3/29/15 Transparent Oracle Sunday!

Transparent Oracle Sunday!  So the interesting thing is that despite a good shuffle, I threw the same cards as last Sunday.  Sooooo, I guess that message still applies.  I shuffled and threw three more cards,

16, Guide: Snake (South). South is the direction of the midday sun and the peak of power and illumination; this direction is associated with passionate drive and creativity.  Snake has powerful symbolism in our world; it is seen to represent many medical/healing modalities, and the Kundalini energy.  Snake corresponds with the dragon, and is seen as a mundane representation of that mythical beast.  Because Snake can shed its skin and appear renewed, it is associated with healing, fertility, regeneration and rebirth.  Snake can access places that would be out of reach for most of us, and so Snake can share both knowledge and wisdom.  However, the knowledge and wisdom owned and shared by Snake is neutral, and we need to be careful what we choose to do with what we learn.  Eve learned that lesson in the Garden of Eden.

1, Gateway: Spring (East).  East is the direction of the rising sun, and thus of new beginnings and fresh ideas, as well as knowledge, intellectual ideas and thoughts.  The Gateway of Spring brings us fresh new beginnings and the first blossoming of creativity.  There is an innocence about the energies of this Gateway, and an optimism, and perhaps these lovely energies will bring new insights, as well as new creativity.

49, Saturn (Above). The direction of Above takes us up and out of the four traditional elements of Air, Fire, Water and Earth, and reminds us that we are but a small part of the Cosmos.  Above also reminds us that while the Machinery of the Universe is huge, it does have an effect on each of us, and each of us is an important part of the workings of that Machinery.  The planet Saturn is about structure and boundaries, and about constricting energies within a particular format, often involving time.

I then stacked my cards and created my mandala.  What a beautiful image!  Snakes are emanating from the Gateway of Spring, and everything is being kept under control by Saturn.  I actually like this because while the mandala is brimming with outward-moving energy, that energy is being shaped and formed.  Newness, regeneration and healing are all a part of the energies around me and within me, but so is the understanding that I always have an effect on my world, so I should choose the way I manifest each moment, with care.

My cards last week reminded me to control my emotions and feelings.  This week, I am being warned of the dangers of allowing lethargy to take hold.  Can’t wait to see what happens next week!

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3/28/15 Two of Pentacles reversed, The Empress reversed

Today I will use the Llewellyn Welsh Tarot.  I was drawn to the beautiful, dream-like images on this deck, and have only used it for my own readings.  Today, I threw the Two of Pentacles reversed, and The Empress reversed. 

The Two of Pentacles (Jupiter, expansiveness and growth, justice, fortune, in Capricorn, “I build,” ambition, caution, cunning) reminds us that everything always ebbs and flows, and we need to do the same in order to remain dynamically balanced.  Change is what allows stability to be functional, and I should keep that in mind.  I should also remember that surviving this kind of dynamic balance can only happen if I am aware on many levels.

The image on the Llewellyn Welsh Two of Pentacles shows a person able to focus on his task despite many, many physical world distractions.  The sky is heavy with dark clouds, the waves are capped with foam and appear to be ready to sweep over the pier on which our figure is standing.  The sails of the ships sailing on the stormy sea are filled with wind.  And yet, the figure stands in Tree Pose, juggling two Pentacles with skill.  Because my card is reversed, attempting to juggle with all these distractions might end with my embarrassment.  Woops!  Dropped both Pentacles and the waves swept them away!

The Empress (my significator card, which corresponds with Earth (cold/binds and dry/shapes, and stable, material, practical energies that are slow to change), Venus (beauty, allure, pleasure, relationships), the Hebrew letter Daleth (door or womb) and the Path between Binah (female receptive energy and the origin of form and structure) and Chokmah on the Tree of Life (dynamic male energy and the origin of vital force and polarity)) is one half of the Major Arcana representation of the Sacred Feminine (along with The High Priestess), the half that is about creativity, fertility of all kinds, a deep connection to Nature and the nurturing of others, and an enjoyment of the senses. My Empress, who is the mother of form, tells of creative intelligence; she reveals the concepts guarded by The High Priestess, and she encourages me to immerse myself in the manifestations of the physical world. 

