HiC (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} tarotbyhic) wrote,@ 2008-02-07 23:00:00 |
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TarotScopes by HiC ~ February 2008
Tarot by HiC website
TarotScopes by HiC
February 2008
Year of the Rat
begins 7 February 2008
Chinese astrology views a Rat Year as the most prominent of the water element years and the Rat is the first of the 12 animal signs. So a Year of the Rat also represents the beginning of a new 12 year cycle around the Chinese Astrological Wheel. According to legend, when the Buddha invited the animals of the kingdom to come before him, it was the Rat who was first to appear. Never one to miss out, the Rat is keen and eager and a great opportunist. And so it is with the Year of the Rat. Not only does it mark the beginning of a new cycle of animal years, but it is also a time of opportunity and progress. This is also the time to make long-term investment plans that will serve to see us through the bleak years that may follow. All ventures begun at this time will be successful if one prepares well. But do not take chances or unnecessary risks. A Rat Year is a time of hard work, activity, and renewal. This is a good year to begin a new job, get married, launch a product or make a fresh start. Ventures begun now may not yield fast returns, but opportunities will come for people who are well prepared and resourceful. The best way for you to succeed is to be patient, let things develop slowly, and make the most of every opening you can find. In Chinese, the Rat is respected and considered a courageous, enterprising person.
New Moon in Aquarius
6 February 2008
by Lisa Dale Miller
This is the New Moon for radical change. Aquarius is often thought of as visionary: an energy that looks beyond the norm, questions accepted truths, boldly claims originality, flies in the face of reason; and flatly refuses to blindly follow the dictates of others. Add to this an energetic direct-moving Mars in Gemini trine Sun/Moon/Neptune in Aquarius and a slow, methodical retrograde Saturn in Virgo trine Pluto/Jupiter in Capricorn, and we’ve got a New Moon perfect for envisioning actual implementation of radical change. Aquarius rules “WHY NOT?”, and this is where your attitude needs to be when you engage in ritual for this New Moon. Any hesitance, doubt, or second-guessing should be forsworn in favour of a radical openness to revelation. Change is good! Reflect upon how you felt when you read that last sentence. Did you feel a pit in your stomach? Did you scoff at me? Did you feel a powerful YES! reverberate in your psyche? Really it all comes down to our attitude toward change, and this is the New Moon to throw out the old and bring in the new! This is the time to seek and destroy worn out modes of thinking. The Aquarius New Moon asks each of us to awaken to the reality of our lives. To see it as it truly is (no rose coloured glasses allowed) and then envision a better life; one free of old rules and restrictions that reflect your “I can'ts, I won’ts, I’m unable, and I’m scared”. This is a truth or dare New Moon. Recognise your present circumstances and then dare to vision beyond them, past the boundaries of the known into the unknown. If your life feels more like a prison than a gift, this is the New Moon to commit to freeing yourself once and for all. This can include releasing unhealthy relationships, workaholic tendencies, addictive behaviours, substance abuse, and even poor dietary habits. Changing our thoughts is the first step toward effecting real change in our behaviour. So don’t hold back, go for transformation around issues that block your ability to create a life full of love and happiness. The Moon symbolises one’s relationship to the inner life, emotions, and deep personal needs. Aquarius tends to set aside personal needs and feelings, focusing more on the emotional needs of the group. This New Moon will require a bit of work to reach deep down into the emotional aspects of change. Often it is the fear of facing our inner pain, sadness, and disappointment that prevents change. Letting go of our own insecurities opens the way for realisation of the Aquarius’ greatest desire: selfless gifting of personal talent for the betterment of all peoples around the world. On a lighter note, this is the New Moon for all the techie geeks with that “next-new-revolutionary” idea rolling around in your brilliant heads and should get your synapses firing faster than a speeding proton. That next great innovation could come from you! So this is the New Moon to vision big and concretise new ideas by using the focused, creative, yet grounded energies of creativity)/personal power/luck. Aquarius is all about the “power of one” to change the circumstances of the many. Global change begins at home. Since change can happen from within the system or outside of it, only you know the proper path for you. The Aquarius New Moon is all about individuation and freethinking. It is a time to get free of self-imposed restrictions and think out of the box! Use your ritual to indulge in the “what ifs” of life: Question expectations, career choices, relationships, attitudes, desires and commitments. It’s all up for grabs on this New Moon. Let your mind and heart soar like an eagle to places it has never dared go. Do powerful ritual work to realise a long held dream, requiring a long-term commitment. How many times have you thought, “If I could only do ____________, it would really change the world!” This Aquarius New Moon is great for identifying that calling, visualising the appropriate form for sharing it, and strategising its actualisation. Make sure to use each day of the next two weeks, as the Moon waxes to full, to reaffirm your commitments. The Full Moon total lunar eclipse in Virgo will provide the perfect time to enact the changes you put energy into during the next two weeks. Think about how you can become a force for change at your workplace, in your neighbourhood, and at home. Change is good! So this New Moon, commit to changing your life and you will change the world. Ride the wave of this mind-altering, life-altering New Moon Cycle.
TarotScopes by HiC
February 2008
A note on reading these TarotScopes. If you have had your astrological natal chart done, then you can use your sun, rising and moon signs to get a more well rounded sense of your month. Your rising sign is how you act in the world. Your sun sign indicates your ego/self-identity as well as your deepest goals and wants in life (or, in this case, the primary goals and desires for the month). Your moon sign is your emotional self, how we respond emotionally and what we feel. Combine the TarotScopes for all three of those, and you get a much clearer picture of the energies affecting you for the month and the areas in which those energies will be most prevalent. If you only know your sun sign, that's fine and you can just go with that. If you would like to know your other signs, then I would suggest that you simply visit a website (it's free! 8) such as www.astro.com.
