September 29, 2016: Black Moon and Conjunction

I took a quick glance to remind myself about the Conjunction process because for the last few days I have felt kind of heavy in my mind.  This is not so much a fog as it is flirting with depression.  I have a feeling I know what is going on. 

First of all, tomorrow is a Black Moon.  A Black Moon is similar to a Blue Moon, except it deals with the new moon rather than the full moon.  The new (or dark) moon can represent a time of rest, or a time to plant new seeds (after clearing the ground during the waning moon).  Having a second new moon in a month can double the fertility available.  This time, the moon is in the astrological sign of Libra. 

Libra is about balance, partnerships created and maintained through cooperation, and about a focus on other people rather than just on the self.  Relationships are maintained through the use of the intellect and through communications focused on forming partnerships and maintaining harmony.  Libra corresponds with the planet Venus and with the element of Air. Libra is a Cardinal Sign, ready to forge ahead with plans and attract effective supporters, engaging the world in a dynamic way.  Because Libra is Cardinal Air, this sign initiates through new ideas, and by being a balancing force among people.

The second contribution to my lack of serenity and optimism is that I am shifting from the Conjunction process to the Fermentation process.  In the Great Work, successfully passing through the phase of Conjunction is a prerequisite for moving forward.  Perhaps we can see Conjunction as being on the edge of something similar to the Abyss, for Conjunction is the final segment representing the work of Below, which focuses on physical matter, habits and thoughts.  On the other side of that Abyss is the beginning of the work of Above, and that means moving forward needs to be a conscious decision on my part.  This is a dangerous time within the Great Work, for the new attitudes or the increased confidence or optimism created by the efforts so far need to be able to survive in my every-day life and all its responsibilities, stresses and distractions.

If this shift is successful, I not only will find myself moving into Fermentation, but I will also be moving away from the White Phase (the birth of the new personality and the washing away of the ashes of the Black Phase) and toward the Red Phase, where the new personality is assimilated into conscious awareness.  If I have done a good job so far and truly released the impurities revealed to me, new “ingredients” will be introduced.

My Dreams of Gaia card for today, the Seven of Air reversed, is offering more clarification.  The image of this card is mostly black and white, symbolizing its main focus: belief and dogma.  The key words for this card are spirituality, religion, politics, personal dogma, atheism, fundamentalism, indoctrination and kindness.  In an upright position, the Seven of Air represents the realms of spiritual belief, religious practices, and personal dogma, and the way these things manifest in our lives and influence our thoughts, words and actions.  Our beliefs can have a huge impact on our lives; they can bring about confidence, serenity, good health and a sense of well-being, or they can create conflict, place us at odds with those in our life, and create wars, both in our own sphere of existence and throughout the world.  We manifest what we believe, and my Seven of Air is letting me know that there is some imbalance present today within my belief system and the way it manifests.  My personal belief system could very well be closing my mind today rather than opening it, and I do need to be very aware of this as I interact today. 

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September 18, 2016: the King of Water and Conjunction

My Dreams of Gaia card for today is the King of Water.  I love that the animal on this one is the seahorse, because it is the male seahorse who nurtures the eggs and in the end, gives birth to the young.   Indeed, one of the messages of this card is to let go of gender bias.  The keywords for the King of Water are calm, contemplative, insightful, fluid, balanced, protective, and nurturing, as well as jealousy and possessiveness.  This King is sensitive and thoughtful, but not weak or soft.  He is strong, and confident enough to be both mother and father to those he loves.  Because he can unite critical thinking with emotional logic, he is also good at looking within his own self with compassion.  He can make a sound decision based on logic, but also taking into account the emotions and feelings surrounding an issue.  He also understands that emotions and gender are two entirely separate issues. 

I’m still working my way through the alchemical stage of Conjunction.  This time, I can feel new ideas and habits being consciously chosen and deliberately infused into my being.  I really can change myself by making use of intentions and my Will.  Yes, this is the purpose, described in the second Rubric of the Emerald Tablet: That which is Below corresponds to that which is Above, and that which is Above corresponds to that which is Below.  This stage offers a glimpse of the Machinery of the Universe, a spiritual connection to Deity or the Higher Self; these personal experiences are both from without and from within.  Conjunction also offers us an opportunity to accept our own self, just as she or he is right now.  It teaches us that the mistakes of our past have brought us right here, and thus there is value to be had from those mistakes.  They are the catalysts that have helped to create who we are, right at this moment. 

