Friday, April 22nd, 2011
General Meaning: Something is out of balance. This hexagram points to some pressure that is threatening stability and needs correcting. But if a dam is about to burst, moving out of the way is the first priority.
When a person in a sagging mine shaft feels the earth begin to tremble, it is time for quick, instinctive action and nimble footwork. At a time like this, only extraordinary measures will work. When the roof is collapsing, run first, choose your destination later.
Extraordinary times bring out the best and worst in people. Natural disasters bring with them stories of great heroism — but also looting and rioting. When the pressure is on, powerful moments present opportunities to make positive gains. Everything is in a state of flux. One can either move towards positive change and improvement or towards stagnation.
This may be the moment you’ve been waiting for. Although a current challenge may seem to be more than you can handle, remember that a flood reaches its high-water mark for only a few brief moments, and then begins to subside. Action must be taken now to ensure opportunities for success later on. You will never discover the true extent of your own abilities until you, at least once in your life, dive into a crisis with complete abandon, dedicating every ounce of your energy, every fiber of your being, to the cause at hand.
Dare to win.
You’re fine tuned and sensitive today, reading other people easily and clearly. You may play the part of the peacemaker today, and others may perceive you as being a bit self-righteous. Try not to annoy others with the force of your convictions.
About the Number 2
Theme: Adaptable, Tactful, Gentle, Cautious
Astro Association: Moon
Tarot Association: High PriestessToday’s Tarot Card for Everyone:
Justice
This Tarot Deck: Crow’s Magick
Often including the image of a fulcrum which helps to balance competing needs against the greater good, and a two-edged sword to symbolize the precision needed to make clear judgments, this card reminds us to be careful to attend to important details. It’s a mistake to overlook or minimize anything where this card is concerned. The law of Karma is represented here — what goes around comes around.
You are totally ready for whatever experiences the day may bring. However, you might also wish that you had more stability in your life now. These divergent feelings can grow into a real dilemma, especially if you aren’t willing to admit that a part of you is very comfortable to continue with your same old patterns. Once you acknowledge your basic need for security, you can move on to whatever comes next.
You aren’t easily satisfied as your key planet Venus joins eccentric Uranus, tempting you to reach for something or someone that you cannot have now. However, you don’t need to waste your time trying to fulfill your transitory desires today. Instead, try applying yourself toward meeting your current obligations. Although being responsible doesn’t sound as much fun as chasing a dream, the rewards should justify your total concentration.
You want to hang out with your friends this evening, but it will be tricky to actually follow through with your wishes. Someone who’s close to you may need your assistance and you can’t ignore a request for your help. It’s important to process any unexpressed anger or resentment you have over a change of plans so that it doesn’t get in the way of a meaningful experience. Being flexible enables you to make the most of a difficult situation.
It’s important to put on a happy face, even if you’re struggling with serious issues today. However, this tactic isn’t a license to avoid the pressing issues of the day. Your smartest strategy is to stay aware of the current duality; remember that your inside and outside are following different scripts now and there isn’t any need to fit everything into a tidy package. The stress will settle down and then the dilemma will probably just fade away.
Your mind is on your well-being today with the Moon activating your 6th House of Routine, and you may be reconsidering ways to improve your diet and upgrade your exercise program. The problem is that you are also looking forward to a bit of indulgent behavior — and this may be incongruent with your plans for healthier living. Remember, your approach doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing strategy. Don’t be overly self-critical just because you’re human. Cut yourself some slack and enjoy earthly pleasures while you can.
Although the responsible Capricorn Moon assures that you are being practical, you’re still looking for some fun today. Fortunately, work and play aren’t incompatible, but you could run into a problem when trying to balance the two. Life becomes more complicated if someone throws you a curve ball by inviting you to do something special. Your tendency is to say no, but it’s a smart idea to take a chance and say yes.
You may shock someone today by spilling the beans about what you want before you even think to censor yourself. Once you speak your piece, however, there’s no way to take back your words — even if you wish you could. Inadvertently hurting someone’s feelings isn’t your idea of successful communication, so think about your impact before you open your mouth and say what’s on your mind.
You might believe that you’re being lighthearted and playful, but your words can carry sharp hooks today, even if your intentions are all good. You are a champion of sarcasm now; your dry humor and your incisive wit may be more biting than you realize. Don’t tone down your ideas; just make sure that you express the truth with kindness.
Your current dilemma could pit your desire for fun against your more responsible need to save money. Your financial condition may be unstable now, yet you don’t want your lack of expendable cash to deter your big weekend plans. Fortunately, you may discover that it’s easier than you thought to cut back on unnecessary spending without negatively affecting your quality of life.
