Shabbat Pisces New Moon/Vernal Equinox Shalom & Community Reading

 

for the last new moon of the astrological year a few days ago on the 18th, I did all the 'tying up of loose ends' as I could in terms of letting go of doubt, self-sabotage, and negative self-talk, and we'll just have to see how that plays out.  the intuitive and emotional Pisces energy had me feeling creative, and though my sleep has been interrupted, still filled with vivid and imaginative dreams.  in giving myself the space to listen, I've enjoyed honoring what my body needs which is A Lot of rest right now, and I'm grateful to have had the time to indulge myself as much as I have.  the only thing that still feels unresolved - which is kind of big in itself - is my current lack of employment, because I know when that changes, my whole schedule will change with it.  and that will work itself out the way it needs to, as well.

I've been running myself ragged for the past year with getting settled in a new country, learning the language, securing housing, looking for and working at several jobs in a row, dealing with all the bureaucracy, and finding help when I've needed it.  not to mention 'war', with all the added fun of drone strikes, rocket and missile attacks, the aforementioned losing of sleep due to alerts and sirens, runs to the bomb shelter, supporting my mental/physical/emotional health through it all, and managing my concern for my family and friends both here in Israel, and back in the US.  the patterns I see repeating are mostly the ones where I let myself get too stressed out about situations I have no control over (and my ongoing food issues), so I'm still doing what I can to remind myself that I have made it this far by continuing to get back up and try again.  all I can do is rest, and try to breathe through it, because everything is fine in THIS moment, and it all works out in the end.

so...how do I want to FEEL my way into the next astrological cycle?  I know I want to feel happy and grounded.  also safe, secure, and supported.  I'd like to feel myself becoming calmer and have the ability to act more rationally when faced with challenges (without eating everything in the refrigerator).  I know I'd like to soothe myself by engaging with more creative habits - like actually sewing that dress instead of leaving it aside for weeks, and writing in the beautiful journal I took the time to make for myself rather than leave it on the shelf.  and I want to go to the sea even though the beach is currently 'closed' due to the lack of bomb shelters nearby, but I wonder if I can't manage to find myself down there anyway.  I want to feel like I'm succeeding in bringing my vision to light, and sharing it with the world, so that is the wish I am putting out into the Universe.  

 

found online, artist info attached to image

 

we've moved into the sign of Aries, whose energy is FIRE.  today is a day to soak in the heightened frequencies and balance we are enjoying due to the Equinox, and recognizing the clarity that Mercury going direct is bringing us.  this is a time for passion and motivation - but too much of a good thing can cause burnout, so make sure to Look before leaping!  this is not the time to 'jump and hope the net will appear' (my usual M.O.), it's a time to declutter and cleanse, and start a new healthy habit or two in pursuit of our goals.  I find I've mostly been putting my energy towards finding a job - revamping my resume and Linkedin profile, working with a career coach and members of the employment support team at the aliyah agency that helped me get here, looking on the Israeli job boards, working on my networking skills...just really diving in to it, and it feels like the positive forward motion I've needed to turn my inspiration into action.

let's get to the cards.  this week I'm using the Wild Unknown pocket tarot by Kim Krans:

 ...

what is the current collective mood?  three of wands ~

 

 

wands are the suit that represents fire!   and threes represent synthesis.  the introduction of a new idea.  threes can hold, carry, and build.  this is the formulation of a plan to move forward with confidence, and see our way through to our dreams.  that sounds like a generally good mood to me, and reflects where I seem to be standing - are you feeling this?  let me know in the comments!

where will we find the support we need with chasing our dreams?  nine of wands ~

 

 

more wands, I love that FIRE, lol!  coming to the end of the suit this time, having nearly completed our journey through...the 'final step' before we complete the cycle, which can often be challenging.  it usually indicates working alone, which is a pretty clear sign that we've gotten all the help we're going to get, and need to take this last step on our own.  it will take persistence, resilience, and the ability to defend ourselves even through our own exhaustion.  doubt and fear may have us feeling like we're running out of energy to climb this ladder, but take a look back at how far we've come and find the strength to get to the point that is in reach, where all our hard work will pay off.

