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 20th.)
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
Knight of Swords – Last week the Page advised finding out more information before moving forward. Now with that information, the Knight of Swords pronounces moving ahead but taking your time thinking before action. This is a week to slow down in general for you will miss vital information or missteps. This card’s practical application also warns, watch out that you don’t hurt your extremities. Look both ways when you cross the street. Curl your fingers in when you cut veggies and be careful when you are walking.
*High Priestess – Last week the Chariot, card of change that you are sole responsible for, pulled up to give you another chance to make transformations happen around areas that you want to alter. Now the High Priestess shows up advising that you need to do some deep reference work on the how and why of your changes. The great thing about this card is, if you ask for signs from the heavens, she can scry you some answers either in your dreams, synchronicities or in deep contemplation. This can look as simple as you need a new plumber for that drip in your bathroom sink, you see a black cat in the window, then you google a plumber near you and see one named Black Cat Plumbing. Or as complex as doing dream work with your desires. Motto: Insight and inspiration comes from many sources.
*Hanged Man – Last week, the Devil card came to test you on who you are and what you stand for. This week the Hanged Man keeps you in a purgatory like state to let you contemplate how you were triggered last week. You need to see the patterns and/or places that are working against you. You can blame your failure on others, or you can see that maybe the game you have willingly played is rigged. Time to figure out what really is important in your life and how you want to be seen in the world. Take this week to center back to who you really are.
Eight of Swords – Your thoughts get in your way this week. The Eight of Swords advises to stop over analyzing a situation. If you let old thought patterns go, you will make room for feelings that are more helpful then harmful.
Ace of Wands – Last week you all got your first big card for your birth-year, the Strength card. This card comes to help you ground yourself and acknowledge your resilience, self-compassion, and mental acuity. By 2020’s birthday you will feel more comfortable in you own skin. This week, the Ace of Wands joins the Strength Card having you strike the match to create passion in your life. This year has the potential for new beginnings. The question for you to answer is what is your deep desire? Then write it on a scrap of paper and burn it on the Virgo moon, August 28th or 29th. And then let the Universe finds ways to gift it to you in the coming year.
Page of Cups – Time to get out your rose-colored glasses. The Page of Cups advises to look at the events and people in your life this week with compassion and empathy. Everyone needs a little love. The challenge with this card is being vulnerable enough to receive the love back.
Six of Wands – The Six of Wands is the card of victory. Take this week to see all that you have accomplished and pat yourself on the back. The only challenge with this card is even though you deserve this break and win, be aware that the battle is not yet totally won.
*The Magician – The Magician is the card of bringing the divine down into the material plane. It is a great week to create! This can look as simple as making an exquisite meal that delights the senses. Or as complex as writing the next great novel. Then only challenge with this card is that your creation must have meaning behind. This is not a week for mundane chores and to-do list. If you reach with a higher purpose you will be able to grasp the brass ring.
Page of Wands – The Page of Wands comes when you need to create or live with a flourish of passion. This card shows up to re-ignite your purpose and enhance your innovation. If you are not vibing with this energy or your muse has gone on vacation. Time to immerse your self in the arts, music or nature to realign yourself with your passion.
Two of Coins – This week can get out of balance. The challenge is figure out what you need to do to stop your internal and/or external vertigo. This card suggests juggling one thing well before picking up another. Or even better, don’t multitask at all this week.
Queen of Wands – Last week the Tower, card of change coming from an outside source, shook up something that was not working. But if you were proactive in initiating the change, the Tower promised it would lessen the blow. So, if you did nothing and shit hit the fan, the Queen of Wands advises to use your intuition to help clean up the mess this week. If you did initiate the change, then she helps by staking out the easier path with the breadcrumbs of synchronicities. Making you surer of the path you are now on and more instinctive with every step. Either way your Spidey Sense is key this week.
*Empress – The Empress is the gardener card. When she arrives, she asks you to focus on what do you want to grow and or tend to. Nurturing is the skill most needed this week. But don’t forget as they say on airplanes you must put the mask on yourself first before you tend to others. The gardener tends the garden but who tends the gardener?
*Justice – Justice is the card of truths. This card has you questioning what is your truth? How do you show it in your daily life? Are you living your truth? Those are the big questions, but then Justice also plays out in practical matters. This is a card of decision making with cool intellect, only the facts, pro and cons list etc… Justice wants you to use your head this week and then act.
Ten of Swords – Last week you all got the Tower for your first power card for this birth year. The first lesson with this card is you need to do some major renovating in your life this year. If you don’t know what to start on or how to make the change happen, the Tower card comes to shake things up and makes it obvious what needs to be deconstructed and reconstructed. The theme this year is take control of the change yourself or the Universe will change it for you. Well this week will hold some clear clues on what needs changing with the Ten of Swords. This card is about people and situations that just are not good for you. This ten will help you see these items clearly and then it is up to you to rid yourself of them.
