Tarot Reading, Sept 25 2005

Sunday, September 25, 2005 at 11:23:28 AM
Question: Is the time right to write a possible mentor?
Spread: Star of David
17 The Star
Despite changes from deck to deck, the theme of the Star is that of reconnecting one's Soul with a larger frame of reference, beyond personality, community, or worldly accomplishments. The Soul is responding to forces impacting it from "outside of this world," forces which provide the personality with such a certainty of orientation that it can ignore what anyone else thinks. Recalling the Gnostic myth of the Soul's descent from on high, the Star card implies a new remembrance of our exalted origins and attraction to the path of return.
An alternate title for this card is "Celestial Mandate" -- that which refers us back to our reason for being, our mission in this lifetime. This Arcanum reminds us that, in a sense, we each are Secret Agents, enacting the Divine Will through our moment-to-moment lives. If we let go of the idea that we are supposed to be in control of our lives every minute, we can study and reflect upon the synchronicities that are nudging us along. Thus we become conscious of the invisible helping hand, and we better understand our place within, and value to, the larger cosmos.

1: Deciding Moment
Your fading attachment to the past gives you an opportunity to mature.
With the Ten of Coins in this position, you are leaving behind family connections or traditional sources of support and coming into a certain maturity. Your perspective has changed as a result of this shift. You know more of what the wide world holds and you can assume a stronger stance. Your dependence upon the past is fading, and this bodes well for you.
2: Consequences
Your performance has attracted the attention of potential patrons.
The Emperor in this position suggests that a powerful ally or a support system is coming available that will carry you to the top. Your sincere efforts may have attracted the attention of someone truly influential. Perhaps some connections you had made are finally bearing fruit. Or it could be that you possess an idea whose time has come and an investor is conveniently at hand to help you out. This isn’t the time for false modesty or insecurity. In truth, your excellence calls forth opportunity. If people who wish to support excellence find their way to your doorstep, consider it a natural consequence of your own efforts and invite them in for tea.
3: Will
You can depend on your creative resourcefulness to reveal opportunities unseen by others.
The Ace of Swords in this position challenges you to define your goals by manipulating current trends. There is a wind sweeping across this card that has an agenda of its own, but you have a map (your plan) and a sail (your mind). Using them both, you can use that wind to empower you on your chosen course. Knowing you can depend upon your own quick wits and adaptability frees you to see opportunities that might be as invisible as the wind to others. Because you hold the map that will help others understand how to sail from chaos to order, determine how you can serve both yourself and this situation creatively. This level of organization is more critical at the planning stages of an enterprise than most people generally realize or remember. You could be a hero by stating clearly what you see at this important stage. Don’t hold yourself back.
4: Relationships
Because you have a good safety net, you feel you can rise to a number of challenges and opportunities.
In this position, The Six of Coins suggests that you have friends in high places that you can depend on. You sense that you are secure enough to take a few risks and challenge yourself without endangering anything. Naturally, the best way to show gratitude for these blessings of support is to learn from the example, turn around and pass them on to others.
5: Advice
Give up your agenda and be open to change.
The Fool in this position advises that you lighten up. No advantage will be gained by thinking you are the one who knows, has the power or can direct the flow. Let there be spontaneous developments beyond the realm of logic. Open and receive without question; don’t tinker and tamper and try to manage things. The Fool has no ambition to determine an outcome. Be happy just to be part of the situation. If you like, witness and record what you see and figure it out later. For now, just be in the present and release any demands or expectations.
6: Conscience
Remember that the bounty and support we enjoy at any moment is temporary, as we reach within and find our best work and highest contribution.
When the Nine of Coins comes up in this position, it signals a move to work with people of genius, connections or financial power. Relax and enjoy the upgrade. Among them you can do your best work or make your best contribution. But don’t forget for an instant that all this abundance, beauty and ease is on loan to us. Let your contribution be its own justification, its own reward. Don’t look for more than the Grace that supports you right now.

Sunday, September 25, 2005 at 11:36:26 AM
Question: Dear Spirit, direct me on the path I can use these new blessings...
Celtic Cross

1: Self
A sacrifice mediates the situation and returns it to normal.
The Hanged Man represents the taking of a loss. He’s the sacrificial lamb, whether it’s accepted with grace or only because it’s been forced upon him. In either case, his ordeal serves to clear the air of general tension, denial and game playing. The Hanged Man’s predicament brings issues to a head, making it possible to clear the slate and allow everyone to start over. Whether it’s purely symbolic or has to do with real events, it clears the collective conscience and helps to break old patterns. It’s a good thing that it’s you playing this vulnerable role, and not someone else who may be broken by the situation. You are resilient and regenerative, someone who can view this experience as educational and not be totally victimized by it. This is the enlightened attitude. Your sacrifice will make a difference in the larger flow of events, even if it’s not fair and you don’t deserve it.
2: Situation
Be careful not to polarize the situation, supporting a struggle between darkness and light.
The Devil card in this position suggests that you are facing a shadow force you have always feared. Far from crushing you, however, it is educating you. If you refrain from judging things to be good or bad, you will see there is a tremendous amount of life force and vitality coursing through this situation that could go either way, depending on how it is directed. It could express as a vital passion of love, or devolve into some sort of self-centered gratification. You may want to follow someone else’s lead, but no matter what decision is made, it’s important to keep your head above water in this powerfully moving situation. Pay attention to how this life force wants to move, so that you can follow the flow and keep learning. A deeper spiritual dimension beckons you; no matter how bedeviling they may seem, face your instincts or problems with tenacity and a touch of humor.
3: Challenges
If you use breaks in the action to rest yourself and refresh your awareness, you will be strengthened.
The Two of Wands in this position provides a challenge to learn to use down time productively. Creativity requires leisure. There is no available energy for forward progress at this time anyway, so rest and restore yourself. Rather than waste time during such an opportunity, use it for contemplative relaxation or meditation. Don’t worry about how to orchestrate things just yet; just open yourself to the sights, sounds and realities of the situation as it is. This will put you in a more favorable position when the time for action arrives.
4: Foundation
The most emotionally honest people you have known have also been the most independent and self reliant.
The Queen of Swords in this position suggests that somewhere in your past you had an excellent role model available to you who was an assertively self defined person. She spoke her piercing insights in a clear and truthful way, without sparing anyone, not even herself. Having known such a lucid being is very helpful to you. That person’s voice still speaks to your subconscious, reminding you that you know what is going on and what needs to be done. Increase the volume of that internal voice, so that it’s with you on a regular basis, because this is part of your inherited wisdom. This voice is helping you be centered, define your boundaries, get ready to state your truth and assert what you want and need. Apply this quality to your current situation.
5: Recent Past
Card: The Moon
To live a conscious life means being responsible for all your truths.
You have had profound experience. At some point, your usual boundaries and self-definitions were torn away, forcing you to look into a vast, expanding emptiness contrasting with your own vulnerability. Such a vision can help you more clearly perceive what you cherish in your heart of hearts, your most sacred inner place. You have had a chance to learn what fills you with fear, what inspires you with passion, and what lives within the confinements of society. Such deep insight is empowering. From it you can create strategies to channel this powerful energy, give it a place in your life and become more competent with it.
6: Higher Power
Throw off the tyranny of ego and meditate on your relationship to the One.
With the High Priestess in this position, your Higher Self is calling you to spiritual practice. Serenity and inner peace come from stilling the waters of the emotions and expanding the mind as large as Nature itself. By opening yourself to the great mysteries, you can air out your ego and let go of narcissistic tendencies. Remember that you are one with Nature. Get back in touch with what is really important and let go of self centered points of view.
7: Near Future
You can take your rightful position among pragmatic and successful leaders and be seen as a peer.
The King of Coins in this position indicates that you will be brought to the attention of one or more successful and practical leaders who can see that you have the potential to become one of them. They feel a burning desire, as you do, to grow their empires and increase their influence. It will feel good to take your place in this company and be recognized as a peer. You will also find greater opportunities to succeed as a result. The respect and honor you get from this group is worth its weight in gold.
8: Blocks and Inhibitions
Ask yourself what you think you gain by repeated delay.
When the Horseman of Wands falls in this position, it seems there is difficulty getting started. The outset is hampered by a tendency to find reasons to delay, hold back or be dissatisfied with preparations. That may be acceptable to a point: preparedness is crucial and good timing essential. But if a new beginning is repeatedly delayed, you may have to ask yourself what you may be afraid of that would cause you to go to such great lengths to stall or postpone its development. When that question is answered, you can begin to overcome your blocks and allow your energy to flow smoothly toward the goal again.
9: Allies
A respected elder and possible benefactor has taken an interest in you.
The King of Cups in this position suggests the presence of someone in your environment who is positively disposed toward you and has good hunches, intuitions and advice for you. Investigate this relationship so you have all the information you need — the guidance, support and insight you don’t personally possess. This King of Cups is a perfect patron for your work because he has no competing agenda of his own and excellent motives toward you. Trust him and listen to him. Open your heart and mind to what he (or she) has to say, then adjust your course accordingly.
10: Advice
Express the love you feel. Offer reassurances to those you love, so they don’t feel alone or insecure.
The Two of Cups in this position advises you to speak your heart. There is little question that the person you are trying to connect with feels the same. This is already known, but perhaps it’s not yet declared or confirmed. So why not make it clear, and why not now? We know the Two of Cups is not the image of a ceremony, but it is the image of the vow. This card advises that you pledge yourself and put your heart on the line. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Life is a relationship game.. It’s a great privilege to share with others who are so complementary and compatible. You will feel more complete on the other side of this pledge. Go for it!
11: Long-Term Potential
Finding a common vocabulary gives proponents of differing viewpoints a basis for future agreement.
With the Two of Swords in this position, there is a potential to learn to work with differing sets of priorities and world views. Diversity is actually an important and necessary ingredient which adds creative spice to a group. On the other hand, superficial differences may, upon deeper inspection, reveal serious divisiveness beneath the surface. It’s important to continue the dialogue — keep talking until you have fleshed out the truly defining elements of the situation or dilemma. This process takes time, so be patient.

