Death, remember the past but look to the future.

Monday's card was drawn from the Motherpeace deck.

Sometimes the cards just amaze me. Imagine my surprise when I drew the Death card on tonight, Samhian with tomorrow being the day of the dead. In our society death is thought of as a negative thing and an end point. But in tarot Death is not an ending but a beginning. In the motherpeace image there is a snake shedding it's skin. It is going through a transformation, part of it is dying but it's dead skin is being replaced by new life. This constantly happens in our lives, every time something ends it is replaced by something new.

Death is here today to remind us of this. I believe Death has also shown up today to remind us to remember those that have crossed over. Spend today The Day of The Dead remembering your loved ones, especially those that have past in the last year. But when today is over they will return to the land of the dead and you must remain with the living. Rejoice in their memory but do not linger in the past. The wheel is always turning and you must move on with your life.

2 of Swords, balancing the mind.

This weekends card was drawn from the Motherpeace deck.

The suit of swords represent mental activity and the powers of the mind. In this card a woman is standing on one leg while writing an infinity sign with two feathers. She is taking a moment to balance her mind to prepare for a future endeavor. The stock next to her represents fertility and is helping her find balance so her mind will be ready to begin creating.

Are you planning to start a new project? The 2 of swords is here today to remind you to prepare yourself before you begin. Take a deep breath and quiet your mind, because if you rush into things they can become stressful instead of enjoyable.

the Hanged One, let your ego drift away.

Thursday's card was drawn from the Motherpeace deck.

In many different cultures hanging upside down is a symbol of initiation. Inanna descended to the underworld, was stripped of all her worldly possessions and was hung naked upside down. She had to give herself over completely and in a way die before she could learn the secrets of death. She returned to the world a changed woman with new knowledge. This story has been repeated again over and over again, even the Christan Jesus was hung on the cross and then resurrected three days later. Yogis teach their students to stand on their heads believing this will cause a change in their mental state. Their main goal is to have the ego disappear into the greater mind. In other words to experience the death of 'self' so they can become a part of something greater then themselves.

The Hanged One is here today to tell you not to be afraid of letting go. Allow your ego to drift away, it is the only way to truly feel ecstasy or love. Look at the world from a different angle, you'll be amazed at the things that are there that you've never noticed.

7 of Cups, over flowing dreams and desires

Wednesday's card was drawn from the Motherpeace deck.

In this card the woman is standing in front of an ocean of her own emotions. The cup on her head is over flowing with her hope, dreams and desires. There are so many of them that she is overwhelmed and not sure which ones to concentrate on. She holds out a net in front of her in an attempt to catch some of her desires but since they are made of watery emotions they will flow right through. If you find yourself feeling like this woman do not despair there is hope even if you can't see it. The answer is in the cup on top of her head. Aphrodite's dove is there to remind you that all woman have the power of the oracle. You intuitively know which of your dreams and desires are worth putting energy in and which are not right for you at this time. Just take some time to meditate and figure this out before moving on.

Tara, meditation is essential for life.

This weekend's card was drawn from The Goddess Oracle deck.

The Goddess Speaks:
I sit with my attention focused on my breath. Breathing in and out, inhaling and exhaling. Taking in and letting go, the dance of creation, the dance of the universe, the dance of life. I sit in stillness in focused awareness. Breathing in and out, as the ocean that is life churns and pulses around me, as oceans of incarnations swirl and twirl through me, besides me, all around me. My eyes see all, know all, and watch all. As I breath: Still. Focused. Aware. Centered. -Amy Sophia Marashinsky

Tara is a female Bodhisattva in Tibetan Buddhism. A Bodhisattva is a person who was motivated by compassion and achieved enlightenment. Tara is known as the 'mother of liberation' and represents the virtues of success in work and achievement. She is generally a tantric meditation deity.

She had many forms:
Green Tara, known as the Buddha of enlightened activity.
White Tara, also known for compassion, long life, healing and serenity.
Red Tara, a fierce aspect associated with magnetizing all good things.
Black Tara, associated with power.
Yellow Tara, associated with wealth and prosperity.
Blue Tara, associated with transmutation of anger.

She is here to remind you to keep centered. I once heard the Dalai Lama speak and the one thing he said that really stuck to me me was "If you cannot find time for meditation you will not have time for anything." Many times we forget that meditation is just as important to our health as eating right, exercise, and sleep. So take some time this weekend to think of ways to add a few minutes of meditation to your day. Or if you already have a practise maybe it's time to review it. Are you happy with it? Does it need some fine tuning? Maybe it's time to try something new or change the time of day you practice.

Baba Yaga, wise woman or old hag?

Thursday's card was drawn from The Goddess Oracle deck.

Baba Yaga is a witch like character in Slavic folklore who flies around on a giant mortar or broomstick and lives in a hut that stands on chicken legs. In many stories she is an antagonist who kidnaps and eats small children, however in many other stories she is sought out for her wisdom and offers guidance to lost souls. Seeking out her aid is usually portrayed as a dangerous act. An emphasis is placed on the need for proper preparation and purity of spirit, as well as basic politeness. Most likely she was a wise old woman Goddess figure who was turned into an evil "witch" by competing religions that moved into the area.

