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WHEEL OF FORTUNE. 🍀 When some days, weeks, or even years seem to be unbearable, it helps to remember that the wheel in the sky keeps on turning. And when life brings us sunshine, clear skies and ladybugs, that too will pass. At its core, the Wheel of Fortune teaches us that nonattachment to outer circumstances—be they good or bad—is the key to inner calm. The Wheel of Fortune is the next card in the tarot deck the charming illustrator @nicallanart and I are collaborating on. Upright. Everything changes. Spring turns to Summer. Summer switches to Fall. Fall shifts into Winter. And then Spring comes back again. When The Wheel of Fortune appears, Beetle tells me that life is like a wheel riding through time. Sometimes it travels up. Other times it spins down. Every now and then, the road is straight and level. The only thing that stays the same is that the wheel keeps rolling into new places. When Beetle Wheel appears, I am ready to welcome the change that wants to enter my life. Upside Down. Sometimes I wish I could keep things just as they are. I don't want my life to change. When the Wheel of Fortune turns upside-down, Beetle asks me if I'm happy I traded in my baby teeth for grown up teeth. Beetle reminds me that when I outgrow my clothes, I get new ones. She points out that every year when I pass into a higher grade at school, even though it's scary at first, I always adjust. I can take a pure heart and a calm mind with me no matter what The Wheel of Fortune brings. ☘️ . . . . #wheeloffortune #tarot #tarotcards #tarotreadersofinstagram #compassion #compassionatekids #tarotdecks #kickstarter #illustration #tarotforchildren #childrenstarot #kidstarot #tarotforkids #childrenillustration #illustrationforkids #majorarcana
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MARS ENTERS ARIES. 🛎 Mars gets ready to set up shop in his home base of Aries tomorrow, but not before opposing the Moon this afternoon. In the bounds of Saturn, this can be a cantankerous Mars. Be aware of short fuses and a wackamole of irritation. Be prepared to stake out a spot for a power nap (Mars in Pisces) to ride through potential frustration. 🛎 Tomorrow, Mars enters Aries where he will extend his normal stay of six weeks to six months. That's a lot of Mars for one house! Mars in his own sign of Aries reminds me of a Tom Waits character with dragstrip courage who can really drive a bed. He's going to do what he wants and he's going to get paid. He's no extra, baby, he's a leading man. Best of all, he's got real scars, hair on his chest and looks good without a shirt. In Goin' Out West, Waits paints the picture of someone who's impulsive, hot blooded, and you don't want to mess with. Mars in Aries people know what they want and they aren't afraid to go after it. They're also upfront and direct. Mars in the Cardinal sign of Aries doesn't hesitate. 🛎 Mars will spend part of the next six months aggravating and/or energizing the slow-moving planets over in Capricorn. In addition, he'll be joining forces with his sister Eris the goddess of strife and discord during his elongated sojourn in Aries. Although he is well resourced in his home base, he will be overcome by Jupiter, Pluto, and Saturn as these planets are in a stronger position and impose their significations on Mars. 🛎 The times we will most likely feel the Cardinal Fire heat turned up are mid-August to mid-October and as Mars conjuncts Eris and squares Pluto + Saturn. My guess is that we're entering a time where those who have always been disenfranchised and not treated fairly (as symbolized by Eris) will rise up and seek justice. Just as it takes immense heat and pressure to form a diamond, it will take similar intensity to form a new world, one in which each one of us truly matters. 🛎 Image: Tom Waits in Goin' Out West
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NEPTUNE: ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE. 🕸 Neptune stations retrograde today, floating back to 18° Pisces where it stations direct in November. We often hear how Neptune transits accompany anxiety, fatigue, deception and confusion. Perhaps they do. But that hasn't been my experience. In fact, I've found just the opposite: Neptune transits have been times of awakening. 🕸 As my Sun and Ascendant are at 18° Pisces, I'm familiar with Neptune energy. In addition, Neptune conjuncted my Moon when it entered Pisces in 2011. This is when I began practicing with Ayahuasca, accessing timeless states and beginning an ancestral healing journey that used my body as its crucifixion purge. Neptune went on to conjunct natal Mercury and then to the Sun and Ascendent as it is now. 🕸 Whether it be ayahuasca, Buddhist teachings, or nature herself that have served as handmaidens to Neptune's energy, these transits shifted me. Large parts of my egoic lens simply evaporated, allowing me a glimpse of the bigger picture where my small self was rather insignificant. It's not that my life was no longer important. It was simply placed into the larger context of family, ancestry, race and finally a human inhabitant on this planet. I made major changes to my life to reflect these insights. 🕸 Neptune is hard to define, isn't it? The planet entered our awareness in 1846 during the transcendentalism and spiritualism movements. Given that Neptune has been my travelling companion, I like to think of its energy as inviting us into the true nature of reality. Neptune lifts the veil so we can get an eyeful of the Wizard of Oz and how the operating system is matrixed into being. Neptune transits ask us to shed the heavy weight of a fixed identity and step into a larger, compassionate perspective. To creatively color outside the lines, a picture where we really are all one. 🕸 Image by @thenamdas
