Lapis Philosophorum

In as much as I love the celebration of the New Year and the promises of renewal and transformation that it brings, I simply can’t stand the long, cold and dark month of January. I now feel totally drained by the very thought of it – lying there  ahead of us.

January simply sucks in Copenhagen.

Since this is my first post in the PDR this year, I think I should ask how I best take care of my self and my energy to meet January.  Maybe it is just a question of being neutral, and to know from which sources to renew my energy.

I guess I’ll simply do a modified celtic cross with 6 cards to understand my current situation, letting 2 be hope and fear too, so that I may understand what makes the very thought of January so depressing  and burdensome;

3

5   1/2   6

4

Let’s see how it works out:

1. This covers me: Lady of Coins. This is me – trying to keep my feet on the ground, appreciating the little things, Nature’s gifts, flowers and such. This Lady may be paying too much attention to the materialistic stuff, and too little to the Moon, and spirituality.

Well, I guess I try to do that, and the Yule spread encouraged me to do that, but also to find ways to work out practical ways to connect to spirituality (more about this in a later post).

Maybe I’m looking too pessimistic and practical on the time ahead, and on earthly matters – such as bringing children to and from daycare, getting to work, having enough sleep, money and what to have for dinner –  and not so much on the possibilities that also lies in these things?

2. This crosses me / hope and fear: Six of Coins. The children – my children – understands how to have a playful attitude towards the earthly and practical matters – the practicalities of everyday life. So I guess yes – I do look too pessimistic and practical on these things. I can learn from my children. I can learn about love, generosity and play in everyday life.

3. This crowns me: Three of Coins. I sometimes tell my querents that this is about their ideals, about what they want to do with their life, their longings, wishes and ambitions. And this tells me, that – yes -what I want to is to work creatively.

4. This grounds me: The Chariot. Will power – ego drive. Stuff has to be done, I have to do certain things, in order to get going. I do that excellently, but sometimes it bores me – and I may go too fast. From The Alchemical Tarot Study Group:

Tarot wisdom: The Chariot shows us what can happen when we become impatient. Alchemical heating is a patient process – the alchemist should not add too much heat too fast. As we draw closer to the Stone, we glimpse it, and want to get to it as quickly as possible.  It has been hidden from view–now it is in plain sight. But getting there, to spiritual wholeness, is not a fast process. We must check our impulse to charge off, and proceed more slowly and carefully. We must stay centered.

The Chariot offers us exuberance, energy, ambition, and willingness to take on a challenge. These are good traits that can serve us well, as long as they are properly managed and tempered. The long distance traveler knows how to pace himself so as not to burn out before reaching his destination.

So I’ll have to use my will power, but also be wise and go patiently.

5. This lies behind me: Queen of Staffs. I have experienced creative and emotional energy during x-mas, for example by writing, reading and being with my family. This energy I’m leaving now, and the thought of this – feels like the energy drain, that initiated this reading.

Three of Swords

6. This lies before me: Three of Swords.The feeling that my thoughts have everything to do with my pessimistic attitude and approach towards January is very much confirmed by this, and it tells me that I must look at my own expectations to grow and get out of my winter blues.

Again from The Alchemical Tarot Study Group:

This card represents pain and suffering, but also shows how our suffering can lead to new growth. In the book Place says that the eye symbolises the soul and suggests and awakening consciousness. He also says that suffering is necessary to achieve the consciousness of the higher self.

Because this is a sword card, and represents the mental realm it is also important to ask what part your own thoughts and expectations and mental habits play in your current suffering. Is the suffering a wake-up call to encourage you to change your mental patterns to enable growth? If the rose is the goal of Alchemy then suffering can be seen as an opportunity to grow and to become all that we potentially can become.

So: The Chariot tells me to be in control, patient and go steady. I have to work on my attitude, be wiser, and look and learn from the children. I have an real opportunity to learn how my own thought patterns play a crucial role for my energy level, and that I do have the responsibility for changing my attitude, and thereby my energy.

Otherwise January will suck and the three swords will cut me, and my expectations will fullfil themselves as a painful prophecy.

Images from The Alchemical Tarot, copyright Robert M. Place, are used with kind permission. Visit the Alchemical Tarot website.

The Wolf

I’ve have met the wolf in my readings with the Alchemical twice. Actually it is a frightening card, and perplexing too, the Nine of Staffs. Which the discussion in the Alchemical Tarot Study Group at AT also points to.

Last time I read it as it meant that some part of myself has to be sacrifed, my egoism. But I have been doing some soulsearching recently and I have been working on my tendency to take upon my shoulders all kinds of responsibility and guilt that is not mine.

And that tendency is a like a predator preying on me and my relations with other people. Because then I’m not able to distinguish between my responsibilty and theirs.

I think that what must be sacrificed is my guilttrip, and my tendency not to guard my personal borders.  I’m working on that.

Actually I see my tendency to guard my borders as a dog, a border collie, tending to its herd, and all material coming in from others and from my self, from the unconsciousness, as a wolf.

It has to be dealt with. It has to be purified so that it can rise as something else, a greater level of consciousness.

I’m writing about this, not  because all of my previous  interpretations nor the general meanings, that Place has attributed to this card are wrong, not at all, of course.

But I realize that I have slowly started to really connect with this particular deck of tarot, on a personal level. The wolf means something specific to me, now.

This is my tarot intentions for 2010:

• I have joined the PDR, and will be writing about the Alchemical Tarot Renewed every sunday on this blog (yes – I’ve decided to try again).
• I’ll write more about tarot on my danish blog.
• I will get back to working on my take on the numerical value for the pips – working with the Marseille Fournier.
• I have some books I will read this year, among them a Wicked Pack of Cards, A Cultural History of Tarot and Meditations on the Tarot.
• I’ll continue to offer f2f readings, and read for whoever comes along. For this I’ll use The Universal Waite.

