Saturn Semi-Square Pluto, November 27, 2014 – “The Semi-Sweet Life”

The World - tarot's card for Saturn.
From "The Wizard's Tarot"© by
Corrine Kennerand John J. Blumen

Squares are a challenging aspect of ninety degrees between two, or more planets.  Keep in mind that the term,’challenging,’ is a euphemism for, “That’s going to suck.”

Semi-squares, thought of as carrying weaker square energy, are an aspect of forty-five degrees between two planets that causes us more irritation than the bust through, or bust out energy of the traditional square pattern.

On Thursday, November 27th, Saturn goes semi-square with Pluto. Though this isn’t the most idyllic cosmic influence, it does have some pluses.  Saturn is the teaching planet and its lessons come in the form of challenges. Pluto in the planet of transformation, or re-birth.  A Saturn/Pluto semi-square asks us to resolve the conflict within ourselves between duty or, our sense of obligation, and our need to determine our own course in life.

Saturn is the responsible planet – sort of a cosmic hall monitor who wants us to be disciplined and somewhat regimented.  Pluto, on the other hand, likes soul-stirring change that transforms who we are and what we believe.  Saturn is currently in Scorpio, a sign of transformation that is co-ruled by Pluto.  This ups the ante on the Saturn/Pluto semi-square’s influence. Resolution is a requirement of this configuration, but that resolution has to transformative.

The trick with this particular semi-square’s energy is to

Judgement, Pluto's tarot card, from
"Legacy of the Divine Tarot"©
by Ciro Marchetti

acknowledge the frustrations you feel and handle them with patience and persistence.  What does that mean?  Foremost it means that there’s no need to force-feed your philosophies down everyone’s throat, particularly at the Thanksgiving Day table and at the top of your lungs. Remember that your challenge from Saturn during this semi-square is to resolve your feelings of conflict between other people’s version of you and your version of yourself.  You can accomplish this with quiet strength and persistence. Where you owe others respect and need to exercise patience with them, you also owe yourself the type of life you want. 

Also consider that all this transformative energy and challenge from Saturn will stir up some waves from the notorious Uranus/Pluto square (transformative and revolutionary societal change).  This is one of the reasons to let patience and courtesy be your mantra during family gatherings this weekend – more so than normally. When we resolve our inner conflicts our life moves forward at an astonishing pace.  Your life is yours to use as you choose.  It is your responsibility and this is the ultimate lesson from Saturn in Scorpio.  Become who you want to be.  Reach for your goals and dreams because achieving them or not is totally up to you.

LADY ORACLE


Catch Linda Becker and I this Friday, November 28th (yes, Black Friday!) at 8:30 a.m. PST on "The Moment Is Now" on blogtalk radio. this week we're talking about "Gifts of the Spirit." Tune in!

Astrology For September, 2014, Part 1 – “A Question of Balance”

Tarot's card for Sagittarius is "Temperance"
a reminder for balance this month.
From "Legacy of the Divine Tarot"©
by the amazing Ciro Marchetti

September is a time for us to seek and find our personal balancing points. On September 2nd Mercury gives us a focused and diplomatic frame of mind as it enters the realm of Libra, Sign of Balance. Mercury, ruled by the sign Virgo, is represented by the tarot card, “The Magician.”  This card teaches us about the power of creative energy wielded through conscious, directed thought.  The elements of earth, air, fire and water are blended through The Magician’s skills.  He is an informed mind balancing and transforming nature through the sheer strength of his will.  That’s a pretty heady image to kick off September’s astrology. It’s also extremely accurate. During Mercury’s stay in Libra we can likewise use our own of knowledge, coupled with focused intent to realize our goals.

Mercury’s magician receives an extra boost of creative energy on September 8th from Full Moon in Pisces.  Put your natural artistry in gear September 5th through the 10th.  Use Mercury in Libra to ground the Moon’s emotional components while you let that mystical and creative lunar energy flow.  I’ll have more information on working with Full Moon in Pisces later this week.

On September 5th, Venus swans into Virgo where she turns

The Magician represent the planet
Mercury. This depiction is "The Shaman"
from "The Wildwood Tarot"©
by Mark Ryan, John Matthews beautifully illustrated
by Will Worthington

sincere, yet somewhat nit picky.  The goddess of love finds nice, emotional depth in Virgo where she is also artistic and creative in her own right. The thing to watch out for during this transit however, is Venus’ tendency to focus on small details about the people she finds attractive, details that in the scheme of things, don’t carry significant weight about a potential relationship. In fact, too much attention to small details obscures the big picture and masks some glaring deficiencies in current heart throbs.  Access Mercury’s energy to help you choose wisely.

