Reverend Moon Masque October, 2009

INTERPRETING THE CARDS

The Tarot’s meanings can be personal and subjective to each of us in accordance with our unique experiences and
views of the world. For this reason there are no immutable or absolute definitions that can be applied to the cards.

The cards mean what our intuition and experience tell us they mean, and this can differ from person to person. As
you study the cards do not be afraid to allow your inner voice to suggest nuances of meaning.

When examining the Tarot, you’ll notice that the titles, illustrations, and symbols of certain cards seem to openly
convey their meaning, while the informative clues for other cards may appear more allusive at first glance. When
you encounter a card that you may not easily understand, take the extra time needed to recognize its energies.

In subsequent articles we will examine some of the more commonly accepted card meanings in great detail. For
now, simply acquaint yourself with the Major Arcana and begin to explore their surface meanings.

SURFACE MEANINGS

(0) The Fool: Entering a new phase, starting an adventure, living in the moment, being new and innocent, taking a
risk.
(1) The Magician: Experiencing movement through willpower, understanding your intentions, focusing your
energy, having singleness of purpose, utilizing your creative power.
(2) The High Priestess: Being passive, employing your intuition, experiencing spiritual enlightenment, sensing
the secret and hidden, having esoteric insight.
(3) The Empress: Showing maternal instinct, enjoying prosperity, experiencing growth and fertility, focusing on
the senses, feeling connected to the earth.
(4) The Emperor: Using masculine power, creating order out of chaos, enjoying security, dealing with authority,
leading or being led.
(5) The Hierophant: Established codes of behavior or belief, learning or teaching, honoring ritual and ceremony, participating in an organized group, giving or receiving wise counsel.
(6) The Lovers: Participating in a partnership or affiliation, experiencing physical passion and desire, confronting your own beliefs, staying true to yourself, making important moral decisions.
(7) The Chariot: Winning a victory through will, desiring to achieve, experiencing bold confidence, mastering
and curbing impulses, having a clear purpose.
(8) Strength: Showing preservation and endurance, exhibiting calm tolerance, feeling sympathy toward others,
using gentle force, having mental and moral fortitude.
(9) The Hermit: Following a personal quest, accepting or giving wise advice, spending time alone, engaging in
self examination and discovery, withdrawing from the world.
(10) The Wheel of Fortune: Experiencing fate, discovering opportunities through new developments,
undergoing rapid change, standing at a crossroad, coming full circle.
(11) Justice: Confronting equitable or impartial treatment, being accountable, choosing rightly, recognizing the
results of your actions, restoring balance.
(12) The Hanged Man: Pausing to reflect, experiencing a change of mind or circumstances, letting go,
voluntarily losing, giving up control.
(13) Death: Completing a chapter, experiencing crucial and profound change, entering the start of a new cycle,
eradicating the unnecessary, enduring an inevitable ending.
(14) Temperance: Avoiding excess, achieving a harmonious balance, blending forces together, finding peace
through compromise, experiencing good health.
(15) The Devil: Being lured or enticed, experiencing unhealthy attachments, focusing too much on the physical,
being unaware, feeling tied down against your will.
(16) The Tower: Experiencing havoc, facing annihilation, enduring painful alteration, undergoing a shocking
catastrophe, having an emotional outburst.
(17) The Star: Having faith in the future, finding motivation, experiencing renewal, having a sense of belief,
enjoying peace of mind.
(18) The Moon: Feeling apprehension, confronting the unfamiliar, seeing what is not there, having troubled
imaginings and thoughts, becoming confused.
(19) The Sun: Attaining a new level of insight, having your day in the sun, becoming radiantly energized, feeling
invigorated, experiencing a sense of confidence.
(20) Judgment: Judging or being judged, forgiving yourself or others, reaching a higher level of being, becoming
transformed, making a fresh start.
(21) The World: Realizing your goals, coming to a journeys end, experiencing success, feeling satisfied,
reaching a conclusion.

THEMES

Each Major Arcana card seems to follow a particular theme. Simply knowing a card’s basic theme can help you
explore the many other avenues of expression that a card can adopt in a reading. Take the time to study the
following themes and adapt them to your own understanding of the Tarot.

Fool: Beginnings
Magician: Will
High Priestess: Intuition
Empress: Creation
Emperor: Authority
Hierophant: Spiritual/Academic Teaching/Learning
Lovers: Relationships
Chariot: Control
Strength: Inner Strength
Hermit: Introspection
Wheel of Fortune: Change
Justice: Balance
Hanged Man: Sacrifice
Death: Endings
Temperance: Blending
Devil: Bondage
Tower: Destruction
Star: Guidance
Moon: Illusion
Sun: Realization
Judgment: Rebirth
World: Completion

It was a pleasure to once again share with you the wonders of the Tarot. Next week, we’ll take an upclose and
personal look at the ‘Fool’ card. Until then, may the Tarot be with you!

