Timely Reading?

Hi! Hope your week's been good to you so far!

I've spent this past week at a convention in National Harbor, Maryland. It's a resort-type spot near Washington, D.C. and just across the Potomac River from Alexandria, VA. The setting is beautiful -- on a small bluff above the river.

Some really nice restaurants -- but I haven't been enjoying them due to this tooth problem. I managed to get into the oral surgeon next Tuesday and am hoping he can do something then. I'm ready to start chewing some real food again!

Did you follow American Idol? Are you surprised at the results? One downside of winning the show is that you have to sign with the producers and sing the songs they select -- which tend to be sappy ballads. Kris can do these well, but Adam Lambert would have been completely wasted -- he's now free to do the types of things he's best suited for. I think the results will end out being the best for both of the contestants.

Enough of that -- let's get started with the reading!

We'll again pull two cards -- the first suggests something we should focus on for the week. The second suggests things we might consider in order to fully benefit from the attributes of the first card.

Our cards this week are:

Nine of Pentacles (Reversed)






Nine of Swords (Reversed)





Two reversed cards -- and both are Nine's. We don't get a Major this time, so I feel this reading is just passing along a message, not hollering it!

The Nine of Pentacles suggests the secure and comfortable feeling that comes with a certain amount of success and prosperity. Not that there aren't other paths to this same feeling -- for instance, you may feel particularly physically well and fit. This may help you feel comfortable and secure in your position.

Being reversed, we look for distortions of this message. Rather than a secure and safe feeling, we may think about situations where we don't feel so comfortable. This may be particulary appropriate given the current fiscal climate. Even if we're not directly affected, the uncertainty in the economy can trouble us all. Rather than feeling "safe", we may be apprehensive about our prospects.

Our next card presents a curious take on this. The "Nine of Swords" typically suggests something so worrying and troubling that it might wake you up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat! Some people refer to it as the "Night Terrors" card! Kind of a spooky card following the uncertainty of our first card -- until you remember that it's reversed!

And a reversal suggests some sort of distortion -- so, rather than suggesting something troubling, a reversed Nine of Swords can suggest there's reason for hope! If we look, we may see brighter prospects upcoming.

These two cards together are very similar to what we'd think of the "Wheel of Fortune" -- things work in cycles. Sometimes you're on top -- but you can quickly fall to the bottom. If you're on the bottom, don't despair because your circumstances can just as quickly change. The message is to not get distracted by your current situation. If it's not to your liking, keep plugging away to make it better ... and it will get better. If you throw up your hands and give up, you're not likely to see changes. So -- don't give up! You can control the direction in your life -- all you have to do is take an active part and do so!

Your Choice

I hope things have been going well -- I'm again in California this week ... but am off to D.C. next week. I'm pretty ready for a change!

I just deleted a coupla paragraphs about my broken tooth and trying to get to see a dentist -- when I realized no one wants to hear about my tooth and my dentist! I don't even want to think about my tooth and my dentist!

One thing she's started doing is taking my blood pressure when I'm sitting in the dentist's chair. It's usually pretty high -- and they fuss at me for it. I always tell them "Do you think the fact that I'm sitting in a dentist chair with all these shiny sharp objects all around me that you're going to poke me with just might have something to do with it?" They haven't figured that part out yet!

Let's get started with the reading!

We'll again pull two cards -- the first suggests something we should focus on for the week. The second suggests things we might consider in order to fully benefit from the attributes of the first card.

Our cards this week are:

Eight of Wands (Reversed)



The Lovers








By the way, there are only two cards in a Rider-Waite-Smith style deck Minor Arcana that do not have people depicted on them. The Eight of Wands is one of them! Doesn't mean anything -- just thought I'd throw that in!

This Eight normally suggests some sort of movement -- some like to say it suggests travel. I generally see it suggesting some advancement from one state (or status) to another. I'm not talking like moving from Texas to Oklahoma type states, I'm talking more about current situational states. You might be troubled by some matter -- the Eight of Wands might suggest being able to putting that trouble behind you and moving forward.

Being reversed, the Eight could suggest some sort of difficulty in movement. If you think about it, being hindered in movement is another way of saying "being held back". In this sense, the reversed Eight of Wands could suggest feeling oppressed!

How can we address this? Let's take a look at The Lovers for some advice.

