Month: January 2012

Incense Making – Stick Incense

Stick Incense

Add more trag glue to the mixed incense and base until the mixture is wet but still rather thick. The trick here is in determining the proper thickness of the incense/trag mixture and in finding appropriate materials to use. Try homemade wooden or bamboo splints, broom straws, very thin twigs, or those long wooden cocktail skewers. Dip the sticks into the mixture, let them sit upright and then dip again. Several dippings are usually necessary; this is a most difficult process.

When the sticks have accumulated a sufficient amount of the incense, poke them into a slab of clay or some other substance so that they stand upright. Allow them to dry. One variation on stick incense making uses a stiffer incense dough. Pat down the dough on waxed paper until it is very thin. Place the stick on the dough. Roll a thin coating of dough around the stick. The incense shouldn’t be more than twice the thickness of the stick. Squeeze or press it onto the stick so that it will stay put, and let dry.

Incense Making – The Two Forms of Incense

The Two Forms of Incense

Two types of incense are used in Magic: the combustible and the noncombustible. The former contains potassium nitrate (saltpeter) to aid in burning, while the latter does not. Therefore combustible incense can be burned in the form of bricks, cones, sticks and other shapes, whereas noncumbustible incense must be sprinkled onto glowing charcoal blocks to release its fragrance.

Noncombustible Incense

Be sure you have all necessary ingredients. If you lack any, decide on substitutions. Each ingredient must be finely ground, preferably to a powder, using either a mortar and pestle or an electric grinder. Some resins won’t powder easily, but with practice you’ll find the right touch. When all is ready, fix your mind on the incense’s goal. In a large wooden or ceramic bowl, mix the resins and gums together with your hands. While mingling these fragrant substances, also mix their energies. Visualize your personal power–vibrating with your Magickal goal–exiting your hands and entering the incense.
Next, mix in all the powdered leaves, barks, flowers and roots. As you mix, continue to visualize or concentrate on the incense’s goal. Now add any oils or liquids that are included in the recipe. Just a few drops are usually sufficient. Once all has been thoroughly mixed, add any powdered stones or other power boosters. The incense is now fully compounded. Empower the incense and it is done. Store in a tightly capped jar. Label carefully, including the name of the incense and date of composition. It is ready for use when needed.

Combustible Incense

Combustible incense (in the form of cones, blocks, and sticks) is fairly complex in its composition, but many feel the results are worth the extra work. Gum tragacanth glue or mucilage is the basic ingredient of all molded incenses. Gum tragacanth is available at some herb stores. It is rather expensive, but a little will last for months. To make tragacanth glue, place a teaspoon of the ground herb in a glass of warm water. Mix thoroughly until all particles are dispersed. To facilitate this, place in a bowl and whisk or beat with an egg beater. This will cause foam to rise, but it can be easily skimmed off or allowed to disperse. The gum tragacanth has enormous absorption qualities; an ounce will absorb up to one gallon of water in a week.

Let the tragacanth absorb the water until it becomes a thick, bitter-smelling paste. The consistency of the mixture depends on the form of incense desired. For sticks (the most difficult kind to make), the mixture should be relatively thin. For blocks and cones a thicker mucilage should be made. This where practice comes in handy; after a session or two you will automatically know when the mucilage is at the correct consistency.

If you can’t find tragacanth, try using gum arabic in its place. This, too, absorbs water. When you have made the trag glue, cover with a wet cloth and set aside. It will continue to thicken as it sits, so if it becomes too thick add a bit of water and stir thoroughly.

Next, make up the incense base:
Cone Incense Base 6 parts ground Charcoal (not self-igniting), 1 part ground Benzoin, 2 parts ground Sandalwood, 1 part ground Orris root (this “fixes” the scent), 6 drops essential oil (use the oil form of one of the ingredients in the incense), 2 to 4 parts mixed, empowered incense.
Mix the first four ingredients until all are well blended. Add the drops of essential oil and mix again with you hands. The goal is to create a powdered mixture with a fine texture. If you wish, run the mixture through a grinder or mortar again until it is satisfactory. Add 2 to 4 parts of the completed and empowered incense mixture. Combine this well with your hands.
Then using a small kitchen scale, weigh the completed incense and add ten percent potassium nitrate. If you’ve made ten ounces of incense, add one ounce potassium nitrate. Mix this until the white powder is thoroughly blended. Next, add the trag glue. Do this a teaspoon at a time, mixing with your hands in a large bowl until all ingredients are wetted.

