We have Neptune turning back in Pisces this week and it’s likely to bring up vulnerability as an focus point. So often people equate being vulnerable with being weak. It’s one of the biggest lies we tell. Instead it is a strength that comes from the very depths of us and it brings people together. Our Mirror Neurons are just one prime example of how we connect when our defenses are down.
It’s a survival strategy to learn from others by seeing what they do – what works and what doesn’t. It’s laced with the shadow side of judgement because when you see another in pain you draw conclusions to help ensure you don’t suffer the same pain. But that’s a simplistic viewpoint and is another of the lies we tell ourselves.
Pain is a part of life and there is no escaping it. In fact it’s the price you pay for so many wonderful things. To put your talent out there is to risk rejection or criticism. Yet imagine a life where you never share any of your gifts as a way to avoid that pain. Loving someone means you could lose them to another person, to illness or death. Again, imagine a life without loving anyone so you avoid loss.
We have kicked off an almost six month trek through bringing our defenses down a bit as a way to live more of life, including the pain that comes with it. Our old defenses still want to keep a hand in, so watch for the chatter of your inner critic or fear voice. Remember they have a job to do but not as big a job as they used to and they will have to adjust to your expanding trust in you. After all, there is more of life to live and more of you to bring to it. That’s reason enough to risk pushing back on those fearful lies.
The cards and the star will help you do just that this week.
Card of the Week: Two of Stones
This two of stones speaks to competing priorities in where you spend your time. The old patterns may try to push their way in with a familiar fast moving ‘no’ that you need to hipcheck a few times before it backs off. Or it could show up in the form of an actual competition that plays out the inner struggle in real life ways.. The key to this week is pulled straight from the text of Wildwood Tarot because it is perfect. “deal with rivalry or adversity in a dispassionate manner…used to advantage”. My take on it when I look at the cards and the stars is this. The best way to put an end to a tug of war is to drop the rope. I’m going to call on the immortal words of Shel Silverstein here in his poem, ‘Hug O War’.
Monday: Seven of Bows
This Seven is labeled clearance and with the moon in easy aspect to Chiron and harder aspects to Uranus, which means you have to choose new priorities and use what’s uncomfortable to help you shift yourself back into alignment with the fuller picture of what’s happening and how it benefits you. Those gold nuggets may have a little dirt kicked over them with a dust cloud of old viewpoints and needs a quick turn left or right to get you back on track to clearing out any place you feel ‘less than’. Get yourself up to top shape mentally, physically, emotionally or spiritually today. Check out the places you’ve been ‘limping along’ and jettison the garbage, clean it out or up and fuel yourself for what comes next. It’s a good day to ‘clean house’ in one form or another. You know which arena needs your attention the most. If you’re not sure, review where you’ve been most stuck or triggered the last few weeks. Start there. It will feel so good once you do.
Take Action: Seriously, throw one worn out thing away today – be it an old idea, belief, pattern or actual item.
Tuesday: King of Stones
Ah this King is standing with a grand trine between Mercury, Jupiter and the Moon which makes it much easier to express deep feelings that may have had a difficult time finding a voice before now. This is the most solid dependable of the Kings and it shows you where your inner determination provides a firm foundation for those emotions. Considering Neptune retrograde approaches, you may find yourself swimming in a deep pool of feelings and speaking them can help you understand yourself better. Feel your way. This is not a card of fast action. Instead it signals slow and steady wins the day. So let the feelings float up to the surface, listen to what you say to others. There are some profound truths in even little comments and conversation today. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. That step is today. Don’t worry about the rest of the way – just take the best step forward for you and believe you did it right.
Take Action: Risk saying something out loud today that feels a little bit scary to share, and pick a good listener when you do!
Wednesday: Knight of Vessels
This passionate Knight rolls in on an emotional current. Knights are always movement and this one is the heart-centered action. When it’s in alignment it is a treasured invitation you receive. When it’s out of alignment it’s dividing your risk between more than one outlet to keep yourself safe. The Vessels represent the element of water and think in terms of tides today. The waves come in and go out but the tide still advances or retreats. Notice which way your heart is pointing and trust it. Thanks to a little help from the Sun trine the Moon and conjunct the South Node in the afternoon, you can face any fear of loss associated with taking on a chance on what you love and move from a young defensive place to a solid motion forward filled with more excitement in it than fear. As the evening begins you get some real ‘aha’ lightning bolts thanks to Uranus in the mix and it helps you see where your taking the leap of faith for what you love is not only less frightening than you imagined but a lot more fun, too! Now that’s some progress!
