January 1, 2014 - New Moon in Capricorn - “Understated Excellence”

The High Priestess is the Moon's
tarot card. This sassy depiction from
"Steampunk Tarot"© by Barbara
Moore and Aly Fell

New Year’s is traditionally a time to cast away the old, the things that no longer serve us. Auspiciously, our New Moon in Capricorn (10 degrees and 57 minutes) occurs at 3:14 a.m. PST on January 1, 2014, and brings with it, a chance for all of us to calmly and completely dedicate ourselves to our own success.  Capricorn’s energy is focused and determined.  It is goal oriented energy with no fanfare. ( See blog on Capricorn – “When the Zodiac Gets Your Goat” ) Results is what matters now. Head down, persistent – New Moon in Capricorn wants us to get moving up the mountain.  

Avoid the term, ‘New Year’s Resolution.’  Our culture likes to imbue those words with the presumption of failure before you even get started.  Instead, you’ll do much better to compile a list of goals – not too many – and the steps necessary to accomplish each one of them by year’s end.  Break your steps down into specifics.  On this day I will do such and such.  Goals must be real, measurable, attainable and specific to you to achieve success.  Motivation is what’s necessary to kickstart the energy of January 1st’s New Moon in Capricorn.  Your task is to discover what motivates you.  I always recommend working with tarot’s Wand energy. ( See blog – “Lights, Camera, Action” ) 

Mercury and Pluto are conjunct (same place, same time) New

Pluto's tarot association in
Judgment - another thought-provoking
image from "Steampunk Tarot"© by
Barbara Moore and Aly Fell

Moon in Capricorn, thus setting the stage for swift change – not necessarily a bad thing.  Mercury works well in Capricorn.  This planet governs communication and intellect.  There will be little space for random thoughts, or flights of fancy in early January.  Mercury is at its analytical best here, on task, but also cautious. That’s a a good blend.  New Moon in Capricorn gifts us not only with focus and determination, but also with self-discipline and rationality.  Don’t let Pluto’s reputation for swift and unsettling change concern you unduly at this time.  Pluto’s energy can be your best friend.  Again, ride that wave on top and in front.  Granted, if you don’t control changes, they will control you, but you know the drill.  It’s nothing you can’t handle by using Capricorn’s skill set.

Some astrologer’s suggest approaching New Year’s Eve with caution.  That’s good advice anytime.  Remember that Capricorn carries a VERY focused energy and as such, can keep us from seeing past the end of our own nose.  During the craziness that ensues while celebrating the end of the year – particularly when alcohol is involved – it’s more necessary than ever to be mindful of what’s happening around you.  Stay present in the moment and avoid situations that put you in the path of someone else’s chaos.  Know where you are, who you are with and stay in control.  Okay, that’s my yearly mother hen lecture, but it does apply particularly to this year end energy pattern.

The World, is the card for Capricorn's
ruling planet, Saturn.  Perfect image of
challenges met with Capricorn's focus and skill
from "Wizard's Tarot"© by John J. Blumen and
Corrine Kenner

New Moon in Capricorn on January 1st is a gift.  It’s like being handed a pen and paper by the Universe and being told to place your order for the coming year.  Don’t let this opportunity pass you by, because if the Universe can't inspire you to move on your own It will surely force you to do so.  Get organized, get focused and get heading up that mountain. The view from the top is great!

LADY ORACLE

Capricorn, December 22nd to January 21st - “When the Zodiac Gets Your Goat”

#21, The World from Corinne Kenner
and John J. Blumen's "Wizard's Tarot"©
is the tarot association for Saturn,
ruling planet for Capricorn

There’s a reason the classic depiction of the sign, Capricorn shows a goat with a fish tail.  Sea-goats were a mythic animal of ancient Greece with the head and forelegs of a goat and the hind legs of a fish – perfect fare for a ‘surf and turf’ platter. Sea-goats were reputedly intelligent and highly honorable.  They were favorites of Chronos, (another name of Saturn) also known as ‘Father Time.’  The sea-goat kids became enchanted with the idea of life on dry land.  They swam to shore every day, dragging themselves along the sand on their forelegs to lie in the sun.  They stayed on land so long that eventually their fish tails changed to hind legs and they lost their ability to speak and to reason. 

Pricus, leader of the sea-goats, could manipulate time and space.  He used his powers to rewind time and return the kids to the ocean so he could prevent them from going ashore.  No matter how many times he tried to alter the future though, the results remained the same.  He couldn’t prevent the sea-goat kids from going ashore and evolving into regular goats.  Eventually, like all parents, Pricus came to realize he couldn’t control the actions, or the destiny of his children.  To ease his heavy heart and loneliness, Chronos placed Pricus in the stars to become the tenth sign of the Zodiac, Capricorn the Goat. 

