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!

Don't Let Them Pull You Down!

I had a cancellation this week, so spent the week in Houston playing catch up -- lots of doctor visits, taking care of things that have piled up around the house, projects that I've been putting off ... lots of things like that. I haven't finished everything (just realized my registration sticker on my truck is expiring!), but I'm at least getting within sight of the bottom of the pile.

My daughter (who's been giving me all kinds of trouble the last couple of years) is throwing me a new one -- she's actually behaving! She's doing well in school and is hanging around good kids. She actually smiles now and then and almost never grumbles about how much she can't stand living at home! I'm keeping my eyes open, but am certainly enjoying this new tactic of hers. It's working!

I'm off to the doctor's in a hour or so -- I've been having trouble with my right arm lately. My bones from the elbow through the wrist hurt whenever I rotate my forearm or try to grab or lift anything. I'm figuring arthritis, but have no idea who that would affect things other than the joints. Guess I'll learn more today -- wish me luck!

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.

The cards are:

Six of Pentacles (Reversed)

Ace of Pentacles (Reversed)

These two cards make an interesting combination -- because of the reversals. Here's why:

The Six of Pentacles is generally a positive card -- it suggests sharing and giving to others. Helping people -- pretty positive, right? In order to share, you have to care first. Sharing doesn't always mean giving money or fiscal help -- it could be any material or emotional support that you "spend" in helping other people. Taking time to do some volunteer work, for instance -- or offering a friendly ear to someone who needs to talk out a problem.

When someone is sharing, someone else is receiving. So ... this card could suggest being on either side of the equation. I actually think you participate on both sides when you help others -- because helping other people always makes you feel good too.

The reversal can be puzzling, though. I normally see reversals as suggesting some delay in enjoying the attributes of the card ... or even some sort of distortion of the message. For instance, how can sharing be viewed in a negative view? Well, jealousy can come into play -- even being resentful of those in a more fortunate position. Perhaps even thinking that folks aren't helping enough -- or being grateful enough.

I'm thinking perhaps this distorted view should be the way we see this card at this time -- because the next card is also reversed. The Ace of Pentacles, like all aces, suggests enjoying some sort of new beginning. Perhaps a new project or venture ... or any other sort of professional matter. It could also suggest new physical benefits -- like enjoying the good feeling you might get when you help other people! (You see where I'm heading here?)

The reversal suggests you may find yourself blocked from realizing these benefits -- and the likely reason for the blockage is the reversed Six of Pentacles! So ... let's rethink this Six.

Try to spot the negative and distorted views of the Six -- I'm not suggesting that you find yourself doing this ... but perhaps you may find yourself affected by others doing it. Where and how can doing charitable and helpful deeds backfire? Could motives be suspect? "Why are they helping me -- what do they want in return?" What about jealousies? What about resentment? What can you do to help people focus on the positive message?

Sometimes you just can't -- some people are in places where they only see negative signals. Some people just don't want to be happy -- they enjoy being grumpy more. In those situations, don't let them drag you down -- try to stay above it. If there is a problem, it's their problem, not yours. What really matters is the positive deeds you perform -- and you should take pleasure in taking part in these deeds. Doing so will free you to fully enjoy the fiscal or physical benefits of the Ace of Pentacles.

And that's about it this week; I hope your weekend goes well and I look forward to seeing you again next week. As always, if you're interested in a private reading, please check out some of the super readers I work with -- they offer a free video chat, too!

Don't Let Them Pull You Down!

I had a cancellation this week, so spent the week in Houston playing catch up -- lots of doctor visits, taking care of things that have piled up around the house, projects that I've been putting off ... lots of things like that. I haven't finished everything (just realized my registration sticker on my truck is expiring!), but I'm at least getting within sight of the bottom of the pile.

My daughter (who's been giving me all kinds of trouble the last couple of years) is throwing me a new one -- she's actually behaving! She's doing well in school and is hanging around good kids. She actually smiles now and then and almost never grumbles about how much she can't stand living at home! I'm keeping my eyes open, but am certainly enjoying this new tactic of hers. It's working!

I'm off to the doctor's in a hour or so -- I've been having trouble with my right arm lately. My bones from the elbow through the wrist hurt whenever I rotate my forearm or try to grab or lift anything. I'm figuring arthritis, but have no idea who that would affect things other than the joints. Guess I'll learn more today -- wish me luck!

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.

The cards are:

Six of Pentacles (Reversed)

Ace of Pentacles (Reversed)

These two cards make an interesting combination -- because of the reversals. Here's why:

The Six of Pentacles is generally a positive card -- it suggests sharing and giving to others. Helping people -- pretty positive, right? In order to share, you have to care first. Sharing doesn't always mean giving money or fiscal help -- it could be any material or emotional support that you "spend" in helping other people. Taking time to do some volunteer work, for instance -- or offering a friendly ear to someone who needs to talk out a problem.

When someone is sharing, someone else is receiving. So ... this card could suggest being on either side of the equation. I actually think you participate on both sides when you help others -- because helping other people always makes you feel good too.

The reversal can be puzzling, though. I normally see reversals as suggesting some delay in enjoying the attributes of the card ... or even some sort of distortion of the message. For instance, how can sharing be viewed in a negative view? Well, jealousy can come into play -- even being resentful of those in a more fortunate position. Perhaps even thinking that folks aren't helping enough -- or being grateful enough.

I'm thinking perhaps this distorted view should be the way we see this card at this time -- because the next card is also reversed. The Ace of Pentacles, like all aces, suggests enjoying some sort of new beginning. Perhaps a new project or venture ... or any other sort of professional matter. It could also suggest new physical benefits -- like enjoying the good feeling you might get when you help other people! (You see where I'm heading here?)

The reversal suggests you may find yourself blocked from realizing these benefits -- and the likely reason for the blockage is the reversed Six of Pentacles! So ... let's rethink this Six.

Try to spot the negative and distorted views of the Six -- I'm not suggesting that you find yourself doing this ... but perhaps you may find yourself affected by others doing it. Where and how can doing charitable and helpful deeds backfire? Could motives be suspect? "Why are they helping me -- what do they want in return?" What about jealousies? What about resentment? What can you do to help people focus on the positive message?

Sometimes you just can't -- some people are in places where they only see negative signals. Some people just don't want to be happy -- they enjoy being grumpy more. In those situations, don't let them drag you down -- try to stay above it. If there is a problem, it's their problem, not yours. What really matters is the positive deeds you perform -- and you should take pleasure in taking part in these deeds. Doing so will free you to fully enjoy the fiscal or physical benefits of the Ace of Pentacles.

And that's about it this week; I hope your weekend goes well and I look forward to seeing you again next week. As always, if you're interested in a private reading, please check out some of the super readers I work with -- they offer a free video chat, too!

You Can Do Both!

Hi again -- hope your week's started well! I've got a snow day today -- started off to the client's this morning and got a phone call saying "Well, even though we had 1827 phone calls with the client, they're not ready today and would like to start tomorrow instead". That's what I call a snow day! I've got a free day in San Jose, California. I probably should catch up on paperwork, but I'll most likely go sightseeing.