Take Action: When emotions get intense, get out your phone and time ten minutes worth of deep breathing to help move the feelings naturally through your nervous system.
Thursday: Six of Vessels
Ah this six speaks of reunion. The sixes all correspond with the Virgo energy of being whole and intact unto yourself. So the reunion can be first the one within you. The Moon moves into mystical Pisces and the Sun opposes Saturn along with a mix of both helpful and some other difficult aspects. Today there are no easy answers, instead it’s a sense of feeling your way with trust in you. Based on the information you have today you make decisions and allow them to flow. This is about a healing process and if you’ve ever had a cut you know it takes a few days to heal. So view today as the day you bandage up the hurt places, take care of your own booboos and feel good about the fact that you are such a good caretaker of you. No matter what life throws at you, you are able to dress your own wounds and heal. There’s safety in this knowledge.
Take Action: Wherever hurts the most today I want you to be silly and imagine kissing a ‘booboo’ like you would for a child. Whether it’s your heart, your head, your pride, doesn’t matter. Give it a kiss.
Friday: Eight of Vessels
We continue the deep dive in the emotional pool this Friday with this Eight. What we put out there comes back to us and this eight is all about a chance to use the situations that we are in to gauge where we need to let go and leave an old pattern behind. It’s done and the tide is not only out it’s taking this habit out to sea where it can dissolve back into the primordial soup. We have Neptune going Retrograde today conjunct the Moon and Pluto gets into the action as well. The good news is this release is cause for celebration my friend. The crazy thing is with Moon square Mercury you could be served up with information that completely upends something you thought was true that not only wasn’t true but wasn’t even close to being real. In other words, you can see where your fears have been your own worst enemy and you have vanquished those unwelcome beliefs. They sail out with the tide, never to return. What comes back to you instead is the sure belief you can trust your the direction your heart points to you. Now that’s a rebirth for sure!
Take Action: When you decide what it is you want to release today picturing flushing it down the toilet and seeing it head out to sea. Biodegradable of course…
Saturday: Five of Bows
Well hello primal five energy. This fiery fellow ushers in new activity and one that has a certain amount of friction built in to it. But good friction. Think Empowerment – the watchword for this card. That means there is a challenge to face, obstacles to overcome a test of strength you meet. It is also the card that signals difficulties at the beginning. I always picture either a butterfly making its way out of the cocoon or a chick pecking its way out of the shell. In both examples there is a wonderful payoff for the effort you expend. So today see not only what’s being asked or demanded of you but what you gain for meeting that request. It feels good, really good to rise to meet a challenge and do it. You may even surprise yourself and exceed expectations. With both the Moon square Saturn and the Sun it can feel like a stretch goal. But knowing you can do it helps you heal any of the old sour feelings of helplessness or inadequacy. Now that’s a good day…
Take Action: If the world doesn’t present a challenge today, give yourself one. Go ahead with a little stretch goal today – you’ll feel better for it.
Sunday: Ace of Bows
Wowza, we have quite the planetary shake up today with Jupiter, Mars and Pluto in tense aspect to each other to really dial up a fresh start. Let enthusiasm for it rise with this fiery Ace trumpeting a new beginning of some sort. It’s not enough to have an idea or a belief, today you are required to put your money where your mouth is or walk your talk – two familiar sayings to illustrate the point. The good news is your efforts brim with a kind of electricity that you can feel and transfer to those around you. Enthusiasm is contagious. Let yourself light up and share that with those around you. You can spark some fun and interesting new conversations, directions or creations today. Your body doesn’t register much difference between fear and excitement, they are very, very similar responses. The difference is breath and social cues. Your job is to know you can handle this stretch into new territory and may really, really enjoy it too. Let the sparks of inspiration fly…
Take Action: Today if you feel anxious pause and breathe into it. Breathe deeply and reassure yourself so you can have some fun with what’s on deck.
