Tarot

Mercury in Aquarius — Today’s Astrology — January 11, 2014

January 11, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

Mercury in Aquarius at 4:35 PM EST / 1:35 PM PST

Grab your charts. If you need a copy of yours, you can get one for free at my website. If you have any planets in Gemini, Libra, or Aquarius then this astrological position will be of increased significance to you.

We are still at the beginning of the year and New Year’s resolutions are still on everyone’s mind. In fact, the next episode of Keep It Magic will focus on the power of intentions and how to use ink magic to create change in your life. So, this is a great time to refocus your resolutions and move them from “hoping” we stick with them to “insuring” we stick with them. The good news is that the aspect’s happening today will help us achieve our goals. However, sometimes before we can get our goals to stick, we have to figure out where they are being undermined.

On Saturday, January 11, 2014, we have our first planetary sign change of the year – Mercury will move out of earthy and structured Capricorn and into airy and idealistic Aquarius. Although Mercury has no essential dignity in Aquarius, he is in his own element of air and can navigate rather easily through the signs intellect landscape.

One of the benefits of Mercury moving into Aquarius is that it comes with a package of interesting characteristics. Mercury becomes revolutionary, progressive, and reforming. He is more interested in broad ideas rather than generalized concepts. Further, Mercury in Aquarius gives us the ability to see patterns within circumstances which gives us broader understanding with our present condition. We can use this energy to drill down to the basic patterns and take action to find resolution for those patterns in your life.

For example, your resolution is to “lose weight”. Ask yourself some simple questions:

Why am I having difficulty losing weight?
Why am I holding on to weight?
What is the weight serving me?
When did I learn to use food to self-medicate?

You can create a list of similar questions to help you get to the root of your resolutions.

If you are familiar with tarot, I have another tool you can use to get to the roots of your sabotage. A few years ago, Jacki Smith and I designed a tarot spread based on a conversation she had with her sister Patty Shaw. It’s called, “The Why Is that Spread”. You can read the blog post I wrote for it (click here), or you can pick up a copy of Jacki’s bestselling book, “Coventry Magic”.

Once you get to the roots of why you are sabotaging your success, you can then make choices and decisions with how to deal with them. You may want to consider life coaching, traditional therapy, or support groups to help integrate your unresolved inner issues with the individual you want to be now. You will find that taking up this challenge will help you keep and maintain your resolutions and use them to empower yourself into a greater tomorrow.

Storm Cestavani is the co-host of the top rated metaphysical show “Keep It Magic” and the co-creator of the “Tarot Magic” with Coventry Creations. Storm is available for consultations you can to speak with him by arranging a call. Simply click on Get a Reading at the top of the page. If you have never received a reading from Storm or one of our other psychics or astrologers on Keen.com we invite you to receive a free 3-minute reading. You can redeem that offer by click here. FREE 3 MINUTE PSYCHIC READING

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Is Success the New Black?

December 10, 2013 by admin Leave a Comment

Do you remember the 80’s? All those outlandish outfits, glam rock, and epic television series that focused on the cut throat world of money? Regardless of what you think of the politics of the era, the spokespeople of the times, or its glamorous image, the symbolism from the 80’s was about success.

Well, guess what? It’s BACK! Only this time it’s not dressed up with shoulder pads, skin tight Levis jeans, converse tennis shoes, and the Atari 2600. This time it’s using concepts that were considered “witchcraft” in the 80’s (mastermind groups, affirmations, power of positive thinking) and the spokespeople are not glitzy celebrities such as Michael J. Fox, Joan Collins, and Larry Hagman, yet down to earth practical people like Marianne Williamson and Gabrielle Bernstein. Regardless of how you dress up the image of the day, the urge towards success and being successful is archetypal, yet a slippery term that’s elusive and very few can define.

This month on Keep It Magic, Jacki Smith and I discuss success. Who has it? How does one get it? What the heck is it? Our discussion is very candid (as always) and I hope you get the chance to listen to our podcast (I have included the player at the bottom of the post). Since we only have 60 minutes to discuss the subject and often more information to cover than the time allows, I decided to ask some questions to my trusty tarot deck about success. I will be frank with you, I was rather surprised by the results. To perform the readings, I used the Pam A. Tarot deck.

