A Nine of Swords Moment Brings Helpful Insight

Lately I have been sleeping very well, which has been wonderful. Six to nine months ago I went through a period where I'd often wake up in the middle of the night, my mind would start to whirr, those fears that are wont to well up in the darkest hours would rise, and it would take an hour - sometimes even two - before I could relax enough to fall back to sleep. I'm not sure what changed, what switch flipped, but I suddenly began to sleep solidly, peacefully, and fully each night.

And then last night I had a 9 of Swords moment! At 2:40am I awoke, and started to worry. I worried about my son grinding his teeth (a really annoying family trait). I worried about bills (even though they're all under control). As I laid there I felt a tickle on my nose and was sure a bug was crawling across my face, so I shot straight up in bed, flailing my arms, and knocked the charger cord out of my phone, which then fell rattling to the floor making a sound that I was sure was the bug running away (it wasn't). Seriously. This is so comical to me right now, but I was a hot mess at 3am.

Tarot De St. Croix

So I laid back down thoroughly irritated with myself, and proceeded to think. Whenever I have these moments of insomnia I always think about Odin's advice from the Havamal, that (to paraphrase) a fool stays awake worrying all night, wakes up exhausted and has resolved nothing. I wanted to pinpoint the source of my wakefulness. I manage our finances okay. Why was I worrying about bills? Perhaps it was the weight of them that felt like a burden. I may keep things organized, but is there something more I can do? Is there a way I can be even more proactive? What the heck was I really worrying about?

A few days ago my husband asked me to do "one of those big readings" that I do for him once or twice a year. After I pulled his cards I decided to do one for myself, and I was quite interested to see the 7 of Swords appear in the position of my "current awareness." The card, from the Tarot of the Cat People, shows a somewhat unusual image of a woman surrounded by swords, looking up at the sky where a fat cat floats in an ethereal bubble. If anything, it almost feels more like the 8 of Swords (except for the floating cat!). This is often considered a card of deception, politics, strategy, even diplomacy (which is certainly on my mind in light of all of the mediation I've been doing lately!). I wanted to spend some time considering what the card meant for me, and since the depiction was non-traditional I decided to read the artist's own impression from the little white book, which described this card as representing the will and fortitude to reach one's goals. Hm. Well, that is certainly true, I thought at the time. I have a lot of goals on my plate, and every day I feel more poised to work toward achieving them. It's definitely been on my mind a lot over the past month or so.

As I was laying in bed in the early hours of morning, surrounded by darkness, thinking of yesterday's "Deep Emotions" draw from the dat Black Mermaid Man Lady oracle deck, thinking of the 7 of Swords, thinking of this nebulous source of my strange worry session, it suddenly hit me: while I am determined to achieve my goals, on some level I am afraid that no matter what I do, no matter how hard I work, I will never realize them. Whoa. That was a sharp and weighty revelation.

Tarot of the Cat People

Feelings are strange things. They are not always forthright, do not always announce their presence. Feelings can be quiet, at times even imperceptible. They can subtly influence our thoughts and responses; they can disguise themselves within a multitude of contexts, blurring our ability to identify them, to recognize them for what and why they are. As open as I am to working through my own emotional universe, to understanding myself, to engaging the dark, the light, and everything in between, sometimes emotions lurk in shadows just beneath the surface of our awareness. You have to go hunting. It was hunting that I was doing in the pre-dawn darkness when I would have preferred to be sleeping. But the search at this odd flip-side of the day provided me with powerful insight into my own psyche.

Interestingly, the "outcome" card in the reading I had done for myself was the Ace of Pentacles. What intrigued me most about this duo was the story that they told together. In the Ace of Pentacles we see that the "fat cat of unrealized dreams and goals" that once floated in the sky above the woman in the 7 of Swords is now tangible and sits quite happily on the floor beside the lady in the Ace. Now, a glowing pentacle hovers where the cat once did. The "thoughts" of the swords suit become the earthy reality of the suit of pentacles. It is a positive symbol that suggests that despite my anxieties about my ability to accomplish my dreams, the efforts I put forth will not be in vain.

