Doing the Work

Divination can be a very powerful catalyst for change. Through this medium we can learn more about ourselves and gain insights into important areas of our lives, can come to understand how our decisions impact our environment, and can prepare ourselves to confront the varying ways that our paths may unfold before us. This can be extremely empowering and meaningful.

But laying out the cards is the easy part. There is a saying: "It's easier said than done," and I find myself at times playing those words through my mind, and even sometimes speaking them aloud to my clients. I love doing readings that empower people to confront important decisions, to take responsibility for their role in their own lives, and ultimately to become happier, healthier, more spiritually balanced human beings. But I can't do the work for anyone else. At best I lay the cards, speak the story, and hope that my clients then find a way to manifest it in a manner that works most effectively for them (and I'm always happy to help them brainstorm those manners if they so desire).

Photo credit: Jorge D'Strades

I encourage all those seeking wisdom from any oracle to ask themselves if they're willing to do the work necessary to embody the message they receive. Identifying areas for growth and development can be done quite effectively, but that's just the first step. There's another saying: "Knowing is half the battle." It's good to know, but it's not enough. Acting on that knowledge is the hard part, and it's the critical step. To make the most of your reading, be willing to consider the steps you can take to address your core concerns, and be sure that the focus is always on yourself - what you can do, what you can nurture, what you can change, what you can impact, what you can release.

Make a plan of action, even if your to-do list is short and simple. It's a start! Don't overcomplicate the matter, feeling that if you don't see results immediately then you may as well give up. You might compare it to losing weight: you know you need to lose 50 pounds, and that if you do so you'll improve your overall health and well-being. If you try to "go big" and hit the gym six days a week, and cut out all fats and carbs, you'll last about a week and then throw in the towel. It's not sustainable, nor is it fair to you. So you start small. When you feel like munching, you grab the carrot sticks and dressing rather than a bag of chips. When you're feeling sleepy you take a stroll around the block instead of a nap. You don't change your diet radically, but you might start to take smaller portions at each meal. And little by little the weight starts to come off, and you might even find that those little changes feel really good, even if they're a bit uncomfortable at first, and healthier choices become your innate preference rather than a mindful action.

So don't let your reading become an entry in your journal that you never look at, or a distant memory, or an email that gets lost in your inbox. Use it as a blueprint for manifesting a more positive path forward, tack it on your fridge, make it your computer wallpaper, post it on your bathroom mirror….use it!

Diviner's Tea

About a year ago I took an "herbal magick" class and one of the gems I took away from it was a recipe (of sorts) for a divination tea. This is a tea to be used for anyone who works in divination in any capacity - runes, cards, pendulums, tea leaves, I Ching, geomancy, bones, whatever your pleasure. It's meant to help expand your perception, become more sensitive to the energies around you and the client being read, increase your ability to receive and recognize messages, and make important connections.

L-R: Eyebright, Peppermint and Mugwort

The three main ingredients in this version of Diviner's Tea are: eyebright, peppermint, and mugwort. You mix them in equal proportions into a tea steeper of your choice, and let it sit in very hot water for 3-5 minutes. Mix with your preferred sweetener (if you like one) and you're good to go!

The peppermint is mainly used to impart a lovely flavor (mugwort and eyebright aren't bad tasting but also aren't really amazing on their own). Thus you are welcome to replace peppermint with green or black tea to serve as a base as well.  As for where to purchase such herbs, I've acquired the herbs in this photo quite inexpensively from a local metaphysical shop, but you may also find them online if you happen to live in an area that doesn't have them readily available.

I've brewed this combination only once, and it was very nice with a bit of honey. I've heard that it's particularly good for diviners sitting at fairs or festivals for a long day of readings, but it would be good at any time at all.

