same or follow the same course), Cancer (“I feel,” sensitive, tenacious, nurturing, moody), Cheth (the fence), and the Path between Geburah (the place where forms and structure are challenged or affirmed) and Binah (female receptive energy and the origin of form and structure), and is related to emotional control and the training of our emotions so that we can use them to bring greater good into our lives. 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).  This is a conservative card whose power is based on orthodox and proven systems.  Both cards are reversed, and I think they have an interesting message for me.  One of the interpretations of the reversed Chariot is **not** putting oneself first.  Upright, this card tells of using our skills and ability to focus in order to achieve goals, but reversed, it could very well be warning me today that my goals should not be first on my list.  The reversed Hierophant could be possibly reinforcing this interpretation of The Chariot; since The Hierophant is an expert in culture and tradition, and since the card is reversed, I might be being told today that I am not the expert I believe myself to be, and maybe I had better stop and listen to what others have to say.

My Thoth card is the Eight of Swords. “Interference,” and this is my only upright card today in my regular card throws.  The Eight of Swords (Jupiter, expansiveness and growth, justice, fortune, in Gemini, “I think,” curious, sociable talkative, dual) shows the confusion and restriction that can result from actively seeking to use only the intellect to perceive reality.  I love Paul Huges-Barlow’s keyword for this card, “analysis paralysis.”  This card tells of a situation where I am not able to connect the results of my analysis process to the outer world.  Crowley sees the interference represented by this card as being strongly connected to pure bad luck; the blockages are probably not anything I could prevent, so I should try to ride the wave for today.  Maybe things will be clearer tomorrow.

My Legacy card is Temperance reversed, flavored by the Six of Swords reversed. Temperance connects with Sagittarius (“I seek,” philosophic, adventurous, blundering) Fire (hot/separates and dry/shapes, and spontaneous, impulsive, energetic change), Samekh (the tent post), and the Path between Yesod (the place where patterns and images emerge that may manifest into the physical world of action and outer reality) and Tiphareth (the hub of the creation process where energies harmonize and focus to illuminate and clarify), and it is one of the Major Arcana cards that presents the concept of dynamic balance. The Six of Swords (Mercury, reason, intelligence, education, communication, in Aquarius, “I know,” friendships, the group, cause oriented) is about hitting the reset button in order to move away from a problem or blockage and to begin to recover.  You could say that the upright Six of Swords is moving towards balance and away from imbalance, and since it is reversed and since it is flavoring my reversed Temperance, it could be seen as reinforcing that reversal.  Temperance is also a card of maintaining rather than actively moving, but reversed it can be seen as telling of some kind of motion or interference.  **scratches head**  “Interference”; now where have I heard that word?  LOL.  The reversed Six of Swords can tell of high spirits, which can be seen as an extreme rather than a situation of balance. 

My Pearls of Wisdom 11/11/11 card is the Six of Pentacles. The Six of Pentacles (Moon, feelings and emotions, illusion, imagination, in Taurus, “I have,” Sensual, cautious, stubborn) brings an awareness of resources to the situation, both those that I have and those that I don’t have. The Pearls of Wisdom Six of Pentacles tells of generosity, blessings, and joyous deliverance.  It tells of the coming resolution of a difficulty , or the approach of some breakthrough.  Oh-kay!

My 6-digit date number is 7, the number that tells of a pause and assessment which will require a choice: move on or stay as I am.

My horoscopes: “Practical, scientific, or spiritual ideas of all kinds are your life's blood. Today you might expand your knowledge. Much of what you learn may be based on technology such as telescopes or particle accelerators. You're only scratching the surface today. Much of what you learn may be confusing, but stay with it. It will make more sense to you later.”

And: “Balance out your boisterous, adventurous nature with a bit of discipline today. It is important for you to laugh, but it is also important for you to stay on task with your duties. The good news is that both of these things can work in tandem. They are not mutually exclusive. In fact, one will aid in achieving the other. Be serious, but feel free to have a good time and keep things in perspective, as well.”

