Monthly Muses by Flavia – July 2021
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Monthly Muses by Flavia – June 2021
Monthly Muses by Flavia – May 2021
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Monthly Muses by Flavia – March 2021
Monthly Muses by Flavia – February 2021
Monthly Muses by Flavia – November 2020
Monthly Muses by Flavia – October 2020
Monthly Muses by Flavia – September 2020
Monthly Muses by Flavia – August 2020
Monthly Muses by Flavia – July 2020
Monthly Muses by Flavia – June 2020
Monthly Muses by Flavia – May 2020
Mid-Month Musings by Flavia – 14 April 2020
Monthly Muses by Flavia – April 2020
Monthly Muses by Flavia – March 2020
Monthly Muses by Flavia – January 2020
The outlook for January 2020 is looking favourable and prosperous. However, the key element is that we have to put in the work. And we have to be practical and scrupulous about it. Here we are working within the rules of tradition and within the pre-established structures. It requires us to apply critical thinking while adhering to a higher realm in morality and aesthetics. With the Six of Wands the year kicks in busy. And there is movement. There will be lots happening and conflicting assignments, commitments, opportunities, people and events will demand our attention. Our input will decide which way things are going to go, as well as our discernment to choose where we are channelling our energy wisely.
With the Six of Wands we are not just cruising in victorious – the card normally shows a nobleman on a horse in front of a background of sticks and crowned with a wreath symbolizing success – but our achievements are aligned per force with higher values. There is nobility of sentiment and there is a fight for noble causes that will gain us success and recognition. In this deck there is so much more to think about. There is partnership, serenity, a sense of fulfilment, and a tribe, a vast group of like-minded people, people with whom we share common ground that depend on us or look up to us for strength. So it is also a card about leadership of purpose. Others will look to us for guidance.
This is a sombre, serious month loaded with responsibility. But the gifts are coming. They are the rewards of our efforts and they will bring strength and further support to grow and develop outside our confines. The rewards will be tangible and they will come from the outside suddenly and unexpectedly. And they will compensate us in the material sense. As the Ace of Pentacles sits right in the centre of the spread we can only assume that this event, or series of practical and auspicious events, will actually dominate the month. It will be generous and absolutely depended on our own work and sense of worth, and it will lead effortlessly to the Emperor. The Emperor could be the person we become or a person who will turn up into our lives to lend us support. The Emperor is the paramount figure of knowing the self and of self confidence. The Emperor and the number IV represent structure as well. So initiation and structure is where this month is taking us. We are in for the long game. The Emperor is standing on a pedestal suggesting we better accept our elevated status and of those we associate with.
By the end of January we will find ourselves in a different place to where we started at the beginning. While looking towards the past, we are bringing it with us into the future. We are not divorced from our heritage or history or anything that has come before, because that is the basis of our strength and our security. This is clearly a process of maturation taking place throughout the month where we are standing alone in change, and responsible. The Emperor is the Masculine principle and symbol of experience.
We are looking to a dynamic and transformative month ahead bringing in experiences of higher rank and higher authority. The theme of the influencer and the presence of rules and regulations runs concurrently. Keep strong and don’t loose the focus. The gains have the potential to surpass any expectations for passion, power and wisdom.
Flavia
Monthly Muses by Flavia – December 2019
Different deck of cards from November’s reading – same 4 of Pentacles appears. If anything, this feels even more sinister. The last week of November was full of activity and pleasure, almost indulgent, and yet by the end of the month the energies quickly change. December finds us, indeed, fearful and small, clutching our material possessions and holding on to our wealth for dear life. Because of it we are diminished figures. And all things that make life beautiful are missing too. It certainly predicts a time of anxiety where our lower urges of attachment to materiality and earthly goods jump in, robbing us of our potential to participate in something greater, something aligned with our authentic self and a wider good. It is an irony. What we are holding on to is itself depriving and restrictive. Bitter, looking angry, static, immobile and trapped in a small place by our inability to let go objects of wealth, while a wonderful world is all around us, is frontal and direct.
The stability that the number four represents here transmits a sense of being bound with ending, malignant feelings, negativity, corruption, of a sense of lack of proportion to things having outlived their purpose. All around blue skies and beautiful buildings. A small flag flying in the breeze. But we sit in an energy of grey and heaviness, crushed by our own gold. Happily, this is not terminal. It is incumbent upon us all to turn this situation around. We can do this by tapping into the energy of the Fool. The cards presenting both the challenges and the solutions to our situation. Optimism, a dose of naivete, a bit of risk taking, a sense of youthfulness and curiosity, an all encompassing desire for experiences and learning out in the world will be our guide.
By comparison to the 4 of Coins/Pentacles, the Fool is hardly carrying any possessions, but he/she is traveling light with a smile and with a jolly and faithful companion. Mountains in the distant and rivers flowing, the elements of air, water, and earth exude health and freshness. In tune with artistic flavor. Butterflies are all around. Even his/her clothes are full of color and uplifting patterns. There is no holding back in confidence or aesthetics. This attitude is very important because December promises to be the month of the unknown and shifting energies. So how we approach our more intimate and the wider world can change everything. And there is an urgency about it. We might need to lose something in order to gain something more valuable. We might need to completely transform our persona in search of truth.
One way or another this slightly unassuming persona will give us the power to become the King of Swords. A card representing a conscious and upright person. A person of power, strong mentally and physically, ready to defend. Here in this deck, the King of Swords stands amide clouds, dark skies, birds flying, fields and mountains. Clearly a wintry outdoors setting. He’s dressed beautifully in blue, wearing a warrior’s helmet with feathers and in a cape of stars symbolic of his positive and intuitive character. A mature person of higher consciousness, open to communication. Open and decisive at the same time. He feels confident in self knowledge from within.