The dominant color on the Llewellyn Welsh Empress is green, and that is the color we are all looking for as we wait for Spring to finally arrive.  Because my Empress is reversed, there may not be obvious pleasures to be had in my natural surroundings.  But like my Pentacles card, this Earth card is in my spread, even if it is reversed.  The pleasures and fertility of my Empress are available, just not easily attained.

Both of these cards make sense to me today.  I’ve been sluggish since I got up this morning, despite sipping my third cup of French roast.  But I am attempting to not allow this lethargy to hold me back.  I’ve already been for a nice walk, and plan on going on another later this afternoon.  I’ve done a bit of Tai Chi, and will do my Yin/Flow Yoga practice later today.  Yeah, I may be dragging my butt around, but I am attempting to turn these cards upright.  I will, however, heed the warning and keep alert.  I don’t want to fall on my face out there.  If I can go to bed with a sense of accomplishment, I will deem the day a success. 

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3/27/15 The Sun reversed and the Three of Cups

Back to the Thoth Tarot today.  I threw The Sun reversed and the Three of Cups. 

The Sun corresponds with Fire (hot/separates and dry/shapes, spontaneous, impulsive and energetic change), our Sun (the inner core of a person or situation), Resh (the face; reason), and the Path between Yesod (the place where patterns and images emerge that may manifest in the physical world) and Hod (provides analysis and communication), and it tells of a time of enlightenment and peace that comes after the completion of some ordeal.

The Thoth Sun card is brilliantly lit, and includes a pair of dancing figures and the signs of the solar zodiac.  Crowley sees this one as representing truth, glory, pleasure, gain and riches, as well as shamelessness and vanity. The Sun is about manifestations of all kinds, as well as recovery from sickness.  The reversed Sun is not a bad card; we modern humans understand that our sun does not blink out at night, nor does it die as the Fall comes to an end.

The Three of Cups (Mercury, reason, intelligence, orderliness, communication, in Cancer, “I feel,” sensitive, tenacious, nurturing, moody) is about connections, emotional abundance, and about blessings.  This card shows what could be born from the potential to experience potent emotions and feelings of the Ace, and the caring, attraction and chemistry of the Two.

To Crowley, the Three of Cups represents abundance of all kinds.  It is a card that reminds us that love is fruitful, and dreams do come true.  The Thoth Three of Cups is also about hospitality, eating and drinking, and even new clothes.

Today will be a good day, filled with abundance and pleasure.  The clouds may be covering the sky (it is a cold, rainy day, so The Sun is literally reversed), but the Spring flowers are just poking their heads up from the cold, wet ground.  Even with The Sun in a reversed position, its golden light enriches us all. 

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3/22/15 Transparent Oracle Sunday!

Transparent Oracle Sunday!

15, Landscape: Desert (South). South is the direction of the midday sun and the peak of power and illumination; this direction is associated with passionate drive and creativity.   Desert represents an extreme environment that upon initial examination seems to preclude life; actually this Landscape just challenges life, severely, but if we see that challenge as a chance to test our endurance and our ability to adapt to difficult situations, we will prosper.

28, Guide: Frog (West). West is the direction of Water, and thus, of feelings and emotions, relationships of all kinds, cleansing and healing, the wisdom associated with natural endings, and the bubbling up of pure joy.  Water is necessary for Frog to exist and thrive.  Frog tells of fertility and creativity, and Frog also represents the amazing transformations that occur during a lifetime.  We need to grow and adapt to the situations that present themselves, and Frog is an expert at this!  Frog has a permeable skin, so this card is also associated with healing and empathy and healing, and with partnerships.

4, Time of Day: Dawn (East).  East is the direction of the rising sun, and thus of new beginnings and fresh ideas, as well as knowledge, intellectual ideas and thoughts.  Dawn is a magickal time, a crossroad between the quiet and serenity of night, and the action and manifestation of the day.  With the first rays of the rising sun we move out of our dreaming consciousness and into an awakened perception, and it is during this crossroad that we might be able to bring the messages of our dreams into the light of day, so we can better manifest them.