My Shadowscapes Insight today is regarding The Chariot.  This lovely card tells of triumph, of self-confidence, and of the maintenance of discipline.  The Shadowscapes Companion says this about The Chariot: “Like the tenuous border where sea meets sky, a constant tension of push and pull of air against liquid is maintained, and to ride to victory, one must be able to achieve the confidence and knowledge to walk upon that fragile surface.”  I am reminded instantly of what the beach looked like tonight, as I waited for the sun to set.  It was low tide, and the waves were gentle but continuous, and large gobs of foam had piled up along the edge of the farthest reaches of the waves.  The foam serves of a reminder of the power of even gentle waves, and of the image of balance that was presented to me at dusk this evening.

The next part of The Emerald Tablet, “It ascends from the earth to the heaven. It extracts the lights from the heights and descends to the earth containing the power of the above and the below for it is with the light of the lights. Therefore the darkness flees from it.” needs to be examined carefully, because it is huge. 

This section tells of rising up, of being refined, of reflected back downward, being refined even more, and then rising back up once again.  I am being given the image of the cycles that happen when “as above” and “so, below” interact; these cycles are endless.  Interestingly enough, the quote from my Shadowscapes Companion seems to relate directly to this part of The Emerald Tablet.  Push and pull, above and below, image and reflection of that image, all keep cycling again and again. 

I am also reminded of the “information highway of lights” that I have been seeing for some time now, since July.  My “tether” to this information highway has grown thick and substantial, and to me, this part of The Emerald Tablet seems to be referring directly to that information highway.  Hmmmm . . . I have not been to the Ancient Altar in a while; maybe it is time that I go there. 

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Knight of Pentacles reversed/Two of Cups.  The Knight of Pentacles (cusp of Leo, “I am,” passionate, dramatic, egotistical, and Virgo, “I serve,” practical, analytical, work and service oriented) tells of persistence to the point of being stubborn, and caution to the point of being boring.  Since the Knight is reversed, I am going to assume that the persistence may be causing me to be overextended, and the caution may be turning into lethargy.  The Two of Cups (Venus, beauty, allure, relationships, in Cancer, “I feel,” sensitive, family and home oriented, tenacious, moody) is about love, usually about relationships and commonalities.  This is a strange pair; I am going to assume that the persistence/overextension is needed, perhaps by someone I care for, and in going the extra mile I will be offering support and a strong foundation.  Okay then.

My Thoth card is the Prince of Cups reversed.  The Prince/Knight of Cups (cusp of Aquarius, “I know,” friendships, the group, cause-oriented, and Pisces, “I believe,” feelings, duality, suffering, soul growth) feels things strongly, and is a dreamer.  The upright Prince is good at hiding his feelings, but since the card is reversed, perhaps I need to let my feelings show a bit today.  Not too crazy, though; don’t want anyone to drop a net over me.  Since this is a Prince/Knight, and it is reversed, I need to be aware of a potential for imbalance.

My Legacy card is the Eight of Coins reversed, flavored by The Emperor.  The Eight of Coins (Sun, the inner core of a person or situation, in Virgo, “I serve,” practical, analytical, sensible, orderly) in an upright position is about being prepared, studying or learning new things, and doing your homework, and because it is reversed, I may find that I am not able to focus on the details that need to be attended to. The Emperor is a Fire card (hot/separates and dry/shapes, and spontaneous, impulsive, energetic change) which corresponds with the astrological sign of Aries (“I want,” action oriented, assertive, competitive) and the Hebrew letter Heh (window, illumination) that represents the power of the mind and of intentions to shape the world.  My Emperor is flavoring my reversed Eight of Coins, and he is telling me that the details I am having trouble connecting to are important. The authority of The Emperor is gained through knowledge and experience, which is transformed into wisdom; looks like education is important to me today, even though I may not want to hit the books.

My Pearls of Wisdom Full Moon card is the Page of Cups.  Look at all the Court Cards!!  The Page of Cups corresponds to Libra (“we are,” partnerships, balance, cooperation), Scorpio (“I desire,” intensity compulsion, mystery) and Sagittarius (“I seek,” philosophic, adventurous, blundering); this Page is intuitive and dreamy, very social in nature.  He is at the mercy of his feelings because he is not yet mature enough to handle them.  Okay, gotta be careful about my feelings and emotions today.

My 6-digit date number is 5, the number of motion that dispels stagnation and brings new insight.