Second-guessing myself has always been painful, and my hindsight is most definitely 20/20.  Brutal honesty has its place, but so does mercy, compassion and empathy.  Perhaps my King of Water can show me that being gentle does not necessarily mean being weak.

September 12, 2016: Conjunction and the Lesser Stone

More about Conjunction.  The cool thing about this step is that, if everything has been done correctly so far, I end up with a Lesser Stone (the object of the Great Work is to create the Philosopher’s Stone); this Stone should give me a good idea what steps I should take in order to successfully finalize the whole process in a permanent way.  This successful combining of essences is known as the Sacred Marriage, and this marriage is fruitful.  The marriage combines the essences of the soul and the spirit, with the soul corresponding with matter, passivity, contraction, bodily sensations, and emotions and the spirit corresponding with energy, aggression, expansion, and intellectual pursuits.  The soul craves memories and reflection, art and music, while the spirit deals with business, science, technology and the future.  What is the commonality, you ask?  Spirit requires the passion of the soul in order to succeed, and thus spirit always attempts to blend with the soul. 

The merging of though (spirit) and feeling (soul) brings a highly intuitive state, and a new level of empowerment.  Not necessarily the power to control the outer world, but rather the power to control our inner experiences and our reactions to the outer world.  

My Dreams of Gaia card for today is the King of Air.  Another Air card; is it nearly time to move on?  We shall see.  The keywords for this card are ethical, commanding, disciplined, expert, precise, forceful, rule-oriented and respectful.  The King of Air represents a fair yet stern leader who is educated, with vast knowledge at his disposal and wisdom learned from his every-day experiences.  He is imposing and a bit intimidating because he is formal, but because of his deep spiritual beliefs, he is also compassionate.  The King of Air believes that rules are made to be followed and he is not easily corrupted or lured into unethical behavior.  While he can be a bit rigid, his final judgment is fair and is delivered without the distraction of any emotions.  I need to decide if I am the King of Air today, and if I am, I need to make certain that I don’t engage in arguments unless they are productive.  If I am dealing with a King of Air, I need to choose my battles carefully, because I might be better off in the long run to accept the person as he or she is rather than attempting to change him or her to meet my needs. 

This is the very awareness that the Great Work is bringing to me this time!  I am trying hard to not infuse emotions or intentions into words spoken or written by others, and I am trying to not see actions as attacks.  I need to think about this King of Air, and apply what I learn from him both to my own words and deeds, and to the words and deeds of those with whom I interact.  Cool!

September 10, 2016: On to Conjunction

What is next?  Conjunction, that’s what.  In fact, I’ve moved seamlessly from Distillation through Separation and into Conjunction, without consciously realizing it.  The cool thing is that while I may not be able to pinpoint the exact moment I moved from one stage to another, I am definitely feeling changes in the way I approach events that in the past would have dragged me down or made me angry.  Progress?  I hope so. 

Conjunction is the second part of the alchemic stage known as the Albedo or the White Phase.  In the Albedo, whatever survived the Negredo and its difficult and uncomfortable phases is now washed, cleansed or purified.  This is an important step (not that any steps of the Great Work are unimportant), because any impurities that make it into the final stage of the Great Work can derail the whole process, necessitating a return to the beginning.  The difficult thing about the Albedo is that these purified essences have not been cleansed of their tendency to reunite with the dross that was culled during the Negredo.  Backsliding, in other words, is a huge danger here so I can’t get complacent just yet.  Especially because if I have indeed slipped into Conjunction, the time has come to begin the process of rebuilding.  In terms of the four elements, Conjunction requires the reuniting of Fire, Water and Air in order to produce a purified Earth.  Hmmm . . . am I truly ready for this?

To make things even more complicated, just commingling the essences or energies together is not enough.  The joining needs to produce a new compound or alloy, a “Child of the Conjunction.”  Here is the beginning of the “new me,” at least in theory.  The problem is that if something new is not created during this stage, I can’t go forward.  If things don’t start happening here, I’ve missed some important impurity, and I need to start over again. 

Sounds like this is a kind of tipping point.  The Watchers and my Guides are all nodding. 

