Transparent Oracle Sunday!

40, Elemental: Gnome (North).  North is the direction of Earth, and thus of the physical or physically formed or manifested world, and of nurturing, health, finances and security, and the wisdom associated with living simply, being well-grounded, and being in touch with our physical body.  The Gnome is about hard work, strength and patience; Gnome is the guardian of the Earth who meets each responsibility fully and completely; he may appear serious, but he is capable of some mischief.  And woe is the person who damages what he guards!

60, Polarity: Red Dragon (Below). The direction of Below is not easily associated with spirituality, yet it is a powerful symbol representing the opportunity to create a strong foundation, and to connect to the tools and powers of the Underworld.  The Red Dragon’s energy begins within, and radiates outward with amazing power.  While the Red Dragon is in a sense about balance, it presents only one extreme for our consideration: inner power that expands outward.  This card is about passions and drive, and even the life essence itself, all of which begin within and then manifest outward. 

61, Gateway: The Self (Within). Within is the direction of the Self, and thus the cards associated with this direction deal with the ways our Self connects to the world and perceives the world, and the Self.  This direction is mostly abstract, and yet is our bridge to the Universe around us.  This card is considered a “blank canvas,” in that it has faces and hands like the other Within cards, but there are no traits or textures or shapes or colors infused into the faces and hands.  That is because each of us is unique; this is a great significator card, and I am choosing to accept The Self as offering a message: “These cards offer a unique message to you, but that message must be perceived through your own unique senses and interpreted through your own unique intellect.”  This card tells us that the first and main purpose of life and living is to get to know our individual Self.

I then built my mandala.  Right away, I could see that my Red Dragon seemed to be supporting the Gateway card and the Gnomes.  Each Gnome, facing outward, seems to be emanating from each Self card, which is facing inward, toward the center of the circle.  There is an amazing balance to be perceived from this combination and mandala!  We have the outward and expanding focus of that Red Dragon; that outward energy is moving upward through the other two cards.  The energies of The Self look inward, and they remind me that without a foundation, those outer emanating energies will end up veering off course.  I think the first card is not only about honoring my physical self and physical world (and every entity and effect within both myself and my world), but it is telling me that now, the month of January in the middle of Winter, is the time to do the difficult work . . . that which focuses inward.

I seem to be receiving this message, again and again.  This is truly the time to look within, to illuminate the darkness.  I found a beautiful poem online, written as a powerful tool for self-examination, renewal and transformation.  It spoke to me, and it seemed to be directing me to look within.  I have a weekend to myself, and I am accomplishing task after task that involves the search through the dark, dusty, cobweb-festooned inner parts of my mind and my being.  And, my work on my current Third Degree homework has shifted focus, as if to say, “No, this is not the time to manifest **that** intention; better to work now on manifesting **this** intention.” 

Even the ritual I was working on this weekend to be performed with my beloved PBT has changed.  I originally thought it would be interesting to create an Imbolc celebration to be shared with everyone.  But once I sat down and began to craft the ritual itself, everything seemed to send me away from that idea.  I began this process with a focus on the returning light of Spring, and ended up with a celebration of the Dark Moon, to be performed the evening before the moon actually became new.  And the focus of that Esbat?  Clearing the way for more effective Inner Work, of course!

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