Ready for the "Wochenende"

Hi Everyone!

Wow, the morning is really slipping away.  I keep getting sidetracked!  I'm pretty scatter-brained anyway, so that's a common occurrence.

Need to spend a little time at the sewing machine this weekend -- put most of the covering for the portable Tarot booth together earlier, but need to do some trim and trimming to finish it up.  Will post a picture when I do.  I'll be using it at both Middlefaire (with the yellow and blue topping) and Dickens-on-the-Strand (with a Christmas-appropriate red and green topping).

I have a computerized machine, but I'm kind of geeky/nerdy and really like old mechanical machines.  Something about gears gets my blood flowing.  I like old cars, old sewing machines, old clocks, old electro-mechanical organs, etc.  I have a number of old mechanical Bernina machines -- I mostly use a 930 (got it for a great deal).  I have an 830 as a backup -- actually have two 830's ... scored one with the original Bernina cabinet locally a few months back.  I don't need it (or even have a place to put it), but couldn't pass it up.

Uh-Oh -- I'm getting sidetracked again!  Looks like it's going to be that sort of day!

Let's get to the reading before I tangent off again!

We're pulling two cards -- the first offers a starting point, the second offers things to help us understand how to best use our starting point.

Our first card is ... The Page of Wands.

Sorry -- my son just called.  He's going to take Nala back (remember the dog who chews up everything?)   She's moved on from eating TV remotes and books to eating shoes, newly planted blueberry bushes, our other two small dogs (Skippy and Diego), and my grand-daughter.  Plus she ate the replacement TV remote.  The doggie chew-toys we get don't last more than a few minutes.  She ate her food bowl last night -- not the food in the bowl, but the bowl itself!

See ... it happened again ... got sidetracked!  I've got a call scheduled in 10 minutes, so I'll probably get side-tracked again!

Anyway -- Page of Wands.  Pages suggest the excitement we feel when we become enamored of the idea of a new project.  It excites us, fills us with energy, we spend gobs of time thinking about it.  Wands in particular suggest excitement, so a Page of Wands work themselves into a frenzy while thinking about the possibilities of a new project or task.

It's a fun place to be -- but there's a downside.  Pages are great at thinking about new things -- but aren't so great about actually getting to work implementing their project.  They're too busy thinking about it.

The danger here is becoming discouraged -- you've got a great idea ... but the longer you think about it, the more you risk finding objections or obstacles.  You may even come to doubt your concept.  A great idea is like a flame -- you have to add fuel to it or it'll eventually burn itself out.

So -- how should we consider this?  Let's take a look at our next card -- The Four of Pentacles.

I was doing a reading a couple of years ago for a young couple.  The young lady part of the couple made me promise to call this card "Mr. Grumpyhead" whenever it was drawn!

So -- we've pulled Mr. Grumpyhead!

This card suggests pulling back and erecting fences as a response to things that are in doubt.  If he builds a wall, he can keep the risk out.

The problem with this is that he'll never move beyond this wall.  The world will pass him by outside his walls -- and he'll be left behind.  Instead of ensuring his success, he's guaranteed his failure.

The answer -- consider that moving forward takes some risk.  If you try to resolve all objections before you move ... well, then, you'll never move!

If you find yourself doubting your capabilities ... or your concepts ... be wary of the trap of lowering your expectations in order to build a "safety" wall.

Whew!  Made it through without getting too sidetracked (only two phone calls, one instant message, and three texts!)  Kept coming back on course, though!

Hoping you and yours have a great weekend!  By the way "Weekend" was my Romanian word in my language discussion group today.  "Weekend" in Romanian is "Wochenende" -- the "ch" is hard, so I think it sounds a little like "weekend" when pronounced out loud.

Ack -- sidetracked again!

Woodsong

Play the Middle

Hi All!

Hope you had a fine weekend -- I had a pretty busy one. 

Spent a few hours at the Celtic Music Fest at Sherwood Forest; wish I could have spent more time. 

I was listening to a bagpipe group when they stopped to "tune" their bagpipes.  One of the pipers explained that there were many moving organic parts to a bagpipe and that it was very difficult to keep it in tune.  "In fact", he said, "pipers like it when pipes randomly slip out of tune since it adds interest to the tone!"

Don't know how true that is -- but don't think I've ever heard pipes that stayed in tune either.  Maybe there's something to it?

Sent off my vendor registration to Middlefaire this morning.  Will be attending Middlefaire near Hillsboro, Texas over the weekend of November 2nd and 3rd doing tarot readings.  If you're in the area (Hillsboro is between Waco and Fort Worth), stop by and say hello!

Let's jump into this week's reading --

We begin with ... Temperance!

Temperance is an interesting card -- it suggests being "temperate".  Don't sway too much to one side -- nor too much to the other.  The simple (but plain, boring, normal) straight and narrow path may be the path that works best for you.

Sometimes you need to go out on a limb -- but if you do that all the time, you're likely asking for trouble.  We need to be able to recognize when it's best to play it safe and secure.

Of course, we don't want to do that all the time, either!  Going after the risky play works sometimes -- and even when it doesn't work, we still learn from the experience.  The trick is to learn how to balance the two options.

Let's see what our second card has to say about this ... the King of Cups.

King's are pretty swuft.  I think I explained a while back that "swuft" is a Southern term that means "pretty smart and experienced".  Well, Kings are that way for that exact reason -- they've been around the block -- they know what's worked, what hasn't, and why (maybe the most important part!)

This king is kind and caring; like the Queen of Cups, he's also very patient and tolerant.  He wants to help people -- because he cares about their well-being.  When he gives advise, it's a good idea to pay attention to it!

So -- this King is calm, he's patient, he's very tolerant and balanced.  Sounds like "Temperance" personified!

Put the two cards together and we get something suggesting that we may be tempted to over-react to a situation -- but that we might be better served by being patient and remaining calm.  If we can do so, we may find that reacting in a calm and measured manner may keep us from digging ourselves into a deep hole!  Play the diplomat -- try to understand the positions of all sides --  maybe we'll find ourselves being the peacemaker rather than the war leader!

Hope you have a great week -- I'll be back later with more!

Woodsong

Consider that Change!

Happy Friday!

Ready for this week to be over and to relax over a weekend.  Am heading off to a Celtic music festival at Sherwood Forest (near Austin); I really enjoy Celtic music so am really looking forward to it.

I get a daily "This day in Texas history" newsletter -- today's was very interesting.

Turns out that on this day in 1865, Jacob Friedrich Brodbeck -- a German immigrant living in Luckenbach, Texas -- is reported to have successfully flown his "airship" for about 100 feet at a height of 12 feet.  He used a spring-powered motor!  Once the spring was exhausted, the airship crashed.  Frustrated, Brodbeck burned the pieces.

