Full Moon Spell to Heal The Earth

Air Element Study, Lesson Two

Air Pollution and what we Can Do About It.

A Full Moon Spell to Gaia for Healing of the Earth

For this spell, you may choose different candle colors, herbs, and incesne based on the type of Environmental Healing you want to do.  (Air Pollution, Water Pollution, Earth Pollution)  You may choose to do this healing based on the astrological sign of the Full Moon.  For example, the upcoming Full Moon will be Wednesday/Thursday April 24th and 25th, and it will be in Libra, an Air Sign.  So I would choose correspondences to go with Air Healing.  For my full list of correspondences for Environmental healing please read this post.

Gather your herbs, incense, two candles, crystals of your choice, and a cauldron or offering bowl.

Open the circle, and meditate for awhile on your intent.  When you are ready, place the herbs you chose in the offering bowl, arrange the crystals around it.  Set one candle behind it.  Light the candle and incense.  Place both hands, palm down on the altar and chant;

"Mother Gaia, Goddess of the Earth, 
I give you honor,
for without your care and being
I would have no home.
Earth Mother, hear my words.
I have need of your Divine Presence."

Light the second candle from the flame of the first, and carry it to the East.

"Awake, Earth Mother!
Your winds are heavy and foul!
Sweep them clean again!"

Carry the candle to the South

"Awake, Earth Mother!
Your children need your cleansing rays of light.
Our atmosphere is in trouble!"

Carry the candle to the West.

"Awake, Earth Mother! 
The plants and animals and humans are in danger.
Protect your children!"

Carry the candle to the North.

"Awake, Earth Mother!
The planet itself is sick.
Do not destroy us in order to restore balance.
Rather inspire us to all work together as healers of our world.
Come again to your children, Gaia!"

Place the candle on the altar.  Stand with upraised arms

"Awaken our minds and souls, Gaia!
Teach all humans to respect their home.
Teach us responsibility, 
whether it be of chemicals or population,
Awaken us all to the needs of our Earth!"

Thank Gaia for her presense, and extinguish the candles.  Put the herbs outside as an offering to the Earth.  Or, if you wish, leave the candles lit while you do another spell or say more prayers for healing of the Air (or Earth, or Water, whatever the focus of your spell.)  Make sure you follow through by doing your part to help heal the Earth!

Read Here for another prayer to heal the skies.
Read Here for a Meditation on Healing the Earth on Pollution (You could do this meditation at either the beginning or end of your spell)
If you have chosen a couple simple ways that you want to help reduce air pollution, whether you are making changes in your lifestyle or it is something you have already begun doing, here is a simple blessing prayer to dedicate your activity to the greater good of healing The Air.

Environmental Healing Spell Guide

Air Element Study, Lesson Two

Air Pollution and what we can do to help.

If you are wanting to create your own spell or ritual for Healing of The Earth, here are some correspondences you might want to keep in mind.  Creating your own spell is easy and fun, and I think sometimes a spell created on our own can be more powerful because we put our own energy into coming up with it.

Environmental Healing Spell Correspondences

Colors; (Colors can be used for candles you use, paper your write on, color of pen you use for writing your prayer, ribbons or string/cord you use, or fabric to make a sachet.)
For Earth Healing; Green, Brown, Black
For Air Healing; Yellow, White, or Sky Blue
For Water Healing: Blue or Sea-Green

Plants;  (Used in the form of incense, essential oils, or dried herbs you use in any other way)
Acorn, Apple, Basil, Copal, Elm, Frankincense, Lavender, Maple, Myrrh, Pine, Rose, Sage, Sandalwood, Tobacco, Willow, Yarrow

Crystals and Gemstones;
Amber, Bloodstone, Calcite, Carnelian, Copper, Garnet, Jasper, Obsidian, Petrified Wood, Quartz

