When Traveling Through the Dark, Remember Your Light

I have a recurring dream. Oh, sure, it's not always exactly the same, the details vary, but the underlying theme is the same; I reside within a house within a house, and I love it. A secret garden, if you will. The décor is always peaceful, the overall feel is that of a sanctuary, and I get a certain sense of comfort when opening up the doors of these hidden rooms to select friends and loved ones. I love wandering these secret hallways as I make my way towards my inner sanctuary, and get downright cranky if I find other people dwelling there without invitation.  Does this mean that I long to live in a house with secret passage ways and hidden rooms, so I can sneak off when I need an oasis? Maybe. I'm sure my friend Rose could provide greater insight, she's a dream interpreter after all. I have a feeling she'll tell me this dream is symbolic of a need for introspection, peace and solitude. Contemplation of this dream would certainly lead to some insight and wisdom, and that is the message which today's card brings.

The hermit is the universal symbol of contemplation, creativity, introspection and the wisdom which comes from experience.

Swathed in the burgundy robes of wisdom and insight, the Hermit wanders alone, equipped with only his lantern of truth and integrity. Desiring only authentic and meaningful encounters, he prefers to keep his distance from society at large, shunning the idea of consuming simply for the sake of competition with one's fellow man. To the Greeks, this man was known as the philosopher Diogenes the Cynical, best known for carrying a lantern in the daytime in his tireless “search for an honest man”. The term “cynic” derives from the Greek word for dog, which is symbolic of the Hermit's steadfast loyalty to those who are truthful and authentic, and his equally tenacious denial of anyone else. What's important to note here is that the Hermit depicted on this card is not holed up in some cave, bedraggled and motionless; instead, we see him moving, traveling and actively searching for those authentic encounters which give rise to creativity and deeper meaning.

Speaking of dogs, notice our hero is not completely alone in his journey. Acting as his traveling companion is Cerberus, the three-headed guardian of the underworld. One of the dog's heads is looking backwards, representing the need to examine past situations when choosing our present and future paths.

At the heart of the card, we discover the lantern's true light source - the sun. Symbolic of growth, creativity, collaborations, and renewal, the sun spark at the center of the lantern indicates the creative spark which the Hermit has vowed to protect. 

The Orphic Egg and the Spermatazoon symbolize the Hermit's ability to give rise to new physical and spiritual forms. The distance between these two symbols is deliberate, as it indicates the Hermit's ultimate desire to facilitate growth and illumination, while also ensuring that the union is significant, authentic and meaningful. Anything short of that which is desired results in the Hermit preferring to be alone. All of these symbols are set against a backdrop of a billowing field of wheat, signifying the old adage that we reap what we sow. From this we can infer that the Hermit will not plant the seed of wisdom into any mind or heart unless it promises to result in a rich harvest. As a sage and source for insight and wisdom, the Hermit holds a key to the secrets of the universe, sharing this precious knowledge with just anyone weakens its significance; therefore, our central hero carries the ultimate burden of choosing who is worthy of this information while ensuring he's operating from a place of integrity and authenticity.

I'm thrilled to report our world is filled with many figures who embody the Hermit archetype, it's wonderful to know that our hero of the day has been able to find enough authentic and meaningful relationships that we are able to still benefit from his wisdom. You may even recognize aspects of the Hermit within yourself from time to time. Specifically those days when you just want some time alone so you can think in peace and clear the clutter from the clogged corners of your mind. You may even recognize the Hermit in the eccentric individual, or private counselor, you seek for guidance when it comes to the deep, dark secrets you don't share with your immediate circle of friends. 

When you find yourself slipping into a Hermit phase, as we are all prone to do from time to time, embrace it! Take a walk in the evening, go out and get the mental space you require in order to shed some light into those darkened recesses of your mind that are crying to be examined. In short, do whatever you need to do in order to achieve the peace of mind you desire.

For those of you who would like to know what further insights the Hermit has for you, please schedule a reading. Now let's open the floor for discussion, what's your preferred method for seeking peace of mind when your inner Hermit comes calling? I'm looking forward to hearing from you!

Difficult Life Choices, and the Luck of the Draw

Dear Rachel,

I am rather conflicted about my choices when it comes to the little embryo inside of me. Is adoption whats best for the trio of us involved?

