TAROTSCOPES for the week of 01/07/15

ARIES

Once I decided to make my way up the “mountain” I was fueled with both the energy of anticipation and coffee.  I had my phone so I could take pictures and listen to music if I wanted to.  As I turned the corner and started up the first small incline it suddenly dawned on me that I had more and much larger rises to tackle up ahead.  My pace slowed slightly at the thought.  I quickly pulled up an Annie Lennox song on my phone synchronizing my stride with the strength of her voice.
Aries, this week, you may find that your normal pace (typically full speed ahead) is hampered not only by potential physical barriers, but also by what your mind may create before you even reach those barriers.  The actual peaks you have to climb are real, but how you experience them may be quite different from the way your mind anticipates them.  Consider throwing out your past associations and think about those associations which might actually help you move at the pace you are most comfortable, the pace of strength.   
(Shaman of Discs L/ Higher Ground- Stevie Wonder )

TAURUS

’ve often been asked how one distinguishes between fear and intuition.  The answer I’ve read is that intuition is received in a monotone, without any emotion attached.  Fear, it has been said, is the opposite.  As I was walking down a portion of the sidewalk on my journey, a large dumpster maybe 15 ft long and 7 or 8 ft high was parked in the street along the sidewalk to my right.  On the left was a cinderblock retaining wall holding in the hillside.  As I passed through this narrow corridor I saw a man walking briskly towards me from across the street.  I felt my whole body flinch and instinctively crossed the same street to where another man was preparing to climb a ladder.  In retrospect I do not think that the man who had crossed the street towards me had any intention of causing me harm, yet my body had moved away from the situation without forethought.  And the man on the ladder was so physically similar to the man who had crossed the street that, were I to describe them to you now in words, it would seem I was describing the same person, even their clothes were similar.  But somehow I had felt…perhaps intuitively, a difference.  
Taurus, this week you may be tempted to actively ignore your intuition.  While the situation might not be anything like the one detailed above, it could still cause you to question whether you are answering to fear or intuition.  Don’t brush away your instinctual responses because they seem in the present moment illogical.  The logic may present itself later.  
(II High Priestess Rev/ Ain’t That Peculiar- Fanny)

GEMINI

Because I had embarked on this journey as an experiment and not just for exercise or to give my dog a walk, I carried with me a sense of possibility and adventure I probably would not have experienced otherwise.  I even shared a few words with strangers where I normally would have just hid behind my sunglasses and headphones.  I even discovered a few fruit trees I’d passed before on other walks without noticing their bounty.   
Gemini, this week you may be walking the same streets, or perhaps new ones, but what has really changed is your approach.  You are much more open to the road, perhaps because that was the whole idea in the first place and for this reason you are likely to get the adventure you were hoping for.  
(0 Fool/ A Glorious Dawn- Carl Sagan ft. Stephen Hawking)

CANCER

Alright, I’m cheating a little bit Cancer, I’m about to tell you a story from a long time ago, but I did remember it on my walk.  I was coming down the hill and the boughs of a blood orange tree were hanging low enough that I could pluck a couple fruits.  Blood oranges look like they are blushing and this personification reminded me of a painting my best friend when I was six had hanging in her kitchen.  I loved the painting and when I asked my friend about it, she said, “it’s a still life.”  I had never heard of a still life before so I assumed that it was, like this particular painting, a portrait of fruit.  I figured that the requirement for a still life was that whatever was depicted in the painting had to have been alive at one time or another.  A plant could be a still life, according to my definition, but a teapot could not.  
Cancer, this week you may feel a bit like a still life by my six year old definition.  The full moon in your sign this past weekend may have alerted you to changes you would like to make in your life.  But what also may have been illuminated was an understanding of just how much these changes demand of you.  You are absolutely capable of their achievement, but you might want to take this week to get comfortable with the idea before you make any modifications.      
(6 of Wands Rev/ Teatime in Tokyo- Helmut Zacharius Orchestra)

LEO

Coming down the other side of the “mountain” I wasn’t sure of my path.  Typically, I just walk back down the hill the way I came, but I wasn’t looking for a typical walk.  Instead, I followed the path water would take were it running down the hill, walking along the gutter and stopping for weeds.  Suddenly I rounded a bend and realized that I had been this way before, but I hadn’t recognized it from this angle, I was used to walk up, not down.  The moment of familiarity is a strange feeling, especially when it is a place.  With people you can always say, “Oh, I didn’t recognize you out of context!”  But a place is always in context and it is you who are out of it or coming to it from a different place.
Leo, this week you may be slow to realize that the path you are walking, you have walked before.  This is likely because you are entering the situation from a different angle, but it is in fact the same going up as it is coming down.  And it is often important to see something from all sides before you can extract the wisdom from it.
(9 of Wands/ Please Please- Goldie and the Gingerbreads)

VIRGO

Half way up the incline there was a cement chair which I think was actually intended to be some sort of plant podium.  In all honesty it looked like a stone toilet.  Either way it seemed to serve the same purpose for those making their way to the peak, it was a chance to catch your breath, to look back at how far you’d come and let go of any discouraging thoughts that you didn’t want to carry with you to the top.  It also had an incredible view which reminded me of a dog I used to walk who would only poop when he got to the most picturesque point on our journey.
Virgo, you may find yourself in a similar place this week.  You can see just how far you’ve come and also how much farther you have to go.  Now is the time to decide what you do and do not want to carry with you on the rest of this journey.   
(XVII Star L/ Don’t Let Me Down- Charlotte Dada)

LIBRA

I brought with me on my walk, a thermos with cold raspberry leaf tea.  When I reached the highest peak on my path I stopped and pulled out my tea.  It had been my plan.  I had a vision of standing in that exact place and toasting the view.  The sun was at it’s winter angle, knighting the skyline with swords of light.  
Libra, this week it seems you’ve reached the highest peak or some resting place on your journey.  It is time now to toast your accomplishment and enjoy the view.    
(XIX Sun/ Let Me Be- The Turtles)

SCORPIO

As I said under Leo, I let myself flow the way water would down the hill towards home.  On my way up the hill I saw very few other humans, but going down, there was a flurry of activity centered around one particular house where they were doing some construction.  Normally when I am alone and pass a pack of men I feel on guard, vulnerable, but as I mentioned under Gemini, I was approaching this hike differently than my normal meandering through the hills.  I was looking for adventure, for Something to Talk About (which is the song I listened to as I was walking up the hill) in your Tarotscopes this week.  So when I passed a group of three burly construction workers I felt something inside me pivot and grow strong.  They were already acknowledging me with their eyes so I nodded in reply and said, perhaps too loudly, “Hi!”  They replied with a clatter of hellos. One of them looked like a greaser from the 50s with his hair slicked back and a snug t-shirt that gripped his shoulders.  To myself I lamented, “How does one achieve that look successfully?  I need bigger biceps.”  At that moment one of the other men shouted at my back, “Your dog looks good.”  I knew he probably wasn’t talking about my dog but I replied, “Thanks!  I know!”  
Scorpio, this week you may be finding the the point of strength in your vulnerability.  Perhaps you have made a conscious decision not to make yourself smaller than you are or not to be anything other than yourself even and maybe especially with strangers.   
(4 of Cups Rev/ All I Have To Offer You Is Me- Charley Pride)

SAGITTARIUS

At the crest of the hill was an older white house.  I’m not certain, because the outside was pristine and looked almost new, but based on the style it was probably built in the 40s or 50s.  The front door was wide open and so was the garage and sound drifted out of all the openings like a music box.  I assumed the house was bustling with life.  I decided the owners had out of town visitors and their children were running up and down the stairs and sliding on banisters.  A few seconds after this thought, a man in heavy construction boots, holding a door frame at an awkward angle, appeared in the entry way.  As he descended the stairs I could see that the house was being gutted and there was almost nothing inside and much of it was being dismantled or rearranged.  
Sagittarius, you may feel a little like this house this week.  On the outside no one would guess the changes you are making inside even if you think the construction is rather loud.  
(8 of Cups/ Song, Sung Blue- Altered Images)

CAPRICORN

I’m a big fan of violets.  When I was a kid my mom gave me a patch of garden and I planted nothing but violets.  The symbolism ascribed to violets is a long list, but blue violets were traditionally given as a promise of devotion or as a suggestion to “take a chance on happiness.”  On the way home, towards the bottom of the hill, I saw one plant and a small bud holding it’s petals closed in a crack between the curb and a cement staircase.  I didn’t want to pick it since it was the only one, so I took a picture of it and the address of the house in front of which it was growing so I could find it again.  Further down the road I came across an entire row of violets growing in front of an apartment building.  “My cup runneth over!” I exclaimed, a phrase originally found in the bible, but I think I first heard it in a comedic way on Saturday Night Live or maybe in a Mike Myers movie.  
Capricorn, this week you may continue to be pleasantly surprised by the love that pours in.  It is your birthday season and it seems no one has forgotten what you mean to them.  
(9 of Cups R/ My Cup Runneth Over- Ed Ames)

AQUARIUS

The first half of my journey was one I’d made many times before.  It wasn’t ten steps before I became aware of the difficulty of trying to see something or somethings new on an old path.  But since I had set this as the challenge, I permitted myself to absorb details and minutiae I had never allowed my attention to get snagged by in the past.
Aquarius, this week someone or a situation may bring to your attention something new, but on an old path.  The difficulty will be in allowing yourself to see the pattern or difficulty that is being presented you.  You may be certain that you’ve “seen it all,”  but know that there is always a bigger or smaller picture even if you are traveling a familiar course.    
(8 of Swords L/ Then Came You- Dionne Warwick and the Spinners)

PISCES

At the onset of my journey I was prepared to listen to music as I always do.  I had my headphones on and my favorite song cued and ready go, but as I reached the end of my block I suddenly realized how incredible the silence of the neighborhood felt.  I wasn’t sure if the neighborhood was normally this still or if it was me who had never stopped to observe its stillness.  
Pisces, when Neptune in your sign and Pallas Athena in Sagittarius talk this week there is an opportunity to confront old patterns, particularly the ones that prevent you from the dream you wish to inhabit.  
(XV Devil Rev/ What Makes Me Tick- Loretta Lynn)

TAROTSCOPES for the week 01/01/15

ARIES

ARIES
I’LL/ ISLE
Aries, this week you may feel somewhat deflated, worrying that your dream, your isle is unattainable.  This can happen when you are comparing yourself to others, measuring your successes against theirs.  Consider whether their achievements are really something to which you aspire.  Whether the answer is yes or no, think about what your isle, what your paradise actually encompasses and how it might be quite unique to you.  Begin to mentally sculpt this goal.  ‘I’ll’ is ‘I’ and ‘will’ working closely to move you closer to your paradise.
(9 of Cups Rev/ I’ll Follow the Sun- Shocking Blue)

TAURUS

TAURUS
FEAT/ FEET
A feat often employs ones feet or involves footwork or just work in general.  An award often isn’t quite so rewarding if there is no effort involved in its attainment.
Taurus, this week you may get some fortunate news, a gift or a reward, which could validate all the steps you’ve taken towards this achievement.  It is likely and largely the result of hard work, even if it catches you off guard or carries an element of surprise.  
(Ace of Discs/ 6’ 1”- Liz Phair)