My horoscopes: “Matters of the heart are in your favor today. You should prepare for a day full of social activities and good conversation. Your creative spirit may also be heightened. You can't go wrong picking the right item in a clothing store or flea market. Your taste for the elegant is impeccable, so feel free to indulge.”

And: Things should be going well for you today, so don't miss out on the opportunities that await you. There is a sparkle in your eye that is unmistakable, and you will find that issues regarding love and romance are especially potent at this time. Love is on your side, and you should take this opportunity to delve deep into a love affair. Take a trip with the person or people you enjoy the most.”

My Shadowscapes Insight is regarding the Queen of Pentacles.  Another Court Card!  “‘Carry this as a token and a reminder that I am always here,’ she says, taking a leaf from the boughs that whisper a singing susurrus from around her.”  This one has a very personal message for me.  This evening, I performed a solitary Oak Moon Esbat, during which I made a tether, using an oak leaf, a green and fresh oak leaf, that I found on the ground.  Thank you, Queen of Pentacles.

It has been a busy, busy week.  But I feel great.  I gave some Vedic-Thai Bodywork to a friend of a friend.  Awesome.  I wrote a Full Moon Esbat and a New Moon Esbat, connected by a related pre-Esbat meditation and a magickal working.  And I wrote a Yule Sabbat ritual and a pre-Sabbat meditation, which need review but the main work is done.  **smile**  I am pleased and proud of what I have accomplished.  But LOL, I think I am done with typing.

Tomorrow is 11/11/11; should be an interesting day. 

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Nine of Pentacles/The Universe/World reversed. The Nine of Pentacles (Venus, beauty, allure, relationships, in Virgo, “I serve,” practical, analytical, work and service oriented) is a card of accomplishment through the imposition of discipline. This card also reminds me that in the end, I need to rely on myself.  I need to attempt to handle the situation on my own, and have confidence in my ability to do so.  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) is about synergy, integration and fulfillment, and my card is reversed today.  Okay, more isolation, but not necessarily bad isolation

My Thoth card is the Two of Cups reversed.  “Love” is Uncle Al’s keyword for the Two of Cups (Venus, beauty, allure, relationships, in Cancer, “I feel,” sensitive, family and home oriented, tenacious, moody) which in an upright position is also about love, usually about relationships and commonalities.  My Two of Cups is reversed, and so it is telling of . . . drum roll . . . a sense of isolation.  Sound familiar?  The thing about this card is that in a reversed position it has a flavor of self-absorption; that could make things difficult.

My Legacy card is the Seven of Coins reversed, flavored by the King of Wands reversed.  The Seven Coins (Saturn, discipline, responsibility, law and order, in Taurus, “I have,” sensual, cautious, stubborn) in an upright position tells of isolation.  LOL, no, only kidding.  Actually, the upright Seven tells of pauses and assessments and choices, but since the card is reversed, it is indicating action and direction change, and possibly hardship of some kind in the physical world.  Which indeed can sometimes be isolating.  My King of Wands reversed is flavoring my Seven of Coins reversed. The King of Wands (cusp of Cancer, “I feel,” sensitive, nurturing, moody, and Leo, “I am,” passionate, dramatic egotistical) in an upright position is charismatic and forceful in an admirable way.  He is reversed and flavoring my Seven of Coins reversed with his drama, and this might not be good drama.  Making a splash certainly gets everyone’s attention, but that attention may not be good.  Be careful!

My 6-digit date number is 10, the ending or completion of a cycle of effect or manifestation, which reduces further to the number 1, potential, beginnings and position.

My horoscopes: “Someone who may be something of a local celebrity might suddenly be attracted to you, although at this point neither one of you may be inclined to pursue it. Don't expect much from this person beyond conversation, although this should be very stimulating now. The energy should be strong enough to last beyond the day, so don't be shy about exchanging names and phone numbers.”

And: “Communication with others could be extremely rewarding today - especially later on in the day. Project more of your energy outwards and join with others in projects that you might otherwise try to tackle on your own. Things should flow smoothly today, as long as you take a lighthearted and optimistic approach. Move forward with projects instead of just thinking about them and contemplating their completion.”

