December 8, 2014 – “Santa Claus Goes Retrograde”

Jupiter, the friendly giant of our solar system begins its

#10 Fortune, from Kris Waldherr's fabulous
"The Goddess Tarot" © is tarot's
card for Jupiter. 

retrograde cycle today.  During Jupiter’s ramp-up for retrograde we began feeling the need to rein in our lives a little bit. We had a sense of having spent too long at the banquet table and began wishing for more Spartan fare. (Probably, in part, a reaction to all the dressing and gravy during Thanksgiving) Nationally and globally during Jupiter Retrograde there’s a sense of having too much information to process and that our gains as a species have come too fast and left us feeling a little hollow inside.  

Our desire to slow down and take a serious look at the foundations of our lives is one of the best gifts we receive from our Santa Claus planet.  Jupiter governs the expansion of our worlds – another way of saying it provides us with the opportunities to grow.  Ruler of Sagittarius, Jupiter occupies a place in the ninth house of the zodiac. This where we store our philosophical and religious views, our relationship to the laws that govern our culture and our desires for travel. Jupiter entered Leo earlier this year, bringing us a powerful and charismatic energy to propel our lives forward.  No wonder you’re feeling a little overwhelmed.

Leo's card (of course) is #8 Strength.
From "Steampunk Tarot"© by Barbara
Moore and Aly Fell

Retrograde cycles are based on an optical illusion that as Earth overlaps a planet during its orbit of the Sun, the planet we pass appears to move backwards.  There’s a decrease, or even a slight reversal of the astrological benefits associated with the outdistanced planet.  Many people groan when they hear the word, ‘retrograde.’  They shouldn’t. Retrogrades are a natural part of the expansion and contraction process of the Universe – particularly Jupiter’s retrograde.  As the opportunities slow we have the chance to go inside ourselves and shore up our core beliefs and values.  If you’re going to build a skyscraper, you have to have a solid foundation.  That’s the purpose of Jupiter’s retrograde, to allow us the chance to reinforce the footings of our lives in preparation for the next surge forward.

Jupiter remains in retrograde until April 8, 2015.  Use this time as the opportunity it is.  Make your plans and make certain you have the support systems in place to set them in motion this April, because come this spring there will be whitecaps in the power waves rolling off Jupiter as it turns direct in Leo.  Be ready.

LADY ORACLE

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Mars in Sagittarius, September 13th to October 25th, 2014 – “Genghis Khan Meets Dora the Explorer”

On Saturday Mars, our fiery, warrior planet, takes up

Ciro Marchetti's depiction of #16, The
Tower, from the legendary
 "Legacy of the Divine Tarot"©

residence with Sagittarius, the Archer.  We’ll develop the attitude of the conqueror, but with the attention span of a gnat.  It’s not quite as bad as that.  We will have moments of pure gold where we gain extraordinary ground in our lives – surmounting obstacles, seizing the day until we succumb to the tangents presented by the roads less traveled.  Mars in Sagittarius marries the mind of a conqueror

 with the heart of an explorer.   

This is a transit for risk takers and there’s a significant up tick in our competitive natures. We greet life enthusiastically and with idealism.  The Martian fire is still present, however. Sagittarius simply points it in the direction of moral principles and concern for the human condition.  Ethical behavior and staying true to our convictions becomes more important during this transit and we don’t allow a great deal of flexibility in either one.

#14, Temperance, as envisioned by
Corrine Kenner and John J. Blumen
is their deck, "The Wizard's Tarot"©

During Mars in Sagittarius we can demonstrate quicker wit and embrace bold plans for overcoming challenges.  Ideas flow fairly easily and while we have the warrior spirit to execute these plans, we often lack the focus necessary to stick with them to completion.  Mars in Sagittarius produces scattered energy making us easily distracted. Focus, people, focus.