With all this distraction, I almost forgot to throw my Dreams of Gaia card for the day.  I shuffled and cut as usual, and threw . . . wait for it . . . the Four of Fire in an upright position!  Wow.  Looks like I did what needed to be done in order to turn that card upright, eh?  Look out, my aim is true today, and I will claim what is in my focus!  Things will get accomplished today, for sure.

Child of the Conjunction?  Okay, let’s get started.

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Five of Cups reversed/Knight of Cups.  The Five of Cups (Mars, action, aggression, drive, in Scorpio, “I desire,” intense, controlling, mysterious, obsessive) tells of a setback or a lack of support, often happening because people or events are not being focused on correctly.  My card is reversed today, so I should feel as if I am getting the right support without that support ever forcing me into anything I don’t want to be involved in.  The ATA Website says this about the Five of Cups:  The Knight of Cups (cusp of Aquarius, “I know,” friendships, the group, cause-oriented, and Pisces, “I believe,” feelings, duality, suffering, soul growth) is about feeling things strongly, and about dreaming, and perhaps it is his energies that have caused the Five of Cups to be reversed.  After all, he is a compassionate helper and a seeker who strives to bring harmony, and he won’t let anyone play with his feelings!  Hopefully that Five being in a reversed position will help to balance out the intensity of the Knight a bit.  We don’t want to end up feeling sorry for ourselves, now, do we?

My Thoth card is the Knight of Disks.  The Knight of Disks (cusp of Leo, “I am,” passionate, dramatic, egotistical, and Virgo, “I serve,” practical, analytical, work and service oriented) tells of persistence to the point of being stubborn, and caution to the point of being boring. This Knight gets things done, and will persevere to the end, but he won’t think out of the box or use his imagination to make things easier for himself.  I guess his motto is “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”  He needs to be watched for he is both ambitious and possessive; those qualities can be either good or bad, depending on the situation.

My Legacy card is Temperance reversed, flavored by the Ace of Coins reversed.  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 it is one of the Major Arcana cards that presents the concept of dynamic balance.  Temperance teaches us to be balanced by encouraging us to experience extremes so we can learn from them.  Well, my Temperance card is reversed, so I may not do well with those extremes today.  LOL, must be all those Knights! Aces present potential only, unmanifested, and the Ace of Coins (Aries, “I want,” action oriented, assertive, competitive, Taurus, “I have,” sensual, cautious, stubborn, and Gemini, “I think,” curious, talkative, dual, social) tells of the presence of potential that is connected in some way to the physical world of Earth (cold/binds and dry/shapes; stable, material and practical energy that is slow to change) represents the potential to experience prosperity, security, stability, trust and a connection to Nature.  My Ace is reversed, and since it is flavoring my Temperance reversed, it may very well be indicating where my imbalance may be today: in the world of Earth.

My 6-digit date number is 3, the number that tells of a new creation from the potential of the Ace and the balance, polarity and understanding of the concept of “distance between” of the 2.

My horoscopes: “Reward yourself for all the great things you've done for you and other people, Sagittarius. You deserve to be treated like royalty, so make sure that you do. There are many times when you get so critical of the things you do that you end up punishing yourself unnecessarily. Give yourself a treat for being good instead of chastising yourself for being bad. At all times, however, you must remember that you're perfect just the way you are.”

And: “Your actions may be erratic and spontaneous, but they will also most certainly be powerful. You may find yourself being driven by a sharp intellectual mind. Perhaps there is someone near you who has great cunning. You yourself may be feeling brainier than usual. Genius ideas are apt to surround you and your actions today, as long as you keep an open mind about how and when they manifest.”

My Shadowscapes Insight is regarding the Knight of Pentacles.  Wow, lots of Pentacles cards lately.  This one is about focus, about not giving in to distractions, and about seeing a task to its end by working hard and doing the best I know how to do.  This Knight would fit in well with many politicians these days because he is conservative and prefers to use tried-and-true methods rather than venturing out into the unknown.  Is this good or bad?  Depends on the situation.  If I’ve got a job that needs to be done and done right, the Knight of Pentacles is my man; but if I’ve got a problem that needs to be solved now and I am out of ideas as to how to solve it, he might not be very effective!

