10/28/13

Knight of Swords/Four of Swords. 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 are impressive, but he can also be disruptive, too.  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.  This card is often seen as suggesting that the pause be used in preparation for challenges to come, kind of like a vigil.  The Llewellyn Welsh Four of Swords is seen to be similar to a hospital stay; I like that description. 

My Thoth cards are the Prince/Knight of Swords reversed and Art reversed.  Bookends! The Thoth Prince/Knight in an upright position tells of a purely intellectual person. My Knight is reversed, and because both the upright and reversed cards have shown up in my reading today, I may reach some crossroad that will offer the potential to be able to control those ideas tumbling over each other.  Maybe the tumbling itself will end up being productive.  Crowley calls the Temperance card “Art”; it corresponds with Sagittarius (“I seek,” philosophic, adventurous, blundering) Fire (hot/separates and dry/shapes, and spontaneous, impulsive, energetic change), Samekh (the tent post), and the Path between Yesod (the place where patterns and images emerge that may manifest into the physical world of action and outer reality) and Tiphareth (the hub of the creation process where energies harmonize and focus to illuminate and clarify), and presents one version of the concept of balance: balance achieved through knowledge and experience of extremes.  The Thoth Art card in an upright position tells of achievements through accurate calculations, but since the card is reversed, I might be better off just allowing things to be what they want to be, and maybe unfocusing my gaze so I can see hidden patterns.  How very un-Prince/Knight-like!

My Legacy card is The Sun reversed, flavored by the Queen of Coins.  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 and peace that comes after the completion of some ordeal.  Even reversed, The Sun is not a bad card, however I do need to keep in mind that the pause and enjoyment presented by The Sun is temporary in nature.  Yes it is a Major Arcana card, so the consequences could be long-term, but the nice pause is short, particularly when the card is reversed.  The Queen of Coins (cusp of Sagittarius, “I seek,” philosophic, fun-loving, blundering, and Capricorn, “I build,” ambition, caution, cunning, authoritative) 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.  My Queen is bringing a bit of beauty and encouragement to my reversed Sun today; I like this pairing. 

More about the Knight/Prince of Swords, my Bookends card.  This card often tells of strong beliefs, maybe even strong political beliefs.  Oh boy, do we have a few of these personalities in politics today!  Each believes he/she is rescuing the world, but the methods being used may be a bit extreme, even devious, with an end result of being separated from reality.  There are good things about being able to focus like this, because it is one way to get things done, but such tunnel vision causes us to miss out on other offerings, such as the value of compassion and mercy, or the way a bit of grounding can help to organize those ideas bouncing all around.  Reversed, this card can certainly indicate imprudence, but it also could indicate an inability to be focused enough to manifest beliefs.  Malicious plotting requires focus as well, and being stubborn requires a strong Will, but on the other hand, we could bring ourselves to the brink and then hesitate at the wrong time because that Will is unreliable and not consistent and still be acting in accordance with the Knight of Swords.  The Legacy of the Divine Knight of Swords is said to be similar to a tornado.  Lots of focused effects, yet the path of a tornado is erratic and not easy to predict. The Knight of Swords is often seen as representing a mercenary (all the Knights fit somewhat into that category), because to this Knight who loves to champion for others, goals take priority over relationships.

My 6-digit date number is 6, the number of vertical and horizontal balance. 

My horoscopes: “The special someone in your life might feel a little jealous of your friends now. Perhaps you've had a number of invitations that only involve you and your pals. It might be a good idea to turn down one in favor of being with your partner. Goals and projects may be blocked temporarily, which is frustrating. Let them ride for now.”

And: “Don't take things at face value today. There are unexpected elements brewing below the surface that you might not recognize at first, yet that need to be noticed at some point. There may be a temptation for you to be superficial about certain things that actually call for a deeper understanding. Open your eyes up a bit wider to realize what is truly going on.”

I spent the day working hard for the Hubs, looking out the window at the leaves falling from the trees.  We are surrounded by stately old maples and pin oaks, and the colors this year are breathtaking.  As I watched the leaves float to the ground and then swirl and dance in the breeze, I thought about releasing.  After all, this is the time for releasing, and I’ve been working on and off for the past six months on getting rid of what no longer serves me, both in the physical world and the spiritual realms.

