There is Plenty of Time

"There is plenty of time, and every moment counts".

Yes, you are busy. Yes, there is much to do. And what if you had all the time in the world to do it? Would you continue to rush around, helter-skelter, willy-nilly, maybe even cattywampus? Would you continue to waste it on worry, procrastination, video games or spreading negativity on social media? Notice how your own frenetic energy is the real robber of time.

There really is plenty of time. So use it well, use it wisely. Slow down, breathe, take a moment to focus and simplify. Come in for a session or two and learn some mindful time management techniques to feel more productive, in charge of your life, and simply less stressed out. All is well.

Blessed Be.

Temple of Laphrodite Mini Magic Spells: Tiny Meditations and Healing Affirmations are available from Etsy.

Kayla Garnet Rose, Ph.D.

Certified Hypnotherapist, Reiki Master, Mindfulness Coach

Click here to book your appointment online!

About | Astrology | Blog | Contact/Fees | Programs | Hypnotherapy |

Mindfulness Coaching | Reiki | Resources | Tarot | Videos | Welcome

   

Ride the Waves

Inhale, exhale. Notice the in breath. Notice the out breath. Tune in to your beating heart, every contraction, every momentary expansion. Connect to the cycles and the seasons, day and night, full moon and new.

Where are you right now in navigating your personal tides? Are you riding the waves of PMS, a hot flash, a traumatic past memory, or momentary upset with your spouse/partner other? Can you take a moment to not just breathe out the discomfort, but find yourself centered and grounded, even as you ride out this tsunami of emotions?

Be the calm in the eye of the storm, the gentle voice, fierce and full of conviction, passionate and wild as well as tempered with wisdom and experience. You know the truth - not just that this too will pass, but that you will ride the waves again and again. Chop wood, carry water - wax board, swim out to the swell. Believe in your Self.

I do.

Blessed be.


Temple of Laphrodite Mini Magic Spells: Tiny Meditations and Healing Affirmations are available from Etsy.

Kayla Garnet Rose, Ph.D.
Certified Hypnotherapist, Reiki Master, Mindfulness Coach
Click here to book your appointment online!

About | Astrology | Blog | Contact/Fees | Programs | Hypnotherapy |

Mindfulness Coaching | Reiki | Resources | Tarot | Videos | Welcome

   

Listen to Your Heart

Temple of Laphrodite Mini Magic Spells

: 

Take a deep breath. Then another. Then take a moment to connect with your heart. Notice is your heart is safe in your chest, protected by your ribs, comfortable in your skin. Breathe in relaxation, peacefulness, calmness. Breathe out all you are willing to release. As you continue to breathe, take a moment to really listen to your heart. What is it telling you? How will you follow through on your heart's messages? You can trust your heart. And your trusts you, because you take the time to listen, to really listen, to your own heart's wisdom.

Blessed Be.

Temple of Laphrodite Mini Magic Spells: Tiny Meditations and Healing Affirmations are available from Etsy.

Kayla Garnet Rose, Ph.D.
Certified Hypnotherapist, Reiki Master, Mindfulness Coach
Click here to book your appointment online!

About | Astrology | Blog | Contact/Fees | Programs | Hypnotherapy |

Mindfulness Coaching | Reiki | Resources | Tarot | Videos | Welcome

   

Temple of Laphrodite Mini Magic Spells

Temple of Laphrodite Mini Magic Spells 

Tiny Meditations and Healing Affirmations

Created by Kayla Garnet Rose, Ph.D., using her favorite sayings and her own photos, these 25 little cards printed on extra-sturdy cardstock are perfect for your altar on the go. These tiny meditations are a gentle reminder to be more mindful, and the healing affirmations encourage wholeness and health on all levels: emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual.

Simply breathe, focus, choose a card, reflect, rinse, repeat.

Comes in a repurposed Altoids tin box, just the right size for purse or backpack.

