Happy Fall Equinox and Happy Birthday Libras.
This week’s artist is Bill Mayer. I first saw his work on the cover of the Smithsonian magazine a year ago. When I did more research on him, I feel in love with his gouache portraits. The one above is an illustration for one of my favorite books Animal Farm. Though when I first saw it, I thought it was the Three Little Pigs gone awry. The aspect of the blood on the pig’s feet and snow are brilliant details in visual storytelling. His work has a sense of humor along with a dark emotional quality.
Then that these are in gouache* and look as if they are done in oil reminiscent of Dutch painters of the 17th century is a nod to his skills in technique and composition. Gouache painting is similar to watercolors but is modified to be opaquer; therefore, it can have more reflective qualities. However, the hard part with this medium is lighter tones general dry darker and darker tones dry lighter. So, painting over multiple session can get very tricky. These portraits are also small in size which again is a nod to 9th century Persian miniatures and their use of gouache. These portraits are a great start to the beautiful and spooky season of Fall and Halloween.
*Note: He says that some of his earlier pieces have been photo-shopped a bit. When you look at his more recent portraits, Taurus and Gemini for example, you can see his manual technique outshines the computerized bits of his earlier work.
P.S. Remember signs with an * it a big week for you. Libra this is a perfect time to get an Astrological Tarot Reading for your coming year. And Aries it is your half way mark for your birth year, so if you need a Planetary Reading for a check in now is the time.
Aries
*Emperor –The Emperor is the card of building on the material plane, and with the collaboration you hopeful built last week, construction will be easier. To take advantage of this energy, continue building on projects in the works or finishing up projects. The challenge is not to start new ventures. The emperor suggest work with the now and leave the future for another week.
Taurus
*The Chariot – Last week the Hanged Man had you take a time out and work on piddling– the art of just sitting or puttering around for no other reason than just because. And now the Chariot pulls up for the third time for you in the past 2 months. Time to get back in the saddle, again. I cannot emphasize enough if you have not taken advantage of making something happen or go to the next level in your life, this set of Chariot cards in such a short time frame just doesn’t happen. To get the card of movement that solely lays in your hand this many times is destiny calling. You have no roadblocks but yourself. Maybe you are not feeling as if your project is as important as other things that are in your life. Don’t let your loyalty to others and your nurturing nature be in the way of making some ground on your own stuff. Time for using some of that hard headedness in protect and taking care of others redirected towards you and your work in the world. Take heed the world needs to hear your voice as much (or to be honest since you all got this card 3 times maybe more at this particular time) than the people you are supporting.
Gemini
Seven of Swords –The choices you make this week demonstrate your moral make up. You will be tested. Which way are you going to choose? The path of indiscretion or apathy or the action of righteous action. The choice is yours.
Cancer
Ten of Cups – The Ten of Cups is the card of bliss. This week seek out the things/people that bring bliss into your life. This card gives you permission to enjoy a bubble bath, have an extra scoop of ice cream, garden, cuddle with your family/pets on the couch, go take a walk on the beach, etc… Statistically, this card has a chance of showing up 5 times in a year. Your challenge is take advantage of it. Don’t miss a chance to indulge in the good in your life.
Leo
*Justice – The Justice card comes when decisions need to be made but you need more background information to make a justified decision. So, the challenge comes after you do your investigative work, by the end of the week the choice needs to be made. If you stay true to the information and your heart, things will end up fair in the end no matter how the journey plays out. This card reminds you to have faith and stay true to yourself. Never lose faith in yourself, and never lose hope; remember, even when this world throws its worst and then turns its back, there is still always hope. -Pittacus Lore
Virgo
Two of Wands – The Two of Wands advises you to step out of your comfort zone this week. This card is a very positive card if you take the steps to expand your horizons. This can be as simple as trying zip lining for the first time, reading a self-help book, or going to an event you never would. The challenge with is expanding your horizons. They can be small or big steps, but they must develop your mind/soul.
