Thursday, September 27, 2012

The Devil

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Ha Ha. So this is my story. I am thinking that today is going to be my last daily message from the tarot. I have found that not many people read on the weekends and I have a lot on my plate anyway. I will go back to my once or twice a week blogs after today. So I was hoping for a really good card for my last message for the month of messages. And I drew the devil. Not the card I was hoping for to say the least. I wanted to end the month off with something positive. So I will admit I put the card back and shuffled the cards and guess what. Got it again. I guess my guides want me to talk about this card.

In doing research about this card I find that the devil card is associated with Capricorn, I guess because in the picture the devil is half goat. Capricorn is associated with the mountain goat. If you have ever seen a mountain goat or at least seen pictures of them they are the animals who are relentless in their ability to climb difficult rocks to get to the top of the mountain.  Part of the implication of the card of the devil is that there is someone who will do anything to get to the top. Capricorns are thought of as being natural leaders and very focused on getting ahead. As an after note, I am a  Capricorn. I really don't see myself this way, but we often don't see our own faults I guess, if you would consider natural drive a fault. However, my understanding of this card is that the card of the devil is twofold. It is a warning against overindulgence, but it is also a suggestion that it may take some relentless focus and abandon to reach or achieve a goal.

In the card, there is a naked man and woman with chains around their necks, hooked together and tied to the perch the devil himself is sitting upon. The woman seems to be holding a basket of apples, the fruit thought to be the downfall of mankind in the garden of Eden. Here is my thought. In the garden, supposedly the devil tempts the woman to eat of the fruit so that she can obtain the knowledge of good and evil, thought to be a bad thing by God. However, think about it. Knowledge is in my opinion our greatest asset. Without knowledge we are nothing but puppets, doing the will of whoever holds the keys. The person holding the keys is the one with the knowledge. The apparent sin in the garden was that Adam and Eve thought that they knew better than God, that they, if they ate of the fruit, could become wise. My question is, why would God want to have people who followed or served Him because they didn't know any better? Wouldn't it be much better to have those who followed Him because they had thought about it, weighed the options, and decided it was the best plan of action? In other words, in my opinion, if the story is true, which is a whole other blog, then God possibly used the devil to persuade Adam and Eve to think for themselves because God actually did want his people to have knowledge.

I for one believe that God, or our Higher Power, or whatever you want to call our Source, wants us to seek knowledge. He/She wants us to think for ourselves. And then after we have weighed our options, to choose love. In order to choose, we have to have first hand knowledge or experience with its opposite. Yes, I believe that this card of the devil warns us against becoming enslaved to anything. However, if, when we are in the throes of slavery, we can look up and see the light at the end of the tunnel, if we can muster the strength within ourselves to climb up out of the pit of darkness and relentlessly climb those rocks to get to the top of the mountain, then the devil has served his purpose. He has thrown us into the pit of darkness so that we will look up and see the light and know that the light is something worth pursuing. That old saying comes to mind.."whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

Just for today, think about what things in your life have caused you to pursue your way to the top, out of the pit of despair. We can actually thank the "devil", which is symbolic of anything that pulls us away from the light, because in our darkness, we realized that we longed for the light. Today I want you to consider that there is no black and white, only shades of grey. Our ideas of right and wrong, good and bad, God and the devil, all need to be reconsidered. Sometimes our greatest obstacles are our greatest teachers. The devil has no power over us, except that which we give to him.

What is your greatest fear? What is your greatest "vice?" Thank those things for what you have learned, the knowledge you have obtained. Overcoming obstacles is what makes us who we are. We are only defeated if we give up. Stand up and climb out of the chains that have you bound. You have not realized. You have the keys.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Justice

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Today's card is the card of justice. This card is the card of balancing the scales. Today might be the day when you see your hard work rewarded or on the other hand, your secrets may come back to haunt you. The most important thing to remember when Spirit is balancing the scales is that our sense of justice and the Higher Powers sense of justice may be two different things.

You may feel that you have been working hard at something and the card of justice is drawn to bring you the rewards of a job well done. Instead, you may injure yourself and be off from work for a few days, because Spirit feels you have been working too hard and may need to rest. In my case I am an exercise enthusiast. Monday morning although the temps were cool, I went out for my run. I ended up with a sense that my lungs maybe did not fare well. Ignoring my body's indication that maybe a day of rest was in order, the next day I spent the day rearranging furniture with the full intention of continuing my normal workout routine. I pulled a muscle in the process. Maybe Spirit is trying to get me to slow down a bit. I tend to run at full speed ahead. Of course when I draw the cards, I always try to first personalize them before I try to share on my blog, so when I was thinking of what justice meant to me in my life, I could not think of any wrongs that needed to be righted. The muscle injury was the only message I got for me personally. A balancing of the scales. Slow down a bit.

Maybe your spiritual life is flourishing but your relationships need some work. Or maybe you are faring well in the material world, with a bright career but you rarely have time for family or friends. Today is the day to think about how to balance all the various parts of your self that are calling to you for attention. Have you been ignoring the call of Spirit to come away and spend some time in your spiritual practice but you are too busy, with work or family always in the way? Have you been too busy to incorporate physical activity or a healthy diet into your daily routine? Whatever it is that you have been ignoring, look for the balancing scales of justice to come calling.

If you are hoping the justice cards means that someone who has wronged you is about to receive their punishment of sorts, I wouldn't focus too much on the hopes that Spirit has taken up the cause. Spirit is much different than we are about dishing out punishments, especially when that is what we are hoping for. The best thing to do is hope for the best outcome for everyone concerned. Never hope for the downfall of someone who you feel deserves it. You are just asking for the scales of justice to turn instead on you. Remember that Spirit is much better than we are at dishing out justice, and that Spirit has much better scales than we do.

Remember to look within when you are looking at the justice card. Is there someone you have wronged that you need to make it right? Is there imbalance in any areas of your life? If you are inclined to look at others when the justice card appears, then it is time to change your focus. Just for today, focus on an area of your life you have been neglecting. It is time to balance the scales.

Many people have a tendency to assume that a message is for someone else, and fail to personalize the message for themselves. No one likes to think that a difficult message is for them. Not that the justice card is difficult, rather, it is easy to assume that the justice card means that justice will be done in our favor. Someone who has done us wrong will get their just desserts. Not necessarily. Justice is a fair and unbiased observer. The seeds you have sown will grow up eventually. Don't expect if you have been sowing green bean seeds that you will get a watermelon. If you have sown green beans you will eventually get green beans.Someone I once knew, as a teenager, used to steal car parts and sell them. As an adult, he often had cars that broke down, even new cars right off the showroom. Obviously he couldn't go back and make right to every person he stole from. But Spirit was sending him his justice card. Just something to think about.

Just for today, take time to think about what things in your life need some balance. What have you been neglecting? What kinds of seeds have you been sowing? Take notice of what comes to mind. It may be as simple as a pulled muscle to tell you to slow down a bit. Or it may be more substantial. Maybe today is the day to take inventory and do some self balancing, before Spirit does it for you. When the justice card appears, expect justice to be done, for the good of all.

Queen of Swords

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Today's card is the Queen of Swords. In this card we see a profile of a queen sitting on her throne and holding a sword. The background is a sky of blue and some puffy white clouds. There are butterflies adorning her throne and also her crown. The setting seems to be pleasant, although the facial expression on the queen is a bit hard.

