elements
Monthly Tarot Forecast: April 2024
This month the Queen of Wands, a figure of authority and natural leadership, brings confidence, determination, and the ability to charm and inspire those around us. She is the Queen of Fire, symbolizing creativity, vitality and passion.
In the coming month we should be attuned to our ambitions as they may be strengthened. We may feel inspired to set new goals and make firmer decisions. There will be new motivational energies in our careers or businesses that will make it easier to keep our work goals and projects on track. This same energy will push us to get things done and take us to the next step.
The energy of the Queen of Wands calls us to tap into our inner self with instinct and confidence. As we face challenges in our professional or personal lives, our greatest asset this month is our self-awareness and ability to lead with confidence. Her energy will allow us to take control of situations that require a bold approach.
The Queen advises us to maintain our ideas and visions, especially in environments where our charisma can help others toward a common goal. Remember, to share is to care, so don’t hold back your gifts.
The Mystical Symbolism Of The Hamsa
The well-known Hamsa symbol has a rich tapestry of esoteric meaning that spans several cultures and religious traditions, including Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. It is commonly used as a protective amulet, offering protection from the evil eye, as well as a talisman or good luck charm, bringing its wearer blessings in the form of happiness, health, and fortune.
The Hamsa is also known as the Khamsa, Hamesh, the Hand of Fatima, the Hand of Miriam, or the Hand of Mary. The names “Hamsa” and “Khamsa” both refer to the number five in Arabic while “Hamesh” means five in Hewbrew, all symbolizing the five fingers of the hand.
In Islamic tradition, this famous esoteric hand is named after Fatima al-Zahra, the youngest daughter of the Prophet Muhammad and his first wife Khadija. Fatima is known by many titles in Islamic tradition, of which al-Zahra (meaning “the Radiant One”) is one of the most prominent. Her life, devotion to family and faith, and moral integrity are admired and serve as an inspiration to Muslims around the world.
In Jewish culture, the hand symbol is named after Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, who was a prophetess and is an important figure in Judaism. In some Christian contexts, it is also known as the Hand of Mary, although it is less commonly referred to by this name. In this instance it is associated with Mary, the mother of Jesus, who is revered for her purity, grace, and maternal protection.
The People In Your Tarot Court Cards
In a psychic tarot reading, several court cards, also known as ‘people cards’, may come up in a spread. This can be challenging and even confusing, because the reader must now interpret not only the situational influences and circumstances revealed by the spread, but also the other people who are playing a role, or may still be involved in the matter.
There are many different approaches to interpreting tarot court cards, but my personal preference is to associate each card with an astrological sign of the zodiac.
There are 78 cards in a traditional Tarot deck. The first 22 cards are the Major Arcana and the remaining 56 are the Minor Arcana. The Minor Arcana are divided into four suits that correspond to the four classical elements of Air, Fire, Water, and Earth.
The element of Air is typically represented in the deck design as swords, feathers, birds, or clouds. The element of Fire is usually represented as wands, batons, or staffs. The element of Water is represented by cups, chalices, bowls, or mermaids. And the element of Earth is represented as pentacles, coins, or stones.
Sixteen of the 56 minor arcana are the court cards. The court cards of each suit represent people who embody the personality, traits, or influence of the associated element. Occasionally, a court card may also represent someone who fits the physical appearance of a particular person card as depicted in the card’s design.
The Fire Season Of Love And Joy
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), there are Five Elements, namely Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. These elements are each associated with the seasons, certain emotional states, and specific organs in the physical body. I am personally fascinated with how accurate these correlations can be.
In the summer season, for example, the element of fire rules. The four organs associated with the fire element is the heart, small intestines, pericardium (or heart protector) and San Jiao, or the ‘triple energizer,’ which is the hollow space inside the trunk of the body.
In TCM, the solid organs each has its counterpart in a ‘hollow organ (Fu).’ The heart, for example, is a solid organ, and the small intestine its hollow counterpart. San Jiao is a body cavity that is able to influence the functioning of other organs and our overall health through the free movement of Qi, the fundamental life force energy.
The fire element represents expansion of energy expanding with heightened activity and excitement. It is further associated with love, joy, harmony, but also disharmony. In extreme cases, too much fiery excitement can cause insomnia, restlessness, and even manic behavior.