how can we best focus this Equinox energy to achieve maximum balance in our lives?  four of cups ~

 

 

fours are that platform we build to prop up the synthesis from the threes - a foundation, and a place to work from.  we can take a bit of a rest here and celebrate our wins for a minute...but in this case, we're not very happy with the three cups we already have while turning away from a fourth being offered.  do we not see it?  are we rejecting it?  this card is telling us that from the outside, what we have looks pretty spectacular, so why the apathy?  spending too much time thinking about moving away from everything we've built doesn't help us climb that ladder to success - the balanced energy we're currently in tune with is giving us every opportunity to name what it is we really want, and go after it!  

remember that we've integrated our older ideas with our newer ideas to come up with even better ideas, and we've done it together.  so now we each need to take that inspiration to heart and finish our own part of the work without our support systems, even though we may have moments of doubt.  what would it look like for us to find a way for our internal work to elevate our collective work?  can we find it in our understandably exhausted souls to take those last few steps on our own and find out?  I truly hope we can.

 

contact me over on my facebook page (link below) for a more personalized reading based on your own questions and concerns ~ blessed Equinox, all! 

 💙 

 ﾠ Mysteriam Tarot & Dreamwork

 

Shabbat Jupiter Direct in Cancer Shalom & Community Reading

 

Even though it was two weeks ago already, we're still a bit under the full moon eclipse energy, still releasing those thoughts/energies/relationships/behaviors that we need to be done with, finding our endings, and bringing those cycles to a close.

Luckily, Jupiter went direct in Cancer earlier this week to help us move from having been focused more closely on the microcosm of our own home and family life - where our security and comfort live, our personal well being, motherhood and maternal wounds - towards more bigger picture thinking featuring themes like moving, re-entering the workforce, shifts in our home and family life, including how we feel at home within ourselves.  we're looking for more positive changes that expand upon what's been good for us, and finding the silver linings within our personal clouds.

while this may feel like a huge relief, we're encouraged to release our pent up mental anxiety with trusted friends and family members in order to help us process what's been going on for us during this past winter season.  we're also still in the midst of the Mercury retrograde cycle which will be ending on or around March 20th, when the Sun moves from the sign of Pisces into Aries.  

as we're generally encouraged to refrain from 'texting the ex' during Mercury retrograde due to the high potential for miscommunication, I am embarrassed to admit that I reached out to several people I previously severed ties with to ask if they were interested in reconnecting!  I quickly realized what I had done and laughed about it (I'm usually the one deflecting the attempts of others who reach out to me during retrogrades) and just made sure to watch the responses and not get too involved straight out of the gate.  a few people responded quickly and positively - though one of those I've already seen as an issue and most likely will not follow up with them - and several have not yet responded or have chosen not to (I have no way of knowing whether or not they've even seen my messages), and I'm happy to leave it at that.

it's been an interesting few weeks for sure, so I'm just going to jump right into the cards...I'll be using the Tarot of a Moon Garden deck because it's brightly colored and whimsical, and I'm hoping it will add some lightness and joy to the mostly grey and overcast day outside my windows.

1)  if you went against conventional wisdom this week like I did and reached out to old friends in an attempt to rekindle those connections, was it a good idea?

 

 

Ace of Staffs:  staffs are the element of fire, and as such, this card is associated with Aries, the sign our Sun is heading to next in about a week!  and this ace is all about creative beginnings, fiery inspiration, finding your voice and vision.  it says "Go For It!"  if you're feeling excited about possibilities, then take a chance and follow your instincts (like I did).  start small and if it feels good, keep doing it. ideas are flowing, offering opportunities to grow on a personal and/or spiritual level - but this is also just a spark, and it's up to you to fan the flames of creation (or take that first step towards reconciliation).

2)  in what areas of our lives will we see the most forward motion this week?