Her 'hut on chicken legs' connects her to earlier religions as Siberian pagan constructed small huts that stood on top of stumps to hold figurines of their gods. Also Slavs had a tradition of performing cremation in huts of this types.

Baba Yaga is here today to remind you to remember the wisdom that ageing women hold. Our society devalues woman as they age and loss their beauty. Baba Yaga is screaming out "there is more then one type of beauty, everyone is beautiful if you will take the time to look. Do not look away from an old woman instead sit with her and listen.  Show her the respect she deserves and she will share her wisdom."

Hestia, her fire will warm and feed your body and soul.

Wednesday's card was drawn from The Goddess Oracle deck.

Hestia is the ancient Olympian Goddess of the hearth and home. She is thought of as the center of the home, the community, the town, and the city. No meal could be eaten without her, for she is the very fire that transforms the ingredients into nourishment. She is one of my favorites. After I clean my kitchen counters I rub them with a little clearly sage oil and ask Hestia to bless my home.

Hestia is here today to tell you it's time to shift some more energy to your home life. Are you working to hard at making a living that you can't enjoy your hearth? Your home is where you can recharge your energy, a place for you relax and be yourself. Take some time today to tidy up your place and burn some sage to cleanse the emotional space. If you have a fire place light a fire, or a candle will do, and welcome Hestia into your home.

Sedna, don't remain a victim.

Tuesday's card was drawn from The Goddess Oracle deck.

Sedna is the Inuit Goddess of the ocean. She was a beautiful young woman who is not impressed by any of her multiple suitors. One day a sea bird promised to take her away to his comfortable and luxurious home. The impulsive young girl eloped with the bird. However when she reached her new home she found it was a filthy and smelly nest and her new husband treated her like a slave. Sedna begged her father to come get her and take her home and he did. However while they were crossing the sea a flock of angry birds surrounded their boat. The flocks flapping wings caused a tremendous storm to arise and the small vessel tossed from side to side. Fearing for his own safety, Sedna's father threw her into the ocean to appease the birds. When Sedna tried to climb back into the boat her father cut off her fingers. As she sank to the bottom of the ocean, her dismembered limbs grew into fish, seals, whales, and all of the other sea mammals. She became the Goddess of the deep ocean and the provider of food for her people. But she only provides if her people respect her. Sedna found her power and never again would be a victim.

Sedna is here today to remind you that you have power over your own life. Bad things happen to everyone and at some point you will feel like a victim, but take a lesson from Sedna. She could have sunk to the bottom of the ocean and stayed there in misery but instead she found a purpose to her life and demanded respect from others.

Uzume, laughter is good medicine.

This weekend's card was drawn from The Goddess Oracle deck.

The Japanese Shinto Goddess of joy and happiness, Uzume is called the Daughter of Heaven and Heaven's Forthright Female. Her name means "whirling". She is also the Goddess of good health, which people obtain from drinking blessed water of her stream. When the Sun Goddess Amaterasu had hidden herself in a cave, thus covering the earth in darkness and infertility, it was Uzume who brought her back. With her provoking and curlew dances she managed to make the gods laugh so hard, that Amaterasu left the cave to see what was so funny. Her emerging brought light and life back to the earth.

She is here today to remind you that in even the gravest of times a little laughter can be just what is needed.

Cerridwen, death and rebirth

Thursday's reading was done with The Goddess Oracle deck.

Cerridwen is a Welsh triple Goddess, Maiden, Mother, Crone. She represents the phases of a woman life as they are reflected in the phases of the moon. In her cauldron she brews the secrets of life, death and rebirth.

She is here today to remind you that death is not necessarily a bad thing. Death is always followed by rebirth. To look at it from the other direction everything new replaces something old. Her message is the same as the Death card in a traditional tarot deck. A love affair may end or a job may be lost and you will mourn these things but don't dwell on the negative for to long. Keep your eyes on the horizon so you don't miss the new and perhaps better opportunities that are out there.

Hathor, allow yourself pleasure

Wednesday's card was drawn from The Goddess Oracle

The Egyptian birth and death Goddess Hathor is pictured as the winged cow of creation. She created the body for the immortal spirit to reside in. As such she governed all bodily pleasures such as music, song, dance, art, love and touch.

She is here today to remind you that life is not worth living without pleasure. All work and no play leads to a very stressful life. Pleasure itself will relieve stress. So don't feel guilty for taking some time out for fun, consider it a necessity in order to get your work done.

Nu Kua, finding your balance

Tuesday's reading was done with the Goddess Oracle Deck.

Chinese legend tells of a quarrel between two powerful Gods. When the water god, Gong Gong, saw that he was losing, he smashed his head against Mount Bzxhou, a pillar holding up the sky. The pillar collapsed and caused the sky to tilt towards the northwest and the earth to shift to the southwest. This caused great calamities, such as unending fires, vast floods, and the appearance of fierce man-eating beasts. Nu Kua cut off the legs of a giant tortoise and used them to supplant the fallen pillar, alleviating the situation and sealing the broken sky using stones of seven different colors, but she was unable to fully correct the tilted sky. This explains the phenomenon that sun, moon, and stars move towards the northwest, and that rivers in China flow southwest into the Pacific Ocean.