GEMINI

CREAK/ CREEK
A creak is a sound and often not a pleasant one as it typically accompanies something unseen, like in a ghost story, “a floorboard creaked.”  Sometimes it is used to imply a physical fragility, as in, “creaky bones.”  A creek (my grandmother used to call it a ‘crick’) is a small waterway.  I grew up with one behind my house and it supplied most of my childhood fun.  
Gemini, this week you may hear a creak, a sound that indicates something unseen or implies fragility.  This sound may inspire you to seek or provide comfort, but consider whether your reaction is motivated by fear or by something more authentic.  Perhaps you, like a creek, have an abundance of some element, like water, and so the gifts you give are easy to provide.    
(6 of Discs R/ Everybody Needs Somebody to Love- Solomon Burke)

CANCER

FAZE/ PHASE
The word ‘faze’ means that you were not impacted by something.  That something, which may cause a disturbance in someone else, did not sway you in the slightest.  A ‘phase’ in a sentence typically accompanies a sigh, “he’s going through a challenging phase.”  But often it is these challenging phases which produce the ability to not be fazed by certain things later.
Cancer, this week you may be looking back at your more challenging life phases and distilling from them the wisdom which will, in the new year, allow you to move through life more fluidly with fewer ruffles.  
(IX Crone/ Mellow Yellow- Big Maybelle)

LEO

ONE/ WON
Leo, this week, Jupiter, now retrograde in your sign, opposes Mars in Aquarius.  Aquarius is associated with hopes and wishes and so this opposition can have the effect of making you want to throw in the towel.  Astrologer Anne Ortelee warns that this is an “overdoing aspect.”  In your case there may be a tendency to act rashly, to say, “the hell with it.”  The other night I was at dinner at my brother’s house and my sister-in-law said something about her friend’s kids being brats.  “It’s true,” my brother chimed in.  “She admits her kids are brats.”  He adds with a laugh, “I think she decided being a parent is just too hard, so she stopped trying.”  I laughed at this too, mostly because I related to the feeling of wanting to give up completely.  Leo, don’t give up, don’t stop trying to be the best version of yourself.  Your situation reminds me of a quote you’ve probably heard before by Margaret Meade, “Never underestimate the power of a few committed people to change the world.  Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”  And don’t underestimate, for that matter, the power of one person to change their own world.  
(Daughter of Swords Rev/ Time Will Tell- Spriogyra)

VIRGO

MEAT/ MEET
I hesitated before deciding on this homonym for you this week Virgo, especially since your sign is deeply connected to the animal kingdom.  I have several friends with Virgo prominently placed in their chart who are vegetarian or vegan.  But I rested on it because meat doesn’t just suggest an animal but is also used to describe fruits and vegetables as well.  In fact, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of “meat” is “food; especially: solid food as distinguished from a drink.” Or “The edible part of something as distinguished from it’s covering (as a husk or shell).”  And these were the definitions that seemed so appropriate given your card and the astrological influences this week.  There is an emphasis on thinking about what you need to sustain yourself, to feel comfortable so that you can do your work in the world.  What base do you need to build in order to feel like you have enough to share.  Consider that more than just “meat,”  you may also need to “meet” with people, to feel met, connected and fed on an emotional level as well.  
(Priestess of Discs/ Hey Now- The Younger Lovers )

LIBRA

PAIN/ PANE
Pain is something felt, often physical, often described as unpleasant.  A pane is typically associated with glass, like a window or a mirror.  People often describe drastic changes as “earth shattering.”  The word ‘shatter’ seems to imply that whatever was broken is made of some fragile material like glass, otherwise it would just break, or crack or chip or bruise.  Shattering implies that there is very little likelihood of ever returning what was damaged to its original form, there are too many pieces, too many fragments.  The only way to get back to a solid state is to build something new.  
Libra, this week it seems you are setting your sights on something new.  You’ve already dealt with any feelings of pain or loss surrounding what is now rubble and you are more than ready to start fresh with a new year.  
(XVI Tower R/ Let the World Turn- Death)

SCORPIO

ROOT/ ROUTE
Roots and routes run on two different plains, but both directions may be significant to you this week, Scorpio.  As you stand facing 2015 with your back to 2014 don’t abandon the past altogether.  It is partly your roots and the path you’ve blazed from birth that provide the strength you need to set your future course.  
(XI Strength/ Diddy Wah Diddy- Bo Diddley)

SAGITTARIUS

HOLE/ WHOLE
“Alice in Wonderland”  is a book that takes place almost entirely in a hole.  The whole story is a hole story and the hole story is a whole story.  Similarly, even the smallest black holes, ones the size of a single atom, can have the mass of a mountain, according to Nasa’s website.  More than one dictionary defines a hole first as an opening.  
Sagittarius, this week you seem more willing to throw yourself down a hole.  Perhaps this is because you understand that a hole is really an opening or the beginning of a whole story.  Let the adventure begin.  
(O Fool/ Ptak Rosomak- Olympic)

CAPRICORN

HALL/ HAUL
The old story of death is that it comes at the end of a tunnel, a long hall you might say.  When people commit to something they often say that they are, “in it for the long haul.”  A haul usually implies struggle, but in fact to commit to something or to die is the end of a struggle, or at least the end of one kind of struggle.  
Capricorn, this week may feel like a bit of a struggle, which could be because you are not ready to surrender to the long hall or the long haul.  The solution may be in making a decision, a commitment, one way or another so  you can see more clearly what you are really resisting.     
(XIII Death Rev/ Look In My Eyes- The Chantels)

AQUARIUS

HOUR/ OUR
An hour is a unit of time easily measured by other things.  When I was a kid an hour was two episodes of whatever my favorite TV show was at the time.  When my parents and I were recently driving from Tucson to L.A. we measured the time and distance in episodes of Serial.  An hour can easily be made into something that belongs to you, as the word ‘our’ indicates.
Mercury and Venus join Mars in your sign this week, Aquarius, lending support to your endeavors, in particular the creative ones.  This is a good way to ring in the new year counting down the minutes with your own equivalent measure of time.
(X Wheel of Fortune/ Aquarius- Freedom Singers)

PISCES

WEATHER/ WHETHER
The other day I was trying to explain astrology to my parents neighbor, a skeptic.  I was caught a bit off guard as she had just conceded that she believed in tarot and intuition as forecasting tools.  Most people I’ve encountered are the opposite, I think, because most people want something concrete, like a planet, to point to as an influence and an explanation.  I used weather as an example, emphasizing the way weather can effect a persons mood or decisions.  “It just doesn’t make any sense to me,” she said stubbornly.  To myself I thought, “and you are not making sense to ME right now.”  In the end, neither one had changed her mind.  Weather is about possibility or more accurately probability.  ‘Whether’ is also about possibility.  
Pisces, this week it seems you’ve surrendered to the new year (emphasis on new).  There can be a bit of a pessimist swimming inside you, but as you leap into 2015 you may be feeling, if not optimistic, open to possibility, which is a good place to start whether or not anyone else agrees with you.   
(10 of Swords/ Top Secret Man- Plastics)

TAROTSCOPES for the week of 12/25/14

ARIES

Your quote, Aries, comes from a book that I compiled for an assignment entitled, “My Autobiography.”  The pages were mostly writing prompts with room for illustrations.  This particular page is entitled, “My Grandparent Story.”  I wrote:  “My Grandma and Grandpa built me a doll house for Christmas. I had to close my eyes because it was so big.”  In the illustration below, I had drawn myself with my eyes closed wearing rollerskates making my way towards a giant doll house.  
Aries, this may be very much how you feel this week, as though you were making your way towards a surprise with your eyes closed while wearing rollerskates.  One day you will be able to reflect back on this moment in your autobiography, but for now take your time and trust that the reason you are being asked to proceed blindly, is because it makes the surprise even more spectacular.    
(Daughter of Discs/ Here She Comes Now- The Velvet Underground)

TAURUS

This comes from a free-floating page in a folder of writings with my name on it.  There are three “poems” on the page, the third is entitled, “Never On Time.”  Below it I wrote the following, “At noon I was supposed to go to the Dentist, I was there at 1:05.  At 1:30 I was supposed to clean my room but I didn’t get around to it till two.  My piano lesson was at 3:00, I didn’t get there till 3:15.  But at 4:00 I was supposed to go swimming and I made it right on time!”  
Taurus, this week it may feel like your timing is off.  Unlike the situations described above it may feel that you are the one left waiting.  Take note of the moments that do seem to align and the people and situations that receive you without delay or difficulty, as they may reveal more to you than the pile of frustrations that precede them.      
(3 of Discs Rev/ Are You There? Gabor Szabo and The California Dreamers)

GEMINI

This is an excerpt from a story I wrote about a girl and her talking cat named Pirate:  “The next day I woke up.  “Breakfasts on the table,” said Pirate.  I stumbled over to the table.  “Where did you get the table” I asked lazily.  “I told you I had everything we needed,” said Pirate.  “Pancakes! Where di…”  “I told you I had…” “Everything we needed,” I finished for her.”  
Gemini, this week you may feel anxious about the future.  Perhaps you are worried there will not be enough of something or maybe something you have relied on this past year is running in short supply.   The most important thing, with Saturn now moving into Sagittarius, may be to simply have faith and believe in a future where you have everything you need.  Start envisioning your future table and on it, your favorite breakfast.  
(III Empress Rev/ Auld Lang Syne- Julie Andrews)

CANCER

In first grade I wrote a book called, “The Graveyard.”  I will summarize the story because it goes on for several pages, half of which is taken up by a conversation the main character has with her mother on a barstool about her halloween costume.  The title is grossly misleading as there is not a single graveyard in the entire book, leaving you to wonder if maybe the graveyard is actually just a metaphor.  Knowing my first grade self, it was probably more of an effort to glue together every scary thing I could think of, but for you this week, Cancer, it may serve very well as a metaphor.  The story reaches it’s climax when an old man appears on his porch and scares away all the trick or treaters including the main character who is dressed as a ghost.  The book ends with the line, “We never went back since then.”
Cancer, this week the living could be more frightening than the dead.  It may be necessary to leave the comfort of your barstool to confront aspects of yourself and your situation you continue to feel haunted by.  What will it take to be able to say with all honesty, “We never went back since then”?
(Son of Cups Rev/ Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat- Goldie and the Gingerbreads)

LEO

I don’t remember the book I was responding to in this passage, but according to the header it was called, “Midnight Hour Encores” by Bruce Brooks.  I wrote:  “He’s not your average dad, I’d say he’s better by a lot.  He doesn’t just show you things, he SHOWS you things.  What I mean is that he makes every answer to your question an experience not just an answer.  Like one time Sib [the protagonist] wanted to see a live horse so [her dad] drives her up to Maine and shows her a stampede of wild horses in the early morning when everything’s all orange.  He makes every experience an unforgettable one.”
Leo, initially, as Saturn moves into fellow fire sign, Sagittarius, you may feel a sense of constraint around your self expression.  As you get more comfortable with the questions being raised by your current situation, you may allow the answers to form more spontaneously.  In fact, eventually the answers may look more like “a stampede of wild horses in the early morning when everything’s all orange,”  which would suit your fiery spirit quite well.  Allow Saturn to be the dad that SHOWS you things.     
(Daughter of Wands Rev/ People Get Ready- The Impressions)