ARIES
2 of Disks
Prepare to busy as the 2 of Disks is the card of the multitasker and represents a period when taking on more than one project, doing more than one job, or having multiple irons in the fire are called for or facing you. The nice thing with this card is that it represents the ability to take on, manage and deal with all these things going on. Balance and equilibrium are called for along with a sense of staying grounded and pragmatic in how you manage things. This could be a time when it is time to take on a second job or put your efforts into doing something additional, the keyword here being that it is time to start doing rather than planning and waiting for the "right" time. This card often comes up when someone is wondering whether they should start doing what they really want to be doing, or if they should simply stay in what they are already. The 2 of Disks asks, "Why not both ?" If someone wants to make art there livelihood, the 2 of Disks says to start doing it, even if that simply means displaying and selling it at art and wine fairs on the week-ends while still working your "regular" job during the week. The 2 of Disks can indicate being in more than one relationship right now and that you'll find a way to make that work. The point being that the 2 of Disks indicates it doesn't have to be either/or because you are up to taking on and doing it all, so start doing and enjoying and making it happen rather than putting it off because of one thing or the other. Trust that you'll find a way to make it all work rather than doubting yourself and your own capabilities; stay adaptable and mobile, because the 2 of Disks says that you are in a position right now to be a master juggler, taking on and handling whatever life brings and offers you right now. Don't wait for change to happen; start implementing the changes you want to see in your life even while other things might still be in process or finishing up.
TAURUS
Queen of Cups
Reversed
Be careful not to let emotion get the better of you during this time. Stay focused and approach or deal with things from a logical and rational place. Part of the tendency toward an emotional response to things may come from feeling as if you are emotionally drained and exhausted. As the Queen represents the mother figure, the reversal of a Queen implores you to take some time to mother yourself, here with the suit of Cups focusing on supporting, recharging and tending to your own emotional well-being and needs rather than draining yourself in the service of others, making sure everyone else is happy, satisfied, content. Some major things to stay conscious of and not let overwhelm you are too much dreaming and not enough focus and discipline. Things need to get done right now, and imagining the outcome or dreaming about the end result isn't going to accomplish the task at hand. The reversed Queen of Cups can represent a creative block, so right now is a time to focus on those things that inspire you, that feed your creativity, that get your juices flowing. Don't get so caught up in something or someone that you lose connection with yourself and what you need. Be careful of someone trying to use you, especially in such a way that they sap every last ounce of emotion from you like siphoning gas from a car; don't allow yourself to stay in situations where someone is taking, taking, taking. You may tend to downplay or outright ignore or be disconnected from your intuitive self. What do you need to do to get back in the flow of things ? Where are you not paying attention to your intuition ? Don't let jealousy or erratic emotions cause you to say or do things that are harmful or unproductive. Find an outlet for your emotions so you can express how you feel; find a shoulder to cry on rather than playing the typical role of being the shoulder that everyone else cries on. Seek out those people or places that will support you during your time of emotional need and that ask for nor need nothing in return. If you're an energy worker, then allow energy work to be done on you rather than you being the one doing energy work on others; allow yourself to be the recipient of energy rather than the one from whom it flows out.
GEMINI
20 Emergence (aka XX Judgement)
This is a card that appears when you can no longer ignore the writing on the wall, when you must heed the call and overcome all fear in order to simply rise up and take your place on the path that is being laid out before you. The Emergence card asks that you come out of your shell, come out of your cocoon, and begin to reach for the stars. Trust your own judgement and discernment; know that you can make the right decisions and are capable of the best judgement calls. What has been waiting to emerge is now finally ready to come into being; don't hold it back or wait any longer. As the second to last card of the Major Arcana cycle, the Emergence card is one that indicates this is a time for taking stock and assessing what has gotten you to this point as you prepare to move into the next major phase or direction of your life. Without blame or fault, simply assess what worked and what didn't so that you know what you can take with you as you move forward and what needs to be left behind and learned from so that the same mistakes are not repeated. There is the sense that an "old" you is now being put to rest as a "new" you is emerging and taking centre stage ready for a new adventure, a new direction, a new life. Snap out of it !; it's time to wake up from your stagnant, dead state and rise to the challenge of a new way of living. A spiritual rebirth is taking place and the Emergence card asks that you embrace that rebirth process and where it wants to take you rather than fighting it and trying so hard to stay in your safe little cocoon. Get out and start experiencing your spiritual path and awakening rather than staying bound inside books and in front of computer screens.
CANCER
Knight of Cups (aka King of Cups)
Reversed
Perhaps the big concern when this card is reversed is an in ability to deal with reality and the extreme measures that might be taken in order to maintain a state of escape, numbness and denial. What is is that you are not wanting to deal with that causes you to simply escape into a dream world of pretending it doesn't exist ? Be conscious of how you may be using some sort of addictive or unhealthy behaviour (be it drugs, alcohol, food, sex, television, whatever) as a way out, a way around, a way of not dealing. This card often appears reversed when it is time to realise that you can't face of deal with something all on your own and that it is time to seek out some sort of counselling or guidance to assist you in this process. When reversed, the Knight of Cups can indicate that complete healing has not taken place . . . whether this means that it is too soon to think that you are through your healing process (especially emotionally healing due to loss, trauma, heartbreak, grief, etc), or that it may be time to face and accept that there might be something that can or will never be healed and how to start living with that acceptance accordingly rather than acting as if "it will get better." This is a big card about denial, and there is a need to start facing what you are in denial about rather than perhaps making it worse or allowing it to go on any longer by continuing to live in denial. Be careful that someone isn't (or that you're not allowing someone to) take emotional advantage of you in some way. The reversed Knight of Cups can indicate that someone is only concerned with their own feelings and "happiness" with little regard for anyone else's. You may find someone trying to play the guilt card on you or, at the extreme, emotionally controlling/abusing you. It's time to stop being afraid of standing up to that person or situation and do what is right and best for you rather than giving them the power to take advantage of you any longer. In a relationship situation, you may find that the love has gone, or it may be time to start looking at a relationship realistically rather than continuing to live in denial of how a person or relationship actually is. Physician, heal thyself. See that you are drowning and you have to start doing what is needed for yourself now rather than putting yourself at risk by trying so hard not to upset others.