So many changes!  I have gone from being employed outside of the house in a 9 to 5 job as an administrative assistant in an in-house law office to being employed by my husband.  I love getting up in the morning, washing last night’s dishes, making a pot of coffee, and then “commuting” to the office in my pj’s!  I love being able to get things done around the house during the day; of course, this means working sometimes at night, but I’m fine with this trade-off. 

This change in employment has allowed me to bring into my life more of the things that are important to me.  I’ve got an awesome group of helpers within the Leadership Department at Sacred Mists.  They enable me to be in an advisory position, which should free me to study on my own.  I have been looking at the Builders of the Adytum as a possible next step in my Tarot studies.  I am feeling an urge to look deeper into Western Mysticism, and since the Tarot is my chosen symbolism for most of what I am learning, the BOTA might be the right place for me to study. 

Also on my list is getting together some Yoga classes.  I have some sisters-in-law who are interested in a Gentle Yoga class, and I will hopefully be offering some private Chair Yoga to a woman with MS.  Gotta get them organized, and register with Yoga Alliance so I can officially add the letters “RYT” to my name.

Nice list, eh?  But for tonight, I head out to visit the Wayne Contingency of the Pagan Brain Trust!

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Eight of Swords (again??!!)/The Emperor reversed. I tend to see the first card of this pair as representing my conscious mind and the second my subconscious mind, so perhaps the energies of this Eight are being brought to the surface. The Eight of Swords (Jupiter, expansiveness and growth, justice, fortune, in Gemini, “I think,” curious, sociable talkative, dual) shows what happens when you abuse the power of the Swords through the intellect: that power turns against you. Am I thinking too much? Shutting myself away from the world is sometimes productive if done in small amounts of time, but I need to be careful that I don’t turn into the brooder that is the Nine of Swords. The Emperor (Fire, hot/separates and dry/shapes, and spontaneous, impulsive, energetic change; Aries, “I want,” action oriented, assertive, competitive; Heh, window, illumination; and the Path between Tiphareth and Chokmah, dynamic male energy and the origin of vital force and polarity) represents the power of the mind and of intentions to shape the world. He is about taking responsibility, and he is about manifesting his good intentions through order and stability and structure and regulation. All of these things are imposed ethically, with the best interests of all kept in mind. Because he is reversed, I may be dealing with events today that will make it difficult for me to maintain order, or lead as an example. But the card is there, so there is hope.

My Thoth card is The Hermit reversed. The Hermit corresponds with Earth (cold/binds and dry/shapes, and material, practical and stable energy that is slow to change), 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 points to hidden knowledge attained through seclusion and tough introspection. Because this card is reversed, there is a danger that my introspection may turn harmful and dark. Interesting that this card is reversed too; The Emperor reversed and The Hermit reversed seem to be pointing at each other. “You need to be more internal!” “You need to be more in touch with your physical world so that things are orderly!” I may end up being presented with a choice of options here.

My Legacy card is the Page of Coins, flavored by the King of Coins. Interesting pair! The Page of Coins (Aries, “I want,” assertive, action oriented, Taurus, “I have,” sensual, cautious, stubborn, and Gemini, “I think,” curious, sociable, dual) is a listener, and this Page listens to both sides of an argument because he is also a student, and is eager to learn. He watches his world with curiosity and wants to learn how everything works. Because this Page corresponds to Earth, he is practical and cautious, but because he also brings a youth’s enthusiasm to learn into the picture, he is the least cautious of the Coins Court family; he will actually take risks on occasion. The King of Coins (cusp of Aries, “I want,” action oriented, assertive, competitive, and Taurus, “I have,” sensual, stubborn, cautious, physically oriented) is the expert on physical manifestation. He is very good at managing resources and overseeing growth, and he has one other important talent that the Page has not yet attained: the ability to be patient. The King of Coins is flavoring the Page today, which tells me first of all that my awareness will be focused on my physical world today, and second that the youthful enthusiasm of the Page of Coins will be tempered by the King’s ability to use past experiences to better manifest good health and a secure place in the world.

