Crazy 8s - Tarot's Movable Feast

In tarot’s Minor Arcana, eights are concerned with aspects of

8 of Wands Lo Scarebo's "Tarot of the Pagan Cats"©
Very much tarot, but oh, so, catlike!

movement within your life.  Movement refers to change that shifts you into a different set of circumstances, either internal or external.  The RWCS deck depicts the Eight of Wands as wands that have arced through the sky and are now coming back to earth.  This card signifies information or news that leads to the successful completion of business matters, affairs of the heart or a particular goal.  Depending on the situation, this message can feel like “Skyrockets in flight,” or “Incoming.”   There is also an element of timing implied with this card. Let the timing of the situation reveal itself to you.  Don’t rush your fences and your outcome will be successful.  

8 of Cups from Rome Choi's
remarkable "Dreaming Way Tarot"©

Cups deal with emotions and spiritual aspects of life. RWSC shows you eight cups stacked into a prymid form and setting on a beach.  They are not stable.  What else can you expect when you try to build a structure on shifting sand?  In the background we see a figure leaving.  He glances over this shoulder at the cups as he departs, indicating regret.  Here’s the deal.  The situation, or relationship is over.  Stick the proverbial fork in it.  This card also comes with a promise.  You’re leaving behind a situation or relationship that was not a good fit and you are heading onwards and upwards where solid ground will allow you to build a firm foundation.  Bigger and better, baby, bigger and better.

Swords - gloomy doomy and in your face.  Swords show you

8 of Swords - the restricted lady
from RWCS by US Games®

the patterns in your mind with all their subtle shading and complexities. Swords can be upsetting to us in a reading because we are often not comfortable with what we see in the images that they mirror.  Still, mirrors are valuable.  They keep us from leaving the house with spinach in your teeth if nothing else.  In RWCS Eight of Swords we find a damsel in distress - captured, bound and encircled with swords.  Restriction.  What ensnares you?  Why, nothing less than your own fruitful imagination.  Look at the lady again.  She’s blindfolded, but her bonds are loose enough to break.  The swords do not completely encircle her and to top it all off, there’s no one around to prevent her escape.  That’s the truth about most restrictions - you create them in your own mind.

8 of Pentacle from the incomparable
"Wizard's Tarot"© by Corrine Kenner
and John J. Blumen

In Pentacles, the eight shows us an apprentice working hard to become a craftsman in his own right.  Financial growth through industry and mastery of skills.  He’s got a lot of pentacles there and he’s worked tirelessly to produce them.  The deeper lesson here is gained by asking yourself two questions:  Am I working for the end product, or for a deeper sense of satisfaction?  Am I so attached to outcome, that I’m missing the significance of my journey?  How you do something tells you more about why you do it in the first place.

Tarots eights hold promise for you.  They can reassure you, unlock your potential and give you a completely new take on a situation.  The important thing to remember is that all forward movement counts.

LADY ORACLE

Links I Love:  Check out Cathy Rose!  I love her astrological information!  Always upbeat and proactive.  Check her out!

http://www.roseastrology.com/

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Ametrine - The Jewel in the Crown

My love affair with Ametrine began years ago when I worked for a jewelry designer.  I’d never seen anything like this amazing marriage between the rich, purple of Amethyst with the sunny, brilliance of Citrine.  “Hello, my lovely.”  This crystal and I go together like ham and eggs, although I'm a Scorpio and Ametrine is attuned to the astrological sign of Libra.  Ametrine balances energy and Libra is nothing, if not about balance.

Ametrine’s balancing act works on all frequencies of universal energy, making this stone a ‘must have’ for your crystal arsenal.  It is an excellent example of synergy because the sum of the whole truly is greater than the sum of its parts. This blend of Amethyst and Citrine carries, not only properties from both of these members of the Quartz family, but also unique characteristics all its own.   Ametrine enhances cosmic consciousness, stimulating the crown chakra and making higher states more accessible during meditation.

If you suffer from energetic and emotional blockages, Ametrine will clear them out of the way faster than Liquid Plumber and you’ll find your negative programming easier to eliminate as well.  It disperses negativity and guards against attacks from energy vampires - no garlic required.  This crystal promotes optimism, cleans and aligns the your auric field and through the attributes of Citrine, helps you create prosperity and abundance in your life.  What more could you ask for?  