Capricorns are nothing, if not persistent.  Ruled by Saturn,

Capricorn as the fish-tailed goat

these intense, yet, practical people fix on a goal and pursue it with relentless efficiency.  They are ambitious, highly organized and have amazing self-control.  If you support their vision, great.  If you don’t, get out of their way.  Capricorns aren’t kind to those who block their efforts.  Luckily, they are also not ones to hold a grudge.    

If you work with a Capricorn you know they are diligent, hard workers who don’t shirk responsibility.  Capricorn is a cardinal sign, which makes its children independent and enterprising.  For goat people, success is not simply pleasing a supervisor, it’s about company-wide, even industry-wide recognition.  They are goats, after all, and like the view from the top of the mountain. Capricorns are not risk takers by nature and favor a conventional approach in all things.  Don’t look for Capricorn’s aid in a corporate power struggle.  They will look after their own interests first.

Goat people are very good with money.  They don’t love wealth for wealth’s sake, mind you.  Goats understand money and its uses – primarily the power one derives from wealth. Capricorn is very generous with their money, but not above using it as a means of manipulating people, or situations to their liking.

Capricorn is an earth sign that carries yin, or female energy.  This is an indirect energy – a little surprising for the persistent goat.  Their best mates are other earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn), but they also do well with water people ( Scorpio, Cancer, Pisces).  These first children of the winter value stability and longevity in their relationships.  They like warm, comforting homes that act as retreats instead of homes that operate as staging areas for the events of their lives.

Capricorns are marvelous ‘go to’ guys and knowing them can be a rich and rewarding experience.  Celebrate the persistent and evolutionary energy of this sign as we make the turn into the new year.

LADY ORACLE

“On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, My True Love Gave to Me – A Handy Home Slicer”

I wonder if infomercials are a strictly American cultural

phenomena, or, if like a virus, they’ve infiltrated the digital streams of other countries, luring unsuspecting viewers to stop channel surfing and watch magical gadgetry that slices, dices and gives you thirty-one new hairstyles in under a minute – all with the flip of a wrist. Light emanates from the HD vortex that is our television and we are drawn into the dazzling enchantment of infomercials featuring such iconic legends as the GT Xpress®, Seal-a-Meal® and the Magic Bullet®.  These much lauded appliances offer us a better life – one that is organized, where fantastic meals are prepared in minutes from barely edible leftovers and where the ability to store cheese for months at a time is a secret that no longer belongs only to the gods.

There are guilty pleasures to be found in the “As Seen on TV” aisles in chain stores.  Believe me, I know. We all make excuses to walk down these ‘special market’ areas because we are natural scoffers of such places during the heady days before the holiday gift buying frenzy.  We feel entitled to sneer at Chia Pets®, Genie Bras®, Perfect Pancake® pans and Pajama Jeans®.  Still, we look and face it, secretly or not, most of us covet.  I want those little pans that can turn ordinary cake batter into little lollipops in the privacy of my own home. 

We go into the holiday gift buying season with the best of intentions.  We’ll make all of our gifts this year.  We’ll pare down the number of items and the number of people on our shopping list.  We will make a budget and not overspend.  And the last and biggest grandaddy of all promises we make is that we will have all of our holiday gift shopping completed by December 15th.  Yup, done, wrapped and tucked away.  It’s just eggnog and cookies for me from then on.  That’s why sooner or later with the fervor born within the truly desperate, we find yourselves drawn to that beacon in the wilderness that is last minute shopping, the “As Seen on TV” aisle.  The perfect last minute gift solution.

We imagine ourselves the kings and queens of the employee

gift exchange, people wrestling under the Christmas tree to pick our package, their delight at discovering they’ve won themselves a pan that shapes tortillas in the oven.  This is successful mass marketing at its finest, folks, and none of us are completely immune.  From the top of the shelf to the bottom of the cart – now dash away, dash away, dash away all.

If you find yourself wandering dazed down the telemarketing aisle during the next couple of days, take heart. You’ll find some useful items that are now as ingrained in our  holiday culture as the Life Savers® Story Book.  In fact, one of my favorite gifts I ever received was a Snuggie® – “The Blanket With Sleeves.”  Have a Happy Holiday season and keep it light!

