Week Ahead: Finish What You Start

Last Monday I drew two cards to highlight the predominant energies for the week ahead: Queen of Cups and High Priestess. Both were very relevant themes, and so on this Monday I decided to do to the same. After shuffling and cutting the deck I noticed that the "shadow card" was the High Priestess, forming a sort of thread of connection from one week to the next.

The two principal cards that I drew from the Giants Tarot were Death (Hela) reversed, and the 8 of Pentacles (Olvalde and Sons):

Hela is the goddess of the underworld, and Olvalde was an etin renowned for his ale-brewing skills.

This pair tells me that I'll be working diligently to tie up loose ends, to finish what I've begun, to work toward closing out projects. Indeed there is one rather large project that I've been wanting to finish for the past two weeks, but it keeps getting pushed off due to other urgent, more immediate issues that have been cropping up here and there of late.

Along another vein, when I see Olvalde and his kids on the 8 of Coins card, I see myself and my three kids making magic happen in the kitchen. So just maybe we'll see what fun we can cook up this week. Teaching the kids to make meals is such an 8 of Coins activity, and watching them grow into competent little chefs who can whip up some very nice grub is extraordinarily satisfying.

Have a happy week, everyone!

Update: It was indeed a productive week! I made a lot of progress on a pile of files I had been needing to tend to, and one of my team members ended up helping to revise the dregs of that big project that had been on the back burner.

The Hermit and the Gift of Transformation

It's been a long week, no doubt. Last week I pulled "Fulfillment" as part of my "week ahead" draw and while in the end I am not with my padrino celebrating tonight as I had planned, I am sitting here with my kids, enjoying a Corona with lime, having just filled my belly with a satisfying dinner prepared by my eldest child (recipe from a Harry Potter cookbook, no less!). My son is making funny faces and enjoying the laughter of his sisters. There is satisfaction here, to be sure.

This evening, for my current "week ahead" reading, I pulled three cards from my new Celtic Lenormand (Chloë, if you're reading this, I finally have your deck, and I am thoroughly pleased with it!), and a single card from the Stone Tarot.

First I want to discuss the line of three: Shedding Snake - Fox - Flowers

Celtic Lenormand/C. McCracken, W. Worthington

The first understanding that caught my attention was the two Queens (Clubs and Spades) united by the Fox, suggesting "wrongness" or incongruities between two women. Without going into a lot of detail, I will say that this is certainly accurate, and something I'm sure to be wading through in the coming week!

Another detail that drew me in is that this snake is the Shedding Snake, as opposed to the Fierce Snake in the Celtic Lenormand deck. Chloë McCracken has included two versions of the snake card here; the Shedding Snake is somewhat non-traditional and represents the elements of transformation and renewal, while the more traditional Fierce Snake symbolizes complications and falseness. Since I value the sacred and holy aspects of the snake, I enjoy having both here, and have included both in my working deck (there are many other "extra" cards to choose from that I have left out). So then I also see in this line a message that speaks of the elusive (Fox) twists and turns (Snake) inherent in the gift (Flowers) of transformation (Snake). Who said change is easy? Transitioning from one phase into another is often fraught with some amount of complication and uncertainty, and missteps are part of the terrain. This is the nature of the beast; it does not detract from the gift of growth and opportunity, rather it is a necessary and valuable element (after all, aren't mistakes - even the slightest ones - the best teachers?). I have been busy, busy, busy with new (and very complicated, at times) responsibilities of late, and while I'm holding my own pretty well, the road has not been particularly smooth or worry-free. Yet I recognize that this opportunity is a special gift, and in honor of that I am dedicating myself diligently to doing the best that I am able. So there is a certain beauty in that.

From the Stone Tarot I pulled: the Hermit.

Stone Tarot/A. Stone

The Hermit seems like a fitting complement to both interpretations of the Lenormand line above. The Hermit uses discernment and knowledge gathered over the course of time to help understand, analyze, and process new information. The Hermit thrives in solitude, finding that the greatest productivity comes from time spent alone rather than in groups. In many of the new activities I've been up to I am both learning from others (also an aspect of the Hermit) and operating very much on my own. On the road of transformation, the Hermit is a sacred ally, encouraging self-reflection and introspection in order to tap into that very discernment that is part of his blessing. If I don't know what lies ahead, or whose guidance to follow, I must remember to trust in the light of my own lantern that provides a measure of illumination even in the darkest night.....

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!).

Channeling Fire

I pulled two cards for my weekly draw last night, one from the Wisdom from the House of Night Oracle deck, and one from the Stone Tarot. I was impressed with the fiery thread that unites them, I'm not sure I could possibly get any more "red energy"!