These last several days have been rather strange, as if steady winds are blowing in from other dimensions. Now, however, the otherworldliness dissipates and your life begins to return to normal. Don’t waste time attempting to figure out where you’re going; just focus on what needs to be done for others. Your greatest pleasure comes from being productive in the present moment, not dreaming about the unknown future.
The thrill ride continues and, although you have gained some common sense, your imagination has also been unlocked. Thankfully, you can distinguish between your dreams and reality today, but there’s interference on all your communication lines, so it’s impossible to speak with the same clarity you feel. Move through all discussions deliberately, while making certain everyone understands what you’re saying before moving on to the next subject.
It seems as if someone’s trying to make you feel guilty, especially if you are rebellious and do something now that’s just for yourself. But it’s not your job to keep everyone happy while you are left unfulfilled. This can be a great time to experiment and express yourself in radical ways because the security-conscious Capricorn Moon prevents you from taking your unorthodox behavior too far.
I Am Called Woman
I am called WOMAN
Not because I’m feminine but
For who I am, have been thru, and aspire to be
Not because I’ve failed or lost but
Because I’ve tried, persevered, endured
Kept trying, cried…
Sometimes bitterly!
When the future seemed bare and fallow
The path under my feet
Rough, dry, empty, scorched
Hollow
I dug deep, very deep… far deep
Where rabbits and moles live
Hide, play, escape
Retreat
I have tasted the earth
Mud, sand, dryness, moisture
Manure, drought, death, haa-aah
Birth
I plunge downwards like a seabird
Grabbing what’s left of hope,
Gripping it tightly, remembering my bond
My word
Then like an eagle I rise
Clutching the unreachable,
Beholding yesterday from my loft
The skies
Finally… battle won!
Now I own the dream, enjoy the grandeur
For this reason I proudly stand
And am called WOMAN!
— Copyright © 2010 Sophia Harvey-Manning
Having problems with a child or teenager? Check the center portion of the right side of your home for clutter or broken items.
Thursday, April 21st, 2011
General Meaning: The cooking pot symbolizes nourishment and rejuvenation. Sooner or later, good comes to those who do good; joy comes to those who bring humor to others; opportunity comes to those who persist in their dreaming. Rejuvenation is a returning to innate desires — and a re-charging of batteries through the fulfillment of these wishes. This reading suggests nourishment and transformation for people of goodwill. Great good fortune and success are indicated for nourishing relationships.
Healthy, regular sustenance is important, as symbolized by the cooking pot, which provides nourishment to all. When a cycle of humanity reaches its peak, each person’s sustenance comes in the form of his or her deepest needs and highest aspirations.
Rejuvenation means that men and women of talent and insight are being properly nourished and valued. When a society or group is functioning properly, these people are supported, and encouraged to contribute to their best abilities. A fresh approach to old habits is indicated in a period of rejuvenation. Look for ways of putting new life in old forms. Only when great vitality is present can breakthroughs be achieved.
Today’s Tarot Card for Everyone:
Wheel of Fortune
This Tarot Deck: Connolly
Every one of us will occupy all the points on the wheel at some time or another. The cycle of the wheel is its lesson — and we can learn to take comfort in it (as we do when we celebrate our birthday). If you don’t like the look of things right now, just wait — things will change. Of course, if you do like the look of things right now, enjoy it while it lasts, because that will change too!
The good news is that Venus, the planet of love, is now visiting your signuntil May 15, improving your chances to receive more pleasure and wealth. However, you must be careful about overindulging or overspending when you seek sensual and material gratification. You still need to mitigate any tension that is created in the pursuit of your idyllic visions. Don’t be discouraged if it takes longer than you wish to reach your dreams.
You are moving into a phase when your fantasies can lead you down new avenues of exploration. Beautiful Venus is now in your 12th House of Imagination, activating dreams that can break you out of your old habitual desires. Remember, you don’t have to materialize every flight of fancy. Just acknowledge the opportunity to widen your horizons as you consider roads previously not taken.
Although you may still be working through a few self-imposed limitations, you’re on the verge of transforming how you relate to your friends. Your new way of interacting with others brings refreshing waves of change to your relationships and social life. However, everything you do has consequences, so keep in mind that your easygoing style may not be interpreted as all fun and games by someone else. Instead of assuming that everyone is on the same wavelength, take the time to check in with those close to you.
