2018 Forecast from Jupiter, Part 1

Jupiter et Thetis, 1811

Jean Auguste Dominque Ingres

Greetings to all your Archers and Arch-ettes! And to all you Fish, no matter which direction you're pointing. Jupiter here to discuss my expansion over the next year in the zodiac! 

And oh yeah, I guess if you're one of the other signs you still think I'm the best planet anyway! GREATER BENEFIC BABY! THE ONE AND ONLY!

For you art fans, the original of this painting is in Aix-en-Provence in the south of France, and even though Ingres was a Virgo, I'd say he did me proud! And admit it...Thetis is pretty nice here, too, right? John didn't know as much about me then and even though he spent a whole day in Aix eating cheese he didn't even know I was there. You can thank Mercury for the interwebs!

As much as I'd like to discuss my theories behind the neoclassical movement in French painting--and if you don't care to expand your mind, YOU SUCK--John asked me to talk about what I'm up to this year. Because reasons. 

Many of you already know that it takes me about a year to get through one zodiac sign, but I move at lot more quickly than that, it seems. At least I would if it wasn't for the damn retrograde periods!

Anyway, so I'm in very sexual Scorpio right now, as you are no doubt aware if you look at your news feed. I'll be plodding along through Scorpio for a while--I'm sitting near Mars at 18 Scorpio 32 right now--but in two months from today nearly exactly, I'll turn retrograde at 23 Scorpio 13. 

I'll stay retrograde through the end of June, and by that time I'll be back to 13 Scorpio 31. 

John's giving me the hook for now, but come back for part 2!

Deck Review: Phantasmagoric Theater Tarot

The Phantasmagoric Theater Tarot

I found this deck in a place where I least expected it: In a toy store in New Hope, PA, a number of years ago. But for enthusiasts who are looking for a fun way to access the tarot, this may be your ticket.

In a word, this deck is “otherworldly”. The images on the cards are bright and funny; you may find yourself chuckling as you go through this deck. It definitely has a carnival/side show feel to it, and some of the drawings remind you of things you’ve seen up on the refrigerators of proud parents.  

OK, so let’s be honest…it’s easy to write off this deck. Heaven knows I wanted to, but I was too intrigued to walk away. It is definitely a more modern take on a venerable tool, but if you choose to work with it I think you’ll find yourself letting your intuition tell you more; since the imagery on the cards is decidedly less “serious” than on the traditional RWS, for example, you may find your subconscious taking you to places you never imagined you could go. 

So to say this deck is not typical would not be much of a stretch, based on what I’ve said so far. The major arcana is excellent at bringing out the astrological meanings of the cards, with the astrological symbol of the sign it represents somewhere on the card, like the Pisces symbol on one of the bottles on the Moon. The Emperor has a symbol of Aries on his forehead, but he definitely looks like a woman. 

For the first time in any tarot deck I have seen, the Devil appears as a woman, but she doesn’t look imperious; rather, she looks like she is enjoying her role as Princess of Darkness. The Tower is shown as a broken castle on a chessboard, but the bright red and blue colors make it look more like a buoy than the shocking revelation it portends. The Empress holds a shield and whip and looks a little bit confused as to what her role should be, while the High Priestess’ one eye is a pentacle.

The minor arcana has the traditional suits of Cups, Wands, Swords, and Coins (replacing Pentacles). Once again, the imagery is not traditional, yet the cards do convey meaning just the same. For example, the 10 of Swords shows a woman holding her head like she has a migraine, and a large cup has tipped over spilling an orange liquid on what appears to be a blueprint. The “Woe is me!” idea that often comes to mind for this card is apparent despite the nontraditional representation. The Two of Coins has a child with a barcode imprinted across both its eyes holding a mask, while other masks line the walls. For me, the masks represent the “fun” that is represented by the card, and the number of masks (at least 10) show the “flexibility” meaning rather well.