Also, in 1902 -- one year before the Wright brothers -- Texan Reverend Burrel Cannon is said to have flown his airship (the Ezekiel Airship).  Actually, Cannon was too big to pilot the craft, so a smallish employee (Gus Stamps) piloted the craft.  The flight covered 167 feet at a height of 10 feet.  Powered by an 80 horsepower engine, Stamps grew wary of the vibration and shut the engine down.  The craft then glided to a successful landing.

Cannon then crated the machine and brought it to a railroad yard; he intended to ship it to Saint Louis for the 1903 World's Fair (where there was a $100,000 prize for a flying machine!)  Unfortunatly, a strong windstorm swept through the area and overturned the railcar carrying the flying craft -- destroying the craft.

Cannon was unable to secure funding for repairs.

So, if you're a Texan, you can claim a Texan was the first in flight.  If you're not a Texan, you can say "Those darned Texans and their tall tales!"

-- or, you can say "Maybe they were the first to fly ... but they were the first to crash, too!"

On to the weekend reading!  We'll draw two cards -- the first will suggest some topic to consider, the second helps us understand the implications of that topic.

Our first card is ... the Six of Swords.

We actually saw this card in yesterday's post -- I used the Rider-Waite-Smith Six of Swords as one of the images.

If you've ever watched an old black-and-white movie where a gypsy fortune teller turned over a card and said "You will be taking a trip over water" ... this is the card she turned over.

Doesn't mean you'll be taking a trip over water though!

The Six of Swords suggests some sort of change -- especially a change from a known and familiar condition to a new and unknown one.  Perhaps a physical move from one dwelling to another -- or a job change -- or maybe hanging out with a new group of friends.  Things like that.

The interesting thing about this card is this -- let's say you have a job that you really hate.  You find a new job that excites you and turn in your notice.  What happens now is really interesting.

You're about to leave this job you hate -- when you start having second thoughts.  You may not enjoy the position -- but you're familiar with it and start becoming uncomfortable about moving to a new and unknown situation.  I call it the "Job Changing Blues".  Everyone has it.

Some people have it to the point where they won't ever consider making a change!  Even if they dislike their current situation (and this doesn't have to be a job), the thought of changing is so daunting that they won't consider the possibility.

Well, you can't do much about the unknown part -- but you can make decisions based on the known.  If you're unhappy with your situation, then you know that you're unhappy with your situation.  If you change, you may not like your new place -- but you may love it -- so don't worry about it!  Keep in mind your current feelings about your current situation.

Let's see what our second card offers -- the Knight of Cups.

This card suggests what is happening when we just can't get around to making a change.  The Knight of Cups can get hung up over thinking about a situation.  He can become completely stymied because he just can't convince himself to do anything.  If we look at the picture, we see his horse is standing still while the Knight contemplates his cup.  He doesn't know what to do -- so he does nothing -- which is doing something!  Except -- it's likely doing something that he already doesn't like to do!

If you find yourself hesitant to make a Six of Swords sort of change -- because you're stuck being a Knight of Cups -- at least recognize what's going on.  If you feel it's necessary to make a decision, then make the decision.  All a choice does is set you on a path.  Stumbling blocks may arise along the way, but those are things you deal with as you go.

And that's it for today -- hope you have a great weekend!

Woodsong

Tarot Decks Come in Three Flavors

Interested in learning how to read Tarot cards? If so, one of your first decisions will be "What style of deck should I use".

Although there are now hundreds of varieties of Tarot decks, most fall into one of three general styles -- Marseilles, Rider-Waite-Smith (also called Rider-Waite, or just RWS), and Thoth.

There are typically 78 cards in a Tarot deck -- 14 cards in each of four different suits, plus an extra 22 cards called the "Trump" cards. These 22 trump cards are known as the Major Arcana; the remaining 56 cards are called the Minor Arcana.

The Major Arcana -- the 22 Trump cards -- are handled very much the same in all of the three different flavors of Tarot decks.  It's the treatement of the Minor Arcana cards that determines which general style your deck follows.

Marseilles - Nine of Cups

The first style -- Marseilles -- follows the traditional, old-school style found in early Tarot decks -- and also in standard playing card decks. The artwork on the Major Arcana tends to be simple and limited to only a few colors. The Minor Arcana looks much like ordinary playing cards -- there are four face cards (King, Queen, Knight, Page) and 10 "pip" cards (Ace through Ten). Again, the artwork on the face cards tends to be simple. The pip cards don't have artwork other than a "pip" count. For instance, a Five of Swords will have five swords depicted on the card.

The Marseilles style looks so much like playing cards because Tarot decks were originally used to play a card game! It wasn't until later that mystics began to use these decks for divinatory purposes.

The second style of deck -- RWS (After Rider, the publisher, Waite, the designer, and Smith, the artist) -- was published in the early 1900's. It was designed from the very beginning for magickal use.

Because of this, the artwork is much more complex and symbolic. The Major Arcana and the face cards are more colorful, lifelike, and detailed. It's the Minor Arcana, though, where you'll find the main difference.

Six of Swords - RWS

Rather than using pip simple counts, the artist (Pamela Coleman Smith -- who also illustrated childrens adventure stories) decided to draw vignettes of people engaged in some phase of everyday life. Because of this, the pip card images touch your subjective mind and yield many thoughtful perspectives -- what are the people in the images thinking, what are their motivations, what are their fears, etc -- to enrich Tarot readings.  (Note:  I use a RWS clone -- the Robin Wood deck -- when I do readings.  However, the images on the blog are from the RWS deck.)

Thoth - Two of Swords

The final deck style is the Thoth style -- named after a deck designed by Aleister Crowley and painted by Lady Freida Harris. The Thoth deck was intended for magickal use from the very beginning. The paintings are surrealistic and highly symbolic. Thoth adds a new technique to the mix, though. Each non-face card of the Minor Arcana has a subheading describing some motivation or aspect -- things like Happiness, Luxury, Virtue, Oppression, etc. Because of this, some readers find it easy to read with Thoth decks. Thoth decks also make it easy to draw from other esoteric disciplines -- like astrology or Kabbalah -- in order to create inspired Tarot readings.

Most decks you'll find in a bookstore will follow one of these three basic styles. Marseilles styles will use pip counts, RWS styles will use pip scenes, and Thoth styles tend to be surrealistic but label the Minor Arcana with additional descriptions.

Hopeful Expectations!

Hi!

Hope your weekend went swell -- had a busy one over here.  Thought I had my Tarot Booth done -- then decided to do tarot readings at Dickens-on-the-Strand in early December in Galveston.  Have to alter the booth for requirements at Dickens.  Will make it wider, plus will have to change my "yellow/blue" colors to "red/green" since Dickens requires booths to be "Christmasy".  I'm really looking forward to it.

Dickens-on-the-Strand is a weekend street fair in downtown Galveston near Christmas time.  Everyone dresses up in Victoria garb -- good food, good drinks, good music, parades, etc.  Plus, you've got the beach as well! 

