Tarot Card Interpretation - The Hermit

 The Hermit

Introduction: The Hermit is an extremely spiritual card, and often has to do with institutions and large organizations - everything from a bank to the entire Christian Church. This card indicates spirituality even if you are an atheist. It's in whatever sense the word "spirit" makes sense to you, even if for you "spirit" equates to "emotion." You may be trying hard to figure out what the "truth" is about someone (or some matter), don't feel that you have to do it all on your own, ask for help if you need it to gain different perspectives, more information, etc.

General: Just like with the Strength card, you may even more so be in the frame of mind that you need some time alone - don't be afraid to take it. Even if it's just a five minute walk around the house so that you can clear your head. This is also very much a card about "trying very hard to do the right thing." Just make sure that "doing the right thing" includes doing what is right for you personally, and not just worrying about the wants and needs of others.

Work: You are nearing the point where work success and recognition are well within your grasp. Do your best to be organized and productive. This will pay off for you in ways that aren't clear yet. Do the "right thing" even if nobody is watching. You are always watching what you are doing.

Love: It's possible that a romance from your past will be re-kindled. Is that really what you want? It seems that romantic relationships are not currently a priority for you right now. If your head says that you want nothing more than a romantic relationship; look at your behavior. Does it align with that analysis? In a committed relationship, you might have been moving in different directions for a while now. Make sure to make the time and effort to stay connected in order to keep the spark alive.

Finances: This is a time to be conservative when it comes to financial transactions and decisions, not that money seems to be your highest priority when the Hermit appears anyway. If you're investing, put your money in conservative stocks/bonds/money market with really good track records. This is not a time to gamble.

Health: Ritual of any sort will be helpful to you health-wise. (this could even be something like reading a book for an hour every Saturday afternoon). Any health problems could be drawing your attention to a problem that is not in your body so much as in your life; for example, a bad back could indicate that you are "carrying too much" metaphorically speaking. Take care of yourself.

Spirituality: It's very likely that at this time a person will come into your life who is like a mentor or teacher even if they don't "teach" you directly. You will still learn from them on several levels. Honor the need that you may be having to withdraw to a degree from ordinary life - It won't last forever. You will soon be feeling much more social, so don't push yourself now to be around a lot of people unless it is absolutely necessary. You will likely emerge from this month feeling refreshed and renewed, particularly on a spiritual level. 

Mandala painting

Night flower mandala

Distemper paints on paper

“There came one and knocked at the door of the Beloved.
And a voice answered and said, 'Who is there?'
The lover replied, 'It is I.'
'Go hence,' returned the voice;
'there is no room within for thee and me.'
Then came the lover a second time and knocked and again the voice demanded,
'Who is there?'
He answered, 'It is thou.'
'Enter,' said the voice, 'for I am within.”
― Rumi

Flower mandala

Sunflower mandala


“Hear this if you can:
If you want to reach him
You have to go beyond yourself
And when you finally arrive at the land of absence
Be silent
Don’t say a thing
Ecstasy, not words, is the language spoken there”
― Rumi, The Rubais of Rumi: Insane with Love 

Mercury

Mercury

Mercury is the smallest planet in the Solar System and the one closest to the Sun, with an orbital period of about 88 Earth days, which is much faster than any other planet in the Solar System. Seen from Earth, it appears to move around its orbit in about 116 days. It has no known natural satellites. It is named after the Roman deity Mercury, the messenger to the gods.
Partly because it has almost no atmosphere to retain heat, Mercury's surface temperature varies diurnally more than any other planet in the Solar System, ranging from 100 K (−173 °C; −280 °F) at night to 700 K (427 °C; 800 °F) during the day in some equatorial regions. The poles are constantly below 180 K (−93 °C; −136 °F). Mercury's axis has the smallest tilt of any of the Solar System's planets (about ¹⁄₃₀ of a degree), and its orbital eccentricity is the largest of all known planets in the Solar System. At aphelion, Mercury is about 1.5 times as far from the Sun as it is at perihelion. Mercury's surface is heavily cratered and similar in appearance to the Moon, indicating that it has been geologically inactive for billions of years.
Mercury is tidally or gravitationally locked with the Sun in a 3:2 resonance, and rotates in a way that is unique in the Solar System. As seen relative to the fixed stars, it rotates on its axis exactly three times for every two revolutions it makes around the Sun. As seen from the Sun, in a frame of reference that rotates with the orbital motion, it appears to rotate only once every two Mercurian years. An observer on Mercury would therefore see only one day every two years.
Because Mercury orbits the Sun within Earth's orbit (as does Venus), it can appear in Earth's sky in the morning or the evening, but not in the middle of the night. Also, like Venus and the Moon, it displays a complete range of phases as it moves around its orbit relative to Earth. Although Mercury can appear as a bright object when viewed from Earth, its proximity to the Sun makes it more difficult to see than Venus. Two spacecraft have visited Mercury: Mariner 10 flew by in the 1970s; and MESSENGER, launched in 2004, orbited Mercury over 4,000 times in four years, before exhausting its fuel and crashing into the planet's surface on April 30, 2015.