Nu Kua is here today to remind you to find balance within your world. Everything in your life reflects everything else. If one of your "pillars" falls your whole life will fall into chaos. She is also here to tell you perfect balance is not always possible so don't create undue stress in your life trying to achieve this. Even she wasn't perfect enough and had to leave the world slightly out of balance. So find a balance that works for you.

Sheila Na Gig, Our Wombs Should Not Be Feared

This weekend's card was drawn from The Goddess Oracle.

Sheila Na Gig is the name given to the stone carvings of a woman holding open her womb. These are found widely over Ireland and Britain but are found throw out the world. Their meaning is widely debated by historians. Some relating them to Ancient Mother Goddesses and others calling them warnings against lewd sexual behavior. The beauty of religious and spiritual beliefs is that they evolve with the needs of the people. Today we need to be reminded of our power as women. We are the givers of life and death. Our wombs are warm and protective and should not be feared. In this card the Sheila Na Gig is portrayed as a hag (wise woman) in all her glory: rib cage of bone, breast dried out and sagging, with few remaining teeth and little hair, yet vibrate and defiant in the beauty of her age. This beauty is the right of all women to claim. She dares you to look at her, face your fears of aging, and triumph in your celebration of what will age and die.

Meditate on these things and remember that your greatest power comes from your ability to birth. But this does not just mean children. You birth things every day with your creative energies and your wise woman thoughts. And your ability to birth doesn't end at menopause but only gains in wisdom.

Inanna, Embracing the Shadow

Friday's card was drawn from The Goddess Oracle.

Inanna is the Queen of Heaven and Earth and the Goddess of Love. She is also Goddess of Grain, War, Fertility, Sexual Love. She traveled to the under world to learn the secret of death and bring it back to her people. By doing this she taught us the death is not to be feared and is a necessary part of life.

The Goddess Speaks: "I went there of my own free will, I went there in my finest gown, with my rarest jewels and my Queen of Heaven crown. In the Underworld at each of the seven gates I was stripped seven times of all that I thought I was till I stood bare in who I really am. Then I saw Her. She was huge and smelly and hairy with a lion's head and lion's claws devouring everything before Her. Ereskigal, my sister. She was all that I am not, all that I have hidden, all that I have buried, she is what I have denied. Ereskigal, my sister, Ereskigal, my shadow, Ereskigal, my self." -Amy Sophia Marashinsky

She is here today to remind you that your dark side is something not to be denied. You cannot be a whole person with out it. Wipe off your makeup, mess up your hair, strip off your clothes and scream. Let out the anger you've been holding in. If you feel like you've been embracing the darkness for to long she is here to tell you it is time to journey back to the living world. If you spend to much time in the darkness you will start to feel sorry for yourself and forget about the joys of living.

Minerva, Listen to Your Wisdom

Wednesday's card was drawn from The Goddess Oracle deck.

Minerva is the Roman Goddess of intelligence, creativity, wisdom, domestic skills, and handicrafts. She is the patroness of artisans and all persons whose handiwork is guided by their minds. She appears in the card with her sacred olive tree and wears a breastplate edged with snakes, and an owl on her headdress. Snakes and owls represent wisdom.

Minerva is here today to tell you it is time to examine your beliefs and change them if they do not nurture your wholeness. A wise person knows when to dis guard old ways of thinking that no longer serve them.

Vila, Show Your Hidden Nature

Tuesday's reading was done with The Goddess Oracle.

The Vila are the Slavic versions of nymphs that are often depicted as beautiful winged women, naked or dressed in white with long flowing hair, although they are shape-shifters and can also appear as swans, horses, snakes, or falcons, or as natural phenomena such as whirlwinds. The Vila live deep in the forest. They are fierce protectors of it's animals and plants and are revered for their deep knowledge of herbal healing. Humans who harm their creatures may be lured into a magic circle and danced to death, crushed in a landslide or drowned in a river.

They are here today to remind you to honor nature and all it's gifts. But also to honor your own nature and gifts. Remember that you are a complex person with many aspects. Allow yourself to shape shift and show all your different "animals".

Isis, It's Time for Mothering

This weekend's reading was done with The Goddess Oracle.

Isis is the Egyptian Goddess of magic and the giver of life. Unlike other Egyptian Goddesses she spent time among her people, teaching women how to grind corn and make bread, spin flax and weave cloth, and how to tame men enough to live with them. Over time as she gained popularity she embodied the characteristics of all the lesser Goddesses that preceded her. In later Egyptian history she became best known for her association with her brother Osiris. He became her lover and her brother Set killed him out of jealousy and dismembered his body and scattered the pieces. Isis gathered the pieces of Osiris' body and with her magic brought him back to life and conceived her son Horus with him.

Isis is here today to remind you of your mothering abilities. Are you a mother or nurturer to others? Don't forget to save some of that energy for yourself. Have you been feeling unfulfilled lately? Maybe it's time to start a new project. Your mothering energy doesn't need to be directed toward a person a project is the perfect place to put that energy.