This card has a fairly rich set of meanings, but you're basically looking at choices you can make. You might be looking at the choice to remain with a comfortable and known (but limited) environment -- or to select an environment with more potential for advancement (but also more risk as well). Trying to select between the known and the unknown.

If you think about this a moment, it kind of makes sense that the "known" environment may feel limiting. After all, you "know" the environment; you know the boundaries already. A new environment may look inviting and limitless -- but you may find it equally limiting once you get there. Or -- you may find it exhilarating and fulfilling. You just don't know until you've tried it.

And that's the dilmena -- which is more important to you? The security of the known? Or, the potential of the unknown? This is a great simplification -- but that's pretty much the choice.

So how do these cards link together? Well, if you're feeling held back and oppressed -- but choose to remain in that environment because it is the one you know ... then you're not really being oppressed. You've CHOSEN this route -- which means you've taken control and have actively decided this is the course you prefer. If you're in control, then you're really doing what you want ... so there's no need to feel limited.

In this case, I'd look for situations where you may feel you have little control ... situations that might seem stagnant, situations that bother you. Then realize that it's completely your choice whether or not you remain in these situations. You always have control to leave the situation and look for change. If you weigh the risk of change versus your feelings about the situation and choose accordingly, then you no longer have to feel that you're not in control of things. You are in control -- because you've chosen the course you wish to take! Regardless of what that choice might be!

Take Time for Yourself First!

I hope your week's gone well; I'm back in San Mateo this week. I understand I'm missing the heat and humidity back in Houston while I'm just suffering with this wonderful California weather! I don't feel guilty -- I figure I'm way overdue for it!

I habitually make the rounds of used bookstores -- I quite often purchase books, then toss them in a "to read" stack so I can find them when I need them. I grabbed a handful of books at random before I left Houston. I finished the first (history about Charles II), then reached for the rest to pick one. First book -- well, what do you know? This one's about Charles II, too. Dont' want to read that. How about the next -- whoa, it's about Charles II also! Down to the third book -- and I'm afraid to look. Good reason, too -- it's also about Charles II!

I don't know how that happened! I like English and Scottish histories -- I must've found each book on separate days (or weeks, or months!), bought it, then forgot about it as they sat unread in the "to read" stack!

I was lucky on the last book -- it was about Henry VII!

Let's get started with the reading!

We'll again pull two cards -- the first suggests something we should focus on for the week. The second suggests things we might consider in order to fully benefit from the attributes of the first card.

Our cards this week are:


The Empress






Seven of Cups








Our first card, The Empress, is a Trump card -- a Major Arcana card. These powerful cards generally suggest things very imporant to us. I always see The Empress as a family card -- as seen from the perspective of a loving and caring mother.

In this sense, it suggests the warm feeling of knowing that you are loved and cared for. It can also suggest the same warm feeling of loving and caring for those close to you. We might consider that this reading may reflect on our family.

How can we best enjoy and appreciate the aspects suggested by The Empress? How can we improve our familial situation?

Let's look at our next card, the Seven of Cups. I was reading a post on a Tarot website where readers talked about Tarot cards and music -- the premise was that people associated certain songs with particular cards. I always think of "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miserables (or, if you prefer -- as sung by Susan Boyle!) when I see the Seven of Cups. The character in the Robin Wood version even looks like Fantine to me!

Some people see the Seven of Cups as a weak card -- because it refers to dreaming about things rather than making them happen. I don't agree with this -- I see it rather as a very important preparation card -- it helps us focus on things that can motivate us.

In fact, things move so quickly in our world today that we find ourselves reacting to things all the time -- as a result, it's difficult to really take the time to sit and think about ourselves and the things we appreciate. There's always something else demanding our attention -- making us guilty if we reserve a little bit of time for ourselves.

This is really a counter-productive attitude -- we should be our most important project! I mean, we spend time and money maintaining our car and doing maintenance on our homes ... why not spend quality time keeping ourselves operating well? We may be taking care of our physical selves, but our spiritual and mental self is equally important.

A little time reserved for communing with yourself, for evaluating situations and your feelings, and for planning your future activities, will pay off splendidly! And what kinds of things should we concentrate on?

Well, The Empress has a strong suggestion -- how about our families and friends? Why not spend a little time thinking of how we can improve things -- and there's always room for improvement! Don't just sit back and react to things as they come up -- spend a little time thinking and planning, then take control and make the right things happen!