My favorite card in this deck is the Fool. He wears a tall pointed hat with question marks (a recurring theme in this deck) standing near the top of a mountain of brightly-colored rounded platforms. I know I’m dating myself but it reminds me of the game Q*Bert. [NOTE: If you were born after 1980 or so, or if you are as old or older than I am and video games did not have as formative a role in your childhood as they did my own, do a web search and take a look.] As he steps off into the unknown, The Fool is accompanied by a rat, who makes an appearance on several other cards; typically the rat is not an animal found on many tarot decks, but he seems cute enough.  

After reading tarot for a while, you figure out that no deck is for everyone. But this deck will appeal to Sagittarius folks and others who want to explore the playful side of the Tarot and let their subconscious mind out for recess.  However, it is NOT for beginners and will only appeal to some. For me it is a great, playful change of pace from the Rider-Waite imagery.

W is for Wheel of Fortune

Hello everyone and welcome to my "W" post, where I talk about the Wheel of Fortune in the tarot.

Think about how many images you can come up with that have "around" or "round" in them, or have the image of a wheel or circle. The first one I think of is the Wiccan Wheel of the Year, but there are tons of others. The Wheel of Fortune is one more of these. If you look in the corners of this card, the "wheel of the year" and the progression of time is reinforced by the images there: the bull (Taurus), the lion (Leo), the eagle (Scorpio), and the water-bearer (Aquarius). They are, of course, equidistant from one another in the astrological year, all of them being fixed signs that occur in the middle of a season.

One of the meanings of this card that resonates with me the most is the idea of time, and when I read for people and this card comes up, often it's this idea that comes to the fore. Sometimes it will come up in the context of a relationship that had a time limit. Or it may be the time to do something you've been planning. Of course, sometimes the message is right out of the Tradition of the Witches Circle: "This is your time, this is your hour."

A song that often goes through my head when I think of this card, and it's the October 1965 hit from the Byrds, "Turn, Turn, Turn." As cool as the words are, they come from the book of Ecclesiastes in the King James Bible: "To everything, there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven." I also think of Frank Sinatra's "That's Life" as he talks about "this fine ol' world" that "keeps spinnin' around".

Appropriately enough, the Wheel of Fortune can indicate a positive turning point. If things have been crappy or not going your way, this card in your future can describe the break that you'll get. If this represents an opportunity, the card is also telling you that this is only for a limited time, so make your decision quickly.

Finally, the Wheel of Fortune can represent the idea of destiny. When certain things happen in your life, you may look back and feel like everything before it was preparing you for this specific moment. So the card may be asking you if you're prepared to embrace your destiny?

Astrologically, the Wheel of Fortune represents happy-go-lucky planet Jupiter, and as such can indicate the presence of a Sagittarius person, or possibly a Pisces person.

Thanks once again for tuning in! Hang in there for a few more days with me, folks! Come back tomorrow for my "X" post.

Welcome to Sagittarius, The Ultimate Seeker

A joyous—but brief—birthday shout to all of the Sagittarian folks on their birthdays! Some of my good friends are Archers, and they definitely know how to have a good time. Hopefully you can keep up with them, because they are always on the move. You ever wonder why Sagittarius is represented as the centaur archer? They are quick, off like a shot and always aiming for truth.

Sagittarius rules astrology’s 9^th house, which rules higher learning of all kinds-education, training, etc.—and anything that involves a long-term voyage of the mind or body. Perhaps like, oh, I don't know...someone going back to a city in France they haven't visited for 21 years. :)
 
Foreign languages and cultures, as well as spiritual journeys or pilgrimages, philosophy, belief systems, and ethics are also ruled by Sag. In the tarot, while the Fire (Wands, Rods, etc.) Court Cards can represent Sag people, Temperance also represents the sign of the Archer as well.

One of the most misunderstood tarot cards, Temperance represents the Sag personality perfectly. While “balance” often comes up in our readings when this card appears, one meaning is often overlooked is that of “combination”. Sagittarians know how to do many things well (my brother is a paramedic, computer expert, and liturgical vocalist!) and combine seemingly different approaches to be successful. While they might lack the persistence of Scorpio, they can be much more inventive and resourceful because of their more “moderate” natures. I’m sure you’re starting to see what I’m talking about now.