Maybe one more thing.  Ametrine is one of the few crystals that never needs clearing.  They can’t hold negativity.  They make an excellent protection stone and because of their high vibration, they are relatively easy to program.  I programed a large Ametrine crystal to protect its holder through love. I gave the crystal to my daughter to take with her on her ghost hunting adventures and it worked phenomenally well.

Whatever the need, whatever the occasion, Ametrine crystals have something for everyone.  Try using it in your crystal work and I’m certain you’ll be very impressed with this versatile stone.  

LADY ORACLE

Major Arcana's # 10, The Wheel of Fortune - That's Some Cookie

At first glance, tarot’s Major Arcana # 10, The Wheel of Fortune, suggests a gamble, or that life is a game of chance.  In stead of the Goddess, Fortuna, we sometimes find ourselves hoping Vanna White will turn a key letter in a phrase that helps us decode the message that life is screaming at us.  What’s the answer?  What’s about to happen?  I knew I should have saved up for a vowel.  

Keywords for #10 include, ‘chance encounter, ‘destiny,’ and ‘fate.’  There’s an air of romance in these words, expectation and more than a hint of mystery.  #10 can also denote movement in your life that closely resembles the first step in a vision quest.  The chance it represents in this case, is your chance to become something and someone more than you ever expected to be.   

The Wheel is about change in the status quo - the usual circumstances, the given factors.  The key to dealing with #10 when it appears in a pivotal part of your reading, is to examine your ability to adapt to change.  Seasons and circumstances change. People change.  But here’s the exciting part.  Change offers us the chance to grow and learn - to develop a skill set that later on gives us a chance to expand our vision and definition of who we are.  Is change unsettling?  Often so.  Is it welcome? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Is it inevitable? Absolutely.  It comes at us from all directions.  That’s why all four elements are represented on #10.  

Everything I know about The Wheel of Fortune, I learned from Carole King’s song, “Sweet Seasons.”

“Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose,

         And sometimes the blues get hold of you

         Just when you thought you made it.”

Look for your shot at destiny in your reading.  Look for that chance to become someone above and beyond.  It’s there.  The thing to keep in mind is that if you don’t like the winds of fortune today, don’t worry.  They always change.  Just keep it light.

LADY ORACLE

Abundance, Gratitude and the Joyous Heart

Candles, crystals and tarot cards - now that is joyful!
Corrine Kenner's and John J. Blumen's "Wizards Tarot"©
in the foreground

When we practice the abundant life, we strive to stay focused and positive on the people and things that makes us feel abundant.  We are told that it is essential to explore gratitude as we meditate on abundance and prosperity.  Today, in my meditation practice, I focused on gratitude.  Often when I do, I’m moved to tears as I count the blessings in my life.  Today I wasn’t and at first I didn’t understand why.

I love meditation.  It’s where I go for Divine connection, inspiration and comfort.  Today my feelings of gratitude, while they were sincerely meant, lacked the emotion, the elation that I often feel as I recount my blessings. My gratitude lacked the ‘kick-start,’ if you will.  I wondered why my expressions of thankfulness rang hollow until a realized that I was not in joy.  Joy, or rather a joyous heart is an intrinsic part of gratitude and therefore vital to the process of manifesting abundance in your life.  

Joy opens us to experiences.  Our hearts become accepting 

3 of Cups - celebration
from "Tarot of the Pagan Cats"©
by Lola Airaghi and Magdelina Messina

of pure possibility when we are in joy. Joy takes us away from negative projections and judgments about ourselves and others that confine and limit us.  In joy, we focus on the moment where life is lived in its entirety.  Within the present moment we can recount all that we are and hold dear without effort.  Joy links us to our Creator.  Joy allows us to examine the fullness of our gratitude and within that moment of actualization, we hold the creative force of the entire Universe in our hands. 

We all have moments, days, months, etc. when we are not happy.  I realized today that joy is different from happiness.  Joy is force all its own and not dependent on a happy state of mind.  I propose to you that true joy in the moment is not an emotion, but an energy field of its own.  As such, we can tap into joy, use it and direct it to power our meditative and creative processes.  Manifesting if a multitiered process.  Today i believe I reached another tier.

LADY ORACLE

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend."

Melody Beattie - writer

For more thoughts on the workings of gratitude, please click this link and follow it to "The Moment Is Now"  our online radio show!

