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Ace and Seven of Wands – You’ve Got This!

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When I pulled a card for the May reading, I ended up pulling what I thought was one card, but found that a second card was stuck to the back of the card I chose. This means that in May, we’ll be working with the energy of two cards: the Ace of Wands…

… and the Seven of Wands.

The Ace of Wands is all about new possibilities, and usually indicates new money appearing. However, the Seven of Wands indicates that you will face challenges along the way. However, while these challenges will annoy you, and at times, might seem overwhelming, the Seven of Wands indicates that you’ve got what it takes to handle any and all situations.

Additionally, this May is considered a Manifesting Month, per numerology. What do you want to manifest? Better health? A new job? More money? A new romance? This is the month to do it. And remember, if you come upon a few obstacles during the month, don’t forget that you are in charge and can figure out how to work through or around any blockages that might appear. So, don’t be afraid to manifest even your wildest dream! Good luck!

Cuckoo

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If you read my blog about the British show, Sick Note, you will not be surprised that I also love the show, Cuckoo. Have to admit I was hesitant to watch it at first, because Andy Samberg was in the first season and for some reason, he just irritates me. I don’t know why. I’m willing to believe that he’s a nice guy, but I just don’t enjoy his work. Finally, though, dealing with the horrors of living in a country run by an unelected psychopath got to me and I broke down. After all, Samberg bothers me infinitely less than He Would Will Not Be Named!

Written by Robin French and Kieron Quirke, Cuckoo takes place in Lichfield, Staffordshire. In the first episode, we meet a father, Ken, and his wife, Lorna. They are at the airport, waiting to pick up their daughter, Rachel, who has returned from a gap year in Europe. They are shocked to find out that Rachel has put her plans to attend medical school on hold because she has married an American guy named Dale “Cuckoo” Ashbrick, an eccentric, sort of new agey, hippie who thinks he’s an expert on everything, when he really knows little about anything.

Cuckoo moves in with his wife, who still lives with her parents and her brother, Dylan, who is more than a little dumb, with a moral code that would make Machiavelli uneasy. The new husband, Cuckoo, is not the only person who’s a little nuts. In addition to Dylan, the next-door neighbors, Connie and Steve are not the sanest of people. Steve is a short doctor who really wants to make it socially and is willing to do anything to try and move up that proverbial ladder, while Connie fancies herself a middle-aged Lady Gaga. Before the first season ends, Connie has left Steve for Pepe. Soon, Steve will not only lose a wife, but everything, and then, he’s no longer climbing the social ladder. Instead, he’s letting it all hang out.

Ken, who is a lawyer, is trying to maintain civility and stability in a home where nothing is normal any more. And, if he thinks Cuckoo is the worst of his problems, just wait until his son-in-law dies in a mountain fall trying to save goats that weren’t in danger, only to have Cuckoo’s long-lost son appear and end up in an incest-adjacent affair with Rachel.

The show never explains how Cuckoo’s son, Dale, could be the same age as Cuckoo. Dale (played by Taylor Lautner) just appears in Lichfield a few years after his father’s death, fully grown. The show doesn’t explain a lot of things. You just have to go with it. In Season 5, Ken finds out that he has a long-lost sister, Ivy (played by Andie McDowell). No one ever explains how Ken and Ivy are brother and sister and why one was raised in America, while the other grew up in England.

As with most British comedy, the humor is dry, and often, sneaks up on you. If I tried to explain the funny bits to you, something might get lost in the translation. But, one of my favorite stories is how Lorna finds herself pregnant. She can’t figure out how she could be preggo since Ken promised to go see Steve and get a vasectomy. However, Ken gets nervous at the last minute – it’s not fully explained whether he was scared of the snip or the fact that Steve was acting way too lecherous about Ken’s genitals (or, both) – but, bottom line, Ken does not get a vasectomy and Lorna decides that she must be the modern-day Virgin, because no one loves Christmas as much as she does! Then there’s a bit with a dead cat (I know it sounds awful, but even as a cat lady, I laughed and laughed and laughed), and then Ken loses his job (but what does he do to get it back?), and a bar burns down, and there’s a walkabout (in England, not Australia), and finally, some furry fun.

