June 28: Princess of Swords

The Princess of Swords is a favorite card of mine. I'm not sure where it was that I worked out she was a personal card (relating to Numerology) but she is the one who Cuts through Moods.
She is AIR which represents the mind and intellect and its processes and she is also touching the toadstool of material reality - she can think high concepts but never loses her footing.

New ideas are brewing here, and the clouds of confusion ever lurk around, and she is cutting through with her sword (another tarot symbol for AIR). Her wings are spread in the 4 directions showing she is balancing the elements and the green and yellow are material and mental colors.

I love how the card shows her as fearless. If this is an energy then it is focused clearly on mantaining a clear mind, wiping away mental cobwebs and staying true to who we are.

Mental scratched records need smashing. It's time to do a head-spring-clean.

***

Today I stayed up all through the night and day til lunchtime and then crashed and slept through - by choice. I needed to switch my head off so I think the cloud-cutting here was just unplugging from the computer and mental work - I tend to think a LOT. So it was a cleansing time. My card represented getting back to myself and a reminder to keep moods and negative thinking at bay. News (as the Princess relates to that) : Chicago radio wants me to be involved in their new podcasting - for two shows a month. Air is communication so NEW IDEAS is what I see this card representing here.

June 27: Princess of Wands

The Princess of Wands - this is the second appearance of this card. Reversed she seems to be sliding down the stairs instead of ascending with the Tiger weighing her down.

There is still a carefree energy about her, but the fire is wreckless perhaps and energy is not so much directed into new ventures as it is cycling. A lot is left unfinished or perhaps never started because energy is not grounded enough.

June 26 - The Fool (reversed)

The Fool card is the zero of the Tarot Deck - the energy before the first card. He represents New Beginnings but more than that, the Spirit behind form. He is energy, pure essence.

There are too numerous symbols to mention here but perhaps as the card reappears we can take a new one. The tiger biting him is a sign he does not know fear and nothing can hold him back. Energy like this is pure, simple, naive and wise.

Many Tarot decks show the fool about to step off a cliff, but not caring. He takes risks, without which there is no change in life and no gain.

***
Since the card is reversed for today I am unsure what to make of this. A new beginning that doesn't come to form? Wrapping things up? Preparing for a new cycle. I think the latter two make more sense to me at this stage. I'm not quite ready to experience the New Moon energy I feel a little behind in my business plan. However, today I worked out and got back on track with my body. Fear has little place in my life anymore, but the tiger is a reminder to me that I still allow things to bother me perhaps more than I should. Why? Because I care, and I am 100% real both with myself and others. Authentic. Honest. People know where they stand with me. I know where I stand with myself. How that can cause problems still beats me but I don't need all the answers.

The Fool Reversed is also a reminder to me to be spontaneous and fun. I had a fun day all in all, but a reminder I am moments away from a new beginning and I need to allow and embrace this.

June 25: The Devil

The Devil is represented by Capricorn the Mountain Goat, and represents the things that 'bedevil' us. To live in reverse of nature is a 'sin' to our Higher Selves and our spirit and as Saturn is the ruler of Capricorn (representing limitation, separation and structure, the karma planet) Saturn was distorted to become Satan - the Devil himself. To live in reverse of course is evil - (live spelled backwards).

Saturn is seen in the ring at the top of the card (the ringed planet).

Pan was the lord of pleasure and he is seen in this card too - the Capricorn 'devil' is smiling - humor has a way of reconnecting us to our spirits once more. Are we trapped in something of our own doing? Are things getting too Capricorn/Saturn Serious??

Our man-made prisons are made obvious under this card - and the reminder to laugh things off.

***
Today I spent time hiking again with my Aries Sun Capricorn Moon friend. IN fact it was a very Capricorn themed day. My friend was a little down about relationship problems, being trapped in situations that aren't happy or healthy (and a little humor helped a lot today). My partner, Capricorn Rising, reminded me of the themes of time - and also I got into arguments relating to people not following up in time-frames they say they would.

Time is a prison to many in the physical realm.

Structure is great but when it comes stifling we need to break free (like the men in the caves at the bottom of the card). It was a high-sexual energy day - and of course this card represents a giant Phallus.

Seriousness is part of the Capricorn life but so also is humor. I think I hit a balance today.

June 23: The Ace of Cups

The Ace of Cups is a card of a new beginning within the Suit - Cups, emotions, feelings, psychic energies and things of the heart.

Light bursts forth shooting out of the cup (or in) As the 'cup runneth over'. The top of the card as always represents spiritual energy, and here the cup is filled by inspiration. It pours everywhere - not solid harsh lines but soft curves (feminine force).

