Upcoming Event: Saturday 7/9, 12-2pm at UCCL

I will be presenting at the Tarot Illuminations Circle at Unity Church for Creative Living on Saturday, 7/9 at noon.

• Address: 2777 Race Track Road,  St. Johns, FL 32259
• Telephone: (904) 287-1505
• Website: www.unityinjax.com

I hope you will be able to join me there.  Cathy Mason leads Tarot Illuminations and it is a wonderful circle of spiritually active adults who support one another as we explore the tarot and other spiritual topics.

This session’s topic is: Seasonal Vibrations

Every season offers new and exciting lessons, challenges and ways to help broaden your life.  This session, I will present a spread on how to tap into the season’s vibrations to learn what that season has in store for you and how to use those energies wisely.  When we align ourselves to the natural flow of life, we are better equipped to triumph over the challenges in our lives and rise above the fears that keep us from achieving our life’s purpose and dreams.  I will lead us through a brief meditation and then share a new spread for us to try out on each other.

This summer brings a lot of new energy for creation, manifestation and shifts in vibration.  As the summer progresses, allow your spirit to flow with the energy and not fight against it.  There are many challenges that are coming this summer, to strengthen you and strip away anything that is keeping you from fulfilling your life purpose.

 

Seasonal Vibration Spread – to understand the gifts that this season can bring into your life, how the season’s energy will affect your life and how to triumph over the season’s challenges, lessons and fears.  When shuffling the cards, allow your mind to focus on the current or upcoming season.  Ask for guidance, wisdom and support for the season so that you may use that time wisely and for the greatest benefit of all.

Card  #1 – lesson  – what is the lesson for the current season, what lessons do you need to be made aware of

Card # 2 – fear – what fears are blocking your path this season, what fears will the season help you to release

Card #3 – challenge – what challenges are you facing this season, what will you need to look out for

Card #4 – outcome  - what is the outcome for this season

Up to 2 additional cards can be drawn to find helpers or guides for the season.

Tarot Reading for Mercury Retrograde (3.30.11 through 5.11.11)

Mercury Retrograde begins today, March 30 and will continue through April 23, 2011 with final release from the effect on May 11, 2011.  Mercury Retrograde can be a great time to release old habits, heal old relationships and let go of old hurts.  However, if you fight the energies, it can be a frustrating time of technical difficulties, miscommunication and challenging relationships and planning troubles.  Often during retrograde, people who you haven’t talked to in years will come out of the woodwork, old relationships that need to be resolved step forward.  Do not allow ‘what ifs’ to cloud your judgement, enjoy the time that you have with them during retrograde, but realize that they will be gone just as soon as retrograde is over and you will have to reclaim the life that you were trying to escape from with new consequences to be paid!

With this retrograde period being in Aries, people who have Aries as their sun sign or part of their natal chart may be particularly affected.  Aries brings the following lessons to this retrograde period: learning to put yourself first, standing with your truth and taking charge of your life with firey creative passion.

Kerry and I pulled 3 cards for this Mercury Retrograde Period:

1. Four of Pentacles

The Four of Pentacles brings with it the lesson to reflect on what you need to let go of and what you need to balance in order to bring your physical affairs back into order.  With Mercury Retrograde, it is about bringing both your spiritual life and physical life into harmony.  Neither side should be pulling you off balance.  Allow the beneficial energies of this period to assist you in letting go of what keeps you from having a firm foundation in your life.  Although you may dream of your castle in the sky, you have to build the ladder to take you from the ground to the sky.  Take time to build your wealth, security and be grounded to the earth.

2. King of Swords

The King of Swords will assist you in discerning the truth in situations that you face during this period.  Be honest with yourself, what have you been thinking about yourself or others that isn’t true or an outright lie?  Are you really seeing all sides of a situation or are you jumping to conclusions?  Mercury Retrograde often causes people to jump to conclusions because communications are so troubled.  Don’t jump to a conclusion that isn’t true during this time period.  Allow yourself time to breath, sort out the situation and remember the truth of who you are and the person you may be about to have a fight with.  The King of Swords will help you cut through the fog to see the truth and save you from making a fool of yourself.

