New Year's Divination

Using the Halcyon Solstice spread, from Barbara Moore's book on tarot spreads. A quick note on the name and concept behind the spread, which may help to five some insight:

Halcyon: a mythical bird said by ancient writers to breed in a nest floating at sea at the winter solstice, charming the wind and waves into calm. From halcyon (n.), late 14c., from Latin halcyon, from Greek halkyon, variant (perhaps a misspelling) of alkyon "kingfisher," from hals "sea, salt" + kyon "conceiving," prp. of kyein "to conceive," lit. "to swell," from PIE root *keue- "to swell."

The Positions in the Spread:

(1) The fulcrum, the pivotal point, the present moment.

(2) What I need to leave behind.
(3) What I need to learn from.
(4) What I need to take forward.

(5) An opportunity to look for.
(6) A challenge to face.
(7) A message for the year.

The Reading:

(1) Six of Cups - Childhood innocence and playfulness, an openness to the world that is not hedged in by expectations about what is or is not possible or realistic. Welcoming seen and unseen companions, enacting "deep play" rituals that invite the opportunity for communion with Spirit, playing in the realm of the imagination and exploration.

I only discovered the meaning of "halcyon" after drawing all the cards, but I think the Six of Cups captures that sense of the idyllic calm of the ocean, the conception, the new beginning, the nest within which new life begins. An alternate meaning of the word "halcyon" is an idyllic time that was happy and peaceful, and the Six of Cups has also sometimes signified an idealized or romanticized past. In this case, however, I think the reenactment or ritual recreation of the halcyon days in the present moment is a good, healthy and helpful thing, a way of entering a contemplative state open to Spirit and the gods.

(2) Judgement (XX) - Weighing the past and judging previous actions, facing potentially harsh judgement, embracing the process of death, but coming out of it renewed, given a new life, hearing the call to a more fulfilling life connected with Spirit and the Song of the World, a card of transformation but, more so, a sense of destiny or calling.

I was surprised to draw this card in the place of "What I need to leave behind." In relation to the Six of Cups, perhaps it suggests that I need to approach the past with a more open attitude of childlike wonder and appreciation, rather than with the heavy hand of judgement and assessment which lends so much weight to everything. The message here seems to be, in some ways, to "lighten up."

(3) Three of Pentacles - Teamwork and community support which help to make great work possible. Working with others, combining your will and vision, you can accomplish many things, bringing works of strength and beauty and permanence into being. Also, allowing others to shine while you play a supporting role, and allowing others to support you when it's your turn to work or act creatively.

This card makes me think immediately of my working relationship with Jeff on the podcast, and the work that he and I have done together to create something we are both very proud of. The larger lesson that I need to learn might be that I can release my need to stand independently and accept a more supporting role in our marriage (financially speaking), or on the other hand, to accept and appreciate the supporting role that Jeff plays in being the primary breadwinner and set aside my ego-need to earn more money as a validation of my work. Again, as this relates to the Six of Cups, maybe there is some indication that "community" is more than just the other people in my life, and another lesson I need to learn is to recognize and accept the support and aid from the gods and from Spirit, rather than feeling like I need to go at it alone.

(4) King of Cups - A protector and nourisher, though his masculine energy expresses his emotional side in a more subtle and structured way. The seahorse, as the protector and main caregiver for its young, is both sinuous and fluid, and also spiny and tough, blending both the more watery/emotional aspects with the stability of structure and resistance.

This card has always strongly reminded me of Jeff and his personality, as a man who is very strong and hard-working, very family-oriented and loving towards his children, and also very empathetic and emotionally sensitive to those around him (sometimes almost too much). Of course, I will carry my relationship with him forward into the new year. On another level, this may represent some advice about how I can internalize and embody this archetype more myself, especially in relation to the Six of Cups — perhaps that structure and outer strength is necessary in order to protect the childlike innocence of imaginative engagement with Spirit in the present moment.