December foretells entering a much more serious epoch. A season that we are going to be called to duty in some way, and where we need to stand solid. The openness of the fool can transform a miserly to an exulted person of merit. It is a lesson in how our perception, our mental disposition and attitude can, and will make all the difference. December 2019, will conclude a highly transformative year. A brooding year. We will need to have distance to judge situations clearly and objectively, without being aloof or cold. Ultimately, we can enter the new year as more conscious and empowered self, human and caring, but ready for challenges. Now we have to take charge.
Flavia
Monthly Muses by Flavia – November 2019
Rejoice for November! Well, sort of. Not exactly. But at least the Tower is behind us now, and so are all the fast moving upheavals of October. We have entered Scorpio season and all the big planets are charging ahead. Here we have three minor arcana cards to ease us through this transformative season. It wasn’t all bad. There was adventure, achievements, dreaming and passions. The self exploded in creativity. The turbulent emotions of September and October’s manifestations have given way to the weariness of battle. There is a sense of exhaustion. The summertime has wrapped up and we are within the depths of autumn holding onto the energy of change. The most contradictory set of expressions are emerging.
In the 5 of Swords we too are moving away to somewhere else. We are collecting what has been left behind, and only the basics that we can walk away with. Because while we are still looking back, whatever it was that was going on, has come to an end. So November is the beginning of a different state of being. We are certainly not thrilled but we have survived. Perhaps there was deception and perhaps there was just too much going on to cope with. And perhaps there was loss. A scattered energy that involved others has thrown us off course. This is the day after the day before.
The 4 of Pentacles certainly is an indication that we are left trying to hold on to something material to make up for either loss and sadness from the past, or a fearful projection of the future. There is stillness. Around us there is abundance but we are not interested. Looks like we have limited our identity to a material possession. We are holding on tight to representations of wealth while we are frozen in activity or motivation. And perhaps this is the time to be practical in our approach to remove stagnation or negativity that results in us becoming immobile and entrenched.
The 8 of pentacles shows us the way out. If we are tired from the fight and have become stuck in a situation that goes nowhere, we can fall back on our skills and talents. We can immerse ourselves in study, work, creativity. Away from the madding crowd we can find our truth. With repetition and care for detailed work we can transcend. This is about mastery in everyday life. The lesson is clear.
With Mercury going retrograde in Scorpio for three weeks the focus is about knowing ourselves and being clever with our hands, going over things and perfecting, slowly moving and repeating tasks. Whatever we engage with and put our energy into is for the long term. So act wisely, be methodical, humble, filter out the noise, you’ve got everything you need to excel.
This month will end very differently to how it’s starting! It will be transformative and our mastery will be impactful! There is light in the dark. We are enlightened. And the light spreads for others out in the world as we become one with nature!
Flavia
Monthly Muses by Flavia – October 2019
The appearance of the Moon still refers to events that happened during the cosmic shake up in September. October continues to deliver dreams and imagination that have been so potent during the Pisces full moon of last month.
So the Moon which – lets not forget – moves quickly, governs events and our deepest need, is a strong indicator of mysterious happenings. Changing circumstances, seeing things under cover with all of our senses alerted, and an enhanced perception beyond the visual, are indicated with this card and its’ representation of the new moon in Libra.
It is also a caution, maybe not of mistrust, but of awareness. It is telling us not to take events, people and actions at face value. There will be misleading factors coming from our environment and from within. Things we’d like to believe, illusions and stories made up in our heads, people we idolize. Measured escapism can be inspiring, daydreaming is healing, and connecting with transcended beings is enriching. But a balance must be struck nonetheless, or we will fly away with ourselves. And we may be lost in others too.
A revelation or an insight will shake us and this could be something mental or spiritual that will bring a total collapse. What seemed solid, embedded, rooted, and secure, will be now be shaken by something akin to a lightning bolt from the universe. What is light and mobile will fly away. Something new is waiting to take its’ place. But it’s not clear what as yet. Change is inescapable. Illusions or false beliefs will not help. Truth will be destructive. A period of chaos, or a sense of chaos, is forewarned. This month is starting to look like a make or break time. What starts off as fear, anxiety or delusion, develops to an actual break-up.
The cards contain their own advice to see us through disturbing circumstances and that is to trust our inner self. Trust your intuition. Your eyes might deceive you but your core values will not let you down. But we need to go through it to come out of it. And that’s a big lesson. Ultimately, there will be a promise of opportunity. There will be growth and a potential to find ourselves in a much better place than where we were before.
The Ace of Wands is a card of achievement and passion. New projects will replace old structures. Creative energy will replace passive illusion. Belief in the cosmic plan and action to follow through our dreams will lead to triumph. But a lot of work is waiting ahead of us to materialize any of it. It’s looking to be a surprisingly intricate and eventful month full of initiations, passions and disruptions. Most of all be present, and make the best of it.
Flavia
Monthly Muses by Flavia – September 2019
We are in September and the sign of Virgo. On the 30th of August we already had the Moon, the Sun, Mars, Venus and Mercury all congregating in Virgo. That’s a lot of energy powering the Virgo domain. A bit of nostalgia and melancholia for the summer is unavoidably in the cards. We will overcome it as we absorb it in our daily lives by being pragmatic and industrious.