It’s wonderful if amicable Venus in your 10th House of Career makes your job more enjoyable over the next few weeks. But her public position in your chart can create anxiety as you are now pulled outside of your safety zone. Fortunately, moving beyond your comfortable limits should be less stressful than you expect; in fact, you could be rewarded for your courage if you are willing to take a chance.
Thankfully, the sky clears today, leaving you with an unobstructed view of what’s possible. Your imagination is vivid, allowing you to see your life the way you want it to be, rather than limiting your vision to the way things are now. This newfound perspective enables you to set lofty goals and, fortunately, with a lot of persistence and a little luck, your chances of reaching them are quite good.
You could be at an emotional tipping point now as you balance on the edge of a feeling that is both attractive and frightening. Although someone or something can awaken your interest, it may be too early to respond openly. Exercising caution is a good idea while Venus is in your 8th House of Intimacy, especially if your excitement causes you to lose objectivity. Move slowly before jumping in with both feet.
Your ruling planet Venus is in your 7th House of Others for the next few weeks and this should have a positive impact on your partnerships. A new situation seems to inspire your creativity and playfulness, which in turn makes you more attractive to others. Be willing to entertain business or personal relationship possibilities that you would normally pass by. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to enjoy yourself now while you can.
Venus enters your 6th House of Work today, enticing you to get down to the nuts and bolts of what makes your life function most effectively. Practicing self-restraint often helps you avoid an awkward social situation, but now charming Venus in spontaneous Aries can push you to take action, instead. How you manage this impulsive energy over the next few weeks is up to you, but don’t forget that depth and intensity is required in any relationship or you’ll lose interest very quickly.
Your feelings about a special friend or lover are quite straightforward, but if you freely express your emotions it will definitely increase the complexity of the interpersonal dynamics. You might think you can just play it cool today, but the Moon in your sign makes it challenging to remain on the sidelines when your desires are stirred. Still, it’s a smart idea to consider the consequences of your actions before you make any moves.
You may believe that you’re running out of time today, but it’s smarter to wait until after Mercury turns direct this weekend before you do anything rash. Usually, you are able to be patient if you have a plan in place, but your feelings are strong enough now to tempt you to behave impulsively. Your greatest strength is your ability to calculate cause and effect. You’ll know when it’s time; until then, keep reminding yourself that you could lose a fantastic opportunity if you act too soon.
You may be ready to start your journey, however, you probably don’t have a clear idea of which direction to take today. You might have thought that you knew where you were going, but you aren’t so certain anymore. You would be wise to consider making a correction to your itinerary before it’s too late. Even if you’re drawn toward multiple destinations, choosing one path now will pay off faster than you realize.
You could become interested in new ways to make money as enriching Venus moves through your 2nd House of Income over the next few weeks. But it’s more important to reconsider any changes to your current course before putting them into action because they will likely sound better than they actually are in reality. Remember that you might want more than you need now, so it’s wise to scale back voluntarily before circumstances require you to abandon your unrealistic plans.
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| Your Deck of Ancient Symbols Card for Today |
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Simplicity A much revered swami said “Simplicity is the nature of great souls.” There is a natural sense of art and genius in Simplicity. Keeping things simple produces solutions that are not only efficient but work well and are easy to maintain and build upon. Whether it takes a physical form or is an idea simple constructs please our aesthetic self. Simplicity is soothing, because you don’t have to fight your way through layers of complexity to see and understand the end result. As a daily card, Simplicity indicates a time when you will do well by looking for simple solutions, and avoiding that which cannot be easily understood or implemented. In short, if a plan can’t get you form point A to point B without any side trips, then it is the wrong plan. Look for answers that you see immediately, that sets the proverbial light of in your head and makes you exclaim Eureka! |
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Your Rune For Today
Tiwaz
Tiwaz is the Warrior Rune. It represents pure, masculine power and the ability to successfully fight to meet your goals. However, you must be careful that costs of attaining your goals overshadow their values.
The Hedge Witch’s Home (Or A Guide to Practical Paganism)
Author: Aethelbera
For most of us Pagans, the altar can be seen as a spiritual or peaceful refuge in our own special corner away from the mundane and away from the rest of the world. For others of us, we may prefer to meditate and still others would like nothing more than a peaceful walk in a forest. But our homes can be places of spiritual refuge as well, from the front door to the bedroom at the furthest end of the house. In fact, the home should be a refuge, a Pagan one. It goes without saying that most of us want to feel Pagan and live Pagan but for some of us this can be difficult.
