By Adrienne Abeyta
Aries
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Hierophant (2 of Swords) How do you know what you know, and more importantly why do you believe what you know? Have you ever considered how much of what you believe is a product of your culture, family, media, and education? People are funny creatures because they cling so tightly to beliefs, moral convictions and personal philosophies. How much of your identity is assembled by beliefs that don't even serve you? Probably a lot. This is where the should's come from: you should go to school to get a respectable job, you should get married and have a family, you should follow society's rules, you should look a certain way. The list is endless, and often unfulfilling. It produces self-doubt and insecurities. You end up comparing yourself to others or measuring your worth according to external standards. Worse it promotes a self-righteous attitude in which your beliefs are right and other's are wrong. Naturally we need common beliefs to facilitate community and to get along, yet it's important to challenge and refine common knowledge so as to improve humanity as a whole. Similarly, your ideas and truth's require regular examinations, too.
Images from the Penny Dreadful Tarot Cards published by Showtime®.
Taurus
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Star (7 of Pentacles)
Patience is a virtue in short supply. The hustle of life can be hard to keep up with. Days filled with so much activity that there is not even enough time to simply just be. It's not until you have to wait in a line or are stuck in traffic that you're actually forced to just sit - even then you have electronic distractions pumping your mind full of inconsequential stuff. When did people become so hurried and disconnected. It's no wonder that anxiety is the prevailing epidemic of modern times. How are you investing your time and how do you feel about the quality of your life? Time to redirect this month as you either make the time to reconnect or allow the universe to do it for you. What will it take to slow you down - a sickness, lapse in health, loss of a relationship? Loosen up your schedule to allow some free time for play, day dreaming, meditating, or napping, if you need it. Your motivation for living is up for renewal. Ponder what brings you the most peace, makes you feel connected, and reaffirms your purpose for living. Then, just breathe and be.
Images from the Liber-T Tarot by Roberto Negrini and Andrea Serio, published by LoScarabeo for Llewellyn Worldwide.
Gemini
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Wheel of Fortune (8 of Swords)
Are you one of those people who believes that life is a series of random events, that your experiences are predestined by some external force, or that free will and the consequences of your choices determine your life? Who knows, right? These are the questions that religion, philosophy, and science seek to answer. Undoubtedly, there are patterns that govern your existence and undeniably, you have witnessed the effects of your choices. Some of you may even murmur the mantra, "what goes around, comes around" not realizing that this fundamental principle you speak is the basis for life's grand scheme. Religion promotes some variation of, "what you sow, you will reap." Philosophy endorses karma and science posits the law of cause and effect. If you want to make sense of your life, examine the choices you've made. If you want to change the course of your life, you must change the course of your thoughts. Every action is born from a thought. In every moment you are co-creating your life, and although you may feel like you have no control over the bigger picture, remember that you are an intricate part of a much bigger system. How you show up in the world affects everything around you.
Images from the Tarot of Dreams by Ciro Marchetti.
Cancer
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Fool (7 of Cups)
Oh, the possibilities. Those great seducers, agitators, fantasies. It is the imagination extraordinaire that propels you forward , that inspires you to leap into the great unknown, and that adds feeling where there is none. This inspiring force is as destructive and it is constructive though and should be treated with great respect. For if you take that leap and are not prepared to fall, you could cause some pretty extensive damage to yourself or others. The urge for change is often accompanied by an indescribable feeling of restlessness; however, don't be fooled into believing that impulsive wanderlust will quiet your uneasy discontentment. Perhaps your possibilities for change are more closely aligned to your current choices. If you continually favor the easy road, boredom will inevitably find you. Likewise, jumping on every opportunity that presents itself will only confuse you and eventually burn you out. This month you will be faced with several prospects for change. Find the balance between inspiration and discretion. Ask yourself what it is you are looking for, and in what ways this prospect would enhance the person you are becoming.
Images from the Penny Dreadful Tarot Cards published by Showtime®.
Leo
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Justice (6 of Wands)
Optimism is a mindset that adds color to life just like equanimity is an attitude that embraces all of what's in it. If you want to feel happiness, joy, balance, peace, confidence, you need to be those things. In the search to attain something is the unspoken confession that you are without it. Anything you are capable of feeling already exists within you, perhaps latent or hidden, but it's there. So, if you desire joy, you must practice living with joy. This practice can be done through giving, sharing and inspiring others. Offer a word of encouragement or praise to someone around you and watch how their face lights up with joy. Rather than avoid the chaos of your work or home life, find a place of peace within yourself so as to accept what is, without being controlled by it. No one has the power to make you feel anything. Be honest about your feelings, good and bad. Your attitude about life is what you make it. If you consent to live according to your own aspirations, then not even a bump in the road will deter you from your destiny.
Images from the Liber-T Tarot by Roberto Negrini and Andrea Serio, published by LoScarabeo for Llewellyn Worldwide.
Virgo
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World (Ace of Pentacles)
Manifestation and wholeness go hand-in-hand this month as your personal and professional goals become realized. What's so special about this time is that you will see concrete effects. Maybe in the form of money, property, a birth or marriage or new job. This is a celebratory time in which you attend to the next stage in your journey. That said, you will need to complete, resolve or find closure with what is ending. Like every new parent or spouse quickly learns, your independent days are over. A new job or house brings new responsibilities, different from those of the past. Those still in the midst of a project will stumble upon the necessary resources to bring about success. This is an auspicious time to initiate new plans, make an investment or collect on an old one. Your energy is strong and prepared to work from conception to completion. Your emotional feeling of completeness will help achieve your deepest desires. Be sure to extend love and support to those in need. Love and fulfillment are meant to be shared with others. Grow your joy by sharing it with others. You have more than enough.
