Abundance, Prosperity and the Garden of the Empress

RWCS #3, The Empress

It's lush and green outside and every weed in my garden has taken a self-actualization seminar.   I can still find evidence of former order, or as much order as I ever allow in my garden.  There's the promise of fragrant summer blooms and for now there's enough for me.  We are approaching the end of April and Earth's miraculous transformation from the colder months to the warmer months will be complete.  At least in this hemisphere.  Let's mark the coming of May 1st and a waxing moon cycle with a visit to the Empress' garden.

The Empress is card number three in the Major Arcana.   She, herself, is lush and filled with sensual pleasure - life-giving Mother Earth who sustains her children by connecting them to the natural world.  And although her world has rules and order, it can never be as tightly controlled as the finite world of her male counterpart, the Emperor.  Where the Emperor demands  adherence to rules, the Empress is wildly abandoned in her acts of creation.  Her garden is a riot of colors and textures that stir the senses.

Are you seeking to create a new project, to manifest a more

"The Goddess Tarot"© Kris Waldress
#3, Fertility - The Empress

abundant life?  Then spend some time with the Empress.  Allow her natural fertility to spark your creative drive.  During the waxing moon, we concentrate on what we want to expand into our reality.  Take time to walk in the park or work in your yard and allow the Earth's natural, life-affirming rhythm center you.  Be the sponge.  Use your senses to take in everything around you.  Now, create.  What fires your soul?  Music, dance, sewing, cooking, wine making? You decide.  Allow nature's flow to energize your creativity.  Discover your passion for being alive at this time of year.  It's been a long winter.  Allow yourself to bloom.  Your roots run deep into the earth and you are never too old.

"Steampunk Tarot"© Ally Fell and
Barbara Moore, #3 TheEmpress

We often think of abundance and prosperity solely in terms of material success.  Today take a minute to recognize the bounty you have in your life that's not tied to the material.  Feel gratitude for the abundance of family, friends, ideas, knowledge, and for your connection to Source.  This is the "new" time of year and what better way to make a new start, than to commit to yourself.


LADY ORACLE

A Circle of Friends - Working With The Goddess Oracle

I have several decks of oracle cards that I use in conjunction with my tarot decks.  My favorite oracle deck though, is the Marashinsky and Janto Goddess Oracle.  I use what I call my "Circle of Friends" spread with the Goddess Oracle.  This spread will also work with tarot cards (use Major Arcana cards only), but I prefer to use it with oracle decks.

Tarot is about your energy and how it relates to the energy of the people and situations surrounding you.  An oracle deck, in general, will  take a look at the energy you're drawing to you through the particular archetypes used in the deck.  The cards show you how you interpret and interact with the world around you.  Granted, sometimes it's a fine distinction.  In the Marashinsky and Janto Goddess Oracle, the female archetypes are depicted as Goddesses from worldwide myths, each carrying the legendary attributes from their respective cultures.

"Circle of Friends" is a six card spread.  Shuffle the Goddess Oracle until you are guided to stop.  Lay them out like this:


                                 4                       5
                                         
                                              1
                             
                                 3                       6
                             
                                              2


Number 1 is your signifier card - the one that most closely embodies the energy you're currently     transmitting. The rest of the cards go clockwise from the number 2, forming a circle around your signifier.  Here's an a spread that I did for myself yesterday using the Goddess Oracle.

1) Tara  -  Indian Goddess, centering, go within (not surprising during the dark moon)

2) Coatlicue - Aztec Goddess, grief,  healing through grieving ( a dear friend has been diagnosed with a serious illness and I am sad and worried)

3) Lilith -  Sumerian Goddess, power, connecting to and taking your own power (establishing that connection to my higher self to center)

4) Changing Woman - Native American Goddess, cycles, honoring your cycles and your own unique process (again the theme of connecting and centering)

5) Sedna -  Inuit Goddess, victim (Negative thoughts can spiral you down to the 'all about me' state.  Don't fall for it)

6 Hestia - Greek Goddess, home and hearth (coming home to myself and spending time in my space - very nurturing)

In order to learn how to alter or augment an energy aspect, cross the particular card with another card.  The crossing card symbolizes the energy or attitude you need to encourage to change the essence in the underlying card. In the above case, I chose to work on  # 2 and 5.  Good decision.

2) Coatlicue - crossed with Sheila Na Gig, Irish Goddess, opening ( expand my into the universe - time to play and have new experiences)

5) Sedna - crossed with Nut, Egyptian Goddess, mystery (Nut is depicted in this deck with three spheres and I spent the morning with my three crystal spheres and pink quartz.)

The cross cards worked beautifully to adjust my attitude and hence, adjust my day.  Knowing what energy, or in this case, being able to put a face to the energy that surrounds you, will help you to make conscious choices about how you want be.  Consider using the Goddess Oracle if you haven't and try the "Circle of Friends" spread.  Let me know how it works for you.  I'm happy to report that today my energy has completely changed.  This morning's reading reflects being centered, creative, filled with laughter and nourishment.  Well, dah.  I'm writing.  Life is abundant and I am grateful.  I hope it is the same for you today.


Lady Oracle