Five of Coins – The Five of Coins is about suffering and loss. This week holds clues as to what is not working in your life. The interesting thing with this card is that this suffering is easily remedy by you just by asking for help. You do not need to suffer alone this week. On a practical note this can just mean you might lose something like your keys or glasses – so ask for help to find them.
Six of Wands – The Six of Wands is the card of victory. This week is a good stopping point to take break, enjoy what you have accomplished and rest up. However, this card also says the work is not done. So keep in mind, there is more to do but this isn’t the week to do it. 
King of Cups – Last week the Star had you restoring your health both mental and physical. You get to continue that theme with the King of Cups this week. He would like you to focus on the restoration of your heart and emotions. This week is about lifting your spirits, and any form of water is helpful in this endeavor. However, the practical warning of this card is do not overindulge with liquid spirits.
*Death and Six of Cups – Okay another change card. Last week the Chariot challenged you to take the reins and create momentum in your life. Now change takes another form, Death. Death is the card of change that is partly in your control and partly in the spin of the Universe. So, the weight of responsibility of making change happen has been lifted somewhat. However, because of the Six of Cups joins in, you will need to make amends with the past to allow the Universe to lift some of that responsibility off your shoulders. This can look as simple as forgiving a past aggression or as complex as letting go of the incidences from the past that can no longer be resolved.
Knight of Cups – This week emotion is the key to movement. The best way to make this happen with ease is to be forthright with your emotions. This does not mean you have to wear your heart on your sleeve for all to see, but you must at least be honest with how you are feeling with those that are close to you. The challenge is remembering that what you are feeling is just that, a feeling – it does not always represent the absolute or whole truth.
Eight of Cups – Last week, the Emperor gave you his energy to materialize and do. But he also had you checking in with does your work fulfill you? If it doesn’t, then being honest with what this work is bringing you (like money or time), and if it is fulfilling then keep doing it with more gusto. This week, the Eight of Cups still has you working on the question what is fulfilling. Though this card’s exercise is to get rid of some excess emotions, ideas or items that no longer serve you. This can literally look like cleaning out your closets and drawers. Time to release.
*Lovers – last week, the Strength card came having you strengthen a resolve, be more resilient, and/or support your self-worth. And now that you are stronger in your self you can now pair up with others. This week will bring relationships in focus. Pay attention to how you interact with them. This card’s work is how to bring out the best in others which also as a bonus brings out the best in you.
*Strength– Strength is the card of resilience, confidence and self-worth. This week you need to boost these qualities in yourself. You are not seeing how far you have come or how you could have taken routes that would have sent you into shadier outcomes. So here is an exercise to see how strong you have become. Think of a decision you made recently and now think of at least 3 ways you could have chosen that would have create a more negative outcome. This could be as simple as you didn’t give someone the finger on the highway – it could have been worse if 1) you ran them off the road. 2) you shot them the bird and they ran you off the road 3) you held on to your anger until you yelled at your significant other, your boss or a cashier. See, you are making decision every day and most of them are smart and damn good for yourself and the rest of the world. Take this week confirming how you are a decent human being.
Ace of Cups – The Ace of Cups calls for you to create and spread love and joy. This card reminds you that positive emotions need to be your “go to” this week even if someone pokes you to get a rise. Your mottos: You catch more flies with honey than vinegar, and Love conquers all.
Nine of Swords- You will need to watch your thoughts this week. Worry and fretting might creep into your dreams, waking mind and confidence. The advice this card gives is if you can’t fix it now don’t worry about, for the solution will come later or the problem will dissolve on its own.
*Hanged Man- Your journey will be waylaid this week, and this is a blessing in disguise. Your voyage will be better suited if you take some time either in quiet contemplation or be waylaid by strangers. Think of this week like an adventure into Wonderland were not everything makes sense, but it can be amazing if you don’t take it too seriously.
*Hierophant and Eight of Pentacles – These 2 cards work well together. The Hierophant wants you to create structure and the Eight of Pentacles wants you to work on mastery at what you are doing. This can look as simple as creating a schedule where you only look at emails the beginning and end of the day, or as complex as going to a class to get better at sculpting or Excel.
Ten of Swords – Well this week will be a rough start to the new year, if you let it. The Ten of Swords warns us when the outside world or things we have no control over tries to get us down. You can hide this week if you want that is one way to deal; the other is to hone your spidey sense and dodge any “bullets.” Either way you deal with this week the challenge is not letting other’s thoughts or plans stab you and your plans in the back.
