'Tis the Season of Juiciness in the Land of the Divine Spiralling Rainbow Tribe ...

You’re going to need something to clean up with, because the next couple of months are sure to be sweaty, sticky and sweet.

ASTRO OUTLOOK

VENUS IN LEO

13 July ~ 5 August

Hot, sticky, dripping, juicy, wet Venus in Leo spraying drama and romance all over July and August. Romantic Venus is now happily prancing through lively Leo until 5 August. We're eager for some fun of our own (aided by Mercury now in Leo). Love becomes larger than life with incredible romantic opportunities. During this time, romance is going to go into overdrive as Venus moves into Leo.

MERCURY IN LEO

13 July  ~ 30 July

You'll speak with such flair that no one will be able to resist your words. Mercury in Leo is about self-expression and self-promotion. Mercury and Venus now in Leo bring out our inner diva, we want to give attention and receive attention, share what we know, but may have a harder time than usual getting out of our own perspective and walking in another shoes. The Leo can bring us out of our shell, we just have to decide if we want to reach out for personal grandstanding, or the collective good. Mercury in Leo is about putting our best self forward, facing life's challenges with a positive attitude, and making your own creative contribution known.

SATURN RETROGRADE

ends 13 August

Since this retrograde came into effect on 25 March, we've been dealt some blows and had called into stark reality, perhaps in unpleasant if not downright dark and violent ways, areas of ourselves and our lives (and our world, especially with regards to power structures and authority figures) that demand change, which can only come about through arduous, hard work. As it goes direct in August, we begin to pick up the pieces and go about the process of (re)establishing the order and structure and sense that is needed for the future. We also begin to (re)claim our own personal sense of sovereignty, power and authority over our own lives, refusing to hand that over any longer to anyone or anything that is not in alignment with our highest good.

NEPTUNE RETROGRADE

through 17 November

Reading between the lines gets easier with Neptune retrograde. You might have a heightened intuitive awareness now, but it could not be so easy to trust it at first. Allow yourself time to meditate or just sit with your hunches and honor what is flowing through your mind. The fogginess is a tool Neptune uses to help us move beyond our attachment to the physical realm, and into a more elevated space. Neptune retrograde is often very positive because the clouds of confusion often pull away allowing us to see things clearly.

We are more introspective and more receptive to our inner voice now. We may also feel more emotionally vulnerable. It is common to feel a greater need for seclusion and privacy when Neptune's influence is strong. Neptune also opens our hearts in compassion and understanding, which helps us see our commonalities more than our differences. As we absorb Neptune's wisdom, we begin to accept the truth of oneness and the interconnectedness of all that exists.

Since Neptune is in the sign of Pisces, whose co-ruler is Jupiter in Virgo, expect a new dose of clarity when it comes to your day to day habits and your job. Take note of any insight you receive as it may have seriously implications in the future.

TAROT for the SEASON OF JUICINESS

The Yoga Tarot

CARD FOR JULY : 3 of Pentacles Reversed

Ponder this ...

• Am I expressing or pursuing my desires in the right way ?

• Am I missing what the moment has to offer because I’m so worried about wha’t supposed to last ?

• Am I cultivating the right kind of reputation ?

« Regard your good name as the richest jewel you can possibly be possessed of -- for credit is like fire; when once you have kindled it you may easily preserve it, but if you once extinguish it, you will find it an arduous task to rekindle it again. The way to a good reputation is to endeavour to be what you desire to appear. » ~ Socrates

Reputations are on the line this month. Our reputation could get tarnished if we find ourselves associating or associated with the wrong crowd. We can also do ourselves a disservice if we give in to bragging or indiscretion. What we do over the next few weeks is going to have lasting repercussions to how others perceive us, with misperceptions likely to develop … so conscientiousness is key.

But remember … reputation is pretty much in the hands of others because it’s their perception of you. Little control we have over that. What we do have control over is our character. So it will be the character we live by this month that the reputation will follow. Only invest in that which enriches your character.

There are questions and assessments needed regarding the makeup of who we’re working with, how we’re collaborating, and whether it may be time for us to go it on our own. 

Let work take a holiday. Be intentional in making time for fun, frolic and play. Don’t just wait for the week-end, or plan things that are fun, creative, distracting then. At least one day a week (fi not more) over the next four weeks, carve out a portion of a workday to go off and do something non-work related.