This is not the traditional and superbly iconic 3 of Swords we are used to seeing. Instead of the pierced heart we are familiar with, we have a sword logged deep into the earth. But the inescapable message of the month is cutting, nonetheless. This is the month of Virgo, associated with cleansing, and so cutting off from everything and anything damaging dominates every mood, every action. And this would be the story of this month in a nutshell. In fact, we have two sword cards to deal with in September.
In a landscape seemingly of ice, of water falling from above, and flowers crowning this image, a sword is cutting through all of it. It is embedded deeply. But is it logged securely? The earth looks more like ice. A person is kneeling as if in prayer and reception. A shower of clean fresh water looks like it’s falling from the sky and through a spray of unnaturally large flowers. It’s not clear in the image where the ground starts and where the sky begins, or vice versa. It’s a card of blessings. The hardness of the ice has been broken. Stumbling blocks have been removed to reveal further blessings in the form of abundant water from above and from below. Hard work is paying off. Tranquillity permeates. But there is transformation. All elements are drawn in. The birds and the trees, the flowers and the fruits of the earth, under a clear sky on a clement day.
As the card sits right next to the 7 of Cups, an unmistakable sign of dreams and wishes, gifts and objects of desire, this signifies that all these things are possible and within our reach. They can be multifaceted and complex. And they are right there in front of us ready for the taking once we let go and break free. But from what?
This can sometimes be the hardest lesson to learn and the toughest situation to be in. What needs to let go and when we have to reach out to pick up what we really want. Not what we are conditioned to think we want. Or what others want from us. Or even what we mistakenly think they want. Be mindful of your options! A lot of interpretations suggest a freeze and lack of initiative with the appearance of this card, hesitant commitment or immobile action. But standing between the two swords cards, this is very unlikely. How can it possibly be the case, as Swords are denoting moments in flux and constant change. It is likely, however, for some people this is cerebral, rather than physical moment of movement, endings and change. A moment of thinking, analysing, contextualising. Choose wisely, as they say, because you might get what you wished for. While obstacles are removed and possibilities open up, the main thing is go according to our higher purpose. The values we hold are being tested.
The 3 of Swords reminds us to cut bonds with what doesn’t serve us in order to welcome what our hearts really need. On the face of it, it might even seem unrealistic, just like these flowers and the foreground. The lay-out of the spread tells us we might not even have a choice. Events like the wind are carrying us forward.
Finally the 7 of Swords, more air element, make that point loud and clear. Cut through the deception and fake promises. There’s going to be a lot of that as well. So prepare yourself. Follow your heart. Organise yourself. Get rid of unpleasantness. Throw the rubbish away. Don’t allow yourself to be taken in by falsity and don’t let yourself be sneaky either. It won’t help. It’s not to your advantage. Right now we are all collecting what we saw from the whole year and sorting through. Stay clean body and mind. Be good to yourself and to others. Prepare for change.
Flavia
Monthly Muses by Flavia – August 2019
The aftershocks of July with its retrogrades and eclipses still reverberate as we enter August. We are still feeling the retrogrades creating confusion, and the eclipses sending dramatic messages uprooting us and tearing up old structures. Anything unforeseen is possible. So the month finds us suspended and motionless but in a halo of wisdom, not taking anything for granted, but instead seeing the world from another perspective. We maybe having had to deal with a sudden turn of events, and holding space for us and others. Mercury’s shadow period will last for a couple of weeks into the month and the eclipses could be sending a second wave of messages, urging us to follow new paths and finally conclude with situations that no longer serve us. While this is going on we can only surrender serenely to events using our restrictive circumstances, or necessary pause, to gain a new point of view and drill down to the absolute fundamentals of life. Reflect and meditate on what matters to us. What are the thing we most value? Change is inevitable and this voluntary, or involuntary, suspension will help our decision making when things pick up and energetically start moving again.
But before that happens we are reminded by the Devil that we still have some work to do. And it’s work that goes inside us. It’s personal, it’s about us facing our demons, our self imposed limitations, our fears and nightmares, anything that might be an addiction. An addiction which can be substances, inter-dependency to others, negative self-talk or simply bad habits. Anything and everything poisoning our existence that we fear is larger than us becomes pronounced. This darkness in the background that naggingly won’t allow us to enjoy a fulfilling and joyful life with others and in ourselves has to be dealt with now. The Devil card reminds us that if we want to move on and out we need to face up to it – whatever it might be. We can not hide, and it won’t be to our benefit anyway. Now is the right time to face darkness and resolve personal challenges. We have to go through to go out. So that the month promises to be very active with people and things, and in a way that would benefit us and those around us. There are going to be some tough moments in August only because we absolutely need to finish off projects, personal or professional, and move on. Once this is done, there’s no turning back.
Ultimately, this will give us the World. The World which contains all the elements – fire, earth, air and water as represented by the images depicted in the four corners of a lion, an ox, an eagle and an angel – our own contribution as we create our path in life. We are not passive in the happening of the World rather we rise and participate in creating it. The Universe is with us and Luck is on our side. Work is paying off. The time has come to celebrate our accomplishments. The end of August culminates with another new moon that will find us in a totally different place to that of when we started the month. We are now encircled in garlands of success and flying up in the air with emotion and joy.
All three cards this month are heralding change in its different forms, and demanding that we pay attention in specific areas of life. First, accepting and observing, taking our time and not reacting to events. Subsequently, dealing with honesty and integrity any negative influences or obstacles that bound us to an unhealthy situation. And finally, change is coming by reaching our goal. We have achieved what we set out to do. And quite deservedly we are ecstatic about it.