My Shadowscapes Insight today is the Knight of Swords.  This Knight is the brave hero who rushes in to save the day.  He does not allow emotion to sway him from his task, and this means that he knows no fear.  He won’t stop until the prize is won and the maiden is saved.  A storm may gather in his wake, born of the turbulence of his fervor, but his sword glows like a beacon to his followers.

Last night, as my Dahling and I stood in our yard, cooking a pair of awesome bone-in ribeyes (yes, while I tend towards being a vegetarian, I can be lured by a big, beautiful, well-marbled hunk of red meat!), I waited patiently for the ISS.  The moon was up, waxing beautifully, and the western sky had lost its reds and oranges, and then suddenly there it was.  A brilliant reddish tinted star, moving across the sky, almost directly overhead!

I thought it would pass into the Earth’s shadow and fade away before passing behind the roofs of the houses to our East, but instead the ISS glowed brightly until I couldn’t see it any more.  What a piece of work is man, how noble in reason, how infinite in faculties.  I won’t go further with that quote by the Bard, which ends in not so admirable a manner, because I am in awe of this handiwork of man.  I feel the same way, every time the glowing ember of the ISS passes over my head.

Today is my absolute favorite “holiday” of the year: Fall Back Day.  For a few short months, my body clock will be much more in tune with my time pieces.  This really does have a huge influence on my alertness, and my energy level, and this influence gets greater as I grow older.  I am spending the day tapping into these lovely, balanced feelings. 

We just took a nice bike ride down to the Cove, and stood for a while beneath a Fall-blue sky, our cheeks warmed by the blazing sun, and watched the waves.  We both inhaled deeply, breathing in the crisp, clean air rich with the essences of sand and surf.  And then we returned home; hubby is watching the Giants, and I am typing this post.

And I am still filled to overflowing with lovely balance.  Happy Fall Back Day, everyone!!

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Seven of Swords reversed/Two of Pentacles.  The Seven of Swords (Moon, feelings and emotions, illusion, imagination, in Aquarius, “I know,” friendships, cause-oriented, the group, aloofness) in an upright position tells of the effort to maintain things as we want them, usually through the use of deception. It tells of going it alone, and hiding from the truth.  But since my Seven of Swords is reversed, this just might be a kinder, nobler and more innocent day.  My bonding with others should be open minded and flexible, thanks to the presence of the Two of Pentacles.  The Two of Pentacles (Jupiter, expansiveness and growth, justice, fortune, in Capricorn, “I build,” ambition, caution, cunning) reminds me that everything always ebbs and flows.  Growth and caution may seem like polar opposites, but actually they are both necessary, together, for true balance.  My Two of Pentacles also tells me that there is a good possibility that any interactions I do have with others today will have a party atmosphere; okay then.

My Thoth card is the Queen of Cups.  The Queen of Cups (cusp of Gemini, “I think,” curious, sociable, dual, and Cancer, “I feel,” sensitive, tenacious, nurturing, moody) is Water of Water, and thus is quite deeply connected to her feelings, her spirituality and her Inner Voice.  This makes her seem a bit passive, but actually her intense awareness of her own feelings and her ability to control them allows her to be objective. I’ve gotta listen to my intuition and to my Inner Voice today because they just might have important messages for me. 

My Legacy card is The Fool reversed, flavored by the Seven of Wands reversed.  The Fool corresponds with Air (hot/separates and wet/adapts, and challenges that tend to require the use of the intellect to solve), Uranus (technology, science, radical change), Aleph (the head, youthful learning) and the Path between Chokmah (male in the electric sense, dynamic energy and the origin of vital force and polarity) and Kether (the source; limitless possibility).  Upright, he tells of new beginnings and of the unexpected, and because he is reversed, he is bringing to me a sense of closing down today.  He is also telling me that this is not the day to blaze a new path; instead I should surround myself with familiar processes and rituals.  These are the things that will be most comfortable for me.  Since my reversed Fool is being flavored by the reversed Seven of Wands(Mars, action, spontaneity, aggression, drive, in Leo, “I am,” passionate, dramatic, natural leader, egotistical, selfish), a very significant card for me in its own right, I think I had better take this time to choose non-action, because perhaps some big events are just over the horizon.  I really do feel that these two cards, both in reversed, and both appearing for me today, are letting me know that something big is coming.

