Plum Blossom
Symbol: Innocence
The Plum tile reflects renewal and viewing your world with fresh viewpoints. It is an inherently “happy” tile. The Plum tile also suggests inexperience—a trait you must not allow to make you an easy target.
Buffalo has come snorting into your life today to bring a message of great hope. Buffalo sacrificed every part of his physical body to support those who hunted him—but he also gave his spirit. And, it’s that spirit of hope, abundance, and a bright future that he brings to you today. If you are experiencing a troubled journey, help is here.
Past Influence whose impact on your life is waning.
The Priestess
The Priestess is the Gatekeeper of the subconscious, the unknown. She travels in worlds which most of us only glimpse in our dreams. Her realm is that of unseen truths, untapped potentials, and hidden dangers. Purely Yin in nature, The Calling of The Priestess is to go beyond the obvious and visible to tap those powers which are veiled from normal vision. While she is passive by nature, she has the power to uncover unknown potential and is very aware of the infinite potential all humans harbor within them. She is also very patient. She can wait for events to blossom in their own time.
Present Influence whose impact on your life is very strong.
The Moon
Although men have stepped upon the moon and scientists have analyzed it almost endlessly, there remains in our collective unconscious a vision of the moon that shrouds it in mystery. And why wouldn’t there be? Being earth’s closest neighbor, having a clear influence on many of earth’s cycles and constantly changing in appearance, it is only fitting that our ancestors endlessly pondered and speculated on our magnificent moon’s powers. The Moon represents the pure feminine nature and the gateway to understanding the mystical world that cannot be explained by science. Its soft glow provides a gentle light in the darkness of night. Metaphorically, the powers associated with the moon supply the seeker with a light to explore the mystical aspects of our world. It empowers the sense of wonder in those open to psychic adventures.
Future influence whose impact on your life is growing and will be very strong in the future.
The Western Dragon
Unlike the beneficent Easter Dragon, The Western Dragon is a symbol of totally unleashed destructive power that is set upon anyone who crosses the Dragon’s path. The Western Dragon also hordes treasures that should rightfully be ours, and whose absence deprives us from being complete. The challenges set before us by the Western Dragon are truly prodigious, because they denote a force whose sole intent is not simply to keep us from moving forward in our lives, but to usurp all that we have previously gained as well. What is even more disturbing about the force behind the Western Dragon is that it may well indicate primal forces in ourselves so powerful that they do in fact turn us into our own worst enemy.
The Hourglass is a gentle reminder that time passes and with it goes opportunity. Every moment is a moment we cannot retrieve or relive, and there are no guarantees that what we put off today really can be done tomorrow. The Hourglass urges us to make every second of our lives as rich and fulfilling as we possibly can.
As a daily card, The Hourglass suggest you may be allowing opportunities to pass you by. If you’ve been procrastinating or putting too much of your precious time into activities with no lasting value to you, now is the time for you redirect your energies into actions that will enrich your life.
Aeon deals with our journey and constant transformation through time. It denotes both endings and beginnings, our ability to redeem ourselves through action, and hope for the future. Aeon teaches us to accept our past–embrace it as an essential component of our being–but not to allow it to keep our spirits from moving towards the future and finding our personal utopia.
Today’s Witches Rune
The Wave
Meaning: This is the rune for friends and family, and also includes workmates. It highlights their influences on
you by its position next to other runes. It also means the sea, and travel, a journey abroad if near the sun, a journey for someone close to you if next to the moon, a holiday if by the rings, or maybe even a holiday romance.
Source:
Witch Runes- How to make and Interpret
Allison Beldon-Smith
May 20th, 2015
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Congratulations! There is strength and vigor in this situation — like a ram who has knocked down a fence to free himself from captivity. This points to a time when a powerful force comes into its own and achieves influence.
When a leader finally comes into power, his or her personal strength usually has peaked. Great strength is required in climbing to the mountaintop, but once at the summit, the support of others is needed to maintain that lofty position. A shift in attitude becomes necessary. Raw strength must be tempered by wisdom; to maintain power, a strong leader must learn to give it away, to share it with others. Only then will his or her position be secure, for she will not only be the possessor of power, but the source of it as well.
If you find yourself in a high or strong position, it is especially important to act responsibly and react with care. Your personal power must not be allowed to degenerate into raw force that rides roughshod over everything in its path. A strong sense of responsibility to the collective good of all is the key to the successful exercise of strength. By following what we intuitively know to be for the greater good, we avoid reckless abuses of power that in the end undermine the source of our strength. Arrogance always contains the seeds of its own undoing.
@Tarot.com is a Daily Insight Group Site
Your Rune For Today
Sowilo
The Sun Rune, denotes power and strength. That which you want may be attained. Sowilo also denotes mental clarity and added warmth to your relationships.
