The rune that came up this morning is Kenaz of Freyja’s Aett pronounced “kane-awze” (K: Beacon or torch) Vision, revelation, knowledge, creativity, inspiration, technical ability. Vital fire of life, harnessed power, fire of transformation and regeneration. Power to create your own reality, the power of light. Open to new strength, energy, and power now. Passion, sexual love.

Spring comes and the snow melts. Winter’s debris becomes visible. Purification is needed. A warm season of your life arrives when your circumstances will be more beneficial and you will have no need to spend your energy as before, defending yourself from the cold. New interesting possibilities are appearing, but some of your activities which were permissible or even necessary during the “winter” are becoming unacceptable now. The light is switched on in some important area of your life. It gives you the possibility to do much more than before, but you may now appear less perfect to yourself than you previously thought, while you were in the darkness. It becomes important now not only to know what you are doing but also how you are doing it.

Kenaz Reversed or Merkstave: Disease, breakup, instability, lack of creativity. Nakedness, exposure, loss of illusion and false hope. (Note: the reversed or merkstave definitions are included only for reference as they apply to a multi-rune cast and not to a single rune that’s drawn blind from the pouch)

As with all, take only what feels right to you and disregard the rest.

**a portion of today’s rune meaning/description was kindly provided by Ingrid Halvorsen at sunnyway.com and used here with her gracious permission**

In the Light…

Tom
 

Today’s I Ching Hexagram for Everyone:

47: Oppression

Wednesday, February 9th, 2011

 General Meaning: The image of oppression conjures up a dried up lake bed with nettlesome crows stalking the shoreline. Hard times can shrivel our spirits, and give rise to a multitude of ‘crows’ in the form of troublesome worries. Times of great loss or personal failure break weaker people; but the strong of heart can bend with fate. To endure hard times — or even grow and benefit from them — it is essential to tap that deepest stratum of personal identity, that which is deeper even than fate, and which is incorruptible by even the harshest realities. It is essential, in other words, to tap the wellspring of human endurance: hope.

In a sense, there is no such thing as failure. There is only sweet and sour reality, and more is learned from the sour, oftentimes, than from the sweet. For failure, hard as it may be to swallow, opens the blinds to the real world, and reawakens the clarity of vision known only to those who have risked, and tasted, disappointment.

When in the throes of hard times, it is wise to be resolute and strong on the inside while remaining quietly cheerful on the outside. Avoid too much talking — except to your closest friends. Your words will have little effect on all others, since your influence will be at a low ebb — and the attempt to get across will only drain you of vital energy. Strong silence is the most skillful posture when facing the public during adversity; it shows that your inner core is strong enough to withstand the current troubles, and suggests that your recovery will be complete. At the same time, talking openly to those you trust is equally important, for in times of calamity, talking is an important part of healing.

Keep in mind that failure — the final taboo in modern society. But this is just one part of the inevitable cycle of life for those who dare to live fully and completely. Never to fail at all is to fail in the biggest way — avoiding risk altogether, you cannot help but fall far short of what might have been.

Today’s Tarot Card for Everyone:

The World

This Tarot Deck: Oswald Wirth

Anybody want me to mail them some snow? We are getting another light dusting, hee, hee, hee. So far the light dusting has dropped 4 inches more on top of what we already had. The weather people suck. I am going to go apply for one of their jobs just as soon as the weather breaks. Last couple of night I haven’t been sleeping well. This morning when I got up before the crack of dawn and saw the snow, I threw another log on the fire, made coffee and pull the comforter back over my head. I am not a cold weather person. I have been trying to tell my family that for years and they don’t listen. One of the reasons, I haven’t been sleeping is because I have had some horrible dreams. I have one repeating one and the repeating ones I pay attention to. It involves a home invasion. I was in the shower the other night and something came over me to tell my husband, “if anyone comes to the door, don’t answer it without me!” Can you imagine what an insult on his male ego that would be? I don’t want to do that at all, I love him to pieces. I was thinking about it last night, living without him. I couldn’t do it. I know we have our arguments what couple doesn’t? But I still love him. *Chuckle* My motherly instinct even extended to him. I just feel really, really protective over him and the kids. Or perhaps that is how you are supposed to feel over your own family. I have never talked to my husband about this. I know he is protective of me. It has always been a long-standing joke, he had my back, I had his. Truthfully, it wasn’t a joke. We both meant it. I guess my way of thinking when I was in the shower was how would my life be without my husband? Could I actually go on? If today was the last day we had together, does he know how much I love him. Have you ever stopped to think about these things? Have you told that special person in your life you love them today? Get off the computer, go tell them you love them, before another minute passes, because who knows, we might not have another one..

