The Fool card asks us to be open to surprise, and greet each day with a willingness to be open to new things, says this month’s reader in residence, Mademoiselle Danielle …
Reader
NUMINOUS TAROTSCOPES: FEBRUARY 2018
Your Numinous Tarotscopes February 2018 are here, cast by Melinda Lee Holm using the Starchild Tarot …
AQUARIUS // AQUARIUS RISING
Six of Swords
Happy solar return, Aquarius! Following the great cosmic integration of January, the cards have a wonderful gift in store for you this month – the power of acute discernment. The sixes always indicate a shift, usually subtle or even invisible as seen from the outside, but profound and world-changing as experienced from the inside. You will not only be able to see clearly what your options are this month, but also to make decisions based on this information. Sixes correspond to sephiroth of Beauty on the Tree of Life, leading me to always consider – what is the true beauty of this suit? And the beauty of Swords, of Air, is that it allows us to consciously choose our path.
Take a moment to survey your surroundings this month in every situation. Get a good lay of the land. Draw on the wisdom you received in January. Were there any nuggets that were especially surprising? Challenging? Freeing? Did you discover something new about who you are and what your place is in this world? The Universe leaves us a trail of breadcrumbs as we feel our way along our life’s path. This month is one of those wonderful times when you come up over a crest and can trace the trail forks all the way down the hill. Which path will you take? Will you be alone or in a group? Will you be the leader or is there an elder guiding the way? What will you take with you and what will you leave behind? Most importantly, how can you make the most of this journey?
Your stone for February: Fluorite
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PISCES // PISCES RISING
Eight of Wands
Well, Pisces, you have definitely come out of the energetic cave you resided in for January and are ready to create some structure! Now, being in the suit of Wands, this will be an evolving structure, a structure that moves and adapts with you and your environment. Wands represent Fire and Fire is a living, breathing entity after all. Think process docs and working methodolgies – structures that guide creation and allow it to unfold more effortlessly as oppossed to containing or limiting it. I know, I know, structure is not really your cup of tea. You prefer to go with the flow. But what if you had the ability to expand and strengthen your flow by using your instincts to guide and shape the canal? This month, you do!
Take time over the next 4 weeks to look at ways you can use restrictions and limitations to allow your beautiful creative spirit to flourish. Test out different methods, ask friends and colleagues what works for them, and keep track of the results of your experiments. Do you feel open? Are you more productive? Do you come up against feelings of rebelliousness or constriction? You are intuitive and compassionate by nature, Pisces, and these qualities will help you in this quest to find a structure that works well for your style. Be patient with yourself, be ready to stumble and even fall. This is incredibly important work that will help to kick your manifestation and productivity into high gear.
Your stone for February: Citrine
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ARIES // ARIES RISING
Page of Wands
February has you playing with Fire in the best of ways, dear Aries, as the Page of Wands steps in to twirl you around the cosmic dance floor this month. When the Pages arrive in our lives, they come to reconnect us to our inner child to rediscover the power of their element as if for the first time. We forget what we know (or thought we knew) and feel our way through, discovering how the elemental power connects to who we are now at this moment in time. With the Page of Wands, this is a major reawakening and reinvigoration of the creative and intuitive power of Fire. The Pages may be the novices of the Court, but they supply us with immense opportunities for growth and refinement.
And with this novice energy coming in your native Fire element, this could very well be a chance to grow in ways that alter the very core of identity. How you create, what you create, for what purpose and based on what innate knowing are all up for reassessment this month. You could find yourself tapping into new esoteric practices for opening intuition or getting familiar with a new artistic medium. Identify strongly as a musician but always dreamed of painting? Always made a living working for someone else but had a hunch you’d be better off on your own? Ready to get serious about that weird thing you’ve always had where you know what your friends are about to say and see how far you can develop the gift? Now’s the time, Aries!
Your stone for February: Labradorite
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TAURUS // TAURUS RISING
Ten of Crystals
Lucky you, Taurus! It looks like whatever collaboration you got into last month has really paid off in one way or another. The Ten of Crystals indicates you are about to have a February full of abundance, one of those months when things just seem to line up. When we speak of abundance in the metaphysical realm, of course, we are talking about the full spectrum – emotional, physical, and spiritual abundance. This is a profound feeling of “fullness” and, being in the realm of Earth, it should feel very comfortable to you indeed. Tens are the pinnacle of the numbered cards. In the tens, we reach the greatest development of the suit. But with that development comes a little nagging sensation in the back of our consciousness that it is time to look ahead to starting the journey again. The ten demands a return to the Ace.