I cannot stop remembering my time yesterday at the Ancient Altar, standing in the middle of a circle made up of my Guides and Ancestors, and other entities of the astral realms.  I can still feel that sense of waiting, waiting for something important to happen.  I don’t get the impression that I was on the hot seat at all, nor do I feel that I missed an opportunity.  I am still guessing that this experience was mainly so that I could get used to the presence of these entities.  They are to be witnesses of something, and uh oh, wonder what that might be.  Since I am assuming this experience occurred in part because of my work with psychological alchemy, perhaps a bit of a review is in order, maybe not from the very beginning, but back a bit.

Psychologically, Dissolution breaks down the artificial structures of the psyche by total immersion in the unconscious, non-rational, feminine or rejected part of our minds. This is for the most part an unconscious process, however the results of the process do surface. Dissolution can be experienced as “flow,” the bliss of being well-used, and of being actively engaged in creative acts without prejudices or hang-ups getting in the way.   Physiologically, Dissolution is the continuance of the kundalini experience, the opening-up of energy channels in the body to recharge and elevate every single cell. Dissolution takes place in the Genital or Tin Chakra and involves the lungs and spleen.  More metabolic discipline!

The Separation process within psychological alchemy is the rediscovery of our essence and the reclaiming of dream previously rejected by the masculine, rational part of our minds.  Unlike Dissolution, Separation is mostly a conscious process in which we review whatever has been stirred up to the surface, so we can decide what to discard and what to reintegrate into our refined personality. Separation is letting go of the self-inflicted restraints to our true nature, so we can shine through; it is not a fun process, but it is necessary.  Physiologically, Separation is following and controlling the breath in the body (as it works with the forces of Spirit and subtle body) in order to give birth to new energy and physical renewal. Separation begins in the Navel or Iron Chakra located at the level of the solar plexus.

Conjunction is empowerment of our true selves, the union of both the masculine and feminine sides of our personalities into a new belief system or an intuitive state of consciousness.  Once truly achieved, we are able to clearly perceive what needs to be done to achieve lasting enlightenment (which is union with The Source).  I should be alert, for this is when synchronicities begin to occur that help to confirm I’m on the right track.  Physiologically, Conjunction is using the body’s sexual energies for personal transformation. Conjunction takes place in the body at the level of the Heart or Copper Chakra.

In researching Conjunction, I found an interesting term: inner-conjunction!  This is described as an intense kundalini experience or kundalini awakening, also associated with an intense non-physical world experience.  Inner-conjunction is said to be the “peak event” of an awakening; I guess this could be another term for an Aha! Moment.  Another way that this event is described is as a reconciliation of the positive/negative, left/right, male/female sides of one person.  Wow, Conjunction!

It is quite interesting to read that during a moment of inner-conjunction, it can seem as if there is white light flowing inside the body and illuminating the world. This sense of whiteness may be due to a general increase in nerve action potential and the increased ionization of cerebrospinal fluid. Then the energy collects and nitric oxide permeates through to the central channel of the spinal column creating the “principle charge” itself, which is experienced as the “Silver Cord/”  The Silver Cord, which represents the peak of the experience, usually only lasts for a minute or less, but the entire inner-conjunction can last a half an hour.

Okay, this all sounds very similar to what I experienced at the Ancient Altar.  Could this be what my experience was preparing me for?  This really makes sense, and it feels right!

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Queen of Cups/Five of Cups. The Queen of Cups (cusp of Gemini, “I think,” curious, sociable, dual, and Cancer, “I feel,” sensitive, tenacious, nurturing, moody) represents the energies of The High Priestess manifested into the Minor Arcana.  The Queen of Cups is telling me not to trust perceptions today but rather, to trust my emotional reactions and my intuition.  This is a card strongly connected to intuition, and most of the time, it is talking about relations between people (and the joys and perils of those relationships).  The Five of Cups (Mars, action, aggression, drive, in Scorpio, “I desire,” intense, controlling, mysterious, obsessive) tells of a setback or a lack of support, often happening because people or events are not being focused on correctly.  The ATA Website says this about the Five of Cups: “Sometimes you also have to remember that change never happens just for the sake of change. There is always a reason for the disturbance, an imbalance that must be eliminated or a wrong that must be righted. In these cases, even a disastrous change can be beneficial.”  These two cards together are telling me that I may not enjoy the emotions and feelings presented to me today, but I should open myself to them and see them as necessary and beneficial.