This morning I decided to pull a card from the dat Black Mermaid Man Lady oracle deck, and I pulled one of the "Dreamer" cards for the second time in two days. But this morning, rather than pulling a card with a keyword, I drew one that was blank on the back. This indicates that "you already know" what the message is. And indeed, I did know. I made space to pull a card for the #tarotperspective challenge on Instagram, and instead of simply pulling a daily draw, I decided to ask: "How can I address my own fear of failure?" As I was shuffling I saw in my mind's eye the Chariot card that had been the "shadow" card of yesterday's pull. I cut the deck, turned the top card over, and it was....the Chariot!

Tarot of the Cat People; Stone Tarot; Tarot of Vampyres

This is card that I've been pulling with relative frequency for the past year, and it has ushered me through some powerfully and very positively transformative times. For the Instagram post I wrote about the Vampyres version of the Chariot (which speaks to me most):

The warrior spirit is evident, the fearless pursuit of a goal. The arrow points true, finding its destination and locking on. Even in the darkness of night, with nothing but inner fury and the dim moonlight for guidance, this charioteer flies forth.

On my walk into the office this morning a shining penny stood out in my path. I always see these as little messages from Elegua. I pick them up, run some numerology on the year, and see what that sum means to me in that moment (it's amazing how often there is relevance). I paused and picked up the coin. I calculated the year, and found the sum to be 7. At first I frowned, slightly puzzled. And then it clicked: 7 is the number of the Chariot. And like a vast circle turning round and round and round on itself, the pieces all came together into a whole.

I will probably have sleepless nights again; this realization hardly cures me from concern. But what it has given me is a powerful tool of reflection. I don't float unmoored through time; I, as a human being on this earth, have context and history. When I forget that (which is easy to do at 3am); when I lose - even momentarily - perspective regarding my ability to breathe life into my goals for the future, I can call to mind the Chariot, which reminds me that I will, because I have.

Finding Fulfillment with 7 of Cups

Last night I pulled two cards for the week ahead, using the Prisma Visions Tarot and the Wisdom from the House of Night oracle. Before discussing what popped up, I feel the need to reflect for a moment on last week's post, Channeling Fire. I'd pulled very "hot" cards, and was prepared for a wild week ahead. In reality, my week was probably even more hectic that I could have anticipated, and there were several times where I definitely felt like I was on the back of a runaway horse. To be honest, I still feel a bit like that! I had thought to use the High Priestess of Fire as a focal point to avoid burnout, and I'm not entirely sure if I managed to do that successfully, though I did think of her often. I did feel close to burnout somewhere around mid-week, and then, almost miraculously, I just started laughing. The kind of laughing which you come to realize is just a way of expressing out-of-control stress in a fairly healthy way! I just stopped caring so much about where my wild pony was going, and I carved out a fraction of space not rudely invaded by my overwhelming work responsibilities. It was a good thing.

Two days ago I decided to pull a card from the Tarot de St. Croix to gauge my own progress and I pulled the 2 of Pentacles. Yes, I thought, this is about right. Harmonic fluctuation. Well, "harmonic" might be pushing it. I mostly just felt like I was treading water, however I did manage not to drown, and I'm certainly pleased about that!

So today I drew the 7 of Cups along with Fulfillment:

Prisma Visions Tarot

It's an interesting combination because the 7 of Cups is certainly not a card that I'd say brings to mind satisfaction and pleasure, per se. This is a card often understood to represent fantasy, illusion, dreams, and the act of pondering one's many options.

Wisdom from the House of Night Oracle

Meanwhile Fulfillment is about enjoying the fruits of success and accomplishment, relaxing, reveling in material comfort. What is particularly noticeable to me is that in the 7 of Cups we can see many chalices enveloped by fog or wind. Only one is actually holding something - from the central chalice rises a rather large-looking serpent. Thinking in Lenormand-style, the snake often signifies complications (among other things). And it's fair to say that I will certainly have a lot on my plate, and will be wondering what to do first, all the while attempting not to let the haze carry me away. But these chalices are mirrored in the cup of wine on the Fulfillment card.

What does that mean to me?

It means that I will certainly be weaving my way through a complicated web of duties and emails and students and conflicting interests, and will very likely find it challenging at times to know what to check off my list first. But if I can look the snake in the eyes and focus, I'll have the opportunity to enjoy the satisfaction that comes from a difficult job well-done. (And truth be told, if I can make it to the end of the week, I'll be attending a special event for my padrino which will certainly be a wonderful way to kick back and relax!).

