Tuesday, August 11, 2020
Tarot of the Day--Seven of Cups
Illusion--Too Many Options---Disorganization

Let's have a show of hands for those of us who have experience of how those descriptions work hand in hand! I'm a bit of a dreamer and there's loads of things I want to do and I struggle with the knowledge that I can't do all of it, all at once, all of the time.
When I have attempted to the result was invariably chaos, followed by demoralization (accompanied by a spot of laziness) while I kept myself within the hold of the illusion that I can surely jump right back into the saddle "after I rest from the whirlwind for a day or two."
That process misses the principle lesson of the Seven of Cups--that nothing productive comes of scattering one's energy in a zillion different directions. Choices need to be made, and a focus has to be decided upon if anything is going to be achieved. Then there must be consistent follow-through.
Furthermore, there must be balance within one's life. Know anything who's an uber over-achiever who periodically crashes from utter burnout before beginning the next project with obsessive devotion and starting the cycle all over again? That too is a lesson of the seven of cups. If what we desire is not good for us or truly does not fit in our life then we should re-evaluate why we are pursuing it.

Tuesday, August 11, 2020
Correspondences for Breaking Hexes
Color: Red
Plant: Geranium
Animal: Cat
Stone: Red Jasper

Tuesday, August 11, 2020
Day of Challenges
Sun: Leo--Fixed Fire--Lively, Colorful, Confidant
Moon: 3rd quarter Taurus--Fixed Earth--Long-lasting, Increase in Value, Hard to Change. 4th quarter 11:45 am
Jupiter Retrograde: Contemplation, Breaking Habits, Prioritizing
Saturn Retrograde: Take Responsibility, Don't Cut Corners, Limitations
Neptune Retrograde: Phobias Surface, Harsh Truths, Shattered Illusions
Pluto Retrograde: Evolution, Forced Transformation, Demolishing of Power
Chiron Retrograde: Heal Old Wounds, Face Deep Rooted Issues, Clarity & Insight in the Depths
Celtic Tree Month: Hazel--Tree of Divination

Monday, August 10, 2020
Witchy Tea Time--Celtic Triad

“Concerning three things that hide: an open bag hides nothing, an open door hides little, and an open person hides something”.

Celtics triads are snippets of wisdom that possess hidden depths. The more you think about it, the more there is to learn. I do not pretend that my thoughts on this triad--or any other I may share--are the last word on the matter. It is merely where my thoughts have taken me, and the goal is not to persuade anyone to share my thoughts--but to encourage others to form their own.
The open bag represents a truth that is uncomplicated and straightforward. The temptation is for us to make more of it than what it is and in the process get our thinking and emotions all twisted up.
The open door, which hides little, represents partial truth. There are times when we may believe ourselves to be in full possession of the facts--and yet--in the end there is more to it. It reminds me of the detective stories I would watch as a child (Sherlock Holmes played by Jeremy Brett, Poirot played by David Suchet, and Miss Marple played by Joan Hickson). There were cases that seemed like no mystery at all and the solution appeared obvious--but there was invariably a hidden truth that the sleuths sniffed out that changed the complexion of the case entirely. The open door may not hide much--but what is hidden may be extremely significant.
The open person who is hiding something--I must confess to an instinctual distrust of those who preach "openness, honesty, and positivity at all times". Invariably there is something and the open exterior is no more than a shield for secrets, broken spirits, and even poor character--depending upon the situation. I do not mean to imply that all open people are secretly bad people--most often it is a mask for a wounded soul. I am not one for the platitudes that make their nauseatingly frequent rounds on the internet, but there is truth in the meme that "you never know what someone is going through", and with the open person that is particularly true.
What are your thoughts on this triad?

Hail Brighid--one of the goddesses associated with the theme of our correspondences--success!

Monday, August 10, 2020
Tarot of the Day--Five of Pentacles
Poverty--Unhealthy--Alienation
2020 in a nutshell--few of us could claim to even be as well off now as we were at the start of the year. A lack of health, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual permeates society--of the literal and psychosomatic variety. Due to the business of lockdowns, social distancing, and the insistence of some (who are at odds with others in the medical community) masks, gloves, googles ect there is a widespread sense of alienation.
None of this portends good things. Is it any wonder there is so much chaos on the streets, political discord, and social distrust? Is it any wonder that there is frustration that making a living has been only for the select few and there is now denial amongst the paranoid that earning your way is your right as a human being? With so many health issues thrown to the wayside for a sake of a virus that has a 99.7% SURVIVAL RATE is it any wonder that so many people are experiencing other illnesses?
Last January, I don't think any of us truly believed that our world would be so utterly transformed for the worse. That being said, the Five of Pentacles is not portending a future comprised only of further catastrophe. Rather it is a chance to make peace with what happened, acknowledge the reality of what has occurred, and understand that it is easier to break things than it is to fix them. Then--our thoughts can turn to solutions.
While I detest the affectation of "the new normal"--and it is a vision that should be rejected on the grounds of human rights--it is also true that the world has been permanently changed. Too many tyrants have shown their true colors and willingness of take advantage of anxiety and fear in order to seize unlawful powers and keep people under their boots. The breakdown in human relationships--public and personal--will require considerable work to stitch back together. And individuals and businesses (particularly small businesses who were thrown out into the cold) will need to stand up and reject the notion that they are "non-essential" and reclaim their power.
The future hasn't yet been written in the ink of tyranny, hypochondriacs, and social fracturing--not yet. What we do now--visibly and in our day to day lives--will determine our own fates and that of the next generation. It does NOT have to be the way things are now. We do NOT have to surrender and submit to the mob. We are NOT powerless--and never will be.