Jumped by the 6 of Cups

Yesterday I was at the park with my youngest child while his older sisters were at school. It was one of those days where the sun is hot, but the shade is comfortable, and there were no other kids around, which was a bit unusual. As my son came zooming down the tube slide, I bent over waiting for him to pop out at the bottom, the sun penetrating my back, the red glow of the slide glaring up at me….and suddenly I had a very vivid memory…

Harmonious Tarot - Lo Scarabeo

I suddenly found myself in full recollection of being a small child at a cook-out at my paternal grandmother's house on the East Coast of the United States. My father's family always had really good barbecues and attending them was a special treat: there were coolers full of all kinds of soda (root beer, grape soda, Coke, and my grandmother's special favorite - cream soda), an abundance of hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill, bowls overflowing with potato chips and pretzels, plates of fresh-cut vegetables and ranch dressing, simply dressed potato salad. "What do you want to drink, baby?" some random adult would ask me, and I'd get whatever kind of soda I wanted, a full can all to myself, even though I was probably only about 3 or 4 years old. There was a party atmosphere, kids playing here and there, adults scattered and engaged in conversation, someone tending the grill, water balloons and sprinklers.

All of that came flooding into my mind in an instant, and suddenly I just knew I wanted to recreate that kind of meal that night for dinner. So when we left the park, instead of heading home, we made a beeline for the nearest Winn-Dixie, and loaded up on chips, cream soda, hot dogs and ground beef, and even dill relish (which I don't think I've ever purchased before in my life!). At home I peeled and boiled potatoes, julienned the carrots, seasoned the beef and even made some ranch dressing from scratch. By the time the girls arrived home from school the soda cans were cold, and the potatoes were cooled and ready to be transformed into a salad. They were ecstatic.

I sent Jorge out to refill the propane tank for the grill, and as soon as he came back we were cooking up the burgers and dogs. It was awesome. I could barely finish my hot dog and the refrigerator is now full of burgers since I apparently was so intent on fulfilling my memory that I forgot I wasn't actually serving a large group of people, but that's okay! Leftovers are awesome too ;-)

So here's to Lillian - my grandmother - and her amazing barbecues. The 6 of Cups, a card of nostalgia and the simple joys of youth, pulled me into its voluminous depths and had its way with me. And it was good.

No Exchange for You!: Fortune Telling and Free Will

Back at the end of December I made a purchase (on a whim) of a book that turned out not to be what I was looking for. I considered returning it, but was a bit unsure about whether I should do that, or keep it and add it to my library. So for a few months it sat on a table in my kitchen, neither here nor there, its receipt tucked neatly into the pages.

Finally yesterday I decided to see about exchanging it for something I'd get more use out of. I'd bought it at a local metaphysical shop where I happen to be taking my weekly mediumship class, so it was great timing: I could arrive to class a few minutes early, browse a bit, then make the exchange and go to class. I was slightly anxious about it since, while the book was in pristine condition and I had the receipt, several months had passed, and I was worried that  there would be some 90-day limitation on returns that I wasn't aware of. But nothing of the sort was printed on the receipt, and nothing appeared when I checked their website, so I figured I'd just take it in and see what happened. When I told my concerns to my sister, she thought it was silly - of course they'd accept it as a return, and if I wanted an exchange, even better!

So I threw a few Lenormand cards to see what I might expect, and this is what I pulled:

Snake - Mice - Sun

Enchanted Lenormand - Caitlin Matthews

Ugh. I was hoping that with the Sun on the end there would be some sort of successful ending to the affair, but as they say, the Mice either eat up or poop on the cards on either side of it. And Mice was also the center card, which gave it extra importance. I figured that I'd interact with a woman (Snake) who would inform me that the exchange wouldn't be able to happen (my loss - Mice), which would cause disappointment (Mice - Sun). However the woman herself would likely be pleasant enough (Snake - Sun). Nevertheless, I decided I would still bring the book with me just to see how it would all play out. Just for curiosity's sake, I decided to lay out a line of 5 on the same topic, to check out the details:

Key - Heart - Fox - Cross - Whip

Enchanted Lenormand - Caitlin Matthews

Bah. The Fox told me there was something "wrong" about the situation, and I'd probably end up feeling deceived in some way. Key - Heart was about my deep desire to make things work in my favor, but Heart - Cross said, "Nope! That ain't gonna happen!" and Cross - Whip indicated I'd probably land in a somewhat awkward discussion with the lady regarding the situation. As it was about an event occurring that same evening, even the negative cards took on a far less intense energy than if this were a reading covering a several-month period of time. For daily draws, Whips usually indicates "an awkward interaction," in my experience, rather than the usual "strife, arguments (etc.)". I don't like awkward interactions, much less ones that occur in public places and in close quarters. So I had an option - I could call the store and ask about the possibility of an exchange, thereby avoiding any potential discomfort later on. Oh the brilliance!

So I gave the store a call, and a nice sounding lady answered. I explained that I was hoping to exchange a book I'd previously purchased but never read, and that I had the receipt. Then she explained  very kindly that they don't do returns or exchanges EVER for books, candles, incense, and a few other odds and ends. So there you have it. Why no returns on books? Maybe because they don't feel like becoming a library for people who buy, read, then return, I suppose. Who knows, and I'm not feeling motivated to inquire, either.  

But this reading illustrates an important aspect of fortune telling that I think is worth highlighting (despite the fact that the event itself was rather unimportant when all is said and done). I didn't have any reason to think that an exchange wouldn't be possible, but my cards indicated otherwise. By confirming a negative outcome using a second spread, I was able to make a decision about how to proceed with the situation, and in addition was able to prepare for a potential outcome that didn't reflect my wishes. Rather than deal with a slightly awkward interaction in the store, I was able to alter my course of action. So instead of bringing the book with me to "see what happens" I chose to call and inquire first, which gave me my (expected) answer, leading me to avoid the awkward situation portended by the second reading (in particular the Cross - Whip). When readers speak of Free Will they often consider this to mean that the future is not knowable, and that in each moment we can alter the course of our destiny. The latter is somewhat true, but I feel that it's not quite as fluid as people are wont to believe. As a reader who practices fortune telling, I've seen that the future is often very much "knowable." Rather than seeing this as disempowerment, I see this as an opportunity take some control over the things that may come to pass in my life. By understanding what is likely to transpire, we can make choices about how we will confront it, and therein lies quite a lot of power and agency - and Will. 

Lasirén: Embrace of a Loa

This morning I pulled a focus card, or a strength card, from my New Orleans Voodoo Tarot (S. Glassman and L. Martinié). Working with this deck always feels to me like I'm receiving a massage on my insides…. like the energy reaches in and works from within me outward, rather than the reverse. It's soothing and nourishing.

I drew Lasirén, or rather, she appeared for me. In fact just yesterday she appeared in a short spread I did for myself, and today there she is again, reminding me that she's still present, still has an important message and energy for me that is worth spending some more time with.

Lasirén (La Siréne) appears as a mermaid - half human, half fish. She is the loa of the sea, guiding and nurturing us, and calling us to take care of the ways in which we're expending our energy pools. She symbolizes the bridge between worlds, the balance between disparate energies, as she herself represents both the ocean's vast depths as well as the fertile earth. From her my focus becomes empathy for important people in my inner circle; the need for increased focus on the balance and equilibrium in my life and with my loved ones; and the need to focus on my true Will (Where am I headed? How does it feel? How can I draw on the power of the sea, and welcome the strength of Lasirén to fill and guide me?).

New Orleans Voodoo Tarot - Glassman/Martinié

In the background, Labalén, the Whale, swims in the distance, the ocean mother, offering protection, healing and loving embrace, inviting me to take a deeper dive into my intuition and psyche to explore my emotions, my abilities, and my limitations.

