Jun 05 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — Jun 5, 2015 — Queen of Wands

Author: Mel and Chris • Discussion: No Comments

Queen of Wands

Venus enters Leo today and brings with it the opportunity for each of us to shine. This is a regal, noble placement that expresses itself with warmth, dignity, loyalty and creative self-expression.

Today’s card — Queen of Wands — fits this energy perfectly. She’s strong, dynamic, majestic and proud. She’s a natural leader whose confidence and warmth make her stand out in a crowd.

This regal Queen is loaded with Leo symbology. From the flaming Lion statue armrests to the Coat of Arms behind her to the array of Sun- (ruler of Leo) flowers all around her, to her elaborate clothing, headdress and “mane.” The predominant colors — oranges, golds and greens — are also distinctively Leo.

This is a strong, dynamic woman — and not someone to be trifled with. Notice her stern gaze and also the protective watch of her “familiar”seated on her lap. Cats are known as guardians of the Otherworld, and black cats specifically as keepers of life’s secrets and mysteries. She’s seated comfortably but would be ready to pounce at a moment’s notice so you better not cross her.

The Queen of Wands — like all of the court cards in the tarot — can refer to a person, an event or a part of yourself. She embodies the feminine or yin aspects of the Fire (wands) energy: creativity, passion, enthusiasm and drive. She may be a supervisor, a parent, a friend or even some facet of yourself that may have been dormant for far too long.

If this is someone presently in your life (or coming in), know that she’s here to introduce you to the qualities she represents. She has a lot of fiery Goddess energy and can teach you a thing or two about leading with your heart.

If the card refers to you, see it as a reminder that you do possess these qualities and may need to reincorporate them into your personality. The presence of this card encourages you to recapture the essence of the Queen of Wands and put her to good use.

Jun 03 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — Jun 3, 2015 — Karma

Author: Mel and Chris • Discussion: No Comments

Karma

The Karma card is the Tarot of the Old Path’s version of the Judgment card. It speaks of undergoing a spiritual awakening, brought about by the understanding that everything thus far in your life has “led to this.”

This card refers to eternity, infinity and timelessness. It refers to the endless human journey that we sometimes refer to as “karma.” We reap and sew with each thought, action, and decision.

There are symbols in this version of the card from birth to death and everything in between. Death (the slain knight) and birth (the fetus still in its mother’s womb) make up the left and right corners while everything else — sin and redemption, damnation and salvation, innocence and lust, etc. — in between.

The Angels at the top of the card beckon the wayward souls to heaven while a cloaked guardian in the center determines their fate. There’s a horned god and a lunar goddess at the top watching the souls ascend.

This card represents a summation of all that has come before, and an awareness that each step taken — from here on out — leaves an indelible imprint on our future. On a personal level, this card speaks of compassion, forgiveness, understanding, and acceptance.

The Karma card reminds us that in order to put the past behind us we must not only let go of prior judgments but heal the wounds that have been holding us back.

Take this time to tie up loose ends. This can be a literal letting go of the past, but it will more likely relate to putting yourself in other people’s shoes and seeing how the mistakes they’ve made or the grief they’ve caused have been just as much a part of being human and flawed as any direct attempt to cause you pain

This is the “grace of God” card, which bestows infinite blessings on those who are able to recognize them. It’s a card of both atonement and forgiveness. Of unconditional love, understanding and acceptance — for both ourselves and for those who’ve hurt us or let us down.

Jun 02 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — Jun 2, 2015 — Ten of Wands

Author: Mel and Chris • Discussion: No Comments

Ten of Wands

It may feel like it’s all work and no play for you today, especially with the Full Moon opposing Mars.

— the Ten of Wands from Dana Driscoll’s gorgeous Tarot of Trees — emphasizes responsibilities and duties which have become priorities, forcing you to deal with them rather than devoting your time and energy to what you really want to do.

Today’s Mars / Pluto inconjunct may have you feel overburdened and oppressed. The weight of responsibilities you’ve taken on may seem like a heavy load — too heavy in fact for just one person to carry. The Full Moon is in tense aspect to Mercury and Mars as well, increasing the potential for added irritability and tension.

You may also feel like you’re carrying “extra baggage” — whether this refers to your own struggles or those of someone else. There’s a strong possibility you’ve taken on someone else’s problems, rather than letting them iron them out themselves. As a result, it may feel like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, with no time or energy left to attend to your own needs.

The seed of an idea has sprouted, but as you can see it’s getting very little nourishment — even though the Sun is shining in the background. The trees on either side are so tightly intertwined that they’re blocking out all the light.