To sum up: The Hanged Man teaches us about the metamorphosis which is under way and the Devil what we have to do in order to achieve our highest purpose. There is vitality and evolution with great rewards. The recurring theme of August is bondage and liberation. Breaking old patterns too. We are all evolving.
Flavia
Monthly Muses by Flavia – July 2019
Much anticipated July is upon us. With fear and some weariness, we are told to expect nothing less than life transformative events. Astrologers, lightworkers, intuitives and everyone striving to uplift life’s frequencies is aware of the two new moons and the two eclipses that fall in July. A full solar eclipse at the new moon on the 2 July, falls in Cancer, and it’s visible mostly in south America, especially Chile. It heralds openings and opportunities. It’s a bringer of news, events, people, situations and opening of newness with enhanced energy. A partial lunar eclipse follows on the 16 July, falls in Capricorn, and it’s visible in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. This is when things fall apart, get released, crumble, deteriorate, get expunged, go away for ever. It’s an emotional time for everyone.
But there is more: Pluto, God of power and poison, ruler of Scorpio, is waiting for us in Capricorn where the lunar eclipse action takes place. Expect this eclipse to have very strong Scorpionic vibes of merging and releasing. Pluto is stationed nearby Saturn, God of time and boundaries, and together they bring a very heavy structural energy that is consuming and overpowering. Moreover, they are retrograde. Jupiter in Sagittarius is retrograde. And so is Neptune in Pisces. These are big slow planets. Their impact is inescapable and profound. But fast moving Mercury is retrograde too, meeting Mars back and forth in his travels and taking his message with him, broadcasting it loud and clear. With Venus staying at home in Cancer, the energy feels further reactive.
So what does it all mean? This is the cosmic picture. But I think the cards will bring a bit of clarity in the visual realm: as depicted with the Nine of Wands, we find ourselves at the end of a battle. Indeed we are more than half way through the year. Things have concluded. It’s not all over yet but nearly. We are upright. We haven’t fallen, but the trauma of events, conflicts and challenges we had to overcome is visible. It’s not an open wound. It’s a carefully bundled trauma. We are looking around us, taking stock, and also looking to the past. The deep past and the immediate past is still fresh in our minds. It looms big. The wounds haven’t healed yet. Some are quite sweet, the pain reminding us of achievement in battle. The exhaustion is palpable. We still are not sure, however, what will come after the battle.
No worries. Here comes the Ace of Swords to tell us: go for it. You can do it. Opportunities and options are there for the taking. A noble cause will inspire and fortify your resolve almost immediately. From now on expect the pace to pick up. Once the debris has cleared out and the poisons have left us, there’s no looking back. Things will happen fast and unexpectedly. Anger and action that comes from the heart will dominate. Feelings, our sense of initiative, ideas, thoughts, concepts, our ability to deal with challenges comes to the forefront. Cosmic forces are within and without.
And finally, we are not going to be let down. The King of Swords brings in some objectivity to the whole situation. Not only that, but the card tells us that we have achieved mastery in at least one area of life. Where the battle was, where we fought and gave it all, that’s the area where we became masters. It’s a card denoting an intellectual significance to a situation, justice and knowledge. We are now confident that we have gained those hard fought gifts and our lives are imminently much richer and healthier, away from negativity, poisons and restrictions. Despite those outward heavy structures, ultimately all victory will have to come from us. And not only we will survive, but we will find ourselves in a much better place than we were before. The King of Swords is not just full of confidence and authority but he has mastered decision-making as well. By the end of July we should have taken important decisions to act upon.
Flavia
Monthly Muses by Flavia – June 2019
It is June and summer has officially started. It’s also Gemini season when we naturally become more curious, adventurous and sociable. The new moon in Gemini is a calling to favour a breadth of activities rather than depth in what we do. And it will be busy. Venus enters Gemini on the 8th of June, strengthening the vibe of flirtation, living in the moment and finding beauty in experiences and mental stimulation. All this is taking place right in the middle of the year. It is a time for taking stock and recalibrating our intentions, examining our situation and progress. We look at our achievements in the year so far, what was a triumph, and what has let us down or veered in the wrong direction, now we can set it straight or add to previous glories.
Thinking about it from that perspective, the cards that turned up look rather ominous. Messages of bad news or difficult forebodings, even notions of misfortune. But let’s take them in Gemini style. Not one at a time, but all together simultaneously. Lets try and listen to their meaning as they all talk to us at once. What do they tell us? Perhaps they tell us: we are at the beginning of everything. In some sense or another agency is with us.
We can make a course correction as we assess where we stand in relation to people and circumstances. Even at the lowest point emotionally or physically – the number one – is that we can keep our dignity and self respect, our pride and self acceptance with humility. We might be experiencing a level of anxiety or just exhaustion from a long and demanding winter. We could be feeling a heavy energy not because we are in a bad place – indeed the opposite is just as likely – but because to get where we are, took a lot out of us.
We are still carrying a heavy load we can’t let go of, and we need support. How we feel and see the world is important. The challenges we face tell us there’s a lot that has to be resolved. In order to do this, we are going to be kind to ourselves. If we need help, we should ask for it, and it’s there for us. If others need our help, we should not hesitate. A reminder that helping others is part of our own well-being, strength and dignity. Charity starts at home and it is personal as the Sun moves through the lower part of the chart, regardless where it stands on the individual one. Love, forgiveness, generosity and everything associated with Charity will guide us in moving forward.