We were going to be there anyway (went first time last year and loved it) and already had our hotel reserved (on the beach!), so it was an easy decision about doing readings.  Sent my application off today!

Between working on the booth Saturday morning, football Saturday afternoon and evening (Alabama/Texas A&M and the LSU game), plus helping a friend move Sunday (although didn't get much done) combined with total collapse Sunday evening, I had a pretty busy weekend.  The good news is that allergies haven't affected me much this weekend -- maybe the season's closing up?  Or maybe the echinecea is finally kicking in!

Echinecea is magic for me -- totally blocks out allergy problems.  Only downside is that I have to start taking it about two months before the allergy season -- and I'm VERY forgetful.

Enough about my weekend -- again, hope yours went fine!  Let's jump into a reading to start the week.  Again, the first card sets the table, the second card brings it home.

Our first card -- the Knight of Wands.

This is a very energetic and busy card.  It's always ready to take on new challenges and is very confident about succeeding.  This Knight doesn't shy away from tough challenges!

That's the good news -- the bad news is that this knight (like all knights) isn't always successful.  The main issue is lack of focus -- knight's have great intentions, but tend to be a little scatter brained.  Planning isn't their strong point -- they'd rather jump right into a project and figure it out as they go.

This will work sometimes -- but won't othertimes.  With a little advanced planning, we can greatly improve this Knight's success rate.

So what should we consider if we find ourselves in this Knight's shoes?  How about our next card -- The Star.

This Major Arcana (or Trump) card suggests being hopeful.  When faced with difficulties, the Star  doesn't get discouraged.  It keeps it's eye on the end goal, not on the stumbling blocks that may arise along the way.  It's always confident that things will work out -- even when times seem dire.

If we think how these two cards might fit, we can see where the Knight of Wands might get discouraged at times.  It's always jumping into a challenge -- and sometimes hasn't prepared properly.  This oftentimes leads to failure.  Although this Knight is confident, repeated failures can lead to discouragement.

And that's where the Star comes in -- don't get discouraged, remain hopeful about eventual success.  The Star offers focus -- if things fail, then examine them to determine what you can do to correct problems ... then correct them.  Rather than quitting after failure, the Star takes the necessary time to honestly analyze issues and find (and correct) problems blocking your success.

If you join "energy and expectations of success" with "realistic and hopeful", you get a very powerful combination.  Think of ways you can use these energies to help you along this week!

Hope you have a good one -- will talk to you later!

Woodsong

Look For The Best, not the Worst

Hi All!

Hope your week's been going well.  It's been kind of quiet over here -- well, kind of.

We're dogsitting for my son.  "Nala" is a medium size lab/shepherd mix; she's a real sweety ... but is pretty young, wild, and untrained.

She ate a couple of dozen of my grand-daughter's toys her first day with us.  Next, she ate some books the second day -- pulled them off the shelf and chewed them up.  Next day, she ate the TV remote conrol thingy.  Yesterday, she ate a stack of catalogs.

She has plenty of dog toys available -- but doesn't seem to care for them.  Am dreading what I'll find when I get home!   Am anxious for the dogsitting to end!

Let's get an early start on this weekend's reading -- we'll again pull two cards.  The first suggests some positive attribute; the second offers tips on how to best realize or utilize this attribute.

Our first card is ... the Six of Cups.

We began with this card just a couple of reading ago!  Prior to that, I think it had been many months since we had seen this Six.  Pulling it twice in near-adjacent readings suggests that we may want to dig deeper into how we might realize the positive aspect of this card.

I said in that earlier reading:

"The Six of Cups suggests the feelings and wants we had as a child.  When you're a kid, you don't worry about jobs, or taxes, or crime, or foreign affairs -- you just want to be loved, to be comfortable, to feel secure.  The yearning for that sort of security is what the Six of Cups is about.

We all want it -- but most of us have to work to get it.  I have friends with really lousy jobs -- they'll complain constantly about them.  Whenever I suggest "Why don't you look for a new job?", they're full of excuses about why they don't do so.  I figure if you have a problem -- but choose not to try and solve it -- then you've accepted the situation and shouldn't complain about it. 

You ALWAYS have options -- you just have to decided to make the effort to look for them and implement them.

Want security?  Want to feel safe and comfortable?  Then determine what you need to do in order to gain that security -- then do it!"

 Hasn't changed -- this card strongly suggests that the need to feel comfortable and secure is something special we want to realize.

Let's look at our second card -- perhaps it'll help us a little more this time -- the Queen of Cups.

This card suggests patience, caring, and empathy.  This card tends to see the good in people -- rather than trying to assign blame to them.  I usually say this card will always believe you when you say "The dog ate my homework" (or book -- or remote control -- or toys -- or catalogs -- or whatever I'll find when I get home!) ... even when she knows it's not the truth.  She believes it because she wants to believe in you --- she cares about you. 

That's the strength of this card -- and also the weakness.  Because she is so caring, ill-meaning folks can easily take advantage of her.  But -- she doesn't take exception when they do!  She'll give them the benefit of the doubt and will expect that they'll learn from their mistake and become better individuals.

Bottom line -- this person doesn't get upset when people don't perform as they should.  She doesn't take it personal.

So let's put these together -- we want to feel safe and secure.  Perhaps if we expect the best from people -- rather than expecting the worst from them -- we'll feel more secure.  We won't worry about getting abused or mistreated -- because we'll always interpret people's actions in a good light.  Instead of assuming people have bad motivations -- we might look for less sinister interpretations.  This could help us see that folks really aren't "trying to get us" -- they're just being people with the same innocent and honest faults and weaknesses we all have.

Wish me luck with Nala today!  (I'm really dreading what she'll have eaten this time around!)

Woodsong

Expect to Succeed or Fail -- and You Will

Hiya,

Rough start to the week for me.  Spent at least half of the weekend finishing up my Tarot Booth frame (it's done!  Finally!) outside in the back yard.

Needs a little paint and the top/back fabric

 Unforuntately, this is prime Grade-A allergy season in South Texas and it slammed me hard yesterday.  Had a rough night Sunday, spent Monday recovering.  Back in the saddle again today, though.  Ready to get to it, but am a day behind everything!

Planning to do some sewing this week for the top and back of the Tarot Booth.  I'm going to add some thin PVC pipes on the top to make a "bow" -- hoping that will direct rain off to the sides rather than pooling on the top fabric.  Will see how that works out!  (I really don't know what I'm doing; am just making it up as I go along!)

Ready for a reading to start this week?  We'll again draw two cards -- the first offers a suggestion for us to think about, the second offers ways we can best realize the positive message of that first card.

Our first card is -- the Eight of Pentacles.

This is a fun card; it's message is very similar to that of the Three of Pentacles.  Have you ever become so involved in a project that time seems to fly by?  Maybe you look up and realize you've missed lunch time -- or the school bus!  This can especially happen when you're involved in learning something new in a subject that fascinates you.