I then stacked my cards and created my mandala.  At first glance, Frog looks like he is surrounded by trouble.  Frog is bracketed by Desert, an environment that offers very little water, and Dawn, the beginning of the sun’s fiery trip across the heavens.  Not a drop of water in sight!  What I need to remember today is that often the best ideas and the most creative concepts are born smack dab in the middle of a hostile environment and rather than whither up and die, they thrive under adversity.  I need to shield myself from these uncomfortable conditions but my shield needs to be permeable, like the skin of Frog.  Emotions and feelings need to flow with control, not so much that they are all sucked out of me, but not so little that I shut myself away from the rest of the world, and the assistance to be had.  Dawn offers dew and the remnants of half-remembered dreams, both of which can be taken with us as we move into the day.  Perhaps a drop of dew or a fragment of a dream will sustain me through the coming heat and dryness.

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3/21/15 Daughter/Page of Wands and Death reversed

Back to the Wild Unknown Tarot!  My cards are the Daughter of Wands and Death reversed. 

The Daughter is equal to the Page. The Page of Wands (Cancer, “I feel,” sensitive, tenacious, nurturing, moody; Leo, “I am,” passionate, dramatic noble egotistical; and Virgo, “I serve,” practical, analytical, work and service oriented) is fun to be around, unless you have a migraine. He is about being open to new experiences and about being enthusiastic about whatever is happening, and his optimism just might tip things into the right direction.  He is reversed today, and my energies might be a bit scattered.  My easily distracted state of mind might not be a hindrance, though.

The image on the Wild Unknown Daughter of Wands is beautiful.  The snake (the symbol of Wands in this deck) is vibrantly colored, as if she had just completed shedding her skin.  She is coiled around her Wand, a branch from a flowering cherry tree.  Flowering cherries symbolize clouds, the birthplace of the lightning strike, and they symbolize the ephemeral nature of life (a concept which has a name, “mono no aware,” the awareness of impermanence.  The serpent on this card has almost completed positioning herself in the symbol of eternity, the figure 8.  But the symbol is not complete; another indication of impermanence.  This image seems to be telling me to enjoy and take advantage of the beauty of “now,” because it is a unique work of art, gone in a blink of an eye.

The Death card of the Major Arcana corresponds with Water (cold/binds and wet/adapts, and sensitive, imaginative energy that strives to stay the same or take the same course), Scorpio, Nun (fish head; liberation), and the Path between Tiphareth (the hub of the creation process where energies harmonize and focus to illuminate and clarify) and Netzach (the stimulating factors of emotion and inspiration), and it tells of natural change that cannot be stopped, and that usually involves the potential to step upward on the evolutionary ladder. Many people fear this card, but Death can be seen as representing natural change through alchemic putrefaction.  This card also reminds us that in order for the seed to sprout, it must be destroyed or broken open.

I adore the image on the Wild Unknown Death card; it absolutely captures the idea of transformation without bringing in the fear.  Here is the duckling of The Fool and the swan of the Cups Court Cards of this deck, or at least what is left of them after their life forces have departed and their bodies have mostly decayed and gone back to where they began so new life can spring from their ingredients.  There are still some feathers left, and a beak on the skull, like the fading memories left in our minds of someone who was once alive.  Most of what was here once has gone on to another plane of existence, the life force back to the Divine and the body back to the Earth.  We don’t know what it is like to die, but there is a rightness to this image that reassures.  Life may not be forever, but neither is Death.

Endings are as necessary in life as beginnings, and today I am being reminded that the cycles of life, no matter how pleasant or feared they may be, have a beauty about them.  Our life cycles have an elegant simplicity about them.  Nothing is wasted, and everything has value.  As I move away from the changes and transformations that have occurred for me over the past months, I need to remember to not dwell too much on the events of the past, or the possibilities of the future.  Instead, I should embrace this moment in time and look for the possibilities hidden within it.  They have so much to offer me, and they are right here, in my hands.  How exciting is that??!!

Ostara Blessings!

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3/19/15 Ace of Swords and Nine of Coins reversed

Today I am going back to my Legacy of the Divine cards.  The Legacy Tarot is a favorite of mine for doing readings for others.  The cards I threw today are the Ace of Swords and the Nine of Coins reversed. 

The Ace of Swords (Capricorn, “I build,” ambition, caution authority, cunning, Aquarius and Pisces, “I believe,” feeling, duality, soul growth, artistic) tells of the birth of ideas and concepts; it offers the power to analyze that is necessary in order to make good choices, to determine personal truth, and in order to react correctly to events in our day.   This card is about intellectual potential, and it is about that feeling that occurs when lightning strikes and a new idea is formed.  If we are lucky, the ideas presented by this card just might last through to manifestation.

