6/28/15 Transparent Oracle Sunday!

Transparent Oracle Sunday!

25, Landscape: Ocean (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.  Oceans are huge and magnificent; they are considered the cradle of life.  They can be calm as glass, but beneath that smooth flat surface lurk powerful predators.  They can be rough and deadly, yet if we travel down a short distance, all is quiet and silent.  The Ocean card is about death and life, about destruction and creation; and amidst the chaos, healing and purification.

56, Grail Hollows: The Cauldron (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 Grail Hollows are ancient treasures deeply connected to each of the four elements, guarded throughout time by the Tuatha de Danaan.  The Cauldron corresponds with the element of Water, and thus, with feelings, emotions, intuition, nourishment and healing, all necessary for the balance and harmony of the Self.  Within Wicca, The Cauldron is also seen as a representation of the Sacred Feminine, the Goddess, and Her fertile womb.

33, Element: Earth (North). Earth represents stable, material, practical energies that are slow to change; its dignities are cold/binds and dry/shapes. Earth is the element of form and substance; it is connected to physical health, to material world security (and even wealth), and to our physical bodies and physical senses, and the pleasures and pains they bring.  Earth represents the fertile, nurturing and serene side of Nature, and it represents the tangible end result of our labors.

I then stacked my cards and created my mandala.  Such a beautiful image!  The triangle of Earth appears superimposed onto The Cauldron, and everything is surrounded by Ocean.  Does that Ocean fit into The Cauldron?  Or does The Cauldron float upon the Ocean?  Earth is below, cupping and cradling the Ocean, like that Cauldron!  Feelings are important this week, and they might be rough or they might be calm.  In the end, those feelings will bring healing, balance and harmony through dreams and visions, so I had better pay attention to what is going on.  I should not neglect my physical body in the process.  Form and substance are as necessary as dreams and visions!

Another glorious weekend in my beloved garden.  I think I’m caught up now, and only need to do some maintenance.  Woohoo!

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6/24/15 Queen of Swords and The Emperor reversed

The Llewellyn Welsh Tarot is my choice of decks for today, and the cards I threw are the Queen of Swords and The Emperor reversed.  Okay, then. 

The Queen of Swords (cusp of Virgo, “I serve,” practical, sensible, work and service oriented, and Libra, “We are,” partnerships, balance, cooperation, grace) can be considered a Minor Arcana representation of the Justice card, which is about responsibility and the relationship between “cause” and “effect.”  The main difference is that while Justice is about the law, the Queen of Swords is about the intent behind the law.  She is Water of Air, and her feelings support her intellect and the workings of her mind.

The Llewellyn Welsh Queen of Swords is a regal-looking woman seated on her throne in profile, holding a sword with the point upward in her right hand, with her left hand extended forward as if pronouncing judgment on someone standing out of frame to the right.  An eagle soars overhead, and there are eagles on the arm rests of her throne.  She is confident, intelligent, independent and determined.  She is certainly calm, cool and collected, and while she might be a bit too callous with the feelings of others, she won’t be held down by expectations. 

The Emperor corresponds with Fire (hot/separates and dry/shapes, and spontaneous, impulsive, energetic change), Aries (“I want,” action oriented, assertive, competitive) and the Hebrew letter Heh (window, illumination), represents confidence, authority, and the archetype of the Father.  The Emperor instills balance, form and structure onto the fertility and creations of The Empress, an important task.  The Emperor says that the best way to make the day have a happy ending is to follow the rules, get things done on time, and encourage others to do the same, and he does his best to guide and protect others so they may do so.  He is an effective leader, even if he is a bit lonely at times.

The Emperor card for this deck sits casually on his throne, draped in royal red and holding a scepter, symbol of authority and male potency.  He is partially in armor and a shield rests against the side of his throne, indicating that he is ready to protect those who look to him for sustenance, or even take a pre-emptive strike if necessary. 

Well, we have the Queen of Swords, who is good at being confident and objective, and we have a reversed Emperor, possibly hinting at job or legal issues, irresponsibility or ineptitude, or a bad-tempered father figure.  My Queen tells me that I need to keep in mind the intent behind any requirements today, and do my best to manifest that intent, even if the response is not quite what I expected.  Things don’t need to be exactly fair, and in the end if I do what I am supposed to do to the best of my ability, and maybe keep my sense of humor intact, I will finish the day confident and in good spirits.

