Happy solstice, summer to those of you on the northern hemisphere and winter on the southern side. In honor of the illumination of half of Earth, I picked the art of Illuminated manuscripts. In its truest form, it is manuscripts that are gilded with gold or silver. However, it has expanded to all text that are illustrated from the 6th century to the late 14th in Europe. The amazing thing about this work is these are our first picture books.
Above is an example of Illuminated art, that is unique for it is illustrated by a woman, Ende. She helped illustrated the illuminations of the Apocalyptic Visions of St. John the Divine in the Book of Revelations in the Mozarabic style in the late 900’s. This style is heavily influenced by Islamic art forms on geometry, rich color, ornamented grounds and stylized figures. Illuminating manuscripts were typical done by monks; however, she most likely was a nun.
There are two other hands discernible in these group of manuscripts. It was a typical process that each individuals did a certain type of illustration for the work, but no others signed these sheets. She signed the work as DEPINTRIX (painter) and DIE AIUTRIX (helper of God). Was her signature meant to illuminate more than its pictures?
P.S. I have added examples of this type of work from a variety of periods. Please share.
Aries – Seven of Swords
The Seven of Swords is about taking responsibility for your actions. Of course, we should do this all the time, but when getting this card this week your challenge will be around being aware of the reverberation of your actions.
Taurus – King of Pentacles
The King of Pentacles is the mini version of the Emperor. This week is about building your empire whether that is your business, your home, or your home-life. The question is: are you happy with what you are building? If not take this week to reassess what you need to do to feel “self”-made.
Gemini – Five of Cups
Last week the Devil arrived for your birth month. This card came to show you the coming year will bring in your last act to the old, and begin a new life or evolution. This year will challenge to stay focus on your path and stand firm on who you are or want to be. So for this week the Five of Cups arrived to have you go through the emotions of letting go of the old way of life. This card reminds you that you need to go through a mourning period for the past before you move on to a brighter future.
Cancer – Ten of Pentacles
The “building” energy of the past two weeks continues this week with the Ten of Pentacles. But this card reminds you that it is as important to enjoy what you build as much as building it.
Leo – King of Wands
The King of Wands challenges you this week with a question to answer or maybe a demand: How can you increase the creativity and passion to your work this week?
Virgo – Four of Wands
This week the Four of Wands recommends spending time at home or under the shade of an oak tree. This is the card of comfort, coziness, and a sense of well-being. The only challenge with this card is seeing the little details of life are as important as the big things.
Libra – Five of Pentacles
The Five of Pentacles challenges us to ask for help when we are low in energy, funds, or resources. This card shows up to remind us when we are exhausted the first thing you need to do is stop and realize that you are, and then look to a peaceful space or friends for help.
Scorpio – Queen of Swords
It is another week of strategizing and preparing with the Queen of Swords. This queen is the personification of strategy and communication. The better prepared you are at what to say this week the easier the week will flow. Watch your words.
Sagittarius – Ace of Pentacles
The Ace of Pentacles foretells new beginnings on the material plane. This is a great week to plant something, to start a project, or invest in your future. Things grow from each thing you do this week.
Capricorn – Six of Swords
The Six of Swords challenges you to do some conscious exploration this week. Whether that is in your world or in your mind, pay attention to what surrounds you. The challenge is to take note or pocket those things or thoughts that grab and then keep your attention. You will find them useful trinkets for future wanderings.
Aquarius – Eight of Pentacles
Last week the Magician challenged you to experiment with new things. This week is the opposite with the Eight of Pentacles. This card advises you to spend this week honing your craft. The challenge is to only spend time on things you already are good at. Keep your magpie quality of collect and trying new bright and shine things at bay.
Pisces – Seven of Cups
Last week, the Judgment card challenged you to be a more evolved and thoughtful you. This week takes on a lighter tone with the Seven of Cups. Sevens are the cards of explanation and contraction. This card has you explore how your dreams can expand or contract your future. We have a tendency to unrealistically dream or dream to small. The best advice with this card is to dream just out of reach, so with a bit of effort you will obtain your goals this week.
May light be on you, around you, and within you,
Nina
Last week you had the theme ‘beauty adorns virtue” This week continues that theme with the Knight of Swords This card suggest that you slow down and take time to smell the roses. Be in each moment.
The artist last week asked you to pay attention to the details. The Four of Wands wants you to focus on the details in your home. Focus on the how to create more harmony in your home. Whether that is adding a calming color or adding some pop, remember harmony does not equate to uniformity.
