Today brings with it a grand opportunity for healing your mind and body. Get rest, and treat yourself to a massage or some other rejuvenating ‘time out.’ You may have a conversation later in the day that helps you strengthen your bond with another.
About the Number 9
Theme: Encompassing a love for all, Compassion, Patience, Selfless
Astro Association: Virgo
Tarot Association: Hermit| May 31, 2011 | ||
 Tarot Influence |
Rune Influence |
 Charm Influence |
| Queen of Cups Reversed An ugly, unreliable character. Dishonesty and immorality are possible. |
||
| Berkano Berkano reversed may foretell family problems and dissatisfaction. Your life path my not be clear to you at this time. Be careful to protect that which is yours. |
||
| Conch Shell This aspect is affected by good financial fortune. Your good fortune will come from an investment, an unexpected windfall, or a change of vocation. |
||
| Your Daily Influences represent events and challenges the current day will present for you. They may represent opportunities you should be ready to seize. Or they may forewarn you of problems you may be able to avoid or lessen. Generally it is best to use them as tips to help you manage your day and nothing more. | ||
Progress is made when those in subordinate positions create harmony with those above, and in so doing create a natural means for their collective talents and abilities to blossom. It is by recognizing and riding with the natural course of events — by hitching our wagon to the rising sun, as it were — that we advance our position and earn respect.
Goodness in human nature is like the dim but beautiful early morning light. It can easily be obscured — by greed, hatred and other forms of self-absorption — just as the morning light can be swallowed by fog. Be reminded that progress is achieved most effortlessly when right action is taken without concern for immediate reward, and when the path of the weaker elements aligns with the strong.
Wheel of Fortune
This Tarot Deck: Connolly
Every one of us will occupy all the points on the wheel at some time or another. The cycle of the wheel is its lesson — and we can learn to take comfort in it (as we do when we celebrate our birthday). If you don’t like the look of things right now, just wait — things will change. Of course, if you do like the look of things right now, enjoy it while it lasts, because that will change too!
You may try to put off the inevitable today, but sooner or later you’ll need to make a decision that you don’t want to face. You might be tempted to take the easy way out, but it’s wiser to think about the consequences of your actions, especially when it comes to choices that affect your finances. A temporary fix can be as problematic as sidestepping the situation, so muster up the courage to overcome your resistance and respond with your complete attention to the matter.
It’s easier for you to take care of business when you’re not distracted by a lack of solid footing. However, your self-confidence can suffer when things seem to be in flux and you can’t see what’s around the next corner. And although you don’t necessarily know what will happen in the future, at least things seem to be running smoothly now. Just remember that this is no time to get lazy. There are many things you should be doing today, even if you’re not under pressure to respond.
You can be extremely productive today, but only if you overcome your feelings of restlessness. Unfortunately, now that the pace of events is slowing down, your thoughts are speeding up — and they may land you in big trouble if you’re looking to stir up some mischief. Think seriously about what you really want, for you might just find more of it than you can handle.
Sometimes you can overcome your insecurity and do whatever makes the most sense. At other times you prefer to take the wait-and-see approach. Today, however, it’s difficult to know how to act. You’re tempted to be less assertive if you can avoid direct confrontation, but someone might come to the rescue by supporting your efforts. Life is easier when you know that you’ve got a friend.
Although you have a clear sense of what needs to be done at work, everything seems to take longer than you expect. You may have to turn down a friendly invitation or postpone a pleasurable social engagement so you can finish your chores. Don’t try to justify any kind of procrastination. Once you get rolling, a seemingly insurmountable task will flow faster than you thought.
This can be a day of solid progress as long as you don’t bite off more than you can handle. Obviously, rushing through any job just to get it done invites sloppiness. Working faster encourages you to make mistakes that can haunt you later on. Take your time and do it right, even if everyone else seems to be in a hurry. It’s more important to lay a lasting foundation now than to meet someone else’s arbitrary deadline.
You could grow frustrated today as your boss changes your job before you finish it. Each time you make progress, someone switches the rules once again. You are tempted to give up because you don’t want to waste your time doing something that ultimately has no lasting value. However, you probably cannot see the bigger picture; it’s better now to analyze things less and simply attend to your work as it is assigned. Everything will make more sense soon enough.
Establishing a sustainable pace of production feels good now, for you’re tired of running around in circles that keep bringing you back to the same place. Today it finally feels as if you are making progress, yet someone may want to slow you down even more. Don’t resist; this is a chance to improve the quality of your work by taking a break and replenishing your energy.