It's been a long time since I've been in this area -- I remember a cool used bookstore in downtown San Jose; will probably try to find it again. I'd head over to San Francisco but I don't want to risk the traffic.

We went to the Texas Renaissance Festival this weekend -- we had some really nice weather, too. Usually I worry about the heat when we go this early, but it was actually cool in the morning. We made and wore some new costumes this time -- had made a "pirate/cavalier" costume for my daughter who decided not to wear it at the last minute. Hope to get her in it later so I can take some pictures, though. Watched the LSU game that afternoon/night (our group were all alums) and ended up completely worn out after the three overtime loss to a really good Kentucky team.

I got spoiled last week in Salt Lake City enjoying the mountains all week -- it's nice to be able to do the same this week too!

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.

The cards are:

Eight of Pentacles

Knight of Cups

You've heard of "comfort food"? I think of the Eight of Pentacles as a "comfort card". It suggests a peaceful and enjoyable time to me. It's not a "sit and relax" type of comfort -- it's the type of comfort you get from doing and accomplishing something. When you become involved in some enjoyable task, you really don't notice the time passing. You become completely absorbed by the project -- suggesting attentiveness and interest. Whether you're learning something new or applying something known, you're able to apply the type of drive and focus necessary to complete the task the right way -- and to check your efforts to cover all the important points. This card also suggests self-improvement -- since this type of activity certainly helps you improve yourself and your capabilities.

All good news, right? Well, there is a slight danger here -- and our second card helps to point this out. The Knight of Cups is normally an emotional card -- but it can also suggest someone who is focussed inwards too much. You see the connection with our first card? The Eight of Pentacles is having such a good time focusing on a project that he runs the danger of missing what is happening around him. The Knight of Cups is warning us that while it's good to focus on a task, we should not do it to the exclusion of all else. Another way of saying this might be "Apply yourself at work -- but don't neglect your life!" You really can have both. If you find you don't have time for yourself, it's because you're spending too much time elsewhere. Be sure and reserve time and space to nourish yourself.

You Know

Things over here are hectic -- we're babysitting a five-month old Pitt Bull puppy! We hadn't planned to, it just kind of came upon us. A girl in my daughter's class had to go with her entire family to her grandmother's funeral in Florida about three weeks ago. On the morning they left, their pitt bull puppy ran out the door and disappeared. They looked for him, but had no luck and finally had to leave to get to the funeral.

Two days later, my daughter found the puppy and brought him home to take care of him. She called the girl and their whole family was excited to know that Deuce (the puppy) was well. We said we'd take care of him till they got back.

Well, that was three weeks ago and they're still not back yet! I'm not sure what's going on, but I'm beginning to feel imposed upon. The puppy is sweet and cute -- but he chews everything and tinkles on the remains -- constantly!

He has changed my impression of Pitt Bulls, though. I always thought of them as mean, fighting dogs, but Deuce is the goofiest and sweetest thing you can imagine. He does have powerful jaw muscles, but is very good tempered (a lot easier to get along with than our Jack Russel terrier!). I realize now that dog fighters intentionally mistreat their dogs to teach them to be aggressive and to fight. I guess any dog would do so if mistreated enough.

Our dogs get along with Deuce okay -- but he's a puppy and wants to play ALL the time. They get tired after a bit and go off and hide. It's interesting how our cats are coping. Usually, a cat goes Ninja on a dog once or twice and the dog learns not to bother creatures armed with sharp objects. Deuce is too goofy to realize he's been cat-battered, though; he keeps wanting to play. Once the Ninja treatment doesn't work, our cats go ... well, catatonic; they then become dog chew-toys (or slobber-toys). We have to constantly remind Deuce "Don't eat the cats!

The cats pretty much live on top of their cat tree right now. It's been sweet -- but I'm hoping Deuce's family gets back soon!

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.

The cards are:

Five of Pentacles

King of Swords

Out first card, the Five of Pentacles ususally suggests some tough times or experiences. Normally, these are really troubled situations, not just perceived wounds. The interesting thing about a Five of Pentacles situation is that it also suggests that the solution to escape the situation is readily available. This really tells you that you have some strengths and resources you may not be aware of that you can bring into play.

What are these strengths? Well, let's ask our next card -- the King of Swords. We've seen him recently in a reading -- do you remember what he's going to say? "Don't ask stupid questions -- you already KNOW what your strengths are!" The King's not too subtle or tactful; he doesn't care about bruised feelings. He gets straight to the point and he's always correct. (It's good to be King!)

This is actually a very positive message -- should we find ourselves in a really problem spot, we don't have to despair. We already have everything we need to pull ourselves out of that sort of situation -- we just need to honestly look inside and find the positive tools and attributes ready for us to put into play. Each one of us is WAY stronger and more capable than we think!

And that's about it this week; I look forward to seeing you again next week. As always, if you're interested in a private reading, please check out some of the super readers I work with -- they offer a free video chat, too!

Santee Alley

I found a neat place today. I'm in downtown Los Angeles this week. I'm right next to the Bonaventure and about a mile or so from the Fabric District (was once known as the "Garment District". The publicity police decided "Fabric District" sounded friendlier.) Anyway, I was surfing through some websites on stuff to do in downtown L.A. and found out about "Santee Alley". Santee Alley's described as similar to a third world open air market. You haggle over everything and pretty much everything's for sale. I found it, but couldn't spend much time there. I can see how you could easily spend a day just perusing everything. Lots of blogs suggested not buying anything the first trip -- just try to get acclimated first! I've been to Arbot Street in Moscow -- it felt very similar to Santee Alley. Also, the Fabric District itself leading up to Santee Alley was a real treat. Again, a place where you'd have to spend a couple of days visiting all the small shops loaded with a wide variety of goods. Hope to do it sometime! By the way, I mentioned I was going to try and make a petal skirt for my daughter for Renaissance -- here's a quick peek at the first draft!

Oh -- I've also been having a lot of trouble with my email account -- I can generally receive emails, but I've been unable to send any responses. I apologize if I've been unable to respond -- but am hoping to get things resolved soon.

How about some a quick words from my sponsor, then on to the reading!

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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.

The cards are:

Two of Cups (Reversed)

Seven of Pentacles

Out first card, the Two of Cups ususally suggests some sort of emotional bonding or a growing together between persons. This could be a romantic bond -- or it could simply a friendship. It even could be reestablishing ties with an ex-friend who you’ve had words with, or it could be a family growing closer together. Generally, a Two of Cups offers support -- since the participants provide emotional support to one another.

The reversal distorts this basic message -- for instance, it could suggest events are actually pulling members of a family apart rather than drawing them together. Our goal should be to examine what we can do to upright the reversal in order to enjoy the positive attributes of this card.