Mars, the warrior leaves the transformative lessons of Scorpio behind him to move into Sagittarius on September 13th.  Tarot’s association for Mars is “The Tower.”  The Tower represents the winds of change that sweep into our lives causing momentary chaos, but also bringing with them unexpected opportunities.  Mars in Sagittarius heeds the call to bold adventure. Our inner warrior is all energetic, visceral experience, spontaneously seizing life.  He is also honest, but without much of a filter to his speech.  Whatever Mars perceives as truth about a situation comes directly from gut to his mouth.  Sagittarius’ tarot association is “Temperance” – a good reminder to balance all things.  Again, focus on Mercury in Libra’s diplomatic energies to counterbalance Mar’s lack of finesse.

From Kris Waldherr's stunning deck
"The Goddess Tarot"© come this depiction
of The Fool, Uranus' tarot card.

Also on September 13th we have Mercury in Libra in opposition to Uranus in Aires. This adds a strong, breakthrough energy to the days just before and just after the 13th.  If you are struggling to learn new skills, or adapt to new systems expect a helpful push from this configuration.  Uranus in Aires is about “out of the box” thinking that takes us beyond conventional pathways into new and progressive territory.  Meditations during this time yield answers to your inner most questions, as well as reveal some startling insights. There’s a certain amount of impulsiveness with this energy, but by now you know the drill – use Mercury to balance that impulsivity.  

This is only the astrological trends for the first half of September.  We also have an Equinox, a New Moon and Sun in Libra coming our way.  Great stuff.  I’ll talk about those things later, but for right now work with our lessons in balance to ensure a productive month.

LADY ORACLE

Astrological Trends for June 2014 – “Dreams of the Spirit”

The Magician is tarot's card for Mercury
representing conscious thought, or the
active mind. Seen here from "The Wizard's Tarot"©
by Corrine Kenner and John J. Blumen

June is the month for planetary retrogrades. Take three, they’re small.  See blog: “Mercury Retrograde, Tarot and You”  for a definition of what a retrograde cycle actually is. June 7th, Mercury starts its retrograde in Cancer and then slip-slides back to Gemini on June 17th. Neptune begins its retro-fitting journey in Pisces on June 9th and last, though still influential, Chiron turns retrograde in Pisces as well on June 20th. There is a central theme for this month and it is dreams of the spirit.

Mercury Retrograde in Cancer asks us to halt for a moment and carefully consider any communications we receive pertaining to financial matters. Don’t forget to check those pesky emails from your bank that signal low balance alerts, or God forbid, the dreaded, “your account is overdrawn” email.  No, Mercury Retrograde in Cancer doesn’t make you short of cash, but it can create miscommunications in the financial area.  Listen to your voicemails and read your emails particularly if you have various and sundry financial deals in the works.  Don’t assume that everything is taken care of just because it’s happening under someone else’s watch.  On June 17th Mercury drifts back to Gemini, its home sign.  Mercury in Gemini is a quick mind and a quicker wit.  Although Mercury’s retro period may leave you feeling as if you hit a wall during your mental calisthenics, simply remember to rethink your ideas and recalculate the outcome twice and issues will eventually resolve themselves.  Follow the rules for Mercury retrograde and keep them holy. 

Pisces figures prominently in this month’s astrology and in a

#12, The Hanged Man is tarot's card for Neptune.
From "Shadowscapes"©
by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law

very exciting way.  Neptune, exalted in its home sign of Pisces, goes retrograde on June 9th.  Unlike drifty Mercury, Neptune remains in the sign of the fish for its entire retrograde period.  In it to win it.  Pisces is the sign of dreams, intuition, spirituality and creativity.  Likewise, Neptune is the planet of dreamers and the higher self.  Here’s the exciting part.  When Neptune goes retrograde it acts as a touchstone for our spirituality.  In Pisces this effect is magnified.  We more readily identify ourselves as members of one species – humanity.  We grasp the idea that faith is not something to simply be given by rout, but a thing that needs to be examined.  The results of our queries push us to the point where faith is validated as our truth and therefore becomes unshakeable.  Expect to see a spiritual reawakening for yourself and others during Neptune’s retrograde cycle which lasts until November 16th.  