Astrological Signs (For timing of your spell, or for writing / carving a sigil representing the sign's power into your candle or paper, etc)
For Earth Healing; Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
For Air Healing; Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
For Water Healing; Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

Day of the Week (not necessary, but might add a boost to your spell if you can do it on the day of the week related to it's element.)
For Earth Healing; Saturday, Thursday
For Air Healing; Wednesday, Sunday
For Water Healing; Monday

Element/Direction/Elementals.  All directions may be summoned for your circle, as all elements are connected.  But you can pay special attention in calling these elements or directions depending on what kind of environmental healing you are doing.
Earth Healing; Earth/North/Gnomes
Air Healing; Air/East/Sylphs
Water Healing; Water/West/Sprites or Mermaids

Tarot Cards; (Some people like to place Tarot Cards on their Altar to represent the magick they are working)
Earth Healing; The Empress, The World or Ace of Pentacles
Air Healing; The Sun, The Lovers, Ace of Swords (or Ace of Wands depending on your deck's correspondences)
Water Healing: The Star, Temperance, or Ace of Cups

For a list of Archangels, Gods & Goddesses, and Elementals you can call on for Environmental work and Earth Healing, read this post.

Chemtrails - Info & Prayer For Healing The Skies

Air Element Studies; Lesson Two

Air Pollution and what we can do about it.

Here are two documentaries about chemtrails.  Please watch them when you have time.  Below is a prayer invoking several different Archangels and Deities to help with clearing away the toxins in the skies left by chemtrails.

What in The World Are They Spraying?

Why In The World Are They Spraying? 

Chief Calls for World Prayer for Chemtrail Healing

This is another link to someone praying for healing of chemtrails, though I can't get the video to load you can check it out as well; http://youtu.be/Toa45HexG9g 

Simple Prayer for Healing of Chemtrails.  Simply ask whatever God, Goddess, Archangel, or Elemental you wish to work with to clear the skies when you see chemtrails.

Example, "Archangel Michael, please help clear away the toxins in the skies left by chemtrails.  Heal the skies and let them shine clear.  Amen."

Or, you can even include all the Archangels, Dieties, and Elementals I mentioned in This Post.

For Example;

Archangel Ariel, please help protect the animals of the earth, including humans, by clearing away the toxins created by chemtrails.  Archangel Jophiel, please help make the skies beautiful again and clear away all traces of these chemtrails in the sky, and help all people see the beauty of nature.  Archangel Michael, please help clear away the toxins in the skies left by chemtrails and help us heal the skies.  Beautiful Amaterasu, Goddess of the Sun, please help clear the skies of pollution and let us absorb the true, healthy light of the sun, and help us show others the way to heal the planet.  Beloved Aine, Queen of the Faeries, please help heal the skies and protect the earth and all it's inhabitants.  I offer my aid to You and the faeries in doing my part to help take care of nature.  Beautiful Sylphs, creatures of the Wind, please help clear the skies and bring only weather that is natural, not man-made and toxic.  Powerful Dragons of the East and the Air Element, we would be ever grateful to you for flying through the skies to clear away these toxins, chemtrails, and smog with your powerful wings.  Swift Mercury, messenger of The Gods, carry our prayer through the skies, take our message of love and healing far and wide and let our prayer be heard by all Divine Forces, Angels,  Elementals, and Ascended Masters.  

You can say this entire prayer, or just choose the parts of it you feel comfortable saying.  Or, call upon your own deity of choice, or simply The Divine, Mother Nature, etc.  Let's join together in daily prayer to help heal the skies, and in prayer whenever you see chemtrails over the areas where you live or work.

Goddesses & Archangels to call upon for Environmental Help

Air Element Studies

Lesson Two; Air Pollution and what we can do to help

Below is a list of specific Goddesses, Gods, and Archangels that are particularly concerned about Air Pollution, and a brief description of each.  They would be more than happy to help you in your endeavors to clean up the planet, and can be called upon in prayer and spell work to help clear away Air Pollution, and to help motivate you to do your part.

