Aim First!

Hi! I hope your week's begun well ... and, speaking as an ex-New Orlean's person ... WHO DAT!!! Been waiting over 40 years to say that and really mean it -- that Super Bowl was really, really nice! Great game, too -- much closer than the score suggests. If one or two plays had gone the other way, the outcome would have been different.

I've had an interesting couple of weeks -- am just getting back from an unexpected trip to Tel Aviv! Really a nice place, nothing at all what I expected from watching US news.

Tel Aviv's a vibrant, modern, and clean city sitting right smack on the Mediterranean ... which means they've got a beach downtown! I felt safer walking around Tel Aviv than I do when I walk around many US cities! Looked and felt a lot like walking around a town in California. It was kind of hard with the time zone differences and the horrible jet lag (coming home, I left at 8:00am and got back home in Houston at 1:00am the next day!)

Delievered my gypsy wagon to the Renaissance Festival yesterday -- I'm amazed at the amount of contructon they have going on. The last time I saw the site, it was basically just woods -- now it looks almost like a Disney village (I mean that in a good way)! I'm not real good at towing a wagon and was crossing my fingers that I didn't find myself in a tight spot and having to back up to manuever. So ... of course I find part of the road blocked and have to do a whole bunch of tricky backing up to make a U-turn on a one-lane road. Not fun at all!

How about we get on to 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:




Knight of Swords



Judgement
(Reversed)







I'm sure I've said this before -- whenever I see the Knight of Swords, the phrase I think of is "Ready, Fire, Aim!"

This card is loaded with energy and is chomping at the bit to take on any issue. Energy is good, readiness is good, attitude is good -- but sometimes a little direction would help out. That's the weakness of this card -- without direction, a whole lot of action may take place ... but the issue may remain unresolved.

The trick of harnessing this Knight is to temper it with guidance and direction -- slow it down, have a plan, track progress. Try to change "Read, Fire, Aim" into "Ready, AIM, Fire"!

Let's see what suggestions our second card have for us. Judgement suggests compassion, open-mindedness, and fairness. Judgement is willing to look at all sides of a question and to try to honestly understand all involved viewpoints. It's only by carefully and fairly weighing these factors that a fair judgement is possible.

Being reversed, it's possible that we'll have troubles trying to fairly see all sides of an issue. Perhaps we're stuck to our own opinion and are closed to considering opposing viewpoints? Perhaps personality issues become involved and block us from considering fair alternatives? Perhaps we're attributing unreal reasons for competitors stands? Can you put yourself in your opponents position and see his position from his side? Maybe if you fairly try to do so, you'll see his reasons have value? Maybe he's not taking that stance because he's an argumentative blockhead! (well, okay, maybe he is ... but that doesn't mean his position isn't realistic!)

It's only after you view an issue from all sides that you can honestly say you understand the issue. And ... you really can't come up with a reasonable plan to address an issue without understanding it first. Try and do so -- and then you can turn loose that Knight of Swords!

Keep Plugging Away

Hi! I hope your week's been going well ... mine's been fine, except the power's out this morning. Transformer in back of our house blew, but they're fixing it right now. In the meantime, we get a candlelight Tarot reading!

I'm working off laptop battery and my Sprint air card -- am trying to type fast because I've only got about 45 minutes of battery left! Hope I can get it all in!

Also made great progress on my Gypsy Vardo this week -- here's a quick pic of what I have so far:


You can see more pictures and some of the construction story at Woodsong Vardo.

All the hard (ie, heavy-lifting that I got my son to do) part is done -- I just have some work to do on the inside. Hope to move it to the festival site in a couple of weekends (weather permitting).

How about we get on to that candlelight 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:

Seven of Pentacles (Reversed)

Knight of Wands

Battery's running out quickly, so I'm going to type fast and keep this to a minimum (sorry -- I'll make it up next time!)

The Seven of Pentacles is that wonderful warm feeling we have when we've made good progress on a project -- we've reached an intermediate goal, all the pieces fell into place just like we need them to, etc. Since we're reversed, we have to look at the opposite side -- how do we feel when we haven't made the progress we'd hoped to? Do you feel like you've failed -- even though the project is only partially completed? Do you feel there's no use in continuing -- that the mistakes can't be fixed? Do you feel like folks have let you down? What do you do about it?!?!?!

Our second card is our "pick me up" -- the Knight of Wands. What do you do when times get tough -- you keep plugging away even harder. What do you do when times are going good -- you keep plugging away even harder. This Knight is all about energy -- he's not concerned about temporary problems, he's looking to blow past them to reach his goal.

And that's a message we can all use. Things are NOT going to go perfectly well all the time ... we're going to hit stumbling blocks. That's all they are, though ... stumbling blocks. They're not impassable barriers. Don't get discouraged when you hit a block -- keep working to find a way around it. I think that's a secret many successful people have -- they don't get discouraged by setbacks; they keep working away to reach their goal.

And ... we should do the same! Reaching the goal is what ultimately matters.

I'm going to cut it short right there -- battery is very low. No time for spell or sanity checking (so please accept my apologies in advance for my grammar and spelling woes!). Hope things go well for you till next time!

Your Choice -- Free or No?

Hi! I hope you and yours have had a wonderful holiday season so far -- and it's not over quite yet!

I buy a lot of fabric online from http://www.fabric.com -- and just received a very nice message from them (well, it wasn't just me; it was everyone on their mailing list!). Anyway, the sender expressed a wonderful end/beginning of the year wish and I'd like to pass it along:

"We end a year and a decade that has been tumultuous to say the very least. If you are one of those less fortunate, who have suffered personal, physical, or financial loss, our collective thoughts go out to you, with a prayer that the coming year will be uplifting, rewarding and peaceful. If you have been blessed with good fortune, as we have here, please join me in expressing appreciation for those blessings by tangibly reaching out to those less fortunate."

This has been a topsy-turvy couple of years given the financial and political climate -- I hope everyone is weathering events well and I hope things look up for all of you. Let's all look forward to making this a great New Year!

I misplaced my favorite deck of Tarot cards about 2 years ago -- my original Robin Wood deck. I purchased a replacement (actually, a couple of copies), but that original deck had travelled the world with me and had visited some very special places. Anyway, I was doing some clutter-clearing and found the missing deck! I'm glad to be using it for this week's reading! How about we get to it!

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 Swords
(Reversed)






Two of Cups






We've seen this Eight before -- to understand it, just look at the card image.

We see a woman, bound and blindfolded. She's "trapped" inside a cage of swords. We feel for her as we can easily imagine all those times we feel trapped or controlled by circumstances -- when we're unable to implement our own choices and actions.

But -- if we look at the image a little closer, we see that the cords binding her are not tightly tied -- in fact, they look quite loose. A little bit of wriggling and shifting and those bounds will fall free. Furthermore, that "cage" of swords has some fairly large gaps in it -- once free, the woman can easily lift her blindfold, slip out, and walk away free. All it takes is a little effort. Some people will not make the effort -- they'll accept the entrapment; some people will make the effort.