So drink this in, dear Taurus. Your love of comfort will be indulged this month and you can feel free to lay back into it with no guilt – just make sure that you keep one eye focused on how you will use this newly unlocked level of your life as the new ground floor of the next phase of your mastery of Crystals. This is the suit most closely associated with the stuff of our daily lives, the currency we need to engage with to live in this material world. Stay cozy, but stay open to the approaching new lessons of the Ace of Crystals that the appearance of the Ten promises.
Your stone for February: Aventurine
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GEMINI // GEMINI RISING
Eight of Swords
There are three eights in the mix this month, Gemini, but only one that lands in the sign’s native element. Congratulations, my Mutable Air babes, that’s you! The Eight of Swords is here to allow you to ruminate your way into a new mental framework of life. After the work you did last month to even out any imbalances in your day to day, this month is shaping up to be a welcome rest in the realm you are most comfortable in. It is time for some restructuring in your handling of Air. Structure in Air is a tricky concept. It can be difficult to even notice that it exists, but we all have subtle (and not so subtle) armatures built up that dictate the reaches of our thinking. February will illuminate these armatures and present an opportunity to re-shape them.
The most effective way to enact change in the structure of Air is to simply notice its workings. Let your mind wander, let the thoughts roll through, say what’s on your mind, and be sure to take note! Mental note is fine (this is a Swords month after all). The simple act of noticing your current thought and communicaton patterns is a huge step in making changes that can help to make the element of Air work for you instead of getting swept around by it. You don’t have to make any judgment calls on the patterns you see. Seeing patterns that have been invisible until now will provide all the clarification you need on how to best move forward. Sit back, watch your words and thoughts float by, and see the new structure taking form.
Your stone for February: Aquamarine
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CANCER // CANCER RISING
Four of Cups
Sweet Cancer, your super power becomes your solace this month as you enter a period of stability in the emotional realm. As the cardinal Water sign, your innate comfort in the watery places is high, but sometimes it can seem as though you are being swept away by emotions instead of floating peacefully on their waves. February brings a welcome visit from the Four, the first chance at a solid three-dimensional shape in the numerological world, the comfy place to rest where you can kick up your feet without fear of falling over. This Four of Cups moment is especially sweet for you, Cancer, because it is reassuringly familiar. These moments of emotional comfort have visited you throughout your life and been your guiding light when the seas have been rough.
These periods of stability are a great time to take stock of what is going on in your emotional world to see if there is anything that requires adjusting, toning down, or amping up. We see more clearly when we’re on solid ground. We can make more grounded observations and decisions. You will be able to be less, well, emotional about your emotions, which is a particularly great gift given the pressure of romance this month brings. Romance gets the lion’s share of attention among emotional states, but you know better than most that the full spectrum is really where it’s at. Stick to your guns and avoid the hype. You can trust your heart’s ability to find True North.
Your stone for February: Rhodochrosite
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LEO // LEO RISING
Queen of Crystals
Oooo, Leo! This is some exciting stuff right here. Queen of Crystals to follow Transformation last month? I envy you. And I hope you really dug deep to clear out all the dusty nooks and crannies and shook out all the rugs, because the more clearing you did last month, the more space you’ll have to grow your personal vision this month. That’s what the Queen of Crystals is here to help with – building your creation, the thing you’ve been nurturing and molding and privately willing to come to life. It might be that screenplay you’ve been working on for years, the home renovations you never quite get around to completing, the business you’ve been dreaming of starting. Whatever you see as your “baby” is The Thing.
This month, it is imperative that you carve out time to devote to The Thing. The Queen works alone, so you won’t have to deal with anyone else’s whims or schedules. Steal 10 minutes when you get up in the morning, take lunch alone, forego happy hour and use that time and energy to build something that is truly and uniquely yours. If this sounds exhausting, then you need to take a closer look at what The Thing is. When you find what is in true perfect alignment, what lights your heart on fire and will be a part of the better tomorrow you envision for yourself, the prospect of devoting so much time to it will not be daunting, it will be exhilerating.
Your stone for February: Carnelian
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VIRGO // VIRGO RISING
Oppression
Well, Virgo, there is no sense in sugar-coating it – February will likely prove to be a challenging month for you. This is one of the “scariest” cards in the deck and it does earn its reputation in some respects. Oppression is no picnic. It indicates that we are being held down and back by forces that seek to limit our progress and our evolution, to dim our light and steal our hope. However, when this card appears it is actually a spark of promise. So often we move through life completely unaware of what is holding us back. This month, my dear Virgo, you will have the opportunity to stare it square in the face and take back your power from its grasp.
What is it that is oppressing you? Where is it coming from? What ideas about who you are and what you can be have you internalized that are limiting your development? It’s easy to spot things outside ourselves that seem to be standing in our way, it’s more difficult and much more effective to seek out the internal drains on our confidence and drive. What stories do you tell yourself about what you are and are not capable of? deserving of? entitled to? You have the power to release yourself from these boxes you’ve been living in. You have the power to clear your temple of all that would seek to destroy it. This is your story. All words are magic and you’re writing the narrative.