My Thoth card is the Three of Cups reversed.  More Water cards.  “Abundance” “Abundance” is the keyword for the Three of Cups (Mercury, reason, intelligence, orderliness, communication, in Cancer, “I feel,” sensitive, tenacious, nurturing, moody).  This card is about blessings, but not blessings of the physical world.  Rather, it tells of the creation of emotional blessings, love that comes to fruition.  My “Abundance” card is reversed today; perhaps I am looking too hard for these emotional connections and thus, misinterpreting them or missing them entirely?

My Legacy card is the Ten of Wands reversed, flavored by the Eight of Cups reversed. The Ten of Wands (Saturn, discipline, responsibility, limitations and resistance, in Sagittarius, “I seek,” philosophic, fun-loving, blundering) is a card which tells of being taxed to the limit, or at least, tells us we believe we are taxed to the limit.  Upright this card can be seen as wasting energy on a fruitless pursuit, and I think I might understand the personal message to me here. The Eight of Cups (Saturn, discipline, responsibility, limitation, law and order, in Pisces, “I believe,” feeling, duality, suffering, soul growth) in an upright position tells of an ending or a change of direction, often one associated with emotions.  My Eight of Cups, which is flavoring my reversed Ten of Wands, is also reversed.  These cards together are telling me that I have not yet reached the end of my ability to deal with the emotions associated with some major change in my life.  Whether those emotions are good or bad, I can’t avoid the concept that an ending may be necessary, and I can’t believe that the ending which may be needed will end up flattening me.

My 6-digit date number is 9, the completeness of effect, experience or manifestation.

My horoscopes: “Profligate spending in the past may come back to haunt you now with regard to money, Sagittarius. There could be blocks in receiving funds you were expecting or an unexpected but necessary expense could come up. It's going to take all your talent for careful planning to work your way around this situation, but take heart. The situation can turn to a positive one in the blink of an eye, and probably will.”

And: “Plans for travel might have you confused right now. You might have a number of possibilities in mind, all of which seem equally attractive, yet it probably isn't feasible to try to go for them all. You could also face decisions regarding your education. You're probably going to have to make a choice, but today is not the day to do it, as confusion is likely to reign. Wait a few days, then list your options, and consider them all.”

My Shadowscapes Insight is regarding the Ten of Swords.  This card tells of circumstances building to a grand finale, with those circumstances at least creating the perception of coming destruction.  Perception is the key word here because the suit of Swords is about the mind and the intellect, and these are the tools we use to analyze our circumstances and choose a response.  Since the number 10 is about the completion of a cycle, I just might need to realize that sometimes the events have so much energy and momentum gathered from other sources that I can’t change the outcome.  I need to ride the wave until it breaks on the shore, and then stand up, brush off the sand and seaweed, and see where I’ve been left. 

One of the things that needs to be discovered, analyzed and then released within the Great Work is behavior that is self-limiting and self-defeating.  To me, this kind of damaging perception can be broken down into two categories: those that originate from within me, and those that I allow to affect me that originate outside of me, sourced either from people or events.  As difficult as the first few phases of the Great Work can be, it is Separation and Conjunction that really begin the process of reinvention of the self, and like cleaning out that junk room filled with the accumulation of those “valuable” things that we saved because we really believed we would make use of them some day, this takes objectivity and a Will of steel. 

After all, releasing a bad eating habit is not as gut-wrenching as leaving a job that is more harmful than good, or moving away from a relationship that is doomed to failure despite efforts to repair it.  And I seem to be bouncing back and forth between focusing on Separation and on Conjunction, because each time I feel that I am ready to start reforming myself, I find something else hidden in the dusty corners that needs to be dealt with. 

Now that I’ve analyzed and determined the final outcome for the easier things, the ones that are presenting themselves now are the ones I’ve tried not to see.  It is almost as if blurring my mind’s eye will allow me to skip over the hard choices so that I don’t have to make painful decisions. 

But one thing I have learned over the ten years that I have been following the Wiccan Path is that no one else can do these things for me, and choosing to not face a painful issue is indeed a choice, so I will need to live with the outcome.  That means I can’t allow myself to skim over issues that need to be dealt with.

“The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Alchemy” by Dennis William Hauk talks about this exact issue.  “If the preceding operations were successful, only the most genuine and essential parts of the matter are left to work with.  The next step in the alchemy of transformation is the Conjunction, which is the recombination of those saved elements into a new compound or purer substance.  In terms of the Four Elements, Conjunction is the union of the Elements of Fire, Water and Air to produce a purified or reborn Earth Element. 