(2 - 4) Three Card Spread - All three of these cards have figures facing to the left, which suggests to a certain extent that the energies are flowing backwards into the past, but perhaps also into the areas of memory and the depths of history that go to shape the present and the future. The Angel of Judgement in Card 2 faces to the left, while the "souls" of the dead that rise up out of the poppies face to the right, looking up towards the Angel. In the King of Cups, this energy is somewhat reverse, with the King of Cups (arguably the more powerful and dominating figure in the card) still facing to the left, but looking upward at the seahorse, which faces to the right. To me, this suggests that the energy carried into the future is not necessarily the energy of overtly powerful or dominating figures, but of a smaller and more humble nature. In the Three of Pentacles, both figures are primarily facing away with their backs to the viewer, with the upper figure turning her face as if to look over her left shoulder, keeping with the main flow of the energy but not as directly as in the other two cards. The energy in the center card also seems to be a bit more vertical, with the carvings in the stones overlapping in circles that rise up the wall. To a certain extent, this seems to play Card 3 as the "fulcrum" within the context of these three cards, a center around which the other two are organized.

(5) Two of Cups - A partnership or relationship born of mutual love and attraction, the blending and intertwining of the different elements, of masculine and feminine. There is both union and a tension between opposites, but the tension is like the taut string that vibrates to create a clear-toned music. Love crowns the couple as their roots reach deep into the earth to seek stability.

My first response is to interpret this card as a promise of opportunity for deepening my relationship with Jeff, but this could very well be some other kind of merging or blending of opposites in a harmonious and balanced way within my life. Since my relationship with Jeff is happy and stable, it seems to me a bit unlikely that this is some new opportunity being presented on that front, and the low number of the card does seem to suggest that this will be a new or just beginning relationship. In general, I interpret it as advice to keep my eyes open for opportunities to balance and blend opposites in all aspects of my life, not just in personal relationships. Relating it back to the Six of Cups, this might mean balancing the past and the present without romanticizing either, or intertwining the mundane/realistic and the sacred/imaginative.

(6) Four of Cups - Self-absorption, losing yourself in reveries and daydreams, spending too much time looking inward and losing sight of the larger world around you. But also, to a certain extent (in this particular card/deck anyway), breaking away from the usual approach, separating oneself from the crowd in order to get a clearer view of what's going on, and the suggestion that this isolation can be taken too far and become a hindrance.

This future challenge to face is not all that unfamiliar to me, and this card has come up in a similar position on several other occasions. I take this card to be a gentle warning not to spend too much time in self-analysis, and in particular I think it applies to my time online and my relationship with others via the internet. (The Four of Cups might just be the perfect card to represent the internet — the stability and structure of the four brought to bear on the emotions — the internet, in many ways, is driven by instincts and emotions much more than the intellect or the physical body, and it provides a way to structure and share those emotions so that they have at least the appearance of permanence and the weight of some authority behind them. Yet it is also a place of self-absorption and illusions, where much of your interactions are your own reflections or projections overlaid onto the words or images of others.) In relation to the Six of Cups, I think it's interesting that in both cases you have the imaginative play of the emotions within vessels, but in the Si of Cups there is more fluidity and connection, as well as creative tension (3 X 2) than in the Four of Cups, which is much more stagnant, with energies working at cross-purposes to a certain extent (2 X 2).

(7) Knight of Pentacle - Energetic determination and unwavering loyalty and dedication to a particular goal, a certain single-mindedness that cannot be distracted by temptations along the way. The Knight is methodical and hard working, akin to the tortoise rather than the hare, but he rides the slow, persistent energies of the earth towards his goal, and he has the power and force of those laws of nature behind his actions.

This message to carry with me into the new year harkens back to the lesson to be learned from the previous year, both of them being from the suit of Pentacles (in contrast with the strong emphasis on Cups in the rest of the spread). It emphasizes hard work and dedication, persistence but also, perhaps most importantly, patience. As it relates to the Six of Cups, I see this as a much more practical frame of mind, grounded in the earth and in the mundane, which might help to balance out the tendency of the Six of Cups towards romanticization and naivety (and perhaps the Knight will also help me to avoid or overcome the challenge presented in the Four of Cups).