3. Eight of Wands

The Eight of Wands will help you to accomplish your goals during this time period with speed and efficiency.  Often Mercury Retrograde will create obstacles in your way, allow the Eight of Wands to assist you in finding creative solutions to those problems.  If there is so much going on, be sure to take a break.  Use this time to streamline all areas of your life.  Take time to be aware of the synchronicities that could be showing up in your path with people from your past.  Perhaps there is an opportunity for healing, business or an old goal that could be achieved by talking with a friend from the past.  Do not allow pride or ego to keep you from speaking with an old friend simply because you became too busy to talk with them regularly.  Pick up the phone and make that connection.  Eight of Wands will help you to travel with ease, start up new projects and receive positive news during this retrograde period when it would otherwise be difficult.

 

Upcoming Event: Saturday 4/2, 12-2pm at UCCL

I will be presenting at the Tarot Illuminations Circle at Unity Church for Creative Living on Saturday, 4/2 at noon.   

• Address: 2777 Race Track Road,  St. Johns, FL 32259
• Telephone: (904) 287-1505
• Website: www.unityinjax.com

 I hope you will be able to join me there.  Cathy Mason leads Tarot Illuminations and it is a wonderful circle of spiritually active adults who support one another as we explore the tarot and other spiritual topics. 

This session’s topic is: Awakening Intuition

Having an open third-eye chakra will help you take your readings to the next level. Intuition plays a key role in reading tarot and helps you to pick up any deck with confidence, knowing that your intuition will help guide you to read the cards effectively and provide deeper insight and guidance to the ones you are reading.  I will present a guided meditation designed to open your third-eye chakra and expand your awareness beyond the physical dimension.  Fun exercises will open you up to experience psychic connection with another person to gain insight, wisdom and guidance to help that person on their spiritual journey.

10 of Cups – Barriers to Abundance

10 of Cups, Rider-Waite-Smith

Many times in readings, there will be multiple cards in a spread.  It can be useful to look deeper into the reading to understand the connection between the many cards and how they can affect a situation or outcome.  Often the interplay between the cards represent certain lessons or conditions that have to occur prior to the final outcome of the reading. 

In combination with the 10 of Cups, these other cards can reveal lessons, challenges or increased blessings.  Sometimes the other cards represent barriers to receiving blessings, blocks to harmony or imbalances in your life. 

Below are just a few examples of how the 10 of Cups can be impacted by other cards in a reading.  Use them as a guideline for your

own readings for when other cards show up together so you can learn how the combination of cards can impact the true meaning of a reading. 