When the Queen of Swords appears in your life, it is time to use your intellect and words to make your mark on the world. This is not the time for the feel good, nurturing side of yourself to be in control. Those with a Queen of Swords personality do not mince words. They are not known to be overly mushy gushy, feel good types of people. Instead, they make their mark on the world through their use of words and intellect. The Queen of Swords would be the person you go to when you want to hear the truth, when you want to know the answer to a question, when you need some sound advice. I am reminded of my mother when I think about the essence of this card. She was not overly nurturing, but she always had an answer. I remember about her that she was the one who would get herself in trouble sometimes for not mincing words, for speaking her truth. I tend to have that same sort of personality, although I hope that I have softened with age.

Is there someone in your life who always speaks their truth, no matter what the result? Sometimes these types of people can be abrasive, however, remember that they tend to be very wise and have given a lot of time and thought to all the things they have learned in this lifetime. They have given themselves over to an idea, a belief system, a cause, sometimes to the extent that their sense of compassion for those with different ideas suffers. I find that I tend to notice these types of people a lot, those who are locked into an idea or a belief to the exclusion of any other possibility. When two people with a queen of swords personality lock horns, the result is often not pretty. This makes me know that there is still something within myself that is the same way. When we find ourselves dealing with people over and over with a particular personality trait that rubs us the wrong way, it is a pretty good indication that there is a portion of that tendency within ourselves that we have not yet acknowledged.

Just for today, embrace that part of yourself that is wise, knowledgeable, and in control. In the same token, however, realize that there is the other side of the coin that is nurturing, compassionate and accepting of others. You may run into this type of personality today, if it is not you that embraces the essence of the Queen of Swords. There may be an instance to which you need to use your intellect, and not your emotions, to overcome a situation. Remember that Spirit is there to offer the wisdom you need to deal with whatever problems or situations in which you find yourself. We all have tools, given to us by Spirit, to deal with whatever life hands us. Remember that our souls are wise, loving, compassionate, and able to deal with whatever life brings us. We just need to be in touch with that part of ourselves that is connected to Spirit. If you find yourself wavering, just stop and reconnect. It is that simple. All the answers we need are right there.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

New Things

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Yes, I know I have written about the ace of wands card already. This morning I drew this card first and I indicated to Spirit that I needed a card that I had not already drawn. Spirit makes no mistakes, however. I put this card back and attempted to write about the next card that I drew. It was a struggle to say the least. Obviously Spirit has something to say to day about the Ace of Wands.

If you read my previous message relating to this card, you know that this is the card of new ideas. Something within you has sparked and a new idea has conceived within you. This is the card of conception. Nothing has materialized yet. The final outcome of this idea is still undecided. The end result could be very different from the initial conception.

The message for today is that if you desire change in your life then do something new. I love the exercise gurus out there who say, " you cannot continue to do the same things and expect different results." This tidbit of wisdom applies to all areas of our lives. We cannot continue to do the same things in the same ways and expect something different to manifest. I learned this years ago. I was locked into a belief system and I erroneously thought that if I prayed and prayed, eventually God would intervene and fix all my problems. After a number of years of struggle I finally decided to take matters into my own hands and be my own savior. The strength I was looking for outside of myself I found within my own soul. Yes, I still connect with Angels and Guides, but I don't look for them to do anything for me without any action on my part.

Inside of ourselves we all contain a spark of the Divine. That light in our own soul is connected to the light that is inherent in all things. All we need to do is access that Divine Wisdom. All the answers we need are there. The Ace of Wands embraces that spark.

Just for today, so something that is out of the ordinary. Get out of your comfort zone. Drive a different way to work. Eat a food you are not accustomed to eating. Change the furniture around in your house. Remember that nothing is created or destroyed, it just changes form. When you change something in your world, anything, the energy around you changes.

 Do you want more money? Put a dollar bill in your pocket and pull it out periodically during the day and just feel its energy. Imagine yourself with lots of dollar bills in your pocket. Imagine the feeling of it. Then sometime, before the end of the day, give that dollar bill away. Yes, give it away. Nothing is created by holding on. It is created by letting go. If you cannot decide who to give it to, then go into a store and drop it on the floor. Say to Spirit.." thank you for giving me the gift of money. I have so much that I am giving this to You to give to someone who needs it. It is not up to me who that person is. I now release it to the Universe for whoever needs it......"

Just for today, do something symbolic of the change you desire to see in your life. If you want a new job, drive a different way to work. If you want a new relationship, place a picture in your bedroom of a happy couple. If you want to see things in a new way, wash the windows in your home or your car. I think you get my drift. Spirit will tell you what to do that is symbolic of the change you wish to see.

Today is the day to spark a new era in your life. Ready, set, go!!




Monday, September 24, 2012

Hmmm The Death Card

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No one likes to get the death card. After a weekend off from connecting with the tarot and a wonderful excursion yesterday to a gathering of like minded individuals in Sperryville, Virginia, enjoying the mountains, the beautiful fresh air, my good friend Hali (in junior high her name was Halimah, my best friend in 7th through the 9th grade), and of course a great Spirit message from gifted intuitive Christin McCormack, I was sure my energy was replenished and for sure I would get a wonderful card for the beginning of this last week of messages from the tarot.

I connected with Spirit, cut the cards, and drew the death card. Now I had said from the beginning to my guides that I really wanted some of the cards that were traditionally thought of as "bad" cards so that I could show my readers that really, there is no such thing as a bad message. So maybe my tarot guide was calling me on that.

It is interesting to me that the death card is card number thirteen, also thought of by many to be a bad omen. Many hotels don't have a thirteenth floor. Friday the thirteenth is supposed to be a bad luck day. The three and the one of the number thirteen add up to four, which in old time feng shui was the number equated with death, which is interesting. It was considered bad energy to group objects in fours.

It is also interesting that a couple of days ago I had a dream in which my husband and I were in a head on car collision, the impact of which woke me up, so it was not determined whether we survived the crash. But let me assure you all that the death card and the number thirteen is not bad luck. Having a dream about death is not bad luck either. Why? Because there is no such thing as bad luck.

We are all sparks of the Divine Energy which some call God. The light within our soul is the light that in the Bible, in the beginning, God said, Let there be light and there was light. We all contain a portion of that light, no matter who we are. Even the rocks and the trees contain a spark of that light, that energy which is God. The truth is, there is no such thing as death. Even science says that energy cannot die, it just changes form. There is nothing in a number that makes it bad luck and there is nothing in the death card that should spark fear in us.

To me, the death card represents change. We all can say that we are going through changes. This year in numerology is the year of great changes. Many times in order for change to happen in our lives something has to die. A seed has to die in order for a flower to be born. Even when we die, our bodies decompose but our spirit is reborn into another reality. My husband, who is a paranormal investigator, has come to the conclusion many times over that the evidence he collects when investigating goings on in houses reported to be haunted is many times inconclusive as to whether there is an actual presence in the house or if the activity is the result of trapped emotions, the current occupant's mental state, normal settling of the house, or a combination of many other factors. The bottom line is that death is not the end. It is actually a beginning.

Today, put aside your prejudices about what is good and what is bad. Think about what things you would like to birth in your life and consider what needs to be eliminated so that you can bring forth those things into your life. It is impossible to add more liquid to an already full cup. What do you need to pour out of your cup in order to fill it up with the new stuff? Do you need to clean out your closets, both literally and symbolically? What things need to be put to rest?

In the tarot, the death card represents the final end of a chapter. Not the end of the book. Just a chapter. A new chapter is about to burst forth on the scene. This chapter may be ending, but new things are on the horizon. My shaman teacher says that when you are on the death stone, (in shamanism the divinity tool is a circle of stones) that you need to give everything a good death. Allow whatever is over to be over, in order to start anew. Be willing to put down what is no longer productive in your life. The opposite of that is holding on too tightly to things that are no longer life affirming or in your best interests. When you hold on too tightly to anything, whether it be money, a relationship, a hobby, or a multitude of other things, then that thing will run away from you. Open your grip. Let go. Death is not the end.