Recent studies have shown that our creativity and productivity are far more greatly enhanced when we breakup our periods of intense focus rather than the more traditionally agreed on approach of just buckling down and getting the job done. It’s recommended that we spend no more than about an hour intensely focused on any one activity or task. Our brains need time to daydream, to drift, to relax and process, to recharge. So, for example, an hour of really diving in to that project followed by a period of time of something that doesn’t demand so much brain power, like cleaning out that desk drawer or going and sitting outside to just chill, observe, capture a Pokémon gym.

For our Venus in Leo suggestions, we turn to the Tarot Sutra by Patricia Canova, MSC :

• Purchase erotic sculpture, art or books

• Drop hints of amorous affection

• Subtly suggest rather than offering up details

• Cultivate curiosity, envy, a lust for more

• Experiment with things that are ephemeral, in the moment, here today and gone tomorrow (it’s not meant to last)

Cosmic Tribe Tarot

CARD FOR AUGUST : 3 of Wands Reversed

Ponder this ...

• Do I keep looking for « the other » when what I've been looking for has been right here all along ?

• Am I letting fear of intimacy and vulnerability cause me to withdraw and cut myself off from the outside world ?

• Am I trying to do too much, too fast ?

• Who/What/Where is my safe harbour ?

« The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page. » ~ Augustine of Hippo

We can be feeling extra sensitive and less than generous. But this is likely rooted in issues, fears, unresolved traumas related to intimacy. We're tending to pull in and away rather than be open and welcome ... fear of vulnerability.

We can get so caught up in thinking and then believing that we seek, what we need, what will make us happy, lies somewhere « out there » in the hands and power of « the other. » 

When we feel we have no safe harbour, let us return to the one that we carry within.

But we are reminded this month of August that what we seek, what we need, can be found right in our own backyard. Instead of looking out, look in. Happiness, peace, joy, serenity, saitsfaction, fulfilment all reside at the very core of ourselves. Let us work to move past making those things dependent on external forces and influences.

We may have a tendency to go overboard this month. Be careful not to over indulge, do too much (too fast) ... or, to give in to the temptation of shutting down, shutting out.

Isolationism and xenophobia may be strong currents during the month. Let's make sure we don't allow ourselves to get swept away by those currents, seeing the adventure of what lies beyond rather than the fear of the foreign.

For our Venus in Leo suggestions, we turn to the Tarot Sutra by Patricia Canova, MSC :

• Take comfort in the desires, fetishes, activities that are proven to turn us on and get us off rather than venturing into the land of experimentation with the new right now

• Take your shoes off and explore the sensations of the feet as often as possible (foot massage, reflexology, tickling, toe sucking)

• Don't spend the night ... leave them longing for your presence along with a surprise gift as a reminder you were there (and making them remember what you just experienced together)

• Let your lover have some space in the closet, or a drawer, or the medicine cabinet to leave something of theirs (and/or you ask to be able to do so at their place)

Roots of Asia Tarot

CARD FOR SEPTEMBER : XVIII The Moon Reversed

Ponder this ...

• What is being revealed that I need to take heed of ?

• What do I see now that the fog is lifting, the veil is parting ?

• Am I keeping a secret thinking that it will never be discovered ?

• Can I look on the bright side rather than giving in and giving up to the darkness ?

« And when I wake up it's wonderful, like I've been carried quietly onto a calm, peaceful shore, and the dream, and its meaning, has broken over me like a wave and is ebbing away now, leaving me with a single, solid certainty. I know now. » ~ Lauren Oliver

On the one hand, the Moon reversed suggests that September will be a month of insight and clarity (the peaking energy of the Neptune retrograde). Things reveal themselves that allows us to understand or move forward with determination and lack of doubt. This may also be a time when things we have been trying to keep hidden or under wraps are revealed ... let's make sure we stay ahead of that rather than thinking we can keep up the illusion or deception forever and then suffering the fallout of consequences.

On the other hand, we can be quite prone to giving in to the darker emotions. This could signal a period of deep depression. Or, it could be a time when we feel the haze is lifting and the emotional waters are parting to allow us to finally feel as if we are moving forward in our healing process.

The choice will be up to us as to whether we are willing to accept things as they are being shown to be, or dive ever deeper into despair and illusion in order to cling desperately onto a narrative and defining of the self that we need to have be real.

We're moving towards a brighter, more optimistic period (just wait until Nov/Dec with the Saturn trine Uranus that is coming ;D ). How to move into that brighter, sunnier space will become more and more clear over the next couple of months.

