Ten of Wands/The Hierophant. The Ten of Wands (Saturn, discipline, responsibility, limitations and resistance, in Sagittarius, “I seek,” philosophic, fun-loving, blundering) tells of being taxed to some perceived limit, or of feeling as if we are out of gas at the bottom of a hill.  The suit of Wands corresponds to Fire, and when Fire runs out of fuel, it dies away.  The point here is that I may be feeling overburdened, but perhaps this is because I am looking at the big picture.  I have taken on these responsibilities willingly, and perhaps if I look at them one at a time, rather than all of them at once, I might be able to get a better handle on things.  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 card is an archetype of Spirit (with The Emperor as archetype of the Sacred Masculine, The Empress as archetype of the Sacred Feminine, and all three representing the supernal triad) that reminds us of the value of tradition, ritual and ceremony.  The Hierophant guards tradition, ritual and ceremony, he lives it, and he shares it with others.  He dedicates himself to meeting his responsibilities, for the higher good of all.  Looks like he’s telling me to grit my teeth and get some stuff done.

My Thoth card is the Knight of Cups reversed. The Thoth Knight corresponds with the rank of King in other decks.  The Knight/King of Cups (cusp of Libra, “We are,” partnerships, balance, cooperation, and Scorpio, “I desire,” intense, controlling mysterious, obsessive) in an upright position is the expert on emotions and the subconscious, mainly because of his life experiences.  These will not be effective pursuits for me today because my card is reversed.  I may not have the focus necessary to direct my feelings or to hear and react to my Inner Voice.  Most important is that I not become cranky if things don’t go as planned.

My Legacy card is the Two of Swords flavored by the Ten of Coins. The Two of Swords (Moon, feelings and emotions, illusion, imagination, in Libra, “We are,” partnerships, balance, cooperation) represents a time of not looking or of shutting out the world.  The serenity of this card happens because we are vigilant and on guard, and because we are controlling our thoughts and actions.  The isolation associated with this card can bring the possibility of some kind of deception into play; the serenity experienced because of isolation may not actually be reality.  The Ten of Coins (Mercury, reason, intelligence, education, communication, in Virgo, “I serve,” practical, analytical, work and service oriented), which is flavoring my Two of Swords, represents physical world wealth and bounty, and the attempt to maintain the status quo.  Okay then, isolation just might bring a mistaken perception that all is going well in my physical world.  I should look twice before deciding what to do, and I should remember that I need input from more than logic.

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

My horoscopes: “Low biorhythms could have you feeling a little depressed. You may tend to doubt your goals and abilities. Don't let this send you into a fit of gloom, Sagittarius. All is better than it seems. Realize that today you're likely to blow every little setback out of proportion. Give everything you try your very best effort. Go out tonight and have a good time!”

And: “The fire in your belly is heating up, and you may find yourself quite anxious to prove an important point at this time. Don't be surprised if you ram heads with someone on an issue that is charged with political jargon. Be careful of buying into someone's mind-set without doing the research to actually see where this person is coming from, and what exactly it is that he or she wants from you.”

My Shadowscapes Insight is regarding the Ten of Swords.  The energies of this card spiral around us in an ever-tightening circle, making events appear dire.  Sometimes there is nothing else to do but ride the wave, and then pick up the pieces once the water recedes.  Sometimes, though, the discomfort is caused by the ending of delusion; we can only hope.

Well, Lesson 10 of Third Degree is 95 percent completed.  I should be able to submit it by the end of the weekend, at the latest after my YTT Intensive 4, which is this Sunday.  Today, I will be auditing class number 3 of the required 4 and then doing more of the YTT homework, and I will be attending three practices this week as well.  I should be in good shape for this weekend’s Intensive.

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