Question 1: What is success?

Card: The Devil

What a shocker! I expected to see the 4 of pentacles, The Sun card, or the 6 of wands. The Devil appearing as the answer kind of tossed me off my chair leaving me breathless for a hot moment. The most notably keywords for the Devil are bondage, obsessions, illusions, lies, and bad relationships.

If anything, shouldn’t ‘The Devil’ be the anti-success card?

The Devil is associated with the astrological sign of Capricorn – the sign of the sea goat. Of course, this isn’t shocking since the imagery on many Devil cards is the god Pan or his artistic likeness. At its deepest levels, the sign of Capricorn reflects our need for structure, organization, and social accomplishment and in many ways, in order for us to achieve this is to embrace many of the attributes that the Devil has at his command.

For many the Devil is a card of bad omens and lesser knowledgeable querents are horrified when he appears in a reading because of his bad reputation. However, many of the qualities of The Devil are necessary in order for an individual to succeed. Karen Zondag, in her book, “Tarot as A Way of Life,” has this to say about him:

“But the Devil can also be a ‘sharply dressed dude’ who well and truly sets to work with selfish motives and lots of elbow-work to gain an advantage over others.”

In many ways, our Judeo Christian heritage, may actually invoke the darker dimensions of The Devil card. After all, Pan is the only Greek god that was cast into the pits of hell by the Catholic Church, which has made it rather difficult for us to create a relationship with an archetypal image that is associated with the instinct of self-preservation. Yet, on the flip side, we are a society populated with individuals that are self-centered, egotistical, and only out for themselves and their question for power.

The balance within the Devil card is that we might need a bit of self-centeredness, egotism, and quest for power in order to achieve anything. It might be the very qualities that motivate us, and our relationship with The Devil (and even our lack of relationship with this image) might be one of the keys towards developing success. After all, in order for us to achieve anything we must have ‘desire’ which is another keyword that is associated with The Devil card.

So, success may be the desire for us to understand what we want to achieve combined with the energy to go out and do it. This may require us to spend a bit of time with ourselves and deeply search our psyches for inner answers which will help us create a healthy relationship with The Devil rather than being in bondage to his darker qualities.

Question 2: What blocks success?

Card: The Fool

Once again, I was rather stumped by this card pull. The ability to take risks and leap out into the great unknown is a quality that many people associate with successful people.

So, why is the Fool here? One of the divinatory meanings for the Fool is recklessness. One of the foundations of any successful endeavor is the ability to be grounded and organized. Although the Fool does help us take risks, there needs to be strategy and a well-oiled game plan in motion for anyone to succeed. Otherwise, if we constantly stay in Fool mode, we are too busy leaping off of mountains in order to nurture something enough to grow.

The Fool, in this position as an obstacle card, reflects the need to be grounded and centered in reality in order for our risks to take shape and form. Discipline is not one of the Fools characteristics, yet it is necessary for him to remain focused in order to land on solid ground.

Question 3: What does one need to do to achieve success?

Card: 6 of Wands

referred to the 6 of Wands as the card of “victory”. The keywords associated with this card are optimism and confidence. Rachel Pollack says in her book, “The New Tarot Handbook”:

“Believe in yourself enough, assume you will get what you seek, and not only will it happen, but others will expect you to triumph.”

This card is rather clear. The more you believe in yourself and the more you are optimistic about your future, success will truly come your way.

You can learn more about success by listening to the latest episode of Keep It Magic!

More Spirituality Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with KeepItMagic on BlogTalkRadio

Storm Cestavani is the co-host of the top rated metaphysical show “Keep It Magic” and the co-creator of the “Tarot Magic” with Coventry Creations. Storm is available for consultations by setting up an appointment to speak with him. Simply click on Get a Reading at the top of the page.

If you like this post please hit the +1 button at the bottom of your page or the LIKE button. We thank you!

22 Different Ways to Use Your Tarot Deck

June 11, 2013 by admin Leave a Comment

Did you know that the first explosion of spirituality beyond the “one world religion” occurred in the 15^th century?
That’s right! The invention of the printing press allowed people who could afford to purchase books the ability to read texts and manuscripts that were only available to the affluent. This miraculous invention of the printing press was the beginning of the historical period known as the Renaissance.