Each card measures 1 1/4" by 2 3/4"

Suggested uses:

Pull a few cards each day as a way to set intentions
Use as a writing prompt in your journal
Put inside a random book at a bookstore
Slip inside a love letter
Pop one into the envelope when paying bills
Sneak one under a windshield wiper
Include a few as a part of a tip
Make them into refrigerator magnets
Keep a few in your in wallet for inspiration
Put them on mirror for affirmations
Tuck into a picture frame
Put on your altar with Tarot cards
A unique little Stocking Stuffer
Surprise someone by slipping into their lunch bag, pocket or luggage
Leave a few on a park bench
Excellent for Goodie bags, swag bags, bridal showers
Why not hand out at Halloween?
Nice little quotes for Scrapbooking
Perfect to add to a Collage
Could even add some to a Pinata
Leave in a waiting room
Hand out to clients, customers, or patients

Available from Etsy-  click here: Temple of Laphrodite

Send me pix of your ideas on how you enjoy Mini Magic Spells and I will post them on my blog and Facebook.

Blessed Be!

Kayla

Kayla Garnet Rose, Ph.D.
Certified Hypnotherapist, Reiki Master
Click here to book your appointment online!

   

Journaling for Success

“The most important promises are the ones I make to myself.”

- Maryanne Radmacher

• I use tarot and astrology as a daily meditation tool, to focus on my career, my relationships, and my creativity. They serve as moment in my journey where I look at the map of my life and decide which direction to take. But I don’t just stay stuck looking at the map - journaling is one of the steps I take to put into action what I have been contemplating.

• You can have many different kinds of journals, that you write in at different times of your life. Just as your checkbook is a record of your spending habits, journals can reflect your patterns and serve as a reminder of the positive “emotional deposits” of life.

• Kinds of journals: Business notes, daily affirmations, dreams (night and day), poetry, sketches, coloring books, blank books or notebook paper put into a binder, a photo album or scrap books, engagement calenders.

• Who is your audience? Well, you, of course, but it also could be your children, your spouse or lover, your business colleagues, your therapist, your best friend.

• Privacy: there is so much temptation to read someone else’s journal. When my lover read mine, I stopped writing for 5 or 6 years. When getting divorced, I read my spouses' journal and found out things I really didn’t want to know. Talk about Pandora’s box.

• There is a lot of power in writing in your journal (or on loose leaf paper) all your thoughts and feelings, and then burning or otherwise destroying them. Recently I drew a horrible picture of myself being controlled by my last lover - it was quite a relief to destroy it.

• Time: even just five minutes a day can grow into a disciplined practice (like flossing your teeth or exercise). This is time for YOU, time to focus on achieving something you desire. keeping a little notebook in your bag is helpful for those odd moments of standing in the bank line. Putting the TV on mute and jotting down thoughts during commercials can reactivate your brain waves.

• Your other favorite tool is your PEN: do you like blue or black ink? Pencil? Colored pencils? Markers? Paints? I highly recommend crayons...

• To quote from the 5 of Wands card - Keep your expression flowing. Stop editing yourself and let go of concern about what comes out. Be playful. The openness of play allows for inventiveness and newness in a way that high expectations do not. (from The Tarot of Transformation by Willow Arlenea & Jasmin Lee Cori)

• You are writing your story and you can change your story - one exercise I did was to divide the page into columns and in the first write a sentence that begins “I wish...” the second column is the same sentence that starts with “I will”. This takes you out of wishful thinking into your will power, because it pushes you to the next step of figuring out HOW to achieve your goal. Examples:

I wish I had more money to I WILL have more money

I wish I was friends with my ex to I WILL be friends with my ex

I wish I had more tome to write in my journal to I WILL have more time to write in my journal

• Other exercises:

- Goals in the next month, year, five years

- List what you are afraid of. Burn it.

- List what makes you happy. Keep it.

- Pull a tarot card, medicine (animal) card, or angel card. Sketch it.

- Cartoons of you

- Songs, poems, quotes by others that inspire you

- Same as above, go from “I fear...” to “I wonder...”

- Pure color (finger painting)

- Create a couples journal, or a friendship journal

- That letter you would never send

- Who am I?

- Love letters to yourself

• Some book recommendations:

Earth Art Critters coloring books by Sue Coccia

The Coloring Book for Big Girls by Sudie Rukusin

When Your Heart Speaks, Take Good Notes: The Healing Power of Writing by Susan Borkin

The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity -- by Julia Cameron

The Creative Journal by Lucia Capacchione

“Turn your wish bone, daughter, into a back bone”

- author unknown

A Week in the Life of a Santa Cruz Hypnotherapist

I see about ten to fifteen clients a week at my West side office. Here is a sampling of a typical week for a Santa Cruz hypnotherapist:

• A person who suffers from insomnia. We made a recording they can listen to before bed to relax their body and mind as well as to remember more of their dreams.