This may seem like a relatively quiet day, yet you can achieve positive results on several fronts. The cluster of planets in your 6th House of Details enables you to make improvements to your health regimen that will have lasting effects. Additionally, increasing your efficiency on the job by reorganizing your files, catching up on emails or doing routine paperwork is an intelligent use of today’s transits. Working steadily is more satisfying now, so make the most of it while you’re in the mood.
Setting your goals early today can help you be even more productive than you thought possible. However, it’s not a good idea to expect amazing results to just be dropped into your lap. There are no shortcuts available now and you will have to work extra hard if you want to reap the benefits later on. Thankfully, the Moon is visiting your 5th House of Fun and Games for most of the day, allowing you to have an enjoyable time crossing off the things on your list one at a time.
You’re not afraid of stirring things up if you are ready to make changes in your life. However, you are probably still enjoying the recent stability with so many planets in down-to-earth Taurus. You like the consistent connection that you have with your work and are eagerly anticipating reaping the fruits of your current labor. If things are going well, you may be tempted to take a bit of time off; however it’s not wise to start coasting yet. Stay focused on your goals; you’ll have plenty of opportunity to relax later on.
It can feel quite demoralizing if someone criticizes you out of the blue; however, a friend’s harsh analysis might be very inspiring now. Don’t put up unnecessary boundaries; instead, be an active listener and take the feedback you receive to heart. You have an opportunity to improve your communication skills and this could have a positive impact on your relationships with others. Remember, the right guidance can be a blessing, so don’t let your pride get in the way.
by Hans Decoz
In previous yearly forecasts I mentioned that 2008 was the start of an amazing nine-year epicycle, one that will go down in history as more dramatically transformative than any other period before it. Numerology clearly shows that the year 2012 is the big turning point in this cycle, but first we must get through the year ahead.
We are now entering the fourth year of this nine-year cycle, and 2011 is dominated by the disciplined and controlled 4 — a positive energy, if it wasn’t for its lack of vision and flexibility. While discipline and control may sound positive in many ways, the way it plays out in 2011 is not quite as wonderful as it sounds, as it expresses itself in a global narrowing of vision that lessens our ability to plan for the future or to properly understand the impact of our choices and decisions. Also influential in the year 2011 are the 1 and the 0, creating obstacles and confronting us with some of our more taxing shortcomings.
If, in fact, 2012 is to be the major turning point, then 2011 is the last year when all things flow downward. There will be confrontations over the most trivial disagreements. If most politicians today are considered narrow-minded and foolish, during 2011 the little bit of vision and greatness that managed to survive thus far will be all but wiped out. Details are blown out of proportion, frustration rules and tunnel vision becomes the accepted norm. There will be less progress and more regress.
For the last dozen years or so, there has been a dominating presence of both the 0 and 1 and the 1 and 2 patterns. These are numbers that push things apart and away. So while the obvious political, military and religious forces continue to bring conflict and separation, there is actually an underlying evolution taking place on a deeper and more humane level, carrying us toward a more harmonious existence while the changes playing out on the surface seem to be pushing us toward our ultimate demise.
Unfortunately, we might not see the effects of this harmonious existence until a few more years down the line. On the visible stage, 2011 still brings stagnation, denial and downright obstruction on a national and global level. More and more, it appears that people focus on the differences between them, causing hateful rhetoric and violent encounters. There will also be a further widening of economic gaps in developed countries, and most visibly in the United States — the rich get richer and the poor get poorer … and the percentage of people considered to be poor increases exponentially. Religions, without exception, also become more polarized, and this reflects itself in less tolerance, more dogmas and likely more violence. In fact, look at any aspect of human life — political, religious or any other — and simply sharpen the angles, and there is the picture for 2011.
Theme: Adaptable, Tactful, Gentle, Cautious
Astro Association: MoonTarot Association: High PriestessThe Anchoret
This Tarot Deck: Cagliostro
While the hourglass was an identifying feature on the earliest Hermit cards, more modern ones have shifted the metaphor, showing more or less light released from his lantern. In either case, the Hermit card reminds us of the value of time away from the hubbub of civic life, to relax the ego in communion with Nature.
|
|
||
General Meaning: Overview is a time for composure and contemplation. As a result of profound introspection, a hidden force reveals itself, and may influence others without their being aware of it. Do not underestimate the power of such a subtle force. Like the wind blowing across the treetops, its presence is perceived through the effect it has on everything it touches.