The same way, if we look at those situations where we feel helpless a little more closely, we'll likely find that we're not as deeply trapped as we might think. There are things we can do -- choices we can make -- that can help us break free. We always (ALWAYS) have options -- it's up to us whether or not we wish to implement them.

Since this card is reversed, we might think of situations where we're not recognizing that we do have options. If you're thinking of something where you feel helpless, like you have no control, then that's likely exactly the situation you need to review. You do have control -- all you need to do is look at things a little closer.

Our second card, the Two of Cups, offers some thoughts to help us along. This Two suggests a new (or a renewal) emotional bond. This could be a new romance or friendship, it could be a renewal of family bonds, a growing sense of your self, or perhaps clearing up petty disagreements that stand in your way. Hmmm ... petty disagreements hindering a deeper friendship sound a lot like loose bonds and a loosely-built cage, don't they? They're easy to fix -- they just take a little bit of effort -- and the payoff is valuable.

Weigh the cost against the benefits gained -- you'll likely find the long-term benefits far outway any short-term costs. We always have choices and options to make things better -- it's up to us whether or not we use them!

Get a Jump on that resolution!

Hi! I hope things have been going well for you lately!

I have to apologize for missing the last couple of weeks -- my father-in-law passed away and things have really, really been hectic around here.

He lived a long, full, and active life -- he was almost 96 and was up on top of his house fixing his roof just a month or two ago! Couldn't slow that man down at all. He didn't get sick or anything -- he was just old and it was his time.

He lived in the same house he grew up in -- so it's got 90 plus years worth of stuff that we're trying to go through. It's also 6 hours away from us, so we've been spending a lot of time on the road ... the driving is really wearing me out!

How about we get onto that 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 Pentacles

Ace of Pentacles



Have you ever been working at a task or a project that just completely absorbed you? You really got involved; perhaps you were learning some new techniques or skills, maybe you were exercising some of your talents -- and maybe even didn't notice time passing?

That's always a nice feeling when it happens -- and that's what the Eight of Pentacles suggests to us. Working away at task -- enjoying it, learning it, building and employing new skills -- is often its own reward. I think of the Eight of Pentacles card as a Joy of work card.

Well, that's a nice start -- let's see where it's heading ...

And ... we have the Ace of Pentacles! Aces of any suit generally suggest it's a good time to consider beginning a new venture in that suit interest. Pentacles suggest fiscal or physical ventures -- perhaps a business project, an new exercise regimen, maybe some household fixin-up? Considering the new year's almost upon us, maybe this is a good time to think of some resolution-type projects?

And -- if you find an interesting project, the Eight of Pentacles suggests the way we should attack it. Jump into it with both feet and eyes wide open! Enjoy the participation, don't give it partial attention. Spend your time and attention on the project -- whether or not the project is ultimately successful, the participation will be a reward in itself!

The lights are NEVER all Green at the same time!

Hi -- hope your week's been going well! I am SO ready for allergy season to be over and done with!

Visited the Texas Renaissance Festival last weekend -- brought my almost one-year-old grand daughter who dressed up as a fairy (pink onesie, pink nylon netting wings and skirt). She had a ball -- it was one of those perfect weather weekends and the crowds all came out. I wasn't expecting that big a crowd -- Texas was playing Oklahoma in football and I figured that would keep a lot of people at home watching TV. Didn't happen!

Anyway, she really got a kick out of watching all the colorful hullaballoo (and there was plenty of it!). Discovered a new way to drive up there, too. About 70 miles of empty country roads -- really enjoyable and sight-scenic-worthy. Saved us an at least an hour in missed traffic jams!

My in-laws came up that weekend -- my niece brought her laptop which was displaying a white screen only when she turned it on. (Don't know why she thought I would know how to fix it!) Anyway, we Googled "Toshiba Laptop White Screen" and were astonished not only to find explanations of what caused the problem, but also step-by-step photo-diaries of how to fix it! Took about 15 minutes and a couple of jewelry-sized screwdrivers and everything was going again (it was just a loose cable). The internet is wonderful!

How about we get onto that 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:




Knight of Pentacles





Eight of Swords






You know, it sure seems like we've been seeing a lot of Knights lately. This might suggest we consider our projects or wishes that are still in the formative state -- we know what we want, but we haven't quite gotten around to getting things in gear to make them happen yet.

Let's start with our Knight of Pentacles. This is a very strong opinioned card -- he has a position and isn't that open to changing it ... or even listening to alternatives. He probably walks around on his heels because he's digging them in all the time!

As you might expect, he's not a risk-taker. He's very cautious and is hesitant to make a move until every single loose end is addressed and resolved.

Well -- what would you think the end result would be? Do you think this card suggests someone who's ready to leap into action? Or someone who never seems to take that first step because conditions just aren't right yet?

There's a local radio commercial that asks "Are you one of those people who won't go on a drive until you know all the lights are green?" If you're waiting for that -- you'll never get out of the driveway ... because all the lights are NEVER green! You always will find obstacles and issues along your way. Waiting until they don't exist just ensures you never get started.

Let's look at our second card, the Eight of Swords for some additional information. I love Pamela Coleman-Smith's image for this card -- note the lady tied up; her eyes are bound and she's trapped inside a "cage" of swords! Sounds pretty dire, right?

Well, it does -- until you look again at the image. The cords that bind her are pretty loose -- she can easily work herself free and can then remove the mask from her eyes. The "cage" of swords is a pretty loose cage, too -- it's easy to walk between two of the swords and escape. In actuality, this woman is not trapped at all. She's only trapped if she gives up -- but can go free with just a little work on her part.

And that's the message of this card -- to consider whether the obstacle we feel may be blocking us is really that large an obstacle after all. Aren't there ways around it? Don't we always have alternatives? We only lose if we give up our will and our right to choose.

And maybe that's what this reading is suggesting -- perhaps our Knight is feeling blocked and won't move until he sees the road clear ahead of him. Since this will likely never happen, this is a trap of his own devise. If he wants to move ahead, then he should just begin. Difficulties will arise, but he can deal with them as they do. Movement doesn't guarantee success -- but no moving guarantees failure.

First things first ...

Hi -- hope your week's been going well! Another "cold" front passed through -- it's going down to the 70's this weekend! Heading off to the Texas Renaissance Festival this weekend -- taking our grand-daughter for her first time (she's not quite one yet). We've made her a little pink fairy costume with wings.

My grand-daugher's name is "Chloe" -- but my daughter (who's not the greatest speller) put "Chloey" on the birth certificate! One is pronounced "Chloe" -- the other is pronounced "What is that word?" I tend to use the "without Y" spelling, but I figure she'll choose what she wants when she's older.

