OK, it is HOT here in southeast Kansas. Our temps this week have mostly been over 100 and will continue to be so for almost a week more. It’s hard to plan activity and to have energy when we aren’t acclimated to this heat, but don’t forget there are ways indoors to stay active and energetic (or to get up earlier as we have to walk/exercise and do yard work).
It’s interesting that I haven’t pulled from this deck in ages and then we get something so timely – Lughnassadh is just 9 days away! I hope The Sun card embodied by Lleu/Lugh encourages you to tap into the energy you have to finish a project, plan a fun day for you and yours, or maybe even something more seasonally typical (I plan to do some jamming tomorrow).
Blessings!
Thistle
Lleu – The Sun
Meaning: Joy, light, and energy. Clarity of vision. Optimism and success. An understanding of the heart’s true desires. An appreciation of the beauty and simplicity of life. Knowledge, wholeness, and strength. A feeling of value and purpose.
Artistic achievement or the completion of an unusual project. Good health, friendship, and activity. Safety and security, allowing us to enjoy the pleasures of time in the sun.
Commitment; a happy marriage. A breakthrough. Well-deserved acclaim enthusiastically celebrated with friends.
On the flip side, this could mean confusion and suspicion preventing one from enjoying the warmth of the sun. Entertaining fantasies of success unsupported by a realistic plan for achievement. Broken promises; the crumbling of an alliance. The possibility of partial happiness if one makes an effort to a predate what rays of sun break through the clouds.
About LLeu: The name Lleu means “bright” or “fair.” Like the Irish god Lugh, he was believed to be a solar deity and the model of a divine king. He was the master of many skills – a talented carpenter, poet, musician, healer, and magician. As a High Celtic God concerned with the land’s fertility and welfare, it was Lleu’s responsibility to oversee the sacred marriage between land and king. Building on the tradition established by Lleu, it is supposed that the coronation ritual of a king involved a druid-seer who prophesied the coming succession of kings. In this context, the words of the soothsayer were thought to be the words of Lleu and it is clear how Lleu’s poetry and prophecy were held to bring peace and harmony out of chaos.
The festival of Lleu or Lugh is known as Lughnasadh or Lughnasa, and occurs on the first day of August. This celebration would take place amidst standing stones. Aside from the relevant rituals, there would be horse races, plays, dancing, and games, all of which took on a religious significance. the design of prehistoric Avebury Ring is a magic circle on the grandest scale, representing the energizing and protective qualities of the Sun card.
Legend: The Arthurian Tarot by Anna-Marie Ferguson
Parting the Mists 