Tags: cards, Divination, reading, tarot

• Divination

Michele Burke September, 2009

Merry Meet and Bountiful Blessings everyone, well all we have made it to our final lesson and as I said in our last issue we will be learning the basic Three Rune Draw. In the Three Rune Draw, much like the any other draw you will first need to spread out your rune casting cloth; while making sure to mix them toughly reach in to their pouch and randomly without looking pick out three stones. Now take a moment to clear your mind and body of all pent up energies (Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth, do this five times) that have accumulated over the day. Now it is time to pose your question. After deciding upon what you want to ask take the three runes into your right hand and gently shaking them (as if you were going to roll dice) cast them on to your cloth. While making sure not to alter the  direction they fell in look at the stones, if two of them landed in an upright direction and the other in reverse then the answer to your question is YES if two land in reverse then the answer is NO. The same holds true if all three stones land upright (the answer is YES) and vice versa.

Now for those of you who have not been with us throughout this course or for those of you who have but happen (which I hope is not the case) to venture out without your runes, I would like to leave you with an old Celtic method of divination that was passed down to me from a very dear family member. This method is called casting Sky stones. For this method you will need to find three small stones, one black (representing midnight), one gold (red will work or you can paint the stone. This represents the dawn) and finally a grey stone (representing dusk). Now just like casting runes for a simple Yes or No question, take the tree sky stones in your right hand, pose your question and shake and cast them onto a flat surface; after they have found their landing look at them carefully making note as to how close the gold or grey stone is to the black stone. If the gold stone is closer to the black stone then your answer is YES, but if the grey stone closer the answer is NO. However, if the stones are equal in distance from the black stone cast the stone once more (and only once) if they still are equal in distance then it is not meant for you to know the answer to your question at this time. Also if you ask a question but you do not get the answer you want do not ask again because you will be tempting Cernunnos (The Greenman) and you may get a result you were not expecting.

In closing I would like to thank all of you who have followed the Runic course from the very beginning, it has been a pleasure working with each of you and I truly hope our paths meet again. Furthermore for those of you who have taken all the quizzes and have submitted the required lessons you will be receiving your certificates of completion within the next two weeks.

Again may the Brightest Blessing follow you in this life and into the next.

Tags: Divination, runes

• Divination

Michele Burke August, 2009

Merry Meet everyone, in this lesson we will learn how to divine with our Runes. The first thing you will need to do is find a place you can work without distraction, once your private place is found you will need to find a flat surface for casting the Runes. Now you are ready to begin. In previous lessons we have learned the meanings of the runes so now it is time to use what we have learned.

There are vast arrays of ways to read the runes just as there are numerous ways to cast and read any system of divination… But we will start with three easy castings that will enable you to begin divining with your stones immediately.

The first thing you will need to do is spread out your rune casting cloth, now pour your stones out and place them right side up and put them in their alphabetical order, making sure to place the blank rune separate from the rest, and then say, “Holy Goddess, mother of us all, guide my hand as I cast these stones, guide my mind as I interpret their meanings and guide my soul as I take them into my life.” Now turn all the stones over and stir them around while concentrating on the question to be asked, select the runes and interpret. This one is an ideal way to do a daily casting, to use the runes as a guide for your day. An example reading would be if you were to draw Ansuz, right side up. This would be interoperated as meaning communication will be of the utmost importance to you today; be sure to explain yourself clearly, and to speak up when necessary and always, always listen to the needs of others.

Instead of a quiz of what we have learned today I would like for you all for one week to do a  daily one stone reading and journal your results being sure to log the stone you pulled and the interpretation you gave. Once you have come to the end of the week email your results to me at Micheleb@paganpages.com for further interpretation.

Our next lesson will be on the Three Rune Draw.

Bountiful Blessings & Happy Casting

Tags: casting, Divination, divine, reading, runes

• Divination

Rev. Alicia L. Folberth August, 2009

Dear Reader,

Welcome to ‘It’s In the Cards’ for www.PaganPages.org. At one time this column appeared in Finer Things Magazine in New Haven, CT, and I am very pleased to be writing my column again; this time for the Pagan Community.

Every month, I will do a tarot reading for one person whose question I choose for this column. Also, by writing me, you will have a chance for a free tarot 10 minute reading on the phone. If you would like to contact me about purchasing a reading, please visit my web site at www.SubRosaMagick.com or write me at SubRosaMagick@aol.com.