My 6-digit date number is 8, the number that represents a focused and active response to the beginning of degeneration that is the number 7.

My horoscopes: “Today you might decide to get some annoying but necessary chores done, Sagittarius. You have the energy and stamina to finish them and probably will, although you may go crazy from boredom in the meantime. Your mind should be especially active, so don't be surprised if during the course of doing your chores you find the answers to questions you've been asking yourself for a long time.”

And: “Keep on keeping on -- you are closer than ever to getting what you want, and if you just keep going, you will soon (very soon) see a sign that things are about to change the way you want them to. If you're on a diet, you'll notice your clothes fitting differently. If you're working on a new relationship, you will start to see this person open up. If you are just trying to stay positive, you will soon get the encouragement you need to believe deep in your heart that everything is coming up roses!”

Today's Sun reading: “The Aquarius Sun conjuncts Mars, prodding people to want to have things their way. You and others want it more than anything until the Moon enters Pisces later today and it might seem like nobody does anything but whine and complain. None of the above gives off good romantic vibes tonight.”

More about the 31^st Path. The Tarot card associated with this Path is the Judgment card. Judgement is about karma and about cause and effect; studying the 31^st Path can reveal to us the causes of events within our life, as well as the effects of those events that can manifest. These situations show us not only undesirable ties, but also they highlight the blessings of the Divine that are operating in our lives. We learn an important lesson through this Pathworking: all situations in this life have supported and continue to support the manifestation of our Purpose. Karma is also related to all links to our individual pasts, and to the collective past of all humanity.

The Judgement card corresponds with Pluto (power and metamorphosis), with the element of Fire (within elemental dignities: hot/separates and dry/shapes), and with energies that are spontaneous and impulsive. This means that Pathworking associated with the 31^st Path can assist us in strengthening the kundalini within us; we can free ourselves from emotional problems, learn to avoid ruthlessness and self-indulgence, and help us to access deep wells of courage and strength within us. Fire is also about purification; Fire destroys and Fire creates, and a trial by Fire may not be fun, but it is beneficial in the end because it enables us to resolve issues, and release them.

It amazes me that I am only on the second Path, and yet circumstances have contrived to present powerful (and uncomfortable) opportunities for hands-on experiences within each Path. What is pleasing to me is my initial instinctive response to these challenges. My first instinct, when presented with an uncomfortable situation, is to withdraw. Permanently. Instantly. But the challenges that are presenting themselves over these past few weeks are not eliciting that response from me. Oh yes, for a moment I tell myself that this just isn’t worth the pain and disappointment, but this thought direction does not bring me right to the Nine of Swords, as has been common in the past. I am a brooder, and brooding is a natural response for me when a sudden and uncomfortable blockage appears. But lately, I am quickly derailing the desire to withdraw, and instead, I am telling myself to sleep on the event, so that I don’t take hasty actions that I will end up regretting.

I have seen this happen again and again to others within my spiritual studies at Sacred Mists, and watched again and again as someone responds to a challenge by withdrawing. Permanently. Instantly. But inevitably, that withdrawal has ended up to be exactly the wrong action to take. Each of us at Sacred Mists, from the newest of the newbies to the most seasoned of Priests and Priestesses, has an important role within our Community. Each of us does our best to meet our responsibilities and to take our place among the other members of our Coven and our Community. We each are placeholders to a position or a space, and like the grains of soil with which I connected when I first did my Earth elemental absorption exercise from my First Degree Training, as soon as we own our space, others begin to lean on us and depend on us and support us. If you pull away one grain of soil, every other grain in the area is displaced; the same holds true when any member of our Community leaves, for whatever reason.

Consequences. Cause and Effect. The 31^st Path. Every action affects everyone and every thing around me. This does not mean that I can’t make changes or back away; it just means that I need to be very aware that everything I do (and everything I choose to **not** do) has an impact.

Okay, this Pathworking is turning out to be a lot more difficult than I expected. And I think that I now understand a bit better why both The Hermit and The Emperor are reversed in my cards today. Neither one is the right answer to the question, but neither one is the wrong answer either. I need to balance them both, **not** choose one or the other!