Archangel Ariel - Ariel is also known as the "Lioness" and she is a powerful light worker.  Her main focus is helping people love each other, but she also has a strong affinity with nature and wild animals.  She can be called upon to protect animals, and to help people develop a more loving attitude towards each other, resulting in humans better working together to save the planet.

Archangel Jophiel - Jophiel is known as "Beauty of God" and she helps people see the beauty in their lives.  She can help you find ways to beautify your yard, neighborhood, and home in the process of cleaning up the environment.  She can also help you see that whatever you do for nature... no matter how small or insignificant it may seem to you, is a beautiful act of love.  She can also be called upon to help others see the beauty of the planet and thus be inspired to help take care of it.

Archangel Michael - Michael is God's Warrior.  Anything that is important to you, he can help you with.  Many people have called upon Archangel Michael to remove all kinds of blockages from your life, and this can apply in an environmental sense too.  Ask Michael to help clear the way for your efforts to make a difference.  Many people have also had great luck in calling on Archangel Michael to help clear away chemtrails in the skies and clear away air pollution in their area on a smoggy day.

God- Mercury - Mercury is the Messenger of the Gods of Olympia, flying back and forth between Mount Olympus and the Earth with his winged shoes.  As a god of Air and Sky, associated with Mercury and the Air Element, he can be a powerful God to call upon in asking for help to heal the earth's skies, and to help spread the message about the importance of this work.

Goddess - Aine - Irish Moon Goddess of love, fertility, protection, and environmental concerns.  She is aligned with the Fairies and is thought to be a Faerie Queen.  She is a protector of women, especially those who respect planet earth and care about the environment.  Call upon her aid to help bless your efforts, and to help in the process of clearing negativity from the earth, protecting it's animals, and help in working with the Faeries.

Goddess - Amaterasu - Shinto Goddess of the Sun.  In the Shinto (Japanese) tradition the roles of male/Female for the sun and the Moon are switched.  Most Pagan paths see the Sun as a Father figure, but in this case, the Sun is a Mother Figure.  Amaterasu wants her light to be able to shine on the Earth in a healthy way, to help the plants grow and life thrive.  She would be an excellent Goddess to call upon to help clear away air pollution.  She also helps people with self-confidence and with being able to see their own light and power... so in working with her you may be able to more clearly see your own gifts and what you can do to help the environment, or gain more confidence in teaching others about environmental care.

Elementals;

Sylphs - Sylphs are creatures of the Wind, much like Angels, flying high in the sky with huge wingspans, invisible except for the patterns their wings leave in the clouds and in chemtrails as they disperse them.  They are relations of the Sidhe, and care little about human affairs, but you can gain their respect by showing an interest in healing the skies.  You might feel their presence with a strong gust of wind, and if they choose to walk on the earth for a moment or two, you may see a tall, shadowy human figure out of the corner of your eye and sense a "Fairie-like" playfulness and curiosity about them (though you won't likely see anything when you turn to look directly at them)
Dragons.  Specifically, Dragons of The East for healing of the Air.  Dragons are powerful Spirit Guides and should not be called upon lightly.  Call upon them with respect and gratitude.

If you want, copy this list into your Air Element section of your journal or Book of Shadows.  You may wish to write a prayer calling upon one, two, or even all of these Deities and Archangels to help heal the planet's skies and Air.

Calling on The Fates or Norns to aid in Divination

Honoring the Fates

Connecting with The Fates, also known as the Moerae, can be very helpful when you are doing any type of divination or dream work, or just wanting a clearer glimpse at your life to help you make better choices.  Since The Fates weave each person's "Life Thread", they can help you look into your life through dreams, meditation, or divination.
You can also look at any Three Card tarot reading in terms of the Three Sisters known as the Fates or The Norns... Past, Present, and Future.  Before drawing your three tarot cards, call upon each sister by name... Clotho (Past), Lachesis (Present), and Atropos (Future) and see what each card, or each sister, reveals to you.  If you wish, you can call upon the Nordic Norns for your tarot reading in a similar fashion;   They are Urd (The Past), Verthandi or Verdandi (the Present), and Skuld (the Future). 