 

 

The Magician:  corresponding to Mercury, this card is about converting spiritual energy into real life action - that "as above, so below" we talked about in last week's post, where the macrocosm represents the Universe as a living being, with the microcosm understanding humans as their own Universe, with The Magician as the lightening rod channeling energy between the two.  this says "embrace your creativity tempered with self control, recognize your ingenuity and mastery!"  everything you need to create the life you want is in your hands - move forward, take action, you are ready!  focus and concentrate, then commit.  be methodical in order to stay on track and carry out your tasks...creating your inner world will cause your outer world to follow.  so make those careful plans and act on them!

3)  so what's the silver lining for the collective? 

 

 

Ten of Pentacles:  another card connected to Mercury, go figure.  this one is about wealth, safety, family, home...the "it all works out in the end" card.  while the road towards building our legacy may have been hard, finding ourselves here is all that much sweeter for it.  the investments we made in and for our families pay off in the joy of watching our legacy grow in abundance.  making the decisions we've needed to, and the hard work we put in to attain our goals will all come together and make us proud, and profoundly grateful.  to have built a lasting foundation for the future success of our family is at the core of our happiness, and it is our privilege to share share share!  remember to give thanks and appreciate our strong connections to our heritage/lineage, and traditions!

wishing you a peaceful week, and hoping this reading resonates for you.  feel free to contact me for a more personalized reading at Mysteriam Tarot & Dreamwork on Facebook.

 

Six Sentence Story - Float

click here to visit all the participants

 

 graciously hosted by Denise Farley of GirlieOnTheEdge 

 

 

"Mom," Mark asked around the eco-friendly straw in his mouth while vigorously sucking down a root beer float, "why did Loolah's mom offer to help fly us out of here in that message she sent you?"

Doing her best not to react angrily to the invasion of her privacy by her precocious young progeny, Blanche took a full breath in and out before diplomatically replying, "well, my dear...some people don't understand the deep and meaningful connection we have to this land and our culture; much like some young people don't understand that it's impolite to read people's personal correspondences - even if, I'm assuming, they left them open in an active tab on the computer when someone else wanted to use it to beat people older than themselves at chess online because I haven't been fun to play with since you were four or five years old."  

After another moment she added, "...do you want to take her up on her offer?  go stay with her in the States for a bit until this all blows over?"

"No way - she smokes cigarettes, and being around it makes me sick and gives me ear infections," his scrunched up face mirrored the distaste that could be heard in his objection, "and besides...I like it better here because people aren't always calling me antisemitic slurs and saying dumb things about Western Asia like they know anything about it."

Blanche regarded her only child happily enjoying his delicious float under the Mediterranean sun on a warm, winter's day with a mix of love and heartbreak that threatened to overwhelm her and cause tears to slip from her eyes, so she inhaled deeply, leaned back and stretched her spine like one of the street cats that roamed the square, and said, "that's what I like about you, kid - you just get things without my having to explain them to you like you're an idiot, because you're smarter than most people - and better company, to boot!"

 

Shabbat Purim Full Blood Moon Eclipse in Virgo Shalom & Community Reading

sadly, the eclipse won't be visible where I am, and there won't be another one until New Year's Eve 2028/29.  oh well.  I've seen blood moon eclipses before, most notably on my 50th birthday, so I can visualize what I need to connect to the energies we are currently experiencing.    

 

not my image - I stole it from the internet

 

as this eclipse is the third in a set of 3, I'm looking back to March and September of last year to see what themes or changes have been unfolding for me in order to recognize some 'bigger picture' that may help me release whatever needs releasing to see my path more clearly.

during the March eclipse I was in a pretty good place, having found a bunch of 'hag stones' on the beach which gave me a kick in the spiritual ass as if to say 'change your perspective, sister, and Get Your Spark Back!'  soon after, I finally found an apartment to sublet while still looking for my own, and it was blissful to have the kind of privacy I need in order to thrive after the airbnb I stayed at for a month, followed by a 'guest house' for a few weeks.  I was finally able to eat well and hydrate properly, and make a more concerted effort towards looking for work.  I got a pedicure and had my toenails painted bright orange to reflect the season and my mood.  I wrote - to quote the Magic 8-ball my son had given me as a Chanookah gift years ago - 'signs point to yes'. 

by the September eclipse I was on my third job and was trying to get into a rhythm of cooking, meal prepping, and cleaning, figuring out the health care system, and doing my best to work with several different 'specialists' to follow their plan for me to lose weight and lower my A1C.  my body was hurting (always an indication that I'm not in a good place) and I was exhausted from work, so I barely had enough energy at the end of the day to do much of anything but take a nap.  other than growing my tiny garden, my life was feeling mostly empty and unfulfilling.