Libra
Ace of Coins – The last two weeks have been about completion, so it is appropriate that you all would get the Ace of Coins, a card of new beginnings and planting seeds (literally and metaphorically). This is a great week to begin any projects, do anything with your hands, invest in something, increase your presence at work, and really anything on the material plan. You will harvest more later the more you ground yourself into the material plane now.
Scorpio
Six of Wands – Last week was all about Justice – balancing right from wrong by looking behind the scenes. With that information and perspective, you have an advantage to come out on the positive side of Justice this week. The challenge with the Six of Wands is though you won this battle and bathe in positivity this week, you haven’t won the war. So, don’t take anything new on and enjoy this week.
Sagittarius
Two of Pentacles – Last week, the Strength card flung you into situations that you felt you couldn’t handle or befuddled you. However, that was not the case, this exercise helped you identify your strengths and weakness helping you navigate not only last week with more ease but the rest of the year. This week the Two of Pentacles advises you that even though you have found your superpowers don’t go multi-tasking just yet. You need to take one or two items and try your superpowers on them. This week is about balance, practice and restraint.
Capricorn
Eight of Swords – The Eight of Swords advises you that you need to look at how you are binding yourself. This can be as simple as checking how you talk to yourself when you make a mistake, or as complex as finding old thought patterns put there in the past by others that you still hold on to. Your motto: Let that sh*t go.
Aquarius
Ace of Pentacles and King of Wands – Last week, The Fool, card of new beginnings, challenged your thinking through new beginnings and being careful of naiveté when making decisions. Well the Ace of Pentacles continues the theme of new beginnings. All Aces are beginnings and Pentacles rule the material plane. So any beginnings that have to do with work, money or material plane projects are great to start this week. The King of Wands has also stepped in continuing the theme of the Fool’s advice. You have gained the wisdom to think things through before acting on them. This card says you rule your destiny. So this week is pretty much the same energy as last week without the intensity.
Pisces
*Star – The Star Card is the card of hope and healing. This is a great week to make wishes and realize you are on the other side of a major hardship. This card advises you to relax and have faith in the Universe. This is a great time to take healing baths, massages, eat well, get the sleep you need. And it is a great time to ask the Universe for help for the next phase of your life. Your challenges – Relaxing, asking for want you want now to happen and looking for synchronicities to help you move to the next level.
May light be on you, around you, and within you,
Nina
Three of Coins – Collaboration and cooperation are key this week. The Three of Coins advises you to ask for help even if you don’t feel you need it. This might be challenging for you head strong fire signs, but multiple hands, eyes and minds ease the path. Motto: Many hands make light work-John Heywood
The Hanged Man – You all have arrived back in the land of karmic movement or actual non-movement this week. The Hanged Man is the card of inactivity on the material plane. That means you will have times of idleness whether that is a traffic jams or things just not working out. Take advantage of these time outs. This inertia comes not to be fought against but gives you the space to do a much-needed internal inspection. To work with this card try taking this week off or at the very least scheduling in moments of piddling, as Maya Angelou calls it. She describes it as the art of just sitting or puttering around for no other reason than just because. And lies the challenge with this card, introspection without a goal. Think of it as pulling over to the rest stop of life. You just came from a whirlwind of summer and now are heading into a productive fall. Don’t you think, just for this week, you can and deserve practicing the art form of piddling?
Ace of Swords – So a message from the past last week can help you to see new avenues of thought this week. Aces are always new beginnings, and swords are the realm of thought and intellect. The Ace of Swords foretells it is a great week to solve problems, expand your brain with new information, do anything with legal issues or PR or forms of communication and decision making. Your challenge taking in a account of the past to guide future choices. Your motto: The mind is everything. What you think you become. – Buddha
Eight of Wands – The Eight of Wands forecasts it is a great week to send out messages into the Universe. Whatever you aim/focus on this week will gain momentum. The challenge is picking the targets you truly want in your life.