LADY ORACLE  

December 21, 2014, Winter Solstice - “Although It’s Been Said Many Times Many Ways”

Winter Solstice arrives on December 21st at 3:03 p.m. PST.  The word ‘solstice’ comes from the latin words, sol – meaning sun and sisto – stop.  During Solstice the Sun will appear to stop in the sky and then ever so infinitesimally, reverse its direction. From that point until the Summer Solstice in June, our number of daylight hours continues to increase. 

Earth’s orbit causes us to tilt 23.5 degrees away from the Sun at this time of year. Not all at once, of course.  We start leaning this way after the Summer Solstice and arrive at full tilt by December 21st.  Afterwards we start the journey back so that by early summer we are tilting a full 23.5 degrees towards the Sun. At Winter Solstice everything above latitude, 66.5 degrees north (the Arctic Circle) has twenty-four hours of darkness and everything below latitude 66.5 degrees south (Antarctica) receives twenty-four hours of light.  This also gradually reverses after December 21st.

Humans began cultivating crops more than 10,000 years ago.

January through April were known as the ‘famine months.’

Unfortunately, they still are in many parts of the world with strictly agrarian cultures.  Each civilization has had its way to mark the end of the year and all of them centered on Winter Solstice.  Plentiful stores of grain and preserved foods were the only chance you had of surviving the bleak winter months.  Typically, excess animals were slaughtered during Winter Solstice to make certain there would be enough feed for the rest of the herd to last the winter.  The culled animals  were then used to create the medieval feasts that still live on in songs like “Good King Wenceslas.”  

The ancient Egyptians (approximately 4,000 years ago) marked Winter Solstice with a festival celebrating the rebirth of their sun god, Horus.  The festival lasted twelve days – one day for each month of their twelve month year.  The palm fronds used to decorate their homes had twelve leaves as well.  I wonder what the lyrics were to the “Twelve Days of Horusmas?” Each ancient civilization (particularly those enjoying a good party) celebrated solstice – Babylonians, Persians, ancient Greeks and Romans, to name a few.  Each of them also left their imprint on how cultures celebrate Winter Solstice and Christmas today.

The Persians crowned a mock king during their celebrations,

a practice that centuries later, morphed into the European traditions of naming the Lord of Misrule to oversee their celebrations.  The Greeks burned large logs in their homes every year to ward off the kallikantzaroi,monster-like imps who threatened children, giving us the first Yule log. Druidic tradition gave us holly, mistletoe and evergreen boughs to be used as decorations.  

The numerical card for Winter Solstice
12/21/14 is #13, Transformation
seen here from "OSHO Zen Tarot©"
by Deva Padma - The end of one cycle and
the beginning of another - most appropriate

All these festivals share a common theme – the celebration of light.  Ancient solstice festivals were primarily a time for reflecting on your place in the world. They were a time of sharing hope as well as some of what you’d put by for the winter with your friends, family and those less fortunate than yourself.  You took stock of the year gone by, rejoiced in it and made plans for the year to come – what you’d do differently given the chance.  Most importantly, you’d take time to think about the miracle of life and how light, either physical or spiritual, turns cold, dark earth into something rich and fertile.  Each of us carries this genetic memory deep in our DNA.  It is the reason that past all the mall decorations and online hoopla we can still look into a single candle flame and feel the nature, the wonder of the Divine.  

No matter the tenets of your faith, enjoy the light of this special season.  May it bring you hope, peace and resolve for the year ahead. 

With Love and Blessings,

LADY ORACLE

Full Cold Moon in Gemini, December 17, 2013 - “Party in the House”

# 6 The Lovers, is tarot's association for
Gemini.  This depiction is from Ciro Marchetti's
"Legacy of the divine Tarot"©

December’s Full Cold Moon in Gemini should be called, “The Party Moon.”  Sociable Gemini joins party hound Sagittarius and the wild rumpus begins.  Okay, maybe not that wild, but this month’s Full Cold Moon (No need to explain that name, is there?) is everything fun, frolicking and social.  

Gemini is an air sign in the

Mercury's tarot card, #1, The Magician
from "Wizard's Tarot"© by
Corrine Kenner and John J. Blumen

mutable (changeable) modality. This simply means that because the sign of Gemini falls at the end of a season rather than at the beginning, (cardinal) or in the middle (fixed), some of its traits shift with the changing astral and seasonal influences.  Our Twins govern the third house of the Zodiac where we keep our knowledge, our habitat (neighborhood) and the relationships we don’t choose, like siblings, or neighbors. The third house, and therefore Gemini, are ruled by the planet Mercury, governor of intellect and communication.  All this makes next week the optimum time to network and socialize.  Your ideas will be easier to convey to others and in turn, other people will have an easier time envisioning how your concept works for their world.