Since the Renaissance alternative forms of spirituality have slowly grown. Moreover, during the 1980’s the birth of the New Age movement created a pop culture surge between the arcane sciences and spirituality. Metaphysical bookstores began to open in growing number throughout the world, and for the first time in history interest in the unseen world and psychic phenomena became part of mainstream life and has grown ever since. In the 21^st century, we are experiencing a new Renaissance as technology and distribution of information have reached a point that people are questioning what they believed to be true, and are utilizing alternative tools to understand true spirituality.

One of the most popular tools for spiritual self-discovery is the mystical tarot. Many believe that the tarot is only a tool used for predictions, but the tarot is much more than that! If you have a question about anything; the tarot has an answer! You can utilize tarot to ask questions about yourself, get insight into others, ask worldly questions, or simply get additional information about anything.

Here are 22 Different Ways to Use Your Tarot Deck

The Fool: Have you taken a risk lately? Discovering the general energies around you is a great way to use the tarot. The cards can give you a great description of what you have to work with at this point. This can provide you with insight and options of the path of least resistance you can take.

The Magician: The Magician in the tarot has to do with communication and our ability to understand life. This is why the Magician is associated with the planet Mercury in astrology. If you need to understand the underlying energies of an area of life that concerns you, tarot can provide you with these answers.

The High Priestess: Would you like to develop your intuition? The tarot is a great visual map for you to tap into the deepest parts of your soul and understanding the feelings within.

The Empress: Everything is cyclical. One day we are up and the next day we are down! The Empress in the tarot deals with fertility and our ability to birth things. If you are starting a new project understanding how to utilize the energies for your best possible benefit is a great way to use tarot. You can use a card to represent every single aspect of the business, and even use additional cards for things you should avoid and details you should concentrate on. You could also use this concept for dealing with children or anything that needs to be nurtured.

The Emperor: Sometimes you can get very caught up in the need to control a situation that you forget that creating more structure around you can be of benefit. If you experience difficulties in your life; whether these are romantic, career, or financial – you can ask tarot how to bring more structure and foundation in your life.

The Hierophant: Events often occur in our lives that are difficult to understand. The tarot can be used to see the larger spiritual purpose for an experience or an event.

The Lovers: Do you need insight into a relationship? The tarot can allow you to explore all the dimensions of your relationship and can give insight into how to manage it in the future.

The Chariot: Being stuck in a situation or feeling you have no choices or options can be very difficult. The tarot can give insight into how you can move forward. You can ask the tarot what would be the best path for you at this time.

Strength: Understanding our urges is profound spiritual insight. You can use the tarot to understand why you do the things that you do. Getting a bit of insight into our selves can provide us with the power to make changes to ourselves and make our lives more manageable.

The Hermit: Tarot is a powerful tool for meditation and reflection. Simply pull a card out of a deck and see what message it gives you.

Wheel of Fortune: Need a glimpse into the future? You can ask a simple (or complex) question to the tarot and it will reveal to you the answer.

Justice: Often our emotions take control of us and we have a hard time looking at our circumstances from a rational perspective. The tarot gives us the tools to look at things detached from our emotional expectations.

The Hanged Man: Life is about sacrifices. Often we come to a cross road that requires us to let something go. The tarot can be used to help you understand the best thing to let go of at this time.

Death: Have you experienced a loss of a relationship, loved one, or career? Death is a very liminal place and it can be very terrifying. You can use the tarot to help you let go and begin to move forward.

Temperance: One of the best attributes to living a healthy life is to live in a balanced way. If you are feeling out of balance, you can use the tarot to help you understand your situation and bring your life into balance.

The Devil: Do you need to understand self-defeating behaviors? Need to let go of a bad habit? The tarot can help you understand why you have this habit and help you resolve your issues.

The Tower: There are times in our life when we feel that things are falling apart. The tarot can provide us with insight to begin again.

The Star: The Star card in the tarot is a card of hope. We can use its energy to give us hope into our own lives.

The Moon: Did you have a disturbing dream that you need insight into. Use the tarot to help access your unconscious and provide you with deeper understanding of your night life.

The Sun: The tarot is a great way to understand our purpose and inner destiny.

Judgement: Understanding our karmic patterns is very important. We can use the tarot to access our past lives and how they are influencing us now.