VIRGO

This is an excerpt from a report I wrote about manatees.  This section is entitled, “Life Cycle”:  “A lot of males gather around the female manatee, they follow her all over, they give her no peace and at last she decides to mate.  One year and one month later a baby is born.  It is born under water and swims to the surface and takes a breath.  The baby follows its mother around until it is two years old.  When its mother sleeps, it sleeps resting on the mother’s back.”
While the months and years preceding this point in time may have been extremely trying, Virgo, now may be the point in the cycle of your life when you can finally sleep resting on another’s back.  
(XXI World/ How Wild The Wind Blows- Molly Drake)

LIBRA

Oddly enough the protagonist of this tale is a talking scottish terrier named, Sarah:  “Sarah lived in a small house which belonged to Merlin, a wizard.  Since Sarah belonged to a wizard she was able to talk.  One terrible day Merlin had a stroke and died.  Sarah thought, “who will be the countries only wizard now?”  She thought and thought, but the only person she knew was Merlin.  “Why I will!” she said aloud.””
She is interrupted by a tall man in a top hat knocking on the door.  He asks her, “Who do you belong to now?”  “Nobody, never have never will.””
Libra, the time is ripe for you to make your own sort of magic, independent of anyone else.  Resist surrendering your voice or your freedom to anyone else.  
(X Wheel of Fortune/ Hello L.A. Bye Bye Birmingham- Nancy Sinatra)

SCORPIO

In a spiral-bound book with my name on the cover and a butterfly in the middle there is a blue sheet of paper with sentences I was required to complete.  The last sentence is:  “One thing I’m determined to do sometime in my life is…”  and I filled it in with: “Own a small house in the country on a square mile of land.  The land is especially important to me.  It must have suitable land for planting on and have lots of trees.  I may have to leave the USA to find the land I’m looking for.”  
I’m not sure if the conviction in my tone was inspired by the prompt or if I felt as adamant as I seemed about this dream.
Scorpio, there is a belief, a certainty of which you may become increasingly aware as time continues to tick.  You may only need a prompt to bring it into your consciousness.    
(7 of Wands L/ A Whole Lotta Shaking Going On- Renee)

SAGITTARIUS

This story is a full page so I will just summarize it for you, Sagittarius.  It is appropriately titled, “The Pumpkin.”  The story takes place around Halloween, which is when many of my stories from this era took place.  An artist goes to a pumpkin patch and picks out what she describes as the perfect pumpkin.  The cashier warns her against her choice saying, “I’ve had some complaints.”  She shrugs off the warning saying, “Who could complain about this pumpkin?”  The next day is Halloween, she waits until all the trick or treaters are gone to carve her pumpkin.  “She had decided to carve her own face in the pumpkin…As she did this, the pumpkin began to glow!  She was horrified!”  She drives the glowing jack-o-lantern with her face etched into it to a hill top and buries it, but “It’s grave still seemed to glow as she drove off.”  
Sagittarius, do not be afraid to give life to your dreams or to the more passionate parts of yourself.  The truth is, even if you do attempt to bury some part of yourself, the grave may continue to burn long after you’ve driven away.     
(2 of Wands/ All The Things You Are- Charlie Parker)

CAPRICORN

This is a true story I titled, “A Day in May.”  Again, I will try to condense the tale as it goes on for a full page.  It starts with the line, “I used to not care about May Day until I met a girl named Mary Smith* and she was very nice to me.”  I went on to describe the baskets my friend left me on May Day every year.  “This year I wasn’t surprised to see a basket hanging on my doorknob.  Inside was violets and another blue flower and a role of Rolos…I was very angry when my brother took four dollars out of my wallet and a rolo, now he owes me $4.00 and 1 rolo…I also might add that if you catch who ever gave you the basket you have to kiss them, Mary told me that.  So I kissed her on the cheek.  One time me and my brother gave a may day basket to our own house.  The End.”  
Capricorn, this week open yourself up to the possibility of surprise.  Take comfort in the knowledge that not all days can be planned for.  From where you stand the mountain you have to climb may seem to disappear into the clouds.  Don’t get so lost in searching out the peak that you forget to appreciate the gifts between here and there.  Tally up debts, but receive kindnesses with a kiss.  
*Name changed to protect privacy
(Shaman of Discs L/ Long Long Weekend- NQB)

AQUARIUS

The story is called, “Rocks,” but once again I have written an entire story which makes no mention of the title.  Again, it must be a metaphor, but this time it is a metaphor of which I am more consciously aware.  The story is autobiographical, about going to visit my grandparents.  The story goes over several traditions including my resentment at my brother claiming the front seat of the car and the seats my grandparents occupy when we all finally settle in their living room.  These moments gathered together seem to be the “rocks” I refer to in the title.
Aquarius, this week, you may find yourself taking note of similar sources of strength.  Support seems to be gathering around you helping facilitate your next big change.  
(10 of Discs/ Just As Sure- Bettye Swann and Sam Dees)

PISCES

In another section of a report I wrote about manatees, entitled, “Endangered,”  I added a line at the end of the paragraph in blue pen, apparently as an afterthought.  It reads, “Biologists tell manatees apart by scars that they get from motor boats.”  
Pisces, this week, you may feel overly cautious about getting too close to people or relationships.  Don’t over identify with your scars.  Those who really see you and know you best, the other manatees, likely identify you by more meaningful characteristics.   
(2 of Cups L/ Love Will Tear Us Apart- Yat Kha)

TAROTSCOPES for the week of 12/17/14

ARIES

PAGES OF A BOOK
When I was a kid I used to take a break from the book I was reading to appreciate how many pages I’d read.  I still do this on occasion.  I’d hold all the pages together between my fingers to feel the weight and thickness of what I’d read.  It felt good to have tangible evidence of what I was accomplishing, to be able to translate my understanding into a shape and weight.  
Aries, this week it may be helpful to take note of the things you have put time into and accomplished.  Consider the weight and shape of even intangible achievements, like relationships, or thinking through a problem.
(Ace of Cups R/ Somebody to Love- Valerie June)

TAURUS

A PARTIALLY OBSTRUCTED WINDOW
On one of my flights back from Colombia recently, I was assigned a window seat.  As I shuffled onto the crowded plane cautiously avoiding scrapping heels or toes, I felt a sense of calm knowing I’d soon be able disappear into the world outside the window.  But when I arrived at the number and letter indicated on my ticket I saw that my seat was the only window seat on the plane that was not equipped with a window.  Later, as we were landing in bad weather, I was grateful I didn’t have a window to see out of because the plane had to make a few unsettling maneuvers in order to get us safely on the ground.
Taurus, this week you may find yourself waiting for something to materialize.  Trust that there may be a lot happening in the part of the window out of which you can’t see.  
(7 of Discs/ Everywhere- Fleetwood Mac)

GEMINI

UMBRELLA SPOKES
Growing up I was always getting my hair caught in the spokes of my umbrella because I would try to get my ears as far into the dome the spokes created as I could in order to hear the rain and also the way that the nylon muffled the other outside noises.
Gemini, this week you may need to take a reprieve from outside noises, even if your escape simply involves taking a few deep breathes under your umbrella.  
(4 of Swords/ Progression- Dean Blunt and Inga Copeland)

CANCER

FOLDS IN A HORSE’S NECK
I’m actually not sure if a horse’s neck wrinkles when it bends, but the image that came to mind when when I closed my eyes was a horse whose head was pulled back by the bit in it’s mouth, a horse on tight reigns.
This may be how you are feeling this week, Cancer.  Perhaps you are trying to corral negative emotions, but they still may surface as irritability or testiness.  You don’t have to hold the reigns quite so tightly, but don’t let go altogether.   
(5 of Swords L/ Skateboard Song- Norma Tracey and the Cinderella Kids)

LEO

ROBOT FROM THE JETSONS
I didn’t really watch the Jetsons much growing up, so I’m not entirely sure why Rosie the Robot surfaced when I closed my eyes to your card this week, Leo.  What I know about Rosie is that she is a truthsayer and she always delivered the truth directly and without much emotion.
Consider taking on this tone with yourself this week, Leo.  What would Rosie say to dispel a potentially dramatic situation?  Feel all your feelings, but try to let the truth in without a lot of unnecessary theatrics.  
(3 of Swords Rev/ Come Up and See Me Sometime- Mae West)

VIRGO

BOTTOM EDGE OF A VELVET CURTAIN
At the cheaper movie theater I sometimes go to, the movie screen has curtains to the left and right of the screen and one short curtain across the top so it looks like it has the same haircut as Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction.  The curtain I saw when I closed my eyes for your Tarotscope, Virgo, was similar to that curtain fringe, but unlike that fringe, it seemed to be coming down over whatever had been played or performed behind it.  This may be what is happening for you this week, Virgo, as we approach Winter Solstice.  Now is the time to consider what thoughts you need to close the curtain on so that the next show may begin.  
(10 of Swords L/ Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey!- Little Richard)

LIBRA

A FISH SKELETON
One of the things I remember most prominently in my grandparents house was a painting my grandmother had made that hung above their kitchen and below a set of clerestory windows.  It was of a silvery blue fish.  When I asked her about it once she told me that she had made it by painting one whole side of an actual fish and then stamping it onto paper.  This act seems reflective of the old witchy adage, “As above, so below.”  If you want to paint a fish, why not paint a fish?  What do you want your life to reflect?
Libra, this week it may be best to step back and consider what you are trying to accomplish and whether there might be an easier solution.  As above, so below, a painted fish makes a fish painting.
(XII Hanged One R/ Shattered Image- Dolly Parton)

SCORPIO

CRASH TEST DUMMY
I think it was on the plane that I saw a short video about crash test dummies, their importance and their evolution.  According to the video, there are now crash test dummies to reflect almost every size, shape and age.  The video took the viewer inside a crash test laboratory where people in white coats and clipboards imagined, created and analyzed catastrophes.
Scorpio, this week it might be helpful to imagine yourself in a similar position, but instead of coming up with tragic scenarios, consider more generative possibilities and then create and analyze the outcomes of those possibilities in a laboratory of your own making.  
(7 of Cups/ Problem (Solved)- SBTRKT feat. Jessie Ware)

SAGITTARIUS

RUFFLED EDGE ON A LASAGNA NOODLE
Why does the lasagna noodle have a ruffled edge?  Maybe some of you truth-seeking Sagittarians already know the answer, but for those who don’t I will tell you what the internet told me.  The ruffled edge is to help “trap sauces.”  Interestingly, it is only the American lasagna noodle that has a ruffled edge, in Italy the noodles are completely flat.  Besides “trapping sauces” the only other reason I could find in my internet wormhole for a ruffled edge was aesthetic and that was heavily contested among various connoisseurs.  
Sagittarius, is there something you are coming to realize is not necessary to a process, but instead is a matter of opinion?  As you delve deeper into your understanding, you may discover that the dominant opinion isn’t one you share.  Allow your own recipes to surface.   
(Son of Wands L/ Train Song- Vashti Bunyan)