The web in the background represents to me being held in the vice grip of emotions - for good or bad. Emotions just ARE - its what value we place on them that determines wich we would rather experience, and which we seek out or run from.


***
Today isnt quite a new beginning but it IS the day before the New Moon. I had an intense night, with a conversation that became an argument through lack of an appreciation of emotions. Yes, those tricky things...I find most people can't be as honest with their own feelings as I can be with mine, which is part of life but its a difficult thing to swallow even now. This card I think represented just the TIDAL FORCE of emotions and the driving force of most high energy points in the day. I'll be interested to see what it means when it appears again in the future.

June 22: The Hierophant (Reversed)

Looking back at the last time this card was drawn, it was interesting to see more parallels on the meaning.

My initial impression this time when I pulled it was that it was doing something wrong - not following the rules. That energy was blocked (taurus stubborn energy and refusal to move past obstacles or actually BECOMING the obstacle.

It was a slow moving energy, solid but not as fluid as it could be. Like hot, dry, cracked Earth (much lke it is these hot summer days in LA).

***
Today, it became evident much later on how the card ended up manifesting some similar themes as last time. I ended up in a rather lengthy conversation with my partner about schedules, structures and habits (Taurus!) that no longer serve us - and how we get settled into a status-quo. So breaking out and revealing these was the theme of the day. Heavy energy at times, but bulldozing through things that no longer work because they feel just that way - heavy, a drag and no longer enabling, more delaying, frustrating and weighing us down.

Breaking from convention, rules and structure isn't always a bad thing - even though this car may seem imposing, it is nothing more than Taurus established energy, when reversed, being chipped away much like the ocean wearing away the cliffface, to give way for something more solid and useful.

This is the 2nd appearance of the Hierophant Reversed.

June 21: Summer Solstice: The Moon (Reversed)

The Moon is a mysterious card. Here we see two Egyptians protectors of a Gateway. Someone recently said this card evokes the 'As I walk in the valley of death' theme. The biorhythms at the bottom show the rise and fall of lunar tides in the human body and the ones affecting the planet as a whole.

Where does the path lead? How can we ever truly know. We only as far as the eye can see but the scarab beetle at the bottom of the card represents things unseen, dwelling in the unconscious.

The Moon in Astrology represents our unconscious, our habits, our past lives, things ingrained on our soul's journey that we may relate to as what we need but which often turn out to be Habit, pure and simple.

***

it's funny that with so much solar symbolism (since we land today at the Summer Solstice) I'd pull a card relating to the polar opposite - the Moon. The card reversed is a very nebulous card, represented by the sign of Pisces (my own sign). It's a card I see as relating to the more inverted Piscean side - addiction, drugs, alcohol, oversleeping, too much TV, escapism on a deep level - inspiration taken too far to become delusion. Lost in the tides and so forth.

Reversed cards are often hard to read - is it too much of the symbol (overkill) not enough (lack) an unconscious knowledge that isnt fully realized in our dawning awareness, or something we're truly not aware of?

I think today this card represented the old pattern of mine to stay up through the night. I did catch up with a very old friend (who has a Pisces Moon) and we talked for a long time. He's a musician. Symbolic of the more positive manifestion of this card. With his combined pisces Moon with my Pisces Sun, it was a reminder and a going 'home' to myself. The Moon in Astrology relates to the Home. I think it was a message to continue to pay attention to the Lunar Cycles in my own life. Perhaps I'll understand this card at a deeper level as I am sure it will reappear again ahead. I feel the card was a message of more to come. Unconscious energies always manifest themselves for me eventually because I have a keen interest and awareness born under the sign of the FIsh of what is going on under my conscious awareness.

June 20: Princess of Disks

The Princess of Disks is a Messenger on the Physical Realm(all princesses in this deck bring INITIAL ideas and energies relating to the suit they depict).

So here, the Princess launches something in the DISK suit - physical reality, building blocks, money, health, the body, projects, work, something tangible and something with solid roots and the potential for growth and longevity.

She is pregnant showing the birthing of something in the material realm. Her spear shows the initiation of a project and the power in her hand to be a channel (the spear shoots off the top of the card (spiritual aspirations) and plunges to the bottom of the card (physical manifestation) ending in a crystal (clarity of purpose).

This initiation energy is underlined by the Aries rams horns she wears (aries as the first sign is the birth of something, the Ram or Lamb of Easter etc).

The thorny bushes show the security and safety of her projects and her birthing period, the fiery volcano at the back of her represents the initiation energy once more and that this journey has led to this moment, birthing a new life form - whatever that may be. The snake that she wears as a scarf/cloak shows the transformation - when something physical is born, something has to die and something is in a state of transformation.

