31 May 2009

Tarot Reading - Week of 5/31 to 6/6

Hello! I hope last week treated all of you well. This latest period of Mercury retrograde has ended; communications should be getting back on track shortly.

On Sunday, you're being a little too careful with your money. It's ok to hold on to what you make, especially in these hard times, but you don't want to be so frugal that you sacrifice things you need.

Monday is nothing short of a good day. You've been working and planning and everything falls into place.

On Tuesday, things continue to go forward. It may seem like it's fast, but it's a pace you can handle.

Wednesday sees a little slip up, you've worked so hard on other things that you've missed something important. Don't take that first step without more preparation.

Perhaps it was the false start of yesterday, but you're thoroughly unsatisfied by Thursday. What you need to get through this is being offered, you only need to accept it. Don't wait, because those offers won't keep coming.

On Friday, don't overindulge. It is always great to take time for yourself, but too much of it will put you behind.

Saturday's card reminds us to be generous. You may be so focused on other things in your life that you forget to give of yourself to the people around you. We're all in hard times, every one, even a smile can brighten someone's day.

This week, it's a good idea to take some rest, but if you don't allow yourself that time, it is going to be fitful and leave you feeling more frazzled than you already are.

That's it for this week. See you next week!

25 May 2009

Tarot Reading - Week of 5/24 to 5/30

Good morning! Want an interesting week it will be.

Sunday will exercise your skills at leadership. Use your experience to get you through the day.

Monday is a good time to reflect on the past. How fitting for Memorial Day.

On Tuesday, you're having a bit of trouble keeping things balanced. Remember you can lose focus if you are too focused. Keep things easy, you'll find your juggling act isn't as much of a challenge as you make it out to be.

On Wednesday, be on the look out for impulsive mistakes. The best solutions come from being well-prepared, not from rushing into something without thinking it through.

There is trickery and deception in the air for Thursday. Be on the look out for someone close to you making a decision without considering everyone involved.

Friday will see you filled with determination. This is one of those days were you can't lose sight of your goals.

On Saturday, things will look dark and bleak. Pay attention, there are at least two sides to every situation. You might find what you really want is just behind you.

If you're not careful, impatience will drive you this week. Let things flow, keep things balanced. You'll get through if you don't rush.

Have a great week!

17 May 2009

Tarot Reading - Week of 5/17 to 5/23

Good morning one and all! How many of you noticed that I forgot to pull a card to sum up the week last week? I did. Woops! But this week makes up for it, as a card jumped out during my shuffling. This indicates something to pay particular attention to.

There were a lot of cups in this week's spread. It's a good idea to be mindful of your emotions and the emotions of others.

On Sunday, try to keep everything in moderation. This day's card reminds us that even things we love should never be excessive.

Monday will see the ultimate fulfillment of a goal. It may be something you've been working on or hoping for. It will come to the best possible conclusion today.

Tuesday will be a good day to count your blessings. You may not be satisfied with what you are given, but when all is said and done, you need to realize that you really do have what you need and more.

There is another great conclusion on Wednesday. It looks to be a problem that has finished at a happy outcome. Dance in this joy, you've earned it.

Be mindful of your actions and those around you on Thursday. The card of this day suggests a powerful, controlling outside influence, or your own self-destruction. You've had a good week so far, so don't become a victim of yourself or anyone around you.

Friday will bring with it a sense of inaction. Perhaps it will be a good time to rest, instead of letting the stagnation get the best of you.

Saturday is a good time for quiet contemplation. Listen to the sounds around you. Trust in the wisdom of the world and the people you respect.

The overview of the week indicates a false start. If you're ready to begin something, it may not happen just as you plan. It would be a good idea to hold off starting something. Maybe you can wait for Mercury to leave this retrograde cycle on the 30th.

The card that jumped out signifies a lack of balance. Keeping things straight in your life is a juggling act. Keep your head and you can keep your hands steady too.

Have a great week!

10 May 2009

Tarot Reading - Week of 5/10 to 5/16

Good morning and Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers, grandmothers, godmothers, kitty and doggy mothers, mothers to be, and mothers hoping to be. Take some time today to tell all the mothers in your life that you love them. I've been spending the weekend with my own mother and it feels like it's the best gift I could have given her.

This week is going to be a little topsy-turvy, but it seems to turn out ok.

Sunday will bring a feeling of balance achieved. Some matters that you've been dealing with have been handled. Even so, be on the lookout for feeling overwhelmed at what you have yet to do.

With Monday comes a great relief. The worst is over and you've survived a disaster. Keep your head, though, as this is only a momentary advantage. Don't block yourself in with an inability to change.

Tuesday, be on the lookout for a man with bad advice. He's trying to manipulate you. You have the power to not allow it.

On Wednesday, you'll feel thoroughly down and out. Finances may be strained or you're feeling a lack of faith. There's a light in the window, however. You have to look for it and know that aid awaits within.

You're facing some obstacles on Thursday. There are threats and excessive force. Don't let it become a failed start. You have the strength to overcome what is in your way.

Friday is a day to carefully consider your actions, for they all have consequences. If you're on top of things, it will be like a renewal. When one thing ends, another always begins. Think of it like the rebirth of the phoenix. Death brings a fresh start.

Saturday is a good start. Perhaps it is what you made room for yesterday. Whatever it is, it's underway with promise. Hold your course.

Have a great week!