Five of Swords – Last week the World card advised you to say yes to opportunities setting you up for exploration of your self and your surroundings. This week the Five of Swords, the card of an overactive ego, has you questioning all that is around you. Instead of seeing all the opportunities, you are seeing all the blocks. But many of these blocks are just your ego getting in the way. Whether that ego is low self-esteem or that you are overestimating your influence, you need to take a step back to really see what is really going on.
Ten of Coins – So just a reminder Virgo the Strength card is your birth year card and it will bring you situations that will ground you and help you acknowledge your resilience, self-compassion, and mental acuity. So, by your 2020 birthday you will feel more comfortable in your skin. This week’s card rounds out your birthyear readings with the Ten of Pentacles. This card foretells this will also be a year to focus on finishing up projects, enjoying the planet and your place in it. So not only will you feel more comfortable in your skin but also in your environment.
Ten of Wands – Your second ten so just a quick focus on the numerology – ten is the number of completion. So last week and this week is a great time to finish up old projects. But where last week things flowed a bit easier, this week can feel burdensome. With this card responsibilities can feel overwhelming. However, the goal of this card is to see that you are partly responsible for the feeling of being overwhelmed. You have control over how many wands/projects you take on. The challenge with this card is realizing you can put some of your obligations on hold to finish up what you consider the most pressing. Don’t worry, the ones you let go of will either still be there next week or will magically go away.
*Justice – The Justice card comes to help you balance right from wrong. The challenge is that things are not as black and white as one would like. As the Egyptians thought when weighing out a person’s heart for sins. The sin of killing would weigh differently for a military person than for a baker. The challenge is looking at the situations or circumstances around the decision or judgment. This could be a simple as figuring out which child broke the remote or as complicated as figure out why your date hasn’t called in a week. So, the work around this week is find out more before you make any decision. There is more behind the scenes.
*Strength – The Strength card comes to help you with your fears and show you your superpowers. This can play out by flinging you into situations that you feel you cannot handle. However, that is not the case, you can handle everything that is thrown at you. A fun exercise you can do is name your 3 superpowers, your kryptonite and your superhero name. This exercise of identifying your strengths and weakness will help you navigate not only this week with more ease but the rest of the year. Your Motto this week: I’ve got this.
Queen of Wands – The Queen of Wands is the muse of arts and nature. She stokes the fire of creation and inspirations. She advises either that you create in these arenas or that you immerse yourself in them. So, if you have the time take off to the forest/park, museum, studio, and/or concert hall. And if your time is limited watch your favorite indie movie, listen to music, play in your garden or read a good book. Your motto: Inspiration.
*The Fool – The Fool is the card of new beginnings. This is a great week to start new projects and/or travel. However, the challenge with this card is thinking through before starting on your new path. You must be very careful of naiveté when making decisions this week even small ones. This can look as simple as rushing off to work and forgetting your lunch or paperwork for the day. Or it can be as complicated as changing career paths like accountant to fisherman but forgetting you get seasick. If you take in consideration your past lessons with situations this will help from mis-stepping on to an unwise path or worse off a cliff. Your challenge this week is eyes on the ground, be practical, and have foresight by using your hindsight.
Eight of Coins – The Eight of Coins is the card of mastery. This week is about tweaking situations not starting over. When this card shows up you got the skills to master all that comes your way. The challenge is believing it. Motto: No one else is you and that is your power.
To all of you in the Bahamas and on the East Coast, may you find refuge and be safe.
Knight of Swords – Last week the Page advised finding out more information before moving forward. Now with that information, the Knight of Swords pronounces moving ahead but taking your time thinking before action. This is a week to slow down in general for you will miss vital information or missteps. This card’s practical application also warns, watch out that you don’t hurt your extremities. Look both ways when you cross the street. Curl your fingers in when you cut veggies and be careful when you are walking.