Tarot’s card associations for this transit are #16, The Tower, (swift, unexpected change) for Mars and #14, Temperance, (carefully blending the components of your world, spiritual, emotional and material, for balance) for Sagittarius.  They nicely sum up the exchange between the warrior and the hunter.  If you find yourself missing out on opportunities due to lack of focus during this transit try meditating on some of tarot’s ‘follow through’ cards to ground yourself and narrow that energy beam to where it does you the most good. 

Here are some helpful cards for meditation: Queens of

The powerful Queen of Wands from
"The Wizard's Tarot"© by Corrine Kenner
and John J. Blumen 

Wands (creative action, confidence and skill), Knight of Pentacles (steadfastness to duty and tasks even when you’d rather not), 9 of Wands (perseverance, going the distance though difficulty) and 7 of Pentacles (tending to tasks which will yield longterm results).  There are certainly other components to these cards, because tarot is a marvelous blend of both simple and complex concepts. ( See Blog: “Lights, Camera, Action” for using the suit of Wands for motivation.)  However, you get the idea and if you’re a tarot reader you probably have your own favorite cards to motivate yourself. In any case, have fun and try pulling tarot energy to guide you through this transit.

LADY ORACLE

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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

Full Moon in Sagittarius, Friday, June 13th – “For a Good Time, Call....”

A Full Moon in Sagittarius embraces life.  I’d go so far as to say, it embodies life.  The lunar influence is extremely strong in the sign of The Archer where it engenders adventure, luck and expansive thinking.  Sagittarius rules the ninth house, the seat of higher learning and philosophy.  If Mercury in Gemini is a quick mind, then Full Moon in Sagittarius is a perpetual lightening-round of intellect.  

Moon in Sagittarius sees life in Cinemascope, briskly taking in information from all senses and rapidly formulating a plan for action. This Full Moon compels activity because The Archer is a fire sign.  Think about tarot’s suit of Wands – a perfect road map for Sagittarius. ( See blog: “Lights, Camera, Action” ) Ace is Archer’s spark of inspiration, or awareness. Two of Wands is the call to adventure, that irresistible urge to look past the familiar and see potential. Seize the Three of Wands and, like Sagittarius, you’re heading off to see what’s past the horizon. June’s Full Strawberry Moon is a moon of believers and achievers.   

At lot is being made of the fact that Friday’s Full Moon falls on

Sagittarius' tarot connection, #14, Temperance from Ciro Marchetti's
"Legacy of the divine Tarot"©

the 13th.  Cue organ music and mist.  Here’s the deal.  Like Sagittarius we must take a look at the big picture.   June’s Full Moon occurs at 4:14 GMT on the 13th.  That means if you live in America, your Full Moon occurs on at 12:11 a.m. ET on June 13th. All other American time zones have a Full Moon on June 12th. Sorry guys.  Numerically, June 13, 2014 adds up to eight.  In tarot, eights are about movement.  (See blog: “Crazy Eights” ) This theme is spot on for Full Moon in Sagittarius regardless of whether you live on the east coast, west coast, or somewhere between.  Look for movement in your life from the 11th to the 15th.  There will be incoming messages and events that can spark positive changes for you, if you let them.

Moon in Sag people (that’s all of us to a certain extent during this Full Moon period) are the life of the party. They are out-going, witty and are not only found at the center of the action – they’ve usually started the action in the first place.  During this Full Moon weekend look for spontaneous gatherings.  If you’re meeting friends for drinks, don’t be surprised if people you don’t even know pull up chairs to your table, or you, quiet out of character, do the same.  Don’t look for passionate love this weekend.  Sagittarius is about answering that personal call to adventure, although you may find someone whose affinity for escapades matches your own. If you wish to participate in someone else’s grand scheme, that’s great, but The Archer’s influence makes us more willing to go it alone if no one is inclined to join our quest.   

