I Promise

Last night I settled into a corner of the couch, prepared to read or pull some cards while my husband watched an episode or two from one of his Hulu series. But then he passed me the remote control. I switched over to cable, figuring I'd flip channels until I found something interesting. The moment the television sparked to life, I saw a news anchor announcing the start of Barack Obama's farewell speech. For the next hour, we witnessed his final, formal words as President of the United States.

No matter what anyone says, I love, and will always love, this man. He wasn't perfect (and I'm sure he would agree), and not everyone supported his stances on matters such as healthcare and foreign policy. However he accomplished a lot of good during his tenure; he was a fundamentally good person. He is that. He is deeply intelligent, thoughtful, discerning, wise, and kind. His partnership with Michelle Obama is a beautiful testament to what a good, strong, balanced relationship can and should be. He didn't fulfill everyone's expectations for what he should do (no leader ever achieves that), and yet he will forever stand high above his predecessors, and in my heart, as one of the best presidents the U.S. has ever had.

Last night's speech was a beautiful farewell, and also a gentle-but-firm warning that the future of this country depends on the active involvement of every citizen. As I was listening, I pulled some cards from the Cosmos Tarot and Oracle:

The first card I pulled was meant to capture Obama's essence: Ace of Water, Hydrus.

The Ace of Water, an act of love. That was abundantly evident in his speech and his demeanor. The keywords on the bottom of the card caught my attention: "In one's element" - he certainly was. "Ease of action" - I don't necessarily assume that any of his speeches are "easy" to give, but he certainly makes them appear so due to his depth of grace and comfort in his own skin. The guidebook says:

Hydrus is a symbol of wisdom, steadiness, and focus. Snakes possess a fluid, elegant form that borders on elemental. Water snakes, above others of their species, signify awareness, flexibility, and subtle strength.... one can take time to celebrate a period of emotional peace with oneself.

All I can say is: yes. Not only does this encapsulate how I experience President Obama, the last bit connects beautifully to the core essence of what his farewell speech was all about. 

The next card I pulled was meant to signify Donald Trump's emergence in U.S./World politics: Comet.

An orange monkey that is far too big for the porch it's sitting on holds a woman captive by the throat, and binds her feet with its tail. Hmmm...... I think I'll let that speak for itself. The keywords read: "A sign of fate; a harbinger of change." Yes, that about sums it up. The guidebook reads:

As a comet passes close to the sun, it heats up and begins to emit gases which create a visible aura called a coma. Sometimes the visible coma can be seen from Earth. The coma's presence has given rise to speculation that comets are harbingers of doom or incredible change.

I believe that both are true. Change is already underway, for better or worse. In his speech, Obama touched on the fact that there is a subsection of the U.S. population that has been essentially ignored over the past couple of decades, and that it is that hole that ultimately paved the way for Trump's election. Understanding that dynamic is critical. I believe that many of us feel "doomy" about what is happening in our country... but I do believe that it is when we are faced with the dark that we learn how to shine our light most brightly. So in the end I also believe that we will certainly get through this difficult time to come, and that we will emerge the better for what we are able to accomplish in the meantime. 

Finally I pulled a card asking, "What can I do? How can I help?" I pulled the Moon from the Oracle deck.

Frogs and lizards huddle around a full moon, in a celestial embrace. Frogs represent healing energy, and the moon is the great light that shines in the dark. The positioning of the frogs looks protective: and indeed it's probable that protecting women's rights - especially in terms of healthcare - will be a significant matter in the years ahead. The moon also represents uncertainty and the unknown, which is how I've been feeling lately in respect to politics and the upcoming inauguration. I know that many will take to the streets - in fact even my mother will be heading to Washington D.C. in a couple of weeks to joint the Women's March on Washington. There is value in popular dissent. In my 20s I was very involved in political and social activism, and participated in a great number of marches, across several states. But it doesn't quite feel "right" for me at this moment. There must be another way. The moon governs the darkness, and as the keywords state: "secrets, mystery, cycles." Perhaps my way of acting will be more subtle - less attention-drawing. The guidebook says:

As a card, the Moon suggests that those who act behind the scenes can be extremely influential.

Yes, I thought. I don't have to march to make a difference. I just have to act. I said silently to myself in that moment: "I promise." I promise to speak when I see injustice, and to act in support of environmental preservation, human rights and equality in all its forms. I looked down at the oath ring on my left wrist, as if to seal my promise in its silvery sheen. 

