Tarot Strategies for Life Change

Morning Routines, the Astrology Weather, and the #amtarot Card

There are a couple things I like to do to get ready to meet the new day. Just as I like to check the meteorological weather, I like to check the astrological weather. This give me a heads up on the nature of the energy shifts I will encounter throughout the day.

Because I have worked with astrology for many years, a quick glance at the ephemeris is all that is necessary to see what the day's planetary patterns will be and how they will interact with my astrological chart. 

To get a deeper insight into the active energies, I might pull out a Tarot card. The symbolism of the card will speak to some aspect of the astrological energies in play. It is a way to see where I should focus my attention.

It isn't necessary that the card is pulled by you personally--lately I tend to use the card highlighted in the Twitter topic #amtarot where I can get additional viewpoints from other Tarot aficionados. But incorporating that information into your morning orientation adds another level of richness and meaning.

It is interesting that the #amtarot draw this morning is the Knight of Wands. I look to the #amtarot draw as one indicator of which energies are being highlighted. 

I made some comments about today's overall astrological conditions here, but one area that escaped my focus was the spirited Moon in Sagittarius which will oppose Mars this evening. 

The Knight of Wands is a feisty fellow who takes what he wants and doesn't take no for an answer. The niceties of Emily Post bore him, but passion and excitement keep him alive. The message of the Knight of Wands is to plug into that which fills you with passion and then go for it.

The outgoing Moon in Sagittarius is also filled with high energy and passion. It also tells us to go for it. But it modifies the raw Knight of Wands energy by prodding us to think long-term. It isn't enough to push for an objective, the passion has to be part of your larger vision.

So what is your larger vision, how are you going to get there, and which dragons will you slay in the process?

The Sun, Leo, and The Sun card

This past Tuesday night, we experienced an intense solar eclipse in the very, very last degree of Cancer. We will not experience another solar eclipse of this intensity until 2032.

It is no accident that fire signs (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) follow water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces). Water signs focus on feeling and emotion. Inner planet transits through the water signs mark excellent opportunities to do introspective, clearing, emotional work. When we finish the reward is often a surge in energy and a feeling of being refreshed. 

I liken it to going outside to revel in the clean air after a turbulent thunderstorm. 

But no sooner did the Sun and Moon begin to separate than the Moon, and later the Sun, enter Leo. So if you've done your emotional work well, you are feeling cleansed, energized, and ready to get down to business in the area of your chart in which Leo falls.

Later today, (mid-afternoon for those in the Eastern time zone), the Moon will oppose Jupiter and Neptune. This is not a great time form making far-reaching financial decisions, but a wonderful opportunity to take a time-out for meditation. 

I recommend using The Sun Tarot card as your focus. The Sun captures the direct, clean energy of the fresh Leo energy.

The card shows a sun filling the upper half of the image shining brightly. Sunflowers line a brick wall behind a smiling, nude child astride a white horse flanked by a red flag. Red is the color of vitality, white purity. The child himself is pure and direct-one reason he has no need of clothing as a mask. 

You may find it useful to keep a journal by your side after meditating to record any thoughts that come up.

A Meditation for Tonight's Eclipse

In a total eclipse, such as the one occurring tonight, the Sun's light is blocked. While the resulting darkness is disconcerting, the Sun's normally bright light can obscure. 

This is a roundabout way of saying not to be surprised as  things well-hidden come to light-or you get a flash that helps you put the pieces of a puzzle together whose parts were in plain view all along.

This eclipse takes place at the very, very end of the water sign of Cancer. Both the Sun and the Moon will enter fiery Leo within hours. To me, this suggests the metaphor of bringing things from darkness into the light.

This is a very powerful time to meditate. I recommend using the Tarot card The Moon as a focus. 

In the Rider Waite Smith decks, the image depicts a solar eclipse. Primitive sea creatures rise out of the murky waters to begin a long journey to the light. What will be uncovered in your life when the bright light of the Sun is obscured?

29 Degrees and the Six of Cups

Each sign has 30 degrees. When a planet reaches the last degree of a sign, it's energy is about to shift.

Think of a planet as a light and a sign as a colored lens. When you view the planet through the lens it appears to take on its color. And when a planet changes signs it is as if we viewed it through, say a yellow lens rather than a pink lens.

But when a planet readies itself to change signs it marks a time to clean up the loose ends connected with the issues brought up by its transit there.

Today, Mars leaves calm, stolid Taurus for flighty Gemini. Mars deals with our desires and how we satisfy them. In Taurus, we approach things slowly, one step at-a-time. In Taurus, Mars concerns itself with security, financial and physical. It is aware of the pleasures of the physical world--the perfume of roses, the feel of silk on the skin...

Today's #amtarot card, the Six of Cups, evokes the feel of Taurus' solidity in the secure, fortress-like buildings that protect the children. And physicality also comes through in the flowers that are found in each cup.