Sarasvati represents the High Priestess, tarot's
association for Lady Moon. From Kris Waldherr's
"The Goddess Tarot"©

Lest this Full Moon sound too perfect, let me give you a couple of minor warnings.  Sagittarius has a tendency to not simply speak the truth, but blurt it, warts and all.  Use diplomacy.  If you don’t, you risk a red face next week and having to repeat, “I’m so sorry, I don’t know what made me say that to you,” over and over and over.  Also, Moon in Sagittarius tends to believe in the absolute triumph of its own luck – and this is a lucky Moon, no doubt.  However, avoid leaving everything up to random chance.  Proceed with a purpose, fully informed and with mental clarity.  Watch out for over-spending. Moon in Sag pushes its exuberance for life towards excess from time to time.  Live for the experience this weekend instead of for possessions and you’ll be fine.

Full Moon in Sagittarius brings a gift of seeing the scope of your own life and recognizing its potential.  Take action, no matter how small.  Small acts, carefully combined, can change the direction of a planet.  Be brilliant.

LADY ORACLE

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#13, Death or Transformation - “The End of the Beginning”

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I –

 I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference."

                                         Robert Frost

One of the scariest cards to appear in a reading for a novice

Death, Transformation - scary images?
Perhaps, but this can be a rewarding card
Ciro Marchetti's "Legacy of the Divine Tarot"©

querant is #13, Death.  They are sure it holds impending doom and it becomes the reader’s job to educate their client that this card simply marks a well-earned fork in the road.  #13 also means transformation and how can you make an omelet if you’re not even willing to go near the hen house?  

The Death card, or Transformation card if that makes you feel more comfortable, makes its appearance when you are at a pivotal moment in time and space. You are making something happen.  You are having an effect on your world and it is changing you forever.  More often than not, that’s something to celebrate.  Imagine your life in complete stagnation, somewhat easier, perhaps, but also more predictable.  Many people choose to live their lives that way – never pushing boundaries, never asking the million dollar questions.  Those are the people who settle and play it safe.  They are also not the people reading blogs like this one. 

People who pull #13 know there’s more to life’s equation and they want to solve it.  Does this make them superior to everyone else?  Of course not.  It simply means they’ve chosen to live differently.  Their path gets a little bumpier from time to time.  Perhaps they get more easily distracted, losing sight of the end result by getting momentarily lost in the experience.  Each one of them, however, comes to know the complexity and the glory of the moment.  When the path diverges as in Robert Frost’s yellow wood, they are chomping at the bit to go down the road less traveled either by circumstance or by design.

Temperance - a question of balance
as seen by Ciro Marchetti in
"Legacy of the divine Tarot"©

The Transformation card is the card of dreamers and achievers who realize that chapters end, but there’s always a new book to pull off the shelf and open to page one. They understand that the past can be put behind you and that when the winds of change sweep clean, you still have bare ground to be rebuild on.  Transitions are not easy.  They can be unsettling for weeks, maybe even years at a time, but once the transformation is complete you arrive at #14, Temperance.  

It’s in Temperance where you recover your equilibrium and have the opportunity to combine the lessons of your journey, heal if need be and hold on to that oft-times hard-won sense of contentment.  Next time #13 pops up in your reading note the placement.  Ask yourself who and what you wish to become and which fork in the road would serve you best.  

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

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Venus in Sagittarius, October 7th to November 5th, 2013 - “Room to Bloom”

The Empress in tarot's card for Venus.
I love this depiction from "Steampunk Tarot"©
by Barbara Moore and Ally Fell

It’s nice to find some sparkle and pizzaz amongst all the somber notes of this month’s astrological forecast.  Meet our new best friend, Venus in Sagittarius.  When Venus visits The Archer, she becomes fun-loving, whimsical and seeks out relationships that spur personal growth and enrich her life.  Although it’s not necessarily the best energy for finding love to last a lifetime, Venus in Sagittarius builds hardy friendships that are long-lasting – lots of them. 