The Misero is moving slowly. His message is to take it easy, and keep going, bring determination and acceptance into the forefront. It’s not time yet to materialise the possibilities. But they are ahead of us. What seems rough on the outside is only the beginning, not the end. We are back at the beginning of everything every single day. And there is the other side to get to. We are not there yet. Let’s not rush the journey.
Flavia
Monthly Muses by Flavia for May 2019
The year is very reassuringly getting close to the mid point. Soon the sun with be coming over the horizon. In May we are steadily moving ahead with our projects and growing in abundance as things come to fruition. Such growth comes with the thundering power of Jupiter heralding justice
and encouraging us to have faith in ourselves and in the process. It’s a benevolent time, full of expansion. Whenever we see Jupiter presenting himself we feel rather a sense of butterflies in the stomach, because some luck is waiting around the corner. It could be something fortunate
that we might have wished for, or something that never crossed our minds, an explicit situation or thing that we desire will manifest, whether earned or just bestowed, it will be a gift. A generous gift of a positive turn of events that will make us feel hopeful and filled with trust. Health, wealth and prosperity as well as knowledge and learning are all protected domains of Jupiter. So a lot to look forward to.With it we become ourselves worthy and expanded in all things spiritual.
This mental fulfilment will be further enhanced by Philosofia who arrives in time to wrap up the meaning of what has been realised by Jupiter. Our optimism is well deserved but now it gets further qualified. We will be questioning and debating in order to make sense of daily routines and the unexpected. Words and thoughts will be paramount in the course of processing all the months’ occurrences. As things materialise we are called to honour the beauty around us and the earthly pleasures. We are becoming more busy, perhaps occasionally distracted or overly keen, and interested in a variety of things with excitement and curiosity.
By the month’s end we find ourselves becoming more refined, with an air of frivolity, more gentle, but also cheerfully more willing to help and take positive action that supports others, and that it is in the service of noble causes.
Flavia
Monthly Muses by Flavia for January 2019
We start the year under the influence and the protection of Goddess Diana. After a challenging ending to 2018, we surely need her. Beautiful, dynamic and fit, she is also skilful and able in using tools. With an arrow and bow, wearing a moon crown and a deer by her side, she’s the goddess of high and physical achievements. She represents hunting, the outdoors, earthly grounding and time. The high priest in her Roman temple was once a slave and as such she’s the guardian of all humanity, not just the privileged section of society. Associated with darkness and ruling together with her brother Apollo, she’s also aloof and mysterious. Her three faces represent wisdom and healing as the goddess of the moon, protector of childbirth, and hunting. To her left and right in our reading, we have two very powerful eights: the eight of Eagles (Swords) and the eight of Turtledoves (Clubs).
Because of the configuration of the cards we are guided to read this arrangement as a whole that is complete in itself, rather than in a chronological order of events. The symbolism of infinity in the number eight refers here to our self value and everything that is associated with our self-appreciation and authority in the world. Career, business, self-expression and a balance of self-realisation, achievements and goals are the areas influenced by this card configuration.
And Diana in this conjunction of powerful eights of air and fire is urging us to go out and after the things we value in life. It is the right time to do so. She significantly represents the moon and time. The fact that we are in deep winter in the north hemisphere is not without meaning. It is the elements of the season and our sense of belonging in the environment and everything that surrounds us that are the key to our own happiness. It is cold and everything is slowing down, seemingly closing in.
What does it all mean in practice? At the start of the year we are possibly finding ourselves in a situation where we are feeling demotivated, restricted, stagnated, even trapped by our own thoughts, and where there’s a lot of negative self talk. Diana reminds us that this is not serving us. Our conditioning and past hurts are no guiding principle for being who we really are and achieving our best. We finally want things to change. We want to step into our own authority, and we should not be afraid to take action in that direction.
The eight of Eagles represents a positive situation of movement and travel, and now we are entering a time when everything is moving fast and results will arrive quickly. Keep up with what’s going on around you, because we are going to be very busy focusing on goals and achievements. We will experience abundance with a change of perception and together with others. And through engaging with others, connecting with different cultures, we can leap forward to a better and more realised future. Don’t lose the focus. Don’t get distracted. Get moving. But stay on the ground and aim high.
Flavia
Monthly Muses by Flavia for December 2018
We have arrived at the last month of the year 2018, and the Visconti cards are giving us a lesson to contemplate and wrap up the year before we move on. It’s a melee of cards that represent transition; starting a new journey and the end of a cycle. Significantly, and for the first time, in our readings there’s a lack of humans as portrayed in the characters of the deck. Instead we have symbols and designs, shapes and colours, that are our own meditative world. To indicate and inspire an inner reality. Detached from people and events we are going to be asking deep questions about where we are headed for and how we can connect with our truth unequivocally and undeniably.
In a back and forth situation our enquiries have been answered throughout the year. With the Three of Wands we certainly start from a position of strength firmly grounded. We are confident of success, we have been here before, we know what we want. But there’s a pause. Thinking ahead, it is all about communication and movement. It relates to resources and accessing resources, as we stand at a vantage point, before making our next move. Creativity, travel, new projects and adventures are imbued with positive energy and become clearly defined. A better direction is open and available.
An abundance of opportunity and material success is there for the taking. The material world – possessions and money – is all around us. The Nine of Pentacles represents the rewards of life; hard work and leisure, mind and emotions, a practical, disciplined and contented mind. Through our own activities we have a lot to be grateful for that has come into fruition. However, as we find ourselves in a place of material luxuries, and while we have entered the slow season, we need to ask if what we have achieved in the practical world matches our inner world, our ethics, our beliefs, our dreams. And therefore the Nine of Pentacles mostly becomes an invitation to live in truth and realise that other things matter than working for money. A strong sense of self must be balanced with a spiritual life that includes the pursuit of learning, literature, beauty, poetry, art, cooking, travel or any form of creative expression.