Our second card, the Seven of Pentacles offers suggestions on how we might proceed. We've seen the Seven of Pentacles a few times lately -- you may remember this card suggesting we pause and evaluate our situation. A true evaluation suggests honesty -- so we want to be open and honest with ourselves. Note that when we evaluate a situation, we may be satisfied with our progress -- in which we can comfortably commit ourselves to a course -- or we may be unsatisfied with out progress. In that case, we may look for possible changes or enhancements.

I believe the message here is that we need to be honest with ourselves. We may find that the reason for the blockage of the Two of Cups may be closer than we think -- it may be something internal to ourself. Perhaps we've been looking for our heart's desire -- and have never seen that it lies close to us. Perhaps we want to commit to something close and known -- or perhaps we decide that we need to drop the familiar and expand our search for our satisfaction. In any case, we probably won't make progress until we begin being totally honest with ourself.

And that's about it this week; I look forward to seeing you again next week. As always, if you're interested in a private reading, please check out some of the super readers I work with below -- they offer a free video chat, too! I also welcome your comments at http://woodsongtarot.blogspot.com!

Woodsong --
visit Tarot by Woodsong

Perhaps a Little Progress?

We've had a little hurricane excitement this week -- there wasn't a lot of wind, but there was a good bit of rain. Houston's already had our annual rainfall (We've had about 3 and a half feet of rain so far!), so the ground is pretty saturated -- it doesn't take that intense or that long a rain for things to start flooding.

We did have some flooding, but not a whole lot. I'm actually up in Dallas right now -- I was concerned about flying back yesterday because the access roads to and from the airport all flood. If there's a heavy rain in Houston, there's a good chance you'll get stranded at the airport!

Anyway, I stayed an extra night in Dallas -- I figured if the flooding hadn't died down by Friday, I could just drive the rental car back to Houston and turn it in there -- I'd be driving in from the west side (which doesn't flood). Things look pretty good, though, so I'll just fly in later today.

Gotta make a bookstore run first, though. Dallas is the home of Half-Price Books and I love to stop by as many of their stores as I can. The Half-Price mothership is huge!

How about some a quick words from my sponsor, then 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.

The cards are:

Seven of Pentacles

Page of Pentacles

Curious -- we began with the Seven of Pentacles last week. Of course, it was reversed last week and is upright now -- perhaps a little progress during the week!

To repeat last week's introduction to the card, our Seven of Pentacles usually suggests pausing and taking stock -- or of assessing or evaluating a situation. Quite often, you'll find yourself satisfied with the assessment. Depending on the assessment, you might even find yourself able to recognize some rewards for your efforts. Now, whenever you evaluate a situation, you may determine to continue your present course – or to make changes. In that sense, this card might suggest considering changes.

Since the card is no longer reversed, we're probably in a better position to realize the positive attributes of the card. If you feel you've done well, then give yourself a pat on the back -- feel good about it!

Let's try our second card -- the Page of Pentacles. The Page of Pentacles often suggests the beginning phases of a new project or venture. This card is very practical – so it suggests we investigate the project, be realistic about what is needed in order to accomplish the necessary tasks, and begin planning. The Page doesn’t actually suggest starting the venture – simply the planning stage.

Since this card deals with the things necessary in starting a new project, it also suggests gaining the necessary focus to approach the task. At this point, the Page is still excited about the potential and is not really thinking about the effort involved in realizing that potential.

When we combine the two, perhaps we're finding that a satisfactory evaluation (good status report) might provide a little confidence and incentive to take a further step? Let each success along your path provide strength and balance for your next step!

And that's about it this week; I look forward to seeing you again next week. As always, if you're interested in a private reading, please check out some of the super readers I work with at http://www.woodsongtarot.com/readers.html.

Back Again!

I'm so sorry for the long delay, but this thing with my daughter turned out to be a hellish, wearying, and expensive journey through the pits of our legal system.

She had her final court appearance yesterday and was released with some very minor probation. The whole thing started in June when she basically threw a temper tantrum when we took her cell phone away. She started throwing things around and breaking them, so we called the local constables to try and settle her down (she wasn't hearing anything we said).

Things settled down quickly, everything seemed fine, then the female officer who came by suggested "Look, I can write her a ticket, but you'll just have to pay a fine. Why don't you let me take her for a ride down to the station; she might get a wake-up call. You can come by and pick her up later." Made sense to us at the time -- but turned out to be a BIG MISTAKE!

Rather than taking her to the local station (which is what we understood they planned), they took her to the detention center in downtown Houston (30 miles away). They put her in cells with prostitues, drug dealers, and murderers! Rather than pick her up later, it took us over two weeks to get her out (I never knew that juveniles can't get bail).

To make it even worse, the police report -- which was written by an officer we never saw and never talked to -- was a complete piece of fiction. It had her stealing cars, frequently running away for weeks at a time and missing school (she had no unexcused absenses), poor school work (she's a B student), drug problems (?), and so on.

The DA tried to get her placed in state custody -- it cost us many thousands of dollars in legal fees plus loads of stress and worry, but we finally came out on top and she was released to us. This was a very, very scary introduction to the legal system.

The completely fabricated police report was what was really troubling -- there's no "checks and balances" to ensure the police write a correct report. You don't get to see and confirm what they write -- which would happen in any rational practice. Furthermore, what they write is assumed to be the complete and total truth.

We're relieved things have finally turned our way ... but are really disillusioned that it could happen. To top it off, the stress of the events has caused my Bell's Palsy to flare up again. I'm back on Lycene (which was the only thing that worked last time).

Anyway, with all the hoopla going on, I've been remiss in getting these readings out. I apologize -- I tried a couple of times, but just wasn't able to do anything meaningful; I couldn't really clear my mind enough to focus on things other than my personal situation.

Since things are brighter now, how about I get started again?

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.

The cards are:

Seven of Pentacles (Reversed)

Eight of Wands (Reversed)

(Just a side note -- the Eight of Wands is one of the two non-face suit cards in the Rider-Waite-Smith tradition that do not depict a person!)

Our Seven of Pentacles usually suggests pausing and taking stock -- or of assessing or evaluating a situation. Quite often, you'll find yourself satisfied with the assessment. Depending on the assessment, you might even find yourself able to recognize some rewards for your efforts. Now, whenever you evaluate a situation, you may determine to continue your present course – or to make changes. In that sense, this card might suggest considering changes. Since the card is reversed, we might consider what might keep us from realizing the positive attributes of this card -- and the most likely cause would be our assessment. It's difficult to objectively evaluate our own efforts -- we tend to be overly critical. We sometimes focus more on our shortcomings and mistakes and not enough on the postive things we have achieved.

Let's take a look at our second card and see if it helps us pin this down. The Eight of Wands is a card of change – perhaps something new and exciting may happen! Furthermore, when it does, it’s going to happen quickly. This could be something new coming into your life – or it could be a resolution of old hanging issues. When we put this with our previous card, we might focus more on the change aspects of the reading -- perhaps it is time we seriously consider what changes we can make to fine-tune our course.

