Joie de Vivre Tarot

I am on vacation in Maui, playing with my new tarot deck, the Joie de Vivre Tarot created by Paulina Cassidy and published by  US Games Systems. My partner is off snorkeling, the perfect opportune moment to layout my tie die bandana as an altar cloth, focus on the Solstice, and all that will unfolding the coming new year.

The cards are light and whimsical, each fairy tale like with undertones of a more serious nature, a cross between Where the Wild Thins Are and A Nightmare Before Christmas. The little white book reveals the names of the characters, casting a spell of enchantment, leading me further down the rabbit hole. After shuffling the cards, I lay them down in the Motherpeace spread.

My significator is Five of Wands reversed. "In a scuffle, Rumble the tree and Fray the boy have their own strategies..." the message is how to change creative conflicts into creative visions, the power of positive competition. I think about play, my new cat playing with her toy mouse, increasing her hunting skills, and I ponder my own feelings of competitiveness to increase my skills, rather than the weariness of battles, real or imagined, internal or otherwise.

My source of strength is the Knight of coins, a placid image, I like seeing the textures of the water color creating swirls behind the champion on his steed. "Dedication...sits thoughtfully upon his blue horse named Caution." Patience and perseverance are the theme, along with commitment and follow through, certainly qualities I appreciate in myself right now.

My challenge lies in the Five of Swords. Two bird women beings cross each other, one with jewels hanging from her thin sharp curved blade. "Squabble and Quarrel are always in conflict... (but) the true event is battle of ego. victory and pride are not worth the cost of friendship." This hits me hard, and I realize where I have been the harpy lately, my own part in recent transitions of long friendships which have changed dramatically in the last year. I ponder the message, "reevaluate circumstances, there's always room for new directions."

At the root of the reading is Ten of Swords, I notice I've already pulled two fives. A veiled fairy sits by a stream, one sword across her lap while contemplating a snake in a stream, nine swords behind her, embedded upright in the ground. A small snail is her companion. As I turn the pages of the LWB, I feel weepy as I read the description, "Feeling at her lowest point, Lament unleashes the power of sheer will to lessen the impact that turmoil brings." I have been feeling stabbed in the back recently (back to 5 of swords) and take comfort in the message that "her worries are farther away than she realizes."

In the sky is Six of Cup - a sassy mermaid swims with two mer-bunnies, who look like joyful jesters in this underwater scene. Certainly this is most of my mind, my own and other's emotional healing, coming back to play and innocence, changing dis-illusionment (who wants to be illusioned?) to fresh vision. "Swimming side by side, Bliss and her mer-bunny friends, Charity and Innocence, appreciate the simple joys of life." The message here is to analyze what worked in the past and to update my actions to suit my current situation.

The immediate past, the last six weeks, is represented by XIV- Temperance reversed. A female figure with four arms, claw feet and doves wings combines essences in test tubes, holding the comedy and tragedy masks while a skull and bones pile at her feet. Her hair is made up of blue and red snakes, and she has sun and moon symbols on her pinafore. Last Temperance is "an alchemist, she achieves cooperation by combining forces...increasing your ability to adapt to change."

The immediate future, next six weeks, heralds the King of Coins, a strong bunny figure holding a red flower and a sunflower scepter, the shadow of a heart at his feet, purse bulging at his side. Stable "King Fortune stands proudly before his kingdom...Finding opportunity everywhere, he succeeds at whatever he sets his mind to." This fills me with confidence and hope, the feeling of resolve as I continue to work on my PhD and cultivate more clients in my practice as a holistic healer.

My mirror card reflects the King of Cups (2 kings in this reading). "King Serenity, kind and patient, is a natural healer...He's loyal to his purpose and possesses great knowledge drawn from the heart." Indeed, this figure holds one hand open while holding a full vessel, beautiful robes ornate with hearts, a protective cloak and crowned on gold leaves, I welcome this image of being the master of my emotions now.

In my house is XV- the Devil. A spooky spidery figure stands on top of a treasure chest with a face, while pulling the strings of a marionette who holds scissors and a heart. The devil is chained to the chest and has a belt made out of shrunken heads. "Though Deception wears an expression of self contentment, his garish hat portrays the expression of despair." the message continues, "Cutting the strings that bind him, Flee is moments away from fleeing the bonds of limitation."

Hopes/Fears are to be found in III- The Empress, interesting with all the kings in this reading. A beautiful nymph dressed in green, she has both hearts and sculls decorating her green leaf dress. She carries a shield with the Venus symbol on it in one hand, a moon faced scepter is the other, complete with a ribbon full of jingling bells. She stands on top of crescent moon in a field of flowers. "Containing the life force that gives birth to all creation, the Empress Blossom wears a nest of eggs on her head... Blossom is a beacon of delight and opulence." The message is to nurture ideas to bring forth positive energies.

My final card, outcome over the year, is XVI-the Tower, reversed. The tower is being destroyed from the onside by a monster with octopus tentacles and a lampreys head. A girl in a quilted dress falls from the tower, while butterflies grab the hem of her skirt and lift her upwards. "Hurling downwards from her tower of illusion, Discordia is rescued by butterflies, manifestations of her self-empowerment." The message here is clear, "regardless of how difficult change can be, soul shaking experiences are necessary to bring you out of your comfort zone and provide insight for further growth."

Blessed be.

What do I want to be in touch with regarding gratitude?

Being more grateful for my parents and I'd like to practice sending out the love infinity prayer to her just as I have with others this week.

Being more grateful for my health and for having overcome past addictions, practicing a kinder gentler path.

Truly enjoying myself, being grateful for my clients and that I don't have to have a housemate or do websites to earn money. My practice will be in writing love letters.

Love letters, my practice is in writing love letters - to my clients, to my colleagues, to my friends and family. I used to have writing to my mom on my monthly list and I want to setup a schedule for myself of reaching out on a more regular basis to my mom, my brother, my aunt, just as my dad and I see each other for lunch every two weeks.

I want to put into my calendar a schedule to update my profiles, send out emails, etc as a way to love my practice.I want to send out more follow ups with new clients as well as regular mailings of post cards, magnets, etc, the the little tokens of love and inspiration.

I want to keep texting Amber and posting on fb as a way to maintain our continuity when apart.

I want a check in system with Chip, like therapy, to keep voicing my truth and giving him the time and space to voice his. I want to remember to say thank you after each time he feeds me, each time he drives over the hill.

I want to be grateful for my house rather than seeing it as a burden, to take delight in the improvements, in a flourishing garden.

I want to be grateful for my friends and invite them over for dinner or parties, to enjoy our laughter and feel our mutual support.

I want to be more grateful for my students and the staff at Twin Lakes College, offer more of my essence through classes and workshops without being so concerned about what will I get paid.