A good example of how the joy of the fire season manifests in our everyday life is the fact that summer is the peaktime of the year for weddings. This time of the year our hearts are most open, seeking to be filled with joy. We seem to radiate more light and love in the summer, just like the warm sunshine.
Meditating On An Archangel
Archangels are powerful celestial beings who serve as messengers or agents of God, and who offer protection, guidance, and healing to those who call upon them. They are found in various spiritual traditions, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Gnosticism.
Meditating on an archangel is a powerful way to deepen your spiritual practice and connect with God, Source, Spirit, the Divine. For the best results it is important to select the archangel that best corresponds with your personal development, spiritual growth, healing, or manifesting goals.
The seven archangels are Michael, Raphael, Gabriel, Jophiel, Ariel, Azrael, and Chamuel. Each of these angelic beings are associated with specific correspondences, including colors, elements, planets, and virtues. Here are some of the correspondences for the four main archangels in the Judeo-Christian tradition:
Archangel Michael: Michael is associated with the color red, the element of fire, the planet Mercury, and the virtue of courage. He is depicted as a warrior and protector, and is known for his powerful ability to vanquish evil and defend the righteous.
Archangel Gabriel: Gabriel is associated with the color blue, the element of water, the Moon, and the virtue of purity. He is depicted as a messenger, and is known for delivering important messages from God, including the announcement of the birth of Jesus Christ.
Archangel Raphael: Raphael is associated with the color yellow, the element of air, the Sun, and the virtue of healing. He is depicted as a guide and healer, and is known for his ability to bring physical, emotional, and spiritual healing to those in need.
The Empowering Symbolism Of The World Card
The World card in the Tarot remains one of my firm favorites. I am all for personal and spiritual growth, the completion of cycles, and new beginnings. The World represents exactly that: the ending of a cycle and pause in life, before the next major cycle begins with the fool.
The journey from the new beginnings of The Fool to the fulfilling endings of The World is a constant evolutionary process in our everyday lives that is represented by the sequence of the 22 Major Arcana cards of the Tarot. The World is the 22nd trump and therefore final card of the Major Arcana.
I have reflected on the imagery of the Rider-Waite version of this Tarot card in great detail. Rider-Waite is probably the most popular and universally recognized Tarot deck. The illustrations by Pamela Colman Smith at first glance appear simple, but the details and backgrounds feature abundant mystical symbolism.
The World pictures an empowered figure within a wreath – traditionally a symbol of victory, success, achievement, and eternal life. The figure holds a wand in each hand, which is reminiscent of the Magician card and the Two of Wands. However, while The Magician holds only one wand, the two wands in the The World card represents fulfillment, wholeness, balance and coming full circle.
The card is framed by four animals on the diagonal. The depiction of these four creatures parallels the four animal symbols used in Christian art to represent the four Evangelists, namely Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The four animals also represent the zodiac signs of Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius, the four fixed signs in Western Astrology, which in turn represent the classical four elements of Earth, Fire, Water and Air.
Developing Your Herbal Intuition
Herbal medicine is becoming increasingly popular, and many people are increasingly turning to herbalism as a healthcare supplement, or even a substitute to conventional pharmaceutical medicine. Plants, flowers, and herbs all have unique energetic qualities that make them suitable for various purposes. They are alive and respond to their environment and how they are treated in the same way humans do.
When we think of herbs, we tend to narrowly categorize them according to the medical conditions they can be used for, or what aspect of our health and wellness they can improve. However, like people, herbs are much more complex and multi-faceted, and have many uses and applications, alone or in combination with other herbs.
To obtain the most benefit from any herb, we need to take the time and have patience to truly get to know the herb. When you meet someone for the first time at a social event, would you diminish the other person’s true worth by instantly deciding they have only one useful trait or redeeming quality, and leave it at that? Taking the time to get acquainted with a particular herb is much like getting to know someone in an intimate friendship.
Selecting herbs to work with or draw upon for healing is a highly intuitive process. The appearance, aroma, taste, texture, and energy vibration of the ideal herb for a specific purpose must speak to us mind, body, and soul. They convey a distinct energy signature and frequency of healing that the intuitively aware user will innately know is best to use at that time.