Since change is difficult to accept -- and kinda scary to contemplate -- I'm not surprised we see the two reversals. I think what our reading is suggesting is that if we seriously considered things we might do in order to best achieve our goals, we'd probably find several things we could change that would help us do so. Change doesn't have to be major upheaval -- nothing like sell all your possessions and go live on a mountain top -- but instead usually works best when served in small doses. "As the twig is bent, so the tree shall grow" and other platitudes like that!

Look for potential minor adjustments -- and you'll likely find them. If they make sense to you and seem workable, then feel free to give them a try (you can always make further changes as you go). Our journey is a constant series of tweaks and adjustments -- don't be afraid to make corrections in your course as you feel the need!

And that's about it this week; I look forward to seeing you again next week. As always, if you're interested in a private reading, please check out some of the super readers I work with at http://www.woodsongtarot.com/readers.html.

Things are Better Than You May Think!

I hope this week has been treating you well! Mine has been pretty much in the dumps -- lots and lots of major daughter problems. She's gotten herself in a bit of trouble and ... for the first time ... it's something we can't get her out of. She's having a really rude -- but well overdue -- introduction to the real world. All the little bits of trouble here and there, all the hanging around with the wrong people, all the don't want to listen to teachers, all the "I know more than anyone else" ... have all come crashing down on her all at once.

Probably the hardest thing she's realizing is that Mom and Dad were actually right all along -- I don't think she expected that!

It's really hard -- but it's better this than something much, much worse further down the road. We've got a plan to pull her through and it looks like she's going to cooperate this time. We've got our fingers crossed (but our eyes open) and are hoping for the best!

On the lighter side, my streak of never actually seeing a Houston sports team win a game in person is continuing. Now that the Astro's hitting and pitching are both working at the same time, we managed to pick the one game where they got blown out. On the plus side, we had really good seats for it!

Even worse, we had to miss the Clay Aiken concert (the hottest ticket in town -- and we had scored two) because of my daughter's problems. Oh well, maybe next time!

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.

The cards are:

Four of Cups

Knight of Wands (Reversed)

The Four of Cups suggests a state of ennui -- you're not feeling satisfied or fulfilled; in fact, nothing seems to fit or feel right. Depending on the situation, you may grow passive and expect others to somehow pull you out of this state. In actual fact, you really have the emotional resources available to you -- you just need to realize and acknowledge this. These resources may be the care and love of your family and friends -- and this is a powerful asset. Just a little bit can go a very long way -- but only if you acknowledge it.

Our second card suggests the danger of ignoring this. The reversed Knight of Wands suggests taking un-necessary and/or misguided action -- possibly in search of something satisfying. The reversal suggests this isn't going to be a successful search -- in fact, what you most need is likely already readily available to you.

Bottom line, if your heart feels like it's missing some vital piece, the odds are you won't have to look very far away to find that missing piece. It's likely very nearby -- but perhaps unrealized and unappreciated.

And that's about it this week; I look forward to seeing you again next week. As always, if you're interested in a private reading, please check out some of the super readers I work with at http://www.woodsongtarot.com/readers.html.

Take a Break!

This week has completely gotten away from me! This was supposed to be a slow week -- I had very little scheduled and thought I'd have all this free time to finally catch up on stuff. Hah! I shoulda known better!

My past weekend was really nice -- we went to the Houston Highland Games for the first time ... it was really a treat. I married a Scot about 18 years ago -- and we discovered the clan had a booth at the games. I found out that I'm now recognized as part of the clan as well (a Cajun Scot?!?!) and can wear their tartan and all. The clan was (in olden times) a border clan, kind of an outlaw clan (They hid Robert the Bruce when he was hiding from the English.) That makes me an in-law outlaw!

Also heard a fantastic Celtic band from Canada. I've noticed that Canadian fiddlers seem to be among the most energetic Celtic fiddlers -- their step dancing style (Canadian) is pretty neat, too. Anyway, Searson is the name of the group -- it's a father and his three 20-ish daughters. They call their music style "Celtic Kick-Ass"; it is pretty snappy stuff. Their website is http://www.searson.org -- if you ever get a chance to see them, I think you'll find it a real treat!

While I'm giving plugs, I wanted to mention a little new age shop I found in my neighborhood -- I visited them the other day and had a real nice time. Cheyenne's a real nice lady and the proprietor; the shop is Phoenix Spirit All Faiths Gift Shoppe in Katy, Texas. We haven't had this on the west side of town for quite a while; I hope they do well. If you're in the area, give them a click to find directions and such -- they're not too far from Katy Junior High.

Finally, am getting ready to hop on the road to Baton Rouge -- my niece and nephew are both graduating from high school this weekend. Seems like just yesterday we were driving over curbs in Baton Rouge rush-hour traffic to try to get to the hospital in time for her birth. They grow up so darned fast!

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.

The cards are:

Nine of Wands

Queen of Wands (Reversed)

I think of the Nine of Wands as kind of a "catch your breath" card -- like you've just completed a tricky task and are stopping for a short breather. This is a nice spot to be in -- if you think of times you've been in this situation, you're not only enjoying the physical comfort of a quick well-deserved rest, but you're enjoying the mental comfort of a job well done. I almost always see this card as a reminder that we really should take the time to enjoy the moment!

So often we find ourselves rushing from one thing to the other -- and we sometimes fail to reserve a little time for ourselves. We not only wear ourselves out when this happens, we never recharge by taking time to enjoy our accomplishments. Note that you've got to take the time -- but it'll be worthwhile and you won't fall behind if you do so.

The idea is that just like we must eat to refuel and sleep to rest, we also need these short moments to feel good about what we have done. We spend a lot of time taking care of others; we need to reserve at least a little time to take care of ourselves.

Our second card helps reenforce this -- Wands are a suit of energy; the Queen is in a position to fully enjoy the position of having energy to accomplish what she undertakes. The reversal helps us see that we must have this energy available in order to enjoy it. The best way to attain this reserve is to let it build and flow from our own actions. When we take the time to feel good about our accomplishments, we make it that much easier to find the energy to approach the next challenge. Growing from past experiences help us face new encounters!

And that's about it this week; I look forward to seeing you again next week. As always, if you're interested in a private reading, please check out some of the super readers I work with at http://www.woodsongtarot.com/readers.html. I also welcome your comments at http://woodsongtarot.blogspot.com!

Woodsong --

Look Up!

I hope this week's been treating you well. Mine began in an interesting way -- I was supposed to be in Canton, Ohio for Monday morning. It's hard to get to Canton from Houston, so I had to leave home at 8:30 Sunday morning to fly to Cleveland so I could drive to Canton and get there before dark. It's not that long a drive, but I had never been there before so I wanted to leave a few hours of "just in case" time!

Monday morning as I was eating breakfast, I get a phone call ... "Where are you? You should be here by now" I explained it was only 7:30 and I was almost ready to leave the hotel in Canton. "Canton!? No, you need to be in Cambridge, Massachusetts!" Hmmm ... they kind of left that part out and left in the part that said "Canton, Ohio".

Anyway, it was almost as hard to get to Boston from Cleveland as it was to get to Canton in the first place. Surprised me because Cleveland's a Continental hub and I expected it would be easier.