That's pretty much what this card suggests -- I call it the "Joy of Learning".  Sometimes we resist learning new skills or subjects -- it's going to take an effort, we don't have the time, we're worried we won't "get it", so on, so on.  For those times when we do take the plunge, we may be pleasingly surprised with an interesting subject and the mental or physical exercise.

Learning something new can be fun -- even if we're not that good at the subject (like me an my Jazz Guitar class!)  It's the gained knowledge we find absorbing.

Interestingly enough, this sort of effort can be envigorating.  Even though we spend energy in the learning process, it somehow gives back way more energy than we spend.

This is a good spot to be in -- so what's stopping us from going there?  Oh yes, I forgot.  "It's going to take an effort, I don't have the time, I'll probably not be any good at it, so on, so on".  It can be a pretty long list -- how do we get past it?

Well, let's look at our second card for tips -- the Seven of Swords.

Some folks think of this as a negative card -- but I always see it as extremely positive.  This Seven suggests taking on a challenge when everyone expects you to fail -- but you find a way to succeed in spite of that.  You don't worry about failure -- you go into the challenge expecting to be successful ... and then spend your efforts ensuring that you are successful.

How can this card benefit us?  Let's rewind a bit -- "It's going to take an effort, I don't have the time, I'll likely not be any good, so on, so on".  Translation is "I'm probably going to fail, so why try!"

If you go in expecting to fail, you probably will.  The trick is -- don't expect to fail.  I saw a roadside sign once, that said "Whether you expect to fail or expect to succeed, you probably will!"  It's your mindset at the beginning that dictates your end results.

The Seven of Swords doesn't recognize all the "reasons" ( ie, EXCUSES ) for failure -- he only sees the expectations for success.  This positive outlook makes challenges look like opportunities rather than roadblocks. 

That's how you want to go into challenges -- expect to be successful from the start.  It may be kind of hokey -- but it works!

That's it for now -- will catch you again before the weekend.

Woodsong

Don't Wait -- Fix It Yourself

Hi!

Even though this was a short week, it still felt like a long one to me for some reason.  I hope your week went well.

Hoping to get the frame for my "portable" Tarot booth finished this weekend.  Have most of the pieces put together and painted -- just a little bit of fitting and hole-drilling left.  Still trying to figure out how to put the fabric on -- I'll post pictures later, but if you think of an upside-down "L", you'll have the basic shape.  I'll put fabric on the top and back, but am wondering if it'll tip over in a strong wind.  I'll probably leave slits in the fabric -- maybe even not attach the bottoms?  Will play with it once the frame is complete.

Then it's on to finishing the roulotte!

Let's jump into a weekend reading!

We'll start with -- the Six of Cups.

I helped a group design a set of tarot cards once -- one of my cards was the Six of Cups.  I painted a picture of a child's lemonade stand for the image.

The Six of Cups suggests the feelings and wants we had as a child.  When you're a kid, you don't worry about jobs, or taxes, or crime, or foreign affairs -- you just want to be loved, to be comfortable, to feel secure.  The yearning for that sort of security is what the Six of Cups is about.

We all want it -- but most of us have to work to get it.  I have friends with really lousy jobs -- they'll complain constantly about them.  Whenever I suggest "Why don't you look for a new job?", they're full of excuses about why they don't do so.  I figure if you have a problem -- but choose not to try and solve it -- then you've accepted the situation and shouldn't complain about it. 

You ALWAYS have options -- you just have to decided to make the effort to look for them and implement them.

Want security?  Want to feel safe and comfortable?  Then determine what you need to do in order to gain that security -- then do it.

So what does our second card say about this?  The Ace of Pentacles ...

Well, that pretty much affirms what we've already suggested.  The Ace of Pentacles is about beginning new projects, new ventures -- especially commercial or professional ones.  Are there actions you can take to help make your life more comforable and secure?  Maybe it's a new job -- but maybe it's making a better effort in your existing position.  Maybe it's re-evaluating the things that make you uncomfortable -- perhaps you're misrepresenting the situation?  Maybe it's new hobbies that make you feel more capable and competent?  Maybe it's spiffing up your living quarters -- or fixing up an unreliable vehicle?

Whatever it may be, if it's something that's keeping you from feeling safe and comfortable, look for ways you can remedy the situation.  No need to wait for things to fix themselves; take an active hand and fix them yourself!

That's it for now -- hope you have a great weekend!

Woodsong

Get Rolling (Part Two)!

Hi All,

Hope you had a great weekend -- yesterday was a holiday in the US, so we had a long weekend.

I had a busy one -- my son in Chicago got out of the Navy!  Flew up there Friday morning and drove his moving truck back to Houston (well, actually, to about 2 hours south of Houston).  Took us three days -- I've done it in a day before, but we wanted to stop Friday night, then wanted to stop again Saturday night to watch the LSU-TCU game.

Not the most scenic drive in the world -- the Illinois portion is pretty plain -- as is the Missouri and half of the Arkansas part.  Once you turn west at West Memphis, you start getting into some hilly terrain and it's kinda pretty.

Driving the truck wasn't so bad -- Penske seems to have the best deals on trucks.  Got 10% off for reserving online and another 10% off for AAA membership.  Top speed was about 65 MPH, so I rarely had to worry about passing anyone.  Finding diesel got a little squirrely at times -- don't understand why a station would put the only diesel pump right next to their building so that a long truck could not manuever there.

Anyway, made the trip with no trouble; trying to get back into the weekday mix again!  Not ready for it!

But am ready for a new reading for this week!  Let's start ...

Our first card is -- the Page of Wands.

Pages are interesting creatures.  They tend to get really excited about things -- that's both their strength and their weakness!

Strength -- because that initial excitment really powers you and fills you with energy and confidence and fuels you to tackle the challenges you may face.  Wands in particular provide the energy and excitment -- but don't really point to the nature of the challenge.  This is kind of good -- because it's like a "wild card" that applies to any sort of challenge you may approach.

But -- the weakness!  Pages tend to be so excited about projects that they have a hard time actually getting started!  Thinking about the potential is exciting and invigorating -- actually knuckling down, getting to work, and getting their hands dirty isn't so exciting.

Still -- it's a good starting point for a new challenge.  If you don't begin being excited about the project, it's hard to make yourself get busy.  It's like being able to see the end before you even start -- it makes the trip seem much more attainable.

So how can we kickstart our Page of Wands?  Let's look at our next card -- the Nine of Wands.

I like this guy -- I always picture someone who's just completed a difficult task.  He's tired and spent -- but feels a great sense of accomplishment after powering through his challenge.  It was tough -- but he saw it through.

When we put these two together, they really fit well.  The Page offers the energy we'll need to face a challenge; the Nine suggests how great we'll feel once we complete the challenge.  This might be the incentive we need to stop thinking and start doing!