The Archers in our lives love to have fun, but they are also some of the most brutally honest people you’d ever meet. And while they don’t walk around typically dispensing the wisdom of the ages, they are aware that life is too short and it’s time to cut loose. And it makes perfect sense. We’ve just come out of Scorpio sun as we try to make sense of the constant evolution that our lives are taking, and while that process is important, it’s very SERIOUS business. Our Archer friends are good at saying, “Time enough for that later. Lighten up!”

I was very surprised by a conversation I had with my Sag brother, who, by his own admission, is not very good at returning phone calls. Out of the blue, he called me on my birthday last year. He said that he was sorry he didn’t call more often and realizes he’s got to remember what is truly important. I was surprised at this admission, but as I thought about it later, I reminded myself that Archers are always on a search--a search for truth.  

Feeling stuck in a rut? Take a page out of the Archer’s book and try looking at life from a different angle. Not having much fun in life right now? Lighten up a little and realize how short life is. At this time of year, when lots of people focus on their pain and suffering, ask yourself: What can I do to lighten my load and enjoy life just a little more? And how can I help others do that?


Also, please check out my review of "How to Believe in a Sagittarius", a book I highly recommend!

Please accept my warmest wishes for a safe, happy, and, above all, FUN holiday season, filled with wonder, peace and a little spiritual enlightenment. Blessed be!

Book Review: How to Believe in a Sagittarius

How to Believe in a Sagittarius

Mary English

O-Books, 2012

$14.95

As a professional astrologer, I was amazed to see a book that focuses on just one sun sign. How to Believe in a Sagittarius is the fourth in a series that began with English’s sign, How to Survive a Pisces. She states that she didn’t intend to write 12 books, but that once she finished Pisces, her friends started asking when she was going to write books about their signs.

I tell my own astrology students that the best way to learn astrology is to study, but then go out into the world and observe. English supplements her astrological knowledge with quotes from many different Archers with different moon and rising sign positions, as well as in different houses, which gives the book a “real” feeling that I truly enjoyed.

While the first series of chapters gives the standard information on the general terms of this 9^th sign of the Zodiac, as well as the different astrological permutations listed above, English’s writing style is very straightforward and cites many different well-known astrology texts, like Linda Goodman’s Sun Signs. You will find yourself chuckling as she describes your Sag spouse, friend, or co-worker. I especially liked Sag Walt Disney’s quote when English discussed the 3^rd house, which rules communication: “Animation can explain whatever the mind of man can conceive. This facility makes it the most versatile and explicit means of communication yet devised for quick mass appreciation.”

Chapter Six is entitled simply “The Problems”. Given the title of her first book, perhaps it was complaints about Pisces people that inspired her to write the first book in the series. English explains that for the most part in her astrology practice, she doesn’t have many clients complaining about Sag folks in their lives; rather, it’s the Archers themselves that cause her difficulty. Some standard Sag challenges are laid bare here, but Sag is a sign that wouldn’t have it any other way, anyway. So no worries there.

Thankfully, Chapter Seven follows up with “The Solutions”, and armed with the information in this small but useful book, hopefully you’ll have a much greater chance of success with your chosen Sag person.

Any book written about one sun sign is fraught with danger, in my opinion. It’s a very fine line to walk because you want to give the truth—and especially in Sag’s case this extremely important!—but you want to be careful of painting picture that makes them seem like either the greatest sun sign or the worst. I think English did an excellent job of cataloging the Archer’s strong and weak points and presenting it in a very positive way. You won’t walk away from this book without it changing your perspective on the Sag person or people in your life.

Now that I’m finished reading How to Believe in a Sagittarius, I have a question for Ms. English: When is the Scorpio book coming out? Many, many inquiring Scorpios like myself would like to know.