Two weeks ago I highlighted the art of Eileen Agar a surreal artist that was the first to merge surrealism and fashion with her ceremonial hats. This week’s artist RaeSwon resonates Agar’s wit in her felted hat creation. The first know hat was found on Otzi, a bronze age man dated around 3250 BC. Hats were believed to be worn to cool or heat a person. However, only 50 years later in an Egyptian tomb painting, a straw hat was worn for status or ceremonial reasons. Now hats are worn for protection from weather conditions, safety, status, rank, ceremonially and/or fashion.
Felting and hats have a long history that started in ancient Greece, the pielus. Felting from wool is the oldest known textile. There are two ways to make felt. Wet felting is applying hot water to layers of animal hair and then agitating and compressing the fibers, so they hook together. This method causes the scales on the hair to open up and the agitation latches them together. Where needle felting is done by stabbing a barbed needle into animal fibers to tangle and hook them together. RaeSwon uses both techniques to make her very imaginative millinery.
P.S. Remember signs with an * it a big week for you. Aquarius this is a perfect time to get an Astrological Tarot Reading for your coming year. And Leo it is your halfway mark for your birth year, so if you need a Planetary Reading for a check in now is the time.
Aries
Four of Swords – This week rest is needed. Your immune system is weak and only rest and a bit of self-coddling will set it right. Go to bed early, eat well, and try to find time to relax into a thoughtless stupor.
Taurus
Six of Coins – Karma is the resonation this week. What you do for others and to others comes back three-fold. The trick with this card is the payback good or bad is unpredictable in timing and does not always come from the source it was given to. Your song: Be Nice by the Black Eyed Peas
Gemini
Ten of Coins – Get things off your to-do list and finish up projects that have been around for a while. This week’s energy is about work and completion, so don’t start anything new. Now is the time to clear your plate of the old so the new has room to grow.
Cancer
Seven of Wands – Last week, the energy was about experimentation with the tools and skills you already have in your arsenal. Creating without purpose and exploring what comes from it. This week to continue doing that, you are going to need to defend your rights to experiment, create and explore. Stand up for yourself. Your mantra: I not only have the right to stand up for myself, but I have the responsibility. I can’t ask somebody else to stand up for me if I won’t stand up for myself. And once you stand up for yourself, you’d be surprised that people say ‘Can I be of help? – Maya Angelou
Leo
Ace of Wands – This week you get to switch gears from all work to the act of creation. Inspiration and ambition is lite by your passion. This is a great week to start new projects, play in nature, and inspire your spirit. Use your natural fiery temperament to ignite what is listless and dark. Your song: Light My Fire by the Doors sung by Shirley Bassey.
Virgo
King of Wands – After last week’s chaos you are stronger and wiser which helps this week’s energy: public relations. This is a great week to meet and greet, send out resumes, beef up your social media page, and be as charming as you can be. You have Pied Piper energy around you. The challenge is figuring out where you want to lead your throngs.
Libra
Four of Coins – Resource stability is the energy this week. Great time to start doing your taxes, contributing or starting a savings account or IRA, and/or scheduling in “me-time” or more family time. The challenge is feeling as if you need to do it for fear of losing resources, time, money or space. However, this energy is really about saving in case of, so you don’t have to spend precious time worrying about a lack of those resources in the future.
Scorpio
*Fool – Adventure and new beginnings are the energies to work with this week. Itch feet? Go wandering. Bored? Partake in something you have never done. Melancholy? Watch silly movies all week. Feeling old? Go swing on a swing set or have a snowball fight. Feeling naïve? Go learn something new. This week newness is the key to rekindling your faith and joy of life.
Sagittarius
*Hermit – This week’s energy is getting some much-needed alone time. You need space and perspective. And the only way you are going to find it is setting up a sacred space and time. It would be great if you could do a little retreat from your life. But if you can’t do that. This can be done simple by taking the long way home, taking the bus instead of your car, going on silly errands solo, turning off your phone for 2 hours, or eating outside for lunch. The key to obtaining this is telling people that you are turning off your phone from 2-3 hours each day, going to be late coming home, or gone for the week. Because if people don’t see your proverbial do not disturb sign on the window, they will bug you to find out why.
Capricorn
Knight of Wands – Ok I warned you. I hope you rested last week because the energy this week is getting on your horse and riding it the next destination and doing it with some flair. First this energy says you are in the right space at the right time all this week, if you can work with this fiery energy. You must willfully reign in your aspirations and steer them to your desired goals without extinguishing your passion.