For cone incense you’ll need a very stiff, dough-like texture. If it is too thick it won’t properly form into cones and will take forever to dry. The mixture should mold easily and hold its shape. On a piece of waxed paper, shape the mixture into basic cone shapes, exactly like the ones you’ve probably bought. If this form isn’t used, the incense might not burn properly. When you’ve made up your cone incense, let it dry for two to seven days in a warm place. Your incense is finished.

The Making of Incense – The Materials

The Making of Incense
The Materials

Incenses are composed of a variety of leaves, flowers, roots, barks, woods, resins, gums and oils. Semiprecious stones may also be added to incenses to lend their energies to the mixture. Out of the literally hundreds of potential incense ingredients, perhaps 14 are most frequently used. Keep a stock of these herbs on hand if you plan to make several incense. These might include:
Frankincense, Myrrh, Benzoin, Copal, Rose petals, Bay, Cinnamon, Pine needles or resin(pitch) Juniper Sandalwood Cedar Thyme Basil Rosemary
Be aware that many plants (if not all) smell quite different when being smoldered. Sweet scents turn sour fast.

Incense Magic

Incense Magic

When incense is burned prior to magical workings, fragrant smoke also purifies the altar and the surrounding area of negative, disturbing vibrations. Though such a purification isn’t usually necessary, it, once again, helps create the appropriate mental state necessary for the successful practice of Magic. When the incense is smoldered in a ritual setting it undergoes a transformation. The vibrations, no longer trapped in their physical form, are released into the environment. Their energies, mixing with those who use them, speed out to effect the changes necessary to the manifestation of the Magickal goal.

 

You needn’t limit incense use to ritual, but avoid burning healing incense just for the smell, or to freshen up your stale house. Burning magickally constructed and empowered incenses when they’re not needed is a waste of energy. If you wish to burn a pleasant-smelling incense, compound a household mixture for this purpose.

New Year’s Resolution Spell

New Year’s Resolution Spell

For this spell, choose a few goals that you want to accomplish; these may be related to work or your personal life. Keep them in your mind; with this spell, you will raise spiritual assistance in accomplishing your intentions. To start, you will need to gather four rocks that you’ve collected from a nearby “special place,” perhaps a park or your back yard. You will also need some unrefined salt. After the New Moon has begun, take the four rocks you have gathered and place them outside near your home in an undisturbed part of your yard. Lay down the rocks in a cross, one for each direction. Sprinkle the salt lightly over the four rocks, and toss the rest in the center. Visualize the goals you have set for yourself and say out loud what you hope to accomplish. Leave the rocks out until you have realized your aims.

 

By: Jonathan Keyes,

Celebrations Around the World, January 2nd

Hags Day
Berchtoldstag (Nut Festival; Switzerland)
Run It Up the Flagpole and See If Anybody Salutes It Day
Festival of Fetishes
Ancestry Day (Haiti)
David Letterman Day (North Carolina)
Kakizome (First Writing; Japan)
Festival of Four Winds and All Sky
St. Adelard’s Day (patron of gardeners)
Good Luck Day (Macedonia)
Shigoto Hajime (Beginning of Work Day; Japan)
Advent of Isis
Granada Day (Spain)
Port Arthur Day
St. Macarius’ Day (patron of pastry cooks)
National Science Fiction Day
Feast of the Martyrs for the Holy Scripture
St. Gregory of Nazianzus’ Day
Revolution Day (Cuba)
St. Bercholt’s Day (patron of Switzerland)
Nativity of Our Lady Inanna (Sumerian Goddess)
St. Basil’s Day (Western; patron of hospital administrators, Russia)
Miniature Golf Day
Good Luck Day (Macedonia)
St. Seraphim of of Sarov’s Day
National Cream Puff Day
St. Macarius of Alexandria’s Day (patron of pastry cooks)

Daily OM for January 2nd – Eternally Present

Eternally Present
Past Life Healing

The key to working with past lives is maintaining awareness of the current reality in which the present takes priority.