The affection of the children is protected by the shelter that allow them to express themselves without fear of harm or ridicule from the rougher outside world.

But shortly Mars enters Gemini, an air sign, where the emphasis is on movement and communication. Whatever has been carefully nurtured in this protected environment will soon be subject to the rough and tumble of the free exchange of people and ideas.

Get ready.

Even spiritually focused people need to concern themselves with healthcare reform

No matter how spiritual we think we are or may wish to be, the simple truth is that we are physical beings. That means we have to deal with the reality of caring and maintaining our physical bodies and dealing with those other physical realities such as paying the bills and keeping a roof over one's head.

In the US, there is much debate in now over the broken health care system. Because most Americans depend on private insurance to pay for their care, the ability to access medical care is based on the health insurance coverage the person has or doesn't have.

With the push for reform much of this sorry state can change. Currently, health reform legislation is being debated in Congress.

But the health insurance industry, feeling threatened, has pulled out stops to blunt changes that would be detrimental to their bottom line. As for profit corporations, their duty to their shareholders is to maximize profit and they do that very well.

Unfortunately, their tactics have serious social costs. The consequence is that many people lack health insurance and many more have coverage with such big holes, that they face financial ruin over the prospect of a hospital stay. One study concluded that approximately 50% of people who go bankrupt do because of a medical problem and of those who do, 75% start out WITH insurance.

Some tactics are rather questionable ethically. Bill Moyers showed a clip on his show of a woman testifying before Congress of her experience. She had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer and was scheduled to go into the hospital the very next day for a double mastectomy. She had been a long-time customer and had cleared the procedure with her carrier.

The day before she was scheduled to be admitted, her carrier called her to say they were dropping her coverage. Her hospital demanded $30,000 upfront-well beyond her means and she was forced to postpone her surgery.

After fighting for several months, her congressman called the president of her carrier personally. With that call, she was put back on the rolls and was able to get her surgery. But in the meantime, her tumor had gotten larger necessitating more extensive treatment.

This practice, of dropping a paid up insured at the time of major illness or the need for and expensive procedure is called recission and it is used by all major carriers. They comb through the insured's records looking for some evidence that the insured hid some condition at the time of application. Often the condition is very minor and unrelated.

The bottom line for us now, if you live or work in the US, is to speak up forcefully to your senators about the need for insurance reform. In Bill Moyers interview this past Friday, Wendell Potter, the former head of CIGNA's PR operations details the tactics the industry is using to derail reform efforts.

It is an eye opening program and I encourage you to watch it and take action. Taking care of yourself physically is the first step to taking care of yourself spiritually.

Jupiter/Neptune, The Magician, Dreams and Illusions

The Jupiter/Neptune conjunction is exact today. This is not as much of a turning point as one might expect, the two planets will continue to travel very close to each until year-end. Think of the energy as a slow ocean swell that gradually rises and falls during its time together.

Like all astrology energy, Jupiter/Neptune in combination can manifest in many ways--but they are tied in with the overall meaning of the energy. Jupiter is expansion. It makes us feel optimistic and under its influence we can, if unrestrained, be prone to excess.

It is a time of hope, but not the sharpest judgment.

Neptune represents dreams and illusions. It is also associated with substances and the people that cause dreams and illusions. These range from those who inspire to con-artists.

Their presence coincides with the "Camelot" aura around Barack Obama's presidency. His ability to inspire hope is a good antidote to the gloom of the economic downturn.

A good use of Tarot is to bring out and highlight astrological symbolism.

Today's #amtarot draw, The Magician, illuminates today's conjunction of Jupiter and Neptune. First you have to have a dream. Then The Magician works his magic by enabling the ability to manifest.

He is a person of many skills. This is appropriate because we live in a physical world--dreams are not enough on their own--it is necessary to use knowledge and skill to turn dream into reality.

When working less positively, The Magician can manifest the negative side of Neptune. The Magician, particularly reversed, can be a glib, fast-talker, using his powers of persuasion to empty your wallet.

My Car, its Air Conditioning Problem, and The Hanged Man Tarot Card

Sometimes the imagery of a Tarot card will speak to an ongoing situation in a very literal way. When that occurs, the insights are very valuable because they are speaking directly to your situation and they deserve close attention.

Just as I checked to see today's #amtarot card, I had finally gotten through to the service station where my car was left to be fixed. I had called several times before the phone was answered and I was getting frustrated. The car was left the day before, it was a couple hours into the new business day, I still hadn't heard from them, and I was anxious to find out when I could have it back, repaired.

How appropriate that today's #amtarot card is The Hanged Man. For the past week I have been going back and forth with my service station over the repair of a faulty expansion valve for the air conditioning system in my car.

It's not that it is such a big deal to replace the part itself, it's just that to get to the part, the mechanic has to take apart the dash and he cannot do that without additional help.