I want to be more grateful for working at the office and the space it provides for my healing practice, as well as being more grateful for the referrals and giving more referrals.

I want to be more grateful and graceful at my networking groups.


I want. I can. I will. I have and will again.  And so it is..

I am grateful right here, right now. I am great and I am full.

Blessed be.

Qualities in myself I am grateful for

I am grateful for
My intelligence, my capacity to synthesize information
My incredible memory, especially for peoples names
My health and willingness to be healthier
My sense of humor
My ability to find the positive
My voice, in hypnosis especially
My ability to facilitate healing through reiki, hypnotherapy
My love of the esoteric
My deep curiosity
My organization, efficiency, tidiness and cleanliness
My ocd ways
My willingness to change my mind, my flexibility, my fluidity
My patience
My kindness and compassion
My ability to problem solve
My loyalty and tenacity, my commitment
My education, college and graduate, formal and informal
My ability to handle money
My ethics and morals, my sense of integrity
My parenting skills
My experiences with other lovers I bring to this relationship
My comfortableness with my body
My capacity for forgiveness, especially of myself
My willingness to laugh out loud, sing out loud
My sense of justice, fairness
My peaceful, diplomatic nature, my pacifist side
My inner warrior, willing to fight
My internal priestess, my deep intuition
My cycles and seasons, rhythms and tides
My grace, my ability to dance
My deep listening
My ability to really pay attention
My humbleness
My authenticity
I walk my talk and practice what I preach

Blessed be,

Simple things I am grateful for today

I am grateful for Chip
I am grateful that the cats are getting along
I am grateful for my warm shawl from my mother, from Guatalmala
I am grateful for my iPad and for dad giving it to me
I am grateful to live in Santa Cruz
I am grateful for a yummy dinner
I am grateful to have money in the bank
I am grateful that my closet is organized
I am grateful for my students showing up
I am grateful for my clients doing the work
I am grateful to myself for quitting internet marketing and the time I have enjoyed creating websites
I am grateful for Amber, pure and simple
I am grateful not to have to use an alarm clock
I am grateful for my health
I am grateful to feel in love
I am grateful I am am smart and intelligent
I am grateful for my spiritual practice

I am grateful to have laughed out loud today

Blessed be,

Tarot Through the Cat's Eyes

"A cat has nine lives, 3 he plays, 3 he strays and 3 he stays"- from  the Cat's Eye Tarot by Debra M. Givin, DVM

Mercury went retrograde on thanksgiving day, in Sagittarius, sign of the archer. Time to pull back on that bow, reflect on your target, before following through...

I thought to myself, what better way to review my goals than a tarot reading? I decided on a Nine Lives Spread using the Cat's Eye Tarot by Debra M. Givin, DVM, recently published by U. S. Games Systems.

Softly illustrated, this is obviously a great deck for any cat lover, one of my favorite parts being the green cats eyes on the back of each card. I loved XII - the Hanged Kitty, as being one of the best cat interpretations of tarot. I also enjoyed seeing the cats paws on each of the aces, reminiscent of the hand coming out of the clouds in the Rider Waite deck. I would have liked to see more on the royal cards, for example the king of cups could have had one paw in the fish bowl, but overall a delightful deck and one I am happy to introduce to my students of tarot and to gift to my friends.

I shuffled the cards while focusing on my career, curious as to what the cards would reveal on my path to being in service. Pulling from the top of the deck, I laid on nine cards in a three by three pattern. The columns represented youth, middle age and maturity. The rows corresponded to playing, straying and staying.

I liked this simple spread sheet type of lay out, easy to remember and work with. Starting in the middle column and moving down, for my current life experience the cards showed me first in play, five of swords reversed, a hissing cat at the vet. The message is to not ever react with emotion. Fives are the number of change, swords symbolize the mental plane, and I thought about the ways in which I can play with changing my mind.

The next card was showing where I have strayed - ten of pentacles showed two contented cats, fat and sassy in the barn, an affirmation of my own striving for abundance. Tens are completion, pentacles on the physical realm, and I contemplated what having a full client schedule would look like, feel like, where it would energize me, where I fear it would tire me.

The third card was indicating where I will stay - XIX, the sun card, showed a Ginger tabby basking by blooming daisies, seeming to be supported by a pillar of marble while gazing at a garden. What a lovely card, the message being confidence, clarity and renewal of sunnier energies.

I moved to the youth column, representing my youth. Play was two of pentacles, a white bellied tabby flinging a mouse on a string creating an infinity loop, a reminder of balancing the physical realm. Stray was VI, the lovers card, upside down, with the clear message of the difficult choices relationships can bring. Stay was Knight of Wands, the quester of passion, a big orange tabby high up in a tree, smugly looking at the dawn below.

Last was the maturity column, starting with Wheel of Fortune in the play position, a couple of cats hunt two mice while sparrows narrowly avoid the same fate. Change is always my friend. The stray card was VIII - Strength, a kitten and a big dog sharing a calm space, again a message to not over react but instead to come from a compassionate place of inner strength and acceptance.

The third card, representing stay, was eight of cups, traditionally the card of withdrawal, showing a black and white cat leaving a home after a new puppy has arrived. A sad card, I did not want this to be my ending, so I pulled one more card, XX- Judgement, two Siamese cats bask on a stone ledge by a cat gargoyle, a purple twilight gracing the background. The message is to take an honest look at myself, and to not ignore any opportunities for true progress on my journey, which left this tarot reader purring...

Evening notes

There is an intimacy within silence
A chance to remember your Self

Gratefulness
Great fullness
Gratitude and hope are active states, spiritual practices

Today I saw
Deer - be gentle with your Self
Mouse - pay attention to the details
Suggestion: Create a gratitude journal
What was the best thing that happened your the day?

Deepak Chopra reminds us - connect yourself to a higher vision of life through gratitude
Being mindful means being grateful in the moment


Right now I am
Grateful that my cats
Poppy and June are together

Blessing is related to the word blood
Let it flow and return to source
From the heart
Back to the heart

Bless this Space Between Us - a book recommendation

Taking things for granted does not make us happy
Essence is lost
Being busy vs slowing down more
A common theme
In practicing gratitude

Holding On

After the morning session at the writer's retreat, I changed into shorts and we went to the Blackbird cafe. I found myself enjoying the warm porcelain of the mug more than the actual coffee, staring aimlessly out the window at Tomales bay, just being present with the wood floor, the spilled creamer, the fancy pants car that pulled up so someone could drop off their used netflix at the post office.

We drove a long way to the lighthouse, the fog growing thicker and more surreal, some trepidation growing inside me. It was a thick blanket of grey by the time we reached our destination, after winding through cow pastures a plenty, cattle ranches and farms dotting the way. I was already cold, a condition I abhor, and was grateful that I had brought along pants and my winter jacket.