Sunday, September 25, 2005 at 11:47:46 AM
RE greater understanding of my possible mentor...dear Spirit?

Horoscope Spread
The Page of Coins is a student of abundance. The Page of Coin's attention is focused on learning the natural laws that pertain to increase, multiplication, compounding, and all forms of growth. Whether the study is about farming, the stock market, or culturing new medicines in the lab, this Page wants to understand the underlying mechanism that supports the creation of abundance.
You may see this person in the position of the attendant or junior partner, but that is only appearances. That demeanor of humility or servitude will soon enough disappear, as the page's sense of mastery increases. By studying the example of everyone around him, successful and unsuccessful, he is building a game plan that will lift him from obscurity and place him squarely among the ranks of the "haves." He just has to collect the necessary education and experience, which he is doing right now.

1: House of Identity
Inner and outer harmony is cause for celebration.
With the Ten of Cups in this position, you have achieved a level of harmony — both within yourself and with those around you. Your cause for rejoicing outweighs normal tendencies to bicker or compete. Your life is like one big happy family — all the players enjoy a sense of fulfillment. Your psychic life is in order. Likewise, your inner family — the inner child, parent self, confused adolescent, sharp and capable professional — are working together. A major effort has been brought to fruition, satisfying you on all levels. Take note of what this feels like and keep it conscious, even as circumstances change and your sub-personalities try to reassert themselves. This is the optimal state for mental, physical and spiritual health.
2: House of Work
Be careful not to polarize the situation, supporting a struggle between darkness and light.
The Devil card in this position suggests that you are facing a shadow force you have always feared. Far from crushing you, however, it is educating you. If you refrain from judging things to be good or bad, you will see there is a tremendous amount of life force and vitality coursing through this situation that could go either way, depending on how it is directed. It could express as a vital passion of love, or devolve into some sort of self-centered gratification. You may want to follow someone else’s lead, but no matter what decision is made, it’s important to keep your head above water in this powerfully moving situation. Pay attention to how this life force wants to move, so that you can follow the flow and keep learning. A deeper spiritual dimension beckons you; no matter how bedeviling they may seem, face your instincts or problems with tenacity and a touch of humor.
3: House of Ideas
Prepare yourself for the lightning strike coming your way.
The Tower challenges you to make yourself strong enough to channel a high voltage blast. When the lightning strikes, most people feel fearful of their ability to assimilate the impact of sudden, forceful change. A few others go into overdrive — they feel enlivened, creative, more intelligent and intuitive than usual. It all depends on your ability to sustain shock and carry the charge. Prepare yourself to ensure that you are well grounded, as well as psychologically open and flexible. In this way, you can leverage some of the positive force of this energy when it’s released and experience the least amount of negative kickback.
4: House of the Family
The ability to achieve closure will serve future projects well.
The Ten of Wands in this position suggests that you have learned from past experience when to end a cycle and come to closure, and this ability is essential to your present situation. A wise person knows when to leave well enough alone. Before you take up a new quest, be clear of lingering entanglements, then fortify yourself with wisdom gained in the past.
5: House of Magic
The end to a daunting period of pressure requires respite.
The Queen of Wands in this position indicates that you are finally concluding the demanding task of overseeing a job to completion. It’s been an exhausting challenge that asked a lot of you. You have needed patience, firmness and stamina to keep all the variables organized. Even though the results of your work inspire pride, you’ve also worn yourself out providing willpower for an entire group of individuals. Take a hard-earned respite from your labors and turn responsibility over to someone else for awhile.
6: House of Apprenticeship
As core truths emerge, accept their influence and allow your life to be changed.
When the Queen of Swords comes up in this position, your inner grandmother is taking her throne. Male or female, we all have living within us a wise crone or powerful Queen of Heaven figure, a mature mother archetype. She is stepping forward now in your own psyche. Her higher reasoning is flowing into your consciousness, helping you see things in a broader way. This involves a peeling away of appearances to yield a clearer disclosure of core issues. She is trying to remind you about what is true, what works and what you can do to positively affect your situation. Don’t resist her; accept her influence.
7: House of Relationships
You are narrowing in on your objective and are ready to pick up your tools and get to work.
When the Ace of Wands is in this position, choices are narrowing; you define what you really want to do and how you are going to do it. Like water surging through a funnel, your energy narrows down upon itself and bores on through. You proceed with ultimate focus and concentration. Your opportunity is imminent, so get rested and organized. If you are unable to do so, forewarned is forearmed; keep a state of readiness about you.
8: House of Secrets
Don’t let fear of others’ reactions hold you back from being authentic.
When the Knight of Cups is in this position, a part of you is fearful of judgement or rejection. Even though you know what steps you must take to make things better for yourself, the fear of looking foolish or not being accepted is holding you back from breaking through to the joy you know you could find. Go ahead; take the risk and show your hand. No matter how others respond, you will feel more authentic when you come out of hiding and reveal yourself. Don’t hesitate; there is nothing real to fear.
9: House of Visions
Trusted allies carry on your work while you pursue new opportunities.
The Eight of Wands in this position suggests a need to gather people to you who are responsible, trustworthy and committed and have stamina that matches your own. Your creativity and capability can draw numerous opportunities to you, and you want to engage in some of them without losing your momentum. With your allies in your camp, you can take a break from your present work and start something new, knowing the continuity of your efforts will not be lost.
10: House of Reputation
Pooling resources allows you to make bolder moves and larger investments in future projects.
The Five of Coins in this position advises you to create contractual agreements with those around you who have similar interests. In this kind of situation, there is strength in numbers. Put your heads together and devise a bold plan for future objectives and decide how to invest in their success. This Five of Coins recommends teamwork and its mutual benefits.
11: House of the Future
The world needs the example of those who choose to heal and grow beyond their previous boundaries.
With Temperance in this position, there is a potential for you to become a healer. You are displaying relevant skills in your chosen medium whether it’s physical, emotional, mental or psychic. The greatest test of all, however, is the ability to heal oneself. Choose to develop yourself consciously, and model what a restored and regenerated body-mind looks like. Humanity depends upon certain pioneers who choose to cultivate themselves and model what is possible.
12: House of Surrender
Card: The Magician
Don’t become so inflated that you lose touch with the needs of those around you.
Let go of the idea that you are the only genius around. True, you may have a capacity for stimulating creative thinking, catalyzing change and discovering new approaches. But let go of identifying with that role, because the situation may require the creative genius of others as well. Add to your own knowledge base by accepting the good ideas that others have. Support teamwork for the sake of the endeavor. Acknowledge the contribution of others wherever you see it.