Sun in Sagittarius opposes Moon in Gemini, creating this

#14, Temperance represents
Sagittarius - from Barbara Moore and
Aly Fell's "Steampunk Tarot"©

month’s Full Cold Moon.  Sagittarius and Gemini love a good party and they help us naturally gravitate to where the action is.  While both of these signs enjoy the continual stimulation of new events, Gemini holds a duality that can cause its quick laughter and quicker wit to turn dark in the blink of an eye.  Luckily, Sagittarius prevents The Twins from indulging in too much emotional analysis, or too many mood swings.

We have Uranus in Aires turning stationary direct on the 17th as well.  Stationary refers to the illusion that a planet remains in place before it appears to reverse its orbit.  Prior to retrograde we have ‘stationary retrograde’ and when the planet turns direct again we have, ‘stationary direct.’  Uranus works well with Mercury’s thought process, making us ask the deeper questions (which Sagittarius likes).  You can expect a couple of ‘a-ha’ moments before the end of the month.  Consider it partying with a purpose.  

#10 The Wheel shows us Jupiter's
generous nature in the "Steampunk Tarot"©
 depiction

Jupiter, ruler of Sagittarius, continues to exert its expansive influence for the Full Moon.  The Santa Claus planet goes sesquiquadrate  (a rather touchy aspect of 135 degrees and quite a mouthful) with Neptune on the 17th .  Although this is a lesser aspect than a trine, or sextile, it still introduces the element of dreams and wishes into the Full Moon fix.  Holiday magic. Neptune is the planet of dreams and dreamers.  Jupiter may drop some unexpected sugarplums in your lap this season.  Just be careful not to let a mistletoe moment go to your head.

This is a fun, high-energy moon that helps us manifest the goals we set in motion at the beginning of this month.  Consider December’s Full Moon a holiday gift from the Universe.  Enjoy!

LADY ORACLE

Co-hosting The Moment radio show with the always wonderful, Marion Douglas today at noon, PST!  Here's a link to the show and you can listen anytime!

All tarot decks featured are available for sale through

www.ladyoracle.net

The Shining Trine – Jupiter Trine Saturn Goes Exact on December 12th

#21, The World is the tarot card
for Saturn. This wonderful imagery
is from "The Wizard's Tarot"©
by John J. Blumen and Corrine Kenner

Everybody loves a trine – especially when it’s between uber expansive, Jupiter in Cancer and ultra transformative, Saturn in Scorpio.  A trine, you may recall, is a very agreeable aspect, or angle of 120 degrees between two planets (or other astrological bodies). This particular trine delivers expansive, life changing energy – a very beneficial pick me up at the end of the year.

Saturn in Scorpio gives us the opportunity to make transformative changes as we navigate life’s hurdles.  Its objective is to teach us, not break us down.  Jupiter, on the other hand, is the planet of expansion. While this friendly giant resides in Cancer, we receive bountiful gifts that provide opportunities in our lives. Jupiter is in retrograde now, but here’s the thing about Jupiter retrograde.  The planet’s influence merely slows down and refines itself into choice nuggets of opportunity that will still find their way into your life.  This retrograde period offers us the chance to catch our breath, evaluate our position and make course corrections before the planet goes direct again in March of 2014. 

Jupiter and Saturn play very well together.  On the 12th you

Jupiter's tarot card is #10, The Wheel
From "Steampunk Tarot"© by
Barbara Moore and Aly Fell

can expect to find renewed vigor for your job and your personal projects.  A spark ignites in you that causes you to brush away the cobwebs from old habits that have aided you in the past and led to major successes in your life.  Follow your instincts.  You have someone to be and Jupiter trine Saturn wants to help make that happen.

Lest we think this is going to be all cheesecake and Primo Amore Moscato©, remember that the challenge part of Saturn still expects us to examine the parts of our lives that aren’t working so well.  Do we hear the word, accountability? Because this trine features the water signs, Cancer and Scorpio, you can bet the majority of our homework will focus on emotional wellbeing.  That means emotional baggage, uneven relationships and boundary issues, to name a few items.  If you’re still wrestling with emotional baggage it’s time for you to at least downsize to a carry-on.  

#18, The Moon is tarot's card for
the sign of Cancer. From
"Shadowscapes" by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law
and Barbara Moore

The main perks of a this trine are going to be a boost in your enthusiasm, your willingness to shoulder additional responsibility and your renewed efforts in pursuing your goals.  The biggest benefit for you under Jupiter Trine Saturn, however, is to receive acknowledgment for your efforts from those in command.  This may not bring immediate reward, but with your renewed enthusiasm for life, true rewards will come sooner rather than later.