The World: Need to move to the next level and leave the past behind? The tarot will give you a road map to move f

Top 10 Tarot Decks For Beginners

June 11, 2013 by admin Leave a Comment

The world of tarot is a fascinating and exciting discovery. The tarot can answer virtually any of your questions about life. Our advisors have come across a resistance to tarot, and mainly because it is deeply misunderstood, yet the tarot is probably one of the best psychic tools on the market. In fact, many psychics will use the images of the tarot to jump start their intuitive feelings and use it was a doorway to psychically connect with their clients.

Our advisors believe that the problem with tarot resides in the fact that those that become interested in tarot are overwhelmed by the number of decks on the market. Some of them are very hard to understand are best for advanced readings.

We have compiled a list of the Top 10 Tarot Decks for Beginners:

Rider Waite Smith – The Rider Waite Smith deck is the most popular tarot deck in the world. Designed during the earth 20^th century by Pamela Colman Smith under the direction of occultist Arthur E. Waite, the RWS deck is the father of all beginner tarot decks and the inspiration for hundreds of new decks called “RWS clones”. Many of the beginner books on tarot use some derivation of the RWS decks in their illustrations. This is an incredible beginner’s deck for someone who wishes to seriously study tarot.
Gaian Tarot – The Gaian Tarot was released in 2011 by Joanna Powell Colbert, and is very popular with the bulk of the tarot community. Although the Gaian Tarot follows a numerical sequence consistent with most tarot decks, it diverts from traditional scenery in favor of a more nature oriented deck. Although you could successfully use this deck to predict, the primary tone of this deck lends itself more towards healing and introspection. The Gaian Tarot is an incredible deck for those that want to use tarot for journaling work.
Legacy of the Divine Tarot – The Legacy of the Divine Tarot was created by award winning graphic artist Ciro Marchetti. Although Mr. Marchetti claims that he is not a tarot reader, his understanding of tarot’s depth and nuance are noticeable and leads one to believe that he is just being humble. The images (for the most part) follows an RWS format, yet are created with stunning imagery and colorful hues. If you are interested in beautiful tarot cards this is a highly recommended deck.
The Gilded Tarot – The Gileded Tarot (like the Legacy of the Divine Tarot) is designed by Ciro Marchetti and was his first leap into the artist world of tarot. The Gilded Tarot is a traditional RWS clone with stunning CGI graphics. The text for the Gilded Tarot was written by accomplished tarotist and author Barbara Moore. The companion book describes the cards and provides significant information for interpretation.
Tarot of Ascension – The Tarot of Ascension is a deck released in 2010 by Lo Scarabeo. This deck focuses around the ever popular Mayan Calendar lore, and the belief that the world will enter into a spiritual enlightenment in 2012. If you are interested in what spiritual ascension and enlightenment then this deck is the one for you. This deck is great for predictive work or self-discovery readings.
Wheel of the Year Tarot – If you are attracted to Pagan or Wiccan themes this deck by Lo Scarabeo is a great tarot beginner’s deck. The deck created in vibrant watercolors reveals our yearly passage of the seasons and what seasonal symbolism means on an inner level. This deck is great for predictive work or those experiencing health or aging related issues.
The Wizard’s Tarot – This deck was designed by prolific tarot author Corrine Kenner. If you are a fan of the Harry Potter series the themes within the Wizard’s Tarot may speak to the adventurer or the hero in you. The cards are done in beautiful CGI graphics and the book penned by Kenner is one of the best books packaged with a tarot deck. The Wizard’s Tarot is excellent for any type of tarot work.
The Fairy Tale Tarot – Are you one of the 10 million fans of ABC’s “Once Upon a Time?” If you are, you will surely enjoy this deck! The Fairy Tale Tarot was designed by one of the best tarot artists of our time – Lisa Hunt. The deck takes you through the world of Fairy Tales, and introduces you to the inner meaning of these timeless stories. This is an incredible deck for children or those interested in self-discovery. The book included with the Fairy Tale Tarot is a must for any tarot library.
The Mythic Tarot – Originally published in the 80’s, the Mythic Tarot was re-illustrated as the New Mythic Tarot and released again in 2011. The images now in CGI graphic (the most popular new medium of tarot) are vivid and colorful. The Mythic Tarot explores the world of Greek Mythology, and is one of the best decks for predictive and psychological work. The deck includes (probably) the best book written on tarot penned by Liz Greene and Juliet Sharman Burke.
The Sharman Casseli Deck – This is the most recent deck designed by Juliet Sharman Burke (co-creator of the Mythic Tarot) and illustrated by Gionnani Casseli. This deck is a very close Rider Waite Smith clone stripped of its excessive religious symbolism. For those that are interested in studying tarot and NOT esoterica this is an incredible all-purpose tarot deck.