Sunday, September 25, 2005 at 12:05:17 PM
Question: I’ve begun channeling for him, correct?
Advice Spread

1: Situation
You have an opportunity to help bring a group to a single, harmonizing focus.
The Ace of Wands in this position reminds us that certain truths unite us across every divisive line ever invented, and one of those igniting, self evident truths could be coming into focus around you. You could witness or facilitate the gathering of the collective mind into a single focus. This is both awe inspiring and educational. You have an excellent opportunity to rally the troops if you can remain non-competitive. You have a chance to lend your individual will to the greater good of the whole and in the spirit of collaboration raise a standard that inspires people.
2: Advice
Creative compromise helps you accept your commitments fully.
The Lovers card advises that you study your options, and make the wiser choice. Consider carefully your best long-term interests. At the same time, perhaps you may still be able to enjoy some of the best aspects of rejected options. There is no judgment on what you choose to keep from the array of possibilities before you. Just look out for choices that will produce regret. Be willing to compromise in order to stay attuned to the commitments you finally make. Trust your intuition along with your rational intellect. Act with conviction.
3: Near Future
Be prudent. Concentrate on what is most realistic and practical when it comes to your immediate prospects.
With the Queen of Coins in this position, you will soon have a chance to test your dream against reality. The effort and time you have invested is about to bear magnificent fruit. You are going to find out whether you behave sensibly when there are no external limits on where you spend your energy and money. To maximize what is good about the Queen of Coins, you should immediately focus on what is practical and sensible. Place your funds into sane investments. Otherwise her more exuberant side could take over and your gains will devolve into one long, expensive party.

Sunday, September 25, 2005 at 12:08:51 PM
Question: do I need to focus immediately on work partnership?
Advice Spread

1: Situation
A dear and sensitive soul needs steadying while he or she goes through an awakening.
The Page of Cups in this position represents someone whose naivetŽ and innocence is beautiful yet dangerous to themselves. Your task is to help that person become awake to the full implications of his or her situation without dashing hopes or diminishing ideals. Gentle handling is required when you encourage this individual to become more practical and look beyond her or his dreams to the reality of problems to be solved. Donât throw cold water, just temper his or her innocence a little.
2: Advice
Make your own decisions; exercise as much independence as you know you can handle.
The Queen of Swords in this position advises that you refrain from remaining dependent on others at this time. Don’t place too much confidence in the promises people have made. Harbor only those ambitions you know you can accomplish yourself. The Queen of Swords doesn’t want to wait to see what others would think, say or do. She knows what she wants, she knows how to get it, and she doesn’t ask permission or even subject herself to much influence. There are times in life when no one can take care of you as well as you can take care of yourself. Leave sentimentality behind; get practical and take action. Make important decisions for yourself because you are the final judge. It’s up to you.
3: Near Future
Sincere and idealistic enthusiasm received from an unexpected source indicates the goal is nearly reached.
With the Knight of Cups in this position, you will be receiving a visitor, message or insight that will open the way to greater optimism, meaning and completion. Be prepared for fulfilling developments that are not only what you had hoped for but what promises to be good for everyone. A transition is at work that is allowing everyone involved to feel upbeat and optimistic. The prodigal son is returning home.

Sunday, September 25, 2005 at 12:16:16 PM
RE “when the student is ready, the master appears” - Vivian had to be a God-send. She can use great healing from music; as well, I encouraged her when she needed extra help, thus, she was the last to leave. Her sight challenge forces speedy learning from my music friends who must help her without causing her indignity.
Celtic Cross

1: Self
The final steps of a long journey are about to be completed.
With the Knight of Cups in this position, you are pictured as a road-weary traveler finally making it home. Arrival is the principal concept here. You have wandered far and wide, during which time you have had to rescue yourself from some challenging situations. Facing your illusions during this odyssey has caused you to appreciate what you once thought of as trivial or mundane Now you are ready to return to the place you set out from with a changed attitude. It promises to be a joyful reunion.
2: Situation
A relationship can no longer be forced to work; change persists despite one’s preferences.
When the Queen of Swords is in this position, you are in the process of releasing yourself from what used to be a close relationship. The overall feeling is one of impersonal detachment. Certain ideas have taken hold which emphasize differences between you. Because the basis for the relationship is in question, naturally there is a change in the quality of interaction. What used to be a river of feeling between you is now a trickle, perhaps just a memory. There is nothing there to cling to or be sentimental about. Think of it as you would a change of season: the situation or environment you are in is chilling over. Temperatures are dropping into frosty zones; you may need to thicken your skin or put on a few more layers of emotional padding. Don’t let yourself be injured during this climactic shift. It’s not really about you, it’s about change.
3: Challenges
Do your homework. Gain a thorough and deep understanding of your situation and devise a workable plan to see it through.
With the Horseman of Coins in this position, you are being asked to go to the roots of things. So, start from the beginning and gain some experience to match your intellectual grasp of the situation. Temper whatever power you possess with patience and sensitivity to detail. It would be wise to steep yourself in the traditions of your field of endeavor so you can tap the spirit and ideas of your predecessors as well as their source materials. In this way you will not stray far from the truth, the substantial reality which supports your vision, and your greater goal. Too many people have a big dream and move immediately into action with no research, understanding, game plan or skills. See to all of these things so that your ventures can be successful from the beginning.
4: Foundation
Seeing that success is conceivable and not just a fantasy is an empowering lesson in your life.
The King of Coins in this position suggests that you have already learned the right way to administer your personal domain, perhaps through a role model who was around in earlier times. There was at least one person in your life who had achieved certain levels of success. As a result, you saw that it was possible, not just a fantasy, and that enterprise and commitment can add up to sovereignty and security. Seeing this has empowered you. Your current situation is recalling that image. You can again benefit from that knowledge in order to grow and prosper.
5: Recent Past
The company of inspired contenders provides a thrilling incentive to excel.
When the Seven of Wands is in this position you may have recently witnessed an astounding performance that has both inspired all participants and raised the stakes for all who follow. It’s thrilling to witness or take part in an event that brings so much courage, heroism and strength to its participants. Once your imagination has been stirred by contact with these inspired contenders, you begin to consider where in your life you can emulate this model. How can you encourage yourself and arouse your own heroic nature?
6: Higher Power
Your high standards make you an excellent role model.
When the Eight of Coins is in this position, stop and admire your achievements. Through persistent effort at maintaining the highest standards of excellence, you have become a role model to others who want to follow in your footsteps. Your personal imprint and style will be recognized and acknowledged. Your refinements and improvements will be honored and duplicated for years to come. Whether this was intentional or a byproduct of your single mindedness, you have established a hallmark. All you need to do now is keep doing what you do best.
7: Near Future
Someone with wide experience and wisdom is called forth to provide explanations and answers.
The King of Swords in this position indicates that soon a leader, a parental guide and mediator will come forward to help you with evolving challenges. Your need is drawing forth answers in the person of a sage elder who has “seen it all” and can report from experience. Whether this card represents a person appearing in your environment or a part of yourself emerging from your own depths, this sober-minded thinker knows the probabilities, trends and overall laws governing your current situation. Use this new awareness to expand your vision to the big picture.
8: Blocks and Inhibitions
Because someone’s personal criteria are dominant, a relationship lacks balance and harmony.
When the Five of Coins falls in this position, you are experiencing inequity in relationship. Respect is not flowing freely in both directions. One person’s agenda may be dominating another’s. It’s important to examine this trend before the situation becomes more unbalanced. Instead of feeling overwhelmed or annoyed, prepare to question these relationships, both within yourself and with significant others.
9: Allies
Absorb good advice so you can refine your focus.
The Three of Wands in this position suggests the presence of a friend, advisor or mentor who can help you refine your focus and stay out of trouble. This person’s seasoned wisdom is ready to serve you. Individuals like this have a stock of learning experiences that could pave the way for you. Their good advice allows you to start where they left off. You will be spared a lot of struggle if you accept what your friend or mentor has to say and adjust your course accordingly.
10: Advice
Unveil and showcase your skills and talents.
The Three of Coins in this position suggests that you let the world see your unique capabilities. Let the world in on who you are; expect recognition, accept it and savor it. Allow others to see your accomplishments. Expect new offers and when they come, accept them. Don’t hide your light under a bushel basket. And avoid false modesty — it doesn’t become you. Practice saying to yourself, “Thank you, I accept your compliment” until you really can let the experience into your heart with graceful ease.
11: Long-Term Potential
As you discover the proactive, courageous leader within yourself, you will free up qualities that can improve all areas of your life.
The Seven of Swords in this position suggests that if you leverage your present circumstances in the context of a plan, instead of simply reacting, you will not only overcome current challenges but you will learn a whole new approach to life. Your current experiences and the problems you are now solving will instruct you for years to come, so don’t allow current limitations to block your vision. By seeing problems as opportunities and seizing them, you can affect trend-lines that reach far into the future. Challenge yourself to do the best possible job. Raising your standards and expectations will improve the quality of return you get from these efforts and all that follow. Stretch for excellence! Form the habits that will make it natural for you to deliver your best work.