*Empress – The Empress is the card of growth and creativity; what a great way to begin 2019. Your challenge this week is to create some seeds that you want to see bud in about 9-10 months from now. This can be a simple as starting a health plan that by September or October you are able to run in a marathon. Or as complex as creating a book, an album, a house or a baby. The big thing is you need to start on your big projects/ideas now.
Six of Cups – It is fine to dwell a bit in the past this week if it doesn’t swallow you up. The past has information for you. The past is something to reminisce about but not endure the bad moments over and over. The challenge is like cleaning out the attic – keep the good memories and take the lesson from the bad but then toss it.
This week is Solstice; where darkness is at its height in the northern hemisphere, and light reigns in the southern. The Photographs above and below are from Roadside Lights by the artist 
The Sun represents growth and positivity, so this week should feel amazing. Though there are a few challenges: you might feel some growing pains, it might be hard to feel positive in all the rush or while you are growing you could overshadow someone’s else growth. This can look as simple as finding all your x-mas presents just make sure you don’t butt in line to grab the deal. Or this can look as complex as growing your confidence but doing it in a way that others don’t feel left out. The big lesson is Shine without Shadowing.
This is an interesting combination. The Empress is the card of creation and the Moon is the card of things hidden. This week is like tending your night-blooming flowers. There is more creation happening in the dark of your subconscious and/or solitude, than with the light and society. This can look as simple/complex as doing some stream of consciousness writing, collage, black-out poetry, cleaning out your fridge/freezer and making some new culinary dish, or writing down your dreams. The challenge letting out new creations that are waiting to spring up from your subconscious.
The Knight of Cups swoops in to advise you to get in touch with your emotions. This is a great week to take a deep dive in to what is driving your emotions. If you don’t like what you see, kick it out and if you do, feed it. If you are having a hard time tapping into your emotions watch Elf, It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street or The Grinch.
The Ace of Pentacles are new beginning on the material plane. This is a great week to start a new project, change jobs, move, try new recipes, start a new exercise regime. Look at what you want to grow or change on the material plane
Hmm your second 8 in a row so let’s take a gander at 8s for a minute. Eights in numerology mean manifestation through mastery. Last week the Eight of swords want you to master your negative thoughts. This week the Eight of Pentacles wants you to master something on the material plane. This look like a project, money, or deal coming together. Focus more on doing then, how it gets done. Trust yourself you are skilled.
This week has all the potential for being fantastic, if you can just get out of your own way and shine. Leave your ego and your mind on the curb and let life take you to some new places. You will find more grace and enlightenment if you follow you spirit and your heart. This can look as simple/complex as taking a walk/ride to see Holiday lights, going to a holiday party with someone you like, buying candy canes and giving them to every homeless person you pass, or staying at home getting cozy with nog and a book. The challenge with doing any of these things is thinking yourself out of it like: holiday lights are a stupid competition, yuck parties, the homeless need homes not candy, or I’m lazy. This week is about using your judgment to enjoy joy.
The Queen of Swords is about strategy in all you do. Need to get holiday gifts – make a list of what you need and then map out the best path. Need to get a project done – hire a babysitter so you can pull a long day, so you don’t have to do work during the holidays. If you are traveling pack early and preorder your taxi. This week can get hectic but a good battle plan will get you through it.
Holidays can be hard for all the water signs because there are a lot of emotions swimming around good or bad – yours or others. It can be draining. This week might push on your emotions, so you pull inward. And you can do that if you don’t do it all week. The challenge is to see that contemplation is fine if you look up and out to reorient to the positive. If you find yourself going to far inward call a friend to take you out for a hot tottie or tea. Love and laughter are the keys this week.
You are finishing out your birth month with the Ten of Pentacles or the prosperous kingdom card. The coming year has the Magician calling for creation and the Hanged Man calling for new and unique perspectives. All tens are summation cards so 2019 is a place where not only are you creating new and unique projects, traveling to new roads, but it is about enjoying your all that you have done to get to this place. This week is your first step in seeing how prosperous your kingdom is. Enjoy the bounty.
It’s a balancing act this week. Balancing intake with outtake, rest and activities, food and water, society and solitude. If you feel off kilter it is a sign to stop and ground yourself. This is a good card to practice going into your birth month.
Two of Cups is the card of relationships. Take time this week to have one on ones with people you love. You need to reconnect with the people you hold dear. The challenge is to truly be there with them. This can be hard with the hectic holiday season, but it will fill your cup more than drain it. Think small intimate moments than grand gestures.
The Ten of Wands is about putting too much on your plate because of a sense of obligation. This week is more about doing a few things well, than doing a bunch of things half-ass. The challenge is giving yourself a break. Lay down at least two of your to-dos on your list. You can pick them back up next week if they don’t fade away before that.
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