The Dark of The Moon is a good time for Divination and Dream work.  The night before the New Moon, it is the night of No moon... the darkest night of the cycle.  In this time we experience a long period of darkness, and the night is not even illuminated by the moon... we can delve deep into the psyche and the inner, secret realms of the Night.  The Fates in Greek Mythology are the daughters of Nyx (Goddess of Night), so the dark moon is a perfect time to call upon them to help you see things more clearly.  Ask them to assist you in your tarot readings, rune readings, or to show you answers or clues in your dreams during this dark night.  Here in this blog post I have included some information on The Fates, along with a beautiful ritual for honoring them.

The following information is from the book, "Moon Magick" by D.J. Conway and you may find it helpful in connecting with the Fates, The Norns, or The Wyrd Sisters before you try to attempt any ritual invoking them. 

THE FATES & THE NORNS-

The Greek Fates and Nordic Norns are very similar. It may be that these Goddesses all came from pre-Aryan cultures in the Far East, before these cultural groups migrated to their respective areas to settle. Although there is no record of sacrifices to The Norns, the Nordic clans held them in awe and high regard. In Greece and Rome, the Fates were taken very seriously. They were given sacrifices of honey and flowers. Well into Medieval times three rings were used in special rituals to invoke the Fates. The three gunas, or colored threads (white, red, and black), of India were said to run through every life as ordained by the Fates. Ovid, Theocritus, and others wrote of the same colored life-threads in Greek literature.

 * The Fates

The Greek Fates ("portions, shares") were also called the Moerae or Moirai and became known as the Parcae during the Middle Ages. These three serious daughter of Nyx (Night), were Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. Clotho spun the life-thread, Lachesis measured it, assigned the destiny, and added a portion of luck. Brooding Atropos with her shears cuts the thread at any time without warning. Not even Zeus would go against a decree by the Fates. The Goddess Nemesis was the only one who could influence Atropos to let the thread spin into a longer length. They were often accompanied by the Keres (Dogs of Hades) who were three beings with sharp teeth and robed in red. Although this trio was feared, the beings were also invoked at weddings for a happy union.

* The Norns

In many aspects, the Nordic Norns were quite similar. This trio of fate Goddesses live at the Well of Urd near one of the roots of the World Tree Yggdrasil. They are Urd (The Past), Verthandi or Verdandi (the Present), and Skuld (the Future).   The Norn Urd (Fate) was defined as "that which is becoming"; Verthandi (Necessity) as "That which is"; Skuld (Being) as "That which should become".  Predestination and predetermination were were unknown to the Norse.  They believed that what each person did influenced his/her future. 

The Norns were almost as important as the Aesir themselves.  In fact, these Goddesses were said to weave the destinies of men, gods, giants, dwarfs, and every other living being.  Each day the Norse Gods held their counsil at this Well in the presence of the Norns.  The fact that the water from the Well of Urd turned everything white may tie these deities to the three phases of the Moon. Certain records also speak of the helpers of the Norns, who were the Disir; in some writings these were called elves. The Hamingjes were like guardian angels to the humans. There were elf-maids who cared for unborn babies. The decrees of Urd were carried out by the Giptes. Other Disir oversaw certain families or clans. There were even supernatural women , not Valkyries, who brought the souls of the dead to Hel's realm. 

It is rare for a person to know exactly where their future is going, including all the sidetracks that invariably go on.  It is difficult to even get a clear glimpse of the broader picture.  Learning to work with the Norns and The Fates and Listen to their advice is important to avoid major pitfalls.  If they point out coming problems, and we manage to change our direction to avoid them, we have taken responsibility in the molding of our future.  If the problems revealed by the Norns seem to stay in our path regardless of our efforts, then we must work through them, learning the necessary lessons.

