Tarotcast

Tarot and Art-cast for Nov 3 – 16, 2024

I Gusti Ayu Kadek Murniasih
I Gusti Ayu Kadek Murniasih

Since we are still in Scorpio season and have already pondered death and transformation now let’s focus on its other realm, sex.  The artist is I Gusti Ayu Kadek Murniasih.  Murni’s artistic style came from a traditional form of Balinese art, Pengosekan style, painting and batik.  She uses bold colors and strong lines to create her work.  However, Murni broke away from traditional Balinese themes of flora and fauna to work through her traumatic past of sexual abuse by using a stream of images conjured from her dreams and subconscious.  Her work, once considered crude in her home country, is now seen by the world as original and a voice of resilience.

Your pondering: We as a collective are still dealing with gender bias based in our overly simplistic concept and overuse of binarism. This binary thinking leads to “us versus them” instead of “we” or a “black and white: yes/no” instead of the gray areas seen by examining the why behind an action.  What would happen if we when we think of classification and judgment we see a spectrum instead of a set of distinctively separate boxes?  Would it end war? Genderism? Racism?

Solar System highlights

The moon begins in Sagittarius – the beginning of the week might be challenging to be focused.  But by Tuesday you hit your stride with the moon in Capricorn giving us the motivation and direction to get to work.  On Friday the moon is in Aquarius – go with the flow.  Then on Sunday the moon moves into Pisces – a great time for your imagination and daydreaming.

But again, this moon energy creates a slow start to the week and makes it hard to focus.  But by Tuesday November 12th our energy gets reignited with an Aries moon.  That energy continues as the moon moves into Taurus on Thursday November 14th.  And we end the two weeks with the moon moves into social Gemini – reconnect with friends.

Mercury is in Sagittarius until the end of the year.  This is due to its retrograde from November 9th to the 29th.    This is a 9-week exploration of truth seeking and growth in communication.  And remember during the retrograde season it is the best time to recharge, reflect and redo.

Venus is in Sagittarius until December 7th. This is a time for exploration and growth around the concepts of love, beauty and harmony.  Mars is now in Leo until the end of the year.  This aspect is fiery – great for getting things done but be careful around egotism in yourself and others.  This is not a time to start a fight!

And just to jump to Pluto for a sec.  Since mid-September Pluto has moved back into Capricorn.    So, until November 19th you may feel stuck in old patterns that you thought you had worked through.  This is the last time in our lifetime to do shadow work in whatever house Capricorn sits in your natal chart. And for most of us, we have been doing the work since 2008.  So, this last bit is just to tweak not overhaul.

And our longer aspects: Jupiter, the planet of abundance and growth, is in Gemini until June of 2025.   This placement is here to help us work with opportunities to grow and succeed through intellectual, verbal, and written pursuits.  However, we must also watch its challenging aspects:   not following through, gossip, too much information and fickleness.   And lastly Saturn is in Pisces until February 2026 teaching us how to be more fluid and inclusive in our structures.

 

EXTRA

** Signs with an * it is a big week for you.  Scorpio this is a perfect time to get an Astrological Tarot Reading for your coming year.  And  Taurus it is your halfway mark for your birth year, so if you need a Planetary Reading for a check in, now is the time.

*** I have a tip jar if you want to leave a gratuity for the tarot & art-casts.

May light be on you, around you, and within you.

Nina

 

 

Aries
I Gusti Ayu Kadek Murniasih
I Gusti Ayu Kadek Murniasih

Five of Fire – These next two weeks hold the potential for chaos.  The muses’ counsel to navigate this energy is in realizing you have a choice in engaging in the games or not.  You can walk away.  You are not required to play if you don’t like the rules.  However, the challenge is if you decide to jump in you will need to commit to the rules and stay until its conclusion.  If you jump out mid-game, you will be disqualified or create more chaos in doing so.

 

Taurus
I Gusti Ayu Kadek Murniasih
I Gusti Ayu Kadek Murniasih

Two of Earth – The Muse of Juggling comes when you need to maintain a better focus.  For the next two weeks she advises to stop multi-tasking and only take on one project at a time.  Part of her reasoning is the energy in the coming weeks might throw you some curve balls and if your hands/thoughts are full you will not be able to “catch” and deal with it.  Pare down your to-do list to the essentials, so you can be focused and aware if aspects become off kilter.

 

Gemini
I Gusti Ayu Kadek Murniasih
I Gusti Ayu Kadek Murniasih

Seven of Fire – The keys to ease in the coming two weeks have to do with two conditions.   One is obtaining a vantage point to gain perspective and secondly, increasing the potential energy to exert more than average force to get something done.  Remember, Mercury starts retrograding and slowing down processes while throwing curve balls, so space and time are both needed to navigate this energy.  So first, the muses advise when trying to find a solution step back from the situation, take a break and walk away for a bit.  Give your mind a rest. Then secondly, they advise being prepared.  Make sure you are well rested and well fed so you can tackle any problem.

 

Cancerian
I Gusti Ayu Kadek Murniasih
I Gusti Ayu Kadek Murniasih

*World – The Muse of Integration is hanging with you these coming weeks.  She is asking you to take this Mercury retrograde time to process information and emotions so during December you are prepared to take on new opportunities as well as wrap up 2024.  You will get inspiration from the muses during this time, write them down.  They also advise playing with ideas, expanding your dreams, and meditating with the cosmos.

 

Leo
I Gusti Ayu Kadek Murniasih

*Wheel – This energy comes to rebalance karma to set up a transformation in your life.  During this Mercury retrograde it is important you go with the flow.  Take advantage of tiny as well as big opportunities.  Spin the wheel often and see what comes up.  The muses remind you this spinning shouldn’t cost you anything on the physical, thought or emotional plane.  This energy is about increasing potentiality so watch expectations.  The lower the expectation the greater the prize.

 

Virgo
I Gusti Ayu Kadek Murniasih

Six of Earth – These next two weeks will have some turbulence.  And the Muse of Kindness has come to remind you that you can “catch more flies with honey than vinegar.”  You all may be well- aligned with Venus in her go with the flow attitude, but the people around you are vibing way more with Mars in Leo’s fiery attitude.  So, the muses are warning you not to take the bait and to be “the calm in the storm” by administering kindness instead of being the helpful critic or the hyper-vigilant truth teller that is your innate nature.

 

Libra
I Gusti Ayu Kadek Murniasih

Three of Air – The Muse of Breakthrough comes to help you heal old wounds put there by others.  The challenge with these coming two weeks is that it feels as if these wounds are re-opened.  However, the muses remind that these occurrences, though they feel as if you are being re-wounded, are actually just a reminder of where more healing needs to happen.

 

Scorpio
I Gusti Ayu Kadek Murniasih

Ten of Fires – The Muse of Burdens comes when you have or about to take on too much.  Some of these tasks are your responsibility but at least 3-4 are not or you can ask for help to get them done.  This muse advises prioritizing what needs to be done in the coming weeks and then just focus on the top three.  Once they are done, you can focus on the next three.  And the rest see if someone else can pick them up or even better, by the end of this time, they are no longer a problem.