So don't despair ... don't give up ... don't give in to the dark side ... it gets better.

Seasonal Divination : Spring 2016

SEASONAL DIVINATION • SPRING 2016

Hello to everyone from beyond to all those who are beyond the binary ...

My name is HiC, and I'm here to offer some seasonal divination posts that will, shockingly, appear seasonally around the solstices and equinoxes.

They are designed to offer insight and guidance around the energies swirling in the heavens that can impact our lives.

So, first, let’s take a look at some of the astrological patterns that colour the rainbow of the next few months.

The first 8 ~ 9 months of the year are characterised by the preponderance of retrogrades all piling on top of each other. This can indicate a period in which there is a need to pull back, that we can encounter greater push back then normal, and that we need to take a step back in order to engage in re- types of activities (re-assess, re-visit, re-st, re-charge, re-sist, re-do, re-vise, re-member, re-negotiate, re-fresh, re-treat, etc).

It’s also key during these months to take things slowly, carefully, cautiously. Stay within the budget. Proceed at a cautious pace. Be conservative in our approach and perspective. Avoid giving in to impulse, temptation, instant gratification.

The slower the pace, the better off things will go and turn out. And, if you can, just sit May out as much as possible to let the storm pass.

But fret not … the last three months of the this year will bring rewards and results for patience and perseverance, likely in surprising or unexpected ways.

All of the swirling retrograde energies are highlighted below. But first ... let's take a look at how we can best navigate this Spring season to get the most out of it.

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CARD

• April King of Wands
• May X The Wheel
• June II The High Priestx

HERBAL ALLY

• April Cinnamon
• May Slippery Elm
• June Peony Root

CRYSTAL ALLY

• April Azurite
• May Carnelian
• June Aquamarine

APRIL • King of Wands • Cinnamon • Azurite

We need to be in full control of when, how, where and towards what we channel our energy. This is about a stable, sustained energy that gets us through the longterm rather than short, nuclear bursts that may have an immediate beneficial effect or impact, but can also, and more likely, cause disruption to destruction.

Let’s take a step back and reaffirm our connection and relationship to our destiny, seeing ourselves as the one who is in control of it rather than feeling or allowing our destiny to be in the hands of outside influences.

Stand tall in your creativity and in your experience. Tap into what you’ve already accomplished and let that be where you operate from. This isn’t necessarily the best time to be going after new, untested goals and projects.

Be a leader who knows how to inspire rather than a controlling or manipulate leader that intimidates others into acquiescence.

MAY • X The Wheel • Slippery Elm • Carnelian

Things are spinning and changing, often due to forces outside of our control.

Let’s turn our attention inward and come back to centre, to a place of feeling grounded amidst the whirlwind of activity that is swirling around us and churning things up.

Be careful with over reaching or taking too many risks or too big of chances. Things can spin out of control extremely easily. Or, we can get dizzy and fall off the rails, making decisions from a confused, not-quite-sure perspective that can cause challenges later.

Step back and allow change to happen. Let’s not try to push it, force it, rush it. Let’s also not try to avoid it, slow it down, or stop it. Just let change happen. We’ll make sense of it later and figure out where to go as a result. For now … just buckle up and ride the wave of change with a vomit bag tucked discreetly away just in case it’s needed at certain moments. But know that, a bit of rest to calm the nerves and settle the stomach will do wonders.

So knowing when to step back, step off, slow down and take care of ourselves will be key during this month.

JUNE • II The High Priestx • Peony Root • Aquamarine

Things settle down a bit and now we just float for awhile.

We know there are things beyond our comprehension that are forming and taking place. Let’s embrace the mystery and await the revelation of something more concrete or tangible before proceeding.

Balance wants to be restored … and so, if we can give stillness a chance, we will find that we can regain our footing and return to a place of understanding that will open up a wider, broader landscape of what has happened, what has shaken apart, what is coming in on the winds, and what we’re now ready for and where we’re now ready to move towards.

No rush … because the mysteries unfold and unveil themselves to us in their own time and in their own way. They just ask that we relax and release ourselves into them. They’ve got our back … so this is our opportunity to do trust fall into them.

They won’t force, but they will beckon. They won’t compel, but they will likely impel. They won’t show us, but they will reveal themselves when we show ourselves ready to see and receive them.