(5 - 7) Three Card Spread - In the three cards pertaining to the future year to come, the energies are much more meandering. The Four of Cups and the Knight of Pentacles face in opposite directions (the Four of Cups towards the left, the past, the realm of memory and emotional depths; the Knight towards the right, the future, the realm of action and manifestation). The Two of Cups, naturally, involves two figures who face towards each other, depicting energies that, while they face in opposite directions, work with each other instead of against each other. Within the layout, the Four of Cups, Card 6, being the center card of the three suggests that it acts as a block or obstacle to the energies expressing themselves in Card 5, the Two of Cups, with the Knight of Pentacles being the way to overcome and break through that block to release or realize the energies of Card 5. I notice the recurring motif of the carved mandala — in both Cards 5 and 6, it appears as a yin-yang symbol composed of two fish, but while in Card 5 it is the foundation upon which the union grows, in Card 6 it is in the background, ignored by the primary figure of the card. In Card 7, the mandala of the fish has been replaced by the pentacle itself, composed of an acorn at its center with five oak leaves swirling out to create the star. This ties back to the mandala as a foundation for growth (the acorn as the seed of the great oak tree), but also suggests that there may be many different ways that this seed expresses itself (the five oak leaves, rather than only the two fish).

The Spread as a Whole - Several things jump out at me about this spread. Firstly, the predominance of "feminine" energies, expressed in the water and earth elements, and almost a complete absence of "masculine" energies of fire and air. I'm not sure exactly what conclusion to draw from that, other than that I may need to focus on and work with these feminine aspects of myself and my life more, especially if I've been neglecting them somewhat. However, even with all of this feminine energy, the two court cards that appear in the spread both depict masculine figures (the King and the Knight), perhaps suggesting that I need to find a way to bring these more feminine internal qualities to bear on my more active, expressive "masculine" aspects as well, or explore the ways in which these can be combined and expressed in healthy ways. The other interesting thing to note is that there appears only one Major Arcana card in the spread, and it's in the position of something I need to "leave behind." This might suggest that the coming year will be a fairly quiet, simple and straightforward one, with few grand designs or great changes in store. Instead, it seems like this spread suggests a year of steady, dedicated work, especially with an emphasis on community and supportive relationships that will help to keep me grounded and draw me out of myself when I risk becoming too self-absorbed. At the center of this reading is the emphasis, in the Six of Cups, on recapturing or returning to a more innocent sense of wonder and imagination in which there is plenty of time for playful exploration (and this, too, might partly explain the absence of the intellectual suit of swords and the intensely active suit of wands).

2012 In Review

I have every intention of revisiting the topic of my last couple posts, but a quick cold intervened over the last few days (beaten into submission with a barrage of echinacea tea and ColdEeze and tons of sleep). Since today is the last day of 2012, I thought I would share some end-of-the-year reflections. I have a tendency to do these types of reviews when my energy is high (for instance, this past year, I only got around to it in March, since we were dealing with the whole thing of moving across the country), and that is almost never during the week between Christmas and New Year's Day. This year, however, I think it might be worth an attempt at least, before plunging into the next season of FF&C and the craziness that will be this coming spring.

And so. I plan to do some kind of tarot reading later tonight, after Jeff and I get back from our New Year's Eve dinner date, but for now, I'm stealing something that Finn shared (it may have originated over on TC, I'm not sure) to get me ruminating on the past year. Here goes.

2012 Review

1. What did you do in 2012 that you’d never done before?

Namely, moved across the country to live in Seattle. There are so many first-evers that have resulted from that, it feels odd to list all of them, but I'll try to highlight some of the more important ones:
- Saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time.
- Taught naturalist programs to school groups and the general public.
- Celebrated solar festivals with a local OBOD group.
- Started my own business. (Put in more than 60 hours of work a week doing a job I love.)
- Wrote the first draft of a novel (okay, almost — in word count alone, definitely).
- Met a new goddess.
- Saw the salmon returning to spawn.
- Voted to legalize gay marriage! Yay!


2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I didn't make very many resolutions back in December of last year, but looking at my Uncensored To-Do List from back in March, I see that many of the things I'd hoped to do (or keep doing) had to fall by the wayside or take second priority to FF&C and my volunteer work. This is, in some ways, a bit disappointing. But in other ways, I think it's a natural process of winnowing that needs to take place as I settle into more fulfilling work that requires a larger time and energy commitment.

On the other hand, there are some commitments that I think I need to revisit and renew, in particular those that have to do with establishing healthy habits for both body and spirit. So yes, I will be making some resolutions for the coming year.


3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Ugh. This was the EW's off year. She popped one out right before our wedding last year, and another one is apparently on the way for next year. Some people need to stop procreating.


4. Did anyone close to you die?

Thankfully, no.


5. What countries did you visit?

Just the one I live in. But if we revise this to bioregions, I've seen quite a few this year, including the low-lying Puget Sound area (because I live there now) and the wild mountainous regions of the Pacific Northwest. We drove through the usual deserts and grasslands of the central U.S. during our move early this year, but we didn't linger.