Sunday, September 25, 2005 at 4:07:44 PM
Question: He has probably heard old music tracks I made when I was still regenerating in health and unskilled in singing. Nobody has really heard my singing except for my husband. I have confidence as a visual artist and as a writer, but feel embarrassed about my love for singing. My age and medical history, plus the fact that I never dreamed of pursuing music until now, makes the odds of me being able to pursue singing possible only by an Act of God. Miracles though, are common in my life.
Spread: Celtic Cross

1: Self
Assess your situation with patience and self restraint.
The Two of Wands in this position indicates a need to stop and get your bearings. Your path has seemed erratic and unclear, necessitating new choices every few steps. Make no moves that will produce permanent consequences until you have worked your way through this period of confusion, insecurity and lack of clarity. Uncertainty will pass and you will see the bigger picture again. If you are patient and sincere, the right path will be revealed to you.
2: Situation
You have it in you to see what needs to be done. Now it’s time to get organized and use your skills as a manager.
When the Queen of Coins is in this position, you are being called upon to help steer the collective enterprise. Call up the manager within you or procure the assistance of someone who is a natural manager. Perceive what needs to be done, in what order it should be administered and with what amount of support or staff. It’s time to be organized and be energetic about it. This effort will not only benefit you personally, but just as importantly, it will support the well being of those you are involved with.
3: Challenges
Become a patient observer so you will know how to fit in when it becomes necessary.
The Page of Coins in this position asks you to become as transparent as possible within the current situation. Make yourself invisible so the patterns of powerful forces which are shaping events willl reveal themselves to you. For the time being, resist the urge to do anything other than observe and take notes. Be open and awake and listen to your body — it is telling you something interesting is going on. Some kind of transformation is in the works. When it comes to a close you will be able to help those who remain to regroup and regain their place in the new order of things. The skill that makes it possible for you to mutate through such changes and come through intact will be something you can teach others in due time.
4: Foundation
Conditions from the past will be repeated unless you awaken to alternatives.
The Page of Wands in this position recognizes something very familiar in your situation that takes you back to a time when unexpected news changed your life. It could either have been a positive experience with a pleasing outcome, or the opposite. At any rate, take time to remember the event in detail because your current situation will echo your earlier response unless you consciously make an effort to react differently and create a new pattern. Your intuition, like a faithful messenger, is prodding you to awaken to what is unfolding and the new choices you have. Be clear about what you want to happen this time so that past mistakes are not repeated.
5: Recent Past
Take responsibility for your own world of feelings.
When the Queen of Cups is in this position, you have just had or witnessed an experience of intuitive learning and communicating from the heart. Perhaps you have been in the presence of someone whose primary mode of learning and communication is emotional rather than logical. Or perhaps it is you yourself who has had a noteworthy experience of heart-centered activity. If this is unfamiliar territory, notice that the wisdom of the heart can be as effective as the intelligence of the mind, sometimes more so. Learn to appreciate the strengths of a heart-centered approach and let your heart open a little more. Become more familiar with your own innate sensitivity. Don’t leave all the processing of feelings to those around you.
6: Higher Power
Clear judgment, accountability and responsibility are demanded.
When the Eight of Swords is in this position, it is up to you to sharpen your focus, demand accountability and question authority, including your own. There is no room for denial or dissembling. You must take a firm line with yourself and the situation. Careful analysis is necessary in order to eliminate blind spots and be ready for any contingency. If you are not willing to undergo rigorous self discipline, discipline will be inflicted upon you by the environment. You will then feel as if you have no choices left. Discard false logic, rationalizations and denial. If you don’t throw intellectual baggage overboard now, you may be sunk by it later. Face the truth and speak it, even if it’s unflattering to you. You will then come through this experience as part of the solution rather than part of the problem.
7: Near Future
You are about to be inducted into the society of teachers and healers.
With the Hierophant in this position, it appears that you will soon receive some acknowledgment, certification or approval from experts in your field. You are about to be recognized for your efforts, long term dedication and the passion it has taken to absorb the wisdom of those who came before you. In recognition of your dogged commitment, you are being brought into the inner circle. This is no accident; trust the flow of events as they unfold. You may be needed to help with the transmission of sacred knowledge from the past into the future.
8: Blocks and Inhibitions
Internal conflict can scatter you, preventing you from accomplishing your goals.
When the Five of Wands falls in this position, divided loyalties are interfering with your ability to stay focused well enough and long enough to complete your top priorities. Your energy is in danger of becoming scattered; you feel like you are going in several directions at once. Stop blaming the world. By not getting clear on your highest priority, you have let yourself get distracted. Stop and recognize that you can’t commit to several projects and serve them all very well. You will continue to feel internally conflicted until you clearly grasp your situation and commit to your highest priority.
9: Allies
Take advantage of an excellent opportunity to confer with sages or experts; such opportunities are rare.
The Six of Swords in this position tells you that someone in your immediate circle could serve you as an ideal sounding board. This person understands the issues. Mature and objective, he or she knows how the process works. A little mentioning from this person is worth more than all the how-to books you could find. Don’t be too proud to ask for this person’s help — it’s not common to have such excellent resources so close at hand. Humility and asking for what you want are in order. This is a great chance to ask questions, request assistance, pursue expert opinion and deliberate with others who are seekers like you. Keep scrupulous notes; they could help you piece together a truly brilliant game plan that will both meet current needs and win you a wider sphere of influence.
10: Advice
Free yourself from a past that no longer serves you well, and proceed toward the future.
Death in this position advises you to detach from the old order, close old accounts, gather your harvest, complete unfinished tasks and pack your bags. It’s time to move on. A better future beckons. If you can cut the cords that have bound you to old ways and outworn conventions, you could free yourself to join the sweep of incoming light. This is not an excuse to reject others or hurt them in any way. It is simply a time to move toward your ultimate best interests, willing to go through whatever it takes. Do not allow nostalgia and outworn loyalties to hold you back.
11: Long-Term Potential
You have arranged your life to serve your highest dreams and aspirations.
With the Sun in this position, there is long term potential to have what you want in this life. You can fulfill your dream, change the world, gain friends and influence those around you. As you stand up for your highest values, they will be affirmed, acknowledged and supported by others. When you practice the willingness to repeatedly come back to your center and cultivate it more and more, you will see your life bloom in all directions. Perseverance is the key.

