March 5, 2015 Full Moon in Virgo Under the Influence of Aires – “The Tidy Warrior”

The Hermit is tarot's card for Virgo
From "Steampunk Tarot"© by Barbara Moore
and Aly Fell

Are you motivated yet?  If not, then clearly it takes a pyroclastic blast to get you out of your chair.  Aires still has charge of Venus and Mars, blending the joyous, often impulsive, enthusiasm of the goddess of love with the confident, courageous power of the god of war.  This is the Full Moon cycle in which to get it done – whatever ‘it’ happens to mean for you.  Our Full Worm Moon in Virgo gives us the opportunity to be bold, articulate and display passion about the things that matter to us. Most importantly, it is a Full Moon that demands action.

Our patience is limited during this lunar cycle and to one degree or another (depending on your birth Moon’s placement in your birth chart) none of us will suffer fools gladly.  We become frustrated more easily.  We get the message, why can’t anyone else?  Avoid casting judgments about other people’s value systems and keep Virgo’s penchant for the neat and tidy focused on yourself. 

Lady Moon's tarot card as seen
by Rome Choi, creator of
"Dreamingway Tarot"©

During this Full Worm Moon in Virgo we have the urge to not only take charge of our lives, but to make each moment count as significantly as if it were a year.  That’s the energy of the cosmos you’re feeling as it ramps us up for the final, exact squaring of Uranus and Pluto in mid March.  Full Moon in Virgo says get organized and formulate a plan for the challenges ahead.  

LADY ORACLE

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Tarot's Four of Swords - “Practicing Stillness”

4 of Swords from RWCS

Life can make you crazy and conversely, you can make your life crazy.  It’s an art to know when to take action on something and when to let it lie.  The four of swords asks us to gear down and ease our frantic mindset by sinking into silence and stillness. It is only in these states of tranquility that can true wisdom can enter our minds.

The suit of swords deals with ‘daggers of the mind,’ or in science fiction parlance, ‘monsters from the id.’ A classic depiction of the four of swords shows us a knight, or nobleman resting in much the same pose as a figure atop a tomb from the middle ages. His hands are clasped as if in prayer, representing his supplication and request for Divine guidance. Three swords hang suspended over his head and torso. They hover above three chakras points: The third eye (ajna), where his intuition, or psychic connection lives; his heart chakra, (anahata) where he feels and expresses his love and lastly, above his solar plexus (manapura) where he houses his personal power, fear and anxiety. These swords represent the areas where obsessive thought patterns can root themselves and make us miserable.

Our knight’s eyes are closed and he lays death-like with the

4 of Swords from "The Wizard's Tarot"©
by Corrine Kenner and John J. Blumen

fourth sword resting below him as a decoration on the side of the slab. This fourth sword represents a mind at rest, heedless of the day to day travails suspended above our hero in the conscious world.  Below, in the world of the subconscious, or the meditative state, all is tranquil.  

Stillness is not a natural state for most of us.  Sometimes it makes us so antsy that we take on other projects simply to avoid the stillness in our own mind. Tarot’s four of swords challenges us to still our minds, our emotions and fears in order to reach that serene place inside each of us that connects us to Source and holds our inner wisdom.  You can’t hear a whisper in the middle of a maelstrom, though. The answers we seek come in the silence of our souls and through our ability to hear inner wisdom through our connection to the Divine.

In readings this card indicates a need to rest and recover, to draw in and quietly prepare for actions to come, as well as to contemplate reality past emotion and ego. Use the four of swords to help guide you as you sort through life’s difficult situations. Taking time of rest and recoup makes you stronger in the long-run.

LADY ORACLE


Vive La France!

Full Moon in Capricorn, July 12, 2014 – “Blending Ambition, Motivation and People Skills’”

One of the names for July’s Full Moon is Thunder Moon,

The Emperor, from "Wizard's Tarot"© by
Corrine Kenner and John J. Blumen
authority, structure - my pick to
represent business

ostensibly because summer’s heat and humidity leads to lots of thunderstorms this month. It’s an apt description for our Full Moon arriving on July 12th in twenty degrees of Capricorn, the Goat ( See Blog: “When the Zodiac Gets Your Goat” for mythology). A Full Moon occurs when the Sun is directly opposite our Moon. The signs Cancer and Capricorn are also opposite one another on the wheel of the Zodiac making July’s Full Moon one of opposing energies. However these forces can be harnessed for your benefit if you know how to apply them.