We hoofed it up to the visitors center, the cypress trees crying drops of condensed mist, creating a microcosm of damp earth, filled with rich moss. I was amazed at the lack of parking, the amount of folks out on this Sunday, despite the inclement weather. We wound our away to the weather station, where a brisk wind would occasionally reveal the ocean far below, information boards proudly proclaiming recorded gusts of 133 miles an hour, maybe my definition of hell.

We walked a little ways back, finding a surprisingly warm bench to eat our sandwiches, sharing potato chips and water. Chip opted to go on to the light house, but I balked at seeing the sign warning that the steps were the equivalent of climbing 30 stories, knowing my knees would complain the rest of the week. I wandered back to the car, the condensation so thick on my glasses that I just took them off, content to have blurry vision in the fog.

I sat in the car and continued to work on what had become my main focus in these last few days, facing my own struggles and writing to affirm myself all the times I had overcome similar obstacles in the past, all the resources I could draw upon now. Chip bounced up to the car, my happy Tigger, ready to hike into the wind and nestle into the poison oak and tick filled grasses. I struggle with the recent concepts of being content with the way things are and the need to create my own reality, which did not include being cold or being exposed to Lyme disease. I tried to not sound cranky as I requested we move some where more conducive to my needs, like the retreat house or a cosy cafe.

We ended up just going down to the beach a few miles away, instantly much sunnier, the sound of the elephant seals filling the air. We had passed many cows and a herd of deer or elk, the fawns practically obnoxious in crossing the roadway. We walked down to the rescue station, where for years brave men had launched boats to aid those who had been lost in the sea and fog, ships run aground and airplanes that had crashed on the shores.

We sat at a picnic table and shared our latest writing, I finally found the courage to share my piece on my real challenges, tears running down my face, choking up in places. We seemed to talk for a long time, and I found that beacon of hope in my chest, a lightening of my spirit as my internal fog lifted.

We walked back to the car and Chip went on another hike while I started a new Sherri Tepper novel, drinking his cold coffee and munching on potato chips. At some point I became anxious, looking up the trail for his familiar red sweat shirt, beginning to imagine the worst and wondering at what point would I go looking for him. I admonished myself to stop catastrophizing, to enjoy the calm warm car, but still my eyes would glance up at the end of every page.

My heart lept when I did see his familiar gait, and I felt silly for having wasted any time in worry. We went back to retreat house to change our clothes before venturing to Point Reyes Station for dinner, ending up at a very pleasant saloon with live music and yummy food. We talked about Gengis Khan and gratitude, holding hands when possible and thoroughly enjoying fresh popovers, speculating on blessings in disguise and how to create our future together.

Now we are back at the retreat house, a quilt resting gently across our laps, sharing the space with other participants, working on our writing assignments. I am tired but quite content, feeling happy with the little rock that Chip bought me, It has the single word on it, gratitude, and I know that this is something I can hold on to.

Blessed be.

On Retreat

Friday October 28, 2011

We have arrived at St. Columba retreat house in Inverness, near Pt Reyes. I picked Chip up at Google around 2pm, driving 101 through busy San Francisco, a windy tour into the northern seashore. After dropping off our stuff we walked the skinny shoulder of  the road into Inverness to dine at Priscellas on fish tacos and a sumptuous pesto penna pasta. I am aware of our talking, on this silent retreat, aware of the pauses, the moments of quiet, the need to share, our deep caring for each other.

I am deciding whether to bring my iPad into the workshop or to use my handy dandy journal, noticing the tap of my fingertips compared to the scratching of the pen, the incessant auto correct which is wrong in comparison to my own scribblings, an incessant need to edit, to make tidy and perfect.

What is my intention? To write, of course, but what springs forth is to write love letters - to Chip, to Amber, to Z, to Scott in a coma, to my clients, to myself. What are the letters of love? Looking at the Hebrew letters on the sun and moon tarot deck, what are the letters I would like to inscribe on my deck?

I wanted to make tarot templates before this trip, but time eluded me, getting caught up in the tides and eddies of cleaning the house, clearing my desk, last minute phone calls and emails. When do I put myself first? I comfort myself that all is within, and while I  may not be able to draw a perfect circle, I know I can draw upon my own creativity to begin what maybe I see as my great work, my chef d'oevre, even knowing in this moment that the quest is elusive and to enjoy the journey more than the destination.

Five years ago I really began talking about my intention to create a tarot deck, specifically by the time I am 50. Now at 45 I feels my own pressure, get with it, start writing, start sketching. I have momentary jealousies when I see a colleague who has created a deck, who is being published, and I need to remind myself that my time is my own, dedicated to Amber, dedicated to putting food on the table and paying off debts, there is plenty of time, plenty of time.

Recently I sketched out the minor arcana, and we'll see if I dedicate time to creating more fuller versions this weekend, or if my ramblings will take me elsewhere, always a learning experience, always a part of the process.

We are sleeping in bunk beds, a far cry from spooning together, yet I am so grateful to have Chip by my side, willing to enjoy this experience together. I send the cats energy and assurances, mom is just on a big hunt, and I will be back soon. Meanwhile, the retreat has just begun to be...

A treat!

Our first workshop, Chip and I pass each other our writings, I notice all the people from past retreats, those who are new. I'm curious about their stories, in slight awe of my own, from three years ago being in grief and torment over Chip, last year he house sat for me, this time he is by my side. I pulled the card of change a few days ago, and the wheel keeps on turning.

I am slightly chilled, at least my nose and cheeks, I can't believe I forgot to bring my jacket, she who is addicted to the black velvet. Addiction is my other theme this weekend, noticing all the times I have overcome past addictions, from cigarettes to farmville. I enjoyed my Lagunitas IPA at dinner, conscious of being grateful for moderation on this journey,

Blessed be.

A Blessing in Disguise

So you might know things as they are.-Jane Hirshfield

It is all hallow eve
And here at my door
Ghosts and goblins
Witches and more

Clamoring for candy
Or a least a treat
Here come others
Bustling down my street

In each one I see
The questions I ask
How to be authentic
To take off my mask

Becoming more familiar
With the skeletons in my closet
Realizing now
They are friends not yet met

We dress up our problems
Parading our fears
Put butterfly wings
On all our fairy tears

Shooting for the moon
Even if it is far
Looking in the mirror
So I might know things as they are

Facing the truth
Letting go of the lies
Each of my problems
A blessing in disguise

Make another wish

It's 11:11pm on 11/11/11 - make another wish! Post it in the comments section.

Now change it to "I will..."

Make a Wish

It is 11:11 on 11/11/11! Post it in the comments section and I will send you energy for fulfillment...