Anyway, it's always nice to visit Cambridge. My hotel is right across the street from M.I.T. You can watch the morning rowing teams in the Charleston from the hotel! Best of all, there's a Legal Seafood restaurant on the same block! Best clam chowder ever! That's all I've been eating all week!

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.

The cards are:

Eight of Pentacles (REVERSED)

The High Priestess (Reversed)

The Eight of Pentacles is one of my favorite cards -- it gives me a real "comfort" feeling. The picture shows a young apprentice hard at work. The key here is that the apprentice is completely and totally enjoying the experience -- he's not feeling that he's "working". He's having fun, he's being creative, he's learning, he's doing what he wants to do. Think of when you were young and your Mom or Dad let you "help" them with a task. You felt completely absorbed and productive (even if you were probably making a mess!)

Whenever we're in this sort of situation, we become so focused on our task that we may not notice other things around us. This can be a blessing -- because we're completely into the creative process -- but it is an imbalance. In general, we should strive for balance.

On the other hand, "balance" doesn't mean we have to straddle the middle all the time. We can swing one way, then swing the other direction. When you average the two, you're in balance! So -- it's okay to become involved in a task ... even almost to the exclusion of all else ... as long as we don't stay there forever!

Our second card -- the Reversed High Priestess -- emphasizes this point. This card is a patient and calm card -- it tends to see the big picture rather than being drawn in by one or two points. By seeing the big picture, we see things that other may miss.

The key here is the "rather than being drawn in -- or focused -- on one or two points" and the Reversal! This points out that we need to be wary of spending so much time focusing on something -- even if it enthralls us -- that we'll miss the big picture!

Focus, mental toughness, and discipline are great -- but don't let these assets get in your way of seeing the total picture! It's okay to closely watch something you find interesting -- as long as you occasionally pick your eyes up to see what's happening around you! If you don't, you may look at at some point to find out you've missed the bus completely!

And that's about it this week; I look forward to seeing you again next week. As always, if you're interested in a private reading, please check out some of the super readers I work with at http://www.woodsongtarot.com/readers.html. I also welcome your comments at http://woodsongtarot.blogspot.com!

Woodsong --
visit Tarot by Woodsong

Change?

Hope things are going well for you -- I've been back in L.A. again, but am returning home in a few hours. The cooler weather's been a nice change -- although I understand Texas has been rather cool as well.

I don't know that I've ever been in L.A. when the weather was "bad" (not counting smog!). This area is blessed with wonderful weather and terrain ranging from beaches to snowy mountains -- and it's unblessed with about 50 zillion people all crammed in the same valley. Traffic is pretty bad -- and I find the highways are surprisingly rundown. People are all pretty nice, though. I think that all the potential weekend activities have them all in good moods!

Clay Aiken is coming to Houstin in July -- concert sold out quickly, but we were fortunate enough to score some tickets early. We have season tickets to the symphony and they offered tickets to us a few days before they went on sale to the public. Symphony tickets used to really be a good deal in Houston -- individual concerts went as low as $15 or so. A couple of years ago there was a changing of the guard -- the old symphony management went and the young folks took over. They more than tripled ticket prices and reduced the number of concerts and the number of guest artists. Perhaps it was needed for financial reasons, but it's no longer as good a deal as it used to be. We no longer buy season-long passes; we only purchase smaller "bundles" (which still count as season tickets).

One of my favorite performers (who hasn't returned since the management change) is a violinist named Kennedy (I believe his first name is Nigel). He's a "bad boy" violinist -- among his CD's are a "Kennedy plays Hendrix"! When he came out on stage, he wore a tuxedo top, sweat pants, and bowling shoes. Fabulous performance, though -- he's mainly a classical performer. I don't remember the main piece he played, but his encore was Vivaldi's "Spring" ... the entire hall was completely mesmerized.

I like violinists -- going to see Itzhak Perlman in a couple of weeks and am really looking forward to it.

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.

The cards are:

Nine of Swords (REVERSED)

Six of Swords

Two "Swords" this time -- Swords are typically suggest matters of the intellect ... things like "thought" or "analysis". Therefore, we're going to look at things that enrich -- or trouble -- the mind.

The Nine of Swords suggests "worry" to me. Look at the card -- have you ever been so troubled or worried about something that it kept you from sleeping? That's the sort of troubled worry we're looking at. Maybe not quite that intense -- but more than likely something with that potential to become all-encompassing (although it may be temporary).

The reversal can amplify the message here -- although it also suggests that we may actually not have as much reason to worry as we think we do. Let's take a peek at our second card to see if we can find some help ... The Six of Swords can suggest many things -- but change seems to be a common factor. If we put both cards together, we might consider what may happen if we find ourselves worrying about a potential change. What's curious is that the Six suggests that this change may be something we have sought out -- not something that is forced upon us. So ... if it's something that we have sought, why should it worry us?

Well, change is pretty much always unsettling -- because we're moving from the known to the unknown. No matter how unpleasant the known may have been and no matter how interesting the unknown may be, we're still moving to something new -- which can be troubling.

I think we've all had the experience of a lousy job at some point in our lives -- rotten hours, lousy tasks, moron boss, terrible hours ... that sort of thing. When you finally find something more appealing, it seems you always go through the "job changing blues" when you prepare to switch. It makes no sense at all -- you're moving from an unpleasant situation to a more appealing situation -- but the change still makes you feel uneasy!

I find an easy way to move past this is to look "through" the change and focus on the reasons for the change ... or focus on the goal at the end of the move. Perhaps concentrating on the more appealing aspects of the ultimate goal can help you through any uneasy feelings you may have about having to make a change.

Note that "making a change" may not be the actual item here -- we may be instead in a place where we're not even considering a change because of concern about the trouble of change. Look past the potential trouble -- it's only temporary, after all -- to try and determine if a change is what you really want. If that is your ultimate goal, then the price you pay may seem trivial in comparison.

And that's about it this week; I look forward to seeing you again next week. As always, if you're interested in a private reading, please check out some of the super readers I work with at http://www.woodsongtarot.com/readers.html. I also welcome your comments at http://woodsongtarot.blogspot.com!

Woodsong --
visit Tarot by Woodsong

Slow Down; Relax!

I hope your week's begun well -- I'm back in Houston but am still trying to sleep off California time. Maybe one more day will do it. Got tons of errands to do, too.

My American Idol pool is already messed up -- I'm solidly lodged in last place (well, at least 15 other people are tied with me)! To make it worse, I'm even starting to like Sanjaya! I've still got Melinda to win it and Jordin coming in second -- my surprise pick is Lakisha going fifth (or did I pick fourth? I don't remember now)

I've been enjoying the last two days of baseball -- I think I was ready for some slower paced things. Wish the Astros could find a closer, though. Looks like their high-priced free agent acquisition (Carlos Lee) is going to perform the same way as last year's high-priced free agent acquisition (Preston Wilson) by leading the team in strikeouts. Meanwhile, they've got several 300-hitters sitting on the bench not getting any playing time.

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.