Aquarius
Knight of Pentacles – Last week’s energy was about saying yes to opportunities coming at you from unexpected places and learning that saying yes doesn’t mean forever. This energy likes you to try out new things so you can find what best fits the new you. This week’s energy continues the theme of moving forward into new worlds. However, staying open is now focusing down to only areas of work, how you make your money and/or hands-on projects. This is a great time to work on to-do lists and to get far with any plans, while being open to new input. The challenge this week is working this as a marathon not a series of sprints. So, hydrate and feed yourself at regular intervals.
Pisces
Queen of Swords – Details are the focus this week. This energy is best utilized by examining the specifics of situations and boning up on your communication skills. If you come up to a block, asking questions, deep listening and overall communication will lead you out of any maze.
May light be on you, around you, and within you,
Nina
Nine of Cups – Last week, the Hanged Man advised you to look at situations with a different perspective. Taking time for contemplation with an emphasis of out-side the box thinking. This energy of out of the box thinking is needed this week, to explore the concept and your actions around your feelings on contentment.
Five of Coins – Chaotic energy is prevalent this week. Be careful this does not send your head spinning into loss and feeling as if you have scant resources. Your read on this energy is right; it is not a week to invest into new projects. So the challenge is realizing that you are not alone, nor lost, nor poor. Your wealth and help lies in the family, friends and/or the community at large.
Queen of Pentacles – Last week, the energy was about creating harmony while still maintaining a duality in your nature and/or with others. Your challenge is connecting with the ones you love without losing either’s selfhoods, and/or harmonizing your own masculine and feminine energy. This process will help you with this week’s energy of being a provider and comforter. The challenge in being both is having a solid foundation built on your own needs and allow others to maintain their freedom while you nurture theirs.
Page of Swords – The energy this week is about information lying hidden. The goal this week is finding truths that are hidden or disguised. Start asking subtle but leading questions to the answers you want to find. The challenge is hearing what is said and then discerning which avenue to take to discover the information at its fullest. The truth is there but you are going to have to dig for it.
Four of Swords – Last week your energy work was gardening and growth. Create and design. Plant and nurture. Tend and weed. And finally, balance the work with the pleasures that you have reaped from that work. That last task is extended to this week. Your challenge is slowing your roll and being still. Learning how to rest is a needed skill to practice this week. This is a big year for Capricorns. So, with all that cosmic activity you will be dealing with (from January 2020 until December 2020), this is the only week with Mercury in your sign that your personal needs are easily heard. After the this your purpose and will take front stage. So, I must repeat take this week to relax, talk and physically listen to your body and soul.
World – This energy shows up when opportunities are at your doorstep to take and other doors can be closed. This is a great time to start something new. To say yes to things that you wouldn’t normally say yes to. The challenge around this card is feeling as if you say yes means that you can’t back out of it, and/or you might close doors you are not ready to. Oh contre mon ami. This energy likes you to try out new things so you can find what best fits the new you. So any closed door can be open again, but you might find the new landscape better fits who you are now.
Ace of Cups – During this intermediary time and space this energy nudges you to contemplate emotional beginnings. This is a great week to start new relationships or take a relationship to the next level. Share the love you have with the lens for relationships to grow they must have a solid foundation to grow in and the freshness of air and water to sustain them.
Eight of Coins – As the years switch your contemplation is around mastering your skills. You have achieved much this past year. Going forward is less about learning something new and more about fine tuning skills or projects you already have mastered. What do you want to work on in the coming year? What do you want to take to the next level.
*Devil – As you transition from one year to the next, the cards have you look at how you successfully passed tests of 2019, and contemplating if you had to be tested on something for 2020 what would it be. You see once you pass a test you do not have to do it again. Contemplate the freedom of that.
Ten of Wands – Your transitional contemplation is the area of burden. What do you carry that you do not have to? Does the sense of obligation, expectation or ego make you do more than you need to? You do not need to do it all in 2020.
Ace of Swords – As the world turns for another year the cards have you pondering. Pondering is great if you are learning, communicating and making decision. The time for pondering for pondering sake is done. In 2020 new thought moving to new action is required.
Eight of Wands – Your transitional mediation is around information. When you look back what information do you load your quiver with for the coming year. And then with that information what positive outcomes would you launch into 2020. What would be the prize at the end of those arrows arc? Shoot for the stars.
Nine of Coins – This transitional week’s contemplation is about prosperity and isolation. For the sign that is all about relationships, this is a come to Jesus moment that you do better work with fewer people around. And if this is impossible your mediation is on creating a sacred space where you can prosper and have control on who gets in for 2020.
Two of Swords – This transitional energy for your musing is about making decisions. What decisions would you have changed last year or didn’t make because you felt you didn’t know which was the right one? With that information, in 2020 make decisions that go more for how you want to feel and less about the outcome or goal.