How about we get onto that 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:





Knight of Wands (Reversed)






Five of Wands (Reversed)





Well, the Knight of Wands is one card I'm very familiar with -- if any card in the deck described me, this would be the one! I think I've used the expression "Ready - Fire - Aim" before -- that's pretty much the concept of this card. Lots of energy and excitement, but direction is lacking. The first part will get you off to a good start, the second part pretty much guarantees you'll get lost half-way through! Since we have a reversal here, I'd pay close attention to that second part. That's the weakness in this card and the most likely cause of the reversal.

Our second card, the Five of Wands offers some suggestions about the problem. This card suggests struggle -- like when you have so many issues demanding your attention that you never quite seem to get going. Since it's also reversed, I'd see this as strongly emphasizing that quality.

Put them together and we get something like this: "If there is a course of action or a project that excites you, strongly consider whether or not you have any loose ends that might hinder you once you've begun. Although you may find the prospect of beginning this new course of action energizing, you may be best served by spending some energy attending to any unresolved issues that may cause you trouble later on. Once you have these cleared away, you'll find the way open spend your full attention on those projects that most interest you."

Clear the way ...

Hi -- hope your week's been going well! We've got our first real "cold" front (as in it'll really lower the temperature a good bit) coming through this weekend. The rain and wind have begun already -- I love this kind of weather! I grew up in South Louisiana, so gloomy-overcast-rainy weather feels so comfortable to me! Thinking of rain, it's supposed to rain in Baton Rouge this weekend for the LSU-Florida game. I'm an LSU alum and LSU's going to need all the breaks they can get to do well in the game. Playing on a muddy field is NOT a good way to start, though!

The rain's been good for my chocolate plants, though. They're not real chocolate plants as in cacao. I have a lot of really shady areas in my yard and struggle to find things that will grow there. Saw the Mexican chocolate plants recommended -- they look like chocolate-flavored coleus. Haven't managed to kill them yet -- I have the complete opposite of a "green thumb"!

How about we get onto that 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)






Knight of Cups






The Eight of Wands is one of the two Minor Arcana cards in a Rider-Waite-Smith style deck that don't have a person depicted on the image. Doesn't mean any special -- just a bit of trivia for you!

Typically, this card is associated with movement or action. Looking at the image, you can see why! In the Robin Wood deck (the one I use), the wands emit jets of fire -- like rockets in outer space -- just to make sure you understand what they're about! This card could suggest physical movement or relocation, but more often is associated with initiating action on some project close to you.

Being reversed, this suggests this is a topic that you've been delaying action on. Perhaps you're not ready to take on this challenge, perhaps you're unsure how you want to act. Perhaps you're not sure what choice to make -- just remember that doing nothing is the same as making a choice!

Let's look to our second card for some hints -- the Knight of Cups.

Like all Knights, this card suggests energy wanting to be released. Like all Knights, this card is unsure about the direction in which it should release the energy! If anything, this particular Knight tends to look inwards more than outwards -- and if you're always looking inwards, you tend to miss the things that are happening all around you.

So -- perhaps this could suggest that we're unable to exercise the movement of the Eight of Wands because we're dwelling on internal issues. It's okay to ponder issues that are special to you -- but there has to be an end sometime! If you find yourself hashing and rehashing the same concerns over and over again, realize that you have to let them loose. If you can't resolve them, then just leave them behind you. Consider the active movement available in the Eight of Wands -- by applying that movement, you're able to leave vexing issues behind you. Once you can view them from a distance rather than up close, you may find they weren't as significant as you thought they were!

Could be a good time to ...

Hi -- hope your week's been going well! It's full-blown allergy season in Houston; as usual, it's slammed me pretty hard. I'm staying in the house as much as I can -- even a short trip outside has me sneezing for an hour.

On the related topic of things that grow seasonally, I have an wonderful information source that might interest you. Susan Wittig Albert, a Texas author who writes some really neat detective mysteries, also publishes a wonderful free newsletter on herbs. It's called "All About Thyme" and is a weekly calendar of "Times & Seasonings ... Celebrating the Mysteries, Magic, and Myths of Herbs". You can find this posted on the web at http://www.abouthyme.com/dayletters/; you can also sign up at that URL to receive the postings via email. It's a lot of fun and she posts lots of great information.

How about we get onto that 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:






Knight of Wands







Ten of Pentacles






I really identify with the Knights in a Tarot deck. Not because I'm noble and gallant or anything -- but because I'm more of a "Ready - Fire - Aim" kind of person. I tend to jump into a project before I plan it all out. Has me doing some backtracking from time to time to fix things I should have forseen (but didn't), but it works for me.

The Knight of Wands is the most "Ready - Fire - Aim" of the group -- not only is he excited about a project, he comes provided with loads of energy to see him through. His is the type of energy that's contagious -- folks around him can feel his passion and become inspired. He's not hesitant because of potential problems -- even if he doesn't know how he'll solve them, he'll still plow ahead confident that he'll be able to overcome any obstacles he comes across.

Will he be successful? Well, our next card, the Ten of Pentacles surely suggests yes! This ten suggests achieving a highly desired outcome -- particularly the outcome of a quest related to finances or physical well-being.

When we put them together, we get a fairly simple message. Don't let fear of failure keep you from trying to achieve what you want -- if you drive forward, you'll be able to resolve any difficulties in order to reach your goal.

So -- this might be a good time to look at losing a few pounds, perhaps start a walking regimen, or maybe preparing more interesting and healthy meals. This might also be a good time to explore professional projects -- maybe take a more active part in projects at work. Not saying you won't run into stumbling blocks (ie: "healthy" and "interesting"? How do you do that!?!) -- you likely will! But ... draw on the energy provided by the Knight of Wands to keep you from becoming discouraged; if the door appears closed, keep banging on it and you will pop it open!

Count Your Blessings!

Hi -- hope your week's been going well! School's started up again over here -- hooray! It's my daughter's Senior year in high school. She has some extra credits, so only has to attend for half a day. They didn't do that back when I was in high school ... 'course, they had black-and-white TV's back then as well!

Have begun getting my costume together for the Renaissance Festival in the spring where I'll be doing readings. Going after the "Gypsy" look -- lots of color, lots of "stuff". Don't know whether it'll be cold or not (February in Texas -- who knows?), so I'll add a wool cloak to the ensemble.

How about we get onto that 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:




Six of Cups






Nine of Cups






Very pleasant cards this time around! Both are Cups, so this reading likely is concerned with your emotional world.

The Six of Cups is an easy one to understand. Think of when you were a child -- you didn't have to worry about jobs, or car payments, or doctor bills, or issues at work, or ... well, or any grown-up problems! You may have been aware of such things, but those were things for grown-ups to take care of.

A child's main desire is for security -- they want to feel safe, loved, and comfortable. When a baby is crying, what do you do? You pick it up and hug it gently while patting it's back and saying "That's okay, it's alright!" You're making it feel warm and secure.

