This week’s artist is Irving Penn.  He was a photographer, painter, and inventor of the platinum printing process.  His style whether portraits or still life often leans towards minimalism and emotes a feeling of rawness.  At this unique point in time, our collective experience and personal emotions seem to directly resonate with his series Portraits in a Corner.  Where we all are having this vague feeling that something has changed but still finding ourselves isolated in our small section of life possibly feeling restricted. Our reptilian amygdala stressed and fearful.  Is it possible that we can switch our mindset to finding the space comforting, a place of intimacy, and a place to engage with ourselves?

Penn started this series in 1948.  He pushed two studio flats together to create a sharper than 90-degree angle.  The floor covering an old piece of carpet with the detritus of the photography process still on it.  As Penn says “a very rich series of pictures resulted. This confinement, surprisingly seemed to comfort people, soothing them.  The walls were a surface to lean on or push against.  For me, the picture possibilities were interesting: limiting the subjects’ movement seemed to relieve me of part of the problem of holding on to them.” The amazing thing the viewer can see in these portraits is the “character” of the portrayed becomes more defined.

Can we use this this time to lean into our severely defined space?  To find more intimacy and realness with our-selves?  Imagine if we were more aware and secure with who we are.  When it is time to turn the corner into the world again, we would be more prepared with our actions and interactions.  More grounded to who we are, more determined with what needs to be done, a better I to contribute to a better We.

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

Nina

P.S. 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.

 

Aries

Four of Cups – The energy this week can make it hard to see the beauty that surrounds you.  The fire signs more than others are feeling the miasma of the future.  The challenge for you is to see the beauty in the minor things in life, the here and now.  Appreciating and highlighting these smaller moments you will start to see the patterns and puzzle pieces of the bigger picture.

 

Taurus

Seven of Cups – The energy this week might be challenge for you all if you want to get things check off your list. Forward movement will feel like you are swimming up stream.   But if you can play and daydream this is the week for you.  Play or doing things for the joy of doing them without goals helps your mind and imagination create outside the lines.  While at the same time breaks down walls around intimacy with others and tunes you into your soul’s purpose.   Taurus has the kindest hearts if they can put aside their practicality and “I’m the only one that can keep things going” motto.  Find that fun persona you have hidden lately.  The world might get a bit messy while you are playing but you can tidy it up next week.

 

Gemini

Six of Swords – Last week the muse of change was at your door.  Coaxing you to let go off the old to make room for the new.  Luckily, you have another week to get rid of what no longer works.  While you are unloading your “boat” be open to transitions or transactions that come from unexpected places.  Maybe its an invite to join an online class, going to a zoom dance party, talking to a friend you haven’t talked to in ages, or a new work project pops-up in your inbox.  These occurrences are the universe sending out flares of hope.   Though this transition can be hard, your too tired to do more or you cannot see into the future because of the mist, there are still new adventures to be had.

 

Cancer

Three of Wands and Three of Swords– The last couple of weeks have been big energy weeks.  The energy was best used tapping into your inner strength and cocooning as you metamorph into a new you.  This week will be a bit of a roller coaster ride of emotions and inspirations.  You got a set of threes.  These energies test the duality of stabilization and flexibility.  You will need to flow with your emotions to heal some heart wounds while at the same time be patient with prosperous possibilities that are on the horizon.  Your challenge is to stay with the down time to heal and strengthen your core and not jump into anything until it feels right.

 

Leo

*High Priestess – This is last week’s energy of intuitive creation on “11.”  We have multiple reasons to be on Earth at this time and place.  This muse asks you to investigate purpose as you are in the act of creation.  Whether it is your reason for existence, others or more likely both, go behind the veil and find the connective tissue of your history and the history at large.  Answer the question Why are you here and re-ignite the work you still need to do.

 

Virgo

Ace of Wands – Mark this period in the sands of time.  This week is a place to start a wiser new beginning.  The challenge to light this fire is to imagine if you only had a year left to live and only could pick one thing to do.  What would you do? This is the universe trying to get you to take your laser pointer and focus on one thing fully.  Maybe it is focusing on your child, starting a business, or writing a novel.  Now is the time to focus on your legacy.  No more thinking this is inspirational doing.

 

Libra

Page of Swords – Things are not what they seem on the surface this week.  If you need information you are going to have to dig for it.  The challenge is asking the right questions the right way and then listening.  Listen to the nuances for the truth.  People are not trying to hide things from you.  It is more of a cause of ignorance than malice.

 

Scorpio

*Death– Your final birth month card and it is another big energy card.   So, you will have three muses to work with in the coming year.   First, the muse of dreams and synchronicities helping you intuit how 2021 and your purpose will unfold.  Then, the Muse of releasing old ideas, creating new story lines (remember new map – new ship) And finally, the Muse of Death or organic change. This is also your sign’s life card, which means this is your super-power, but you must do the work to make it so.   This muse helps you see that the old is fodder for new growth and helps you work with the cycles and seasons.  This is change that happens with some help from you and some from the universe.  Your challenge is to tune yourself to the ebbs and flow of your environment, find new ways to traverse it and slowly guiding change.  This coming year is a new chapter – What are you going to write?

 

Sagittarius

Eight of Wands – This is the last week of your birth year and it is full of information. The challenge is trying to sort it.  A better way to deal with all the incoming messages is to think of it as a brainstorming session with the universe.  Write it all down and do not judge it.  This week is about inspiration and possibilities.

 

Capricorn

King of Cups – The muse advises you to come at the days ahead quietly and calmly.  However, you may run through an array of emotions this week, but you will find you are also in control.  As a friend use to say You can let your emotions play with the radio, but they cannot drive the car.

 

Aquarius

Four of Wands – The energy this week is about the happy home.  Usually this comes up when you need to ground yourself and do some nesting behavior.  Take time to enjoy your home.  So, make your favorite meals, curl up on the couch with loved ones and watch movies, eat by candle light, tidy up areas of your house that you hang in the most, hang your Christmas lights early etc…  This week is about cozy and comfort.

 

Pisces

Ace of Cups – The last couple of weeks have been high energy.  The muses had you looking at outdated systems that are no longer working.  In essence looking at your map for 2021 and assessing and adjusting structures, morals, rules, and regulations to get “your boat” to the next harbor.  This week the energy is around love and happiness.  They are what drives your mortal coil.  So, make sure love has a place in your intentions.  Now is time to focus on how your heart gets a say in the planning.