Shallow wells rarely strike water and shallow minds often come up empty. The ability to keep still and simply observe deepens resolve and attracts good fortune. Discern the difference between what is deep and what is surface within yourself — and you will be able to distinguish between the two in the world as well.
During a period between events, the practice of stillness with awareness is fruitful. Only by observing and absorbing the true nature of things — by apprehending the rhythms and cycles that guide all creation — can we discover the laws that apply to our own individual lives. Examine yourself and the overall situation — not just with the thought of discovering truth, but with the vision of concentrating your personal power.
Strength
This Tarot Deck: Angel Tarot
The feminine soul-force contains a persuasive power that can nurture and induce cooperation from others, stilling disruptive energies by harmonizing differences in the spirit of collective good will.
The Chariot
This Tarot Deck: Art Nouveau
Huge wheels and frisky steeds speed the rate at which the driver’s willpower can be realized. This kind of charge makes more of the world accessible to anyone ambitious enough to seize the Chariot’s reins. But there is danger in this feeling of freedom, because of the increased rate of change and its power to magnify mistakes in judgment. As a seasoned warrior, the Charioteer is called upon to be extra attentive to the way ahead.
Classically, the energy of this card reminded us of the real challenges posed by romantic relationships, with the protagonist often shown in the act of making an either-or choice. To partake of a higher ideal often requires sacrificing the lesser option. The path of pleasure eventually leads to distraction from spiritual growth. The gratification of the personality eventually gives way to a call from spirit as the soul matures.
Modern decks tend to portray the feeling of romantic love with this card, showing Adam and Eve at the gates of Eden when everything was still perfect. This interpretation portrays humanity before the Fall, and can be thought to imply a different sort of choice — the choice of evolution over perfection, or the choice of personal growth through relationship — instead of a fantasy where everything falls into place perfectly and is taken care of without effort.
Author: Juniper
Decorate your altar, shrine and ritual space with items that relate (in your mind) to the ritual purpose. Use colors, scent, images, and tools to their best effect.
If you are doing a very masculine working, do not put pink flowers on your altar. Put images and items that have a masculine feel to and meaning to you.
If you are doing a hearth and home related ritual, put a dollhouse in the room, cut out images of fireplaces from a magazine and tack them on the wall.
Do not bother with placing items that will not be used or useful during the ritual, only use what is going to be really helpful. If there is a print on the wall that does not relate to your ritual, take it down, or hang a piece of fabric over it. Cut out the distractions as much as possible.
Do not worry about the proper correspondences as written in a book; think about what gives you the right impressions, thoughts and feelings. It is all about your mind connecting your surroundings with the ritual purpose.
Don’t sweat the small stuff. Do allow yourself to become distracted by silly little things, like almost tripping, almost spilling, slipping up a few words, and the clock ticking in the next room. Do not worry about making a fool of yourself, if your makeup is getting smeared, if your deodorant is holding up. These are all distractions. They do not matter.
Don’t rush! Slow down and take your time. Rushing through a ritual will not give it that deep meaning; you will gain nothing from it. If your rituals are too long, cut the fat. Trim it down to only what is really important, so that you can spend the proper amount of time focusing on that.
Move! Dance, clap, stomp, sway, and wave your arms around. Just standing there shuffling your feet does not help to build energy, it also does not help you to feel the ritual. It may seem a tad silly, but if you are finding a lack of emotion, a lack of meaning in your ritual, try doing an interpretive dance, act out your ritual. Tap your foot in time to the words you are speaking.
Do your own personal sign language. If you are saying something about the moon, draw a circle or crescent in the air with your hand or ritual tool. If you are trying to connect with the feminine divine, touch your breasts (if you are a woman) , draw the shape of a woman in the air, hold you arms as if stroking a pregnant belly or as if you are holding a baby. When contacting a god, touch your crouch (if you are a man) , or draw a hammer, a phallus or horns or oak leaf in the air in front of you.
Stand up straight, lie down, sit up, lean to one side and then the other, hop on one foot, and use those hand signs and body postures found in Paganism 101 books.
Say it like you mean it. One of my best teachers was into drama and acting. She used to shout at us during ritual “Emote dammit! Say it like you mean it!” don’t just read off of some page in a monotone, say it with feeling, drama, and meaning.
When you are inviting entities into your ritual, speak with welcome in your voice, say it as if you were inviting a friend in to your home.
Do not rush through a prayer, chant or poem as quickly as possible. Take the time to carefully speak each line, with feeling. Repeat if necessary.