 

as an aside:  it's been hard to work on this post as we're being bombed in response to our preemptive strike on Iran.  I've been up and down the stairs to the bomb shelter all day for the past few days, and in the moments between, doing my best to take care of myself.  

 

so what has this look into my recent past revealed about my path forward?  as this eclipse is happening in the sign of Virgo, it's indicative of slow and steady change focusing on realigning with kindness, awareness, patience, and quiet care for the Self.  I need to keep myself balanced in both mind and body through meditation and reflection, so I can meet the challenges of my life with courage and wisdom.  saying goodbye to anxiety about the future in order to feel stable in the present is one way to take thoughtful action towards healing, and a reminder to use my strengths like Doing My Research rather than jumping from one thing to the next.  it's also a great reminder to celebrate my wins - and there have been many - as perfection isn't the goal, here.  it's healthy to accept when we make mistakes, and move on from them.  they are important chapters in our story.

 

I got this one from the Forever Conscious website

 

let's pull some cards!  since I'm currently experiencing the residual effects of the war in western Asia (post-colonial language for accuracy) - meaning I'm nowhere near the front lines, just minding the alerts that tell me when to seek shelter from ballistic missiles - I'm thinking I'll use the Hoodoo Tarot.  I don't use that deck very often, or at all really, because it always seems mad at me.  or maybe that's me projecting, who knows.  that's the message that came to me, so that's what we're doing.  and because it's Purim tonight, I'm looking through the lens of Esther and Vashti, and asking these ancient matriarchs to share with us what they know:

 

 

what do we know/what can we say about the Divine Feminine globally:  Ten of Knives

~ knives or swords are the suit of air, and are associated with thoughts, ideas, the intellect, and writing.  and 10's are the culmination of the suit - the 'end of the journey', or the complete expression of all the experiences The Fool has had on her way through the suit.  and these have been Hard lessons.  while the image is scary (ten knives in the back!  scroll down to see the cards), and speaks of betrayal and a kind of 'hitting rock bottom', it also shows us the dawn after the dark.  it's about surviving disaster, learning from your mistakes, and being more cautious about who you trust.  times may be hard, but they are getting better.  it speaks of one who has used a powerful tool without the proper respect for its destructive power, and not only gets burned (stabbed), but plays the victim in the hopes that someone will come and save them.  while the complete and total defeat of the spirit is beyond painful, on the other side of it is the start of something new.  the only thing we can control is our own response to it, so we just have to get up, dust ourselves off, and start again.  we've done the research; we've studied our history and written new books.  we've taught what we've learned to our daughters who have continued the conversation with our grand- and great-granddaughters.  and now we need to get it out of our heads and bring it further into our hearts, create with it, and ground all of our work with the knowledge of what we are moving forward from.  dance it out, sing about it, and invoke the Divine Feminine in all aspects of our lives and work.  there is no greater way to bring more balance into the world.

what do we know/what can we say about the Divine Feminine in Israel:  Big Mama

~ Big Mama (or The Sun) is one of the most positive and uplifting cards in any tarot deck!  it appears right near the end of The Fool's journey and in this deck in particular, speaks directly to The Matriarch being the cornerstone of family and the keeper of ancestral wisdom.  it tells us it is Our time to SHINE.  to share our glory, our light, and our power with the world!  in being our authentic selves we liberate and uplift everyone around us.  the path is cleared for our ultimate success, and abundance and joy will be the result of sharing our radiant brilliance with others.  as Israel has been struggling through dark times, let this be our sign that through the Divine Feminine/Shekinah, our liberation is assured.  it is inspiring to see the increase in understanding of our ancient connections to female power in what has been a predominantly patriarchal country and culture for centuries.  may we have the wisdom as a nation to heed Her call.