Lady Moon herself symbolizes
the sign of Pisces. From "The
Wizard's Tarot"© by Corrine Kenner and
John J. Blumen

Neptune retrograde in Pisces is an excellent time to examine your dreams for clues about yourself and the world around you.  Read up on basic dream symbolism. (See Blog: "Dream Symbolism – I Know I Was Wearing Pants When I Left The House" )  Start a dream journal. What do your dreams want you to know?  Use the super charged spiritual energy of this June to connect to your higher, intuitive self and open the pathway that connects you to the Devine. Let yourself find the path that speaks to you.

The third retrograde of the month is Chiron in Pisces.  Here we see the same theme of creativity and spirituality, but this time coupled with Chiron’s healing energy.  Look for deep and powerful meditations this month that transform your old patterns.  This month is geared towards facilitating lasting changes in your life.  Remember Pluto is also in retrograde now, prompting you to ask the big questions about your relationship to Source and your responsibility to your fellow man.  Not easy stuff, granted, but all part of the wonderful spiritual shift coming this month. You don’t have to force your reawakening, just let it happen. Enjoy it.

On June 11th Jupiter in Cancer goes sesquiquadrate to

#5, The Hierophant is shown as Chiron,
the wounded healer in "Wizard's Tarot"©

Neptune in Pisces.  That’s a mildly adverse aspect or 135 degrees between the two planets.  This aspect won’t cause too many waves, but it will juxtapose the material bounty of Jupiter with the spirituality of Neptune.  If anything it will prod us to come to terms with any conflicts between our material world and our higher self.

On June 13th we enjoy a Full Moon in Sagittarius and on 27th, a powerful New Moon in Cancer.  I’ll have more on those later this month.  In the meantime, use June’s rich Piscean energy to deepen your meditations, expand your spirit and enrich your life.

LADY ORACLE

May 28, 2014 New Moon in Gemini, Squares Neptune in Pisces While Venus Takes No Bull

Tarot's card for Lady Moon from
"Wizard's Tarot"© by Corrine Kenner
and John J. Blumen

May’s New Moon takes place in quick-witted Gemini this month.  A Gemini Moon is typically a party goer’s moon, however there are other factors this month that have astrologers predicting some twists and turns.  The New Moon of May 28th squares Neptune in Pisces.  As you may recall, a square is an aspect, or angle of ninety degrees between planets.  Squares are challenging aspects that combine the strongest, and in some cases trickiest influences of the celestial bodies involved.

Neptune, the ruling planet for Pisces, is exalted (particularly high-functioning and powerful) in this sign. Neptune is the planet dreamers and its stock in trade is illusion and intuition; two things it has in common with the Moon. Many astrologers state that the squaring of the New Moon and Neptune will make it difficult for us to see past our own dreams and that we’ll be prone to self-delusion when it comes to making informed decisions – more so if we have Neptune, Gemini or Pisces prominently in our birth charts.  

Gemini, on the other hand, is ruled by Mercury and deals in mental acuity and communication.  People born under this sign love to collect knowledge and to be well informed.  However, under the Moon’s influence Gemini’s behavior becomes erratic, making us flipflop our thoughts and emotions with lightening speed. We strive to be agreeable to others – so much so that we surrender our self-expression, or in the worse case, our self-respect in order to belong.  

Tarot’s card association for Pisces is #18, The Moon.  One

Pisces' tarot card, #18, The Moon
from "Wizard's Tarot"© by John J. Blumen
and Corrine Kenner

meaning for this card is to be lost in illusion or in one’s own fear.  The Moon’s tarot card, #2, The High Priestess, represents the subconscious and intuition. It’s easy to understand why astrologers would make the leap that we should guard against self-delusion and pipe-dreaming during this New Moon.  Still, there is more to consider than simply the illusions that surround both Neptune and the Moon.  Neptune in Pisces also brings us great spirituality and creativity.  Use these gifts. Spend time in contemplation during the next few days.  Write down the ideas that occur to you.  All of them. They will give you something to consider more deeply and revise during June’s Mercury Retrograde.

Venus takes up residence in Taurus on the 28th as well.  The goddess of love is both practical and secure when she is bull riding.  Although well-grounded by Taurus’ earth energy, Venus still operates on instinct to create a loving, passion-filled environment during this transit.  Remember too that her practicality also extends into creative endeavors.  Draw on her stability if you find yourself uncertain of your direction or mired in illusions caused by your own anxiety during this New Moon phase.  Work with written communications and keep your expectations of yourself reasonable.  Doing so will ensure you a positive start to the upcoming lunar cycle.