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6/21/15 Transparent Oracle Sunday!

Transparent Oracle Sunday!

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.

59, Grail Hollows: The Stone (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 Stone represents the deepest and most pure manifestation of the element of Earth, and tells us of traditions that have been around for a long time (some of them relatively unchangeable, and that can be either good or bad).  The understanding of those traditions, and within that process, the determination of their validity for us personally, brings us authority.  This understanding also offers us entry into the understanding of the mysteries that are the foundation of spirituality, and of life and living.

66, Telepathy (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. Telepathy corresponds to the brow chakra, the element of Air, and Spirit.  It is about transmission and reception, and reminds us of the power of thoughts, ideas, visions and intentions; most importantly it is about connections of all kinds.

I then stacked my cards and created my mandala.  This image is filled with awareness or flows of energies, anchored in the center and fenced in by Saturn.  Foundations are important, and we can’t build without them, but we also need structure, a building plan if you will.  This week will be about the effect of the Universe and its workings upon me, personally, and the way I manifest my own traditions in response to those effects.  I need to make this a two-way connection, not just about what is happening to me, but also what I am causing to happen.  All with awareness!!

I really like the image on this one, and I will be looking at it on and off through the day.

Solstice Blessings!!

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6/19/15 The High Priestess reversed and the Knight of Swords reversed

The Shadowscapes Tarot jumped out at me today, so I threw The High Priestess reversed and the Knight of Swords reversed.  The Shadowscapes Tarot does not have reversed meanings; a reversed card, however, does serve as a red flag, or as a figure jumping up and down and waving her arms and yelling “Look at meeeeee!!”

The High Priestess (Water; the Moon, feelings and emotions, illusion, imagination; Gimel, the camel who safely crosses Da’ath, the Abyss, and thus, has the secret of life; and the Path between Tiphareth, the hub of the creation process where energies harmonize and focus to illuminate and clarify, and Kether, the source, limitless possibility), is one-half of the Major Arcana representation of the Sacred Feminine, with The Empress being the other half. The High Priestess is the source of the power of The Magician (who is also in this pair), the feminine version of The Hierophant, and the Keeper of the Mysteries.  She is the Gatekeeper who determines whether I am ready to experience the Mysteries, and she is somewhat removed from everyday life although her mind is receptive.  She is not about mental analysis at all; when upright, she tells me that in order to access the Mysteries she guards, I must know my inner self completely, and accept the messages of my Inner Voice, even if they defy analysis.  She is reversed today, and while she may be able to balance the outer realms with the inner realms in an effective way, I won’t be able to do the same.  Her tools are not my tools today, and I would be better off looking around me in the physical world for messages.

The Shadowscapes High Priestess is a beautiful card!  The HPs is floating upward, wrapped in a veil of the palest lavender embossed with crescent moons, her wings and arms spread and her dark lavender skirt festooned with green oak leaves and slate blue feathers, holding a pomegranate in her left hand.  Her hair spreads around her head like a corona, mimicking the rays of the sun.  Below her a ghostly white owl flies, wings and tail spread.  The sky is sprinkled with stars, but the darkness is soothing rather than fearsome.  “In the gloam, the night is full of whispers – the secret knowledge of the stars, of the trees, and of the earth.”

The Knight of Swords (the cusp of Taurus, “I have,” sensual, stubborn, cautious, and Gemini, “I think,” curious, talkative, dual, intelligent) is outspoken, assured, alert, and logical, as well as rude, domineering, critical and sarcastic.  His daring and courage, and his ability to respond quickly to situations, are impressive, but he can also be disruptive, too.  While all of the Knights can be considered as mercenaries, the Knight of Swords truly personifies this career.

The Shadowscapes Knight of Swords is also flying through a star-studded night sky, but the colors of this card are more intense.  Our Knight sits proudly on his swan, coming directly to the point without spinning the facts.  He does not acknowledge the possibility of defeat, does not back down once he has engaged, because he will only allow himself to visualize success.  He slices through the night sky, not noticing the storm of swirls and eddies behind him, caused by his passing.