These are our picks for the Top 10 Tarot Decks for Beginners. If you have one of your own – feel free to post in the comments below.

The Secret Spirituality of the Movie ‘Clueless’

July 24, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

I believe that we can find the spiritual in everything if we are willing to look closely. Often, it is hiding in the most unlikely places. We can find it in the most evolved and esoteric or veiled in the mundane, the hilarious, and even the absurd. However, like the mysteries contained within the High Priestess card of the mystical tarot, it is up to us to have the courage to seek out the spiritual nuggets presented to us.

Believe it or not a movie that has an overflowing basket of spiritual nuggets is the 1995 comedy, Clueless. I am sure your kneejerk reaction to this revelation is “as if!” But seriously, there is much insight that can be gleaned from this movie. The adventures of Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) and her group of Beverly Hills friends as they journey through the angst of young adulthood is something we all experience on one level or another. Although our problems in adulthood can be more complex and sophisticated, they truly are not all that different. We all go through love problems, the need to be accepted, the need to feel secure, and the need to find ourselves in a world that can seem overwhelming. We all make mistakes, and we all learn from them. However, when we look back at our past problems and difficulties, we often realize how clueless we were.

So, what does Cher Horowitz have to do with the energy of the week? Everything! But first the astrology…

Astrological Energy of the Week:

After several weeks of rather intense astrological energies we finally get a break. Get out those margaritas, fun in the sun toys, and if you live in the southern hemisphere some hot apple cider with cinnamon while snuggling in front of the fire will do the trick. Enjoy this break while it lasts because Mercury will go retrograde on August 2^nd.

There are two sign changes this week. First, Venus will move out of emotional Cancer and into fiery Leo. Leo is all about glamour and pampering ourselves. Go out and get your hair done, buy yourself a new outfit, or simply bling up your outfits with a little glitz and frost. Venus is in her joy when she is in Leo, and it is a great time for us to explore possible new romantic relationships or spice up our current ones; however you need to try to remain grounded. Often Venus in Leo can get so caught up in the romantic drama that the reality of relationship and structure becomes more than she can handle. Secondly, Mercury moves out of dramatic Leo and into meticulous Virgo (the sign it will retrograde in). In Virgo, Mercury understands life by creating structured order in what can feel chaotic and unorganized. It is a great time for you to do research, take on mental projects, and be very clear about what you want out of life. If you are finishing up a writing or research project this will be an incredible week for you. However, keep in mind that Mercury will turn retrograde so this window of opportunity will quickly close.

In addition to the two sign changes, there are two planetary aspects this week as well. On Wednesday, the Sun in Leo will trine Uranus in Aries. This aspect is a powerful juggernaut, and being in fire signs will give you an enormous creative urge over the next week. New ideas will come to you rather spontaneously and you will feel highly stimulated. Often, the intensity of this aspect will make you feel high strung, alert, and restless, so try to contain yourself and be as grounded as you can be throughout the week. Further, this aspect directs you to focus on technical gadgets, so make sure you back up your computer before the retrograde hits! On Thursday, Mercury will oppose Neptune. Normally, this is a rather confusing aspect that can make you feel out of sorts (and for airy people it still may), yet your advantage is that Mercury is in its own sign of Virgo. If you begin to feel confused or need to make order out of chaos (see above), Mercury will provide you with the ability to sort things out and make sense of it all. All Mercury – Neptune aspects are a great time to do creative or artistic work, or connect to your inner spirit.

Finally, on Saturday we will have a New Moon at 8 degrees of Leo. At its core, the sign of Leo is about individuality. This is a great time for you to do intention work that focuses on your individual talents and gifts. Also, if you are interested in attracting love to you, this is a great time to do it. If you have any planets around 8 degrees of a sign, this New Moon could be a channel for new beginnings and new opportunities heading your way.