Since I first began reading for the public 13 years ago, I found that I fell in love with being able to help people in their personal lives and on their path as a spiritual counselor. The cards, I have found, often tell us what we need to know, and not necessarily what we want to know. They provide a way for me to see deeper into the heart of an issue and often what magickal advice I also need to give to bring about change.

Even if you aren’t familiar with tarot cards as a form of divination, they also work in the same way other forms do, be it the Runes, I-Ching, oracles or Ogam. The symbols of the tarot speak on many levels, and allow a connection to be created with spirit; opening a doorway for the universe to communicate on a personal level. As an artist as well as a priestess, I acknowledge the power of these symbols, but as a psychic, I use them to “see” more clearly.

Mediumship isn’t something I intentionally practice, but sometimes I do receive messages from spirit or departed loved ones, and if I receive messages I will relay these to you as part of the reading.

This following is the question chosen for this month.

****************************************

Dear Alicia,

What do I need to do/change in order to achieve my deepest dreams? Birthdate – 06/10/1969.

- Kelly

Dear Kelly,

As a Gemini with Venus in slow and stubborn Taurus combined with the inner restlessness of Mars in Sagittarius, you may find yourself in a bit of an inner conflict when you make decisions, however, with Jupiter in Virgo, luck comes to you rather easily once those decisions are made. Your greatest challenges will be to take risks and find your own personal liberation.

I’ve chosen a simple seven card horseshoe spread for you, which is also a lunar crescent in the same moon phase as I write this column. An extra card is drawn to represent you.

1…..S…..7

..2…….6..

…3…..5…

……4……

The Horseshoe card spread positions:
Significator card representing you
Card #1: Past

Card #2: Present situation

Card #3: Future

Card #4:

Card #5: Outside influences

Card #6: Challenge/Limitations

Card #7: Outcome at this time

The Significator card is the Ten of Cups, representing you. You are very concerned with your loved ones, and they bring you great joy. Let this be the strength that propels you forward.

The first card is the Empress (3), inversed, which represents the past, but influences the current situation. It speaks of you as being a nurturer who has given away too much of themselves, presumably for too long a period of time. This tells me that you need to take care of yourself first for this to be the foundation of those dreams. Castles in the air are nothing until the foundations are placed under them.

The second card indicates present circumstances, which is the Ten of Pentacles, inversed. Tens are cards of completion and fulfillment. This card is the physical side of the home, in contrast to the emotional Ten of Cups above. At present, there does not seem to be the physical or monetary support to further your goals and vision. Inversed, it suggests transformation, of a situation ending.

The third card is the Six of Pentacles, representing the near future. This card directly ties into the last, as financial restrictions will change and progress will be facilitated. You can expect resolution and some very real and practical help offered to help you achieve your goals.

The fourth card is the Magician (1), inversed. Although upright, this card indicates power, and when inverted, it indicates abuse of power. It is deceptive magic and slight of hand, of things that are not as they appear to be. Seeing that this is the card which advises you – this is a warning to stay on the good path and not stray from it through another’s advice, which you can count on it being self-serving. Be careful with the gifts that you will be given in the future.

The fifth card representing outside influences is the Ace of Pentacles. As the Six of Pentacles suggests, there is prosperity coming your way. If you were considering a home-based business (which would be perfect for you) this would become a possibility. Aces are beginnings and cards of initiation. Once you have the means available you should begin.

The sixth card is the Eight of Wands, inversed, and in this lies your challenge. I believe this is connected to the Magician inversed as above, a conflict with someone who may be too close to you – quite literally. A price may have to be paid in making your decision to go forward and much discord over the issue, which doesn’t surprise me. People change and behave badly most often when money is at stake.

The seventh card is the Seven of Swords. Sevens are mutable, but your dreams can be reached with perseverance and a refusal to be dictated to by the wants and needs of others. What you sow now, will be reaped later in abundance. I can’t emphasize enough that you should already have begun your plans and to do your research before any of this manifests. Your dreams will bear fruit in direct proportion to how much energy you put into them, and the energy involved must be steady.

I drew one last card, the one from the bottom on the deck, and it was the Four of Cups. This symbolizes what is hidden from you, and doubly so by the car itself. Please be open to new possibilities beyond what you can see. The brass ring doesn’t come around very often, and sometimes what appears to be brass is actually gold. The universe will provide the means, but you must provide the determination. As in the Charge of the Goddess, “Keep pure your highest ideals; strive ever towards them, let nothing stop you or turn you aside.”