Friday, September 21, 2012

Weekend

Just a note to let you know that I am not going to be posting a message a day from the tarot for Saturday and Sunday. On Monday I will start my last week of messages based on the cards of the tarot. Have a great weekend!!

Knight of Swords

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Today's card is the knight of swords. In it we see a knight, riding full speed ahead on his horse, holding his sword in front of him, the wind blowing against him, the sky ominous, the trees bending in the fierce wind. This card represents someone in our life, or ourselves, riding against the wind. It could represent conflict of some sort, words that cut and seem to come out of nowhere, but the energy of this card is sudden, and often unexpected.

Wind most often represents change, and sudden change at that. Knights often also represent something that happens speedily, and swords represent words, conflict, or issues with our mind. The swords have the potential of cutting to the chase.

Many times we are living our lives, and then, out of the blue, someone invades our world. There are words that cut and cause us or those we love to bleed and suffer. If often comes out of the blue, unexpected. After it is over we or those we have had conflict with are often left with guilt, as in the previous blog. We often go to bed, lose sleep, toss and turn, riddled with the words that have invaded our world.

It is so important to weigh our words. We can never take them back. We may apologize, feel remorse, try to make amends, but words are out there, in the atmosphere, biting us where it hurts, so to speak. In recent days we have seen in the media how words that have come out of the mouths of political candidates have come back to haunt them. Of course they meant what they were saying at the time. It was only afterward when the uproar over those words bit them, did they backpedal and try to soften the blow. We can also see how words can change everything. The whole course of an event can be changed by words spoken carelessly or without thought or consideration of everyone involved.

I usually try to capsulize an idea into something to embrace "just for today", that way the task does not seem so daunting, however, my sincere plea for today's message is that we weigh our words. Take the feelings of others into consideration. Sincerely feel how other people are going to take the words that come out of your mouth. You never know how your words will change the course of the path of your life. I have noticed that putting my words out there in the eyes of all has changed how people react to my blogs. Some have some sort of prejudice against the tarot in general, thinking it is somehow evil or sinful. This is also something to consider. Watch your prejudices. Watch your judgements. If something is out there that you have had a prejudice against, reevaluate. Is is causing harm or good? Just because it has always been thought of as evil, doesn't mean it is. It is time to eradicate our prejudices.  The cardinal rule of wicca is "harm none." And yet there is a stigma that some still attach to this belief system. It is time to revisit our prejudices and the words and thoughts that have separated us as a human race and instead find the things that we can agree on. Love and forgiveness seems to be at the heart of every true religion. We need to stop thinking that our way is the only way. As long as love and peace and joy is the result of someone's belief system or way of life, then who are we to judge?

 Let us put down our swords. Let us stop going into battle against an unknown enemy. In the card of the knight of swords the enemy is not shown. Even the forces of nature are trying to prevent this knight from going into battle. The winds are against him. And yet his resolve is set.

Think about those with whom you have spoken out words of aggression or conflict, and especially those of a particular faith or ethnicity or persuasion that you do not agree with or are unfamiliar with but with whom you have issues. Are they really as bad as you think? Think of the mantra "harm none." Is this your goal? Just for today, take this as your intention. "I will do no harm. I will say only words of love and acceptance. I will judge not."

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Nine of Swords

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Most of the cards I have drawn in this month of messages from the tarot have been really good cards. I am a very positive person, so I have enjoyed writing the blogs, with messages from Spirit that make me feel good. I am sure that if I feel good writing the messages, then my readers will enjoy reading them. So when I drew this card, I had to really think about what  Spirit might want to say today.

This card, the nine of swords, depicts a person sitting up in bed with her(?) head down and cupped in her hands. The wall behind her bed is a dark blue, and on the wall it appears that there are nine swords hanging above her head. She is covered by a patchwork quilt. To me the bed appears hard and uncomfortable.

The first thing that comes to my mind when I contemplate this card is that this person is not sleeping due to some sort of conflict hanging over her head. The end of the swords, the point, is not shown, which means the end result of the conflict is not yet known. The symbolism of attempting to sleep on a hard bed, to me, symbolizes that the person depicted has made a hard bed for herself to lay on. In other words, the reason for her insomnia is probably self inflicted.

Most of us can admit that at some point in our lives we have made for ourselves a hard bed to lay on. We have done things we are ashamed of. We feel guilt. We feel responsible for something or someone who is causing us grief and anxiety. We may lay awake at night, tossing and turning, going over in our heads the possible implications of our thoughts, words, or actions.

This card does not offer a way out or an end result. The tips of the swords are not shown. The number nine is the number of finality, of completion, of endings, but this card does not depict a final result. We may have conflict hanging over our heads, but the final result is not yet determined.

What would Spirit say to us in regards to this card? I am hearing that no matter what you have done or what you have gone through, the end result is not set in stone. You have made a hard bed for yourself. You have yourself hung those swords above your own head. Your own guilt has kept you awake at night. But that is not the end of the story.

There are a couple of possibilities. Either you have done something for which you feel guilty or you are carrying a heavy load for which you are feeling anguish. You are staying awake at night, going over in your head the possible implications. You are worried about the possible outcomes. It is time to get up out of that hard bed you have made for yourself and take down those swords which are hanging over your head. It is time to come clean. Only you can remedy this.

If you are losing sleep over a bad decision, an indiscretion, something you have done that you are ashamed of, then now is the time to come clean. If you don't, eventually the truth will come out anyway. Spirit is giving you the chance to come clean on your own before the truth comes out some other way. It is much better to admit guilt than to backpedal and have to explain away your actions.

This is a warning card. The message is that if you have a secret, something that you are ashamed of, now is the time to come clean.

Obviously this card is not for everyone. But there is someone who needs to hear this message. Today is the day to come clean.

Ten of Pentacles

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Today's card is the card of success, wealth, security, and permanence. Whereas yesterday's card indicated that there was change in the air, today's card is all about security, feeling secure in one's environment, and having enough to share with others.

In this card the figures in the card are in the middle of town square. There is an older man, dressed in a regal robe, symbolizing prosperity with all its pomp and circumstance, petting a dog, and close by there is a family with a small child, the small child also petting one of the dogs, and looking towards the older gentleman. There are pentacles, symbolic in the tarot of wealth, seemingly floating in the air throughout this card. One of the images of this card is that of a money tree. In this card is the feeling of money growing on trees. There is enough for all, with the hint that it is time to share the wealth.

This card also has the feel of generosity. You have been blessed with much and it is time to pass on what you have received.

I want you to look past the face value of this card. Think about how you are truly blessed. If you are not blessed with a fat bank account, you can think of many ways in which you are blessed. There are so many who are poor in material wealth but rich in family ties, rich in health, rich in wisdom, rich in love. We all have something we are really good at. You may be an excellent cook, or maybe you are really good with children. We all have come into this lifetime with something that is our golden egg, so to speak. It is that thing that you have that no one else has exactly like you do. It is that I want you to think of for a moment. Maybe that thing that you do really well has not exactly made you rich. I want to present to you the idea that riches come in all forms. Maybe you do not live in an affluent neighborhood, but you have friends who are there for you at the drop of a hat. You have love. You can think of at least one thing you have that is really really good.

Sometimes we spend too much time thinking about what we don't have and forget to realize that we all have something that makes us prosperous. The ten of pentacles does not have to be just about money, although it can be. It is time to think about what you have in abundance and then think about how you can pass the wealth on to those who could use more of what you have. If you have nothing else, you have your smile. Everyone can smile at someone today and pass along the feeling of good will.