And no doubt the gravest and more profound lesson comes together in the Nine of Wands. The many wands of the card create a conflicting and very complex situation of both protection and restriction. Because of the positive and challenging aspect, this is a difficult card to read. The fact that it dramatically denotes completion, closure, endings makes it particularly gloomy. An enclosed environment that is there to protect from harm may have turned into a self created jail. A prison of our own making due to past hurt and trauma. But strength is invulnerability. Therefore we should see this as a card that supports us to keep going with open minds and no regrets. Shedding prejudices and bad thoughts that poison our everyday lives. Having to overcome adversity, situations, relationships and events that have wounded us, we should remind ourselves of how strong we really are emotionally, physically, intellectually, and to let go of anything that holds us back as the cycle closes. The past is not the future. Accept change and a brighter beginning is here.
Flavia
Monthly Muses by Flavia for November 2018
Death and rebirth. Endings and beginnings. New approaches are imminent with the cosmic card. It is all change for the fundamentals of life. But what takes priority is a new way of thinking, of conceptualising, of understanding and dealing with everything around us. The opportunity to think in a new way for ourself and our passions is manifesting right now. Action on all fronts will follow but at this moment perception is what changes. And it changes so profoundly that nothing will be left untouched. It’s a renewal from within. Eventually, all its effects will be felt without.
Our visions will become bold and infused with desire and Strength as a most powerful tool. Our internal personal Strength of character to do the right thing for all will support our renewed way of thinking. And it’s thinking once more that moves buildings and shakes everything standing. In this context Strength is confidence and responsibility; it is knowledge and it is justice. Read as Fortitude or Lust, Strength is in effect a card that tells us how to control our world through trust and cooperation. We are in change in a way that we can all benefit and gain from a joyful context in which we can interact. It is not a solitary card but one of sociability and positive influence. Care and good will triumph in the end.
As the slow season approaches it is supported by stability and compassion. Our achievements are integrated. This is confirmed by Euterpe, the Muse of Lyric Poetry and a Titan goddess of memory. She will inspire and entertain us with her delightful artistry. We can take joy in our abilities, courage and accomplishments that we reached so far in manifesting our purpose. In many small ways and in big ways we need to review, and, with bold energy, appreciate the good news. With Euterpe by our side we know we can smile. Her sister Polymnia – a more sober figure – meditative and pensive as well as ethereal and luxuriant is responsible for transmitting those changes and advancements, praising far and wide our virtues, excellence and many adventures. A Muse associated with Agriculture as well as the Art of Epic Poetry, here she presides over the third Harvest marking the end of growing season as autumn rolls in. With the coming of winter and the season of rest we can be assured that our name will glow and we will shine on our past commitments and hard work. While we stand still our dramatic glorious story will travel far and wide.
Flavia
Monthly Muses by Flavia for October 2018
Thunder and lightning, judgement and truth. When Jupiter is upon us we can expect gifts and rewards. The generous outcome of work on earlier projects, the materialisation of dreams, the expansion of wealth, and even a bit of luck. We are moving from experts to authority, and everything is on grand scale. The transition to the new season has arrived with a bang. The God of truth is looking at the future and we can no longer hide or pretend. With the harvest on full mode this is the time when our efforts will reveal the fruits we can gather. And in fact we are moving ahead and beyond harvest trying to make sense of accomplishments and events. The outside world is our home. Jupiter will shed light on what needs throwing away to make space for a healthier and more productive future, as we continue gathering, assessing and reorganising.
Happiness is important too, however, as the season changes we are looking at our past with longing and nostalgia. As we move into darker days and colder nights, we reminiscence of warm days filled with the sweet smell of flowers and the sounds of birds, ducklings and baby swans. We imagine ourselves in picturesque dwellings, and fairytale scenarios. We will drift to thinking about homely environments, children and innocent love of the type that is unequivocal, reciprocal and unconditional. No doubt under the influence of Jupiter with his grandstanding, and the Six of Doves with their nostalgic idealism, we will be prone to romanticising and overdramatising, overconfidence and overindulgence is more than likely to show up. Perhaps even some laziness and delusional thinking. The cards are happy and optimistic but there lies their trap.
When life goes that way, there’s no point trying to rationalise and fake unreal emotions. Our senses and our intuition will carry us forward. After an active and intense summer there’s no need to spend too much energy. Calm beauty and holding on to a bit of mystery will go a long way now. We are starting to go inside ourselves while at the same time we connect with others and become receptive to their needs. The past is there to give us strength for the future. There’s no turning back. However, there’s only one way to go. We have come out in the world and we’re collaborating at work and committing in relationships with others. We are much more mature and sensitive to the forces around us. The Queen of Cups, or the Queen of Phoenixes as in this deck, is full of love and compassion. Her lesson? Kindness will win the day.