CAPRICORN

INKWELL IN A WRITING DESK
In first grade, our girl scout troop visited some sort of historic school house in rural Iowa.  Our troop leader wanted to show us what a classroom looked like in the 1800s.  I don’t remember much, but I remember there were inkwells built into the desks and that each desk extended from the seat in front of it so you couldn’t move easily or shift your position.  I’m not sure if this is just the way I remember it or if it they were actually there but when I close my eyes I see ink stains on the wood around the well.
Capricorn, this week may be a period of self study and reflection.  There is an emphasis on the past and its indications for the future.  Consider how you might shift to accommodate new growth and understanding.
(9 of Discs/ I’m Not Tired Yet- The Caravans)

AQUARIUS

A PLATE OF HORS D’OEUVRES
In one of my favorite movies, “Mermaids,” Charlotte Flax says about her mother, “A word about Mrs. Flax and food, the word is hors d’oeuvres. Fun Finger Foods is her main source book and that’s all the woman cooks.  Anything more, she says, is too big a commitment.”  I think of this cinematic moment every week when I make hors d’oeuvres for Tarotscopes.  “Anything more,” I say to myself, “is too big a commitment.”  
Aquarius, you may feel that something you want or need this week is in scant supply.  Perhaps you are low on groceries and your paycheck hasn’t gone through, or perhaps mangos aren’t in season and you have to revise a recipe.  Know that the resources you need are coming.  Until then, may I recommend hors d’oeuvres, they are fancy, filling, simple and create a feeling of abundance until the next shipment comes in.  
(10 of Discs L/ Make It With You- Ralfi Pagan)

PISCES

EMPTY SHELL
Seashells are one of the few containers that many people may be happy to find empty, unless the point of the search is to find some sort of edible clam or oyster.  
Pisces, this week it may be necessary to revise your hunt.  Perhaps you’ve been doggedly looking for clams or oysters and all you can find are empty shells.  Consider that the empty shell may be exactly what you are looking for when seen from another angle.   
(3 of Discs Rev/ I’ll Bring It On Home To You- Carla Thomas)

TAROTSCOPES for the week of 12/10/14

ARIES

PALMYRA ATOLL- PACIFIC OCEAN
What struck me about this image, which is actually a map, is how temporary much of the information is.  For example, “Coral rock platform uncovers in patches” or “Shoal ground with blind rollers occasionally breaking.”  It reminds me of Never Never Land or the kinds of maps detailed in the first few pages of a sci fi novel.  
Aries, this week you may encounter a similar sense of timing, mostly that you can only do one thing in one place, at one time.  What you are trying to accomplish could depend on variables like the tide and weather.  Don’t be afraid to surrender one plan for another as both may not be possible to accomplish at the same time anyway.  You may even come back to the same thing twice and discover it is completely different than the first time you approached it.  
(2 of Discs Rev/ Got Til It’s Gone- Janet Jackson feat. Joni Mitchell and Q Tip)

TAURUS

ANAMBAS, MALAYSIA
I see a face, or maybe a diagram of a pair of human lungs, either way this image has everything it needs.  If it is lungs they are full of green trees which make oxygen and if it is a face it has enough vegetation and fish to keep the color in its cheeks.  
Taurus, this week following the Full Moon in your second house of material possessions, values and desires along with Venus moving into fellow earth sign, Capricorn,  you will likely feel a greater sense of abundance.  You have everything you need to sustain yourself.  Allow yourself to relax into your own picture of paradise.  
(Ace of Cups/ (You) Got What I Need- Freddie Scott)

GEMINI

SARATOV, RUSSIA
Here we go, Gemini, a small window into the free-association of my brain which some how led me back to your card for the week.  When I saw this image, my first thought was that the houses looked like milk cartons and that immediately led me to think about missing persons and I said to myself, “but this is such a beautiful and serene picture, why do you have to attach it to the back of a milk carton?”  Which reminded me of how my brother used to say that Patsy Cline always reminded him of particularly violent or gory scenes in action movies.  
This week, Gemini, you are presented with a choice to take a situation or an image or a word and attach it to something unpleasant, like the back of a milk carton or allow it to be what it is, a beautiful and serene picture of a couple of houses on the banks of a river in Russia.  It seems these days you are more inclined to go with the later.
(Ace of Swords/ Crazy- Patsy Cline)

CANCER

JOHNSTON ATOLL- PACIFIC OCEAN
An atoll, by definition, is ring-shaped coral reef that typically encircles a small lagoon and according to my rather old globe there are no other islands or atolls for miles in this region, which is perhaps why this one is so well equipped.  The Johnston Atoll really represents two choices, to land or not to land and if you aren’t going to land you have to be absolutely sure that you have enough fuel to get you to the next island or reef.
Cancer, this week it seems you are compelled to make a similar decision.  It may seem like a practical decision on the surface, but there is also likely a deeper reason for your judgement which you may not be fully aware of until you’ve landed your plane or even until you take off again.  
(2 of Swords R/ Rescue Me- Aretha Franklin Remix)

LEO

PORTLAND, AUSTRALIA
There may be hundreds of Portlands in the world, the one pictured, the one I pointed to is in Australia.  I’ve only been to Portland, Oregon, but this image was simple enough in content, that it could easily be a street in Portland, Oregon or actually the mirrored reflection since the cars are driving on the opposite side of the street.  One of my Portland, Oregon friends has a brother who lives in Portland, Maine.  If you look on a map these two cities are also strangely reflective of one another, one east and one west.
Leo, this week it may be important to examine your feelings by reflection.  It may not be enough to keep them docked inside yourself.  Consider telling someone how you feel and having them repeat back what you say so that you can be both a friend and a feeler of the emotions you are experiencing.      
(6 of Cups/ Love Was All I Had- Phyllis Dillon )

VIRGO

SAN ANTONIO, TX, USA
This photo is actually San Antonio during Christmas time, but I was struck by how much it looks like a trophy or a trophy case even, maybe a cake with candles.  Virgo, this week you might win an award or cross a finish line in some area of your life.  It may not necessarily look this way from the outside, perhaps to others it simply looks like you completed something you started.  But every goal a person sets is often full of obstacles only visible to the one running the race.  I remember seeing a hologram for the first time in Disney World on a pirate ride when I was very young.  I grappled with the understanding that the “ghosts” I was seeing, were just projections of something scary and not actually anything to be feared.  There may have been several “ghosts” or holograms between you and this moment of accomplishment, Virgo, but overcoming the fears these projections inspired is perhaps the biggest reward.       
(VII Chariot/ Visionary Mountains- Joan Armatrading )

LIBRA

ELKO, NV, USA
It’s interesting that the first picture of Elko, Nevada that comes up in an image search is one from the 1950s.  It makes me wonder if the 50s was Elko’s hay day and that is how the town wants to be remembered.  I feel compelled to personify this town because the image is also a postcard that says “Greetings from Elko, Nev.” which sounds as though the town itself were speaking.  
Libra, moments of joy may be speaking to you from the past, present or future.  They may be collecting as a reminder that joy follows you through time and where ever you go and that you may again meet with great joy at another time, in another place.  
(XIX Sun Rev/ I Heard You Say- Vivian Girls)

SCORPIO

BIDON, ALGERIA
I’m pretty impressed that this made it on the globe, but I suppose it is the land version of an atoll.  Bidon is a halt (a small stopping place) in the Saharan desert.  I assumed it was a city when my finger landed on it, but I realized it must be not be a major destination when the first image that popped up was of this sand wreckage.  
Scorpio, where you are right now is likely more of a halt than a city.  Now is not the time to get stuck in the sand.  Keep moving towards the bigger picture and your loftiest goals.
(XVII Star Rev/ A Love Letter Full of Promises- Juanita Rogers)

SAGITTARIUS

LHASA, TIBET
On road trips when I was a kid, I would look out at the corn fields, bean fields, mountains, or whatever our car was passing and imagine running across the landscape.  In my imagination, I would reach the top of the mountain or the other side of the field in a few seconds because that is really all the time it takes for your mind to reach a goal.  As an adult I still have the desire to go bounding across a field, but my imagination has become more realistic.  I imagine myself bounding for several meters, then I stop to catch my breath and then I go a few more meters and then maybe I pitch a tent and save the rest for another day.  When I pulled up this picture of a monastery in Lhasa, Tibet, it inspired a similar feeling.  
Sagittarius, this week it would be good to collaborate with both the adult and kid parts of yourself.  Allow yourself to bound across an open field, but use your adult understanding of your own stamina and mathematical distance to pace yourself.
(Daughter of Swords Rev/ Vienna- Billy Joel OR Ariana Grande)

CAPRICORN

BASSEIN, MYANMAR
I would never have looked at this pile of vegetation on land and assumed it would fit on a boat this size, but these two people seem relatively unfazed by the large cargo.  Despite the look of it, this boat must have been built to accommodate heavy loads.
Capricorn, similarly you may discover a surprising capacity for carry heavy loads this week.  Venus, the planet of love, recently moved into your sign beaming love and support at your endeavors.  Trust the support both tangible and intangible you may be intuitively receiving and trust your ability to provide support both tangible and intangible to others.  
(XI Strength R/ Sailing- Rod Stewart)

AQUARIUS

FORT RESOLUTION, CANADA
There is some sort of brightly colored belt between the earth and sky in this photograph of Fort Resolution, Northwest Territories, Canada.  The belt may be a row of tiny boats, it is difficult to say.  And this might be exactly what others are saying about you right now, Aquarius.  Or perhaps this is the response you are giving others when they ask you how you are, “It’s difficult to say.”  This may be because the picture you are getting of your emotions right now is rather small and difficult to make out.  Perhaps, with your sign as the current host to Mars, you are in “management mode,” trying to take care of your to-do list from a relatively detached place.  This is fine for accomplishing tasks, but it is not the best place from which to make big decisions which may have emotional repercussions.    
(Son of Swords/ Leave It In The Hands of Love- Fontella Bass)

PISCES

MINYA KONKA (GONGGA SHAN), TIBETAN ALPS
Maybe I’m just hungry, but something about this picture really makes me want to take a bite out of this mountain, or at least just break off the golden part touched by the sun.  Turns out it is the highest peak in Sichuan province and it is rumored to be even taller than the Himalayas, so were I actually to ever get my mouth anywhere near this peak it would probably only amount to a mouthful of gravel.
Pisces, this week you may feel that you’ve bitten off more than you can chew or maybe that which you are chewing isn’t even edible.  There is something else to be absorbed, some other lesson contained in this moment or mouthful, but now may not be the time to make sense of it.  Instead it would be a good time to take care of yourself and listen to the intuitive wisdom of your body.  
(9 of Wands Rev/ Ain't No Mountain High Enough- Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell)

TAROTSCOPES for the week of 12/04/14

ARIES
When my parents dropped me off at the airport in Bogota my dad lifted my suitcase out of the cab and set it down on the sidewalk.  “Do you think it’s 50lbs?”  My mom asked.  “It’s close,” my dad replied (50 lbs is the maximum weight a bag can be before they charge you overage fees).  As I was checking in I lifted my bag onto the scale with one arm and watched the numbers roll up and plateau at 48 lbs (may I recommend never bringing more than 4 large books on a 10 day vacation).  By the time I got to Los Angeles I was feeling pretty proud of myself for lugging around a bag that weighed almost as much as a second grader.  At the airport in L.A. a sturdy man with a clipboard who was in charge of coordinating all the shuttles took my suitcase.  He looked like he was dragging a whale and had to set the bag down once or twice before lifting it into the trunk of the cargo van.
Aries, trust your strength.  You are as strong as you are and there is no way to test your strength until you actually lift your bag or raise your voice.  Others may look like they can do the job, but you may be the one that can carry the message (or the bag) with the greatest ease.  
(Shaman of Swords L/ Hear What I Say- Junior Lewis)

