1/25/14

Eight of Cups/Queen of Wands reversed. The Eight of Cups (Saturn, discipline, responsibility, limitation, law and order, in Pisces, “I believe,” feeling, duality, suffering, soul growth) tells of an ending or a decline or a change of direction, often one associated with emotions, and it offers one possible response to that decline or change: moving on.  In reality, in order to step away from something that no longer serves us, we must first sever the ties in our emotional body.  That is exactly what this card is telling me to do.  I have come to a place in my life where I must decide to listen to my heart, and accept what is important to that heart . . . and what is not important. The Queen of Wands (cusp of Pisces, “I believe,” feelings, duality, soul growth, spirituality, and Aries, “I want,” action oriented, assertive, competitive) in an upright position is energetic, adaptable and enthusiastic; she is filled with persistent energy and calm authority at the same time, and because of this she draws others to her. She is reversed today, and she is telling me that something may be preventing me from seeing clearly.  I need to be aware that strong emotions can fog my perceptions.  Both cards seem to be telling of this effect.

My Thoth cards are the Queen of Cups and the Knight (King) of Disks reversed. The Queen of Cups (cusp of Gemini, “I think,” curious, sociable, dual, and Cancer, “I feel,” sensitive, tenacious, nurturing, moody) represents the energies of Water and The High Priestess manifested into the Minor Arcana.  She is telling me that emotionally this needs to be a passive kind of day, except for when it comes to love.  Love is always the correct answer. The Knights of the Thoth Tarot are actually the Kings.  The King of Disks (cusp of Aries, “I want,” action oriented, assertive, competitive, and Taurus, “I have,” sensual, stubborn, cautious, physically oriented) is the expert on physical world manifestation of all kinds.  He is good at managing physical world resources, but he focuses a lot on the business end of things.  The thing about that kind of focus is that it becomes narrowed into the planning, and that might not be a good thing for me today.  Sometimes we do need to look at how things feel, rather than at the end result we are aiming for.

My Legacy card is the Knight of Coins, flavored by the Four of Swords reversed.  Lots of Court Cards today! The Knight of Coins (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.  Today I should be effective in the material world, thanks to the focus and diligence of this Knight.  Long-term projects are a good focus for me today.  My Knight of Coins is being flavored by the reversed Four of Swords. The Four of Swords (Jupiter, expansiveness and growth, justice, fortune, in Libra, “We are,” partnerships, balance, cooperation) in an upright position can represent a pause or truce or mutual deterrent, or a time of silence and isolation, that should be used to prepare for challenges to come.  My card is reversed, however, and a pause may not be advisable today.  I may be getting conflicting messages regarding my emotions and my passions, but these two cards offer clear advice: think long-term and keep the mind active and agile.

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

My horoscopes: “Beware of unexpected circumstances today, Sagittarius. The good news is that your flexible attitude is perfectly suited to deal with the twists and turns that this day is likely to offer. While other people may get upset when their plans go awry, you'll find that you can surf the waves easily and turn any situation into a positive one, regardless of the way in which you planned things to work out originally.”

And: “Get out in the world as much as possible, because you have a great deal to share with others. Relationships with men will go especially well today, so now is a good time to patch up any differences that may be dangling in the air. Open your mind up even wider than it already is and see how your energy fits in with the collective. You have strong opinions that will prove to be very useful in setting the record straight once and for all.”

Yesterday, I formally dedicated myself permanently to my Coven and my Arch High Priestess in an Initiation ritual.  I am one of only three who have done this, one other High Priestess (and my personal mentor), and a Second Degree Priestess and Third Degree Dedicant, who was Initiated with me yesterday.  This was no small decision on my part, and I have done a lot of pondering and shed a lot of tears over the past two weeks or so, as I was presented with a Dark Night of the Soul in order to be absolutely certain that this Initiation was right for me.  In the end, despite challenges and tests, I eagerly and willingly reaffirmed my dedication to my Coven, this time pledging myself for the rest of this life.

Everything I do going forward is colored by this decision, and as I sit here, typing this entry, I feel settled and confident and serene.  Moreso, dare I say, than I have felt in a long time.  This kind of spiritual commitment is powerful, especially when the preparation for the commitment is done correctly.  I can feel the effects of this power, swirling within me, scouring away the detritus of the past and preparing me for the next step in my growth and evolution.  My very foundation has been made stronger by this commitment. 

It is only right that I pause here, and offer gratitude to those who have paused on their own Journey along the Well-Worn Path in order to look back and offer me encouragement and support.  I am grateful to you, Lorien, my spiritual leader.  I am grateful to you, Lilyth, my ever-faithful and wise mentor.  I am grateful to the Hubs and my family.  And I am grateful to every person I have ever helped, and to every person I have ever failed.  My thoughts, words and deeds have been far from perfect, yet always offered in Perfect Love and Trust, with the intent to Harm None. 