Sunday, September 25, 2005 at 4:22:59 PM
Question: what if I described my situation to this elder—could he advise me? Am I strong enough to maintain personal boundaries and maintain self-confidence to develop the mutual regard within partnership?
Celtic Cross

1: Self
The King brings order to the realm. Others feel safe and calm in his presence.
The King of Cups symbolizes the bestowing of blessings that serve like a refuge for your heart — a lap of stability and support. A powerful, quiet presence brings a reassuring sense of order and peace to the situation. The King energy makes it easier to feel optimistic, to have faith in reliable support and to express your feelings with confidence. The King of Cups is the archetype of the strong, kind, and loving father figure. This is a powerful energy that you can call up from within yourself and depend on.
2: Situation
Potential remains dormant and requires leadership or direction to arouse it.
When the Four of Cups is in this position, your situation is pregnant with possibilities, but not yet stimulated into action. Vast potential power is languishing, dozing in the sun, unaroused. Something exciting, focusing or catalytic is required. The situation is begging for some direction or a new statement of purpose. This is both good and bad. On the plus side, anything is possible; all the raw ingredients for success are in place. On the other side, without leadership and a goal, the result is likely to be unfocused and chaotic. Look to the “Self” card to get a sense of whether you are the hand bringing in the fiery cup or whether you are merely witnessing an opportunity that is waiting to happen.
3: Challenges
When you willingly step forward to be a leader, you win recognition and gratitude.
The Seven of Swords in this position suggests that you volunteer to fill an emerging void in leadership. You may be the person who can serve as an inspiring figurehead and rallying point for existing unfocused mental and emotional energy. It is possible that you have a hero latent inside you who is being called forth by current circumstances. If that is the case, don’t resist; accept the invitation. It’s not often that we get a ready made opportunity to be gallant. It’s to everyone’s benefit that you think of yourself as a person who is able and willing to make a positive difference.
4: Foundation
Apply the benefits you have secured for yourself to improving the greater good.
The Nine of Coins in this position suggests that you come from a situation of being valued and supported which gave you the inner permission to seek what pleases and fulfills you. Identify the personal touchstones that help you feel nourished and safe and indulge in them regularly — you will then be more generously disposed toward the needs of others. There really is no conflict between treating yourself well and being in service to the greater good. Enjoy the benefits you have earned for yourself and let your overflow improve the world around you.
5: Recent Past
Accept responsibility for your part in an unfortunate situation and figure out how you can take action to correct it.
With the Five of Swords in this position, a conflict between personal agendas has already happened that will be difficult to undo. The Five of Swords represents the temptation of self-centeredness over collective responsibility. Your best option is to scrutinize and examine how you may have contributed to any small minuends, defensiveness, emotional or verbal hostilities that have arisen. Recent events have highlighted the importance of vigilance over selfishness and divisiveness. Sometimes we have to learn our lessons the hard way. Face the situation by asking how you can improve things from this point forward. Find a way to take personal responsibility for issues that are yours so you can come back into balance and a rediscovered ability to trust. Examine what happened so you will be sure to avoid repetition of past mistakes.
6: Higher Power
Non attachment and objectivity will propel you most efficiently toward your goal.
When the Six of Swords presents in this position, your greater self, your oversoul, is reminding you to think scientifically, ecologically — like the forces of Nature. View current circumstances with the detachment of a physicist. When you refrain from personalizing situations and make yourself see the larger laws that govern the way things happen, you can position yourself in alignment with prevailing forces so they serve your agenda. The traditional image on this card is often a sailor trimming his sails to adjust to the wind so he can navigate toward a safe harbor. When you are objective, you sensibly trim your sails so the prevailing winds bring you safely to your goal. Logical thinking would advise you not to waste effort fighting the flow; instead, harness the flow and let it carry you and power your craft.
7: Near Future
A vision has absorbed you; as you emerge from your preoccupation, it’s clear that you and your work are highly respected.
With the Three of Coins in this position, you may be coming out of obscurity. You have been so absorbed in your vision that you have forgotten how many fans you really have, how many people there are who respect you and wish you well. In fact, you may find yourself receiving invitations to join more illustrious company as you move up the rungs of the professional and financial ladder. This is more than just an accident. It’s also more than just your brilliance being recognized; your work is meeting their needs. A spotlight may shine on your genius and ability to inspire others, and your creative work will flourish with daring and original ideas.
8: Blocks and Inhibitions
You can’t continue to rigidly meet others’ expectations, fearing their disapproval if you don’t.
The Devil card in this position represents fear — specifically the fear of being told that you are bad, unnatural or out of balance. Such fear kills all joy, creativity and progress. That being the case, learn to get off on creating a little disapproval from time to time. Learn to maintain equanimity no matter how people react toward your energy or ideas. Free yourself up to more fully and authentically explore issues that are unique to you. Be comfortable with the fact that you have passions outside the norm. When you do so, others’ responses won’t have so much power to diminish your confidence. Tap your authentic self.
9: Allies
Withhold action until you consult experienced guides; they can provide profound insight into your options.
The Two of Wands in this position challenges you to discern your full spectrum of choices. Guides are available who can provide realistic insights into your choices, help you evaluate the implications of your options and intercept any hasty decisions. Ask your mentors and elders to assess their lives and the fruits of their labors — not in terms of fame or monetary achievement but on deeper levels. If you don’t get them to reveal information and insights beyond the obvious, you may miss the essential message for you now. This is an important time to make good choices. A small deviation in your path today can create a widening wedge of change in your life tomorrow.
10: Advice
Let your light shine, confident in the sacred power of your original nature.
The Sun advises you to have confidence in your natural divinity. Throw off the negative cultural conditioning that keeps you from being real with yourself. Step into the full light of truth so that your true motives, principles and mission are revealed. Once done, you will no longer lose energy to the people, projects or belief systems that shame you or emphasize what is negative. Focus on the good rather than fighting the bad. Your authentic shining self can be a light for others if you project it without contrivance.
11: Long-Term Potential
You could be a catalyst for charged communications; wherever you stand is a flashpoint.
With the Tower in this position, if you persist in your current line of thinking and behavior, you may build such a static charge around yourself that you will evoke a major electrical event. That is to say, you will increasingly attract forces of chaos and coincidence. If it is your goal to go against the grain until you raise a reaction, then you are well on your way. If that is not your goal, then it behooves you to reevaluate why you persist in following this line of thought and action. Keep in mind that lightning follows a long period of irritation, accumulated static and ungrounded energy.