Exploring our past lives is a valuable way to understand ourselves better and often leads to healing and the resolution of issues plaguing us in this life. However, the key to working with past lives is maintaining an awareness of the current reality in which the present always takes priority. Past lives can be fascinating and entertaining, or emotionally seductive, and we can get lost in them, losing touch with the most important thing—the life we are living right now.

Of course, there is a deep connection between our past lives and our current life, so it’s sometimes hard to say where one begins and the other one ends. For example, we may be aware that one of our closest friends or partners is someone we knew from a past life, and that connection feels like an unbroken chord reaching into the past, reminding us of the vast nature of the soul. We may have issues with this person that stem from the past, or we may just be blessed with a deep love that we are fortunate to have with us in this life. Either way, the issues must be resolved in this life, in the present moment. The love is our gift to experience in this life, not in the past. In many ways, the gift of dealing with our past lives is the profound revelation of how truly eternal we all are. Once we comprehend this, we can let go of focusing on the details of the past and simply allow our awareness of the eternal to positively influence our ability to be in the present moment.

You will know you have received the full fruits of past-life exploration when you find yourself even more powerfully present in the eternal now. The past becomes less distinct as it resolves itself, merging with the present and the future in the nexus of consciousness that holds all time and space. We realize that this moment holds everything within it, the resolved and the unresolved, the past and the future, and that it is from this moment that we must live our lives.

Special Kitty for January 2nd

Big Ben, the Cat of the Day
Name: Big Ben
 Age: Four years old
Gender: Male
 Kind: Orange Tabby
Home: Stettler, Alberta, Canada
We adopted Big Ben in August 2011 from a wonderful feline rescue organization called Whisker Rescue (Red Deer, Alberta), after losing our beloved Simon — who was also an orange tabby – to Feline Leukemia Virus earlier in the year. We had initially planned to adopt a kitten as we felt a younger cat would get along better with our two dark tabby girls. But we just fell in love with Ben! He really should be called ‘Gentle Ben’ because he is so sweet-natured.

Ben is a very handsome cat, with his big amber-colored eyes and a distinctive orange “soul patch” on his chin. His white underside extends partially down the inside of his back legs so in the rare moments when he shows us his belly, it looks like he is wearing white boxer shorts!

Whisker Rescue did not have much information on Ben but we suspect there might have been some unpleasantness in his past as he is quite shy and uncertain, especially around strangers. We felt he was perfect for us because we have a very peaceful home with no small children. His first couple of weeks with us were a bit rough,though. He was treated for ear mites before leaving the kitty orphanage, then developed a yeast infection in both ears and had to return to the vet clinic to have his ears flushed and then treated with drops for a week. He managed to find some very creative places to hide, but his loud purr always gave away his location.

All that is in the past now. He has become a playful cuddle-bug. Some of his favorite things are playing with his kong, enjoying couch-cuddles with his humans, watching the world from the big living room window, napping in his “man cave” (the comfy little room inside the scratching post), and being groomed by his little sister, Livy. As soon as the lights go out at night, he sneaks into bed with us and goes to sleep. Ben has definitely found his forever home.

Dog-gone Doggie for January 2nd

Bella, the Dog of the Day
Name: Bella
 Age: Two and a half years old
Gender: Female Breed: Black Lab, Border Collie
Home: New Jersey, USA
This is Bella! She is almost three years old, and is a black lab/border collie mix (we think, as she is a mutt). She currently lives with her family in New Jersey, and she loves it here! She prefers her water with ice cubes in the summer time, as you can see, and has a good time with them.

Bella is a very special pet because she is incredibly sweet, and has a knack for making people feel better when they are sad. We got her to cheer up our older dog (who is now ten), and she does a fantastic job! She keeps him young with her youth and vigor, but also proves to be a wonderful napping companion. Bella is such a kind dog, and we have literally never heard her growl. She loves to curl up next to any of her humans and cuddle, and she loves going for car-rides and walks.