The events of this day just might distract me from that quiet, calm and confident place within me, that place attained by working to obtain and understand knowledge and then manifest that knowledge with wisdom.  The lure of being the hero, of saving the day in a blaze of intellectual glory, just might be the distraction.  Neither of these cards are the wrong thing to focus upon, but neither of them are the right thing either.  Perhaps a balance of the two??

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6/17/15 The Sun and the Two of Swords

The Hermetic Tarot called me today, and I threw The Sun reversed and the Two of Swords. 

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 Hermetic Tarot Sun card image contains a hugely brilliant sun, roses, and two joyously dancing maidens.  For a black-and-white image, this one is filled with golden light.  The flowers represent the blossoming of the solar influence (and being an avid gardener, I understand the connection between perfect blossoms and the sun), the maidens are young, innocent and shameless (for they are also pure of heart).  My Sun card is reversed today, which tells of loneliness, possibly broken engagements or no-show clients, or unhappiness.

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.  A bit of disconnect from the world can be helpful today because it allows me to achieve a pure inner focus. This card can also tell of being self-sufficient, or of not needing input from outside sources.   represents a time of not looking or of shutting out the world.  A bit of disconnect from the world can be helpful today because it allows me to achieve a pure inner focus.  In the end, the serenity created through this disconnect could allow the reconciliation of differences or cross-purposes.

The Hermetic version of the Two of Swords shows two crossed swords with a perfect rose at their juncture.  That rose is destroyed on the Three of Swords, but that is a card for another day (and not in the near future, hopefully).  This card also hints at illumination of some kind, as there are rays emanating from that rose; the symbol for the Moon is also found in the image, telling of another, more subtle and reflective illumination.  The name of the card is “Lord of Peace Restored,” and it tells of peace that comes after suffering or pain, sympathy for those in trouble, truce, and the conflicting characteristics that are to be found in the same nature.

Even with the reversed Sun card, my solitude today might have a silver lining.  There is peace to be had from spending time alone, and the Moon’s silvery light can be a relief to the eyes from the brilliance of the sun.  However, the Moon would be dark without the sun’s light, and even though it is reversed, my Sun card reminds me that a new dawn will come eventually.  Peace will be restored and a restful pause will occur; then I will be ready to face the new day.

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6/14/15 Transparent Oracle Sunday

Transparent Oracle Sunday!!

23, Element: Water (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 about emotions, feelings, the Inner Voice, dreams, intuition, and Water is connected to both birth and death.  Because our physical bodies contain so much Water, whatever affects Water usually affects us as well.  The image on this card also shows ripples moving outward; something to remember when we are expressing our feelings.

63, Touch (and Taste) (Within). Our senses connect us to the physical world, and the sense of Touch is the most solid and least deceptive sense; touch is the method we use to find our way around and to dispel illusion.  Taste is a part of Touch, for it is by bringing things into contact with our tongues that we Taste them.  Contact is the key here, and connection; they can be pleasant or violent.

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.

I then stacked my cards and created my mandala.  Frog and Water are the shapes I see first; Touch and Taste are more subtle, but then again any of our senses can easily be overwhelmed.  But I’m not worried, because Frog has a permeable skin, and thus he can draw within him anything that brushes against him, absorbing, connecting, and understanding the flavors of feelings, emotions, dreams and the intuition.  I should keep in mind that empathic connections will be more prevalent through this week, as will partnerships, particularly those partnerships that deal with healing of some kind.

What a busy weekend!  I spent every day working in my garden; I really missed getting dirty!  I’m sore (but not that sore), and I still have a lot more to get done, but I feel good!

I also have a new Yoga class starting this week; I am up to five classes and now two private students!!

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6/10/15 The Chariot and the Four of Swords reversed

Wild Unknown Tarot today; my cards are The Chariot and the Four of Swords reversed. 