 

 

Meditation

Delta waves meditation music

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Paradise mandala

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Mandala painting

Gem mandala

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Bronze necklaces

Bronze necklaces with picture of Earth and butterfly.

ETSY

Mandala painting

Folk mandala

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Mandala painting

Meditation mandala

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Tarot Card Interpretation - Strength Reversed

Strength Reversed

Introduction: When Strength appears in reverse it does not indicate that you are not strong; on the contrary, it indicates typically that there is more strength in you and in your immediate situation than you are likely to be seeing at this time. If you’re having trouble “feeling” where the strong points are at the moment, get with a trusted and honest friend and make a list.
General: When Strength appears in reverse, it’s an important indicator that you have a lot to be grateful for and that you should make a point in the very near future to count your blessings. Yes, everyone wishes for more than they have - more health, more friends, more money, more… whatever. Appreciating what you currently have in hand is key to opening ourselves up for more.
Work: Before you can expect the people you work with to be crystal clear on what your talents and skills are, it’s obvious that YOU must be clear first. What are you best at? What gets you moving? These should give you some insights into where your strengths lie. Once you are clear, this is a good time to make sure that those in a position to hire you (or to keep you employed, or to give you a raise) are aware of them as well. Take things one step at a time, you are already doing well when this card appears, there is no need to push too far too fast.
Love: The reversed meaning of the Strength card in the context of love and romance is basically the same as its upright meaning. In general, love should be going very well - if you're committed, this is very likely to be a strong relationship that is mutually supportive and beneficial. If you're looking for someone, this is a much better-than-average time to meet people. You should be in a self-confident phase, so get out and mingle. You might be very pleasantly surprised by how things work out. The only caveat with the reversal is that you should be a little careful as to make sure you’re not over-estimating the strength of a love relationship; e.g. don’t push the boundaries too hard or you could end up unpleasantly surprised. 
Finances: In general money should be flowing well for you now, even with the card appearing in reversal; still, don’t push the boundaries too far. Don’t assume that current prosperity well necessarily continue forever. This is not a great time to gamble much, or to borrow to finance anything other than literal needs.
Health: You are likely to be feeling pretty good when this card appears, even in reversal. This is a great time to correct bad habits if you need to do so in order to protect your health; the caution is not to try to do so too quickly or too forcefully. Slow and steady wins the race. Starting with small goals like a daily short, vigorous workout could very well lead you to where you want to be. You don’t have to necessarily force yourself to stop bad habit such as smoking cold turkey; this tactic is likely to backfire.
Spirituality: The reversed Strength card does not mean that you are weak or weak spiritually; on the contrary, it is a reminder that you have strength within you that likely goes far beyond what you would tend to imagine. If you have difficulty seeing and sensing that about yourself and your life, spend some time in nature. Find a natural thing that you find awe-inspiring, whether that’s a beautiful vista, a waterfall, or an old tree. Then remember that the strength and beauty in that scene or object is an integral part of who and what you are as well. Keep getting in touch with your strength.

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Antique silver earrings with picture of my original mandala.

DUNE ART

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Meditation mandala

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“Now they are a circle, and they vibrate together, they pulsate together. Their hearts are no longer separate, their beats are no longer separate, they have become a melody, a harmony. It is the greatest music possible, all other musics are just faint things compared to it, shadow things compared to it.”
― Osho

Meditation music

Beautiful healing music

Gaudy mandala necklace

Bronze necklace with picture of my original Gaudy mandala

Mandala painting

Third chakra mandala

Distemper paints on paper

“That is the simple secret of happiness. Whatever you are doing, don’t let past move your mind; don’t let future disturb you. Because the past is no more, and the future is not yet. To live in the memories, to live in the imagination, is to live in the non-existential. And when you are living in the non-existential, you are missing that which is existential. Naturally you will be miserable, because you will miss your whole life.”
― Osho

Stone mandala

 “Nobody can say anything about you. Whatsoever people say is about themselves. But you become very shaky, because you are still clinging to a false center. That false center depends on others, so you are always looking to what people are saying about you. And you are always following other people, you are always trying to satisfy them. You are always trying to be respectable, you are always trying to decorate your ego. This is suicidal. Rather than being disturbed by what others say, you should start looking inside yourself…

Whenever you are self-conscious you are simply showing that you are not conscious of the self at all. You don’t know who you are. If you had known, then there would have been no problem— then you are not seeking opinions. Then you are not worried what others say about you— it is irrelevant!