New Moon Spread: Earth, Air and Fire

Today is the New Moon and for the Instagram challenge hosted by @violetauraphoto the theme for day 9 is "Dark/Shadow," so I've decided to do a New Moon reading. Normally I limit these to two cards: what is waning, and what is waxing. However for today, in addition to using three decks, I've added a third card:

Card 1: What energy is waning? Mother of Pentacles (Wild Unknown Tarot)
Card 2: Where/Who am I now, on the dark moon? Scathach, 6 of Air (Dark Goddess Tarot)
Card 3: What energy is waxing? Mars (Cosmos Oracle)

I asked my four year old son to choose which deck to use for which position, and I have to say that I admire his choices ;-) I'm also glad for them because my first pull was Scathach, a card that appeared for me in a reading I did last week, and it was affirming to see it again here.

So where, who, am I now, on this dark moon? Scathach is a warrior goddess who encourages us to step up to the plate, to embrace the tasks set before us, to live up to our capabilities, to show our worth. She encourages us to open up to new experiences, to learn, to ask questions and accept guidance - especially when that guidance will help us to tackle our responsibilities. Scathach reminds me of my fundamental ferocity, that when I apply myself I can move mountains.

I certainly recognize this energy in my life at this time. In my leadership role at work everyday brings something new, a puzzle to solve, a project to start, a dilemma to sort out. I often feel like I'm creating my path as I walk it; the road materializes with each step I take. And while it can be challenging at times, I am enjoying it immensely. I thrive on the complexity, on the layers, on the combination of finite details and large-scale vision. And while I love the autonomy, I also highly value the guidance of my mentor and boss, a woman I trust and respect, and who has much to offer in terms of growing into my new director-skin.

The Mother of Pentacles symbolizes the energy waning at this time, and this has a several connections: this past week has been the first week back to work and school following an extended holiday spent in family. The kids are busy with school work once again, and that precious period of constant togetherness has reached an end, for now. The kids have also been sick, so during the second week of break most of our time was spent relaxing at home, sneezing, coughing, and drinking loads of tea. Now the last couple sickies are on the mend. And in a more global sense, this Mother represents my newly expanding ability to provide materially for my family, which has been deeply satisfying.

Finally, Mars shows a time of increased energy and activity. I see myself here as I tackle some important new projects at work, host the first team meeting of the new year, and continue to tap into creative possibility as I look for solutions, fresh ways to build and improve on previous systems and procedures. With Mars, energy begets energy - the more possibilities I uncover, the more impulse I feel to keep digging. And yet Mars is also my husband, and I know that in the next couple of weeks ahead he will be focused on making some important decisions and plans for his own work as well.

I like that this line of three cards from three different decks shows three dominant figures - that is striking - and I like how the docility of the doe moves into the strong male and female warrior energies of Scathach and Mars. I am also intrigued by the presence of these elements, and the way they move from the calm stability of earth, to the intellectual engagement of air, and finally on to the burning creative force of fire.

May your own Dark Moon provide deep insights for rumination!

Fire and Air

I've come to regard the court of Air in the Tarot as my principal teacher in 2016. The Knight of Swords made many important appearances throughout the previous fall, along with the King, and at times the Queen as well. They are here to help me recognize the power of their element within me, and to develop those aspects of my Self that will benefit most from their energy and wisdom.

The other night I drew a card from the Dark Goddess Tarot asking how I might best approach this integration of Air and out flew Cerridwen, the Witch of Fire:

I picked up the card and when I saw the sow-faced figure of this goddess I was entranced, though also slightly mystified that I should receive a fire card when asking about how to enhance my air qualities. The guidebook names Cerridwen a goddess of transformation: "Craft anew with the bones of the old." Ah, transformation. Becoming. This is certainly a year for those things. The infrastructure remains, but the qualities and elements are engaged in an ever evolving dance of growth and change. Cerridwen tells me that my walk through the realm of air is not so much a journey that I'll be navigating, rather it will be a process that will occur organically within and around me. It's simply time. I will learn to breathe and to speak. I will learn to release and to name. I will craft and be crafted; I will learn to allow the breeze to move through me. I will learn about power, and about the ways in which air and fire feed and influence one another. Air is already mine; I will learn to claim it.

As we drove to the sea a couple of days later I decided to pull a card for each family member for the year ahead from the Cosmos Tarot and Oracle deck. Uranus for my husband, Grus for my eldest. The Knight of Water for my Pisces son, and Canes Venatici for my younger daughter (a dog-lover, "incidentally"!). Lastly I pulled my own..... Lynx - King of Air!