She pears into the earth, which forms her cauldron, and she carries the Yin-Yang symbol of eternal balance and the dance of creation, part of life and its offspring. The mushroom liek mantel she stands next to shows that all that is created is for Practical Use. There's a very Capricorn Energy with this card too - earthy, practical, organized and grounded in reality.

***
Today was a very practical day - I had to organize work and prepare for a period of expansion - contacting new publications and radio, and above all putting together my business plan. So this card was merely the message that I am ready to birth, but not quite there yet. Making food, getting comfortable in my body and preparing were all issues of the day - I think the Princess merely reflected on this day, the desire to birth a new form of myself and to birth myself into a new phase and practical neccessities need to be arranged and organized in order to accomplish this successfully.

June 19: Five of Wands

The Five of Wands is 'strife'.

This card relates to Saturn (limitations, tests) in Leo (creative, self-expression). Strife comes in many forms but this card suggests the need to control (or the ovecontrolling) ego-expression and the natural free-flowing open-heartedness of Leo energy.

The wands arranged in a cross formation with a 'lead' wand at the front reminds me of a prison bar, but the Solar Disc at the top reminds us the value of just shining - the Sun, as Astrological Ruler of Leo, is a reminder that we all need to just shine our light and not 'hide it under a bushel' as the saying goes.

This card promises concrete (Saturn) creativity( Leo) scheduled in playtime and like ana ctor honing his craft, much rewad after hard work.

***
Today was a very hot day, the flames of the fire energy within this card were evident in just the weather but I did feel a tad restricted inside, I think irritable, unable to continue with my creative work due to the heat and a feeling of inner frustration. It's interesting to notice these feelings over time and how they can arrive from nowhere and leave just as suddenly. I think this card was a reminder to me that I'm currently in my Saturn Return (in Leo).

June 18: Queen of Cups (Reversed)

The Queen of Cups personifies the mystery and enchantment of Water, or the emotional realm.

She is hidden behind a veil and is hardly rcognizable - can you see her? She reminds us that what is important is truly not seen by the eyes but must be felt.

Her association with two water signs is noticeable - the crayfish (cancer) crawls out of the cup she holds making the symbol of neptune - the ruler of the Oceans (water again) and the signs Pisces the Fish.

She is the emotional connector to the heart - to music, to inspiration, to the soothing sounds of the soul.

***

Today was a relaxing day - a drifting one by some standards, I slept early and I spent the better part of the am listening to Tori Amos's piano music, singing and generally spending most time in Right Brain mode, which is synonmyous with the message of the Queen of Cups who is all feelings and nothing to do with logic. That night I ended up having very lucid dreams. Reversed, I think it was without purpose, you can drift with cause and reason (upright) or you can take the other Pisces Fish direction and float where the stream will take you (reversed)...or could this be the other way around? Maybe we'll find out if it appears again.

June 16: Four of Disks

The Four of Disks is 'Power'.

Here we have the four disks transformed into the four towers of a castle - a sign of practical (disks) strength.

Disks are the material world and here the four is a sign of strength and power in this realm. 4 is a sign of practicality so this is a very earthy card - and represented in the astrological connection of the Sun in Capricorn.

Solid Foundations are essential for everything - even castles in the clouds, and this card is a reminder that for anything to last in the physical world, it has to obey physical laws. Roots. Walls.

***
Today, I was up early and it was no surprise to pull this card when I saw how much work i got done - organizing my site, picking up my Past Lives book to work on again, recording voice for my new lecture on Astrology, and laying a foundation for my projects. I was up at 4am and worked through til around middday. Later in the evening I got to spend time with Brian, my old Aries friend (who has a Capricorn Moon, the symbol of this card) and we ended being Capricorn Mountain Goats - hiking up at Griffith Park, and getting a little lost, but getting to see the entire city below at night. Amazing. Being back close to the Earth (symbol here) was needed and I felt very grounded sitting seeing the fat expanses of trees, greenery. Nature always, always soothes my soul and this trip out was a reminder of themost basic, healthy, necessary parts of my human life.

June 14: Seven of Wands (Reversed)

The Seven of Wands is Valour.

The wands now frame a club - something we use as a weapon, and with Mars in Leo here, Mars energy is directed at Ego related things (Leo).

Are we defensive, or are we using our energy in creative ways?
Are we ego-defending or creating, in other words. One is a natural process, the other is a defensive life-crushing way of distributing vital forces.

***
Today, witht he card being reversed, it seemed natural I was actually feeling a little depleted - I worked on creative projects but I was very tired and went to bed early. Simple as that!