Queen of Wands/Seven of Pentacles reversed.  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, gives 100% of herself, and always has a smile on her face.  This Queen is about being noticed for her abilities and yet being gracious about her abilities, and she tells me this graciousness is important today.  The Seven of Pentacles (Saturn, discipline, responsibility, law and order, in Taurus, “I have,” sensual, cautious, stubborn) tells of pauses and choices and assessments.  Because it is a number 7 card, and because it is of the suit of Pentacles (which corresponds with the element of Earth), it is a bit of a heavy card.  My Seven of Pentacles is reversed, so the heaviness and pause of the suit may not slow me down.

My Thoth card is the Ten of Disks reversed.  “Wealth” is Crowley’s keyword for the Ten of Pentacles (Mercury, reason, intelligence, education, communication, in Virgo, “I serve,” practical, analytical, work and service oriented) which represents physical world wealth and bounty, and the attempt to maintain the status quo.  My Ten of Pentacles is reversed, like my Seven of Pentacles above, so the stability of the suit will not hold me back.  I guess I should also not only focus on Wealth in the material sense; there are other bounties besides coins.

My Legacy card is the Page of Cups, flavored by Temperance reversed.  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), and is very emotional, dreamy, social, and connected to the inner voice.  This Page tells me some new ways of seeing these things may be available to me. Temperance corresponds 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 Temperance is reversed, balance may not be beneficial or easily attained.  My Page perhaps wishes that balance not be my main focus.

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

My horoscopes: “An important aspect has passed, and you are in the process of reaping the benefit from it, Sagittarius. It was only a matter of becoming aware of and settling certain matters related to your need for social recognition. Don't be so hungry for approval, Sagittarius. Most people contain a stern inner authority figure and can survive comfortably and self-sufficiently. In fact, it's your greatest strength.”

And: “A good tactic today would be to convert your fears into motivation for positive action. There is a great deal of energy at your disposal, so don't waste it. Be aware that it is one of those situations when the smallest comment or insult may set off a huge chain reaction of misinformation or battles. People are emotionally charged, so be careful where you step.”

My Shadowscapes Insight is regarding the Eight of Wands.  I love the image on this one, of someone blowing a dandelion flower and sending the little seeds with their tiny umbrellas off into the world.  Will they land on fertile soil, or on desert?  That is for another time; now I should concentrate on the emanation of energy that starts the seeds on their journeys, and leave the arrival at destinations for the future.  Unless I begin the journey, the destinations won’t matter!

Okay, we’ve done Heavy and Light, Liquid and Dry.  Today, I will talk about the gunas of Hot and Cold. 

Hot corresponds to the element of Fire, and in Ayurveda represents anything that will increase the body’s temperature and cause perspiration.  Heat causes the body’s blood vessels at the skin level to engorge in order to cool the core temperature and thus, appetite and effective digestion are decreased.  Hot weather can make the body comfortable and grounded, but too much heat can cause dizziness, lethargy and fainting.  Heat causes expansion of all kinds, and can increase passions, courage and valor, but also can increase irritability and impatience.  Spicy foods bring blood back to the digestive track, and vinegar is considered Hot because it is acidic.  Too much Hot can be treated by Bitter, Astringent, Sweet, and of course, Cold.  But Hot water is one of the most beneficial herbal medicines; when we drink Hot water, we bring blood to the digestive track to improve digestion and absorption of food, and we increase circulation; Hot water is actually the primary therapy for fever in Ayurveda.  And, it is a decongestant for “recovering Kaphas” like me.

Cold corresponds to the elements of Air and Water.  Being Cold slows the heart beat, causes weakness, slurred speech and lack of coordination.  Cold causes contraction, and thus it can actually raise blood pressure as the vessels constrict.  Cold restricts all fluid motion, including the digestive fluids, and thus it can inhibit digestion; Cold stiffens muscles, dries the skin, and increases evidence of ageing.  Our bodies work hard to digest our food in order to create heat, and exposing the body to drafts or Cold can stress our organs.  The best way to stay healthy is to be warm (Hot) and Oily.  Too much Cold can be treated with Hot, and with Pungent; the best way to treat too much Cold is with a warm Oil massage and then a hot bath.  For Kaphas, Cold is what slows down our metabolism.  I need to drink more Hot water!

This Saturday, my dance class from Off the Beaten Path will be performing our first veil dance.  We’ve choreographed a nice little dance, and I can’t wait for us to perform it.  The weather should be good, warm even, and hopefully it won’t be too breezy. 

I’ve been feeling a bit of a disconnect these past few weeks.  Probably because I’ve gotten a bit behind in my responsibilities, due to my vacations.  I’m trying not to be overwhelmed.  One step at a time!

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