Card A Day, Feb 4-8: Who, What, Where, When, Why?

This is a rather interesting spread, one which I use to get an overview of what is coming up in my life. The five cards answer the questions I learned to use as a journalist to make certain I got down all the details of whatever story I was working on. It's a comprehensive outline of the energies and incidents which are calling my attention today. The only thing I have added to the journalistic world-view of the five questions is the idea that often the "who" is ME, an aspect of myself, or a way I need to approach the what, where, when, and why of the cycle.

Who?

Odin, hanging on the World Tree, one eye sacrificed in order to give up the concept of "I see all" and remain receptive in order to win the runes from Mimir's Well, is a dual image here. It does bespeak "pay attention" as we see him hanging upside-down, voluntarily relinquishing his powers in order to achieve inner wisdom, and it also might represent one from whom we ourselves may be going to be learning in the upcoming cycle, someone who is not arrogant, pushy or overbearing, but who teaches by example. Whether we are looking at our own required stance or that of the teacher who will give us wisdom, the baseline message is "shut up and listen."

What?

  Interference raises its specter of frustration as we try to take our path. The tree surrounded by swords represents the bits and pieces of rules and restrictions and conditions to the opening of our own minds and hearts. But they are often placed there by ourselves, so looking at the two cards together, we get, "listen, hold still and pay attention, and don't surround what you are seeing and hearing with competitive ideas. It is what it is. Don't prejudge it."

Where?

The answer is definitely "within your own core of mind and heart". Parsifal is the seeker of the Grail, the sacred Truth within that took him aeons to discover because he was looking outside himself instead of within to discover the central facets of both his journey and his destination. So--listen and pay attention, don't keep "shoulding on yourself" but let things flow freely, and know that much of what you seek is already within you.

When?

When we give over our power, turn our abilities and our Will upside-down, as it were, and do not acknowledge the fire within us, then is the time when the abovementioned difficulties of interference and lack of focus can impede our journey.

Why?

You are your own best teacher and it is up to you to learn from those things within you so that you can send your own best Self into the world. Physician, heal thySelf, and professor, teach thySelf...you've GOT this.

Daily Draw, Feb 3: "A Rowan-Tree, Witch!"

Today, at 4:09 pm MST, the Rowan Moon is full. The rowan tree is called the Quickbeam, or Quicken tree, as “Quick” means “alive.” Rowan represents the life of the forest, and is a magickal protection against evil spells. Rowan trees were planted at the doorways of houses in medieval times to prevent evil spirits from entering the house. The Rowan tree is long known for aid and protection against evil enchantment. The Rowan tree also indicates psychic protection and control of the senses from liars and self-delusion, and physical protection from those of ill-intent. The berries have a tiny pentagram on them. The pentagram is the ancient symbol of protection. Sticks of the Rowan were used to carve Runes on,and used to tie "Brighid's Crosses" with red thread to protect the Hearth.

At the Full Moon of Rowan it is a good time to inaugurate circles or covens, people with whom one can feel safe and protected as among kinfolk, in whose company one can explore other words. Full Moon lucid dreaming is also extremely effective during this moon. During the waning moon it is a time for intense personal and inner work. Work associated with Rowan includes seeing the fairies, meeting Guides and avatars, renewing personal shields, and doing trance and dream work. Creation of drinks and oils (“potions” refers to both) that will assist one in travel to other realms is also done during the Rowan Moon. Witches used Rowan to increase their psychic powers, for spells of healing, success, protection, and often used the wood for their magic wands.

So, today, blessings of psychic, physical, and internal protection against negativity is your blessing. A Rowan-tree, Witch! May you thrive!

Aisling the Bard

Tarot Blog Hop, Imbolc 2015; Oracular Anomalies

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Today is the festival of my primary Goddess, Brighid. And even though Her card, the Haindl Tarot's Daughter of Cups, was the card I drew for your Daily Draw yesterday, on Imbolc Eve, I am going to speak of this same card today, because our Blog Hop topic for this festival is "oracular anomalies". And this treatment of Brighid is completely anomalous to me, because in all the years She has been my primary Deity--since 1992, to be precise--I have always seen her as "Brighid's Fire", the three Rays of Awen, Fire in the Hands, Fire in the Head, Fire in the Heart. And here, she is illustrated as the Princess of Water, She whose Well of Healing, as inconceivable as this might be, is indeed the source of Brighid's Fire. Fire from water? Really? Well....let's think about that.



We have a chant, "The Ocean Is The Beginning Of The Earth", in which is the line, "all life comes from the Sea." If we think about it, water really is the source of everything, including all forms of life, and all forms of fire as it represents the life force.


Fire in the Head, poetry and creativity, arises from the deepest emotions and intuitions of the creator. Fire in the Hands, the physical demonstration of the Will, those things we desire to create, arises from our deepest and most intense needs and desires, those things that flow within us and cause the blood to burn. And Fire in the Heart, not just love but also compassion, healing, nurture, are all represented by the Cup of Love, the Chalice of the Heart, even when it holds the fiery and intoxicating brew of true love, or whiskey at the bridal or the other special occasion. So...it should not be an Oracular Anomaly to have the Goddess we honor today, Brighid of the Triple Flame, represented as the Daughter of Cups. Because all her Fire as we demonstrate it truly does arise from Water. Sometimes an anomaly is there simply to teach us that things are not always what they look like, but need to be deeply considered. But--that's the whole point of Tarot, isn't it? Blessed Tarot to you, may your Cup overflow, and Beannacht Bhrighide!

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