With my ode to macabre this month, I highlight another photographer, Kito Fujio, who brings the spooky into childhood places of play. This series is about the cement-molded play equipment in many playgrounds of Japan. He shoots these at night with his unique lighting which gives these places of fun a more ominous or alien tone.
The design idea that drives many of these cement pieces are based on Isamu Noguchi playground designs. Noguchi was an artist of varied talents, though many of his playground designs never made it through the red-tape of government. His idea about playground design was to make a place where children were introduced to the basic shapes and the concept of in, out, up, down and around. As he said “I think of playgrounds as a primer of shapes and functions; simple, mysterious, and evocative; thus educational.” Isamu Noguchi last design before his death was Morenuma Park, which is a conversion of an old landfill into a beautiful and awe-inspiring nod to nature and shape.
P.S. Remember signs with an * it’s a big week for you. Halloween is a great time for a reading. Please share.
Aries – Page of Swords
The Page of Swords comes to advise that you need to uncover information that is hard to find without inquiry and a bit of sleight of hand. The Page of Swords is the card of the spy. So some sleuth work is needed before you make any decision or move forward this week.
Taurus – Two of Pentacles
The past two weeks the World wanted you to finish up the old to create room for new, and then the Lovers card wanted you to start creating with others. Now the energy shifts to the Two of Pentacles, the card of balance and juggling. This card advises you to juggle just two things this week and get very secure with your balance between these two items before you add another item or project into your hands.
Gemini – Page of Cups
The Page of Cups comes when you need to be reminded about the joy in life. This card wants you to see, hear, and touch with the senses of a child. This is week get out your coloring books, Playdough, Legos, or your favorite toy and play.
*Cancer – Lovers
Last week, the Fool challenged you to acknowledge and let go of the excess so you can pack lighter for the road ahead. The Lovers continues this theme. Its challenge is for you to pick companions on this journey. Take this week to make sure the ones around you support you. This can be as simple as making sure you have the right people to work on a project or as complex as evaluate the broader community around you. Your motto: Love is my guide.
Leo – Queen of Swords
Last week, the Empress wanted you to find something that you truly love doing and do it bigger and better. The Queen of Swords continues this theme but has you hone in on the strategic part of your plan. This week stay in your mind and plan than worry about actions of the future.
*Virgo – Sun
The theme continues with more building and growing with the Sun, last week the Magician called in new ideas and processes to continue building on what you started. This week the Sun not only continues this theme but ignites it with energy. Your challenge is how to harness this energy and use it like a laser. Your motto: Keep growing and expanding.
Libra – Ace of Pentacles
The Ace of Pentacles is the last card of your birth month and declares this year as a year of planting seeds for projects to grow until 2020. So take this week to figure out what seeds you want to plant and tend in your garden for the coming year.
Scorpio – King of Wands
The King of Wands challenges you this week to be more creative and passionate about what you are doing. The conundrum comes when what you do brings no passion into your life. If this is so then this week might be the time to make some changes in what rules your daily life.
Sagittarius – Four of Cups
The Four of Cups is the card of disenchantment or not seeing what is offered is pretty darn spectacular and ultimately what you feel is missing. The challenge with this card is getting into and enjoying the rhythm of the everyday emotional tides or currents. By seeing the paradox of stability in motion or ” emotional flow” and then devoting yourself to it gives you the last piece of your puzzle. Motto: In the ordinary I see the extraordinary.
Capricorn – Knight of Pentacles
The Knight of Pentacle is the card of methodical and thoughtful movement. The challenges with this card are pace and the movement forward. This week all your activities should move you forward at a slow and steady pace. If they are not this is the week to get rid of or adjust them so they do.
*Aquarius – Wheel
The Wheel is the card of change of karma and fate. When this card shows up it means this is a turning point in your life that no matter what it feels like your fortune is changing. The challenge with this card is to see the only control you have is to spin the wheel. You cannot control the spin or pick the price. What comes this week is your gift how you use it is up to you. Your motto: Doesn’t hurt to try.
*Pisces – World
Last week, the High Priestess challenged you to pull into your inner-scape and plug into your intuition; you will be able to sync yourself with your life path. Now we know why, the World has shown up to challenge you to close old doors and open new ones. You got the World almost to the date last month, so you get another crack at it. This week take this energy and finalize some old projects or people and at the same time go out and look for new projects or people. The World wants to help your challenge is you will need to go to new haunts to greet it. Your motto: I am open to the new.
May light be on you, around you, and within you,
Nina
The Three of Pentacles foretells you will need help from others if you want to accomplish what you need to do. This week cooperation and collaboration are key.
Last week, the World wanted you to finish up old projects to create room for new projects. And now here comes the Lovers card wanting you to start creating, though this creation period is about working with others to create something new. In its simplest form this can look like making dinner with your love ones. In its more complex form this can be you sharing the creation process on a new project. Either way this week you will need to cooperate and collaborate if you really want to create something out of the ordinary.
The Five of Wands is calling you to arms. You will need to be valiant and noble, so you can bring a sense of light and passion not only into your work place but also into your life. This week fight for something you believe in.
The World is the card of completion and opportunities. In its simplest form it can look like finishing up old projects or finally crossing off your oldest to-do list items. In its more complex form, this can be closing old doors, and throwing away old ideas or ideologies opening you to new opportunities and ways of “doing.”