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Ten of Wands/Queen of Cups reversed. The Ten of Wands (Saturn, discipline, responsibility, limitations and resistance, caution, in Sagittarius, “I seek,” philosophic, fun-loving, adventurous, blundering) ends up to be the complete reverse of the Ace of Wands. This card tells me that the creative energy within me may have become detached from its spiritual source, and thus tasks that should be bringing me joy and fulfillment have instead become burdens. The Queen of Cups (cusp of Gemini, “I think,” curious, sociable intelligent, dual, and Cancer, “I feel,” sensitive, tenacious, nurturing, moody) in an upright position is considered to be the minor equivalent of The High Priestess; she is very in tune with her subconscious and she can easily hear and understand her Inner Voice. The reflections on the surface of the Water do not prevent her from seeing into its mysterious depths. Because she is reversed, she is reinforcing and validating the message of the Ten of Wands: unless all things are connected to Spirit in some way, they become meaningless burdens. This is important, I can feel it!

My Thoth card is the Prince of Swords reversed. Two reversed court cards today; I am being told how **not** to be. In an upright position, Crowley sees the Prince of Swords (cusp of Taurus, “I have,” sensual, stubborn, physical, sensual, and Gemini) as being pure intellect, filled with all kinds of different ideas that bounce off of each other like bumper cars, causing chaos because there is no focus, no grounding and no substance. There can be a danger of deviousness and cunning being misused today, as well as ruin coming from the misuse or misdirection (whether inadvertent or on purpose) of the pure Air energy around me, so I need to be alert and aware all through the day, not just right now as I explore this card, in order to head off or at least lessen the effects of any catastrophes. There might be a potential for a struggle to present itself, a competition of sorts with a rival; I need to diffuse that struggle, for today may not be the day for me to be the hero.

Hmmm . . . “I think,” “I feel,” and “I have,” all reversed, and all connected, by Gemini. Is that a road block? Or a suggestion for a new way to change my perceptions? A fast indeed!

My Legacy card is The Wheel reversed flavored by the Four of Coins. The Wheel (Fire, hot/separates and dry/shapes and spontaneous and impulsive change; Jupiter, expansiveness and growth, justice, fortune; Kaph, grasping hand; the Path between Netzach, the stimulating factors of emotion and inspiration, and Chesed, the place which crosses Da’ath and where forms and structure are stabilized and nurtured) in an upright position represents the cycles of life, of living, of the earth and Nature, and of the Universe, cycles that are ever in motion, always manifesting, always presenting important and powerful messages, but not coming from me. In fact, upright, the card tells me that not only are these cycles not coming from me, but I most likely won’t have an effect on their manifestation, so I am better off riding the wave and knowing that change will happen whether I want it to or not. The Four of Coins (Sun, the inner core of a person or situation, in Capricorn, “I build,” ambition, cunning, authority, caution) was in my card throw yesterday, but in a reversed position. Sounds like a progression is happening, and today is indeed turning out to be a day when I am realizing and recognizing that I have something precious in my possession, something that may be in part coming to me from the cycles around me, but not entirely; hence the reversed position of The Wheel. Whatever this valued possession is, at least for today it needs to be sheltered and protected and nurtured by me, in order for it to manifest in a complete and understandable way.

My 6-digit date number is 5, the number of motion. Yep; fer sher!!

My horoscopes: “Peace and harmony are in the regularly scheduled program for the day, but there is a good chance that there could be a warring force with strong opinions and vindictive tendencies. Hold onto your hat, Sagittarius, and make sure you have your actions well aligned with your soul or else you could be thrown into a battle that has nothing to do with you.”

And: “It's time to let go and let the universe have its way with you. First of all, there's no other way for things to go right now -- and anything is possible at the moment -- especially if it's something from the past. Your job is to surround yourself with loved ones who are good at saying 'Sure. Why not give it another shot?' You know exactly who to call, and you know they'll be supportive.”

And: “You may have an urge to invent new things. You feel compelled to create something, either in the artistic, technical, or philosophical fields. If only you would give yourself enough time to pursue these imaginings. Today, realize that concentration is the key to accomplishment. Put away such distractions as books, magazines, and newspapers, and you may well be surprised by the wealth of inspiration that comes to you.”