Blessed Be!

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1/24/14

Eight of Swords reversed/The Sun. The Eight of Swords (Jupiter, expansiveness and growth, justice, fortune, in Gemini, “I think,” curious, sociable talkative, dual) tells of a confused and restrictive response to obstacles, or maybe perceived obstacles.   This card is reversed, and that means it is about freedom.  A burden may fall away today, at least temporarily, and offer me a much-needed respite. 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.  This card tells me that today, reality will be bright and pleasant, and I should celebrate that I’ve made it through the Darkness.  I also need to keep in mind that this moment in The Sun is temporary; soon I will need to get back to work.

My Thoth cards are the Ten of Swords (“Ruin”) and the Princess of Disks reversed. The Ten of Swords (the Sun, the inner core of a person or situation, in Gemini, “I think,” curious, sociable, dual, talkative) tells of the perception that interference, powerlessness and restriction will rule the day.  This card can be seen as representing a breakdown of the thinking and analyzing process, and I need to realize this influence may be in play.  The Princess/Page of Disks (Aries, “I want,” assertive, action oriented, Taurus, “I have,” sensual, cautious, stubborn, and Gemini, “I think,” curious, sociable, dual) is down-to-earth and responsible, and a listener and a learner. The Princess of Pentacles loves to learn new things and have new experiences, but she also loves to also be a catalyst for change in the physical world, change for everyone.  Crowley sees this Princess as representing womanhood in its purest form, fertile and pure at the same time.  In any event, my Thoth Princess of Disks is reversed, which means that her combination of innocent optimism and ability to stick to a task may not be good tools for me today.  Or, another interpretation is that the breakdown of thinking that is the Ten of Swords is preventing me from tapping into these lovely energies of my Princess. 

My Legacy card is The Chariot reversed, flavored by The Hermit 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 is reversed, and I am being reminded that blocks or setbacks may happen, but I can’t focus on them or allow them to affect my decisions today, or things will go awry.  My reversed Chariot is being flavored by another reversed Major Arcana card, The Hermit reversed. 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 in an upright position is about searching within for a deeper meaning, often through solitude bordering on discomfort.  My Hermit is reversed, and the reversed Hermit in the Legacy Tarot tells me that I might just be applying too much caution, or I might be hiding too much of myself.  Perhaps this inappropriate isolation is the focus that is ending up reversing that Chariot.

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

My horoscopes: “Inspiration drawn from recent religious or spiritual occurrences could have you writing down accounts of your experiences, Sagittarius, perhaps with the idea of someday publishing them. Your concentration could well be intense, as writing for you today may not be only creative but therapeutic as well. It will also help to attend classes or workshops or simply to discuss the subject with a friend. Knowledge is essential.”

And: “You may be feeling like you are not able to get much done today, but don't sweat it. Whatever you do, don't pressure yourself into thinking you have a certain agenda that must get accomplished before sundown. Your heart and mind are in the same place, but you may not be exactly sure in which direction you should send this energy. Don't feel like you need to decide right now. You won't deflate by tomorrow.”

Another Wild Unknown Tarot card: Temperance.  The image of this card is a great blue heron standing beside a beautiful fire; the heron appears to be shaking or flapping his wings, and drops of water are falling onto the flame, which still burns brilliantly.  Heron is an interesting totem, representing someone who is determined to set his own course in life, yet is able to go with the flow in order to survive and prosper.  I have watched these majestic creatures fly, and they move slowly and deliberately and confidently, seeming to fly without expending effort at all.  They are able to remain completely still as they hunt, seeming to meditate without distraction; then they dart with speed, capturing their meal.  Heron also teaches balance; this bird can wade confidently through a swamp that would cause others to founder, and he can easily stand on one foot and still be ready for action.  Stillness . . . stillness that is effective because Heron is comfortable in any situation.

Today I did the first part of my initiation.  I have already initiated as 1^st Degree and 2^nd Degree, before my Coven changed its initiation practices.  Today I was initiated into the Inner Circle of my Coven, as a Coven Priestess.  Now, I am ready to move onward with my studies.  I must choose a new Path in my training.  This will require a bit of thought.

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11/13/14

Ace of Pentacles reversed/Nine of Swords.  Aces present potential only, 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) tells of the presence of potential that is connected in some way to the physical world, and perhaps the physical world is where I can have the most impact today.  My Ace is reversed today, and that could mean I might experience the more uncomfortable aspects of the element of Earth: greed, jealousy, or the twisting or distorting of values. The Nine of Swords (Mars, action, spontaneity, aggression, in Gemini, “I think,” curious, talkative, social, dual) represents brooding and worrying, usually self-caused, and usually unproductive.  Often the worrying attached to this card is connected to insecurity or suspicion, or to delays in obtaining something.  Worrying accomplishes nothing besides wasting energy; I need to remember that today.