The Chariot, which corresponds with Water (cold/binds and wet/adapts, and sensitive, emotional and imaginative energy that likes to stay the same or follow the same course), Cancer (“I feel,” sensitive, tenacious, nurturing, moody), Cheth (the fence), and the Path between Geburah (the place where forms and structure are challenged or affirmed) and Binah (female receptive energy and the origin of form and structure), tells of having the control necessary to focus on goals, and to avoid distractions.  My Chariot brings a sense of motion to the day, and motion (and the control of that motion) is his forte.  Comparing him to say, The Emperor, would be a learning experience here. I am also being warned; while I have control over the vehicle and the motor, I am to some extent insulated.  If I look away for a moment, everything might tumble, and focusing on the goal way off in the distance, could end up causing me to trip over something right at my feet. 

The Chariot of the Wild Unknown Tarot shows a beautiful, proud horse with a long mane and an arch in his neck, with a crescent blaze on his forehead and a pentacle collar around his neck, and a blazing sun in the background, lighting and maybe even empowering his journey forward.  This card has power in its image, power that is going somewhere because it is consciously directed, disciplined and focused.  Progress has been made due to this active direction, discipline and focus, and if they can be maintained, even more progress will be made!  The stallion believes in himself and in his ability to lead others to a particular place; he is a good leader because he can control his own feelings to his advantage, and to those who are being drawn forward with him.  His leadership is maintained by his courage, his strength, and the skills learned through a lifetime.

The Four of Swords (Jupiter, expansiveness and growth, justice, fortune, in Libra, “We are,” partnerships, balance, cooperation) can represent a pause or truce or mutual deterrent, or a time of silence and isolation used to prepare for challenges to come.  While the person in the image on the traditional card appears dead, he is actually in a meditative state, OOB in order to prepare.  Often it is necessary to take a moment to absorb what has happened thus far, and this card offers that pause.  The truce represented by the Four of Swords does not happen due to weakness, but rather through conscious choice and through a balance of power.  After all, the truce is “supported” by Swords, the suit of the intellect.  When reversed, the Four of Swords tells us that now is not the time to pause; rather, we should make our move and follow our heart and our instincts.

The Wild Unknown Four of Swords shows a lamb, all curled up and serene, beneath four Swords hanging point-down above him, with a brightly-glowing third eye chakra.  This tender, untried youth is resting below four Swords hanging precariously above him, and yet he does not appear frightened.  He is alert, so he knows those Swords are there even though he does not even spare them a glance, but he is not even prepared to run should they come loose.  Perhaps his stillness is part of his protection.  It is as if he is keeping those Swords up there with his serenity, his stillness, his awareness of what is going on around him, and his belief, his mental force . . . his Will!  This card is reversed, however, and neither stillness nor the Will are viable tools today.

Today is about movement, about getting somewhere.  A combination of strength, skill and the courage to make use of them will carry the day, and if I can control the vehicle, I can get to where I need to be.  I can’t think about things too much, and I should see myself as a leader with authority, rather than a partner who depends on others to get things done.  All I need to do is look at that Chariot card and that proud, strong horse, and I will know exactly how to handle things!a

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6/7/15 Transparent Oracle Sunday!

Transparent Oracle Sunday!

10, Elemental: Sylph (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.  Air brings animated energies which often bring challenges that offer the opportunity for growth, and thus it corresponds with knowledge, the working of the intellect, and new beginnings. Sylphs personify these concepts, and they encourage the use of imagination in an original way, they tell us to shift as needed in order to take advantage of the prevailing winds, and they tell us to fly free, filled with joy and unencumbered by life’s burdens (at least for a little while).

43, Sun (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 Sun brings light and warmth into our world, and thus life can exist.  The light illuminates truth, and the warmth brings wealth, success and happiness.  Our sun has a corona, so The Sun tells of charisma and brilliance.

36, Guide: Bear (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.  Bear is about protection and hibernation, power, shelter and instincts.  Mother bears are fierce, yet gentle, and that is the message of this card.  I am being told by Bear that I should protect and nurture myself, but I should also make use of what I’ve learned to not only connect with my own instincts, but also to nurture and guide others.