Elder’s Meditation of the Day – February 7

“I can tell you that understanding begins with love and respect. It begins with respect for the Great Spirit. All things- and I mean ALL things-have their own will and their own way and their own purpose; this is what is to be respected.”

–Rolling Thunder, CHEROKEE

Everything on earth has a purpose and is designed special. No two things are created identical. Sometimes in our minds we have a picture of how things should be, and often what we see is different from what they really are. When this happens we often want to control how things are, making them act or behave according to our picture. We need to leave things alone. God is running all things. How do we do this? In out minds we tell ourselves to love all things and respect all things just as they are. Accept what we cannot change.

Great Spirit, teach me the value of respect and help me to accept people, places and things just as they are.

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February 7 – Daily Feast

Always remember that certain circumstances are not ours to alter. We make the most of them and go on. We can only be examples, never controllers of other people’s lives, other peoples children, other people’s circumstances. Some would have us believe we contribute to harsh events by doing nothing. But some of the best work, some of the deepest caring and doing is not physically evident in the beginning. Help of any kind must be wanted and recognized before it can do any good. Too much help where it is not appreciated can make even a good person helpless. We have to be wise in our giving, and particularly wise in what we withhold, because it may be what we withhold helps the most.

~ We were contented to let things remain as the Great Spirit made them. ~

CHIEF JOSEPH, 1873

‘A Cherokee Feast of Days’, by Joyce Sequichie Hifler

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Co-Creating with Nature
Conscious Gardening

Think about gardening in a new way; work with your garden on a co-creative way, asking permission and listening to her.

Gardens offer us a perfect opportunity to reconnect to our true selves and remember our place in the natural world. Rather than approach our gardens as mere investments of energy, we can look at the entire process of gardening, from planting seeds to harvesting food, as a way of deepening our conscious relationship with the creative force of the universe. If we are willing to shift our intention from dominating, or at least directing nature, to co-creating with nature instead, we may discover a deep peace and renewed sense of wonder.

To co-create we must first begin with a foundation of mutual respect. As you create your garden in partnership with nature, you can respect the earth, water, insects and animals by using organic seeds, soil and fertilizers. You can also communicate with the plants, insects and elements involved in your garden, and create a regular practice of stillness to listen for any messages they may have for you. When it comes time for harvesting fresh vegetables or picking beautiful blooms, you might even ask permission first. If you ask with an open heart, you will always receive an answer.

Imagine what it would be like to surrender certain aspects of your human world to the precision and surety of the natural environment. You might decide, for example, to forego your calendar and plant in rhythm with the cycles of the moon. Or, you might choose to ignore clock time and water your garden when the sun hits a certain position in the sky. By opening your garden experience to more of nature’s input, you can become available to witness a whole universe of miracles, while engendering a greater sense of honor between the two worlds.

When we recognize ourselves as allies, co-creators, with the earth and the natural world, our relationship to our environment begins to change. We no longer feel the need to control the circumstances around us and can relish in the perfection of all that is.

Light A Candle Today!

Today Is:  Tiu’s Day – the day of Mars…also Ares, Tiwaz, Tiw (from whom it is named), Tuisco, and Tyr. Tuesday is ruled by Mars, whose Magickal  influences are: Passion, courage, aggression, and protection. Tuesday comes under the influence of Mars, the planet associated with vitality, passion, ambition, and raw, unabashed power. Mars energy makes the mind acute, and the body restless; therefore, on Tuesday we are likely to exert ourselves physically and take action to achieve goals. This day is dynamic and high-spirited, and the prevailing energies may include carelessness and destructiveness as well, so it is good to be cautious—especially while traveling. Tuesday  is the proper day of the week to perform rituals involving courage, physical strength, revenge, surgery, and the breaking of negative spells.

• Today’s Magickal Influences ~ Destination, War, Courage, Surgery, Physical Strength
• Today’s Goddesses: Aset [Isis], Soorejnaree, Pingalla, Anna, Aine, Danu, Yngona, Bellona, Aida Wedo, Sun Woman
• Perfumes: Hellebore, Carnation, Patchouli
• Incense:   Lignum Aloes, Plantain
• Color of The Day:  Red
• Colors for Tomorrow: Yellow
• Lucky Sign: Tuesday Is The Lucky Day For Aries and Scorpio
•  

Candle: Red

Lunar Lore    

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If the moon shows like a silver shield,
 Be not afraid to reap your field ;
But if she rise a haloed round,
 Soon we’ll tread on deluged ground.
– T.F. Thiselton Dyer, “English Folk-Lore”

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