About the Number 8
Theme: Power, Responsibility, Good Judgment, Financial Rewards
Astro Association: Leo
Tarot Association: StrengthThe Empress
This Tarot Deck: Tarot of the Spirit
In medieval Europe, the Empress card was painted to represent whatever Queen currently ruled the land, probably to satisfy the Inquisitors. But the scholars of the Renaissance and beyond had no doubt of her true identity, although she could not be fully revealed on Tarot cards as the “woman clothed with the sun” until after the French Revolution.
This supreme archetype of femininity also symbolizes fertility. It is She who provides us nourishment and security. She is also sometimes seen as delighting us with flowers and fruit. A potentially terrifying aspect of this archetype manifests itself whenever karmic mood swings wipe out our plans, like a storm that has come upon us. Whatever happens, the Empress is the Source of our Embodiment and of Natural Law. She might even be called “the Great Recycler.”
The intellectual Aquarius Moon shapes the early morning and her entry into compassionate Pisces at 8:23 am EDT shifts our perceptual framework from a conceptual to an emotional one. The Moon’s square to the curious Gemini Sun gets us wondering about how our feelings influence our thoughts. A frustrating Venus-Saturn aspect requires patience, while mental Mercury’s creative quintile to metaphysical Neptune assures us that imagination rules.
You may be content with your dreams now, but you’re also aware that there is more to life than your fantasies with so many incomplete projects demanding your attention. Even if you’re able to postpone a deadline for another day or two, you can’t escape thinking about everything you have yet to finish. But worrying in advance doesn’t accomplish anything unless you’re ready to do something about it now. Don’t put off for tomorrow what you can do today.
Your reliability can earn the respect of your associates, especially if you’re willing to make a decision today and stand by it. Even if your ideas are unpopular, your serious demeanor convinces others to go along with your choice because they realize how much thought has gone into your response. Nevertheless, picking one side over another is still tricky business, so give yourself permission to change your mind if you are so inclined.
You cannot easily settle down because you’re thinking about the possible repercussions to what you’re doing. Your previously optimistic outlook may be sagging because a special opportunity isn’t looking quite as good now. Intuitively, you know that once you make up your mind you won’t be able to go back and undo your decision, so take all the time you need before announcing your final choice.
You may be having a difficult time today, but others probably won’t be aware of your stress because you’re able to keep it to yourself. You have a very particular idea of what you want your future to look like, yet you might be convinced that you’re not on the right track. Don’t try to talk yourself out of your dreams, even if they make your life more complicated now. Your self-doubt will eventually fade and you’ll realize that nearly anything is possible once you put your mind to it.
You have a unique point of view today, which increases your chances of surprising others, especially if they want to conveniently place you inside a traditional box. Ironically, your perspective isn’t quite as radical as it seems; it’s just that you may overstate your position as you try to make your case. Although you are quite opinionated, you should be able to get the support you need now as long as you mix integrity into your passions.
You might have an inaccurate view of your partner or co-worker today and yet you’re able to logically justify your opinion. Fortunately, you have an open mind and are willing to shift your perspective as you learn more about what’s actually happening. Although you’re tempted to scatter your energies now, you can achieve better results if you address the tension in a troublesome relationship. Resolving interpersonal dynamics can help you find the time to reach your other goals, too.
Instead of concentrating on your tasks at work today, you might be inclined to kick back and enjoy yourself. But you may have to fulfill your responsibilities first, so don’t take on any more than what you must. Your wisest strategy now is to balance work with play, rather than declaring either of them as more important than the other.
It’s odd to think that the Moon’s entry into imaginative Pisces can bring you back to reality, but her square to the Sun in your 8th House of Transformation today actually does have that effect. The dreaminess further fades with a down-to-earth Venus-Saturn aspect, exposing the limitations of your current perspective. But don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater, for your inner child can teach you an important lesson if you let it come out to play.
Although you might need to go to work, you probably would prefer disappearing within your own home today. Nevertheless, once you do what is required, you could go back to the seclusion of your residence, turn off the phone and declare temporary independence from the outside world. For someone who normally likes to be the life of the party, hiding out now can be your secret guilty pleasure.