LEO
Prince of Wands (aka Knight of Wands)
Reversed
This needs to be a time when you take things slowly, when a measured approach is called for rather than charging ahead at light speed. Impulse and instant gratification need to be brought under control. Be careful not to go so hard, so fast that you exhaust and burn yourself out before you ever get to the finish line. You may feel uninspired, unmotivated, unwilling. This could be a result of everything in your life revolving around things for which you have little or no real interest or passion. Therefore, this could be a good time for seeking out at least one thing that you really want to be doing or that you are really passionate about and begin finding a way to incorporate that into your life rather than it always being the thing that gets put off until later. The reversed Prince of Wands can be a period of questioning one's sexuality, or perhaps experimenting with alternative forms of sexual expression. Be prepared to come out of the reversed Prince of Wands something or someone you never expected to be or that you might have convinced yourself you never would allow yourself to be. As an upright card that represents moving forward, travel and things zipping along very quickly, the reversal can indicate that something may be at a standstill, that something really doesn't seem to have anywhere to go or that it is just not going to go anywhere, that the passion and romance has fizzled out, and/or that travel right now is not recommended or may experience cancellations or delays. If you are travelling, the reversed Prince of Wands can suggest taking it easy and not doing a lot rather than being on the go all the time so that you can actually rest, relax and recuperate rather than getting home and needing the proverbial vacation after the vacation. This is a time for examining in what ways and in what areas you are afraid of going after what you want, afraid of being yourself. You may be focusing your energy in the wrong way or in the wrong places. How are you allowing your energy to get used up by things you have little interest or passion about while complaining that you are too tired or unmotivated to go out and pursue the things you really want ? Perhaps it's time to stop being afraid of allowing your passion and burning desires to be the real catalyst and driving force in your life. Stop being afraid to live a life that is authentic and true to who you are at your core rather than living a surface life that you hope will be acceptable to and accepted by others.
VIRGO
8 of Wands
Hold on because things are zooming onward and upward at light speed. When the 8 of Wands appears, it signals a period when things are likely to happen quickly and/or when you are being called upon to not hesitate and simply seize the moment. Be immediate, quick, spontaneous. Go with your gut rather than taking much time to think things through and plan things out. Be on the go, moving forward, making things happen. Also expect quick turnaround or quick decisions and then be prepared to run with the outcome. Things are going to be happening or coming fast and furious, so there won't be time to analyse and think about it. Imagine a drill instructor standing next to you yelling, "GO ! GO ! GO !" This is one of the travel cards in the deck, and as such, it represents that there is likely to be travel involved during this period and/or that something significant will be related to or come about as a result of travel. Basically, keep a bag packed and tucked away in the closet so that you are ready to go at any moment. Be careful that things don't get so out of hand that they start flying off the rails. You can be going 150 miles an hour as long as you also stay focused. This can be a very positive indicator for forward movement on projects and business matters. It can also signal the moving forward of a romance/relationship. Things are happening, momentum is building. Carpe diem !
LIBRA
18 Moon
This is a time for reflection, for being willing to go into those deep, dark places that we often are afraid to look or delve into in order to start seeing and experiencing the hidden meanings and deeper experiences that we heretofore had denied ourselves or been disconnected from. This can be a period when your intuition is at its strongest. Listen to it, experience it, don't be afraid of it. See where it wants to take you, no matter how scary or painful your preconception about it might be. Trust your instinct. This card can appear when we may be starting to feel as if we are losing touch with reality or sanity, and it is a card that advises that it may be time to seek out some form of professional help or guidance. This is a card of mysteries, secrets, those deep, dark things that every attempt has been made to keep from being revealed. But when the Moon card appears, there is a sense that these things are lurking just beneath the surface rather than safely buried away somewhere. This can include things like insecurities, repressed memories that are starting to surface, or feelings that something just isn't quite right even though you may not be able to pinpoint just what that "something" might be yet. The Moon card appears to caution us from taking things at face value, for things may not be all that they appear to be. This is a card that relates to past lives, and you may find the past resurfacing in some way that needs to be dealt with. Instead of denying or avoiding it . . . deal with it so that it can once and for all be put in the past. The Moon represents the natural cycles of life, and perhaps there is a need to accept the cyclical nature of something in your life rather than trying to keep it in a state of suspended animation or working overtime to acknowledge and accept where things are in that cycle. Perhaps there is a need, even urgency, to pay (greater) attention to the phases and energies of the moon, understanding and working with them. Use intuition and fantasy to augment your daily reality, not to replace it. Pay attention to what patterns (especially the unhealthy ones) you may be perpetuating so that you can begin to shed light on them in order to change them.
SCORPIO
8 of Cups
This is the card that says it is time to emotionally let go and move on. Whatever it is that attach your happiness or identity to – as if without it you will be miserable, you will be nothing – then that is what it is time to let go of. You may think that misery and heartache are all that await you if you do so. But the 8 of Cups is a card that represents something better waiting for you on the horizon. But it's up to you to go to it rather than you being able to wait where you're at until it comes to you. If you're in an unhappy relationship, stop waiting for someone "better" to come along before you are willing to end this unhealthy one and *gasp* perhaps even be single for a while. If you're miserable in your job, stop waiting for something "better" to pop up instead of you taking action towards finding something better and letting go of the miserable one you're in. Basically, let this be your mantra . . . It's time to move on. Accept that there's nothing more you can do in the current situation so that isn't the ongoing excuse for not taking action and moving on. Don't assume that the alternative will probably be more miserable or more difficult. The 8 of Cups doesn't say that it will be easy, without pain, or even that things will be better over night. But how often have we held on to something for so long only to finally let it go and then say, "Why did I hold on to that for so long ?" due to the immediate sense of relief, shift, and a burden having lifted ? This can be a card of depression, and this can be the type of depression that may need outside assistance to deal with rather than just being the simpler, "I'll get over it in a day or two," kind of depression. Don't be afraid to seek out or go to the person or group that you feel might be able to help you right now. Love people who love you back, and remove from your life those people that are nothing but emotional drains for you. Be loving and compassionate toward yourself, willing to do what is best and healthiest for you and for everyone involved rather than minimising your own interests and emotional well-being. Sometimes love means moving away, moving on, setting free rather than holding on so tightly to the point of suffocation.