Love your die-hard fan,

Katey

Dear Katey,

Before I get into the nuts and bolts of your reading, please let me first commend you for your bravery. It can't be easy to ask such an emotionally vulnerable question to begin with, especially in an open form such as this. The decision you're facing is a difficult one, regardless of circumstances. Rest assured, I promise to give you an honest answer as tactfully as is possible. Ultimately, however, the choice you make is your own. I can only offer insight based on what the cards reveal, you are responsible for the final decision of what you feel is best for you, your unborn child, and your family as a whole. That being said, let's get down to business.

Because you haven't said who the third person is making up the “trio”, I'm going to first talk about the father. That's who I see fleeing the scene, at least (Knight of Swords). I also see his departure was rather abrupt, much like your whirlwind romance and the discovery of your pregnancy. So, here you are, with a child you don't know yet, but already love, and no father to stand by your side during the experience. With him out the door, it's a glaring realization that you're going to be raising this child on your own; a constant reminder of how quickly things can change in the blink of an eye.

Looks like you've got experience in this department.

You've been through this before, this isn't your first try at raising a child on your own, against all odds. In which case, this the other person making up this elusive “trio” could be your other child. If you recall, that stormy affair brought its own happy ending (Nine of Cups). Folks were angry, disappointed and all the other erratic emotions that send up your “everyone is angry, and this is supposed to be a loving environment” alarms. This is a time when you want and need support, but the feedback you're getting is contradictory. I see you have weathered similar storms in the past, this experience is nothing new. Give yourself some credit, when it comes to overcoming supposedly insurmountable odds, you've proven yourself wrong in the past.

If your Mind, Body and Spirit formed a Motown trio, do you think they'd call themselves The Supremes?

For argument's sake, let's say this unspecified “trio” you mentioned is your Mind-body-Spirit connection. When all the chaos of your environment is quiet enough for you to listen to these three in unison, what kind of music do you hear? In the center of this spread we have Art, representing the fusion of opposites. This is alchemy at its finest, even though it takes a great deal of practice, and some failures along the way. It's not easy to take two things which are seemingly opposite and create something wholly new and wonderful from the union.

Looking to the future we have a the Swords representing Mind, it's no surprise you're contemplating all the possible outcomes of your situation, good and bad. Holding firm in the past, you'll see the Cups giving a emotional argument on behalf of Body; the emotions you associate with the first time you held your child are providing a hefty anchor.

What's your intuition telling you? 

The Artist within, representing your Spirit is working hard to be heard, wanting desperately to take a seemingly impossible situation and transform it into something stronger and stable. What if the paradox that's struggling for transformation is you, and this situation you're in is the kick in the pants you needed to figure out what you truly want to achieve in life? Next, what has to happen to shift your gears and bring your mind, body, and spirit into unison?

I can't give you a final answer, Katey, because this is the kind of question which you must ask yourself.  I only hope the insight I've provided will help you come to a decision that you know is the right one. 

Dear Rachel,

I have a concert I'm preparing with 2 other women singers for October 15th. None of us has come right out and said it, but we've hinted at feeling a very positive vibration, and we all feel doors are already opening even as we are just preparing. Is this destined to be an auspicious occasion?

Jean C.

Dear Jean,

Congratulations on this exciting endeavor! October 15^th is just around the corner, and though it will be here before you realize it, I see all of your careful planning and practice will pay off nicely.

The buzz amongst your group is apparent, it's gone unmentioned directly because none of you wants to rush ahead blindly. Even as you're all trying to keep your heads on straight and not get ahead of yourselves, you have a very nice balance of forward momentum (Knight of Wands) paired with the insight and wisdom which can only come from life experience (Queen of Disks). To complete this lovely landscape is the arrival of the "Success" card (Six of Disks).

This is destined to be an auspicious occasion indeed! You can expect the success of your concert to create a positive buzz around you for the next six months, especially if you continue to balance your excitement with strong work ethic. Though you may not see the money start pouring in immediately, you will receive enough positive feedback and a clear enough measure of your success that you will be encouraged to keep making a joyful noise.

I look forward to hearing all about the concert!