Additional information about Today’s Rune, Sowilo
Phonetic equivalent: s
DIVINATORY MEANINGS: success, positive energy, increase, power, activity, fertility, health
MAGICAL USES: energy, strength, success, healing, fertility
ASSOCIATED MYTHS & DEITIES: Sunna
ANALYSIS: The sun is held sacred by almost every religion in the world. Its light and warmth symbolize life and growth and all that is good. Norse cosmology describes the sun being driven around the heavens in a chariot and chased by a great wolf, which will devour at Ragnarok. Throughout IndoEuropean Paganism, the sun has frequently been associated with the horse, often described as being carted around the sky by a horse. Both are symbolic of life and fertility, and are usually considered ‘masculine’ in polarity, although in Norse myth the chariot is driven by a girl. The swastika or sun wheel is a constant motif in rock carvings dating Neolithic times, and occurs throughout Europe and Asia. The sun rune itself is a variation on this symbol, and represents motion and energy.
Sowulo marks the end of the second aett, and like wunjo represents success and glory. However, unlike the rest and relaxation of Valhalla, the sun is very much an active symbol. We have reached the end of the aett successfully, and the conclusion is a positive one, but in this case we are fully aware of the changing and transient nature of the universe. We can see the wolf at heels, and we know that we must move on. Here, though, the journeyer may pause briefly in the warmth and light of the sun, absorbing and applying its energy to the work ahead. This time we won’t need to be blasted out of our safe position, but will rather choose to leave it in order to continue on the journey.
Source:
The Runic Journey (PDF)
By Jennifer Smith
The days following a New Moon phase are auspicious. The actual day of the New Moon, the balsamic or dark Moon period, marks the beginning point when the heavens shift from dark to light. On the following days magic is in the air and the inner life is awakened.
It takes work and diligence to crack that egg open and expand toward new dimensions, but the effort is always worth it in the end.
This metaphor illustrates the potential available to each of us the day after a New Moon approaches. The following quote expresses the essence of the New Moon’s potential.
“A New Moon teaches gradualness and deliberation and how one gives birth to oneself slowly. Patience with small details makes perfect a large work, like the universe.” –Rumi
“Behold, a sacred voice is calling you. All over the sky a sacred voice is calling you.” –Black Elk
Do something different for a change. Dare to be lighthearted. Change what you wear. Surprise yourself with a new attitude. Shine the light of magic and wonder in all that you do and see. Watch the birds take flight from tree to tree. Free yourself from old routines that tie you down and exhaust your immune system. Allow the vibrations of the New Moon to awaken your inner life with fresh perspectives and promptings.
Suggested flower essence: Shooting Star … discover yourself again and embody the genius of your soul!
When each day is sacred, when each hour is sacred, when each instant is sacred, Earth and you, space and you, bearing and sacred through time, you’ll reach the fields of light. –Guillevic
The crescent Moon has been associated with Isis, the Egyptian Goddess known as She Who Makes Right Use of the Heart, or the Mother of Heaven. Isis’s headdress is often depicted with the horns of a cow on her head, and the solar disc between them. These horns are a symbol of the crescent Moon and are representations of immanent fertility and prosperity.
An intuitive spark of heart and mind have been lit. You now bear the torch. Be still while you listen and visualize. Take note of the seeds that have been planted within your garden of life and do everything you can to bring nutrients to the foundation of your life. Moisten and deepen your attunement to inner truth. The crescent Moon offers a force of light pushing forward within you.
Suggested flower essence: Cat’s Ear … attune to the magic of your intuition and act accordingly.
“You must become the change you want to see in the world.” –Gandhi
The Magician is one who has become seasoned and attuned to the conscious aspects of life ready to manifest. The Magician leads the whimsical wandering of The Fool into a clearer stream of consciousness that can actualize miracle upon miracle. You must now understand the world of matter and turn that which has been unseen into visible creations. Be productive, active, goal-oriented and joyous in every endeavor. Nothing can remain stagnant at this stage of the Moon’s phase. The theme of creative movement is evident in the flow of life.
Suggested flower essence: Iris … the creative paintbrush of the soul. Paint your dreams into manifested joy and deliberation.
“How shall I begin my song in the blue night that is setting? In the great night my heart will go out. Toward me the light comes, rattling. In the great night sky my heart will go out.” –Medicine Woman Chant
The gibbous Moon phase can be called the womb of potential. Life is a constant process of transformation and movement involving integration, disintegration, generation and degeneration. Having recently experienced a rebirth cycle, you are now ready to embrace all that is expanding and growing in your life. Confront your opportunities and challenges in order that a permeable reality may evolve. Learn new things, stretch your imagination, seek new experiences and take in an interesting movie or documentary and study. Fill your life with interests and activities.
Suggested flower essence: Mountain Pride … the great warrior of the heart moves forward, actualizing dreams and goals. Perseverance is the key.