TAURUS
On the flight from Miami to Los Angeles there was turbulence for much of the trip.  I have a newly acquired fear of flying which developed a few years ago when I was on a flight over the middle of the Pacific ocean in the dead of night, when our plane was caught in turbulence the flight attendant later described as the worst she’d experienced in 10 years.  My fear does not prevent me from flying but it does contribute to considerable mental gymnastics.  I kept glancing at my seat-mates and wondering if we “went down” who would take on what roll.  The man closest to the aisle was older and seemed to have limited mobility (which I learned after I made him move at least 3 times so I could get to the bathroom).  The woman in the middle had strong arms and I figured between us we would be able to assist the man in the aisle onto a raft in the event of a water landing.  Between the two of us I tried to determine which one was more likely to be “the rock,” the collected one whose task it would be to convey a sense of calm in the face of death.
Taurus, you may be making similar calculations this week, but don’t relegate yourself to the roll of “the rock,” just yet.  Your plane is not going down, though you may experience some turbulence.  Try to relax into the bumps and notice the feelings you experience along the way without attempting to stuff them down or cover them up.  In this case, concealing your fears won’t likely benefit anyone else, least of all you, the one who is likely experiencing most of the bumps as they may bring up old wounds.  
(Son of Swords/ I Am A Rock- The Church )

GEMINI
“Oh yeah, that got mixed reviews,”  my brother replied after I had said, “I saw the best movie on the plane…actually, I’m not sure if it would be good on land, for some reason most movies are better at 36,000 feet.”  “I know what you mean,” my brother said.  “I once cried on a flight watching a Mark Wahlberg movie about football.”
Gemini, on Saturday, the Full Moon in your sign will square Chiron in Pisces asking you to direct your attention towards the root of any pain or discomfort you may be experiencing.  It may be helpful to put your reviews in context.  What circumstances surround your present situation which may be coloring the way you see it?  Now is a good opportunity to change the ending to any stories you may have been telling yourself about those wounds.        
(3 of Swords L/ 100 Days, 100 Nights- Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings)

CANCER
It’s difficult to say what was happening to our plane from the outside, but at one point I wasn’t sure whether I would live to tell about the experience inside.  During the hour it took to land in Los Angeles, the only thing that helped was remembering the stories of several friends who had had “close calls” on airplanes.  “I’m not done here,” I found myself saying in my head to whatever gods were listening.  When our plane finally touched down the landing was punctuated with applause.  Actually, I wouldn’t say “punctuated,” it started with a few soft claps and then slowly more people added their hands.
Cancer, you may feel a similar sense of relief this week.  Like the “Death” card in the tarot deck, the death you may have been facing lately was likely more psychological than literal.  You are now at the point of seeing that you can make this trip (these changes) and survive even if there are points along the way when you weren’t sure you’d live to tell about the experience.  
(4 of Wands Rev/ Eyes Without A Face- Billy Idol)

LEO
There is a new “selfie” machine at the airport that American citizens have to use when you go through customs in the U.S. (or in Miami at least).  My flight from Bogota left at 2 am and arrived in Miami at 5:30 am, needless to say the last thing I wanted to do was take a picture of myself.  I could hardly keep my eyes open because they were so itchy and dry from the flight.  Luckily the machine allowed for “do-overs.”  The first two times my eyes were closed and my face was caught in two rather comical expressions.  I was trying to contain my laughter, but it dribbled out the corners of my mouth.  “It’s not going on Facebook, just take the picture,”  I heard a mom next to me say to her daughter.  Her comment was a helpful reminder that  I only had to get the picture past the customs officer.
Leo, as Jupiter stations to go retrograde in your sign this week, you may find yourself caught between feeling private and feeling expressive.  You might find yourself taking more pictures with your eyes closed and you may be more comfortable sharing your face with only one other person than the whole world.  Jupiter Retrograde periods are typically kinder than other planetary retrogrades.  The emphasis during a retrograde is on internal growth and expansion.  After this first period of external growth and changes which has been happening since late July, you will have an opportunity to reflect on those changes and where you want to direct Jupiter’s expansive energy when it once again moves forward in April.     
(Son of Wands L/ You Only Live Twice- Nancy Sinatra)

VIRGO
I’m a great admirer of the efficient traveler and I really want to be one too.  They are the ones whose suitcases are never bulging because either their suitcase is just the right size to accommodate everything they’ve brought and/or they’ve brought exactly the right number of socks, underwear and sweaters so it all fits perfectly in their suitcase which probably has wheels so they can glide effortlessly through the airport.  I sat next to an efficient traveler from Miami to L.A. and while my lap was tangled with my headphones, a scarf, a sweater and a long jacket, her lap was empty.  She had one sweater which seemed to keep her warm enough. “Nice!” I thought and then taking a mental note, “One sweater.”   A lot of my superfluous travel paraphernalia comes from my anxiety about forgetting something I might need, but 9 times out of 10, I need much less than I think I do.
Virgo, this week you you may be starting to take notes on how you want to proceed and what you do and do not want to take with you as you make some very deep and lasting changes to your internal landscape.  The Full Moon this week will be in the fellow mercurial sign of Gemini aspected by Chiron in Pisces, your opposing sign.  This transit may help you uncover which things are blocking your shine and may bring you deep realizations about the things you hold on to out of fear.
(XIII Death L/ Here Comes The Sun- Nina Simone)

LIBRA
The adobe houses where we stayed outside the Colombian mountain town, Villa de Leyva, were handmade by my parents friends.  While we were there they were working on their 5th structure where they will live.  Each house was different from the other.  The one I stayed in with my parents was circular and the spare bed, where I slept, ran along a huge picture window overlooking the mountains.  The house where my parents friends currently live had a tower with a spiral staircase going up to the bedroom.  The new house they were building was two stories and looked out over the mountains.  I got to see them sculpt the fireplace which was amazing to watch.  It reminded me of watching kids pat their imagination out with clay while narrating, “This is going to be a fireplace,” but it really was, they were playing for real.
Libra, this week you may find in the process of imagining and sculpting your dreams into some 3 dimensional form that what you’ve completed is not just a mock up, but somewhere you could actually make your home.    
(7 of Cups Rev/ El Piragua- Jose Barros and Edmundo Arias)

SCORPIO
The whole time my parents and I were in Villa de Leyva, a small town in the mountains of Colombia, we would call the same cab driver, a woman named Ruby.  After 4pm we knew that her four year old granddaughter, Manuela would also be riding with us.  The first time I rode with Manuela she was exhausted and passed out in the back seat, but every ride after that she was wide awake and fully prepared to teach my mother and me Spanish.  “Were you at school today?” I asked her in Spanish.  “No! Jardin!” She replied.  “Jardin?”  I repeated.  “Jaaaarrdiiiinn!” She said loudly and emphatically.  I carefully copied her instruction.  She calmly crossed her legs and smiled, “Eso es.”  (“That’s it.”)
I’ve often found that children make the best teachers particularly of language because they won’t let you get away with pronouncing things incorrectly.  They will patiently make you repeat the words as many times as it takes to get it right, I think because they look at it as more of a game than a lesson.  Scorpio, this week you may be ready to try something different, learn something new or take a new route to the things you are trying to achieve.  Whether or not there is anyone to show you the ropes imagine that the lessons you are integrating are being delivered by a four year old.  Think of it as a game and don’t stop till you get it right.  Eso es.
(Daughter of Discs/ Crayon Angels- Judee Sill)

SAGITTARIUS
Picking up food from one of my go-to to-go places on my first day back in L.A. I had a feeling I’ve felt before, like my steps were falling to the beat of a song I couldn’t quite hear or they were writing a song I couldn’t quite hear.  I looked up at the trees, finally getting a good drink from the rain and thought silently, “Hey, if you’re happy I’m happy.”  As I approached the intersection I didn’t even have to break my stride, the walk light was green.  Just as I reached the other side of the street something white and wet fell from a great height just a few feet in front of me.  Some people say it is good luck if a pigeon shits on you, but I think it must be even better luck if it shits on the path in front of you because it probably means the road ahead is blessed.  
Sagittarius, this week, even if you run into rough patches you will likely also have flashes of feeling that your steps are falling in time to your own beat.  Yours is the sign associated with the quest for truth and meaning and you may find that both truth and meaning aren’t buried as deeply as they were before you had the courage to follow your intuition.  The road ahead has been crapped on aka it is blessed.  
(Shaman of Discs/ Lavender Country- Lavender Country)

CAPRICORN
Walking around Bogota one day with my mom she said, “I’ll show you where I got tear-gased.”  “What?! What happened?”  “There was a protest…”  “You were in a protest?” I interrupted in surprise.  “No, I was walking to the art supply store.”  “What were they protesting?” I asked.  “The economy and tuition hikes, I think.”  We paused in front of a university and my mom recounted the story.  She saw lots of people holding fabric over their nose and mouth walking quickly toward her,  she didn’t understand what they were protecting themselves from until her eyes started to burn and water.  “The protest wasn’t visible from that street,” she said. “But the gas was everywhere.”  
Capricorn, this week you may find yourself caught in a struggle, but perhaps one that is more internal and therefore invisible to the naked eye.  You may know the struggle exists because it makes your eyes itch and burn or there are other physical manifestations, but there could be nothing concrete to point to and earth is the element you Goats deal in, so the experience may be disorienting.  Use this Sagittarius season to point you towards the truth and meaning behind the feelings and difficulties you are experiencing.  Despite the unpleasant sensation, this moment, is in fact, an opportunity to cultivate faith in the possibility of change and the dreams you are prepared to fight for.   
(5 of Wands/ Way, Way, Way- Buffy Sainte Marie)

AQUARIUS
The day we returned to Bogota from Villa de Leyva was a comical sequence of events.  As soon as we exited the bus and walked a few paces towards the main intersection, my dad realized he had left his backpack on the bus.  All three of us quickly whipped our heads around just in time to see the wheels rolling away in the distance.  Turning back towards our next challenge we noticed a good thirty people all trying to hail cabs.  For twenty minutes we walked up and down the street as taxis disappeared under our noses.  Finally we split up and minutes later my dad returned trailing a cab driver he had found at a restaurant, just finishing his lunch.  “You’re lucky,” he told us in Spanish.  “It’s almost impossible to catch a cab here.”  He drove us downtown to the bus’ final destination to see if my dad might be able intercept his backpack back.  “Maybe someone will turn it into the office?”  I suggested.  “That doesn’t usually happen,” my dad said.  At the bus station the driver dropped my dad off and took my mom and me to wait at a gas station at the end of the street.  He instructed us to wait outside while he topped the car off with gas.  As I exited the car my laptop fell off my lap and bounced on the cement.  Before I had time to process this potential disaster, my dad returned, his backpack over one shoulder.  “Es un milagro!” my dad told the driver.  Back in the States I turned on my computer and discovered, besides the dents to the frame, that it worked perfectly.  “Es un milagro,” I repeated to my parents over the phone.  
Aquarius, this week, may have moments of difficulty which would be best navigated by continually directing your energy towards possibility and away from defeat.  If and when you do, you will likely look back on this week as one of miracles rather than challenges.  
(5 of Disc Rev/ The Sun- Alice Coltrane)

PISCES
My parents’ friend who lived in Villa de Leyva and owned the finca (farm) where we stayed, spoke little English and I spoke a very clunky Spanish which I had to translate from Portuguese (the only other language I know).  Despite the fact that our ability to communicate in words was at the level of a kindergartener, I could tell and he could tell that there was a commonality that existed beyond words.  He used to own a restaurant in town and now makes breakfast for the guests who come to stay at the finca complete with homemade jams and juices.  He seemed to understand that I had a deeper appreciation for his magical concoctions than a short “muy bien!” could convey.  “Tomorrow I’m making uchuva jam,” he told me in Spanish holding up a bag of the little glowing orange orbs, which said so much more than his simple declaration.    
Pisces, astrologically speaking, times have been tough on your sign as the extended host of both Chiron (wounds and healing) and Neptune (dreams and delusion), but this week with the Full Moon aspecting Chiron (in Pisces), you may have an opportunity to reconnect with that realm which your sign intimately understands, the one beyond words.  
(10 of Cups L/ Whats the Name of that Song- Sesame Street )

TAROTSCOPES for the week of 11/26/14

THE THEME:  No theme per say this week, just travel notes, which are quite fitting for Sagittarius season. 