Just for today, embrace the ten of pentacles. Think about what you have that makes you wealthy. Think about how you can share what you have with someone who has not so much of that quality. If nothing else, we all have an abundance of the potential to love. Love from your heart. What does abundance mean to you? Imagine those coins floating around in the air and having so much in abundance that it would not affect your life in the least if you passed some on to others. Leave a legacy. What will your legacy be?

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Wheel of Fortune

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This morning I focused on the cards and then drew a card for today's message. The first card I got was the King of Pentacles. I thanked Spirit for the card. A good card, but I already wrote about this one, I told Spirit. Not that I can't get the same card twice. But please give me a different card, I asked. The second time I drew the Wheel of Fortune. This is a great card too.

I love this card because it represents change. In numerology we are in a year of change. The number ten which is the number equivalent of the wheel of fortune represents beginnings and inner gifts. In other words, new things are coming, change, and especially in the spiritual realm.

I thought since the first card I drew was the King of Pentacles, I would incorporate that card as well into the message for today. If you remember, the King of Pentacles represents success, being at the top of your game, great fortune. The wheel of fortune represents luck, change in fortune, destiny. They are similar cards but the wheel of fortune has within it the ability to also mean luck working against you. It all depends on where you find yourself on the wheel at the time you pull the card and whether you have been a person of character up until now. The wheel of fortune has within it the essence of karma, of reaping what you have sown.

Yesterday I talked about how we want our dreams to come to pass immediately. We want instant gratification. We want to sow our seeds and have them come up and produce a crop right away. Sometimes we have to let that baby grow within our bellies and allow the birth to happen at just the right time. The wheel of fortune says to us that it is about time for that baby to be born. Things are about to change.

Here is the thing about receiving messages from Spirit. There is no time outside of our realm of understanding. So when Spirit tells you that things are about to change, you may have in your mind that Spirit is telling you that within a few days or perhaps a week things will change. You have to understand that Spirit is notoriously bad at timing because there is no time where They are. Time only means something to us. From Their perspective change may be right around the corner but it may take some time to get to us.

So the essence of the message for today is that yes, things are about to change. If you have been a person of character and have been toiling along waiting for things to get better, then take heart, your ship is about to come in. The King of Pentacles agrees. Chances are, if you are not a person who is interested in Spirit and have been working on yourself spiritually, you are probably not reading this message. So don't even worry about the wheel going in the opposite direction. This card indicates that time is circular and that the wheels of change are turning.

Change is inevitable. Things that stay the same stagnate. We learn and grow through change. That is what life is all about. Sometimes the wheel has to turn in a downward direction in order to eventually come back up. Whichever way you find the wheel turning, take heart. The King of Pentacles who also appeared this morning says it will be beneficial. Just for today, remember that change is coming and it is all good. If the change turns out to be difficult change, it will make you stronger. If it turns out to be beneficial, all the better. Get ready. The wheel is turning.

Monday, September 17, 2012

The Empress

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Today's card from the tarot is the card of the Empress. Here we have a woman with a crown on her head, holding a scepter, royal colors on the cushions upon which she sits, in a lush, green setting in a meadow of some sort with evergreen trees in the background. The feel of the card is comfort. Some tarot cards depict her as being pregnant, symbolizing the birth of new things in our lives, but also with the idea of hearth and home, and a connection to the earth.

Yesterday I was blessed to be able to get out of town and reconnect with the Mother Earth. Even though I have a lush and beautiful backyard, with which I am able to connect on a regular basis, there is something to be said for going out of town and to a place that is unencumbered by humans, for the most part. We came upon a place on the trail where there were huge rocks, jutting out from the ground and reaching up into the sky several hundred feet. The greenery around the area was soft and green, and there were many trees that grew out of the ground in twins, signifying a place of great energy concentration. I made my way down into the area close to the rocks, and felt such a surge of natural energy. I could feel the everyday emotional debris just floating out of my body, as I reconnected with the Earth which is our Mother. This is the feeling I think this card wants to depict.



Sometimes we get too caught up in the business of living. There are jobs to do, clothes to wash, dinner to fix, bills to pay. There is always something to do. Sometimes it is important just to put all those things aside and just get out of town.

The other feeling associated with this card is that of being pregnant. There is a time for gestation, after the initial conception, be it of an idea, a career, a family, a relationship, or anything new we have conceived of but have not yet birthed. Many times we are impatient with the gestation period. We do not want to give our "baby" time to develop. We want what we want in an instant. We have created instant potatoes, instant rice, instant oatmeal, microwaves which cook our food in an instant. We cannot live without being instantly connected with others through our cell phones, computers, and televisions. We can know in an instant what is happening on the other side of the world. The thought of gestation is foreign to us. There is something to be said for the idea of gestation, of just putting aside our need for instant gratification and just allowing our "baby" to develop on its own, in its own perfect timing.

If you do not have access to a natural setting, be it a park, mountains, beach, or winding trail, I encourage you to find access to something that gives you the feeling of nature. Even if it is just connecting through a houseplant, just for today, get in touch with something that does not take human intervention to exist. When you are connecting to that natural setting, thing about what you are doing. Are you trying to birth something into your life? Are you impatient for it to be born? Connect with that object of your intention, and let it know that you are willing to wait until its perfect time. Intend that you are going to enjoy the journey from conception to birth. Some things are just worth waiting for. A premature baby is never as healthy as one who is born right on time.

So this is your assignment. Just for today, get in touch with Mother Nature, in some form. Thank Her for the gift of life, and reconnect with the earth upon which we live, and breathe. Think about your life, and what it is that you are trying to birth into your life, whether it be big or small. Allow yourself time to breathe and contemplate. Enjoy your life, and be grateful for all your blessings.

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Two of Swords

http://www.learntarot.com/bigjpgs/swords02.jpg

In this card we have what appears to me to be a woman, sitting on a bench with her back to a body of water containing large rocks, holding two swords crossed over her heart, and wearing a blindfold. There is a crescent moon above and behind her.

This card speaks to me of a person who does not want to see something. The blindfold appears to be self inflicted. The swords crossed over her heart are in fact in her own hands. The fate of this woman is in her own hands. She has closed her heart and closed her eyes. There is something she does not want to see or want to face. Swords represent the intellect, conflict and the mental realm. Water represents emotions, the moon represents intuition. Her back is to both her feelings and her intuitive sense. This card speaks of being at an impasse, not being able to move forward but not wanting to go back either.

In our lives we all have things we do not want to face, issues that are difficult. We may sense the infidelity of a lover or we may have doubts about our own feelings in our primary relationships. There may be something within that is holding us back from moving forward and fulfilling our destiny. We may be fearful of the unknown. Sometimes it is easier to remain in a place that is unfulfilling than to shed the relationships or environment that is holding us back. Our ship cannot come in because we are in a place where the water is filled with dangerous rocks.

The truth of the matter is that whatever we don't face now we will end up facing at some point in our future. Life is a series of lessons, and if we fail a test or just refuse to take the test, we will get the opportunity over and over until we do. There is no graduating to the next level until we pass the tests we are given.

The worst scenario is when we have closed our eyes and our hearts to our own needs and desires. Sometimes we may have the best of intentions. We may fear hurting the people in our lives. We may think that it is heroic if we put aside our own needs for the needs of others. Or maybe we cannot imagine how we will survive without that other person. It is not good for the other person if you are there only because you don't want to hurt their feelings. Each one of us has the right to be in a primary relationship with someone who is dedicated to that relationship. If one or the other is not committed, then both suffer.

Today is the day to open your eyes and see what you do not want to see. Take the swords down which you have in place to protect your heart. Turn that bench around and face that emotion or intuitive feeling which you have turned your back on. We are only living if we are feeling our raw emotions, if we are opening ourselves up to the spray of mist from the ocean of passion. What is your life worth if you spend your whole life living a lie? How have you robbed the significant people in your life of a life filled with true emotions, not pretense?