“Each night Lady Moon gathers unto herself all the discarded memories and forgotten dreams of mankind. These she stores in her silver cup till dawn. Then, at first light, all these forgotten dreams and neglected memories are returned to Earth as Moon-sap, or dew. Mingled with lacrimae lunae, ‘the tears of the Moon,’ this dew nourishes and refreshes all life on Earth. Through compassionate care of the Goddess, nothing of value is lost to man.” –from the Legend of the Moon by Sallie Nichols
“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” –John Wesley
The force of the Sun and Moon are illumined and the pure potential of both lights are fully active. The chalice cup is full, life is brimming over with expectation, and the cornucopia horn of plenty has been placed at the center table of life. Wisdom shines outward. Share your gifts, talents, joys and manifested creations through teaching, writing, dancing and community sharing. This is the peak of light and you are filled with its radiant glow.
Suggested flower essence: Lotus … flower of water and air bringing the unconscious forces into conscious knowing and insight.
“You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves.” –Mary Oliver
This is the time to pour forward all that you have accumulated by networking, sharing news, offering service and find the joy to be the light of the world. You know the mystery of life and you live according to the secret wisdom found in the Full Moon phase. Share in the mystery and walk in the beauty of your true self. This is a time to reach for the stars as they become more visible with the decreasing light of the Full Moon. You may ask yourself, “How may I serve the world?”
Suggested flower essence: The Rose … deeply rooted in the Earth, the rose blossoms into the beauty of love. The rose opens the heart chakra so that we may do our very best work on Earth.
“From joy I came, for joy I live, and in Thy sacred joy, I shall melt again.” –Yogananda
Look deeply now to assess all that you have become responsible for. We have countless opportunities to weigh our pros and cons in life. Seek to negate all polarities and opposition within and roll them back into the deep soil of the past. Now is the time for a renewed self-reflection and once again you are prompted to spend some quality time alone, read a good book, get a haircut, clean out closets, move things around. It will beneficial to fast for a day or eat lightly so that your body may purge and cleanse. You are preparing for another turn of the Moon … and darkness in the sky brings bright wisdom within.
Suggested flower essence: Sagebrush … cutting through all illusion and confusion, sagebrush cleanses the aura and the field of light around the heart chakra.
“Yet it is in this loneliness that the deepest activities begin. It is here that you discover act without motion, labor that is profound repose, vision in obscurity and beyond all desire, a fulfillment whose limits extend to infinity.” –Thomas Merton
When the dark Moon resides within the heavens, a sweet quiet is pervasive. Meditate, contemplate, pray, chant and rest. There are many ways to experience the descent into the unconscious successfully, and the more attentive you become of this inner need, the greater balance and immune health an individual will attain. Strengthen your connection to the invisible worlds, seek the cave and find the light within.
Suggested flower essence: Queen of the Night … desert cactus flower that blooms in the night offering the inner light of the unconscious.
The Moon phases are the magical wheel that we dance upon each month. In your own birth chart you have your own progressed Moon phases that coincide with the eight phases that I have written about in this post. Each progressed Moon phase lasts approximately 2 1/2 years. You might like to find out which house your progressed Moon is passing through and what sign it is in. It’s great to understand the mapping of your own inner sky.
@Tarot.com is a Daily Insight Group Site
May 20th, 2015
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What has traditionally been known as the World card points to the presiding intelligence, called “Sophia,” or Wisdom, which upholds life on this and all worlds. A more precise title for this card might be “the Soul of the World,” also applicable as a symbol of personal empowerment and freedom. In most Tarot decks it is a female figure that has become our standard World image. She originates in Hebrew, Gnostic and Alchemical lore, and stands between heaven and earth as the Cosmic Mother of Souls, the Wife of God and our protector from the karmic forces we have set loose upon the Earth in our immaturity and ignorance.
Where the Empress energy secures and fertilizes our terrestrial lives, the goddess of The World invites us into cosmic citizenship — once we come to realize our soul’s potential for it. Just as the Chariot stands for success in achieving a separate Self, and Temperance represents achievement of mental and moral health, the World card announces the awakening of the soul’s Immortal Being, accomplished without the necessity of dying.
This card, like the Sun, is reputed to have no negative meaning no matter where or how it appears. If the Hermetic axiom is “Know Thyself”, this image represents what becomes known when the true nature of Self is followed to creative freedom and its ultimate realization.
Although the cosmic energy is noisy today, we continue to withdraw from the chaos. The emotional Moon shifts into self-protective Cancer at 9:55 am EDT, internalizing our feelings; nevertheless, we still must venture into the world. Crabs carry hard outer shells on their backs; however, we must set boundaries to keep us out of harm’s way. But retreat is only a temporary solution because we cannot escape from the building pressures of change.
Contrary to popular belief, you Rams can also behave like lambs; your gentle way of caring for those you love is obvious while the watery Cancer Moon softens your harder edges today. But nurturing others requires that you tend to your own needs, too. Instead of adding to your current stress by attempting to be everything to everyone now, slow down and be good to yourself. The seed of love is first planted at home.
