This week’s art pick is by artist, Helene Schmitz , and the above piece is from a series called Kudzo.  Her art is about the relationship of humans and nature in not only visual but also linguistic form.  Many of her pieces have us questioning our definitions and assumptions around nature and its actions.  For instance, we call nature savage however, we are usually referring to carnivores or natural disasters with a quick time span.  However, when you think of plants you hardly think savage.

Even carnivorous plants have their beauty.  Nevertheless, you can see in her the work for example Kudzo, perceived as an ornamental plant, smothers the “natural” landscape creating a dystopian or alien optic. Its savagery is not the fast kill of a lion.  It slowly overwhelms native plants and anything else it decides to grow over.  You then begin contemplating our perceptions and possibly symbiosis of beauty and savagery.

Kudzo is a perennial vine of the pea family native to China and Japan.  Where it is grown for its edible starchy roots, a fiber made from its stem, and fodder for livestock.  It was brought to North America in the late 1800’s as an ornamental plant.  Farmers especially in the South were encouraged to plant it to anchor steep banks of soil.  Right after the Dust Bowl of the late 1930’s the Soil Conservation Service planted around 500,000 acres of vine throughout the southern states to help with erosion.  Since it can grow at the rate of a foot a day, it has become the scourge of the south.  By the 70’s it was downgraded to weed status.  People have used various weed killers and even goats trying to destroy it; however, it continues to plague southern states.

P.S. Remember signs with an * it 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.

 

Aries

*Hermit – Last week the Wheel of Fortune said the only aspect you can control to change your luck was showing up and spinning the wheel. This week’s Hermit energy is 180-degree turn.  This card advises pulling away from civilization.  You are needing a respite from society and its pressure.   This is not a vacation card, this energy is best used when in solitude creating, experimenting, philosophizing.  This can look as simple as turning off your cell phone for 2 hours each day, or as complex as doing your own residence for a week.

 

Taurus

Nine of Cups – Last week, the Sun card came wanting you to expand and grow and challenging you to practice what intensity of energy would make your focus grow best.  The Nine of Cups continues beaming good energy to you this week.  But the challenge is balancing your hard work with contentment.  It’s very important that you follow your heart.  If it doesn’t feel good/right don’t do it.

 

Gemini

Knight of Wands – LOL of course Gemini you are going to do fine this week while the rest of us are dealing with this intense Mercury retrograde.   The Knight of Wands comes proclaiming your timing and focus is perfect this week.  If by the rare chanced you are stopped from doing anything, take it as sign to stop for awhile until things get back in line.  It’s not you, it’s the rest of us trying to muddle through.

 

Cancer

*World – The World card shows up when the universe is presenting you a variety of opportunities and new beginnings.  The challenge with this card is that you don’t have to commit to just one prospect.  This week is best played out like going shopping for shoes.  Try each opportunity on and see how it fits before buying it.  This is also a card of honoring how far you have come and what you have done.  The challenge is making sure you are creating/picking the new and letting go of the old.

 

Leo

Queen of Swords – The Queen of Swords is advising you to pay attention to the details this week.  But don’t keep your head so far into your laptop that you don’t look up.  Having a balance of detail and long-range goals is vital.  Also, be aware that this kind of focusing makes you have a sharp tongue when interrupted.  This detail-oriented rabbit hole is very enticing to you, so make sure you have a goal and a time limit before you traverse down it.

 

Virgo

Ten of Coins – The last three weeks the Moon had you taking a deep dive into your subconscious finding pearls of wisdom. Then Justice continued the theme of behind the scenes with ideas, communications and decisions.  Then the World card challenged you to try out new places, prospects, and people, representing a turning point from the past to a brighter future.  The Ten of Coin continues that theme of tying up the old to get ready for the new.  This card means closure, so you have some loose ends to work on this week especially on the material plane.  The challenge is enjoying the benefits of all your hard work. This week balance work and play.

 

Libra

*Hierophant – The Hierophant card shows up when you need to create or work on the structures and institutions in your life.  These are schedules, studying, holiday traditions, family and personal morals, chores list, etc.…  The more structure you have in place this week the easier it will flow, and continue into the holiday season.  This can look as simple as booking your flights for the winter holidays, ordering your turkey, going shopping before the crowds hit. The challenge with this card is being inflexible with your plans, so always have a back-up (especially since Mercury is in retrograde until November 20^th.)

 

Scorpio

Two of Coins – This week and possible year is about balance, mastery and focus.  This week can feel unstable, and the way to work with this energy is to focus on one thing until completion before you move to another.  This is not a time to multi-task.  Juggle one ball until you know you got that down before adding another.

 

Sagittarius

Seven of Swords – The Seven of Swords heralds a time when you will need to come to arms.  This week you might need to stand up for yourself or someone else.  The challenge with this card is having apathy or fear around not have the tools do protect or what is needed.  But the truth is just standing up with the cause, your ideals or someone else is action enough.

 

Capricorn

Nine of Coins – The Nine of Coins calls for creative solitude.  This week you work better with a select group of people or no-one.  In order to understand the world, one has to turn away from it on occasion. [The Minotaur] ― Albert Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays

 

Aquarius

Queen of Coins – It all about delighting your senses this week.  The Queen of Coins comes to lend a hand showing you how you walk in this world. She challenges you to focus on each sense for a day.  For example Monday is touch, so you may pet a cat feeling its silky fur, the warmth it is emanating, and the rumbling of a purr.  Then Tuesday you smell a variety of flowers you bought, or stinky cheese if that is your thing.  This exercise is meant to ground you in the life that you are creating.  Enjoy.

 

Pisces

Ace of Cups – New beginning this week with the Ace of Cups.  Here is the challenge with this card.  It comes when you need to create aspects of your life that you love.  And the only way to make that happen is by do things that curl your toes just thinking about them.   Whether that is a pint of Ben and Jerry’s or a good make out session. Life is good – drink from the cup. The only challenge with this card is one pint is enough lol.

 

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

Nina