It is so awesome when I decide what I am feeling, and then either my cards or my date number or my horoscopes, or all of them, are pointing in exactly the same direction that I determined before I even looked at them. Today is one of those days!

I decided last night that I was going to make use of the information I learned from reading Raven Digitalis’s chapter on fasting; I was going to see my extreme efforts expended each morning as I get up 45 minutes early to exercise as a fast, as me giving up that extra 45 minutes of sleep. I decided that I would offer that discomfort to Kali Ma, my own Dark Goddess who teaches me that physical pleasures can be a distraction from learning and evolution. As soon as I made that decision, I realized that I should see my twice daily devotion to Hecate in the same way; something clicked inside of me as I made those decisions. Cool; this certainly is one thing that Hecate wanted me to discover!

So, when the alarm went off literally before dawn (this morning, sunrise was at 7:14, about twenty minutes after my alarm goes off) and I felt the urge to reset the alarm, I consciously dedicated my efforts as I denied myself that extra sleep to Kali Ma, and got out of bed. I went through my usual morning routine, making certain that I chanted to Hecate right before sunrise; the last thing I do before I leave is throw my cards of the day. As I opened each of my chakras and shuffled my decks, I became aware of a sense around me of preparation, of dealing with minor details. My cards gave that message and reminded me that I need to not fight those flows of energy, but rather ride the wave and make use of them. Okay, I can do that.

I got into my car and began my usual chakra opening/cleanse/balancing/Reiki application, and connected with my Spirit Guide, Ailm, as usual. She told me that everyone in her group was feeling uneasy, looking over their shoulders, because they felt that something was coming. She asked me if some big storm was on the way, because she could feel that sense of holding one’s breath and pausing before the plunge, just as I had been feeling it since I got up this morning. I told her that she should expect clouds and showers today, but nothing too potent; she shook her head and said once again that something was coming. To my surprise, my other Guides joined me as well; each of them watched me carefully, as if this morning’s meditation was a final exam and I was being graded on my skill level and on my presentation.

All day so far, I have been feeling the energy in my Hara Point as it revs up, activates and prepares for action; it is as if my subconscious knows of something of which my conscious awareness is totally unaware. While I have been feeling the presence of the Sacred Masculine these past days, as the God prepares to die and rest at Samhain before being reborn at Yule, this was not energy of the Sacred Masculine. While I have been turning my awareness more and more inward and to the Sacred Feminine as the cold and dark of Winter approaches, this was not Goddess energy that I was feeling. This is my own energy, and as I sit here typing, I can feel it awakening and flowing through me, touching base with each of the talents I have nurtured and the skills I have worked so hard to attain, waking each one up and sending them into “ready mode.”

Something is going to happen today, something important. I don’t get a sense of great evil or great joy, just great power. Whatever it is that will manifest today will not be inherently good or inherently evil, and it will have the potential to be turned into either a benefit or a disaster. Does it have something to do with the fact that the Veil is thinning as Samhain approaches? Does it have something to do with the fact that today is the first day that I have consciously offered with awareness a fast and the efforts and energies associated with it to Hecate and to Kali? What awareness is coming to me? What recommendation is being offered to me?

I have learned that as I immerse myself into my Craft and strive more and more to live each day with awareness of the many times that I am touched by the Sacred, I am more and more aware of the messages that are being offered to me. It is more than a coincidence that immediately after turning unpleasant tasks into offerings to the Gods, I suddenly receive this new level of awareness. Everything that I have learned thus far is important today. I need to be ready for anything, as I don’t know exactly what I am looking for, and I get the feeling that the event or effect may possibly not become apparent to me immediately, depending on where it is coming from.

Samhain corresponds to the Death card of the Tarot, which tells of the passing through a gateway into the unknown, with no methods available to turn back. It tells us that we are being pulled toward that gateway whether we want to be there or not, and so we are better off allowing ourselves to be brought to its threshold and then through to whatever is beyond. We are also told that there is absolutely nothing unnatural about this event; it is a valid and useful part of the cycles of the Wheel of the Year and of existence. Our task is to travel with awareness, and to learn from both the pleasant experiences and the uncomfortable or frightening experiences with equal enthusiasm.