Venus loves the spontaneity and sense of freedom she has in Sagittarius.  Although she’s open to adventure and sees nothing wrong with a mild flirtation or five, she makes no false promises.  Sagittarius is known for honesty, after all.   Venus and The Archer produce an expansive energy that makes us want to explore our options and our boundaries.  We’ll flirt a little, or a lot, depending whether or not Venus in Sagittarius is in your birth chart.  However, we’ll do so in a way that expands our experiences and deepens the subtext of our lives.

Temperance is the card for
Sagittarius, The Archer, again from
the marvelous "Steampunk Tarot"©
by Barbara Moore and Ally Fell

Venus in Sagittarius asks, “Why not?”  This is great energy if you’re starting a new project, or revamping an old one.  Venus’ natural sense of style, her vibrancy, loves a new direction.  The next few weeks is a great chance for some out of the box thinking in forming partnerships.  Sagittarius carries lots of philosophical energy and surprisingly, our party girl Venus truly appreciates deep thinkers – even engaging in the practice herself.  Just watch out, as Venus in Sagittarius can become a tad judgmental.  It’s that honesty standard – high minded, but relentless.  

As far as romance goes, Venus in Sagittarius is light-hearted and giddy – the quintessential ‘hopeless romantic.’  Even those of us who are not normally given to romantic gestures may find ourselves purchasing a single rose for a loved one, or surprising our partner with a romantic escapade. That’s the spontaneous influence of Venus in Sagittarius.

Make time during the next three weeks to explore and enjoy the world through the eyes of Venus and The Archer.  The view from behind a pair of rose-colored glasses is both optimistic and heartening.  Enjoy!

LADY ORACLE

January 26, 2013 - Full Wolf Moon In Leo

A Full Wolf is better than a Not So Full Wolf.  Ask Red Riding Hood if you don’t believe me.  This January’s Full Wolf Moon or, Old Moon, as it’s also known, occurs in 7 degrees, 24 minutes of Leo.  What makes this interesting is that the Sun, which is in direct opposition to this Leo Full Moon, happens to be in Aquarius. This means is that people with signs in either Aquarius or Leo may feel the pull of this Full Moon a little stronger than the rest of us.  That’s not a bad thing in this case.  All of us will get a tremendous boost to our creative sides this moon and enjoy finding new means of self-expression.

While Aquarius remains objective and more regimented this Full Moon, Leos will give vent to their free-spirited side.  Self-expression and proud individualism give Leo a winner’s attitude. Although these traits are also part of Aquarius’ makeup, this time Aquarians are surrendering some of their 'go it alone philosophy' in favor of letting the whole team play.  Oddly, it’s romantic Leo who claims that, not only should we spell team with an ‘I’, but that there's really no need for the rest of the players to leave the dugout. This is the perfect moon for Lions to rise and shine.  

For most of us, conflicts on, or around the 26th will center on personal needs versus the good of the whole.  In tarot readings consider any of the Minor Arcana’s  5s that show up in your readings. %s are conflict cards. Where are they placed?  Are they the root of the matter, or simply a contributing factor?  Major Arcana’s #15, The Devil, might make a rather heavy-handed appearance.  Draw assistance from #14, Temperance, or the 2 of Pentacles for balance. In positive positions, The Queen of Wands and the ever abundant #3, The Empress will bring in their creative energy.  Look for assistance from the Knight of Wands to make things happen.  If you have questions about your tarot readings, email or message me here, or at on FaceBook - Lady Oracle Tarot.

Oh...and don’t go taking your goodies into the forest after dark.

LADY ORACLE

Tarot's Number 14 - "Temperance"

"You've got to accentuate the positive,
 Eliminate the negative
And latch on to the affimative
Don't mess with Mister In-between."

                                "Accentuate the Positive" by Johnny Mercer


Maintaining balance in our lives can be tricky. We walk a variety of worlds during a single lifetime.
When one or more of them dominates us our attitudes start down a slippery slope.  The angel in Major Arcana's #14, Temperance, knows a thing or two about control and focused intent.  While our Heavenly friend has one foot planted squarely on the earth, or the material world, the other foot remains in water, the element of the spiritual world.  The emblem on his robe represents spirituality co-existing in the material world.