Sun in Cancer carries an emotional and intuitive charge. (See Blog: “Cancer the Crab, They’re all They’re Cracked Up to Be”) It is a cardinal sign ruled by the Moon and the element of water. People born under the sign of Cancer are tender-hearted, sensitive and highly creative with a strong emphasis on home and domestic relationships. Our New Moon in Cancer (See blog: “A Terrific Night For a Moon Dance" ) was very powerful for setting July’s emotional tone. We felt comforted and excited, like rolling in puppies – warm, wiggly and joyful. And our Full Moon in Capricorn? Not so much. This is a moon for negotiating and deal making.

"Wizard's Tarot's"© version of #14,
Temperance. Strive to balance this
Full Moon's polar energy

Sun in Cancer opposite Full Moon in Capricorn makes us work to maintain balance between our intellect and our emotions. Where Cancer is intuitive and emotional (at times too much so), Capricorn lives in its head, putting knowledge into practical application. Capricorn is self-contained, remote, while Cancer, though self-protective, joins the emotional fray. Cancer’s drives are geared towards home and the domestic life, while Capricorn teems with ambition and the need to publicly excel through career and achievement of personal goals.  

During the Full Moon period (three days prior and four days after) we can combine the energy of these two strong, but opposing signs to gain ground in our professional lives.  Capricorn’s drive to excel makes July’s Full Moon an excellent moon for reclaiming sales territory, or presenting sensitive portfolios to investors. It’s a motivational moon. Let Capricorn’s natural ambition and knowledge off the leash.  The key to maximum success, however, lies in knowing your subject.  All the hubris in the world can’t bring home a deal if you don’t know your subject inside and out and can effectively communicate that knowledge.  Here’s where you can let Cancer’s intuition work for you as well.  Read people – co-workers, client’s, bosses, the barista down the street.  While Capricorn’s energy has you focus on the goal, let Cancer establish the human connection.  When presenting material or doing a sales presentation, let Cancer’s emotional subtext help you metaphorically pick up your client and take them with you to the safe and logical conclusion that working with you is the smart thing to do.  If you don’t understand this concept then it’s time to break out the classic motivational speakers.

Lunar phases deal in an emotional framework, but they are

6 of Wands from "Wizard's Tarot"©
Victory, leadership

also about culmination and fruition during the Full Moon cycle.  July’s Full Thunder Moon can be a time of advancement for you if you do your homework and apply what you’ve learned.  Be brilliant!

LADY ORACLE 

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email  ladyoracle56@yahoo.com

with questions!

New Moon In Aries, March 30, 2014 - “The Fuse is Lit”

Are you feeling a little restless? Do you have the sense that

The Emperor, tarots card for Aries
from "Wizard's Tarot"© by Corrine Kenner and
John J, Blumen

you're waiting for something momentous to happen although you’re not sure what it is, or why you feel this way?  Your feelings may be in anticipation of the powerful New Moon in Aires that arrives on March 30th at 11:45 a.m. PDT.   Aries the Ram is the first sign of spring as well as the first sign of the Zodiac year. This makes our New Moon on the 30th very important for a couple of reasons.  First, all New Moons offer us a clean emotional slate.  At the start of the new lunar cycle we can make changes to our mindset, as well as to our emotional relationships with ourselves and others.  

Secondly, and most important, New Moon in the fiery action sign of Aries is a harbinger for April’s fantastic astrological power structure.  Consider the 30th to be our staging area, a chance sweep away romantic ideals and emotional patterns that no longer serve us. How we handle this opportunity determines how successfully we’ll manage the rest of the springtime power rush that starts in April.