SAGITTARIUS
I Magician
Are you ready ? Because the Magician indicates that you have achieved liftoff. The countdown is over and it is time for the new to begin. The Magician appears when a new phase or direction of life is taking off, or when it is time to take that first major step in the direction. Now is the time to start, now is the time to get things going, now is the time when all of the elements are in place for you to get things going. Get this party started, indeed ! It's time to bring your vision into reality by taking the first actions in that direction. Planning a new career ? Now is the time to start making it happen. New relationship ? The elements are in place for that to start appearing. Know what you want by being focused and clear in your intention and vision, and start putting action behind the will (and this card indicates you are certainly not lacking in willpower) in order to really get things moving in the direction you want to see them go. You have the tools and resources necessary to get started, so there's no reason to wait or put off any longer. It's time. You may find that you are able to just make things happen, that you can pull what is needed out of a hat. Know that you can manifest it when you need it, so don't doubt, and, of course, be careful where you wave that magic wand of yours. You can make anything happen that you set your mind and will to. So ask yourself what you want and then know that you can go out and start to make it happen as there's nothing lacking or holding you back at this point. This can be a time for focusing on the vision process, coming up with the vision of how things are to look or what direction to take them. This is a card of the visionary, and that may be your role right now. Unknown possibilities may emerge. Take advantage of your ability to dazzle others. Don't be surprised if things happen or come into your life "like magic." But know, also, that the magic starts from within you and is simply the manifestation of your intention and will.
CAPRICORN
Ace of Swords
Reversed
Stop thinking so hard and focusing so intently . . . close your eyes, breathe, and hear what your heart, your intuition, your inner voice is saying. Stop trying to so hard to analyse and rationalise; instead, simply allow yourself to trust what feels right. The main focus right now isn't on the learning, reading, studying. Instead, put the emphasis on experiencing, on doing, on being a part of. Don't spend so much time planning that a good plan goes to waste. Be careful that you don't allow yourself to get too easily distracted and lose focus on what you're doing or what needs to be done. As Swords is the suit of electronics and electronic communication, the reversed Ace of Swords suggests turning off the television, leaving the computer/cellphone/blackberry at home, and just go out and be in the moment, in the world, seeing what it feels like and where it takes you. Don't plan, just meander. Don't navigate, just drive. Take a walk without a destination. Go shopping for nothing in particular. Arrive at the theater and just go see whatever movie is starting next. Pick up a book, open it, and start reading from whatever page you opened to. As Swords is the suit of communication in general, the reversed Ace of Swords can indicate static in the lines, meaning there may be miscommunication, lost communication, or difficulty getting your point across. Keep copies, check facts, verify and followup up, ask for receipts, get a second opinion. When the Ace of Swords is reversed, there may be deeply rooted (in the past) pain, abuse and/or abandonment issues that may be getting triggered. Be prepared for these and, instead of trying to figure them out and work through them intellectually, be present with the emotions that come so that you can process them and being healing them rather than figuring out how to get them back in the box as quickly and efficiently as possible. The reversed Ace of Swords can indicate that an idea or plan doesn't have a lot of merit or possibility of being able to be carried out . . . or perhaps things are still in the planning stages, and it is not yet time to start moving forward until additional aspects have been thought through and planned for. Doubt, confusion, indecision may be getting in the way of being able to see things clearly or think things through completely. Overthinking, are we ? There seems to be an inability to cut through the illusion and confusion in order to see and act with clarity and focus. What are you unwilling to do, unwilling to cut away, in order to move forward toward a desired goal ? Things may not go according to plan . . . be flexible and adaptable. And this may sound odd, but be careful of loss of consciousness (be it literal and/or figurative).
AQUARIUS
10 of Wands
Reversed
Generally, we like to see the 10 of Wands reversed, because it indicates a sense of things getting easier, the load getting lighter, that we are starting to shed and set aside those things that we don't need to be responsible for. This is when we start saying no, when we start delegating, when we don't make it our responsibility to bear the burden of those things that are the responsibility of others. Ask for assistance. Don't take on too much. Start shedding, ending, passing on things that keep you from being able to focus on and put all of your energy into that which is your primary goal, passion or ambition. This is when you begin to truly see that you have a choice, and that you are not obligated by anything or anyone other than those people/things you choose to say yes to. It's time to declutter and simplify. This is when it's time to recognise where all the extra fat is and start shedding all the extra pounds in order to get back to a lean, mean machine rather than a bloated, burdened, sputtering along heap. There is an awareness of where the fat is and what needs to be trimmed. The question now is whether you are willing to do what is necessary to trim that fat (the reversal would say that you are ready, but there is always that matter of freewill 8). Sometimes, you do have to be careful when this card is reversed because it can represent complete burnout and breakdown. But this just emphasises the earlier themes of taking on too much, trying to do too much, or working so hard to lighten everyone else's load that you are overloading yourself. It's time to realise when enough is enough and act accordingly. Upright, this is a card of oppression. Reversed, it is a card that indicates being aware of what actions you might be taking that contribute to your own oppression, and being ready to start making some necessary and long needed changes in order to get a sense of power and control over your own life back.
PISCES
Prince of Swords (aka Knight of Swords)
On the one hand, the Prince of Swords is ready for a challenge and doesn't hesitate to charge right in and take it on. Be bold and aggressive. Be ready and willing to fight for what you want and what you believe in. You may find this to be a period punctuated by conflict and fighting. Be careful that you aren't rushing into things without thinking, or speaking without considering your words first. The Prince of Swords can represent the walls and defences built up to protect ourselves making us inaccessible and invulnerable and impenetrable. And then we wonder why we find it so hard to get along with others or to find a relationship. You've got to let your guard down and let people in once in a while, otherwise, you're just going to keep on wondering. Do you come across as cold or intimidating ? And does that seem to be getting the results you want ? This is a period that calls for being brave and eager. But it can also be highlighted by swift action with little or no follow through (often the result of a short attention span). You may find yourself putting out fires with little time to do much else. Be careful that impatience doesn't lead to acting too hastily or making snap judgements. Be prepared to be the one cutting through the confusion in order to bring a bit of clarity to the situation. At the same time, avoid becoming self-righteous just because you were right or came up with the idea that worked. Think for yourself, find your own truth . . . and then allow others to have the same right and opportunity rather than railroading your ideas and ways of thinking over everyone else's.
©2008 Tarot by HiC
HiC is a professional Tarot Consultant.
He is available for readings in person, via email, Instant Message, webcam, audio CD, or by phone.