Last week you were scavenging data from your dreams. This week the Ace of Swords wants you to figure out how to use what you have gathered into your daily life. This week will inspire you to new thoughts and expand your mind.
The Queen of Cups has asked you to have fun yet again. Last week it was with a joy and sense of innocence of a child. This week the Queen of Cups knows that emotions, good or bad can be triggered, but it is through the lens of the positive that you will ease not only your journey but also those you support.
The Devil comes when you are tested about your resolves. This can look as simple as being tempted by pastry in your break room or can be as complicated as being beguiled by that person who has harmed you from the past. Now is the time to harden your resolve.
The Ace of Swords asks you to examine your logic and look for new ways of thought. This is a time were open-mindedness and new information will create more ease during your decision-making this week.
The World is the card of opportunities. This week many doors open for you. Your only challenge is walking out your door so you can walk through new ones. Enjoy the variety of life.
The Eight of Pentacles is the card of mastery. The challenge this week is not to start anything new but to become better at what you are in the midst of doing right now.
This is your second three in a row so let’s look at 3s more closely. Threes investigate the areas we need to stabilize. Last week you were advice to hanging with good friends to stabilize your emotions. This week the Three of Wands would like you to examine your foundation in how you interact with your life purpose. Are you hiding from your true purpose? Or feel that your true purpose is out of your reach, or you are inadequate? Even if you are feeling great with were you are at. The answers to your success or failure lies in what are you calling in and who or what is influencing you.
This week has the potential of you feeling overwhelmed. Your emotional waters are meant to be dealt with not to lie in. There are at least two pretty fantastic joys for you this week. You will see them if you let go of negative emotion that are drag you under the water.
Interesting the mate to the Moon is your card this week. Last week, the Moon wanted you to understand that emotions feel as if they rule your life, but in actuality they are just signposts of where your life is at. The High Priestess, the Queen of patterns, cycles and knowledge arrives to help you navigate not only your emotions of the past and your subconscious but to help you connect the dots so you can change karmic patterns. This in its simplest form can be lowering your carbon foot print or in its more complex form mean changing generational karmic patterns (think big patterns in your family or your generation) so not to pass it on to the next.
The Strength card would like you to strengthen your inner core. This can look as simple as doing core stomach exercises to help your back, or as complex as creating mantras that keep the negative thought patterns at bay. The challenge is seeing that inner strength is not as complicated as you think.
It is time to take on a new project this week. The Ace of Pentacles foretells this is an auspicious week to start something new, and if do it this week, it is more likely to come to fruition. Also this will help you not feel as if you are in a rut or dull.
The Chariot continues the theme of the last two weeks – keep moving to create change. This card is the karmic card of momentum and its challenge, it is all in your hands. In its simple form it can look like you wanting to take a vacation – ask your boss for time off and then book it. This card in a more complex form would be something like changing your location or job; you will have to go physically check out places whether that is a new house, a new city or a new place of employment to hand in your resume. The challenge with this card is the Universe is not going to drop something in your lap. You will need to jump in your chariot and go look for or at it yourself. You get this card when the Universe sees you are now ready and able to make this change happen for the positive. It is saying: I’m taking of the training wheels; you got this.
The Four of Cups asks you not to spend too much time gazing at your belly button. You do need to check in with your emotions all this week, but in doing so, don’t stay too long in your internal emotional landscape. Look up and out or you will miss some good loving from the outside.
The Emperor is the card of manifestation, so this is a pivotal week in your material plane. This week work on projects that are already in play. By working with what is instead of what could be will carry you farther in the following weeks.
Workers are fixing a pothole outside my house and they had to stop multiple times because it began to rain. A paradox of mine is I hate the smell of an asphalt roads being laid, but I am also fond of the smell of rain hitting asphalt. During my urban sojourns, it was a sign of a respite from the summer heat. Both these experiences are unique to the modern world and drew me to the photography of Franco Fontana’s asfalti. He is famously known for his 
The Three of Swords continues the theme from the Moon card last week. This week this card advises to continue working with only three of the hidden thoughts you have discovered. This card also advises that these beliefs be not only removed but destroyed. They are based in negative triggers placed in your thought patterns by others.
Messages are the theme for this week. Keep your eyes and mind open. There is a lot of important information coming at you that you will need in the near future. Be the sponge.
The Knight of Swords advice to you is to slow down and notice what is going on around you. There is information, that due to your chaotic life, you are missing. Your challenges – slow your roll and look left and right before crossing the road. Side note this can also mean to be careful not hurting your extremities.
The King of Cups wants us to open your arms and give everyone a bear hug. Your challenge this week is making as many people in your life smile and feel comfortable in your presence. The goal of this card is to make you better gauge how your emotions affect others.
The Empress is not the easiest card for Capricorns. This card challenges you to turn on your sensuous mojo. And this is hard because you all want to be practical or have an outcome while doing it. Asking how will this effort give me physical results? Well sensuality is about feelings and your senses. So the simple way to “turn on” is eat your favorite meal or drink and really savor it- take at least an hour to take in your nutrients. Or a more complex and challenging way is spend all day in bed with the one you love and involve all your senses.
The Eight of Cups ask you to let go of emotions that no longer serve you and strength the ones you that do. An easy exercise to do this process is throw eight things away you no longer need.
You must be logged in to post a comment.