King of Pentacles/The Hierophant reversed. The King of Pentacles (cusp of Aries, “I want,” action oriented, assertive, competitive, and Taurus, “I have,” sensual, stubborn, cautious, physically oriented) is the expert on the physical world, on physical world resources, and on physical manifestation.  Upright, my King would be encouraging me to focus on the physical world and its slower and more The King of Pentacles is a business man, and because he is upright, I need to be aware that opportunities may very well present themselves to me because of my experience and the skills I’ve honed.  This King may seem dull and unimaginative, but he certainly is good at bringing security and peace of mind to his world.  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), and upright it is an Earth card that has a heavy feel about it, a feeling of needing to fit into specific slots.  My Hierophant is reversed today, so the arcane and spiritual knowledge he preserves will likely not come into play.  Looks like my focus should be more mundane, and more on the physical world.

My Thoth card is The Universe.  Wow; thanks, Uncle Al! The Universe/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, a crystallization of the entire issue at hand.  This card is similar to The Magician because it represents a synergy of the powers and effects of the elements; however, the big difference between the two cards is that The Magician gets his power from the Divine, while those who have reached the stage of The Universe end up with their own power (mainly because of the completeness and the completion of the experiences that brought them to The Universe).  This card can also indicate a bit of a pause as the new cycle begins.

My Legacy card is the Three of Cups reversed, flavored by The Hermit reversed. “Abundance,” or at least emotional abundance, might not be a big part of my day. The Three of Cups (Mercury, reason, intelligence, orderliness, communication, in Cancer, “I feel,” sensitive, tenacious, nurturing, moody) in an upright position is about connections, and about blessings.  But my Three of Cups is reversed, and considering the other cards I threw today, I am feeling that this reversed card is reminding me that sometimes, despite opportunities to enjoy connections with others, I am better off staying just a tiny bit removed from the party.  The Hermit corresponds with Earth (cold/binds and dry/shapes, and material, practical and stable energy that is slow to change), as well as Virgo (“I serve,” practical, analytical, work and service oriented, orderly), Yod (open hand, touch), and the Path between Tiphareth (the hub of the creation process where energies harmonize and focus to illuminate and clarify) and Chesed (the place where forms and structure are stabilized and nurtured), and is about searching within for a deeper meaning.  The Hermit is a pretty serious guy, but since he is reversed, and flavoring my Three of Cups (and validating the presence of the reversed Hierophant above), I think I am being told not to worry about this disconnect.  There are no deep or hidden meanings here, just a mini-mental vacation.  Soon enough I will be back to the grind, might as well enjoy the rest being offered to me.

My 6-digit date number is 4, the number of depth and stability. 

My horoscopes: “Have you been spending a lot of time pushing your body physically, Sagittarius? If so, you may be feeling the effects today. Muscle aches and exhaustion could be taking their toll on you. Forget about projects and chores and take care of yourself for a while. Try to get some rest. You won't be any good to anyone if you make yourself a martyr. Tomorrow you should be your old self again.”

And: “You may seem a bit off kilter with the rest of the world today, but don't sweat it. Today is a good day to finish up some projects that really need to get done. Your head may be a bit up in the clouds and your emotions may be a bit more foggy than usual. Bring more of your fantasy world into the current reality. Don't just talk about lofty ideas and beautiful dreams, live them. You have the power to change every situation for the better. The future is wide open.”

My Shadowscapes Insight is regarding the Seven of Pentacles.  This card is traditionally about stopping to view the lush and healthy fruits of focused labor, and the Shadowscapes Seven of Pentacles is no exception.  This card also presents a choice, a crossroad of sort, and there really is neither a right or wrong choice to be made.  We can either decide that the fruits are ready for harvesting, or we can decide that the fruits would be better served by spending one more day on the vine.  The risks?  Picking now may mean that the fruits are still sour; picking later may mean that the fruits are past peak and beginning to rot.  A choice must be made, though, for even **not** choosing is still a choice.

Well, we are still in the midst of a heat wave, and surrounded by the three H’s (hazy, hot and humid), but I am doing much better.  I am continuing to keep myself hydrated.  I am making certain that I do my workout in the morning and my walk later in the day, after the sun is lower in the sky, and I feel as if the heat is actually helping me to cleanse toxins from my body.

Back on May 17^th, I talked about the gunas of Hot and Cold.  Here is what I said about Hot:

“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.”

Duh.  The one thing I did not try when I felt so agitated was drinking Hot water.  I showered in it, but did not consume it.  Believe me, the very next heat wave that appears, I will be testing this out.

The Joyful Belly website (my current source of Ayurvedic information) states that when there is too much heat, the mind becomes hot tempered, angry or irritable, and impatient. Yep, I can vouch for that.  Of course, those are the uncomfortable states associated with Hot; heat also increases courage, passion, and valor, and assists to project the personality outward. Perhaps that is why spiritual seekers turn their focus inward when the weather turns cool.

Any irritation or wound, fermentation in the small intestine, liver imbalance, infection, exercise, hot food, or too much clothing can bring about a Hot imbalance.  We would consume different things for different Hot imbalance causes.  For example, Astringent can relieve inflammation of the gut.  Milk, cucumber, cilantro and watermelon are cooling to the body.  And of course, washing your face or spritzing yourself with cool water will also balance out Hot.

And as a reminder to myself, following is a direct quote from the Joyful Belly website: “Hot water is one of the most powerful herbal medicines. As hot weather brings blood to the surface of the skin, hot water brings blood to the GI tract. Flush with the blood, hot water improves digestion, absorption and assimilation of food. Hot water improves circulation. It is a powerful diaphoretic that opens the surface, and the primary therapy for fever in Ayurveda.”

We’ve got a house full of company this weekend.  And, I am expecting some baby birds!  Four eggs in the nest, and the hatching should begin soon.

$>