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JUPITER RETROGRADE
January 2016 ~ August 2016

• Contraction.
• Focus on need over want.
• Look around for what’s needed closer to home rather than « out there » somewhere … you might miss what’s actually available.
• Don’t take big or unnecessary risks.
• Rein in the spending.
• Put plans for expansion on hold to take more time for planning, saving, gathering resources.

SATURN RETROGRADE
March 2016 ~ August 2016

• Don't push ahead in business or push for immediate results or demand satisfaction in general. Instead, take stock of where you are now and how you can improve.
• Take care of unfinished business and tie up loose ends that are interfering with our pursuit of important goals.
• Efforts to organize people or ideas can slow down.
• Work may not go as planned, but delays can prove fruitful in the long run.
• Find the missing pieces.
• Refine the work at hand, the final product will be better as a result.
• Reorganisation of security, structure, and authority, who’s in charge and how the work gets done.
• A shakeup of people in positions of authority, shifts in power, and changes in the polls.
• Be more ponderous and reflective rather than ambitiously striving to achieve outer goals.
• Extra obligations at this time could prove to be more burdensome and draining than anticipated.
• Slow down and to be more careful about wasting or misapplying resources.

MARS RETROGRADE

April 2016 ~ June 2016

• Lower energy levels.
• Pull back and reconsider the path we are on and how to improve our chances up ahead.
• Not a good time to start a big new project—the odds go way down you’ll get traction and immediate progress.
• Aggressors lose – not the time to start any legal proceedings or fights/contests.
• Lay some important groundwork, but spend the next several weeks going over it with a fine-toothed comb.
• Utilise this retrograde phase as a personal "time out » to have far less anxiety about any upcoming stalls.
• Let things proceed at their own pace rather than trying to push, force, accelerate or initiate.
• Things can blow up in our face from the smallest spark.
• Cooler heads and more compassionate interactions prevail.

MERCURY RETROGRADE

May 2016

• Avoid finalising things.
• Get a second opinion.
• Miscommunication and misunderstandings can be far more likely.
• Listen more, talk less.
• Observe more, be caught up in less.
• Re-send.
• Research.

JUPITER SQUARE SATURN

26 May 2016

• Uncertainty.
• Frustration.
• Confusion.
• Instability.
• Caught between voices of optimism and pessimism.
• A summing up process.
• Desperately clinging to old ideals.
• Something old gives way to something new.
• A period of chaos, crisis and resistance to changes.
• A breaking point with the last roots of the old (80’s and 90’s) as we enter into a period of turbulence and instability over the next year – especially around security and financial stability.
• Take full inventory of our current situation in order to decide what areas of our lives should be pursued (Jupiter) and what should be cut back (Saturn).
• « Raise our game » to overcome current obstacles.
• Plan for how to implement the vision. 
• Rise above self-righteousness and fanaticism to embody tolerance and respect.
• Tendency to push forward without having the necessary information.
• Wait things out and find solutions that work for you rather than just jetting off into unknown territory.
• Trouble brewing in love relationships which are already experiencing disharmony.
• Compromise may be difficult to achieve.
• Debt can become more difficult to manage without a restructuring and cutbacks and the implementing of a budget.
• Overspending can lead to increased financial hardship. 
• Strict self-discipline in order to restrict/avoid extravagance.
• Hard work and perseverance during this time can lead to increased wealth and security.
• Increase in hostility.
• Conflicts can easily escalate with no clear victor.

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You can find HiC at : Tarot by HiC or on Facebook

Offering Information • Insight • Empowerment • Enlightenment, HiC is a Tarot Conversationalist, Coach, and Ritual & Magic Consultant who has been working with the Tarot for over 16 years. His readings have been described as “a tarot reading, therapy session and life coaching session all in one.” He offers his services using the Tarot combined with healthy doses of numerology and astrology, a splash of i-Ching, a taste of Feng Shui, and practical application.

Along with a heaping spoonful of magic and ritual, HiC assists you in crafting what can enhance and manifest your life in the fullest, most beneficial and blessed way possible by discovering practical, useful information that can be used to change your life for the better. HiC’s approach to a reading is creating a space that honours the person and allows them to open the door to, ultimately, have a conversation with him- or herself.

HiC is also the host of popular Internet radio shows (r)Evolution and The Amethyst Oracle : Divination with a Queer Twist on the SoulVox Network which can be found on BlogTalk Radio or on iTunes.

Find out more about HiC’s offerings and how to contact him for a private session at http://www.tarotbyhic.net.