My Thoth cards are the Ace of Cups and the Two of Swords (“Peace”) reversed.  The Ace of Cups (Libra, “We are,” partnerships, balance, cooperation, Scorpio, “I desire,” intense, deep, mysterious, obsessive, Sagittarius, “I seek,” philosophic, fun-loving, adventurous, blundering) tells of the potential to experience deep emotions, a connection to my Inner Voice, and a connection to those around me.  This card is not about the emotions themselves or their effects, but rather the potential for emotion to play a part in my day. The Two of Swords (Moon, feelings and emotions, illusion, imagination, in Libra, “We are,” partnerships, balance, cooperation) in an upright position represents a time of not looking or of shutting out the world.  The serenity of this card happens because we choose to not receive or acknowledge as valid the information that comes to us from the outside.  However, my card is reversed; does this mean that feelings will create an unhealthy tendency to shut out the world? 

My Legacy card is the Four of Swords reversed, flavored by the Queen of Wands reversed.  Another quiet Swords card in a reversed position!  The Four of Swords (Jupiter, expansiveness and growth, justice, fortune, in Libra, “We are,” partnerships, balance, cooperation) in an upright position can represent a pause or truce or mutual deterrent, or a time of silence and isolation, that should be used to prepare for challenges to come.  Perhaps this card in a reversed position is telling me that the time of pause and preparation is over, and activity is happening, whether I am ready or not.  My reversed Four of Swords is being flavored by the reversed Queen of Wands.  The Queen of Wands (cusp of Pisces, “I believe,” feelings, duality, soul growth, spirituality, and Aries, “I want,” action oriented, assertive, competitive) in an upright position is energetic, adaptable and enthusiastic; she is filled with persistent energy and calm authority at the same time, and because of this she draws others to her. She is reversed today and tells me that if I allow today to be about just being who I am, I might alienate others today.  Wow, looks like I might be better off going back to bed!

My 6-digit date number is 10, the number that tells of the end of a cycle, which can be reduced further to 1, the number of position and potential. 

My horoscopes: “A rosy glow over your recent career successes could cause you to congratulate yourself over your growing bank account. This trend should continue for a while, Sagittarius, if you keep on working as you have and maintain a positive and optimistic attitude. Your relationships with others around you, particularly the opposite sex, should be especially warm and loving right now. This should prove to be a thoroughly gratifying day. Use it to your advantage.”

And: “Recently, you have had the tendency to neglect the relationships with your entourage and colleagues. You sometimes have to treat your relations diplomatically! But it seems that your enthusiastic nature destabilizes the person you are talking to. Therefore, you should try to change your behavior. If you are more diplomatic, you will probably find the happiness you are looking for.”

I read an interesting blog post (http://www.yogitimes.com/article/what-is-a-yogi-regular-yoga-practice-svadhyaya-isvara-pranidhana/) which described the steps to becoming a Yogi.  Simple steps, actually; they consist of (1) cultivating Tapas (), (2) indulging in Svadhyaya (knowing yourself), and (3) the icing on the cake, Isvara Pranidhana (giving your life force to a higher power).  In practicing these three things, we end up with “. . . a ‘non-obsessive, daily practice.’  Like brushing your teeth or writing a thank-you letter . . .” our Yoga practice becomes instinctive and happens without conscious thought.  I like that!

I received some exciting news this morning!  My Third Degree Initiation is happening, this Friday at 4 pm!  I will be receiving preparation instructions either tonight or tomorrow, and I am very excited about all of this.  I have been working towards this Third Degree Initiation for years; I have been a member of my Coven and community since joining as a Dedicant in late May, 2002, over 13 years ago.  I have studied long and hard, and I have grown immensely.  This step is huge; it will be the ending of a cycle, but also a new and very exciting beginning!

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Five of Wands/Four of Wands.  Okay, that is a good progression. The Five of Wands, which corresponds with Saturn (discipline, responsibility, law and order) in Leo (“I am, passionate, dramatic, egotistical) indicates a struggle caused by annoying cross-purposes.  What I like (and need to be aware of) is that the discomfort caused by this card is actually plain old irritations and trivialities. These discomforts can have good results; being tested is an opportunity to achieve victory!  I am reminded today, as I clean my oven, that we sometimes need to scour at the tough spots.  The energies associated with this card make a good scouring pad. The Four of Wands (Venus, beauty, allure, relationships, in Aries, “I want,” action oriented, assertive, enthusiastic) is about building enough to become established.  This card encourages the breaking free of bonds, and it tells me that a bit of celebration may be in order at some point today, because I have accomplished some good things.  Nice combination, eh?  Scrub, and then sit back and feel good about what I’ve accomplished.

