The Lovers

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The Lovers card represents choices. A decision is to be made around romantic relationships and/or friendships. Sometimes in a career reading, for example, it can represent a more general life choice, but it always evokes us to ask what -or who- we truly love. It is a card representing duality; the yin and yang of a situation; masculinity and femininity. If reversed, it is harder for the querent to even see the options they have. (When paired with the seven of cups, there are too many options.) 

The reaction of people I read for when they pull The Lovers card is a testament to its power. People always think that if the card is present, it must be true love, or they will meet their person and live happily ever after. It's a tad more complicated... When pulling The Lovers card it's important to check out the cards surrounding it and remember that it doesn't represent the feeling of love, rather a decision concerning the concept of love. Cups cards speak more to the feelings of love and compassion. When using tarot cards in meditation or on your alter, I like using the Two of Cups card or the Queen of Cups card to conjure more love in my life. 

The Lovers card reversed can also symbolize a lack of communication within a relationship. The love that the querent has for the person may be strong in feeling, but is extremely clouded by other factors. Paired with the Eight of Swords or The Devil card, it can alert the querent to potentially harmful entanglements in a relationship. Some relationships, in other words, just are not good for us and our health. The tree card below depicts the entanglement idea nicely.

Sometimes The Lovers card can literally mean that the querent has to choose one of two loves. (Kind of like that Ani Difranco song School Night). The Lovers card also reminds me of the Robert Frost Poem, The Road Not Taken. Especially paired with The Emperor or The Hierophant, it reminds us to ignore societal conventions and familial expectations for our relationships and happy endings. It reminds us to make the choice that is less conventional, because life is not about happy endings or pleasing others or having a date for Valentine's Day, it's about our personal journey and how who we will become in relationships with other people. Sometimes this means that we must try a relationship, even when important people in our lives tell us we shouldn't. Watch for The Moon card (listening to your instincts) when this happens...

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Love or Lust? 

Sometimes I have difficulty telling the difference between the two. When The Lovers card is paired with the Two of cups card and The Moon card, the querent is in love. But I think many of us often confuse love and infatuation. I think love is a feeling and needs time to grow and solidify. Lust is more about physical attraction, and infatuation is the hope for that person new relationship to last. I think it's important to distinguish between the three... When The Lovers card is paired with a King or Queen of Wands, perhaps it's just really, really good sex. Throw an Ace card in there, in a future position, and you may meet one of your soul mates! (I believe we have multiple soul mates.) Throw The Fool card or a Page card in the mix and watch out for immaturity and drama.

 

Time for a Nap: Four of Swords

I've been pulling this card a lot lately and yes, today I woke up with swollen glands, a stuffy nose and an achy body. I did not heed it's warnings.. When pulling the Four of Swords, best to drink a lot of water, eat your veggies and get plenty of rest.

My new favorite deck it the Tarot of Trees deck. Beautiful drawings by Dana Driscoll depict the swords in autumn landscapes. It makes sense that the Four of Swords is in this season. The Four of Swords is about withdraw for the purposes of healing. We tend to withdraw in the fall, it's time to get quiet and snuggle under the blankets. Summer was the time to be social, loud and experimental. Now it's time to hunker down into a routine and practice being quiet, grateful and healthy.

The Smith-Waite image looks a tad cryptic, but this is actually not a bad card to get at all, no matter what the illustration suggests. It's just a blatant warning to take care of your physical and emotional health. It appears after the three of swords which is a the card of sorrow and heart-ache. After break-ups, it's important to take care of your health and retreat inside to gain perspective. Sometimes our body needs time to heal. Perhaps it's time to call out sick and sit on the couch all day and watch romantic comedies. Maybe your housemate will buy you Indian food and she'll let you watch all the Sex And the City you want, (especially the season before Burger, when Carrie is alone and Mr. Big has moved to Wine Country). With the Four of Swords, you're allowed a small pity party. Take a day, actually take a week. But don't even think about Ben and Jerry's, it will just make things worse. Try a healthy pumpkin soup and herbal teas instead. Take naps, lots of them. Fall asleep in a sunny spot, in the autumn afternoon warmth.

Watch for card pairings also. If alongside the a reversed Nine of Cups or The Devil card you've taken the rest too far. Be cautious of unhealthy addictions. You've created a narrative in your head that isn't true and now you're coping in unhealthy ways. Isolation at this point may not be the healthiest. Call your friends and ask them to get you out of bed. If they are good friends, they will help.