Everday Mystic

Taking a hot shower, the miracle of modern day plumbing
Coming home, the porch light is already on
The back yard is my temple, my sacred space
I am the priestess of pruning, invoking hummingbirds
Bees and ravens, a choir of leaves whispering
Dappled sunlight stains the grass
The clerestory of my personal cathedral
My vision of heaven on earth is here
I examine roots and bulbs, rose hips and passion vine
Inviting my teachers, cats, beetles, spiders and snakes
To teach me their ways of quiet contentment
I kneel in the dirt, grit under my praying hands
Pulling out my negative thoughts, planting seeds of change
Finding wisdom in watering, irrigating my soul
The deep peace of sweeping the deck yet again
Paying attention to the dusky hues, rising moon
I am planting my future now by enjoying the present moment
Breathing in the jasmine, I am not alone but all one
Here with my self, grateful for being the creatrix
Open to the mysteries as the night unfurls
Moving back inside to simply make soup
Supping on a blessed life, I break my own bread.

Blessed be.

Saturday at the Silent Retreat

As I sat down to breakfast
I noticed Love walk in the door
And put a coffee cup
Across from me

I heard Love buttering a bagel
- Love likes it with jam
Wondering how it would be
With Love across from me

I heard Love gulp down coffee
And slurp on yogurt
I wondered if that’s how Love
Would sound between my thighs

I kept my eyes downcast
Knowing I’d be blinded in the light
But I kept Love in my peripheral vision
I kept Love in my sight.

October 2009

Notes to Amber

My sweetest girl
Remember to stay sweet
and gentle and kind
and how much the animals trust you

Remember to sing aloud
Not just in the show
Play music while doing chores

Keep on wearing
mismatched socks
Sparkly earrings
And warm jackets

Buy year round boardwalk passes
Go to the skating rink
Put 10% into savings
And buy ice cream
Everyday

Read out loud to children
Read softly to your self
feel safe at night
With the blanket on your head
And the cat curled up
At your feet

Remember that fairies are real
They’re just not what you think
And that wishes grow from roses
Turning pebbles into crystals
At the blink of an eye

Remember I’m here for you
I’ll always listen to you
I’ll always love you
I always wanted you
You are more than enough
You are perfect to me

My sweet Amber Rose
I’m always proud of you
I’m always glad you chose me
To be your parent

There’s times we weren’t friends
When you didn’t like what i said
When you didn’t like me
But I hope you know
I always held your best interests at heart
I tried to be the best teacher
The best guide
The best advocate I could be
I tried my best
To be your mother

I hope you remember
My crazy songs and silly jokes
Driving to school
Listening to the radio together

I hope you remember
I was always willing to listen
And willing to change my mind
Willing to look at myself
willing to be kind

My Sweet Amber
In my notes to you
All i really want to say
Is how much I love you
        -Mom

Notes from My Inner Girl

Paint your toenails
Dye your hair
Wear glitter more often

    Put stickers on everything
    Write in your dairy
    Keep secrets

Flirt more often
Be sincere
Give out compliments freely

    Talk to cats
    Take more walks
    And nap more

Play with your toys
Put them away
Throw away what’s broken

    Eat anything you want
    Swing on swings
    Balance on the railroad tracks

Believe in fairies
Believe in magic
Believe in yourself

Crayons are our friend
So is modgepodge
Never throw away art supplies

    Be generous
    Be gracious
    You are a queen ballerina

Love your friends
Your friends love you
Love yourself.

Open House for Inner Resources: Hypnotherapy Program

Introductory lecture with Kayla Garnet Rose, CHT

If you've ever been interested in learning hypnosis, either to augment your healing practice or to become a certified hypnotherapist, now is the time to sign up! Come to an informative lecture and learn more about Inner Resources Hypnotherapy Certification Program.
 

 

Open House on Tuesday, September 6, 5pm-7pm
Twin Lakes College

1525 B Seabright Ave.
Santa Cruz, CA 95062
Map
831–476–2152

Inner Resources Hypnotherapy I

A Therapeutic Approach to Accessing the Healer Within

Location: Twin Lakes College of the Healing Arts

Starts September 22, 2011
Thursdays 9am to 1pm plus 4 Saturdays

Our client–centered Hypnotherapy Program, Inner Resources: A Therapeutic Approach to Accessing the Healer Within, has been a state–approved professional vocational training since 1985. It is regarded as one of the finest personal and professional experiences for individuals who want a complete and in–depth training, integration, and supervision of the applications of therapeutic trance. (More...)

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"We do not grow absolutely, chronologically. We grow sometimes in one dimension, and not in another; unevenly. We grow partially. We are relative. We are mature in one realm, childish in another. The past, present, and future mingle and pull us backward, forward, or fix us in the present. We are made up of layers, cells, constellations."-Anais Nin

Happy Lammas - The Time of the Unexpected Gift

Happy Lammas - 

The Time of the Unexpected Gift.

Traditionally a time of feeling blessed if a second set of lambs were born, in modern times it is associated with spreading joy by sharing the abundance. It's also a time to check in with your own self care before getting caught up in the whirlwind of Fall activities, from starting school to new athletic teams, let alone preparing for Winter and the upcoming holidays. Do you find your self:

• Needing a vacation from your vacation?
• Wanting to feel relaxed and rejuvenated?
• Seeking balance and internal harmony?

I am always available to assist your process, combining tools for transformation, customized to your experience, drawing upon that which will benefit you the most:

• Hypnosis for personal successful solutions
• Astrology Readings as a personal map
• Reiki healing energy
• A Whole Hearted Tarot Reading

My regular offices hours are:

• Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays mornings in Soquel
• Monday and Tuesday afternoons in Santa Cruz

Call or email for your appointment today!

What was the most fun you had this summer? Take a moment to close your eyes, take a deep breath in, and really remember a moment simple happiness. This will be a seed to cherish over the days and weeks to come.

For myself, my partner and I made a series of short videos on self empowerment, starting our own company, Chayla Productions. The three first releases out, coming soon are short presentations on The Power of Journaling, The Power of Affirmations, a Chakra Balancing, and a full tongue in cheek spoof on hypnosis, The "Happy as a Clam" Meditation.

I'm interested in creating webinars and videos based on my workshops and classes, including Creative Abundance, Beginning Astrology, Numerology, Radiate You Beauty, and Learning the Tarot. What would you be interested in? Your feedback is appreciated, and of course, private lessons always available

May the Fall equinox bring you harmony, equilibrium and an abundance of joy.
 

Blessed be,

Kayla
PS Spread the love! Gift Certificates are always available!