09 May 2009

Beltane 2009 Part II

While I only got to stay for half of the time of Fertile Ground Gathering because of family obligations, it was still a magickal experience. The wonderful setting of Prince William State Forest is transformed into a special place between worlds. You feel that when you enter.

I must admit that I suffered from yucky heat exhaustion on the opening day of FGG, despite my best efforts to drink lots of water. The weather was deceptive; it felt cool, especially when the thunderstorms came through, but was still quite warm and we worked hard to get everything set up. After being unable to eat even bread, my roommate took me home to sleep in the cool softness of my own bed. I must admit that my bed had never felt as soft and inviting as it did that night.

Friday morning was very different. I had recovered well from the previous day and returned to FGG with energy and appetite. My morning tarot class went very well. I did not participate in the opening ritual, but observed and lent my energy from across the field so I could stay on the radio in case someone needed something. I did get the opportunity to participate in the Object Alchemy workshop presented by the proprietors of Fairy Woodland, and I'm beyond happy that I did. It was an experience like no other.

After a late massage from one gifted healer and a little time around the bonfire, it was time to head home. It truly felt like I was leaving a place where I belonged. The witches, Druids, Shamans, and Healers danced and drummed in the night and kept the energy going for the rest of the weekend. It's amazing to reflect on how this group of people, from far and wide and on different points of different paths, could so effortlessly create a truly sacred space where they can dance, teach, learn, and just be. It was safety. It was peace. It was joy. It was fellowship.

I hope it is not too soon to look forward to next year.

The Full Elf Moon

It's fitting in more ways than one that I spent this Esbat at Fertile Ground Gathering. Sure, we were celebrating Beltane a week late (the mundane world known as "park availability" got in the way, it will next year too) but we had some incredibly wonderful guests, including the unbelievably special John and Bridget from Fairy Woodland. Their presence, wisdom, and teachings were the most fitting for this Esbat than any other reason.

The Elf Moon is a time to communicate with the Fey. Many of them travel around the time of Beltane, and you can see them moving across the ley if you know where and how to look. One of John and Bridget's workshops taught us how to make a window for that purpose. Participants came away with their window and some special sand collected from a variety of places that provided the foundation of our windows, as it is the foundation of life. Two days prior, John gave me a stone that he had found on his walk. It appears to be quartz or calcite or a mixing of both and has been in my pocket since. I can't even begin to repeat the stories I'm hearing.

I learned much from them. Much about noticing the world. I always thought I was rather good at that, but it's truly amazing the things I've missed.

The order of the day did not have room for a ritual and no particular spells were needed. Instead, I spent the day (among my duties to Fertile Ground Gathering staff and patrons) listening, letting the Fey speak to me, hearing their songs as they calmed my fears and helped me open my eyes as my mind and heart were already opened. I left an offering of sweet fondant before retiring for the night.

I hope this Esbat found all of you, gentle readers, happy and willing to listen when the Fey have something to tell you.

03 May 2009

Tarot Reading - Week of 5/3 to 5/9

Good morning! It looks like we may be struggling a bit this week. Watch out for Wednesday when Mercury goes retrograde!

On Sunday, be on the look out for unfairness. You may treat someone unjustly, or someone may be unjust to you. Be mindful of what you do and say and how it may affect others.

Monday shows the presence of an honest and beloved person. Perhaps it is you in this role, or someone you know will offer some needed, honest intelligence.

Tuesday may involve a feeling of corruption. Someone near you is twisting things to their own ends. Be on the lookout for it.

On Wednesday, Mercury goes into retrograde. This is fitting because the card signifies that you are losing ground. Keep your head and stay on your feet. Don't let the energy of the day turn into disaster.

Thursday is a balancing act. Don't focus on your worry or concern, try to see that there are at least two sides to every problem.

Friday will see a threat to safety, to the things you have been working towards. It is merely a sign that more work needs to be done, so keep in mind that the threat could simply be that you don't see something through.

Saturday brings an excessive individual into the mix. This can be part of someone's charm, and may mean that they have a very important message for you that you should not miss.

This reading makes the week seem hard, but in general, we are reminded to stay understanding and sympathetic. Any obstacle can be overcome if you approach it calmly.

02 May 2009

Beltane 2009 part 1

The happiest of Happy Beltanes to you!

I must admit that I planned nothing for this Sabbat, as I will be celebrating next weekend at Fertile Ground Gathering. I've found that sometimes things present themselves.

Beltane is a fire festival and a major fertility festival. It is the other day, next to Samhain, where the veil between the worlds of the living and the spirits is thinnest. It is said that the Fae travel on this day, many looking for new residences. It is a good time for any kind of divination. With the veil being thin, insights from the spirit realm come through more clear.

A few months ago, I found an amazing artist who makes the most wondrous fairy houses I've ever seen. I ordered one a week ago, and - wouldn't you know? - it arrived yesterday morning!

In celebration of Beltane and the travels of the Fae, I did a simple meditation and welcoming ritual. I placed my new house away from the cats, cast my circle and set an offering of milk and honey. I've been collecting things: a tiny snail shell, a few quartz pieces, and a crystal point to put in my house as gifts for the fairies, so I placed them inside as well. I sat before the house and meditated welcoming the Fae to stay as long as they will.

It was a perfect way to celebrate Beltane and welcome the blessings of the fairies into my home, where they've always been welcome, but now they have a cozy, cat-safe place to stay.