My car has been in the shop on and off all week while my mechanic researched the problem, figured out a solution and made the appropriate arrangements, and I will have to take it back on Monday. Nonetheless, it saves me a trip to the dealer who would probably replace the entire system and charge exorbitantly for the privilege.

Having intermittent use of my car really does have me feeling hung up. It does happen from time to time that a card will operate on a very literal level as in this case.

The Hanged Man depicted in the card is a metaphor that describes and suggests accommodations I will make until this issue is resolved. The figure in the card is serene with a halo around his head like an angel or a saint. His hands are behind him--are they tied? We can't see. But in his position his hands are probably of little use.

So patience is suggested. And so is handling the situation with grace.

The service station staff are trying to help me. I have had cars serviced there for years and they are decent, reputable people. Showing appreciation for their efforts rather than impatience at my personal inconvenience is the way to go.

The Hanged Man is not wasting energy on things he cannot do. Just as it behooves me not to ruminate on my petty inconveniences. Instead I dwell on my feelings of appreciation that my particular mechanic is willing to go the extra mile to research the problem to help me (and save me hundreds of dollars).

So just as The Hanged Man sees the world in a different way when he hangs upside down from a tree than the rest of us, I'm moved to shift my perspective from annoyance at the delay and inconvenience to appreciation for the mechanic's efforts.

All in all, The Hanged Man resonates with me today.

Robert S. McNamara and the hubris of logic

Today's #pmtarot card is the King of Swords reversed.

The Swords cut. Logic without compassion can be very cutting indeed. And in the words of one wise woman friend of mine, "you can have all of the information and do all of the analysis and still miss the boat."

Perhaps it is appropriate that intellectual wunderkind and former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara died this morning. He and his staff elevated the rule of logic to grand heights. And yet, as we know too well, his handling of the Vietnam war was a failure causing the deaths and suffering of many.

It is a lesson best heeded by our current president whose administration was handpicked from the "the best and the brightest."

Astrological conditions suggest a curbing of hubris might be in order. We are in the eve of a powerful lunar eclipse in the signs of Capricorn and Cancer suggesting that some secrets about the established order are about to be revealed. Watch the headlines.

And Mars is squaring the Jupiter/Neptune conjunction: excessive and ill-considered action. But we can also use these conditions as an opportunity to open up to a higher spirit.

Ace of Swords, Moon in Sagittarius, fresh thinking is in the air

 You should feel a lightening of the general atmosphere when the Moon moves from moody Scorpio to lighthearted Sagittarius. If we've done our work in Scorpio, then we indeed ARE lighter, because we aren't carrying around so much mental clutter. Certainly the emotional intensity has dropped a peg or two.

When the air seems cleaner and brighter - the way it seems after a heavy storm - it is much easier to look at your environment with fresh eyes.

Today's #amtarot card, The Ace of Swords, like all aces, are new beginnings. It represents things in the embryonic or conceptual stages. In Swords, the suit of communications and intellect, The Ace might represent a new idea in its conceptual stage as opposed to a carefully thought out strategy.

In a word, the ground is ripe for fresh thinking!

The Ace of Swords might also indicate that a new perspective is needed.

It is interesting that swords are used to represent the intellect in the Tarot--swords are tools that are used to cut. The intellect does analyze but it uses the mechanism of language to express itself. And, despite the children's rhyme to the contrary, "sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me" ... the truth is that names do hurt and as many tragic episodes in history attest, names can kill.

This aspect of Swords is relevant because Sagittarius (and many Sagittarians) are noted for their bluntness.

Thoughts?

Moon in Scorpio, The Moon, diving into the psyche

The Moon continues its travels through Scorpio where it will remain until tomorrow morning. The Moon describes the general emotional tone that surrounds us and in Scorpio our desire is to get to the bottom of things, clean out what has outlived its usefulness or is impeding us.

But to me, both the Moon in Scorpio and The Moon Tarot card, today's #amtarot card, are associated with diving down into the psyche, down into the place where the rational mind gives way to the older instinctual self.

This is one reason that the card's image depicts no humans, only animals. This card can be best understood by reading it from bottom to top. In the lowest quadrant a scorpion-like creature rises out of the water. As the water meets the land, a path begins that takes one out for a long journey eventually scaling up the distant mountains.

At the beginning of the path, near the water's edge, we see a wolf and a dog baying at the Moon which stands directly in front of the Sun, blocking its light--in other words, a total solar eclipse.

So this journey to enlightenment begins in the very depths of our primitive, animal selves. To master ourselves - to really get to know ourselves - we have to begin by bringing out the hidden, primitive aspects out to be examined.

It is appropriate that the light of the Sun is blocked by Mother Moon. These aspects of ourselves need to be examined with the tools of instinct rather than clear logic and analysis. It is a right-brain exercise and the light of the Sun, the left-brain realm of intellect and logic would only distract us from the necessary work to be done here.

Perhaps the use of a solar eclipse also speaks to the occurrences during actual total eclipses, where the momentary darkness brings out nocturnal creatures.