The painting last week was about standing up for you rights, even if it is seems hopeless. And that beauty arises outside the realm of judgment. The Three of Swords extends this theme by having you deal with three self-defeating thoughts. Your challenge is look at the reason of why you carry around these thoughts through a lens of self-compassion.
The artist’s theme last week was about being aware that you do not have control over reality, but you can nudge it towards your favor. And so the Emperor extends this thought for another week by having you add to and build upon the reality you are in. This can look as simple you have to go to work but can you manipulate the time or space that you do it in.
Last week’s art theme was to see parody(humor) in your life. The Eight of Wands continues that theme of bring in and accepting the positive even joyful energy in your life. Arms and minds open.
Dulle Griet’s hinted about being a bit devilish or against the social norm last week. The Hermit would like you to continue the exploration of the outer edges of societies’ norms, but in theory with meditation and reflection. This is a favorite card of Virgo, for this is a lifelong challenge of balancing your social and solo sides. The challenge with this card is not to seek solitude out of a reaction of being over social but to be proactive about scheduling your need of space and time to decompress. And the bigger challenge is do it without guilt.
Last week your challenge was to met people outside of your normal wanderings. This week the Four of Pentacles takes an about-face from the emotional realm to the physical one. Your goal is to save time, money and space anywhere you can. Your challenge is not to feel selfish about it.
Last week your challenge was two-fold, taking on a challenge and proving the “haters” wrong. This week, the Six of Pentacles’ lesson is around the “give and take” in your life. The goal is lowering your input to people or work that you are not getting something positive in return. The challenge is to do it without them noticing.
Last week your painting was about finding and bonding with your inner horse. The Judgment card challenges you to create a ritual or rite of passage that moves you on to the next act of your life. This can be as simple as lighting a candle and blowing it out to release the old, or as complex as burning all your old journals.
The art last week challenged you to see the boundaries you may be holding on to around your passions or your way of life. The Tower comes this week to break down those walls if you haven’t already. The Tower comes to shake things up because something you have not been dealing with and that doesn’t work, needs to change. The best way to deal with this card is to stand back and enjoy the destruction.
The painting last week advised you to see that your history or past experiences are useful in the present whether you see it or not. The Five of Swords this week continues this theme by challenging you that you can learn more from your mistakes and failures then you can from your successes.
Last week’s painting suggested to come at your life with softer edges. This theme continues with the Four of Cups this week. This card is the card of self-compassion and empathy. To see the world, its people and yourself without sharp edges.
Mother’s Day… I’m thinking about all the people who Mother’s Day maybe hard to celebrate. I’m thinking of all the mothers who have lost children. I’m thinking of my friends and others that have lost their mothers. I’m thinking of those people who have a hard relationship with their mom, or mothers that have tense relationships with their children. I’m thinking about all of those that have chosen not to be a mother, like myself. You should be celebrated too because you choose an alternative way to give that energy. And I’m also sending energy for all those who want to be mothers. May you find mothering with ease.
I see why you needed your rest last week, you got the Tower card for this week. The Tower’s challenge is about change in which we have no control over. The best way to deal with this card is to react as if you are either surfing or kayaking white waters. Know you cannot stop the force of the water but you can navigate it without danger by subtly shifting your stance or dipping in your oars.
The Four of Pentacles challenges you to save your resources this week. Whether that is your time, space, or money, you can identify what is precious with how it feels when you are limited by it. It is a great time to start saving but be aware not to be miserly to those close to you.
The High Priestess challenges you to work on your intuition skills. You will gain more insight when you step back and look at the big picture then to focus on details.
The Ten of Cups is the party card of the deck and it doesn’t come up too often. This card challenges you to have a good time.
The Hanged Man is the card of stagnation, side projects and spiritual quests. Take the down-time this cards brings to you to go off the beaten path and tend to your spirit to find peace and stillness. This can look like mediating at a Zen garden, or taken a left turn when you want to go right.
Be careful of melancholy this week. When the Five of Cups shows up it challenges you to find two things good in every “bad” thing that happens. There are lessons for you in losses this week.
Last week, the Wheel gave you the choice of changing your fortune by saying yes to opportunities. The Emperor continues this by having you build on things you said yes to and found that you like it. This can look as simple as building a friendship that started last week, or as complex as building on that new business idea.
This week is all about your choices. Last week you had two big karma cards of Judgment-evolution and the Star – healing and hope. The theme of choosing to heal the past to pave the way to the portals of evolution continues this week. For those of you that choose or are chosen for the Tower, you still will have to deal with healing but you will have released the pace or outcome of that change/evolution. For those who choose to take the slower more controlled path the Nine of Pentacles challenges you to pull back from the world and contemplate what to do next.