That's it for now -- hope the rest of your week goes well!  Talk to you later for a weekend reading!


Woodsong

Munca!

Happy Monday, Everyone!

Some relatives and I have a "language discussion" group going.  Everyday, we introduce a new word from our assigned country.  We have French, Italian, German, and Romanian going (I get the Romanian).  Kind of like a "word a day" type thing.

The other day, my Romanian word was "munca" -- which means "work".  It somehow seems meaningful when you say "It's Monday -- time for another week at 'munca'".  What's it called when the sound of a word suggests the meaning of the word?  It's not like "Bang", or "Pow" -- but "munca" just feels like it matches Monday morning!

I mean, you can say "Unnnhh ... need coffee.  Time for work."  Or, you could say "Unnnhhh ... need coffee.  Munca." ... and I think everyone would still know what you were talking about.

I did a little munca this weekend on my tarot booth -- and also took the grandkids for back-to-school shopping.  Nothing like a day with three little boys under 5 to get you looking forward to a nap!

Or even Monday morning and "munca"!

How about our reading -- again, two cards.  First starts us off, second completes the message.

Our first card -- the Knight of Cups.

Here's the thing about Knights in general -- they're powerful cards, loaded with energy and good intentions ... but there's always some important piece missing.  That missing piece makes them less efficient and effective than they could be.

The Knight of Cups is kind of an opposite knight.  His problem isn't that he's missing something -- it's that he's got too much of something!

This knight's problem is focus -- he's got too much of it!  He's so steel-set on some item -- most likely an emotional one -- that he's oblivious to the external factors around him that affect things.  I mean, look at the picture!  The Knight is completely absorbed by his goblet -- and his horse isn't moving at all (even though it wants to).  His focus is completely inward and the Knight isn't moving -- and he needs to shift that in order to be effective.

His weakness is actually compound -- not only is his focus misapplied, he tends to stay there.  It's very difficult to get this knight's attention in order to get him looking at other factors.

So -- Cups suggests he's concentrating on issues that concern him emotionally.  What emotional matters are absorbing your focus?  Are there issues you're having trouble turning loose?  Do you find it hard to move past certain matters?  Grudges you find hard to release?  Hurt feelings you keep thinking about?  What-ifs that you just can't quite implement?  These are all "Knight of Cups" situations. 

Let's see what our second card offers -- the Four of Swords.

The Four of Swords is the "take a break" card.  Let it loose, rest, refresh, relax -- take a break.  After doing so, you can re-enter the game stronger and reinvigorated.

The Knight of Cups can't stop thinking about something -- and the Four of Swords says "Stop thinking about that!"

Well, kind of obvious and easy to say -- but hard to do.  Sometimes, when it's hard to stop thinking about something, you might find it worthwhile to replace it.  Introduce something new -- a new project, new responsibility, new social activities, new environment.  Maybe you can shift attention by changing things -- take a day off, try a weekend road trip, attend a concert or theater event ... just find something different!

Sometimes when you're stuck, it takes a little "knock" get you unstuck -- so look for that "knock"!

That's it for now -- hope you have a good week at "munca"!

Woodsong

Get Rolling!

 Hi!

Sorry I'm late this week -- have been at a customer site all week and it's been taking up a lot of time.  Am back doing the normal stuff today and am trying to catch up.

Have been building a new booth in my back yard for my tarot reading at Sherwood Forest Renaissance Faire.  Will move it out there when I'm done. 

Actually, am building three booths -- two vardo's (gypsy wagons) and a regular stand-alone booth.  Working on the stand-alone booth (will leave a picture when it's done) and realized I'm not as strong as I used to be.  Built part of it on my deck, but now can't move that part off the deck by myself.  Oh well, my daughter has burly male friends I'll have to borrow.  I feed them often enough ... so I ought to be able to ask a favor!

I probably over-built it anyway -- made it much stronger and heavier than it needs to be.  Oh well.

Let's jump into today's reading -- we'll pull two cards.  The first offers some starting point or thought -- the second offers a suggestion as to how we can best utilize that beginning card.

Our first card is -- the Seven of Cups.

This card suggests daydreaming or planning; we're thinking of things that might be.  We all go through this all the time before we actually make any moves.  We might envision how we might rearrange the living room furniture -- we might go through this thought process several times before we actually switch the first piece of furniture.

We might think about career changes -- or new projects -- new friendships -- or learning new skills.  The whole bit that our mind is likely busy doing throughout the day!

Nothing wrong with this -- this type of planning is really essential if we want to be successful implementing our plans.

Here's the problem, though -- at some point, it's important to actually move on to implementing those plans!  We don't want to spend all our time planning and no time actually doing.

It's nice to think "What if things were different or better?"  BUT -- we don't want to stay there -- we want to actually take action to make things different of better.  It means putting out some effort or taking a risk -- but we might gain something if we do so.  We're safe if we just continue dreaming -- but we'll never accomplish anything.  Which do you think is better?

Let's look at our second card for a tip on how we should proceed -- the Eight of Pentacles.

Have you ever been working at a task -- and been so absorbed -- that you don't really notice the time passing?  That's the Eight of Pentacles -- it suggests that sort of enjoyment you gain when you enter into a new project or task. 

Doesn't mean the task will be successful -- but it does mean that it'll be worthwhile.  You gain even if the task ultimately fails -- because the "journey" is the real reward.

So -- our first card is a "planner" ... and our second card is a "doer".  Seems pretty plain what the message is ... consider actually doing some of those neat things you've been thinking about!  Take some risk, take on the effort -- and you'll reap a reward! 

Or -- "Quit stalling!  Get moving!"

What do you think?  Do you see anyplace in your life where this could apply?

Talk to you later --

Woodsong

Be Strong ...

Greetings!

Hope you had a fine weekend and that your week's begun well.  I worked a lot on a new tarot booth for the Renaissance Festival.

There's a saying in woodworking -- "Measure Twice, Cut Once".  My version is "Measure Twice, Cut Once, then go back to the store and buy more wood because you messed up the cut."  My first attempt had the dadoes going in the wrong direction (dado == those little notches you see on the ends of Lincoln Logs).  Mine were angled and I did the angles pointing the wrong way.

My new version won't use dadoes.  I'm not even sure if I'm spelling it the right way!

On to this week's reading:

Our first card -- the Ten of Swords.

We've seen this card fairly recently.  A lot of people gasp when they see the image -- and it does look a little grim!  Really, though, this card has a positive message.  It suggests those times when you feel everything is going wrong and that things cannot possibly get any worse.

And this is good news?  Yes, it actually is!  If things cannot get any worse ... then that means they can only get better!  Any movement has to be an improvement.

So -- don't get discouraged when things don't seem to be working out.  You CAN move on to better things if you try.  It's when you get discouraged and don't try that you get in trouble.

But what can you do to improve things?  How can you gain a positive outlook when things seem to work against you?