 

Sagittarius
I Gusti Ayu Kadek Murniasih

Ten of Water – As you finalize this birth year the muse would like you to sit back and enjoy what you have reaped.  All tens are energies of endings, but this one is about enjoying the end before starting anew.  These next two weeks focus on what makes you feel happy, free, and flowing.  If you are having problems seeing the beauty the muses advise daily gratitude to sync you up with the positives.

 

Capricorn
I Gusti Ayu Kadek Murniasih

*Strength – The Muse of the Inner Compass is with you in the coming weeks to get you to ponder the Whys behind what you want to do.  She asks will your actions obtain what and who you stand for or want?  Has your morals or goals changed?  What is the most important obtainment that you want in 2025?  Then are you and your tasks/work aligned with that goal?  Take this Mercury retrograde to reflect and readjust.

 

Aquarius
I Gusti Ayu Kadek Murniasih

*Death – This energy aligns well with the coming retrograde.  This energy likes releasing as much as planting seeds.  The Muse of Organic Change asks what would you like to change that can be accomplished in the next 9-10 months?  And what do you need to let go so you can?  Use Mercury’s retrograde energy – rest, reflect, and re-do – to lay the groundwork for what you want to grow.

 

Pisces
I Gusti Ayu Kadek Murniasih

Seven of Air – The Muse of Stealth comes when you need to work behind the scenes to find out what needs to be done.  You fish are highly intuitive and absorb others’ emotions readily.  But during this time your radar for the reasons behind the emotions is off.  So, you will need to be inquisitive without being interrogative or overtly obvious in your questioning.  Use your intuitive IQ to look for trends more than relying on gut feelings.

Tarotcast

Tarot and Art-cast for Oct 20–Nov 2, 2024

Haegue Yang

Continuing with the spirit of Halloween and All Saints Day, the art this week is the ongoing series Mesmerizing Mesh by Haegue Yang  @yanghaegue.  Yang is well known for her 3-D collage sculptures, but her spirit filled Flat Works pieces are on display at The Arts Club of Chicago until December 20th.  For the last 3 years she has been exploring paper cutting and the sacred dimension of hanji, traditional Korena paper derived from the inner bark of the mulberry tree.  Hanji is used in purifying, healing, exorcising and cleansing rituals.  These symmetric works allude to sumun a sheet hung from the ceiling in rituals…to keep away evil spirits, while the more figurative, anthropomorphic pieces “resemble soul sheets (nukjeon), in which the shaman blows a spirit treated as the identical entity of the deceased being honored.”

Your pondering:  In this series Yang’s work is a portal into the mystical realms.  She calls them “mystical leaps.”  Much like the concept of the hours between sunset (Halloween) and sunrise (All saints Day).  A time believed when the veil between the spirit and real world thins.  It is time for me to acknowledge and be grateful for my time here and honor the ones who have already transitioned.  What do you do to celebrate the cycle of life?

Solar System highlights

Okay, 13 out 300 said they read this part, so it stays.  Thank you for responding!

The moon begins in Gemini – helping us be ready to hash things out and find ways to communicate more clearly.  On Tuesday it moves into Cancer self-care becomes the focus.  On Thursday the moon moves into Leo, and we can spotlight using our super-powers.  And then on Sunday October 27th, it moves into Virgo – start prepping for the week to come.  On Tuesday October 29th the moon is in Libra great for rebalancing.  Then Halloween’s eve and into the weekend the moon slips into Scorpio making it a perfect time to let the spirit move you.

Mercury is Scorpio until October 31st a great time to explore and express your passions.  Venus is in Sagittarius until December 7th.  Where it supports exploration of beauty and harmony.  Mars is still in Cancer until November 3rd.  Not its favorite place.  Often our plans go sideways but this is the genius of this placement- to find ways around instead of straight through a problem.

And jumping  to Pluto for a sec.  Since mid-September Pluto has moved back into Capricorn.    So, until November 19th you may feel stuck in old patterns that you thought you had worked through.  This is the last time in our lifetime to do shadow work in whatever house Capricorn sits in your natal chart. And for most of us, we have been doing the work since 2008.  So, this last bit is just to tweak not overhaul.

And our longer aspects: Jupiter, the planet of abundance and growth, is in Gemini until June of 2025.   This placement is here to help us work with opportunities to grow and succeed through intellectual, verbal, and written pursuits.  However, we must also watch its challenging aspects:   not following through, gossip, too much information and fickleness.   And lastly Saturn is in Pisces until February 2026 teaching us how to be more fluid and inclusive in our structures.

 

EXTRA

** Signs with an * it is a big week for you.  Scorpio this is a perfect time to get an Astrological Tarot Reading for your coming year.  And  Taurus it is your halfway mark for your birth year, so if you need a Planetary Reading for a check in, now is the time.

*** I have a tip jar if you want to leave a gratuity for the tarot & art-casts.

May light be on you, around you, and within you.

Nina

 

 

Aries
Haegue Yang

Seven of Earth – The Muse of Harvest helps to finish a project or finalize an idea into action steps.  So, for the next two weeks, she is supplying substance and energy, while also dropping hints for you to take a small rest and nourishment between your big burst of energy.  I.e. cat naps may be necessary.  Her showing up is a reminder that there are rewards to be reaped at the finish line.  So, keep on keeping on.

 

Taurus
Haegue Yang
Haegue Yang

Heart of Fire – The Muse of Spark comes when you need to re-ignite your energy, passion and/or intuition.  Her advice is for the next two weeks to take focused daily doses of nature and art.   This means actual immersion in both and without having a goal in either.  Therefore, play is key in this activity.  This cannot be done in virtual nor while multi-tasking.  You need focused doses of beauty and awe, so you can fuel your spirit and hone your intuition.

 

Gemini
Haegue Yang

*Justice – The Muse of Fair Play is hanging with you for the next two weeks.  She comes when a situation or you need a rebalancing in equity.  Most likely this means there is work on both sides, and you will need to take the lead in the negotiations.  She advises to apply empathy and curiosity to the other side, so you can find commonality to start the process.

 

Cancerian
Haegue Yang
Haegue Yang

Three of Water – The Muse of Friends comes when your emotional cups are running dry and only good times with friends can fill it.  This muse reminds you that friends and comfy convos are the salve your soul needs.   Take these two weeks to reconnect with the ones that you love and that love you back.

 

Leo
Haegue Yang
Haegue Yang

Ten of Earth – The Muse of Calm comes to visit you for two weeks.  She advises that you spend time realizing the work you have done to get to this moment in time.  Whether it is getting your cozy on or being social in your space.  This time is meant to ground you into the place or work that you have decided to focus on.  And if some of you do not feel that calm, take this time to root out what isn’t working so in November you can restart.

 

Virgo
Haegue Yang
Haegue Yang

Ace of Fire – The Muses would like you to spend the next two weeks planting seeds for the future.  That can look like making time in your schedule to do what you love, start a new health regime or spiritual practice, work on the beginnings of a new project or literally plant fall bulbs for spring flowers.  Now is the time for beginnings that have the potential to lighten your soul.

 

Libra
Haegue Yang

Seven of Fire – The Muse of Defense comes when you need to guard an aspect of your life.  She reminds you that boundaries are important and need to be reestablished these coming two weeks.  This doesn’t have to be a fight, but you do need to draw some lines in the sand to feel respected and heard.