The Legacy Ace of Swords shows bald eagles soaring around a Sword, point facing downward (ownership), with the insignia of Air on the hilt.  Thoughts can go anywhere, and the workings of the mind and the intellect can be noble and far-seeing.  These are things to remember today.

The Nine of Coins (Venus, beauty, allure, relationships, in Virgo, “I serve,” practical, analytical, work and service oriented) in an upright position tells of accomplishment through the imposition of discipline. 

The Legacy Nine of Coins makes me think of The Empress, and in a lot of ways this card in an upright position can be seen as a Minor Arcana version of The Empress.  The Legacy card also hints at seeing these accomplishments through rose-colored glasses.  Affluence and comfort allow us to spend time focusing inward, true; and that ability to shut out the world and focus inward might not be possible without affluence and comfort. 

But since this Nine is reversed, perhaps I am being told that an obsession with setting up the resources necessary to look within might be counterproductive.  Today I should not worry about being able to please the senses.  Those kinds of resources are huge distractions to me today.  Instead, I need to use the power of my mind (and the strength of Will, carefully honed) to keep me on the straight and narrow

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3/18/15 Six of Disks reversed and Five of Wands reversed

I’m feeling the urge to pick um my Thoth Tarot (let’s be honest, my deck has been yelling and screaming and stamping its feet because it feels ignored!), so that’s the deck I’m using today.  My cards are the Six of Disks (“Success”) reversed and the Five of Wands (“Strive”) reversed.  LOL, are my cards still having a tantrum?  Let’s interpret, and see.

The Six of Disks (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, in both the upright and reversed position. This card shows us what happens when we don’t let the apparent failure of the Five of Disks hold us back.

Crowley sees the Six of Disks as a card of balance, and while that balance is fertile, it is also temporary.  The Thoth Six of Disks offers a brief reward for our efforts, and a glimpse of a possible end result that will bring success.  My card is reversed today, and while I do need to remember that resources are important, it is more important to remember that those resources are not the be-all and end-all of the project. 

The Five of Wands, which corresponds with Saturn (discipline, responsibility, law and order) in Leo (“I am, passionate, dramatic, egotistical) in an upright position indicates a struggle caused by annoying cross-purposes, or this discomfort could be caused by growing pains. The traditional image on this card makes me laugh, and makes me remember setting up a tent in order to camp.  LOL, talk about cross-purposes!

The Thoth Five of Wands shows ten flames separated by Wands.  DuQuette describes this one as “a picture of hot, pressurized magma struggling to reach the surface of the volcano, but frustrated by the sheer weight of the mountain itself.”  That makes sense, in a unique “Uncle Al” way. 

Things can get done, and done in a beneficial way, without any resources at all, so I can’t allow myself to become too dependent on the resources.  This is the lesson that all mages need to learn once they accumulate their personal tools.  Don’t become dependent on them!  I also need to remember that growth involves discomfort as well as euphoria, and it involves the overcoming of inertia.  This last concept could be the message of both of my cards today.  Struggling against insurmountable odds, even if I fail, is a good way to add to my strength and focus.

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3/16/15 Temperance and The Sun

Today, I am working with the Shadowscapes Tarot, one I haven’t used in a while.  The cards I threw are Temperance reversed and The Sun.  Wow!!

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 presents one version of the concept of balance: balance achieved through knowledge and experience of extremes.  If you split the Major Arcana cards into two horizontal categories, theory and practice, and two vertical categories, active and passive, Temperance falls in the middle of the passive practice cards. You could say that it presents a balanced version of active, outer energy and passive, inner energy, and even if releasing that which cannot be changed does not solve the problem, it will allow the return of this beautiful balance.

The Shadowscapes Temperance card shows a woman working with a dragon and a phoenix, maintaining a balance of opposites by providing small adjustments here and there, as needed.  “Without water, fire rages utterly unchecked and all-consuming, burning itself out eventually in a terrible conflagration.  And without fire, the waters are lightless and drowning, flooding until there is only a still, silent mirror of nothing.”  Limits need to be defined in order to achieve balance. 

The Sun corresponds with Fire (hot/separates and dry/shapes, spontaneous, impulsive and energetic change), our Sun (the inner core of a person or situation), Resh (the face; reason), and the Path between Yesod (the place where patterns and images emerge that may manifest in the physical world) and Hod (provides analysis and communication), and it tells of a time of enlightenment and peace that comes after the completion of some ordeal. 