• A parent, releasing grief after the death of their son. We have been doing a Reiki and hypnotherapy combination, biweekly sessions for two years, focused mostly on soul retrieval work. They're now inspired to open a skateboard park to commemorate their son.

• An initial hypnosis session for a business person interested in transforming stress and rage. We focus on peace and abundance, facing debts, pending divorce, and releasing pains in the neck.

• A student taking private tarot lessons. They started with weekly hypnotherapy sessions for 15 months, and is using self hypnosis for self empowerment. Now they are enrolled in the ten week program to learn professional tarot reading as a form of income.

• A regular client who has done monthly tarot readings for two years. This is their check in system and now they are doing weekly hypnosis sessions for deciding on a life path.

• A professional coming in for astrology lessons, who used hypnotherapy and reiki for personal transformation for the past nine months. Now they are digging deeper while going through job transition and seeking a soul mate.

• A new client for an astrology reading, who feels controlled by their relationships and seeking self realization and self actualization while creating an interdependent relationship with their new love.

• A student using hypnotherapy in order to control sugar for weight management/diabetes. Three sessions so far, has been drinking less, discovering new sensualist pleasures instead of food as a life reward

• An ongoing hypnotherapy client, looking for what makes their heart sing. We have been doing bi weekly sessions for one year now, focused on selling their business and getting in touch with inner council for financial advice. Now they are pregnant and planning on hypnobirthing for a healthy, easy birth and transition into parenthood.

• An athlete, using hypnotherapy in retraining body mind for sports enhancement. Uses visualization for both ingraining the perfect throw and to let go of any stress both during game and greater stresses in life, such as work, mother in law, inner critic, etc.

• A freshman in college, terrified of leaving home. We have done monthly sessions for 6 months, using hypnotherapy to anchor feelings of self esteem, love and acceptance.

There is a saying, "Discontent is the first step in progress". My ideal client is ready for change, willing to do the work, and open to new perspectives. I am here to counsel you in joy through experiencing insights for personal change and transformation. Call or email for your appointment today - the time is now!

Warmly,

Kayla

www.KaylaGarnetRose.com

831.435.5182

Mystical Wisdom Cards

 It is Beltane, May Eve. The last quarter moon is hidden in the fog that covers all of Carmel, where I am on a retreat at the Highland's Inn. Smoke from chimneys combine with the grey mist, all is still, even the ocean sounds are muffled and distant. After spending the day in the thermal waterfalls at Refuge, we now curl up by the fireplace and begin to feast on The Mystical Wisdom Card Deck. In direct contrast to the somber tones around us, the cards burst with rainbow colors, dazzling details, and an overall feeling of entering into an enchanted realm, like stepping into a fairy tale of your own making.

Written by Gaye Guthrie and illustrated by Josephine Wall, The Mystical Wisdom Card Deck has just been published by US Games Systems. The set includes 46 cards, printed on glossy heavy stock that are pleasing to both the hand and the eye. Accompanied by a booklet with both card layouts and meanings, there is both comfort and wisdom to be found in the short passages which include a mantra.

A veritable smorgasbord of angels, fairies, unicorns, mermaids, animals, flower devas and other guides run the gamut in this deck. The art is simply beautiful, and would appeal to young women who are just discovering oracle decks. The writing is short and sweet, and completely non-dogmatic. For example, in writing about the Celtic Cross spread, the author states, "Please be aware that you have the power to change the outcome of your reading if you desire. Nothing is written in stone."

The soft sound of shuffling cards blends with the quiet crackling of the fire. After a simple breath blessing, I take a moment to set my intentions, both for the reading and in what will unfold over the year. The first card I pull is "Face Your Fears: Release the Power of Fear". A blindfolded woman appears to be dreaming, cradling a golden rose, her body merging into a horse's, while planets, comets and stars fill the sky. "Fear has a subtle way of showing you the dark side of yourself...Fear can also show you that something is worth fighting for..."

The second card is "Knowledge". Infused with golden light, this image shows a young woman reading a book from which swirling clouds with small figures spill. Fairy tales, myths, legends and lore are a part of the teaching here, a sense of weaving stories with imagination to gain insight and understanding. Certainly knowledge will support me in facing my fears. The mantra reads, "Knowledge brightens my horizons for the future."