Sunday, September 25, 2005 at 4:43:45 PM
Question: right action, attitude re music friendships at this point
Celtic Cross

1: Self
Past patterns that once confused you can be overcome; take action to change them.
When the Five of Cups is in this position, you are assessing mixed messages about relationships you received from your past, an emotional legacy of highs and lows which you may now be inclined to repeat. Every family creates an emotional climate that ultimately shapes the character and style of each child. Early confusion about whether you were loved or wanted colors how you react to and interpret people in your present life. The Five of Cups suggests that you may be agonizing over a pattern from the “bad old days” which is arising in your present life. Don’t let yourself simply sink into feeling miserable. Get up and try to make it right again.
2: Situation
Enthusiastic response to a cooperative, challenging effort goads participants to greater heights.
When the Seven of Wands is in this position, a number of excellent players in your environment are challenging each other to rise to personal bests. Because participants in a cooperative effort are being encouraged by an enthusiastic audience in this exciting, stimulating situation, they are performing better than they ever thought they could. In this friendly competition there are rewards for all who have participated, and clearly the greater good is enhanced by the excitement of people engaged in challenging themselves.
3: Challenges
Be prepared to change your point of view; use analytical thinking to see that which you have been overlooking.
The Six of Swords in this position challenges you to examine the technical aspects of your current situation. Logical, rigorous analysis will empower you now, substantially clarifying important issues. When unseen patterns become visible, you will realize with surprise that they were active all along. You have to first reorganize your mind in order to clearly see factors you usually take for granted. Don’t wait for someone else’s solution. Reach deep into yourself and confirm that you have what it takes to figure this out. If you study the situation, you will know just what to do.
4: Foundation
Confident enthusiasm learned in the past can create a foundation for success.
The Three of Wands in this position suggests that you have had innovative and industrious people in your past who were optimistic and forward-looking; they experienced setbacks as problems to be solved. Such a “Just do it!” attitude, worth its weight in gold, can be used to your advantage. It’s to your benefit to take time to remember the person or people who imprinted you with this kind of confidence. When you bring the information to consciousness it will provide a firm structure for success.
5: Recent Past
Your taste for adventures and challenges borders on compulsion.
The King of Wands in this position points to a need to recover from a period of fast personal expansion that required intense willpower which was exciting and exhausting. Those who seek such experiences, however, tend to deny themselves the respite they need because they love risk and the thrill of the unknown. So, rest on your laurels for a while. Cultivation of composure, cooperation and self nurturance can restore one’s energy to previous levels and serve one well in the next campaign.
6: Higher Power
Your high standards make you an excellent role model.
When the Eight of Coins is in this position, stop and admire your achievements. Through persistent effort at maintaining the highest standards of excellence, you have become a role model to others who want to follow in your footsteps. Your personal imprint and style will be recognized and acknowledged. Your refinements and improvements will be honored and duplicated for years to come. Whether this was intentional or a byproduct of your single mindedness, you have established a hallmark. All you need to do now is keep doing what you do best.
7: Near Future
You are narrowing in on your objective and are ready to pick up your tools and get to work.
When the Ace of Wands is in this position, choices are narrowing; you define what you really want to do and how you are going to do it. Like water surging through a funnel, your energy narrows down upon itself and bores on through. You proceed with ultimate focus and concentration. Your opportunity is imminent, so get rested and organized. If you are unable to do so, forewarned is forearmed; keep a state of readiness about you.
8: Blocks and Inhibitions
Ask yourself why you feel unworthy of the harmony and benevolence you need and which is abundantly available to you.
When the Ace of Cups is in this position, you are struggling with a belief that there is not enough approval to go around. You have internalized the conviction that someone has to do without; apparently you think that person is you. Although the Ace of Cups traditionally represents the fountain of love, abundance and affirmation, times of considerable deprivation cause us to act as if we are unworthy of receiving divine love or the love of others. Aggressively question your feelings of inner guilt and shame because they are preventing divine, beneficent, universal love from pouring down upon you just as it does upon everyone else. Why separate yourself from it at a time when you need it so much?
9: Allies
You count among your friends those whom you used to admire.
The Star suggests that you are absolutely in the right place at the right time, doing the right thing. You may need feedback from higher ups or other sources to call your attention to this fact. But in truth, the self you have cultivated is worth the attention and emulation of people you respect. It could be that you are looking up to individuals as your teachers, while they see you as theirs. This is truly wonderful. Acknowledge how far you have come and how well you are doing.
10: Advice
Find the confident and capable inner resources you possess to get the task completed.
When the Emperor is in this position, get in touch with your inner sovereignty, your natural self-possession. Realize that somewhere deep inside you is the memory of royalty. Reach within to find that strain of natural nobility and leadership. These innate qualities will help you better manage your current situation. The Emperor suggests that you are not only willing to be the final authority, you have the necessary abilities. This situation is an opportunity to showcase your competence and skill. Proceed as if you knew just what you were doing. Be bold, have confidence and take care of business.
11: Long-Term Potential
In a time of change it is essential to be free to move with those changes.
With the Horseman of Wands in this position the potential for resolution is considerable, provided that any effective work currently being done is continued. Get on with it while the opportunity presents itself or it may pass you by. Don’t concern yourself with who or what could be left behind, because this mission is a moral, emotional and psychological imperative. In this time of change it is essential to be free to move. If you are honest with yourself you will not choose behaviors that look as if you want to grow roots and stay put. Those who love you and want to stay in contact will adapt to the circumstances, and those who are uncomfortable with your moving on may have to be left behind.

Sunday, September 25, 2005 at 4:52:22 PM
Question: right attitude, approach to the mentor I have in mind
Celtic Cross