I then stacked my cards and created my mandala.  Oh boy, it looks like Bear is hiding from the bright light of the Sun, and the Sylphs are teasing Bear mercilessly!  Protection is a good thing (and it might offer a tiny bit of balance to Sun and Sylphs), but it can also hold me back if I feel fear.  Perhaps this is fear of the unknown, of new things beginning to manifest in my life.  Will I be up to the tasks?  I need to believe in myself, in the skills I’ve worked so hard to hone, and I need to rise above my worry of not being good enough!

This is the last of three weekends in a row with company.  I’m having a blast, but oh how I miss my garden!  Next weekend I’m immersing myself.

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6/4/15 Seven of Swords and Queen of Pentacles

Today I grabbed my Haindle Tarot, and threw the Seven of Swords reversed and the Queen of Stones/Pentacles reversed.  Hmmm . . . are my cards reversed because I haven’t picked up a Tarot deck in over a week, or because the energies of the day are not readily available to me? 

The Seven of Swords (Moon, feelings and emotions, illusion, imagination, in Aquarius, “I know,” friendships, cause-oriented, the group, aloofness) in an upright position tells of the effort to maintain things as we want them, often through the use of deception and without considering the wants or needs of others.  Because this card is reversed, any effort to maintain things as they are might be well-spent and prudent.

The Haindle Seven of Swords has an interesting keyword: “Uselessness.”  The LWB describes the keyword as “the useless old men who arrange the world for their benefit,” and this makes sense.  Here are the rulers who refuse to see that the world has evolved and moved on; if it worked in the past, it ain’t broke so don’t fix it.  Reversed, this card tells of attempting to deal with uselessness. 

The Queen of Pentacles (cusp of Sagittarius, “I seek,” philosophic, fun-loving, blundering, and Capricorn, “I build,” ambition, caution, cunning, authoritative) in an upright position is very good at sustaining the physical world, keeping things dry and cozy and safe and orderly.  She has a “greatness of soul” and can easily manifest this greatness around her through the manifestation of her visualizations, and help everyone, including herself, in the process.  She is comfortable with all physical world sensations and experiences, she understands the philosophies behind building and healing and nurturing, and she is able to find beauty in all experiences.  This Queen represents Water of Earth, and represents a time when emotions support the senses (or counteract them, since the card is reversed).

The Haindle Queen of Stones is called the Mother of Stones, and is represented by the face of Spider Woman and the web-like labyrinth of her thoughts.  She is serene and confident when upright, but reversed she indicates a difficulty in pausing in order to enjoy life.

It sounds as if things might be a bit unsettled for me for a while.  At least I am able to be aware that my brain is a bit muddled, but that does not mean I will be able to clear the fog and find that well-grounded yet versatile center.  Emotions, dreams and feelings won’t be any help, but perhaps building a bit of aerobic Fire might be the ticket.  I’d better make sure I take my walk and make time for my personal Yin/Flow Yoga practice!

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5/31/15 Transparent Oracle Sunday

I’m back after taking a very necessary vacation from this blog.  And what better way to return than the Transparent Oracle? 

27, Guide: Salmon (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.  Salmon is an incredible animal; it can swim the seas and when the time is right, it can find its way back to where it was spawned.  That takes a knowledge and wisdom about where the Salmon has been; there is that concept again.  This Guide is also about cycles, tradition, and memory of what has been.

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.

39, Guide: Wolf (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.  Wolves are seen by many as dangerous, even evil, but we should always keep in mind when we are working with Wolf that he is the ancestor of the dogs we humans love so much.  Wolf has a strong sense of family, and of rank within that family.  Wolf can communicate over great distances, and has the stamina to travel those distances in the first place.  Wolf has keen instincts, and a strong urge to protect his territory.

I then stacked my cards and created my mandala.  Salmon and Wolf are what I see first when I look at this image, both joined at the nose.  They are so intertwined!  The rising sun is more of a background, but its energies are definitely filled with the potential to light and heat the day.  Salmon might not do as well as Wolf once it warms up.  Both Salmon and Wolf can travel great distances, one in the sea and one on land.  I get the sense that this mandela is presenting the concept of travel or movement as the light intensifies.  This travel may bring out protective instincts or a need to guard my territory, but in the end, I will find my way to the place I am meant to be.

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