You don’t know what to do as the Moon joins indecisive Neptune in your 3rd House of Information. Although you’re able to say the right things that inspire others, you still might see yourself as a fraud because judgmental Saturn prevents you from perceiving yourself clearly today. Keep in mind that your uplifting words can be even more effective now if you believe in them yourself.
You are full of hope today as the Moon joins idealistic Neptune. But you may also be fearful that your meager efforts might not be enough to make things better. Don’t waste precious time belittling your contribution. Instead, shift the energy and focus on what you can do. Global change will not be the result of extraordinary work by a few people; it will come from the combined smaller deeds of everyone.
The Moon’s conjunction with spiritual Neptune in your sign today highlights your unique connection to all of humanity and the entire cosmos. You are unable to fully separate yourself from the larger picture, yet, paradoxically, an awkward Venus-Saturn aspect increases your current sense of isolation. Fortunately, taking a bit of time out of your busy day to meditate or pray can be enough to remind you that all fish live in the same sea and that individuality isn’t as important as it seems.
Did you know… |
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From Wikipedia’s newest articles:
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May 24: Independence Day in Eritrea; Saints Cyril and Methodius Day in Bulgaria and the Republic of Macedonia
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Herb of the Day
EUCALYPTUS
Do not use on the faces of small children.
Folk Names: Blue gum Tree, Stringy Bark Tree
Gender: Feminine
Planet: Moon
Element: Water
Powers: Healing, Protection
Magickal Uses: The leaves are used to stuff healing poppets and are carried to maintain good health. To relieve colds, ring green candles with the leaves and pods and burn them to the socket, visualising the person (or yourself)) as being completely healthy. Also hang a small branch or twig of eucalyptus over the sick bed.
String the immature (green) pods on green thread and wear to help heal sore throats. Placed beneath the pillow,the pods guard against colds
The leaves are also carried for protection.
Do you remember the witchy Goddess CERIDWEN and her cauldron of knowledge, and her servant lad GWION-BACH? Well this is him after he got thrown into the sea. He was clever enough to get himself caught in a fish trap and thereby rescued.
Delighted with his cleverness, he decided to re-name himself TALIESIN or ‘Shining Brow’. He went on to become Wizard, Bard and Prophet — now there’s clever.
Making Room for all Genders in Paganism
Author: Maggi Setti
In this age of women’s liberation, we still find a deep wound surrounding gender differences in our culture. How is gender expressed differently in the pagan community? Is there still a use for gender specific ritual spaces? Many of these questions are ongoing with many answers, but it is high time that we see these issues with new eyes as we approach a second generation of Pagan feminists, both male, female, and spectrum of gender identification in between.
At a public class I taught a couple weeks ago on developing energetic and psychic skills, I was surprised that that there was an equal number of male and female attendants. For Wicca, this is a rarity, as you will find the vast majority of Wiccans are women. The easy explanation for this is that women are more hurt by the patriarchal approach of mainstream religions and need the feminine divine more acutely than men.
In a personal conversation, a male Wiccan offered the idea that there are more women than men interested and involved in spirituality and religion in general. He used the example that most church functions, other than the priesthood itself, are run by women and often women are dragging their husbands to church rather than the men being self-motivated in attending. I think that if this premise is true, that women as a group are more spiritually focused than men in mainstream religions as well as Pagan denominations. We can infer that this phenomenon comes from at least two influences as follows.
1. Men are discouraged from being in touch with their soft emotions. It’s hard to be in touch with the greater picture and how one fits in to that greater whole, and at the same time, this suppresses much of one’s internal reality as well.
2. Much of adherence to the Christian religion, as it is currently expressed, depends on guilt and fear. There is more room for men to assert themselves, their ideas, opinions and what they want on other people in their lives. While this may be lopsided, it also allows for a greater development on one’s power and ego especially for men as a group more so than women. Women are more likely to struggle with fear and guilt, and feeling powerless, are therefore more susceptible to the disempowerment and subversion of the religions tenants.