Although you’re feeling positive about your future today, there’s still a serious streak within you that might find its way to the surface. It’s not wise to blindly set your fears aside, for your concerns may be based on very real experiences from your past. To deny them is just plain foolhardy. Nevertheless, it’s healthy to remember that current events are not identical to previous ones. Increase your options by carefully noting the differences between then and now. Reassessing your strengths and weaknesses inspires you to fulfill your potential.
You’re riding some pretty intense cross-currents now, like an eagle gaining altitude while effortlessly gliding on the thermals. However, you may be carrying extra baggage in the form of unresolved feelings and the extra weight can turn easy soaring into a struggle against the prevailing winds. Fortunately, you have the ability to transform lingering negativity into something that motivates you. Shining the light of your awareness into the dark empowers you to overcome your last inch of resistance.
Allowing your past memories to surface can deepen your emotions today and add power to your reactions. The tenacious Cancer Moon may look back with nostalgia, yet your fear of the unknown needn’t distract you from your current experience. Sometimes surging feelings are so overwhelming that they tempt you to shut out others, even the ones you love the most. However, it’s different now because your recollections can be used as a source of inspiration to help you reach your goals.
You may have a spring in your step and a twinkle in your eyes today, even if you’re not sure why. Although nothing significant has changed, you feel more trusting now, believing that the most important issues will simply sort themselves out on their own. In the meantime, you can’t let go of your previous obligations. Nevertheless, it helps all the way around to maintain your joyful demeanor, even while taking care of serious business. The contagious smile on your face is your not-so-secret weapon.
Significant changes are in the air, even if you think you’re quite content with the status quo. Although you want to avoid any form of confrontation, letting someone else dictate your needs now is not an option. There’s no reason to mince words; be specific when talking about what your heart wants. If you state your case clearly and have a sensible plan to back up your intentions, you could very well improve the quality of your life before you know it.
Your path might be obscured today as you try to chart a course between your emotional needs and your obligations to others. Your positive attitude can make all the difference in the world. People may withdraw their support if you don’t think you can realize your goals. Paradoxically, others will jump in to help clear the way if you are feeling competent. Fortunately, you excel at getting along with your peers; being a team player now is your ticket to success.
You may be currently working harder than you prefer, leaving you little time to enjoy the finer things of life. People might see you as more emotionally self-contained than usual, but that isn’t necessarily how you feel on the inside. Although your determination to keep everything running smoothly can be your greatest asset now, don’t be afraid to step out and have a little fun. There’s no need to make a big deal of your plans as long as you commit to add some adventure into your routine. Variety is the spice of life.
Strong undercurrents of emotions today could make you afraid that you’re going to be pulled off course by your own zest for life. Paradoxically, giving in to your exhilaration now can actually propel you in your desired direction. Let your enthusiasm give you the extra energy boost that you need in order to accomplish everything you promised. Don’t hold back; allow your rising optimism to carry you to success.
Marginalizing your feelings isn’t a viable strategy today, even if you seriously distrust the unreliability of subjective perceptions. Naturally, you prefer placing your faith in hard cold facts. However, it’s time to tap into the emotional wisdom you often dismiss. Your intuition is opening now, so don’t be afraid of listening to a hunch that comes from within. Push forward on your own, even if you’re unable to justify your actions to anyone else.
Alternating mood swings can rock your day. One minute you’re lost in deep meditation as you recall feelings from the past and apply your memories to the present circumstances. The very next moment has you wondering who you’re fooling when you slip away into your imagination. Acknowledging the polarity is essential today; give yourself enough freedom so that your mind can seamlessly move between these two extremes. This contemplative practice ultimately empowers you to see things with more clarity and wisdom.
Your compassion is working on overdrive today, tempting you to bury your heart in the sand to cope with the pain and suffering. Instead, take the exact opposite approach and fully engage the outer world. You have little time to waste silently worrying about others when you could be volunteering in the community, fundraising for an altruistic cause or just lending a helping hand to someone in need. Putting your good intentions to work now is healthier than indulging in idle fantasy.
@Tarot.com is a Daily Insight Group Site
If You Were Born Today, May 20
You possess much strength of character, warmth, sensuality, and intuition. While grounded and steady overall, you have a flair for the dramatic. You are exceptionally self-aware, and spend your life learning, largely through intuition and observation. You are loving and kind, but seldom forget a slight. Famous people born today: Honore de Balzac, Cher, James Stewart, Dolly Madison.
Aries
This is a good time to find ways to improve work/leisure balance problems in your life, Aries. Some of you could be considering delegating work, as pressures for you to perform are strong. This can be a difficult thing to do right now with Pluto transiting your career zone, as this transit can sometimes lead you to believe that you have to do it all. Energies today and tomorrow can stimulate all sorts of fears and tensions concerning your career or reputation, and it would be wise to consider ways to reduce stress. The Moon moving into your home and family sector today might help you to back away from problems coming from the outside world so that you can see them from a better perspective.