Your Cosmic Weather Forecast:

Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) is the heroine of the movie Clueless. She is not the normal image of a heroic figure that fights dragons, engages in warfare, and topples kingdoms, yet she is a heroine nonetheless. Unlike other heroic female figures, such as Wonder Woman or Xena, Cher is a heroine of the heart. Her battles are in the name of love, and rather than using swords and power she uses the depth of her feelings and emotions.

Through most of the movie, Cher spends her time being a matchmaker for other people, yet her own desire to be in love is denied. The one instance she attempts to connect with another classmate, she shockingly finds out that he is gay! However, severe crisis (which occurs with all heroic figures) strikes when she fails her driver’s exam, which gives Cher insight into her own personality, and she begins to reflect. This process of reflection allows Cher to realize what she wants in her own life and the depth of her own emotional feelings – however awkward those may be. Once she takes the steps to honor herself, she finally falls in love.

This week the kabbalistic portion is called Massei. It is a story that retells the places that the Israelites stop on their journey from Egypt

to Israel. To be honest, it is one of the most boring portions of the Torah, and it drones on and on about each place the Israelites set up camp. I truly have to force myself to stay awake when reading this portion. Further, there is no Zohar assigned to this portion, so the meaning is hidden and obscured. However, this portion has one of the most powerful messages of the entire Torah.

According to the Kabbalistic sages, the portion of Massei is all about our spiritual journey. It includes the things we learn, the things we get wrong, the places that we are reactive, our moments of joy and happiness, and those periods of our life that we are in pain. It is through our spiritual journey and process that we learn what we want to achieve, and we decide what our priorities are. In essence, the trip from Egypt to Israel describes different spiritual lessons (and those teenage years are part of them) we learn to complete our correction.

Many new students of kabbalah become overwhelmed by correction. They believe (and trust me I have been there) that you need to fix everything as quickly as possible and then you will achieve some form of spiritual ascension. However, the Kabbalists state that in order for us to achieve our correction we must take action. What kind of action? It is rather simple – the actions we must take to perform our correction are bound up in living our lives. It is our journey, our path, the way we experience it, and the choices that we make along the way.

True spiritual change does not happen overnight. It is a series of trial and error. We learn by our perceived failures and triumphs, and we adjust and modify our lives based on those experiences. Sometimes we hit a crisis (like Cher does), and we begin to realize what it is in life that we truly want. We feel clueless, but through our confusion we achieve our next step on the journey. We learn that it is the process that is our spiritual ascension, not the destination.

Tarot Tune-Up:

Get out your favorite Tarot or Oracle Deck. Shuffle the cards thoroughly. Ask yourself the following question, “What do I need to know about my current process within my journey?” Draw three cards. Let me know which ones you picked!

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Spiritual Warfare and How to Survive It

July 17, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

I had to laugh this week when one of my Facebook friends asked me whether or not there “was a positive week in my world.” It made me really sit back and reflect on how much challenging energy we have had this year. Ironically, the astrology for 2011 is much more intense than the astrology for 2012 – despite what people predict about the Mayan calendar. Batten down the hatches and put on your seat belts, the next several weeks are going to be very intense with the kabbalistic Negative Three weeks and Mercury Retrograde in the very near future. Sigh!

I think the most important question for us to ponder is what can we learn from these intensive energies? According to Kabbalah, the planetary activities are messages from the Light, and provide us with information on how to navigate our lives through “intensive periods”. Let’s face it with global warming, political gridlock, people forgetting about human dignity, and numerous wars that include the loss of human life, we begin to understand why the energies are so intense? Are we really learning the lesson or are we simply missing the point? We tend to see the problems of the world as ‘out there’ and anesthetize ourselves against any personal contribution or responsibility.

On Monday evening, the ‘Negative Three Weeks’ begin. Why are these three weeks negative? Kabbalistically, we are taught that during the last part of the sign of Cancer, and the beginning of the sign of Leo that the energies are no longer diluted (The Sun and Moon rulers of Cancer and Leo rule no other signs, so their energies are not distributed between two sources; whereas all the other planets rule two signs) and we get a straight shot of light without a filter from the universe. Kabbalists believe that during this period the spiritual ozone layer is removed, and as a result we are exposed to excessive amounts of Light that we spiritually cannot handle.