Stone Tarot/Alison Stone

The Knight of Wands initially showed up reversed for me, and what popped into my head was the idea of the cart running away from the horse. Or perhaps the horse running away despite the rider? (I'm sure I've just butchered some idioms here - carts don't have legs!). Truth is, while I pulled these cards last night, I'm already starting to feel that way. I have quite a bit of new work-related responsibilities that are very busy-making. On Monday the kids start school. Jorge has a work engagement that begins today and will last all of next week. So, I'll be doing a lot, and driving a lot (horse) and could definitely be in danger of my environment having its way with me (i.e.  becoming overstimulated, hyper-focused on so many things that it's hard to feel I've accomplished much, stressed out.)

Wisdom from the House of Night Oracle

The Priestess feels like my advice, the best way to approach this somewhat chaotic energy. She is like the Queen of Wands, who thrives off of movement and creative vibrancy. However despite all the fire energy, there is something calm and knowing about this Priestess; she understand that her element is powerful, that it can at times be volatile and that it can burn, but she has the skill to channel it well, and use the heat and flame to her advantage. She is able to master her element and make things happen, but she also knows when enough is enough, and it's time to cool off in order to avoid burning out.

As I dive head first into what's gearing up to be a wild week, I will use the Priestess's energy as a focal point to help me to stay balanced, and ride the flames!

Reason in the Face of a Storm

For my "week ahead" cards, I decided to use two brand new decks that have me entirely enamored: the Stone Tarot and the Prisma Visions Tarot. I didn't pick any particular positions in favor of simply sitting back and seeing how the two cards speak to me. They are:

Stone Tarot: Page of Swords
Prisma Visions Tarot: 5 of Wands

Stone Tarot / Prisma Visions Tarot

Sigh. Look how beautiful! This pair has a couple of significant meanings for me that already come to mind....

First of all, the Page looks a lot like me wondering what I'm going to write about for the next blog hop. It's been on my mind lately, as the next hop is scheduled for August 8th and I've just signed up to participate. I have a few ideas for topics, but nothing that's won the competition just yet.

The birds in the Page remind me of Huginn and Muninn, Odin's ravens (and it might actually be them, since Huginn means "thought" and Muninn means "mind" - very appropriate for this card!). That might be worth pondering to see what inspiration it offers. I may even do some studying to prepare for this one.....

Secondly, this card combination feels like a voice of reason in the face of a storm. Or just getting to the core of a complex situation, aka "What does this all mean?" I have a team meeting coming up within the next week which should be interesting as one member is leaving and another is experiencing a position shift that will have some impact on organizational structure. I expect there to be lots of discussion and many voices in the mix as we navigate our way forward.

The strong presence of air (Swords) and fire (Wands) tells me that I'm in for an active week, but I'm good with that. I'm feeling ready to see what action comes my way, and what action flows from within!

Creativity and Wisdom

Today I am officially back from vacation. I had two weeks full of travel and spending time with family and old friends. My two littlest children are back with us at home, and our oldest will come back in a few weeks. All I really need today is a cup of good coffee and a quite place to relax....

Yesterday evening, about a mile past the Florida-Georgia line, and 3 hours from home, I drew two cards for the week ahead (being very careful that they wouldn't fly out the window).

The 3 of Pentacles fell from the deck (hey, I just pulled this card last week!). It's perfectly fitting as today I headed back to work! And in reality, the rest of July in terms of my job will be pretty packed, but as I've been on vacation for nearly two weeks, there are a lot of details I need to iron out in regard to my schedule and overall workload. I will be relying on others to help make things flow as smoothly as possible, so I expect a lot of discussions and arrangements to be organized over the next week. Fortunately I received some positive news this morning about a course I'm teaching which will lighten my responsibilities, and it wouldn't be possible without a little help from my friends. So that's all well and good.

Morgan Greer Tarot; Goddess Knowledge Cards

As a follow-up I decided to draw a card from my new Goddess Knowledge deck with art by Susan Seddon-Boulet. The backstory is that my mother bought me a shaman poster by this wonderful artist when I was 12 or 13 years old, and it hung on my door for ages, until the corners were entirely ripped to pieces from the thumb tacks holding it up. I always thought it was my spirit guide - I adored that image! While I was in the north last week, I was in a shop and saw this deck and immediately purchased it. It's not meant to be used for divination, per se - rather its main purpose is to display and teach about many different goddesses across a variety of world cultures. However I've found that it's wonderful for meditation and guidance, and have been using it quite a lot lately!

I drew: Athena.