The Ten of Wands encourages you to lighten your load: you’ll have to find a way to nurture your own ideas, needs and interests, or risk seeing everyone else’s problems interfering with your progress.

Jun 01 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — Jun 1, 2015 — Justice

Author: Mel and Chris • Discussion: No Comments

Justice

Today you may find yourself needing to make some very difficult decisions.

The Justice card refers specifically to knowing (and acting on) the difference between right and wrong. But it also usually involves finding a middle ground between opposing forces: cause and effect, action and consequence, head and heart, etc.

In this version of the card — from the divine Tarot of Delphi — we meet the goddess Circe as she offers a cup of her magic potion to Odysseus.

The potion was meant to lull him to sleep and put him under her spell, with the wand in her other hand poised to turn him into swine.

But Odysseus had been forewarned by Hermes and disarmed her before she attacked. He fought cunning and treachery (hers) with logic and strategy (his), exacting the release of his men and thus Justice.

The Justice card calls for you to look at all sides of a situation before you make a decision, especially if the “right answer” is unclear.

You may have to remove yourself from the equation completely, or detach yourself enough from any personal investment to make a fair determination.

It may be a situation that you’re personally involved in, such as a relationship that tugs at your heartstrings but is not in alignment with your principles. Or you may be asked to mediate a disagreement among friends or family members.

It isn’t about choosing sides. It’s about being able to tap into the “truth” objectively and impartially. In the end you’ll have to live with the fallout from your choices — for better or worse. So be sure you know which side of the fence you’re on before you take a stand.

May 31 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — May 31, 2015 — The Devil

Author: Mel and Chris • Discussion: No Comments

The Devil

As the Sun squares Neptune today, you may be thinking about ways to escape from the limitations in your life that have been holding you back. As Neptune is associated with confusion, uncertainty, escapism and avoidance, it’s very possible that the restrictions you find yourself struggling against have all been self-imposed.

The Devil card — this version from the gorgeous Dreaming Way Tarot — encourages you to move past some of the restrictions you’ve imposed on yourself, particularly with respect to the more unsavory emotions — jealousy, anger, paranoia, fear, etc.

If you look at the figures in this card, the Devil herself is bound up in some sort of straight-jacket configuration. She has two smaller beings chained to her, but the chains are loose and her manner of holding them is almost apathetic.

She’s either indifferent to their plight or is so sure of her hold over them that she doesn’t think there’s anything to worry about.

But these two figures could easily unchain themselves and slip away. So what is preventing them from doing that? Back to the self-imposed restrictions — namely negative thoughts and fears.

Your challenge today is to figure out what’s been holding you back — what chains you’ve bound yourself up in — and release yourself from them.

If you have a bigger monkey on your back — such as addiction or another unhealthy form of debauchery — now is also the time to come clean with yourself about it and get clean. Whatever it is, know that the Devil card is here to remind you that only you can reclaim your power. You can liberate yourself from the chains that bind you only if you’re brave enough to face them first.

May 30 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — May 30, 2015 — King of Swords

Author: Mel and Chris • Discussion: No Comments

King of Swords

Today — with the Sun conjuncting Mercury in Gemini — you may be called upon to make a decision that’s based on fairness, ingenuity and impartiality.

The King of Swords — this version represented by Greek Mythology;s Odysseus from the beautiful Mythic Tarot — is a wise and strategic leader who relies on intellect and objectivity rather than compassion and emotion.

He may be a person in your life — a boss, mentor, parent or authority figure — and if so he’s here to show you how to lead with wisdom and grace. He may also represent qualities within yourself that are necessary for you to bring forth. Qualities like discipline and neutrality.

It may be a situation that requires you to act with authority, even if you’re not comfortable in that role. It may require you to “lay down the law” or pass down judgment where there is no easy answer. The King of Swords is able to cut through the nuances and extenuating circumstances to arrive at an impartial decision.

Odysseus was a shrewd and inventive leader. He not only thought up the idea for the Trojan Horse (thus securing victory for the Greeks), he led his people with a firm and lawful hand, never wavering from his solid principles.

The King of Swords is honorable and just. He has noble ideals which he applies to himself as well as others. He insists on fairness and equality for all.

This card can refer to a need for justice and symmetry in your life. Or it can mark the presence of someone whose sense of authority and justice overrides personal investments. Is this you or someone you’re dealing with currently who’s encouraging you to embrace these qualities?

Whether this refers to you or to another, the underlying message is the same. Step away from emotional attachments and make your decisions today based on what is right, fair, and most importantly best for you in the long run.