2016 Presidential Election Prediction

I know we're more than a year from the formal vote, but I've been hearing so much about the potential candidates lately that I decided to pull some cards to see if I could identify a party win for 2016. Of course, as of now the candidates haven't even been selected yet, and only the Republicans have begun their primary debates. Nevertheless, here we go!

I selected one card to represent the Democrats (I decided it would be the left-hand card for obvious reasons!) and one for the Republicans. I also considered the card at the bottom of the deck for underlying energies. My specific request when shuffling was to understand the energies surrounding election success for each party:

Democrats: World
Republicans: Ace of Swords reversed

Tarot de St. Croix/Lisa de St. Croix

Well... wow!....that was my reaction when I turned the cards over. I find it very interesting that we have the final card in the Major Arcana, and an Ace from the Minors paired together. I'm going to call this for the Democrats, and in particular the woman on the World card brought to mind Hillary Clinton. This is truly someone who has reached the apex of their career, and potentially their life as a whole. It's an incredibly powerful symbol of everything coming together, of profound synthesis of experience and knowledge, and in a literal sense the creation of a new world leader. The constellations represent all of the background support being provided and the bolstering community (at times undefinable to the lay person) that is in place.

Interestingly, the Ace of Swords in its reversed position shows logic and reason falling apart. There is confusion, and strong ideas that miss their mark. Upside down, the sword in this image descends, rather than rising up in triumph. I think it is interesting that both cards feature a deep blue night sky with a background of stars. But whereas the World card feels harmonious, the sword pointing down into the moon suggests the inability to create the sort of clarity, rationale, and focused intent that people can get behind. When I think of what I've read about the current Republican primary debates it does certainly sound like there is already some confusion and lack of decisiveness in the mix.

We will see how it all plays out!

The card on the bottom was: 9 of Wands

Tarot de St. Croix/Lisa de St. Croix

In this card an elderly woman walks alone down a dark path at night. From the vantage point we can see where she's come from: there are the pillars from the High Priestess, and lightening striking a tree, reminiscent of the Tower. She's been through a lot of ups and downs, but she's still walking. In general this shows me that it's going to be a long and exhausting trek to the finish line. And again we have a woman here, which (again) brings my thoughts back to Hillary Clinton. She has a lot of air to clear if she hopes to earn the support of the majority of the nation, one of the more significant issues being the Benghazi emails. But she is a sharp, masterful woman with many long years of high-level political experience behind her. I suspect that she knows exactly what she's in for, and that she has a Plan.

Now that I have drawn my cards, there's nothing left to do but sit back and see how it all unfolds!

UPDATE - 11/10/16

Trump ended up claiming the Republican nomination, and Hillary Clinton did in fact become the Democratic nominee. Clinton was highly favored to win, and after a long, brutal election cycle, Clinton did in fact win the popular vote, however Trump won the presidency via the electoral college. The cards I pulled so long ago were all quite accurate in the sense that there was (and still is) a lot of confusion, disagreements, and division among the Republicans, their nominee, and the public. A day after the results of the election, streets in many cities across the country were filled with protestors claiming that "Trump will never be my president." It's hard when the majority of voters express preference for a candidate, but due to the electoral college, the other candidate is awarded the grand prize. Thus there are also petitions circulating at the moment demanding to either abolish the electoral college altogether, or at the very least update it to reflect modern day America.

Interestingly, Hillary Clinton won support from the current President and First Lady, a number of star celebrates and musicians, a long list of renowned newspapers and news magazines, and many international figures as well (World card). She certainly walked a hard and long road as shown in the 9 of Wands, and the email scandal definitely came back to haunt her toward the end (though it was ultimately resolved to her favor). It may be a small comfort, but at least Clinton can move forward knowing that she was chosen by the people.

What will the next year look like as we transition into a very new and unexpected future government?  Only time will tell.....

Lammas Tarot Blog Hop: Rediscovering Our Joy

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Welcome to the Lammas 2015 Blog Hop! Please use the links at the top or bottom of this post to navigate to the other wonderful blogs in this circle.