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How Cancer Became a Constellation. 🦀 Once upon a time, the Greek hero Heracles lost his mind and killed his wife and children. As penance, Heracles performed twelve difficult feats, called labors, in service to his cousin Eurystheus, the King of Mycenae. 🦀 His second labor was to kill the Hydra of Lerna, a serpentine water monster with numerous heads. She had the worst case of halitosis ever recorded and blood so venomous, its scent was fatal. As Heracles approached Hydra's lair (mouth/nose covered as to not inhale), he shot flaming arrows into the cave. She emerged hissing and not in the best of moods. As the two fought and Heracles decapitated her heads, two heads would replace the former. So Heracles asked his nephew, Iolaus, for a hand. Iolaus scorched the severed necks to cauterize the stumps preventing grow back. 🦀 Upon seeing Heracles's progress, Hera—who had raised the Hydra to destroy Heracles—asked Carcinus, an enormous crab, to help the Hydra. Carcinus synched down on Heracles's heel and for a moment, it seemed as though the Hydra would win. But then Heracles killed the crab and with the help of Iolaus (and Athena) slayed the Hydra. In gratitude for its service, Hera swung the crab up into the heavens and there it shines as the constellation Cancer with Hydra to its south. 🦀 In Asteroid Goddesses, Demetra George shares that Hera was worshipped by the indigenous goddess cults as the cow-eyed sky queen who presided over all phases of feminine existence. Originally, Hera reigned alone. Demetra George points out that she was raised by the seasons and her temple at Olympia was far older than Zeus's... And while Homer has traditionally depicted Hera as the jealous and quarrelsome wife, in realty she is the image of the turbulent nation princess coerced, but never really subdued, by an alien conqueror. . 🦀 Further, the Hydra itself has a feminist origin. She was the child of serpentine giants Typhon and Echidna (half woman-half snake), who themselves were children of Gaia, the ancestral mother of all life. Lerna was thought to be the gateway to the Underworld. 🦀 As we put the pieces of the archetypal story together, we see... 👇🏼
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SUN ENTERS CANCER. 🌙 June 20, 2020—Solstice marks the day in the Northern Hemisphere where the Sun reaches his zenith and begins his descent. The Moon's reign begins to lengthen as the Sun enters Cancer, the Moon's domicile. In Cancer, the solar self dims as we fold into kin. We remember the past, regaling stories steeped in nostalgia. We carry the memories of our ancestors who continue to pour through our smiles, voices, facial expressions and gestures. Like the tides, Cancer's emotional states ebb and flow. 🌙 Cancer is the expression of mother's milk when her baby cries. It's the Kleenex box next to the diary. It's the evening sky when it divides into layers of pink and blue. Cancer is the vulnerable belly our dog offers for a gratifying rub-down. It's the instinct to block the blow and protect the defenseless. It's the sense of danger felt in our gut, grown wise from years of experience. Cancer is the mother tongue, the dining room table, the cuisine of the old country, and the smell of grandmother's kitchen. It's the prayer we cry to god, goddess or to mother when we need to feel safe. Cancer is the stone that sinks back into the well of memory and then deeper into the tear in the veil we all come from. . . . Image by @lacabezaenlasnubes . . . . #astrology #astrologersofinstagram #astrotransits #cancer #cancerseason #eclipseseason #family
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THE FOOL 🐇 The Fool, up before dawn, pauses just long enough to say hello. Bunny Fool is the latest addition to the kid's tarot deck the wonderfully talented @nicallanart and I are bringing into the world that so needs all of our light right now. 🐰 Upright My world sparkles with magic and possibility. Anything can happen! When Bunny Fool appears, I am beginning something wonderful. Even though I don't know all the steps yet or where my path will lead me, I will take a chance and follow my heart. Its bright light always guides me. Fool tells me I have everything I need to hop forward. I've got my spirit. I've got my brain. I've got my feelings and my dreams. They are ready for adventure and so am I. Here we go! Upside Down Things don't always work out the way I hoped they would. But that's ok! I was brave enough to try and that means a lot. When Bunny Fool is upside-down, he tells me that mistakes are really a missed take. Try again! You will get better at this! he grins. It's true. I learn by doing. Upside-down Fool also hints that now may not be the right time. I can wait a little bit before leaping into adventure. Soon, a shiny path will open for me and I'll be ready. 🐰 . . Coming to Kickstarter soon . . . #thefool #tarotcards #tarot #compassion #compassionatekids #kindkids #doingislearning #failureispartofsuccess #tarotdecks #kickstarter #illustration #tarotforchildren #childrenstarot #kidstarot #tarotforkids #childrensillustration #illustrationforkids #illustrationforchildren #majorarcana #tarotreadersofinstagram