*High Priestess – Last week the Chariot, card of change that you are sole responsible for, pulled up to give you another chance to make transformations happen around areas that you want to alter. Now the High Priestess shows up advising that you need to do some deep reference work on the how and why of your changes. The great thing about this card is, if you ask for signs from the heavens, she can scry you some answers either in your dreams, synchronicities or in deep contemplation. This can look as simple as you need a new plumber for that drip in your bathroom sink, you see a black cat in the window, then you google a plumber near you and see one named Black Cat Plumbing. Or as complex as doing dream work with your desires. Motto: Insight and inspiration comes from many sources.
*Hanged Man – Last week, the Devil card came to test you on who you are and what you stand for. This week the Hanged Man keeps you in a purgatory like state to let you contemplate how you were triggered last week. You need to see the patterns and/or places that are working against you. You can blame your failure on others, or you can see that maybe the game you have willingly played is rigged. Time to figure out what really is important in your life and how you want to be seen in the world. Take this week to center back to who you really are.
Eight of Swords – Your thoughts get in your way this week. The Eight of Swords advises to stop over analyzing a situation. If you let old thought patterns go, you will make room for feelings that are more helpful then harmful.
Ace of Wands – Last week you all got your first big card for your birth-year, the Strength card. This card comes to help you ground yourself and acknowledge your resilience, self-compassion, and mental acuity. By 2020’s birthday you will feel more comfortable in you own skin. This week, the Ace of Wands joins the Strength Card having you strike the match to create passion in your life. This year has the potential for new beginnings. The question for you to answer is what is your deep desire? Then write it on a scrap of paper and burn it on the Virgo moon, August 28th or 29th. And then let the Universe finds ways to gift it to you in the coming year.
Page of Cups – Time to get out your rose-colored glasses. The Page of Cups advises to look at the events and people in your life this week with compassion and empathy. Everyone needs a little love. The challenge with this card is being vulnerable enough to receive the love back.
Six of Wands – The Six of Wands is the card of victory. Take this week to see all that you have accomplished and pat yourself on the back. The only challenge with this card is even though you deserve this break and win, be aware that the battle is not yet totally won.
*The Magician – The Magician is the card of bringing the divine down into the material plane. It is a great week to create! This can look as simple as making an exquisite meal that delights the senses. Or as complex as writing the next great novel. Then only challenge with this card is that your creation must have meaning behind. This is not a week for mundane chores and to-do list. If you reach with a higher purpose you will be able to grasp the brass ring.
Page of Wands – The Page of Wands comes when you need to create or live with a flourish of passion. This card shows up to re-ignite your purpose and enhance your innovation. If you are not vibing with this energy or your muse has gone on vacation. Time to immerse your self in the arts, music or nature to realign yourself with your passion.
Two of Coins – This week can get out of balance. The challenge is figure out what you need to do to stop your internal and/or external vertigo. This card suggests juggling one thing well before picking up another. Or even better, don’t multitask at all this week.
Queen of Wands – Last week the Tower, card of change coming from an outside source, shook up something that was not working. But if you were proactive in initiating the change, the Tower promised it would lessen the blow. So, if you did nothing and shit hit the fan, the Queen of Wands advises to use your intuition to help clean up the mess this week. If you did initiate the change, then she helps by staking out the easier path with the breadcrumbs of synchronicities. Making you surer of the path you are now on and more instinctive with every step. Either way your Spidey Sense is key this week.
Page of Swords – This week is about information gathering. The Page of Swords is the card of truth. Though to obtain that truth one will have to do some undercover work. When this card shows up ask questions and listen closely to the answers. The truth does not lie on the surface.
*Chariot – Lol, you all got the Chariot, card of change, two weeks ago. This repeat of cards happens for two reasons. Either it has come by again picking up where you left off, or you didn’t take up the reins last time and you get a do-over. The Chariot proclaims again that it is time to make transformations happen around areas that you want to alter, and it is your sole responsibility in powering that change. I highly suggest you take up the reins and make stuff happen. Life rarely gives us do-overs. Motto: Be the change you want to see in the world. Ghandi
*Devil – The Devil card comes when one is getting tested around who you are and what you stand for. This week plays out like finals week. You have gone through all the hardships. And now situations and people will test you around your resolves. This can look as simple as a co-worker asking you out for lunch when you are trying to save cash, or boss asking you to work another long day or weekend when your child hasn’t had time with you all week. Or this can be as complex as speaking up when you see/hear discrimination happening at the bus stop. You will have to walk your talk.