My Thoth card is the Three of Cups reversed.  “Abundance” is the upright keyword to this one. 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.  My card is reversed, and perhaps it is telling me that I needed the minor “meh” of the past few days in order to appreciate my connections.  A full measure of understanding has not come to me yet, but the card is showing up.  Don’t give up now.

My Legacy card is The Fool, flavored by the Page of Coins.  Nice!! The Fool corresponds with Air (hot/separates and wet/adapts, and challenges that tend to require the use of the intellect to solve), 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 is the spark that begins the idea, and his powers and energies are neither positive nor negative, but they are optimistic.  This card is about beginnings of all kinds, and my Fool maybe even is offering a literal message: head out into the sunshine and go for a walk, and expect good things to happen The Page of Pentacles (Aries, “I want,” assertive, action oriented, Taurus, “I have,” sensual, cautious, stubborn, and Gemini, “I think,” curious, sociable, dual) is down-to-earth and responsible, and the Page is a listener and a learner.  My Page, which is flavoring my Fool, is reminding me that there are exciting possibilities out there today, and I have only to open myself to receiving them in order to gain access.  The Page of Pentacles loves to learn new things and have new experiences, but he also loves to also be a catalyst for change in the physical world, change for everyone.

My 6-digit date number is 5, the number that tells of motion that may bring the discomfort involved in ending stillness, but that also gets rid of stagnation.

My horoscopes: “You may be trying to deal with things in a neat, orderly manner today, Sagittarius. Try not to get too frustrated if things don't work out exactly the way you'd like. Tension may occur when matters of the heart come up for discussion. People may get rather emotional, sending your neat, orderly plan right out the window.”

And: “Completion of a long-term goal of some kind, perhaps creative in nature, could lead to new friends and an increase in income. Your detective instincts could be operating at a high level, and so you might find yourself wanting to delve into obscure fields that involve a lot of unknown factors, such as science, ancient history or metaphysics. You could discover that you have a real talent for this!”

My Shadowscapes Insight is regarding the Three of Wands.  Excellent!!  This card encourages me to act, to attempt to manifest my dreams even if there is not a clear path before me.  It is the action taken without that clear path that actually brings the path into view.  A great card for a sunny day in Spring, filled with potential to be manifested!

One of the blogs I love to follow, “The Secret Life of the American Working Witch,” has posted a trailer for an interesting film called “Part 1: Nobody Documentary” (and I apologize if I got the exact name wrong), an audience interactive film about mysticism, madness and suicide.  I know that sounds dark, but the trailer suggests otherwise.  An awesome Pagan author, Ly De Angeles, is directly involved with this documentary, producing and directing it.  After watching a trailer of a mere four and a half minutes, I’ve been drawn to ponder an interesting concept that is mentioned within the trailer: the fact that our modern culture does not have a formal “initiation into adulthood” process.  Just this tiny discussion of the possible consequences of this lack has caused that brain tickle . . . you know, that tickle that indicates the distinct possibility of an Aha! Moment. 

We really don’t have any kind of effective process in place to test progress toward “adulthood” (however we define that state of being), or rites or formal celebrations to acknowledge the achievement of adulthood.  All I need to do is look around me as I’m driving on the Parkway between Bergen County and Cape May, and watch the people in their huge SUV’s, talking on their cell phones as they weave in and out of traffic, tossing their Burger King bags out the window and onto the side of the road, and I instantly understand the manifestation of the words “what we’ve got is a society stuck in childhood.”  Could this be one root cause of humanity’s mad dash to annihilation?

The trailer also presents the idea of the fine line between mysticism and madness, imagination and delusion (many of us have probably had at least one moment where we’ve questioned our own connection to reality or the connection to reality of those with whom we interact), and the difficulties that can arise as we struggle to determine on which side of that line we are currently existing and attempting to function.

I’ve included a link to the entire blog page, with permission from the lovely Kallan, because it is worth checking out, HERE: http://mypaganworld.blogspot.com/2013/04/for-love-of-ly-tarot-theory-and-practice.html .  The video link is toward the bottom of the post. 

I’m working on anatomy this weekend for my Yoga Teacher Training, in particular the spinal column.  What amazing bodies we have!!  They deserve to be honored, and maintained to the best of our ability.  And this might include a bit of ice cream, or sleeping late one morning.  I honored my body today by getting my work done, and then doing a bit of Yoga.  Now, for a walk on the beach so I can soak up some sun and blue sky, and some great ocean air.  Then, a glass of wine with my Dahling.

I hope your day is wonderful, too!

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