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MARS CONJUNCT NEPTUNE. You've probably seen Mars/Neptune referred to as the spiritual warrior, the martyr and the nonviolent protester. Or as diffused energy and stagnation. There are many ways this archetype can manifest. Just yesterday, Mars + Neptune in Pisces signified a volatile alcoholic artist in a horary I worked on. Scrolling through my IG feed today, I came across this watercolor by surrealist painter #leonarcarrington The drum circle is also Mars conjunct Neptune in Pisces. I remember watching drum circles at the Oregon Country Fair every year. You could feel the collective energy of the drummers even before you entered the enclosure. Once inside, the circle pulsated with a primal yet spiritual masculinity. The drummers—mostly male—eyes closed or glazed over had entered a rapturous covenant. Under the influence of the beat, they were all one. Mars + Neptune in Pisces: the musical, mystical pulse of the collective drum. . . . . . #oregoncountryfair #marsconjunctneptune #marsinpisces #neptuneinpisces #pisces #astrologytransits #astrology #horary
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Last night's hard rain ripped off San Miguel de Allende's top layer of skin. This morning felt wired as the birds, busses, and hammers serenaded a new Sun. Its growing light illumined standing puddles of water, shiny mirrors everywhere, lifting them up into the sky again. Every rooftop dog had something to say. And then a crooked man with enormous lips stumbled in front of me as if he had just woken from a sleep of a thousand years. This morning barked open its ripe smells and sounds that just the day before had been hidden under the dust the rain would soon wash away. 🌱 I thought of the time we're living in now. Awakening is what it feels like when the needle of Mars weaves in and out the semipermeable membrane of Neptune, just deep enough to prick spots of blood connected to a much deeper body of pain. Collective grief is never far away. It waits just beneath a top layer of dusty homogeneity, normalcy and blindness. But it's there wanting to be seen and witnessed because in the end, that is what every living thing wants. Collective pain is a living thing. 🌱 As the Sun prepares to square Neptune, let him shine a light on the sorrow and the anguish that are now collecting in sizeable pockets everywhere, wanting to be illuminated, lifted and witnessed. Soon Venus will return from her underground journey, purified and revitalized as the bright morning star, heralding the dawn of a very important time we are all bearing witness to. 🌱 Photo taken by me in Cerro de Gallo, Guanajuato . . . . . . #venus #morningstar #mars #neptune #marsconjunctneptune #sunsquareneptune #blacklivesmatter #grief #sanmigueldeallende #mexico #astrology #astrologytransits
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I'd love to introduce you to STRENGTH, the third tarot card in the deck the fabulous @nicallanart and I are creating. The words are inspired by the Buddhist monk Santideva who said: “Where would I find enough leather to cover the entire surface of the earth? But with leather soles beneath my feet, it’s as if the whole world has been covered.”. 🦁 Upright . Strength Lion reminds me that I am strong when I am kind. Just like shoes protect our feet from stones and rubble, he winks, compassion cradles our hearts in grace, lifting us above the bumpys, lumpys and grumpys. When the Strength card appears, I try my best to be thoughtful and kind to others even if they aren't being thoughtful and kind back to me. I understand we all have bad days. If I can stay in loving kindness, my heart grows stronger. A mighty heart makes life sweeter for everyone. Upside Down . When Strength is upside down, I feel like I don't fit in. Sometimes I'm shy and don't have the courage to talk and play with others. I doubt myself. I feel a little scared. Or maybe I try too hard and my friends think I'm bossy which hurts my feelings. Lion helps me turn the kindness I use with other people on myself. When I do, my sadness, doubt and fear come tumbling out of me and I give them all a hug. As I learn to accept myself, my compassion grows and so does my strength. 🦁 . . . Coming to Kickstarter soon . . . #strength #tarotcards #tarot #compassion #compassionatekids #kindkids #lovingkindness #tarotdecks #kickstarter #illustration #tarotforchildren #childrenstarot #kidstarot #tarotforkids #childrensillustration #illustrationforkids #illustrationforchildren #majorarcana #santideva #buddhism
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MERCURY ENTERS CANCER. 🦀 May 28, 2020—After zipping through his home sign Gemini the last ten days, Mercury hangs up his thinking cap and drops from his head to his heart as he dives into the nostalgic waters of Cancer tomorrow. Like the Knight of Cups, this Mercury communicates from a deep well of feeling. Mercury in Cancer senses everything and like the Moon—ruler of Cancer—shifts through a rolodex of moods quickly. Similar to the Knight of Cups, Mercury in Cancer protects those he loves. Sometimes this shows up as communicating feelings through a thoughtful meal or sentimental reminiscing. Other times, Cancer's protectiveness can manifest as worry and a touch of smothering. 🦀 Mercury's placement is important right now as he's providing for the Sun and Venus currently in his domicile of Gemini. Cancer is a cardinal water sign. This lends a bit of intuitive decisiveness and emotionally-charged direction to the pivots the Sun and Venus take on the meandering path in Mutable Gemini. 🦀 Mercury prolongs his stay in Cancer as he turns retrograde for the second time this year. He stations retrograde June 17/18 (depending where you live) at 14°45' and travels back to 5°29 where he stations direct on July 12, exiting his shadow on July 26. If you're planning to travel, sign important documents, or purchase electronics, try to avoid the stations + a few days before and after as this is when Mercury is moving slowly or not at all = not the best time to do Mercury things. 🦀 . . . . #mercury #mercuryretrograde #mercuryincancer #astrology #astrologytransits #cancer #knightofcups #tarot #tarotreadersofinstagram