 The last card is "Friendship: Nurture Your Relationships". Three feminine beings gaze over a lush green valley with a peaceful river flowing through it. One being is blue, with feathers for hair, several birds on her shoulders and even nesting in her hair. One is golden yellow, with butterflies as her coiffure. The third is a soft mauve, with an abundance of flowers instead of tresses. Each is unique, yet they blend well together. "The value of friendship is expressed by mutual understanding, compassion and the ability to comfort each other for emotional support." I take a moment to feel the deep love and gratitude for my friends, and all the ways that they have contributed to my knowledge and helped me face my fears, and I hope I have done the same in return.

The Mystical Wisdom Card Deck is a great set for anyone who considers themselves a dabbler in the mysteries. "The cards offer you choices and options. It is up to you or the seeker to determine what is right for you at the time of the reading." Like the grey fog now slowly lifting from the Carmel Valley, revealing the true colors of the crashing sea, I feel my mind lifting the veils and reconnecting with a deeper sense of hope and optimism.

Blessed be.

Review - Journey to the Goddess Realm Oracle Deck

It might be early morning or sunset, New moon or Full. You have set aside some time, could be half an hour or half a day, to connect with your most sacred and authentic self. Maybe you are outside in nature, maybe you're snuggled in jammies sitting on your bed, either way you have spread out a silk scarf and are shuffling cards, relaxed and focused. Music or bird song fills the space, you are pleasantly aware of the smell of incense, roses, fresh air. Cleansed and purified, you are ready to begin your journey.

The Journey to the Goddess Realm Oracle Deck by Lisa Porter, published by U.S Games Systems, offers the seeker a way to reconnect with the archetypes of feminine wisdom. "When we develop access to our higher senses, we are being initiated into higher dimensional awareness and begin to work with universal energy... When we learn to call forth our eternal spirit back into our earthly bodies, we experience the ancient arts of actualization and connection to universal truth" (from the introduction).

Consisting of 36 Goddess Cards, 3 Confirmation cards, and a 48 page booklet, The Journey to the Goddess Realm Oracle Deck strives to activate both the right and left sides of the brain. Looking at the images stirs the creative imagination while reading the ancient stories brings about deep understanding, wisdom, and transcendence. The 3 Confirmation cards (Negation, Affirmation, and Revelation) can be shuffled in or used separately to explore the shadow aspects of the particular deity as well as to affirm positive aspects, or to create more mindfulness by cultivating non-duality.

It is a full Moon in June, and after a ritual bath I am wrapped in my favorite kimono, sitting on the deck with both the cats, where I have created an altar to welcome in the summer. The smell of jasmine is in the air, I can hear the barking of seals down at the wharf, and I arrange and rearrange the crystals and seashells into pleasing patterns while chanting softly to myself.

I set the intention to look at who is affirming my path, what shadow aspect do I need to embrace in order to experience enlightenment, and where do I combine my energies in order to synthesize a greater sense of wholeness. First I take the Confirmation cards and randomly place them, face down. Then I pull three goddesses to guide me, placing them also face down on top of the Confirmation cards.

As I flip the cards, the first pairing is Revelation/Confirmation, with Mary Magdalene/Identity - 22. "The Zen-like Revelation card is a sacred talisman... always a very personal experience, and requires meditative contemplation." Mary is seen with the sun behind her which casts her shadow into the desert, a serene look on her face, holding an alabaster vessel filled with sacred oils, long hair braided. Her message is to ask myself the eternal question, "Who am I and what are my values?" Much to ponder.

The next set is Negation/Confirmation, with Seshat/Intellect - 29. In the Negation card, we see the cup has spilled, the altar cloth stained, but still a full moon shines brightly in a window, symbol of renewal, rejuvenation, release. Seshat appears as an Egyptian scribe, hieroglyphics behind her, scrolls around her, draped in a leopards fur. She looks extremely focused, disciplined and determined. Seshat speaks to enjoying the written word, sharing information, and creative expression. For me, the shadow side is over-intellectualizing, over-thinking, and being too left-brained in my work, a need to find balance with more art, music, and dance. Interestingly, my silky black cat chooses this moment to launch herself onto my lap, a sweet reminder to "embrace the shadow".