So, the Six of Cups most often suggests this sort of desire -- the wish to feel safe and secure. Again, we're thinking more of the emotional part of security here.

How to attain this? Let's look at our second card, the Nine of Cups. This card is actually sitting in a place where it's attained emotional security -- all the pieces have fit into place and it's able to enjoy being emotional fulfilled.

How to apply this? Let's try and realize those emotional assets we do have -- and take comfort in them! This is more commonly called "Count Your Blessings"! You're not alone, you're not without strengths and assets -- think about them, recognize them, and draw comfort from them. Sure ... you may want more assurances ... but that doesn't mean you can't appreciate the assets you already have. Draw comfort from these -- and your emotional stockpile will surely grow!

Prioritize!

Hi -- hope your week's started off well. We're "almost" getting rain out here west of Houston -- we can hear the thunder and see the lightning and dark clouds -- but not so many raindrops! Sigh! Still have our fingers crossed, though -- our turn has to come eventually.

Started working with a new company this week -- will be training all week. My eyeballs are rolling from reading manuals all week. The product is very similar to one that I used to support, so I understand the market well. It's almost like slipping on an old pair of comfortable shoes!

How about we get onto that 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:



Queen of Pentacles







Knight of Cups
(Reversed)






These Pentacles sure are getting familiar -- we've been seeing them a lot lately!

We've seen the Queen of Pentacles before -- she's like a sweet and caring grandmother. She has a big heart and sincerely cares about everyone's welfare. When times are tough, she's always there with a smile for you. She's always ready to lend a hand, too. Not too proud to get her hands dirty if need be!

These are all wonderful attributes -- patience, compassion, and willingness to get the task done without putting on any airs. Our second card is reversed, but I think we'll find it very easy to upright him and realize these positive attributes.

This second card, the Knight of Cups, tends to get sidetracked by his emotions. Queens are experienced -- they've been through the mill and know how to ignore distractions. Knights, unfortunately, are still learning and need a little help to stay on task. Being a Knight of Cups, our second card has to watch out for getting a little too "dreamy" and maybe a little too "introspective". If this Knight were building a house, he'd never get started because he never could make up his mind about what color to paint the inside! His emotions would distract him from his true task -- get the house built!

While it's nice to be aware of what's inside you, you still need to take care of the mundane matters surrounding you first. Once you've taken care of your physical house, you'll have some leisure time to think about the "furnishings"!

So -- prioritize! Note what things are most important and most need attention -- and take care of them first! You'll find this let's you realize the good side of the Knight of Cups by putting things in their proper order!

Get Started!

Hi -- hope you had a fine weekend! We had a dear friend up from Baton Rouge and had a full weekend shopping, visiting, and sight-seeing. Trying to get the "back to school" shopping out of the way early. Texas does this thing where they waive all sales taxes on clothes and school supplies for a weekend right before school starting back up. You really want to avoid the stores that weekend -- they're a pure madhouse!

Was glad to see the "experts" down-grading their hurricane predictions for this season -- I'm still pretty hurricane-shy after last year's Ike. Not that it means they'll be right -- just that we won't have to hear weather "conspirary theorists" spouting off for a while. That's always a relief!

How about we get onto that 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:



Three of Pentacles






Knight of Pentacles
(Reversed)






The Three of Pentacles is one of my favorites cards -- I think of it as a "Joy of work" card!

Have you ever been involved in an activity -- so involved that you don't really notice time passing? You're completely absorbed by the tasks, completely engaged by the challenges. It's a really nice feeling -- when you finally do look up and realize "Wow, where did the time go?", you probably feel like you've accomplished a bit. You've extended and expressed yourself and your skills ... and you don't feel put-upon at all. You've really enjoyed the process.

That's what this card suggests -- performing a task so dilligently that you and the task become one for that short period of time. The work defines you -- and you define the work.

This card simply acknowledges that performing a job well can be it's own reward. I don't think you have to be particularly skilled in order to enjoy this feeling -- I can spend hours playing my guitar (and torturing my family and neighbors in the process!) and I'll feel wonderful at the end ... even though I'm not particularly any good. Those rare times when I get a "cleaning urge" and spend an afternoon fixing up a cluttered room fill me with great satisfaction -- and I end up more relaxed than if I'd have spent that time taking a nap! Doing something well -- or at least being totally involved in doing something -- can give you much more energy than you might have spent in the process!

This is a pretty positive card for us -- it's suggesting there are tasks we can undertake where the results will greatly reward us. So ... what's the hangup?

Well, our second card, the Knight of Pentacles is actually very supportive of this activity. This knight is a plodder -- he stays on task, he stays on focus, and he sees things through to the end. He's not flashy, he's not fancy -- but he gets things done! But ... he's reversed!

In this case, the reversal likely signifies some reluctance to actually get started. Perhaps an ennui, perhaps it's just too darn hot to get started on something, perhaps we just don't feel like we have the energy to devote to a task, perhaps we don't see the point ... could be lots of reasons. The thing to remember is that regardless of whether or not we can see it from right here, we know from the Three of Pentacles that, once we get involved in a task, we'll reap the rewards. It's as sure as night following day -- we KNOW this will happen!

So ... if you feel it's necessary, give your inner Knight of Pentacles just a tiny nudge. It might take a little effort to start a heavy ball rolling ... but once it starts going, it doesn't take much to keep it going. The sturdiness of the Knight and the enthusiasm of the Three suggest this might be a great time to consider tasks or projects -- and that you'll be very successful in those you choose.

Let Loose and Move Forward!

Hope you've been havingt a good one! Things have been pretty hot and dry in Houston -- heat index near 110 degrees and no rain anywhere! Can't wait for summer to break!

Other than that, not much going on. I've been doing a little sewing lately -- am making some cloaks (forty of them!) for that Austin-area Renaissance Faire that's starting up next spring (and I'll be reading at!). You can see some pictures of what they look like here, here, and here. I had to coax two of my daughter's friends into modelling ... they were reluctant until I suggested they could use swords and bows as props. That sealed the deal!

How about we get onto that 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:




Judgement






Two of Cups







Hooray -- no reversals! Maybe we're out of those woods!

Actually, reversals aren't necessarily a negative thing. Reversals suggest progress -- in the sense that once you address issues rather than ignoring them, you should expect some positive movement. Everyone has problems -- but not everyone works to resolve them. It's not the problems you have that defines you -- it's what you do to take care of them that does.

Okay, I'll get off the soapbox now! Let's take a look at the cards we've drawn. Judgement really suggests positive movement. Quite often we hit spots in our life where we must make decisions in order to move forward. Judgement reminds us to be fair and honest when making those decisions -- if we are, we're better assured of making the "right" decision.

Even more than that, Judgement urges us to make the decision, not to avoid it!