Devil	If the Devil shows up with the 10 of Cups it could represent a lack of joy or peace.  That you feel like your spirit is in bondage and you are unable to see blessings in your life.  Let go of the bonds that bind you in the feeling of lack and unworthiness to receive.  You are worthy to receive infinite blessings of abundance and prosperity! Infact, the Universe wants to reward you and bless you right now in an overflowing shower of love, joy and peace!
Tower	If the Tower shows up with the 10 of Cups it could represent that you are standing alone, afraid of success and receiving infinite abundance.  There could be a time of fear, chaos and upheaval prior to you receiving abundance in your life.  Allow the 10 of Cups to assist you in being victorious in these challenges.
3 of Swords	If the Three of Swords shows up with the 10 of Cups, it could represent disharmony and heartbreak in your life.  You could be experiencing a time of loneliness and having a guarded or closed heart.  Allow the energy from the 10 of Cups to assist you in opening your heart and healing past wounds through forgiveness and letting go of fear.
9 of Swords	If the Nine of Swords shows up with the 10 of Cups, it could mean that instead of infinite joy, you are at first experiencing a time of intense sorrow and perhaps depression.  Your spirit and life may feel tangled up in problems and bound to people or places that do not feed your soul.  Let the 10 of Cups assist you in connecting to the Divine for increased wisdom, support and grace to make it through these challenges in your life.
10 of Swords	If the 10 of Swords shows up with the 10 of Cups, it may almost mean that you are at the opposite ends of the joy/sorrow spectrum.  Your life may be filled with the deepest despair stemming from disconnection from the Creator.  This disconnection has resulted in a loss of hope and a feeling that your life is without any divine energy or blessings.  Allow the 10 of Cups to be your silver lining and light in the darkness, this card reminds you that you are always connected to the Divine and that the Divine wants to shower you in unconditional love, joy, and abundant blessings.  All is never lost and return to a state of peace and harmony by opening up to spiritual and emotional support in the world around you.
Lovers	If the Lovers show up with the 10 of Cups, it is a double blessing, reflecting abundance of love, particularly in family relationships.  This double blessing will allow for increased harmony and time to allow for bonding with family and friends in new ways.  The Lovers also reminds us to return to harmony and balance.  If there is any area out of balance in your life, the Lovers and the 10 of Cups will assist you in bringing balance back to all areas of your life with ease.
Star	If the Star shows up with the 10 of Cups, it means infinite shining blessings of bliss filling your life!  Overall you will experience an increase of joy, ecstasy, positive blessings to sparkle and shine in all areas of your life.  Let your own light shine as you will be receiving infinite abundance and prosperity now. Don’t hold back or fear anything, look for the positive energy in all areas of your life, as you are surrounded in the glow of light and protection at this time.
Universe	If the Universe shows up with the 10 of Cups, it can mean infinite physical and spiritual blessings on all levels.  With an increase in emotional and physical contentment and overall fulfillment in your life on Earth. Let yourself go with the flow of life and experience an inspired way to manifest abundance in your life.

10 of Cups – Infinite Prosperity & Gratitude

10 of Cups, Rider-Waite-Smith

The 10 of Cups card represents many positive changes that are happening in your life.  When it shows up in a reading, it signifies that you will be receiving an overflow of blessings and infinite abundance from the Universe.  It is also a call for increased harmony, peace, gratitude and connection to your family and the Divine.  The keywords to think of for the 10 of Cups are:  abundance, family, gratitude, joy, peace and spirituality. 

 Below, each keyword is discussed in detail for what it could represent in your life if the 10 of Cups shows up in your reading.  Tomorrow, I will include information on how some cards may impact the 10 of Cups in a positive or challenging way. 

Keywords

Abundance	10 of Cups symbolizes a time of abundant blessings
	Celebrate the good fortune that is in your life!
	Experience an overflow of energy, peace and abundance in all areas of your life.
	Learning how to open up and receive infinite abundance in all areas of your life
	Open up your heart and enjoy your life!
	Rejoice! You have been victorious over struggles and trials during a challenging time in your life!

 

Family	As your blessings overflow, take time to support family and friends in need.  You have more than enough to share and care.
	At this time, your home returns to a place of harmony, peace and contentment.
	Celebrate your family.
	Create new family traditions and rituals that expand heart connections and bonding.
	Take time to forgive family and friends right now.
	The key to true happiness is found in family and friends.
	This card signifies that more time needs to be spent with family right now to create harmony through greater closeness and intimacy.
	This is a special time when family troubles can be solved by working to restore harmony.

 

Gratitude	Express gratitude by recognizing prosperity in all areas of your life.
	Express gratitude for your family, friends, health, and prosperity in all areas of your life.
	Offer thanks to the infinite creator by singing praise, prayers of thanksgiving and offering up the surrender of your heart and life for the benefit of all through service to those in need.
	Offer your thanks to the Earth by spending time in nature, taking care of earthly creatures and beautifying the Earth.
	Stay focused on receiving abundance.  Don’t step outside of the flow of blessings by looking for problems when there aren’t any to be found!
	Take time to count your blessings and express gratitude for what you have received.