Still, there's a sadness to the Four of Swords. It illustrates a kind of foreboding rest. If paired with the Three of Swords, the Queen of Swords or the Death card, be prepared for a heavy, heavy grief. Sometimes grief can make us sick and sometimes grief can set us free. If you've been holding something for years and years, such as an unhealthy relationship, or an unhealthy work responsibility, you may have noticed you suffer from chronic illness. Finally, when we leave the bad job or the bad relationship, there can be a residual soreness and sickness from it, a sort of cleanse, and then finally, an emptiness. Sometimes there is simply just a lack of routine, but these pairing suggest a gaping hole. Sometimes we don't know what to do with that hole. Loneliness and extra time alone after our schedules have been stuffed can be overwhelming and, well, a bit sad. Treat your heart as if it has a cold. Make it soup, say kind words, and nap.

What's your MOON sign?

What's your sign? Most people mean "What's your sun sign?" (Where the sun was in the zodiac when you where born.) I like to think of sun signs as what we project or radiate to the world around us. But Moon signs are super cool. They reflect what we are feeling on the inside and affect our emotional demeanour. The moon travels across one sign of the zodiac in about two and a 1/2 days. It travels through the entire zodiac during the course of a month. Like our emotions, the moon is a little bit harder to track. I keep a moon calendar handy in my home to help me follow it's location. The farmers almanac and other gardening guides have a lot of moon location information because farmers have followed the moon's cycle for centuries to aid in stronger crops. (Check out the Farmer's Almanac site: http://www.almanac.com/moon.) Below are some traits of each zodiac sign and possible feelings that might come up when the moon is in this specific sign. If the moon is travelling through your personal moon sign, the feelings will be intensified and affect you a lot more than others.

Not sure what your moon sign is? Enter your birth-date and birth-time here: http://www.lunarium.co.uk/moonsign/calculator.jsp

Pisces: This is a creative time for a lot of people. Emotions can be intense as well. Now is the time to dabble in a hobby and surround yourself with inspiring people and books. Your imagination might even take over your logical brain, so now is not the time to make huge decisions about your future. Best to go with the flow and not make too many plans. Scribble down your dreams and pretend you're a ballet dancer in your kitchen sometimes. You may feel confused, foggy, or scared during this moon pattern, especially those with Pisces in the charts. Others may just be late and non-committal.

Aquarius: You will find yourself being unusually tolerant and patient with others. Aquarians tend to be social workers, activists, or teachers. Surround yourself with a lot of interesting characters and you will do just fine. You can expect some weird circumstances, bizarre people, random thoughts, and omens from the past to pop up during this cycle. Make sure to write these things down for future solutions.

Capricorn: Now is the time to step up to the plate and deal with unanswered bills, jobs, voicemails and emails. People with Capricorn moons are skilled and diligent. You always want a Capricorn moon on your office team or in your study group. If you're feeling depressed and sad during this moon cycle, just simply rest and think hard about the many blessings all around you. Be grateful. Sometimes there just isn't enough hours in a day to finish everything. Keep a To-Do list with you at all times and write down what ever needs attending to at bed-time. Let it go before you hit the pillow.


Sagittarius: During this moon transit you might find yourself google searching tree-houses in Vermont, villas in Tuscany, or sustainable living communes somewhere freakishly desolate in Maine. You might ask yourself "why" a lot and philosophizes the death out of mundane things like orange juice and trash day. Saggitarians will feel this the strongest. Just be patient. Routine does give us some advantages. Focus on making small changes to your everyday routine and take pleasure in taking the long way home. Wait for this cycle to end before making any rash decisions on leaving a relationship or a job. It is, however, a great time to buy a new pet, test drive a new car, or ride a hot air balloon.

Scorpio: Sometimes intense feelings can stand in the way of decision making and take up so much space that it's hard to even focus on the day to day. Have you ever had a hard conversation with a friend who just can't stop crying or being grumpy enough to focus on the intellectual agreement or disagreement at hand? Such is the spirit of the Scorpio moon. While this may not be helpful at work or talking to your partner about the bills, it's a great time to ignite sexual passions and attend creative retreats. Make sure to harness all those emotions into something healthy. Examples: journaling, yoga, running, beating a pillow with a stick (privately in your bedroom alone).


Libra: This is when many relationships exist in harmony. Work is diplomatic and fair. Siblings rivalry is in a lull and adults will successfully reconcile with family and friends. The Libra moon also warrants indulgences in spa days, shopping, and clothing. Do the budget and then go support your local economy.

Virgo: Watch out for all of that "constructive criticism" piling up to make a tragedy. Don't focus on the negative, you know stress is bad for your health. Now is a great time to start a new health regime, meal plan by your cook-book, and purchase a new planner with inspiring quotes inside. Also, if you've been avoiding it, now is a great time to clean the closet and bring your friend to the zumba class you've always talked about and wanted to try. Seriously, if you can't flamboyantly flail your arms and sweat in stretch pants in front of your friends, who are they anyway?