The next couple of days are yours to saver.  Make some significant promises to yourself.  Get the jump on 2014 in terms of attitude and setting benchmarks.  Most of all remember to rise and shine like the star your are.

LADY ORACLE

Listen to Blog Talk radio's "The Moment!"  I subbed in for co-host, Linda Becker and had a wonderful time with the ever wonderful Marion Douglas!

Holiday Magic for the Home, Part One – Crystals and Candles

Candlelight adds a sense of magic to every occasion and

none more so than the December holidays.  Whether you celebrate Christmas, Winter Solstice, Hanukah or, Yule you are also honoring life-giving light as part of your celebration and ability of mankind to hold on to hope in times of darkness.  During holiday season, we combine good food and drink with friends and family.  We strive to provide a warm and inviting atmosphere where new memories are made and old ones are shared. 

fi

Peach Selenite - Selenite radiates high
vibrational 'white light' energy. It clears
spaces and gives a sense of deep, inner peace

Using crystals with your candle displays gives a marvelous two level effect.  Crystals don’t merely reflect candlelight and add to the room’s ambience. They also give off vibrations that can ease stress, social anxiety, sadness and help with some of the less pleasant baggage that can appear when families come together. 

Cleansing sprays, smudges and incense (See blog: "Tis the Season To Be Smudging" ) are all well and good pre-party measures for eliminating negativity, but face it, guests get suspicious when you start wafting them with cedar and sage during cocktail hour.  Combining candlelight and crystals subtly keeps an up tempo vibration in any room.  Below are some suggestions to enhance the energy during your holiday gatherings this year.

Danubrite gets a big my big 10-4.  This crystal carries a high degree of spiritual energy.  It assists in emotional healing, halts stubbornness, brings a deep sense of peace and also helps you link to angelic realms during meditation.  Pink Danburite teaches us self-love.  You can pick up Danubrite crystals online anywhere from $1.00 to $25.00, depending on size and clarity. 

Kunzite, the lovely, blush-pink variety, not only enhances intuition and inspiration, but also the concept of unconditional love.  This stone awakens our desire to be of service to others and our sense of humility as well.  Kunzite also offers a key component of holiday magic.  It re-awakens childlike wonder, trust and innocence – something we can all use.  While the cost of gem quality kunzite has increased in recent years, you can still acquire small pieces of rough stone for between $8.00 to $40.00.

Sunstone offers us insights into self-worth and co-

Above: Your basic quartz cluster for spiritual energy
and to the left, ametrine, a mixture
of citrine and amethyst

dependency.  It has been used by energy healers to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder and depression.  The best thing about Sunstone though, is the over-all feeling of delight, or “joie de vivre” that it radiates through a room.  Opaque stones run $4.00 to $10.00, while clear, gem quality stone run considerable more. 

Gold Sheen Obsidian is a lovely balancing stone that emanates compassion for past present and future events.  Scrooge could really have used this one.  It eliminates feelings of conflict and curbs passive aggressive behaviors.  Most pieces offered for sale are smooth finished – either spherical of cabochon cut for jewelry.  Prices run from $2.00 per bead to $45.00 for finished, gem quality jewelry.  

There are many more crystals that can be used for enhancing the holidays: Orange calcite, for are emotional balance and energizing, citrine for prosperity, amethyst for Divine connection, reducing stress and preventing over-indulgence, tiger’s eye for wealth and the ability to distinguish between wants and needs. Also, don’t forget good, old quartz for awakening spirituality.  (See blog: "Crystals Every Person Needs 2 - Claiming Yourself" )

Malachite, a stone of transformation that
balances negative and positive energy
(on of the few stones that its best to use
a polished piece

Let your creativity flow as you decorate with crystals this holiday season.  Keep a couple of things in mind, however.  You don’t have to use large crystals, nor do they have to be gemstone quality (for jewelry). Crystal rough works just fine and adds a wonderful, earthy sparkle.  Combine a variety of pebble-sized crystals around white votives or candle pillars. Be sure to include crystals with grounding energy in your mix like agates, cat’s eye chrysoberyls, bloodstone, or smoky quartz. High vibration stones can shake things up energetically, so it’s important to promote grounding energy and eliminate as much negativity as possible.  Try a candle and crystal centerpiece at your holiday table and let the good times flow.