Remember this. If something is not good for you, it is also not good for those with whom you share your life. The significant people in your life deserve to spend their lives with people who really want to be there. In the same sense, you also deserve to spend your life with people who are true and honest with you.

Whether it is a relationship, a career, a home, or another scenario that you have closed your eyes and your hearts to, today is the day to take off that blindfold and put down the sword. Stop lying to yourself and face that which you have turned your back on. If you feel you are at an impasse, then spend some time meditating on what you really want to do with your life.Don't come to the end of your life with regrets. Live with wild abandon. It is time.

Friday, September 14, 2012

The World

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Here is a card we all would like to see when we are getting a reading, the card entitled the World. This card indicates that the world is at our command. We are fulfilled. We are happy. We are complete.

In the picture there is a woman, seemingly dancing in thin air, covered only by a loosely wrapped scarf of some kind. She is surrounded by a laurel or a wreath, with four figures looking from each corner of the card. She is holding a baton of some kind in each hand. It is a happy card, a card that sings of completion and wholeness.

Most of us will have to admit that we are all aspiring to this card. We all want our lives to be at peace. We want to meet our goals. We want to be perhaps in a relationship which has weathered the storms and now has settled happily into bliss. We want that perfect career, that happy home, that feeling of completeness and perhaps enlightenment. If this is your goal, then the world card might be the one you carry around with you today.

Most of us will admit that sometimes this seems like a lofty goal, perhaps unreachable. We cannot imagine our lives this way, because we have not seen ourselves in this light. If you can admit to yourself that you have a hard time imagining your life without any struggles, then it may take some time before you embrace this card.

It is said that the reason that a large percentage of those who win the lottery are out of money within a relatively short period of time is because they are not in resonance with large amounts of money. In other words, they could not feel or see themselves without struggle. I wrote a blog once about my first adventure in building a pond, in which I took some fish out of the icky green water in which they had been accustomed to living and placed them in a bowl of fresh clean water and they died within a half hour. In other words, we are victims of our environment.  Many of us are fish living in an icky green algae infested pond. We cannot just jump out into a bowl of clean water. In order to create a life for ourselves in which we are able to embody the essence of this card, we must first feel it, see it, taste it, and smell it deep within the recesses of our being.

Just for today, imagine that perfect life, in which you are at peace with all that touches you. You are in a happy, fulfilled relationship. You have that perfect job or have created that perfect income. Your children are happy and settled. Your home is at peace. Your bills are paid. Pay attention to the feelings that come up. Deep within yourself, is there a small voice that is whispering that it could never happen? It is time to displace that voice and replace it with the essence of fulfillment, happiness, contentment, accomplishment. Feel complete. Feel enlightened. Feel safe. Imagine yourself as that woman, dancing in mid air in the midst of a crown of accomplishment. Do this regularly. Then just see what happens.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Seven of Wands

http://www.learntarot.com/bigjpgs/wands07.jpg

Today's card is the seven of wands. In this card, there is a lone man standing against a blue sky, holding a stick (or a wand) in a defensive position against six more sticks (or wands) in front of him. He seems determined, defiant, and willing to stand his ground against all odds.

In the major arcana of the tarot, the seventh card is the card of the chariot. In the chariot, there is a man, driving a chariot with two horses, one white and one black, and in some cards it appears that they are going in different directions. The chariot represents the ability to tame opposing forces and reign them in to a successful conclusion. Even before I knew the meanings of the tarot cards, this rang true with me in my experience of the number seven. In traditional numerology, seven represents going within, spending some time alone, the need for privacy, but also with the indication that a spiritual experience would be the result of this time alone. Wands in the tarot represent ideas, creative ventures. So in the card of the seven of wands, it would appear that there is going to be a bit of a struggle in creating the reality that is your vision, but with the strength that comes from within, one can be victorious.

Is there an idea, a vision, or a goal, that you have been contemplating? Has it been a struggle bringing your idea or vision to fruition? Do you sometimes feel that you are alone in your quest? The card of the seven of wands indicates that it is time to stand your ground, against all odds, be aggressive and defiant of all opposition, don't be afraid to maintain your position, even if it means standing alone.

We all want to get great messages from Spirit. We want to know that all is well, that we will win the lottery, that we will fall in love and live happily ever after, that our business will be successful, that our children will be okay, etc, etc. There are some cards in the tarot that, at first glance, don't seem wonderful. No one wants to be told that they are in for a battle ahead. When you look at this card, it appears that there is going to be a struggle, and that you will be or feel alone in the fight. The outcome is not necessarily indicated. The fact that the sky is blue in the background is a good sign. It would appear that eventually the battle will be won, but that is not necessarily the case.

Sometimes all you can do is stand your ground. Sometimes you will feel alone in your fight to make your world work.  The encouraging thing is that we have all been there. Some of us have won the battle, and some have not. I remember in my past I went through years of feeling like this man, standing my ground, all alone. Every day was a battle of some kind. But the day it changed was the day that I realized that I was the only one who could change it. It did not change overnight. But I stood my ground and did my spiritual work until I was able to hold my head up high and see the end of the struggle.

Many years ago there was a friend at work who I used to like to whine to. I would come to work and boo hoo about all the things in my life that were not working and why it was not my fault. One day this friend looked at me and said the words that changed my life.

"Joy, we have known each other for all these years (seven or eight at the time I think). You come in here whining about your life for all these years. I am tired of it. Whenever you have decided to do something about it, then come back and talk to me. Until then, I never want to hear it again."

It was like a brick hitting me in the face. I realized he was right. That day I made a plan and changed my life.

Is there something in your life that needs to change? Is there a battle you feel you have been fighting all alone? Today is the day to realize that only you can change it. If your life is not working, stop blaming everyone else. Today take a stand and change the things in your life you need to change. I did it. You can too!!

The Penny

I know. I had said that this month my messages were going to come from the tarot. Well this message came to me as I was outside running and it had nothing to do with the tarot so today we are going to skip the tarot and just get something straight from Spirit.

This happened to me yesterday morning, my day off from work at the Post Office. My tarot message for yesterday had to do with having some fun and not taking everything so seriously. I had decided to go outside and run and during my run was contemplating what fun thing I might be able to get into and still get all my day's work done. I was getting close to arriving back at the house. I happened to look down in the street as I running past and I saw a penny laying on the ground. I remembered that many times pennies are our departed loved ones way of sending us a message. I felt my mom say to me to stop and pick up the penny. I had noticed that the penny was on tails and the old superstition says if the penny is on heads, stop and pick it up but if it is on tails, leave it lay. I decided to ignore the urge to stop and pick it up. After all, it was only a penny. I continued a short distance on from the penny and a crow called out to me. This is  a sure sign to me that Spirit is around. I felt the crow telling me to listen to my mom's urging and go back and get the penny.

I don't know why in the world all this fuss about a penny. Okay. So I turned around and went back to the place in the road where I saw the penny. No penny. I looked all around. It wasn't there. I know I was not seeing things. That penny was there. I continued looking for a bit and then I gave up. It was just a penny.

Just then Spirit told me that the message was that it was very important to listen to urges from Spirit because if I miss an opportunity then it is just gone. I had the opportunity at that point to pick up a penny as a reminder that my mom is looking on from the Other Side. But I ignored that opportunity.