Big Bear Lake Retreat – A Lotta Love & Healing

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When work brought me to Phoenix a little over nine years ago, I was fine with the move. Over the years, work has taken me to New York City, Houston, Dallas, New Jersey, and I’ve had to travel a lot between cities. I thought Phoenix would be just another move.

Yet, both my daughter and I found ourselves strangers in a very strange (hideously hot) land. We’ve joked that people in Phoenix are weird and nasty because they’re all suffering from heatstroke, but no matter how hard we have tried to make friends, we’ve failed miserably. The only person we ever hung out with was our hair stylist.

Over time at work, I became close with one African-American woman, Erica, and a Chinese-American man, Fai (pronounced Fie). But, it took Fai getting laid off until we all decided that we needed to be friends outside of work, and luckily, the three of us, along with Fair’s husband, now have regular Sunday lunches. I adore all these people and just assumed that this would be my limited world of friends in the desert.

However, little did I know that Erica (who recently left the company where we met for a better job) was friends with another woman at our job, Monica, who I just recently found out shares many interests with me. When Monica came up to me at a Hackathon I was helping to host and asked if I wanted to go to a spiritual retreat with her at Big Bear Lake, I was so taken aback, I told her I needed to think about it overnight. More surprising was when I told my daughter about this potential trip and she said, “Mom, you really need a break. I’ll pay for you to go to California.”

I didn’t even have to drive, as Monica offered to do that. This was a gift as I hate driving. And, no surprise, even though Monica and I barely knew each other, we had the best time driving to Big Bear Lake. We talked about metaphysics and spirituality and our kids and past relationships and her current fiancée and what we wanted out of life and even hit upon an idea for a side business.

When Monica and I got to the retreat, she already knew the woman hosting the retreat, Andrea Cruz, but I was new to Andrea. I found her to be a loving, beautiful woman who opened up a world of new friends for me. Andrea had invited Daniel Gutierrez, a former businessman turned spiritual healer and mentor, who not only led the group in wonderful discussions, but also let us experience rapé, a powerful cleansing snuff used in the Amazon and Peru. Daniel had told us that people sometimes trip, but the snuff is used more for cleansing and clarity than anything else. Of course, I actually saw something when I inhaled the snuff. Still noodling on what my visions means – have an idea, but needs some verification.

Alec Johnson, a young man trained in classical guitar, serenaded us throughout the weekend with music that soothed us, made us laugh and dance, and just provided a wonderful background. In the evenings, Shannon McInteer (also known as Omshanti) played her bowls, enveloping us in sound clouds of love and healing. Brett Hand showed us to give us all Reiki sessions, after telling us how he’d left a career in which he’d risen to management, to follow a new path to becoming a Reiki healer. I’m still amazed at how he got rid of all the pain I’ve been living with for the past four years. Click here to read more about Andrea and all of the wonderful healers she pulled together for the retreat.

As if this wasn’t enough, Andrea had Stephanie Bosco, The Superfood Goddess, cooking for us throughout the weekend. She and her boyfriend outdid themselves. I told Stephanie that I’d post some of her recipes on this blog in the future. Even if you’re not vegan, I highly recommend Stephanie’s recipes, as her food is amazingly delicious.

While I know unconditional love with my daughter and a handful of friends, and while I’m finally making new friends here in the desert, I must tell you that I’ve never felt so much love as I did this past weekend, hanging out in a beautiful cabin in the mountains, the air chilly, the fire crackling, and so much laughter and support. I was very glad I took the Monday after the retreat off, so I could just rest in the knowledge and warmth of that weekend. It was hard to go back to work, but it’s been interesting as, for the most part, I’m finding that I just don’t want to care about the lunacy of the job any more than I have to. I’ve always been a worrier, but I learned a good lesson this weekend that, unless danger is near, I’m fine within the chaos.

