Your Ancient Symbol Card for Today

The Sword

The Sword is a a call to action. It indicates challenges are before you and to attain your goals you will have to address them. The Sword does not suggest rash or underhanded behavior on your part. Indeed, while actions indicated by The Sword are decisive, they are based on the power of your wisdom and ethics. The strength of The Sword lies in the moral purity of your actions.

As a daily card, The Sword suggest a time in which you will face external challenges to attaining your goals. These trials are likely to come from a person or persons who stand to gain from your loss or delays in you moving forward. You can expect underhanded play and surprises. Fortunately your position is far stronger than those who scheme to usurp you. Address challenges as they arise and all will be well.

Your Crowley Thoth Tarot Card for Today

The Universe

Like The Sun, The Universe brings good blessings. The Universe appears where all is in balance. It allows you to act effectively not only as an individual but as a member of a group too. The Universe promises contentment, fulfillment and completeness to those under its influence. It doesn’t guarantee there will not be moments of strife or discord in your life, but it does indicate that your trials and tribulations will be overcome; that ultimately you will know inner-peace and contentment. The Universe suggests you have found or will find your place in the scheme of things—that place where all is as it should be.

Get A Jump On Tomorrow….

Your Horoscopes for Friday, August 14th

Aries

A New Moon occurs in your solar fifth house this morning, Aries, and this brings out your more creative, romantic, and celebratory inclinations. This is an important time for wiping the slate clean with retrograde Venus involved as well. If you need to put dysfunctional or negative attitudes behind you in order to move forward more freely in these areas of life, now is a powerful time for working on doing so. With Venus retrograde in the same sector of your chart, there can be some holding back, or backtracking involved. Your motivation to pursue your heart’s desire might return now. This is a cycle for starting new hobbies or reviving old interests, getting creative, starting fresh in a romantic relationship, or putting a difficult relationship behind you. Avoid rigid schedules if you can so that you can better follow your creative intuition.

Taurus

The New Moon today brings fresh, take-charge energy to your solar fourth house, Taurus, and this puts even stronger emphasis on home and family matters. Deeper feelings and needs emerge, and you become more powerfully aware of your support system. This can be a time of re-organizing the home or home environment, and for family-oriented activities and connections. With Venus retrograde in the same sector during this period, it can be more useful to finish up and refine projects that are already in progress than it would be for brand new endeavors. Tastes and interests can take a sharp turn after the first week of September. Relationships, particularly with those closest to your heart, are strong in your mind today and tomorrow. Feelings or ties to the past that you’re holding on to and that no longer serve you well might be better off put behind you, and if so, today is good for wiping the slate clean.

Gemini

The New Moon that occurs this morning brings take-charge energy for communicating, learning, and connecting, dear Gemini. These themes are already strong in your life these days, and the lunation today can provide you with added energy and courage to get things into order. New channels for communicating can be discovered, but you might also be rediscovering old projects and plans, breathing new life into them. You can experience renewed energy and motivation to better handle your daily affairs. This is a good cycle for those returning to school. This New Moon is aligning with retrograde Venus, and this can bring up a desire to start fresh when it comes to relationships, particularly with peers and siblings. It’s a good time to set your intentions for positive new beginnings and resolutions.

Cancer

There is strong emphasis on your spending habits, possessions, and wants and desires these days, dear Cancer, and ideally you’re coming to a better understanding of how you might better handle your money. As well, you can be quite temperamental about whether others value you, as you have a stronger need these days for being treated with respect. This morning’s New Moon will launch a new cycle in which you feel more in charge of these things. With Venus retrograde here, you may be rethinking some of the things you value, and you could be looking at your own talents and resources in a different way. It’s a good time for finding the motivation to put something behind you and to start fresh, or to renew and complete a project you’ve shelved.

Leo

The New Moon that occurs this morning energizes your sign, dear Leo, and represents a new beginning or a cleaning of the slate. This is a time for setting intentions, goals, and resolutions. You might be experimenting with a new style, look, or manner of presenting yourself now. Focus should ideally be on improving personal habits and boosting confidence in yourself – in other words, doing things that make you feel proud of yourself. You may be making changes that reflect or alter your personal plans. Your desires are changing in important and sometimes surprising ways, and you may be in the mood for some form of makeover, which is not all physical. With retrograde Venus and the Sun coming together as well, this is a good time for beginning new on all sorts of levels, not only to do with personality but also relationships, and for putting limiting attitudes behind you.