 * The English knew of the Norns by the name of the Weird Sisters. The Anglo-Saxons called them Wyrd; in Old High German Wurd. These Wyrd Sisters are quite likely descendants of the Greek Moerae or Fates.

RITUAL:

 This is from the book "Moon Magick" by D.J. Conway. It is suggested for the Dark Moon that falls in December. I am not copying word for word except for the ritual and the info on the fates... I have done this ritual before and have added my own notes and thoughts.

* You will need; * 3 long cords (thick string or ribbon) - one white, one black, and one red
Your altar set up however you want for the Winter season and whatever candles or incense you find fitting.
You may choose to have three candles, one of red, one of black, and one of red, also, to represent the three sisters (The Fates/The Norns) or three candles of any color you wish... however you want to set it up is fine.

 * The Ritual;

 Call upon The Fates. You can call upon the Greek Fates (Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos) or the Nordic Norns (Urd, Verthandi, and Skuld), or call on them as The Wyrd Sisters as they are known in English traditions.

* Take the three cords and braid them together. If you wish, make this long enough to be tied around your waist and in the future use the braided cord as part of your ritual garment, (or something to be kept on your altar at all times) As you braid, repeat this chant; *

 "Over, under, threads of Fate.

As in my life, so in all things.

Weaving the pattern, soon or late,

I see the result that action brings."

 (You may also choose to chant the names of the Fates between each repetition of the above chant.) When you finish braiding the cord, knot both ends and kiss the braid. Wrap it around your waist or drape it over your shoulders (or wrap it around your wrists and lift your hands upward) Visualize the Fates of Norns before you, lift your hands to them and chant;

"A new year dawns, the threads weave on,

to ultimately reveal my destiny.

Oh Fates of Life, I ask your aid

To clear my path and set me free.

Let old things die and blow away.

Let new come in to prosper me.

Oh Fates of Life I ask your aid,

To clear my life and set me free."

Sleep with the braided cords under your pillow and pay attention to your dreams.  And be prepared to do whatever is necessary and proper to straighten out your life and make your path smoother.

You may also choose to use the braid to wrap around your deck of tarot cards, or to wear around your wrist, shoulders, or waist whenever you do divination of any form, to help you connect with The Fates or The Norns during future readings.