Some of us live in must urban settings or very small dwellings with little room. Maybe you’re renting an apartment with strict rules such as no holes in the walls. But it’s anything but hopeless. We can “Pagan” up our houses in the simplest of ways. It is possible even if we live in tiny, cramped apartments or dorm rooms where lighting candles and incense isn’t practical and is prohibited by post-secondary institutions.
Kitchen Witches make much use of their kitchens. Their altars are their counters and their ritual tools are the big wooden spoons and saucepans by the stove. Green Witches have their gardens and hedge witches have the tinted jars of sundry herbs lined upon the shelves.
There are a few simple steps a Pagan can take to make their home really their home. Setting up a modest altar in a preferred room is one way, perhaps with a smudge stick or perhaps with images of ancestors lining the edges. This is really very simple, a nicely framed picture of Grandma and Grandpa on a side table will most surely do! My altar has a calendar set up neatly on the left side. You can decorate your altar according to your path’s holidays and decorate your house with seasonal sprigs or seasonal emblems.
One can also make use of many readily available herbs to feel close to nature such as creating sachets, herbal rinses, soaps, incenses, teas or any variety of delicious culinary dishes. I have only a few words of advice and those are: DO NOT OVERPICK. And be sure to pick ethically as many plants are endangered or becoming endangered just as animals do. And do not pick anything out in the wild without thoroughly making sure you know what it is and use it to the best of its abilities If you can’t be sure, leave it or consult someone who knows. That being said, the practical Pagan may want to get rosehips from the roses in his garden and they appear when the blooms die for any number of practical purposes from teas to desserts.
These and many other herbs can also be found at a local loose-leaf teashop, or if you’re lucky enough, your local herb shop or Pagan shop. There are many practical ways to utilize these small charms as well. A kitchen Witch might go to the supermarket and buy some thyme or ginger to cook with and saturate it with his or her witchy knack for cooking. If you live in the city, and want to feel more “naturey”, set up a windowsill spice garden and be sure to get a few potted plants.
When friends come over, the hedge Witch can brew a mean tea from those same rosehips, which are high in vitamin C and thus helpful with colds. If you’re looking for a sleeping potion and warm milk just isn’t doing the trick, try some chamomile. As a mild sedative, it does wonders to help you, or your active children get to sleep.
To make your home feel like being home and feel more Pagan, you could tie an herb sachet by the bathtub and the scent will be released with the steam. You could collect your favorite Pagan authors and place them on a bookshelf in the living room. You could keep a diary, dream journal or recipe book by your bed stand.
For the more spiritual, you could buy a nice broom and decorate it to your tastes and use cleaning the home as a ritual or if you’re Heathen, place a blót horn or ancestor image on the mantel. Mine is only big enough for a single shot so if you’re space is cramped you can still aim small. You do not have to feel like you are trapped in a cramped, mundane and utterly unPagan apartment.
You can imbue almost anything with a spiritual significance. Even if you are a teenager in a strict nonPagan home you can try your hand at cooking or placing a broom in your room to clean with and of course you can buy little figurines for your bedroom that have special significance to you.
Last but not least, you could try your creative hand and add a very personal element. If you can write, write a prayer for your bedroom wall. If you can paint, paint an image of your patron God. If you can carve, carve an image of your totem. If you can work with wood, well, you get the idea.
It is very easy to be the Practical Pagan without cheapening the experience or overdoing it dramatically. After all, no one really need a big witch hat and a cast iron cauldron sitting dead centre in the front foyer for all to see to have a Pagan home and neither do you need to set up a mini Stonehenge in the backyard (a small altar by a tree or birdfeeder may do just fine) .
If space is an issue, aim small. If disapproving eyes are an issue, aim for subtle and above all, aim for modest and something which will complement your personality!
Make your home really feel like yours and let it be inspired by your Pagan path.
Happy (Pagan) interior decorating!
Footnotes:
N/A
Life is Love: The Power of Happiness
Author: Winterfox
I am faced, every day, with an interesting prospect. Whether or not it’s right or wrong to even have the thought, I awake every morning to the idea that I am not going to die today. And every day, there is a little more certainty to my voice when I say it out loud.
It isn’t a medical condition that forces me to think positively, it’s just the ghosts of things passed. Ages ago, I would have called it “depression.” Now, though, I call it “achievement.” I am still facing my demons, I am still terrified of certain situations, and I am still battling to reach some level of normal human behavior. But through it all I’m still fighting, and I’m still winning. And, right at the heart of it all, there’s a little star with a circle around it.