This group is planning on meeting up in the early autumn, so I know I’ll see all of these lovely people again. I’ve already heard from two of the guys and now that I know Monica, I won’t be so alone at work (until a better job finds her). But, even if I end up here on the job alone, that’s okay, because Cali is not that far away and I’ve got things to do – like publish my book, using the advice Daniel gave me – and so much more. If any of you feel like such a retreat would be for you, contact Andrea. It’s an experience you shouldn’t miss.

Love & Light!

Two of Cups – Positive Connection

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First, let me apologize for not getting the April reading up in time. My work life has been insane and I got an unexpected invite to attend a spiritual retreat in Big Bear Lake in California this past weekend, so I went. And in my excitement, I forgot about posting April’s reading. Again, please accept my apologies. The good news is that April should be a lovely month for all of us, as the Two of Cups came up!

If you just started a new relationship, things should be going smoothly. And, if you’re in a relationship, this would be a good time to really connect and remind each other of your love and commitment. As an aside, if you’re not looking to get pregnant, take all the precautions necessary because this card can indicate the chance of a pregnancy, with twins! So… Have fun, but be careful. And if you’re alone, this is a great month to take the appropriate action to connect with others. Love and friendships await.

If you’re looking for a new job, this month could bring some great news. And if you’ve been thinking about looking for a new job, this is the month to get started. For those who aren’t looking, see if there’s a person in your company with whom you can connect to obtain more knowledge or skills. Also, volunteer to work on a project that interests you. If things are good on the job, the Two of Cups will support this positivity. If things are bad, these cups will help you get to a better place.

The Two of Cups also represents good health. If you are healthy, keep up the good work. If you need some healing work, be it allopathic or naturopathic, use this month and the supportive, loving energy of the Two of Cups to take the necessary action to better your health. This weekend, I had my first Reiki session and not only was it a wonderful experience, but all the places in my body that usually hurt are pretty-much pain free. Considering I need to have both of my shoulders replaced, this is quite amazing!

For those on a spiritual path, use this month to go deeper and connect with your Higher Self, your God or Goddess, your angels, your guides, or anyone or any practice that connects you with the wider Universe!

Love & Light!

Gaslit Nation

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In these days of chaos, when we watch democracy dying around the world, including here in the United States, I find myself unable to make any kind of future plans. In the past, I’d have a Plan A, followed by a Plan B, and even a Plan C, just in case. Since Putin stole the 2016 Presidency for Trump, I find myself unable to plan at all. Mostly, because the world is so insane, I don’t know from day to day what kind of carnage we’ll be facing. How can anyone paying attention plan anything? So, my daughter and I do our best to support each other and those who deserve our kindness and we just take it day by day.

The one thing that keeps me sane is the podcast, Gaslit Nation. Hosted by Sarah Kendzior and Andrea Chalupa, I live for the day that these informative and truthful women drop their latest full-frontal description of what is happening around the world and how bad things are for us who live in the States. Both Kendzior and Chalupa were warning of us of what was most likely to happen in 2016 if we didn’t pay attention, but they were considered hysterical women pushing disaster stories that were too fantastical too come true. Sadly, everything Kendzior and Chalupa have predicted have come true.

If you’re not familiar with Gaslit Nation, I’d suggest you go back and listen to all of the podcast’s episodes. However, if you don’t have that kind of time (which is totally understandable), you must listen to the most recent episode, “Impeach Normalization.” Kendzior and Chalupa discuss how we must not let Trump and his monsters normalize their criminality. The description for this episode reads:

Impeachment sends a message about who we are as a country and what we will accept and abide. The rule of law demands action. Refusing to take action is normalizing atrocity. Lawlessness must be confronted regardless of the outcome, as a matter of principle and conscience. Fighting only the battles that you know you will win is a sure way of ensuring you lose; preemptive surrender, in a rapidly consolidating autocracy, is permanent surrender.