Our wrangler, Joanne Sprott, has asked us to discuss the influence of the Sun in the Tarot, and/or of Mercury from a favorite Tarot or Oracle deck. I've decided to focus on the Sun (or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that the sun called me to focus on it!).

One morning, recently, I was looking out my kitchen window in the early hours of the morning, enjoying the glint of the rising sun through the green landscape. I thought about how interesting it is that the angle of light can bring out so many lovely details in even the simplest of things. This spurred the thought:

How does the illumination of the sun invite us to see things in a new light?

New Orleans Voodoo Tarot/S. Glassman

On a mundane, earthly level, the sunlight filtering through green leaves, flowers, and grasses imbues nature with a golden glow that can be absolutely breathtaking. My favorite time of day to "take in" my back yard is in the early morning during the time of year between early June and late August. The rising sun lifts into the sky at a precise angle that lights up the tall bushes and shrubs along our fence line such that it looks as if a magical door has materialized. Golden beams glint off emerald hibiscus leaves just outside my window, and long shafts of brilliance stretch over the lawn, leaning into secret crevices in our maple tree. It's a beautiful sight to behold. And just as fast as it appears, the magic is gone, the sun rises high into the day-time sky and the back yard looks ordinary once again.

A golden arch opens as the sun rises

In the Tarot, the Sun can symbolize success, health, and happiness, even enlightenment - not the sudden revelation of the Tower, but a softer, joyful clarity. In the New Orleans Voodoo Tarot, Trump XIX Gros Bon Ange represents our immortal essence, the spark of divinity within us, and as such reflects our capacity to experience and express all-encompassing love and joy. There is deep power in that.

How does our ability to experience these two profound emotions influence the way in which we perceive our environments, our relationships, and our Selves? 

Stone Tarot/A. Stone

Many depictions of the Sun card show children because they are, generally speaking, great emissaries and teachers of both joy and love. But this symbol also represents the children that live inside of us, the aspect of our being that is purest, most innocent, and most joyful.

At times along our earthly paths we experience great difficulties that cast long shadows over our hearts and souls, and challenge or inhibit our ability to know love and joy. It is in these moments where rediscovering our connection to Sun energy is most crucial.

The Dalai Lama said: "Seeking joy and freedom from suffering is the birthright of all beings."

Interestingly, my cousin, Junior, posted a quote the other day that read: "Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional." I really appreciated the root of that message, and decided to investigate its origins online. This brought me to an article from Psychology Today, written by Dan Mager, M.S.W., wherein he discusses how mindfulness and positive thinking mark the difference between the healthy management of (and recovery from) physical and emotional pain, and the experience of suffering. In other words, it's about how we respond when "bad shit" happens.

Vision Quest Tarot/Tarot De St. Croix

At the start of the article the author quotes Dr. Viktor Frankl (Holocaust survivor, among other things):

"Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom."

I had just been thinking about this very idea several days prior after having heard an argument where one party reacted strongly, bitterly, and rapidly to a perceived affront. When asked, "Why do you act that way?" the person replied, "I can't help it, that's just how I am!" I thought, That way of thinking is how we choose not to do or be better. There is a moment immediately following the occurrence of a difficult situation, a brief, liminal space, where we decide how we will respond, and there is wisdom in slowing down just enough to allow that moment to touch us.

Becoming aware, or mindful, is important, but not necessarily easy (none of the things in life that are truly worth it are particularly "easy"). So how do we open our Selves to experiencing the love and joy that are our birthright? How do we increase our awareness of, our capacity to experience, Sun in our lives? To address this, I've created a spread:

Card 1: In what way do I feel limited in my ability to embrace joy?

Card 2: How can I help open myself to receive joy?

Card 3: In what way do I feel limited in my experience of love?

Card 4: How can I become more aware of the love in my life?

Card 5: What is my deepest longing?

"We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves." -Buddha

Happy Hopping!

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9 of Swords: In the Dark of Night

I was sifting through cards from the Tarot De St. Croix the other morning, enjoying the rich colors and the interesting combinations of depictions Lisa De St. Croix features in her paintings: Native American, Hindu, Muslim, Christian, and Buddhist influences along with contemporary images such as a treasure troll, or women playing a board game while sipping tea. I've used this deck many times, but there are always little details to be discovered, even in well-loved and long-utilized decks.  I had such a moment when I came across the 9 of Swords.