May 29 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — May 29, 2015 — Seven of Cups

Author: Mel and Chris • Discussion: No Comments

Seven of Cups

Mercury squares Neptune today, bringing with it the desire to escape into romantic fantasy and illusions.

You may feel like torn by competing interests and pulled in different directions — either away from the things you really want to do, or towards the kind of mindless diversions that cause you lose sight of your priorities.

The Seven of Cups is a card of temptations, often fueled by irrational thoughts or fantasies. There can be too many options available, which makes it hard to decide. But it’s often a case of wishful thinking and foolish day-dreaming that can interfere with actual progress.

This card is loaded in mystical imagery. There’s a woman riding a flying dragon over a pond filled with lotus blossoms. Three cups rest in the pond — one with a rainbow rising from it — the dragon holds another three, and the last one — the Seventh — is lifted up towards the woman by a tiny glowing fairy.

She may be leaning toward that Seventh magical cup but she hasn’t decided yet, and this is one of the main dilemmas with the Seven of Cups. There are so many choices to be made and some of them more appealing than others.

What you long for may look so much more appealing than what you already have, but it’s also quite possibly an illusion. And even if it isn’t you have to remind yourself that it’s not going to come about by sitting around daydreaming about it.

There are elements of seduction also inherent in this card. Being seduced by something intangible or just out of reach, or being lured in by a fantasy that falls short in the harsh light of day.

While you may think that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, chances are good that once you got there you’d want nothing more than to return back home. The message behind this card is to aim for reachable goals and to participate in attaining them rather than allowing yourself to fall into the trap of wishful thinking.

May 28 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — May 28, 2015 — The World

Author: Mel and Chris • Discussion: No Comments

The World

The Sun trines the Moon / North Node conjunction today and brings with it a sense of wholeness and personal fulfillment. It provides you with an opportunity to look back over how far you’ve come as you prepare for the next chapter in your life.

If you sit back and take stock of what has actually changed for you will get the sense that while some things change others stay the same and this is neither good nor bad.

Everything is as it should be for you to enter the next phase. The World card completes the Fool’s journey and as such, speaks of fulfillment, integration and completion.

And just like the Fool, you’ve come full-circle, from instinct to essence to progress to development, as you end one cycle and embark on a new one.

This card represents endings and new beginnings.You must tie up loose ends and close the door on one chapter in your life — even if that leaves you with feelings of longing or regret

While some people are busy looking at the glass as half-empty, you’re seeing it as more than full. You’re focusing on how far you’ve come and how much you’ve achieved over the last several months.

You could be finishing a course or internship, tying up lose ends on a project that you’re ready to launch, putting a failed relationship behind you and getting back into the dating scene, finishing (and feeling good about) a self-improvement regimen. The possibilities are endless.

The World card is a card of both fulfillment and completion. With that in mind, it’s time to put the finishing touches on projects that are almost finished, and also time to rest anything that just didn’t pan out for you. You’re preparing to start a whole new journey, and in doing so will want to with as clean a slate as possible.

May 26 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — May 27, 2015 — Black Tortoise Knight

Author: Mel and Chris • Discussion: No Comments

Black Tortoise Knight

The Black Tortoise Knight — from the beautiful Feng Shui Tarot — is less about action and energy than traditional tarot’s version of the Knight of Wands, and more about discretion and forethought.

Mercury and Mars come together today in quick-witted Gemini. This aspect is known for impulsivity and lightning fast reflexes.

But this Knight of Wands is hesitant. You can see him looking back over his shoulder at something just out of range. He appears tentative and uncertain: maybe he’s worried he’s forgotten something or left someone behind.

His horse appears to be skittish as well. He leans down to sniff at the snow-covered ground, with one wary hoof raised.

Remember that Mercury’s retrograde, even if it is conjuncting Mars. It’s probably not the best time to be going “gung ho” over anything as this Knight of Wands already knows.

You may second guessing earlier decisions or going back to clean up earlier mistakes. Especially those that were made impulsively.

You can get a lot accomplished still. But you should be directing that energy toward reworking goals you’ve already set in motion rather than starting something new. The Mercury Rx / Mars aspect tells you to revisit, review and rethink your goals.

The Black Tortoise Knight (as well as the Black Tortoise itself at the edge of the card) seem to know that there’s a lot of value in taking things slow and steady. Save the passion and energyt that’s normally associated with this card for another day, preferably after Mercury goes direct.

May 26 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — May 26, 2015 — Nine of Swords

Author: Mel and Chris • Discussion: No Comments

Nine of Swords

Mars squares Neptune today and may have you wondering what is real and what is all in your head.