Bella knows lots of tricks, such as the typical sit, shake, lie down, jump, speak, and roll over. She is also very good at catching treats in her mouth, and we like to challenge her by not throwing them directly to her. She is very affectionate around strangers, but she has a good sense of who is “good” and who is “bad.” Whenever we have guests over, she immediately warms to them, because she can tell that they are “good” people and friends of her humans. She has lots and lots of toys, because she likes to take them into our backyard and collect them all in one place and then bury them. Luckily for us, we know all her hiding spots (mostly), and she tends to forget where she puts them.

Bella is also very brave. Unlike our older dog, who is terrified of rain, thunder, lightning, wind, etc., Bella seems almost fearless. However, she does not like the pool, which is very uncommon for a lab. We have taught her how to swim and where the steps are in case she is ever to fall in, but she continues to hate it, even after two very hot and humid summers. Despite her being black, she loves to spend summer days basking on our deck in the sun. At times, she seems almost cat-like, because of her hatred for water and the way that she stretches (she arches her back up in a cat-like fashion). She is also known to knead her bed before she lies down and walk in circles for a few minutes before finally deciding where to lie. Bella also has lots of very intricate dreams, and she snores quite loudly and often moves her legs, as if she is chasing something. We love Bella, and we hope you do too!

9 Natural Lessons For Your New Year

  • Christy Diane Farr

What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

The earth is a most magnificent teacher, not just of how to best interact with her but also of how to make our own lives bloom. In the spirit of the new year, of this magnificent opportunity to cultivate the life you desire, I offer you these 9 Natural Lessons for the New Year.

Lesson 1: YOU are not a weed. (You may just be a wildflower planted in a rose garden.)

Call it whatever you wish but our source makes no accidents. Too many truly extraordinary human beings are walking around on this planet feeling like they don’t fit, like they are broken, or that they don’t belong. I don’t care if it was your parents, teachers, peers, spouse, church, or the images portrayed in the media that led you to believe that you are a weed but it is a lie… and you have to stop believing it.

You are perfectly imperfect, just like the rest of us. You may very well be unlike the others but that doesn’t mean you suck, it means you’re a Wild One. That means you’re one of us… and your life is a gift.

 

Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life. – Rachel Carson

Lesson 2: You find what you seek. Seek intentionally.

I know it seems simple but seriously, it matters. If you want a beautiful life, look for beautiful things and wallow in them. If you want love, look for opportunities to be loving (in a healthy way). If you want abundance, surround yourself with things (images, quotes, books, people, etc.) that teach and remind you how to feel abundant. If you talk to yourself all day about how there isn’t enough time, energy, money, help, or whatever else you need, then you will absolutely find proof of that everywhere you are. There are too many ways for us to cultivate a different way of showing up in the world for anyone to keep living with the same old crappy life.

Though I do not believe that a plant will spring up where no seed has been, I have great faith in a seed. Convince me that you have a seed there, and I am prepared to expect wonders. – Henry David Thoreau

Lesson 3: Your dreams are your plans. Live them.

We all want our lives to make sense. We want to feel like we’re making a difference. Still, I see people searching and searching for what they are supposed to be doing. What are you good at? Do that. What makes your heart sing? Do that. What was the thing you did that cultivated the most dramatic results for you and the people you were serving? Do that again. The answers are not “out there” somewhere. Your answers are within you. Look within. Ask questions and when your soul whispers… for the love of all things glittery, do what it says!

(And if you don’t know what that means, call me.)

 

Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Lesson 4: This is a lifetime, your lifetime. Calm down and be the real you.

All of these resolutions, goals, dreams, and such are just different words for, “I want to be me.” If you’re trying to lose weight, you’re saying you want to return to your true body size. If you want a new job, you’re saying that you want work that’s true for you. If you want to stop doing something destructive to your body, you’re saying that you want to live in alignment with your integrity, no more coping mechanisms. You’re saying you want to be you, the real you, after a spell of months or years of living like someone else.

This is about returning to your true self. It’s a journey, just like the road you took away from you that got you here. Be patient. Let go of the hysteria. Drop the desperation. Just breathe, decide what needs to be done, and take action–small, consistent, steps back to the truth of who you are–as frequently as you can bear it.

The more steps you take, the faster you’ll get home.

 

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. – Lao Tzuis

Lesson 5: Take only the actions that are true for you.