The process begins with commixation, which is a mixing or commingling of the saved essences from separation.  Vessels of Conjunction have two glass globes or sections joined by a middle chamber in which the mixing or commingling occurs. 

However, just bringing these essences together in the same vessel is not enough to accomplish this important operation.  The essences must create a new compound, which the alchemists call the Child of the Conjunction.  If the recombination of essences does not create a new compound, the alchemists felt that material impurities or negative spiritual energies had polluted the process and the whole experiment had failed.”

This is the source of my lethargy of late.  This is why every time I attempt to move on to Conjunction, circumstances point me back to the Separation process.  Albedo is about purification, and in order for this to work, everything needs to be sterilized. 

Oh boy, sounds like I’m going to have a fun weekend.

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The Sun/Justice. 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 upright, it tells of a time of enlightenment. There is potential for me to shine today!  Past efforts could really come together.  Justice is a card of adjustment, and it corresponds with the element of Air (hot/separates and wet/adapts, and quick, animated energy that usually brings problems or challenges that bring growth), Libra (“we are,” partnerships, balance, cooperation), Lamed (ox goad; training or teaching), and the Path between Tiphareth (the hub of the creation process where energies harmonize and focus to illuminate and clarify) and Geburah (the place where forms and structures are challenged or affirmed), and is about cause and effect.  This can also be seen as a card of enlightenment, for it is telling me that I will be able to accurately determine causes, and maybe even predict their effects.  Powerful pair of cards.

My Thoth card is the Seven of Wands.  “Valour” is Crowley’s keyword for the Seven of Wands (Mars, action, spontaneity, aggression, drive, in Leo, “I am,” passionate, dramatic, natural leader, egotistical, selfish), which is a significant card for me in its own right.  This is a card of assertion, of being sure of what I stand for, and it tells me that I should go for what I want.  I may very well be able to get more out of every idea that comes to me today.  It does remind me, though, that the good things are never free; however, if I make my stand and succeed, I will feel great!

My Legacy card is The Emperor reversed, flavored by the Seven of Coins. The Emperor, which is a Fire card (hot/separates and dry/shapes, and spontaneous, impulsive, energetic change) that corresponds with the astrological sign of Aries (“I want,” action oriented, assertive, competitive) and the Hebrew letter Heh (window, illumination), represents confidence and authority; it is about being ethical and just, and it is also about taking the lead and manifesting into the physical world what I have learned.  The energies of The Emperor are about justice, and about conforming to the rules. The Seven of Coins (Saturn, discipline, responsibility, law and order, in Taurus, “I have,” sensual, cautious, stubborn) tells of pauses and choices and assessments.  Because it is a number 7 card, and because it is of the suit of Coins (which corresponds with the element of Earth), it is a bit of a heavy card, but there is the potential for reward, too, or at least, the respect of others due to the evidence of hard work. 

My 6-digit date number is 8, the number that tells of a conscious and focused response to the pause and beginning of degeneration of the number 7 with the intent of maintaining the balance and harmony of the number 6.

My horoscopes: “You have energy to burn, Sagittarius, and you intend to use it. Ask friends to join you in the park. Or set up a round-robin tennis match for the afternoon. Enjoy your day outdoors, but take care not to push too hard. If you strain muscles today, it could be weeks before you're fully healed. If you pace yourself and take plenty of water breaks, then you'll enjoy the day with no repercussions.”

And: “You are likely to act with great immediacy, and will automatically have instant knowing of what to do in a situation - especially in a crisis. You are likely to be thinking at top speed, and can move with tremendous efficiency and courage. You should feel quite strong knowing that there is a terrific support system surrounding you in case things go awry. Go out on a limb and take a chance that you might not have considered taking before.”

My Shadowscapes Insight is regarding The Magician.  The Magician has been initiated into the mysteries of the elements; he is skilled and has trained hard, and thus is able to create his desired reality.  He knows what he wants, he is connected to his Will, and he knows how to manipulate energies and elements in order to achieve his goals.

The next step in the alchemic Great Work is Conjunction.  We have stirred everything up, we’ve washed it and separated the junk from the gems.  Now, we need to look at everything so that we can effectively focus on the things we are keeping, and completely release the things we are releasing.  We have to change how we think, how we speak, how we act and how we perceive the world so that we change our habits and prevent those things we’ve released from reattaching or reinfusing themselves into our lives.  We have to clear the connections, and then we have to reconnect to the clearer, less cloudy message that is now coming through. 