The Nine of Swords is sometimes referred to as the “nightmare” card, due to its association with overblown panic and fear.

Often these are self-imposed: as in having gotten into a predicament of our own doing and now being forced to deal with the consequences. There’s sometimes a sense of impending doom associated with this card, also self-created.

You may be feeling a bit more anxious and unsure of yourself or have a hard maintaining your footing. Or — like the figure in this card from the gorgeous Druid Craft Tarot — you may just feeling like pulling the covers back over your head rather than getting out of bed and facing reality.

As Mars is the planet of action and Neptune is the planet of uncertainty, it may even be best for you to hold off on taking any kind of stand.

You may be feeling a bit wobbly and unsure of yourself as your fears can get in the way of making rational decisions. Either the fear is real and you brought it upon yourself, in which case you now have to deal with the repercussions of your actions; or the fear is unfounded and you’re being forced to own up to whatever it is inside of you that has created it.

You may have created a situation — or contributed to one — yourself that now has you terrified of potential consequences. You may feel like running away from your problems, or pulling the blankets up over your head again and pretending that none of it is real. But you’ll find that not confronting your demons and tackling the situation head on only makes them more harrowing.

This is the essence of the Nine of Swords. Not only do our fears have the capacity to paralyze us, but finding the courage to face them has the capacity to extinguish them. If we want to move forward, we’ll have to be brave enough to “take back our power” and face our fears head on.

May 25 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — May 25, 2015 — The Chariot

Author: Mel and Chris • Discussion: No Comments

The Chariot

You may be in for a bumpy ride today — especially in the romance department — with Mars still squaring Neptune and Venus squaring Uranus.

The Chariot card — this version from the beautiful Tarot of the Old Path — refers to internal upheavals that threaten to manifest externally, such as an angry outburst or emotional display. It challenges you to “pull it together” and exert control over your own internal conflicts.

The Four stallions in this card represent the four elements, as do their corresponding reigns. The first one on the left is Water with a pale, translucent (and watery) mane. Next is Air, with a crescent moon and smattering of stars. Then there’s Earth with the pentagram, wildflowers and wheat chaff main. And finally the Fire element horse with the flames surrounding him.

The Charioteer in this card is also loaded with symbolism. He wears a pentagram (symbol of ascended man) on his crown and a Crab (for the zodiac sign Cancer, which the Chariot is associated with) on his breast plate. He holds a hazel wand in his right hand, the wand best used for divination.

The Four stallions appear to be moving in relatively the same direction but you can see that each has a mind of his own. It will take a lot more than sheer force of will to contain them and keep them working as a team.

It will take discipline and restraint to keep them on track and moving in the same direction. Otherwise there’s some danger of spinning your wheels without really making any progress. The Venus / Uranus and Mars / Neptune squares can make it even harder to keep things under control.

You’ll have to work hard if you want to rein in all of that energy, and this is the essence of the Chariot card. It’s the understanding that all parts of any “machine” have to operate in harmony in order to be effective. If you’re willing to embrace that philosophy — and if you can stand up and take hold of the reins in your own life — you can accomplish anything.

May 24 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — May 24, 2015 — Ten of Cups

Author: Mel and Chris • Discussion: No Comments

Ten of Cups

Today’s Moon / Jupiter conjunction in Leo should have you feeling good about your home, family and the life you have built for yourself.

This aspect — along with this gorgeous version of the Ten of Cups from Dana Driscoll’s fabulous Tarot of Trees — is about family, camaraderie, hospitality, togetherness and benevolence.

It’s about joining together with like-minded people to create a reality you can be proud of. It refers to arriving at a place in your life where you can fully acknowledge and celebrate the relationship you’ve developed, whether these are family relationships, social connections relationships, friendships or love affairs.

The tree in this card didn’t grow to such heights overnight. It’s been tended to over the years, just as your relationships with others must be tended to.And like those relationships, it’s taken a central place in this card, framed by an archway lined with 9 golden cups. The 10th cup is the tree itself, into which all of the love, kindness and gratitude has been poured.

The Ten of Cups refers to achieving something that is worth acknowledging and celebrating, as seen here in the imagery of this card. It’s about fulfillment and security; a solid foundation of abundance and prosperity, and the sense that you have built something you can take pride in.

Take time today to let those nearest and dearest to you know how important they are. While the Ten of Cups is also said to indicate the culmination of something, that doesn’t mean you’ve come to the end of the road. This card is all about embracing all you’ve established through your connections and interactions with those who matter most — with your family, friends and loved ones.