Wand energy is fiery, creative action
Learn from your wands this lunar cycle!
From Ciro Marchetti's "Legacy of the Divine Tarot"©

Aires is a strong, vibrant cardinal sign (first sign of a given season) that carries direct, masculine (or yang energy).  As you use tarot readings for your guidance during the days ahead pay particular attention to cards that call you to act on a situation, or those that caution you against acting in haste.  It is important to use this New Moon to clear your personal debris field.  We have a Cardinal Grand Cross (four planets squaring each other) going exact on April 20th and New Moon in Aires is the fuse to the particular powder keg.  Don’t forget that Mars, one of the components of that Grand Cross rules Aires.  We want to be ready for this one, folks, because ready or not, the fuse has been lit.

I’m fond of using surfing metaphors for powerful energy

Mars, ruler of Aires is represented
by The Tower. From "Legacy of the
Divine Tarot"© by Ciro Marchetti

patterns.  This New Moon it is important to get in front of the energy flow by taking direct and responsible action.  Let that power rise up underneath you and can ride it. For months we’ve been cautioned to release old patterns and make bold changes by drawing on the transformative energy of Saturn in Scorpio and the Uranus/Pluto square in preparation of April’s Cardinal Grand Cross.  It’s crunch time and if you choose not to act the waves this spring will sweep over you and takes you where they decide, or worse yet, completely over-power you. Remember though, that it’s your choice.  You know where change is required in your own life if you simply take the time to stop and listen to your inner guides and take action.  

Action is key and is the one requirement Aires has for us.  Meditate, ground your energy flow and release the things that burden your mind and spirit.  This New Moon can set the tempo for your success during the next few weeks.  Seize that energy.

LADY ORACLE

March 2014, Venus Goes Vintage While Jupiter Pays It Forward

The Goddess of lover, herself, as she appears
in "The Goddess Tarot"© by Kris Waldherr

Venus rules the signs, Taurus and Libra – an interesting dichotomy to say the least.  While Taurus is an earth sign in the fixed modality, Libra is the element of air and carries a cardinal quality.  Taurus ferries about yin, or feminine energy and Libra is steeped in the more direct yang, or male energy.  Taurus rules the second house where self-esteem, possessions and income potential are stored and Libra, in house number seven, is all social grace, refinement and primary relationships.  

On March 5th, Venus put on her bellbottoms, wove flowers in her hair and glided into Aquarius.  Why the sixties symbolism?  That would be because Venus in Aquarius is open, compassionate and loving, but, more than anything else, loves her freedom. There's emotional detachment going on, but not in a cold, or analytical way. Aquarius carries an expansive energy for group participation, grand projects and for attracting a wide range of friends. Venus in Aquarius  is a student of human nature – free-wheeling and always extending the benefit of the doubt to those around her.  Don’t worry about spending endless hours seeking meaningless hook ups.  You won't.  Venus in Aquarius is a platonic energy and while there may be a romantic fling involved for some people, this transit is about socializing.

Jupiter in Cancer normally carries a wonderful expansive

Kris Waldherr depicts #3, The Empress as
Estsanatlehi, Goddess of Fertility in
"The Goddess Tarot"©

energy. The Santa Claus planet has been in retrograde lately however, and we’ve all felt the slow down in drive, as well as a tighter than usual feeling in our pocket books.  You might have experienced more bills than money during normally flush cycles.  Investments with significant growth potential were slow starters during Jupiter’s retrograde. Wall Street, notoriously fickle, even neurotic at the best of times, struggled and in many cases refused to live up to projections.  On March 6th, however, Jupiter went direct and anyone watching the world markets saw the shift.  For example, this morning saw Coupon.com’s IPO and in milliseconds, the price per share jumped from just over $12.00 to more than $28.00.  

Jupiter

The expansion we’ll enjoy is not simply limited to money-making (thank Heaven!). Our sense of compassion expands as well.  Jupiter in Cancer demands largess from our emotions.  There’s humor in this energy – big belly laughs.  Hence the likening to Santa Claus: Jolly, generous and sympathetic.  Jupiter plays well with the Taurus side of Venus’ nature that enjoys pleasure and opulence.  Is there a down side? Oh, heck yah. While Venus says, “Spoil me,” Jupiter responds with, “Sure thing, Doll-face.” Overindulgence of yourself and others can lead to a continuance of financial woes, or emotionally giving ‘til it hurts.  Remember that socializing energy?  You can still socialize without buying drinks for the whole bar.  Know your limits and stay within their boundaries.