Taurus
Outside interests are plenty, dear Taurus, and while good for you, can sometimes consume so much of your time that you are missing the opportunities that Jupiter’s transit of your solar fourth has been offering you in terms of connection with home and family. Today and this week, you’re more likely to truly see and identify problem areas, and all is in your favor to make the necessary improvements that will improve your life. If you’ve been spreading yourself too thin, trying to please too many people and to do more than you are truly capable of doing, this is a good time for making changes. Obsessions and addictions that have been dragging you down may become painfully obvious, and now you have the chance to get back on track.
Gemini
Today and tomorrow, you may be dealing with issues revolving around fears, obsessions, and addictions, dear Gemini, and how any of these may have been holding you back from succeeding at your goals or making important changes. You may have been getting worked up about matters that haven’t yet happened, and may never happen, and for some of you, an intimate relationship and concerns revolving around it may have been consuming so much of your time that it’s hard to grab the opportunities that have been with you for learning and communications. This is an excellent time to see what has been tripping you up and for taking steps to make the necessary adjustments to bring back more balance to your life. The Moon’s move out of your sign this morning can in fact help you to look at situations in a more practical way.
Cancer
This is a good time to clearly see what may have been preventing you from achieving your goals or going after what makes you happy, dear Cancer. Challenges in partnerships can be magnified temporarily, just long enough for you to identify attitudes or situations that have been weighing you down or negatively impacting your life. You could be questioning recent alliances or choices, and now is the time to get yourself back on track by making important adjustments. Excesses on a financial level might also be dealt with now. The Moon enters your sign this morning, bringing emotions close to the surface and reminding you of your need to connect emotionally to the world around you.
Leo
Periodically since September, you may have been dealing with health, motivation, or scheduling problems that interfered with your broader goals or personal success, dear Leo. Today and this week, you’ll have the chance to make important adjustments in order to free yourself of burdens that have been holding you back. Obstacles now can have to do with expecting too much from yourself, or managing demanding schedules all on your own. Doubts about current goals or alliances might in fact help you to slow down long enough to make important adjustments, and getting back on track is the focus now. The Moon’s move into your soul sector this morning can help turn your attention to the need for further reflection.
Virgo
Periodically in recent months, you may have been dealing with problems dragging you down revolving around a romantic relationship, creative pursuit, or children, dear Virgo, which consume a lot of your time and/or energy. This week, you are getting the chance to sort out your love life, attention to leisure activities, and attachment to certain creative projects or ideas so that you can better tend to your priorities going forward. If you’ve been holding on to guilt, do your best to face why this may be so. The more burdens you release now, the better your chances for taking advantage of opportunities coming your way in the future. The Moon moves into your networking zone this morning, and friendships or casual connections might help you to positively release some of the tension you’ve been feeling.
Libra
You may have the chance to deal with an imbalance once and for all today and this week, Libra, particularly surrounding family matters if they’ve been getting in the way of your growth on a social level or concerning outside interests. This is a time for facing fears of making changes or of making mistakes, as these may be standing in the way of success. If you need to assuage your guilt, take steps to do so. Finding a better balance is key. Dealing with personal, family, and home matters that have reached difficult proportions is essential, as problems in these areas seem to be the major obstacles to happiness right now.
Scorpio
If you’ve been overshooting, slacking off, or otherwise missing opportunities to reach your goals, Scorpio, this week will bring a reminder to restore balance in your life. You may be dealing with a need to review your communications or to handle excess attention to problem areas and outside interests. You might also need to let go of a fear of others getting to know more about you, or of a need to do everything yourself at the expense of other areas of life that you’ve been neglecting. Relaxing and trusting that things will be okay if you take some needed rest can be difficult for you these days, but very necessary. The Moon entering fellow Water sign Cancer this morning can help you to find natural outlets for expressing pent-up emotions and frustrations.
Sagittarius
Your ruler, Jupiter, is generally in good form these days, Sagittarius, but periodically since September, it gets into difficult relationship with Pluto, as it does today for the final time in this series. This can be considered a time for slowing down if you’ve been overshooting or excessive recently. Today and tomorrow, you’ll likely have to face some of your fears surrounding money management, business prospects, and for some, talents and self-worth. These may be holding you back from pursuing your dreams, or keeping you tied down and grounded when you might be better off venturing out and about. This is an excellent time for working on confidence issues.
Capricorn
A Jupiter-Pluto repeated theme since September ends this week, Capricorn, and you have a chance to resolve recent problems that have held you back from success, and for many of you, this can be quitting a bad habit or fully committing yourself to a relationship. You may need to slow down a little so that you can make adjustments to your goals or expectations. There can be an obvious need to relax your attitude or outlook in order to welcome improvement and growth into your life. Identifying areas of overshooting, obsessive attention to negative areas of life, and those things that are consuming too much of your time and/or dragging you down. This is an excellent time for seeing problem areas and making the necessary adjustments to fix them.
