This week’s artist is Bridget McCrum. Since childhood she was fascinated with ancient remains and natural stone landscapes, so she began painting her surroundings.  Then by her forties she turned to sculpting it in stone.  Her studies are often but not always abstract interpretations of the glacial movement of geography in contrast to the rapid flight of birds.  In her words: “The landscape around my two homes has inevitably worked itself into my mind. The gentle curves of the hills of South Devon and the stark limestone cliffs carved by wind and sea on Gozo, have all subconsciously influenced my carving. Looking down on birds circling and gliding above their prey from my home high above the Dart estuary. They make marvelously abstracted subjects and I have carved them ever since I have been here.”

Her work is a study of stillness and movement.  She creates this by juxtaposing squares and rectangles that seem to effortless hold up smoothly curved abstract avian forms.  By working in stone and simplifying the line of birds in flight, McCrum enhances the elegant evolution of birds and their prowess in the air.  This contrast also exemplifies the intersection of how birds use topography to enhance their flight ie: their use of thermals or dynamic soaring.  This is where a bird catches a thermal to ride upward.  Once they reach these higher altitudes where the wind moves faster, they shift to same direction as the wind to gain speed.  Then they can glide relatively fast or slow while descending by shifting their wings or the angle of their body.  McCrum’s work is an exquisite example of observational study and interpretation of the beauty of nature through art.

Your pondering for the week:  Explore and utilize ways that you can use your environment to soar.

Solar System Highlights

The Moon starts in Cancer this week.  This energy may feel like you do not want to leave your house, but if you must then make sure you balance it with quality self-care time.  By Thursday it has moved into Leo – time to shine.  Then for the weekend the moon moves into Virgo – great for cleaning and reducing clutter in your life.   Mercury is in Leo – great for PR but watch that you are listening as much as you are sharing.  Venus (beauty and harmony) is in Cancer – beautify your home, spend time with loved ones and focus on self-care. Mars (action) is in Taurus, so action steps are at a saner, slower, and steadier pace.  Jupiter is in Aries until October 28^th.  It influences action and expansion over the summer months.  And lastly, Saturn remains in Aquarius for all of 2022 – so innovating and upping your game is its focus.

P.S. 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.

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

Nina

 

 

Aries

*Emperor – Hopefully last week you aligned you actions with your inner compass, because this week is all action.  The Muse of Building is here to get any project you focus on moving if you have a well-thought-out plan.  So, think like a city-planner this week.  Have you thought about who you serve and are you building a self-propelling structure to maintain it?  The challenge with this energy is not to build just to build, or act just to act but to thoughtfully create.

 

Taurus

Six of Coins – The Muse of Mini-Karma arrives when karma is about to re-balance.  So, as you go about your daily life this muse reminds you that being nice begats positive benefits.  However, this is also true for being unkind which will producing negatives.  The other challenge with this energy is that it usually doesn’t reciprocate in a direct line.  So, watch your p’s and q’s and be mindful of possible side swipes or unexpected gifts.

 

Gemini

Eight of Coins – Last week was about paying attention to downloads from your subconscious.  This week is about refining your conscious and physical skillsets.  The Muse of Mastery comes when your superpowers and expert skills are needed, so share your amazingness this week.

 

Cancerian

Five of Wands – This Muse of Drama comes when you need to sharpen your confidence on when to fight and when to walk away.  You can engage in rivalry but if you do you cannot play victim.  You have chosen to play the game.  However, this muse reminds you that you can also just not participate and walk away.  The choice is really yours.

 

Leo

Nine of Swords – Your first Muse to work with this birth year is the Muse of Overthinking.  This year you are going to be challenged by getting out of your mind and acting on what you can.  Now this Muse does give you some rules to live by for this year.  1) Worry only about what you actually can control in the present. 2) Do not use the phrase or concept of: would have, should have, and could have. And 3) You need to prioritize good sleeping habits.

 

Virgo

Two of Coins – The Muse of Balance comes when you are trying to do too much.  She advises to do only one to two things at a time.  This is not a week for multi-tasking.

 

Libra

*Fool – The Muse of Clean Slates and New Adventure has come to have you play around with a new avenue, study, or project.  This, like last week, is a great period to start a project, plant a garden or continue a new venture.  The challenge with this energy is she asks you to come at anything you do with fresh eyes or playfulness.  If you are having trouble doing this, she suggests doing this exercise: When you go somewhere familiar take a new route or venture out without a purpose and see where you land.  These activities will exercise your adventurous side.

 

Scorpio

Seven of Cups – The Muse of Dreams is here wanting you to play with your imagination.  Find time to daydream.  Play scenarios in your head where everything works out perfectly.  The challenge is identifying these dream signs in your reality.  If you don’t see the beginnings of this path, then it is time to dream a new scheme.

 

Sagittarius

Page of Coins – The Muse of Critical Thinking has come to guide your thoughts this week.  Critical thinking is the analysis of available facts, evidence, observations, and arguments to form a judgement.  However, the challenge is when the subject is complex and therefore several different definitions or arguments can exist.  So, this week keep to the facts and put the speculation aside, and if you can not come to a verdict with what you know, wait for more evidence.

 

Capricorn

*Wheel– The Muse of Maybe comes when the energy for the week is unpredictable.  Her advice is to be careful not to over-plan or tightly schedule this week.  The more flexible you can be the more apt you will be to navigate the hits and misses of the week, and possibly find treasures on paths not planned.

 

Aquarius

*Magician – The Muse of Manifestation comes to help you conjure up whatever you like.  Even though you have all the tools you need to do as you wish, the challenge is really thinking through the consequences of what you are bringing forth.  Does it actually coincide with your purpose or plan?

 

Pisces

Ace of Cups – The Muse of Emotional Beginnings is here to make sure that your heart plane is nourished before you embark on this new phase of emotional growth.  She reminds you that it is more beneficial and sustainable if you can fill your emotional cup then to rely on ours doing it for you.  Self-Love first, fishy frien