 

Scorpio
Haegue Yang
Haegue Yang

Three of Fire – Happy Birth-month.  The Muse of Enterprise has come to help you plan what goals you would like to explore in your coming birth-year.  Enterprise is defined as a project or undertaking, typically one that is difficult or requires effort.   Yes, the muses are trying to push you to think bigger and expand your horizons, even if it may feel difficult.  This is a year to try new things, and the muses would love to help you along the way.

 

Sagittarius
Haegue Yang

Ace of Water – The next two weeks the muses would like to help you seed some emotional beginnings.  They ask what does your heart need to feel freer, more loved, more connected in your world?  By exploring these questions during these next two weeks you can begin to build your game plan for your coming birth-year.  This year’s ease comes when your emotional well-being is the priority.

 

Capricorn
Haegue Yang

Eight of Fire – Messages, inspiration and intel are imminent in the coming weeks.   The challenge is two-fold.  First, this is a time to gather not to process or act.  Secondly, some of this intel is not for you.  The Muse of Messages advises always to keep pen and paper/notes on phone close.  And then if the message is confusing or spotty ask the muses for more info.  They will help clarification.

 

Aquarius
Haegue Yang

*Tower – Where the last two weeks aspect of your life were suspended, however, these next two have the potential for quick change.  The Muse of Sudden Change is here to help.  First, she reminds you that one thing you water-bearers are really good at is going with the flow, and that superpower will come in handy.  Your agility and quick wit will help you see what needs to be done and control it.  So, what could be catastrophic to others becomes a mild disruption for you.  Secondly, she can be called upon for inspiration if you feel bewildered. Though it may be a bumpy ride these changes are readjustments that need to be done to ultimately bring more ease.

 

Pisces
Haegue Yang

Ten of Water – The last two weeks were full and there wasn’t much time to process. But now the Muse of Happiness advises this is the perfect two weeks to process, heal and ultimately invest in your happiness.  She reminds if the message/thought/inspiration doesn’t solve, help or heal it is time to dump it.

Tarotcast

Tarot and Art-cast for Oct 6-19, 2024

Tetsuya Ishida
Lost, Tetsuya Ishida

It’s that time of the year again when I spotlight art that is eerie.  The art this week is the surrealist paintings of Tetsuya Ishida (石田 徹也).  Ishida exposes the pressure and anxieties of ordinary life in urban Japan. His paintings resonate with all of us how hard it can be to try to bear the weight of society’s expectations.  Having us ponder: what is the essence of me?

Your pondering: Surrealism as an art form “aims to liberate the mind through the exploration of the subconscious, dreams, and chance.” Surrealism is much like modern Halloween.   Halloween is a moment that gives us the freedom to play being who we would like to be or an element of ourselves that we would like to explore which during our “normal” life we cannot.  So, my pondering for you is thinking back to the costumes you have worn, what did they let you experience?

Solar System highlights

Posting again – I need some feedback- How many of you want/use this part?  Please reply – if it is at least 10 people – I’ll still include.   2 of you out of 300 answered back, so I’m posting this for one more cycle for you all to respond. 

The moon begins in Sagittarius – the beginning of week might be challenging to find a focus.  By Wednesday you hit your stride with the moon in Capricorn giving us focus and energy.  On Saturday the moon is in Aquarius when it is best to go with the flow.  Then Monday October 14th the moon washes into Pisces.  Great time for your imagination and daydreams.  Again, on Wednesday October 16th our energy gets reignited with an Aries moon.  And lastly, we end this cycle with the moon landing in one of its favorite places on Friday, Taurus.  Which sets us up for a cozy and grounding weekend.

Mercury is Libra until October 13th.  We get to work on balancing our listening and speaking, especially in our close relationships. Then it moves into Scorpio until October 31st, which will be a fun Halloween to explore and express your passions.

Venus is in Scorpio until October 15th.  This is a very sensual vibe, as well as a great time for transformation.   Then it moves into Sagittarius until December 7th.  Where it supports exploration of beauty and harmony.

Mars is still in Cancer until November 3rd.  Not its favorite place.  Often our plans go sideways but this is the genius of this placement- to find ways around instead of straight through a problem.

And our longer aspects:  Jupiter, the planet of abundance and growth, is in Gemini until June of 2025.   This placement is here to help us work with opportunities to grow and succeed through intellectual, verbal, and written pursuits.  However, we must also watch its challenging aspects:   not following through, gossip, too much information and fickleness.   And lastly Saturn is in Pisces until February 2026 teaching us how to be more fluid and inclusive in our structures.

 

EXTRA

** Signs with an * it is a big week for you.  Libra this is a perfect time to get an Astrological Tarot Reading for your coming year.  And  Aries it is your halfway mark for your birth year, so if you need a Planetary Reading for a check in, now is the time.

*** I have a tip jar if you want to leave a gratuity for the tarot & art-casts.

May light be on you, around you, and within you.

Nina

 

Aries
Tetsuya Ishida
Tetsuya Ishida

Four of Air – The Muse of Rest is here to get you to slow down and plug for a bit.  Usually, this muse shows up when you are not realizing you need to take a break.  That is a break in all areas: mental, emotional, and physical.  For some of you this muse is warning you that your immune system is low so it will be easy for you to catch a cold.  For others it may mean you need to step back from a relationship and reassess your part in it.  And for the rest it means a mental break from social media and just being on 24/7.  The key for all of you is space and time to restore and rebalance yourself.

 

Taurus
Tetsuya Ishida

Six of Earth – The Muse of Giving is hanging with you all for the next two weeks.   This muse reminds you that small acts of gratitude and kindness are worth taking the time for this cycle.  Libra season is a celebration of family and creating harmony, so it will be easier to give to those close to you.  But this muse would also like you to extend a hand out into your broader world, with a smile and nod to your neighbor.  Your motto:  treat people like you would like to be treated.

 

Gemini
Tetsuya Ishida
Tetsuya Ishida

Three of Fire – The Muse of Negotiation comes when you need to work on compromise and diplomacy.  This energy fits right into this season of Libra where the focus is on family and harmony.  This means that you need to work more on your compromising skills, and to look at where you are giving in to much.  Your negotiations for the coming weeks should aspire to be win-win scenarios.

 

Cancerian
Tetsuya Ishida
Tetsuya Ishida

Ten of Fire – The Muse of Burdens comes when you are doing too much.  Yes, you have responsibilities but for the next two weeks the muses would like you to lay some of them down.  She suggests that you prioritize your list by what needs to get done just within these next two weeks and pick the top ten.  Then take the last 3 off.  This is not a time to multi-task but work on one item until you get stuck then move to the next.  And she reminds as the stewardess of your coming weeks:  Put the oxygen mask on yourself before you put it on others.

 

Leo
Tetsuya Ishida, A Man in a Car

Eight of Clouds – The Muse of Binding comes when you are attaching yourself to thought patterns that no longer work for you.  She reminds you that this is not a judgement of those thoughts or processes.  They served their purpose.   But now is the time to let them go and align yourself with new mythos, goals, morals or ethics that are more appropriate and helpful for now.