Think of those times when you've felt an issue is weighing you down -- when you finally make a choice that lets you move past (or overcome) the issue, you feel like a great weight's been lifted. You feel refreshed and rejuvenated. You'll probably find the path you're now able to follow is a reward for your decision.

What kind of decision may you face? That obviously can vary -- but more often than not it'll be a decision requiring some type of forgiveness or acceptance. These are the types of hurtful things that can hold us back -- and they're also the types of things that can make us feel most relieved once we can put them in our past.

Our next card, the Two of Cups, suggests where we might look to answer this question. The Two of Cups suggests establishing or strengthening an emotional relationship. This doesn't necessarily mean a romantic tie -- but it could refer to a friendship or an emotional committment to a particular project or event. These sorts of emotional ties tend to reward us -- we receive in return way more than we lay out.

It might even be that we're unable to enjoy a new emotional attachment until we complete the course suggested by Judgement. No need to let things in the past drag us down -- let's embrace the lessons (we probably paid dearly for them), learn from them, close them ... and move on to better things!

And that's it for this week! Hope things go well for you till next time!

Turn Things Around!

Hope your week's been going well. I've had a really fun week -- both grandbabies in town at the same time! I've had a great time spoiling them ... and then handing them back to their folks when they smelled bad! Like they say, "If I'd had known grandkids were so much fun, I'd have had them first!"

Having some success on the interview front -- have been called back for a handful of additional interviews. Hope to have an offer next week or so -- keep your fingers crossed for me!

If there's anyone else in the same boat, I'm sending lots of positive thoughts your way.

How about we get onto that 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:



Knight of Cups
(Reversed)








The Hanged Man (Reversed)







Once again we have two reversed cards. This is probably appropriate given the state of things. Even if you're not directly affected by bad news, you've certainly heard it and have likely been concerned about it. Perhaps you worry about it -- maybe even too much?

The Knight of Cups is a very emotional card. Emotions are good -- when applied moderately. This Knight's problem is that he is very susceptible to becoming overly emotional. He could let situations control him rather than trying to control the situations.

The Hanged Man offers a way out -- basically, let's just try and view things in a new or different light. Turn things around, look at them again -- you'll likely see things are more positive than you originally thought.

Of course, this card is reversed also -- recognizing that this advice is something easy to say ... but sometimes not too easy to do. All you can do is try. Spend some time considering whether or not there are other viewpoints to consider. Are you seeing things exactly as they are? Or, are your emotions coloring your evaluations? Release a little bit -- step back -- and you might find it easier to recognize a different view.

Listen to Your Intuition

Hope your week's been going well. We finally got a bit of rain down here in Houston; we really, really needed it, too!

Have spent the past week doing the interview thing -- my industry got slammed bad by the stimulus bill and we went through a second round of layoffs (and I got caught up this time!)

So how can the "stimulus bill" not stimulate something? Well, what's happened is that there are government funds allocated for particular industries in the bill. So ... all those industries who were already planning and budgeting for expenditures this year are now saying "Wait, you mean we don't have to spend our own money -- we can spend someone else's?! Let's hold off on our purchases and wait and see what happens!" So, rather than stimulating things, it's had the opposite effect -- slamming on the brakes on growth!

I can't blame the industry -- I'd do the same thing in their shoes. The good news is that eventually this will all go away and things will be able to get back to normal.

So much for my view on economics -- how about that reading instead!

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:



Queen of Pentacles
(Reversed)





Queen of Swords






Finally! An upright card -- we've sure been going through a long stretch of reversals lately. Have been seeing some familiar faces a lot, too.

The Queen of Pentacles has been visiting us a lot. We've already talked a little bit about this courtly lady -- she's passionate, she's caring, she's trustworthy, etc. We've talked about how reversals can distort the message of the card -- from trustworthy to non-trustworthy, from caring to indifferent, etc.

What I think's happening this time around is that the distortion is heading in the other direction -- it's extending the original meaning of the card. As we all know, too much of something is sometimes troublesome. For this particular situation, I'm keying in on the "caring" issue. "Caring" suggests feelings and emotions. We often speak of a caring person as being passionate. But ... when you become overly passionate -- you end out letting your emotions get in the way of your observations.

We should always be wary of too much of anything -- what we need is a balance in order to apply all our skills and experiences to guide us along. When we let passions override our other tendencies, we can stray off-course.

Our second card, The Queen of Swords, is exactly the card we want to help out. This queen suggests "street smarts" -- she's had some tough lessons in her life and has learned from all of them. One way to think about "street smarts" (or learning based on experience) is that you don't often have to carefully analyze situations -- you quickly reach a strong gut-feeling, or an intuition, about the proper response.

So, our reversed Queen of Pentacles is listening too closely to her heart -- and our experienced Queen of Swords suggests we listen to our intuition as well in order to keep us from over-reacting.

After all, we've paid a lot to attend the school of hard knocks -- and have learned some great lessons from it. Why waste these learnings -- let's take them into consideration. It may be that our intuition, rather than our emotions, can guide us most effectively for now.

Slow but Steady Wins the Race

Hope your week's been going well. We're sweltering down here in Houston -- temps topping 100 degrees and no rain in sight! I guess we're paying for the cool summer we had last year.

Looks like I will be doing readings at the Sherwood Forest Renaissance Faire next spring (their website is at http://www.sherwoodforestfaire.com). It's a really beautiful setting in the woods about 35 miles east of Austin. This is their first year and it's shaping up nicely. They're only using a small part of their land and are planning on expanding next year (there's a lake on the property that's earmarked for a Pirate Ship!)

My son is helping me build a Gypsy Wagon, or Vardo -- I'll use this rather than a tent ... although I'll probably put up an awning outside just in case the weather is really nice.

If you get a chance to pass by, stop in and say "Hello"! And now ... how about 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:



King of Pentacles
(Reversed)





Queen of Pentacles
(Reversed)






Interesting -- two reversed cards. Being Pentacles, they could be interpreted as relating to financial matters. Being the way the economy is, this might even sound about right!

We begin with a reversed King of Pentacles. Kings suggest the attainment of the aspects of their suit -- so we might see this card suggesting a business success or accomplishment. Like Smith-Barney, this King does things the old-fashioned way -- "He earns it!" This king isn't known for short cuts or quick fixes -- he's in things for the long term and does things the slow but sure way. He's steady -- you can always rely on him; as such, he's very trustworthy.

The reversal can suggest some delay in reaching these goals -- or perhaps even a distortion. For instance, lack of trust rather than trustworthiness. Let's take a look at our second card for clues as to how we can remedy this situation.

The Queen of Pentacles is also reversed -- and, since we have a second Pentacle, I'm really seeing this relating more to fiscal matters. This particular Queen is also known for being trustworthy; she cares for folks and is generous and giving. Again, no quick fixes or tricks here -- this Queen is very down to earth and old school.