Both of my points above would support that it is not the nature of women or men that make women more spiritually focused, but another example of how our culture is unhealthy and imbalanced. Unfortunately how the pagan community during the past 40 years has approached this is by creating overblown false egos for women and small-scale fiefdoms that breed infighting, confusion, and mistrust. I saw this in Sunday school as a kid, in the choir in high school, and still see it.
Women’s empowerment and healing the gap between the genders is not about the segregation of the sexes anymore though. It’s about building healthy egos, empowerment, self-esteem and ending the war of the sexes. Women’s only spaces were intended to be safe havens in which women felt supported rather than competing with other women. These spaces were meant as healing spaces to use ritual as a forum to connect with the feminine divine within each woman there, as well as the feminine divine of the group, the culture, and the Great Goddess Herself. Therefore these spaces are not about reliving the pain and hurt of what has been wrong with the system, but to encourage alchemical change within individuals so that they can build new paradigms of how they approach and express gender, but power, sexuality, self-expression, and self-worth.
All of this is about self-love and acceptance. Not acceptance that makes excuses for maladaptive behavior that is permissive our faults, but rather an acceptance to be gentle with ourselves so that we can motivate change, growth, and healing. “I love my body as uniquely my own. I am not flawed. I am as I should be.” Affirmations such as these help to let go of the cultural myth of the perfect feminine, youthful woman that does not exist.
Please note that I am referencing cultural expectations. Our culture oversimplifies definitions of qualities into white and black categories. If you can’t label someone, force him or her to go into a category until you are comfortable that you have him or her pegged. Much of the path of the witch embraces the grays of twilight and dawn and the myriad of shades of gray within continuum of many things. Where we fall on the continuum for many things including how we express gender, sexuality, our relationships, our connection to the Gods, will be different for all of us.
As Pagans we embrace our differences and still are able to work together, to manifest a new humanity. We need to be very cognizant of embracing each individual’s true expression of himself or herself: whether it be the gender labels they use for themselves in this case, or other expressions of self.
We can’t just look at women though. Women are not the only ones that have suffered from the imbalance of this “war of the sexes.” At Fall Frolic in Milford PA, I’ll be teaching a women’s empowerment class and leading a women’s only ritual. I’ve suggested to the organizers of Fall Frolic that we also run a men’s ritual at the same time. In fact, these rituals can do real magick upon the higher planes to interact in a spiritually fertilizing and polarizing way in order to heal the gender schism of the group mind of humanity. In my opinion, this magickal healing is the next step for building bridges for healthy intragender relationships.
How do we interest men in a way that retains their sense of strength, self-worth, respect, and power? How do we incorporate men into a religion that includes sparkly purple fairy glitter and witch Barbie? (Not my personal taste, but still an active stereotype) . How do we rebuild the archetype of the warrior for both men and women, working, fighting for a cause, and protecting their tribe?
I hope that there are Pagan men interested and willing to forge the way for answering these questions. We need all genders working together and creating new ways of relating to one another so that we can create a balanced future for our religion, our children, and our culture.
Just a Dream?
Author: Lady Sindy Aine
I went to bed like any other night; troubles had been weighing heavy on me the past few days and I sometimes can’t rest my mind enough to sleep. I asked the Goddess Aradia to help me on my journey. I felt a warm tingling encompass me and I felt at ease enough to drift off to sleep. I want to share with you just a small glimpse of the journey that followed.
I find myself sitting in a picturesque garden lush with green plants and sensuous flowers heavily scented rich in color and allure. Stone pathways with smooth detailed statues and strangely shaped sculptures. Each are filled with complicated rhymes and puzzles connected to them that allows each one to come to life if I am able to conjure up the answers, every one of them needs to be opened in a specific order it is all part of the puzzle.
I first start with a statue of the Goddess Aradia after several acts of respect I tried to bring life to her, then with a simple kiss on her foot she comes to life. So joyous to be in her presence her green eyes sparkled she was divine. She held me in her embrace a feeling of safety and home filled me. I felt I had been in the presence of a mother figure and I her child.