The Sign of Pisces - February 19th Through March 21st

On February 19th, the Sun enters the sign of Pisces and will

remain there until March 21st.  People born under the sign of Pisces are water babies and filter much of their life experience and intuition through their emotions.  The sign of Pisces is symbolized by two fish.  There’s a reason for using two fish when one would do.  Cancer has one crab and Scorpio, one scorpion.  The sign of Pisces exists has a natural duality.  It is ruled by two planets, Jupiter and Neptune and people born under this sign exist in two worlds - the world of their reality and the world of their illusions.  Often, they get lost between the two worlds.  Some astrologers theorize that Pisces, being the last sign of the zodiac year, borrows traits from all the other signs.  Note that it is in the twelfth house of the zodiac that astrologers look for secrets and secrets are intricate to the make up of a Pisces.

  

#18, The Moon is the tarot association
for the sign of Pisces. From
Corrine Kenner and John J. Blumen's
"Wizard's Tarot"©

Fish folk are the most mystically charged members of the zodiac.  They are both highly empathic and deeply spiritual.  On one hand, Piscesans give selflessly to friends and family - often too much and to your own detriment.  On the other hand, they guard their secrets within their emotional depths, sometimes making it difficult for non-fish people to understand their reasoning and motivations. When life become too difficult for them, Pisces retreats into silence - shutting down and shutting out the world.  They believe it’s easier that way.  Unfortunately, for these empathetic souls, their inward turns can too easily lead to depression, self-pity and lethargy. 

Pisces draw their impressive creative power from Neptune, the planet of dreamers.  They do very well in both visual and performance arts.  In tarot, the sign Pisces is ruled by the Major Arcana card, # 18, The Moon.  This card serves to remind them that while it is easy for them to get lost in the world of illusion, they can use their inner guides and intuition to return to them to their life path and get moving again.  Their tendency towards self-sacrifice and being easily stagnated also comes from Neptune whose tarot card is #12, The Hanged Man.  

#10, The Wheel of Fortune is
Jupiter's ruling card.  From US Games©

Jupiter, whose tarot card is #10, The Wheel of Fortune, offers Pisces the chance for growth and expansion of their real world.   Pisces, being highly intuitive, has the capacity to make their own luck.  It is when they are ungrounded (out of their tank?) that the Wheel takes a downward turn. If they follow tarot’s advise, stay on their path, don’t be distracted by the illusion and follow their intuition, they will be highly successful.

Neptune's tarot card, #12, The Hanged Man
from Stephanie Pui-Mun Law and Barbara
Moore's "Shadowscapes" ©

In relationships, fish folk do well with high-energy signs.  Fire signs are their opposite, but opposites attract. ( Aires, Leo, Sagittarius) Air signs also work. ( Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) Earth is not the natural state for Pisces.  These signs make it easy for them to surrender too much of themselves and their dreams. (Capricorn, Virgo and Taurus) Pisces must remember that they do not need to take second place to anyone.  As with everything in life, it is a matter of balance.  If you are fortunate enough to be in a relationship with highly imaginative, creative and compassionate Pisces, love them, care for them, but don’t drain their tank.  

LADY ORACLE

Valentine's Day - Make Just One Someone Happy

"Like I always said, love wouldn't be blind if the braille weren't 
 so much damned fun."

Armistead Maupin, "Maybe the Moon"

There were at least two historically significant Christian martyrs named Valentinus, St. Valentine of Rome and St. Valentine of Terni.  Our St. Valentine, St. Valentine of Rome, like every other historical figure, is part fact, part myth and in his case, part Hallmark moment.

Historically, St. Valentine of Rome, was a priest who married, not only couples of the early Christian faith, but also Roman soldiers who were forbidden to marry by Roman law. Eventually, Valentine was arrested, tortured (hence the martyrdom part) and executed.  Legend says that he cured his jailer’s daughter of blindness.  Later the story was embellished to include St Valentine sending a note to the girl on the eve of his execution signed, ‘your Valentine.’

The Feast of St. Valentine, was not linked to romantic love until the fifteenth century, when educated people began sending notes and stanzas of poetry to their loved ones.  The first commercially produced Valentine’s Day cards were manufactured in the eighteenth century for tongue-tied young men who were hopeless at expressing themselves.  Needless to say, the business became a smashing success.  Victorians added their own style to the cards, making them floral and frilly.  It wasn’t until the latter half of the twentieth century that we began giving flowers, chocolates and actual gift items.