Hestia, Housework, and Headcovering

This post is going to be pretty long.  (yes, Longer than most of my blog posts, which admittedly can get pretty windy!)  But I've been working on it for a while now and it's something near and dear to my heart so please bear with me!  The upcoming theme for Pagan Blog Project is the letter H, and this fits perfectly with something that has been on my heart and mind for the past couple weeks... three "H" things actually; Hestia, Housework, and Headcovering!
For many years I wasn't particularly drawn to any one Goddess, God, or Pantheon.  I was content just calling The Divine, or Great Mother/Father, or "Lord and Lady".  Then my studies of astrology led me obviously to Greek Mythology and I really resonated with the stories of the Greek Pantheon.  At some point I stumbled upon Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth.  For the first time, I really felt connected to a specific Goddess.  I felt Her call me, I heard Her spirit from somewhere deep inside me and I finally knew what it meant to be called upon by a specific Goddess... something I had heard other Pagans, Wiccans, and Heathens talk about but had never fully understood.
Since then, I have heard the call of other Gods and Goddesses, they come to me at different times to teach me in their unique ways.  I may work with a different Deity from time to time, but in the end, Hestia is always there.  She is my Flame, she opened the door for me to understand that it is possible to work with specific aspects of The Divine - and through that understanding I have found myself working more and more with The Goddesses in all aspects of my life.  Following is some basic information about Hestia and her counterparts.  (If you are familiar with the history/mythology already and are pressed for time, you can scroll down to the section called "Me & Hestia"... but you might learn something here as well.)
HESTIA
Hestia was the first born of the Olympians, her sisters are Hera and Demeter, and her brothers are Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades.  When her father, Cronus was told that he would be overthrown by one of his children, he swallowed all of them (except for Zeus... he thought he swallowed Zeus but only swallowed a swaddled rock).  Eventually, Zeus overcame Cronus and forced him to spit out his siblings... they were all "released" in the reverse order of their birth, so Hestia was last.  She is often referred to as "The First and the Last" because of this.  She refused to marry either Poseidon or Apollo, and eventually swore herself to perpetual virginity, becoming the domestic opposite of Aphrodite.  Zeus assigned Hestia the role of maintaining and keeping the fires of the Olympian Hearth.  Some stories make reference that Hestia could have gone to join her brothers and sisters on Mount Olympus and become one of the Olympians, but she didn't take up the offer and instead let Dionysus take the place as the 12th Olympian God, again attesting to her attitude of service and a degree of passiveness.
Hestia's name means "Home and Hearth" and she is The Goddess of The Hearth-fire, or Goddess of the Home.  Prayers and offerings were made to Hestia to keep the home fires burning, to keep the household strong, healthy, and warm.   The people responsible for honoring Hestia were usually the head women of the household, and it is believed that Honoring Hestia "both first and last" before every hearth fire was lit or each meal was prepared was probably a very common practice.
VESTA
Hestia's Roman counterpart is Vesta* - the Virgin Goddess of the Hearth, Home, and Family.  Vesta's presence was symbolized by the burning of sacred fires in homes and temples.  Vesta was particularly important to women, since the home fire (hearth fire) was the central source of Food and heat for the home... therefore Vesta / Hestia is the center of a Housewives' focus and gratitude. 
Although neither Hestia or Vesta had any children, their role in the Home and the household is very similar to that of a Mother Goddess.  She was seen as the great nurturer... as Fire represented not only the means to survive, but also represented wisdom, inspiration, focus, community, purity, power, and even divination.  In ancient Rome, some women would devote themselves to become keeper's of Vesta's temple and become "Vestal Virgins".  They would take a vow of celibacy and commit part of their lives to keeping Vesta's temple flame lit and tending to her temple.  Legend has it that if a convicted person crossed paths with a Vestal Virgin, he would be released from his penance.  The Vestal Virgins were known for being kind and graceful. After their time of devotion, a Vestal Virgin could choose to marry, it did not necessarily mean a lifetime of celibacy and devotion, though many probably chose to continue their life of service to Vesta even after their time had been fulfilled.A couple previous blog posts involving Vesta - New Moon Purification Ritual, and Vesta/Virgo.
(*note - by pointing out Vesta as Hestia's Roman counterpart, I'm not saying she IS end all/be all the same Goddess.  Some people get kinda touchy about this.  I'm saying that in each culture there are similar stories that blend the lines between Goddesses, Gods, myths, folklore, etc... because regardless of distance and time, the Human Experience is essentially the same...and I find that many different cultures and pantheons have "crossovers" and "Counterparts" who share very similar attributes and in some ways teach us the same things about our human nature.  Personally I see all Goddesses as different aspects and faces of The Divine Feminine, so I do see Hestia and Vesta as one in the same, but this is not to say that this is what others should see or feel also.  And this leads right into my next point, which may be controversial)
The Virgin Mother Mary (?)
Personally, I see a connection between Hestia and Vesta and the Hebrew Mother Mary.  Hestia and Vesta are both usually depicted as veiled or wearing some kind of head covering, as is the Virgin Mother Mary.  They are all virgins, although Mary did bear a child but the stories still depict her as a virgin anyways.  Vesta is represented in historical drawings and carvings with an Ass (donkey/mule), and the Mother Mary is also associated riding an ass from when she rode pregnant into Bethlehem.  Catholic nuns who devote their lives to service of God, wear headcoverings, and take vows of celibacy bring to mind the Roman Vestal Virgins. I recently found a votive prayer candle in the religious candle section of my local grocery store that depicts "The Sacred Heart of Mary", with a picture of Mary and the glowing heart within her chest is burning with a bright orange fire. Hmmm.  The connection seems obvious to me and even though I know most pagans are probably not comfortable working within the "Christian Pantheon", it's something worth considering.  (The Sacred Heart of Mary candle now resides on my permanent home altar to Hestia and Vesta)