Flavia
Flavia’s Monthly Muses for September 2018
September arrives in a sombre mood. The Mantegna deck is back in full force with Theology, the Emperor, and the Artisan. Moreover, as the Theology card indicates larger forces take prime position. However, the stage is set for a resolution. This card is a call to be humble, accepting and to keep the faith. Have the belief that things will go according to plan. It’s a call to release and surrender. Theology as a discipline is a discussion concerning deity. It begins with the assumption that the divine exists in some form. And Theology is not a fatalistic or a pessimistic card in any way but a way of understanding experiences and concepts; interpreting real life. On the contrary, as it happens with September, we are all thinking about harvest in its real and in its symbolic meaning. An indication that we have done all the work. Mentally, we can let go of worry. Rewards are to be expected. They relate directly to our own authenticity. We enter the season of completion. It’s been a long and intense summer. Yet, it’s not over. Now collecting is starting. Throughout September things, events, people are coming to us. We have to be strong in ourselves because it’s not all going to be as we at first thought – for sure. A larger than us plan is materialising. Harvest is going to be long and busy.
Clearly this is better defined by the next card – which is in many ways a controversial one. One that is so expansive and full of contradictions and conflicting views that this short blog does not allow us to develop. But, here’s the thing: an overtly patriarchic card, The Emperor, dominates present time. It asks the question, could it be a definition of self, a situation, a male figure or an approach? Will a teacher, a friend or artist, dominate and influence our decision making process? Is this the time of the year when organising and planning takes all? Are we perhaps obsessing with alphabetising our collection of objects, and building a structure with hierarchical method of prioritising our business? This is a card that asserts authority whatever the right answer. It’s about conformity, protection and systems organised in order to retain maximum control. It’s a power card. And it’s about change. Inevitable change that will put us on a path of growth and advancement as events, themes or ideas initiated in the summer (and even much before then) materialise into concrete projects, relationships and things, financial viability and stability. Absolute confidence and demanding focus will take us straight to our goals. It’s not easy but it can be fun, though to be sure logic will prevail. We will enjoy the self confidence and assertiveness associated with the Emperor card as we forge ahead with concrete actions towards tangible results.
We already had a spiritual card, Theology, and a card of logic, The Emperor. Finally, The Artisan comes to complete the picture, contextualising through a materialistic and pragmatic approach. It is technical skills and our ability to work through these situations as they have developed and are unravelling that ultimately will bring about a resolution. Keep the faith, be logical and use your skills. One last point to make: these are all esoteric, highly personal, individualistic cards. Even if you want others to succeed, you’ll have to take care of the self first. September is building up this way. The focus is on the singular person. The winds of change are blowing. But protection and success, will come through leadership and authority. Technical skills will embed the outcome.
Flavia
Flavia’s Monthly Muses for August 2018
Carnal desires and passions will flare up in August. Irrationality will rage. Temperaments are wild. But, no matter what, we will feel dissatisfied. In this Topsy-turvy month nothing is as it seems. Let’s start with the cards, and my personal experience of arriving at the crossroads that is this August.
My regular Muses deck disappeared. They seem to have abandoned me. So I couldn’t do a reading and frustration started to overtake me. Then I thought I’ll go along with what’s available to me. At that point The Marziano deck came to the rescue. It saved me and I love learning from it in unexpected ways. And this might be the greatest lesson we can take away with us as we look at the cards and think of August: when you experience something has been taken away from you, perhaps something else is already manifesting to take its place. Accept it. Appreciate its value. It’s there for a reason.
The Marziano/Michelino is not a standard tarot deck. It is a Rennaissance creation reinterpreting Graeco-Roman religion and Egyptian knowledge westernised for fifteenth century Italian aristocracy. So a piece of social history and early European craftsmanship. It’s roots are in a philosophical game of cards using allegory to deliver real life messages. As frivolous or as profound a divinatory process as the players themselves involved in the ritual. The deck has 16 trumps of Deities, 2 court cards, and 4 suits consisting of Doves, Turtledoves, Eagles and Phoenixes.
We shouldn’t be surprised that the Phoenix which is heavily used in Christianity as a symbol of regeneration and in other religions as a spirit animal of the Sun power and cleansing energy sprung from its’ all consuming fire first thing in our reading. The Phoenix totem brings a message of hope and renewal through letting go of things that do not serve us anymore. A breakthrough is imminent. Our present condition should not limit us. The 7 of Phoenix, is a card of growth and achievement but it is a bitter card. We have not quite got there. Or what we’ve got is not quite what we wished for. There is despondency and a sense of looking down on what we are left with. It doesn’t seem fair. Or it’s not enough.
In fact the 5 of Doves is a further confirmation of our sense of loss and disappointment. We are practically cloaked in misery at this point. Whether real or imaginary, we are not acknowledging all the positives we are surrounded with at this height of summer. The rich fruits of our labour that have started arriving. They are extraordinary and looking down on them will not be doing anyone justice. All cards this month belong to the feminine suits of Doves and Phoenixes. Even Cupid is part of the Doves series which is thought to represent the Pentacles in a traditional tarot deck. The desirous suits representing passions and emotions dominate everything.
And as such there is generosity and abundance, money, beauty, success, but with the underlying reminder that we are going to have to let go of the dead fruit. We can’t take them with us for the rest of the year. The 5 of Doves here are telling us that we are indeed having a hard time. It’s a time of transition however that should lead to a more fulfilling future. The solution to our troubles whether emotional of material has manifested though it is not visible to us yet.
Of course, how could it be otherwise if we are going to finish the month hit by Cupid’s arrows? Cupid is random, heartless, and is playing games. But he is fun when he strikes, and no one will escape him! No good trying. Even Jupiter himself couldn’t avoid being hit by his arrows. Be sure, he will bring meaning to everything we do. It could be actual love, or love of a project, new idea, new conditions, new places. It’s all good, and it’s all there for the taking.