The Sun is golden and warm, and its light illuminates all.  We are reminded within the Shadowscapes Sun card that our Sun is a star, similar to the twinkling lights of night.  However the light of our Sun lights our world so its splendor can be perceived.  

The Shadowscapes Tarot does not have reversals, so I am going to interpret that reversed Temperance card as telling me that balance will be achieved today, but not by expected methods.  Things might seem to be upside-down today, but that in itself can offer balance, and if I believe that for today, even an upside-down balance will turn to golden light, I will end the day with a smile on my face.  Both of these cards have golden fire on them, the phoenix on Temperance and the sun on The Sun.  Light will lace its way through the day, hopefully allowing me to see in all the dark corners.

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3/15/15 Transparent Oracle Sunday!

Transparent Oracle Sunday!

29, Guide: Turtle (West). West is the direction of Water, and thus, of feelings and emotions, relationships of all kinds, cleansing and healing, the wisdom associated with natural endings, and the bubbling up of pure joy.  Water is Turtle’s environment, but not only Water, for many Turtles are at home on Earth (and in fact, Turtles lay their eggs on Earth).  Turtle offers us an opportunity to learn about protection; not the kind of protection that shuts out the world but rather, the kind of protection that allows us to dive deep and explore the unknown without fear.  Turtle is also slow and steady, is patient, and endures; Turtle has a long lifespan, and has existed relatively unchanged since ancient times.  Turtle’s shell shows us how to exist in spite of the churning eddies of life, without being affected by them.  After all, she is able to safely travel between the worlds because she is well-protected.

61, Gateway: The Self (Within). 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.

35, Landscape: Forest (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.  Forest is about the results over the long term, results which happen because of fertility and nurturing and patience; Forest represents the manifestation of age and wisdom and patience, connections (and results) that are not openly apparent but rather, like roots under the ground, are all around us.  Different energies can work together; a Forest is proof of that.

I then stacked my cards and created my mandala.  This one has a different feel from the past few weeks; rather than a sense of accomplishment, my first instinct with this one is a sense of blockage.  Getting to know myself is an ongoing process, I know this, and from the messages in these cards I am getting a hint that it is time to examine a new layer of the Self.  It seems that self-protection will be an important part of this process, the ability to shut things out, the ability to open completely, and the ability to open to what I need or want and still filter out distractions.  This is a long-term project, for sure, and it won’t be accomplished by just shutting out the outside world.  Time to stick my head out from my protective shell and see what is around me!!

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3/13/15 The Tower reversed and The Lovers

Today I am using the Hermetic Tarot, a black and white deck chock-full of symbolism.  The cards I threw are The Blasted Tower reversed, and The Lovers. 

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)) is one of the Major Arcana cards that talks of adjustments.  This one tells of a violent or explosive correction in the way things are going that usually happens after more gentle corrections don’t bring the needed result.  The destruction caused by The Tower is actually clearing away the old and expired, so new growth can begin, but it might not be fun to experience.  The Tower also shows us what can happen if we cement ourselves into our beliefs.  I love what Oswald Wirth says about The Tower in his book, Tarot of the Magicians: “[The Tower] . . . is less a temple, a house of God, than a sacred building of a body mistakenly identified with God.” 

The image on this card is terrifying.  Lightning bolts rip apart a tall, ornate building, sending people plummeting down.  Even the sun in the upper right corner of the image is frightening.  Instead of rays, we see sharp triangles like the multiple rows of teeth found in a shark’s mouth.  It looks like a pyramid is being shot into the building amidst the lightning bolts; to either side of the building is a tree of life, one white and one dark.  The building itself is tall, and kind of over-fancy.  To be honest, it doesn’t look like it would be sturdy even on a good day, but it would be eye-catching. 

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) tells of duality, union, and personal choices.  This card is about love, but it is also about our personal values and how they affect our choices, and the promises we make to others.  The traditional image on The Lovers offers three people: a man, and two women (one representing virtue and one representing sensuality).  The Lovers presents the two halves that when united with balance are greater than the sum of their parts; in other words, The Lovers is about a unity that is necessary for fertility and creativity to have an effect.