You're a Shining Star, No Matter Who You Are

"Self confidence is the key to the universe." -Carrol Wrackley

The key to the universe. Imagine the ramifications of that comment for just a moment. With confidence, limitless possibilities of personal achievement become available. Those things once thought beyond reach become more than the stuff of dreams. Even better, this tapping into unlimited potential is not an impossible task. Oh, it can seem daunting if you don't know the steps towards gaining confidence. Then there's the ever-looming threat of becoming overly confident to the point of arrogance, which seems to be more heinous than low-confidence in the minds of many people. Maybe the real setback is not the tools and steps necessary for building confidence, but the unlimited possibilities of options available once confidence has been established. Having several options and avenues available is much better than none at all.

Several cards within the Tarot speak of the importance of self-confidence, but none quite so clearly as the Star. The imagery alone speaks of being a conduit for divine influence and then manifesting this divine persuasion in our daily lives. Ponder the relaxed posture of the woman as she tilts her cup of divine light in her right hand, lets it flow through her body then releases it through the cup in her left hand. So confident is she in her connection to the divine that she doesn't even need to look at the cup in her left hand to ensure that this light is reaching its destination. Even as she balances lightly upon the crystallization (translation: manifestation) of her achievement, she looks relaxed, but not the least bit arrogant. Demonstrating the lesson that even as we gain confidence, we must also ensure we do not delve into the realm of false confidence, over-confidence, or snobbery; it's a delicate balancing act which takes practice.

So how does one go about gaining self-confidence? The consensus suggests taking minor risks and reaping the benefits of those small risks turning into small successes, others say daily affirmations are the trick to improving self-esteem, and still others insist there is no quick and easy fix because an individual needs to create a structured road map to navigate from the point A of low confidence to the point B of self-assurance. This last option sounds more like a confidence crusher rather than a confidence builder, but then I've never been one to sit idly by and accept that there's only one way to tackle an issue. Personally, I think if the idea of making positive, lasting changes is daunting in your waking life, you should sleep on it. Literally. I'm serious, put your subconscious mind to work for five minutes a day and you will notice the benefits in just one month. If that won't boost your confidence... well, I'm not about to be a Negative Nelly. Because in all honesty, putting your subconscious to work will not only improve your motivation, and emotional intelligence, but also increase your level of happiness. The perfect recipe for building self-esteem, right?

My friends, I now reveal to you the three step (five minute) process of improving confidence subconsciously.

Step One: Before bed each night, take a minute to make a request of your subconscious. My advice is to start small and make it open ended. Asking your subconscious to reveal ways for you to become a Hollywood mogul might be a little bit ambitious at this stage. I have a lot of great things to say about the power of the subconscious mind, but “miracle worker” is not one of them.

Step Two: Take two minutes to visualize yourself actually able to do this thing. Whether it's getting the motivation to eat healthier, or volunteer more often, you must visualize yourself doing the request you've asked of your subconscious. For the sake of argument, let's say you've decided to ask your subconscious for assistance with selecting a healthier diet. Now visualize yourself preparing food, eating and enjoying that food. Don't do this halfway, really visualize the taste, smells, and texture of food. Yum!

Step Three: Take these last two minutes to visualize how you will feel when you actually accomplish this goal. How do you feel when you taste and digest this meal? Energized? Satisfied? Full? Less sluggish? Whatever it is you want to achieve, imagine that you already have accomplished this goal and let that emotion sink in. Then, go to sleep and let your subconscious to the rest of the work.

Trust in your subconscious' vast resources and allow it to do its thing, its goal is to improve your life. Will you see results overnight? Probably not, but that's because some level of action is required from you. You might not leap right into a healthy dining routine, but keep visualizing this change and start making baby-steps as the weeks progress. Then, about two weeks into your visualization routine, just go for it. By that time you should have established enough emotional support behind your goal that the transition is almost effortless. By creating emotional momentum you also create motivation to see your goals through to successful completion. Successful completion of goals builds self-confidence. Greater self-confidence builds motivation to attain larger goals, and the cycle goes on and on.

Consider this your homework. Establish a goal for yourself and use subconscious techniques to create emotional momentum, then report back to me with your discoveries.

If you would like to book a reading with me, please visit my website.