ARIES
This morning (as I write this) I went to the dentist here in Bogota, Colombia, to get my teeth cleaned.  I know it may not seem like it from reading Tarotscopes, but I’m actually pretty private about my personal life.  So when the dentist asked me what I did for a living, I told him, rather reluctantly, that I’m a tarot reader.  He asked me to repeat myself several times until I tried a different pronunciation, “Tahr- ott.”  “Ohhhh!  Tarott!”  He exclaimed.  After a few minutes he said, “ You know, things have been very good for me lately.  I would like to know what is going on.  Would you like to do a trade?  A teeth cleaning for a tarot reading?”
You may find that certain things in your life are beginning to work out as if by magic.  You are the magician, Aries.  You need only acknowledge and stand by who you are and what you do to see positive results.  
(I Magician/ Fight the Power- Public Enemy)

TAURUS
As my mom and I were walking down a main street in Bogota to meet a friend for lunch, I noticed a large apartment building with a balcony for every apartment and on every balcony was a Santa Claus mannequin.  At first I thought the decorations strange merely because there were so many Santas, but after a moment I realized that, stranger than the number of Santas, was the way they had been positioned on the railings, as though they were all contemplating jumping.  “Son Santas suicidas?” a business man asked in disbelief as he paused in front of the building with his colleague.
Taurus, your situation this week may be twofold.  First, you may be presented with an opportunity to express yourself (even if only with holiday decorations).  Secondly, this assertion of your opinion or of yourself may feel like a potential suicide, perhaps because it has the potential to bring about a significant change in your life.  Understand that it is actually your fears and anything blocking your authentic self that really stand to be extinguished in this process.    
(2 of Swords R/ No More Prisons- Hurricane G)

GEMINI
The international baggage claim in Bogota is like a fish tank.  Anyone meeting you at the airport can see you through the glass, swirling around the conveyer belt, waiting for your bags to drop.  As I entered the claim area I spotted my parents searching me out of the crowd on the far end by carousel 4.  We waved at each other and then what followed was a confusing exchange in which I tried to signal that I was going to the bathroom and they tried to frantically express what I already knew which was that my baggage would be coming out of carousel 4.  I shook my head and mouthed, “BATH-ROOM!”  They both shook their heads and held up 4 fingers.
Gemini, the road down which you are headed is your own path.  For this reason it may feel difficult, as though you were talking through glass, to explain what you are trying to accomplish to those closest to you.  Now may not be the time to explain.  Instead trust that others will understand what you are doing and where you are headed when they see you do it, because you most definitely will when you follow your genuine desires (such as going to the bathroom).  
(XVII Star/ How We Gonna Make the Black Nation Rise- Brother D)

CANCER
My first day in Bogota my parents and I made our way up a very steep mountain to view the city, first via tram and then back by cable car.  Up and down I had to steer my mind away from disaster, precipitated by my fear of heights.  We survived without any complications and decided go back to my parents’ neighborhood for coffee at their local coffee shop.  We sat on the third floor which was an open roof with views of some of the surrounding mountains.  After we’d finished our drinks and were about to head back downstairs I noticed that one of the stairs had a few broken ceramic tiles.  As if on cue, my father said, “Watch you don’t kill yourself on that stair!”
Cancer, this week you may have an opportunity to get some perspective on your current situation.  Perhaps accessing this aerial view involves you confronting your fear of heights, or quite possibly a fear of achievement.  Change and death are things you typically don’t have much control over.  You can set your goal or your destination, but you can’t usually anticipate all the broken tiles on the way.  For this reason, it may be best to settle in and enjoy yourself and hop over the slippery steps when you come to them.  
(XVI Tower/ If I Ruled the World- Nas feat. Lauren Hill)

LEO
The dentist I visited in Bogota was the same dentist who recently completed some extensive work on my father’s teeth.  I had a few cavities and as he prepared to numb my mouth with the anesthetic the dentist said, “Your father is a great man.  I like him.  And he loves you very much.  I think he talked about you every time he came to visit.” I found his kind admission almost humorous in contrast with both my own experience and stereotypes of dentists as being cold and clinical.  I wasn’t entirely convinced of the validity of his statement, only because it is so difficult to carry on a conversation with all the equipment they put in your mouth.  It seemed unlikely my dad would have had the opportunity to mention my name more than once, but in the next moment I understood what he was really trying to do.  He was occupying my mind and body with love, with feeling cared for, the way a parent would love and care for their child.  And not surprisingly, for the first time in my own dental history, I felt no pain.  
Leo, this week you might find yourself instinctually tensing up as you approach a situation (such as the Thanksgiving table) in anticipation of difficulty or pain.  Instead try to remind yourself of the love you feel, where ever and with whomever you feel it.  Just the act of releasing these endorphins may ease any difficulty or pain you might otherwise experience.    
(Son of Cups L/ Say It Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud- James Brown)

VIRGO
I was feeling stressed about trying to finish writing Tarotscopes today (as I write this), but was finding it exceedingly difficult to find a minute given the events of the day.  “Maybe you can write on the bus,” my mother suggested.  We were taking a bus to a town 4 hours away called Villa de Leyva.  Unfortunately, I get incredibly nauseous in a moving vehicle, so writing on the bus was not an option.  When we finally called a cab to take us from Villa de Leyva to my parents friends’ “finca” a little farm outside of town it was already 5pm.  The cab driver’s name was Ruby and she was wearing denim overalls and had her hair pulled back in a tight ponytail.  In the back seat her four year old granddaughter, Manuela, was sitting cross-legged.  Ruby told her to move over and make room for my mom and I.  I sat in the middle next to Manuela.  Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed she was holding a large red lego in her left hand and black comb in her right.  It reminded me the old Russian fairy tale about two children who escape Baba Yaga the witch by throwing magical objects behind them.  In the tale the comb turned into a forest buying the children time to escape Baba Yaga.  Not long after we started rolling down the bumpy streets, Manuela fell asleep with her mouth open and her legs still crossed.  
Virgo,  you may feel pressured this week to accomplish multiple things at once.  Trust that your day can hold what you need it to if you are willing to stay present with events as they unfold.  Surrender to your needs.  Even the opportunity to take a nap may present itself.  If you still can’t “do it all” throw down your magical comb or lego and buy yourself some extra time.  
(2 of Discs Rev/ The Message- Grandmaster Flash)

LIBRA
Besides my parents and me, our cab driver, Ruby had another passenger, her four year old granddaughter, Manuela as she drove us from town (Villa de Leyva) to my parents friends’ finca (farm).  Ruby told us that her daughter worked until 7pm so she would watch Manuela until Manuela’s mother got off of work.  “Pero es delicioso,” which translates to, “but it’s delicious,” she meant that having her granddaughter for those hours was a joy and not a burden.  
Libra, this week you may be doing more than your share of dishes or watching someone else’s kid or cooking more than usual, but es delicioso tambien (it is delicious also) because it is a demonstration of your love.   
(6 of Discs R/ Young, Gifted and Black- Nina Simone)

SCORPIO
As I write this my parents and I are in Villa de Leyva, a small town in the country about four hours away from Bogota.  When we arrived the town seemed suspended, caught between moments.  It wasn’t entirely asleep, but many doors were shut and the ones that were open looked like yawns with people leaning on counters or sitting in chairs.  When we got to the Plaza Mayor (the main plaza in town) the church doors were open and a mass of people in black and blue poured out onto the cobblestones.  As we got closer we realized that it was funeral procession.  Except for the time I witnessed Michael Jackson’s funeral procession, I hadn’t seen a larger attendance.  I liked that everyone was following the hearse on foot because it seemed like a parade, a timeline of all the people still living that had known and loved the person who was now gone.  
Scorpio, as we exit (ironically I accidentally typed “excite”) Scorpio season, which has really gone on for a few years with Saturn in Scorpio, you may feel a sort of panic or urgency around the changes you are trying to make.  Perhaps it feels like this is your last chance for transformation.  In fact, Saturn will move back into Scorpio this summer for one last dance before it leaves for the next 29 years.  But for now as many planets have now shifted into Sagittarius and Saturn gears up to join them next month, it might be helpful to think about all the changes you’ve already made.  That momentum won’t die, it is carried with love.   
(XIII Death R/ Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around- Sweet Honey on the Rock)

SAGITTARIUS
I’ve had several cavities over the years.  I often joke that my teeth are made of sugar and if I bite down too hard they might crumble.  Because of my extensive dental history, I get nervous when I know I have to get a cavity filled.  I worry the anesthetic will hurt and I worry that it won’t work and the rest of the procedure will hurt.  I’ve had experience with both.  At my most recent visit, as the dentist prepared the anesthetic, I had the sudden realization that the dentist and I both had the same goal.  I even threw the universe in there…the dentist, the universe and I all had the same goal in that moment, to prevent me from feeling pain.  I rolled my eyes away from the dentist’s tray and rested my gaze on a clock on a shelf above me that I hadn’t noticed before.  This also seemed significant since time is a wheel that turns, moving us towards and away from things, into and out of pain.  
Sagittarius, this week it might be helpful to remember that your efforts to achieve your goals or dreams are not in opposition with the goals and dreams of others or the universe or time.  Trust that when you have the courage to admit to yourself and then to others what you are desiring, it will be supported and that the wheel of time moves us through any pain.  
(XII Hanged One R/ When the Revolution Comes- The Last Poets)