The Six of Pentacles continues the theme of last week’s World card looking for opportunities that lead to the next phase sometime after mid-July. Remember last week challenging you to make your micro-cosmos represent your macro-cosmos. The Six of Pentacles challenges this at a karmic level. For all the good little deeds you put out in the world, they will come back to you three-fold in your macro-karma however so does the negative. So this week open doors for people, say thank you, or make someone cookies just because it is a nice thing to do. Be careful not to purposely offend someone, flip someone a bird on the road, or in general be aware of your material, spiritual and emotional footprint.
The King of Cups wants you to master your emotions. This King has you look at how you emotional deal with the outside world. Your challenge – to open up and reveal a bit of yourself to acquaintances.
The theme of last week’s Magician card bringing in the divine to the material world continues this week. Refine your focus to your home and home life, so this week your challenge is to focus on projects at and about your home. You will feel more at ease and accomplished in the outside world if your home is in order.
Science says that rest is a valuable component of your health regime and the Four of Swords recommends you will need it. The Four of Swords also challenges you actually to not push anything through this week.
The Two of Cups recommends applying your energy to deepen your close relationships. Our emotions are set into memory with our senses. So look in your love ones’ eyes, breathe in their scent, touch them with love, and listen to their feelings behind their words. 
The Ten of Wands warns you not to take more on this week. You have more than enough on your plate as it is. Your hint: Be aware of obligations that sprout from guilt. If it does, don’t do it.
The Ten of Pentacle is about completion that creates success. This week focus on projects that are near completion. For now ignore projects that have just started or take on anything new this week. 
The Strength card last week seems to be your birth year card, so throughout the year you will be tested or learn ways to strengthen all aspects of your life. The Strength card energy this week is with the King of Pentacles. This card wants you to strengthen the activities that ground you. This King asks you if you don’t believe in what you do for money than why are you doing it? And if you do than be proud of the path you have chosen.
The Queen of Pentacles is all about healthy indulgences and creating spaces of comfort. Do things that pamper you this week. The more you do for yourself the more you will be ready to be there for others.
The Sun continues to shine this week for you with the focus on home life. The Four of Wands challenges you to make your home a place where people and things can grow. This is a great week to Spring Clean or bring nature into your abode. Throw open your windows no matter the temperature you need to let some fresh air into your life.
This is the second time the Sun has “shone” up for you this year. Look back and see what you started around February 18th that needs tending again. The Sun foretells that you will find success in what you have started. If things aren’t growing or moving, this means you are missing only the last piece to the puzzle and with the light of your conscious mind you will find it.
The Page of Pentacles declares that this week you should spend your time hitting the books. The challenge is to be open to learn something new. You will find that you will need that knowledge in your near future.
The Three of Cups challenges you to go get your friends and hang out this week. Yep that is right your challenge is to enjoy this week. Since this card has shown up twice this year, seems you need to hang out with friends more constantly.
You are carrying too much again Libra. Time to let go of some of your duties and obligations. The Ten of Wands warns that you have chosen to take on more burden then is necessary or healthy. Lighten your load this week. Even letting go of one thing will make you feel better.
This is the fourth pivotal week in your life. Last week Death returned to push you to learn how to work with the environment to make change that sticks. Now the Devil is here in all his glory trying to divert you from that path. This week people, events, environment, and even that little voice in your head will try to sidetrack you. Keep strong. Keep to your integrity. And Keep moving forward.
Justice is the card of fair play. Here is the interesting thing with Sagittarius and the Justice card, you both believe in fairness and equality and are willing to fight for it. But Sagittarius, like their forebears the centaurs, you have a bit of a wild streak. When you think you are right, well, you all can get a bit fiery about it. Where Justice card many times teaches us to let karma take its natural course. So your challenge this week is to see how to champion justice with the mind and spirit and not with the heart and sword.
Success is on the horizon for you. The Sun is here to help you grow anything you put your focus on. The question is where do you want to direct your gaze first? This is a big karma card so take your time but don’t let your dreams wither away with indecision.
The Queen of Cups is all about the 3 Cs: calm, compassion, and comfort. The challenge is to make sure you have at least two out of the three first then you can spread it around.
The Ace of Cups of cups heralds the beginnings of emotional fulfillment. The challenge with this card this week is seeing that no matter how full the cup that it is “good to the last drop.”
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