6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?

I suppose it would be snarky to answer: Time. Honestly, I feel that my life is very full these days, both of wonderful things that I'm grateful for, and not-so-wonderful things that cause stress. So what I would like for 2013 is a sense of perspective and an attitude of non-attachment and simplicity that will help me to make the necessary choices about what to hold onto and what to release. Does that sound too New Agey?


7. What dates from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

The Wild Goose West Festival was fantastic and inspiring, as were the few days leading up to it that Jeff and I spent in the yurt on the Oregon coast.

On a less happy note, the day that we had to spend in court because of the EW. Too often, I find myself back in that courtroom going over all the things that we could have done or said.


8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Starting my own business and producing 50 hour-long podcast episodes and two successful seasons. But a close second would be finally getting a first draft of a novel written. (On the other hand, if you ask the internet, it would probably be writing that Hipster Paganism post. #irony)


9. What was your biggest failure?

No single failure, really, but the slow build up of minor daily failures (like the failure to exercise as regularly as I'd hoped, or to eat as well as I should, or to meditate on a daily basis), which has resulted in me still being 15 or so pounds overweight and, in general, feeling more stressed both physically and spiritually than is really necessary.


10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Stupid recurring minor aches and pains in my shoulders and back, most of which I'm sure has to do with lack of regular exercise and stretching. Other than that, nothing beyond the normal seasonal colds and such.


11. What was the best thing you bought?

I didn't technically buy it, but my birthday gift this year was an iPad, and it has far exceeded my expectations.

As for something I actually bought, since they are so few and far between, I'd say my hiking boots, followed by the cheap treadmill/standing desk combo I got so I could walk while I work. But the $2 thirft-store leather coat (to be converted into some sort of steampunk outfit in the future) was pretty awesome, too.


12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Jeff continues to win Husband of the Year in my heart. Our first year of marriage was pretty damned kickass, and I can't wait for many, many more.

The kids were awesome when they came out to visit us in Seattle, though they tended to be a bit wild and rude during our last visit with them over Solstice. Still, in general, they are growing up to be lovely people and it's always so cool to hang out with them.

My brother, who left his well-paying corporate job to go back to grad school and is now earning his Masters at Columbia. I'm so proud to have a brother who puts knowledge and social justice ahead of profit.

Also, Penny is such an inspiring person, she makes me want to be awesome.


13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Don't get me started. Mostly people on the internet being the reason Why We Can't Have Nice Things (especially in the Pagan community — I need to learn to hold this loosely and not get upset when certain Jerks Celebre decide to attack me personally). Politicians, but in particular asshat Republicans who keep trying to fling us back into the stone age. Unsurprisingly, the EW, who continues to be a weirdly small-minded person who lies about almost everything, even though she's really bad at it.


14. Where did most of your money go?

Most of "my" money went to paying student loans, and after that to the podcast, occasional dinner dates with Jeff, a few ebooks, and the rest into savings.

Most of our money as a couple went to the EW — Jeff calculated it out that we spend about 44% of our total joint income on child support and travel expenses for the kids. After that, rent and food are our next biggest expenses, followed by the usual utility bills and such. We're trying to live a pretty modest lifestyle, but it's hard not to be resentful when you know that those thousands of dollars in child support are financing the EW's next pregnancy and a new pair of toe-shoes.


15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

The podcast, on numerous occasions. Joining SageWoman as a columnist. Welcoming a new goddess into my life. My naturalist training and teaching. My Saturn Return finally being over. Steampunk Druidry.


16. What song will always remind you of 2012?

Er..... Probably something from Professor Elemental (Jeff's fault). Certainly not anything from that awful movie version of Les Miz.


17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

a) happier or sadder? Happier, and most definitely less stressed.

b) thinner or fatter? Maybe a little bit heavier, unfortunately.

c) richer or poorer? Certainly less in debt than last year, and were it not for the asinine new child custody agreement that has Jeff spending thousands on unnecessary travel while the EW doesn't contribute a dime, we'd be richer.


18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Hiking and spending time out in nature (not just in the local parks, but out in the wilderness). Exercising and doing regular yoga. Reading challenging books, especially nonfiction (though I read a lot more fiction this year than in previous years).