That's where our second card comes in -- the Hermit!

Another card we've seen recently.  The Wise Old Hermit is patient, thoughtful, and realistic.  He's not going to go off on tangents when he gets bad news.  He knows that bad news happens to everyone ... we shouldn't take it personal.  He knows that what we need to do is move forward to make things better.  Sitting still and moaning about things won't accomplish anything; we have to put on our big kid pants and take control.

So -- when things aren't going your way, don't let it throw you off track.  Don't shut down and huddle in a ball -- look up and forward, take control, and make things better!

Be strong ...

Woodsong

The Hard Ones Mean the Most!

Hi again!

Hope your week's gone well so far -- I've had a pretty good one over here.

My son and his family are moving back to Houston from Chicago -- really glad to be able to see the grandkids more often.  They're 3 boys -- I've heard boys defined as "Noise with dirt attached" ... I think that's fairly accurate for these three!

Let's pull a quick reading for this weekend -- our first card is the Nine of Wands.

I always picture this card representing someone who's finished up with a difficult task.  He's looking back over his work and is pleased with the results.  He's tired, but is probably thinking "I did a really good job!"  He didn't shirk from the hard task -- he knows that accomplishing a difficult task provides it's own reward.

Pretty positive card to begin with -- let's see where it goes.

Our second card ... the Five of Swords.

This is one where I differ from many readers.  Many (don't want to say most) see this as a negative card -- perhaps suggesting conceit or haughtiness.  I don't see it that way, though.

I see this card representing someone who has faced superior odds in an endeavor -- and overcame those odds.  He's rightfully feeling pleased with himself -- because he knew most people expected him to fail.

When we put these cards together, I see them enhancing each other.  You know you're capable of completing a difficult task -- and you know how good you'll feel when you succeed.  Furthermore, you shouldn't shy away from necessary tasks simply because they appear difficult -- or the odds seem stacked against you succeeding.  Overcoming the odds and succeeding in these situations mean you'll be even more satisfied when they're done!

You want to really feel good -- don't take on easy challenges, look towards the hard ones instead!

And that's it for now -- hope you have a great weekend!

Woodsong

Enjoy Yourself -- But Don't Overdo It!

Hi There!

Hope your week's begun well.  Mine been a little busy -- been at customer sites.  Today's gig cancelled at the last minute, so I'm able to finally get to this week's reading.

Is it hot where you are?  It is blazing hot here in Houston -- temp's at or over 100 degrees most days.  Hoping for a little relief this weekend (who would think we'd consider 95 degrees as "cooling"!), but I'm sure our summer swelter will quickly return.

On the plus side, football season's started!  That means cooler days in late September are in sight!

We went to Baton Rouge this weekend -- had to deliver the last bit of my niece's stuff to her folk's house, plus we thought we'd go visit LSU's Mike the Tiger prior to the first game.  On the way there, we decided that Mike's demeanor would give us a clue about the upcoming season.

Well, I'm hoping that's not the case.  Evidently, the heat got to Mike as well.  He was sacked out on his back in a very undignified position.  We hopefully decided he was mooning Nick Saban.

BTW, Mikedoesn't live in your typical animal cage.  His habitat includes a jungle setting with shady bushes, trees to climb (and eat!), a large pond to swim in, rocks to climb, and tons of toys.  He also gets plenty of visitors!

I used to work at LSU way back; I remember one year some Tulane students opened up Mike's cage one night as a prank.  I wonder what they thought when they realized they had just loosed a 500 pound Bengal tiger!  The student's weren't hurt, but Mike did eat several pine trees before he was recovered.

Let's move on to our reading this week -- the first card starts us off, the second card offers things to help enhance the first card.

Our first card is the Six of Wands.

Looks like a pretty happy fellow, doesn't it?  I always see this card as a victory parade.  You've succeeded or done well in some endeavor ... and are now taking some time to feel good about it!  Not only are you celebrating, others acknowledge your success.  It's nice to be able to say "I did good" -- but it always feels better when someone recognizes your efforts and says "You did good!"

The first part of the message of this card is "You've earned it -- so enjoy it!"  Being humble is nice -- you don't want to annoy people with your crowing -- but you need to enjoy that sense of accomplishment.  It's a nice reward for your efforts.

The second part of the message is just as important -- "Yeah, but don't get a swelled head, because the game starts over again tomorrow!"  True -- success today doesn't mean we can coast and expect to be successful tomorrow.  But -- we can feel good about it today!

Let's look at our second card and see what it has to offer -- the King of Swords.

I've said before that I always see my dad in this card -- and he's glaring at me because I've just done something stupid!  He's saying "You knew better -- why did you do that?" ... and I'm saying "I know I knew better -- I don't know why I did it!"

This King always knows the answers -- he always the right -- and smart -- thing to do.  He also knows that you know the right -- and smart -- thing to do as well.  He's disappointed when you don't follow what you know is the right path ... and I'm sure you and I are disappointed in ourselves when we don't choose the right path.

This King fits in well with the second part of the Six of Wand's message -- "Don't get a swelled head!"  If we're successful -- and then decide to coast on that success, we're bound to eventually fail.  The King of Swords can then rightly ask "Why did you do such a stupid thing?"

This King reminds us to keep our heads together -- don't let events distract us from doing what we know is the right thing.  There are times to enjoy our efforts -- and then there are times when we need to get back to work on the next endeavor.

I didn't intend this when I mentioned football season -- but if you're following the Johnny Manziel story, you'll probably see how these two cards apply to his situation.  He had unbelievable success as a freshman at Texas A&M (only student ever to win the Heisman Trophy as a freshman), but has since proceeded to party his way into distraction and trouble.  At some point, he may look back and say "Why did I do such stupid things?"

That's it for now -- and "Go Tigers"!  (and I hope your teams do well, too!)

Woodsong

Think of Others

Hi Folks!

About to jump on the road, so this one will be a quick one for the weekend!

Interestingly enough, even though this will be a quick reading, we ended out pulling two Major Arcana cards -- suggesting we might want to consider this message a little more seriously than we might ordinarily do.  Even though it's "quick" -- it still could be important.

Our first card is -- The Hermit.

Well, we saw the Hermit just the other day.  This card suggests applying wisdom you've gained through experience and training.  Not quickly reacting and jumping to a conclusion, but patiently and fairly evaluating all conditions first in order to understand a situation the best you can.

How should we apply this?  Let's look at our second card, The Emperor.

The Emperor cares about his responsibilities -- he wants to make sure the trains run on time and that all of the needs of his people are satisfied.  Only then might he think of himself.

When we put these two together, we get a suggestion that we want to think before we react to a situation.  Be patient and try to understand the situation (and the people involved and their motivations) as best as you can.  Ask questions if you need to.