1: Self
Card: The Magician
You have a talent for creating something from nothing.
The Magus symbolizes imagination, creativity and an inventive nature. Your unique intelligence and talent for clever experimentation is a valuable asset. The Magus serves as a catalyst and change agent. His influence is a fresh breeze blowing through any situation. So be playful, and stay open. Don’t limit yourself, the possibilities are endless. Try things, see what happens and correct your course as you go. Tease open the minds of those who are watching to see what you will do.
2: Situation
Because your situation is in flux, your future seems uncertain. Take heart and wait it out.
When the Wheel of Fortune is in this position, your circumstances are constantly changing. Don’t take it personally — it’s a force no mortal can control. Because your destiny and immediate future are so uncertain, no one can blame you for feeling a bit overwhelmed or confused. Think of it as the great washing machine of life: you simply have to wait out the churning, the rinse cycle and the final tumble. In the end, however, everything will be resolved. It’s a challenge to keep your composure, however, because the part of you that prefers control is helpless. It’s an uncomfortable feeling. Wait and watch, and as you do so, try to absorb and understand the process. Don’t make any moves yet.
3: Challenges
Manifest excellence and leadership at the same time you respect the accomplishments of others.
The Three of Coins in this position reveals an opportunity to find a way to showcase your unique talents and gifts. If you can do this without stimulating envy or competition, your ability to achieve greatness will be enhanced. Your challenge is to manifest excellence and leadership, at the same time respecting the accomplishments of others who are working toward common goals. Mutual respect encourages all to perform to their highest ability.
4: Foundation
You have come to possess uncommon understanding that can help you achieve your goals.
The Hierophant in this position suggests that your past provided you with a blueprint for your dreams and aspirations. You have apparently been exposed to a mother lode of sensitive and scientific thinking that attuned your awareness and can now clarify your current situation. The Hierophant is trained in the art of magical thinking, self affirmation and natural laws. Using this foundation, leverage those laws, putting them to work rather than being subjected to them. Trust your intuition and your hunches —you are receiving relevant information from a deep, instinctive, historical well.
5: Recent Past
To live a conscious life means being responsible for all your truths.
You have had profound experience. At some point, your usual boundaries and self-definitions were torn away, forcing you to look into a vast, expanding emptiness contrasting with your own vulnerability. Such a vision can help you more clearly perceive what you cherish in your heart of hearts, your most sacred inner place. You have had a chance to learn what fills you with fear, what inspires you with passion, and what lives within the confinements of society. Such deep insight is empowering. From it you can create strategies to channel this powerful energy, give it a place in your life and become more competent with it.
6: Higher Power
You are poised to make a significant impact upon generations to come.
When the World appears in this position, you are positioned to do something beneficial for future souls to enjoy. It may be that you invent a new technology, create an original literary or cultural work, or awaken a new art form that stirs the souls of humanity. You are being singled out to affect the evolution of human consciousness.
You are a conduit for the energy of the divine, the evolutionary driving force of creation. As long as you allow yourself to be used in this way, good things result from your choices and actions. Don’t resist this development. It may be the reason you came here. It’s connected to your ultimate quest for meaning. Watch and witness. Let all be revealed to you, and willingly cooperate.
7: Near Future
You are narrowing in on your objective and are ready to pick up your tools and get to work.
When the Ace of Wands is in this position, choices are narrowing; you define what you really want to do and how you are going to do it. Like water surging through a funnel, your energy narrows down upon itself and bores on through. You proceed with ultimate focus and concentration. Your opportunity is imminent, so get rested and organized. If you are unable to do so, forewarned is forearmed; keep a state of readiness about you.
8: Blocks and Inhibitions
Past blockages that hid your spiritual self are no longer necessary or desirable.
When the Sun is in this position, you are seeing through self imposed limits that have held you back from manifesting your divine nature. A new level of spiritual and psychological openness can create a stronger foundation for self esteem. Relax and cooperate with the light that illuminates the psychological, emotional and instinctive complexes that used to bedevil you. Say good-bye to the smaller world view — you are leaving it behind.
9: Allies
You will move more quickly toward your goal when you involve others who can share your vision.
When the Four of Wands is in this position, you are advised to describe your dream, vision or ideal to everyone who will listen, including that growing network of active, forward looking people you are a part of. Take the pulse of your community. Seek out connections to people who may want to get involved. This gives you the opportunity to see who warms to your ideas, who is ignited by your dreams. You will move toward your goal quickly and more efficiently when you understand the minds of the people you are trying to reach.
10: Advice
Identify and acquire the ingredients that will most help you complete your mission; leave the rest behind.
Temperance in this position advises you to identify and seek the missing ingredients in your life. In addition, you must marshal your known skills and abilities and do what needs to be done to complete your mission. Prepare to use whatever practices, studies, lifestyle changes or community efforts that can assist you in this quest. A tremendous amount of benefit is available if you can organize yourself and be disciplined at this time.
11: Long-Term Potential
A potential alliance should be structured as a relationship of peers.
When the Five of Coins is in this position, a partnership arrangement, relationship or alliance that is forming has potential for growth. You will need to guide that potential, to take necessary steps, but this is the beginning of something that could be profoundly successful. This new alliance should avoid imbalance and concentrate on equality and objectivity.

Sunday, September 25, 2005 at 5:10:42 PM
Question: my tolerance level is at an all time low re mu husband, my two sisters and anybody related to my old life; as well, most activities. When is the waiting going to be over? I’m afraid of tough responsibility as it defined my past, but by now I’m ready for anything that's different.
Celtic Cross

1: Self
You are called upon to be a loving master of emotional integrity.
The Queen of Cups is the archetype of loving kindness, someone imbued with a strong concern for the well being of others. This is a good thing to develop and practice. At the same time, make sure you don’t get carried away and lose track of what is healthy and sensible for yourself. Like a mother, the Queen of Cups is accepting and nurturing, with a natural capacity for bonding. The vulnerability of openness and empathy are important qualities sorely lacking in today’s world. Learn to develop these capacities in yourself, but avoid codependency. Love is ultimately about dissolving boundaries, but not at your personal expense. Feelings of emptiness will do you no good. Know your boundaries and make sure you are not being taken advantage of or relied upon too heavily. Express loving kindness, but don’t let an intense concern for the welfare of others compromise your own well being.
2: Situation
The situation is unpredictable.
When the Fool is in this position, the situation is undefinable and open ended. This can create a feeling of panic or one of relief, because when there is no blueprint, you are freed from rules and restrictions. But only a truly secure individual can stay calm under such uncertain circumstances. It will become apparent who is in tune with the flow and who is not. Watch closely and learn.
3: Challenges
Evoke the wise elder to help you lift yourself above problems and worries.
When the King of Cups is in this position, you are challenged to find the wise, kind and spiritual part of yourself. Bring this mature king energy forward so you can evoke, direct or support the education or healing that is needed. Use forgiveness to help yourself and others lift out of sorrow, shame or unfinished business, reassuring all, including yourself, as to how precious they are. This King of Cups is akin to a pope: he bestows blessings, benedictions and absolutions. He helps people heal by reminding them of their inherent nobility. As you discover and activate this inner king, lend moral support to those around you. In doing so, you will benefit as well.
4: Foundation
Focus on passing on what you have received.
The Three of Coins in this position suggests that your background and conditioning have supported the pursuit of your interests. You have been sufficiently encouraged to follow your passion and develop real expertise. This is a precious inheritance, to be cultivated and passed on to others who are also in the process of self discovery for the enrichment of the world. You are in a position to become a benefactor: it’s your turn to pass on what you have received.
5: Recent Past
Pay attention to the details of a current transition. Awareness will stave off discomforts later.
The Knight of Cups in this position indicates that an extended effort has brought you to the position you have now achieved. Yet the transition between a lifestyle of striving and that of arriving is somewhat disconcerting. The card depicts a road-hardened traveler who has finally arrived at his destination. But what is not obvious from the image is the restlessness that arises from adjusting to the mundane predictability of domestic life. Take some time to decompress between the adventure that just ended and the new sort now beginning. Be fully in the moment; let go of behaviors that were more suitable when you were still struggling. Evaluate what you have learned that you want to pass on, and focus on that You have a chance to make a clean break from something that should be left behind.
6: Higher Power
The process of releasing the past is transforming; don’t resist it.
When the Death card appears in this position, it symbolizes releasing past attachments and moving forward toward an entirely new agenda that circumstances seem to be imposing on you. It is wiser to take your cues from the new situation than try to hold firm and resist the trend. This fertilizing, progressive change requires you to strip down, disconnect your ties to the past and shift your focus from the surfaces of things to the bones. In the process, your goals shift from the short term to the long term. You no longer identify with your mortal self, but with your immortal self. Under these circumstances, allow your priorities to transmute. Willingly release any limiting conditions that keep you from expressing your essential nature. Nothing you lose at this point will cost you as much as resisting change.
7: Near Future
You are getting ready to open like the chrysalis of an insect and emerge with wings.
With Judgment in this position, it appears that you are either accidentally or intentionally heading toward an encounter with a catalytic force that will literally raise the dead in your personality. This is a total transmutation in which you process who you used to be and rededicate those resources to who you are becoming. A sense of reunion prevails because all the individuals pictured on this card are incarnations of the same soul meeting in a timeless place. You are uniting with your own likenesses as you find them in yourself and in your world. You will assimilate all of them into your sense of self. You will be a larger person—deeper, more expanded, more universal.
8: Blocks and Inhibitions
Don’t discount reality with ideals of perfection.
When the Six of Swords falls in this position, you may be rigidly insisting that the world be logical, predictable and controllable. Although all of Nature is governed by laws that conform to guiding principles, random, chaotic events can still catch you by surprise. In that context, you are unable to foresee the full consequences of the choices you make— no one can! The best any of us can do is control known variables and try to hedge our bets against the unknown. With that in mind, you must not condemn yourself for what you could not have seen coming. Separate your standards of perfection from what your current best effort has actually accomplished. You have done the best you could. Now you must release yourself from guilt and shame about aspects that were not perfect.
9: Allies
With the help of an objective person, examine the assumptions you may unconsciously be making.
In this position, the King of Swords suggests that you seek the assistance of a mentor in communications. Find someone with enough broad experience to help you sharpen your logic, define the issues before you and refine your arguments. This person will be a strict but fair judge of your development. He or she will critique you and give you assignments for self improvement. It’s like having a personal trainer, who will hold up the mirror and show you the parts of yourself you cannot see without help. With this person on your side, you will improve your ability to stay on top of events and issues. Such helpers are worth their weight in gold; don’t stray too far from her or his advice.
10: Advice
Express the love you feel. Offer reassurances to those you love, so they don’t feel alone or insecure.
The Two of Cups in this position advises you to speak your heart. There is little question that the person you are trying to connect with feels the same. This is already known, but perhaps it’s not yet declared or confirmed. So why not make it clear, and why not now? We know the Two of Cups is not the image of a ceremony, but it is the image of the vow. This card advises that you pledge yourself and put your heart on the line. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Life is a relationship game.. It’s a great privilege to share with others who are so complementary and compatible. You will feel more complete on the other side of this pledge. Go for it!
11: Long-Term Potential
Be meticulous as you consider all the ramifications, then commit yourself whole-heartedly.
The Ace of Coins in this position indicates that you are locking your sights on a goal that will take you through many adventures. You may be on to something big; don’t fool yourself into thinking you are making a simple decision right now, or that it really doesn’t matter. In reality, the choices you make now are pivotal to your future, so think long and hard before you decide to commit. Then commit yourself fully. You’ll look back at this time in your life and think, “I had no idea I would get all the way here from there.” It’s quite likely you’ll be living with the consequences of the choices you make now for a long time to come. Be true to yourself.

