New moon in Januari

For this new moon, I have pulled one card from the Thoth Tarot as to what energy I should embrace during this next cycle of the Moon and I got The Hanged Man. Some of its keywords are: rigidity, ending of a stagnated situation, new ways of looking at things, letting go of old behavioral patterns.  This hanged man has nowhere to go. There is now way to escape his situation. His eyes are closed, blind for everything which doesn’t align with his point a view. He is totally disconnected from his intuition and heart centered wisdom.

Yet, since there is no way out the only forward is to go within.  Only then will the snake wake up and rise from the dark grave. Then the Hanged Man can find freedom from past convictions and behavior. It is there  and then that he can undergo a profound transformation. He can free himself from the need of being always right and in control. If he can let go of these rigid ways of thinking he will set himself free and become a different person altogether.

It’s is a lot for one lunation but I am not surprised this card has comes up for me (again). If I will be able to only touch the surface of this card during the next four weeks I will be thankful and content. Habitual patterns created over many years are usually not discarded in a few weeks.

Affirmation: “I will let go of my need to be in control all the time and realize that life will present itself moment by moment”

King of Cups – Caution: Risk Of Explosion

Today’s card is the King of Cups from The Raven's Prophecy Tarot. In this depiction we see a glass which  contains just one feather. The king of Cups is known to be a very good listener. He truly can hold space for how you feel deep down and for what you need to unburden. Only after you have told him everything, he will give you great advice on how to move forward without any pressure to see his way as the only way.

But who really knows what is going on with him:  Always smiling, always nodding , always  calm. Who knows what this feather is all about? He will not share, without being pushed quite a bit. His feelings are buried deep beneath his responsibility as king.  But beware, these build up emotions can explode unexpectedly and then he feels exposed, ashamed and crownless.

So what advice could we give this King and I got the Hanged Man: this card encourages him to take some time  to explore how he feels about being the archetypal counselor and perhaps even more importantly to explore how he feels….

Often taking a step back will give us a more clear perspective  on a lot of things; even on what we didn’t know troubled us in the first place.

I know all too well how it feels to be a King of Cups and when build up emotions become a hazard for my family and myself.

So for today will try to be more open about how I feel, if only to myself in my journal, in order to prevent my glass to break into pieces once again. And yes, taking a few good deep breaths or a time out after “King of Cups duty” is a very sound advice indeed! 

Raidho and The Hanged Man – The journey within

My rune for today is Raidho (wheel), the rune of traveling and movement. The question I like to ask this rune is: "Where do I go from here?" and I pulled The Hanged Man. 

So physically I am going nowhere but that doesn’t mean I am not going on a journey. The Hanged Man tells us it is time to take a pause and reflect on what we need to hold on to and nurture and what we need to let go off. What is bringing deep fulfillment and is contributing to our purpose in life? What is helping us to step into our authentic power?  How can we respond to life with Love instead of reacting in fear? So many questions, so many things to ponder about. To find the answer to all of this we only need to quiet down and listen. This can be done during meditation, or while taking a walk or just sitting in our garden and let the beauty of nature sink in.

The Hanged Man of the Rider Waite Tarot shows us the effect of this inner journey. Just look at the halo around the man’s head. In the Wild Unknown Tarot we see how  by hanging upside down the bat keeps his head in the light too and in the Vision Quest Tarot the Hanged man is replaced by a Native American who is indeed going on a Vision Quest, an inner journey of self-discovery and spiritual growth

All the cards, however, show in their own special way that what is unconscious and hidden deep within needs to be brought into the light. Not to get rid of it but to truly own it and transform it from something we fear into something we are able to love. 

A Few of My Favorite Things Spread

Yesterday I found a lovely tarot spread on IG, created by Magpietarot and it's called: “A few of my favorite things spread". I thought it would be fun to try it out here and I chose the Crystal Visions Tarot to do this. You have to separate the Minor Arcana into suits. Than shuffle your little stacks and pull one card from each suit to answer the questions below. I also pulled one card from the Majors because I didn’t want them to feel left out.