Saying yes is a sacred act. Your resources–time, energy, money, attention, etc.–are all you have at your disposal. Think about how you’re using them. If there isn’t enough of you to go around, it’s time to reconsider. Think about why you say yes.

 

I ask not for a larger garden, but for finer seeds. – Russell Herman Conwell

Lesson 6: Live within your means.

You have this much space, this much energy, this much passion, and this much money… Are you wasting your life stretching and searching, when you could be cultivating true joy right here in your real world? We all want to live well, there’s nothing wrong with that. But, so many are missing out on true love at home while they are out trying to conquer the next level at work. So many are sacrificing their health to accomplish tasks that won’t actually bring them a better life. To thrive in the year ahead, consider if the actions you’ve been taking are going to cultivate the results you truly desire

 

If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly our whole life would change. – Buddha

Lesson 7: When life feels dark, remember the lotus flower.

During a particularly difficult time earlier this year, a friend said to me, “Lotus flower. Google it.” I did and you would be well served to do the same. When life is hard, meditate on this earthy lesson.

 

Gardening is a matter of your enthusiasm holding up until your back gets used to it. – Author Unknown

Lesson 8: Keep the promises you make to yourself… no matter what.

Once you decide what you want to be different, commit to reasonable daily action that will result in that transformation and then do it. No. Matter. What.

 

The new year is a tender time. Be still for a moment and enjoy the possibility.

Lesson 9: Make space for YOU in 2012.

If you’re like me, this door between one year and the next is a time full of reflection and anticipation. We make resolutions. We set goals. We dream. We intend to cultivate change in the gardens of our lives.

Then, we propel ourselves into the new year, into our big plans, and it works… at first. Then 12 months flies by (or crawls, depending on the year) and we’re back here again, reflecting on what was lost and gained, what came into our lives and what we released. We can’t help but notice how much changed in the past year, and how much didn’t change.

That’s right … we can’t help but notice what didn’t change–the book we didn’t write, music we didn’t make, weight we didn’t lose, trips we didn’t take, moves we didn’t make, debt we didn’t eliminate, relationships we didn’t nurture, habits we didn’t break (or adopt), leaps we didn’t take, and on and on and on.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

Your home is your garden, and if you want to grow something new in your life, you’ve got to do more than walk around with the seed in your pocket. It’s time to clear space in the garden of your life, to make room for that seed to grow and bloom.

It’s time to make space for your life to bloom.

This year, let’s do it differently. You and me. Let’s create the space necessary for your resolutions or goals or dreams or change to become your reality.

Why Most New Year’s Resolutions Are Guaranteed to Fail

  • Robert Pagliarini

Nearly all of us make the same mistake when it comes to New Year’s resolutions, one that practically guarantees we’ll fail miserably. Sadly, it’s not just New Year’s resolutions that we blow. Anytime we try to change our behavior, we make the same disastrous mistake. No mas! In the next two minutes, you’ll learn a strategy that you can use to reach any goal or to change any habit. Even the biggest goals, like stopping smoking and getting out of debt, are achievable with this approach.

So, what’s this huge mistake we make when we set goals or try to change a bad habit? We expect to succeed. We have no contingency plan when we fail. When we inevitably come up short — the stats are bleak when it comes to sticking with New Year’s resolutions — we have nothing to do but revert to our old behavior. “Oh well, I lasted three days longer than last year!” you’ll start to hear this week.

Your biggest goals require the biggest changes, the greatest commitments, the most effort and willpower. Those pounds aren’t going to lose themselves; your debt isn’t going away on its own; and the business you want to run isn’t going to start itself. These are massive undertakings that require a great deal of personal fortitude. The effort required to succeed can seem overwhelming, so much so that you might relent. You ditch your diet and eat the brownie. You forgo your budget and buy the shoes. You talk yourself out of business ownership and turn on the TV.

The good news is that one misstep doesn’t have to derail you if you use the One Day, One Week, One Month Strategy. I’ve used this same approach to create radical change in my life and I’ve shown others how to use it effectively. Here’s what you do:

One Day
It doesn’t matter that the book you want to write will take you two years and lots of late nights to complete. It doesn’t matter that the 50 pounds you need to lose will take 12 months of sweat and sacrifice to drop. The hard work? The long hours? None of it matters. The only thing you should focus on is one day. That’s it. Surely you can stick to a diet for one day, right? Of course you can follow your budget for one day. It’s just one day. Get over your excuses. Get over the anxiety. You can do anything for a day.

