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Mercury Moves Into Water Cancer

June 16, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

On Thursday, mercurial Mercury will move out of his own sign of Gemini and into the emotional waters of Cancer. Whenever, Mercury is in the water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, or Pisces) our ability to perceive, feel, and connect to the instinctual world is heightened. Mercury is like a child that has to test and experiment with everything, and the watery terrain of Cancer is no exception. While Mercury is in the sign of the crab, we will notice that our understanding of life will not be through thoughts, physical sensations, or intuitive flashes, yet our experiences will be felt and understood through the lens of human emotions. The sign of Cancer is associated with emotional security, so Mercury being in this sign for the next 3 weeks provides us a unique opportunity to find out what nourishes us, and how to implement “spiritual” food into our diets.

Tarot Tip: Shuffle your tarot deck and ask yourself, “What sort of spiritual food would nourish me at this time?” Spread out your deck and pull a card. Let me know which one you picked!

Storm Cestavani is a psychic, tarotist, and humanistic astrologer with over 20 years’ experience. He is the original “Cosmic Weather” forecaster and is available for both psychic and astrological consultations. Nothing is too personal, and nothing is too hot for Storm to handle! To schedule an appointment with Storm simply order the reading you would like, and Storm will contact you to set up your reading. In order to accommodate work schedules Storm is available for evening and weekend consultations.

It’s Not About The Weiner

June 15, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Attempting to write about the general cosmic energy of an eclipse is challenging at best, but sometimes the media works perfectly in providing material that expresses the eclipse energy in a profound and universal way. I am sure that everyone has heard about the scandal involving U.S. Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-NY). The report of his ‘netsexting’ infidelities have appeared in every news outlet from the New York Times to CNN to TMZ – it is virtually (no pun intended) everywhere. Over the next few weeks many stories will be written that have the tone and feeling of the eclipse. The focus might be on what Weiner has done with his “wiener”, and whether or not he resigns from office. However, despite the collective coloring, the eclipse beckons us to question the larger picture, and to realize that it’s not about the “wiener” it is about us.

Lunar Eclipse: 25 Sagittarius

So, what exactly is a lunar eclipse? In astrological terms, a lunar eclipse is an opposition between the Sun and Moon. In this case, the Sun is in the sign of Gemini and the Moon is in the sign of Sagittarius. Since a lunar eclipse focus is on the Moon (a solar eclipse focus is on the Sun) we will find many of the same attributes that occur during an ordinary Full Moon – just highly amplified and focused on larger groups of people. It is common during lunar eclipses for coup d’états to break out, earthquakes and other weather phenomena to occur, riots, epidemics such as flu outbreaks (especially if Neptune or the 4^th and 6^th house are involved), or any other spontaneous eruptions from the general population. For example, the last lunar eclipse at 29 Gemini/Sagittarius and its involvement with laws, legislation, and legal matters spawned the labor strikes in Wisconsin, and the standoff between Governor Walker and his democratic opposition.

The current lunar eclipse also occurs across the Gemini/Sagittarius axis, however this time the Sun is in Gemini and the Moon is in Sagittarius. The Sagittarian emphasis will bring out matters concerning the Judicial branch of government (i.e.. the Wisconsin Supreme court allowing the Wisconsin union law to take effect, and the motion to vacate Prop 8 decision denied), laws, legislatures and legislative officials (i.e. Weiner), foreign relations, and religion. In addition, Sagittarius rules higher education and matters of philosophy.

It’s All About The Houses:

For our friends in the United Kingdom, this eclipse is conjoined to the Ascendant/Descendant (1^st and 7^th house) axis; this reflects a need for the UK to analyze its relationship to the outer world. Moreover, possible problems with foreign relationships could arise. This is a rather interesting hotspot that we should keep a very close eye on. In the United States the eclipse lands across the 2^nd and 8^th houses. On the surface this will highlight issues regarding finances, money, taxes, taxation, debt, credit, possible intense political battles which will result in a resolution (debt ceiling), and that little dirty word – sex! Expect many of these issues to come to the forefront over the next several months, but pay very close attention to July 25, 2011, November 9, 2011, and December 12, 2011 as hotspot days. Other countries that are highly sensitive to the eclipse are Afghanistan, Australia, France, and Israel.