 

Virgo
Tetsuya Ishida
Tetsuya Ishida

*Moon – The Muse of Emoting is here to help you navigate the slightly obscured emotional waters in and around you.  These next two weeks take extra care with your emotions and others. She suggests you let your heart have a soft focus when dealing with emotional expectations, for during this time your emotional reasoning is slightly off as well as the emotional environment around you being somewhat precarious.   This uncertain is not out of spite or purpose but out of an inability due to skill set or time to self-reflect.

 

Libra
Tetsuya Ishida

*Lovers – The Muse of Relationships fits right in with your birth-month vibe.  She would like you to review and revise, if necessary, the relationships you would like to focus on in your coming birth-year.  Relationships always play a big role in you all’s lives, but this year the focus will be even stronger. She asks – who would you like to spend time within the coming year?  Who is your “ride or die” crew?  What do you need to work on to be a better partner, friend, co-worker?  Are the relationships you are in balanced?  This is the birth year to correct, re-balance and spend more time with the ones you love, and expand your relationships with the ones you want to.

 

Scorpio
Tetsuya Ishida, Earthquake

Seven of Earth – The Muse of Harvest is appropriately here right before your new birth-year.  She advises this is the best time to review what you have done since your last birthday and finish up any lose ends that you do not want to carry into the next.  So, by your birthday you can take stock of what you have and what you will need, so you can properly set up goals and aspirations for 2025.

 

Sagittarius
Tetsuya Ishida

Mind of Earth – The Muse of Building is hanging with you these next two weeks to get you to the next level in a project or any focus you set your eyes on.  This can be improving your exercise regimen, getting to a new point in a work project, cross off a bunch of tiny to-dos on your list.  This muse can give you energy, insight or incentive.  So, pay attention to people offering the latter two and taking advantage of the former when it shows up.

 

Capricorn
Tetsuya Ishida

*Strength – The next couple of weeks can try your resolve.  So, the Muse of Inner Strength is here to help.  She reminds you that you have gone through way worse, but you also now have the wisdom to not repeat previous misconstrues, mistakes and mishaps.  So, you have strengthened your spiritual backbone with poise and confidence that you can now lean on.  You got this if you just stay true to who you are and your vision.

 

Aquarius
Tetsuya Ishida

*Hanged One – The Muse of Suspension is here to point out that inertia can be your friend.  She reminds you that a stop can give you time to think, a breathe, a moment of relaxation, or realign you or situation to a better outcome.  So, take these two weeks as they come.  Try not to push an agenda if you are encountering roadblocks.   Be grateful and take advantage of catching a redlight to get a breath, or not getting a job because there is better one suited for you coming.

 

Pisces
Tetsuya Ishida

Eight of Fire – Messages and information with be overflowing to the point of possible exhaustion or feeling overwhelmed. The Muse of Messages reminds you firstly all this information may not all be for you and secondly that it is just information.  This is not a time to act on any of it.  Think of these two weeks as if you were a research scientist/reporter gathering information.  Write down dreams, ideas, and things that standout, but now is not the time to sift, prioritize, integrate or even process it.

Tarotcast

Tarot and Art-cast for Sept 22 – Oct 5, 2024

Estelle Chretien
Estelle Chretien

The artist this week is Estelle Chretien  @estelle_chretien.  Chretien’s work is playful while still being thought provoking.  She uses pillowcase as flags and makes a bed in a riverbed. She creates an oversized key ring in a field to get us to think about ownership of land.  Chretien plays with our internal and societal stories.  Play is vital for children’s growth but as science is rediscovering it is also important throughout our lives.  It is defined as an activity done for its own sake or an activity that has no goal.  Play gives our minds a place for our imagination to wander, a place where we can experiment with allegory and connections between ideas, thoughts and action.

Though Chretien’s work has deeper meaning, it is born out of exploration and playfulness.  As she says: “My plastic work is born slowly by giggling*. It is built according to the chance of encounters, through free associations or irrational evidence. Oscillating between a sensitive brutality and a brazen naivety, my pieces maintain a dialogue of the material that constitutes them with their form in a tension between use and allusion. I borrow techniques without distinction of value, I learn on the job and apply myself to questioning how we live by physically deforming mental constructions. * To splash around: to have fun in water or mud, or to sink into soggy ground.”

Your pondering:  When was the last time you played or explored something without a goal? If it has been more than a month, find time these next two weeks to engage with playfulness.

Solar System highlights

I need some feedback- How many of you want/use this part?  Please reply – if it is at least 10 people – I’ll still include. 

The moon begins in Gemini – knowledge and information are highlighted.  Wednesday it moves into Cancer- self-care is your top priority.  On Friday it moves into Leo – spend some time in the sun.  Then on Sunday September 29th the moon moves into Virgo – organize and prioritize to start your week.  And then it moves into Libra on October 2nd – focusing on harmony and balance. And then we head into the weekend on Friday October 4th the moon enters Scorpio – passion and transformation are the focus.

Mercury is in Virgo until September 26th.  Our second round to sharpen our conversation skills being precise and direct but not harsh.  It then moves into Libra until October 13th.  We get to work on balancing our listening and speaking, especially in our close relationships.  Venus has now moved into Scorpio.  This is a very sensual vibe, as well as a great time for transformation.   Mars is still in Cancer.  Not its favorite place.  Often our plans go sideways but this is the genius of this placement- to find ways around instead of straight through a problem.

And our longer aspects:  Jupiter, the planet of abundance and growth, is in Gemini until June of 2025.   This placement is here to help us work with opportunities to grow and succeed through intellectual, verbal, and written pursuits.  However, we must also watch its challenging aspects:   not following through, gossip, too much information and fickleness.   And lastly Saturn is in Pisces until February 2026 teaching us how to be more fluid and inclusive in our structures.

EXTRA

** Signs with an * it is a big week for you.  Libra this is a perfect time to get an Astrological Tarot Reading for your coming year.  And  Aries it is your halfway mark for your birth year, so if you need a Planetary Reading for a check in, now is the time.

*** I have a tip jar if you want to leave a gratuity for the tarot & art-casts.

 

 

May light be on you, around you, and within you.

Nina

 

Aries
Estelle Chretien
Estelle Chretien Edge

*Temperance – The Muse of Harmony is with you these next two weeks.  She challenges you to find the middle path in your life and in your relationships.  This time is about compromise and comprehending the other side of the story.  As well as giving yourself a break from the rush of life.  She reminds, if you are feeling the extremes, step back and balance yourself before moving forward.  This may be hard for you “let’s get to it” rams therefore it will require you to flex your patience and compassion muscles for the coming weeks.

 

Taurus
Estelle Chretien, the truce

Heart of Air – The Muse of Clarity is working with you for the next two weeks when you will be working with complex systems.  She suggests looking at the details of situations and problems.  This focus is better than examining the big picture or concentrating on long-term goals.  This period is better dealt with a step-by-step approach.   As you clear away/solve each piece you gain more clarity of the project and its goals

 

Gemini

Mind of Water – The Muse of Waves would like you to work on your emotional impact, especially how it affects the people around you.  We all are impacted by the emotions of those around us.  But these next to weeks you and they may be more effected than normal.  The challenge is realizing these are places in your relationships that need work in comforting and understanding.  This muse reminds you that emotions are like the tides’ ebb and flow but like the ocean they leave gifts for us to ponder on and investigate.