One Week
If you survive the first day — and you will — all you need to do is focus on surviving six more days. That’s it. You can do anything for a week, and you’ve already made it through the first day.

One Month
Congratulations! You made it a week. The desire to revert back to old behaviors is strong, but you’ve already gone a whole week. What’s another couple of weeks to make it a month? If at the end of the month you decide it’s not worth it, tell yourself you’ll stop, but give yourself a month.

What happens if you falter? As the old saying goes, if you fall down one step, don’t throw yourself down the whole staircase. If on day four you completely blow it, you simply start over. The next morning, you only focus on getting through one day. Then you take another shot at getting through a week, and you will because it will be much easier the second time. If on week three you crack. No problem. The next morning you simply focus on getting through one day. Then one week. Then take another run at one month. You can do this over and over and over again until you succeed.

And when it comes to New Year’s resolutions, you just may need to try a few times before you succeed.

Daily Feng Shui Tip for January 2nd

The energies of today’s ‘Run It Up the Flagpole And See if Anyone Salutes Day’ invite you to create your own Feng Shui flags that will both increase the flow of abundance in your life, and dispel chronic or temporary life problems. That’s something to raise the flag about, don’t you think? These ‘Six True Color’ flags are a powerful yet secret cure that purportedly draws its power from the potent Om Mani Padme Hum Buddhist mantra. Each of the words of that mantra relates to a specific color, the same white, red, yellow, green, blue and black that you will use when you construct your flags. Your flags can be any size but should all strive to be the same size. You can use fabric or colored paper, and your flagpoles can also be made from anything, from bamboo to popsicle sticks. Attach one color per pole and arrange the flags in the specific color sequence mentioned above. Repeat or recite the mantra aloud and over the flags to bless and activate them before arranging them on your desk (in a cupholder perhaps?) or in the Wealth area of your home or office. If you decide to use this rarely disclosed Feng Shui cure, then in keeping with the energies of the day, I salute you!

By Ellen Whitehurst for Astrology.com

The Meaning of the Number 2

The symbolic meaning of number Two is kindness, balance, tact, equalization, and duality. The number Two reflects a quiet power of judgment, and the need for planning. Two beckons us to choose. The spiritual meaning of number Two also deals with exchanges made with others, partnerships (both in harmony and rivalry), and communication. Two urges us out of our indecision, calls us to unite with like-minds, and like-ideals. Two asks us to exert our natural flow of judgment to do what is best for our souls.

The Spiritual Meaning of Numbers

Your Daily Number for January 2nd: 2

You’re more sensitive and intuitive than usual. You may find yourself having vivid dreams or even premonitions. Today you may wear the hat of mediator in a dispute, and you’ll do so with great success. Love and romance are also likely to have an effect on you today.

Fast Facts

About the Number 2

Theme: Adaptable, Tactful, Gentle, Cautious
Astro Association: Moon
Tarot Association: High Priestess

Today’s I Ching Hexagram for January 2nd is 50: The Cauldron

50: The Cauldron

Hexagram 50

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 Runes for January 2nd is Gebo

Today’s Runes

Stone Runes are most commonly used for questions about the natural world and things beyond human control. Gebo means gift, and like any gifts, the rune may be understood on many levels. Gifts are generally positive things, for both the giver and the recipient. In many cultures however, gifts and favors carry with them an obligation to respond in kind. It is for this reason that gifts, and hence the rune Gebo, are frequently symbolic of friendships, marriages, alliances, mergers, and other bonds between people or organizations. Gebo is a strong rune and the unions represented are strong as well. Moreover, Gebo is not reversible, as true friendships are not easily undone.

Today’s Tarot Card for January 2nd is The Magician

The Magician

This Tarot Deck: Cat People

General Meaning: Traditionally, the Magus is one who can demonstrate hands-on magic — as in healing, transformative rituals, alchemical transmutations, charging of talismans and the like. A modern Magus is any person who completes the circuit between heaven and Earth, one who seeks to bring forth the divine ‘gold’ within her or himself.