The Deeper Meaning:

As I stated earlier, an eclipse that lands in the 2^nd house has much to do with finances, a countries worth, and what we place value upon. One of the most common keywords for the 2^nd house is, “I have.” We can make predictions based on these surface issues and experience a high level of accuracy, but what does this 2^nd house really mean? At the deepest level the 2^nd house reflects our self worth and our value systems. Howard Sasportas in his groundbreaking book, “The Twelve Houses,” has this to say about the second house.

“We base our whole existence on what we value. When our values change, our whole life focus can alter dramatically.”

The Sagittarian lunar eclipse in the 2^nd house has to do with a value system that is often larger than life. Sagittarius is a “my way” or the “highway” type of sign, after all its ruler is Jupiter who had a zipper problem of his own) the King of the Gods. The religious underpinnings that exist with Sagittarius are cropping up all over the place as changes are occurring to our current establishment – and such long existing laws such as “Defense of Marriage Act,” and “Roe V Wade,” have begun to resurface. Further, we are more focused than ever on what people are doing with their sexual organs – whether it is Arnold Schwarzenegger, John Ensign, Tiger Woods, Jesse James, or the recently exposed Anthony Weiner. In many ways, our countries evening dinner of religious idealism has created a rather sexophobic atmosphere, which repudiates anything beyond the missionary position unless it is happening in their bedroom. In America, sexophobia casts a very large shadow!

The lesson(s) of this eclipse straddling the 2^nd and 8^th house axis is not really about money, sex, out-dated archaic laws, or worn-out religious morals that are the inheritances of a time long past, yet an invitation for us to explore our values. What do we really value? Further, how do our values add to the larger collective? At the end of the day, what we truly value is what we have, and in many cases the only thing we have is ourselves. It’s time we make the most of it!

Tarot Tune-Up:

Take all the court cards out of your tarot deck and shuffle them. Ask the Tarot Court, what do I really value? Pull a card from the deck. Let me know what you pulled!

Storm Cestavani — June 15, 2011

Do You Control Your Emotions Or Do Your Emotions Control You?

June 13, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

One of the first ideas you learn in Kabbalah is to question everything. This is an alien concept to most religious systems (and I include many metaphysical systems in this category as well), which tend to learn towards blind faith and complete adherence to a perceived “higher” authority. Kabbalists take concepts out of the practical realm, and attempt to understand its meaning with broader strokes in order to then reapply the “gleamed” knowledge in a concrete and more applicable manner. Astrologically, I attempt to do the same thing – understand the deeper meaning of an astrological aspect so we can apply it to our lives in a practical way.

Now let me introduce you to a new feature that will occur with the Cosmic Weather Forecast, which will allow us to incorporate these ideas, which will be called “Tarot Tune-Up”. This will allow you (the reader) to actively participate in the Cosmic Weather Forecast in order to understand how the energies directly apply to you and your circumstances. Understanding our circumstances give us the power to make proactive meaningful changes in our lives, rather than being reactive to the energetic forces around us. After all, the stars impel they do not compel.

On Monday, the Moon continues to move through emotional Scorpio. The Scorpio Moon is intense, intuitive, and understands the deep emotional underpinnings of the motives and intentions of others. However, despite the Scorpio Moon’s need for emotional closeness (which is a necessity for all water sign moons), the fear of being emotional dependent or vulnerable to others prevents true intimacy. We could find ourselves today caught up in circumstances where we attempt to understand the intentions of those that are around us. However, we need to understand that “behaviors” and “motivations” are often the result of much broader circumstances than what appears on the surface.

The last aspect that the Moon will make before turning void of course (1:43 PM EDT) will be an opposition to Mars. Mars is the planet that allows us to go out into the world and get what we want out of life. In essence, he is the warrior planet of the Sun. However, when he gets entangled with the emotional Moon we tend to feel like we are on an emotional roller-coaster, and often we feel angry with our current circumstances. Avoid getting entangled in situations where your emotions control you, rather than you controlling your emotions. The Moon will remain void of course until late evening when it will move into Sagittarius.