The angel pours water carefully from one cup to another, reminding us that our spiritual connection must always travel with us no matter what world we're in.  It's too easy to become unduly influenced by the multitude of attitudes and philosophies so readily available to us in the digital age.  From the time we wake up, to the time we fall asleep, our perception of reality is distorted by information gleaned from news, the latest cultural memes, or by the ranting of a political pundit whose ideals we believe we support. One of the hardest things about life these days is to know your own mind.  The Temperance card asks us to carry our inner voice with us and, more importantly, to listen to its message. The angel reminds us to use our spiritually connected self to assess all information we receive.  When we intake information through the spirit, we can decide whether or not it has any value to us in terms of accomplishing our life's mission without our ego becoming involved.  We are free to respond to stimulus rather than merely react to it.

Each moment offers us the chance to start anew - to decide what thoughts and actions fit how we want to live and who we wish to be.  All we have to do is live consciously and accept that all the previous moments in our lives are gone.  The ones in our future haven't happened yet.  There is no regret, no trouble to borrow.  In the present, each moment is sufficient unto itself.  Am I telling you that it's easy to live this way? No.  If living in the moment were easy there wouldn't be any need for spiritual and self-help sections in bookstores.  There would be no need for The Golden Rule, or The Beatitudes.

Wayne Dyer likes to say that on a boat all evidence of forward motion occurs at the bow. The wind hits us head on.  The water splashes against the hull as it cuts through the waves and objects steadily move closer to us.  The evidence of past motion happens at the stern. The boat's wake trails out behind us as we pass the places we've been.  Dyer goes on to remind us that it is very easy to get caught up remembering the past, but that if we wish to truly live in each moment of our lives, we must move to the bow of the boat and experience life as it happens.

Learning to live by bringing spirituality into your everyday life isn't always easy.  That's why the angel is pouring from cup to cup with so much control.  Events happen in our lives that engage our emotions and our egos.  When that happens it's good to have the tools we need in place to help us sort through the issues at hand.  Meditation, fellowship with like minds, books etc., all remind us to reconnect to spirit when we falter.

The year 2013 is still bright and shiny.  Individually, as well as collectively, we have the opportunity to make it into anything we want.  The possibilities are always limitless.  Turn off the cable news, ignore the community conflicts that appear so urgent and connect in your inner spirit.  Let it guide you.  And remember that the best view of all is at the bow of the boat.


LADY ORACLE

Clearing the Wreckage - Preparing For A Successful November 2012

 It's time to wash the zombie makeup out of the guest towels, take the leftover Halloween candy to the office and stash away the martini shaker.  October's Full Moon in Taurus and Halloween are both over.  What's next, you ask?  Why none other than our old, but dubious friend, Mercury Retrograde.  And here we are still out of breath from chocolate vodka martinis and candy corn.

Sometimes the cosmos doesn't play fair and the Tuesday, November 6th is one of those times.  Does the date November 6th ring a bell with you?  That's right.  The first day of the November Mercury Retrograde is also Election Day in the United States.  Don't worry, I’m not getting political here.  You get enough of that everywhere else.  Still, a Mercury Retrograde that starts on an election day does make you think about hanging chads and mechanical voting machines going haywire, doesn't it?  

Mercury Retrograde occurs three to four times a year.  When we pass the planet Mercury in our orbit, it causes the optical illusion that Mercury is moving backwards in the sky.  (See my blog; “Mercury Retrograde, Tarot and You” for a complete survival guide) During a Mercury Retrograde period, systems and machinery that normally run smoothly tend to snag.  A few web astrologers have cautioned against the election process becoming tangled this year, however most agree, as do I, that we should simply envision everything running smoothly and all votes being counted correctly.  Let’s hear it for collective consciousness.