what do I know/what can I say about how the Divine Feminine relates to the work I do:  Seven of Coins 

~ this is my garden growing.  this is a card of slow and steady progress, of taking the time to assess what is working, and what isn't.  by reflecting on my choices and considering the possibility that my fear of failure is preventing me from finishing what I start, I will have a greater ability to see the bigger picture and create a long-term plan that will pay off into my future.  by focusing on my vision and what it means to me, through patience, gratitude, and staying grounded in the present, success is literally just around the next corner.  

 

 

wow.  and doesn't that all relate back to the eclipse in Virgo energy?  what an exceptionally divine and important moment to be living through.  we may see the liberation of millions of women suffering under oppressive regimes in the near future!  we may see women across Western Asia become a global force for bringing more balance to the world!  let it be so.

 

as always, if you enjoy these community readings, feel free to connect with me for a private reading through my Facebook page, Mysteriam Tarot & Dreamwork.

 

lessons

and in those moments, when the plan becomes clear

shoulders release and neck rolls

down your spine to

shimmy your hips

in the garden

"bro, 

let's build a house 

on the parents' farm.  

for our generations."

lesson.

 

to be fair, I got to smoke some weed the other day, for the first time since smoking the last hit in my stash from Vermont.  lit the bat as soon as the exit appeared on the road to the airport, and put it in my purse where it's been since then.  I know the airport security dog was looking at me and it definitely made me nervous, but I was looking back at her, and she didn't seem concerned enough about me to alert her humans who were having what I assumed to be their regular morning work chat.  so I basically went 'cold turkey' for the past 3 1/2 months from being a chronic smoker most of my adult life to no attitude adjustment at all.  how about that?  

 

 

honestly it seemed like a good idea to have my head on as straight as possible while trying to immigrate to another country, and I'm glad I have, but MAN.  I've had some tense moments.  enough that I've considered buying some alcohol just to have enough to drink with my dinner to loosen up a little.  I guess I still - and will always - prefer weed over alcohol, since that summer of...1985?

when I smell herb on the streets I'll look around to see if I can catch a vibe off of whoever's smoking it, if I can even find them on the sidewalk, or sitting at a table as I'm walking past.  obviously by my writing it, that hadn't happened yet.  I had the opportunity to hop on a bus tour for 15nis ($4 and change), so I went.  we were stopped to patronize the local breakfast joint when I smelled that particular perfume on my way back to the bus, so I walked over and asked the folks if I could hit what they were smoking, and they gave me the tail end of their joint.  hoo-rah.

 

 

and my lift arrived, and my staffs - wrapped in my tapestries - were missing, and I was losing my mind so I called the international shippers and lost my mind on them, then called the Vermont shippers and left them a piece of whatever might have been left.  and to both of their credit, my missing pieces was located quickly, and plans are being made on how to get them to me as soon as possible.  I am incredibly pleased to have the emotional hug of seeing my treasured belongings on this side of the sea, with a special nod to those that came from here, embodied within them the energies of those I hold dear.  really, the missing package was no big deal, even though it was my whole heart, and I didn't need to yell at them.  I could have asked nicely, and the outcome would have been the same.  lesson.

 

 

 

then I couldn't find my loom which I had been concerned about since before leaving the States.  I told myself I would find it when I opened the box again in Israel, but when I opened the box and searched it, the loom was not there.  luckily, in thinking about where else I might have put it, it was found.  yay!  lesson.

a person on the tourist trip reminded me that we have more power to 'choose our own adventure' than we realize.  and I realize that everything is going to be ok, and I am going to make my way and fulfill my purpose here.  everything I've done and experienced up until this moment has led me here.  To The Promised Land, lol!  trust the process.  I have some more healing to do.  lesson ~

I'm so proud of me.

☆  ★ ☀ ✨🌕✨ ☀ ★  ☆