You can contact him through his website at
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or via email at
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Tarot by HiC website
TarotScopes by HiC
February 2008
Year of the Rat
begins 7 February 2008
Chinese astrology views a Rat Year as the most prominent of the water element years and the Rat is the first of the 12 animal signs. So a Year of the Rat also represents the beginning of a new 12 year cycle around the Chinese Astrological Wheel. According to legend, when the Buddha invited the animals of the kingdom to come before him, it was the Rat who was first to appear. Never one to miss out, the Rat is keen and eager and a great opportunist. And so it is with the Year of the Rat. Not only does it mark the beginning of a new cycle of animal years, but it is also a time of opportunity and progress. This is also the time to make long-term investment plans that will serve to see us through the bleak years that may follow. All ventures begun at this time will be successful if one prepares well. But do not take chances or unnecessary risks. A Rat Year is a time of hard work, activity, and renewal. This is a good year to begin a new job, get married, launch a product or make a fresh start. Ventures begun now may not yield fast returns, but opportunities will come for people who are well prepared and resourceful. The best way for you to succeed is to be patient, let things develop slowly, and make the most of every opening you can find. In Chinese, the Rat is respected and considered a courageous, enterprising person.
New Moon in Aquarius
6 February 2008
by Lisa Dale Miller
This is the New Moon for radical change. Aquarius is often thought of as visionary: an energy that looks beyond the norm, questions accepted truths, boldly claims originality, flies in the face of reason; and flatly refuses to blindly follow the dictates of others. Add to this an energetic direct-moving Mars in Gemini trine Sun/Moon/Neptune in Aquarius and a slow, methodical retrograde Saturn in Virgo trine Pluto/Jupiter in Capricorn, and we’ve got a New Moon perfect for envisioning actual implementation of radical change. Aquarius rules “WHY NOT?”, and this is where your attitude needs to be when you engage in ritual for this New Moon. Any hesitance, doubt, or second-guessing should be forsworn in favour of a radical openness to revelation. Change is good! Reflect upon how you felt when you read that last sentence. Did you feel a pit in your stomach? Did you scoff at me? Did you feel a powerful YES! reverberate in your psyche? Really it all comes down to our attitude toward change, and this is the New Moon to throw out the old and bring in the new! This is the time to seek and destroy worn out modes of thinking. The Aquarius New Moon asks each of us to awaken to the reality of our lives. To see it as it truly is (no rose coloured glasses allowed) and then envision a better life; one free of old rules and restrictions that reflect your “I can'ts, I won’ts, I’m unable, and I’m scared”. This is a truth or dare New Moon. Recognise your present circumstances and then dare to vision beyond them, past the boundaries of the known into the unknown. If your life feels more like a prison than a gift, this is the New Moon to commit to freeing yourself once and for all. This can include releasing unhealthy relationships, workaholic tendencies, addictive behaviours, substance abuse, and even poor dietary habits. Changing our thoughts is the first step toward effecting real change in our behaviour. So don’t hold back, go for transformation around issues that block your ability to create a life full of love and happiness. The Moon symbolises one’s relationship to the inner life, emotions, and deep personal needs. Aquarius tends to set aside personal needs and feelings, focusing more on the emotional needs of the group. This New Moon will require a bit of work to reach deep down into the emotional aspects of change. Often it is the fear of facing our inner pain, sadness, and disappointment that prevents change. Letting go of our own insecurities opens the way for realisation of the Aquarius’ greatest desire: selfless gifting of personal talent for the betterment of all peoples around the world. On a lighter note, this is the New Moon for all the techie geeks with that “next-new-revolutionary” idea rolling around in your brilliant heads and should get your synapses firing faster than a speeding proton. That next great innovation could come from you! So this is the New Moon to vision big and concretise new ideas by using the focused, creative, yet grounded energies of creativity)/personal power/luck. Aquarius is all about the “power of one” to change the circumstances of the many. Global change begins at home. Since change can happen from within the system or outside of it, only you know the proper path for you. The Aquarius New Moon is all about individuation and freethinking. It is a time to get free of self-imposed restrictions and think out of the box! Use your ritual to indulge in the “what ifs” of life: Question expectations, career choices, relationships, attitudes, desires and commitments. It’s all up for grabs on this New Moon. Let your mind and heart soar like an eagle to places it has never dared go. Do powerful ritual work to realise a long held dream, requiring a long-term commitment. How many times have you thought, “If I could only do ____________, it would really change the world!” This Aquarius New Moon is great for identifying that calling, visualising the appropriate form for sharing it, and strategising its actualisation. Make sure to use each day of the next two weeks, as the Moon waxes to full, to reaffirm your commitments. The Full Moon total lunar eclipse in Virgo will provide the perfect time to enact the changes you put energy into during the next two weeks. Think about how you can become a force for change at your workplace, in your neighbourhood, and at home. Change is good! So this New Moon, commit to changing your life and you will change the world. Ride the wave of this mind-altering, life-altering New Moon Cycle.
TarotScopes by HiC
February 2008
A note on reading these TarotScopes. If you have had your astrological natal chart done, then you can use your sun, rising and moon signs to get a more well rounded sense of your month. Your rising sign is how you act in the world. Your sun sign indicates your ego/self-identity as well as your deepest goals and wants in life (or, in this case, the primary goals and desires for the month). Your moon sign is your emotional self, how we respond emotionally and what we feel. Combine the TarotScopes for all three of those, and you get a much clearer picture of the energies affecting you for the month and the areas in which those energies will be most prevalent. If you only know your sun sign, that's fine and you can just go with that. If you would like to know your other signs, then I would suggest that you simply visit a website (it's free! 8) such as www.astro.com.