The Holidays are never complete for me without "Christmas With Crystal," a video featuring one of my favorite comedians, Peter Zias.  If you're  fortunate you can catch him at The Groundlings in LA, or see his one-man show. Enjoy!

LADY ORACLE

Astrology Trends for December 2013 - “The Light Fantastic”

#11, Justice (Karma) is Libra's card
from "Wizard's Tarot"© by Corrine Kenner
and John J. Blumen - Mars in Libra 12/7

Many astrologers say that this December is a month for soul-searching and change.  While that may be true, it’s important to remember that you can have plenty of soul-searching without angst.  Sagittarius’ energy likes pondering deep and profound questions, but angst bores the heck out of it.  When something shiny appears on the horizon, Sagittarius asks us to hear the call to adventure and be on our merry way – particularly if there’s a party involved. The majority of December is influenced by Sun in Sagittarius and while this month will have its thrills and chills, (plenty) it will also be comparatively light on its feet.  

Alien Fossil on Mars (Cool!)

On December 4th Mercury, the planet of travel and communications, joins the Sun in Sagittarius.  Talk about the Knight of Swords – blunt, outspoken, but also open-minded.  Mercury in Sag invites us to find joy in learning something new.  Guard against a ‘take no prisoners’ attitude, though.  Everyone catches on at their own speed and they have a right to an opinion, even if it isn’t yours.

Mars charms his way into Libra’s seventh house on December 7th, ( 7 and 7!) where he takes up residence until mid-summer.  Social Libra joins with Mars’ intense, fiery nature, seeking fairness and balance. Think of them as Caped Crusaders, bringing justice to the streets of your very own Gotham City.  They work well together, laying groundwork that establishes important connections in both your business and social worlds.  

#21, The World is tarot's card for
Saturn, from "Steampunk Tarot"© by
Barbara Moore and Aly Fell

Jupiter in Cancer trines Saturn in Scorpio December 9th through the 15th.  This is a blissful configuration.  Trines carry very harmonious energy and this one marries the expansive energy of Jupiter (pleasantly slowed and refined due to Jupiter’s retrograde) with the transformative and resourceful energy of Saturn in Scorpio.  Use this boost wisely and you will not only make great strides in releasing issues that have been holding you back, but also receive a nudge in the right direction. 

Venus goes retrograde in Capricorn on December 21st – just in time for Winter Solstice.  Venus in Capricorn is a steadfast heart whose energy builds enduring relationships.  During Venus retrograde, there may be friction between what comes first, career, or relationship – particularly if this is an ongoing issue for you. You might also find yourself second guessing the compromises you’ve made for the sake of harmony in your home.  Which leads us directly to one of this month’s main events – a Cardinal Grand Cross between Pluto in Capricorn, Uranus in Aires, Jupiter in Cancer and Mars in Libra. This configuration influences us from December 23rd to January 8th. Lot’s of challenge with this one.  Tread lightly.

Some of the stellar influences this month mean business, but

#3, The Empress represents Venus in all her
creative splendor - from "Steampunk Tarot"©
by Barbara Moore and Aly Fell

they are also grounded in optimism and excitement for the road ahead.  Sure, our Cardinal (Cardinal signs are the first Zodiac sign within a given season.) Grand Cross is going to make things a little edgy, but take the usual precautions. Don’t talk politics at work, during parties or at Christmas dinner. Go easy on the sibling rivalry and release your resentments.  Think before your speak and let the open road to 2014 beckon you.

December is jam packed with all sorts of goodies.  I’ll have more about the Cardinal Grand Cross later this month, as well as, Winter Solstice, Yule, Full Moon in Gemini, the Jupiter Neptune connection, Sun in Capricorn, Uranus/Pluto square, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree.  Whew! December is a tarot/astrology bloggers dream!  Can’t wait.

LADY ORACLE

December 2, 2013, New Moon in Sagittarius – “The Art of Manifesting”

We’ve talked a lot about clearing our emotional and mental

#10, The Wheel of Fortune
The tarot card for Jupiter, ruler of Sagittarius
From Stephanie Pui-Mun Law's and Barbara
Moore's "Shadowscapes Tarot"©

decks in preparation for the power burn at the end of 2013.  Now it’s show time.  On December 2nd at 4:22 p.m. PST, the New Moon in Sagittarius arrives.  What’s so special about this particular New Moon? Optimism and luck for starters. Being in the right place at the right time.  New Moon in Sagittarius is one of the best moons of 2013 for easy manifesting and plain dumb luck.