Tarot De St. Croix - Lisa De St. Croix

At first glance it appears to be a rather traditional representation of the card energy, with a woman in bed in the dark of night, with nine swords stacked above her. On closer inspection it becomes clear that Lisa De St. Croix has done something extremely clever...

It appears that there is another stack of swords on the adjacent wall. But then it also looks like Venetian blinds over a window. And as I started to focus on the blinds, they became quite obviously blinds, as opposed to swords, almost like an optical illusion.... and then I realized that the swords on the wall over the woman were in fact reflections of the moonlight through the window shade, and due to the gaps in the blinds, the reflection takes on the appearance of swords. That is very interesting in and of itself. But then I realized that the nine swords on the wall combined with the nine created from the gaps in the blinds equals 18, which correlates to the Moon in the Major Arcana. The 9 of Swords speaks of fears, anxieties, and even at times of depression, which has a great partner in the Moon. In this image the woman's fears have been blown far out of proportion due to the lunar reflection on her window covering (it has literally doubled the swords in her room!). She can't sleep, or tear her eyes away from her worries, but the butterfly on her blanket reassures her that as the dawn breaks, her anxieties will ease.

Of course these new-to-me symbolic discoveries were all part of Lisa's brilliant plan, and having just realized the eloquence in her painting, I'm left feeling...quite....happy! (ironic, isn't it??)

New Moon: Release and Embrace

Today is the New Moon and it sort of snuck up on me this month! Usually I'm very attentive to the moon phases but with all the shifts and transitions going around me I've been a bit distracted. Today is also a Sunday, and I love spending some time with my thoughts and a hot cuppa coffee on Sunday mornings, so it seemed like a good moment to pull some New Moon cards.

The New Moon is the the first phase of the moon cycle, after which it begins to grow in visibility (waxing) as it approaches the Full Moon approximately two weeks later.  This is commonly a time for doing workings that invite positive new opportunities into our lives, or that seek to nurture and grow the abundance we already experience. For this New Moon I decided to pull two cards in the following manner:

New Moon Spread

1: What to release into the past

2: What to embrace and nurture over the next two weeks

Now before I discuss the cards I pulled, let me digress momentarily! It's funny how the moon has become an important symbol for me lately. Exactly one week ago, on Mother's Day, my family and I stopped briefly at a local rootwork/magic shop so that I could restock some of my tools, and I decided to review the stones and crystals. I have several moonstones, but I was very drawn to the store's selection - their sizes, shapes, and luminescence. I spent almost ten minutes holding and examining all of them before choosing one that was an elongated oval with areas of pearly sheen broken up by chunks of transparent, quartz-like stone. It's currently sitting by my bedside in a small, antique wooden box.

Additionally, over the past week or two I've been having image flashes of some of the cards in my Deviant Moon deck, which is one I haven't used in quite a while. It seemed to be calling to me. Last night I finally pulled it out for several readings, and spent time admiring the dark-yet-warmly-vibrant color scheme. When I realized this morning that it was the New Moon, I simultaneously felt compelled to draw a couple of cards from this deck, and was drawn to the moonstone in the little wooden box by my bed. There is a theme here, about cycles, shadows, emotions, and acceptance that are highlighted in the cards I pulled:

Deviant Moon Tarot - P. Valenza
U.S. Games Systems

1: What to release into the past - Wheel of Fortune reversed

2: What to embrace and nurture over the coming two weeks: 10 of Cups

Hm! Sometimes you pull cards and sit with them for a while in order to allow the meanings to steep and bloom like tea-flowers in your heart and mind; other times the significance is immediately apparent. This reading fell into the latter category. 