Flavia
Flavia’s Monthly Muses for July 2018
July is turning out to be a complete and complex month of everything. We left the end of June in a rather subdued if contented mood. Rewarded for our troubles but still left the month in a veil of secrecy. There is anticipation for bigger things to come. Revelations haven’t started to unfold yet. The mood is one of modest enjoyment. When Temperance arrives she tells us to keep it this way. She’s the Goddess of self control over excess. She’s depicted in traditional iconography with two vessels pouring water from one to the other. Let us follow her. As one of the six virtues in positive psychology, together with wisdom, courage, humanity, justice and transcendence, puts us in charge. We are the masters of our own destiny. And we have to be cool and calm about it. A moderation in action, thought and feeling is called for. Temperance represents our own restrain and self discipline over rash emotions such as anger, harmful desires of overindulgence, and negative thinking of revenge. Our powers are ever stronger and they come from within. Use them wisely, prudently, and lovingly.
And here is how it can be achieved. Temperance is followed by Poetry. Poetry is what we all know as a form of literature we are more or less familiar with. We’ve probably read grand poetry at school, we had our own favourite poetry books and sang songs. Hopefully we still do. Some of us may have even written some poetry of our own. We all now need a bit more of this for our well-being. In ancient Greek the word has its roots in the term ‘making’. And indeed poetry has a long history and may predate literacy. So we can open up and think of poetry in a wider sense of creative activity of making things that can involve aesthetics, rhythm, repetition, memorization and structuring. We can manifest the best of us by engaging in doing and making. This is truly an action month of high purpose.
Now with a good measure of Temperance under our belts and our selves put in the making motion, noble causes call for our attention. We will be handling unfinished business with care. The past has not gone away. Unexpected events and sudden changes will remind us that we must defend our values and others that are vulnerable and need our help. We will run to their aid with a sense of urgency. Energy will be amplified by the months end. Emotions will run high throughout the month and action will be in the making and in manifesting. We will all find ourselves in a cliffhanger before August arrives. Love, money, materialising ideas are in the making but not ripe yet. The change however from one to the other will be sudden and staggering. The Knight, whether on foot or on horse, arrives full of energy and ready for action.
P.S. Remember that July is a complex month. To survive it and triumph at the end, we need Temperance (self-discipline) and Poetry (making) throughout. The Knight although not important in himself, (he’s a servant, he’s here to help us) he will bring with him the energy and support we need. Ask for help and you will get it. Keep cool, take it easy, and keep making, to prepare for a more dramatic August around the corner.
Flavia
Flavia’s Monthly Muses for June 2018
June is speeding through with all the power that went into spring during the new moon in Aries on 16 April. The need for rest of early April was swapped for the desire to succeed as the month moved on. By now in mid June we are all spinning out of control balancing the additional plates that joined us in May and the others sitting quietly in the back burner since January. But there’s no time to stop. Nor do we want to drop any of them. Plans and past projects, people and situations are developing urgency at an even faster pace. And it’s not high summer yet.
So the energies are moving fast. But what does it all mean for us? How are we placed in these happenings? And what is the best way to deal with it, and make the most of our selves and our situation?
So the answer to our many questions came quick and unequivocal with the presence of Terpsicore. Don’t ask any questions. Just join in. This is our immediate environment.
Terpsicore is one of the nine Muses in Graeco-Roman mythology and part of the ancient Greek Pantheon. She represents happiness in dance and choral song. Therefore she reminds us about the joy in group activities and being part of others’ lives. So keep going. Don’t think about it. Enjoy it. The way to know the other is being part of the other. Moreover, we will never understand something unless we try it ourselves. This is the lesson Terpsicore is teaching. So this card is really an invitation and an encouragement to participate in everything that life has to offer and this is the time to do it.
This is how we come to the second card. It’s Venus. An acceleration of events will be inevitable. But it’s all positive. When the Roman Goddess Venus arrives we know it’s unashamedly all about earthly pleasures and material goods. Of course we’re all familiar in some way with Venus. But one aspect of Venus to think about here is that she normally is either holding a purse or she’s surrounded by water. Her association with the elements, is an association with wealth. When she appears, this is the time to make the most of all the gifts of life. Beauty, aesthetic, goodness, luxury, elegant objects, money, eroticism and some frivolity will be the order of the day throughout June. And we shouldn’t even think about resisting. Holding back is not an option while so much activity is happening all around. The best course of action would be to immerse ourselves in the productive flow of people and things. Both cards are pointing in the direction of love and family affection, and health and spiritual life. For those who want to focus on improving their physical condition, emotional health and general state of being, June is turning out to be a massive ally
By the end of June a much sombre mood is upon us with pensive Muse Polymnia. June will conclude with the urge to start taking stock of our situation. Polymnia represents dance and religious hymns, sacred poetry and agriculture. Keep in mind that the Muses’ father is ancient Greek god father of all gods Zeus (Giove in Latin) and their mother is Mnemosini. Zeus represents justice. Menemosini represents memory. And Polymnia is especially connected to memory and justice herself. She appears in Dante’s Divine Comedy in Paradise where she is blessing past achievements with her particular world music. Our work and efforts will be praised. Polymnia, just as she’s portraited in Dante’s Paradise, represents recognition. Reward for our skills is on the way and it can go high and wide. With it there is responsibility which means that this card is suggestive of events that go far into the future. Polymnia wears a loose veil or mantle wrapped around her body. Her hair is elaborately tied at the back. Things are hidden and secrets are alluded in her posture. Beyond the month’s end and in a much more serious note, we will feel the effects of this June in unexpected ways. A reminder that harvest is on the way. Mystery too. And a whole new mood will follow.
Flavia