Blessings,
Rev. Alicia Lyon Folberth

WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR READING TO APPEAR?

If you would like me to do a reading for you in the next issue of Pagan Pages, please send me your:
1. Name you would like me to use in the article (it doesn’t have to be your given name)
2. Full birth date
3. Your question. Feel free to ask anything!
4. Send it to: SubRosaMagick@aol.com

Tags: cards, Divination, reading, tarot

• Divination

Mindy Lee August, 2009

I recently had someone contact me via email requesting that I do a tarot reading for her.  I’ve never met her and had no idea what her current situation was.  I sat with a notepad, my favorite deck and a flickering candle.  I felt that the reading connected totally and the cards were making perfect sense, like they were falling into place.  Sometimes when I do a reading I get in the “zone” and just know that the message is coming through loud and clear.  After finishing up I typed what I had written and sent the reading to the inquirer feeling rather accomplished.  Within a day of receiving the reading she contacted me telling me that the reading was right on target, but not what she wanted to hear.  Next I got all the details on her sorted love affair and she went on to try and convince me to change the meaning of the cards.  I told her that I couldn’t give her romantic advice, but if she read the message again and maybe put it away and looked at it in another week, she would see how it applied to the situation.  The week came and went and this time she sent me an email with specific questions, numbered even!  “Why doesn’t he see that I’m so much better for him than his wife?”….”Should I lie to him and tell him I’m moving away just to see what he says?”  Needless to say, I have decided to suggest to her that she finds someone else who perhaps would have more insight into her situation.

There is so much more to divination than most people realize.  Nothing is more aggravating than receiving a call from someone who is desperate for a tarot reading when they are in self-caused turmoil or are caught in a situation that they know is wrong.  Most of the time these people don’t hear what the cards are trying to tell them and usually they will pick and choose parts of their messages to fit into the answers they want to hear.  If you are not going to listen to your true inner voice, then there is no sense in looking for someone to validate your feelings with a reading.  The first thing you need to realize is that your reader is not your psychologist.  We cannot persuade the married man you are so desperately in love with to leave his wife and fall in love with you.  We cannot give you the lottery numbers for the next power ball drawing and we cannot assure you that stealing money from your great grandmother to pay your bookie off was the right thing to do.  Please don’t misunderstand what I am saying.  If someone comes to me seeking advice for a situation, I will gladly read for them and do my best to present their messages in a non-judgmental fashion.  But, please don’t ask me to tell you everything is going to be alright and that you are a misunderstood soul who is skipping down the pearly path to heaven.

Now please don’t see me as some cranky old gypsy who is complaining about the people she reads for, that’s not at how it is at all.  I just feel that if things are more understood there can be more attention to understanding and getting answers from the higher powers rather than cornering them into giving an answer that they, and we, know is wrong.

Tags: cards, Divination, reading, tarot

• Divination

Michele Burke July, 2009

Lesson 1 and 2 Cumulative Test

Well it has come time for the first cumulative test. This test will be a review of the first two lessons.

1. How does the (Elder) Futhark get its name?

2. What are the three standard divisions of the runes known as?

3. What is the equation for the creation of the universe?

4. Which modern letters does the Elder Futhark lack?

5. With which season is the Berkana (Beorc) rune associated?

6. What are the three standard divisions of the runes known as?

7. Who governs the section of the runes associated with forces beyond human influence and understanding?

8. Which rune governs the Christmas/Yule half month period?

9. What are the three standard divisions of the runes known as?

10. Name two runes suggesting affliction and suffering which are found side by side

11. Which two runes do some authors feel should have their positions transposed?

After taking the cumulative test copy and paste your answers to the questions into a word doc. Or directly to the body of the email and email them directly to ma at Micheleb@paganPages.org for grading. Upon completion of this course students will receive a certificate of completion of the Runic.

Coming in the Month of August

We will be studying the art of using runes as a tool for divination.