I feel soooooo much already from just these few fasts, and the cool thing is that I have been doing them all already, just not with the intent to offer them as gifts to my Deities. All this in response to what amounts to a used gift?

Today, I am certainly treading upon the “event horizon.”

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The Lovers reversed/Six of Swords. I am seeing these cards as having a literal meaning today. My company has gone home, and my Love is elsewhere; I am putting things back in order after spending a wonderful day with company. After a much anticipated weekend (which has met my expectations nicely), I am changing my focus to the next event. Oy. My 55^th birthday. *waves to Archangel Uriel* Hi! I am sure that you want to talk to me.

My Thoth card is the Three of Cups reversed. I threw the “Abundance” card reversed on Friday, when I was alone in Cape May. If this is going to be the same type of day, I am happy. A day filled with pondering and absorbing the events of yesterday would be fitting.

My Legacy card is the Five of Wands reversed. Another indication of a calm if not bland day; waning energies are what I am dealing with. I do need such a day, as I would like to not only remember the weekend just past, but begin to flesh out some ideas I have had regarding my sacred masculine wand (LOL, you remember, the elk penis).

The Wayne Contingency, TL, E and J, had a wonderful time in Cape May. Once they arrived, we spent the afternoon on the beach, walking, taking pictures, looking for “treasures.” We stayed until sundown, and watched the Sun Father sink into the sea, with the Moon Mother following behind. Another glorious sight. We came back to the house, cooked dinner, E gave us an awesome yoga class, and after many stimulating discussions we finished the night with a chakra meditation. I can still feel the ebbs and flows of energies, flavored here and there with a hint of each of their presence here. We thought of L, and looked forward to the official Retreat, where we will have a complete set.

Today as I digest the past few days and think about the winding down of my personal dark moon phase of my personal solar year, I think about that third part of my persona, the Wiccan Priestess. This part of me can be broken down to two subheadings: what I perceive Wicca to be, and why I am dedicated to Wicca.

Wicca is a mystery spiritual tradition that sees Deity as being a dynamic balance of polar opposites, male and female, dark and light, hot and cold, inner and outer, both of which opposites are necessary for wholeness. Wiccans see Deity as imminent, as being present within everything, rather than as transcendent, existing apart and watching over us all. We don’t worship the trees or the rocks, but rather we worship the traits of Deity that we see within the traits of the trees and the rocks. Wiccans believe that all of life exists within and manifests through the cycle of birth, life, death, rest, and rebirth, and we believe that in aligning ourselves with those cycles we become closer to Deity.

Wiccans see their relationship with Deity as being experiential in nature, hence the “mystery” of the term “mystery spiritual tradition.” We do not have revealed texts or written-in-stone, never-to-be-messed-with ideas and beliefs about Deity. While some may be more comfortable with that kind of permanent framework, Wiccans see their own knowledge about Deity as constantly evolving, and we are always working new facts and new knowledge into the general, overall picture of Deity. Because of the nature of the Wiccan perception of Deity, Wiccans don’t believe that there is any one right way to worship Goddess and/or God; each religion and each belief is right for the person practicing that religion or belief. We do not preach conversion of the world to Wicca, and we don’t want to be “saved.”

While a more experienced Priestess and/or Priest may lead our groups and our rituals, we do not communicate with Deity through the intercession of officially designated ministers and we do not exist under the umbrella of any one human authority or counsel. Our knowledge and belief regarding Deity is alive and constantly evolving, and we see the seeking of any knowledge regarding Deity or our world, including all the sciences, as a sacred task.

Wiccans also believe in the concept of personal responsibility, and the willing acceptance of the ownership of both our actions and the consequences of our actions is a basic underpinning of Wicca. There is no devil to make us do anything and no spiritual guide or authority who can intercede in our name. We believe that everything we do circles back to us, and thus we choose our actions carefully and attempt to cause the least amount of harm.

So we have the keywords: dual, imminent, cycles, experiential, personal responsibility.