Aquarius
Periodically you may have recently been dealing with self-doubt and fear of making changes, Aquarius, and this week, you have a chance to improve your attitude. While it’s important to take your time making important decisions now, it’s also an ideal time to face fears of moving forward. Identify guilt that might also be holding you back from seeking out happiness. If the past keeps surfacing in a relationship, aim to deal with it once and for all. The Moon’s move into your sector of work and routines can bring you into a taking care of business frame of mind that is helpful for taking the pressure off overthinking other areas of your life.
Pisces
You may have the chance to finally deal with a problem involving imbalance between your social life and working life this week, Pisces. A sign that you’ve been overdoing things is if both areas of your life are overextended – in other words, you’re spreading yourself too thin trying to please everyone. Take the time to realign and redirect your energies, as this will benefit you most down the road. This morning, the Moon moves into your pleasure sector, and tensions might be released through creative, entertaining activities. Pulling yourself away from problems can sometimes give you a better perspective.
TAURUS STRONG
Stable and enduring, strong values, unyielding, earthy, acquisitive, strong desires. Can be stuck, stubborn, overly possessive, self-indulgent.
GEMINI STRONG
Agile, versatile, inquisitive, flowing, conversational, airy, many ideas. Can be volatile, superficial, changeable, restless and inconsistent.
CANCER STRONG
Nurturing, protective, tenacious, emotional sensitive, watery, strong roots. Can be overly protective, unwilling to let go, timid, reclusive.
LUNAR PHASE: NEW MOON
Moon 0 to 45 degrees ahead of the Sun.
This is an energetic, impulsive, and subjective period of time. We are looking for new projects and opportunities.
The Moon is in Gemini until 9:55 AM.
The Moon is void until 9:55 AM (since 1:57 PM yesterday).
The Moon is in Cancer from 9:55 AM forward (until Friday, May 22nd, at 5:42 PM).
The Moon is waxing and in its New Moon phase.
Mercury is retrograde. (Mercury is retrograde from May 18 to June 11 in the sign of Gemini).
a message from Sarah Varcas
To read more of Sarah’s insight, please visit her site, Awakenings, Intuitive Astrology for Heart and Soul
A Universe Born of Its Own Design
Mercury stations retrograde at 1:44 am on 19th May GMT, and remains in its own sign, Gemini, throughout its retrograde passage. Practically speaking, this is an inquisitive Mercury, seeking information and answers, reviewing events of the past three months, wondering about relationships and connections with others and generally taking stock and sorting through unfinished business. It efficiently clears the decks of outstanding matters, enabling positive progress in the months to come. Of course, that also means current misunderstandings will need to be addressed in the coming weeks whether we like it or not! It may be a hassle at the time, frustrating our desire for progress, but if we commit to sorting through the chaos and getting things back on track now we’ll make up what felt like lost time, in due course. If, however, we try to battle on, ignoring the increasingly obvious signs that something somewhere is going awry, we can be absolutely certain that once Mercury turns direct again we’ll wish we’d listened better to its warnings and done what was needed back then!
Mercury’s retrograde station occurs opposite The Great Attractor. This anomalous point in space is the ultimate in seduction, drawing us towards and beyond it whether we like it or not. The Great Attractor reminds us that in a world of infinite possibilities all things must both repel and attract each other at some point in their cycle of becoming. Just as children can be repulsed by foods they enjoy as adults, and the ‘love of our life’ can become our most ardent enemy when the tides of passion turn, the existence of polarity is central to the very nature of being. We must know the extremes to find the balance that allows wholeness, entertain possibilities that before seemed too outlandish to be true, discard what once meant the world to us and be prepared to release even the very facets of our nature that previously made us who we are. The Great Attractor is our portal to the future, born of the deepest contradictions which may paralyse us in the present.
We cannot resist The Great Attractor (hence its name!) but we can surrender to its intensity of extremes, allowing its contradictions and profound paradoxes to penetrate our every cell until we know them as the very tension which animates life itself. In its darkest depths we encounter fate, those things we simply cannot change, a certain quality of being we cannot escape. Mercury’s opposition to this point as it turns retrograde poses the question ‘What do we do when we can’t change a thing? What does it mean to live a life shaped by powers beyond our reckoning?’. Whilst the practice of astrology reveals the deeply creative role we have in the weaving of our life’s fabric, The Great Attractor reminds us we are still the tiniest pin prick on the surface of a relatively small planet in one of hundreds of solar systems swirling through infinite space! Sometimes, it reminds us, life just does what it does, unfolds as it must and we simply have to deal with it!