The cards are:

The Ten of Cups (maybe reversed?)

Four of Swords

Our first card -- the Ten of Cups -- is curious this time. I'm not sure if it's reversed or not! I always follow a strict sequence when I draw a card and set it down -- but my finger slipped and the Ten of Cups fell reversed. However, if I hadn't dropped it, it would have been upright. Most readers pay attention to "accidental" card drops -- so I think I'm going to read this card as if it had been reversed from the beginning.

The Ten of Cups suggests complete familial comfort and happiness. All is well with you and the people you really care about. Since we're going to read this card as if it were reversed, we're going to deviate a bit from this meaning. I'm seeing this deviation as a delay -- as in you're not quite set to reach this state yet ... something needs to happen first.

Our second card, the Four of Swords, offers a clue. The Four of Swords suggests rest and recuperation -- which in itself suggests taking care of your own needs. This could be physical recuperation -- or perhaps mental rest might make more sense. In any case, take stock of yourself -- are there any areas where you feel particularly tired or stressed? The Four of Swords suggests taking the time and doing what's necessary to ease these strains. Once you do, you'll be prepared to move forward and realize the aspects of our first card.

Bottom line, in order to achieve peace with those you love, you have to start by preparing your body and mind to be a participant in that process. If you're pulled taut, you'll find it difficult to help create and enjoy the comfort that awaits you -- take time to put yourself first and take care of your needs!

And that's about it this week; I look forward to seeing you again next week. As always, if you're interested in a private reading, please check out some of the super readers I work with at http://www.woodsongtarot.com/readers.html. I also welcome your comments at http://woodsongtarot.blogspot.com!

Woodsong --
visit Tarot by Woodsong

No, He Really Didn't Make You Do It!

hope your week's begun well -- I'm actually staying home this week! It's nice to catch up on Houston stuff -- and do things like errands, laundry, kid's school stuff, etc, etc.

Not a whole lot going on right now -- my American Idol pool is about to begin and I have no idea what to do. The way our pool works is that you have to pick positions 1,2,3,4,5 and 10 -- you get points for each one exactly correct. My first year (Carrie and Bo), I got 1, 2, and 5 correct and ended up in third place -- my big pick was picking Constantine to go before Scott. Got lucky there!

Last year, I didn't get any correct. Yep -- missed every single one. I had the correct top 5, just in the wrong order.

This year is going to be tricky -- here's how I see 'em. Melinda's looking good for the top spot; I think Lakisha is going to eventually do a Tamayra and mess up by picking the wrong song, Jordin's looking strong (maybe Melinda and Jordin top two?).

It's the guys that are confusing me -- I have no idea where the two Chris's and Blake will end up. Sanjaya? Can't figure that one out at all -- he could finish anywhere from tenth to second. These aren't necessarily my favorites, just the way I think they'll finish in the voting.

I've still got a week before my picks have to be in -- will have to puzzle it out by then. By the way -- when I was in L.A. last week I checked into American Idol tickets -- $1150 a show! Way, way, way, way out of my league!

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.

The cards are:

The Devil

Knight of Swords

Remember Flip Wilson and his Geraldine character? She had The Devil depicted perfectly when she said -- "The devil made me do it!" Of course, the devil doesn't make you do anything -- we all choose to do what we want to do. Sometimes we make stupid choices -- and rather than take responsibility for those choices, it's easy to say "The Devil made me do it!"

The Devil refers to that little bit of devil that's inside all of us -- the one that encourages us to made poor choices and do stupid things. It doesn't force us to do anything -- the choices remain ours to make; we are always in control! However, sometimes staying in control takes an effort we're not willing to make -- and a poor decision is the result.

The card depiction actually helps us understand this -- look at the two figures bound by chains in front of the Devil. Sure, they're bound -- but the chains are quite loose. It would be easy to free yourself -- just make the effort to lift off the chain.

Same way, it would be easy to make good decisions -- just don't do things that you know aren't smart. Well, at least, it should be easy ... but we all know that sometimes we don't make that effort. This card reminds us that freeing ourself is easy -- but it does take effort on our part.

Let's try and get an idea where this reading is heading by looking at our second card -- the Knight of Swords. I find it interesting that we had the Page of Swords last week -- and the Knight of Swords this week. In general, Pages like to dream and plan, but aren't so good at actually doing. Knights tend to be energetic at doing -- but aren't so hot at finishing.

I'm going to digress for just a second. There are several cards that, when I seem them, I immediately think of some catch phrase. When I see the Page of Swords, I think of "Hey, who let the kids play with the power tools!" When I see the Knight of Swords, I think of "Ready, Fire, Aim!"

This is because the Knight of Swords is always eager to jump right into something -- but doesn't really have a clear plan of how to actually accomplish what he's trying to do. He hasn't thought things through properly and probably doesn't have all that good an understanding of the major issues. Although he begins with lots of energy, this lack of planning suggests he'll flounder before too long.

Let's put these two cards together: The Devil suggests we may feel bound to something that's not so good an idea; the Knight of Swords suggests we may not have thought things all the way through.

When you find yourself in this situation, the way out seems clear -- why are we bound to a poor position? Because we haven't thought things all the way to the end -- we may not see the ultimate reason it's a poor choice. Or -- we may refuse to see it because we don't want to.

In either case, the way to free ourselves from the Devil's loose chain is to use our own abilities to think things through to see the correct course of action. Oh ... and then we have to actually do it -- and complete it!

And that's about it this week; I look forward to seeing you again next week. As always, if you're interested in a private reading, please check out some of the super readers I work with at http://www.woodsongtarot.com/readers.html. I also welcome your comments at http://woodsongtarot.blogspot.com!

Woodsong --
v

Past Choices Affecting Future Possibilities?

I hope your week's gone well -- mine's been pretty busy; returned from vacation on Wednesday, then have been trying to catch up ever since.

Disneyland was really nice -- I've always thought Disneyland was much higher quality than Disneyworld although it was much smaller. However, I've also always felt that you felt much more of a Disney "experience" at Disneyworld over Disneyland. Things have changed a bit, though The area surrounding Disneyland now fits well and feeds into Disneyland very well. This helps you feel more surrounded by Disney -- much like you are when you're at Disneyworld. Plus, the new California Adventure park right across from Disneyland adds a number of nice rides and attractions. My daughter and her friend pretty much spent their entire time at California Adventure riding the roller coaster and the Tower of Terror. We old folks enjoyed finding the Muppet 3-D show and also really enjoyed the Soaring Over California attraction (you feel like you're hand-gliding over California).

We also enjoyed the Disney Village right next to the two parks. Little Richard was playing at the House of Blues in the Disney Village the day we arrived -- we weren't able to make the show, though. Darn!

We old folks spent most of our time in Disneyland. Rode "Small World" more than once, too. I just really enjoy the quality and attention to detail you find in Disneyland. The best ride may be the Indiana Jones ride (they don't have it at Disneyworld), but my all-time favorite is the Haunted Mansion. I've been spending a lot of time on the Doom Buggies site -- a tribute to the Haunted Mansion attraction -- have learned quite a few things, too! Oh -- they've also made "Captain Jack Sparrow" more of a player in the Pirates ride!