The Telephone Game

Whispered words
Circle the room
Crackling fire
We all try
Not to listen
While we try
to really listen
What will i hear?
What has been lost?
In this conversation
In that translation
Hiding mouths behind hands
looks of concentration
Suppressed giggles
Bent heads in anticipation
Shrugs of shoulders
Lifting of hands
It’s not just me
Who doesn’t understand
We laugh nervously
Notice the story getting shorter
Somehow funnier
As it gains momentum
Fire flames higher
Almost my turn
Hope what I hear
Is not a burn
How do I stay true
To the words in my ear
What is it anyways
That we really hear?

If Light Had a Mouth and Tongue

“If Light Had a Mouth and Tongue” - line by Mary Oliver

At dawn, she would murmur a prayer
Grateful for hot coffee to welcome the morning
As night vanishes into sunlight
joyous chatter describing dreams
moves into revealing plans and visions
By noon the familiar litany
Strong dependable, an exaltation
Afternoon delights, whispered sweetness
Sunset soliloquies, sonnets divine
In the twilight hour softer still
Until darkness encourages kisses
Sweet good nights, gratitude in knowing
“If light had a mouth and tongue”
Each day would have something new to say

Simple Self Hypnosis Technique

Here's our second video:

Tea for Two

There are times I pull a book from the shelf
When really I need to listen to myself
Times I pick up the phone to make a call
But the truth is - Inside, I know it all

Times I ask my therapist, Times I ask my mother
The lady at the drugstore, just some other
Person to download all of my blues
But talking to myself has all of the clues
Looking for a deeper more meaningful sensation
It’s with my soul I’d like to have a conversation

I’d like to know that I’ve really been heard
It’s all here, maybe just not in words
Taking myself out today for 4 o’clock tea
And really, really listening to me

Discover Hypnosis

So excited to be working with my partner on a series of videos...

Listening as a Spiritual Practice

If I accept every moment as an opportunity to hear messages from the beyond, I notice myself listening to the radio for snippets of wisdom, reading every bumper sticker as a personal communication from god.

    Listening to my clients creates compassion and empathy clearly, but listening to myself somehow is harder. Taking note of my body’s sensations, every emotion allows my creativity to flourish, even in using crayons to doodle my grayest interior, the fierce red flashes of pain in my joints, the hidden truths behind any headache.

    Joan of Arc was killed for listening to the voices in her head, yet she led an army into triumph. Who am I to deny myself triumph when maybe all I heard was a small voice say “don’t take the freeway”?

    The more I listen, the less I speak, wisdom seems to flourish in my soul, giving me guidance, confidence, and peace. Blessed be.

Notes To Listen Care Fully

• Make eye contact.

• Repeat back what you just heard.

• Pay attention to the body - match their posture, gesture, breathing.

• Make mental notes on your fingers to avoid interrupting. You will remember anything that is important when it is your turn to speak.

• Ask good questions - Go deeper.

• Give all the time in the world.

• Don’t try to fix, solve, or give advice.

• When appropriate, share a story about a similar situation or experience without the expectation that this person will do the same thing. Offer comfort, understanding, empathy and perspective.

• Tell them “I love you” with your eyes while they are talking.

• Follow up somehow - a note, an email, a remark the next day to say: I heard you. I validate you. I know you can work it out. I’m confident in you and appreciate you trusting me with your story.

What My Body Tells Me

My body never lies. My body tells me “yes” when I think of you. My heart races, my eyes widen, and there is an unmistakable tingling between my thighs.
    My body told me when it was not okay. Slowly at first, small burps and farts, escalating as I didn’t listen to full blown acid reflex, the beginning of an ulcer.
    My body feels safe with you now. It sleeps easily in your arms, our feet caressing at the southern hemisphere of blanketdom. My body tells me yes, yes, this is the time, this is the place, this is the one - for right now, for this moment, letting go of any expectations of forever-ness. I notice my fists unclenching underneath the cover of the pillow, the relaxation travels through my wrists and elbows, smoothing out the knots in my muscles, the tension in my shoulder blades.
    For long I doubted, for long I feared, I held back, and my body is flooded with relief to trust, to hope, to burst with joy at the sight of your eyes, the touch of your palm, the exchange of breath before we kiss.
    My body tells me, yes, yes, do this, walk this path with this person at this time. Combine your energies and be amazed at how far the two of you will climb.

Right Now

 It is Saturday afternoon at a writer's retreat. After the morning session and lunching on the rest of yesterday’s sandwich, I spent most of the day studying Ageless Body, Timeless Wisdom by Deepak Chopra. Friday was spent reading Wild Dogs by Helen Humphries.
    Time is fluid here, as I drink my coffee and switch positions, my aching knees telling me to get up, move, go pee. I feel pleased to have accomplished this simple of goal, of staying focused, rather than driving all over Point Reyes , coloring tarot cards or penning my lover letters.
    I’m looking forward to this writing session, socked feet curled up on the cozy couch, my glasses in place. I’m also looking forward to taking a walk this eve, now that the weather is gentled.
    How often I dwell on the past, how often I write “I’m looking forward...” instead of “I can’t wait.” Because I do have to wait, and much more than the waiting is the feeling of just be present, this here, this now, this moment, this circle of women, this fire’s particular cackle, this witch's’ particular intention.

Tips for Transformation

Tips for Transformation

• Drink water: no ice – you’ll drink more; same with using a straw. When you urinate, consciously let go of whatever has been pissing you off lately. Same when you defecate – say out loud, “I now release all this old crap.” Notice that as you release the accumulated emotional and physical toxins, the sense of well being and serenity that permeates your body.

• Breathe: take in what you need, and let go of what no longer serves you. Take deeper and deeper breaths until you feel the richness in your veins. Laughter is the best medicine – Breathe into your Buddha belly and feel a big belly laugh whenever you want to feel high.

• Purify: hot showers, hot baths, hot tubs saunas: release toxins naturally and effectively. Transmute old poisons, shed your skin, wash away the past to feel cleansed and renewed. Neti pots cleanse the sinuses & clear the head of congested thoughts.

• Cry: with a friend, a counselor, your favorite pet, a sappy movie, or yourself. Release grief, disappointment, guilt, heart break, frustration & the chemical compounds found only in emotional tears.

• Combine modalities: Chiropractic, acupuncture, traditional therapy, Reiki, nutrition and massage support the mind-body connection made during hypnosis. Ask for personal recommendations.

• Meditate: Start your day by simply stating your intentions, take a moment to visualize them as if they have already occurred, feel that in your body, and breathe it into every cell of your being. To further amplify this frequency, write in your journal, speak your truth, or better yet, sing your truth. Attract what you need in order to grow.

• Love your body: Feed yourself good, yummy foods that you truly enjoy to nourish your whole being; play with your body, dance, do yoga, go roller skating, get an exercise ball, stretch. Get rid of your scale – you’ll be surprised how much happier you’ll feel.