It may all sound rather negative and resigned: not what we want to hear. Which is precisely the point. The very fact we don’t want to hear it is why Mercury is shouting it loud and clear right now: there is still so much we simply don’t know. Infinite knowledge is not in our grasp. We are not the architects of this awesome universe but instead a small part of it. As much as we yearn for control, the heavens remind us now some things are simply beyond our authority and wasting time and energy trying to influence them may have caused us to take our eye off the ball in recent months.
Time now to get to grips with what is rather than what we think should be, especially when it comes to relationships. In the coming weeks Mercury highlights what we simply cannot control: responses received from others; decisions made by those we love which turn our world upside down; misunderstandings which seem to arise out of ‘thin air’ simply because you and I are two different people; dynamics sensed immediately upon meeting someone which bear no ‘rational’ explanation: ‘you creep me out’, ‘I like you’, ‘I want to get to know you better’, ‘I hope our paths never cross again’. All point to the unavoidable consequence of life doing what it does: the interplay of our energy with that of another, creating outcomes beyond our control. No matter how hard we try to elicit the result we want – tying ourselves in knots of avoidance and denial in the process – there are no guarantees. Life now calls for living truthfully in the present, not with guile to create an imagined future. Speak the truth. Say it as it is and make doing that our purpose, no matter the outcome.
Contrary to popular belief about power and powerlessness, recognising the limits of our own influence is profoundly liberating. In doing so we can simply stop trying to shape what refuses to be moulded by anything other than its own nature. There is a deep and nourishing peace at the heart of The Great Attractor when we simply allow it to draw us in and have its way. For its way is our way eventually. Through our very acceptance of what we cannot change we become a living, breathing reflection of the creator spirit, not resisting its expression but accepting it as a force of greater intelligence than the ‘little me’ who always thinks it knows best. Once aligned with fate as an active participant there is nothing we cannot be or do, for all that is asked of us is who and what we already are.
This current period of Mercury retrograde will reveal much about what we can change and what is simply the fundamental nature of life, of ourselves and other people. By its end we will know what is and isn’t up for debate. We may well feel resistant to this revelation, but resistance doesn’t mean we’re right and the universe needs to shape up and get with the programme! It means we’re being too small in our outlook, too confident of our power in a cosmos which unfurls constantly, revealing ever deeper recesses of infinite space. There is still SO MUCH for us to know. We are mere ‘new borns’ in the infinity of creation. Only in celebrating that fact can we be open enough to receive ever more profound revelations of truth when it is time. The burgeoning Age of Aquarius is not the destination, the culmination of aeons of development, it is merely a way-station on an endless journey of becoming, a revelation of a new way to live and love, a new mode of existence. In cosmic terms it is still a lower rung of a very long ladder stretching into endless space about which we know next to nothing. Being alive at the shift of ages can lead us to believe we have arrived. In fact we are still on the starting blocks, preparing for the off in a very long race.
The Great Attractor polarises all things, including ourselves. It offers the objective and subjective and bids us choose which perspective we prefer. Either way the opposite is also true. Behind all of this polarity lies the future, born of the creative tension of opposites and similarities interwoven throughout our lives. As Mercury travels retrograde in the coming weeks we have a chance to view those polarities, to encounter paradox and contradiction, different perspectives in the same space of one relationship and honour them for what they are: the fertile seeds of the future, not problems to be resolved into beige blandness of a uni-dimensional view.
If we’ve swept discord under the carpet, said ‘yes’ when we felt ‘no’, committed ourselves when our spirit yearned for freedom, now is the time to do the opposite and reveal the truth. But in doing so we must accept that the choices we make may have consequences we cannot control. Each decision carries its own power, unleashed when we make it, thrust forth to live a life all of its very own. This is how doing the ‘right’ thing can sometimes ‘backfire’ and doing the ‘wrong’ thing can get us exactly where we need to be. The power to choose is ours, then the roller- coaster begins, fuelled not only by our own desire, but also that of the universe: the force of becoming which propels our lives through time and space in ways we have yet to understand.
The future is born of each moment. We are its creators and its subjects, thrown hither and thither by influences beyond our control. Such is the paradox at the heart of the human condition: we have enormous creative power but may lack influence over our creation. This is The Great Attractor at work, offering the freedom of self determination with no guarantees. As Mercury retrogrades through Gemini their combined power invites us to claim our creative potential, exercise it with integrity and in doing so know that what will be will be. The most precious goal is simply to honour who we are in the moment and share ourselves honestly with life. The present moment is all we have and living it well is the best we can do. The future isn’t ours to shape but to embrace as it arises, secure in the knowledge that we rest in the arms of life itself, cradled in an infinite universe born of its own design.
Article located on Spiritlibrary.com
The Moon today is in a Waxing Crescent Phase. A Waxing Crescent is the first Phase after the New Moon and is a great time to see the features of the moon’s surface. During this phase the Moon can be seen in the wester sky after the sun dips below the horizon at sunset. The moon is close to the sun in the sky and mostly dark except for the right edge of the moon which becomes brighter as the days get closer to the next phase which is a First Quarter with a 50% illumination.