LADY ORACLE

Full Moon in Scorpio, May 14, 2014 – “Fair Exchange”

Scorpio's card, shown here from "Legacy of the
Divine Tarot" by Ciro Marchetti

May’s Full Flower Moon occurs on May 14th at 12:16 p.m. PDT.  This month’s Full Moon is also known as the Corn Planting Moon, or the Milk Moon.  Traditionally, the energy released by a scorpion Full Moon is intense, emotional and makes us all just a tad bit judgmental – more so if you have are either a Scorpio or have full Moon in Scorpio in your birth chart.  However, this month we have some significant contributing factors to this energy model – Jupiter, Saturn, Chiron and Pluto.  

Pluto, one of Scorpio’s two ruling planets (also Mars) is currently in retrograde. (See blog: "Pluto Retrograde" ) This pint-sized dynamo of a planet asks us to consider our goals along with the trajectory of our life. Are we holding true to our ideals? Are giving our best to humanity?  That’s what Pluto retrograde does. It makes us pause to contemplate our place in the Universe and to decide if we’re happy with the neighborhood we’ve chosen.  Full Moon in Scorpio speaks to our intuition, helping us see our own issues as well as the hidden issues of others with greater clarity. If you have hunches to play during the next couple of days, play them. 

Lakshmi from Kris Waldherr's "Goddess Tarot"©
represents #10 Wheel of Fortune, Jupiter's tarot card

Scorpio is also the sign that denotes the end of cycles and the beginning of something new – both subtle and not so subtle transformations. It rules the eight house of the zodiac where our shared resources and sexuality are stored.  The financial resources that reside in the house of Scorpio include bonuses, inheritances and windfalls from any source. 

The Grand Water Trine on the 14^th (See blog: "Grand Water Trine" ) makes this month’s Full Flower Moon a powerful force for manifesting. Jupiter in Cancer carries that terrific, Santa Claus energy and wants to expand the good things in your life with the power from that dreamy trine.  Identify precisely what you want to create in your life during this Full Moon, but take it a couple of steps further.  Make a list of how you are going to achieve what you want, step by step. Don’t stop there. What do your goals feel like once they are accomplished? What does your life look life? Concentrate of the sights, sounds and even tastes of what you envision. And that most important last step? What is your contract with the Universe – your exchange? No, not what will you give up, pay, or sacrifice – that’s not required. Besides, the word, sacrifice really means, ‘to make sacred,’ not to ‘suffer or practice self-denial.’ Think of positive growth. Ask yourself what is the gift you’d give the Universe as a natural consequence of your successful manifestation work. Allow yourself to experience the joy such a gift can bring. Life is about checks and balances, so once you successfully manifest your goals, you naturally and symbiotically exchange positive energy with the Universe, expanding the good and balancing the scales.

Source, or Universe represents the Divine
from "OSHO Zen Tarot" © by Deva Padma

What form does your exchange take? Who knows? It is personal to each of us; as profound as being in exactly the right position to prevent a grave misfortune befalling an absolute stranger, or as simple as a kind word, or being able to put $5.00 into the hand of a homeless person. The point is to act with good intention from the joy in your heart and trust that the Universe knows exactly where your gift will be needed in space and time. The form of the Universal exchange varies, but its vibration remains constant. It is the vibration of love.

The High Priestess is tarot's card for
The Moon. From Rome Choi's
and Kwon Shina's
"Dreaming Way Tarot"©

Consider the steps I’ve suggested as you practice your manifestation skills this Full Flower Moon. Allow yourself to transform through Scorpio, draw from the expansiveness of Jupiter and ground yourself with the healing energy of Chiron. Live authentically in each moment with joy and love.

LADY ORACLE

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March 16, 2014, Full Worm Moon in Virgo – “The Year Turns”

#9, The hermit is tarot's card
for Virgo. RWCS from US Games® 

“Shine on, shine on Worm Moon, up in sky....”  It just doesn’t have the same romantic ring to it as “shine on Harvest Moon,” does it?  Still, native Americans knew that March’s Full Worm Moon meant the ground had started to thaw and that robins couldn’t be far behind. This month’s Full Worm Moon extends the same traditional promise of springtime and occurs at twenty-six degrees, two minutes of Virgo on March 16th, at 10:08 a.m. PDST.