The last pair is Affirmation with Baubo/Laughter - 7. Now the cup is full, a sunny day, a card filled with hope and optimism. Baubo is an intense card, a jester's head springing from a jack-in-the-box, hearts in her eyes, smiley emoticons on her cheeks, tears being shed, an exclamation mark on her third eye. In the corners we see the classic comedy/tragedy masks, and indeed, when pulling this card I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry. "Bawdy Greek goddess Baudo is a jester and dry nurse... able to console... as laughter is the best medicine!" An excellent affirmation on my own path to cultivate lightheartedness, I am reminded of a Jamaican saying, "The Ugly-Beautiful of Everything".

The moon is just beginning to rise, casting her light upon the cards, blessing this moment for sweet contemplation. I write and sketch in my journal next, using the tools and gifts brought by these goddesses, to continue to build a solid foundation for the temple of my soul.

Flights of Fancy - The Winged Enchantment Oracle Deck Review

Imagine you are walking out in nature, simply enjoying your path, aware of the breeze on your cheeks, the sway of your hips, the colors and textures surrounding you, and the sound of birds nearby. Maybe it's the sweet trill of the hummingbird, the chattering of swallows, the calling of crows and ravens. You take a moment to find your avian familiar, maybe hiding in the trees or soaring over your head. Like an augur of the past, you take the time to honor your sacred familiar, and all of the messages being brought to you now.

Playing with The Winged Enchantment Oracle Deck, written by Lesley Morrison with artwork by Lisa Hunt, and published by U.S Games Systems, puts you in touch with our feathered friends, taking one on a flight of fancy, a chance to deeply connect with our soul's ability to soar above and into the beyond. 39 oracle cards are accompanied by a 48 page illustrated book, so whether you are actually out in your garden and visited by a feathered friend, or engaged in personal vision quest and use these cards as a meditation tool, there is much to be found in these extraordinary cards.


Today we have New Moon in Taurus while Mercury is retrograde in Gemini. These heavenly bodies are transiting my tenth house, traditionally associated with career and life path. I consult the cards to review my chosen profession, contemplate my current private practice, and create a proactive plan for upcoming business opportunities. After shuffling the deck 9 times, I pull three cards: left hand, from my heart, reflecting the past; right hand, using my head, representing the future; and and both hands, the hear and now, combining my head and heart to reveal my soul's purpose.

The first card I pull is 29-Robin. A young girl who seems to be metamorphosizing into a robin sits in a nest. Around her are the four seasons - a wintry ground below, bright blossoming summer cherries above, migrating birds and budding branches on either side. She looks intently towards the heavens, a snowflake like crystal in her hand. "The hibernation of your talents and dreams has no place in my medicine... I am your wake up call at sunrise...Something needs tending... You are the caretaker of your own soul.You are your own change." Powerful words and a powerful image, full of determined hope and a call for self-actualization.

The next card is 36-Turkey. Deep in the woods a shape-shifter takes a moment to go into trance, hands clasped, melding with both the birds and the forest spirit itself. "You are being asked to serve a purpose. You are being guided to put something else first...Look around to see who needs you...There is quiet dignity in servitude." A profound affirmation as I deal with the mundane aspects of creating a business plan, contemplating budgets and domain names, to remember my original intention - creating right livelihood by helping others.

The last card I pull, letting my hands play with the deck, back and forth until finally my fingers agree, is 23-Ostrich. This card reminds me of a fantastical masked ball, a fusion of human and bird that blends into a delightful and whimsical image that is both enchanting and delightful. "I am Ostrich, one of the great connector birds... Raise up your head and keep your eyes on the prize. I am a quick runner and can show you how to quickly spread your newfound wisdom...I have simply come to ensure that you follow it through."

Robin, Turkey, and Ostrich - not the totems I usually work with or would have chosen, but I respect that they have come to me for a reason, as new teachers and I humble myself before their teachings. Renewal, Servitude, and Follow Through - a new mantra for my daily meditations, my visualizations as I continue to dream, imagine, and take action on my own flights of fancy.

"If you want to fly, let go of everything that weighs you down." - From the introduction.

New Services Review

I have been seeing Kayla for a few months now and continue to be very impressed with her services. She is very experienced, professional, and can accurately help and provide invaluable insights to improve your life. I have tried her hypnotherapy, reiki, tarot card, and astrology readings. All her services are on the spot. She is kind welcoming, and will help you obtained the answers you are looking for. Very clean comfortable environment as well. - Alleyne L. on Google+

The Gift of Insight

What better gift than the the gift of insight? 