Leo: I always think of a regal lion when I hear Leo. A Leo moon cycle is an excellent time to act like one. Ask for a raise, be confident as you strut your stuff down the street and use those big paws for love, family and deeply-bonded friendships. Sometimes the Leo moon can bring a melodrama to the picture, but remember to keep you "Lion King/Circle of Life" perspective.

Cancer: In a cancer-moon transit, emotions may be stormy with a chance of rain. Add PMS on top of it and you might be a sensitive mess crying at a Stevie Nicks song or a Disney commercial. Best to stay inside, cook up a delicious dish and eat away! Indulge in romantic comedies and tear-jerker dramas. (Fried Green Tomatoes is an excellent example.)

Gemini: The twin-moon is a great time to be social and chatty. Chat up your best friend over tea and text your other BFF on the way to the tea shop. A friend or lover might attach themselves to your hip and expect you to carry them around for a few days. Be careful while travelling uphill. Gossip might be rampant at work, make sure to tone it down a notch when it involves the big boss. Call your brother or sister, siblings might need your attention at this time.

Taurus: Ah the Taurus moon! Best time to take a "staycation" and nest at home in the garden or start an herb garden in your window sill. If you are travelling, make sure to avoid the whoppers and happy meals and pack the healthy snack. De-tox from all the stress and relax throughout this moon cycle. This is also a great time to give your lover a shoulder-rub, hike a mountain and listen for bird calls, and indulge in fresh veggies from your local farmers market. Snuggle up with the blankets or do it in the tall grass.

Aries: Be careful about the rash decisions around this time. You may feel like throwing away the blender and that rare coin collection. Here's a tip: keep the blender, make a smoothie, and donate the coin collection. Watch your temper during this moon cycle, disagreements will come fast. Tip #2: Walk it off. You'll forget why you were fighting in the first place once you reach the end of the block. The best thing about the Aries moon cycle? The sex. Hump like bunnies. Tip #3: Bring the safe sex supplies.

BBQ Reading

It's the Fourth of July Weekend! Such a good time for a simple 4-card Tarot spread: Past, Present, Future, Something you have overlooked. It's fun to choose the 4th card from the bottom of the deck, just when you think the reading is over. :) Try it tonight at that BBQ with friends.

Death, Card XIII

It seems important to talk about the death card in a spread first. There are a lot of negative stereotypes about this card, but often I receive this card in times of change and grief. We go through many deaths throughout our lives: A lover's parting words, the last day on a job site, or a drive away from home with boxes piled in the backseat, and kitties meowing in your lap - along for the ride. Orgasms have even been described as "little deaths." Our cells divide everyday, shed and grow new skin. Our uterus sheds every cycle and even aligns with the moon. The moon itself cycles every day and season, always changing, sometimes reflecting the sun's bloom. You get the point...

The death card is a lesson in change, but also an opportunity to grow, and find joy in the rebirth of things. The card tells us that we are done and it's time to grieve now. When the card is reversed we have a harder time letting go. We are resistant to change and want to hang on to comfort, even though it might make us miserable, or when we know deep down that it's time to move on. It may also represent a stalemate situation because of our defiance. As we grow older we might be more resistant to change because we expect comfort or security with age.

My First Palm Reader

I went to my first psychic palm reader on my very first road trip to Burlington, Vermont. I was 17 and spent a lot of time desperately seeking answers about myself from other people. The glowing neon sign in the window on Church Street urged me to spend my dwindling savings on a 20 minute reading. I walked up a tiny stairway to find Madame Winter's little lounge on the second floor. I sat in a magenta-velvet chair while she held my right hand. She opened my palm and in a scratchy, feminine voice read some vague things: I would marry a man later on in life, I am very creative, and sometimes my emotions get in the way of my progress. Being a budding feminist, at the precipice of learning my sexuality, I was disappointed by my fate and there began my skepticism of psychic readings.. and heterosexist readers.

Later I realized I'd rather seek answers within myself. Our full potential is within us from the start. There are of course signs and guides that can help teach us along the way, for example: a person or animal that comes into our lives for a reason, a strange experience or encounter, a series of events, a strong feeling, or a kitschy palm reader...

One of my favorites is the tarot deck: a guide and tool for divination to sort out the events in our lives. The deck can urge us to acknowledge our past, present, future, hopes and fears. The first makers of the Tarot deck painted secret symbols in the cards, and every card holds a character and a story. The shuffle and the placement of the cards tells a bigger story. And stories, like songs, give themselves up for our interpretation.