Now I am not saying that my mom will not come back to communicate with me again. I am sure she will. But the message loud and clear is that many times we feel urgings from Spirit to do something. Yesterday's urging had to do with lightening up and going out and enjoying myself. I don't have to always be working. Spirit told me that sometimes when I am told to do something that I need to do it right then and there. The opportunity might not come again for awhile. It's kind of like when you go shopping and you see something you want but you decide to wait and see if the urge for that certain something is still there in a couple of days. Then you decide you really do want it but when you go back it is either not there anymore or it is not on sale anymore. Now one way of thinking is that if you were supposed to have it, it would have been there. The other way to look at it is that if you feel like something is an urge from somewhere deep inside, in that deep knowing place within you, and you ignore it, that opportunity might just pass you by.

So today's message is this. If you feel prompted by Spirit to do something, even if it is just to stop and pick up a penny, do it!! If you decided to ignore that prompting and then change your mind later and try to go back to do that which you felt prompted to do, the opportunity could be gone. It is time for us to stop ignoring our inner voice. The more we ignore the voice of Spirit, the less Spirit will communicate with us. If you are being prompted to vote for the opposite party than you are used to affiliating yourself with, then do it. There must be a reason!! ( that happened to me once, not that I am one party or the other, but I used to be.) If Spirit tells you to go eat at Chick- Fil- A after you have been boycotting it, then go. If you haven't been to church in ten years and Spirit tells you to go, then go. I think you are getting the point.

Let us be still long enough to listen to Spirit so that we can be tuned in enough to know when we are being prompted to stop and pick up a penny. Don't miss your opportunity.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Six of Cups

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Has your life become a drudgery? Do you dread the responsibilities of the everyday work world? Do you long for times past, especially in childhood, when you had not a care in the world and all was fun and play? The six of cups may be a great card to meditate on, carry around with you, or contemplate.

The image on the six of cups is that of two children, a boy and a girl, engaged in playful interactions. It appears that the boy may be giving the girl a cup full of flowers, or it could be that they are just engaged in a playful interaction. There is no serious tone to this card, no lifelong commitments, no responsibilities, just the playful interactions between two youngsters.

The feeling associated with this card is that maybe today is a day to get in touch with your playful side. Don't take life so seriously!! Have some fun. Play. Dance. Sing. Enjoy some social time with friends.

I don't know how many times Spirit has told me this, usually through another person, because I am a bit too thick headed for them to tell me this directly. There is always work to do. There is always something to do. There is the work I do to make a living. Then there is my spiritual work. Then there is my house to clean, laundry to do, backyard garden to tend. There are family responsibilities. Today obviously Spirit is saying it is okay to take some time out to play. And it is necessary.

If you are looking for love and this card appears, maybe Spirit is saying that you are taking the quest for love too seriously. Take some time to just have fun. Go on dates. Socialize. But don't think that you have to engage in a lifelong commitment.

If your question revolves around your life work and this card appears, maybe it is time to relax. Have fun. Do something your heart enjoys. Don't worry so much. Lighten up. Holding on to something too tight often makes it run away from you anyway.

Just for today, hold life lightly in your hand. If you are worried about something, let it go. Put it on the back burner. Go take a walk, go outside. Forget about your worries, just for today. The world will still go on while you are on sabbatical. When you come back from your time of play, maybe the solution to your problem will reveal itself. It is time to add some joy into your life.

Now go outside and play!!

Monday, September 10, 2012

Strength

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Today's message from Spirit is about the strength that comes from within. In the tarot card strength, which is the eighth card of the major arcana, a woman is depicted serenely holding the mouth of a lion. In the particular variation I chose this time on the link above, she is walking calmly beside the lion along with a dog and a cat. I chose this variation just because I like the image, but the message is the same. The message is that it is the strength that comes from within that tames the wild lion, often symbolic of our ego or our wild nature, or it could be an obstacle of some kind, or just life itself, which is often a struggle.

When you come across this card, it is usually a sign that whatever obstacle you are facing, it can be overcome by going within and drawing upon your inner resources. It is also a message that if we are at peace within ourselves, then our outer world has to come into alignment.

I spent many years wondering how I could live in such turmoil in my life when I was doing all the right things, seemingly. I went to church multiple times a week, I gave my free time to doing things that I thought were spiritual, and yet I was always broke, always in turmoil in my marriage, always struggling. I prayed to God every day to take the turmoil away, and He didn't. One day I guess I woke up and realized that God was not going to do anything for me that I was not willing to do for myself. I made a plan and rid my life of the issues that were making me miserable. For awhile I was mad at God and thought how dare He not come to my rescue. I had to do all these things myself and He did not help me at all. I started meditating and finding my strength within myself. I found the peace that I thought I was supposed to have from following God and I found it within myself.

After awhile I discovered that God did not desert me after all. He was not outside of myself, somewhere up in the sky. He (or She, for God is not one or the other) was within me. I am a spark of the Divine, or God. The answers that I need are not outside of myself. Yes, I talk to the Divine. Sometimes He is Jesus. Sometimes She is Diana or one of the other Goddesses. Sometimes He or She is one of my Power Animals or one of the Angels. Each one of these representations is a different aspect of the Divine which is also manifested within me. No I don't think there is only one way to heaven. I think Heaven is within me,and all the answers I seek are there.

When we find that strength that is within us, then all the lions that are in our world seem to lose their roar. Yes, I still have challenges like everyone else. Sometimes I forget that all the answers I need are within me.  But when I get back to my center and go within myself I always find all the answers I need. And if I don't know the answer then I assume I don't need to know right now. One of my affirmations is that whatever I need to know is revealed to me.

Just for today, put on the shelf all your preconceptions of how life is supposed to be. Don't expect some Higher Power outside of yourself to come to your rescue. You are the tamer of the lion.  If you are living a life of challenges then it is up to you to make some changes. Go within and find your place of peace. All the answers you need are within your reach. You just have to find your strength within yourself and then the lion will walk beside you in peace.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Ace of Wands

http://www.learntarot.com/bigjpgs/wands01.jpg

Today's card is the ace of wands. Traditionally this card indicates that something new is about to appear in your life. Wands is the suit of creativity and ideas, so it could mean that you are about to start a new creative venture. For those looking for a job, it could indicate that a new job or career is on the horizon. For those looking for love, it could indicate that a new relationship is about to begin. Wands are all about creating in life whatever it is you desire to create. Ones of course indicates that it is the beginning stages of this new thing. Nothing is concrete yet. It could indicate an explosion of creative energy, not yet manifest into form.

If you desire something new to manifest in your life, first you have to make room for it. If you are looking for a new relationship, you might want to rid your house or your closets of things that belonged to old lovers. Take down any pictures in your bedroom that show people or animals or objects all alone. Put things in pairs. Even two pillows on the bed indicate you are ready for love (not three, as this has a whole different energy).

If you desire a new career, think about what it is you want to do. Put up pictures relating to that field. You might paste up some positive affirmations concerning jobs and finances. Imagine yourself doing that job, wearing a particular uniform maybe or whatever it is that that job entails.

Whatever it is that you desire to create in your life, today is as good of a day to start as any. You might want to consult a numerologist who can tell you if your numbers are vibrating with the start of something new, but universally this is a year of change so this indicates that things are moving and shifting. You may want to spend some time thinking and contemplating exactly what it is you desire to create in your life and focus (subject of yesterday's blog) on that.

The bottom line is that if there is something you don't like about your life, then it is up to you to change it. Don't wait. Make a plan and follow through. Every day do something that brings you closer to your goal. Ask your Guides and Angels to assist you. Do something symbolic of that change.

Today is the day to birth something new. Thanks to the Angels and Guides for helping us all create that spark that eventually turns our ideas into concrete form. Today is the day we recognize that spark and allow it to spur us into action.