My 6-digit date number is 8, the number that tells of a conscious and deliberate attempt to maintain the vertical and horizontal balance of the number 6 and postpone the pause and degeneration of the number 7.

My horoscopes: “Today you might want to spend some time gardening. In fact, you might have a number of tasks to perform around the house and yard, but you may also have friends waiting. You may get your chores done quickly, and even create new and innovative ways of doing them! Interesting conversations feed your curiosity when you spend time with your friends.”

And: “Devote the day ahead to your children or your partner. You may protest that it's too hard to find the time to give them the quality attention they deserve. You don't even have enough time for yourself, much less anyone else. In any case, you'll probably feel torn between what is expected of you and what you feel you can realistically give. If you want to dispel the inner tension you are feeling, take great care in the choices you make in the next few weeks.”

My Shadowscapes Insight today is regarding the Queen of Swords.  She is intelligent, charming and witty, but her most valuable asset is the ability to see the truth.  The Queen of Swords not only sees truth in the world around her, but she is also able to peek within her own self and find truth there, too.  Because she has learned to do this through trial and error, others are drawn to her; perhaps this is because truth has become an extension of her very soul.

I spent last evening with the PBT.  As usual, we had some very powerful discussions, part of which concerned an upcoming Healing Journey.  The Team’s Reiki practitioner cannot attend, and I have been asked to stand in and take part in the Journey as a member of the team.  I am honored, and excited, about this!  I always feel both grounded and empowered as I drive home from a visit with the Wayne Contingency, and somehow, baring my soul to these much-loved Fellow Travelers, and being trusted with their souls in return, serves to validate who I am and where I am going.  Maybe this is so because I know that I am not alone; there are others, sprinkled throughout my life, who are also Travelling in the same direction. 

Tomorrow, I will be hopefully attending an event at Mystics Cottage, presented by the South Jersey Shore Paranormal Society at Mystics Cottage, the adorable little shop of my friend, the lovely Wendy.  It looks like this group is more Ocean County, but they do have the words “South Jersey Shore” in their name, so this should be interesting.

Again, I am pondering the words: “Separate the earth from the fire and you shall adhere more to that which is subtle than that which is coarse. . .”  These are instructions, and today they are telling me that in order to know my energy body and in order to “hear” the “words” of Deity, I must separate myself from my physical self and from the information, feedback and guidance of my physical senses.  If I practice this, I will become better at it, and if I connect with (and thus, feed and energize) my subtle body (and **duh** sometimes the message is that obvious!) with frequency, it will be drawn to Deity, and Deity will be drawn to me, to my subtle body.  I will be able to hear and to speak, without my physical ears and vocal cords, and the messages both sent and received will “stick” with me and be easier to understand if I deliberately shut off my connection to the messages of my physical body. 

Okay then; I understand that.  And the rest of the section, “. . . through care and wisdom,” is easy enough to understand.  This process needs awareness and focus, and for me at least, it is a delicate process which requires knowledge and an understanding and acceptance of the validity of my own level of experience and expertise.

Finally, some inspiring words, selected from a complete Charge of the God, written by a Sacred Mists First Degree student, SilverTigerLuna.  Her entire Charge of the God is lovely, but these sentences seem to jump out at me.  It is strange that I would be connecting to a Charge of the God at this time of year, between Samhain and Yule, when the God is resting, but I never look a gift horse in the mouth.  They are a fitting finale to my entry; thank you SilverTigerLuna!

I am one with the Lady, the Great Mother, and together we share the secrets of the past, present and future.  Just as I protect and hold dear all livings things beneath the sea, soaring high in the clouds, running free on the earth, the wintery nights, the green of spring, the crops you harvest . . . so you are also precious to Me.  I am your Father, your Protector and Guardian. I will always be with you until the end of time.  Live your life in a state that honors Me and all that is good and worthy. Together we will honor the Great Mother. It is I who dies and is born again to return each year. And as I do, so shall you be born again, and together we will guard the Earth for all eternity.

Selected text from Charge of the God, by SilverTigerLuna”

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