Your stone for February: Nuumite
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LIBRA // LIBRA RISING
Seven of Crystals
There is a restlessness about the Sevens, a somewhat impatient asking of “what next?” after the accomplishment of the Six. You’ve done the work, Libra, so don’t stress. This month, the Seven of Crystals is here to soothe your worries and reassure you that what you are building is in fact growing and taking form. If you are having trouble identifying just what it is that you have begun building, take a look back at what insights you received with the Two of Swords last month. Did any decisions come to light? We create things every day in our lives, sometimes without even knowing what we’re up to. Your dedication to being a good partner can sometimes obscure your view of how powerful you are on your own.
So, what IS next, Libra? Where will you go from here? What new seeds do you want to plant? If you’re feeling impatient waiting for the last round to grow and bear fruit, why not plant another garden while you wait? Or, if you are eyeing what will soon come to fruition with trepidation, afraid you lack the talent, skill, or determination to follow through on what you’ve started, then take this month to rest, study up, and refine. Everything comes and goes in phases, Libra. The Moon shows us her phases clearly in the sky, waxing and waning as she calls to us to be patient with ourselves and our animal bodies. It’s happening. Let go and live your life.
Your stone for February: Green Calcite
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SCORPIO // SCORPIO RISING
Knight of Crystals
It’s time to step up your work game, Scorpio! The Knight of Crystals, teen dream of the element of Earth, is here to give you the will and the drive to do just that. The suit of Crystals rules over the material world, the stuff that we live off of and on and from. Whether it be finance, home, career, or simply our day to day routines, this suit grounds us and makes it possible for us to live in these human bodies on this planet. It can seem like mundane, not-at-all-magical stuff, but our relationship with Earth has everything to do with the magic and mystery you hold so dear. Conjuring is the art of making the immaterial appear and exist in this three-dimensional world. The Knight of Crystals has the energy to help you push the boundaries of what you believe you can conjure.
The Knights are the Fire of their element. How can you embody the Fire of Earth, the imperative for form and function that these elements hold? What project or process in your material world requires your protection? This is not simply about getting more done, it is about improving the quality of the work, refining the method to make it more productive, seeing where that work energy can be best spent for the greatest rewards. Knights are prepared to put themselves at risk for what they serve. What will you risk yourself for? What great work will earn your youthful and heroic devotion?
Your stone for February: Black Onyx
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SAGITTARIUS // SAGITTARIUS RISING
Eight of Crystals
How does that song go? Work work work work work? That’s you this month, Sagittarius! But don’t despair, you’ll love every minute of it. Or most, anyway. You had a wonderful dose of emotional cleansing last month, so you should be good and ready to put your nose to the grindstone. Be on the lookout for major insights into how to make your workflow more efficient and productive that leave you wondering how you could have possibly not seen it before. This newly streamlined methodology will allow you to reconnect to what you love about the work you do, why you began doing it in the first place. When I say “work” I am not necessarily talking about your job or work you do for money. Some people’s purpose is connected to how they make money, but these things may or may not be aligned for you. The Tarot is concerned with what is considered your Life’s Work.
February is all about getting your hands in the dirt. Release any tendency to procrastinate and any resentment about what type or how much work you have on your plate. Once you get started, the work will flow easily. When we are presented with energy of the suit of Crystals, we have great opportunities to make adjustments to the structure of our every day lives. This suit connects us deeply to the power of the Earth and our true nature as its animals. You’ll be surprised by what forms emerge when you dig in and start actively forming the clay of your life.
Your stone for February: Ruby
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CAPRICORN // CAPRICORN RISING
High Priestess
Wow, Capricorn, you are on a roll with the deep, mystical vibes! Last month The Moon got you in touch with the deepest corners of your psyche. This month, the High Priestess arrives to empower you to step into your ancient Divine power and clean house in your temple. This energy should appeal greatly to your Earthy, independent nature. The High Priestess marches to the beat of her own drum. Or rather, she meditates, floats, downloads, and intuits. Her acute intuition allows her to be incredibly self-sufficient, relying only on her deep connection to her own inner knowing and to the Divine for guidance. One of the secrets to this connection is her impeccably maintained temple. The High Priestess teaches us that we must maintain our temple if we want to achieve higher states of consciusness.
How is your temple doing these days, Capricorn? When I ask that question what comes to mind? Is it a structure, a place in nature, your physical body? The first step to perfecting your temple is to identify it. No matter what your living situation, you can define a temple. It can be as big as a church or as small as a satchel in your pocket. What defines a temple is that it is an entity maintained by you that you feel safe within and use for devotional purposes. Incredible insights and rapid expansion of intuitive powers are available to you now. What will you discover? Could it be that the oracle you sought on your journey was inside of you all along?