Many people tell me that they don’t watch the news or get on social media very often because it’s too depressing. While I agree that what’s happening in the world is depressing, I’m just not one of those people who can stick my head in the proverbial sand and not have a clue what’s happening. I’d rather know all the details of every hideous event than pretend it’s all going to be okay.

In addition to listening to Gaslit Nation, I’d also suggest you follow Kendzior and Chapula on Twitter. They’re easy to find. Stay informed and stay prepared!

Three of Wands – Make the Best of All Possibilities

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First, let me apologize for being late with this post. Between work and a bad sinus infection, I completely forgot that February was a short month. My bad. The good news is that the Three of Wands appears for March.

The Three of Wands encourages you to take advantage of all possibilities that cross your path during March. If a recruiters contacts you about a job, take a few minutes to listen. Maybe you’re not looking for a new job, but if you don’t check out the possibility, the perfect job might pass you by. If you’ve been wanting to learn a new language or better your second-language skills, March will be a great month to do just this.

Possibilities can appear when you least expect them. Don’t overlook anything. On the first day of March, I noticed an email from a magazine that I’d submitted work to. I didn’t open the email immediately, because as any writer can tell you, more often than not, emails from literary magazines contain polite ways of saying “no thanks.” Imagine my surprise when I later opened the email and found that one of my short stories had been accepted for publication.

So, read your answers. Listen to your voicemails. Be open to all kinds of magic and let March guide you where you need to be. When a new possibility opens up your world, let me know about it.

Queer Artists and Their Hidden Meanings in Paintings

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For thousands of years, queer artists could not express any kind of love or desire that went against the Church’s teaching that relationships consisted of one man, one woman. However, today, while the LGBTQIA community still faces more than their fair share of hurdles, artists can paint whatever they want. This doesn’t mean that these artists won’t receive criticism from various regressive communities, but, now, queer artists have the freedom to create whatever they want to paint.

This wasn’t always the case, though. In the past, queer artists had to be careful what they painted. But even then, many often painted coded messages into their work. In April of 2017, the Tate Museum in London held the “Queer British Art (1861-1967)” exhibition. Not only did this exhibition show queer artists’ work, but it also explored the coded expressions queer artists used before being LGBTQIA was no longer a crime in Britain.

Before it was safe to be openly gay, artists often used academic guises, such as Greek mythology, to show queer love. An example of this is Frederick Leighton’s “Daedalus and Icarus,” which he painted in 1869. The painting hinted of relationships between older men, acting as mentors to younger men. 

In the latter part of the 19th century and early into the 20th century, queer symbols in art became a bit more overt. For example, in Edmund Dulac’s “Charles Ricketts and Charles Shannon as Medieval Saints,” the artist shows two men dressed in monastic habits, with one man holding a peacock feather.

The peacock feather refers to the act of gay men using fashionable symbols, such as peacock feathers or dyed green carnations worn in their jacket lapels. This was an easy way for gay men to identify each other while it was still a crime to be gay.

In Jacques-Emile Blanche’s 1895 portrait of Aubrey Vincent Beardsley, the subject flaunts a pink flower on his jacket. No one knows whether Beardsley was gay, but it was well known that his agreeing to be painted with a gay symbol in his jacket was in support of his friend, the writer Oscar Wilde, who had just been imprisoned for being gay.

While it’s no longer a crime to be gay, some artists carry forward the tradition of including gay iconography in their work. Alexander Glass, a London-based sculptor has created an installation that shows a men’s locker room. Glass has designed the locker to look unlike what most men’s locker rooms look like.

“For me, they are places where masculinity can be examined, and I attempt to do this through my aesthetic and material choices,” Glass says. “The aesthetic of what I present is a surface under which a bigger conversation is taking place.”

In William Strang’s “Lady with a Red Hat,” the color red of the woman’s hat and the red of her book is an indication of passion. The woman who sat for this painting, Vita Sackville-West, was Virginia Woolf’s lover for ten years and inspired Woolf’s protagonist in Orlando.

