Monthly Archives: January 2018

Tarotcast

Tarotcast for Week of Jan. 28, 2018

Joan Mitchell

Above and below are the paintings by Joan Mitchell an abstract expressionist painter and print maker. She is one of the few female painters of her era to gain critical claim.  This post World War II art movement was the first time America, specifically New York, was put as the center of the western art world instead of Paris. Abstract expressionist art tries to articulate the complexity of our heart and mind clashing, melding, bleeding into each other.  The internal human experience without the defined image.

PS. Don’t forget the signs with an * it is a big week for you.

*Aries – Emperor

The Emperor tells us to stop procrastinating.  This is a week to build new bridges, create new civilizations, to conquer your fear and just do it.  The challenge is believing you can and asking for help when you can’t.

 

Taurus – King of Swords

The King of Swords says now is the time. Your challenge this week is to walk your talk, so be careful what you promise. Your words are now as loud and important  as your actions.
Continue reading Tarotcast for Week of Jan. 28, 2018 →

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Tarotcast for Week of Jan. 21, 2018

path of lord of the rings Andrew DeGraff

Saturn has just entered Capricorn. For many astrologers, this planet is one of the big markers in our lives.   Saturn changes signs around two and half years, and it takes it a full 29.5 years to get through all of the zodiac.  So in an average life span we get two or three tries with the lessons Saturn is trying to teach us.  Saturn hasn’t been in Capricorn since 1989, and this made me think about the path of our lives.  How we twist and turn, visit new places, and revisit old ones. How our course can traverse the world or encompass a street.

Andrew DeGraff‘s art work reflects my pondering of paths. Above and below are some of his pieces where he maps out the path(s) of one or several characters in a variety of movies.   He  is a freelance illustrator and artist living and working in Maine. He recently published his second book, Cinemaps: An Atlas of 35 Great Movies.  What details of your path would be on your art piece?

Can you guess which movie corresponds with your picture?

To find out the answer just click on the picture and open it in its own window .

Aries – Ten of Cups

path of back to the future

Last week, the Judgment card pointed out the new steps to take in your life.  This week the Ten of Cups wants you to add the concept of joy into your new life’s structure.  Your challenge is to be mindful of what makes you smile and do more of it.

 

 

Taurus – Three of Wands

path of ghostbusters

 

The Three of Wands is about action and planning.  Your challenge this week is getting things in place.  Big things are on the horizon are you ready for them?

 

 

 

Continue reading Tarotcast for Week of Jan. 21, 2018 →

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Tarotcast for Week of Jan. 14, 2018

Above and below are the winning photographs of the annual Comedy in Wildlife contest. In our family we find these hilarious. But why do we laugh?  Scientist  have found that laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease. Laughter triggers the release of endorphin, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphin promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.  It makes sense we developed laughter to relieve stress.

But why do we laugh at the things we do?  Writer Scot Weems researched a variety of science experiments about what makes a good joke in his book, Ha! The Science of When We Laugh and Why.  He found that what makes a great joke is “the kick of discovery or thinking one way and then and then suddenly turning that thing around.”  So whatever makes us confused or cause a conflict in our brain most likely will make us laugh.  This is why we may laugh at inappropriate times – like say at a funeral or at church. Laughter helps us get through stressful situations.  And one reason we all find different things funny even within our same culture is our threshold of confusion, conflict or stress varies from person to person.

On a side note the researcher Richard Wiseman found that overall the funniest animal to us is the duck.  Your challenge this week is to create some humor in your life.  I have added a joke starter that pertains to your picture have fun finishing it or making up your own.  Send them back to me if you want. I can always use a good laugh.

*Aries – Judgment

Comedy in wildlife - jokeThe Judgment card heralds it is time for you to take the next step in your evolution.  You are awakening to what new steps to take in your life.  This can look as simple as changing your diet or it can be as complex as decreasing your carbon footprint.  The challenge is whatever decisions you make – make sure they alter your life for the better – not only for you but the world.  Joke:  …so I gave him the flipper.