From the Wands: Where does my confidence shine?  Eight of Wands – Wnen I am on a roll and everything is going my way.  I don’t mind doing a lot as long as all the horses are running in the same direction. Then I feel like I am the queen of the world
From the Cups: What brings me joy? Queen of Cups.  Very simple but not so easy: To love and be loved and feel connected to  God(dess)

From the Swords: Where do I feel wise? Four of Swords – Haha, that is a good one! When I take a time out when I need it and not when it is already long overdue.

From the Pentacles: What makes me feel safe & secure? Eight of Pentacles – When I do the work and stay in the moment. Whether it is painting a picture or doing the dishes. 

From the Majors: Which underlying energy will make it all possible? The Hanged Man. To let go of all ideas about what I think I should do and try to live more in the here and now, where I might see things from a fresh point a view.

Let it Go!

Today’s cards are Strength and The Hanged Man from the Wild Unknown Tarot by Kim Krans. 

The first thing which came to mind, when I saw these two cards together was the famous song from Frozen: "Let it go".

First I pulled The Strength card. In this version of Strength we see only the Lion. The maiden is represented by the rose. The lion is  gentle holding our higher self between the softness of his lips. The sun of consciousness is shining upon them. In this card we have fully integrated our more untamed, wild and powerful self  with the more conscious parts of ourselves. We even trust it to take over if needed. 

So I asked for what cause I needed Strength and I pulled The Hanged Man. The bat is hanging upside down. His feet are in the dark, his head is in the light. Seeing things from a different perspective can provide you with some illuminating insights.... That was the moment I started humming “Let it go”

This is the best advice I can get from my cards for the coming month. In two weeks my SIL is starting his new job. then he will move in with us until S and he have found a place of their own. And let’s not forget the upcoming holidays….

Full Moon Reading for July with the Wild Unknown Tarot

Unlike last month, yesterday evening the sky was clear and we could see the moon shining her cool white light over our overheated country.  I’ve been sitting outside enjoying the view and the slowly falling temperatures.  It was not until very, very late that  I pulled some cards.  It surprised me how beautifully they correlated with my last full moon and new moon reading of June. .

0. Yourself in your current situation (from the base of the deck) Five of Cups

We sees a sad and burdened horse with his head  held down facing the shadows. He doesn’t see the five cups above him, suspended in the light. Although I do feel somewhat better, it hasn’t been a very cheerful fortnight for me due to some personal circumstances.

1. What can be seen with clarity, so bright that it can even blind you? Mother of Pentacles

Look at how gentle and tender the doe is minding her fawn. The Mother of Pentacles radiates care and motherly love. This was my 0 card last month and seeing this card in the 1st  position, it is very obvious I should nurture myself and treat myself like a loving mother should.

2. What gets completed. What closes a cycle? The hanged Man.

A bat is hanging in his cave but he is not sleeping. He is mindful and sees everything what is going on with his red eyes, but he will not be involved. This was my Embrace card for the previous new moon. Seeing it in this position it indicates to me I should become more active again and the time of surrendering and just being is coming to an end.

3. What begins to fade away, to darken, to abandon you... or what needs to be? The Emperor. 

Although I have become aware of many positive traits of the Emperor over the last year, I think in this position it tells me to abandon my deep-rooted need to control ( an ever reoccurring  issue )

Again I was amazed how well this reading fitted with my last two moon readings. I loved doing this full moon reading with the Wild Unknown Tarot. What I like about the deck is that you are able to see the whole reading at a glance and then you can focus on the individual cards. 

New moon in June

Yesterday I drew two cards for the New Moon of this month from the Shadowscapes Tarot and both hold some very sound and also summery advice for me:

        

Release – The eight of Cups

For me this card is all about soul searching, shadow work and seeking truth and answers in places you’ve never been before. A lonely and sometimes scary journey into the unknown, leaving behind who you once was and not knowing how you will emerge from this adventure. But now is not the time to dive deep, so I should let go of that tempting distant glimmer in the depths which is just out of reach. I’d better swim back to the surface and bask myself in the summer sun.