Pretend you are an actor on a stage where your audience is hard of hearing and far away. Emote and project. Speak from the heart and use your belly voice, as acting and singing instructors would say. Singing and chanting rather than speaking can also help you to inject emotion into your words. So try it, even if you do not have a great voice.
Use your imagination. That’s what visualizing is all about. Using your imagination will help you to connect with your creative side, the right side of your brain, the part of you that does not worry about logic, but that relies on feelings and intuition.
Practice, practice, practice. Do not give up if things just don’t feel like they are working the first time. Try it again; try everything at least three times before moving on to something else. The first couple of times you perform a new ritual, you will feel rather awkward, that’s perfectly natural. You cannot truly find that spiritual connection until you have become somewhat comfortable with what you are doing.
Do not expect results right away, the very first time. This rarely happens for people. Also it can be a good idea to practice at home, alone a couple of times before you go and join in a group ritual.
Feel it, really feel it. Don’t just go through the motions. If you feel that you are, stop! Take a few deep breaths and remind yourself what you are doing and why. Find your motivation. Say it out loud, think it, picture it in your mind, and really feel it. Draw it, paint it, and write poetry about it.
Do whatever you need to do before a ritual to make sure the purpose of the ritual is fresh in your mind and filling your heart. At each step along they way during a ritual, stop for a second and reaffirm what you are doing and why.
Keep the ritual purpose in the forefront of your mind and heart.
A good ritual, a really truly good ritual should bring you to the brink of tears, happy or sad. People have often made fun of me for getting choked up or actually crying during ritual. They don’t get it, not at all.
If you really want results, you need to bring your heart fully into it. If you want a ritual to have meaning, you must give it meaning. You must really feel it; you must put that feeling into it.
Laugh, cry, shout, sing, dance, smile, and do it like you mean it! If you do not mean it, you shouldn’t be doing it. If you do not mean it deep in your mind, heart and soul, you will never have that special spiritual experience you seek.
This Tarot Deck: Ukiyoe
Because monasteries were the only places a person could learn to read and write in the middle ages, a Hierophant was one to whom a student would petition for entry. He was the one to set the curriculum for the neophyte’s course of study.
Often pictured with the right hand raised in blessing, the Hierophant is linked with the ancient lineage of Melchezidek, initiator of the Hebrew priestly tradition, the one who passes on the teachings. All shamans of any tradition draw upon this archetype.
Author: Keyokwee
I am always amazed and enlightened by the differing views that we all take away from our encounters with each other and Mother Nature herself. We can choose to look at ritual performed in the moonlight in the nude, as a powerful statement, a beautiful sign that there is nothing between yourself and Goddess, or simply cover up. But the choice is yours to do so and no less is thought of you if you choose not to do so.
Also since I am a Crone, I can truly savor a wicked sense of humor when it is delivered with justice! My husband, while pagan, does not go for the “foo-fer-all” of rituals instead preferring to sit on the sidelines and watch (usually mildly amused) . But he does understand and accepts me, as I am when I do my thing.
Now in the Crone aspect of life, I can truly respect Hecate. I am constantly amazed by what she can teach me, including and especially, in preparation for the unexpected in life. And since I’m mainly Irish, Hecate likes to throw a twist of the Murphy’s into my life, to keep me on my toes, and to gently remind me to cover my bases before throwing myself enthusiastically into my worship.
I’m reminded that I must approach Her with extreme caution and Wisdom because she will deliver a lesson that you’re sure never to forget. As Hecate is kind of like the Goddess of the Crones, she respects the fact that one is a Crone and allows some leeway for it. But in my case, She delights in delivering her lessons with a ruthless sense of humor. Case in point…
My husband and I live in a very rural part of Northern CA, and we like our privacy. It’s wonderful to have such freedom with no neighbors in sight. We have an above ground pool that is well used during the summer and we feel we can safely skinny-dip in the pool or pretty much walk au-natural around our house. (Polite people call before barging in!) And I feel quite comfortable in my own skin. So when my younger neighbor topped the hill after crossing the front pasture…I think that he pretty much got what he deserved!
It was a typical end to a very hot day. My husband I took advantage of the near darkness to dip into the delicious coolness of our pool and then climbed out to sit at our patio table. Each had our beverage of choice in hand. Mine was wine; his was beer. We were both caught up in the magic of the stars starting to twinkle overhead and the crickets and tree frogs were starting to turn up the volume on their nightly serenade.
There is something seductive about this time of the evening, especially when you are pagan. It’s one of the two times during the day that light meets dark and embraces. So we have come to expect that anything to happen.