Gift certificates are available for hypnosis, Reiki, and astrology readings.  

Buy one and get one FREE! 

This applies to any single session, package or gift certificate. 

In other words:

Get 1 gift certificate - 

Receive 1 FREE! (save $95)

Get a single session (60 or 90 minute) - 

Receive 1 FREE! (save $95 or $125)

Get a package of 3 - 

Receive a package of 3 for FREE! (save $270)

Get a package of 5 - 

Receive a package of 5 for FREE! (save $425)

Get a package of 10 - 

Receive a package of 10 for FREE! (save $795)

Packages can be any combination of Hypnotherapy, Astrology, Reiki, Tarot or Gift Certificates. Packages can be split between family members and are also good for Enrichment Programs. Cash, check, credit card or PayPal accepted.

A few unique and unusual gift ideas:

Hypnotherapy - Shamanic journey, Chakra balancing, New Years Resolution package, or a Past life regression

Astrology - birth chart, transit report, or relationship reading

Tarot - overview of the year, specific issue, or a couples reading

Reiki - deep relaxation, increase energy and healing capacity, chakra tuning

Enrichment Programs (3, 5, 10 or week, and remember The Buddy System) - Tarot lessons, Astrology lessons, Goddess Meditations, Creative Abundance and Creative Journaling

Call or email today and get your loved ones (or your self) an experience they will always remember and treasure. Gift Certificates can be mailed directly to the recipient at your request.

This offer is good until 12/31/2014. One offer per person, please!

The Sacred World Oracle Deck

Written and illustrated by Kris Waldherr, creator of The Goddess Tarot, The Sacred World Oracle deck is a sumptuous feast for the mind and an excellent gift for the upcoming holidays. The cards themselves are pleasing to eye, beautifully illustrated with animals, both real and mythological; pleasing to the hand, nice and thick yet well sized for smaller folks; and further complemented by the rich descriptions found in the accompanying booklet. Waldherr writes, "Oracles bear the double duty of being the message as well as the vehicle to communicate it..."

The Sacred World Oracle is divided into four sections- earth, water, fire, and air. Each suit has a main card for the element, plus ten associated animals. The mythology of each is contained within the booklet, however, merely gazing at the images evokes personal resonances, memories, and inspirations. Two different spreads are also outlined in the LWB, one a past-present-future card spread, fairly standard. The other a five card spread developed by Thalassa of the Daughter's of Divination's San Francisco Bay Area Tarot Symposium ( BATS) was inspired by the ballet Swan Lake is called Black Swan, White Swan. This spread "helps us explore our blind spots - those pesky obstacles we can't, or don't want to see. It also points to the wisdom that lies in front of our noses."

I shuffled the cards, pensating upon it being Day of the Dead. I had a ho-hum Halloween yesterday and had no plans for the new moon this weekend, so doing the Swan reading seemed like a good way to acknowledge the change of seasons and tap into the thinning of the veils. I whispered the names of my ancestors as well as my kin/cats passed, friends who have crossed over and even contemplated my own death, hopefully far into the future. It has been in a time of endings and beginnings, as my daughter started college and I completed my PhD, empty nest syndrome hitting hard after her last visit. Recognizing the new chapter of my life unfolding, I pulled the five cards...

The first card is the black swan, or what you need to see that can get in your way. I pulled I-Earth. A very green card, right away I was aware of the animals suggested not just in the distant mountains but in the nearby copses, a huge oak in the foreground, beautifully framed with vining flowers and a picture of Ivy at the bottom. I reflect up upon how much time I have spent inside my house, working on my studies in particular, especially since my sweetie was hospitalized last spring and we stopped going on our weekend hikes. "When the Earth card appears in an Oracle reading, look for opportunities to take your dreams and turn them into a concrete reality" advises Waldherr. Certainly there is the opportunity to turn my dissertation into a book, changing a thought into form, but I also recognized the message to spend time in the outside world as much as in my interior landscape, and to change my isolation over the last six months into more outgoing, social adventures.

The second card is the magic feather, what you can do about it, and I pull XLIII- The Centaur - half human, half horse, pulling on an arrow notched into a bow, the classic sign of Sagittarius. As an astrologer I reflect that this sign symbolizes the higher mind, higher education, philosophy and travel. Here is the ability to focus on a goal, pull back to take aim, and the follow through. Mercury being retrograde, I notice it is a time of pulling back, with the trust that full moment will be gained after the planets shift in November. A card of being proactive, I feel encouraged to review my long term projects list and initiated some dreams that have been simmering on the back burner.

