My Dreams of Gaia card is another
Earth card, the Two of Earth reversed. I
threw this one in an upright position about ten days ago. The keywords for this
card are equilibrium, flexibility, adaptability, balance, harmony, compromise,
confidence, procrastination and freedom.
This card reminds us of the importance of balancing our personal responsibilities
regarding work, home, family, and pleasure, while remaining flexible so we can
adapt to the circumstances of the day and meet our responsibilities. I am being told by my reversed Two of Earth
that I may need to prioritize my responsibilities before I am overwhelmed. If I don’t decide what to focus on, things
may fall through the cracks, and that won’t make me happy. I might end up creating discomforts for
others, too, which also won’t make me happy.
From now on, I will pull a Major
Arcana card from this deck for Full and New Moons, and for Sabbats. My New Black Moon card is The Crone; how
appropriate is that? This card is full
of symbolism that is relevant to me.
There is a raven sitting in the gnarled, old tree behind the Crone, and
indeed the Crone’s dark robes studded with glistening stars (guidance, look to
a higher source for direction) appears to be a part of that tree. There is a serpent (renewal, rebirth,
shedding of the old) wrapped around the Crone’s arm and the spear-like wand she
carries, and there is a beautiful, glowing crystal at the tip of the wand. There are mushrooms (male energy,
eccentricity, immortality) growing out from between the roots of the tree, and
there appears to be a gateway behind the tree; visible in the gateway is a
dark, starry sky and a waning crescent moon (cycles, time, moving from one
phase to another). That is a lot of
symbolism for one card!
The Crone is the number VI of the
Major Arcana. The keywords for this card
are feminine power, fearlessness, authenticity, individuality, independence,
new purpose, freedom and shadow self. As
hinted at by the keywords, The Crone represents a proud and independent woman
who is no longer influenced by the need to reproduce or the responsibilities of
parenting. The Crone is not afraid to
walk her Path alone, she is not afraid to look to her own needs in whatever
manner feels right to her. She is
comfortable in her own skin, she is honest (sometimes brutally), wise, and
unafraid to deliver tough love if she feels it is needed. She is telling me to reject stereotypes or
expectations, be brave and determined, and take the direct approach when making
choices. Finally, she is reminding me
that I am who I believe I am. Powerful
message!
These two cards together offer an
important reading. I need to continue to
strive for balance, but I also need to remember that evolution not only
requires the acceptance of change, but it also requires the release of what no
longer serves me. I need to be happy
with who I am right now, and understand that as long as I make choices through
both the mind and the heart, I should not judge myself harshly if things don’t
turn out the way I intended. By shedding
the old and being flexible, I can make use of the power that is right there in
my hands. I am, after all, grasping that
power right now.
For the first time in many months, I
performed my own new moon Esbat. It was
wonderful to return to my own ritual; re-experiencing those familiar words has
had an energizing effect. I do feel as
if I have reached the tipping point in all my work since I began this round of
the Great Work back in the end of June.
Going forward from here, I expect to be tested. After all, there is no better way to
determine if I have done good work than to be tested by Deity. I’m just hoping the test won’t be too
painful.
According to The Complete Idiot’s
Guide to Alchemy, there is a mini-step between Conjunction and Fermentation
called “Putrefaction.” Putrefaction is
the final cleansing of impurities or remnants of ego, and it is a necessary
step that prepares for a rebirth into a more perfect level of existence. This step is often named Citrinitas; if
Nigredo represents the darkness of the unconscious, home to the negative and
fearful aspects of the self, and Albedo is the first white light of the
awakening soul, shining into the darkness like the moon illuminates the night,
then Citrinitas is that moment when the first rays of the sun (still below the
horizon) begin to bring golden light that chases away the darkness.
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