I started humming and swaying and dancing around, caught up in the moment and had just raised my glass in a salute to the Goddess when the applications of Nature were driven home. The ensuing chain of events was a lesson to us all.
For it was at that time that our neighbor chose to walk over the top of the hill. But was that the end of it? Oh! Heck No!
Throw in the Murphy’s Law Applications: One Reubenesque Crone. Darkness falling. A salute to the Goddess with a glassful of wine. A gopher hole. And nine billion mosquitoes that all saw my 40 axe-handle butt shining with more lumens than a full moon reflected in an amusement park Hall of Mirrors!
You can see where this is going, can’t ya?
I was a mosquito posse’s dream come true served up on a smorgasbord! It was truly a sight to behold: A Gen-U-ine Kodak moment! I swear that I heard cackling a split second before everything converged at once. My neighbor got a free shot (Or so he thought) of a fat, drunk, naked middle aged lady who spilled her wine while flailing her arms around, waving at him!
I bet that was a little bit too much information! But on the flip side, I’m a crone and I can appreciate the warped sense of Her dark humor served up with a liberal dose of Justice and Common Sense!
The seductive song of a warm summer’s night was disturbed by the unexpected appearance of a fool! There’s a reason why I am a solitary. May your mind be seared by the shocking sight of a Crone moments before her just desserts are served in Spades! I’m no Barbie Doll, honey…this is the real stuff at 54-gravity served up on steroids!
Well that poor kid must have thought that his eyes and brain just sucked a big one on the un-sweetened Lemon of Truth because the ensuing retreat was felt on the local Richter scale.
And what desserts are those, ya almost forgot to ask?
Never think that you can get away with just a toast. Share or She’ll take it all! And if you toast Her, come with just a little wisdom and be prepared to use some common sense. Burn the incense of citronella or ‘Off ‘coils.
(Friends and neighbors, please call first. That’s the polite thing to do!)
And to the fool drinking the beer: Keep your mouth shut! Never again wince and look at your bottle and say, ”That’s going to leave a mark!” to the retreating form of your neighbor’s back.
In the blink of an eye that song of that summer night was drowned out and replaced by the high pitched whine of the incoming going to Glory! The mosquitoes were everywhere! I quickly started flailing about inside the midst of that cloud, stepped in the gopher hole in the process, and flung my last glass of wine out to the grass.
I left three-quarters of the cloud of mosquitoes there to deal with Mr. Naked Big-Mouth while I hastily retreated to spray myself with ‘Off’. The other quarter of them followed me into the house where they fed on his sorry carcass for the rest of the night because he refused to spray himself down!
So what marks is your sorry butt referring to now? The ones left in the mind of our neighbor, or the ones on your backside? Or on mine. Even my hills and valleys now have hills and valleys. (And have you folks ever sprayed yourself with Off after scratching yourself? There’s a real in-the-now reminder! Humph!)
I still swear I hear Her cackling and snapping Her fingers saying, “ YES! The Goddess is in the house!”
Peace and Blessings, Honey!
All of us have had traumas in our life. Granted, some seem much bigger than others and we can all sing the “Somebody Did Me Wrong” song.
I believe these challenges are sent so we can learn how to get back up. They are to show us how much courage we do already have within us.
Some people have huge stumbling blocks or traumas at a young age, some in later years. If you look back in your life and see darkness, I implore you to look more closely.
You are able to look back – aren’t you?
You are still here,
living, breathing PROOF that you were ABLE to Get Back Up.
Bless the dark areas and thank them for the strength that you now have within you to face the next one. Without darkness we cannot recognize the light. Walk in the light and bless the darkness. This way the new light will touch everything past and everything yet to come…
Burdens can weigh you down if you let them engulf you – so don’t.
Always remember you Are Still Here so
YOU
Are Able to Get Back Up.
— Copyright © 2006 Vicki Muller
The Emperor
This Tarot Deck: Tarot of the Witches
The more enlightenment and cosmic perspective this energy brings, the better life is for all. The Emperor archetype masters the world of matter and physical manifestation. When you apply this card to your situation, acknowledge your potentials for mastery. Reinforce a sense of sovereignty within yourself, despite any self-limiting beliefs, habits or appearances to the contrary.
I hope everyone is having a great day today. I am adding a special treat in my postings today. I ran across some old Chinese remedies and I will be posting them today. They are tonics and ancient but they still work today. So copy and paste or get your pens out, these are some good tonics. Have a great one, dear friends!
Witches Of The Craft® 
You must be logged in to post a comment.