Images from the Tarot of Dreams by Ciro Marchetti.
Libra
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Emperor (10 of Pentacles)
Commitment is putting your ambitions into practice. It's easy to say you want or will do something, but as the old adage goes: actions speak louder than words. You've either been working hard or hardly working, and so this month you will reap the rewards of those efforts. If, however, you've been hardly working and inconsistent, it's likely that security and finances will be threatened. It is important that you focus on maintaining what is working while letting go of what is not. For example, projects or possible investments that are no longer productive should be put to rest. It's not wise to keep working on things when there is no return. While there is great prosperity implied this month, it is a direct result of hard work from the past. This month also finds you dealing with traditions and extended family. You could find yourself the recipient of a gift or the guardian of an old custom. Make an effort to reach out to your grandparents or grandchildren. Take time to honor your commitment to your family - a better investment, indeed.
Images from the Penny Dreadful Tarot Cards published by Showtime®.
Scorpio
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Tower (4 of Cups)
The expectation of comfort is dangerous when you apply it to a relationship, because there is no guarantee that the other will live up to your hopes. Even worse though is the resignation that there is no one out there for you. It's common to hear people say, "all the good ones are taken." It's also unfortunately common to become so self-protective after a bad relationship that you close yourself off emotionally and energetically from others. While your words might say, "I'm looking for a relationship," your fears and apprehensions are keeping you trapped. Don't act like you don't care or pretend you're happy being alone. The messages you're sending out are confusing, at best. It's likely that you're resisting an opportunity for connection - maybe even sabotaging a current relationship. In any case, it's time to really examine your beliefs about relationships and recognize what kind of energy you're putting out. For those in unhealthy relationships, stop being the victim and either get out or admit your part and start over. Liberation is the key to good relationships. You must free yourself from your own baggage to be open to a healthy relationship.
Images from the Liber-T Tarot by Roberto Negrini and Andrea Serio, published by LoScarabeo for Llewellyn Worldwide.
Sagittarius
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High Priestess (5 of Wands)
Isn't it funny how riled up you can get over a seemingly dramatic event only to reflect later and realize how inconsequential the issue was? Conflict has a mysterious way of causing mayhem in your mind, provoking you to react in ways you wouldn't otherwise. Even worse is when there is no obvious problem, and only some vague sense of discord nagging at you. It's during these episodes when people often act out, creating drama in their environment, often as a way of distraction. There are some uncomfortable feelings masking what's under the surface right now, and although you either can't describe it or you're afraid to face it, the result will bring an inevitable upset into your life. Now before you go getting all excited, sit still and try connecting with your intuition. It's likely that you'll uncover some unresolved emotions and/or secrets you've been hiding. If you're at the receiving end of some wild accusations this month, don't engage just turn the other cheek. It's better not to stir the pot when you've got no idea what's in it. Pride aside, be calm and practice self- regulation. Things will become clearer by the end of the month.
Images from the Tarot of Dreams by Ciro Marchetti.
Capricorn
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Strength (5 of Pentacles)
Confidence is daring to be yourself in a world that is constantly pushing you to be someone else. Accepting yourself in spite of what others think is the formula for positive self-esteem. You are not great because of what you have, what you look like, or who loves you. It's easy to confuse confidence with admiration, to look for validation in your work and relationships. The obvious problem with this is that these external measurements are conditional and temporary. You will eventually lose your looks, and maybe even your job, money and relationships. Furthermore, if your confidence is dependent on outside factors, you'll become tired and resentful of performing, you'll distrust other's interest in you because you'll know the game you're playing. Be mindful of how your relationship with yourself is affected by what you think is important. Your values may be betraying your self-esteem. So what if you don't make X amount of money, who cares what you weigh, big deal if you're not in the perfect relationship. Until you truly accept yourself as you are, your so-called ambitions are nothing more than an attempt to be something you're not.
Images from the Penny Dreadful Tarot Cards published by Showtime®.
Aquarius
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Judgment (Queen of Swords)
Honesty is paramount in your life. You seek the truth and the natural order of things. Your mind aims to penetrate illusions, to restore perfection and righteousness. While this is your gift, it is also your curse because not all truths are equal and life is not black and white. Frustrating as it may be, there are not always rational solutions. In fact, how can you solve a problem with the same logic that may have caused it? You are being prompted this month to move beyond binary logic and see the connections between you and your experiences. If you continue to judge things as happening to you, there is no accountability for your part in the experience. You are being given the opportunity for a grand awakening, an unveiling of how karma is acting upon your life. Take responsibility for your choices and notice how they have contributed to the current theme in your life. Instead of focusing on what's wrong, begin to see what's right. Your mind is like a sword, be attentive to how you use it. Focus on your own issues rather than solving someone else's.
Images from the Liber-T Tarot by Roberto Negrini and Andrea Serio, published by LoScarabeo for Llewellyn Worldwide.
Pisces
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Hermit (Ace of Cups)
The power of your emotions can be creative or destructive depending on how you channel them. As an inherently emotional person, you are prone to feel your way through life, experiencing the world around you through impressions and moods. While you may not always be able to describe what or why you feel something, you know deep inside when something is safe or dangerous. Since you are so impressionable, it is important that you spend a little time alone each day reflecting on your emotions. You easily confuse others emotions with your own, often adopting feelings that don't belong to you. Take time this month to explore your inner world of longings, fears, and desires. Be aware of how these emotions affect your life and color your thoughts. Wisdom comes by way of discernment. Take the stance of the observer and try working with your emotions consciously. If you have a fear of being alone, sit with that feeling and see where it takes you. Chances are you will uncover a deep truth that will bring you peace.
Images from the Tarot of Dreams by Ciro Marchetti.