Virgo rules the sixth house of the Zodiac where we store our health, daily responsibilities and our capacity to be of service to others. Virgo is a mutable sign ( like Gemini, Sagittarius and Pisces) or, a sign that occurs at the end of a given season.  Mutable signs adapt easily to change and Virgo’s capacity for linear thought makes this Full Moon a great time to work the kinks out of systems.  Spotting errors is one of the things Virgos do best.  They continue to scan for problems and refine their work long after the rest of us say good enough.  That strive for perfection is the core of Virgo’s personality.  (See Blog: Virgo – Analytical And Precise, Or Fussbudget )  

Our Full Worm Moon in Virgo wants us to balance the

#1, Isis, represents The Magician in Kris
Waldherr's glorious "The Goddess Tarot"©,
tarot's card for Mercury - ruler of Virgo

components of our lives.  Have you sacrificed your exercise regime for more hours on the job only to find that you’ve made few gains other than poundage?  Time to make a change.  Streamline your systems with Virgo’s help.  Look at the extremes in your life: Control versus no control, total involvement versus complete apathy.  What areas of your life need adjustment for the sake of balance – physically as well as spiritually?  The 16th is a perfect time to make a contract with yourself – to establish a blueprint for the season ahead. 

Lady Moon's tarot card, #2,
The High Priestess from Corrine Kenner
and John J. Blumen's, "Wizard's Tarot"©

This year Uranus and Pluto want to bring sweeping changes in our lives while Jupiter offers us the opportunity for expansion.  Full Moon in Virgo is here to remind us that transformation, while messy, can still have order to it, even if no one understands that order but us.  On the 16th your best intention work (meditative, or ritual) will be in the areas of health, happiness and the greater good.  Use tarot’s astrological associations as your focal points: The High Priestess (Moon), The Hermit (Virgo) and The Magician (Mercury, Virgo’s ruling planet).  Work with candles: Yellow (joy), yellow gold (energy), white (high vibration), as well as purple (health). Full Moons are also an excellent periods to work on intuition and creativity.  Be sure to watch your Voids of Course on the  16th, 17th and 18th.

We are setting the tone for springtime with this Full Worm Moon – clearing away the old and preparing fertile ground for seed in the coming months.  Prepare your ground now and you will be assured of a plentiful harvest later.

LADY ORACLE

Here's information for The Ides of March - no not the one hit wonder band, the real thing! Read -  "I'm You Vehicle Baby"

These decks are available for purchase through "Lady Oracle Tarot"  email  ladyoracle56@yahoo.com

New Moon In Pisces, March 1, 2014 – “Hopeful Romantic”

#2 The High Priestess rule the Moon
From Rome Choi's delectable
"Dreamingway Tarot"©

Our first New Moon for March occurs in ten degrees, thirty-nine minutes of the sign, Pisces the Fish.  Pisces is a compassionate and romantic sign.  It is the sign of artists and dreamers. Pierre-Auguste Renoir, John Steinbeck and Kurt Cobain were all Pisces.  Fish folk are a sensitive breed and as all water signs, they are emotionally complex. Pisces is ruled by Neptune, the planet of dreams and illusion and one of the reasons this New Moon is particularly strong is because Neptune resides in its home sign now.

New Moons represent the beginning of a fresh emotional

#12, The Hanged Man, Neptune's card.
This depiction from the stunning
"Shadowscapes"© Tarot by
Stephanie Pui-Mun Law

cycle. They enhance our vision of goals and dreams. When it comes to envisioning those dreams, there’s no New Moon stronger for that than a New Moon in Pisces.  The bond between water, lunar light and emotions is intense under Pisces, yet very romantic.  On the plus side, your sympathies are easily engaged.  You want to help. You forgive quickly, but the downside is that you are highly sensitive. People and situations you would normally find taxing are capable of delivering serious emotional blows now.  Try to ignore the emotions you experience in this type of situation and consider their source. Who really owns the problem?  Still, on March 1st love is in the air and it’s a good time for a little apres Valentine’s romance.

This New Moon carries powerful intuitive energy that can be used for setting intentions and manifesting work.  We’re closing in on the first quarter of 2014.  What’s working for you?  What do want more of in your life?  These are good questions to contemplate.  Look for particularly powerful meditations on March 1st.   Keep it real as you set intentions under this New Moon, however.  Neptune dwells in illusion as does the shadowy Moon.  Don’t allow yourself to get swept up in daydreams or mental hyperbole.  Remember: Real, measurable, attainable – those are the keys to successful goal setting.