• Sleep: as much as you want to. Take naps. Remember your dreams. Your mind and body are doing the repair work. This is where deep healing occurs. Allow yourself to go to bed when you want to, and to wake up when you want to. Get rid of your alarm clock – you’ll be surprised how easily you wake up when you need to, feeling rejuvenated, relaxed and refreshed, ready for a new day.

• Laugh: all the way to the bank, in your car, during dinner. make people wonder what you are up to. Smile at strangers. Make eye contact. Make “I contact”.

• Have fun!

copyright kayla garnet rose 2008

On Not Listening

I have been a member of various networking groups over the last few years now, an incredible way to grow my business, create new relationships, and yes, learn some lessons in listening. There was one woman in particular who I found to be perpetually annoying. She would raise her hand several times every meeting and ask questions in a loud, harsh voice, reminiscent of “Horseshack” from Welcome Back Kotter.
    I found myself resisting her energetically, taking a cue from other members, and it was easy to blow her off at first. I’d look away during her initial promotional; write myself notes during her monotonous presentations, using the time to tune out her repetitive monologue and create lists of things to do over the coming week.
    She became louder and louder over time, always interrupting other speakers, making inappropriate comments and off beat jokes when it was someone else’s turn.  I found myself complaining about her after meetings - at breakfast with my colleagues, occasionally with clients, and even my kid would ask what annoying thing had occurred with her this week.
    At some point I realized what a drain of energy this was for me. I felt irritated every time she spoke, the proverbial cat being rubbed the wrong way, and quite certainly I was giving her no referrals. One of her power partners quit the group altogether, stating she could no longer stand the amount of contact they had outside the group, let alone in it.
    During one of our meetings, I noticed that she tended to sit exactly opposite me, no matter where I sat in the room. I decided that this was an opportunity to reflect upon this person as my mirror - when do I want attention? When do I act inappropriate or obnoxious? How could I find commonality with her incessant “pay attention to me” attitude and little girl antics? If we are all one and this was just another part of me, how could I love this part of myself?
    In our initial 60 seconds of silence before every meeting, I started to make lists in my head of 10 things we had in common. The first few were easy: We’re both women, in business, white, the same age, etc. then I had to start digging deeper. This was a great mental exercise, reminiscent of the work I had done in the past to “love my enemy and wish them happiness”.
    I also began to really pay attention during her first promotional, making eye contact, smiling, nodding my head in encouragement.  I discovered that if I gave her my full focus for those 30 seconds, she wouldn’t bug me for the next hour and a half, let alone the whole week.
    And clearly it had an effect on her - on whatever level, conscious or subconscious, she noticed that someone was listening to her. She stopped doing all the extra gyrations to be noticed, and seemed calmer as time went by. As Eleanor Roosevelt says, "Everyone needs a good listening to."

Chiron in Pisces

Last night so many memories came up - specifically about going to Paris with my mom in 1979 when we both had foot surgery at the same time. Waking up to indescribable pain, my mother crying and puking in her own bed, me unable to help, her pitifully calling out “Nurse, Nurse” *How stupid* I thought in my anesthetic haze*They only speak French here.*

    Within hours they made us walk, much to my horror, and we hobbled around the old hospital corridors on bruised and damaged feet. I remember seeing the black catgut caked in dried blood when it was time to replace the bandages.

    We shared a sugar cube, our only treat on a Saturday night, and read “Roots” over the next three days. I think my dad visited once, leaving us the Volvo so we could drive home. Why didn’t we take the train? Money? Driving from Paris to Luxembourg is a 5 hour  trip, compounded by a trucker strike that effectively halted their version of a beltway.

    The story goes that I navigated my mother through the city streets, but I remember little. Eventually we stopped for gas, and I asked my mom to buy me a Pierrot doll at the souvenir stand, the first in what was to become quite the collection. I so identified with being seen as the clown, the entertainment system, wearing a happy face when really I was crying on the inside.

    I was crippled, using crutches over the next six weeks, my feet kept in tight bandages for nearly a year. I did not realize at the time that I would never ice skate again, the one thing I felt good at, the one thing I enjoyed. That fall I left for boarding school in England, limping along, the surgery declared ‘unsuccessful’ and the doctors prescribing future operations.

    Almost thirty years later, my mother has had numerous surgeries since, including removing both bone spurs and tumors that grew around undissolved catgut. I have done acupuncture to break up stagnation in the scar tissue and to release the traumatic emotions, but I still feel an ache in my foot bones after Zumba and before it rains.

    There was a wounding my faith that day - faith in my parents, faith in doctors, faith that this would make things better instead of worse. Like the little mermaid, I awoke that day to not just destined to walk on broken glass, but to have my voice taken away.

    My parents didn’t abandon me - they had me “choose” to go to boarding school when I felt I had no other options. I remember how homesick I was the next few years, how I longed to have my parents call, to write me a letter, to find some assurance of connection. Always praised for independence and stoicism, I turned more and more inward, spiraling into a typical teenage depression that I still struggle with today. Only in my twenties, when I first started studying astrology, did I discover that Chiron, the wounded healer, was in Pisces, sign of faith and rules the feet, when I was born.

    I don’t remember the pre-surgery details, the way i remember the anesthesia routine before I had my adenoids out a few years previously. but I do remember the night before we checked into the hospital, walking along the boulevard with Mom, going faster and faster, trying to keep up with her longer legs and wider stride, until finally my mom asked me to slow down. “Slow down?” I asked, “I’m trying to keep up with you!”

Elements of Tarot: Fire

Fire:

Wands, Rods, Staffs, Flames, Diamonds
Sparks, Matches, Candles, Hearths, Forest Fires, Volcanoes, Novas

Energetic plane:

Creative, Artistic, Passion, Play, 

Vitality, Loyalties, Conflict, Competition, Drive, 

Action, Growth, Power

Key Word:

I will

Suggested Ritual:

Candle Magic

Candles are powerful as you can both burn away energy as well as invite in energy. Always start with a fresh candle - throw half burned candles away, guilt free. Choose a candle size proportionate to your needs -  a 2 hour mini spell candle is pretty different from a seven day novena. Choose a color appropriate to the situation - black tends to dispel energy, while white may purify and cleanse. A basic chakra chart can help you choose the right color for your focus.

Infuse the candle with you intention. Take a moment to notice what are the things that you wish for. Inscribe them on the candle with a pen, pencil or athame as what you will for. For example, if you wish for a million dollars, write "I will earn/receive/have a million dollars". "I wish I was healthy" becomes "I will be healthy."