Athena is the goddess of wisdom and war, and battles are won with clear thinking and good strategy. These are elements that will be important for me this week as I jump back into the work circus. I don't want to feel overwhelmed, and Athena's creative depths, her rational mind, her confidence and skill will help me to navigate my path ahead. One other aspect of this card speaks to me not so much from Athena herself, but from this rather unusual depiction of the goddess. Here she appears rather child-like, surrounded by delicate phases of the moon, and framed by a serpent. She looks to be clothed in autumn leaves. What strikes me most powerfully about this image is the connection to nature. One of the things that I was very aware of over the past couple of vacation weeks is just how much nature calms and nourishes me. So in another sense, I hear Athena telling me to draw on nature's healing and revitalizing energy any time that I might start to feel stressed - to sit outside, to go for a walk, to watch the stars in the night sky.

I like that there is a creative element to both of these cards. We often think of creativity in terms of forming something new and original, but sometimes it's not about being unique in the product we create, rather in the way we approach our work. Success through creative strategizing will be my motto for the week ahead!

Elegua and Emotional Mindfulness

Last night I wanted to do something slightly out of the ordinary for my typical practice: pull a focus card for the week ahead. I wasn't in the mood for Tarot or Lenormand; I realized that it was Oracle time! I grabbed my Halloween Oracle, which I haven't used since early November, and settled down on the couch to shuffle.

I pulled Vampire: Emotional Intelligence.

Halloween Oracle - S. DeMarco

After some thought I realized that it's quite apt given what I've already experienced regarding my previous week or two! Some questions I pose to myself:

How well am I regulating my emotions and emotional responses?
In what ways can I create boundaries so that other people and situations don't drain me?
How can I foster a balanced give-and-take in my interactions with other people?

I've noticed that I've been more easily affected by my environment over the last few days, with stronger emotional reactions than tend to be normal for me (mostly teary, but occasionally irritable). In large part that's due to being sleepier than usual due to a busy, active past few weeks. Sleepier-than-usual = nerves more easily frayed. In these instances it becomes particularly important to take a step back and allow for a moment of reflection in order to gain perspective. Sometimes the little things that set us off really aren't that big a deal in the grand scheme of things, and certainly aren't worth expending our valuable energy on being upset about.

One place I am sure I'll need to be mindful about my emotional responses is during one of the classes I'm teaching this month; I have a difficult student who's been trying my patience. I'm pretty laid back and have a great sense of humor, so it takes almost a miracle for me to lose my cool. This month many miracles have come to pass, I'll just put it that way. This will be my last week with this particular crew of college kids, and I want to enjoy it as much as possible, so I will focus on the joy I can find in each moment, and keep my emotional well-being in focus.

Just as I sat down to write this post I took a moment to finish reading an article by Jia Tolentino of an interview conducted with a fellow Lukumí practitioner, Caridad, that was quite well done. And in a moment of pristinely perfect synchronicity (even beyond what is evident from this post) this is what I read:

I appreciate Lucumi for all it has taught me about honoring life for all its contradictions and multiplicities. The idea of “both/and” transcending “either/or” is really present. It’s been very helpful for me, in anything from problems at work to breakups. Also, the idea of some orishas teaching backwards—that some lessons come unexpectedly and from a context that feels really tough. I’m a teacher, and I used to get these kids that were just wilin’ out, just so very crazy—and I learned to identify it as, “That's Eleggua's trickster energy.”

And that would bring a change in me—I’d go from being reactionary to being able to genuinely say “Thank you for showing up” to both Eleggua and the young folks themselves. This is where growing up within Buddhism really shaped my practice of Lucumi. I think it’s helped me be present and accepting with life as it is, at the same time that I try to be transformative when I need change.

Elegua
Image by Andrea Corniel

2 of Pentacles: Balance Amidst the Tempest

Last week was full of ups and downs and twists and turns, and I was pretty happy when the weekend arrived. On Saturday I took the kids out with me to buy herbs and we discovered a new park that turned out to be a lot of fun to play at for the little ones. After dinner we stopped by the bookstore, which is popular with everyone. Aside from the endless shelves of reading material there is a train set for Gabriel to enjoy, a lego station where Lourdes loves creating complex structures, and a nice café with cookies and espresso. All the good stuff in one location!

On Sunday we couldn't leave the house for very long because people were coming to remove our old toilet and install a new one. I had no idea how long that would take, so in the morning I took the kids to the arts and crafts store and we bought some materials with which to make Halloween decorations: some bake-able clay, acrylic paints, a sugar skull wood cut-out, and a ginger bread haunted house kit. I figured that if we were going to be stuck inside all afternoon at least we could have something fun to do! Indeed we spent hours forming, baking and painting our creations, far after the fixer-man (as Gabriel called him) had gone.