Monday, August 10, 2020
Correspondences for Success
Color: Silver
Plant: Bergamot
Animal: Rat
Stone: Pyrite

Monday, August 9, 2020
Day of the Goddess
Sun: Leo--Fixed Fire--Lively, Colorful, Confident
Moon: 3rd quarter Taurus--Fixed Earth--Long-lasting, Increase in Value, Hard to Change
Jupiter Retrograde: Contemplation, Breaking Habits, Prioritizing
Saturn Retrograde: Take Responsibility, Don't Cut Corners, Limitations
Neptune Retrograde: Phobias Surface, Harsh Truths, Shattered Illusions
Pluto Retrograde: Evolution, Forced Transformation, Demolishing of Power
Chiron Retrograde: Heal Old Wounds, Face Deep Rooted Issues, Insight & Clarity in the Depths
Celtic Tree Month: Hazel--Tree of Divination

Sunday, August 9, 2020
Witchy Tea Time--Verse 16 of the Havamal

"The foolish man thinks he will live forever if he avoids battle; but old age gives him no peace, though spears may spare him."
One of the common platitudes I often encounter on social media and elsewhere is that it's better to "walk away", "not waste your time", "it isn't worth it to fight", ect--and by many people this is accepted as obvious wisdom. While not everything is worth waging a battle over, some things certainly are and that has been utterly lost by the "go with the flow" culture permeating everything.
To "go with the flow" can quickly turn into failure to make your own choices, be dominated by everyone else, and ultimately trains you to obey--without question. Who are you to take a stand? "Don't you think the EXPERTS know better?" says the people who listen to one side of an argument that makes them feel "safe" and/or "good" and won't consider the counterargument.
Witches and Wizards, by nature of who we are and what we do, absolutely cannot afford such a sheep-like mentality. Even practical magicians who eschew the spiritual and religious aspects of the Craft still wield the creative and destructive forces of the universe within the scope of the knowledge, skills, and talents and therefore that comes with the responsibility to NOT just "go with the flow" and "follow the crowd" or "do what you're told whether it makes sense or not".
This can, and does, lead to unpopularity--and in an age of social media where popularity is the key to many successful ventures the idea of taking an unpopular stand and risking being shadow banned, outright banned, or having people unfollow you of their own accord can be frightening. For those who make their living off of their business efforts via social media it involves a financial risk. Is it any wonder that so many people have fooled themselves into thinking that if they "just keep their head down and stay quiet--maybe occasionally telling people what they *want* to hear" that everything will be alright in the end. Someone else will take care of it. Someone who apparently doesn't face the same "risk" as they do or is "braver" than they are.
This--witches and wizards--is the mentality that makes is so difficult to create positive change in our society and to push back against tyranny. Anyone who speaks up faces risks--let's dispense with the illusion that they don't. The difference is that some people understand that certain things are intolerable and is wrong to submit to them. The difference is that some people understand that THERE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS THAN RISK AND PERSONAL FEARS.
In the foundation of our country, patriots of all stripes--men, woman and children of a variety of colors (yes, there were freed slaves--black and white--who fought in the revolution. There was at least one general of Hispanic descent. Certain tribes fought with the Patriots. Read your history books!) risked absolutely everything to break ties with the crown and make the attempt to form a government based on non-tyrannical principles. They knew what would happen to them if they failed--they understood it was a death sentence if they lost. They also knew that if they succeeded that building a government that lived up to the ideals of the Declaration of Independence would be the work of many generations and that there was no such thing as a "perfect society"--only the hope of a free one.
They stood up--faced the fear, the risks, the nightmare of failure all the same. Because it was the right thing to do, and living under tyranny wasn't life at all. Today we face a duty of saying "NO" to tyrants who are blatantly fanning the flames of irrational fear in order to expand and secure unconstitutional powers. Standing up to this involves risks--but that doesn't mean that we are excused from our duty because of fear. We may face setbacks--we may experience problems--but life under the boot of opportunistic politicians is no life at all.
Remember verse 16--we shall have no peace within ourselves if we fled from the battle that was ours to fight.