Your stone for February: Moonstone
NUMINOUS TAROTSCOPES: JANUARY 2018
Cast by Melinda Lee Holm using the Starchild Tarot
Hello friends! I am so excited and honored to be handed the baton from Lindsay to bring you this monthly Tarot guidance. I have benefitted greatly from her wisdom and it fills my heart to be able to now step up to pay it forward. In addition to my work in Tarot, I have an extensive background in crystal energies, so I am adding a stone for each sign that can help you unlock the power of your card for each month. I hope that my take on the cards will continue to be source of inspiration and comfort for you! Happy New Year! xoM
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CAPRICORN // CAPRICORN RISING
The Moon
Happy solar return, Carpicorn! With the Sun shinging bright in your sign, you are called to step into the darkness to get reacquainted with your inner voice. What parts of yourself have you been avoiding eye contact with? What distant voice beckons from deep within your psyche? How can you ready yourself to step forward into the role you have always known deep down you were born to play? The Moon not only calls on us to explore deeply our inner realms, she guides us in our quest, ever present in the darkest hours. There is an aspect of the Hero’s Journey in this card, a feeling that a uniquely personal task must be fulfilled, fear of the unknown overcome, the Hero returned changed, matured, better suited to serve as a member of the community.
If you have had a creative project taking form inside you, now is the time to confront it, to dive in and swim around in it, exploring options and angles. The Moon beckons. It does not demand immediate action, but it does demand the acknowledgement of the inevitable. This first month of 2018 is your time to lay low, dig deep, and accept the mission the Universe is presenting to you. You are important and the world needs what you have to offer. Pay especially close attention to messages you receive on the Full Moons (1st and 31st) and the New Moon (16th). Be prepared for major shifts to be clarified or solidified at the Blue Moon Lunar Eclipse on the 31st!
Your stone for January: Lapis Lazuli
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AQUARIUS // AQUARIUS RISING
Akashic Records
January will be a time of tapping in to the great cosmic library for you, Aquarius, and with your famously dreamy nature, this should feel like absolute heaven. Keep in mind that being a part of the Cosmic whole – the past, present, and future – comes with a healthy dose of responsibility. If we’re all here as one massive living, breathing organism, then how we care for ourselves ripples out to effect every other part of the great Universal beast. Keep track of how your treatment of yourself forms your interations with others. The wisdom you download may propel you to make some changes in your self-care routine to put you in better alignment with the Divine Whole.
This is a great time to expand your meditation practice, spend more time in nature, gaze at the stars, and engage in any other activities that make you feel more connected to the eternal Collective. Let your mind wander and explore places – within and apart from yourself – and see what gems of knowledge you find along the way. Eternal wisdom lives in everything, so you may find yourself receiving profound enlightnement in seemingly unlikely places. The Akashic Records are not accessed through a single Great Teacher, they are aborbed through our energetic field and discovered through connection with the world around us. Stay open to learning from all beings great and small and consider keeping a journal of your experiences so you can go back and expand on any revelations at a later date. Something that seemed small may turn out to be life-changing.
Your stone for January: Amethyst
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PISCES // PISCES RISING
Serenity
Following the busy social scene of the holiday season, you are called to take a pause to care for your own physical, mental, and spiritual health, dear Pisces. With your mystical sensibilites and tendency to take on the emotions of those around you, the holiday season can sometimes be especially taxing. Now you have the great gift of Serenity at your doorstep, urging you to cozy up and settle down. Don’t be arfraid to say no to social obligations or to have strong boundaries around deadlines. This is your time to care for you. Take full advantage and wrap yourself up in the warm embrace of purposeful solitude!
I repeat – this is a PURPOSEFUL solitude. The energy of the Serenity card is not about just vegging out or slacking on responsibilities. The invitation here is to get quiet and nourished in order to gather wisdom to bring back out to your fellow humans when you are ready to emerge from your cocoon. So, when you are thinking of ways to get cozy, think more “books, spa days, yoga retreats” than “Netflix and junk food binge”. Though by all means, if a certain show or movie is sparking your creative interest, watch away! We all need some couch time now and again. Just keep an eye on whether your downtime activites are truly nurturing or leaning toward escapism lest you come out of January feeling even more depleted than when you started.
Your stone for January: Iolite
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ARIES // ARIES RISING
The Emperor
Rejoice, Aries! You’ll be right in your element this month with The Emperor at your side, stoking your firey nature. If you do not have a crystal clear vision of all you want to accomplish this year (complete with blueprints, color charts, a mood board, and detailed financial projections), now is the time to get focused and get all your ducks in a row. I do not see this being difficult for you. With your ruling planet of Mars in Scorpio for most of the month, you will have rare access to the deepest depths of your emotional self. Getting in touch with what truly makes you feel fulfilled will allow you to not only think but to feel out which long-term goals will best serve your master plan.