Taurus – Knight of Cups

Comedy in WildlifeLast week, the Empress challenged you to see the ends in beginnings and the beginnings in ends, and that it takes both to create growth.  This week the Knight of Cups carries on the Empress’ concept of duality by focusing on emotions.  The Knight of Cups challenges you to be aware on how you emote your emotions through action and movement.  This week see how your emotional actions cause reactions and your emotional reactions cause actions.  Joke:  …no, he did what…
Continue reading Tarotcast for Week of Jan. 14, 2018 →

Tarotcast

Tarotcast for Week of January 7, 2018

This time of year in the northern hemisphere objects cast long shadows.  The piece above is by Lordes Castro who worked with variations of shadow representation for the next 3 decades.  She started off as a painter, but in the early 1960’s she joined up with a group called the Nouveaux Realistes.  Then began to work with shadows.  She used light sensitive silk screen to capture people, worked with layering acrylic cutouts of shadows to make the shadow 3-d, and light sensitive prints of plants shadows to represent our memories, and also shadow theater.

Shadows have always fascinated us.  As a kid we investigate our shadow by playing with it, trying to run away from it, waving at it, and like the above photo trying to separate ourselves from it.  As adults we do all these things still though metaphorically or through psycho-chat of working with the shadow self.  We continue to run from it, play with it and try to disconnect from it.  When our “shadow” is part of us too intertwined to be seen as something so two dimension as what is cast upon the ground.

PS.  Remember those signs with an *, it is a big week for you.  Also  this is a perfect time of the year for your Astrological Tarot Reading.

Aries – King of Cups

They say that boys don’t cry, but this card wants you to get in touch and express your emotions this week.  You might think being a King means to rule over your emotions with a tight fist.  However, this King says you find more strength and courage by being friends with your feelings.

*Taurus – Empress

The Empress is the card of Gaia, the supreme mother and creation.  I know we are in the middle of winter in the northern hemisphere and creation seems buried in the snow, but in the southern hemisphere it is in the middle of fertile season.  The Empress embodies this flow where there is death she balances it with life.  The Empress’ challenge is to look at this week’s events and see the death in life and the life in death.  It takes both to create growth.

Gemini – Page of Swords

The Page of Swords advises you do more investigating before making any decisions this week.  The Page of Swords challenges you to dig deeper, for the solution of the problem is out there.  It is just hidden and not in the obvious places.

 

Cancer – Five of Pentacles

The Five of Pentacles challenges us when times are rough to ask for help.  This week help is just around the corner.  You  just need to walk a few more steps to see it.

Leo – Eight of Swords

The Eight of Swords challenge is what binds you.  Last week the tarotcast asked you to leave behind your obstacles.  Thinking that you have to settle for “what is” is part of your challenge. Remember change can as easily begin with a thought as an action..

Virgo – Page of Pentacles

Page of Pentacles is the card of the student.  This week you need to put on your observation goggles and hearing aids to aid you in finding what is lacking or needed.   There are new skills for you to learn so you can solve a question or two with more ease.

Libra – Six of Wands

If it hasn’t recently happened already, you will win a victory this week., so take time to rest on your laurels at the beginning of the week.  Then by the end, your challenge will be to take stock of what you have and restock if necessary, for there is another skirmish around the corner.

Scorpio – King of Wands

This week take control of your surroundings.  King of Wands challenges you to rule your environment and deal with the people with justice and integrity.  This is a test whether you are ready to handle more power.

Sagittarius – Eight of Wands

Lots of information coming at you this week.  Your challenge is to sift through it and pick out the bits that are useful.  An exercise to make this easier is set an intention and use only the information that pertains to it.  Motto: One intention at a time.

Capricorn – Four of Wands

Time to work on or in your home.  The challenge this week is to stoke the fires of your hearth and heart.  Your goal is to daydream, create and get comfy in your home. If you can’t to make your home a place where you can reconnect to yourself with ease, then find a substitute structure whether that is your car, a cafe or the park.

*Aquarius – Strength

The Strength card advises you to look within, see your strength then strengthen your sense of self.  This challenge can look as simple as doing a contemplative exercise like yoga that also works your core, or as complex as writing a list of your accomplishments.  As the film director and producer Billy Wilder said “You are as good as the best thing you have done.”

Pisces – Five of Swords

There will be chaos this week that will be hard to avoid.  The Five of Swords advises the best thing is to stay out of it as long as you can, realize most of it is due to outside influences, and observe before stepping into it.  This is like playing Double Dutch with five jump-ropes instead of two.

 

May light be on you, around you, and within you,

Nina