 

Cancerian
Estelle Chretien, Take your foot off the pedal

Seven of Water – Daydreaming and imagination are your focus in the coming weeks.  The Muse of Wishes would like you to write lists of all the things you would like to do.  This energy shows up when the universe and therefore you don’t really understand or know your dreams.  The challenge is allow your wishing without the limits of resources.  So, your task is answering this question:  What is the best that could happen?

 

Leo
Estelle Chretien , dry foot at the limit

Four of Water – Finally you all get a bit of a break in dealing with the big energies.  The Muse of Saturation is here to help you incorporate what has happened since your birthday.  She recommends hanging out with yourself and going over the what has been downloaded and planning on where to go next.  These weeks are best utilized by pondering and integrating.  The challenge is to let things settle before jumping into solutions, the next idea, project or challenge. This is not about losing or letting go of energy and information but by gathering it up.

 

Virgo
Estelle Chretien
Estelle Chretien

Two of Earth – The Muse of Juggling usually comes when you have too many hands in too many pies.  And considering this is the beginning of a new year for you all, this muse would like it if you slowed down and did one thing at a time.  The challenge is that you are budding with ideas and/or this need to move forward.  She acknowledges and supports that energy, but she would like you to focus on monotasking and not multi-tasking.

 

Libra
Estelle Chretien, I wipe

Heart of Fire – The Muse of Superpowers would like you to spend these next two weeks honing yours.  Maybe for some, you need to identify what they are first.  A superpower is something you do well.  (One of mine is helping people organize their stuff.)  This muse would like you to identify at least 3 of your superpowers and then go out into the world and use them.  Yes, you all are a very giving sign, but this is less about giving and more about strengthening your assets.

 

Scorpio
Estelle Chretien , land operation

Three of Air – The Muse of Wounds comes when you need to work on deep healing old thought patterns or constructs that were placed there by someone else.  The energies this week will challenge you around those wounded places.  However, this is not about re-wounding but is meant to help you find the places that still need healing.  Now is the time to shed old thoughts and rebuild with self-love and kindness.

 

Sagittarius
Estelle Chretien , the bed

*Magician – The Muse of Experimentation is here to help you manifest an idea or project into existence.  This muse comes when something is starting to stagnate or is literally no longer working for you.  The challenge is investigating solutions and processes and less about a finished product.  This can look like trying out new foods for a new health regime, trying new ways to get home that are less stressful, playing with how you use your time, or literally the trial and error of building something into world.   The key is letting your errors guide you more or as much as your successes.

 

Capricorn
Estelle Chretien , Domestic Dance, made from mops

Heart of Water – The Muse of Fun comes when you are taking life too seriously.  She would like you to take breaks from the grind by inducing more laughter and love in your life.  Whether that is hanging out with a goofy pet, watching stand-up, or hanging with friends, find time these two weeks to indulge in the pleasantries of socializing.  And if you aren’t invited to a party, start your own.

 

Aquarius
Estelle Chretien, property

*Judgement – The Muse of Evolution has come to coax you to evolve you or something in your environment to the next level.  This can look like taking your cooking to a new level, creating an extra aspect to a project, upping your game at work, starting a new career or diving into your spiritual practice.  This energy is about transformation.  The muses ask you, what one thing needs a complete renewal in your life?

 

Pisces
Estelle Chretien

*Justice – Your big energy work continues for the next two weeks.  Last week your work was around purpose.  This week the energy is around accountability.  So hopefully you did your work around purpose and goals, so you can jump right in and start making plans and schedules on how to make this dream happen.  So yes, the muse would like you to make yourself accountable in some way to your plans.  She reminds you that a reward system is better than a punishment one.    Even if it is as simple as putting a gold star on each day you accomplish an action that supports your goals.

Tarotcast

Tarot and Art-cast for Sept 8-21, 2024

Margaret Watts Hughes
Margaret Watts Hughes
Margaret Watts Hughes
Margaret Watts Hughes

The artist, singer and inventor this week is Margaret Watts Hughes.  Hughes invented a device, the eidophone (from the Greek eido-to see and phone- voice/sound).  She found that with this device and powder, seeds or sand, she could see the geometrics of her voice and the notes themselves to create shapes.  Hughes called these voice-figures or voice flowers.   She then used colored glycerin on a glass plate.  And from that she sang the above and below pictures into existence.

Your pondering:  How lucky we are to be in a time when sound is recorded.  We can listen to a song or someone’s voice without the confines time.  But I often wonder because we can hear it again, do we lose the preciousness of it when it is happening the first time.  What would it have been like to hear a song only once?

Solar System highlights

The moon begins this week in Scorpio – follow your passion.  Then on Tuesday it moves into Sagittarius – go exploring.    On Thursday it moves into Capricorn – use this energy to get things.  On Saturday the Moon moves into Aquarius – time to daydream.  Monday Sept. 16th it moves into Pisces – start the week by going with the flow.  On Wednesday Sept. 18th the moon is in Aries – a great time to start a project.  And we finish with the moon in Taurus on Friday – enjoy and savor the good things in life.

Mercury moves into Virgo until September 26th.  Once again sharpening our conversation skills to be precise and direct but not harsh.  Venus is in Libra – this is her home and a good time for us to readjust and rebalance.  Harmony is the key and the gift.  And then Mars moves into Cancer.  Not its favorite place.  Often our plans go sideways but this is the genius of this placement- to find ways around instead of straight through a problem.

Jupiter, the planet of abundance and growth, is in Gemini until June of 2025.   This aspect is here to help us work with opportunities to grow and succeed through intellectual, verbal, and written pursuits.  However, we must also watch its challenging aspects:   not following through, gossip, too much information and fickleness.   And lastly Saturn is in Pisces until February 2026 teaching us how to be more fluid and inclusive in our structures.

 

 

EXTRA

** Signs with an * it is a big week for you.  Virgo this is a perfect time to get an Astrological Tarot Reading for your coming year.  And  Pisces  it is your halfway mark for your birth year, so if you need a Planetary Reading for a check in, now is the time.

*** I have a tip jar if you want to leave a gratuity for the tarot & art-casts.

**** I am experimenting.   I have switched from using the older suits name (pentacles, cups, swords, and wands) to a more elemental way of reading them which is earth, water, air, and fire.  Also, I would like to leave the binary and feudal system of the RWS’s court cards.  So, the RWS old version is Page, Knight, Queen, and King is changing to Heart (pure embodiment of element), Body (moving the element), Spirit (living the element) and Mind (taking care of the element).

May light be on you, around you, and within you.

Nina

 

Aries
Margaret Watts Hughes
Margaret Watts Hughes

Ten of Water – The Muse of Happiness has come to visit with you for two whole weeks.  She comes to remind you that life, no matter the circumstances, still holds beauty.  Whether it is a stranger’s smile, your barista knowing your order, a child’s hug, hanging with a friend, your pet giving you affection, a butterfly fluttering past you…  This muse challenges you to understand happiness appears often but is fleeting.  So, take time when each moment of bliss occurs during this period.  Soak it in.