Tarot Tune-Up: Using the tarot (you can modify this for any system you may use) pull two cards ask the following questions. How can I better control my emotions? How do I prevent my emotions from controlling me?

Let me know what you pull!

Storm Cestavani is a psychic, tarotist, and humanistic astrologer with over 20 years’ experience. He is the original “Cosmic Weather” forecaster and is available for both psychic and astrological consultations. Nothing is too personal, and nothing is too hot for Storm to handle! To schedule an appointment with Storm simply order the reading you would like, and Storm will contact you to set up your reading. In order to accommodate work schedules Storm is available for evening and weekend consultations.

Did You Learn Your Saturn Retrograde Lesson?

June 12, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Cosmic Weather Forecast: June 12, 2011

The key astrological weather planet for Sunday is the planet Saturn as it changes directions in the sign of Libra. Saturn rules structures, boundaries, limitations, and creates rules and regulations in order for us to exist in a sophisticated (the definition of sophisticated can be questioned) modern society. Since January 26, 2011 Saturn has been in retrograde motion which has cautioned us against making sudden changes in our lives, our businesses, or relationships. The retrograde cycle instructions us to be more reflective in order to take practical steps towards long term goals and ambitions. However, we often tend to be very reactive during this cycle because Saturn tends to bring to the surface our fears, insecurities, and our preconceived inadequacies. We tend to notice what is wrong with our lives, before acknowledging what is right.

The great thing that occurs during Saturn retrograde is that Saturn provides us with the opportunity to revamp the areas of our lives that are not functioning the way we would like, and he brings forth the flaws in our current structure. For example, if you are in a relationship that feels stymied, then Saturn retrograde will show you why you currently feel stuck and provide you with lessons that allow you to get the relationship moving again. So, as difficult as Saturn retrograde may be, it provides us with the capability to make substantial and enduring changes that provide us with a more structured life.

Look over the period of the last six months. What areas of your life have been difficult? Have any situations, circumstances, or lessons been reoccurring? If so, you are provided with a proactive opportunity to learn from these experiences and create a more sound and tangible path to follow in the future. It gets easier from here!

In other astrological news, the Sun will conjoin with Mercury in communicative Gemini, and Venus in Gemini sextile Uranus in Aries. It is a great day to reach out to friends, learn something new, or just simply be innovative. It’s time to take a risk and jump out of your comfort zone and try something new.

Have a great Sunday!

The Kabbalistic Secrets of Candle Magic

June 5, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

I did not intend to restart the “Cosmic Weather Forecast” in the portion that involves candles and lighting the candelabra, yet I was rather amused that this (Beha’lota’cha) is the Kabbalistic portion of the week. I suppose being the co-creator of a magical candle line the understanding of how candle magic works is an important metaphysical philosophy to me. Despite our modern attempts at sanitization and simplification, candle magic is a powerful tool that can be used to link us directly with the light of the creator.

Although the modern translation of Beha’lota’cha is “when you light the candles” the word actually means “to elevate”. Elevate is a word in English which means “to rise”. Many people believe spiritual elevation simply means the internal change we go through in the process of our journey. However, the kabbalistic mystics disagreed and believe that true elevation are those times when we “instantly” get it, and begin to see reality in a different way. Often these are the moments when we truly are “connected” to the light force of God.

There is an interesting discussion that occurs in this week’s Zohar, which I spent a lot of time meditating on. I suppose with all the talk in the media over the “Rapture” that occurred last month, and its connection to the “world to come,” I found it rather interesting that this phrase appeared in this week’s Zohar portion. Religion interprets the “world to come”, as what occurs after we leave this particular life time. However, what would be the purpose of experiencing the “world to come” if we are not experiencing it during this lifetime?

What does this “world to come” really mean? To fully understand this we have to travel back to the beginning – as in Genesis! Why? So we can understand the concept of cause and effect.