 

Joy	Allow yourself to experience a joy beyond happiness, contentment and mere enjoyment!
	Embrace happiness as a choice, you can choose in each moment to be happy.
	Take delight in the world around you, notice the beauty, glory and joy that surrounds you every day.
	When this card pops up you will have more than enough joy and light to share

 

Peace	Allow yourself to experience deep inner and outer peace.
	During this time you will experience harmony and a closer connection with divine.
	Let go of stress, allow it to fly away from you on the wind.
	Release any anger, resentments or grudges that you are holding against yourself, family or friends.  Allow your heart and mind to be at peace.
	Remember that all elements of your life are in harmony and balance.
	Take time to maintain a sense of total well-being.
	When the 10 of Cups shows up, it is a sign to pamper yourself, rejuvenate your spirit and tap into the abundance of universal energy.

 

Spirituality	Divine connections offer increased intuition and ability to receive guidance and messages of wisdom.
	During this time you are in the flow of universal energy for increased prosperity, harmony and peace.
	Let joy and peace radiate from your spirit and shine a light to those around you.
	Now is the time to be in the moment and enjoy what is going on in your life as you are infinitely blessed right now!
	Now is the time to manifest and create abundance in your life fully supported by the Universe and All That Is.
	Open your heart to feel unconditional love for yourself and all others
	Radiate love and light from the depths of your soul and let it beam out of your face.
	Return to the sacred space and sanctuary found within your heart and home.  Within that sanctuary find contentment, peace, happiness & rejuvenation.
	Send thank you cards to those you love, expressing your appreciation for the gift of their love and presence in your life.
	Take the time to experience Oneness with the Universe and remember that all is good and all is well.
	Take time to meditate and receive guidance and support during this special time.
	Your spirit is walking closer with the divine now, allow the blessings from the universe to fall on you now.

Prosperity Mandala – What does Prosperity mean to you?

Last Wednesday night, a couple girlfriends and I got together for our weekly ladies’ night chat.  We often meet up to try a new place for dinner or grab a cup of coffee and discuss our lives.  Our chats often lead to spiritual discussions, reflecting on our dreams, visions, latest spiritual books we have read or methods we have tried.  Over the next few weeks we will be focusing on prosperity and abundance.  A topic we often reflect on.  Abundance comes in so many different forms from physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and materialistic wealth.  Our beliefs about prosperity and abundance can both bless us and hinder us, drawing to us what we need and blocking what we may feel we do not deserve.

One of the exercises we are performing at the moment is a Prosperity Mandala with Tarot Cards.  The first part of the Mandala is to pick out the cards that represent prosperity to you and meditate on why each of those cards represents prosperity.  If you want to do this too, shuffle your favorite tarot deck and then pick 3-5 cards that mean prosperity to you either by the picture or what you know the card represent symbolically. 

The PROSPERITY cards I chose were:

1. The Star – shining brightly, prosperity of time, relaxation, acceptance, brilliance
2. 10 of Cups – overflow of joy, blessings, prayer, praise, cup runs over with water of life, depth of hope, treasure, gifts, abundance in all things
3. 9 of Discs – abundance in the ability to do what I love, able to do the work I enjoy, soul’s purpose without the need for other work, time constraints or barriers
4. 9 of Wands – abundance of power, creativity, fire, passion, inner fire to create and manifest what I desire, life I want to live, overflow of inspiration to create ideas, paint, write, etc.

 

The next step was to figure out which cards represent items that require money and which ones require other factors besides money and why.

Cards that require money to be fulfilled:

• The Star, 10 of Cups and 9 of Cups

These cards all required money so that I can have the freedom to do the work and activities that I enjoy the most.

Cards that require more than money to be fulfilled:

• 9 of Cups, 9 of Wands, The Star

These cards require me to let my spirit be free, fully expanded and shining brightly.  They require that I set aside time to relax, enjoy myself and the world around me.  They require the belief and confidence in my self and my ability to complete my soul’s purpose.  Another factor that is required is to be at peace with myself and my life.  These cards represent abundance in spirit, infinite possibilities and courage to face my fears and live my dreams.

What cards did you pick?  What does prosperity and abundance mean to you?

Symbology of Tarot – Elements and Directions

Elemental Meaning

Today we will continue our look into the symbology of Tarot by discussing meanings of the elements and directions.  