You know you have one. Aries always has a master plan and with The Emperor by your side, you can safely expand your scope, knowing you have the strategic prowess to execute your grand vision. What you put into play in January will set the tone and the foundation of all you can accomplish in 2018. This is a big month. But be mindful of stepping on toes. This is a LOT of bold energy, and both your cardinal Fire nature and The Emperor can have a tendency to overlook emotional concerns to get goals accomplished more quickly. Remember, it’s only January! Keep an eye on your long game and make sure to maintain relationships as well as you maintain strategic vision.
Your stone for January: Rhodonite
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TAURUS // TAURUS RISING
Three of Crystals
Collaboration is the key word for you this month, Taurus, and perfectly rooted in your native element of Earth. This month brings opportunities to make great gains toward goals of the material world. These can be financially motivated or simply personal passion projects, but they will revolve around changin the physical workd around you in some way with the help of others. Be on the lookout for people, places, or situations that offer you unique perspectives and provide resources or skill sets that are complimentary to your own. You may need to soften your stubborn side a bit to get the most out of your partnerships. Remember that collaboration works best with people who have skills, experience, and perspectives different from your own, so their viewpoints may be challenging at times.
If you have active ongoing projects, reach out to people outside your discipline to get their insights. If you have an empty plate right now, it’s a great time to get together with a wide variety of friends and collegues to talk about what you’re intested in making or accomplishing and wait for sparks to fly. The Three of Crystals will ensure that the right people and situations cross your path. With your dedication and work ethic, and passion for quality, you are naturally someone others desire to work with. You can afford to be a bit choosy. Get grounded in want you want and what you have to offer and get ready to step into some unexpected magic.
Your stone for January: Garnet
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GEMINI // GEMINI RISING
Justice
Striking a balance is imperative this month, Gemini, which may prove easy or incredibly difficult for you depending on the current status of your relationship with your inner twin. Make peace early in the month by forgiving yourself for any perceived missteps and move forward with a clean slate. Now is not a time to dwell on the merits of past behavior, but to take action to correct course. What this looks like will depend entirely on how your December played out. Over-imbibe over the holidays? Plan a month of clean eating and excercise. Been avoiding social engagements? Get out and mix it up to strengthen your social circle. You get the picture. Justice is by definition impartial. It seeks only the truth. Find the truth of your current patterns and balance the scales.
In your quest for the truth, make sure to refrain from judgment. The goal here is not to determine fault or guilt, but simply to see clearly and act accordingly. Sometimes what we find when we see the truth can make us uncomfortable. That is natural. What you’ll want to avoid is getting so bogged down in discomfort that you can no longer take impartial action. Fortunately, your Airey nature should help you to keep your reasoning clear and focused. Try to frame this as an intellectual more than an emotional process. If you do encounter discomfort, allow yourself to feel it and then allow it move on. Be extra kind with yourself and and be wary of taking too much advice from others. This is an inside job.
Your stone for January: Fluorite
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CANCER // CANCER RISING
Page of Wands
You begin the year with a fresh take on how to make magic. Throw out any old rulebooks you have on how to play with the element of Fire. It’s a new day! Time to experiment with new ways of opening and trusting your intuition, acessing your animal instincts and taking action. This is the seed of personal magic. With the first Full Moon of the year coming us on the 1st in your sign, you’ll be able to start things off with a bang. You are ruled by the Moon, Cancer, and you feel her pull more than most. Take this opportunity to really dive into that connection. She has ancient tools for expanding intuition – a key element of Wands energy. You are a part of the Universe. Explore what it feels like to access this power.
Afte the hustle and bustle of the holidays, this personal exploration should be a welcome invitation for some solo play time. Working with Page energy requires solitude to allow time and space to strip away the old ways of operating and discover what new possibilities await. This doesn’t mean being alone on a mountaintop – that’s more in the realm of the Solitude card – but more engaging in life solo. Go to the movies by yourself, treat yourself to a nice solo dinner, go ice skating, take a walk, hear the voice that is uniquely yours guiding you to new possibilities. Give yourself permission to retreat into your shell to conjure a happy and prosperous 2018.
Your stone for January: Orange Calcite
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LEO // LEO RISING
Transformation
Get ready for a lighter New Year, Leo. This month you will find all sorts of things that used to seem incredibly important are just not holding their value anymore. I am talking true emotional, spiritual, energetic value. The Big kind. Everything in the Universe has a life cycle. The old move on to make room for the new to grow. This month you have an opportunity to look through your own system of habits of action and thought to discover anything you are ready to let go of, any area of your life that you would like to see transformed. Are there ways in which you are holding yourself back that you’ve been wanting to release? If so, now is the time!