CAPRICORN
After our bus arrived at the far end of town in Villa de Levya, my parents and I wandered through town in search of lunch.  There seemed to be more dogs than humans walking the streets.  After we sat down at a restaurant on the edge of the main plaza I had more time to watch the activity peppered across the cobblestones.  An exceptionally tall man in a grey jumpsuit strode across the plaza, a few paces behind him a roley polley brown puppy struggled to keep up with his long gait.  The dog had no collar and at first I wasn’t sure the pup belonged to him, but when the same man passed back in front of us a second time the little brown ball was still in his shadow.  I suddenly realized that there were at least three more collar-less dogs following various other people to and fro across the plaza.  We hadn’t seen this Bogota, all the dogs there had at least collars if not leashes.  After lunch we got a coffees at a coffee shop on the other end of the plaza.  Two young women entered and sat down, a few moments later two more men dribbled in, one after the other.  The two men sat with the two women, but I still wasn’t sure they were together because they didn’t really seem to acknowledge one another.  After their coffee they each left the restaurant separately.  Out in the plaza one woman reached out to one of the men and he pulled her into a hug.  The other two threw their arms around each other and then they disappeared from view.  
Capricorn, the love you feel would be best given and received without a leash or a collar.  Trust the pack you are traveling in to hold itself together.  
(Priestess of Cups R/ Dancing in the Street- Martha and the Vandellas)

AQUARIUS
Last night I fell asleep looking out a large picture window in a casita my parents friends built outside of Villa de Leyva, a small colonial mountain town in Colombia.  There were intermittent flashes of lightning and in between the lightning were tiny flashes from lightning bugs bobbing in and out of the bushes.  The lightning illuminated the whole sky and the lightning bugs (fireflies) illuminated a more detailed area of shrubbery.
Aquarius, this week you may find yourself having small epiphanies and big ones.  Perhaps both flashes reflect one another, illuminating areas in your own life and the ways those individual understandings contribute to your understanding of the larger world around you.  
(9 of Wands/ Up Above My Head- Betty Mae Fikes)

PISCES
I’ve always been a comfortable observer.  I was a quiet kid and preferred to listen to the adults talk.  In church, the congregation would sing all the children to sunday school, but I preferred not to follow and instead stayed with the adults to listen to the sermon.  As the Grand Jury’s decision following the trial of police officer, Darren Wilson for the shooting of Michael Brown was released the other night, I watched from Colombia.  I was raised in a rather stoic midwestern family perhaps for this reason I often find that strong emotions choke the words out of me.  As the verdict surfaced I felt physically ill.  I knew what the verdict was likely to be, but it didn’t prepare me for its actual arrival.  I didn’t want to just observe the protests erupting in several U.S. cities, I wanted to be there with others who felt a similar sick sadness and anger.  The internet will never replace the power of standing side by side with others especially when you can’t find the words.
Pisces, this week you may be feeling very emotional, perhaps due to recent national events or the holidays or something else of significance in your life.  It may be important to find others to stand with during this time because the feelings may be too heavy to hold all alone.    
(8 of Cups Rev/ A Love Supreme- John Coltrane)

TAROTSCOPES for the week of 11/19/14

THE THEME:  I’m recycling an old theme this week because it feels appropriate.  The Pool!  Chiron stations this Sunday, a potentially somber moment when we all may find ourselves at the deep end of an emotional pool.  I can’t really think of anything better to do than float.   

ARIES
There was one main outdoor public pool in the town where I grew up.  It was called City Park Pool.  At the time I didn’t think much about the name, but when I look at those words together now it sounds so literal, like a mythical place in a fictional town, Anywhere, U.S.A.  As I was thinking about your card for the week Aries, I had a sudden memory of laying on the hot cement just after having pulled myself out of pool.  It was almost impossible to keep my eyes open more than a sliver because the sun was so bright and the water on my eyelashes amplified the light.  The tiny stones in the cement also sparkled.  Later I would share a melted chocolate bar with my best friend.
Aries, they say heaven sometimes comes in slices.  This week you may be served a large bite, just a taste to keep you moving towards the rest of the pie.    
(9 of Cups/ The World Is Yours- Nas)

TAURUS
Growing up and going to the pool, my friends and I would play and invent different underwater games.  One was kind of like underwater charades, except without the language of clues that charades includes (e.g. 2 words, 3 syllables, first word etc).  Instead, we would go underwater, wave our arms and scream and shout.  Needless to say I don’t think anyone ever understood anything anyone was saying, but somehow that became part of the game.  I think it was really just an excuse to do underwater what we weren’t allowed to do above.  “Okay okay okay!  One more try, one more!” we’d say, pinching our noses and plunging back below the surface.  
Taurus, you may feel this week like no one really understands you.  Keep in mind this may have something to do with Chiron stationing this week in Pisces.  Due to this transit we all may be feeling rather isolated and alienated from one another right now. But also consider what else this wound could be pointing out to you.  Are you standing next to a speaker?  If that is the case, you might not be able to hear yourself either.  Maybe you are feeling overwhelmed by emotion and as a result it is difficult to translate your feelings into words.  This moment of underwater isolation could also benefit you expressing yourself in ways you don’t feel comfortable with on land.  
(Shaman of Swords Rev/ Cab Fare- Souls of Mischief)

GEMINI
Like lots of kids, I loved swimming.  I was like one of those wind up toys, you ‘d lower me into the water and I’d immediately start swimming across the pool.  I was very aware that there were things you could do in water which weren’t possible on land.  The underwater world was muffled, blue and slow which suited my nature quite well.  “She just LOVES the water,” my mother would tell other adults.  “I think she must be part fish.”
Gemini, you may be enjoying yourself this week, not because you are doing anything differently, but just because you may be exploring another part of yourself.  Similar to the childhood fish-part of myself, this part of yourself may have only now been discovered because you finally put yourself in the element which coincides with your discovery.    
(2 of Cups/ They Don’t Know - Tracy Ullman)

CANCER
The locker room at the public pool where I grew up was a symbolic portal between two worlds.  There was a row of florescent lights, but they seemed to provide little or no illumination.  The floor was slick like snot underfoot and littered with strands of hair.  It smelled, but only of wet cement and sunscreen.  Still, I found myself breathing threw my mouth as I stuffed my belongings into a locker.  Before you could walk through the teeth of the turnstile to get to the pool area you had to take a shower.  The shower already delivered the promise of the pool because the sunlight managed to reach a few rays around the cinderblock wall.  
Cancer, don’t get lost in the locker room this week.  If you find this moment difficult or unpleasant remember that it is in fact a passage way between two points.  If you aren’t sure where you are headed, look for the sunlight.  
(Son of Discs Rev/ I’m On My Way- Barbara Dane)

LEO
As a kid, one of my least favorite games other kids played was dunking one another underwater.  It didn’t seem like a game at all.  I was sure someone would get killed.  The few times it happened to me, I did almost drown.  But in the 80s and early-mid 90s at least, it seemed an inevitability, so after the first time it happened I learned to surrender and time my breathing according to when I surfaced, between plunges.  This was a strange form of surrender, because when you surfaced you also had the opportunity to escape which required effort.
Leo, I still think the idea of dunking people underwater, wherever it originated, was a horrible invention.  This week, however, it may be an appropriate analogy for the difficulties you could encounter.  Try to find the points of surrender and effort required in this struggle in order to come out in, perhaps, an even better place than when you went under.       
(5 of Wands/ Keep On Keeping On- Ruby Johnson)

VIRGO
As a kid it was usually an adult who was first to point out, “Your lips are looking blue, I think it’s time to get out of the water.”  I was often too busy playing to notice that my body was no longer enjoying the experience.  As I got a little bit older I would ask, “Are my lips blue?”  Eventually, I stopped ignoring my body and knew that when I was cold, it was time to get out of the water and lay on the baked cement.  I learned to enjoy those moments of repose too so it didn’t seem quite so disappointing to have to abandoned whatever game I’d been playing.
Virgo, this week you may be asking, “Are my lips blue?”  Perhaps you are coming to a realization about the next move you need to make and that move may be to climb out of the water.  But the process of coming to this understanding is important.  Try not to rush yourself out of the water before you’ve taken note of all the sensations you are currently experiencing which may eventually urge you toward your next decision.  
(9 of Wands L/ Born at the Right Time- Paul Simon)

LIBRA
The whole point, it seemed, of going to the pool was to make obstacles out of the water, challenges which were also games.  “How long can you hold your breath?” “Can you swim the length of the pool underwater?”  “Can you touch the bottom of the pool in the deep end?”  
You are embarking on a similar challenge right now Libra, and it may be helpful to see it as a game.  Consider designating something you are trying to achieve as the end or bottom of the pool.  Perhaps then it will be easier to see that what you are trying to accomplish is within reach.
(VII Chariot L/ Day Is Done- Nana Mouskouri)

SCORPIO
My memory of the event is slightly foggy so I must have been very young at the time.  I remember I was standing in the shallow end of the pool.  I suddenly felt something at my throat.  My friend who’d been bobbing in the water next to me slowed to a stop.  Her eyes locked on what I already felt. “There’s a wasp on your neck,” she said in a low voice.  Her dad hastily made his way to the edge of the pool but wasn’t wearing a swim suit. “Go under!” he said urgently.  I immediately knew this was not the thing to do, but I was used to obeying adults when they barked orders.  I sank with my stomach below the surface of the pool and had to be retrieved by another adult after I emerged screaming.  
Scorpio, trust your gut and your own intuitive awareness of how to handle a situation.  The relationship you have with anything in a position to sting you is much more intimate than someone who can’t even get in the pool.   
(7 of Wands/ The Queen- Big Ella )

SAGITTARIUS
In the time before cell phones, parents would leave messages for their kids by having them paged to the front desk of City Park Pool (the public pool where I grew up).  More than monsters or even Freddy Krueger, I was afraid of being kidnapped.  So on the rare occasion when my name crackled through the loudspeakers I’d put on a show.  First I’d count to 20, then I’d loudly shake some quarters in my hand so everyone would think I was on my way to the vending machine.   Once I was standing in front of the machine, my finger hovering over the buttons, I would sneak a peak out of the corner of my eye to see if anyone had followed me.  If the coast was clear, I’d spin quickly to face the front desk which was conveniently located opposite the vending machines.  
Sagittarius, you may have recently received an important page to the front desk of life, to the front desk of you.  There are several places you may have found yourself held up in the past, counting to 20, counting change, at the vending machines, but you are now fully prepared to answer the call and commit to the reality that you are who you are and you are here.        
(XV Devil R/ Walking My Cat Named Dog- Norma Tanega)

CAPRICORN
I still don’t understand how a back float works.  I know what one does to achieve a back float, but I don’t totally understand the physics of it.  Also I don’t really want to know.  I prefer believing there is some element of magic behind it.  Regardless, you are letting the water hold you, which is a very good practice for a Capricorn.  A few months ago a Capricorn friend of mine was expressing worry and anxiety about something she had no control over.  I suggested she put herself in water every time she felt overwhelmed by the feelings.  “Because then you can feel in your body what it feels like to entrust your weight to something bigger than yourself.”
Capricorn, I suggest the same thing to all of you this week.  The universe has your back on this one, if you let it.  
(XX Judgement/ Somebody Bigger Than You And I- Marion Williams)