When looking at the elements, it is helpful to think about how they manifest in the physical world.  How they manifest or appear to you will help you to realize how they will affect your life.  Is the element of Fire acting like a candle or more like a wildfire in your life?  The difference is amazing between a small glow of light to keep your hope and faith alive or a wildfire that will blaze a trail and clear out old unhealthy ways. 

Elements	Meaning
Air	Atmosphere, Breath Of Life, Cloud, Emphasis On Thought, Ideas And Intellectual Pursuits, Rainbow, Tornado, Wind.
Fire	Alchemy, Candle, Creation, Destruction, Direct Honesty, Enthusiasm, Flame, Great Faith In Self, Healing, High Spirits, Holy, Light, Lightning, Protection, Rebirth, Spark, Transformation, Transmutation, Warmth, Wildfire.
Water	Birth, Cleansing, Drowning, Emotional Realm, Initiation, Lake, Ocean, Pool Of Water, Rain, Refreshment, Storm, Stream, Swimming, Waterfall, Whirlpool.
Earth	Conventional, Dependable, Family Life, Finances, Grounded, Home, Land, Material Realm. Nourishment, Physical Health, Planet, Plants, Premeditative, Rock, Solid, Trees.
Spirit	Astral, Creation, Divine, Holy, Infinite, Limitless, Magick, Sacred, Spirituality, Transformation Unbound, Unconditional Universal.

Directional Guidance

 

Think about what direction you are taking in life.  Each direction offers new insight, wisdom and energy to assist you on your path.  Look within to see which direction you are guided in, where does your spirit wish to lead you?

Directions	Meaning
East	Air, Communications, Creativity, Divination, Expression Of Newness, Healing, Illumination, Initiation, Intuition, Masculine, Mental Realms, New Beginnings, New Birth, New Learning, Realities The Mind Creates, Strength Of Will, Sunrise, Sunshine.
South	Awakening, Change, Creative Spark, Faith, Fire, Inner Child, Life Force, Overcoming Obstacles, Passion, Past Life Wisdom, Playfulness, Protection, Purification, Rebirth, Resurrection, Self-Sufficiency, Strength, Transformation, Trust.
West	Creative Arts, Deep Emotions, Divine Feminine, Dreams, Feminine, Goals, Higher Compassion, Imagination, Inner Spiritual Renewal, Love, Pathways, Purpose, Quests And Journeys, Sunset. Vision, Water.
North	Abundance, Alchemy, Balance, Body, Current Life Lessons, Direction, Drawing Forth Inner Treasures, Earth, Empathic Intuition, Gentleness, Guidance, Knowledge, Money, North Star, Physical Things, Sacred Wisdom, Teaching, Thankfulness, Trust, Work.

 

Court Cards ~ Elements and Directions

 

Court cards have two elements and directions included in their energy.  The combination of forces helps to understand the dynamics at work within a situation.  Draw upon your wisdom of what each element means and reflect on how the main element of that suit would be affected by the outer element.  For example:  The Queen of Wands would have the main element of Fire that would be influenced by the element of Water.  Water is a balancer for Fire.  Water can snuff out the creative fire or balance a fiery situation.  Perhaps passion is being tempered by love.  Look at the combined effect, not just the main element for that suit.  The elements can support each other, provide balance, new direction, greater power or force, greater stress, or negate the primal energy of the card. 

	Page	Knight	Queen	King
Swords	Earth/Air North/East	Air/Air East/East	Water/Air West/East	Fire/Air South/East
Wands	Earth/Fire North/South	Air/Fire East/South	Water/Fire West/South	Fire/Fire South/South
Cups	Earth/Water North/West	Air/Water East/West	Water/Water West/West	Fire/Water South/West
Pentacles/Discs	Earth/Earth North/North	Air/Earth East/North	Water/Earth West/North	Fire/Earth South/North

Symbology of Tarot – Minor Arcana Symbols

Today we are going to continue the discussion of the Symbology of Tarot with the topic of the Minor Arcana Symbols. 