Embrace – The Hanged Man

Well  he sure is getting a tan. This card is always a real challenge for me: letting go of control, surrender to what is and while doing change my perspective and be open to new ways of thinking. A shift in consciousness is sometimes all we need to continue our journey peacefully. Often it is hard for me to do nothing because when my mind is unoccupied, unwelcome thoughts will creep in. So I read and  I write, I draw and I knit  to keep the worrying at bay. But when I look at this card even the little Fae  are quietly  waiting so perhaps when I try to let go of suppressing my darker thoughts they will stop wriggling and writhing too. Isn't it a fact that what we fight is always getting stronger?

And just now I noticed the Hanged Man has a beautiful  shining  ball of light in his hands, so we don’t always have to dive deep to find our treasure. When we hold still and surrender it might just magically appear…

Celtic Owl - Rebirth

Today’s card, Celtic Owl from the Chrysalis Tarot, is the equivalent of the Hanged Man. There is nothing hanging in this picture but we do see a beautiful owl against a starry night sky. Under his wings he is keeping an interwoven Celtic knot. So what is this card all about? The keyword is Rebirth. The message from this card is trying to connect to everybody and everything in the Universe and to experience the oneness of the entre creation. Even though we cannot see it doesn’t mean it isn’t true.  The owl is a creature who can find his way in the dark of night with ease. When we have the courage to follow Owl  into the unknown unconscious realms and to surrender to his wisdom, we can be transformed and be more receptive to see  all of creation in a more holistic way. This is a long-term process which demands patience, the art of letting go, imagination and regularly contemplation.

When we are determined to follow Owl he will teach us what every great teacher has taught over the centuries: “ Everything is connected ; We are one” and how to sacrifice our ego and old ways of thinking to this idea  and to find the bliss of enlightenment.

“But I'll tell you what hermits realize. If you go off into a far, far forest and get very quiet, you'll come to understand that you're connected with everything.”

Alan Watts

The Hanged Man - Acceptance

It is still hot and moist here and I don’t function very well in this kind of weather. It is wearing me out and I am looking forward to some serious rain and thunderstorms (and so is my garden). So the Hanged Man from the Original Rider Waite Tarot is a very timely card for me. This card is all about letting go and coming to a standstill; life in suspension. Summer is the time for me to put many activities on hold. If I could go in a summer hibernation I would gladly J. But putting things on hold is only effective if you can let go of the desire to be active and energetic and accept how things are right now. The Hanged Man isn't resisting his status quo. Look at his peaceful expression.  He is making the most of it.

The halo  is the symbol of wisdom and tapping into your intuition. I read this as an advice to make time to ponder and meditate and to find new ways of connecting with the Divine, reviewing my beliefs and practices for whenever the heat cools down. Lately I've been thinking about observing the moon cycle more elaborate than just my usual new moon readings. The hanged man is also the one who urges me to see things from a different point a view. To revisit this practice and adept it to my current needs. I want it to be a fluid and intuitive practice without rules and lengthy texts and rituals. Maybe burning a candle, sit outside, pull or pick a card, draw or write something . Anything goes as long as I feel comfortable with it.

Maybe I also feel like this Hanged man because I've finished my painting recently, which leaves me in a kind of limbo. Not knowing where to go from here and a little bit anxious if the next one will be "as good" as this one. This too will pass, I know. I guess acceptance is my keyword for this card today.

The Hanged Man: my dentist appointment

Universal WaiteTarot

For today’s card I have drawn The Hanged Man from the Universal Waite. I particularly like this depiction because the man looks quite relaxed in this awkward situation. He has a halo for enlightenment which is a symbol of The Hanged Man I don’t find in many of the other decks I have.

The Hanged Man is the archetype of the victim. There is a standstill and there is no room for change or action. Life is put on hold and mostly it is involuntary but sometimes we can welcome it. Who hasn't been in a difficult situation when suddenly you were “rescued” by the flu or a heavy snow fall

More often though we have to accept the situation and know we just have to wait it out. Rain, floods, boring family dinners, a broken leg; you name it.

But sometimes when you are in The Hanged Man position  you can be surprised by an unexpected insight or idea. Because the situation at hand is different than we are used to we tend to see things from a different perspective. Priorities can shift overnight, spiritual beliefs may change rapidly.

Today I have to go to the dentist and when the chair is reclined, I feel like the Hanged man with my mouth wide open at the dentists mercy.  I wonder if this visit will bring me some halo thoughts.