In essence, we have to create our own “ozone” layer, which I will reveal after the astrology…

The Astrology:

This week we have very little astrological activity. There are no major planetary aspects, and the only sign change is the Sun moving out of Cancer and into Leo. For those of you who have read my Cosmic Weather Forecast in the past, you know I am very suspicious about weeks that have no aspects. Why? The energy seems to enter into a stagnation period. This amplifies the last aspect which seems to take hold and linger without a shift of energy for a long period of time.

The last significant astrology aspect (minus the Full Moon) was Venus in Cancer square Saturn in Libra. I stated the following about Venus square Saturn last week:

“In my experience as an astrologer this is one of the most difficult aspects – especially for those that are more emotionally sensitive to the outer world. Venus is our ability to relate and enjoy our connections with others. When Venus becomes afflicted by Saturn, Saturn exposes Venus’ emotional vulnerability and we often close down emotionally. In many cases, we begin to isolate and disengage from our social circles. It is necessary when Venus is square Saturn for us to develop self-confidence and a feeling of personal self-worth. “

This remains true for the upcoming week as well.

On Saturday, the Sun will move out of watery and emotional Cancer and into its own sign of Leo. Whenever the Sun is in Leo, we need to find an area of our life where we can shine. This could be in career, relationships, or outside activities, yet there is a need for us to discover creative outlets where we can truly express ourselves and our uniqueness. Leo is a dynamic sign that reveals our own personal power. We can use this energy to find our own sense of personal destiny, which will help relieve the energy of the ongoing Venus – Saturn square.

Your Cosmic Weather Forecast:

This week the kabbalistic portion is called Matot (Tribes). This is a rather peculiar portion because it ALWAYS appears during the Negative Three Weeks. In Kabbalah, nothing happens by accident so there is a reason why this portion occurs during this time period. Why? Matot can give us needed information on how to create our own “spiritual ozone” layer to shield us from the intense energies of this period.

In this portion, there is a story where God instructs Moses to avenge the Israelites (code for those that believe in mind over matter) of the Midianites. God does not instruct Moses to send the best warriors, yet the most spiritually elevated members of the tribe. Why? This particular war against the Midianites was not a physical war, yet a spiritual one. The sages teach us that the Midianites never stopped provoking and instigating the Israelites. In fact, the Midianites went to other nations and stirred them up to attack the Israelites as well.

So, who are the Midianites? According to the Zohar, the Midianites are a code for “awakened negativity inside and outside of us”. They are the self-defeating behaviors (and we all have them) that continuously appear in our lives over and over. The Midianites are the parts of ourselves that we have problems letting go of despite the amount of chaos they create. They are a tricky lot! They will appear inside of you, but they also appear as people around us that ‘awaken’ our particular self-defeating behaviors as well. Further, the Midianites are prone to using black magic. In Kabbalah, black magic is different than what black magic is considered in the pagan tradition. Black magic is used to confuse us so we are not able to see the truth, and to distort circumstances so they appear in fragmented forms and guises.

This week (and the two weeks after), we begin a process of needing to keep our spiritual guard up. We need to be very aware of the energies (and the people) around us, and try not to fall into our own self-defeating behaviors. It will not be easy – as spiritual warfare is not easy. We may feel reactive, depressed, dramatic, angry, bitter, and attacked; however it is necessary for us to realize that it is an illusion. An attempt to throw us off our guard!

The portion Matot is about vulnerability, and the energies that arise when we do feel vulnerable. We can choose either to combat these energies, or we can choose to give in to them. According to the Kabbalistic sages, the most efficient way of battling this energy is for us to mourn how our self-defeating behaviors have limited our relationships, personal and spiritual growth. We need to be aware of how our self-defeating behaviors have brought circumstances into our lives that have caused pain and suffering – not only for ourselves, but for others. When we get to the point that we can truly mourn and release tears over our actions are we able to conquer our behaviors.

Tarot Tune-Up:

Get out your tarot or oracle decks. Ask the cards, “What can I do to let go of my self-defeating behaviors and remove chaos from my life?” Draw one card from the deck. Let me know what you pulled!

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