This is not your typical Lovers card.  In this image we see Andromeda, chained to a rock and being attacked by a fierce dragon, being protected by Perseus, who is attempting to slay the dragon with a sword.  There is a small bow and arrow at the top of this card, shaped like a heart.  According to the LWB that comes with this deck, the bow and arrow shows a connection to the Temperance card.  Interesting.  In this deck Temperance is seen as the result of, or the fulfillment of, The Lovers. 

My Tower is reversed and in this deck, a reversed Tower is warning of an ongoing entrapment of some kind.  Yes, the card is reversed, but I am being told that danger is approaching.  Without a willing rendering of balance, the ugly and uncomfortable adjustment will happen.  In fact, it might happen anyway.  But my reversed Tower is being paired with a card of love and connections.  Perhaps this love presented by The Lovers will heal me once the adjustment has taken place.  Or perhaps love itself will be my motivation to strive for balance so I can prevent the coming adjustment, and the possible collateral damage that could harm the ones I love.  Now that is a reason to get going!

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3/12/15 The Hermit reversed and the Ace of Swords

Today I will be using one of the decks that has been calling me lately, the Wild Unknown Tarot.  I love this deck because to me it is very intuitive.  The cards I threw are The Hermit reversed and the Ace of Swords. 

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, often through solitude bordering on discomfort.

The image on the Wild Unknown Hermit really does capture the essence of its energies.  Here we see a turtle, pulled safely into his shell and isolated from the effects of the world, but with a hurricane lamp perched on his back, flame blazing high. He is not so much shutting out the world as he is shutting out the distractions of the world; he is still peeking out of his shell and observing, just not actively interacting.  He is reversed today, and that means hiding or dealing with less obvious things might not be a good idea.  Better to be open and out front today.

The Ace of Swords (Capricorn, “I build,” ambition, caution authority, cunning, Aquarius and Pisces, “I believe,” feeling, duality, soul growth, artistic) tells of the birth of ideas and concepts; it offers the power to analyze that is necessary in order to make good choices, to determine personal truth, and in order to react correctly to events in our day.

What a powerful image on the Wild Unknown Ace of Swords!  The upright Sword, point facing toward the sky, has a serpent of every color wrapped around the hilt and blade, shaped in the infinity symbol.  The background is dark, but the night sky is split by two lightning bolts heading toward the blade of our Sword.  It feels as if we are at the moment before the Big Bang, and once the lightning strikes the two-sided blade, there will be some sudden developments.  This card is about intellectual potential, and it is about that feeling that occurs when lightning strikes and a new idea is formed.  The ideas presented by this card just might last through to manifestation!

The interesting thing here is that often The Magician card contains the image of the infinity sign.  I am being told that I should deal with obvious effects and strive for obvious outcomes today.  These effects and outcomes might appear suddenly, like a bolt out of the blue, and if I ask for help or access the skills of others too, as well as my own, the day will end well.

My horoscopes: “What are your passions, Sagittarius? It's time to stop dreaming and start pursuing them. As today's Moon teams up with personal trainer planet Saturn in your house of new initiatives, you'll be able to take a mature approach to reaching your goals. No matter how far-fetched a vision may be, there's a way you can achieve it if you go about it the right way. Brainstorm, seek advice, sign up for classes--whatever it takes. The sooner you get started, the sooner you'll reach the finish line.”

And: “You're probably feeling full of energy, and dying for an outlet for it, aside from the usual jogging or working out at the gym. A hike along a scenic path would be just the thing. Phone up a friend and see if you can arrange to do it together. Probably your friend will be as enthusiastic as you! You may enjoy yourselves so much that you decide to make it a weekly event.”

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3/11/15 Ten of Coins and The Magician

So the time has come to make a change.  At least for the foreseeable future, my life is busy enough that I just don’t have the time to continue blogging about my card throws as they are occurring now.  I have a choice: either change the way I do this blog, or stop blogging entirely.  I have chosen to change things. 

From this day forward, I will be throwing two cards from one deck.  The cards will be described individually and then interpreted together.  I will also indicate which deck I am using.  Right now, I am using my Llewellyn Welsh Tarot, my Thoth Tarot, and my Legacy of the Divine Tarot.  But I have many other lovely decks, both Tarot and Oracle, and I would love to work with them all.  So each day that I blog, I will choose a deck and then throw two cards, one from the top of the deck (representing my conscious day) and one from the bottom of my deck (representing my subconscious day). 