When you are self-conscious you are in trouble. When you are self-conscious you are really showing symptoms that you don’t know who you are. Your very self-consciousness indicates that you have not come home yet.”
― Osho

Vintage mandala

Bright star mandala

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“Each person comes into this world with a specific destiny--he has something to fulfill, some message has to be delivered, some work has to be completed. You are not here accidentally--you are here meaningfully. There is a purpose behind you. The whole intends to do something through you.”
― Osho

Mandala painting

Sun flower mandala

Distemper paints on paper

“Listen to your being. It is continuously giving you hints; it is a still, small voice. It does not shout at you, that is true. And if you are a little silent you will start feeling your way. Be the person you are. Never try to be another, and you will become mature. Maturity is accepting the responsibility of being oneself, whatsoever the cost. Risking all to be oneself, that's what maturity is all about.”
― Osho

Tarot Card Interpretation - The Lovers

The Lovers

Introduction: The Lovers is associated with the astrological sign of Gemini, "The Twins." It almost always points to partnerships with just one other person; generally, and not surprisingly, this indicates a romantic partnership, but of course this is not always the case. Less frequently, it points to the duality that all of us have inwardly - between male/female, yin/yang, approach/avoidance, and the like.

General: It's possible when this card appears that you are feeling ambivalent about a relationship or situation in your life. It could be that your heart is telling you one thing, and your head, another. In general, the thing to do is (within the bounds of your morality) to follow your heart. Some people say there are only two modes that any of us are operating under at any time; and that's "fear" or "love." When you can: choose love.

Work: You may be facing a choice or decision in relation to work. Analyze all available information, then make your best choice. It's possible that what you initially interpret as a bad thing will turn out to work in your favor. Be cautious about mixing business with romance; if you chose to go there, make sure you know exactly what the stakes are.

Love: When this card appears, it usually means this time is likely to bring LOVE in capital letters to the center stage of your life. This is either a new relationship, or a powerful re-bonding of an old one. Either way you will be quite happy about how romance is going and others will likely remark that you are "glowing." This is serious stuff. It could mean, even in a new relationship, where you are meeting each other's families and talking about "forever." Again, share your joy with those around you who need it. Life will feel blissful to you now, which is wonderful.

Finances: Things are likely to be going so blissfully for you romantically that it would be easy for you to lose track of where you are with your personal/financial life. Most things can wait, of course, but some things absolutely can not so just be sure that you don't lose sight of the things you really must do.

Health: If you are facing health challenges, know that the right partner to help you get back to wholeness will come to you. Whether that's a traditional doctor, nurse, or healer depends a great deal on your preferences and choice in life. Again, if you are facing challenges, think deeply about your current understanding about health and wellness, and undertaking any healing affirmations/forgiveness work that you may need to do.

Spirituality: Again, working with a special person, like a mentor or leader that you have faith in can help you along your spiritual journey. However, don't blindly follow; question everything, listen to your heart and your gut reactions; take what is offered that is helpful to you, and disregard the rest. A mentor may be getting ready to come into your life. Remember the old saying: "When the student is ready, the teacher appears."

Symbolism of ape

Symbolism of ape

Cautions against loss of individuality, pretending to be someone who you are not, aping someone, being a copycat instead of your true self. A symbol of malice and ugliness. The ape was a holy animal in ancient India, the god Hanuman, as in the epic Ramayana. He is a symbol of strength, loyalty, and self-sacrifice. In the Chinese Zodiac, the ape is the ninth sign. The ape is the calendar symbol in ancient Mexican cultures, lending its name (in Aztec Ozomatli, in Mayan Ba'tz) to the the day of the month. The ape was a god of dance, and those born under this sign were expected to become jugglers, pranksters, dancers, or singers. In ancient Mexico, the ape represents the wind. In the ancient Mexican myth of periodic "ends of the world", the second era or "sun," the wind-sun, was ended by devastating tornadoes, and the humans of this era were transformed into apes. Apes in chains represent the "devil" vanquished. It is a symbol of insecurity and doubt about one's own role in life as well as immodesty.