I can feel this happening, this process.  As I grow and evolve, I am constantly challenged by the habits and beliefs I am attempting to leave behind.  But because I am seeing more clearly, thinking more clearly, feeling more healthy and balanced, I am able to see more and more that I just don’t want to carry around useless stuff any more.  It just is not worth the effort.  This is the process of Conjunction at work, and it is not easy. 

I have been plagued by lethargy again.  Since my head cold, I have been struggling to get back on track, back into my rewarding focuses and efforts.  I may have finally tipped the scales in the right direction.  We shall see.


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Ace of Pentacles reversed/Death. The Aces present potential only, unmanifested, and the Ace of Pentacles (Aries, “I want,” action oriented, assertive, competitive, Taurus, “I have,” sensual, cautious, stubborn, and Gemini, “I think,” curious, talkative, dual, social) in an upright position tells of the presence of potential that is connected in some way to the physical world of Earth (cold/binds and dry/shapes; stable, material and practical energy that is slow to change), usually either through financial or career focuses, regarding the home, or connected to my physical body and its health and well-being. Today may not be a day for effectively making use of these energies, and Death kind of validates that. After all, Death is about leaving the physical world behind. The Death card 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 tells of transformation or change, both voluntary and involuntary, the ending of an era and the fear of the unknown result of change. Death often brings a freedom that ends up initiating new growth, even if the attaining of that freedom is a bit frightening.

My Thoth card is The Fool reversed. The Fool is an Air card (hot/separates and wet/adapts, and challenges that tend to require the use of the intellect to solve), and it also corresponds with Uranus (technology, science, radical change), Aleph (the head, youthful learning) and the Path between Chokmah (male in the electric sense, dynamic energy and the origin of vital force and polarity) and Kether (the source; limitless possibility). The Fool has some pretty powerful energies at his disposal, not to mention his enthusiasm and optimism; because the card is reversed, I might do better today if I plan for all possible outcomes rather than assuming that things will just fall into place on their own. In an upright position, this card tells of unexpected happenings; perhaps there won’t be any unpleasant surprises for me today. Either upright or reversed, The Fool reminds me that power is neutral, it is the user who is either good or evil.

My Legacy card is the Three of Coins, flavored by Death reversed. Bookends!! The Three of Coins (Mars, action, spontaneity, aggression, drive, in Capricorn, “I build,” ambition, cunning, competence) tells me that my own creativity can lead me to both hard and rewarding work, and renown, or a good reputation. I am being told by this Three that sometimes these things can’t be accomplished in a solitary fashion. Death this second time today is reversed. The upright Death card has a sort of tense and slightly frightening kind of anticipation attached to it; this tension and fear are nowhere to be found in the reversed Death card today. It is almost as if the other shoe has dropped. By flavoring this Three of Coins today, the Death card reversed is telling me to move forward with confidence, for the transformation has already occurred, and I am armed and dangerous.

I know that I have Death bookends, but I have spoken quite a bit about the Death card while working with the 24^th Path. The only new thing I can add about this card is that it focuses on both time and on limitations, and thus, the Death card teaches us patience, for things happen within their own time schedules. Also, the Thoth Death card contains an image of the snake which represents kundalini, the energy that is awakened by sexual pleasure and the pleasure of the senses. The reversed Death card talks of a fear of changes, which is obvious, but it also tells of the possibility that I am trying to mess with that natural time schedule. Dragging things out or forcing things faster than their natural time can both be damaging.

My 6-digit date number is 3, the number of new creation from the balance and polarity of the number 2.

My horoscope: “Don't keep playing along with the games if you no longer want to repeat the same drama, Sagittarius. By placing yourself in a victim role, you're opening yourself up to manipulation and control by others. To stop the repetitive pattern, it's crucial for you to stand up and recognize that you have an important part in the healing process. Recognize that you have the power and courage to change."

My Sun reading: “People feel happy and friendly toward others under an Aquarius Moon. It's a good time to network. Engage in stimulating communication tonight. If you're single, there could be some special and memorable connections. When the Moon sextiles Venus, sweetness and love are in the air for your significant other union."

So I took an alchemy test on the Alchemy Journal blog today. Here are my results:

The opposing forces within you, whose conflicts have kept you drained and confused for so long, are finally coming together as one.

