Parting the Mists

Happy Wednesday, everyone! This card reminds us that we need to remember to celebrate our connection with one another from time to time, not just the markers in our life. Yes, we must work hard to achieve dreams, we must also remember to embrace and enjoy our life and others in it.

Four of Bows – Celebration

Meaning: A celebration of health, wealth, and security and a time to relax and enjoy the bounty of good fortune or labor. A holiday or festival at a time of plentiful fertility and creativity.

Reading Points: While focus, effort, and dedication are inherent in the mastery of any skill that requires patience and practice, a time for relaxation and thankful celebration is also valuable. *Without the timely and earned reward of indulgence, pleasure, and friendship, we become detached and isolated from those with whom we share a kinship and a common moral code and bond.* To be able to relax and share in the bounty is part of the human spirit’s healing process and is how we refreshened nourish the soul.

Whether the celebration is a traditional festival or the marking of a personal achievement, to allow the empowering energy of carefree celebration and laughter to revitalize our resolve and rekindle our desire is a gift from which reflection on the beauty, generosity, and natural wonder becomes available. To share and exchange the bounty of good fortune with those we love and respect is the most rewarding celebration in which we can indulge ourselves.

Wildwood Tarot by authors Mark Ryan and John Matthews and artist Will Worthington

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Being out of balance is dangerous physically, mentally, and spiritually, and now is a good time to slow down and consider whether the different aspects of your life are in balance: work-play, mental-physical, indoor-outdoor, for self-for others. It may be hard to do this while revving up for a work week, but it can be vital to take this time and effort.

Blessings!

Balance (Temperance)

Reading Points: You must be balanced and patient. The time is right to rest and contemplate all the facets of your existence. To continue now you must be still and calm. Finding the inner balance that will enable you to see beyond the present state is a process of trust and confidence in your own strengths. These facets may include the parts of your psyche that you would rather not deal with, but no amount of denial will rid you of the need to absorb and reclaim them. Balance is absolutely necessary to free the inner self from the fears and self-doubts that keep us spiritually deaf, dumb, and blind. Once the natural state of balance is achieved, the plateau that will give you access to the higher self will be open before you.

Meaning: The balance between humanity and nature is vital. The intricate mechanisms that are the arteries and nervous system of the Earth are as sensitive and complex as that of any living organisms, and we have succeeded in shifting this delicate balance from one of finely tuned interactions to malignant and polluted environment. The ancient peoples of the Earth long ago recognized their dependence on the ecosystem of the planet to sustain and renew their children. Modern society has become completely detached from that reality and believes the planet is here only for our selfish and greedy consumption. The renewal is taken for granted, yet we have poured toxic waste into the seas and landscape so that our offspring will be facing death a thousand years from now. Our abuse of the natural world has annihilated whole species of creatures and rent a hole in the very fabric of the atmosphere that makes life on this planet possible. This is a crime beyond comprehension and humankind will be paying the price for generations to come.

Temperance is the traditional name of this card, and it represents a state of inner strength and tranquility from which deeper knowledge of the self and universe can be absorbed and contemplated. It is the key to higher self. Both on the personal level and as a species, we must strive to find a balance.

The Wildwood Tarot by authors Mark Ryan and John Matthews and artist Will Worthington

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Today’s card definitely speaks to me, but the whole spread this morning was pretty amazing. Take a look:

These spirits all indicate that we will be taken care of if we work through like as if we already have what we need, focus on gratitude, and do not shy from the people, causes, and ideas we are loyal to. Hope everyone has a great day!

Buffalo Spirit – The Abundant Universe Will Provide

Message: Buffalo comes to you now to remind you of the amazing manifesting power of gratitude and the extraordinary potential available to you when you adopt a mind-set of abundance. The ancient people of the Americas saw the buffalo as a symbol of abundance because the herds roamed far and wide, and provided so many gifts – the meat, the hide, the bones. The tribes who hunted the buffalo used every bit of them, wasting nothing, appreciative of the abundance. So, too, do you have many gifts available to you. Buffalo Spirit appears to let you know that you are in a powerful time to manifest your desires – not by force or pushing but rather by following a natural path that rises up before you, trusting that there is always plenty to go around. Whether it be love, money, inspiration, or support, it’s all there for you to claim.

At this time, you can expect all your intention and needs to come into a form that is right for you. Your heartfelt gratitude is making you a magnet for miracles. Buffalo Spirit’s message is to remember that you co-create your reality in partnership with Spirit, so offer up y our thanks and your prayers, even before you see conditions you desire – not just for yourself, but for others too – then you will quickly see the results in tangible ways.