Pisces tarot card, #18, The Moon
Don't be swept away by illusion
RWCS by US Games©

Jupiter squaring Uranus will add an interesting side note to this New Moon.  Jupiter is also considered a ruler of Pisces because that’s what it did before Neptune was discovered.  While Jupiter is expansive, Neptune in Pisces is a little secretive and likes to play things close to the vest.  This can lead to feelings of conflict for people born under Pisces, who have Moon in Pisces, or Neptune prominently in their birth chart. Just breathe and keep moving. The energy patterns for early 2014 don’t support stagnation.

Water represents emotions and spirituality in tarot.  It is also the element connected to the suit of Cups.  Although emotion runs high during a New Moon in Pisces, so do spirituality and intuition.  This is a working Moon, mean that the energy flows like water and is particularly easy to access.  Sure there are going to be whitecaps, but remember your tools. Try not to take thing personally, consider the source of your emotions, meditate frequently and when all else fails, breathe and let go.

LADY ORACLE

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Jupiter Square Uranus February 26, 2014

#10, The Wheel is tarot's card for
expansive and lucky Jupiter.
RWCS by US Games®

An astrological square is an aspect composed of two planets at a ninety degree relationship, or angle.  Squares, while challenging, are highly motivational aspects because they carry the combined energy of both planets involved in the configuration. Few squares provide more dynamic energy than Jupiter square Uranus.  Jupiter is the planet expansion, success and generosity.  Although sometimes given to excess, it engages our higher consciousness through spiritual and philosophical thought.  Uranus, on the other hand is, well, a wild child. It represents sudden, revolutionary change, inventiveness, radical shifts in ideas and breakthrough developments. Uranus values freedom and individuality. It is restless and bold.

Jupiter squares Uranus twice this year, first on February 26th

Deva Padma's depiction of The Fool
from "OSHO Zen Tarot"© is an appropriate
tarot card for Uranus' 'cleansweep' approach

and lastly on April 20th. We’ve all felt the power building up since mid February and will continue to feel the energy ebb and flow through the first week of May.  The April 20th square off between these two outer planets heralds the return of the Cardinal Grand Cross on April 23rd (See blogs: "New Moon in Libra, Road Map for Change" and January 2014: "A Month of Innovation and Relationship Building" ). Watch for more information on this event in my April Astrological Trends blog at the end of March.

Expansive Jupiter is in retrograde now. That means its influence leans heavily towards a philosophical frame of mind, yet, oddly enough, less objective thinking.  Under this square’s influence there’s a need to experience everything that comes our way because Jupiter views life as an open road.  That’s fine with Uranus because this wild planet is hungry for change and wants the freedom found in a fresh, unexplored landscape.  Try to temper your longing for the unpredictable during the next week.  Jupiter’s lack of objectivity can cause you to be a little reckless about where and in whom you place your faith.

Jupiter is in Cancer now and The Chariot
is tarot's card for the crab. From John J. Blumen
Corrine Kenner's "Wizards Tarot"©

The Jupiter/Uranus square gives everyone wonderful opportunities for enlightenment, spiritually, professionally and personally.  Think of it as the chance for multiple ‘aha’ moments.  You can seek and find out-of-the-box solutions to problems that previously left you staring at a blank wall.  A note of caution here: While you may find the courage to throw out all the rules and begin again from scratch, don’t act impulsively. Temper responses to situations and force yourself to analyze them.  Remember that objective thinking will not be anyone’s strong suit this week.  Jupiter is a planet of luck, but you still have to give it an even break and be selective in how you use its energy.

If friction increases on the home front this week, consider that

Uranus is in Aires, the sign associated with
The  Emperor (rules, structure) from
RWCS by US Games®

it is the natural fallout that occurs when two partners want absolute freedom of choice in every joint decision.  Don’t take conflicts too seriously should they arise and use basic communication methods. Respond thoughtfully instead of reacting and making requests of your partner instead of throwing out harsh words and allegations.  

Jupiter square Uranus is a powerful influence, but it can be used to great benefit.  Proceed thoughtfully, but also use this square’s energy to make significant advances in how you view life and in attaining your goals.