You are about to experience a joyous and life-enhancing empowerment of your personality. If the preceding three operations (Calcination, Dissolution, and Separation) were successful, only the most genuine and essential parts of the matter at hand are left in the vessel of transformation. The next step in alchemy is the Conjunction, which is the recombination of those saved elements into an entirely new substance. Conjunction is the paradoxical union of the archetypal elements of Fire, Water, and Air to produce Earth.

Psychological Conjunction is the empowerment of our true selves, the union of both the masculine and feminine sides of our personalities into a new belief system or state of consciousness. The alchemists referred to this union as the “Marriage of the King and Queen,” and they referred to the result of the Conjunction as the "Philosopher's Child" or "Lesser Stone." After this new state of consciousness is achieved, you are able to clearly discern what needs to be done to achieve lasting enlightenment, and synchronicities begin to occur that confirm you are on the right track. In spiritual terms, the purified essences within are your very Soul and Spirit. It is now time for these archetypal forces to come together and nurture their newborn child, which is a refined and integrated personality. "Its nurse is the Earth," says the Emerald Tablet of this important juncture. At this time of renewed confidence, you should seek those activities that reinforce your peace of mind. It is an excellent time for a nature retreat or deep meditative session.

In many ways, the child of the Conjunction is like the creation of an "Overself" in which the ways of Spirit and Soul (rational, aggressive thought and intuitive, passive feeling) unite in a higher state of awareness that Egyptian alchemists called "Intelligence of the Heart." To create the Overself, you simply have to start practicing to maintain your "presence" no matter what happens, no matter how confusing things get, no matter what emotions swell up within you, no matter how cruel or thoughtless others are towards you. Every problem, every personal challenge, every nuisance or annoying person, is another opportunity for you to develop presence of mind and create the Overself. In trying to maintain your presence in all situations, you soon learn that you cannot rely on intellect or logic alone. To be really connected to what is real, you have to make use of talents and sources of knowledge that you cannot explain. Finally, you learn to value your feelings and intuitions as well as your rational judgments, and you will be able to work creatively with any challenge that comes along.

Do not forget that these two opposing ways of knowing only come together when they are used together. You have to practice personal Conjunction on a daily basis in the everyday world for the Overself to become part of your personality. The major effort in the alchemist's life is the creation of this unified self, which can withstand the onslaughts of ignorance, insensitivity, and illusion one encounters in the world. You actually can feel yourself coming together as one mind, one larger presence. Signs that Conjunction is taking place within a person are the growth of confidence, equanimity, and calmness. You start laughing at stupidity instead of getting angry. Within you, the feeling of an indestructible or "default" presence grows stronger every day. That personal presence is what the alchemists called the "Lesser Stone," which will gradually be perfected and emerge as an all-powerful state of consciousness they referred to as the "Greater Stone."

Before Conjunction, a person can be lustful and wanton in seeking their “other half” and jealous and possessive once it is found. On the other hand, the conjuncted person is appreciative of the alchemical forces at work in relationships and careers and tends to be considerably kinder and more sensitive. Such a person appears balanced and quietly confident, and that inner harmony is proof of the integration of the elements within.

That the human body must be perfected, as well as the mind and spirit, is a basic tenet of alchemy. Yet how do the King and Queen manifest in the body, and what exactly is the Child of the Conjunction in terms of human physiology? According to Tantric alchemists, the phallic-shaped pineal gland at the center of the brain and the bilobed pituitary gland play the roles of King and Queen. Their union, achieved through meditative exercises, produces a Pill of Immortality, which is released at the back of the throat and is activated when it reaches the stomach. This inner sex act initiates a Second Puberty that perfects and rejuvenates the body.

This is quite interesting in its timing; this is actually what I am getting from the 22^nd Path. I see this as validation, validation that I am doing the right work, and manifesting the right effects. I feel as if I have left anger behind, and I am dealing well with the lethargy, which is fading with each day.

What a glorious weekend this has been. Today was a warm day filled with Spring sunshine. My garden work is done (LOL, at least until next week, when I will certainly need to mow the lawn). Flowers are planted, grass seed is down, bushes are trimmed, and I pulled out the bikes, cleaned them up and pumped up the tires. Tomorrow, I am going to work on my Third Degree Lesson 5.

And maybe, I will take a bike ride.

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