Anoint the candle, either by simply running you hand along it or by using an aromatherapy oil. ***NOTE that candles anointed with oil WILL BURN FASTER and HOTTER. Use precautions. NEVER leave a lit candle unattended.

Note that writing/anointing the candle from the base to tip invokes energy to be released as the candle burns away. Writing/anointing from top to bottom invites energy. It's fine to both on a single candle, both releasing energy and invoking beneficial energy to fill that particular void.

Decide when, where, and how often to light your candle. Once until it's gone? One a day for a month? Every full/new moon? Whenever you're working on a particular project? Or you can use this ritual to bless a series of candles that can than be used as gifts for friends and family.

Blessed be.

Listen in the Moment

There is much to listen to, here, now, this moment - logs being piled up by the fireplace, a short exasperated sigh to my left, the hum of the heater, whispers of encouragement as the kindling takes the flame. I'm on a silent retreat with a dozen or so other writers, up in Point Reyes, California.
    Breakfast was a pleasant mish mash labeled “Australian Casserole” - I give thanks for hot food on this chilly day. I notice the Christian books for sale, a poster on symbolism I’d like to study later, a jigsaw puzzle of cats and easter eggs that looks completely out of place in this parish hall. In the lost and found I find a four inch horse shoe nail - symbol for Jesus on the cross? I’ll have to google it later.
    I sat with my coffee earlier, looking out the window as a tiny sparrow flicked through the bushes. Yesterday I noticed blackberries when I parked the car, and now I wish I had photographed the mist lying in the redwoods instead of pressuring myself to reach the retreat house.
    The ride up was fast and much shorter than I expected, giving me an extra hour before check in. Going through Oakland the traffic was hairy but I smiled at the thought of making this trail to Berkeley to have lunch with Amber when she goes to college in a few years.
    Amber - dear sweet Amber - the aliens have kidnapped my child and replaced her with a hormonal beast. I need to reread How To Talk So Your Kids Will Listen... I don’t take it personally -  her crankiness, complaining, stomping around - but it wears me out and I wonder how to help her channel her energies. I find it baffling - she cried more over her T-shirt turning pink in the laundry than when her beloved cat died, calling her other mom and posting her woes on Facebook.
    I feel inefficient and ill equipped in these moments. I try to remain serene, a calming presence in the midst of her emotional storm. I recognize my own lessons here, trying to not take on her moods or feel like I have to fix her - though maybe I need to separate out the whites in the wash a bit better. listening to her slam around her room has me clenching my jaw and wondering how to communicate - better me than a couples counselor or divorce lawyer in the future. I wonder if she knows how much she makes me cry.
    In the moment, listening to myself, I hear what all mother’s wonder - was I present? Did I do the right thing? could I have done anything different? In the moment, I hear a voice say, “It’s all going to be all right.”

Elements of Tarot: Water

Water:

Tarot Symbols: Cups, Vessels, Cauldrons, Shells, Hearts
Rain, Wells, Rivers, Lakes, Dams, Oceans, Storms

Emotional plane:

Feelings, Intuition, Dreams, Childhood, Early memories

Subconscious messages, Nurturing, Relationships, 

The need to give and receive, Flow, Receptivity

Key Word:

I feel

Suggested Ritual:

Ice Cube Magic

Each of the elements may be expressed in one of three modalities: cardinal (starts things), fixed (stabilizes) or mutable (changes). Ice cubes are in essence fixed water (Scorpio in astrology) and represent fixed emotions. Whether you feel fixated on the past, obsessed with changing the present, or fully focused on the future, ice cube magic may ease your way.

Take an ice cube from the freezer. Grab a permanent marker: black, blue or red ink work best. Write on the ice cube anything you want to see dissolve, shift, or change: grief, jealousy, stress, debt, taxes, the name of an ex-lover, your boss, cancer, etc. If the tip freezes, it's okay, you can imagine invisible ink or switch to using your athame or a sharp knife to scratch in the word(s).

Put it on a small plate, preferably in the sun. You can sit and watch the ice cube dissolve, noticing all the emotions that well up in your being and dissolve through tears. Or you can go out and do something completely else - the spell will be working in your subconscious the whole time.

Now, what to do with your melted emotions. You can pour the water down the toilet, flushing it completely away. You can pour it on an outside plant, allowing new growth to emerge. Be creative, yet keep it simple; invite ease and flow into your life.

Blessed be.

What I Like to Listen To

My lovers voice - I love listening to the rich tones, whether reading from a book of poetry or telling me about the day. It fills me with pleasure, an aural ambrosia.

My Self - The more I follow my own voices, the easier everything seems.

Music - radio, stereo, singing in the car, shower or while doing housekeeping. Sometimes while working, it is pleasing to have the companionship of human voices in my rather solitary environment.

My Clients - I love their stories. I never get bored. I love listening to their struggles and ultimately their solutions.

Nature - the sound of sea lions and the fog horn through the window at night, the splatter of rain on the windows, the soothing hum of tires on asphalt.

My heart - When I go deep and do my 3, 2, 1 meditation, I really listen to my heart and all it has to say in each of it’s four chambers, what it has to tell me right now.

My body - The pulse in my feet, the creak in my knees, the crack in my shoulders as I twist for relief. Each twinge and ache a message, a chance to respond, to take care of my self.

My cat’s purr - 'nuff said.

What do you like to listen to?

Listening Vs. Hearing

Hearing is the sound of the radio driving my teenager to school in the morning.

Listening is actually paying attention to the lyrics, the tug on my memories as an emotion is recaptured, a certain rhythm or beat that seems to fluctuate with my own life blood.

I hear your words...

I listen to your eyes, your body, your fingers touching mine.

I  hear your story...

I listen to the quality of your voice, the timbre and tempo, the courage it took to utter these words, the risk in revealing your more transparent needs.

I hear you say “I love you..."

I’m listening to your heart, your doubts, your fears, your hopes, your dreams.

Hearing is empathy.

Listening is compassion.

Do you hear me?

Are you listening right now?

Hearing is temporal.

Listening is eternal.

Change Comes

The Heart That Rejoices

Each Condition

She Changes

Romance is Imperative

Church of Zumba

There is an inexpressible joy
An ecstasy in rhythmic movement
I call this my
Smiler-cize

My body is wordless
yet knows all the lyrics
the steps well
before my mind

I quench a deeper thirst each time
I make the decision to be here
in Church of Zumba
arms stretched, heart pounding
My hips Salsa, my feet Cumbia
Here is my sacred community

The hardwood floors preserve
The stomps and punches
of the kick boxers before us
The mirrors reflect
Our personal goals

We create conversations of sweat
dialogs and choruses as we
move in sync, discovering
our individual movements
even as we dance as one

Warm up, cool down
So much repetition
So different every time

Each week there are us regulars
and the brave neophytes
A fluctuating tribe of women
learning to love
 the strength
in their bodies, the glory
of perspiration

In this moment we are Shakira
Madonna, Lady Gaga, every Las Vegas showgirl
We are fluid and flexible
we clap our hands and sigh
With relief, stretching our tendons
lengthening our breath

We pour out into the parking lot
Waving goodbyes, drinking more water
This holy moment directs my day, my week
long after
My purifying shower.