They say that you can’t buy love, but every year Americans spend between 13 and 14 billion dollars on Valentine’s Day.  In 2011, despite a twitchy economy, 3.4 billion was spent on romantic dinners, 3.5 billion on jewelry and by comparison, only a paltry 1.1 billion was spent on cards.  In 2012, the amounts spent per category increased.  We’ve come a long way from a simple lace-covered card inscribed with a pretty verse.  Valentine’s Day has, like so many other well-intentioned holidays, has become big business.

This year how about giving your Valentine your attention instead of a mass produced big ticket item.  Back rubs, foot messages, heck, even turning off your smart phone for the evening are marvelous things to do.  Experience the sheer wonder of being together during a single moment in time.  Time passes quickly and it is much too easy to squander, especially with all the high tech distractions available to us.  This year give real romance try.  Give the best gift possible to someone who loves you.  Give yourself without reservation, or afterthought.  That’s what love’s about.   

LADY ORACLE

New Moon in Aquarius, February 10, 2013

“I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference. “

                                                    Robert Frost - “The Road Not Taken”

Having you been feeling as if you’re standing at the juncture of two roads lately?  Don’t worry.  That’s the effect from February’s New Moon in Aquarius happening this Sunday, the 10th.  We are already receiving a cosmic push towards some of Aquarius’ best traits and that is a good thing.  Remember that Aquarians, by nature, are free wheeling and free thinking.  They are ruled by Uranus, the planet of revolution.  

Right now, particularly with this month’s astrological patterns, you have the opportunity to do a mini reinvention of yourself.  We are unique individuals and we should step out of our molds with originality and purpose -  even if our worlds are highly structured and traditional.  Express yourself as the singular person you are rather than as a member of the Borg collective.

The New Moon also brings elements of luck with it this month.  If you commit to a course of action, you become like tarot’s traveler, The Fool.  Fool definitely chooses the road less traveled and he has an unshakable belief that the universe will provide the support he needs to bring him success in his adventure.

On a last note, the second New Moon after the winter solstice is Chinese New Year.  So to all my friends and readers in the magical, mystical orient,  Xin Nian Kuai Le， 新年快乐

LADY ORACLE

#7, Major Arcana's The Chariot - Life as a Velvet Steamroller

The Chariot from RWCS
by US GAMES®

 In tarot suits, sevens portray an aspect of victory.  In The Major Arcana, #7, The Chariot represents triumph over adversity.  The Chariot may conjure up images from “Ben Hur,” or “Gladiator” for you.  Roman charioteers charge around the arena jockeying for position as the crowd cheers them on.  Our charioteer in #7, however, doesn’t challenge another racer.  He challenges himself to win by using the strength of his own will.   

In the traditional RWCS depiction, the charioteer holds a scepter - a symbol of his right to rule his domain.  As in #1, The Magician, the scepter acts as a medium between earth and spirit.  The charioteer doesn’t raise the scepter above his head as the Magician does.  He’s content to establish his dominance here on the earth.  Don’t he mislead, however. The figure in The Chariot is perfectly capable of calling down fire from Heaven. His crown signifies Apollo, the Roman God of the Sun, who drove his fiery chariot across the sky, creating the day. 

#7 Rhiannon, the horse goddess
from Celtic mythology shown here is
fron "The Goddess Tarot"© by
Kris Waldherr represents The Chariot

In his writings, the philosopher, Plato, described the human mind as a chariot drawn by two horses, one black, one white.  Subconscious and Conscious thought. What we see in #7 is not the use of brute strength to defeat adversity, rather it is the pairing of intuition and reason that overcomes the obstacles.  Instead of using horses, as Plato does, the RWCS deck goes one step further, using sphinxes, one black, one white, to power tarot’s chariot.  Cosmic mystery is introduced, offering the mind a chance to expand past ordinary perception.  Our charioteer doesn’t need reins to guide his vehicle.  He surrenders to the mystery and guides the outcome of his battle through his faith in himself.

It’s good to see lucky #7 when you feel as if your back is

Corrine Kenner and John J. Blumen's
highflying Chariot from "Wizard's Tarot"©

against the wall.  When The Chariot appears, he reminds us that victory is close by if not already here.  His message is to rise above your self-imposed limitations, or the people who would make you sink to their level.  When all is well in your world, however, The Chariot can appear as a warning that you are dominating someone or something.  You may be investing your ego when you should be employing common sense.  