Four of Swords – Did you get enough sleep? Are you eating well? Have you taken care of yourself? These are the questions that you need to contemplate in this transitional period. In 2020 you will need to be in tip top shape, but it is up to you to take the time to take care of your body, mind and spirit.
Six of Swords – The energy during this transition of time is about simplification. 2020 will hold a lot of motion and for you to sail smoothly, you need to carry less cargo and have a narrower focus. Your contemplation is around what do you need that is vital to you going forward and put your energy into that.
Two of Cups – Your interim contemplation is around harmony and cooperation in your close relationships and with yourself. Do you feel like your relationships were emotional balanced in 2019? Was there enough romance? If yes or no feeding those bonds of love are vital. You all tend to pull back or stay in the air to cope and concentrate. Love is what grounds you. Invest in it in 2020.
*Hanged Man – Your contemplation is the concept of suspension. Are you ever truly inert? Is there a mind-space where you can stop your thoughts? Can you just be? Why does the feeling of not “going” bother you? Can you find peace in a moment? Just think, if you allowed yourself the time, space and belief to brainstorm, ponder and think outside the box, what 2020 might feel like. Meditation is the key to 2020.
This year compared to other signs was the bumpiest year energetically. (Average was 11 cards you got 18). Though the year started out slow, it gained speed by March and hasn’t stopped since. Your main theme this year, was change then build/create. You did this with 3 cycles of the Chariot card coming 3 times and the Empress or Emperor following. And since that change was solely in your hands, your Will to get things done created all the movement in your life. You had one respite in the months of July and August where you had time to catch your breath and focus on details instead of big picture. Though during that time you had 2 knight cards that continued the theme of change but with a more practical application. So in your reflection look back and see what places you made the change and progressed.
Overall your year was average in big themes, people and beginings/endings. However, this year was literally the year of ups and downs. You would have two karmic cards, high energy, to deal with, and then a month or two with your head either in the sand or buried in detail. Even your karmic energy was supporting you to pull away from society with the Hermit card dispersed throughout 2019. Hopefully you spent some of this time gathering wool of a bigger perspective about how to live your life going forward and what is your purpose. In your reflection look to places you have gained a wider or more holistic perspective on.
This year overall was average in comparison to other signs. However, karmically you started out the year with a bang and since your birthday it has been karmic point after karmic point to deal with. Also, this year you had six “9” cards. Nines are cards of preparation and signs that change is coming for the better. So, though you see glimpses of a better future, 2019 was spent working towards it. In your reflection look at all the work you have done while pondering what can be produced from it.
This year started out pretty slow. With your focus on getting things completed and starting up new projects. When you look at the average number of karmic energy cards, your sign has one of the lowest. But this big theme energy started in July, and is cramming it all in until the end of the year. While you are still trying to create the new. As sun babies you all like to particularly hibernate in the winter, but winter is calling, and you are answering it. In your reflection see all that you have accomplished and all that you have begun.
This year’s theme was finding balance especially around your emotions. The Moon card (the card of the subconscious, things hidden and emotions) showed up evenly at each changing of the seasons. Then Temperance (card of moderation) followed quickly thereafter. So at least for the first two-thirds of the year your lessons of balance and moderation turned inward. Then in October the energy shifted from inward to outward. The World card (opportunities outside of one’s self) followed your last internal journey with the Moon. In between these big shifts you also had more “6s” than other signs. Sixes represent finding ways to harmonize your mind, heart and spirt, and that small acts of karma, good or bad, reverberated through out the year. In your reflection focus on where lie your balances and imbalances.
For Libras this was a particularly low energy year. Compared to the other signs you have a below average year for having to deal with Karma, people and change. However, you also had the most Aces (new beginnings). This year had the potential to be a place where you started new relationships, projects, ideas, and investigated your purpose. To help you plant you had the most Queens than any other sign. Which is like having a green thumb in all areas of life. Your theme for 2019 was seeding creation. In your reflection see the garden you have planted.
Unlike 2018 where you all had the highest number of karmic cards-big themes (17 the average was 13), you had an average amount of karmic energy, people, beginnings and endings throughout the year. The interesting trend is that you took on two big ideas each season and worked on them before moving to the next. And within that focus and season, you dealt with one of the “5” cards. They represent chaos in each suit (thought/communication, material/wealth, spirit/purpose, emotions/love). So, though it was an “average” feeling year the trend of 2019 was finding ways in which to work through chaos or with it. In your reflection see the ways that you have made your life have more ease.
You had an average year compared to other signs within the realms of big themes and beginnings. You were the only sign that had no “10s” which are the completion cards. To add, you had six queens showing up about every two months having you focus on creation and comfort. 2019 you seem more focus on creation the completion. And with that, out of all the signs, you also had the most court cards. This means this year was a people year. So, though it was “average” you spent your time wisely connecting with friends and family and creating a personal life that is full of fun, savory-ness and a sense of home. In your reflection see the people that you love.