Today, I have chosen to use my Llewellyn Welsh Tarot, and the two cards I threw are the Ten of Pentacles and The Magician.  Ooooh, nice start!

The Ten of Pentacles (Mercury, reason, intelligence, education, communication, in Virgo, “I serve,” practical, analytical, work and service oriented) in an upright position represents physical world wealth and bounty, and the attempt to maintain the status quo.  The Llewellyn Welsh Ten of Pentacles mentions freedom from financial worries, and protection and stability found within a clan or family.  Today there should be material security in my life, and perhaps the ability to be happy with my accomplishments of late. 

The Magician corresponds with Air (hot/separates and wet/adapts, and quick and animated energy which usually presents problems or challenges), Mercury (reason, intelligence, orderliness, communication), Beth (house; builder) and the Path between Binah (female, receptive energy and the origin of form and structure) and Kether (the source, limitless possibility).  The Magician works hard to perfect his abilities, to make use of those abilities in unexpected ways, and to focus and carry through to the end of a task (which is pretty important to him).  He also understands the eternal nature of his efforts, mainly because of the polarized nature of the elements he works with.  This card is personally significant to me; the skills of The Magician were gifted to me after a particulary harrowing experience, so having this card appear is empowering.  Because this card represents represents the deliberate and conscious manifestation of tangible knowledge (and the ability to control that manifestation), he is reminding me of the skills I have worked so very hard to perfect, and he is encouraging me to use them by thinking out of the box.

These two cards tell me that today is going to be about the physical world.  I should be able to find the resources I need, and make use of them in a productive way.  Perhaps things might appear more basic on the surface, but underneath all the physical world manifestations, my mind will be working too.  The bounty being predicted by the Ten of Pentacles will act as an encouragement, urging me to make use of the skills I’ve perfected in order to move to new levels of accomplishment.  The only danger here is the urge to be too cocky, but hopefully I will be grounded enough to resist that.

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3/8/15

Transparent Oracle Sunday!

38, Guide: Owl (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.  Owl is a night hunter, and thus is very good at perceiving things, even in the dark.  Because Owl can fly silently, he is also associated with silence; dark silence can be uncomfortable for some.  Owl tends to be solitary, but this nature allows Owl to be objective and detached, and to gain much wisdom from life experiences.

41, Gateway: The Celestial Realm (Above).  Both our solar system, and the vast reaches of space beyond, have an effect on us, and we need to acknowledge this effect and be aware of it.  While we should not allow only these effects to control our choices and actions, they are valid, and there can be higher meanings to seemingly mundane events at this time.  The Celestial Realm Gateway has seven points, corresponding to the seven classical planets and the seven days of the week, offering both a broad and a more mundane influence; the seven-pointed star is also associated with angelic beings.  This Gateway tells me that the events in my life right how have higher levels of meanings than I am perceiving at first glance.  It might help to read today’s horoscope, or touch base with a Guardian Spirit.

34, Time of Day: Midnight (North). The dignities associated with Earth are: cold/binds and dry/shapes, and the energies are stable, material, practical, and slow to change or try something new.  Earth is about security and stillness, and knowing what to expect; it is about strength, discipline, and physical manifestation of all kinds, and about enjoying the fruits of our labors.  Midnight is a time of peace and serenity and lack of effort (in a good way); we are done with the previous day, and the new day is just barely thinking about beginning.  This time of darkness is filled with secrets and mysteries, and dreams of things to come.

I then stacked my cards and created my mandala.  The first things we see are Owls seeming to burst from the Gateway, carrying the crescent moon of Midnight.  And oh boy, does this validate my recent focus on my Shadow and my subconscious Self.  Owl is my Underworld Guide, and he hangs out with Ailm, one of my Guides (who happens to be a shaman).

I think it is interesting that as I put my Transparent Oracle cards away, a book toppled out of my bookcase.  That book is “When I see the Wild God: Encountering Urban Celtic Witchcraft” by Ly De Angeles.  I decided to re-read it and for some reason, this time it is really resonating for me.  I’ve been underlining sentences and placing explanation points in the margins!  I was meant to read this book right now.

It has been another busy week.  I’m still trying to find a rhythm now that I’ve added a few new Yoga classes to teach.  This busy-ness is all good, but I’m struggling to find the time to type up a blog entry. 

Be patient with me.

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