When we put them together -- we see that one sure way to set the King back on his course is to take the long view. Don't look for quick fixes -- doing things the slow, sure, and old-fashioned way leads to the best chances of success.

Be patient, be steady, be confident. If you're caught up in today's economic messes, consider a long and slow ... but sure ... corrective path. It may be your best chance for long-term success!

There's No Place Like Home

Hi! Hope this week's been treating you well! I've been bouncing around between too many time zones -- am really ready to get home and settle down for a while!

Lots of really sad news from the entertainment world. I've heard a lot of comments about things happening in threes (McMahon, Fawcett, Jackson), but I think that sometimes things just happen. Was reading the USA Today and they talked about that MoTown special 25 or 30 years ago when Michael Jackson first introduced his moonwalk. I remember watching that and just being mesmerized. It really was a seminal entertainment moment.

I was excited about watching the Tigers win the College World Series. I'm an LSU alum -- but the neat thing was that they won the year my daughter was born ... and they also won the year my grand-daughter was born! But, 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:

Six of Cups




Ten of Pentacles (Reversed)





The key things to think about to understand the Six of Cups are "home", "family", "innocence", "comfort", and "security". Think back to the days of being a kid ... you didn't really worry about world events. Business environments meant nothing. Your world -- while important to you -- was kind of small and uncomplicated. You main goal was to feel safe and secure -- and the surrounding of family and friends helped this happen. This wonderful, secure feeling becomes harder to hold on to as you age and become more involved in adult matters -- but I think we all still seek this warm feeling of security.

This is a great card in our first position -- it suggests we are able to feel secure. Our second card ... the reversed Ten of Pentacles offers a few things to consider though.

Tens of any suit suggest completion. Pentacles in particular refer to fiscal or physical matters. So, a Ten of Pentacles could suggest reaching a comfortable level of financial comfort. Doesn't have to mean you've won the lottery -- but it could mean you've got a plan for handling your bills and obligations that seems to work.

The reversed Ten in this position ... combined with the upright Six in the first position ... suggests that we pay a little attention to our health or financial position if we want to be able to fully enjoy the security of the Six. Are there things you could do to help ensure better health? Maybe lose those a few pounds or start taking short walks every day or so to get your heart rate under better control. Are you susceptible to any family health woes or weaknesses? If so, then you might start considering preventative tactics early rather than later.

Same thing with your financial situation. Do you have a financial plan? or, are you just going along from paycheck to credit card and not worrying about it. Things like this will eventually catch up with you -- and if you let them do so on their own, they're likely to slam you pretty hard. Start thinking of ways to get things under control -- maybe pay the credit cards down a little, maybe take some classes or training that can enhance your professional desirability. Take an active interest in your fiscal health -- have a plan. You don't have to achieve financial independence overnight (and you likely won't), but you can control things to put you in more control and in a better position over time.

Keep an active eye on your fiscal and physical health -- and you'll find it much easier to hold on to that comfortable feeling of security!

Learn and Love it!

Moan and groan!!! I finally got my dental work done late last week -- two bone grafts with implants to come! I apologize for missing the reading last week, but I was in no fit shape to participate in the human race for a couple of days.

I'm in the heavy achey stage right now -- not quite fit for society, but pretty close. It has been really nice to actually eat and chew something again, though.

I've been doing a lot of sewing lately -- there's a new Renaissance festival starting up next spring near Austin and I'm helping out on the costumes. I'm thinking of setting up a tent and doing tarot readings, too. I've always enjoyed going to Ren faires, but have never participated before. I think it would be fun!

How about 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 Pentacles
(Reversed)







Ace of Cups





Usually, when I do a reading, I puzzle over the cards a bit. I'll test different meanings and interpretations before I settle in on what seems appropriate and meaningful. Sometimes takes a bit of time before it feels right.

And then sometimes, as soon as I see the cards the answer is obvious! This is one of those times.

The first card, the Eight of Pentacles, is something I think of as a "joy of learning" card. It suggests those times we're engaged in learning a new skill or task ... and we're really getting into it. Probably to the point where we don't really notice time passing -- we're completely absorbed by the task.

Since the card is reversed, it's suggested that we're not able to realize this level of absorbed participation ... so let's look at our next card for a tip on how to change this.

I could go on about the Ace of Cups -- but let's just cut to the chase. You want to enjoy something -- then do something you love! Do something that's fun -- something that excites and energizes you. If you're excited about the activity, then it's easy to get involved in the details.

We could extend this further -- if you're doing something that you don't love, why are you doing it? If you're not doing anything at all, then why not -- you're missing out on a wonderful part of life. Life is just a series of learning experiences; when you miss out on learning, you're not taking the next step (and may find yourself stuck in a dull routine!)

So -- bottom line -- learn and live. Take it as an action item -- find something fun to do and do it! The payoff will be much more than you think!

Here's a totally unrelated tidbit -- some Tarot trivia. When A. E. Waite wrote his tarot book nearly a hundred years ago, he described this particular picture of the Ace of Cups in great detail. He mentioned the four streams of water falling from the cup. Well, take a look and count them -- there are five streams, not 4! Meaningful? Hidden secrets? Possibly -- but more likely it suggests that Waite didn't do a good job of proof-reading!

Move Forward!

Hi! Hope this week's been treating you well! I'm just starting to wind down -- it's been pretty busy over here.

Was in Las Vegas for a couple of days. It's probably been 15 years since I've last been in Las Vegas -- I hardly recognized a thing. The strip seems about 10 times bigger than it used to be.

I didn't get a chance to go out any -- although there were loads of great shows that I'd love to see. The last Vegas show I saw many years ago was Sigfried and Roy; I feel fortunate that I got to see it before it shut down.

Would love to see Bette Midler's show. Flights into Vegas are pretty cheap; I might try to get down there again for a fun weekend. I'm not even going to comment about comparing last week's Newark with this week's Las Vegas! But, 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:


The Fool (Reversed)







Two of Cups (Reversed)





Once again, we have another two reversed cards. Still don't see this as as anything negative -- just a suggestion that we consider areas where we may have issues that need to be addressed.

The Fool suggests open-minded innocence -- like times when you only see the potential for positive things and remain blissfully unaware of any pitfalls you may encounter. If you think too much of things that could go wrong -- why then, none of us would likely ever do anything! Sometimes you've got to move ahead and trust that you'll be able to handle whatever may come up.

Now, it's one thing to carefully weigh the risks and rewards and then make a move. The Fool doesn't quite do this -- he's not thinking of the risks at all! He may not even be thinking of the rewards -- I think most of the time he's in it simply for the journey! The nice thing about this is that he gets constant positive feedback every step along the way -- because every step is it's own reward. The Fool doesn't need to complete a project to feel fulfilled -- simply undertaking a project is the reward.