19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Wasting time being angry or annoyed with people on the internet. Worrying about money and having to battle with the EW's need to control our lives long-distance. Eating ice cream and other comfort foods.


20. How will you be spending Christmas?

We spent Christmas itself hanging out at home, just the two of us, watching The Hogfather and eating homemade lembas (that Finn made for us!) and drinking hot chocolate.

We spent Solstice with the kids visiting my parents, with Dan (and his two cats) there, too, and Jeff's Aunt Melanie coming to visit for a couple days. It was a full house, but it was wonderful to see everybody!


21. What was your favorite month of 2011?

I think August was pretty awesome. We'd just finished our first successful season of FF&C, and Jeff was back home from his time on the east coast with the kids. We had gorgeous weather and lots of time on weekends to go out and enjoy it. I did a lot of writing and spiritual work.

November was pretty fun, too, though, thanks to NaNoWriMo, though I started to burn out by the end.


22. Did you fall in love in 2012?

I'm very much in love with Jeff. It's kind of astounding how awesome he is.


23. How many one-night stands?

All of my nightstands last for more than one night; they're made of wood.


24. What was your favorite TV program?

I get a kick out of The Mindy Project, which just started this year and has a lot of the same people working on it that did The Office. Other than that, eh, re-runs courtesy of Amazon Prime.


25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

I try not to hate people. However, I am more familiar with some of the reasons why I dislike so many Republicans.


26. What was the best book you read?

Jeff has been introducing me to the old Sherlock Holmes stories (which are way better than all of the current remakes coming out in film and television), and I really enjoyed Juliet Marillier's trilogy, the Bridei Chronicles, in particular the third book, The Well of Shades.

I really can't think of any really great nonfiction books I've read. Lyanda Lynn Haupt's Crow Planet was enjoyable, but not ground-breaking or anything, and JMG's Mystery Teachings from the Living Earth was alright, though it also left a lot wanting. I have so many cool books on my to-read list, but just haven't had the time to get to them. (For instance, for Solstice I got an awesome collection of essays on the evolution of the concept of "wilderness" in Western society!)


27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

B sharp


28. What did you want and get?

An iPad. A wonderful little apartment (with counter space!)


29. What did you want and not get?

A wonderful little apartment close to a park — this, I think, has been the subtlest but most important disappointment of the year. I had not anticipated how big a difference this would make to my ability to get out to nature regularly. Still, this apartment is so vastly better than the one we were living in in Pittsburgh, it's worth it.


30. What was your favorite film of this year?

A tie between Brave and The Hobbit, I think, which aside from a few other unremarkable ones are pretty much the only movies I've seen this year. (Why do all these questions make me feel like I need to get out of the house more?)


31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 29 this year, without very much pomp or celebration. Jeff was out in New Hampshire with the kids, so I had a quiet day probably puttering around the house doing what I normally do.


32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

If we had been able to reach a reasonable child custody agreement in which Jeff got to see the kids for two months in the summer, and the EW had to pay for half of the transportation costs of sending the kids to Seattle once a year.


33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?

I don't know what this question means.

Ummm.... I would say "practical naturalist." Is that a thing? Lots of practical clothes, layers against the wind and rain, and of course, my awesome hiking boots.


34. What kept you sane?

Jeff. Sushi. Time by myself. Watching the crows in the hemlock tree across the street.


35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

I don't know.... Patrick Stewart? (I feel old.)


36. What political issue stirred you the most?

I really can't help but cry every time the issue of marriage equality comes up. Despite all of the places where we seem to be going backwards, I am so so proud of the progress we've made towards equality and acceptance on that front.

Otherwise, the usual environmental issues. Out here, we have reason to be concerned about them trying to run coal trains through the area to ship coal over to China, where they'll burn it without any regulations and the pollution will end up back over here anyway. #gah


37. Who did you miss?

As for people: I miss hanging out with Arthur watching Doctor Who and Battlestar Galactica on Thursdays. As for non-humans: I miss the woods and mountains of western PA, the city of Pittsburgh (Frick Park and Phipps Conservatory, in particular), and the rolling farmlands of Lancaster county.


38. Who were the best new people you met?

Finn rocks. :) I knew her online, but we got to meet in person once we moved out here.

I also got to meet the amazing people who work for the city parks, like Penny, Anne, Belinda, Brian, and a bunch of other volunteers, who are all pretty kickass.


39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012.