One big difference (other than size and quality) we found between Disneyland and Disneyworld is that Disneyworld is for smokers, Disneyland isn't. We never saw anyone smoking inside the parks themselves and only saw two or three smokers outside the park the entire trip. Disneyworld is a far different story -- it seems like almost everyone is smoking. The cigarette butts in the street (and on the rides!) really stack up by the end of the day.

All in all, it was a fine trip; if you have a chance to visit the Disney parks in Anaheim, I highly recommend you do so! I think you'll really enjoy them!

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.

The cards are:

Ten of Wands (Reversed)

The Lovers

The Ten of Wands reminds us that we sometimes have to work really hard to get what we want -- or to get where we want. Another word for this is struggle! It's nothing to take personally -- but it is true that long and tough effort is often the asset most needed to accomplish our desires.

The problem with long and hard effort is that we can become discouraged -- we may feel we'll never reach the end. In fact, when we look forward it might seem all we see is more hard work waiting for us -- there's never an end!

When we face this sort of discouragement, I always suggest we ask ourselves two questions: First, can you honestly say you've really been trying? Second, if you feel you have made an honest effort, then have you made at least some small progress somewhere? If you can honestly say you've tried, and can recognize even a teensy bit of progress, then you know you will succeed eventually. Sure, it would be nice to finish everything all at once -- but the really important thing is that you will eventually win. It doesn't matter if it's long, time-consuming, or a grind -- the end result is what's important. Dont' be discouraged simply because something seems difficult -- the Ten of Swords reminds us not to quit when times seem tough -- and to be confident in your ability to reach your goal.

The reversal here likely suggests we may find ourselves concentrating on the "grind" portion of a task rather than the end result. Let's see how our next card can help.

The Lovers is really a choice card -- we have a chance to make a choice that will affect the outcome of our struggle. In fact, I often see The Lovers as suggesting a choice that we've either already made or a choice that we're leaning towards making.

When we put these cards together, can you see how choices you've made may affect your efficiency in meeting your goals? If you see choices that are affecting you adversely, remember that choices are not static -- you can change or alter them. You don't have to abandon them -- but they may need some tuning! When times seem tough, consider changes you may be able to make that will help you better face your challenges -- always look to strengthen and better yourself!

And that's about it this week; I look forward to seeing you again next week. As always, if you're interested in a private reading, please check out some of the super readers I work with at http://www.woodsongtarot.com/readers.html.

Choose Wisely

hope your week's been going well -- this was supposed to be a slow week for me, but somehow I always end out having more to do in slow weeks. Don't know why that happens.

It's Spring Break time! We're taking my teenage daughter and one of her friends to do the Disney thing in Los Angeles for a few days. I grew up in Louisiana, so have done DisneyWorld a bit, but I always enjoy DisneyLand more. It's much, much smaller, but it just seems so much nicer. Everything seems higher quality and there's much more attention to detail. Crowds are not as bad, either -- plus the ticket prices are a lot better.

Houston's been a bit of fun lately; it's Rodeo time. Every spring, we have the Houston Rodeo. It's a three to four week event; there's big name country and popular music stars every night, plus livestock and traditional rodeo. I never thought a rodeo sounded that interesting -- but was really entranced when I went. The last time I went, the rodeo was held in the Astrodome; they've since moved to Reliant Stadium. ZZ Top closes out the last night -- unfortunately I'll miss 'em.

The Friday the Rodeo begins is known as "Go Texan" day. Everyone in town dresses up in cowboy and cowgirl gear -- that banker you saw yesterday in the three piece suit will come to work looking like Roy Rodgers. Many of the freeways in town are closed down because of thousands of trail riders coming into town.


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.

The cards are:

Two of Swords

Page of Swords (Reversed)

The Two of Swords suggests decisions -- especially decisions that need to be made. When I look at the figure on this card, I'm reminded of the traditional figure of Justice -- as in a blindfolded Justice holding a set of scales.

That's fairly appropriate because you really need to implement many of the same skills in order to make a fair and good decision. Things like fairness, honesty, and objectivity. These aren't always the easiest skills to implement -- especially when it's a very personal or difficult decision. It's often hard to be objective if we're intimately involved with the decision.

When this is the case, what quite often happens is that we put off making the decision -- we do nothing. If you think about it, though, doing nothing is in itself making a decision -- because it commits us to a course of action. The downside is that the result of doing nothing is usually a course that we don't control. My personal feeling is that it's always better to do the hard work in order to make a fair decision so that we can control the course -- that's just me, though.

Tough decisions are hard -- that's what makes 'em tough. Let's look at our next card to see if we can find a little help.

In this case, the reversed Page of Swords suggests to me the result of not making the effort to make a decision. I think of this Page suggesting what happens when you commit to a position before you've done the proper thoughtwork. You'll have made a move you're not ready for yet.

I think the reversed Page of Swords suggests that we treat our decisions seriously -- and that we don't put them off because they're tough. If the matter is important, then it's worth our effort to do the necessary work to evaluate things fairly and honestly. Only in that way can we take control of matters -- rather than letting them control us.

And that's about it this week; I look forward to seeing you again next week. As always, if you're interested in a private reading, please check out some of the super readers I work with at http://www.woodsongtarot.com/readers.html. I also welcome your comments at http://woodsongtarot.blogspot.com!

Woodsong --

Sometimes it IS worth the hassle!

Many thanks for all the feedback regarding the new layout -- I really, really like being able to show you the card images in the readings -- there're quite often several hidden treats when you look at the images! For instance, if you still have the last reading hanging around, go back and take a quick peek at The Ace of Cups and The Magician. If you don't have that email handy, the reading (and images) is still posted at my blog.

If you read the A.E. Waite card descriptions, he waxes enthusiastically about the four streams of water emerging from the Cup in the Ace of Cups. Take a closer look at the picture, though ... notice anything? Yep, there are five streams of water, not four! How about The Magician? Remember how I noted he is adept at using Wands, Swords, Cups, and Pentacles? How can you know that? Well, look at what's sitting on the table right in front of him!

We can thank Pamela Coleman Smith (also known as Pixie Smith) who illustrated the cards per Waite's instructions. Smith not only illustrated the Major Arcana (the Trump cards), she also illustrated the suit cards with pictures or vignettes rather than simple pip counts as had always been done before. In doing so, she really transformed the art of reading Tarot.

Up till then, there was really only one style of Tarot cards -- I call them "Marseilles" after a popular French deck. Pixie Smith developed a whole new style pretty much by herself (Waite didn't really care what was on the suit cards -- he was more interested in the Trump cards). Some of the most popular decks today are variants of Pixie Smith's original concept. Since then, a third desk style has emerged ... but perhaps I'll talk more about the three styles next time!

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.

The cards are:

Seven of Wands

Wheel of Fortune

The Seven of Wands suggests contention – strife, struggle, argument, debate, etc. This can actually be a positive message! For instance, it might suggest you assertively seek what you desire and be steadfast against those who oppose you.