At the birth of Tarot, even a gifted healer who was not an ordained clergyman was considered to be in league with the Devil! For obvious reasons, the line between fooling the eye with sleight of hand, and charging the world with magical will was not clearly differentiated in the early Tarot cards.

Waite’s image of the Magus as the solitary ritualist communing with the spirits of the elements — with its formal arrangement of symbols and postures — is a token of the freedom we have in modern times to declare our spiritual politics without fear of reprisal. The older cards were never so explicit about what the Magus was doing. It’s best to keep your imagination open with this card. Visualize yourself manifesting something unique, guided by evolutionary forces that emerge spontaneously from within your soul.

Your Horoscope Spirit Profile

  • Annie B. Bond

Most of us have read the personality descriptions on the online horoscope sites, or in the newspaper. But here is a somewhat deeper look at your Sun Sign’s primary qualities, seen from the perspective of the spirit.

Find out more about your deeper nature, right here:

Aries, March 21-April 19: Forceful, self-willed, enthusiastic, exaggerative, passionate, extrovert, pioneer, courageous, self-sufficient, idealistic.

Taurus, April 20-May 21: Strong-willed, toiling, practical, sensuous, musical, literary, artistic, temperate, moist, fruitful, magnetic, beneficent, intractable.

Gemini, May 22-June 20: Communicative, inventive, alert, inquisitive, swift, sharp, versatile, dry, mental, ardent, youthful, mobile, idealistic.

Cancer, June 21-July 22: Reflection, sensitivity, memory, receptiveness, fluctuation, responsiveness, sympathy, magnetism.

Leo, July 23- Aug 22: Initiation, power, glory, vigor, ardor, beneficence, creative force, self-expression, full of ideas, talent.

Virgo, Aug 23-Sept 22: Practicality, discernment, intelligence, healing (health, hygiene, diet), duty, fundamentals, craftsmanship, purity.

Libra, Sept 23-Oct 22: Harmony, gentleness, stability, discrimination, beauty, affection, partnership, marriage, social awareness, justice.

Scorpio, Oct 23-Nov 21: Power, energy, intensity, will, magnetism, subtlety, resurrection, elimination, renewal, resolution.

Sagittarius, Nov 22-Dec 21: Honesty, clarity, dignity, benevolence, magnanimity, jollity, encompassing quality, optimism, loyalty, independence, generosity, love of education, literature, justice.

Capricorn, Dec 22-Jan 19: Responsibility, duty, toil, enquiry, restraint, secrecy, discipline, patience, persistence, doggedness, indefatigable aspiration, limitation, taciturnity, practicality, idealism.

Aquarius, Jan 20-Feb 18: Independence, turbulence, fellowship, friendship, relationship, originality, genius, brotherhood, abstraction, optimism, intellect, remoteness, literature, science, inventiveness, peace, artistry, inspiration, perversity, tenacity, intuition.

Pisces, Feb 19-March 20: Intuitive, impressionable, fanciful, naïve, free spirit, unworldly, creative, imaginative, clairvoyant, retiring, vulnerable, studious, romantic, emotional, trusting, vacillating, melancholy, indecisive, insecure, artistic.

Your Daily Horoscopes for Monday, Jan. 2nd

The day begins with a bang, but we run into obstacles quickly because the Moon’s midday opposition to constraining Saturn is like a wet blanket. The enterprising Aries Moon encourages us to accelerate while a thrill-seeking Venus-Uranus alignment tempts us to take a risk in the name of pleasure. We may grow complacent as the Moon shifts into steady Taurus at 5:15 pm EST, but her hook-up with expansive Jupiter prevents us from narrowing our minds.

 

Aries Horoscope
Aries Horoscope (Mar 21 – Apr 19)

You may be experiencing a high level of mental and physical activity today because the initiating Aries Moon encourages you to engage the day with zest. However, events are unfolding according to their own natural rhythm, demanding that you slow down. You won’t be able to bolt ahead at your own pace now, so take your time and respond to delays as gracefully as possible. In the meantime, enjoy the present moment for the opportunities it holds.