It’s a great feeling to have Jupiter moving us forward again. Even with the caveats for March’s retrograde mania ( See Blog: “Astrological Trends For March 2014” )we still have plenty of room to bloom this month. Simply keep your goals insight and your boundaries tight.

LADY ORACLE

"The Goddess Tarot"© is a tremendous deck.  If you've never used it, you should!  It's are available for sale through Lady Oracle Tarot - email me  ladyoracle56@yahoo.com

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Jupiter Square Uranus February 26, 2014

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LADY ORACLE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LADY ORACLE

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Full Wolf Moon in Cancer, January 15, 2014 – “Welcome Home”

#7, tarot's The Chariot, helps you rise
above during this Full Moon in Cancer
from "Wizard's Tarot"© by John J. Blumen and
Corrine Kenner

This January is the month of cardinal energy (See blog: "Astrological Trends For January 2014" ).  On January 15th at 8:52 p.m., PST, we welcome the Full Wolf Moon at 25 degrees and 58 minutes of Cancer (yet another cardinal sign). Cardinal energy acts as on instigator. It’s restless and come Full Moon time, perhaps a little edgy. Properly channeled, this energy will not only motivate you, but once you take action towards your goals, it will lift you up and over the obstacles in your path.  Aptly, tarot's card for the sign of Cancer the Crab is #7, The Chariot – reaching your goals, focusing your intent and knowing who you are.

The Moon is high-functioning is Cancer, its home sign.  Home, hearth and foundations are what Cancer is all about.  Full Moons are about emotions and culmination. Our Full Wolf Moon in Cancer asks us to consider the nurturing strength of our families and close friends.  Use their support as a foundation for refining the goals you’ve set for yourself this year. Are your family and friends unsupportive of you?  Get new ones.  Seriously.  Remember Venus is retrograde in Capricorn until the end of the month.  This is the perfect time to review your relationships and determine what their true value is for you. Are you paying for 24 karat gold and simply receiving gold-plate in return, or are you recklessly casting true diamonds away as if they were cubic zirconium?  You get the idea.  Full Moon in Cancer and Venus in Retrograde want you emotionally satisfied so you can put all that great cardinal energy to work for you this year.

Take time on the 15th and 16th to nurture yourself.  Just as

The Moon's tarot card, #2 The High Priestess
stands for indirect energy and intuition. from
Corrine Kenner and John J. Blumen's
"Wizard's Tarot"©

Lady Moon reflects the Sun’s light, allow yourself time in the comfort and security of your own home to reflect on where you’re headed this month.  Ground yourself and get a sense of where you belong.  You have the entire world to choose from remember.  As you use Venus’ energy to help you review the events and people of your life, store away those special golden nugget memories so that you can pull them out to help light your way this year when the path you travel isn’t as well lit as it is right now.  

On the plus side, warm-hearted Cancer Full Moons are imaginative, intuitive and creative.  They work well with Mercury in Aquarius (See Blog: "Mercury Moves to Aquarius" )  to express our thoughts and ideas. Full Moon in Cancer is a writer’s moon if every there was one. On the downside, and, yes, there is definitely one of those, Full Moon is Cancer can leave us feeling a little raw and exposed.  Cracked crab can feel vulnerable, moody and a little touchy.  

Lady Moon herself as depicted by John J. Blumen for
"Wizard's Tarot"© created with the
awesome Corrine Kenner

Our Full Wolf Moon in Cancer is a great moon for targeting what we want to create for ourselves.  Work on all aspects of abundance and prosperity during this Full Moon period.  Use tarot’s The Chariot  as a focal point in your meditations.  It will help you develop faith in yourself, faith your goals and ultimately, faith your own destiny.

  

LADY ORACLE

Astrology Trends for January 2014 – “A Month for Innovation and Relationship Building”

A typical example of a Grand Cross configuration.
This month's Grand Cross is in
the cardinal modality, however.