The Full Moon in Cancer on the 1st is a wonderful time to kickstart this process. The gentless of your sister sign can help to set the tone of this transformation as a nurturing one. Consider lighting a black that day and feeling the detrius loosen and drift away with the waning Moon or simply meditate and set your intentions. This is your transformation. You set the tone and the pace. The beauty of this energy is that it works with you to find what you are truly ready to shed in order to step forward into your new self. Pay attention to any insights that came up around the Winter Solstice. With the Sun as your ruling planet, that longest night of the year can hold particular significance.
Your stone for January: Black Obsidian
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VIRGO // VIRGO RISING
Four of Wands
You reach a level of comfort and stability in the realm of Fire this month, Virgo, and with your Earthy nature, this is a great win! You worked so hard to stay on track in the roller coaster of 2017 and it paid off. With things moving so quickly, you had to get in touch with the fire of your intuition to guide you and your embrace of that flexibility has paid off. You should feel the urgency of action wane this month as you you settle in to a new, elevated pattern of manifestations that keeps you connected to your gut level instincts and able to pivot without straying off course. You can loosen your grip on the details, trusting that your instincts will keep you on the right path.
Your zodiacal ancestry as the caretaker of ancient temples plays into this energy this month as well, dear Virgo. Long before the Vestal Virgins of ancient Rome, women dedicated their lives to serving their Goddesses and Priestesses in temples. This required a great deal of attention to detail to execute all of the duties of the station properly, but this was always in the servie of a higher principle of honoring the Deity. This 4 of Wands is here to help you reconnect to that larger sense of purpose as a guiding force, leaveing you free to trust in yourself, not your set process or program. It’s a new year. What temple will you dedicate yourself to serving?
Your stone for January: Pyrite
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LIBRA // LIBRA RISING
Two of Swords
What a gift, Libra! The wisdom of Air for the cardinal Air sign. Get ready to reach a higher level of mastery in your native element. This month will present a chance for you to unveil information about how you communicate – with yourself and with others – that will allow you to make some decisions about how you want to work with Air energy moving forward. Two energy is profound, but quiet and personal. It works to open us up at our deepest levels. After all, it’s only the very first step away from the primal energy of the Ace! You may encounter a decision that effects your entire mode of thought and communication or it may be a small shift that relates to your relationship with one particular person. The energy will go where you most need it.
Turn your attention to listening to your own internal and external voice as an impartial observer. What patterns do you notice? Are there things you say or words you use that are limiting you or blocking your communication in any way? Practice reframing the same idea in various ways to see what feels best. Maybe “I don’t like parties” becomes “I prefer one on one time with friends”. How do different framings of your words and thoughts change your emotional response or that of others? Discover and experiment early and often so you can be ready to make some decisions around your findings by the end of the month.
Your stone for January: Aquamarine
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SCORPIO // SCORPIO RISING
Strength
Put that deep, instinctual nature to work for good this month connecting to your true inner Strength, Scorpio. You have an enviable natural ability to keep your eye on the prize and speak up for what you want. The Strength card is here to teach you that sometimes the greatest power comes from co-creation and collaboration rather than strategy and confrontation. Your comfort in this paradigm is directly related to how easily you can trust and see the best in others and yourself. Put down your stinger, rest your claws, and put on some rose colored glasses. It’s time for a new approach.
Your key concept for this month is “with” rather than “at”. When you feel the need to communicate something urgently, follow that impulse but be ready to listen to the other side. Your statement is the opener, not the conclusion. This is not to say that January wil be a month of compromising your goals or ideals, quite the opposite! You will find that when you fold the goals and views of others into your own, your vision actually expands. You are not giving up your power, you are growing it. Pay attention to situations that make your tail start to tingle. These challenge points are going to be your best opportunities to dig deep into the wisdom of the Strength card and greatly expand your toolbox for accomplishing long- and short-term goals. If you play your cards right, you could rejuvenate your entire plan for world domination.
Your stone for January: Ruby
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SAGITTARIUS // SAGITTARIUS RISING
Ace of Cups
My loves. This is your heart’s month to shine! The Ace of Cups represents the primal energy of Water, the Divine source of our beautiful ability to FEEL. Melt away any ice that’s built up around your heart, Sagittarius, and let the love flow! You are being given a great gift to start your year, a fresh start to your whole emotional life, a chance to let these healing waters wash away any stagnant patterns so you can be truly prepared to welcome new relationships into your life. These may be romantic, platonic, or even familial. The message here is to carry an open heart. There is great strength in vulnerability. You have no need to be fearful when you open your eyes with your heart.