Friday, September 7, 2012

Page of Pentacles

http://www.learntarot.com/bigjpgs/pents11.jpg


Another pentacles card. Pentacles represent the earth, money and material possessions. Whereas the other suits may represent abstract ideas, relationships, and the mental realm, pentacles represent the practical application of these ideas into our everyday lives.  The pages represent youth, new ideas, inexperience, Thus the page of pentacles can represent having a new idea in the area of career or life work, or bringing our ideas into the physical reality.

If you look at the picture on this card, there is a young man, well dressed, fixated on the pentacle he holds out in front of him in both hands. He holds the pentacle up in the air, and seems completely unaware of anything else around him. The scenery around him is green and lush, with no apparent obstacles in his path. This is a young man who is going places, has his act together, and, despite his youth, has a goal in front of him.

To me, when I look at this card, I see focus. It is important to be focused on a goal, and to keep that goal in the forefront of our consciousness as we move in the direction of our dreams. The old saying comes to mind here, "what you focus on grows." What are you focused on?

It is impossible to create what you want in your life if you are not an energetic match to that desire. That is why it is important to focus on what you want. If you don't know what you want and are just waiting for your ship to come in, get ready for a long wait. If you don't know what you want, how will you know when it gets here? This card indicates that in order to achieve a goal, you have to first have a goal, and then you have to focus on that goal wholeheartedly, to the exclusion of other things.

Is your goal to have your own business? Or perhaps to have a fulfilling relationship? Maybe you would like to run a marathon, or lose fifty pounds. That is the first step. Have a goal. Then, to the exclusion of everything else, focus on that goal. Put that goal out there in front of your attention span every day, several times a day. Think about that goal. Focus on it.

This is what advertisers do. Or those running for political office. They want you to think about their products and their ideas. Last evening within an hour I must have seen five or six pizza commercials. Guess what. I wanted pizza.

 And then there is politics.  I don't know how many people come up to me and say how the world is going to end if their chosen political party does not win this election. They have put in the forefront of their mind a decisive outcome relative to a political agenda. Now I am not saying it is not wise to be politically active. Not at all. I am just saying that my world will continue to move forward no matter who gets elected because I am focused on those things that I desire to create in my world. Yes, I do have a political opinion. But no matter what, I will be okay. My life is not dependent on someone else and what they are doing in their world.

What if we spent as much time focusing on creating in our life something worthwhile as we do allowing others to put ideas into our heads? What if we spent a few minutes, several times a day, focusing on something we desire and imagining how our lives would be if this were a reality the same way we do tasting that pizza in our minds when the commercial comes on? I daresay if we watch enough pizza commercials, sooner or later we are going to go get a pizza. Let us use the same ideas when it comes to creating something worthwhile in our lives. Think about it. Taste it. Smell it. Feel it.

Just for today, think about what you would like to create in your life and spend some time imagining and feeling and tasting what it will be like when it gets here. Remember that as you think about what you are having for dinner and who you are going to vote for. Who has been dominating  your thought processes? Did you come up with those ideas yourself or have you been persuaded by those around you? Focus. Focus. And then go out and bring your ideas into material form.




Thursday, September 6, 2012

Second Look

My first mistake is that I did not think to set aside the cards I had already drawn so that I would draw a different card every day for the entire month. So I cut the cards and drew a card I had already drawn, the three of pentacles. I thought maybe Spirit was just telling me something personal, so I thanked Spirit and put the card back.

"I really am asking for a card to put on my blog, and I already wrote about this one," I told Spirit.

So I cut the cards again, shuffled them really good, and drew another card. The three of pentacles. I know. I should have left it out after having drawn it twice. Or maybe not. Maybe Spirit has more to say in regards to this card. I studied the card. There is a workman standing on a bench. There are two apparently religious figures standing next to him holding what appears to be plans or blueprints, possibly for the work he is doing. The monk looks inquisitive. I assume the other figure is a religious figure as well, but I am not familiar with the clothing.

The traditional meaning relates to working together as a team, which I already covered in the blog I already wrote about this card. It seems to me that the worker is held in high esteem, thus his position on the bench making him higher than the other two figures. What draws my attention this time is that the inside of what I assume is a temple of some kind, is dark. It is apparently still under construction.

"What if," Spirit said to me, " you are every part of this card? You are the temple still under construction. You are the craftsman building an intricate and ornate cathedral, to be admired by all? You are the monk and the nun, holding blueprints for the construction."

We could say that we are all beautiful cathedrals under construction. Our soul is our temple. We have an idea of who we are and who we want to be. We have a spiritual self, who holds the blueprints for our soul, and oversees the construction of our temple. Our outer self, our physical side, takes the blueprints and turns them into something concrete. The inside of our temple is dark, because within our hearts and souls we hold the secrets of our deepest longings and desires.

In numerology one of the aspects of  the number three is that of expression. We long to express ourselves in the way that we have imagined and for which we have the blueprints deep within our hearts. Three is also a spiritual number, having to do with the three parts of the Godhead, and the three parts our selves, spirit, soul, and body. In shamanism there are three worlds, the upper world- which is the world of the Higher Beings, the middle world- the world we live in, and the lower world - the world of the subconscious. So this card also speaks of a need to express ourselves and reveal our spiritual side to the world.

Sometimes we need to take a second look at things we think we already know. If Spirit has sent us a message more than once, then it is definitely a sign to take another look. If we have gotten the same message at least three times, as I have with this card, the three of pentacles, then it is a sign that there is something I have not yet understood, that I need to meditate some more about.

So the message for today is three-fold.  Spirit wants you to know that you are a work of art under construction. You are the holder of the blueprints, you are the craftsman, and you are the temple. You get to decide what the finished product is going to look like!!

Also remember that if you get a message more than once, then it is important. Take a second look. There is something Spirit is trying to tell you. Sometimes Spirit won't tell you anything else until you get the messages you have already been sent. Take some time and listen.

The last part of this card has to do with promotion and honor. This card sometimes indicates that a promotion is on the way. The craftsman is standing on a bench which makes him higher than the other figures in the picture. Many times a traditional meaning for this card is that there is a promotion on the way or that you will be recognized for the work you are doing. Maybe there is someone out there who reads my blog who needs to know that Spirit thinks they are doing a good job. If this message resonates with you, then this part of the message is for you.

Just for today, recognize that you are a work under construction. You hold all the keys to the outcome of the finished project. You are doing a good job. Keep going!!


Tuesday, September 4, 2012

King of Pentacles

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Today's card is the King of Pentacles. What a wonderful card!! This card represents prosperity, wealth, and being at the top of your game. All is going well. You are sitting on your throne. Your kingdom is at peace; your crops are producing; you are manifesting all you have put your intentions toward. All is well.

Isn't it wonderful when you reach this point in your life? I know I have readers who will say that they have never been at this place in their life, when there is no struggle, no obstacles to overcome, all is well. Sometimes in our lives we are so used to the struggle, the hard work, the feeling like as soon as one trial or struggle is overcome there is another one right on the horizon. There are even belief systems out there that tell us that life is supposed to be hard. We are supposed to work hard and struggle. That is what life is about.

Today Spirit is telling us that it is time to change our perception. If we believe that life is supposed to be a struggle, then it always will be. If we believe that the economy is bad and we will never have enough, then we will experience the manifestation of that belief. If we groan every time we stop to put gas in our gas tank and complain about the price, then we will always struggle to pay for our gas. What if, instead of complaining about gas prices, say thank you to Spirit for the ability to fill your tank up no matter what the price? What if you place a love stamp on your bills because you love to have the ability to pay them?

Just for today, imagine that you are that king sitting on his throne.  Your crops are growing in the fields and ready to be harvested. Your kingdom is at peace. All your needs are met and there is nothing that you want that you cannot have. If this is the life you desire for yourself and your family, then maybe you should meditate on the King of Pentacles.