Being reversed, it's likely we're not quite ready to enjoy the positive aspects of this card. Perhaps we're too concerned about risks or potential bad news -- there sure is a lot of it on the news! If we want to wait till all the lights are green before we start, though ... we'll never get started at all!

Lets think of ways we can counter this. The Two of Cups is a curious card in this position. It usually suggests a new, growing, or renewed personal relationship -- perhaps with another person, perhaps even with yourself. In this case, the reversal might suggest this is the reason we may not enjoy the pleasantries of the upright Fool.

Are there any personal relationships that you find limiting or frustrating? Perhaps friendships that have gone awry because of misconceptions or miscommunications? Perhaps you're not enjoying the support and confidence you might get from a stronger relationship? What can you do to turn these around? Sometimes it's very easy to fall into a rut -- and sometimes it's just as easy to turn things around. A simple word or act could make the difference -- perhaps you might have to make the first move?

Turning things around and enjoying the fruits of a renewed friendship (or cutting the strings of a failed one -- something else suggested by the reversed Two of Cups) can be liberating and envigorating. Just the thing to give you the optimistic view of the world you can use to fully enjoy The Fool!

And that's about it for this week!

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!

Be Strong

I hope your week's been going well; ours was fine until this afternoon. Pooh Kitty (AKA Pooh Bear) didn't make it through the week. He really enjoyed eating baby food these last few days, but he finally was just ready to go.

We always called Pooh the Practically Perfect Kitty. He wasn't the best at purring, but he was second best. He wasn't best at remembering to use the litter box, but he was second best. He wasn't the best at grooming, but he was second best, etc, etc. On the whole, he outscored our other three cats (which is why he was Practically Perfect!)

Pooh had another endearing habit -- he was more like a dog than a cat. Just like a dog, he'd follow you around all over the house; he liked keeping you company. He always wanted to help -- if you were trying to cook, or do laundry, or type on the computer, he would jump into the middle of things to help (and of course, not helping at all!) Our other cats are all experts at hiding in various places, but we never had to search for Pooh. He was always sitting at our feet (or in our laps). If you didn't see him right away, all you had to do was shake a bag of kitty treats -- and he'd magically appear!

Enough for now -- Pooh will always be with us and the Wheel must keep on turning! Let's move on to 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:


Strength (Reversed)




Two of Pentacles







Once again we begin with a reversed card -- again suggesting some correction be considered in order to move forward!

This week, we begin with a reversed Strength -- another Major Arcana card. This card doesn't really refer to physical or fiscal strength -- the ability to force our will upon others. Instead, this card speaks of a more available and universal strength -- one that we can all call upon to influence matters.

This inner strength we all have -- but don't always recognize. The strength of will, the strength of conviction, the strength of good example, the strength of good character, the strength of love and caring ... we all have all of these and more. When I think of Strength, I think of my mother-in-law -- a tiny and not-physically-strong person, but who affected every person she met by her good nature and honest and considerate outlook. She cared about people -- and cared about their feelings; she cared about goodness and honesty. She could barely lift a brick, but I know strong men who would have run through a brick wall for her. She exercised her strength by influencing others to be better -- by making them want to better themselves.

This is the sort of strength we all have -- but don't alway exercise. Let's check our second card to see what we might consider to correct this.

I always think of the Two of Pentacles in this way -- suppose you're trying to fill out an important business form before the deadline. Suddenly the phone rings; it's someone demanding you take care of an issue for them. About then you glance in the parking lot and think you see smoke coming from your car! As you get up, your sleeve catches on the arm of the chair and rips -- and the receptionist calls up and says "The delivery man wants to know where to put the 500 dead chickens -- did you order dead chickens???"

You get the idea? Distraction upon distraction upon distraction -- many demanding tasks all at once and only one of you trying to juggle everything!

It happens to all of us (well, maybe not the dead chickens!) and about all you can do is hang on and hope it ends soon! Unfortunately, it's sometimes hard to get out of this distraction mode -- we keep anticipating the next crisis and forget to pay attention to other more imporant things. We sometimes spend so much time reacting to things that we lose our quiet composure -- we abandon our inner strength and instead waste attentions and energy by leaping from issue to issue to issue.

The way out of this dilemna is to quietly back off -- take time to center yourself. Call upon your inner strengths; let others see your composure and draw their own strength from your example. Don't try to snatch moments of time to do this -- make time to do so!

The paradox here is that by taking time to attach to your core, you end out having more time to address issues -- and perhaps prevent them from becoming issues in the first place!

And that's about it for this week! Hope things go well for you till next time! I'll be posting this reading to my blog at http://www.woodsongtarot.blogspot.com and welcome your comments there! Have a great week!

Woodsong -
visit Tarot by Woodsong

Size Doesn't Matter!

I hope your week's been going well -- I thought I was going to have time to get this out earlier this week, but the days just started filling up at the last minute. Seems to be happening a lot lately.

Am off to San Mateo next week -- looking forward to it! I've been having some allergy things goings on and am hoping the change of scenery will make a positive difference. That's not why I'm going, of course -- I'm just hoping it will be a pleasant side effect.

One of our cats (Pooh Bear) has been feeling sickly. He had some cysts that added about 4 pounds to his weight -- we had them surgically removed earlier in the year, but they came right back. This time, the vet just drained them in the office. We now have a skinny cat (4 pounds less!), but he won't eat even though he's always hungry. We're now trying blenderizing his cat food into a soup -- that seems to be working so far. Not quite the same morning aroma as a pot of coffee -- but it does wake you up!

Let's move on to 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 Sun
(Reversed)





The Emperor






Just a couple of quick thoughts -- first, these are both Trump cards (or Major Arcana). Whenever I see a majority of Trump cards in a reading, I always listen a little harder; I figure they're trying to suggest something really important.

Next, we again have a reversed first card. This might make some sense -- a reversed initial card suggests we need to take some action or corrective behavior in order to enjoy the positive aspects of the card. Maybe since we're starting off again, we have some backed up work we need to do!

I find The Sun to be one of the easiest to understand cards of all the Trumps. I think of it like this -- imagine you're sitting on top of a hill and dawn hasn't come yet. It's still dark -- you can't see all that much, even though you know there are things around you. Dawn starts to break -- you can now see glimpses of your surroundings -- you can tell you're on a hill and you can see there's a valley beneath you, but the morning mist clouds things and you can't really make out details. As the sun fully rises, it slowly burns away the fog and you can clearly see, identify, and understand everything ... and that's what The Sun suggests to me! When things are hidden from you -- when the situation is murky and you can't really see the proper path to take, you really need The Sun to fully rise and make things clear and apparent.

This is a really good thing! A nice card to have in our leading position -- but we need to set it upright in order to see our path clearly.

And this is where The Emperor can help us. Think of The Emperor as a truly benevolent ruler. He's not in it for the riches or the palaces, he's in it because he truly cares for the well-being of his people. In the deck I use (the The Robin Wood Tarot deck), the Emperor isn't even sitting in a fancy throne in a palace. He's sitting outside in an ordinary looking throne -- suggesting that his cares are the well-being of his lands and people.