Being emotionally open means being willing to give and receive love and this month will provide ample opportunities for both. A side effect of the intensity and drama of the past year (and, for many, the holiday season) is that it has helped us to laser-focus on what truly feeds us emotionally, what makes us feel calm and loved and cared for. Tune in to what you can do to nurture yourself and those around you. Lend an ear to a friend who needs to talk. Don’t be afraid to speak up if you need a hug. Consider volunteering at a local food bank, soup kitchen, shelter, or LGBT center. You will find that the more love you give, the more you’ll feel returned to you.
Your stone for January: Rose Quartz
NUMINOUS TAROTSCOPE SEPT 29 2017: SIX OF WANDS
The Six of Wands is asking us to embrace being seen, to trust our voice and bring our vision forward, says Lindsay Mack …
DREAM PROJECT: THE STORY OF THE DUST II ONYX TAROT
When Courtney Alexander couldn’t find a deck that spoke to her on a soul level, she decided to create her own… All images: the Dust II Onyx tarot
I had been reading and learning about the tarot for around two years, when I pin-pointed an issue I hadn’t been able to put my finger on. I had a hard time finding a deck that really spoke to me. I’d discovered so many decks, my favorites being the Wild Unknown and Fountain Tarot. And although the art was beautiful, there was still a disconnect for me at soul level.
Because, being a fat/black/queer woman there wasn’t a deck I saw myself in. I agonized for months over how to express the depth and diversity I wanted to see, and the idea to create my own deck—Dust II Onyx—began rolling around in my head.
Then life happened. I lost my job and found myself spiraling into anxiety and depression. This directly following an intense nocturnal vision. I had gone to bed as normal, but woke in the middle of the night thinking someone was in my apartment. Once I realized there was no one there, I attempted to go back to sleep.
At this point I slipped into a lucid dream. I heard noises again and when I got up to investigate, a shadow figure appeared in front of me—who I read as being my six-year-old nephew. When I went to turn on a light, I felt an intense sensation hit my belly, and I woke up with a yell.
The following morning, I went to work completely shaken and lacking sleep, as well as still feeling the strange sensation in my stomach. I tried to go about my day as normal, although something felt different. That evening I received a phone call telling me not to come back in.
Although losing my job was stressful, I saw it as an opportunity to visit family. So I made a trip to my hometown and saw my nephew while I was there. We shared a moment, where we were dancing and singing together. Then he laid his head on my belly, and he turned his face towards mine with his eyes closed. His face had the most blissful look I had ever seen.
In the moment, I actually wondered if I could be physically pregnant—because of the dream and this experience with my nephew. But looking back I truly believe that my dream had been the moment of conception of the Dust II Onyx tarot.
By now, I had been mulling over art for my deck for a few months, and still hadn’t got a clear vision of how I wanted it to look. Then another dream came to me, twice! And in this dream I saw an intensely gorgeous black portrait, which has gone on to become the chief inspiration behind my deck.
I began the work using my current knowledge of tarot and plenty of my own intuition. The imagery that comes forth is as new to me as it is for the readers who will use this deck, and it is coming from a place that feels far beyond my conscious mind.
Dust II Onyx was created from my desire to make artwork that resonated with my soul, and has become a work I want to share with others. I consider it an honor to create this deck and I look forward it being a tool for beautiful and transformative experiences for each and every reader.
To fund the production of this deep and powerful multi-media collage collector’s tarot, Courtney is running a Kickstarter campaign through October 17 2016.
For more information visit Dust2onyx.com and facebook.com/dust2onyx. You can also preorder your deck on Kickstarter.
5 RULES FOR GOOD PSYCHIC HYGIENE
Getting the most from an intuitive reading is all about learning good psychic hygiene, says Elyssa Jakim.
As a medium, a channel, and an intuitive (yes, some like to use the word “psychic”), I have received my fair share of readings. I went through a period of being obsessed with getting readings, in fact: psychic, tarot, astrology, you name it. Looking back on it, this phase helped me innumerably as a reader, but more than that, it helped me to be okay with the process of life itself. So, I talking about good “psychic hygiene,” I do not mean clearing your energy field or removing stuck spirits (we could talk about this another time) – I actually mean being a good receiver. Having good reading receiving mind will enable you to feel like the true mistress of your destiny – which of course you absolutely are.
Here are my tips for how to receive intuitive readings in a healthy and productive way:
1. Keep what works
A reading should not feel punishing. A reading should not make you feel bad about yourself. I don’t know about you, but I’ve often gone into readings, heard a lot of great stuff about where I’m at, and then heard about a few challenges. I hold on to the challenges like they’re sad, sticky glue, and forget 95% of the mostly positive stuff! So write down the 95%. Use it to create positive affirmations. Go back to it to keep you going and keep you glowing. It’s my personal belief that the messages that feel like balm to your body and soul are the ones to really listen to.