First we have the Wheel with its connection to cycles, movement and change. Inverted it suggests that I've been resisting, to some degree, the fluctuations in my life over the previous months. This card highlights the sense of feeling somewhat powerless in the face of major life events, and that has certainly been true for me. I wrote a short while back about my children, and how they're going to spend two months with their grandparents this summer. This is essentially an awesome vacation for them, but the length is due in part to the fact that my husband is leaving for work overseas and will be gone for most of the summer. This arrangement allows the kids to enjoy their summer break properly, and spend quality time with their extended family. But of course the thought of being away from them (and my husband) is painful for me, no matter how much I can rationalize the benefits. A few weeks ago I was really struggling with my feelings on the matter when I felt drawn to a selenite stone (which I am just now realizing is also a moon stone!) on my table. I wondered why, as it's not a stone I've worked with much before, but I generally follow my intuition, so I stuck it in my pocket and went about my day. Several times throughout that day I realized how calm and at peace I felt. The sadness seemed to wane considerably, and I realized that I was feeling very reasonable! Of course my husband should go on this work opportunity, and the kids are only going to be gone for two months, during which time I'll see them for a week when I take my own mini-vacation. That's not so bad! I was both impressed with this new emotional development and immensely relieved. And that feeling has stuck with me. Now my husband has been away with our two youngest kids for a few days (they're coming back tonight) and while I've enjoyed the down time, it's reminded me how much I miss them when they're gone. So now I'm facing two weeks (almost exactly) until they're scheduled to head north with grandma: the countdown begins. The Wheel reminds me that life is change, and that breaks in routine (like my field trip on Friday) are important for our health. That everything is temporary, including summer vacation, and that as I'm not planning to alter our plans, resisting the movement is a waste of precious energy. I can't control everything, but I can release my intense attachment, just a little bit. 

So if I'm releasing my futile attempt to control my environment, where should I focus? The 10 of Cups! Well isn't that the truth! I have two weeks left before my children depart (on the precise date of the Full Moon, mind you). I have a choice: spend the next two weeks worrying and feeling sad in anticipation, or go with the flow, and make the most of this time with my loved ones. This second option is the clear winner. The image on this Deviant Moon card is the perfect representation of my family (just add an extra kid!). The parents embrace each other while the children galavant about. There is a clear sense of unity and love which is exactly how I feel with my husband and children. This is an awesome, beautiful gift to be able to experience and share - why waste even a moment of it?

Tarot de St. Croix
Lisa de St. Croix

What is it about the moon? In Tarot this card symbolizes those things that are not tangible, obvious, or direct. It calls forth our fears, our shadow, our concerns about things that can't be known, or of what might be. Above all the Moon offers us a valuable invitation to know ourselves better, and to face the source of our discontent. It's not always fun, but it's always worth it to dive right in...and to remember that the moon, like all aspects of our lives, moves in cycles and phases; there is great comfort to be had in understanding that when things are feeling dark, you can always count on the tide turning once again.

Taroscopes for November 2014

Yes, it happened! The November 2014 Taroscopes have materialized after a long and lovely Samhain/Halloween weekend. I hope that each and every one of you enjoyed the holiday, whether you spent it honoring your ancestors, accompanying little ones on candy expeditions, at costume parties, or alone at home with a cup of tea and good movie (or perhaps all of the above!).

This month we in the United States count down to November 27th, our Thanksgiving celebration, the next large festival on the national calendar. I love autumn and its string of wonderful gatherings; its a magical time of year no matter what part of the country you happen to call home!

For this month's 'scopes I felt the Tarot De St. Croix calling my name (almost literally!). This lovely deck was created by Lisa De St. Croix, and each card features one of her colorful and captivating paintings. So without further ado……

Tarot De St. Croix - Lisa De St. Croix

Capricorn - Empress: This is a month to consider ways you can make space for abundance in your life. If deep down you aren't satisfied, put your busy thoughts and apprehensions aside for a moment and focus on determining what will feed your soul. Choose happiness.

Aquarius - Page of Cups: Emotional healing is a path, and you have to start somewhere. Accept baby steps - they are still progress! You may receive pleasant news this month that will warm your heart.

Pisces - 9 of Cups: Make yourself a priority this month. If you're used to giving, giving, giving, don't forget to tend to your own needs and boundaries. With each decision you make, consider how the result will impact your own ability to embrace joy.

Aries - Sun: Give thanks this month for all the positives flowing through your life (and what a perfect month for it, as in a few weeks we formally celebrate gratitude!). Share your blessings with others, even if simply by smiling at strangers.

Taurus - King of Cups: This king utilizes natural kindness, wisdom, and diplomacy to navigate through the natural ups and downs of life, and is an excellent example of emotional strength and understanding. Consider how you might embody the energy of the King of Cups this month.