ARIES
2 of Disks
Prepare to busy as the 2 of Disks is the card of the multitasker and represents a period when taking on more than one project, doing more than one job, or having multiple irons in the fire are called for or facing you. The nice thing with this card is that it represents the ability to take on, manage and deal with all these things going on. Balance and equilibrium are called for along with a sense of staying grounded and pragmatic in how you manage things. This could be a time when it is time to take on a second job or put your efforts into doing something additional, the keyword here being that it is time to start doing rather than planning and waiting for the "right" time. This card often comes up when someone is wondering whether they should start doing what they really want to be doing, or if they should simply stay in what they are already. The 2 of Disks asks, "Why not both ?" If someone wants to make art there livelihood, the 2 of Disks says to start doing it, even if that simply means displaying and selling it at art and wine fairs on the week-ends while still working your "regular" job during the week. The 2 of Disks can indicate being in more than one relationship right now and that you'll find a way to make that work. The point being that the 2 of Disks indicates it doesn't have to be either/or because you are up to taking on and doing it all, so start doing and enjoying and making it happen rather than putting it off because of one thing or the other. Trust that you'll find a way to make it all work rather than doubting yourself and your own capabilities; stay adaptable and mobile, because the 2 of Disks says that you are in a position right now to be a master juggler, taking on and handling whatever life brings and offers you right now. Don't wait for change to happen; start implementing the changes you want to see in your life even while other things might still be in process or finishing up.
TAURUS
Queen of Cups
Reversed
Be careful not to let emotion get the better of you during this time. Stay focused and approach or deal with things from a logical and rational place. Part of the tendency toward an emotional response to things may come from feeling as if you are emotionally drained and exhausted. As the Queen represents the mother figure, the reversal of a Queen implores you to take some time to mother yourself, here with the suit of Cups focusing on supporting, recharging and tending to your own emotional well-being and needs rather than draining yourself in the service of others, making sure everyone else is happy, satisfied, content. Some major things to stay conscious of and not let overwhelm you are too much dreaming and not enough focus and discipline. Things need to get done right now, and imagining the outcome or dreaming about the end result isn't going to accomplish the task at hand. The reversed Queen of Cups can represent a creative block, so right now is a time to focus on those things that inspire you, that feed your creativity, that get your juices flowing. Don't get so caught up in something or someone that you lose connection with yourself and what you need. Be careful of someone trying to use you, especially in such a way that they sap every last ounce of emotion from you like siphoning gas from a car; don't allow yourself to stay in situations where someone is taking, taking, taking. You may tend to downplay or outright ignore or be disconnected from your intuitive self. What do you need to do to get back in the flow of things ? Where are you not paying attention to your intuition ? Don't let jealousy or erratic emotions cause you to say or do things that are harmful or unproductive. Find an outlet for your emotions so you can express how you feel; find a shoulder to cry on rather than playing the typical role of being the shoulder that everyone else cries on. Seek out those people or places that will support you during your time of emotional need and that ask for nor need nothing in return. If you're an energy worker, then allow energy work to be done on you rather than you being the one doing energy work on others; allow yourself to be the recipient of energy rather than the one from whom it flows out.
GEMINI
20 Emergence (aka XX Judgement)
This is a card that appears when you can no longer ignore the writing on the wall, when you must heed the call and overcome all fear in order to simply rise up and take your place on the path that is being laid out before you. The Emergence card asks that you come out of your shell, come out of your cocoon, and begin to reach for the stars. Trust your own judgement and discernment; know that you can make the right decisions and are capable of the best judgement calls. What has been waiting to emerge is now finally ready to come into being; don't hold it back or wait any longer. As the second to last card of the Major Arcana cycle, the Emergence card is one that indicates this is a time for taking stock and assessing what has gotten you to this point as you prepare to move into the next major phase or direction of your life. Without blame or fault, simply assess what worked and what didn't so that you know what you can take with you as you move forward and what needs to be left behind and learned from so that the same mistakes are not repeated. There is the sense that an "old" you is now being put to rest as a "new" you is emerging and taking centre stage ready for a new adventure, a new direction, a new life. Snap out of it !; it's time to wake up from your stagnant, dead state and rise to the challenge of a new way of living. A spiritual rebirth is taking place and the Emergence card asks that you embrace that rebirth process and where it wants to take you rather than fighting it and trying so hard to stay in your safe little cocoon. Get out and start experiencing your spiritual path and awakening rather than staying bound inside books and in front of computer screens.
CANCER
Knight of Cups (aka King of Cups)
Reversed
Perhaps the big concern when this card is reversed is an in ability to deal with reality and the extreme measures that might be taken in order to maintain a state of escape, numbness and denial. What is is that you are not wanting to deal with that causes you to simply escape into a dream world of pretending it doesn't exist ? Be conscious of how you may be using some sort of addictive or unhealthy behaviour (be it drugs, alcohol, food, sex, television, whatever) as a way out, a way around, a way of not dealing. This card often appears reversed when it is time to realise that you can't face of deal with something all on your own and that it is time to seek out some sort of counselling or guidance to assist you in this process. When reversed, the Knight of Cups can indicate that complete healing has not taken place . . . whether this means that it is too soon to think that you are through your healing process (especially emotionally healing due to loss, trauma, heartbreak, grief, etc), or that it may be time to face and accept that there might be something that can or will never be healed and how to start living with that acceptance accordingly rather than acting as if "it will get better." This is a big card about denial, and there is a need to start facing what you are in denial about rather than perhaps making it worse or allowing it to go on any longer by continuing to live in denial. Be careful that someone isn't (or that you're not allowing someone to) take emotional advantage of you in some way. The reversed Knight of Cups can indicate that someone is only concerned with their own feelings and "happiness" with little regard for anyone else's. You may find someone trying to play the guilt card on you or, at the extreme, emotionally controlling/abusing you. It's time to stop being afraid of standing up to that person or situation and do what is right and best for you rather than giving them the power to take advantage of you any longer. In a relationship situation, you may find that the love has gone, or it may be time to start looking at a relationship realistically rather than continuing to live in denial of how a person or relationship actually is. Physician, heal thyself. See that you are drowning and you have to start doing what is needed for yourself now rather than putting yourself at risk by trying so hard not to upset others.