Virgo

The New Moon that occurs this morning gives you a push and possibly the motivation to review, recharge, and let go, dear Virgo. While there are some signs of moving forward these days with Mercury and Jupiter moving into your sign recently, there remains a strong emphasis on the past, and today’s lunation can give you a cosmic push to deal with those things that have been limiting you and holding you back. You now have a lot of support for putting a dysfunctional attitude or even relationship behind you. This can be an emotional tie to the past that has prevented you from welcoming new energy into your life. You might decide to take action now on recent revelations. Retrograde Venus aligns with the New Moon, and this can point to wiping the slate clean as you now see the folly of certain attachments. The coming days and weeks are wonderful for getting rid of emotional baggage. In a month’s time, a Solar Eclipse in your sign points to a powerful personal new beginning, and the “work” you do now will go a long way towards making the most of this upcoming power period.

Libra

The recent strong focus on friendships, networking, goal-setting, and community or group connections in your life continues, dear Libra, and the New Moon today brings good energy for new beginnings on these fronts. Today and tomorrow are powerful for seeing relationships in a new way and for motivating you to take steps to fix or change your interactions with others and/or your long-term goal, dreams, and plans. Some might be especially motivated to fix a friendship or possibly even cut one out of your life. This is about recognizing what has been holding you back from living your life authentically. Keep in mind that this can be an impulsive time, so you may want to hold off on making big changes, but it’s also important to allow your intuition to work. You may be seeing those things, people, and situations that you truly value in a different light.

Scorpio

The New Moon occurring this morning energizes your career and reputation sector, dear Scorpio. This sector of your solar chart has been busy as of late, and is currently hosting the Sun, retrograde Venus, and Mars. The lunation today and the conjunction of the Sun with Venus tomorrow point to a powerful time for new beginnings, particularly as they relate to ridding yourself of outdated or dysfunctional attitudes and possibly even projects that have been holding you back from moving forward. Old plans or projects may fall out of focus as you make room for new ones. A sense of re-invigoration can be felt when it comes to career or life-plan goals, responsibilities, and ambitions. Relationships and ties to the past can be in strong focus now, and you may in fact be seeing something or someone in a different light.

Sagittarius

A New Moon occurs in your sector of spirit and growth, dear Sagittarius, and this stimulates your desire to learn, improve, and experience life on your own terms. You may be attracting events that widen your experience and deepen your understanding of your life’s purpose. This New Moon puts special emphasis on activities that break you out of the usual routine and truly allow you to feel connected with life and spirit. You have more courage to pursue your dreams. However, with retrograde Venus here, you are also reevaluating your goals and attachments. In fact, there is a strong emphasis now on putting dysfunctional or negative attitudes, ideas, and beliefs behind you, and powerful energy for doing so. There can be new ideas for learning and discovery coming to you now and this week, or renewed interests and plans.

Capricorn

With a New Moon in your solar eighth house occurring this morning and aligned with retrograde Venus, dear Capricorn, this is a powerful time for opportunities to rid yourself of restrictive or self-limiting attitudes. It’s also strong for reworking your approach to pursuing your desires and living your life feeling more empowered and in charge. You may have a different view of what you want from yourself and from others now, and this insight can bring about important changes in the weeks ahead. For some of you, there could be a situation revolving around finances, debts, shared resources, and support that requires changes and adjustments. With Venus retrograde here at the same time, there can be some challenges involved or a focus on the past. This also gives you the opportunity to see people, relationships, yourself, and situations in a new light, which can in turn lead to a fresh start or new beginning.

Aquarius

If you need a fresh start or need to end a significant project (or even attitude), this is a strong time for doing so, dear Aquarius. First, a New Moon occurs today in your partnership zone. Tomorrow, the Sun and retrograde Venus meet in a conjunction, and both events mark the beginnings of a new cycle and a symbolic fresh start or wiping of the slate clean. The desire or need to cooperate and merge with others is strong right now, but so is the need to truly get along. If relationships or attitudes are becoming dysfunctional, it’s time to start anew. Many of you will be redefining your relationships or relationship needs, seeing what you value in a new light. What you feel and see now are important, but do watch for impulsive moves. Try to wait things out before making big changes.

Pisces

There has been a strong emphasis on work, health, and routines recently, dear Pisces, and the New Moon today can help motivate you to take charge of these matters. Tomorrow’s inferior conjunction of the Sun and Venus is another impulsive, “new slate” energy occurring in the same sector of your chart, making this time an especially powerful one for clearing the decks and beginning anew. You might be seeing who and what you value in an all-new way. Your working environment, daily life and schedules, health, wellness, and connection with the work you do are all part of this. If you need to let go of self-limiting attitudes or projects that are holding you back or consuming too much of your valuable time, this can be a strong time for doing so. Think in terms of resolutions to improve your daily life and outlook now.