Gemini - Knight of Swords: Slow down. Don't put the cart before the horse. Breathe. Think things through carefully before you take action.

Cancer - 2 of Cups: You may find yourself thoroughly enjoying your partner this month. Make the most of it, embrace it, drink it up with abandon! Love is a wondrous thing. If you're flying solo these days, you might just meet someone that passes inspection.

Leo - Emperor: If you're resisting the structure in your life this month, consider whether there is some benefit in playing by the rules, at least for a little while. Rome wasn't built in a day.

Virgo - Magician: This is a great month to "go for it" - you'll impress others and the tide is likely to turn in your favor. You have a lot going for you, so take advantage of that energy!

Libra - 4 of Swords: This is a "you" month, time for contemplation, healing, and inner focus. What do you want, what do you need, and how can you move forward while honoring your truth? Enjoy some solitude; embrace it!

Scorpio - 2 of Pentacles: It seems ironic that stability should come from fluctuation, but it can - as long as you strike the right balance. You can do it, and even enjoy yourself in the process.

Sagittarius - 5 of Swords: Time to let the past go. Whatever wasn't working probably isn't going to resolve itself to your satisfaction, but you can still find a way forward. As soon as you stop beating your head against the brick wall you'll notice a door waiting to be opened.

The summary card for the month of November is the Hanged Man. Sacrifices - even small ones - can often lead to significant reward. What can you release this month? How might a shift of perspective help you see a situation with new eyes, and a new appreciation?

May your November be blessed!

Taroscopes for July 2014

Whew! Okay. June was a whirlwind that I'll try to blog about soon, and I'm writing this post from far away from my normal abode. A day late, but here they are! I'm sitting with a cup of steaming coffee (in a hand painted mug from Spanish Harlem) listening to the wind blow through the northern maple trees and red pines. The hottest month of the year has just begun, but today the temperature won't surpass 70 degrees - a welcome shift, in my book!

For this month I've used a new deck - Tarot de St. Croix - that is really quite rich, sweet, and hits all the right places. Not sweet as in whimsical or cute - sweet like the sweet spot on a baseball bat. So here we go…..

Tarot de St. Croix, by Lisa de St. Croix

Capricorn - Hierophant: You may choose to break away from the traditions that provide a lot of structure for your life, or you may be called to think differently. There may be both ups and downs associated with this. What will you do with this new sense of freedom?

Aquarius - 3 of Pentacles: Create the space you need to nurture yourself this month, even if it seems to go against the grain. If working with others doesn't seem to be going smoothly, be patient and focused within yourself first - then see how that translates to the outside world.

Pisces - 8 of Swords: It's time to think differently, to break free and allow those chains to fall to the wayside so you can fly away. Breathe deeply, enjoy that sweet air!

Aries - 8 of Pentacles: You'll be a busy bee in July, working and toiling, and brick-by-brick manifesting your goals. Success will be yours, even if it takes a while to achieve!

Taurus - Temperance: If you feel a bit off-center this month, take a step back and give yourself time and space to regain your footing. Inner peace will by nature help establish outer peace.

Gemini - 5 of Pentacles: It's the hottest month of the year and yet you may feel a bit out in the cold. Help and support is there, if you look in the right places. Chin up.

Cancer - 3 of Cups: You may enjoy yourself too much this month! Too much fun and movement can actually wear you down, so plan ahead for self-care, and enjoy yourself!

Leo - 9 of Cups: Spend time this month focusing on what makes you happy, what satisfies you, and work on inviting those energies into your life. Count your many blessings!

Virgo - 4 of Swords: Rest and healing are your tasks this month - not bad! Work on your garden, meditate, journal, drink tea. Be gentle with yourself!

Libra - Ace of Wands: A spark of life descends upon you in July. New creative forces are taking hold and promising new, vibrant opportunities.

Scorpio - King of Cups: You may have a great man in your life who will figure large this month! Otherwise your task for July is to: be kind and receive kindness; be strong and appreciate strength; be patient and promote patience; heal and be healed!

Sagittarius - Tower: Big changes, realizations and shifts will move through your life this month. Hang on for the ride, and trust that all this movement is taking you to a better and stronger place!

Be well and find joy in July!