It surprises me the number of people that are not aware that the book of Genesis has two creation stories! The first creation story is when God created the heavens and the earth, and everything that walks upon it. If you read the story, you will see that everything is instantaneous. God creates and it instantly appears. There is no separation between cause and effect! This means that the results of our actions were immediate, because time in the first creation myth really does not exist. Unfortunately, this also limited freedom of choice. The sages are very clear when they talk about the first creation that the limits upon our freedom of choice prevented us from earning what we were receiving from Light which caused ‘Bread of Shame’. In essence, ‘Bread of Shame’ is when we receive something that we did not merit, and ultimately holds little or no value to us.

In the second creation story of Genesis 2 reveals the spiritual elements that were created that allow us to grow, change, and earn the light we are receiving. These spiritual elements are time, space, and motion. Simply put, if we decide to perform an action the results of our actions are not always instantaneous, which creates a space. So, if we decide to take a higher spiritual path often the results of our positive actions are not immediate. This leads us to question our actions, and we will fill the space with either positive or negative thoughts. For example, say you begin a new business endeavor and you do everything right – the correct marketing, you communicate and networking with others, and you do everything you are supposed to do to make your business grow. However, you cannot see any results. This created space becomes an opening for our negative thoughts to begin to creep in. We begin to question why we are doing it, and whether or not we made the right decision. We begin to seek advice from others, and in many cases become fearful of failure or anxiety.

Let’s put this into a formula: CAUSE+SPACE = EFFECT

We decide to take an action, and immediately a space is created. We will attempt to fill a spiritual void or a space with something – whether that be the positive or negative. What comes after the space? The results! So, according to the kabbalistic mystics the “world to come” is the world of results (the effect of our cause).

Let’s revise the formula: CAUSE+SPACE = EFFECT = WORLD TO COME

So, I am sure you are wondering how this connects to candle magic? In order to understand this we have to change our perception of spiritual tools (whether they are tarot, astrology, a cross, an ankh, or a candle). We need to view them as tools for us to connect with the life force of the creator. According to the sages, candles allow us to fill the space with an intention (prayer/petition) that brings about the desired effect. Through this process we then control the results of the world to come.

Astrological Guide:

Good Days: June 7, June 8, and June 9
Challenging Days: June 5, and June 10

Storm Cestavani — June 4, 2011

The 12 Days of Yule: Day 12 — Everything That Has a Beginning Comes To an End

January 1, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Can you believe it? We are on the 12^th Day of the 12 Days of Yule! What an interesting and amazing journey it has been. I first want to thank all of the people that participated, and I hope that this has been a rather insightful experience for you. Understanding the workings of our unconscious is the first step to making lasting change in our lives. Doing these simple exercises of self-reflection will get you started on a powerful New Year that you can manage in a more effective and productive way.

Today, we focus on letting go of the past. What past? Your past! As 2010 draws to a close it is time for us to dump our attachments to the particular experiences of the year that have left us stuck, frustrated, and out of sorts. I know, easier said than done! However, perfection is not necessary – only the willingness to let things go. Whether your issues were financial, career, or relationship oriented now is the time to let go of the past and prepare for the new.

Activity 12:

Write down the issues that you wish to let go of from the past on your Yule page.

Get out your decks. Shuffle the cards thoroughly and ask the following question, “How can I best let go of circumstances that I may have attachments to from the past?” Fan out your cards in front of you, and select one card from the deck.

The card that I drew from the Legacy of the Divine Tarot is Faith.

First, I found it interesting that both of the cards from our last Beyond Tarot intensive on Beyond Worlds appeared in my spread. The Faith card in most Tarot decks is called “The Hierophant” – it is also one of the most difficult cards because of its pseudo religious connotation. For many it brings issues surrounding religious dogma and the abuses of religious authority. Thankfully, I have always seen this card as a need to study or become educated about the mysteries of life and the laws that govern the physical universe.

Personally, one of the ways for me to let go of the past is for me to concentrate on my faith and my spiritual work. I made a decision several weeks ago that I want to focus more on the connection between Tarot and Kabbalah in 2011, and my pulling this card was the universe giving its blessing.

What card did you draw?

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Faith from the Legacy of the Divine Tarot is Courtesy of Llewellyn