 

Taurus
Margaret Watts Hughes
Margaret Watts Hughes

Nine of Water – The Muse of Satisfaction comes to you this period to help you navigate perfectionism and being content with what is then what could be. The muses would like to remind you that you all are the foundational sign of the zodiac.  You represent earth in its most natural state.  The goddess Gia walks with you every day of your life.  Now this muse would like you to think of a leaf with a hole in it.  That hole fed an insect.  Or think upon a tree fall in a forest, it makes way for new and more diverse plant growth.  Nature teaches us that our perceived imperfections are gateways. Places that feed new beginnings and growth.

 

Gemini
Margaret Watts Hughes
Margaret Watts Hughes

Ten of Air – All tens represent an ending.  The Ten of Air is an ending of a way of communicating, thought process or a drama that is in your life.  The muses remind you to follow your intuition during this time.  If you need to put a project or person on hold, do so in these coming weeks.  These weeks may have some challenges, but they are put there to strengthen your intuition as well as have you reflect on your own hubris.  Taking ego out of the situation will help guide you to see that you may not have to engage with these scenarios like you think you do.

 

Cancerian
Margaret Watts Hughes
Margaret Watts Hughes

Eight of Fire – The Muse of Messages comes when there is a lot of information coming at you.  She advises navigate this onslaught of intelligence by knowing your priorities and goals, so you can utilize the information that you actually need.  The big challenge with this energy is not feeling as if you need to make haste with any decision.  You all can feel a vibe like no other sign, so trust your superb crabby intuition while sifting through the intel.

 

Leo
Margaret Watts Hughes

*Death – Another big energy week for you all.  This week is about change.  The gorgeous aspect of this kind of change is that it works with the Universe and is very much about natural cycles.  The challenge for you is to mimic the ebb and flow of this energy model.  So, if you find that you lose interest, or something begins to pull away or die off then let it. For either that energy will grow into something new and more suitable to what you need now.   Or it will cycle back just like the seasons or the setting and rising of the sun.  The muses remind you to not push but to fall in with the groove of the now and is.

 

Virgo
Margaret Watts Hughes

Nine of Fire – The Muse of Preparation comes when you need to take time to plan out not only your day to day but also the coming couple of seasons.  This energy falls right into place with not only your birth month but also your general vibe.  You all do better if you are prepared.  It’s not that you can’t fly by the seat of your pants but the more prepared you are the easier it is for you to tackle the unexpected.

 

Libra
Margaret Watts Hughes

*Devil – The Muse of Exams comes when circumstances are testing your resolve and principles.  So, this muse becomes your cheerleader and task-keeper to help you navigate these times.  She reminds you that you are ready and equipped to handle these tribulations.  Ultimately you have the tools and knowledge to work through the ups and downs of the coming weeks.  The key is to be true to who you have become.       

 

Scorpio
Margaret Watts Hughes

Five of Earth – The fives are the cards of chaos.  And this energy works on the material plane, usually around finances or at least your perception of yours.  The Muse of Lack has you looking at what aspects in your life are lacking?   Yes, she said material plane but this sense of lack is more tied into your emotional or intellectual realms.  This muse challenges you to look at where you over-indulge and the whys behind it.  If you can work on healing what was lacking by, for example love from a partner or parent, you can turn around this poverty mind-set.   As RuPaul says: “If you don’t love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?”

 

Sagittarius
Margaret Watts Hughes

*Strength – The Muse of Inner Wisdom is hanging out with you for the next two weeks.  She would like you to dive deep into the whys behind what you are doing on the material plane.  Are they aligned with who you are and what you stand for?  What part of your inner landscape needs strengthening to have a stronger resolve to live the life you are meant to live?  You have a solid foundation, now is the time to strength and ground yourself, for the months ahead.  This is not about prepping for only the more challenging aspects but also to be grounded enough to relish the exquisite ones.

 

Capricorn
Margaret Watts Hughes

Eight of Earth – The Muse of Work comes to give you energy to put towards the tasks you would like to focus on. This energy shows up when you need to concentrate on what is at hand more than what will be.  This energy is about productivity, handiwork and working with your superpowers to get sh**t done.  So, gardening/work gloves on and get to it.

 

Aquarius
Margaret Watts Hughes

Ace of Earth – All aces signify a new beginning.  This energy would like you to focus on the material plane. What would you like to manifest on this earthly plane?   Yes, do some work seeding this idea or project, but also mantras of abundance and flourishing are helpful.

 

Pisces
Margaret Watts Hughes

*High Priestess – The Muse of Sacred Mysteries is hanging out with you all for the next two weeks.  She shows up to hone your intuition as well as give you sage advice.  The challenge is she does it with twists, turns, synchronicities, déjà vu and in dreams.  You can ask her questions just know they most likely with be veiled in riddles and repetition.   So, eyes, ears, and mind open to the muses planting easter eggs to help you on your higher path.  Your motto: “Your passions in life should fit you exactly but your purpose in life should exceed you.” – Kevin Kelly

Tarotcast

Tarot and Art-cast for Aug 25- Sept 7, 2024

Mary Delany

The artist is Mary Delany.  She started later in life, at 73, collaging colored paper to make botanically accurate flowers. “Collage” is the technique and art form of gluing overlapping pieces of paper, fabric, or photographs to create a new image.  This technique started in China after they invented papermaking around 200 BCE.  And by the 11th century Japanese artists were creating vibrant collages made with torn (chigiri-e) or cut (kiri-e) paper. Some were further decorated with color pigments or metallic dust. These provided the under-drawing for aristocratic calligraphy.  Collage became popular in European cultures in the 1800’s as hobbyists were using it to create memorabilia books.

So even though “big A art” proclaims that Braque and Picasso made collage an art form in 1912, other cultures were collaging for centuries.  And then we have Mary Delany, who created these exquisite painterly collages of flowers in 1770’s.  She used colored paper, watercolor and for some images parts of the plant itself to create her art.  Her work was claimed by botanists at that time to be more useful than some scientific illustrations.  Her work, 958 pieces, can be seen by appointment at the British Museum or online.

Your pondering:  What is your favorite flower?  Mine is daisies.   And if we use collage as a metaphor to life, how do you see your pieces fitting together or not?  Fun exercise: make a collage that represents your life now and  the new pieces you may want to add to it.   You can be literal with images, figurative just using color and shape, or both. And don’t forget the flowers.

Solar System highlights

The moon begins in Gemini – exchanges of information are highlighted.  Wednesday it moves into Cancer- self-care is your top priority.  On Saturday the 31st it moves into Leo – spend some time in the sun.  Then on Monday September 2nd the moon moves into Virgo and a new moon – a perfect way to start the week and this moon cycle, organize and prioritize.  And then it moves into Libra on Tuesday the 5th – focusing on harmony and balance. And then we head into Saturday September 7th with a Scorpio moon –let your passion guide you.

Mercury is still retrograde until August 28th, so relax, revisit, revise is still on the agenda.  It is also in Leo until September 9th giving us our second chance to shine in our storytelling skills and to highlight others.   The it moves back into Virgo until September 26th.  Once again sharpening our conversation skills to be precise and direct but not harsh.

Venus is in Virgo where we can work on being authentic within our relationships and thus ourselves until the August 29th.   But again, we have the challenge of being too harsh on others and ourselves.  Then Venus moves into Libra – this is her home and a good time for us to readjust and balance our lives.  Harmony is the key and the gift.  And then Mars is still in Gemini making sure our actions follow our words or our thinking.