October 2010

Listening to Silence

I love listening to Silence. She is a friend of mine. Never a gossip or a chatterbox, we are quite comfortable together. I usually pick her up at the High School after dropping off my teenager, giving her a ride back into town, the sound of the wheels on the freeway and the hum in my head join our quiet chorus.

    We live well together, Silence & I, in the times my daughter is at her other parents’, the times my lover is at his place. We move through the house together, fussing over the angle of a photograph, the feng shui of a chair. With the stealth of the cat, we pad around, tying back the curtains we agree on sunlight and plenty fresh air.

    My lover is jealous of us, feels threatened by Silence, always trying to come between us, trying to fill the gaps with conversation, fearful that I am somehow bored with him and thus courting Silence. But these are the moments when I feel truly at peace, listening to the hum of the tires as the landscape flicks by, the bubbling of morning coffee before we talk about our dreams, the sound of his breath before gently falling asleep.

    We often have lunch with my Dad, who accepts Silence as my chosen companion, and the three of us are relaxed together in the busy cafe. There is no need to impress each other, to discuss the quality of light, the taste of feta and cranberries in our harvest salads, the feel of the plastic tables pretending to be made of wood. We have already reached consensus in sharing our time together, in noticing the lady wearing her slippers with just an arch of an eyebrow.

    Silence has much to say to me. She whispers in my ear, she whispers in my heart, and she holds all of my secrets safe. I listen attentively, a good pupil, always the student, never the master, as I easily live up to my nick name Rambling Rose, trying to validate oh so clumsily in the places where Silence remains simply, sweetly, softly eloquent.


October 2010

next time

next time

bring a sippy cup
a warm shawl
a flash light

bring less stuff
less to do
nap more

October 2010

Risk to Bloom

What My Heart Tells Me

What My Heart Tells Me

    My heart tells me: Thank you, thank you for taking care of me. Thank you for nourishing and exercising me. it makes my job so much easier. I love being your heart. I love bringing all that rich, oxygenated blood up to your brilliant brain and down to your twinkly toes. I love taking away all the carbon dioxide/ the lactic acid, the emotional toxins out of your system. I love being in the center of your body, the center of your being.

    I feel safe in your chest. I feel safe having your ribs gently encircling me, giving me room to breathe, room to grow.

    There are times when I felt battered and bruised, tired and sad, overburdened or just plain stressed. Thank you for taking the time to tend to my wounds, to listen to my woes, to fill me with morsels of hope.

    There are times when I have overjoyed, full of optimism, excitement and enthusiasm. I love being in love and I love the way I expand in your chest when you expand in trust instead of contracting in fear.

    I am your loyal heart. I am always here for you and you can always count on me. Thank you for taking the time to pray with me, to play with me, and above all, thank you for listening to me.

October 2010

Power of the Mother

Love and Pleasure

Manifest Your Reality

Sun and Moon Tarot

In the name of the Maiden, Mother and Crone

I'm here by myself - And I am never alone...

-kgr

I shuffle the cards over and over, stiff little boards in my hands, the cool gray and white lotus on a black background a stark contrast to the flashes of color as the satisfying sound of the cards rippling through my hands fills my peaceful, sun-filled living room. It is the harvest moon, a time of abundance, time of balance as we move into Libra and notice the fall equinox, the shifting light, the changing tides.

Today I am playing with The Sun and Moon Tarot by Vanessa Decourt, recently published by US Games Systems. After splitting the deck into three piles with my left hand (coming from my heart), I then reorder them into one pile with my right hand (using my head). I pull the first card with both hands, my finger tips arguing with each other as I tip the cards back and forth, back and forth, until finally they are in agreement that this is the one.

I'm employing the Motherpeace Spread and the first card is the significator, the here and now, the present moment. The ace of pentacles appears, an auspicious beginning. A gray shield with a pentacle in the middle surrounded by a geometric, almost floral design is surrounded by curling ivy in a deep mustard yellow background, a downward facing triangle with a line through it graces the top.

My first impressions arise: Aces are the top card, as well as the beginning - here is the alpha and the omega. Ivy is know for it's tenacity, the ability to stick to something for the long term. Pentacles represent the physical plane, and I ponder my health, my house, my business. Part of me feels protected, like the pod of the seed. Part feels ready to unfold, after being planted, nourished by both a rain of tears as much as the shine of smiles.

The deep yellow puts me in touch with the third chakra- the solar plexus, center of will and power, ruled by Leo and the shining sun. I post on Twitter: The Harvest Moon reminds us to harvest our abundance, and plant the seeds of change, seeds of hope, and seeds of love. I ponder the last symbol, the male principle, split in two - a balance between head and heart? Or what I seem to need the most, a balance between the higher mind and the so called lower desires?

I pull the next cards rapidly, some with the left hand, some with the right, sometimes using both, most are reversed, to my surprise. I enjoy the images tremendously - simple, faceless beings engage in archetypal moments, the colors are fairly soft and muted, the lessons feel gentle and kind. There is a modern element to this deck (stripes come to mind, from stripy shirts to stripy socks), as well as an element of timelessness, found in dancing figure of Shakti in the universe card or the ace of swords being crowned in gold.

The second card is ten of cups, satiety, upside down - how is  NOT feeling satisfied my source of strength now? Next I get three of wands, virtue, as my challenge - how am I being loyal, to myself and others. At the root of my being is three of pentacles, what Decourt names as works, and on my sky/mind is the devil, again reversed - hallelujah! certainly over the last few years I have worked on looking my demons in the eye and creating alliances instead of enemies. Ace of swords graces my immediate past while prince of pentacles dominates my future. The bull looks stuck, stubborn in this card, but I instantly go back to the ivy in my significator, the lesson of tenacity. No coincidence that my present lover has Taurus on the 7th house. 

My mirror card is king of wands, as I master my own energies, become the master of my desires; while in my house the four of pentacles appear, that desire for stability on the physical planes, creating sand castles on the beach, and The Universe expresses my hopes and fears.

My last card has a man and a woman embracing on a white lotus under the full moon, their quiet reflection shimmering in the water as they whisper heartfelt secrets to each other. My outcome for the coming year: Two of cups- love, sweet love.

 

Blessed be.

No longer the slave to intensity

I am now the face of satisfied desire.

-Rumi

Join Hands

It Was a Gift