Bountiful Blessings

Instructor: Michele Burke

Tags: course, Divination, free, how to, learn, runes, test

• Divination

Mindy Lee June, 2009

Dreams Part IV
Helping the Dream

To wrap up the series on dreams I thought I would share some of ways to making divination through dreams more powerful and provide the clearest results.  Often times my most creative inspirations and thoughts come to me during the “twilight” stage. (no, not the vampire movie)  You know when you’re feeling yourself drift off to sleep, but technically you are still awake.  This is the time when crazy solutions seem reasonable and the worries of the day dance softly to the back of your mind.  I often meditate for story ideas, answers to questions or signs on which direction I should take.  When I am in between dreaming and alertness is the time that I often receive the answers to my specific queries. There are many ways to help yourself achieve these answers, most of them are fairly simple.  One of the most common ways is to use lavender.
Lavender comes from the Latin root lavare, which means to wash. This plant most likely earned this name because it was frequently used in baths to help purify the body and spirit.  This theory is also very true when it comes to purifying your dreams.  When using lavender in dream divination the dreams tend to be crisper and easier to interpret.  If you’re not big on spell bags or intricate details, you can simply sprinkle some lavender essential oil onto a tissue or handkerchief and tuck it between your pillow case and your pillow or burn a lavender scented candle, being sure to extinguish it before you drift off to sleep.  If you are looking to really pull the benefits from the lavender for divination purposes, here are some wonderfully wicked ideas.

Lavender Sleep Spell: Use a charm bag (preferably purple, but any color that fits you will do).  Add the following dried plants: lavender, white sage, mugwort and chamomile.  Add the following gemstones: blood stone, rose quartz, tiger’s eye.  Tie up with a long purple ribbon (again, color choice is yours).  Lie down where you sleep, placing the charm bag on your stomach area while repeating the following chant: “The purity of light – Guide the way to prophetic sleep – Hence may I be known – For the knowledge that I keep. When the timing feels right, move the charm bag to beneath your pillow, or in the pillow case and sleep with it for three nights; by the third night, the answer you are looking for will come to you in your dreams.  This is another example of why it is good to keep a journal nearby your sleeping space, you don’t want your answer to slip away from you.

Lavender Pulse Oil: By mixing five drops of lavender with 20ml of carrier oil (such as almond) you can make a wonderful pulse oil that will help you to relax and drift off to slumber, thus giving you the answers you are seeking.  The lavender will continue to work as you sleep by relieving the stress from your mind and allowing you to focus on the question.

Lavender Sleepy Tea: With a tea infuser, or in a saucepan combine 1 tsp fresh or 1/2 tsp dried lavender, 2 tbsp drint mint (peppermint works nicely), 1 cup boiling water.  Pour the water over the lavender/mint mixture and steep for 3-5 minutes.  As you sip at the tea focus on what your divination topic is that night.  Imagine the tea releasing its magical elements as you swallow it.  Feel it working its way through your body, to each of your limbs, and finally swirling up to your mind.  Feel the tea release the answers you are searching for.  It is even said that if you leave a few of the lavender/mint blend leafs in the bottom of the cup that the answer will come in the form of a design.

Again, lavender is only one of many, many herbs that can be used to induce dream divination.  If you find that another works better for you, it can be easily substituted for any of the recipes above.  Do what works for you, your dreams are yours to explore!

Tags: Divination, Dreams

• Divination

Rev. Alicia L. Folberth May, 2009

Dear Reader,

Welcome to ‘It’s In the Cards’ for www.PaganPages.org. At one time this column appeared in Finer Things Magazine in New Haven, CT, and I am very pleased to be writing my column again; this time for the Pagan Community.

Every month, I will do a tarot reading for one person whose question I choose for this column. Also, by writing me, you will have a chance for a free tarot 10 minute reading on the phone. If you would like to contact me about purchasing a reading, please visit my web site at www.SubRosaMagick.com or write me at SubRosaMagick@aol.com.

Since I first began reading for the public 13 years ago, I found that I fell in love with being able to help people in their personal lives and on their path as a spiritual counselor. The cards, I have found, often tell us what we need to know, and not necessarily what we want to know. They provide a way for me to see deeper into the heart of an issue and often what magickal advice I also need to give to bring about change.

Even if you aren’t familiar with tarot cards as a form of divination, they also work in the same way other forms do, be it the Runes, I-Ching, oracles or Ogam. The symbols of the tarot speak on many levels, and allow a connection to be created with spirit; opening a doorway for the universe to communicate on a personal level. As an artist as well as a priestess, I acknowledge the power of these symbols, but as a psychic, I use them to “see” more clearly.

Mediumship isn’t something I intentionally practice, but sometimes I do receive messages from spirit or departed loved ones, and if I receive messages I will relay these to you as part of the reading.

I apologize for missing the last issue of Pagan Pages, as many forces seem to be moving within my own life that I have no control over.

This following is the question chosen for this month.

****************************************

Dear Alicia,

What lies ahead for me in the cards this year? My birth date is 2/26/64

Blessed be,
Dark Angel

Dear Dark Angel,

I enjoyed my phone conversation with you earlier, and I hope I was able to help you. I do hope you will find that present your husband bought you while you were living. It most certainly explains the missing money. If I receive any messages from him, I will be sure to let you know. He hasn’t entirely left this plane, and his connections to you are very strong. As I sat down to write this right after our conversation the wind began to howl and the lights went out for a few seconds.