Taurus Horoscope
Taurus Horoscope (Apr 20 – May 20)

You’re attracted to new and different kinds of pleasure today as wild Uranus shocks your key planet Venus. Although you are hot to trot, you realize that waiting for the right moment can make the difference between failure and success. You may feel frustrated because you’re close to reaching satisfaction, yet it’s still just out of reach. Rest assured that the outcome will be worth the wait.

Gemini Horoscope
Gemini Horoscope (May 21 – Jun 20)

You may feel bored with the idea of going back to work today, even before you get there. Although you might have had a fun-filled holiday, you’re already looking for more excitement. Unfortunately, finishing your tasks early won’t help because you still need to wait for the clock. Don’t frustrate yourself by focusing on what you want to do; instead, bring your awareness back to the present moment and seek happiness there.

Cancer Horoscope
Cancer Horoscope (June 21 – Jul 22)

Your friends and associates may be depending on you today, possibly leading you to resent them for having unreasonable expectations. Naturally, you enjoy nurturing those close to you, but you don’t particularly like it when your personal needs are overlooked in the process. Stop trying to place the blame on anyone else; take charge of your life and do what you must to fulfill your own desires.

Leo Horoscope
Leo Horoscope (Jul 23 – Aug 22)

You may have something sweet to smile about today because it seems as if your life is moving in the right direction. Although you might not have everything you want, it’s wonderful to believe that your patience will finally pay off. But blindly pinning your hopes onto a pipedream isn’t such a smart strategy. You don’t have to get crazy and turn your world upside down; just start making concrete plans while luck is on your side.

Virgo Horoscope
Virgo Horoscope (Aug 23 – Sep 22)

Having lots to do can put you in a good mood today, especially if you’re satisfied with the quality of your work. You might not even care if others don’t acknowledge how much you contribute because peer recognition isn’t as important as meeting your own personal standards of quality. Ironically, your understated approach will work in your favor, leading others to express their appreciation for your extra effort.

Libra Horoscope
Libra Horoscope (Sep 23 – Oct 22)

You can be so fair-minded in your dealings with others that your greatest challenge is acknowledging what you need for yourself. However, there’s currently no doubt in your mind; you know what you want and would be wise to ask for it today while your intentions are clear. Just remember that you still may have to wait for satisfaction. Fortunately, your chances for success are likely now as long as you express your needs honestly.

Scorpio Horoscope
Scorpio Horoscope (Oct 23 – Nov 21)

You’re looking for new and different ways to resolve nagging old problems. You aren’t interested in doing your job the same way as before because a radical approach enables you to gain a fresh perspective on your routine. However, there’s no value in shaking up everything at once. Working quietly behind the scenes allows you to make steady progress toward re-establishing your job security.

Sagittarius Horoscope
Sagittarius Horoscope (Nov 22 – Dec 21)

You might wish you could delay going back to work today, but luckily you have the opportunity to derive profound satisfaction from working with people you like. You can experience a wonderful camaraderie that comes from being on a winning team. However, you could struggle as you try to downplay your need for independence. Instead of withdrawing to do your own thing now, bring your innovative spirit and unique point of view to the group process.

Capricorn Horoscope
Capricorn Horoscope (Dec 22 – Jan 19)

The Moon harmonizes with your key planet Saturn today, empowering you to stand up to a bully or to defend your integrity. Fortunately, if you can stay focused on your objectives, everything should improve as the day unfolds. You may end up making some extra money or seizing a chance to kindle a romantic interest. However, you must be patient; success won’t happen overnight.

Aquarius Horoscope
Aquarius Horoscope (Jan 20 – Feb 18)

This could be a very hectic day, especially if you must handle work that piled up prior to the holidays. Keep in mind that you may not be able to finish everything that’s on your plate. Don’t take it personally; you really don’t need to waste time now reflecting on your past failures. Acknowledging that some things are beyond your control leads to being content with simply doing the best job you can.

Pisces Horoscope
Pisces Horoscope (Feb 19 – Mar 20)

You may grow tired with the thought of returning to the daily grind and want to retreat into your own private space instead. Even if you need to be around others now, you’re still likely to feel a bit withdrawn. Fortunately, this isn’t a problem because you can still do your job while letting your imagination wander. Just continue to do your work while keeping your personal thoughts to yourself.