When involved in a struggle, some of us question whether it’s worth it. It just seems too much trouble to go through the hassle. The Seven of Wands reminds you that if you are convinced in the rightness of your purpose, then you shouldn’t avoid the struggle simply because it may be difficult. Sometimes, the hassle really is worth it!

Our second card offers a little hope if that hassle seems just a little too tough. The Wheel of Fortune can help us when times seem tough by reminding us that things tend to go in cycles.

Like the song says: there are good times, and there are bad times. When times are good, don't sit back and become complacent ... because things can change! When times seem bad – don’t become too discouraged. If you think about it, when things seem their worst, that simply suggests that things can then only get better!

Furthermore, the Wheel suggests you shouldn’t simply stand still and accept what life hands you. You can take an active hand to try and remain on the upside of the Wheel. When things are down, instead of waiting and hoping for things to get better, you can work actively towards improving your situation, thereby speeding up the recovery process.

Finally, the Wheel can suggest not becoming discouraged when faced by adversity – adversity is a natural part of life and should be expected to happen. The fact that bad times happen shouldn’t worry you – accept them as natural and not necessarily indicative of problems. Instead, look for ways how you can face and conquer the adversity. If it cannot be addressed, then that might be taken as suggestion of a problem.

When we put these cards together, we see the concept that we may face a struggle whenever we strive for something we feel is worthwhile. The Wheel of Fortune reminds us that this struggle may be well worth our while! If we think we should avoid strife because things are pretty good, the Wheel reminds us that sitting tight doesn't guarantee that things will continue as they are. If the struggle seems too tough, the Wheel suggests that brighter days lie just ahead -- if we only take a hand in the matter rather than avoiding contention.

Bottom line, sometimes we have to work for what we want. And ... if it were always going to be fun, then they wouldn't call it "work", would they!

And that's about it this week; I look forward to seeing you again next week. As always, if you're interested in a private reading, please check out some of the super readers I work with at http://www.woodsongtarot.com/readers.html.

Woodsong --
visit Tarot by Woodsong

Balance

Back to the week -- I hope your's has begun well. Don't know if you celebrated Mardi Gras yesterday or not -- I live in Houston now, but grew up in Louisiana so I know what the party can be like. We decided to have a traditional New Orleans meal to celebrate, but had problems agreeing on what was a typical New Orleans dish.

I lived in New Orleans for several years and my vote was for Red Beans and Rice. Red Beans are traditionally served on Mondays in New Orleans; the story goes that Monday was always laundry day in the old times. Back then, laundry took all day to do -- no modern machines around at all! So, housewives cooked a simple meal that could sit unattended on the stove all day while they took care of the laundry -- and that meal was Red Beans and Rice. For the traditional New Orleans flavor, you need to use some pickled pork in the beans. Southern Louisiana used sausage instead, so the New Orleans style was unique to the area.

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.

The cards are:

Ace of Cups (Reversed)

The Magician

Aces of any suit typically suggest the beginning of something new; Cups particularly zone in on emotional areas. This might suggest a new beau, or perhaps a new friendship or even a new emotional attitude towards topics that interest you. Maybe it's a new interest in a favorite singer on American Idol (although I thought most of the guys were uninteresting last night)!

The reversal twists this message, though. Instead of a new beginning (or a renewal of a stale interest), it likely suggests some hindrance that's keeping you from being able to realize this aspect. Let's take a peek at out next card to get some things to think about that may help us move forward.

The Magician normally suggests the power of our individual will. We all vary in physical capabilities ... but the physically weakest of us all may have the strongest willpower. Our will may even be our most defining personal aspect. While this is normally the view of the Magician, I'm getting a different twist this time, though.

Another aspect of the Magician is that he is able to use all the aspects of the Tarot suits -- Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles -- when he enforces his will. There's a balance implied here -- no one suit is more important than any other, they're all equally important ... and all equally necessary. (In fact, I find balance or imbalance a recurring theme in many of the readings I do.)

I'm wondering if perhaps the Ace of Cup's reversal is because of an imbalance -- a tendancy to focus strongly on the emotional aspect while neglecting the other equally important aspects? In order to fully realize new emotional enjoyment, we also have to address our physical, mental, and spiritual (or energy) wellbeing. I'm really stretching the spiritual part here -- Wands really refer to the interest and energies we use to fuel ourselves -- but I guess you could term it spiritual well-being in a way.

Anyway, what I'm thinking is that we'll be best able to upright that pesky Ace if we also keep an our on other facets of our person. Keep balanced, and you'll find it easier to stride down the path!

And that's about it this week; I look forward to seeing you again next week.

Woodsong --
visit Tarot by Woodsong

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Your Own Downtime

I hope your week's been going well. Detroit was completely frigid -- very cold and windy! A huge snowstorm hit the area on Tuesday -- we were watching the radar and it looked like a hurricane with a calm "eye" right in the middle on top of Detroit. While everyone around us was getting slammed, we still had clear weather. Finally, mid-afternoon the eye began to "close" and the snow moved in. I'm not sure how much we got (12 inches was predicted), but I think the wind blew much of it around. The airport was essentially closed on Wednesday -- main problem were the access highways were shut down.

I've learned from past trips that when I'm travelling up north in the winter, I always schedule a lot of lag time and never never never schedule the last flight out, so I wasn't affected. Many of the people I was with had cancelled flights on Wednesday (I didn't leave till Thursday) and had to scramble for alternates and hotel rooms.

My three winter travel lessons are "1) Always schedule slack time, 2) never take the last flight out, and 3) if you're connecting in Cleveland, plan on spending the night in Cleveland!"

How about some quick words from my sponsors, then on to the reading!

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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.


The cards are:

Four of Swords

Four of Wands

I like to think of the Four of Swords as suggesting a time to rest and recharge your energies. Not so much physically, but more mentally. Our physical selves are pretty good at demanding their own rest time -- we're simply so tired that we have to stop and rest. Our mental selves aren't quite as demanding -- although they're just as needy as our physical selves. We don't always recognize that stressed-out stretched feeling as suggesting we need to step away to relax and renew our minds -- we just try to keep on going ... which of course, stresses us out even more!

Be sure and schedule your own "lag time" -- reserve down time for yourself when you can mentally recharge. Whether that's a restful sleep, a relaxing book or movie, or sitting and staring at the fire for an hour -- you know what relaxes you ... reserve the time for yourself and do it!

The Four of Wands suggests what may await us if we do so -- it's a celebratory card. Things fall into place, pieces fit together smoothly, we may even gather recognition from others ... all these are available to us if we take care of ourselves -- both our physical selves AND our mental selves!

And that's about it this week; I look forward to seeing you again next week. As always, if you're interested in a private reading, please try my sponsors above or my list of readers at http://www.woodsongtarot.com/readers.html . I also welcome your comments at http://woodsongtarot.blogspot.com !

Woodsong --
visit Tarot by Woodsong at http://www.woodsongtarot.com