This month Sagittarius baths Lady Moon in fast-paced, positive energy.  All of us (but most particularly those with Sagittarius in our birth charts) will be surrounded by fiery, upbeat power surges that push us to not only get involved, but to get going as well. Turn your eyes to the horizon this month and look for the next big opportunity coming your way. It’s there. During December’s lunar cycle, our vision will be clearer, our wit, sharper and our actions, while perhaps spontaneous, will be Divinely guided.  

There’s an art to manifesting and Sagittarians have it down

#14, Temperance is the tarot association for Sagittarius
Aly Fell and Barbara Moore's "Steampunk Tarot"©

pat.  Manifesting is literally like breathing for them because Sags stay focused in the moment better than most of us.  December already has an intense spiritual core as we all celebrate the natural order of life through a variety of wonderful, time-honored beliefs.  Sagittarius carries the energy of the spiritual philosopher (See blog: “Sagittarius the Archer”).  Archers are highly optimistic. They don’t see barriers, they see opportunities.  Work with this positive boost this month, particularly if you’ve been pulling the 8 of Swords (self-restriction) in your readings lately.  This is a perfect opportunity for you to push your boundaries, pull off the blindfold and step on out.

RWCS 8 of Swords shows
the illusion of self-restriction
US Games ©

Jupiter, the Santa Claus planet, (perfect for this month, don’t you think?)remains in Cancer and while Jupiter is still in retrograde, there are still plenty of perks to go around from this planet’s naturally expansive energy.  Where you might find that you have to watch your holiday dollars a little more closely, which is good advice any time, you’ll still have a fantastic holiday season. Explore the new, the different, even the offbeat.  Lights shine a little brighter this year, wherever and whoever you’re with.  Experience is the keyword this month because Sagittarius is never about things.  For them life is one big visceral experience.  Focus on people and events, not the number of shiny packages.

Put a list of your goals and desires together during the next couple of days.  Remember that goals must be specific, realistic and attainable.  They must also be yours, not someone else’s.  Once you have your list focus on it several times a day, but with one major difference.  Envision the items as if they have already occurred and you are already experiencing whatever it is you seek.  Don’t say to yourself, “When I get to Paris I’m going to be so excited.” Instead say, “Here I am in Paris and the lights on the Champs-Élysées are so beautiful at night that they steal my breath. I walk along the Seine and tears fill my eyes at the magic of being here. I’m so grateful to be here with all these marvelous sights and smells – even the traffic noise is amazing.”   Present tense brings your goals into reality, people.  It works like a charm. 

This month’s lunar cycle in Sagittarius is a gift to you from the

7 of Pentacles is an excellent focal point for
manifesting meditations, RWCS, US Games©

Universe and a golden opportunity for you start manifesting ( 7 of Pentacles, self-perpetuating harvest) the fruit of your own potential.  Work with Sagittarius’ energy and you’ll see amazing results.

LADY ORACLE

Sagittarius, November 22nd to December 22nd - “Arrows of Outrageous Fortune”

#14 Temperance is tarot's card
for Sagittarius From Barbara Moore
and Aly Fell's "Steampunk Tarot"©

People born under the sign of Sagittarius, the Archer, are inquisitive by nature.  That’s inquisitive with a capital ‘I.’ They seek answers to the great mysteries of life and are fiercely independent.  Sagittarians are born students and wanderers who fascinate us with their natural optimism and philosophical nature.  No party or gathering is complete without them because they charge the atmosphere with their exuberance.   Stand back and watch a Sagittarius shoot a metaphorical arrow and no matter how difficult the terrain, they will follow its path to wherever it falls.  

The Zodiac’s ninth house is home to Sagittarius. This is the place that guides our social lives, our education, as well as our penchants for philosophy and travel.  Sagittarians thrive on change, embracing new experiences with boundless enthusiasm.  They are students of life who become restless if they stay in one place, or situation too long,  They are constantly looking down the road for the next adventure. For them, experience is not only the best teacher, it’s their life’s blood as well.  

The Archer likes to avoid commitment – even with the small

Jupiter, the planet of expansion, rules
Sagittarius. From Barbara Moore and Aly Fell's
"Steampunk Tarot"©

things in life like choosing a bath mat or furniture.  Commitment, however mundane, equals strings for a Sagittarius and being tied to one place or situation hinders the footloose lifestyle they prefer.  Are they capable of lasting relationships?  You bet they are. However, they are a fire sign in the mutable modality (adaptive, changeable) and other fire signs who are equally adventurous are their best partners – Gemini, Libra and Aquarius.  Think, Doctor Who traveling through the universe with his best companion ever.  If this image makes you envious then you are the perfect mate for Sagittarius.