As to why I am a Wiccan, it seems that I blossom in this kind of environment with these keywords. As I have been told by my dearest Lady Danu, in the astral realms there is no judgment imposed on any one or any thing by another; the only one who judges me is me. I am accepted as who I am, I have been able to discover the skills that are uniquely mine, and I have been able to manifest those skills as I help myself to evolve, and help others to evolve. Sounds fluffy, I know, but being able to successfully overcome a challenge and then shine a light on the methods I used so that someone else can also succeed by using my methods as a foundation for their own success is quite awesome to experience, and addictive.

I have come to value the things and experiences that I don’t share with the world. Yes, those who are close to me know my Path and share my joy with the fulfillment I experience during my Journey. But most of my acquaintances see a kind of cool yet average middle aged woman. My “Clark Kent” persona; but I’ve got a secret! *wink*

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The Sun/King of Wands reversed. Today will bring for me a time of knowing that I have done the work and thus, I am reaping the rewards. I do understand very well that this time of enjoyment, of seeing the road ahead as well paved and devoid of traffic, will not last long. I can relax, fer sher, but as I relax I need to build enthusiasm for tackling the next task or challenge, for it will be upon me soon enough. For today, though, the intensity of transformation will ebb, maybe enough for me to hear the background noises of my own existence.

My Thoth Card is the Ten of Wands reversed. I am being reminded that the work is not yet done, but for now, the burdens are not overwhelming. There will not be “Oppression” today, and I will be able to govern myself without extremes, but I can’t forget that the potential for tyranny is present.

My Legacy card is the Page of Coins; hmm . . . same card as yesterday only yesterday’s Page of Coins was reversed. My focus may be Earthy today, and on the things I need to accomplish or finish up. The energies of the day are supportive of this, and I should put my shoulder to the grindstone and push with enthusiasm.

My horoscope: “Emotionally you should be feeling strong today, dear Sagittarius, although you may find that there is an idea running through your head that is asking you to slow down and take things once step at a time. The internal dialogue could drive you crazy if you are not careful. The most important thing for you to do at this time is to simply follow your heart. Do what you love to do, and associate yourself with the people you love and respect the most.”

Because I am coming to the end of the dark moon phase of my own solar year (which will end as I move into the new moon phase of a new personal solar year on my birthday), I have been doing some “internal housecleaning.” I have been giving a lot of thought to exactly who I am, so that I can determine through the experiences of the past year exactly what still remains valuable about “me,” and what no longer applies.

Basically, there are three major components or persona within my life (in no particular order of importance): family member, employee, and Priestess. I am setting myself a task: over the next four days, I am going to describe in detail each facet, with the intention of throwing out the old to make room for the new.

Being a family member can be complicated, especially if I want to be a good family member. Bob’s family is a delight, mainly because they talk to each other on a regular basis, so no one really falls through the cracks. At a minimum, we all get together once a month for a birthday brunch to celebrate the birthdays of that month, but during football season there are more opportunities to get together. In the Spring, Summer and Fall, family members come to Cape May, we have an incredibly awesome family vacation that everyone in the immediate family attends, and we have an annual Christmas/Yule dinner at our house that I call the “cook a cow night.” My in laws are intelligent and well spoken and have strong individual personalities and beliefs, and yet each of them, no matter where they fall on the liberal-conservative spectrum, is open to the validation of anyone else’s beliefs. How cool is that?

My family is more typical of the modern extended family. We don’t see each other on a regular basis, and if it were not for FaceBook, I would not know what is happening in their lives. However, when we do get together, we pick up right from where we left off at the last gathering. Everyone understands that life sometimes gets in the way, and everyone is comfortable with the occasional gathering. My son, Brian, is the exception to this. I have an awesome relationship with my son, and this did not completely happen on its own. I put the time in, back when Brian was in high school, and I have encouraged him to be a productive and honorable member of society under whatever terms work for him. I am proud to say that he has done this.

Bob and I have a core group of friends (LOL, the OPC, and we will just leave it at that), who we see on a regular basis for birthdays and weekends in Cape May. I have a few friends of my own, Sharon, my dance partner and Dominican Republic travel companion, and several fellow students (and former students *waves at Vulture*) at Sacred Mists, with whom I share friendships.

Things actually seem pretty good with my relationships with those I consider family.

Tomorrow, I will asses my “employee self.”

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