So I’ll only work with about three decks and hence realising that I don’t need that many;

• There is only three decks I consider buying in 2010, and I guess I’ll stick to them, at least two of them.
• In fact I’ve considered to trade some of my decks or simply give them away, but I’m not sure – yet.
• Last but not least, I’ll be hanging around in AT.

– so I guess I’ll be quite occupied tarotwise in 2010.

What are your (tarot or other)  intentions for 2010?

Happy New Year!

New Year’s Eve, Hogmanay – Dec 31st. This card shows us how to release the old and let in the new. This relates to both our external lives and our inner being.

Seven of Pentacles
Here is the sickle again, but not as the Moon, but as an actual Tool. A sickle to harvest the fruit of one’s labour.

Sickle and Mistletoe

In this case it seems to be the mistletoe, which I associate with love due to kissing under it at Christmas. Reading at Wikipedia I’m learned that it can be both a poision and an antidote, and that mistletoe bears fruit at the time of the Winter Solstice, the birth of the new year – That is now. I’m now reaping what has been sown in 2009. And looking around, I’m quite happy with what I can harvest.

So this is about appreaciating what has been sowed and patiently waiting for it to be ripe to harvest. And to decide what to start in the new year, and be confident that things are growing at it’s own pace. No rush here.

As for releasing the old, Seven of Pentacles has also – according to the book – to do with clearing unnecessary clutter.

The sickle manifesting as an actual tool tells me that this about going to work. To do and act the things that this spread has told me about.

That is what I’m going to do now, that is how to let the new in.

Day of Rest: – Dec 30th. This card shows us how to walk our path in a relaxed and confident way….with the ability to deal with stressful situations in a philosophical, detached way.

The Lord
There is not much feminine power here – but quite a lot of masculine, raw power, self reliance, self awareness, strength, authority, protection and structure.

He is what I need to protect my path, so I can walk it peaceful and relaxed. He – as the King of Pentacles, though on a larger scale – protects his boundaries, his domain. And he like Justice and the Princess of Swords has a bird with him, here an eagle hoovering high in the sky, symbolizing consciousness and clearness.

So I think his message is that I have to protect myself and be confident in myself to walk my path. He is surely not afraid of anything or anyone.

Day of Nymphs – Dec 29th. This card encourages us to connect to our playful side, our inner child and how best to cultivate this aspect of ourselves.

Five of Pentacles
I’m a bit confused here. How can this be about connecting to my playful side? I see a wolf chasing a rabbit. Is this abbout letting go and giving away to instincts. Am I then the rabbit or the wolf?

The book tells about dissolution in an alchemical sense. Is there an attitude of “grown up-ness” that needs to be dissolved for me to be playful.  Do I simply worry too much?

Feast of Alcyone: – Dec 28th. This card gives us a personal inner message – one that speaks directly to our heart and spirit.

Queen of Cups
Now, the Moon is full. The Queen is standing at a pool with one foot in the water. She seems, like the High Priestess – to be performing some kind of ritual, not just that wild, but more mildly.

She is holding her cup under the moon as to catch it’s light therein.

She is in contact with the Great Feminine – it is interesting how the feminine plays a great part in this whole reading – it is really about connecting with the Goddess, about love, healing, nurturing, creativity, dreaming – all that the Goddess stands for – is.

I think that this Queen is telling me that I already have it all within, I just have to introspectively nurture that part of me. Then I’ll be able to catch the moonlight too.

Full Moon

Birth of Freyja: – Dec 27th. This card points to issues of love, luck, artistic and creative expression and female wisdom.

Ace of Cups
I do feel lucky, drawing this card.

The is a lot of abundance happening here – if I may put it that way. And again the Moon Sickle hangs high in the night sky – or the morning sky – because it seems like the Sun is rising in the east. The Goddess is in the form of water pouring herself out in five streams. I think I’ve learned that five is the number of Venus (and in the norse mythology Freya) – the goddess of love and luxury.

This card is about dreaming, inspiration, creativity and love, according to the book. Well, I do not need the book to see that. And so it seems to accentuate and second the meaning of the position. This is the gifts of the Godess. This is available to everybody – including me – if they understand how to connect with her spirit as does the High Priestess.

Yuletide, Kwanzaa: – Dec 26th. This card shows us how to express nurturance, to attend to our families and to express the protective energy within us towards others.

King of Pentacles
King of the Castle. This man is expressing protective power and security, he takes care of what lies within his domain and protects it from being trespassed from what does not belong there. He is satisfied with his life, his home and his family, valuing the gifts of nature. He is generous and mild, but can be strict, if the situation demands it. He is responsible and trustworthy, reliable and steadfast.

Festival of Life, Christmas: – Dec 25th. This card shows us how to connect directly with Spirit.

The High Priestess
Again the Sickle of the Moon play its part in the scenary. This woman is connected to the wildness of spirit, to feminine powers, to the Great Goddess – in fact as a Priestess or female Shaman she is embodying the Goddess as she performs the sacred rituals. She is the Goddess.

The High Priestess

What does this mean? I’m reminded of the book Women who run with wolves, about the feminine powers within modern women. Is it these I shall connect with? And how – by connecting with feminine spirit, with the Goddess in her three phases – as Virgin, Mother, and Crone. Or maybe as in different aspects of the Feminine – here I’m both thinking of Mary and Mary Magdalene, or of the gnostic Sophia.

I’m just not sure how to actually and practically do this.