The third card is the White Swan, or what you need to see that can help you. I draw XXVII- Dragonfly. A lovely woman, maybe from South America, gazes at me, tattooed cheeks, a red dragonfly before her, a jaguar peeping in the background. Several of my students spring to mind, both past and present. The message here is of "unexpected grace found in difficult places". I laugh, this has been my lesson the last two weeks. In The Medicine Cards, dragonfly is a message to confront denials, honor inner truths and to break through any illusions.

The fourth card is also a magic feather, or how to use the solution presented in the card. Now I pull XXXIX- Firefly. I liked the transition from an air element (dragonfly) to a fire element, the ability to change thoughts into action. I grew up on the east coast, so catching fireflies reminded me of my childhood, times past, not an experience I have here now, living in California. Interestingly, the message here is to "seek moments of unexpected beauty that offer gateways for inspiration."

Finally, the fifth card is known as the Swan in Flight, an aerial perspective of the situation which gives an overview of the problems and steps for a solution. I pull II -Cat. Very curious, since I had completely shuffled the cards to pull the first card as the beginning card and the second card as the last, let alone the fact that I had invoked all of my past familiars/cats when setting my intentions. Here we see the Egyptian cat goddess, Bast, in a temple, with cats and kittens all around, even perching on the shoulder of the icon. My personal talisman, again my kin, my family, I am at times ridiculously attached to my cats and find it difficult to leave them for a night, let alone a vacation. The message in the booklet states, "the cat card challenges you to find ways to express your individuality. How can you create more magic and beauty?" Indeed, a good question.

So, personally I avoid using terms such as black/white to indicate problem/solution as it is basically racist if not simply reductionist. I did like the concept of exploring blind spots but wish it was presented in a way that was color blind. That being said, the cards themselves have a wonderful array of images, and although focused on animals, include humans in an international array, from Ganesha to Cimidye. The booklet really covers a gamut of worldwide folklore and hopefully will be expanded into a book. I honor that the author chose to use roman symbols for the cards, reminiscent of the Major Arcana in the Tarot, but I found the need to stop and calculate into western numbers a little tedious and off putting. The backs of each card had a representation of the four elements with the simple inscription, "As Above, So Below". Indeed, a simple reminder that the "function of an oracle remains the same: oracles offer us information. They can provide us with the experience of synchronicity... Our personal experience serve to frame these events, thus releasing information we already possess deep in our psyche."

Blessed be.

Magical Times Empowerment Cards

It is early in the morning, the cat is nestled on my lap, green tea is steaming beside me as I sit upstairs in my meditation space, sunlight streaming through the window, warming my back and illuminating my altar. I close my eyes, take a few cleansing breaths and set my intentions for the day. Asking the universe for guidance, I pull three cards from The Magical Times Empowerment Cards written and illustrated by Jody Bergsma, recently published by US Games Systems.

The first card I pull with my left hand, representing what is in my heart today. I draw a pale turquoise card titled "Faith" which shows an angelic figure, head bowed, with a kind smile on their face. The card reads, "Believe you are not alone. Spirit is right beside you. Ask for guidance and it will come." I spend a few minutes reflecting on the gentle strength portrayed, reaching for my pen and writing in my journal the type off guidance I feel I need in this moment.

The second card I pull with my right hand, representing what is in my head. Another pale turquoise card, this time with the title of "Expectation". A fairy in a green floral dress with lovely, lavender wings rides on the back of a dove while gazing at another dove flying near by. The card reads, "Be open for whatever comes next. It might just be the music your heart's been waiting to hear." I find it interesting that my head card is reminding me of what my heart wants to hear, and I ponder upon the power of creating positive expectations combined with the guidance I have just asked for.

The third card I pull with both hands, combining my head and my heart to discover my soul's purpose. I am greeting with a vivid, burnt orange card emblazoned with a winged dragon who seems to be guarding a shield that also has a dragon it, created out of Celtic knot work. The title here is "Energy" and the message works beautifully with the other two cards: "Life force is flowing. Open yourself to receive the power from within". I feel a great sense of empowerment and take a moment to tap into my third chakra, the solar plexus, the center of will power. I feel pleased with the sense of combining faith and expectation to develop my inner power for more sustained and sustainable energy, letting go of past burn out and disappointments and replacing these with renewed optimism, enthusiasm and encouragement. I review my goals, scribbling out those that are simply busy work and create a simpler, more focused list that is not only doable but truly enjoyable.