LEO
Prince of Wands (aka Knight of Wands)
Reversed
This needs to be a time when you take things slowly, when a measured approach is called for rather than charging ahead at light speed. Impulse and instant gratification need to be brought under control. Be careful not to go so hard, so fast that you exhaust and burn yourself out before you ever get to the finish line. You may feel uninspired, unmotivated, unwilling. This could be a result of everything in your life revolving around things for which you have little or no real interest or passion. Therefore, this could be a good time for seeking out at least one thing that you really want to be doing or that you are really passionate about and begin finding a way to incorporate that into your life rather than it always being the thing that gets put off until later. The reversed Prince of Wands can be a period of questioning one's sexuality, or perhaps experimenting with alternative forms of sexual expression. Be prepared to come out of the reversed Prince of Wands something or someone you never expected to be or that you might have convinced yourself you never would allow yourself to be. As an upright card that represents moving forward, travel and things zipping along very quickly, the reversal can indicate that something may be at a standstill, that something really doesn't seem to have anywhere to go or that it is just not going to go anywhere, that the passion and romance has fizzled out, and/or that travel right now is not recommended or may experience cancellations or delays. If you are travelling, the reversed Prince of Wands can suggest taking it easy and not doing a lot rather than being on the go all the time so that you can actually rest, relax and recuperate rather than getting home and needing the proverbial vacation after the vacation. This is a time for examining in what ways and in what areas you are afraid of going after what you want, afraid of being yourself. You may be focusing your energy in the wrong way or in the wrong places. How are you allowing your energy to get used up by things you have little interest or passion about while complaining that you are too tired or unmotivated to go out and pursue the things you really want ? Perhaps it's time to stop being afraid of allowing your passion and burning desires to be the real catalyst and driving force in your life. Stop being afraid to live a life that is authentic and true to who you are at your core rather than living a surface life that you hope will be acceptable to and accepted by others.
VIRGO
8 of Wands
Hold on because things are zooming onward and upward at light speed. When the 8 of Wands appears, it signals a period when things are likely to happen quickly and/or when you are being called upon to not hesitate and simply seize the moment. Be immediate, quick, spontaneous. Go with your gut rather than taking much time to think things through and plan things out. Be on the go, moving forward, making things happen. Also expect quick turnaround or quick decisions and then be prepared to run with the outcome. Things are going to be happening or coming fast and furious, so there won't be time to analyse and think about it. Imagine a drill instructor standing next to you yelling, "GO ! GO ! GO !" This is one of the travel cards in the deck, and as such, it represents that there is likely to be travel involved during this period and/or that something significant will be related to or come about as a result of travel. Basically, keep a bag packed and tucked away in the closet so that you are ready to go at any moment. Be careful that things don't get so out of hand that they start flying off the rails. You can be going 150 miles an hour as long as you also stay focused. This can be a very positive indicator for forward movement on projects and business matters. It can also signal the moving forward of a romance/relationship. Things are happening, momentum is building. Carpe diem !
LIBRA
18 Moon
This is a time for reflection, for being willing to go into those deep, dark places that we often are afraid to look or delve into in order to start seeing and experiencing the hidden meanings and deeper experiences that we heretofore had denied ourselves or been disconnected from. This can be a period when your intuition is at its strongest. Listen to it, experience it, don't be afraid of it. See where it wants to take you, no matter how scary or painful your preconception about it might be. Trust your instinct. This card can appear when we may be starting to feel as if we are losing touch with reality or sanity, and it is a card that advises that it may be time to seek out some form of professional help or guidance. This is a card of mysteries, secrets, those deep, dark things that every attempt has been made to keep from being revealed. But when the Moon card appears, there is a sense that these things are lurking just beneath the surface rather than safely buried away somewhere. This can include things like insecurities, repressed memories that are starting to surface, or feelings that something just isn't quite right even though you may not be able to pinpoint just what that "something" might be yet. The Moon card appears to caution us from taking things at face value, for things may not be all that they appear to be. This is a card that relates to past lives, and you may find the past resurfacing in some way that needs to be dealt with. Instead of denying or avoiding it . . . deal with it so that it can once and for all be put in the past. The Moon represents the natural cycles of life, and perhaps there is a need to accept the cyclical nature of something in your life rather than trying to keep it in a state of suspended animation or working overtime to acknowledge and accept where things are in that cycle. Perhaps there is a need, even urgency, to pay (greater) attention to the phases and energies of the moon, understanding and working with them. Use intuition and fantasy to augment your daily reality, not to replace it. Pay attention to what patterns (especially the unhealthy ones) you may be perpetuating so that you can begin to shed light on them in order to change them.
SCORPIO
8 of Cups
This is the card that says it is time to emotionally let go and move on. Whatever it is that attach your happiness or identity to – as if without it you will be miserable, you will be nothing – then that is what it is time to let go of. You may think that misery and heartache are all that await you if you do so. But the 8 of Cups is a card that represents something better waiting for you on the horizon. But it's up to you to go to it rather than you being able to wait where you're at until it comes to you. If you're in an unhappy relationship, stop waiting for someone "better" to come along before you are willing to end this unhealthy one and *gasp* perhaps even be single for a while. If you're miserable in your job, stop waiting for something "better" to pop up instead of you taking action towards finding something better and letting go of the miserable one you're in. Basically, let this be your mantra . . . It's time to move on. Accept that there's nothing more you can do in the current situation so that isn't the ongoing excuse for not taking action and moving on. Don't assume that the alternative will probably be more miserable or more difficult. The 8 of Cups doesn't say that it will be easy, without pain, or even that things will be better over night. But how often have we held on to something for so long only to finally let it go and then say, "Why did I hold on to that for so long ?" due to the immediate sense of relief, shift, and a burden having lifted ? This can be a card of depression, and this can be the type of depression that may need outside assistance to deal with rather than just being the simpler, "I'll get over it in a day or two," kind of depression. Don't be afraid to seek out or go to the person or group that you feel might be able to help you right now. Love people who love you back, and remove from your life those people that are nothing but emotional drains for you. Be loving and compassionate toward yourself, willing to do what is best and healthiest for you and for everyone involved rather than minimising your own interests and emotional well-being. Sometimes love means moving away, moving on, setting free rather than holding on so tightly to the point of suffocation.