Now that the candle is lit on the altar, the wind has died down. Not even a flicker from the lights.

Indeed, you are the person I needed to write this article for. You were the one who I felt needed the reading the most.

As a Pisces, like other water signs, you have a connection to the mysterious cosmos that many do not understand. The other parts of your chart point to you having gift for manifestation, which lends itself to being a witch. You may not need an elaborate spell to make things happen, but rather, will them into being. So I want to remind you that when life hands you setbacks, to ‘be a witch about it’ and make magical lemonade out of those lemons. You are not simply a dreamer, but a dreamer who ‘does’ with a positive can-do attitude.

Rather than doing a 12 month card layout, I will use one that corresponds to the horoscope, which will tell you about what the different aspects within your life are moving toward.

The Ten of Cups inversed is in the first house, the self, and its ruling sign is Ares. Tens are cards of transformation and fate. Clearly, your sense of self is still healing from the separation of you from your husband by his death. I do not believe you will find true happiness within yourself for a while until you can find wholeness as a separate individual outside of a relationship. Losing yourself in another person when you are in love is so easy to do, and re-finding ourselves after can be like climbing an impossibly high, steep cliff. This is something you must do for yourself. The view at the top, I hear, is amazing. It is time to transform you and your life.

The Knight of Cups inversed is in the second house, resources and money, and its ruling sign is Taurus. I feel this too, reflects the emotions within, but this time they are also controlling what is without. Be careful with what you have, and now is not the time that you will be truly prosperous. When you are emotionally ready to go forward, it will happen for you on the material plane as well, but not this year.

The Nine of Swords is in the third house, communication, and its ruling sign is Gemini. You have been through so much that those feelings are overflowing into your communication and connection. Nines represent endings of a cycle. You are through the worst of the storm, there is no need to come from a place of fear. Thoughts become words, words become actions, and actions become destiny. So be careful of those words you speak, and doubly so because of your gift for manifestation.

The Seven of Swords is in the fourth house, the home, and is ruled by Cancer. It is definitely time to begin anew even in terms of living space. Like the hermit crab, you have outgrown the old shell and it is uncomfortable emotionally as well as physically. This card advises not to discard everything, but to take with you what you can salvage and what is useful. All else will be baggage from your previous life.

The Knight of Wands inversed is in the fifth house, pleasure, creativity and romance; ruled by Leo. I believe rather than representing an aspect of yourself, this is your current love. Charming, but emotionally not an adult and acts on compulsions rather than thinking things through. Plan on being the adult, the responsible one, in your relationship and consider if you are prepared to take care of him for the rest of your life, because you will. Like myself, just because we have the strength to carries others doesn’t mean that we should. We might not be doing them any favors when fate may be pushing them to grow. People who are caretakers are often so used to being in that role they don’t notice.

The Ace of Swords is in the sixth house, health and work, ruled by Virgo. Now this was nice to see! By Samhain, these things will begin going your way. With the emotional healing will come physical healing, and with physical healing will come more opportunities.

The Ten of Pentacles is in the seventh house, partnerships, ruled by Libra. As with the Ace of Swords above, this signals a change by Samhain, and the seventh house’s connections with justice in terms of a settlement. Financially there will be balance in the household. Enjoy the ride while it lasts.

The Ten of Wands is in the eighth house, the taboos of sex, death and money, as is ruled by Scorpio. I truly have to ask you this; how much do you wish to carry? The weight of what you are carrying is too much and it is aging you inside. Perhaps you don’t have to do it all and give yourself permission to do so. Peace of mind is everything.

The King of Swords is in the ninth house, what is on the far horizon and travel, ruled by Sagittarius. It is an extension of the third house. It can also represent education and philosophy, important in your line of work. Do not allow this person in a position of ‘the sword’ to dominate or bully you. Perfectionism can take a nasty turn when it becomes personal imperfection’s projection onto others. My advice: walk away. He only has as much power as you give him. Take comfort in knowing that those who live by the sword tend to die by it.

The Horned One (the Devil) inversed is in the tenth house, career and outward image, ruled by Capricorn. You have been condemned as the devil by someone who is “the Devil,” but this card inversed, I find has an inverse meaning of its own. The tables have turned and karma will be pushing this individual back, hopefully, back under the rock he crawled out from under. The prison and bindings of his own karma is at hand. Feel free to sell popcorn while everyone enjoys the show…his fall from grace as a fallen angel.