I just saw this quote somewhere recently that I think sort of sums it up: "If a conductor wants to lead the orchestra, they have to turn their back to the crowd."

I guess another way of saying this is that finding fulfilling work that inspires and enchants you goes a long way to make up for not being allowed to sit at the Popular Kids Table in the great High School Cafeteria of Life. (And the accompanying insight is that, sadly, most people never really leave the high school cafeteria, and it's no use getting angry with them about it. Just make friends with the teachers and the lunch lady, and find where all the other nerds are sitting. ;)


40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

Though the soldiers may be fighting
In the trenches or on a battleship at sea
But there isn't any war
When the clock strikes four
EVERYTHING STOPS FOR TEA


(My gods that ended up being a long questionaire!)

New Year Divination: 2011

I ask for guidance about the coming year, one card for each house. What can I expect during the year to come?

I lay down twelve cards, one for each of the astrological houses, beginning with the first house to the left and moving counter-clockwise around the central altar to the three realms.

The First House (Ascendant): The house of beginnings, our first reactions and immediate attitude to the external world around us; our personality, external characteristics, public persona and the first impressions we leave.

The Hierophant (V) — The priest and teacher of wisdom and ritual, the Hierophant represents our inner urge to seek meaning and craft meaningful, beautiful ways of living and moving in the world showing honor and without doing harm to others. He is a figure of tradition and ancient patterns rooted in the secrets of the earth and the ages. He brings the spiritual or religious urge into manifestation in the earthly realm through the careful cultivation and practice of ritual and rite, and through these he can reveal mysteries and great wisdom with patience and calm.

The Second House: The house of security, stability, property, wealth and income; our attitudes towards wealth and material possessions, and our financial fortunes and economic sense.

Ace of Wands — This card signifies a gift, the possibility of creativity, excitement and adventure, the first urge in a new direction which can be pursued with enthusiasm and energy. A card of beginnings, it may represent a threshold to be crossed, a new enterprise to undertake, or perhaps a challenge to be met with strength, intelligence and wit.

The Third House: The house of connection and communication through analytical and critical thinking, information exchange, news and publicity; practicality, trade and exchange, as well as brief contact and short, quick communications with others.

Three of Cups — This card signifies a time of celebration and joy in friendship and community with others. A moment to pause and appreciate the good work and good feeling that comes with initial success, to enjoy the moment with dance and song and other expressions of merriment and gratitude, while also knowing work still lies ahead as the process continues.

The Fourth House: The house of emotional comfort and inner security which provides a foundation, as well as our desire to care for and cherish others; thus, also tradition, family, ancestry and memories of our youth.

Nine of Wands — A card of vigilance and watchfulness, holding strength in reserve and holding true to that core of power and inner strength that we might not expect we have until we have been tested. This card urges us to be prepared and ever-ready, strong in our resolve to work through conflicts without losing our edge over time. But it also reminds us to keep an open mind and broad perspective, to rest secure in ourselves and not to go looking for conflict or to allow conflict to arise because we are too one-sided or belligerent.

The Fifth House: The house of pleasure, entertainment, play and love, as well as our creative impulses and our delight and inner satisfaction in our own productivity and activity; our desire to express ourselves and develop self-reliance.

The Hermit (IX) — The restlessness and yearning for solitude expresses itself in the Hermit, who follows his inner longing for deepening personal fulfillment, withdrawing from the sometimes harsh external world to seek the spiritual life within and the guidance and light it can give. The Hermit experiences the intensity of that calling to the inner life and embraces the depth and profundity of the greater whole. Though from the outside he may seem withdrawn, reserved or even passive, within he undertakes a journey of soul-longing to find his place in the greater whole and learn how to put this new understanding into practice.

The Sixth House: The house of everyday life, and the routine of work, diet, health and habit; our attitudes towards our work, its joys and frustrations, and our relationship with our physical bodies through the concrete daily tasks we engage in.

The Star (XVII) — The Star is a card of hope, renewal and peace. She dances, full of grace, gratitude and joy, among the shadows of the darkest night, welcoming the coming dawn with acceptance and appreciation as one who has released fear and discovered the inner guiding light that bestows self-confidence and poise. Within refreshing darkness, the Star cultivates the space to prepare and uplift the spirit, embracing all the potential we hold within and engaging creatively with what the future holds.