Though you had the average amount of higher arcane cards (karmic or big energy themes), people, beginnings and endings. You had the pairing of Justice and Judgement three times. This means that this year’s big trends where about equality/fairness, epiphanies and rebirth. Also, you had the most knight cards out of the signs. So even though you had the average amount of karmic energy, you had a year where you didn’t stop moving. The challenge with 2019 was did you give yourself enough time to do some big thinking around fairness and the progress you have made towards your rebirth? Or is it possible, you learned that by keeping on the move and the air beneath your wings made the path easier towards your awakening? In your reflection see how far you have flown.
Where 2018 you had an average amount big trends, this year you are one of three signs that had the least. And they were evenly dispersed throughout the year. You also fell within the average of new beginnings, endings and people in your life. So this year might have had the feeling of being blah; however, you all had the most pages then any sign. They started marching in right after your birth-month. Pages are the cards of learning within each suit, and you covered each suit: emotions, work, ideas, and purpose. This was a learning experience year, or I would like to call it – Your Year of the Sponge. 2019 was about absorbing new information and seeing the world with a new set of eyes. In your reflection look back and seeing all that you have learned.
Two of Swords – This week making decisions can seem difficult. Too many options or not enough. You are wanting decision-making to be clear. Heres’ the rub with this energy, it’s not the decision that is important but the journey you want to go on. Either choice will get you to where you want to go, but each path brings a different mood. Pick the path by how you want to feel.
King of Swords – The energy this week is best used in big picture planning. In fact, the challenge is you loosing the big picture by homing in on the details. It doesn’t mater how you get there if the why is intact.
Ace of Cups – All aces bring new beginnings into your life. This week the energy will be focusing on your emotions. The only challenge with this card is can you be open enough to the gifts that are around you and are wanting to propel you forward.
Ace of Swords – Last week, the Wheel’s energy was about changing your fortune. And getting you ready for the eclipse that happens on December 26th by figuring out where you are going to hook your cables to charge the next 12 years. Lucky for you, you have another week to spend pondering. This week’s energy will help you focus your thoughts; however, the challenge is thinking forward not into the past.
Eight of Swords – This week’s energy is a challenging one. Your thoughts can bind you and your progress. The best way to tame this energy is to just let go of a couple of negative thought patterns. You don’t have to tackle all of them but try to let go of at least two to give you a threshold to walk out of your thoughts.
Page of Swords – Investigation is key this week. Information and conversations are not as clear as they could be, so your challenge is asking more questions. Inquiry and listening are the skills you will need to gather important information this week.
Ten of Wands – Last week, the Hermit advised you, space was needed to gain perspective and grounding. This week’s energy is vastly different. You will need to be involved in the World, but hopefully with last week’s energy you gain some perspective on what is crucial to do and what responsibilities at least for this week can be put off. The problem is you taking on too much either out of wanting to get it all done or feelings of obligation. Your challenge is focusing on one thing until it is complete or as close as you can get before moving to the next item. And no feeling guilty that even you in super-person mode can get it all done.
Six of Coins – This week’s energy is all about Karma. Be very aware of doing no harm this week. The more good vibes you send out the more you will get in return. The challenge however is this works with negative energy too. The tidbit to know is the payback will not always be quick nor will it always come from where it was given.
*Justice – LOL you wait until the last week to get the theme for next year – Justice. Justice’s energy rules the balancing act of head and heart. Next year will be great for anything analytical, planning, writing, communication, research. They are all good if they have a practical application as well as a philosophical one. Your lessons with this energy are around the forms of justice – right and wrong especially when judging others. In ancient Egypt a dead person’s heart was weighed against the Feather of Truth. This will be your challenge – will your thoughts and actions balance out with your heart’s truth? And the concept of what is the retribution of a wrongdoing or is there even one? (for more info and insight on the myth 
Nine of Swords – The energy this week leads to overthinking and worrying. Perhaps because you all are coming into your final week before your birthday month. And/Or you are feeling the weight of Jupiter, planet of expansion, about to shift into your sign. The challenge around this week’s energy is to work with the worries you can fix. Worries are a byproduct of your analytical mind. However, the concerns that are not solvable are not worth the mental energy so let them go.
Three of Coins – This week is about collaboration and cooperation. Ask for help when you need it. Listen to others’ opinions. You will get more done and your work will be better for it.
Seven of Swords – This week’s energy is victorious; however, the test is that these victories cannot be lauded over or gotten in unscrupulous ways. Therefore, your challenge is making sure that your actions align with your morals.
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