SAGITTARIUS
I Magician
Are you ready ? Because the Magician indicates that you have achieved liftoff. The countdown is over and it is time for the new to begin. The Magician appears when a new phase or direction of life is taking off, or when it is time to take that first major step in the direction. Now is the time to start, now is the time to get things going, now is the time when all of the elements are in place for you to get things going. Get this party started, indeed ! It's time to bring your vision into reality by taking the first actions in that direction. Planning a new career ? Now is the time to start making it happen. New relationship ? The elements are in place for that to start appearing. Know what you want by being focused and clear in your intention and vision, and start putting action behind the will (and this card indicates you are certainly not lacking in willpower) in order to really get things moving in the direction you want to see them go. You have the tools and resources necessary to get started, so there's no reason to wait or put off any longer. It's time. You may find that you are able to just make things happen, that you can pull what is needed out of a hat. Know that you can manifest it when you need it, so don't doubt, and, of course, be careful where you wave that magic wand of yours. You can make anything happen that you set your mind and will to. So ask yourself what you want and then know that you can go out and start to make it happen as there's nothing lacking or holding you back at this point. This can be a time for focusing on the vision process, coming up with the vision of how things are to look or what direction to take them. This is a card of the visionary, and that may be your role right now. Unknown possibilities may emerge. Take advantage of your ability to dazzle others. Don't be surprised if things happen or come into your life "like magic." But know, also, that the magic starts from within you and is simply the manifestation of your intention and will.
CAPRICORN
Ace of Swords
Reversed
Stop thinking so hard and focusing so intently . . . close your eyes, breathe, and hear what your heart, your intuition, your inner voice is saying. Stop trying to so hard to analyse and rationalise; instead, simply allow yourself to trust what feels right. The main focus right now isn't on the learning, reading, studying. Instead, put the emphasis on experiencing, on doing, on being a part of. Don't spend so much time planning that a good plan goes to waste. Be careful that you don't allow yourself to get too easily distracted and lose focus on what you're doing or what needs to be done. As Swords is the suit of electronics and electronic communication, the reversed Ace of Swords suggests turning off the television, leaving the computer/cellphone/blackberry at home, and just go out and be in the moment, in the world, seeing what it feels like and where it takes you. Don't plan, just meander. Don't navigate, just drive. Take a walk without a destination. Go shopping for nothing in particular. Arrive at the theater and just go see whatever movie is starting next. Pick up a book, open it, and start reading from whatever page you opened to. As Swords is the suit of communication in general, the reversed Ace of Swords can indicate static in the lines, meaning there may be miscommunication, lost communication, or difficulty getting your point across. Keep copies, check facts, verify and followup up, ask for receipts, get a second opinion. When the Ace of Swords is reversed, there may be deeply rooted (in the past) pain, abuse and/or abandonment issues that may be getting triggered. Be prepared for these and, instead of trying to figure them out and work through them intellectually, be present with the emotions that come so that you can process them and being healing them rather than figuring out how to get them back in the box as quickly and efficiently as possible. The reversed Ace of Swords can indicate that an idea or plan doesn't have a lot of merit or possibility of being able to be carried out . . . or perhaps things are still in the planning stages, and it is not yet time to start moving forward until additional aspects have been thought through and planned for. Doubt, confusion, indecision may be getting in the way of being able to see things clearly or think things through completely. Overthinking, are we ? There seems to be an inability to cut through the illusion and confusion in order to see and act with clarity and focus. What are you unwilling to do, unwilling to cut away, in order to move forward toward a desired goal ? Things may not go according to plan . . . be flexible and adaptable. And this may sound odd, but be careful of loss of consciousness (be it literal and/or figurative).
AQUARIUS
10 of Wands
Reversed
Generally, we like to see the 10 of Wands reversed, because it indicates a sense of things getting easier, the load getting lighter, that we are starting to shed and set aside those things that we don't need to be responsible for. This is when we start saying no, when we start delegating, when we don't make it our responsibility to bear the burden of those things that are the responsibility of others. Ask for assistance. Don't take on too much. Start shedding, ending, passing on things that keep you from being able to focus on and put all of your energy into that which is your primary goal, passion or ambition. This is when you begin to truly see that you have a choice, and that you are not obligated by anything or anyone other than those people/things you choose to say yes to. It's time to declutter and simplify. This is when it's time to recognise where all the extra fat is and start shedding all the extra pounds in order to get back to a lean, mean machine rather than a bloated, burdened, sputtering along heap. There is an awareness of where the fat is and what needs to be trimmed. The question now is whether you are willing to do what is necessary to trim that fat (the reversal would say that you are ready, but there is always that matter of freewill 8). Sometimes, you do have to be careful when this card is reversed because it can represent complete burnout and breakdown. But this just emphasises the earlier themes of taking on too much, trying to do too much, or working so hard to lighten everyone else's load that you are overloading yourself. It's time to realise when enough is enough and act accordingly. Upright, this is a card of oppression. Reversed, it is a card that indicates being aware of what actions you might be taking that contribute to your own oppression, and being ready to start making some necessary and long needed changes in order to get a sense of power and control over your own life back.
PISCES
Prince of Swords (aka Knight of Swords)
On the one hand, the Prince of Swords is ready for a challenge and doesn't hesitate to charge right in and take it on. Be bold and aggressive. Be ready and willing to fight for what you want and what you believe in. You may find this to be a period punctuated by conflict and fighting. Be careful that you aren't rushing into things without thinking, or speaking without considering your words first. The Prince of Swords can represent the walls and defences built up to protect ourselves making us inaccessible and invulnerable and impenetrable. And then we wonder why we find it so hard to get along with others or to find a relationship. You've got to let your guard down and let people in once in a while, otherwise, you're just going to keep on wondering. Do you come across as cold or intimidating ? And does that seem to be getting the results you want ? This is a period that calls for being brave and eager. But it can also be highlighted by swift action with little or no follow through (often the result of a short attention span). You may find yourself putting out fires with little time to do much else. Be careful that impatience doesn't lead to acting too hastily or making snap judgements. Be prepared to be the one cutting through the confusion in order to bring a bit of clarity to the situation. At the same time, avoid becoming self-righteous just because you were right or came up with the idea that worked. Think for yourself, find your own truth . . . and then allow others to have the same right and opportunity rather than railroading your ideas and ways of thinking over everyone else's.
©2008 Tarot by HiC
HiC is a professional Tarot Consultant.
He is available for readings in person, via email, Instant Message, webcam, audio CD, or by phone.
You can contact him through his website at
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or via email at
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