Six of Swords – The last two weeks have been all work and no play. This week the Six of Swords still has movement, but advises that you need to step back, gain some perspective and simplify your process/life. You need this paring down so you can be more focused. Also, this is a great week to hang in or around a water source.
Five of Wands – The Five of Wands ends your birth month with a bit of chaos. This week is just a hint of some things you need to focus on and straighten out in the coming year. On a positive note with all that isn’t working and bring chaos into your life this week, you have a whole year to lay the foundations and structures. By 2020 birthdate you can begin to create your empire on what you accomplish this year.
*Strength – Right out of the gate your first big card for the coming birth year. The Strength card helps you ground yourself and acknowledge your resilience, self-compassion, and mental acuity. This year you will have opportunities to show you how far you have come. That though you have been bent you have never broken. By 2020’s birthday you will feel more comfortable in you own skin. And to do so the best exercises are ones that keep you in your body. If you don’t have those practices this is the week to start them. This can look like doing body scan meditations each night, learning how to rock climb, or start journaling. Just find a way to notice how you walk and feel on the Earth in the day to day.
Eight of Pentacles – The Eight of Pentacles is the card of mastery or bettering your skills at how you make money. This week is not about learning new things but more about tweaking, so you work smarter not harder.
The Seven of Cups – Last week, the Hanged Man card of stagnation and inertia ruled the roost. This week with the Seven of Cups movement is still on hold. But where last week the goal was using the time-out enjoying whatever life brought you or listening in silence to your inner voice for some enlightened contemplation. This week’s card suggests your contemplation focusing on your dreams. The goal is to investigate if you are dreaming big enough while at the same time making sure you are not being delusional. Motto: head in the clouds – feet on the ground.
Five of Pentacles– Two fives in a row, so first lets stress fives represent chaos. So last week it was looking at emotional chaos. This week the Five of Pentacles are focusing on loss on the material plane. This can be as simple as you misplace your keys or wallet. But it also can be complex as loosing time or losing confidence in your work. The big way to work through this week is asking for help. I know you all like to do things on your own, but four hands or eyes are better than two.
Nine of Cups – Last week, the Empress wanted you to start planting seeds for projects/relationships you want to produce in 10 months. While challenging you that you must commit to it for the next 10 months to get a well-formed outcome, and it must have a component of helping others. Well the Nine of Cups continues that theme of growth and is begging you to drop your perfectionism down a half a notch this week. Remember this “project/s” is supposed to represent how you want to grow and what you want to grow. And no “baby” can grow without the freedom of learning from missteps.
King of Wands – The King of Wands comes to remind you how special you are. You have gone through a lot this past year. And this week you can build upon your successes. This is a week for you to take back some control you may have given away.
*Tower – The Tower is the card of change that comes from an outside source, to shake up something that is not working. This is the energy of Kali, goddess of destruction and rebirth. There are a couple ways to deal with this card. One way is do nothing, let the shaking happen and deal with the aftermath. The Second way is to say, “nope I would like not to deal with this”, some tiny shit will hit the fan and this card will come back around with more force next time. Or lastly see what needs to be changed and initiate that change before an outside source does. This is as simple as seeing that engine light on your dashboard lit up and then getting your car fixed this week. Or as complex as seeing that your relationship is not based on equality and having a discussion about it.
Seven of Cups – The Seven of Cups is the card of dreams and illusions. My dear ram this week you need to be really grounded about where you go and/or what you have planned to do this week. The paradox with this card is you are not dreaming big enough but at the same time some of your hopes and dreams are not based in reality This week if you are more flexible with your outcomes, things will proceed with more ease and you will gain more than you are expecting.