Furthermore, rather than evaluating a situation by how it affects you, examine it to understand how it affects those you care about.  Consider their needs -- I don't want to say put their needs before yours, but consider how being able to satisfy their needs will affect your own well-being.  You may find the feeling of being able to be responsible for those you care for provides it's own reward.

Sorry for the quick reading this time around -- will see you again next week!

Woodsong

No to Nay-Sayers!

Hiya!

This week has hit the ground running so far -- I've been playing catch up since Monday.  Still haven't caught up completely yet, but finally hit my first breather a few minutes ago.  Figured I'd try to take on a reading before I get back into things.

Had a lot of plans this past weekend -- and then relatives came into town unexpectedly and we spent time with them instead.  Went to the movies -- my sister, my daughter, my niece-in-law (is that the term?), and I all like scary movies.  So, we went to go see "The Conjuring"!  Everyone else took the kids to see "Turbo".

It's really hard to make a good scary movie -- most directors don't bother to try.  They'll instead make "slasher" movies -- which really aren't really psychological scary.

Anyway, "The Conjuring" is kind of a cross between a haunted house movie and "The Exorcist".  Didn't rely on glitzy special effects but instead was a suspense-filled story.  Like I said, I thought it was really well done.

If you don't like scary movies, you won't enjoy it, though!

How about that reading?  We'll again pull two cards -- the first gives us a message, the second tells us a little more about how we might consider that message.

Our first card is -- The Seven of Pentacles.

A couple of people have written to me about their interpretation of this card ... which differs a little from mine.  That's fine -- many of us have our own feelings about a particular card.  I always get a particular message when I pull this card, so I'm going to stick with it.

This card depicts someone who has just completed a hard task -- and is taking a little time to feel satisfied about his efforts and the results (at least, that's how I see it!)  This is something that's been a little bit of a challenge -- there's no guarantee that things would have worked out.  When you're able to bring a challenging task to a successful conclusion, you SHOULD feel good about it!  You accomplished something.  Sure, someone else might complain about it ("You took too long", "You should have done it another way") and try to bring you down, but don't fall into the trap of feeling like you failed -- because you didn't. Not only is the task complete, but YOU did it.

Our second card gives us something to think about -- The Chariot.

The Chariot is a "will power" card -- this is someone who accomplishes something because he won't accept anything else other than success.  He'll find a way to make something happen -- even if the task is difficult.  He's not really big on accepting advice or listening to other people's opinion -- he's relying on his own feelings and interpretations -- and he wants to do it his way.

BTW -- I'm from the old school -- and the way I learned it, "he" and "his" are gender-neutral words.  "She" and "hers" are female; "he" and "his" are neutral ... unless the context notes the subject is male.  I can't stand work-arounds like "he/she".  When I use the words "he" and "his" I feel it applies to either gender.  If I used "she" and "her" instead, then I'd be specifically talking about a female subject.  That's just the way I learned it a million years ago in school.  If I changed, then I know my third grade teacher would show up and draw red "X"s all over my blog!

Back to the reading -- there are a couple of ways we can put these cards together.

One way would be to consider The Chariot to be validating the efforts portrayed in the Seven of Pentacles.  Yep, you did it your way and achieved your goal -- therefore, you should not only feel good about the results, but should also feel good about your abilities and focus in achieving those results.  Don't listen to nay-sayers -- after all, they're not the ones who accomplished what you did!

Another way is to consider that sometimes you've got to be The Chariot -- since you're the one on the spot, you need to take control.  Other people's opinions are relevant -- but you're making the final decision.  You're not going to please everyone, so don't try.  In fact, if you try to please everyone, you're likely going to fail.  No one else is in the same spot you are -- and just because someone expresses an opinion doesn't mean they actually care about what happens.  They'll just move on to the next project and express opinions from the outside without actually having a stake in the game.

So -- take pride in your accomplishments!  Don't listen to the nay-sayers!

Hope to talk to you again -- not sure if I'll make it again before the weekend; have to run an errand this weekend beginning Friday.  Will try -- if you don't hear from me, then have a great weekend and I'll see you next week!

Woodsong

Bad News Might Be Good News

Hi!

Hope your week has gone well -- we've been keeping an eye on Tropical Storm Dorian over here.  Looks like it might head into the Gulf.  Don't think it's going to be a strong one, though.

Been going over my hurricane stash, just in case.  I grew up in Louisiana, so I know all about being prepared for hurricanes.  You don't wait till the last minute and then rush to the store with 57 million other people and try to buy stuff -- you take care of things before hand.  Have lots of food, water, fuel, generators, etc already stocked up.  Problem is, my stash gets moved every now and then so I'm not 100% sure where everything is.  Need to review that so I don't have to go looking for things in the dark.  Just in case.

Actually, on my side of Houston, we're not in that much danger.  We're about 50 miles from the Gulf, so storm surge isn't an issue.  We might catch some wind damage, but that's about it.  Power loss and fuel shortage are the biggest worries ... and we've got that covered already.

If you're in hurricane territory, I hope you're getting your preps ready!  Don't wait till the last minute!

How about a reading for this weekend?  Once again, we'll pull two cards.  First card sets the tone for the reading, second card suggests how we can best turn it to our advantage.

Our first card is -- The Three of Swords.

Some people think The Devil -- or perhaps Death -- are the worst cards in the deck.  Nope -- to me, it's the Three of Swords.  I've since had a change of opinion -- it is a powerful card, but if you use it properly, you can take advantage of the message.

The Three of Swords suggests heartbreak or great sadness.  Not a very encouraging message, right?  My change of opinion on this card comes from what this really means.

For instance, something that a teenager might claim would "wreck my life" might not affect an adult one bit.  It's how you perceive a situation that makes the difference.  A situation you might feel is eventful might not be so if you view it in a different manner.

We might look at this card by thinking of events that have made us sad -- maybe layoffs, breakups, lost friendships ... things like that.  None of these sound very good, do they?

Or do they?  What do we learn from events like these?  Do they make us stronger people?  Do they help us better prepare for future mishaps?  Do they help us focus on the things that really count rather than on superficial things?  If we look at it this way, a sad event might turn out to be extremely helpful to us.

What helps us perceive things in this manner?  Well, experience and a cool head helps.

Which brings us to our second card -- The Hermit!

The Hermit is the wise old hermit -- he's wise because he has knowledge, experience, and patience.  He's even-handed and is not going to go running around in circles if he receives bad news.  He knows that life simply happens -- and sometimes it's good, sometimes it's hard.  That's just life -- no need to take it personal.

When things happen -- no matter good or bad -- we can learn from them.  It's the "learning" that's important -- so the Hermit isn't going to waste an opportunity.  He'll take advantage of any event in order to build his experience and become a more complete person.

And that's an approach that may work best for us.  When we receive bad news, we can let it wreck us -- or we can learn and grow from it.  It's our choice -- and with a little help from the experienced Hermit, we can make the right one.

Hope you have a great weekend!  See you next week ...