We kicked off the year with a glorious New Moon in Capricorn on the 1st.  If you haven’t started your list of goals for 2014, get started now. Capricorn is a cardinal sign.  Cardinal signs are all Zodiac signs that come at the beginning of each season.  Capricorn (winter), Aries (spring), Cancer (summer) and Libra, (fall). Pay attention to the names of these cardinal signs because they will be popping up for the next several months to come. Cardinal signs carry traits such as independence, originality and  seeking the new. These are the signs for fresh starts and the astrological patterns for January 2014 are inundated with cardinal signs.

Capricorn's tarot association is
#15, The Devil – Enmeshment and
enslavement to the material. Check your
priorities From "Legacy of the Divine Tarot"©
by Ciro Marchetti

January’s tempo is set by a Cardinal Grand Cross composed of four planets at ninety degrees to one another, forming four astrological squares and two oppositions.  Whew! Heady stuff. Grand Crosses can carry very challenging energy – particularly in the cardinal modality. On January 11th Mercury bows out of Capricorn, but that still leaves us with Uranus in Aries (about the self), Mars in Libra (about relationships), Jupiter in Cancer (about home), Pluto in Capricorn (about the workplace) and Venus in Capricorn (more workplace, but with an emphasis on professional relationships). These planets share a central theme (I’m big on themes this year) of cardinal energy. Get used to the components of this Cardinal Grand Cross (hereafter known as CGC) because they will be recreating this formation off and on for the next several months.  

Those of us who’ve decided to change things up this year will be assisted by all of this CGC energy as long as we pay attention and take positive action. Action is the keyword here.  Get off the couch and turn off your electronic pacifiers. Cardinal energy hates to stand still.  It must be put to work. Create, strive, tap into your potential and make significant changes to your life. Stagnant cardinal energy causes your life to run amok and can give you feelings of anxiety, even depression.

The Empress is tarot's card for Venus, a highly
influential planet this month. From
"Steampunk Tarot"© by Aly Fell
and Barbara Moore

Venus is in retrograde until January 30th.  During this time we have the opportunity to review all of our relationships – not just the personal ones.  Venus Retrograde asks us to review our values, our business relationships and our finances as well.  Expect to see some underlying issues surface in our personal relationships. Old amours may return in person, or via the emotional baggage they left stored at your place.  Focus on the lesson in the Two of Cups.  What, or who, are you bringing to the relationship and what are you looking for from your partner?  Initially, each person only brings to a relationship what is stored in their cup.  Therefore, its important during this period to ask yourself if the contents of your partner’s cup is satisfying to you and if some of the items in your cup need to be left behind. Work to discover how both of you can add, or subtract from your own cups. Look for a great opportunity for communication when Venus is conjunct Mercury on January 7th.  

Also, Mars’ warrior energy comes off more dashing and debonair under Libra’s influence.  Ruled by the planet Venus, the sign, Libra is where we house our primary relationships and our partnerships. See how all this folds together this month? Mars pulls balancing energy from Libra and while it makes us more fair-minded, we may also bend over backwards to accommodate our partner and then resent them for it.  Be sure to balance the scale fifty-fifty.

Several tarot cards symbolize our relationships with money

The 6 of Pentacles asks us to make
decisions about finances, but also to
question our relationship with money
From Ciro Marchetti's "Legacy of the
Divine Tarot"©

and the material.  Probably the most significant during Venus’ retrograde in January will be major arcana’s #15 The Devil, Capricorn’s tarot card (enmeshment, enslavement to the material and conflict between higher goals and baser desires) and the Six of Pentacles ( judgments about money, your relationship with money).  Focus on these cards and what they symbolize in your life when it comes to reviewing issues with money, finance and the material.

Also this month we have a Full Moon in Cancer on January 15th, Sun in Aquarius on January 21st. and another New Moon in Aquarius on January 30th.  A twofer this month.

I’ll have more on these and other transits later.  In the meantime, don’t forget to meditate, goal-set and use this powerhouse of energy from the CGC to make the changes you want to see in your life.

LADY ORACLE

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

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