If You Were Born Today, August 13

There is a regal, masterful aura about you. You are very intelligent, creative, and clever. Very passionate, you are a natural leader – people turn to you for answers – but you are also a fair and gracious person, not a domineering person. You are proud of your intellect. You live by your own truth, and you are very responsible. In fact, you thrive most when you are meeting your responsibilities. As strong as you are, you feel very helpless without a partner, and you are at your best when you maintain a healthy and strong partnership. There is also a somewhat reclusive part of you. You are not always explicit in expressing your affections. However, if a partner considers your actions instead of your words, he/she will value your loyalty, family values, and self-sacrifice. Famous people born today: Alfred Hitchcock, Dan Fogelberg, Kathleen Battle, John Slattery, Sebastian Stan, Bobby Clarke, Debi Mazar.

Courtesy of Café Astrology

Your Daily Horoscopes for Thursday, August 13th

Aries

Creative urges are strong today, dear Aries, and you can do much with them if you can tame some self-doubt. Enjoyment of the day can at times be compromised by worry about things you’ve left undone. Tackle the doubting demons. While you should listen to your intuition, sometimes self-doubt can seem like a gut feeling, when in fact it’s a fear. If you can get past it, you can get a lot done and get into better touch with your feelings about someone at the same time. You may be the bringer of a surprise or change. With the Moon Balsamic, it’s best to work on things that are already in motion than to begin anew (a New Moon occurs tomorrow morning). Later today, a long-term aspect that came exact in November and June completes. This may have caused you some stress or tension surrounding difficult to make financial, business, or life-path decisions. Changes seem necessary, even if it’s difficult to break free from old patterns, habits, and structures. Look for a healthy balance between keeping the old and embracing the new.

Taurus

Something from the past might emerge today, dear Taurus, and while it might feel uncomfortable at first, there can be a feeling of an emotional breakthrough. You can have a strong sense of moving forward and putting the past behind you. Definitely resolve to turn over a new leaf, but honor those who have helped and supported you at the same time. This is a day for stepping outside of your comfort zone just a little, progressive thinking, and willingness to experiment. Later today, a longer-term aspect that perfected in November and June comes exact for the final time. This influence may have caused some tension in your life, particularly related to a partner or friendship, and that could have to do with differing approaches or belief systems. There can be a strong desire to stick with what you know and you may be resistant to let in new ideas or approaches. Even so, you might discover that you can hold on to some of your own traditions while also embracing some new ones without losing your sense of self.

Gemini

Communications with friends today can be enlightening, even if sometimes awkward or uncomfortable, dear Gemini. You could receive information or news that helps you feel that you’re truly moving forward, perhaps into unexplored territory. Opportunities can come through friends, groups, meetings, and communications. Don’t be afraid to show others your more unique qualities and to share your progressive ideas. Later today, a longer-term aspect that perfected in November and June comes exact again for the final time. This may have caused some tension or frustrations with work, routines, or yourself if you’ve felt that you couldn’t quite get over a bad habit or couldn’t seem to move past an old frustration. Change can be scary, but the alternative is stagnation, so you’re best off looking for small steps to take towards making changes that improve your life.

Cancer

You can come to a new understanding about career or financial matters today, dear Cancer, and you might feel that you are truly moving ahead as a result. New insights can be experienced now, and should not be ignored. A money-making idea may very well be golden. You may be thinking in terms of breaking free from a situation that restricts and limits you. You might also find a new way to become more efficient in your work. Tension may come if you feel a little too hemmed in. Later today, a longer-term influence that came exact in November and June occurs again for the last time in this set. This has to do with tensions in a relationship. Using familiar methods of dealing with problems simply may not be cutting it, as much as you’d like for them to, and you could be recognizing now that a more dramatic change is necessary. Today, think in terms of making room for more positive circumstances in your life by letting go of counterproductive attitudes and situations.

Leo

There can be a strong urge to do something new or different today, dear Leo, but you could be wrestling with minor health or motivation challenges. Allowing yourself to break the routine and to be a little adventurous can help you to overcome some of your fears or doubts. Others are likely to receive you quite well right now, even if you’re not quite satisfied with your performance. Later today, a Saturn-Pluto longer-term influence that perfected in November and June comes together for the final time. This could stimulate important signals for resolving an ongoing dilemma that may involve health, family, or work issues. This is a time for finding ways to satisfy your desire to improve and change your life for the better, and at the same time, soothe your fears of letting go of certain structures and traditions that will allow you to make these changes. With a New Moon occurring tomorrow in your sign, this is an important day for reflecting on attitudes and attachments that are no longer serving you well.