The Seventh House: The house of partnership and teamwork, our attitudes towards our partners, as well as our expectations and experiences of partnership; a need for harmony and balance, equilibrium and friendliness.

The Hanged Man (XII) — The Hanged Man signifies surrender and willing self-sacrifice, a well as emotional release and acceptance of the ups and downs, shadow and sun sides of life. The Hanged Man perseveres through difficulty and suffering not by resisting them or seeking to avoid them, but by resting in the secret, subtle knowledge within that he will survive, that his strength will endure and he will emerge from his experience wiser and more capable than before. This card is also one of shift and change, a reversal in perspective that may flip the world upside; the Hanged Man's center of gravity is not the mundane world of ordinary matters, but the deeper or "higher" gravity of the heavens, a spiritual sense that leads him to trust in and surrender to the greater patterns of the universe.

The Eighth House: The house of animal instinct, intuition and the unconscious, in particular how these express themselves in our attitudes and relationships; the urge to take risks and pursue creative tasks, as well as our fears and anxieties about our personal power and its expression.

Seven of Wands — This card has a paradoxical nature. On the one hand, it can represent the courage, faith and selflessness to take a stand to protect or fight for what we believe in and what's truly important; yet on the other hand, it may also indicate that our own actions and initiatives are the source or cause for the conflict we are experiencing. In both cases, this card encourages us to take heart and remember our strength, to be on our guard and tenacious in our striving, but also to be willing to adapt, to bend and sway with the changing winds.

The Ninth House: The house of expansive vision and ideals; a thirst for travel, as well as our attitudes towards higher education, philosophy, religion, spirituality and our sense of justice.

Eight of Cups — This card signifies the completion or resolution of an emotional situation, and a new resolution to go out seeking in new directions. It is a card that urges us to dive more deeply into the mysterious realms of our emotions and intuition, to follow our leading down into the depths and the dark where our vision may be softened and connections appear more fluid and smooth. The sharp lines and bright lights of the everyday mundane world might be left behind for a time, as we explore our emotional depths on a journey of personal discovery. Yet we may not be sure where this journey will lead us, or what we may encounter in the dark depths, and so insecurity or uncertainty may also be an aspect of this card's meaning.

The Tenth House: The house of demarcation, boundaries and social positions; our attitudes towards our place and function in the larger world and our desire to define our sense of self in relation to others.

Death (XIII) — This card signifies transition, change and transformation. A card of death and rebirth, it burns away the old patterns and ways of being, whether they are unhelpful, unhealthy or simply no longer serving their purpose. In their place, new ways of being and living emerge that open new possibilities and opportunities to us. If we cling to the old, we face stagnation and deadlock, and yet if we can embrace these changes we will discover ourselves renewed and transformed by the process. Still, death and change are not often easy, and each carries its own sorrows and griefs as well as amazing joys and ecstasies. So this card also encourages us to face the coming changes with courage and compassion, and a willingness to embrace our transformation and its difficulties as the purging forge fire that will ready us for a new life.

The Eleventh House: The house of friendship, camaraderie and equality; our urge to break down rigid boundaries and get to know others as equals on their own terms; our attitude towards friends and friendship and our desire to seek out like-minded others.

Page of Wands — This card represents childlike innocence and joy, especially the pleasure to be had in engaging with enthusiasm and energy in activities and new projects or initiatives. The Page of Wands is charismatic, witty and personable, forthright and outspoken and able to draw others to her with her excitement and youthful wonder and energy. This card is an urge to action, fresh and uncomplicated, especially activities engaged in for their own sake with no ulterior motives.

The Twelfth House: The house of deeper connection and union with life, expressed through or leading to mystic spirituality, artistic work, or social justice work; our oneness with life expressed by the unconscious in dreams, visions, symbols or sometimes the absorption of the personality into the collective, the masses.

Page of Cups — This card represents romanticism and a connection to the world of dreams, visions and fantasies. The Page of Cups, a romantic at heart, longs for the quiet, still space in which to simply breathe and enjoy the pleasures that surround her, to delve more deeply into her dreams and visions, and to listen more closely to the whisperings of her intuition and the inner wisdom of her unconscious. She is receptive and childlike, which may at times lead her into sentimentality, indulging in her emotions and dreams without acting on them, perhaps without even realizing that she can act on them. Yet there are unplumbed depths here, as well, held within the possibilities of the peace and tranquility of this card.