Jupiter, the planet of abundance and growth, is in Gemini until June of 2025.   This aspect is here to help us work with opportunities to grow and succeed through intellectual, verbal, and written pursuits.  However, we must also watch its challenging aspects:   not following through, gossip, too much information and fickleness.   And lastly Saturn is in Pisces until February 2026 teaching us how to be more fluid and inclusive in our structures.

EXTRA

** Signs with an * it is a big week for you.  Virgo this is a perfect time to get an Astrological Tarot Reading for your coming year.  And  Pisces  it is your halfway mark for your birth year, so if you need a Planetary Reading for a check in, now is the time.

*** I have a tip jar if you want to leave a gratuity for the tarot & art-casts.

**** I am experimenting.   I have switched from using the older suits name (pentacles, cups, swords, and wands) to a more elemental way of reading them which is earth, water, air, and fire.  Also, I would like to leave the binary and feudal system of the RWS’s court cards.  So, the RWS old version is Page, Knight, Queen, and King is changing to Heart (pure embodiment of element), Body (moving the element), Spirit (living the element) and Mind (taking care of the element).

May light be on you, around you, and within you.

Nina

 

Aries
Mary Delany

Heart of Earth – The Muse of Study comes when it is in your best interest to learn something new.  Take these two weeks to read a book, take a class, listen to someone not in your group.  This muse shows up to help us gather information and new skills so that we can better our lives as well as those around us.

 

Taurus
Mary Delany
Mary Delany

Five of Water – All fives in tarot deal with the chaos and how to handle it.  The Five of Cups speaks to the chaos of emotions.  The Muse of Spilled Milk is here to help navigate these watery times.  She reminds us not to focus on the three cups that have spilled, representing sorrow, missteps, and loss, but to focus on the two cups that remain upright.  These are the positives and the hope of a brighter future.  She asks you to pick them up and create positive action in moving forward.

 

Gemini
Mary Delany
Mary Delany

Body of Fire – The Muse of Action comes when your timing is spot on.  She reminds you that for the next two weeks if you are authentic to who you are, what you believe in, and are supporting your passions then you will be in the right place at the right time.  The challenging thing with this energy is that it may not always feel that way.  You may find yourself staled or misdirected.  This period is about faith in yourself. The circumstances are stilled filled with information and energy to spur you forward to becoming truer to who you are and where you are going.

 

Cancer
Mary Delany
Mary Delany

Four of Earth – The Muse of Resourcefulness has come to help you for the next two weeks.  This period taxes your resources of time, money and space.  Your challenge is to be frugal with all of them.  This is a time to examine how you spend your finite resources and prioritize what is actually important to you.  She reminds you needs before wants.

 

Leo
Mary Delany

*Sun – This energy is one of your lifelong teachers.  Most people think that you lions are super social and meant to shine.  And these aspects are true, just not 24/7.  You also require basking in the sun’s rays without an agenda.  Like a cat laying in a morning-lite window, relaxing and just enjoying the rest and warmth.  So, the Muse of Radiance would like you to work with these two aspects of the Sun these next two weeks.  One, go out there and show off your personal shine.  Send out resumes, smile and laugh with friends, promote your passions.  And then balance that with some lazy hazy basking in the energy of simple existence.

 

Virgo
Mary Delany
Mary Delany

Heart of Fire – The Muse of Art would like you to investigate whatever forms you enjoy.  Take these two weeks to go to a museum, concert, play, opera, record store, art store or national park.  Usually, this muse comes when your soul’s batteries are low, and you are not realizing it.  You need a jolt of creative adrenaline to help energize your spirit.

 

 

Libra
Mary Delany

Ace of Earth – All aces signify a beginning.  The muses are whispering this is a prime to time to start the seed of something you want to manifest on the physical plan.  Examples can be starting a savings plan or adding to the one you have, looking for a new job, taking a class in a subject that interests you, maybe looking into moving or taking a vacation to a place you have never been.  She suggests you spend these next two weeks thinking about what you would like to physical manifest in the next 10 months to a year.  And then taking an active step towards it during this time.    

 

Scorpio
Mary Delany

Seven of Water – The Muse of Wishing is spending these next two weeks hanging out with you all.  Her challenge is getting you to dream bigger.  She asks you to ponder what you would like to happen if you had all the money you needed?  Had the career you wanted?  Were emotional supported to do the things that makes your heart zing?  What if there were no boundaries to the possibilities you would like to see?  The muses send this energy often when you have settled on an aspect of your life and/or you don’t really know what would make you happier, more fulfilled.  So, spend this Mercury retrograde time daydreaming and imaging so the universe has an idea how to help.

 

Sagittarius
Mary Delany

Nine of Earth – The Muse of Affluence is hanging out with you for the next two weeks.  She often comes when you need to spend time thinking about what has made you content and does that still hold true?  She challenges you to not only look at your past accomplishments, but also do they still support where you are now or where you want to go.  This muse shows up when you are preparing for a change or reevaluation of what is important.  Or answering the question is here okay for now?

 

Capricorn
Mary Delany

*World – The Muse of Integration comes when you are on a precipice of endings and beginnings.  She challenges you to finish up anything that needs to be done before you move on to the next phase.  She reminds you that projects/lessons we have done in the past need time to be incorporated into the present before you are ready to move into the future.  Spend these two weeks contemplating cohesion and contentment before jumping into the next phase.

 

Aquarius
Mary Delany

Four of Fire – During these next two weeks, the Muse of Happy Home challenges you to enjoy the place you live.  Spend this time working on house projects, decorating the places you reside in, gardening, visiting sites that makes your town/city special…  By the end of this period this muse would like you to feel cozier, calmer and that your needs are supported in the place you call home.

 

Pisces
Mary Delany

*Chariot – The Muse of Momentum wants to work with you for the next two weeks.  Her work is giving you the energy and transport you need to move to your next destination.  The challenge is the destination is all on you.   She asks where you want to go next.  She would like you to take this retrograde period to be a “tripadvisor” to your next 6 months.  You need to know where you would like to end up by your next birthday and the stops along the way to getting there.  Use these two weeks as a planning period.  So by mid-September you are not doing donuts in the parking lot of life.

Tarotcast

Tarot and Art-cast for Aug 11-24, 2024

Rinko Kawauchi
Rinko Kawauchi

The artist is Rinko Kawauchi.  Kawauchi’s photography and books are images of the everyday, a mixture of abstract and portraits, that lead us as viewers to larger ponderings about light, memories, time and death.  She focuses on the small things that add up to our daily existence, but when we experience them, we often do not notice their awe, or their importance.  These recollections become reflective conjuries that we cherish when they reoccur.   The smell of pie or bread, an occasional rainbow from a glass by a window, the chirping of crickets, our parents calling us in from a night of play, the feel of cool water on a hot day…  These memories become our connective tissue within our lifetime. We feel cozy because they hold familiarity not only to our own timeline but connecting us to similar experiences in others.

Your pondering:  As summer is closing and the light begins to shift, now is the time to soak in the days and daily life of summer.  My favorite part of summer is the light that filters through the trees, the sparkle of water and that cozy hazy feeling you get waking from a summer nap.  What are your small memories that remind you of the “light” in summer?