She began to spin in a circle laughing and full of life she relieves me from all my hurt and pain, allowing me to let go, to truly let go. All the feelings inside of me, anything that was holding me down were lifted with one touch from her hand. My beloved Goddess gives me strength to face all of my fears with no fear. My body feels weightless in her company and my mind open and free able to start fresh and new anything is possible. Her face grew solemn as she steps away from me.
Sadly, I leave her as she directs me to my next challenge. With great respect and gratitude I move on, to a very unusual sculpture in this spectacular garden. Made up of three large round tapered objects with the middle one being the largest, a red darkened brown with horizontal ridges carved into the heaviest section at the middle of this. Smaller versions lie at the top and the bottom. A finished piece much like a lid of some sort sat upon the very top.
With a simple spin to each of these objects much like a prayer wheel, life inside of me was ignited Secrets flowed into me about life and its answers I have long awaited. Having had a life changing experience I took a moment to absorb it all.
Rising to my feet I continue to a fountain large as a lake. The water shimmers and rings from the splashing fountain, all visions are obscured and all knowing is absent until I am able to see through it all. The colors not looking like anything, but everything all at once. Then I see and feel. I know that with just one sip from this sacred water of life I will begin a journey into my very essence. Cold to the touch this crisp water clear of any flavor begins to flow into me. I feel it warm inside of me and vibrate to all parts of my body, knowing all that is important in my life and all that is not.
Focused on and what needs to be done and what needs to be let go I fear the separation of these things will be difficult. I begin to feel the cold spray from the fountain’s water caressing my skin as a way to awaken me the fountain and its lake are alive to me and I struggle to pull myself away and continue my voyage.
Now to another figure, that of an elderly man, whose aura vibrates in vivid color. There is just an enormous amount of energy flowing from him you can hear a faint humming sound that I believe is resonating from this man and amplified by a boulder he is resting upon. As I make my way towards this man in the middle of this deeply wooded pathway I am humbled by his presence.
He stands before me; his white hair is long, wavy and thick tied back at the base of his neck. His arms reach out to me as his heavy brown robe falls in folds around his body. I look into his deep brown eyes; they are welcoming and full of wisdom.
I follow this path with him side by side. I am drawn to his eyes I could not turn away even if I wanted too. He speaks to me without words. I feel everything he is conveying to me and I give myself to him quite willingly with one last embrace of safety, warmth and belonging I knew this is where I wish to be forever but I also know I cannot stay here.
Finally, off in the distance I observed a path undisturbed for many years, quiet and still. I see a beautiful woman in a flowing silver gown as she makes her way effortlessly through the brush and fallen limbs of the old oak trees standing in much majesty throughout this forest on the edge of such a beautiful park. She beckons me to follow her, I feel hesitant, she seems so distant and unworldly I gazed into her eyes with some fear of what I would see.
However, her eyes gleamed an ice blue she reached out her hand and it was soft and supple she was so beautiful I allowed myself to be washed away in her and I followed her. She was not like anyone or thing I have ever encountered, she glowed just simply glowed. She had almost a gravitational pull I couldn’t break free no matter how unsure I was or scared even. I felt this was a test, a test of facing the unknown. The feeling as if the blessed Goddess Diana herself was giving me her blessings with every step, was imprinted on my very being.
This was a divine destination, a voyage where I have encountered every element, and my most valued and treasured Gods and blessed Goddesses. I have been waiting for this moment for a lifetime. My destination was shown to me. After several moments of trial and error, learning the rhymes and puzzles to this path and having figured out the pattern and order. I have found this journey most enlightening and successful.
Now on to my next path obviously one less traveled. I am excited to move through this world and onto the next with great certainty that I have chosen well. I have accomplished much within myself. Whether this was just a very healing dream or something a bit more I woke having a much better grasp and knowledge of why I am here. With this gracious gift bestowed to me I will never suffer again. I am most grateful to not have to worry about such things I have spent so many years doing that. Now I can focus on what needs to be done without much effort of why things need to be done.
I am filled with enlightenment that will flow throughout my blood like the warmth of a running river. I dream of Magick that has not been thought of for many, many years I feel it deep within myself.
My message to you is simply to allow yourself to open your mind and just touch the energy that will lead you too, on your own wondrous journey.
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The Witchcraft Chronicles 
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