Virgo

Your intuition is working overtime today, dear Virgo, and it can serve you very well if you avoid letting doubt overcome you. Approaching a tricky matter with courage can bring something to light that allows you a sense of release and relief. Intimate matters are likely to be strong, but some discomfort may be involved in the process of moving forward. Later today, a longer-term aspect occurs that first perfected in November and then in June. This is its final pass, and it can bring some resolution to tension on romantic or creative levels revolving around difficult decisions about making big changes – whether to stick with what you know or to move on. There may have also been some difficulty breaking away from your many obligations in order to enjoy and pursue your creative aspirations, entertainment, and leisure activities. This is a time for seeing signals that push you to find a balance. With the Balsamic Moon today, it’s best to let go of excess baggage than to take on something new.

Libra

Doubts about whether you are performing at your best should not get in the way of good vibes between yourself and others today, dear Libra. You can make a new friend or break new ground with an existing one today. Share your personal philosophy with someone special, and don’t be afraid to approach certain topics, as long as you do it with grace and warmth, which comes naturally to you anyhow! Later today, the final exact aspect of Saturn semi-square Pluto occurs. This challenging, longer-term influence first perfected in November and then again in June. Difficulties at home or with finances can resurface for final handling. Increasing responsibilities make it difficult to handle current problems, and as a result, you can feel quite stunted in terms of growth and progress. However, fear of change can also be at play. This is an ideal time for letting go of unnecessary excess spiritual weight.

Scorpio

While your love life may be a concern for you today, dear Scorpio, don’t let doubts in that area of your life interfere with professional opportunities, which are very real for you today. New insights into your career path or simply a work project can emerge today that can truly help you out. However, with the Moon in its Balsamic phase, let them sit and marinate a little before going forward. Later today, a longer-term aspect that first perfected in November and then in June is exact for the final time. This influence may have left you feeling weighed down by responsibilities and restrictions. You may feel that there has been little in the way of freedom to pursue your more creative interests. Aim to cut out distractions as much as possible. There can be a simultaneous desire to make big changes and improvements and a desire to hold on to things the way they are, and this may have left you feeling stuck. Look for important signals today that will help guide you towards the right decision. Think in terms of letting go of the harmful, negative energies in your life in order to make room for more supportive influences.

Sagittarius

You can be feeling especially creative today, dear Sagittarius, and for some of you, doors may be opening for new experiences involving travel or romance, or artistic pursuits. Look for these and avoid giving in to feelings of doubt or sudden shyness. If you’re feeling a little bit of fear about expressing your creative side, push yourself just a little to get yourself going. Later today, a longer-term aspect is exact for the final time (it’s been with us since November). This could bring a resolution to a dilemma about whether to make big changes in order to grow, or to stick with what you already know, particularly related to financial or security matters. This is an especially important time for putting guilt behind you.

Capricorn

You might receive news that casts some doubt on a situation today, dear Capricorn, but don’t allow insecurities to rule your day. Instead, open up to the possibility that you can get closer to someone. Conversations about typically private matters or the past can be slightly uncomfortable, but can bring surprisingly positive results and feelings. A longer-term aspect involving your ruler, Saturn, that first was exact in November and June perfects again today for the final time in this series. This can stir up frustrations felt from a sense that changes are being forced upon you, and the desire to keep things as they are/were, particularly related to friendships. Try to avoid cycling, obsessive thinking about those things that you cannot control or change, and instead attempt to focus on possible solutions. Even with these, go gentle on yourself. Consider that ridding yourself of negative energy frees space for new and positive energy to enter your life.

Aquarius

Opportunities to enhance or attract a partnership are available to you today, dear Aquarius, and are proportional to your ability to approach matters with openness and honesty. Open the airways, communicate, and encourage others to do so as well. Later today, a long-term influence that has been with us since November comes exact for the final time, and there may be a reminder of an issue related to career, performance, and others’ expectations of you that has been causing you some tension. You are aware that you need to make changes, but you could be struggling with a desire to keep things as they are or were. It’s difficult to embrace change when there are unknowns or larger responsibilities involved, but the alternative is stagnation, which simply won’t do! Let go of the negative and make room for more positive to come into your life.