LADY ORACLE

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Part III - Astrological Trends February 2013 - “Jump, Jive and Then You Wail”

“The Wail”

February gets the dubious honor of hosting the first Mercury Retrograde of 2013 in a water sign, Pisces.  In fact, all three Mercury Retrogrades for 2013 occur in water signs: Pisces, February 23rd to March 17th; Cancer, June 26th to July 20th and Scorpio, October 21st to November 10th.  What does this mean for us, other that a sharp rise in stock prices for both Mrs. Paul’s and Gorton’s?

The planet Mercury rules communications, mental acuity and speech. During retrograde, simple misunderstandings happen because of poor, or unreliable communication.  If you have a reputation for witty remarks (a little bit of tarot’s Knight of Swords here) you may find yourself feeling pretty dim witted.  We are told not to begin new ventures during a Mercury Retrograde, not to sign contracts, make major purchases, etc. (See my blog: “Mercury Retrograde, Tarot and You” for complete information)

Water signs deal with matters that lie below the surface of our lives - our spiritual connection to the Divine, our emotions and our intuition.  Mercury Retrograde in a water sign makes us feel as if we’re treading water in the middle of the ocean and our inner tube has just sprung a leak.  Little remarks can be blown completely out of proportion.  We have a sense of isolation and grounding ourselves becomes more difficult.  For these reasons some of our less than desirable traits float to the surface, making life more difficult than it needs to be. 

Mercury Retrograde in Pisces plays to our sensitivities and our emotions are easily exposed.  If you have issues around victimizing people or being a victim yourself, your triggers may be uber twitchy.  Pisces loves its secrets and there can be a slight tendency towards intrigues and self-deception.  Our lucky break comes from Neptune, Pisces ruling planet.  Neptune is visiting home turf.  The planet of creative dreamers lends stability to the undercurrents of a retrograde in Pisces.  Pisces is a sign of compassion and creativity.  Our creative drives will still be strong during retrograde and can best be utilized by reviewing and revamping (remember ‘r’ words) your projects.  As always, the key to a successful Mercury Retrograde is staying connected to your higher self.  Again, we receive a hand from Neptune.  Meditate, meditate, meditate.

Mercury Retrograde doesn’t have to make you hide in the closet.  Stay focused, positive and grounded.  Remember your ‘r’ words and in case of an emergency, buy yourself really good chocolate.

LADY ORACLE

Part II - Astrological Trends February 2013 - “Jump, Jive and Then You Wail”

“The Jive”

When two planets meet at an aspect of 120 degrees, we call it a trine.  This is a very favorable aspect, although some astrologers warn that too many trines at once make us feel listless and lazy.  It’s roughly the same effect you get from too much chocolate in one sitting, but without the dire consequences to your thighs.  

On February 7th we have Venus in Aquarius, trine Jupiter in Gemini - just in time for Valentine’s Day.  Aquarius doesn’t like ruts or restrictions and Jupiter in Gemini is about heeding the call to adventure in a mature, highly sociable way.  Jupiter sees opportunities, not limitations, so this is a good, stabilizing energy for free-wheeling Aquarius.  Take this particular trine into consideration when making your Valentine’s Day plans. This month is about self-expression, even in romance.  Think outside the box and get creative.  It may be received better than you think.  

Saturn in Scorpio is trine Mercury in Pisces on the 12th and trine Mars in Pisces on the 16th.  You’ll see more of that wonderful cycle of intuition and creativity, however Saturn in Scorpio may ask you to over-analyze your views.  Don’t fall for it.  Saturn likes to challenge us. That’s how this particular planet teaches us. The key here is to remember the difference between thinking critically about yourself and critical thinking.  With the first, you’re simply beating yourself up.  With the latter, your affirming gut instinct by using reason.  Relax, trust yourself and go with the flow. 

On February 10th we have a New Moon in Aquarius which contributes to this month’s all around feeling of spiritual development, as well as our ability to link with the Divine mind.  You know where I’m going with this.  Just a reminder of the ‘M’ word.

In Part III, “The Wail,” we’ll talk about some end of the month issues we have coming up.  Some good, some...well....  What can I say?  It’s Mercury Retrograde.

Note: Don’t forget that February 2nd and 3rd are marked for global mediation on peace and enlightenment.

LADY ORACLE