Years ago when I was still a different person, a lot of things happened that forced me into a near catatonic state. I was completely mute, and so shy that looking at a person’s eyes made me shake. And it was around this time that I was introduced to Paganism. How wonderful it was to retreat into meditation, or watch incense smoke for hours; I wasn’t really ‘into’ it, but the practice of it made me peaceful. I started to enjoy the company of other people, holding circles in small groups and learning to trust what we called our “mini coven.” I was coming out of my shell, slowly.
It wasn’t until later that the full force of what Paganism meant to me practically hit me in the face. I was sitting on a public bus, coming home from school, when some impish need to giggle came over me. And I started to laugh, first into my hand, then into my fist, and then I didn’t bother to smuggle it anymore.
I was laughing, hard, tears streaming down my face. Because here I was, sitting on a bus, and for no particular reason I had just realized that I was absolutely, undeniably, contentedly happy. I had no more reason to worry. Everything I was afraid of was over; I was meeting people, I was doing well, I was still alive. I had conquered something.
So here I was, I thought, sitting on a bus, and I could feel my life force crackling merrily like fire in a chimney. All the energy, all that essence we’d been trying to put into our magick, it existed. And here it was, bubbling out of me, overflowing me, and filling me with something wonderful.
By the next year, I had formally decided to become Wiccan. Although I couldn’t really practice anything with my parents around, I decided I could at least honor the principals. I started to absorb the wisdom of the Lord and Lady, as well as be mindful to everyone and everything around me.
Now, I’m on my own for the first time, living in a tiny dorm room in the middle of an unfamiliar big city. I am, for the most part, your typical university student. I get good grades, do my laundry, and have the occasional childish snowball fight with a group of friends that I cherish more dearly than they can imagine.
My room reflects that, for the most part; there’s doodles taped to my wall, big name tags stuck to my door, fluttering pages of homework littering my desk, and walls of textbooks along every shelf. Yet, in the corner and clearly visible to anyone who comes in, there is a white cloth that proudly supports a silver and gold candle, a bowl of water, a dish of salt, and a small cauldron. Next to the textbooks on the shelves is a binder I use as my Book of Shadows.
My room is my sanctuary, filled with little bits of me; here there is an altar, sitting right next to a Starbucks mocha frappuccino. While other students go to church, I practice my faith right in this room, every night.
These students sometimes ask me why. Why am I a Wiccan? They aren’t offensive in any way, they just want to know. My answer is always the same: because I owe it to myself. I spent so many years as a frightened person, terrified of my own voice.
My involvement with Wicca helped me get my voice back; in the end, the biggest thing I learned from practicing Wicca was that the only thing that could save me from myself was myself. It gave me power; not magickal power, but pure life force, something raw and untamable that felt like a physical fire in me. My soul was set aflame, and as a phoenix is reborn from the ashes, so I came to be an entirely new person.
I am a joker now. I wear my inner child on my sleeve. I am cynical and sarcastic, but also full of joy. And that is the key: Wicca taught me boundless joy, that even the darker side of life must be celebrated, because without shadows then light has no context. I’ve finally realized that life is beautiful. I don’t need to hold elaborate rituals to see that.
Spring to summer, autumn to winter. The changing of seasons is a huge concept; so much mythology and meaning behind it. And all of it is contained in the life and death of a single leaf.
The Lord and Lady. The basic grounds on which Wicca is based. Their entire dance re-enacted every night by the simple rise and set of the sun and moon.
Untamable love, burning passions and innocence lost. It happens every day between two squirrels in the tree outside my window.
Everything is simple. The biggest of ideas can be reflected in the smallest drop of water. And that’s what amazes me, that’s why I’m so in love with Wicca. It can go both ways; perhaps the smallest drop of water teaches some amazing concept, or perhaps the droplet itself is too complex for me to ever understand.
In any case, here I am. This is me. And for the first time, I’m in love with this Earth. So when I have my daily ritual of waking up, splashing myself with water and reminding myself that I’m whole and wonderful and full of life, I’m determined. I want other people to see me, want them to know what it feels like for someone so sad to become someone so happy. It’s been a long journey from point A to point B. I’m still travelling. But if I put a hand to my chest and close my eyes, I can hear how far I’ve come, because I feel the proof that I am still fully alive.
My entire journey thus far repeats itself in song with every beat of my heart.
Conjunction: Mars Jupiter 5º
Opposition: Jupiter Saturn 7º
Semi-Sextile: Moon Pluto 0º
Sextile: Sun Neptune 0º
Square: Mercury Pluto 5º
Trine: Moon Mercury 6º
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