Pisces

This morning, there can be wonderful new ideas, particularly related to work, business, and money, dear Pisces, but you could also be dealing with some self-doubt and uncertainty. Aim to find ways to push past these fears so that you can embrace opportunities. There is a theme now of needing to make changes but simultaneous fear or dread. Recognizing that insecurities may be holding you back is important now so that you can take steps to face these fears in constructive ways. Later today, a Saturn-Pluto challenging influence that has been coming in and out of aspect since November now completes. This can point to a resolution of an ongoing dilemma involving friendships and possibly disagreements about beliefs and opinions. Part of you could be feeling worried that people in your life are changing, and you may be sentimental about keeping things as they were. You may have been learning to let change happen, even as it involves some unknowns. Today is strong for letting go of negative attitudes or fears that have been holding you back.

The Balance of the Signs and the Elements on Thursday, August 13th

LEO STRONG
Self-confident, generous, warm-hearted, powerful leader, dramatic. Can be overly proud, vain, extravagant, arrogant.
VIRGO STRONG
Meticulous, discriminating, pure, practical, health conscious, hard working. Can be hyper-critical, petty and perfectionistic.
BALANCE OF ELEMENTS
FIRE STRONG
Fire is enthusiastic, dynamic, and spontaneous, but lacks reflection. We are more courageous and adventurous now, with a tendency to act before thinking. There is little concern about what happened in the past. We are competitive and possibly impatient or bored easily.
AIR WEAK
We may have a difficult time being objective or detached. We may not be especially communicative.
WATER WEAK
There may be some insensitivity or lack of empathy now. We may be out of touch with what we’re feeling or with our emotional needs. We may be tougher than usual now, and more inclined to follow mental or practical considerations than we are to listen to our intuition.
BALANCE OF MODES

CARDINAL WEAK
This is not a time that we tend to naturally initiate actions. We may be stronger at following up than starting anew. Survival mechanisms may be weaker now.
FIXED STRONG
We are thinking about the long view, seeking out security and stability rather than change. We may be committed, focused, resistant to making changes, and stubborn.

Cosmic Weather – New Moon Report for 8/14/15

a message from Rev. Irma Kaye Sawyer

To read more of Rev. Sawyer’s insight, please visit her website, Irma Kaye Sawyer 

Service, Carrier Pigeons and Portal Magic Messages

Hello friends. What an odd and interesting week it’s been. As of this writing (8/12) we are in the final bit of the Lionsgate (888) portal energies that are expected to wind down today. It’s a good thing too, as I don’t know how much more of people out of their body while operating heavy machinery (like cars) that I can handle. I’m happy to be at home writing today.

As I usually do, I tune into the energy of the New Moon and see what it shares with me. I was reminded that we are fresh from the powerful Lionsgate portal energies which are highly creative. For a brief moment starting now until 8/15 at 12:46 am PDT, both the Sun and Moon will be in bright, shiny and creative Leo. Sure there will be some folks that may exhibit more of the “petulant child” behaviors of this energy, but we are always free to tune into its much higher aspects. It has been noted by several astrologers the Sabian Symbol for this new moon underscores the “service” aspect, which brings us back to the “Sovereignty” that has been highlighted throughout the entire Lionsgate portal. The best King or Queen is a conscientious and attentive one. This energy is also supported by generous, expansive Jupiter which has just moved from Leo into Virgo earlier this week.

Sabian Symbol for 22 Leo: A carrier pigeon fulfilling its mission: Spirituality, in terms of training for service to mankind.

Carrier pigeons bring messages and were a method of communication in the ancient past, long before technology. I particularly love this, as feel it implies to be more open to spiritual messages that are possibly more shamanic and “old school;” coming through people, letters through the postal mail, power/totem animals and nature.

The domesticated bird is seen endowed with special significance and purpose. This refers to spiritual energies which are being used constructively and which bring to the consciousness messages from other realms. Individual realizations acquire their true meaning only as they fulfill a collective function. – Dane Rudhyar

Uranus (the great awakener) forms a trine with the Sun, Moon and Venus at the time of the New Moon. This influence can certainly bring change as that is his main focus, but these other energies will temper the force of delivery and correction with a significant amount of gentleness and grace. This is a beautiful thing.

Another thing Leo energies are good at is celebration, so we’re looking at another weekend to have it. Instead of feeling indulgent, it feels timely. It’s important to balance work with play. As a Capricorn, this is something that I know all too well. To play and let go at times is to nurture the soul. It also can be considered some of the best preventative medicine around.

The great Bill Nelson’s music was all over this portal for me personally, and it’s been awhile since I shared a Cosmic Tune. I feel this one is absolutely perfect and appropriate. Shine on, Bright Stars!

NOTE: New Moon in Leo is 8/14/15 at 7:53 am PDT/10:53 am EDT.