AQUARIUS
I’ve only recently managed to piece together some idea of who my mother was before I knew her.  At my grandfather’s funeral her high school friend confided, “Neither of us got asked to prom.  But we didn’t care, we had our own fun.”  Last year my mom called me up while she was home visiting my grandfather, “I have to give a speech.”  “What for?”  “It’s the 50th anniversary of the synchronized swimming team, and I was one of the founding members.  I was a Valkyrie,” My mother told me rather triumphantly.  “Are you nervous?” I asked, my own stomach turning at an imagined stadium of parents, teachers and students. “No,” She said casually. “I’m not afraid of public speaking.  I even kind of enjoy it.”
Aquarius, this week you may be swimming in a sense of self that is quite fulfilling.  A piece of yourself may come back to be summarized or memorialized and others who already love you may now have an opportunity to see you in better light.  
(Priestess of Cups/ Cha Cha Cha- MC Lyte)

PISCES
A game that my friends and I would play frequently at the pool was a diving game where you would throw an object, usually a coin, into the pool and then race to see who could get to it first.  The problem with this game was in the throwing.  The thrower usually couldn’t help but direct the coin somewhere where it would be easiest for them to get to it.  And even if the thrower tried to play as fairly as possible, the other players usually didn’t trust the thrower to play fairly.  This is why an outside party would inevitably be roped into the game, usually my dad.  Even if a throw seemed to favor one person or another no one felt upset about it because they knew he had no real investment in the game.  
Pisces, as Chiron stations in your sign, emotions could be running high.  Before you make any accusations consider getting some perspective first, perhaps bounce your thoughts off of an outside party, one who has no investment in the outcome of anything you might be diving for.  
(4 of Swords L/ Here, There and Everywhere- The Beatles)

TAROTSCOPES for the week of 11/13/14

ARIES
GETTING UP TO PEE
I once had a homeopath ask me if I got up to pee in the middle of the night and if so, how frequently.  I’d never considered that this might be indicative of some sort of health problem.  I started to panic, “I…Sometimes I get up…I’d say once, or twice…wait no!  Maybe only once…I’m not sure…”  Part of the problem is that often times when you get up in the middle of the night, you are only partially awake.  The process is mostly unconscious.
Aries, this week you may experience an emotional shift, but you are likely only aware of it the way you may be aware that your bladder is empty or full.  The process of release could happen in a state of partial consciousness.  Directing your full attention to the process may actually only cause you to try to control the it or “manipulate the data,” so to speak.  Trust that this emotional release is entirely natural.  
(8 of Cups Rev/ Tomorrow Never Knows- Junior Parker)

TAURUS
WELL-RESTED
I have a deep aversion to sweeping generalizations about how much sleep “people” need every night.  Whenever someone says, “Well they say a person only actually needs 6 hours of sleep a night.”  I think, “They” who?  And what “person?”  I also get prickly when someone says, “Why are you so tired?  You got 6 hours of sleep last night.”  Typically, in order to feel “well-rested” (my nightly goal) I need a solid 8 hours with a half an hour of lazying time on either end.  I don’t usually worry about whether this is a “normal” amount of sleep, only that it is normal for me.  I like the concept of “well-rested” as a barometer of sleep because it doesn’t suggest how much time you do or don’t sleep, it simply means you got the sleep that you YOU need.  
Taurus, this week you may be feeling more well-rested, probably because you are getting the sleep that YOU need.  It is this act of listening, an act of self-love, that puts you in touch with yourself and deepens a bond which won’t easily be ruffled.    
(XI Strength/ Ghost Riders- The Space Lady)

GEMINI
A FLYING DREAM
I remember as a kid dreaming that if I used every muscle and pumped my arms I could get a good ten feet off the ground.  When I woke up my muscles were tired from flying.  I couldn’t get off the ground in my waking life, but it didn’t seem to matter as long as I retained the muscle memory of how it felt to be able to move myself into the air.  
Gemini, this week you may have dreams of flying or you are starting to visualize new desires and talents.  Even if you feel that gravity or logic holds you back in your waking life, you may only need to retain a muscle memory of the experience so you may translate that physical understanding into a form that can give your dreams lift.         
(Ace of Wands L/ Feeling Good- Chrissy Zebby Tembo & Ngozi Family (thanks Julia Factorial!))

CANCER
AN UNUSUAL DREAM
Recently, I had a dream I was hanging out at a family reunion.  We were all getting ready to eat hot dogs.  My brother appeared, in a rather frantic state, “What are you doing?  We have to get to the bank before it closes!”  I dropped the mustard and my brother and I started running across a city park.  My mom and my aunt trailed behind us with a picnic.  My aunt handed me a hot dog, like a sprinter handing off a baton.  I looked down at it wrapped in the bun and realized it looked like the butt of a giant spider.  I took a big bite out of it anyway and kept running.  To my brother I said, “Have you ever seen a close up of a spider spinning a web?”  He shook his head.  “It looks like they have fingers on their butt that spin the thread.” 
Cancer, what does this dream mean?  Freud has a few things to say about hot dogs, but I’m not sure they apply to this dream or at least not directly.  I share it with you only because your subconscious may be making very cryptic appearances.  I would encourage you not to go into too deep a psychological analysis of your dreams at this point in time.  Write them down and keep them to look back on at a later date.  There are wonderful things up ahead, but they require dedication to what you are spinning in this moment.  Trust the intuitive knowledge of your spinnerets.   
(XVIII Moon Rev/ Parallelograms- Linda Perhacs)

LEO
SIDES OF THE BED
Typically, I sleep on the one side of the bed whether or not I’m sharing that bed with another human.  I’ve done this since I was a kid.  When I was little I filled up one half of my bed with all of my stuffed animals because I didn’t want any of them to feel neglected.  As an adult I sleep on one side of the bed and on the other are usually one or two books and a pad of paper incase I get any ideas in the middle of the night.  My small chihuahua also manages to clear a significant amount of space for herself.  But there is still a portion that remains unoccupied.  For awhile I wondered if this open field was a sign of low self-esteem, maybe I was afraid to take up space.  Every so often to test this theory I make snow angels under the covers.  Now I have a new theory, which is that this open space is like a landing pad for possibility, its a portal for the creation and manifestation of dreams.   
Leo, this week you seem to be stepping back a bit to allow for something new to take shape in your life.  You may not know what you are making room for, but that’s okay.  Now is the perfect time to simply give space to your feelings and dreams.  And on the landing pad you’ve provided, new things may manifest.      
(Shaman of Cups L/ Little Wheel Spin and Spin- Buffy Sainte- Marie)

VIRGO
STARING AT THE CEILING 
Lately, I’ve been feeling so busy that when I crawl into bed at night all I want to do is stare at the blank expanse of the ceiling until I fall asleep.  I suppose this is kind of like meditating.  It is also kind of like setting the white balance when you are making a video.  For those who aren’t familiar, you have to hold a sheet of paper or something you want the video camera to read as white in front of the lens and then adjust the white balance until it agrees that the paper or object as white.  It’s the necessity and process of focusing on nothing that I relate to.  
Virgo, this week you may need to do just that, focus on nothing.  Take your time, focusing on nothing is a process with big pay offs.  It allows you to recalibrate within and connect back up with yourself and from that place you will probably find it easier to make decisions and move in the direction that best suits your needs and tastes.  
(4 of Swords/  In Another Land- The Rolling Stones)

LIBRA
REMEMBERING YOUR DREAM
There are lots of suggested methods for remembering your dreams, like going over the events of your day backwards before you go to bed or laying in the place and position you were when you woke up until the details of your dream solidify.  It is sometimes strange to observe what you do or don’t remember.  Like maybe you remember that a chair was mahogany, but you can’t remember if your dream was in color or black and white.
This week, Libra, it may be helpful to notice which details of your dream your mind clings to, whether that dream is formulated in your waking life or while you sleep.  From these pieces a new form may be taking shape.  
(7 of Cups R/ Sleep lad- Viky Mosholiou)

SCORPIO
SPOONING
At my grandfather’s funeral recently I was lying in bed feeling sad and thinking about how sadness is a rather lonely emotion.  Even when you are surrounded by people all feeling sad and missing the same person, your experience of the pain can be rather individual.  At that moment, my chihuahua, stretched and her two front paws pushed against my arm.  Even though I’m sure her motives were not as altruistic as I interpreted them I was so grateful for the reminder that a simple squeeze can’t remove sadness, but it can penetrate the feeling of isolation.
Scorpio, it is still your birthday season and there will likely be constant reminders that you are not alone.  And not only that you are not alone, but that you are loved and appreciated.  
(2 of cups R/ Plutonian Nights- Sun Ra & His Arkestra)

SAGITTARIUS
THE ALARM
When I worked as a caterer there were mornings I would have to get up at 4 am in order to deliver breakfast by the designated call time.  Knowing this I would prepare to go to sleep at 9 pm.  This involved an elaborate set of bedtime rituals like drinking two different kinds of “relaxing” teas, laying out my clothes for the next day (including socks and underwear) preparing a snack for the next morning and placing my car keys in a prominent place.  But it seems, the more you want to go to sleep, the harder it is to actually surrender to it.  My eyelids were like broken window shades that kept fluttering open.  The worst was finally falling asleep twenty minutes before my alarm.  
Sagittarius, this week you may be trying to make all sorts of preparations or plans, but the reality is you will sleep when you’re tired.  There may be an easier route to the changes you are trying to make.  Trust that this path exists and will unfold naturally when you allow yourself to surrender to and express your desires.  
(7 of Swords/ Moonage Daydream- David Bowie)

CAPRICORN
A BAD DREAM THAT MEANS SOMETHING GOOD
I’ve been looking up symbols in the dream dictionary long enough now that I know not to panic when I have a “bad” dream.  For instance, a dream that someone is trying to kill you, often just means you are going through a healing process, and the “killing” represents a purification or a release of the old stagnant part of yourself.  Dreams of public nudity sometimes point to freedom of expression and can indicate honesty and openness.  Even if you are afraid of spiders in your waking life, they are typically a good omen in dreams.
Capricorn, this week you may experience a situation as uncomfortable or upsetting, but the direction in which this experience is urging you to move, or the transition it asks you to make is actually quite positive and may be long overdue.  Try to look for the deeper meaning behind any apparent difficulties this week.
(4 of Wands Rev/ Katie Cruel- Agnes Obel)

AQUARIUS
SLEEP ITSELF
I always think its funny when someone says, “I don’t remember falling asleep.”  Does anyone actually remember falling asleep?  If you do remember falling asleep then you probably aren’t really sleeping because sleeping implies a lack of consciousness.  There is a moment however where you may consciously decide to stop fighting sleep, when you trust your body to take you where you need to go.  
Aquarius, this week you may find yourself in a similar place of surrender, trusting your body or the universe or any other elements to guide you quite naturally where you need to go.  
(XII Hanged One/ Wandering Stars- Portishead)

PISCES
NIGHTMARES
In my earliest memories I thought that sleeping on my back was an invitation to nightmares.  I had to sleep curled like a shrimp on my side.  One night a bad dream followed me into this position as well. I awoke to the reality that my plan was not impermeable.  Rather than give up on my theory I decided it was simply a sign to return to a pose of surrender and sleep on my back again.  
Pisces, this week, you may be tempted to indulge in clever ways of protecting yourself from things you probably don’t have much control over.  This is one tactic, but another may be to surrender to all your dreams and stand up, when the time comes, to the bad ones. 
(4 of Cups R/ Blue Moon of Kentucky- Patsy Cline)