I talked to a wonderful astrologer friend after getting a reading with some thorns, some challenges. She said that a reading should be up-lifting. If there are things that dishearten you about the information received, just throw them away. There’s no need to be punish yourself with what you hear. When the hard stuff comes up, this is a message to keep doing the best you can, so go gentle. Simply creating awareness around the challenges helps to move them. When in doubt, throw it out, and hold yourself with love. It’s a brave step to even get a reading, so be proud of yourself for showing up for your growth.
2. Don’t be too literal
I once had a reading with an incredibly skilled medium that was very specific. My grandmother came through and her message was: “you need to continue your career as an actress…this healing stuff is keeping you an in igloo of isolation, it’s good for you, but it’s not your path.” I also got the name of a lover (someone I already knew) who was apparently my soul mate, and would become my partner in the next few months. So I threw myself into acting again with gusto – for the next three weeks or so. And it felt really good. But you know what, I ran out of steam. And the man didn’t come in. I tried to connect with him but it didn’t work out. This was also very hard because she had told me “he will contact you.” So my love life was on a weird hold for a few months.
Looking back, I believe that this reading was extremely important and got me to where I am now, even though the details did not come to pass. When it came to acting, I made amends with people I’d had deep wounds with. I made myself open to a passion that I’d blocked off. I also had to claim my desire to be a healer for myself, regardless of what spirit was telling me (it was the advice of a concerned grandmother after all). After this, the pursuit of acting felt less important.
And as for the man? What I learned eventually was that it wasn’t him specifically who was going to come in, but it would be him who woke something up in me and allowed me to feel my worthiness. He made me believe that I could be with an incredible man. The dream of him gave me a sense of how incredible I was, and that’s what I really needed. Vibrationally, that reading catapulted me forward into a different phase. Spirit gave me the information I needed to hear, in a format that was right for me then. I had to let go of the exact details in order to be free enough to enter this next phase. So, don’t take a reading too literally—take it as an event to catapult you into the vibration you’re ready to stand in.
3. Stay in the present
Remember when we called intuitives and tarot readers “fortune tellers?” A reader is reading your current fate – your current vibration. Thus, it’s a reading of your present, not your future. But if you make changes to your present situation, your “fortune” can and will change. That’s why it’s so hard for psychics to read timing. Plus, there really is such a thing as divine timing.
I was getting a tarot reading from a dear friend and intuitive that clarifies this principle. The first cards in the spread opened up a conversation between the two of us about my healing work. The next 30 minutes of the reading became a brainstorming session about what I offer and what I do, and places where I could feel more vibrant, and places where I could shift. This discussion was not “in the cards,” but the cards inspired this. By the time we finished this portion of the conversation, my lovely reader said “well, the other cards are not your cards any more. This reading would have ended with you being stuck. But you adjusted your vibration and now you’re on a different path.”
We literally changed my fate over the course of the reading! This is why it’s important to think of this as a reading of your present. It’s not about fortune or future telling, it’s about reading between the lines on the current page of the book of life, and then encouraging you to choose your own adventure.
4. Find the right reader
Keep in mind that whomever is reading for you is going to have a slant. No one is going to be a perfectly clear channel. So this means it’s up to you to find someone who feels as objective, open-minded and balanced to you as possible. Find someone who does the soul work him or herself. Someone who is truly “OTP” (on the path). The more worldly and open-minded a reader is, the more likely that the times their channel is a tad fuzzy around the edges (we all have our off days!), they are still going to deliver a reading choc full of wisdom and love. Spirit is always loving, always rooting for you, and always wants to scoop all of you up in compassion. Ideally, a reading and a reader should let you feel the well of love and peace that’s always available to you.
5. Be your own psychic
At the end of the day, you must be your own psychic. Everyone is born with four psychic senses (hearing, feeling, seeing, knowing), and everyone can learn to develop them. But beyond this, when you think about it, we’re all practicing our psychic skills all the time. We’re all doing our best to make choices that serve our highest and best, and hopefully the good of others too. At the end of the day, we’ve got to ask, “how much do I need to know all the answers?” and “how much room do I give myself to make mistakes?” Allowing yourself to make mistakes in your life is perhaps the best psychic hygiene you can practice. Know that you are trying your best, and that is always one hundred percent good enough. When given a tough decision: ask your body, trust yourself, and give yourself leeway to not know.
To summarize, the best way to manifest a beautiful future is to enjoy the present and all that it has to offer. So if a reading’s got you feeling down on yourself and your life, throw it away and find a way to dance or laugh or sing and enjoy the richness of life, as it is constantly unfolding around you.