Halloween/Samhain crafts
O. Destrades

After I put the kids to bed I made some tea and decided to pull cards for my week ahead. The Aquarian Tarot is one I'd admired from afar for quite a long time, and about a month ago the Italian version was on clearance for a very low price, so I snatched it up. I'm glad I did, because the combination of stark fields of white with bright, flowing color is quite interesting and beautiful. And the card backs are stunning and a pleasure to behold! I plucked the deck from my overflowing divination bookcase, and settled down to read.

I chose a card on which to focus my energies for the week ahead and pulled:

2 of Pentacles

Aquarian Tarot - Palladini

The 2 of Pentacles encourages me to balance all of the responsibilities that I'm currently experiencing in healthy ways so as to avoid the feeling of being overburdened. Yes, there's a lot to do, and I have very few moments to just "sit." But that doesn't mean I have to let my circumstances own me. It's only been just under two weeks that Jorge's been gone, and I'm still working to establish a flow in our routine. That's been difficult because the week after he left most of the kids came down with a nasty virus and are only on a significant upswing now, after nearly a full seven days of illness. So I hope that this week we'll finally be able to fall into a rhythm. And crafty activities are my friend! The Halloween activities that we did on Sunday are a great example of how to provide something engaging for the kids to do while giving me a breather or two. And I need those little breaks now and then in order to recharge my batteries, and refocus my thoughts and energies. So my goal this week will be to allow the 2 of Pentacles to guide me and help me consider positive solutions whenever I start to feel like I'm slipping under the surface.

Sometimes all we need is to see our reality reflected in the layout before us, a confirmation of what we're experiencing, and how we're feeling. And like the 3 of Cups I drew the other day, and the 2 of Pentacles today, having a clear focal point can be a powerful and effective resource to help us navigate the inevitable bumps in the road, encouraging us to think creatively, and to empower ourselves to move forward in the most positive way possible. 

A Moth Unfolding Its Wings

It's Sunday evening. I filled my belly with a simple dinner of roast chicken, mashed potatoes with garlic, and carrots. Later I decocted carefully-sliced ginger root and added lime juice and honey to make one of my favorite hot beverages. As I listen to my children's chatter, their pre-bed busy-ness, I've decided to pull a card for my week ahead, using my Halloween Oracle (Stacey Demarco).

I shuffled my cards, and drew Death. Sigh. My first thought was: again? This card has been following me closely of late. In fact it was my card of the month from my Taroscopes for October: 

"Significant aspects of your life are shifting and changing, which can be pretty uncomfortable. Know that the transformations unfolding now will ultimately leave you stronger, and even happier, when all is said and done."  

Halloween Oracle - Stacey Demarco

Yes, this week, and this month, are certainly times of big change. Gabriel has just started attending daycare, which in and of itself is a huge transition. He's three years old and loves to socialize; he was very ready for this. When my girls reached this milestone in their lives they were not particularly happy about it. In fact, Lourdes cried so much, and was so miserable, we ended up plucking her right out of the center again after three weeks, and she didn't set foot inside such an establishment again until she started kindergarten (at which time she was startlingly ready). Gabriel, however, has been raring to go, and has not cried at all. Well, that's not entirely true. When I pick him up and ask him how his day went, he reports: "I played, and I cried." When I ask him why he cried, he says, "Because I didn't want to sleep. Sleeping isn't fun." He is not a big fan of institutional nap-time. But he loves "school" and is happy to go every morning, which is a blessing. 

Another massive change has happened simultaneously: Jorge has flown off to the far, autumnal reaches of Scandinavia to work for at least a couple of months. It's the first time he's ever been gone for so long, and it's a significant transition. He's sad. I'm sad. The kids are sad. The distance irritates me, and I have to work to keep the big picture in mind. He left last Wednesday and fortunately we've been able to speak each day which has provided some peace of mind (and heart). 

On pages 27-28 of the Halloween Oracle book, Demarco writes: "Do not be afraid if you pull the Death card as it simply means that something is falling away, or will do so, so you can begin strongly afresh. There is great power in this clearing." 

This is true, and I feel it in my bones and in the depths of my soul. Despite the big changes moving through my life at present, I am keenly aware that ultimately these changes are occurring for an important reason, and that these fluctuations are just as they should be. I'm grateful for them, in fact, in the way that sore muscles after a powerful workout kind of feel good in a way; the achy newness of a moth unfolding its wings.