The workaday Sag is a born achiever.  Remember, life is an adventure for them and they take any opportunity to explore it with skill and optimism.  They make excellent lawyers, communications specialists, marketing consultants, sales professionals and photographers (no surprise – they love to capture a moment for later reflection). They excel at presentations like none other.  They are not so great at teaching because they expect the same level of excitement, adaptability and curiosity from their students as they, themselves experience when embracing a new subject.  They are honest to the point of bluntness and can be impatient with those who don’t catch on quickly.  Rule of thumb: If you can’t think on your feet, or adapt quickly to a game change, don’t work closely with a Sagittarius.  If however, if you are innovative, far-sighted and love the excitement of the moment, sit yourself down with your new best friend, lover, or co-worker.  If you're lucky, all of the aforementioned.

The universe awaits for Sagittarius, with all its
'timey-whimey' adventures!

Sagittarians are deep thinking adventurers.  They are among the early adopters in our culture – not for the sake of newness itself, but because the new must be explored.  We need adventurers in our lives and in our society.  They show us possibilities and inspire us to dream.  Think of Sagittarius as you seek out new opportunities in your own life and embrace the change.

LADY ORACLE

Nine of Pentacles - “Authority, Autonomy and Flying High”

RWCS, US Games Edition©
The Nine of Pentacles
What is she whispering to the bird?

The suit of Pentacles represents the element of earth and the material world.  In tarot, nines speak to us of compromise and difficulties, but if that’s the case, why does the woman in the Nine of Pentacles look like she’s doing so well? She stands in a field of dreams made reality – calm and elegant, seemingly without a care.  Is it a facade, or does she really have a nifty investment strategy tucked away somewhere?  

The Nine of Pentacles shows us someone (in this particular case a female, though the card lesson transcends sexual definition) who no longer struggles to secure their day to day existence. As in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the basic survival levels, food, shelter, clothing, have been surpassed.  Her current level of security and comfort allows, not only the expression of grace and beauty in her life, but also the ideation of a higher self.  

Clear and sunny skies always offer
encouragement even when you turn inward
RWCS, The Sun, US Games Edition©

A clear sky in the background denotes fair weather.  Two trees frame the world of the card, acting as a gateway to a rich and fertile vineyard.  The woman in the Nine of Pentacles hasn’t passed through the gates to this land without compromises. She is alone, turned away from the sun and turned inward towards herself.  Her right hand rests on a stack of pentacles; her casual possession of them born from her sense of security.  Her head and shoulders rise above the landscape indicating a higher connection with the universal flow.  She is elegant, graceful and assured of her position in the world.  A falcon perches on her left hand.  Its head is hooded like all trained hunting birds.  The hood keeps the falcon calm while it waits the commands of its mistress and the opportunity to take flight. 

Some tarot analysts view the hooded bird as a symbol of the

The Magician reminds us that we
can combine all the elements to create the
life we want. RWCS, US Games Edition©

lady’s darker nature held in check by her strength of will.  Others believe the bird represents stifled creativity and dreams – a necessary sacrifice some would say in attaining goals.  I disagree. I prefer Alfred Hitchcock’s explanation for why the bird is there.  In his masterpiece of environmental horror, “The Birds,” Hitchcock uses a lone seagull circling high over the town of Bodaga Bay to present a bird’s eye view of the movie’s world. In the Nine of Pentacles, the hunting bird is the omnipresent eye that gives our lady a broad over-view of her territory.  Her bird symbolizes imagination, creativity and focused skills.  Instead of representing a dark side, the bird lifts the woman beyond her own limited perceptions allowing her to implement her talents.  The bird’s hood represents not only her control, but her discretion as well.

Meanings for the Nine of Pentacles include discipline, self-reliance and sacrifice to obtain a goal.  The problem with using the word ‘sacrifice’ in what otherwise is a motivational card is that people frequently misunderstand the meaning of the word.  Its root word is ‘sacred,’ not ‘suffer.’  Too often people shy away from their dreams because they believe they must sacrifice – suffer a deprivation – to reach them.  Not so.  The woman is the Nine of Pentacles knows her worth, both inside and out.  She may appear to be alone, but so for all of us who take on a new challenge in life.  Ultimately, the burden of succeeding rests upon our shoulders, no one else’s. 

Use the positive messages about success and reward in the Nine of Pentacles to keep you on target no matter what type of goal you set for yourself.  Meditate by focusing on the imagery of this card and, like the falcon in the picture, you’ll soar above your perceived limitations.

LADY ORACLE