LADY ORACLE

Jumping on the Boards – Why We Succumb to the Lure of Self-Sabotage

8 of Swords, self-restriction, self-limitation.
Ladies and gentlemen, meet the ego.
RWCS, US Games version

At one time or another we’ve all snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.  We know not to go down to the basement of deserted old house all alone, or wander in an abandoned mine.  Then, there are days where, for whatever reason, we invite chaos into our lives either through random actions or by our mental outlook.  Usually we extend the invitation when things are running smoothly.  Here’s an interesting looking loose end, we think. I wonder what will happen if I pull this thread? Suddenly, by our own design, our whole picture starts to unravel.

What turns us into major league thread pullers who suddenly let anxiety freeze us into indecision? Three little letters, my friends –  E, G, and O.  Our ego stems from our mind, our ability to rationalize, to remember and to over-analyze.  Our ego is designed to be our first line of defense in a hostile environment.  It tells us whether or not we are safe and if we are operating within the boundaries of our personal normal.  What happens when we suddenly change our behaviors to accommodate new goals and ambitions?  Our ego, who defines our sense of self, goes into hyper-drive thinking up new ways to get us back to our habitual program – even a program that has proven detrimental to us in the past.  

We don’t fall victim to self-sabotage out of stupidity.  We fall

9 of Swords, RWCS by US Games
Anxiety, guilt, obsessive thoughts.
An ego in full control

for it because the ego knows that it works. The ego is thorough, relentless and infinitely patient in its mission. It is no friend to out-of-the-box thinking.  It will lie to us and play on our fears (Nine of Swords) to keep us operating in the familiar.  How do we halt the progression of an ego gone wild? One of the first things to do is to identify self-sabotaging thoughts or behaviors for what they are and to do so without judgement.  Judging yourself and others feeds your ego.  The bigger the judgement, the more power you’ve surrendered to your ego self.  

"OSHO's Zen Tarot"© by Deva Padma
shows the value of quieting the mind and
engaging inner stillness when the mind's
illusions seize control.

Two traits of self-actualized people are acceptance of their human frailties and acceptance of the frailties of others, as well.  Stop listening to your ego’s judgment when you think of your life choices.  Listen with your heart and come from a place of compassion instead of the place of self.  Does this mean you surrender your own best interests and stay in situations that cause you emotional, or even physical pain? Just the opposite. People don’t stay in bad relationships because they are placing other’s needs first. They stay because their ego is being fed in some way.  I am noble – look how I suffer.  I do this for my family even though I am unhappy.  Really?  No.  You do it because your ego likes a steady banquet of martyrdom.

9 of Wands, RWCS US Games
Battered, beleaguered, but determine
to persevere.  Battling yourself can
be exhausting, but so worth it!

Tarot’s Eight of Swords shows us a woman kept prisoner by her own ego.  (Swords being the suit of mental outlook, thoughts and communications.)  She stands loosely bound, blindfolded and semi-encircled by eight swords.  No one holds her there accept her own state of mind.  She can slip the bonds and walk away, but for whatever reason she choses her self-imposed prison rather than risk to her safety for the adventure and freedom outside the circle of swords.

One of my greatest teachers, Linda Becker, (author of “Living With Soul – The Great Spiritual Revolution”) taught me to give my ego a name and to envision locking it away in a box when it demanded I feed it with self-defeating thoughts or behaviors.  It's a simple method, but one that works – even when I have to pull my ego off me just like Spiderman pulling off that black, Venom costume.  Out of control egos are sticky things. Chakra meditations that are designed to open the heart also work wonders for controlling the ego.  

No one is immune to their ego running amok. As with everything in life – it’s not a question of whether or not you make a mistake, but of how well you recover from the mistakes you do make.

LADY ORACLE

ALL FEATURED DECKS AVAILABLE FOR SALE THROUGH "LADY ORACLE TAROT"

“Seeking the Profound in the Ordinary”

Dan Millman, in his book, “The Peaceful Warrior,” states that there are no ordinary moments.  Each fragment of time and space is sufficient to itself and the expansion of the entire universe occurs as one dewdrop falls from a leaf.  Pretty weighty stuff and a concept that’s much easier to understand while sitting in a meditation garden with lutes playing in the background.  How many of us have the opportunity to retreat to a place of such ultimate contemplation, though, and for how long?  Sure, we can meditate for ten or twenty minutes a couple of times a day if we’re disciplined and lucky enough to grab the time, and that’s a great thing, but we must still exist in the ordinary world for more than twenty-three hours each day. No lutes, no garden. Each day we preform mundane tasks that on the surface appear to have little to do with enlightenment, but when viewed from another perspective, hold wonder.