Today’s queer artists have more freedom to create in any way they deem appropriate. However, all LGBTQIA artists are prone to blowback from regressive people and groups. Therefore, if you’re an art lover, do some research on current queer artists and support them. You can start by checking out these artists.

The Invisibility of Native American Women and Girls

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Native American women face crime at a rate higher than any other group of women in the United States. The Urban Indian Health Institute has found that at least 506 indigenous women and girls are either missing or have been killed in 71 cities. Most of these cases were never covered by the news media. These women range in ages from infancy to one who was 83 years of age. And these are just the women that we know about. Why is the media not covering the horror that Native American women face?

It’s not just the media. In 2016, 5,712 cases of missing Native American women were reported to the National Crime Information Center. Yet, only 116 were logged into the U.S. Department of Justice’s missing person’s database. Again, why? I personally think that racism, which I find to be endemic in the American experience, is the biggest reason why no one seems to care about Native American women who are missing or who have been murdered.

Despite the Department of Justice showing how little they care, in 2017, the Democrats introduced a bill called Savanna’s Act, which was named in honor of Savanna Greywind of the Spirit Lake Nation, who was killed while pregnant. This bill was designed to help improve data collection for missing and murdered Native American women. This bill has passed the Senate, but has not yet pass the House. With the Democrats takeover of the House, hopefully this bill will pass soon.

Walter Echo-Hawk, a Pawnee writer, speaker, and attorney, has said that Native American women and girls go missing “three times” – in life, in data, and in the media. These families of these women and girls carry their loss by themselves as nobody sees the women they love when they disappear or are murdered.

Interestingly, the #MeToo movement has also left behind the trauma and violence that Native American women will experience. Four out of five of these women will face violence of all types, and yet, they face this violence alone.

Bree Blackhorse, an attorney with the law firm, Galanda Broadman, who works to protect the rights of all tribal people says that the epidemic of missing and murdered indigenous women in Indian country touches everyone in these communities. She goes on to say, “The #MeToo movement applies to Native American women, but it’s “hard to worry about things like equal pay and fair treatment in the workplace when, as a Native American woman, at times you’re just trying to survive.”

Abigail Echo-Hawk, who is Pawnee, is the Chief Research Officer for the Seattle Indian Health Board. She also serves as the Director of the Urban Indian Health Institute.  She says, “Our women and our children, our girls, they hold such value within our communities. For us to let their deaths to just go unnoticed – for people not to know that we have missing women in our communities, for their voices not to be heard – to me was unacceptable.”

I, too, find it unacceptable that hundreds of Native American women go missing or are murdered each year and few in the United States do anything about it. If you are a part of the #MeToo movement like I am, we need to start conversations to ensure that this movement starts talking about issues that affect Native American women. What else can you do to spotlight the murdered and missing Native American women?

King of Pentacles – A Month of Flourishing Possibilities

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With all the craziness surrounding us with world politics, it’s great to see that our personal worlds can be crazy successful during the month of February. I pulled the King of Pentacles for this month, which represents material wealth, financial abundance, and success of all kinds. For example, if you are dealing with any kind of legal issue, the appearance of the King of Pentacles bodes well for you.

The King of Pentacles also represents wisdom. If you’re contemplating doing something new – like starting a new business or looking for a new job – this is the time to talk with someone you consider wise and successful and get their advice. On the flip side, if someone comes to you for your advice, be sure and take the person seriously and give them the same wisdom that you would wish for yourself.

What do you want to do that you’ve been putting off for a while? The King of Pentacles appears to tell you that the time is now for you to put a plan into place and get moving. This is a great month to also finish projects that you’ve put off for a while. And no matter what keeps you busy this month, don’t forget to find some time for fun.