Woodsong

Where and Why!

Hi There!

Hope you had a fine weekend -- I'm making progress on my new roulotte.  Got the trailer part almost done (just need to put the tires on).  Began painting some of the upper roulotte part.  I'm going to try and paint it all before assembly.  Will probably paint it again after assembly, but figure this will make it last longer.

Still haven't quite figured out the "floor plan" yet -- it'll either be 4 feet by 8 feet ... or it'll be 6 feet by 8 feet.  I've got to get the tires on the trailer before I can figure it out for real.

How about we jump into the reading?  We'll pull two cards; the first will suggest some behavior or attitude; the second card represents the destination the first card suggests.

Our first card -- the Knight of Swords!

This is a fun card -- I very much identify with it.  I've mentioned before, there are masculine cards and feminine cards ... and this is probably one of the more testosterone-laden cards.  I mean, we have a Knight in shining armor, he's swinging a sword, and riding a charging horse!  In my Robin Wood deck, the horse even flies!  What could possibly be more "guy" than that!

Of course, even though it sounds great, being a Knight suggests some strong weaknesses to go along with the positives.

This Knight is always ready to charge into a challenge -- he's confident that he can solve most anything by beating it to submission!  That's the good part -- energy and confidence.

The bad part?  Well, most problems need a little more tactful approach rather than "beating them into submission".  Furthermore, while this Knight has jumped right into the fray -- he never took the time to figure out which direction (or approach) offered the best chance of success.  He didn't take the time to consider the problem first in order to determine how he should solve the problem.  He might have even adopted a familiar method he's used before -- without determining if the old method best suited the new problem.

Basically, this Knight's main weakness is focus.  He's ready to take on the problem, but lacks the focus necessary to approach the problem in the best manner.

We might consider situations in our own lives where we've made similar errors.  Are there issues where you are trying to solve them in the same old way?  While familiar and comfortable to you they may be, they may not be the best way to approach the situation.

What might happen to us if we pursue problems in this manner?  Let's look at our second card, the Four of Cups.

While this card doesn't appear to be distraught -- he doesn't look too happy, either.  He's not satisfied with where he is -- he's made it to a particular position, but doesn't seem to be able to move forward from there.

Perhaps he needs to change his tactics?  He may need to re-analyze how he perceives things -- relying on old and familiar methods won't always let you understand current and complex situations.  Old methods might even make problems worse.

What do these two cards suggest? 

Bottom line -- take the time to understand where you're heading and WHY you're heading there.  Your initial motivations may no longer be relevent -- the world changes, issues change, and you change.  A little initial internal review may offer insights and understandings you'd otherwise miss.  Before you charge into a problem, make sure you understand both yourself and the problem!

And that's it for now -- hope to see you again before the weekend.  Have a good one till then!


Woodsong

Put Your Shoulder in and Push!

Hi All,

Well, I've been on the road the last week and a half -- and realized that it's the business travel that gets in the way of the readings!  I used to be excited and envigorated years ago when I travelled -- now I'm just tired.  As a result, the readings suffer.

Fortunately (for the readings), I rarely travel anymore.  Back in town this week and have about an hour before my next call, so let's see if we can slip a weekly reading in!

Our first card is the Two of Cups.

We've seen this card a lot recently.  The Two of Cups suggests a new emotional relationship or friendship ... or a renewal of an existing one.  Quite often, it suggests looking towards family or friends where a troubled friendship could be fixed.  There may be some ill feelings over harsh words or actions -- and these feelings are in the way of what could be a rewarding friendship.  Usually, one side has to swallow those feelings and make the initial step towards reconciliation.  What this card reminds us is that the payoff is worth the payout -- what you'll reap from a renewed friendship is most often worth the temporary discomfort of "making the first step".

So, tell us more about this situation -- what things should we consider?

Let's look at our second card -- the Ten of Swords.

This card suggests a really failed relationship -- one that may seem to have hit rock-bottom.  That's acually good news in a way -- if things are at there worst, then any change can only be an improvement!  It's that old "darkest before the dawn" thing.

If we want to consider friendships to renew, we might start by looking at some that might seem most damaged.  These might actually be the easiest to fix.  We might also consider emotional relationships that seem to be stuck in a rut -- they may not be getting worse, but they're not getting better.  These also might be the type of relationships most receptive to renewals.

Friendships and relationships take a lot of work -- but the payoff is always worth it.  Sometimes a little nudge is all that's needed to get things moving in a better direction -- consider being the one to first put your shoulder in play to provide that nudge!

Hope you have a great week!

Woodsong

Risk and Rewards

Hi All,

Sorry I'm late this week -- yesterday was kind of hectic!

I tend to do pretty much all of the cooking at home -- even when I was back in college with roommates, I was usually the cook.  I don't know that I'm all that inventive -- don't follow recipes that much.  I'm half Sicilian and half Cajun French -- so I normally cook either Italian or Cajun style.

Our four-year old granddaughter lives with us -- and she's been taking over the house.  She's made it known that she expects pancakes for every meal -- so my cooking has been very one-dimensional laterly!

You may recall me talking about a Jazz Improvisation class I've been taking.  Class is over, but a small group of us has continued on with additional assignments.  This last one we did is probably the first one I feel I did okay on -- it has some glitches and flubs, but I don't think it's all bad.  If you want to give it a listen, here's  My Improvisation for How High the Moon .  Please be gentle!

Let's jump into this week's reading -- again, we'll draw two cards.  The first will offer something to concentrate on, the second will offer tips on how we might be realize the positive message of the first card.

Our first card is ... The Empress.

The Empress is a very maternal card -- it suggests the things we typically associate with maternal feelings.  Note that you can be the toughest, hardest, manliest guy around and still have maternal feelings.  Don't believe me?  Gather a bunch of tough guys and show them a cute puppy!

Maternal means caring and nurturing.  It also suggests a special and strong attachment.  You may feel caring for people in general, but you'll feel a stronger caring for family and friends who are close to you.  This maternal caring is a two-way street -- you'll receive benefits as well as give benefits.

How to best realize these benefits -- our second card, the Four of Wands.

This is a celebration card -- there's a reason to celebrate and someone to share that celebration with.  I've always envisioned a crowd of people watching the celebration and acknowledging the appropriateness of the celebration.

When we put them together, the message is pretty straightforward.

Care for the people you should care about -- and let them know you care!  Don't keep a cage around your heart -- I know some of us keep folks at arm's length because we don't want to be vulnerable.  However, the rewards for opening up and reaching out tend to outweigh the risk!

When we do so and reap those rewards -- then we have a reason to celebrate ... and someone with whom we can jointly enjoy that celebration.  We'll have a sense of belonging, contributing, and feeling important and needed.

Yes, it might be a risk.  But there are rarely rewards without risks. 

Hope things work out well for you this week -- take care, and I'll be back in a few days!

Woodsong