 

Minor Arcana Symbolic Relationships

 

As you can see in the table below, each suit in the Minor Arcana of the Tarot corresponds to an element and a direction in the world.  Understanding how the elements and directions interplay with the suits will help you to use the magic within the Tarot in your life.  Understanding these relationships will provide greater guidance and understanding of why a certain card is showing up in a reading, how to use that element in your life and where the direction is taking you in life.

Minor Arcana	Suit	Element	Direction
Swords	Spades	Air	East
Wands	Clubs	Fire	South
Cups	Hearts	Water	West
Pentacles	Diamonds	Earth	North

 

Suit Symbols

 

The suits of the Minor Arcana take on the vibration of the meaning behind each suit.  Studying what the symbol of the suit means will help you to tap into the energy of the card.  For further understanding, compare the meanings of the directions and elements to the each suit.  You will notice that there are many similarities between the suit, element and directions for they all are part of the same vibration and hold a similar meaning in universal consciousness.

Minor Arcana	Meaning
Swords and Spades	Acceleration, Action, Agitation, Air, Analytical Thinking, Challenges, Conflict, Coping With Conflict, Decisions, Defense, East, Intellectual And Mental Changes, Keenness, Last Stage Before Final Result. Action, Mental Realms, Movement, Predict Suffering Or Endings, Realities The Mind Creates, Struggle, Warriors.
Wands and Clubs	Ambition, Career And Projects Changes In Work And Creativity, Creative Spark, Creativity, Development, Expansion, Fire, First Stages Of Development, Growth, Ideas, Ideas, Intention, Intuition, Life Force, Passion, South.
Cups and Hearts	Bridge Between The Idea And The Creation, Changes In Emotional Life And Relationships, Conditions Are Emotional And May Not Be Fully Expressed In The Outer World, Creation, Deep Emotions, Desire, Fantasy, Feminine, Fertility, Inner Experience, Love, Relationships And Creativity, Spirit, Spiritual, Water, West.
Pentacles and Diamonds	Body, Business Situations, Career Advancement, Creation, Earth, Education, Manifestation, Material Wealth, Money, North, Physical Things, Physical World, Proof, Prosperity, Realization, Resources, Skills, Struggles For Survival, Work.

 

Symbology of Tarot

The symbology of Tarot spans across many areas of metaphysical studies from numerology, archetypes, elements, directions, animals and objects.  Incorporating all of these symbols provides for a richer reading with greater depth and insight.  Patterns can be found when you are able to see what hidden meanings are behind the number, element and direction.  The good part is that these meanings are easier to learn because they are written on the fabric of our souls. 

 Myths, legends and universal consciousness all hold keys to the hidden meaning of symbols.  As you raise your awareness of the world around you, you will begin to see and understand the hidden world that has always been trying to get your attention through signs and symbols. The charts that I am including are from my own experience and studies.  My life experiences make up how I view the world which could be incredibly different from how you view the world.  Research into your own life to find a greater understanding for how you view the world.  This will help you to understand how your spirit communicates to you in symbols for guidance and wisdom.

 Some questions to think about when looking at symbols are:

•  What does the symbol signify to you?
• How does the symbol make you feel?
• Is there any action, expression or emotion being portrayed?
• How is your life reflected in the image on the card?
• Does this card represent a situation in your life?
• What stories, myths or legends come to mind when looking at the image?
• Has the symbol been repeated in other areas of your life recently: in music you may have heard, animals you may have seen, movies you have watched, numbers you see on the clock, or colors you feel drawn to?
• What is the person doing in the card?
• How does this card relate to other cards in the reading?
• Is there a pattern that is forming in your life?

 Later this week, I will discuss the deeper meanings behind the elements, directions, court cards, numerology and colors of the Tarot. 

Resources:

Newmerology: From Sex to Stocks, It’s All in the Numbers by Nick C. Newmont

Animal Speak by Ted Andrews

Angel Numbers 101 by Doreen Virtue

Modern Magick: Eleven Lessons in the High Magickal Arts by Donald Michael Kraig