He takes his duties to his people personally -- they are his responsibilities. In fact, that's what motivates and drives him -- his responsibilities. That's how he views the world and his path -- in terms of his responsibilities.

And that's what we should do in order to realize the upright benefits of The Sun ... let ourselves be motivated by our responsibilities! We all have duties -- to our schooling, to our work, our family, our friends, and to ourselves. If we view our daily path in terms of "How does this help my abilities to perform my responsibilities", our path becomes clearer. Rather than blindly doing the same thing every day, we now view ourselves as making progress along the paths we've chosen.

If we really commmit to our responsibilities -- not view them just as things we have to do, but view them as things we have to do well, then our path becomes even more clearer and fulfilling. We being to enjoy putting in the extra effort to excel -- because we gain postive feedback immediately ... since we see how it improves our ability to perform the things we're responsible for.

Remember, we're not talking about changing the world ... just our own little part of it. If we do that one little part well, we'll feel just as fulfilled as does The Emperor.

And that's it for this week! Hope things go well for you till next time! I'll be posting this reading to my blog at http://www.woodsongtarot.blogspot.com and welcome your comments there! Have a great week!

Batty?

I hope your week's been going well -- things have been hectic here (things are always hectic here). I started a new job about a month and a half ago and am really beginning to get busy.

I have to apologize for the format of the reading last week. I was testing the HTML code I use for the reading and began with a really messed up copy. I made changes until it looked much better -- and then accidentally used the messed up version instead when I mailed the reading! I hope this one comes out better!

Am really whipped -- had to drive back to Houston late last night from Austin. I was at a meeting till about 7:30 pm, then decided to wait and see if I could see the bats. Austin has the largest colony of urban bats in the United States -- around 2 million of them. They live underneath a downtown bridge and swarm out at dusk in a huge cloud that envelopes the sky. It's a really impressive view of nature in action and is a big tourist draw. Well worth the wait!

How about 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 Pentacles(Reversed)


The Hermit











The Eight of Pentacles suggests some sort of professional or educational activity -- basically something at your vocation (or avocation) or your schooling. Something you're learning to do, something you do for pay, or something you do for fun. This is likely a task where you've really got to concentrate or commit yourself in order to do it right.

This isn't really a bad thing -- if you get totally involved in a project, it's usually quite enjoyable. If you do a job or learn a difficult lesson well, it's very satisfying. The hard part is usually getting "into" the task to begin.

Since the card is reversed, we might think about work, school, or hobby areas where you might have trouble getting started -- or maybe trouble in maintaining the level of effort and interest needed to do the task well.

This is pretty common -- most of us seem to need a little jump-start in order to get moving! Where can this come from?

Our second card suggests an answer -- The Hermit. The Hermit's wisdom comes from his experience; he's been through this process a zillion times before. He knows the rewards waiting for us once we commit to the task -- and therefore, so do we know those rewards.

Rather than pushing us into action, the Hermit suggests we let ourselves be pulled by the reward. Wisdom consists of seeing the total picture, not just the immediate surroundings. Getting started can be tough because of the immediate conditions -- it's too hectic, I have too much to do and no time to do it in, other tasks may suffer, I'm so stressed, etc, etc, etc.

The Hermit takes the bigger picture -- the immediate conditions are really just excuses, not reasons. Life is always hectic, we'll always have our attention drawn in different directions, time is always dear -- but those are not reasons to sit on the sidelines! The bigger picture looks at the rewards at the end of the project -- the sense of achievement, the physical or fiscal rewards of completing the task, the personal growth, etc. These are all desireable rewards that should pull us into action -- all we have to do is act.

By the way, notice the similarity between this week's reading and last week's? Both began with a Pentacle and ended with the Hermit.



And that's about it this week! Hope things go well for you till next time! I'll be posting this reading to my blog at http://www.woodsongtarot.blogspot.com and welcome your comments there! Have a great week!

I'm Baaaaccccckkkkk!

And ... it's really great to be back! You know how sometimes, no matter how you've planned and scheduled and arranged things ... life just butts in and says "No, I don't care what you think, we're going to do it THIS way!" and you don't have a whole lot of choice in the matter? Well, that's where I've been recently!

I've been worse places before -- but I've been plenty better places also! It's been hectic, frustrating, and irritating ... I don't like having to react to situations instead of controlling them. I'll tell you more later about it -- but it was essentially just family issues that had to be handled and ate up most of my time and all of my energy!

But we've all been there before -- and we'll all probably end out there again at some point. The Wheel does keep turning -- but it's nice to finally get to the upswing!

I hope things have been going well for you lately. I know these are rough times recently -- I got caught up in them, too (got downsized and pushed out the door). But, like they say, for every door that closes, another opens. Just gotta keep your eye open to recognize it!

Enough of this -- let's get on on to the reading!

Just like we used to, we'll 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:

Queen of Pentacles



The Hermit












I always find face cards interesting in a reading. Many readers -- including some I really respect a lot -- claim that a face card ALWAYS refers to a person who will be involved. While I respect their opinion, I don't necessarily feel that way.

To me, a face card refers to a particular aspect or energy that we may exercise ourselves ... or that may affect us. Or ... maybe it does refer to a person we know!

In this case, we're going to look at the Queen of Pentacles. Like all Queens, we'll find this card really concentrates on emotions and feelings. This queen is very caring of others -- being a Pentacle, we're concentrating on fiscal and physical well-being. This suggests trust and belief in others. As you might suggest, this card is interested in helping folks in trouble.

Our second card, The Hermit, offers a good balance for the Queen. The Hermit offers experience and wisdom to help temper the enthusiasm of the Queen. For instance, an unbridled Queen might spend all of her resources assisting others; the Hermit helps her restrict herself to reasonable levels. By managing her resources carefully and wisely, the Queen can be more effective in the long run.

So what does this mean for us? Well, you might feel yourself drawn to assist folks in need -- or you might feel poorly because you cannot help out as much as you wish you could. Note that the "folk" in need may be yourself!

The Hermit reminds us to measure our success not by the amount of help required, but by the amount of help we can reasonably provide. If we do what we can -- even if it's only a small amount -- then we should feel good about ourselves.

In other spins, we might find ourselves sitting on the sidelines because we think "What can I do -- the problem is too large!" The answer is .. we don't have to solve the problem or complete the entire undertaking in order to be effective. We can be effective simply by being a small ... but helpful ... part of the solution. Every little bit helps. It helps those who need it -- and it helps those who offer it.

Whew! It's been a while since one of these -- and it feels kinda nice doing it! I'm looking forward to visiting you again next week with another reading. I'll be posting to my blog again soon (http://woodsongtarot.blogspot.com) and welcome your comments there! Have a great week!