Indeed a fine balance is needed. When you love others, it can be hard to watch them struggle to find their purpose, their sense of meaning, and their place. Support can be so critical, but it's equally as critical not to lose sense of the fact that as much as you may care for someone, they have their own road to experience, their own falls to make, and their own journey back toward the light. You can't always take the blows for them, or wave a wand and manifest their deepest desires. Lasirén lovingly helps us stay true to ourselves, and to recognize what we can and cannot do (and should and should not do), just as much as she helps our loved ones to nurture themselves, and to navigate their path through the at-times-stony landscape of their own sacred Way. And in that, great comfort can be found.

Crow's Easter Message

Today's Easter, an overcast, cool morning. The kids are slightly hung-over on a dawn feast of far too much candy, and I'm on my second cup of coffee. Later this afternoon we'll have an egg hunt, with the little ones wading through purple wildflowers in the back yard in search of one of their magical, painted masterpieces created the day before in anticipation of this annual event.

I participated in the Ostara blog hop several weeks ago which focused on rebirth as a theme. This year Ostara and Easter, due to the transient lunar calendar, fall at some distance from each other, so once again I find myself considering death, resurrection, and the ever-spiraling cycle of life. These are universal truths that accompany us always. We tend to think of them in terms of major life events - death, divorce, house moves, births of children, leaving an old job for a new career or educational path, major work transfers that include an overseas relocation, and on and on and on.

In truth, death and rebirth are constants, and on a minute scale we are always experiencing them….when you learn something new about an important person in your life, when you mull something over and make a decision, when your plans change and you adjust to your new course, when new information or a sudden whim cause you to change your mind about an idea, belief or behavior - shifts in perspective. In these smaller contexts death takes the form of transition, the change inherent in life, the momentum that keeps our universe in flux. Without movement things stagnate - we thrive on change, even if it's hard to embrace at times - this is requisite for growth.

Today, in honor of change, transition, death and rebirth, I pulled a card from my Medicine Cards, asking for insights into what new era is unfurling for me now. I know that change is happening in my life, in some ways both big and small. I feel it trembling around me, the earthly manifestation of the 2 of Disks. The card I pulled was Crow.

Medicine Cards - J. Sams, D. Carson

The first thought I had when I turned the card over was: change. Right on cue! On page 134 of the book, it says, "Crow is an omen of change. Crow lives in the void and has no sense of time. The Ancient Chiefs tell us that Crow sees simultaneously the three fates - past, present and future. Crow merges light and darkness, seeing both inner and outer reality."

It goes on to say, on page 135: "Be willing to walk your talk, speak your truth, know your life's mission, and balance past, present, and future in the now. Shape shift that old reality and become your future self. Allow the bending of physical laws to aid in creating the shape shifted world of peace."

Sigh. It's a profound energy, so vital and pertinent to this moment, and yet not without some degree of pain - like all change. The Crow on the card peers at its own reflection, looking deeply within, facing truth with honesty, embracing - and really embodying - sacred Death.

As I move through my Easter Sunday, I'll hold these thoughts within me, pondering, processing, and reflecting on how Death, transition and truth are impacting me at this moment - somehow a perfect match to the energies being cradled and nurtured and honored across the globe on this holy-day.

6 of Wands: A Pat on the Back

I pulled a daily card today to ask what I might expect for my day ahead, and I pulled the 6 of Wands. This was a highly encouraging card to receive on a day when I was slated to have my annual review! I didn't have any real concerns that anything unpleasant might occur, nonetheless it was fitting and very welcome.

Golden Tarot - Kat Black

The 6 of Wands is a very fortunate card when it comes to career recognition, and in the context of an annual review would bode well for a positive outcome and even a salary increase. You can think of this card as a Tarot pat-on-the-back for handling your business in all the right ways.

So I went on with my scheduled meeting, and it was great. My program chair was very happy with me, and called me a "super star" - so it doesn't get much more 6 of Wandsy than that!  Given the double load I'm managing this week, in combination with the fact that I still haven't entirely recuperated from my Blood Moon gazing, I'm grateful for this metaphorical sunshine!