The Magical Times Empowerment Cards come in a sturdy box with a precious fairy on the cover, and each card is delightfully thick, nothing flimsy about this deck. The accompanying LWB has further affirmations and suggested spreads that make for both good meditation focal points as well as excellent journal prompts. For example, the Energy card states, "Today I feel strong. my head and heart are clear and focused. I will grab this magic moment with all of its potential and act. I will not be scattered. I will not waste time. I will not procrastinate, but instead will move forward with power".

I highly recommend gifting your self or a loved one a set of The Magical Times Empowerment Cards. Gentle and powerful, inspiring and uplifting, the delightful images and uplifting messages will be well received. Jody has created a wonderful tool that is easily accessible and immensely shareable. Brava!

"Be careful of your thoughts,

For they become your words.

Be careful of your words,

For they become your actions.

Be careful of your actions,

For they become your habits.

Be careful of your habits,

For they become your character.

Be careful of your character,

For your character becomes your destiny"

- Unknown (from the introduction)

Relationship reading with The Ancestral Path Tarot

The Ancestral Path Tarot by Julia Cuccia-Watts draws from four different ancient cultures in its' depictions of archetypal images found in the tarot. First published in 1995, this multicultural deck is a welcomed addition to my personal collection. I am always leery of cultural appropriation, however the respect and inherent universal messages that are truly cross cultural give new meaning and insight for the querent. Cuccia - Watts writes in the little white book, "We are all embryonic ancestors, similar to the fetus in the Hanged One image in the Ancestral Path Tarot. Through the placental cord of cultural transmission, we imbibe the world view of those who shaped and adapted it. We are nourished on the legacy of their belief systems."

Four ancestral cultures at specific historical times are used in creating the minor arcana - the Egyptian nineteenth dynasty of Ramses II for staves; Arthurian Britain for cups; post-contact America for Pentacles (called sacred circles); and the Japanese feudal era for swords. The major arcana are a mix of many cultures, including modern day, most notably the fool card portraying a woman doing a tarot reading, most likely a self portrait by the artist, and the judgment card which has a surreal image of a woman floating from her bed through a portal into another dimension where a helping hand reaches for her.

I did a twelve card relationship reading with my sweetie with the Ancestral Path tarot. After setting our intentions, we took turns pulling four cards each:
1) What am I bringing to this relationship?
2) What am I getting out of this relationship?
3) What is my foundation for this relationship?
4) What are my ambitions for this relationship?

Then we pulled another four cards together:
5) What is the significance of this relationship?
6) what is promoting this relationship?
7) What are the challenges in this relationship?
8) What is the gift/lesson in this relationship?

After pulling each card, we would describe what each saw in it to each other,then read the lwb out loud, and last tell each other what personal meaning we got from each card and how we saw it as a reflection of our relationship. It is always interesting to try to pull cards together, and on the challenge card my partner suggested that we pull the card with our lips. We spread the cards out on the coffee table and had a fun time bumping noses while giggling and trying to pick a card together with our lips. While usually I don't recommend licking your tarot cards, certainly this added a lot of joy to the reading!

My partner aka The Tarot Skeptic really loved these cards and commented on how many he thought were beautiful, in particular he liked the Eight of Staves, which has eight ibis' flying across the sky, giving a real sense of what is up in the air. There is so much detail on every card, especially in the expressions of the faces, from the ennui shown on the Four of Cups to the mystery of the Queen of Cups, leading one to ponder as to what is really going on inside, both in the card and the querent.

Overall I am quite impressed with the Ancestral Path Tarot and look forward to working with much more, both for my personal readings and for tarot readings with my clients. There is some wonderful descriptions in the introduction of the lwb of the four suits and in particular the symbolism used for the aces, but the actual card descriptions are fairly generic. I would love to get a companion book to go much further into the mythology, legends and history of each of these cultures. As Cuccia- Watts states, "The emphasis on the path of the ancestors...is not the anthropological emphasis on the cults of the dead, but on a living tradition from all human cultures available for us to factor into our world view."

Blessed Be.