Two of Pentacles – Last week, the Chariot, card of change, proclaimed that it was time to make transformations happen around areas that you want to alter, but you had sole responsibility in powering that change. This week the Two of Pentacles continues that thread but cautions you that you need the modification to have more balance. So, rest with work, veggies with your proteins, equal left and right brain time, etc…
Three of Pentacles – The Three of Pentacles card foretells that this week collaboration is the key to success. This should be easy for you if you turn on your Gemini charm. And my dear twins, you all are fully aware that two minds are better than one.
King of Pentacles – Last week the Empress asked you to plant the seeds that would gestate in 10 months’ time. And had you ask yourself: What do you want to grow? How will you sustain that growth for the next 10 months? Does this growth have an aspect to help others? And if this growth doesn’t happen what is your plan B. The King of Pentacles allows you another week of planting, but he also challenges you to fertilize the growth of at least one seed.
Two of Swords – The Two of Swords comes when you are at a fork in the road but feel as if you can’t make a decsion. This card reminds you that it is not actually the decision of left or right but of which journey would you like to take. Begin taking the perspective of it is more about the journey than the destination. (Even though this is a lower arcane card I think it is important for your birthday month/year, so when making decision this week think more about how you want the year going forward to be than a weeklong outlook.)
Page of Wands – The Page of Wands comes to you when you are needing to light up your passion. This week this Page advises you to take time out to do something that ignites you. And wand cards always suggest that either that is communing with nature or some art form. This week go dancing, to a concert, a museum, or state park your soul needs expanding and inspiration.
Four of Swords – The Four of Swords is the card of rest and relaxation. This week it is vital that you relax. Whether that is 15 minutes- twice a day you lock yourself away to breath or if possible, a whole day where you stay in your PJs or swimsuit. It is important that you rest. Because, whether you admit it or not, your immune system is taxed, and you need to replenish your body and mind before you get seriously tap out your internal resources.
*The Hanged Man – The Hanged Man is the card of stagnation and inertia. This week will be hard completing or even progressing any project. However, when you go with the inertia and take time out this week, you will find this can be helpful and enlightening. In its simplest form this can look like being stuck in traffic. So the Hanged Man’s solution would be taking an alternative route that takes you out of the way, but you find a great place to eat or see a beautiful rainbow. Or in a more complex form, you might just lay down your tasks for the week, sit in silence, and listen to your inner voice for some enlightened contemplations.
Five of Cups – The Five of Cups is the card regret or seeing the cup as half empty. This week can be triggering you to be regretful, sorry, bummed, or more negative than your usual self. The interesting thing with this card is that is telling you to acknowledge the spilled milk in your life. But it is also requesting you acknowledge that you have pretty amazing things in your life. This card comes to remind you that your outlook can be more positive by feeding the emotions/ideas/projects/people that are working and stop feeding the things that are not.
*The Empress – Ok, last week I hope you got to rest because this week you need your energy. The Empress declares now is time to start planting seeds for projects/relationships you want to produce in 10 months. In its simplest form it can be planting a tree that you can harvest fruit in late spring or working on redoing your garden so in late spring you can plant the best garden ever. In its more complex form this can be a great time to get pregnant or start a new project that you can harvest from in 2020. The challenge with this card is committing to the growth for the next 10 months to see substantial and well-formed outcome and it must have a component of helping others.
Two of Wands – The Two of Wands is the card of planning for the near future. This card challenges you to daydream about where you want to go, do or be within the next 5 months until 1/11/ 2020. Take this week to architect and plan what needs to happen for you to feel balanced and ready for 2020.
Three of Cups – The Three of Cups comes when you need a little support from your friends. You might be feeling lonely or melancholy. There is no need. You have a good support system around you. You just need to call them up and enjoy their company. PS. This week is also a great time for making new friends. All you must do is smile and use that award-winning charm/sarcasm of yours.
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