What is the nature of the profound and why do so many of us

The culmination of the OSHO's Zen Tarot©
Major Arcana, #22, beyond illusion
deck by Deva Padma

seek it?  When you are immersed in a profound thought or occurrence your connection to spirit is so direct, so pure that you see past yourself and your particular reality.  You glimpse the core of spiritual oneness that links all existence.  Those glimpses are a promise that there is more than just us in the universe and that we are all interconnected. Kahili Gibran, in “The Prophet,” says that children “are life’s longing for itself.”  If that’s true, then as spiritual beings having a human experience, isn’t our quest for the miraculous and the profound simply our longing for our spiritual home?

Assuming we sleep seven hours a day, we have sixteen hours filled with school, work, commuting, chores, errands and common tasks.  With this tight of a schedule it only makes sense to seek the profound in the ordinary if you wish to live a conscious-filled life.  Think about the rhythm of mundane tasks; raking leaves, washing floors, folding laundry. Your body steps into a flow. Contemplate the way your muscles work together to move – how many unseen cells join harmoniously to accomplish a single movement.  You fold a towel in half, measuring the edges so they match up just so.  You fold it in half again and place it on a stack to be stored in the linen closet.  In this simple chore you learn continuance, how pieces of life stack together in natural order and that once something has served its purpose in life, it’s time to let go and move on.

There’s a world of enlightenment in the ordinary.  Today try seeking the profound in your everyday routine – be it work, or errands.  Be the moment and see what you discover.

LADY ORACLE    

OSHO Zen Tarot is available through my website!

Check out cool decks!

The Ten of Wands - “Overwhelmed and Under-Appreciated”

Ten of Wands - taking on just a
tad too much. from Ciro Marchetti's
"Legacy of the Divine Tarot"©

Burdens – yours, your family’s, your friend’s – even the rooster down the road wants a ride.  You shoulder responsibility as if it’s an olympic event and you’re going for the gold. Perhaps responsibility isn’t your personal kryptonite.  Perhaps you run a marathon of events from the time you wake until the time you sleep. Perhaps you don’t sleep well, because your brain never shuts off enough to allow uninterrupted slumber. In any event, you have become the 10 of Wands.

The Ten of Wands shows up in a reading to make you pause and confront the areas of your life that are over-burdening you.  The ability to deal with multiple activities, emotional responsibilities, or even a hyper-creative mind differs from person to person.  So when the Ten shows up, it doesn’t matter if you’re used to competing in a decathlon of events, at the moment you’re simple taking on too much of the world.

Here’s the thing about Ten of Wands people: They always

And there's the neighbor's rooster bumming a ride!
6 of Clouds from "OSHO Zen Tarot"© by Deva Padma
Not the Ten of Wands, but still a good depiction!

challenge themselves to take on more, to be more and to rise above.  If someone took three or four of the wands from the shoulder of the wand bearer, he’d quickly replace them and still look around for wand number eleven.  What is needed in the wand bearer’s life is balance, not more activity.  The most useful skill to have when you feel overwhelmed is to practice silence.

Go inside into the silence like #9
The Hermit from "Steampunk Tarot"©
by Barbara Moore and Aly Fell

In moments of high stress, cut down on noise pollution in your life where ever possible.  Unless you’re disguising outside sounds, turn off background noises in your home – even if it’s ambient music.  Get alone. Sit quietly, meditate or read.  In short, learn to relax in as much silence as you can gain.  If you can’t relax at home (that’s another problem altogether) go somewhere that provides you the opportunity to let go. Try a park or a meditative garden – a massage at a spa. Turn off the radio in your car.  Commercial radio chatter is the devil. Seriously.  The key to unwinding and releasing wands is found in providing yourself with whatever insulation you can in an intrusive world.  In the silence you will hear what your true questions are and in time, you will be given their answers.  Once you have answers, it’s a simple mater to put down a wand or twelve.

LADY ORACLE

Great new radio show!  This is a must listen to for everyone working towards personal growth and goal realization!  "The Moment"


Reading Event and Tarot Trunk Show!  Saturday, October 26th from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. at "Word for Word Books and Espresso" Old Town St. Helens, Oregon!