One last thing. There is nothing wrong with having all your needs met. Sometimes there is a voice inside of us that tells us that having all our needs met makes us lazy or sinful. Not true. If you hear a little voice inside your head telling you that you can never have this, then that is a sign you still have some work to do. You are not yet connecting with this card or this mentality.

Yes, I realize that there are people out there that have been displaced by acts of nature. I realize that people are struggling with unemployment, sickness, and scores of other challenges. This mentality starts inside of you. I saw a movie once in which a man was unjustly put into prison. He was there for many years. I don't remember the name of the movie or anything else about the movie except this one quote: " you can imprison my body but you can never imprison my soul."  This is the mentality of the King of Pentacles. No matter what you see happening in your physical world, you can embrace this card. Remember that your wealth begins in your soul and eventually manifests in your outer world.

Today Spirit wants you to embrace the King of Pentacles. Be the king of your own throne. Embrace the wealth that is in your soul, just waiting for you to access its treasure.

Three of Pentacles

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Today's message is contained in the card the three of pentacles. In the picture there is a craftsman who is busy working and to the right of him are a monk and possibly a nun of some sort holding blueprints. There is an ornate carving above of the three pentacles but it appears that work is still in progress.

This card speaks of teamwork. There is also a sense that the craftsman is held in high esteem, as he is shown standing on a bench above the other two people in the card. Drawing this card indicates that there is honor ahead for a job well done, but that the best possible plan of action is to work together for a common goal.

Is there a circumstance in your life where you are required to work together with someone else to bring about a positive outcome? The message for today indicates that if you put your heads together, you can achieve the goal you are pursuing.

One thing that comes to mind is divorce settlements where children are involved. Many times both parties are so intent on getting what "they" deserve, that the children are left in the dust. This card indicates that the best possible outcome will only come if you put aside your differences and work together for the best outcome for the children.

Think about a situation today where you would be well advised to work together with someone else to produce a positive outcome. Put aside competition, jealousy, and self interest and instead think of how everyone could benefit if you use teamwork instead. Many times in our personal and professional lives, we are always looking out for our own self interests. Just for today, put that aside and work as a team instead.

We all could learn from this when we think about political agendas, work agendas, humanitarian agendas, even religious agendas. How many times do we put up walls and judgments toward others who do not think exactly like we do? This could be compared with yesterday's card choice which indicated that it was time to put down the sword. This card is telling us it is time to work together as a team. Obviously Spirit is trying to tell us something.

Let us all work together to bring this world to a higher place of enlightenment and love. Let us all do one kind thing today and raise the collective consciousness one notch or two. Let us all work together to bring about world peace. We cannot do this by drawing lines in the sand and standing on one side while we judge everyone who stands on the other side.

We all can do our part to end war. First we have to end it within ourselves. Then we have to work together to bring about a positive outcome. Just for today, erase that line in the sand. Step over that line and shake the hand of the person on the other side. You can do it. Just for today.

Monday, September 3, 2012

five of swords

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Well, I will have to admit, I was not too happy when I drew this card for my message a day. I always like to have great messages, and this card is a warning card. This card shows a man holding three swords, with two laying on the ground. He has somewhat of a smug look on his face. There are two men walking away from him, one with his head down. There are ominous clouds in the sky.

The traditional meaning of this card is that either you or someone in your life has been selfish and it has come at the expense of other people. The clouds and the number 5 indicate that change is in the air. Swords traditionally have to do with words, conflict, and the mind.

Is something you are involved in causing pain or harm to someone else? Are you even wishing harm upon others? Do you ever have an opinion about something which is so strong that you wish the opposing opinions ill will? I think we all can admit that we all have buttons, which, when pushed, cause us to take up our swords.

 I guess the biggest thing that came to my mind when I meditated on this card was the presidential election. This is not an election where we are allowed to just ride the fence. Each side has their platform that is completely at odds with the opposing side. If you listen to the ads and to people talking about the election, it is easy to find yourself gathering your swords.

 What is the strongest sword we have available and at our disposal twenty four hours a day? Our tongues. Even the Bible proclaims that our tongues are dangerous weapons. When we take up the sword and use our words to cut people to shreds, to gossip, to complain, when we think that we can manipulate others to do what we want with no thought of free will or retribution, then we are connecting with this card, the five of swords.

Just for today, why don't you say a little prayer for the opposing party in this election? And no, the prayer cannot be that they fall ill or lose their credibility. Pray or send thoughts of love and the best possible outcome for everyone concerned. Let us put down our swords (our thoughts and words) and instead use our words and thoughts to bring healing and restoration. No matter which side of the fence you find yourself, you can put this into practice.

This message can apply to other issues besides the election. If you have a difficult situation in which you have found yourself drawing your sword and gathering up as many swords as you can hold, at the expense of someone else, no matter what the circumstances, you have drawn the five of swords. Put down your sword. Send instead thoughts and prayers of love to those with whom you have come into conflict. It is time to end the battle.

Sunday, September 2, 2012

The Hermit

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 Today's message is in connection with the tarot card called the Hermit. In this card, we see an older man, by himself, usually with a cloak covering his head, holding a lantern, overlooking a cliff.

No, this card does not mean it is time to withdraw from society. At least not permanently. But sometime today, Spirit says it may be advisable to find some time alone, some time to do some inner contemplation. There is wisdom and enlightenment available only to those who go within.

Those who never find time to be alone with their Inner Wisdom, their Higher Self, will never find that place of connection with Source, that place where all their longings and inner desires find form in the natural world.

Have you ever been around people who are uncomfortable being alone? Even if they find themselves alone, the radio or the television is always blaring. There is always some sort of distraction to that place where the only sound is the sound of their own soul.

Just for today, take some time to be alone. If you have small children or a large family that is constantly demanding your attention, then go into the bathroom if you have to, and be with your own thoughts for even just a moment. Take a deep breath, and feel your inner Guide. Thank the Divine for the time to connect, no matter how long that time may be. If you have some time to spend with yourself, great!! All the better. Spirit says there is wisdom and direction to be found by withdrawing from activity for awhile and connecting with Source, whatever you call your Higher Power, and just being with that Higher Wisdom. Write down any ideas or inspirations that reveal themselves to you.

This is "you" time. Be alone for a few moments. Find your inner peace. Connect with Source. There is some trinket of wisdom that is available only to those who take the time to be alone and seek for that hidden treasure that lies deep within.




Saturday, September 1, 2012

PAGE OF WANDS

PAGE OF WANDS

It is by no accident that the page of wands would be the first card in my series of messages from the cards of the tarot. In the tarot the page of wands represents new ideas. The page represents starting something new and youthful creativity. If you have a new, creative idea but it is still in the baby stages, the page of wands might be a card you may want to meditate on.

In this card the page is holding a staff which appears to be just beginning to bud. He has a feather in his hat. He is looking at the staff or possibly just beyond it. He appears to be pleased with himself. The scenery around him is plain, with mountains in the distance. It appears that he is just about to embark upon a journey and that there may be mountains to scale at some point in the future. But right now his outlook is bright. He is optimistic and feeling good about his prospects.

Just for today, think about what new things you want to birth into your life. Expect the best. Look at your ideas. They are just budding, not yet in concrete form. Before anything can birth into your life, you have to have an intention.  An idea has to formulate. This idea is young and you may be  inexperienced,but enthusiastic.

Along the way, the idea may transform as it matures. As you go along with your creative adventure, don't be afraid to change direction at some point. At this time things are not engraved in stone. But this is an exciting stage to be in. Be daring. Be adventurous. Look outside of the box. Go for it!!