If you’re in a relationship, do something extra special for Valentine’s Day. And if you’re single, here’s a list of fun and funky days to celebrate in February. I’m always down for a Margarita Day. Finally, February is also the month to celebrate Blackness. Learn more about Black History Month. If you’re not aware of heroes like Ida B. Wells, Harriet Tubman, and Sojourner Truth. Read this article to find out creative ways that you can incorporate Black History Month into your life and learn more. Find out which local Black people are making a difference in the town or city where you live. Get connected. This is the perfect month to do so. Have a wonderful February!

Three of Wands – Lots of Possibilities

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As many of you know, I usually post my Tarot readings on my www.9elephants.com website. However, that site is old and more than a little bit cranky. It won’t even let me post images anymore. So, while I’ll continue to post on that site, I’m going to also post all of my Tarot readings here, as well.

Happy 2019! Here’s to a new year and it’s gonna be a crazy one. But also, one that will bring some joy.

Politics are going to continue being insane. Trump and his nutty GOP minions are finally going to see a modicum of karma – probably not as much as they deserve or we want to witness – but Ms. Karma is going to show up in her kick-ass red pumps and more than a few behinds will be on fire. Be aware, though, that some of those in Trump’s world might take longer to get theirs, including Trump. So, don’t get discouraged if justice isn’t served immediately. And I know that this is easier said than done. Just don’t think that everyone will get all of their karma now.

Similar problems will remain on a global level. Europe will be forced to fight off more right-wing nutters trying to take over various governments. There’s just as much white anger there over immigrants as exists here in the States. It’s all sickening and it won’t go away without smart people taking needed action. This includes all of you voting wisely in each and every election, even for stuff you might take for granted, like school board members. I don’t have the right to preach to anyone in any other country, but I will remind you what happened when too many idiots voted against Hillary Clinton in 2016. And while my spidey senses tell me that votes were actually changed, if any of you fell for the lies of Putin, the GOP, or Bernie Sanders, you might need to double-check your souls.

Countries that are already run by right-wing oligarchs will itch (and one day, take action) to throw off their regressive rulers. Their rulers know this and they will come down with a heavy hand. This includes the United States. We have made a good start by taking back the House of Representatives, but the GOP-led Senate and far too many state Houses and Senates still need to be cleaned of its criminals. Wars will continue around the world and our climate will make it clear each day that if we don’t take care of her, she will annihilate us all.

Poverty will make us all look at how we live and will force us to figure out how to make the appropriate changes in our personal worlds, while helping those in need. You can start by helping those in Flint by donating to the RVA Flint: #SaveFlintChallenge. It’s beyond criminal that our fellow brothers and sisters in this city still don’t have clean water. And I suspect Flint isn’t the only city that we will find out has toxic water.

Despite all the bad that will be with us in the new year, on a personal level, 2019 has a 3 energy: 2+0+1+9 = 12; 12 = 1+2 = 3. This is a year to have a little bit of fun. This is a year to be true to yourself and find a way to do things that make you happy. While we all have to maintain relative decorum to keep jobs, now is the time to get out there and be yourself. What have you always wanted to do but haven’t. Put a plan together in January and get at it!

With the Three of Wands showing up in January, know that all the possibilities await you. Of course, we must all be realistic. We’re not all going to become NBA superstars or literary giants, but if you love b-ball, get outside and play. I will continue writing and submitting and will continue shaking my head with each rejection and will do it again and again and again—and one day…

It’s time to put yourself first during the new year. This doesn’t mean that you should neglect your responsibilities, but it’s okay to treat yourself with the kindness with which you treat others. After all, we’re in this journey together. We need to take care of ourselves and each other.

2019 is a year to dream and take action on these dreams. Your dreams can be as small or as big as you want them to be. They’re all good. But no matter how bad things are, keep dreaming and keep taking the necessary steps to make your dreams a reality!

With 2019 moving forward on a 3 energy and with January bringing you the energy of the Three of Wands, the Universe is saying that you can be creative and have fun this year and January is starting you off well. So, figure out what you want to do, who you want to be, and enjoy this wild and wooly year. See you in February…

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