The Two of Wands is in the eleventh house, social relationships both personal and professional, ruled by Aquarius. This is a year to decide what you want, and who you wish to keep in your life. Where you decide to go is up to you, as is the company you keep. In time, what you need will come into view and you will know what to do.

The Hermit is in the twelfth house, what is hidden, is ruled by Pisces which is your sun sign. This to me, is a very hopeful card, but it’s also a card of looking within to find healing. It is the lesson of the bear who goes fearlessly into the dark caves to dream, and she emerges leaner, but well rested from the journey within. Let the love of the Goddess be your torch to illuminate the dark places that would cause you fear, because even though we all walk the path alone, we aren’t ever truly alone.

There is someone in the spirit world also looking out for you, and I am sure you will find him at the final end of your days. When you are both reborn, you will know and love each other again. The magick of true love can’t be broken even in death. But life is for the living, so don’t forget to live until then. It is the best way to still love him to love yourself as he loved you.

Admittedly, I’m crying as I write this, being the watery moon-child that I am. It has been feeling as I have been writing this, that I’m not alone, and I keep expecting to see someone out of the corner of my eye. So let the cold rain fall tonight and its darkness, the first stirrings of summer are almost here and the sun will shine tomorrow. It will shine again for you too.

Blessed be,
Rev. Alicia Lyon Folberth

WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR READING TO APPEAR?

If you would like me to do a reading for you in the next issue of Pagan Pages, please send me your:
1. Name you would like me to use in the article (it doesn’t have to be your given name)
2. Full birth date
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Tags: cards, Divination, reading, tarot

• Divination

Michele Burke May, 2009

Lesson One: Elder Futhark Runic Symbols Explained

I would like to start off my welcoming everyone to this our new course on the study of runic divination. In each new lesson you will find innovative techniques that will help you to control the unbounded power of the Runes, innovative tools to aid in your progression. Throughout the next few months we will be learning the meanings of the 24 Elder Futhark runes, these runes are separated into three groups of eight, known as the aett or aettir (plural). This will aid you in remembering the order of the runes, and further on in the course you begin to see how the aettir are significant in the use of magick.

Lesson 1

The oldest know runic alphabet is known as the Elder Futhark, it takes its name from the sound of its first eight letters, i.e. F-U-TH-A-R-K. The three standard divisions of the Elder Futhark runes are known as the Aettir. There are a number of things to keep in mind. first of all, it the Elder Futhark alphabet lacks a number of letters from the modern-day alphabet, specifically c, q, v, x and y. Additionally, because The Futhark alphabet is based on sound, containing combinations of letters so thusly there us a Rune for the sound that is created when combining the letters T and H together, and one more for the sound created when combining the letters N and G.

Freyia’s Aett:

These 8 runes that belong to the god of fertility (Frey) and are runes connected to the creation of the world, its native-setter races as well as the gods. Runes in this aett have consequently start of things moving. Aswynn was quoted as saying “For the purpose of divination therefore the runes of this aett often express the basic principles of life – such as money, health, conflict, intelligence, control, knowledge, balance and pleasure”. The runes are read from left to right.

Fehu (F: Domestic cattle, wealth.) Possessions won or earned, earned income, luck. Abundance, financial strength in the present or near future. Sign of hope and plenty, success and happiness. Social success. Energy, foresight, fertility, creation/destruction (becoming). Fehu Reversed or Merkstave: Loss of personal property, esteem, or something that you put in effort to keep. It indicates some sort of failure. Greed, burnout, atrophy, discord. Cowardice, stupidity, dullness, poverty, slavery, bondage.

Uruz: (U: Auroch, a wild ox.) Physical strength and speed, untamed potential. A time of great energy and health. Freedom, energy, action, courage, strength, tenacity, understanding, wisdom. Sudden or unexpected changes (usually for the better). Sexual desire, masculine potency. The shaping of power and pattern, formulation of the self. Uruz Reversed or Merkstave: Weakness, obsession, misdirected force, domination by others. Sickness, inconsistency, ignorance. Lust, brutality, rashness, callousness, violence.

Thurisaz: (TH: Thorn or a Giant.) Reactive force, directed force of destruction and defense, conflict. Instinctual will, vital eroticism, regenerative catalyst. A tendency toward change. Catharsis, purging, cleansing fire. Male sexuality, fertilization. (Thorr, the Thunder god, was of Giant stock.)Thurisaz Reversed or Merkstave: Danger, defenselessness, compulsion, betrayal, dullness. Evil, malice, hatred, torment, spite, lies. A bad man or woman. Rape?