November’s Retrograde may start a little rougher than most of them do for several reasons.  Last week, we experienced a particularly potent full moon that left many of us with our energy fields ragged at the edges.  There was also the usual dimensional seepage during All Hallows Eve.  Plus, we’ve got some cosmic stumbling blocks going on froms Saturn move in with Scorpio (Saturn is a taskmaster). Let’s also remember that we have a swiftly approaching Winter Solstice season that’s said to be one for the record books in terms of human experience and growth potential.  In short, we need to clear the energetic wreckage from the end of October before we tackle November’s Retrograde.  

It’s not unusual for you to have the sensation of being rushed from one thing to another right now.  The end of the year always winds up for a fevered pitch.  Here are a few suggestions to help you ground yourself before you get swept into the frantic current of year end revels that start in just a little more than two weeks.  

Spend time freeing yourself from distractions.  Clean your physical space.  Box up items you won’t be needing for a while and tuck them away.  If you have too much of anything, give it away or donate it.  Clean you mirrors, light fixtures and candle holders in preparation for the coming holiday season.  The holiday seasons are all about gratitude and the celebration of light returning to the world.  Free your home’s reflective surfaces of dust and clutter.  This will brighten the glow from your Thanksgiving and Holiday candles when it comes time to light them, as well as help you symbolically settle in to enjoy the last two months of the year. 

Performing simple, routine household tasks and making plans for Thanksgiving (if you happen to celebrate it) helps you re-establish your natural rhythm.  Meditate and surround yourself with some of your favorite books and music.  Use your sage smudge or white candles liberally.  Don’t have any?  Get some.  One of my teachers has a glorious meditation room filled with crystals and white tea candles.  The lighting effect is remarkably subtile, even with all the crystals.  And it’s such a treat to be asked to join her there for meditations.

If you are making plans for Thanksgiving (November 22nd in America) that include travel, don’t forget to make allowances for Mercury Retrograde-style hassles.   Remember to review your travel itinerary, recheck your accommodations and plan to arrive at the airport, train station or bus terminal earlier than is recommended.  If traveling by car, have your tires, oil and water checked out well before your travel date and start out for your destination a little earlier to avoid traffic.  Again, the key to successfully navigating Mercury Retrograde is revise, review, recheck, revisit and redesign your plans. Re-words.

Take a couple of hours this Sunday and Monday to unplug the election countdown.  Do a little soul searching as in the Major Arcana’s #9, The Hermit. He goes inside himself to seek his truth.  He lights his own path with the insights he’s gain from his introspection.  Rest and renew your mind as in the Four of Swords.  Seek to balance your inner and outer worlds as depicted in #14, Temperance, #17, Star and Minor Arcana’s 2 of Pentacles.  

Pull all of these cards from your favorite deck and add #8, Strength.  

Sit in a comfortable position where you normally either meditate, or read cards.  Aline the cards in any manner that feels right to you.  Study each of them - their design, their symbolism.  Contemplate their range of meanings.  Close your eyes and envision yourself walking in a forest or by the sea - your choice.  As you walk you will meet each of the figures depicted in the cards.  The order in which you meet them is also your choice.  Angel, Hermit, Knight in Repose (another ‘R’ word!), Star; there’s no wrong order.  Visit with them.  They will give you information during this meditation that will help you integrate your worlds.

Now you’re set to head into a successful month.  Later this week I’ll be posting about the astrological implications we have coming up for the month.  In the meantime, relax and ease into November 2012.

LADY ORACLE 

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September 23, 2014 - "All Things Being Equal - Autumn Equinox"

#14 Temperance from
Barbara Moore and Aly Fell's Steampunk Tarot©
balance, harmony, middle ground
Good card for an equinox

Crisp apples, colorful leaves, scarecrows.  It must be Fall.  On September 23rd the sun will shine directly on the equator and we will have close to twelve equal hours of both daylight and darkness.  Equator, equal hours - say, you don’t suppose that’s why they call it an equinox, do you?  Clever.  We have two equinoxes annually, one in September and one in March.  In the northern hemisphere the September equinox heralds Autumn, while in the southern hemisphere, it heralds Spring.  