Sunday, September 25, 2005 at 5:20:15 PM
RE my husband today
Celtic Cross

1: Self
This is your moment to be tested and tried. It will be demonstrated whether your methods are working or not.
With the Eight of Swords in this position, you are being investigated in some way. This rigorous scrutiny could feel like an inquisition. In one sense it’s a challenge to prove that you are a master of your medium. Refuse to take any of it personally. Intellectually, you must sharpen your thinking, your sword of truth, in order to answer your examiners. As your design or idea is being questioned and dissected, you are being asked to justify each and every detail. Consider this card a reality check. Does the concept or ideal stand up to scrutiny? If you can safely navigate this mine field you will emerge on the other side, proud of how you maintained your integrity under duress.
2: Situation
Be careful not to polarize the situation, supporting a struggle between darkness and light.
The Devil card in this position suggests that you are facing a shadow force you have always feared. Far from crushing you, however, it is educating you. If you refrain from judging things to be good or bad, you will see there is a tremendous amount of life force and vitality coursing through this situation that could go either way, depending on how it is directed. It could express as a vital passion of love, or devolve into some sort of self-centered gratification. You may want to follow someone else’s lead, but no matter what decision is made, it’s important to keep your head above water in this powerfully moving situation. Pay attention to how this life force wants to move, so that you can follow the flow and keep learning. A deeper spiritual dimension beckons you; no matter how bedeviling they may seem, face your instincts or problems with tenacity and a touch of humor.
3: Challenges
Prepare yourself for the lightning strike coming your way.
The Tower challenges you to make yourself strong enough to channel a high voltage blast. When the lightning strikes, most people feel fearful of their ability to assimilate the impact of sudden, forceful change. A few others go into overdrive — they feel enlivened, creative, more intelligent and intuitive than usual. It all depends on your ability to sustain shock and carry the charge. Prepare yourself to ensure that you are well grounded, as well as psychologically open and flexible. In this way, you can leverage some of the positive force of this energy when it’s released and experience the least amount of negative kickback.
4: Foundation
Familiarity with change makes us unafraid of its liberating power.
The Death card in this position suggests that you have been pruned before. You have come to learn that the process of death and rebirth is highly beneficial in the long run. Even though it is always a challenge, you have learned to not resist the sickle as it sweeps through your field and prepares it for the dormancy of winter. You know how to let go of old attachments and entanglements. You have been stripped down to what is truly essential before and have experienced the freedom of it. For now, hunker down and wait out the dark times. Focus on the benefits of transformation.
5: Recent Past
There are some rules that will not yield, and we will be shaped to match them.
The Justice card in this position indicates you are recovering from an encounter with the immovable, implacable force called justice. Whether the issue involved human laws or natural ones, you have recently come up against its firm authority. The sword of truth that Justice holds cuts through hyperbole, rationalization and blame. We seldom emerge from such encounters unscathed, but the truth was revealed to you. Now you must align your desires with the greater good or your personal desires will be disregarded. Your future will be cleaner and more sane if you learn the lesson Justice has compassionately taught you.
6: Higher Power
As the dream takes shape, you are encouraged to take pleasure in your accomplishments and accept recognition from others.
When the Eight of Wands presents in this position, you can now perceive the vast spectrum of human potential as you review your own accomplishments. A plan coupled with will and enacted through repetition and time actualizes the dream you have long desired. Natural forces are animating and enriching it. Your Higher Power encourages you to look over your shoulder at the abundance you have achieved through your devoted labors. You are filled with satisfaction as you live your dream and it enriches everyone around you, but you still have to work hard to keep up with it all.
7: Near Future
You will get the support you need to remain confident and capable.
With the Three of Wands in this position, some of the good fortune and cooperation you have been hoping for is on the horizon. Forces are willing to support you and your good idea is catching on with others: it augurs well. You need to be organized, focused, and ready to face challenges; with a confident and open minded attitude, you will be able to work with changes as they unfold. This is a compliment to your capacity for energetic optimism.
8: Blocks and Inhibitions
Rather than dwell on what has been lost, emphasize the potential of what remains.
When the Five of Cups falls in this position, you may be feeling flattened and dispirited. It’s impossible for you to comprehend why things had to happen the way they did. You may feel so demoralized that you cannot see the good that’s left in the situation, what you could learn from it or how you can still turn the experience to your advantage. You may be overlooking the fact that two out of five of the cups are not spilled. All value is not lost, the potential is still there — even two cups can serve to amply support whatever you choose to do from here. Refuse to fall into a state of depression over what is lost. Instead be grateful for what remains. It may well be that you could only have handled two cups worth in the first place.Starting now, emphasize the positive or an identification with the negative will defeat you.
9: Allies
Take advantage of spiritual role models.
The High Priestess in this position points to a mentor or role model who exemplifies true objectivity. This person is skilled in the high art of intuitive receptivity. Like an undeveloped film, the High Priestess can enter a situation and take an impression of all it contains without needing to project personality into it. Such cultivated neutrality and openness to the bigger picture is the foundation of wisdom. Study this person. Develop clarity and humility in your own personality, and use these qualities to uplevel all your interactions and relationships.
10: Advice
Express the love you feel. Offer reassurances to those you love, so they don’t feel alone or insecure.
The Two of Cups in this position advises you to speak your heart. There is little question that the person you are trying to connect with feels the same. This is already known, but perhaps it’s not yet declared or confirmed. So why not make it clear, and why not now? We know the Two of Cups is not the image of a ceremony, but it is the image of the vow. This card advises that you pledge yourself and put your heart on the line. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Life is a relationship game.. It’s a great privilege to share with others who are so complementary and compatible. You will feel more complete on the other side of this pledge. Go for it!
11: Long-Term Potential
A lasting impact on future generations can spring from your willingness to manifest it.
With the Four of Wands in this position, you’re planting the seed for something that may last far into the future because of its enduring usefulness to many people. Perhaps it’s a methodology or a philosophy; perhaps it’s a new profession, industry or school. In any case, this spontaneous act of brilliance could prove momentous for a long time to come. Proceed with due deliberation, with respect and integrity, remembering the potential impact you can have on the world. Accepting this seminal mission is your responsibility.