Ansuz: (A: The As, ancestral god, i.e. Odin.) A revealing message or insight, communication. Signals, inspiration, enthusiasm, speech, true vision, power of words and naming. Blessings, the taking of advice. Good health, harmony, truth, wisdom. Ansuz Reversed or Merkstave: Misunderstanding, delusion, manipulation by others, boredom. Vanity and grandiloquence. (Odin is a mighty, but duplicitous god. He always has his own agenda.)

Raidho: (R: Wagon or chariot.) Travel, both in physical terms and those of lifestyle direction. A journey, vacation, relocation, evolution, changes of place or setting. Seeing a larger perspective. Seeing the right move for you to make and deciding upon it. Personal rhythms, world rhythm, dance of life. Raidho Reversed or Merkstave: Crisis, rigidity, stasis, injustice, irrationality. Disruption, dislocation, demotion, delusion, possibly a death.

Kenaz: (K: Beacon or torch.) Vision, revelation, knowledge, creativity, inspiration, technical ability. Vital fire of life, harnessed power, fire of transformation and regeneration. Power to create your own reality, the power of light. Open to new strength, energy, and power now. Passion, sexual love. Kenaz Reversed or Merkstave: Disease, breakup, instability, lack of creativity. Nakedness, exposure, loss of illusion and false hope.

Gebo: (G: Gift.) Gifts, both in the sense of sacrifice and of generosity, indicating balance. All matters in relation to exchanges, including contracts, personal relationships and partnerships. Gebo Merkstave (Gebo cannot be reversed, but may lie in opposition): Greed, loneliness, dependence, over-sacrifice. Obligation, toll, privation, bribery.

Wunjo: (W or V: Joy.) Joy, comfort, pleasure. Fellowship, harmony, prosperity. Ecstasy, glory, spiritual reward, but also the possibility of going “over the top”. If restrained, the meaning is general success and recognition of worth. Wunjo Reversed or Merkstave: Stultification, sorrow, strife, alienation. Delirium, intoxication, possession by higher forces, impractical enthusiasm. Raging frenzy, berserker.

Comprehension Test

1. What are the three standard divisions of the runes known as?
2. How does the (Elder) Futhark get its name?
3. Who governs the section of the runes associated with forces beyond human influence and understanding?
4. Which modern letters does the Elder Futhark lack?

After taking the comprehension test copy and paste your answers to the questions into the comment section for grading. Upon completion of this course students will receive a certificate of completion of the Runic course sent securely to your inbox.

Tags: certificate, certification, course, Divination, runes

• Divination

Mindy Lee May, 2009

Dreams III

You sit up straight in bed during the dead of the night, your forehead is damp with sweat, and your heart is racing.  It takes you a few moments to ground yourself and fade back into your reality.  You sit in the dark and remember the story that just played out in your mind. What type of message was your subconscious trying to send?  Often nightmares or night terrors will reflect fears from our past, situations we are currently battling or events that we are worried about in the future.

Sometimes it will help to talk with someone about any disturbing dreams you may have.  Another opinion can often prove useful for seeing things in a different light.  Here is an example of a dream interpretation that I did when I was studying for my 101 degree:

Dream:
In my dream I am in another time in my life.  I’m in a castle and I’m running away from someone who’s trying to hurt me.  I’ don’t know if he (it is a man) is trying to hurt just me of if he’s some sort of murderer running through the castle.  I am in the throne room.  There is a single golden throne with a red velvet curtain behind it.  I walk behind the throne and peer behind the curtain when whoever it is that’s chasing me grabs my left arm (I am right handed) and chops my hand off from the wrist.

Interpretation:
You said that the dream was from your past; perhaps you could look for some clues to help you clarify what point of your life the vision is coming from.  This could be the key to identifying the problem.  The castle seems to represent the situation that the dream is centered round, the large event that causing your anxiety.  Being aware that you are in the throne room signals that you are the one in charge of the situation.  You are the “king/queen”, or the one making the decisions.  My intuition tells me that the man pursuing you is your own conscious.  The red velvet curtain may represent factors being hidden from you, as the decision maker.  When you are peering behind the curtain it could be that you are unknowingly telling yourself that you need to have more information before you should make your final verdict.  With you loosing your left hand, rather than your right, it seems that if you make your choice before seeing all the variables that you will still progress, but it will be harder that it could be.  I would definitely consider keeping pen and paper close by while you sleep to write down any small details that you remember immediately when waking.

Next month I would like to share some ways to influence your dreams and make the most of their prophetic abilities.

Tags: Divination, Dreams, omens, oracles, prophecy

• Divination