The ancient Greeks blamed the change of seasons on a case of unrequited love gone very bad. Beautiful Persephone was kidnapped by Hades, God of the Underworld and taken to his kingdom to reign as his Queen.  Persephone’s mother, Demeter, Goddess of Plants and Crops, greatly mourned the loss of her only daughter.  Soon all the plants of Earth began to wither and die as the temperature dropped dramatically.  Zeus, king of all the Gods grew alarmed at the state of things on Earth and ordered Hades to return the girl to her mother.  

Hades making off with Persephone
He should have used on-line dating

Unfortunately, as with all stories like this, there was a catch.  Persephone could only return to the upper world if she hadn’t eaten anything while in Hades’ realm.  Who makes up rules like this?  As it happened, she’d eaten six pomegranate seeds.  Apparently, there was no Pizza Hut in the underworld and she must have gotten desperate.  Pomegranates look a lot cooler to eat than they actually are. Those tiny, juicy seeds pockets are cute and all, but after the first fifteen or so, forget it.  Anyway, in sympathy for Demeter, and probably because of the lack of descent cuisine in the underworld, Zeus decided that Persephone could return to her mother for six months out of each year - Spring and Summer - but must return to Hades for the other six - Autumn and Winter.  She should have gotten herself a better lawyer.  

7 of Pentacles shows us the
bounty of a harvest
RWCS US Games©

It's important for us to mark the changing of the seasons.  Time-honored traditions reconnect us to the Earth and to our ancient pagan ancestors.  The early Christian church adopted the less edgy aspects of pagan traditions as a way of drawing members to their faith.  For example Michaelmas (pronounced Micklemus),  the Feast of St. Michael, (also called the Feast of All Angels) is held on September 29th, a week after the September equinox.  Feast days always sported dancing and merrymaking in the old days, but Michaelmas also served as the time for settling up accounts.  Christian churches also adopted this idea as well and today many of them still ask their congregations for financial support during Autumn tithing.

Mabon, is a pagan festival, named for the son of the Welsh Goddess Modron, the Earth Mother.  His name means "Great Son" or "Great Hunter" and he is the God of Harvests.  The festival of Mabon is held on the equinox.  Giving thanks for a good harvest and therefore the means to survive another winter was the central theme.  However, during Mabon you were also encouraged to explore the spiritual meaning of balance.  Just as the hours of light and dark were balanced during this particular time, people reflected upon achieving balance and harmony between themselves and the natural world around them.  

The old English festival of Harvest Home gives us the

A Corn Dolly, symbol of Harvest Home,
was made by twisting sheaves of wheat
into this intricate shape

tradition of corn dollies and dried apple dolls, not to mention a very scary book by Tom Tryon of the same name.  I grew up in New England and I remember being fascinated by the dried apple dolls made by some of the older people in our village.  A series of shallow, tiny cuts made in a peeled apple reveals a face of depth and character once the fruit dries out.   

Other old traditions survive today as well.  "Burning Man" festival owes its origins to the corn dollies created long ago by twisting sheaves of grain into dolls that were said to hold the spirit of the harvest.  These dollies were burned along with other wicker images, giving thanks and releasing the spirit of the grain once more into the land.

Mark Ryan and John Matthews
deck, "The Wildwood Tarot"©,
illustrated by Will Worthington,
uses "The Seer" as the traditional
"High Priestess" 

Autumn festivals have always been part of the human experience.  While they denote the time of gathering and gleaning, they also ask us to look deeper into our own existence, to try to come to terms with the eternal cycle of life.  The green leaves and shoots of Spring bring joy and limitless potential after the bleakness of winter.  Autumn, with its bold reds and orange colors lends itself to gratitude and satisfaction for a job well done.  Though our time in this existence is finite, we are all part of an endless cycle beautifully represented by seasonal change.  Whatever your faith or belief system, take time to honor the seasons and therefore honor your own life.

LADY ORACLE


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