Protection Message: Buffalo could be asking you to shift your thinking from poverty consciousness to one where you trust the universe will provide. Have you been falling into financial insecurity, worrying that there will not be enough money in the future? Have you been stressing and feeling sorry for yourself, working that because you h ave no romantic relationship now, you never will? Do you see scarcity where there is, in fact, abundance? Self-pity, entitlement, fear, and lack are all “thought viruses” that seduce you into darkness. Buffalo nudges you to make. a gratitude list and be mindful of your thoughts at this time.

Even if outer events have happened to challenge your believes in abundance, outer conditions are temporary. If you are suffering from the malaise of fear that you are impoverished, realize that it is only poverty of perception and perspective. Prayer, communion with your Higher Power, and gratitude coupled with compassionate, selfless service will snap you right out of it. Give to someone who has less than you. Be thankful for the tiniest things and say affirmations. Then you will remember abundance is the true nature of the world.

Spirit Animal Oracle by author Colette Baron-Reid and artist Jena DellaGrottaglia

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Good Monday morning! Though many of us are heading back to the work week, today’s card suggests we need to take some of that weekend magic with us. Find your joy and magic in the day. Blessings!

NATURE SPIRITS

Meaning: Joy, the light, peaks of carefree abandon. Living wildly, magically, and free. Be open to the wonders of the universe flooding into your life. Innocence and delight are abounding. Happiness is on its way!

Native Spirit Wisdom: Almost every indigenous culture recounts stories of fairies, often called little people, and nature spirits. Although some of the fairies act in protection of their wildlands and should be treated with care and respect, most often they bring blessings and light to all in the room. If this Nature Spirit card chooses you, then welcome to a wellspring of joy and magic. Beneath the surface, mystical interventions are occurring in your life. Relax. All is well.

The Journey: Even taking a few moments of stillness in the natural world can help you attune to the world of the little people and nature spirits. If you see a small flash of light or a movement of a leaf on a windless day, these are often signs that the wee folk are near. 

Native Spirit Oracle by author Denise Linn and artist Charles McStravick

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Well, this card certainly beat the time I drew the card representing Jealousy on Valentine’s Day! It was a weird spread today: Eight of Bows (Hearthfire), King of Bows (Adder), and this one, which had the strongest pull. Do keep in mind this card is NOT just about romantic attraction – this may represent a new friendship, project, or some other potentiality. Blessings!

Two of Vessels – Attraction

Meaning: The initial attraction and exploration of potential. The beginning of a possible relationship or friendship and the precursor to an interchange of polaric energies. Opposition and attraction in life.

Reading Points: The first shared spark of attraction between two human beings can appear simple and uncomplicated on the surface, but the underlying psychological chemistry and the subtle interplay that ignites that magical first exchange is usually complex and eclectic. As human beings, we absorb millions of subliminal signals and messages from those around us, and we unconsciously process these stimuli and react to them every second of every day. We subconsciously absorb body language, scent, and nonverbal communication and react to them emotionally with impulses and decision-making instincts developed over millennia.

Taking an instantaneous dislike to someone is governed by the same set of prehistory sensory drives developed by humans when we roamed freely across the African savannah; “love at first sight” is as valid today as it was then. Our perceptions and signals are shared, acknowledged and reciprocated, breaking through the protective barriers and forming the initial polaric bond that is the foundation of deep and lasting attraction.

Description: Two anthropomorphic figures, a horse-headed female and a stag-headed male, face each other with one hand raised and one lowered. Their arms form a diamond shape, and in the center is an enflamed heart. From their two lowered hands flow streams of water, falling into two cups that sit upon a low hill beneath them.

The Wildwood Tarot by Mark Ryan and John Matthews and artist Will Worthington

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This is an unusual time of year for this deck, but it really did seem to call me this morning. As for the card, don’t confuse this zombie with the zombies of Hollywood – this is about control, not survival. Do you need to take back control of your life? Or do you try to control too much, leaving little room for the magic of surprises and serendipity?

Zombie – Control

The dead arise
voices a-mumbling
after our brains
our screams they are tumbling

Zombies have become quite the fashion recently, much like vampires. Turn on the television and you can’t escape the moaning and groaning of these, the living dead. (And yes, they do seem to be after your brain!) There are even public zombie walks – where people dress us as zombies and appear en mass on roads and in cities.

But zombies are not merely a fun icon of popular culture. Traditionally, they are mainly associated with the African and Haitian Vodou religion. Zombies are said to be dead bodies reanimated by incantations chanted by a learned practitioner (called a “bokor”) and they are usually enlivened for a purpose.

The practitioner is said to capture part of a living soul to animate the body and that is always a temporary action as the soul cannot be contained in that decomposing body for long or God will take the soul back.