Solar System highlights

The moon begins this week in Scorpio – follow your passion.  Then on Tuesday it moves into Sagittarius – go exploring.    On Friday it moves into Capricorn – look at if your structures support your emotions.  On Sunday August 18th it moves into Aquarius – daydream.  Tuesday August 20th, it moves into Pisces – go with the flow.  On Thursday August 22nd the moon is in Aries – a great time to start a project.  And we finish with the moon in Taurus on Saturday – a time for enjoying the good things in life.

Mercury is now retrograde until August 28th.  Remember this is the universe’s rest-stop on the highway of Life.  A great time to recharge, reflect, and redo. Right now, it is in Virgo until August 14th.  This aspect is here to teach us how to be precise and direct in our conversations. The challenge is not to come off too harsh. Then it rolls back into Leo until September 9th giving us our second chance to shine in our storytelling skills and to highlight others.

Venus is in Virgo where we can work on being authentic within our relationships and thus ourselves.   But again, we have the challenge of being too harsh on others and ourselves.  And then Mars is in Gemini making sure our actions follow our words or our thinking.

Jupiter, the planet of abundance and growth, is in Gemini until June of 2025.   This aspect is here to help us work with opportunities to grow and succeed through intellectual, verbal, and written pursuits.  However, we must also watch its challenging aspects:   not following through, gossip, too much information and fickleness.   And lastly Saturn is in Pisces until February 2026 teaching us how to be more fluid and inclusive in our structures.

EXTRA

*** Signs with an * it is a big week for you.  Leo this is a perfect time to get an Astrological Tarot Reading for your coming year.  And  Aquarius  it is your halfway mark for your birth year, so if you need a Planetary Reading for a check in, now is the time. And I have a tip jar if you want to leave a gratuity for the tarot & art-casts.

**** I am experimenting.   I have switched from using the older suits name (pentacles, cups, swords, and wands) to a more elemental way of reading them which is earth, water, air, and fire.  Also, I would like to leave the binary and feudal system of the RWS’s court cards.  So, the RWS old version is Page, Knight, Queen, and King is changing to Heart (pure embodiment of element), Body (moving the element), Spirit (living the element) and Mind (taking care of the element).

May light be on you, around you, and within you.

Nina

 

Aries
Rinko Kawauchi
Rinko Kawauchi

*High Priestess – The Muse of Sacred Purpose comes when, in this moment in time, you are needed.  You may not realize that opening that door for someone reignites optimism in them, or that conversation changes someone’s perspective.  You are aligned with your higher purpose even when doing these little acts.  This Muse reminds you that these gifts of sacredness, of seeing someone, comes when you are being your most authentic self.  You are the change in the world.

Taurus
Rinko Kawauchi
Rinko Kawauchi

*Judgement – The Muse of Transformation is assisting your hand, heart and mind to evolve an aspect of your life.  These transformation should feel refreshing, uplifting and liberating you from old paradigms.   This is a perfect alignment with Mercury’s retrograde aspects of relaxation, review and redo.  Take these next two weeks to look at what constructs you have, are they supporting you?  Are you getting to the next level with them.  Do they uplift you?  Time to redesign and refine.

Gemini
Rinko Kawauchi
Rinko Kawauchi

Heart of Air – Use this time with Mercury in retrograde to do some investigative work.  This muse advises that you need more information before making any decisions during this time.   Now is the time to read between the lines, ask more questions, and do a deeper study into what vexes you.  The answers and solutions are out there but you will need to do the leg work and keep your eyes, ears and mind open for the information, data and clues.

Cancer
Rinko Kawauchi

*Empress – The Muse of Creativity is here to inspire you for the next two weeks.  She asks what you would like to grow for the next 9-10 months.  And with this planet configuration this is a great time to plan more than do.  So that means getting ideas for winter projects now.  And getting the supplies ready so you have a head start in the fall to just start creating.   Also, this muse reminds you to spend some time during these two weeks to nurture yourself.  Remember this retrograde is about relaxing, revisiting and redoing and for you less of the latter and more of the first two.

Leo
Rinko Kawauchi
Rinko Kawauchi

Ten of Air – So the Muse of Drama will help you navigate these next two weeks.  For outside forces are sending some turbulence in your direction.  The key to navigating these waves is to follow your instincts.  If your inner self says no, then don’t go.  This is not a time to push through things.  Remember with Mercury in retrograde setbacks are heralds to what isn’t working, and this time is perfect for reworking and reflecting.   So, your best maxim is to avoid conflict, this is not the time to make waves.

Virgo
Rinko Kawauchi

Three of Air – The last two weeks had rough spots and hopefully you remained courageous by being truthful with your part of the creation of some of those bumps in the road.   And now the Muse of Healing has come to help you work on healing why those bumps were bumps at all.  This Mercury retrograde is in your sign for most of its time, so the spotlight is on you and how you get your ideas and feelings across.  The major key is touch versus talk.  So, this Muse would like you to find ways to express your affection with less convo and more hugs and hand holding.

 

Libra
Rinko Kawauchi

*Strength – These next two weeks are going to challenge you to know yourself, your limits, as well as your strengths.  The Muse of Courage is going to stand by you to help. She would like you to spend this retrograde pondering this quote from Brene Brown: “Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.”  Time to open up. 

Scorpio
Rinko Kawauchi

*Sun – Awesome you all get another two weeks to play in and with abundance. The Muse of Optimism would like to work with you during this retrograde by having you work with the ponderings:  What is the best that can happen?  And what if you look for the light/lite in situations?  So instead of worrying about the worst-case scenario, you look for the best-case scenario.

Sagittarius
Rinko Kawauchi

Body of Fire – These next two weeks you are blessed with being at the right place at the right time.  The Muse of Adventure and Imagination is here to remind you that your timing is perfect for the coming weeks.  Even if you are stopped or challenged it has a greater purpose then what you might be seeing in the present.  This energy is about forward movement in innovative and creative ways.  The keys are following your intuition as well as being motivated for the things that are set into motion during these next two weeks.

 

Capricorn
Rinko Kawauchi

Five of Water – These next two weeks the Muse of Spilled Milk has come to help you clean up messes.  This energy could be used literally as a time to deep clean your house and/or metaphorically to tidy up your emotional self with restocking your emotional resources and finding time to rest.

 

Aquarius
Rinko Kawauchi

Six of Earth – The Muse of Kindness would like you to spend these two weeks racking up karma points by doing small acts of kindness.  This is about simplicity not extravagance.  Examples are picking wildflowers for your sweetie or bringing home a single Gerber daisy. Opening doors for strangers.   Leaving appreciation notes to your server or delivery person.  You can even leave anonymous and random good vibes notes in public places.

 

Pisces
Rinko Kawauchi
Rinko Kawauchi

Spirit of Air – The Muse of Flow comes when you need to pay attention to the details to help things move along with ease.  This can be reading the fine print, listening to both sides of a story, immediately cleaning up after yourself in the kitchen, spending an extra five minutes getting ready, etc.  Spend these next two weeks attending to these small but useful tasks.  By taking the time to see and understand the micro, you’ll be able to handle the macro with more finesse.

intentions are the children of desire and the grandparents of destiny