UNTIL YOU LOVE ME SPELL
The purpose of this spell is to apply magical persistence in a love relationship that you know deep in your heart that you really, truly want and need.’
Use vanilla-scented oil, a warm bath, and a white tea candle. After dark, draw a warm bath and put nine drops of the vanilla oil in the water. Light the candle and safely place it where you can easily see it while bathing. Focus your awareness on your beloved’s face in your mind’s eye (you can use a photograph if you prefer). Say slowly with meaning as if you are speaking to the one you love:
My beloved [say his or her full name]
I will keep turning my mind toward you
By the powers of Goddess, God, earth,
air, light, and sea
I’m going to keep on wanting you
[repeat his or her name]
I’m going to keep on dreaming of you
my love
Until you want me the way I hunger
for you
Until you hold me in your arms
and show me you care
Until you share your loving ways
with me, until you dare
Lover [say his or her name] until I get
through to you,
I will keep turning my mind toward you
I’m going to keep on loving you
Until you understand my point of view
Until you love me and I completely
love you
That’s what I’m going to do [say his or
her name]
Come on now let me love you and love
me, too
May our love together be blessed and
oh so sweet
Blessed be sweet love! Blessed be!
When you are done bathing, towel off and anoint yourself with the vanilla-scented oil at the wrists, ankles, knees, and back of the neck. Allow the tea candle to safely burn down. As you drift to sleep, repeat to yourself:
I’m going to keep dreaming of you,
my sweet love.
In the morning, write everything you recall from your dreams into your journal.
Wiccan Spell A Night: Spells, Charms, And Potions For The Whole Year
Sirona Knight
Raise Your Energy
The next thing you need to know is how to raise energy in order to cast a spell.
You’ll remember that there are three types of energy: personal energy, earth energy, and divine energy.
Each one has its own unique feeling to it, and each one has its own purpose.
So I’m going to give you some easy exercises that will teach you how to sense all three forms of energy.
First, let’s start with your personal energy. Find a comfortable place to sit and make your breathing long, deep, and slow.
Feel your body relax and your mind get quiet. Now, start rubbing your palms together. Do this for about twenty seconds. Start slowly, and then rub faster and faster.
Feel your muscles begin to tense up. Feel your palms begin to get warmer. Now, stop.
Hold your palms about two inches apart. Can you feel them tingling? This is the energy that you have built and released, and it’s now flowing from your hands.
Look at that! In just twenty seconds, you have felt and created your very own personal power.
If you don’t feel it the first time, don’t worry. Keep practicing. Don’t force yourself to feel it—simply relax and allow yourself to feel this power.
Once you have created this energy, you can now try to manipulate it. Using your mind and powers of visualization, give this energy a color. Make it your favorite color.
Form it into a ball of pulsing energy, and let it move between your hands.
Now, you can make it bigger or smaller as you choose…bigger, now smaller.
Good.
And finally, you can choose to let it return to your body. Simply let it flow back into your palms into your arms, and be absorbed by your body again.
Once you have practiced with your personal energy, it’s time to start sensing earth energy.
For this exercise, find a plant. Any herbs, plants, or flowers will work—but it’s better if they are still growing, and not cut.
Now, breathe deeply for a few moments, relax your body, and clear your mind. Very good.
Hold your left palm a few inches above the plant. Focus your awareness on your palm.
What do you feel? Is it a dull throbbing, a hum, a wave of heat, or a kind of energy shift in your hand? If you can feel something different, then you are feeling the energy of the plant.
You can do this exercise with any natural object: stones, crystals, and trees for example. They all have their own earth energy.
And after some practice, you should be able to feel the differences in energy between the different objects.
For many reasons, it’s better to draw energy from the earth and other natural objects when you are performing magic.
Using your personal energy is very draining, and enhancing your own power with earth energy makes your spells much more effective.
That’s why spells will usually contain herbs, and you will use stones, wood, and crystals in facilitating your magic.
Now that you have learned to feel and manipulate both personal and earth energy, let’s talk about the last, highest form—divine power.
This power, as you may guess, comes from the divine. When you perform magic, you are asking the divine to contribute this power to your spell. You may be able to sense this incredible power as you are doing a spell.
Divine energy is what makes magic truly magical.
Wicca Power Spells
Aurora Rede
May 19 and 20For those who follow the Nordic traditions, May 19 and 20 are dedicated to the Hammer of Thor, Mjollnir (the crusher).
The Hammer of Thor is a symbolic tool that discharges the power of right orderliness over that of the power of harmful chaos. According to mythology, one activity that was undertaken at this time was the ritual of trial by combat, where the will of the Gods would decide which combatant had goodness on his side. Today, devotees of Thor wear small hammer pendants as symbols bols of their dedication to the Scandinavian sky God of thunder and patron.
Isha Lerner on the topics of tarot, moon, blogs, astrology
Witches Of The Craft® 
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