One of the most frightening aspects of zombiism is the idea of our souls and consciousness being trapped inside a body that does not do our bidding but someone else’s. Another is the idea of being buried alive – the fate of some, it is said, who get trapped in already dead bodies.

Should the zombi step unsteadily into your life, it’s time to look at the concept of control. Do you want to control everything, leaving little to free expression? Do you choose partners who are not your equal so that they are more easily manipulated and changed to your liking? Or do you allow that to happen to you? If you are not living your most authentic life, it’s time to look at why and how to change that.

The Halloween Oracle by Staci Demarco, art by Jimmy Manton

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Hmmm, here’s an interesting card as we head into the weekend.

Cat – Guardianship, Detachment, Sensuality

Meaning: Cat bring us the ability to observe situations quietly without judgement, before making decisions. Apparently asleep, but really listening, a cat can sit for hours until it acts with decisiveness. Remember the saying, “A cat may look at a king.” You have a right to know and to judge important issues for yourself in your own time.

The cat unites an awareness of the spirit-world with a highly developed sensuality. Theses two attributes are not polar opposites as dualist spiritual teachings would have us believe, but are facets of one continuum of awareness and sensitivity. Working toward wholeness involves enhancing our appreciation of both the physical and non-physical worlds.

This card may also indicate that you must be wary of becoming an axen-cat, an old term which means a fireside cat, too lazy to bother much about the world. An indolent and self-absorbed sensuality, rather than an opening of the self to the magic of the physical world, is usually a means of escaping from reality. The cat is easily able to travel in her spirit form in the Otherworld, but it is imprint for you to be strongly earthed in everyday physical reality. An interest in the mysterious and the cult can sometimes be inappropriate, especially if it is used as a defense against the pain and difficulty of being in the world.

Druid Animal Oracle by authors Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm and artist Will Worthington

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Another powerful guiding card today – perhaps we should all pay attention!

THE POLE STAR

READING POINTS: The power of universal lore is at work here, either within the individual or permeating a web of circumstance that will bring profound change and new spiritual hope. The Pole Star of prophetic guidance and inspirational knowledge has risen and will guide you on your forthcoming journey through the forest. If you hold this ancient and basic truth near the core of your being and navigate by it you cannot go far wrong; it is there as a talisman as well as a symbol of the universal cycle of nature. Whenever you are feeling lost in the dark Labyrinth of life, remember that the laws and primal matter that bind the Pole Star and fuel its giant heart also formed you.

DESCRIPTION: The pure white light of the Pole Star illuminates the dark void of the universe and casts its radiance upon the Earth. The star represents the remotest power in the celestial sky and the interaction and fusion of particles that produce heat and light. Stars rise above the Earth, beckoning our searching minds to reach beyond our own solar system and grasp the vastness of space. The swirling clouds of stellar dust that formed the heart of the stars spiral outward into infinity and turn with the cycle of the universe. The blessing of the Pole Star radiates to the Earth across the abyss and reminds us that the same stuff of creation that fuels and binds these mighty sentinels of the night sky burns within us. Latest research shows that stars are initially formed as a sphere within a ring or circle of matter, echoing the cup and ring symbols found carved on stones of prehistory that may represent the seed of manifestation and the source of creation itself. The blessing of the stellar world bathes the Earth and the human spirit with healing and regenerative energy.

MEANING: The Pole Star symbolizes universal law, higher spiritual knowledge and power. The first breath of creation formed the stars and binds them together as constants within the visible universe. Our own star, the Sun, reminds us of the awesome power that burns at the heart of these stellar giants and yet that they are only the sentinels of our own visual reality. The Pole Star reminds us that there is a greater, unseen power in the universe, one that can manifest and balance the enormous gravity, light, and energy that form the heart of a star and yet also weaves the sublet interations between the subatomic particles that exist in multidimensional states that we can only theorize about.

Since the dawn of time, stars have been revered and studied as they traversed the sky. For the first travelers, the Pole Star offered a constant navigation aid as the star fields wheeled about its fixed position. Long-range calendar predictions and mathematical equations also developed from these first attempts at astronomy. Research suggests that the pyramids were laid out in the shape of constellation of Orion and ancient people saw mythical beasts, gods, and history laid out pictorially in the twinkling star patterns of the night sky. Like the Sun and Moon, the stars moved through the heavens in a regular, predictable cycle, some vanishing beneath the horizon during the summer and reappearing during winter. Mythical stories of great hunters and slain warriors honored by the gods and placed forever in the night sky were handed down through time and developed into ancient religious practices.

The Wildwood Tarot by authors Mark Ryan and John Matthew and artist Will Worthington

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