My home altar to Hestia

Me and Hestia, hangin' out at home.
My personal relationship with Hestia comes from my own position as the "head woman" of my household.  As the housewife, mother, and wife, it is part of my daily life and responsibility to run the household.  My house (and many modern homes today) doesn't have a central hearth fire, or even a fire place.  The Greeks paid honor to Hestia with offerings of the fat from animals, which served as oil to keep the fire lit.  (Pretty simple and straight forward, yes?  Make an offering of Oil to the Fire and it keeps burning.)Today, we don't need to literally keep a fire lit in our home, but we do have certain things we need to do to "keep the home fires burning"... cleaning, cooking, paying the bills.  So I honor Hestia by attempting to keep my home running as smoothly as possible.  I like to re-create the "First and Last" concept of honoring Hestia by praying to her first thing in the morning and again at night.  Simply saying "Good Morning and thank you for this day." and maybe asking for help or blessings for the day ahead; and then saying a prayer of gratitude at bedtime.  I like to light an orange candle to do this, but it's not necessary - if I'm rushed for time or low on candles, just pausing to honor Her is enough.  If I really need an extra boost during the day, to tackle some household chore or for focus and motivation to clean house when I really don't want to clean, I might go to Hestia again... spend some time meditating with her, talking to her, praying to her.  She is pretty good at reminding me that my home is my sacred place in this world, and that in taking care of my home I am taking care of my spirit, my family, myself, and... as a bonus, honoring Her.  She is also pretty good at reminding me that serving others (namely my family) is a respectable and beautiful thing.  As a person who is "Domestically Disabled"; allergic to housework, NOT born organized, and easily distracted, Hestia has become my "Go-To" Goddess for motivation and support in all things household-related.  She is a big supporter of the FlyLady program and I think the FlyLady concepts of breaking down housework into Morning and Evening routines is something that Hestia is particularly fond of (which reminds me, I need to get back on my routines!)

Headcovering
And now we come to the final portion of my Letter H related blog post, although I did not have to force these concepts together, they all go together in my home!
A couple weeks ago, I was cleaning my bedroom and found this scarf that I have never worn as a scarf.  I have used it for a small altar cloth from time to time, or to wrap a deck of tarot cards in... but it had been stuffed in a drawer for awhile, unseen and forgotten.  When I found it, I paused, and felt that gentle urging of Hestia, saying "keep this out".  So instead of putting it back in the drawer, I put it on my altar, folded neatly next to my Hestia Statue.  I didn't know what on earth I was going to use it for, but I figured it's purpose would come to me if I just listened.
Maybe only one, or two days later, I stumbled upon a facebook conversation about Pagan Headcovering.  I was intrigued, I had never heard of or considered that headcovering, or veiling would be a pagan thing to do... except for in cases of the people who like to dress up in robes and hoods for ceremonial magick and rituals.  I learned that a lot of Pagan / Witchy women feel drawn to headcovering or veiling in their daily lives as a way of honoring and connecting to their deity.  And guess what Goddess kept popping up in articles, blogs, and conversations about Headcovering?  Hestia, of course!  The bells are going off in my head at this point, as I had just placed that scarf next to Hestia on my altar, trusting that she would let me know how she wanted me to use it...
I joined the facebook group called Covered In Light and met a wide variety of women who choose to veil, or cover their hair as a spiritual practice.  I started asking questions and reading discussions and learned that for each woman, there was a very different and very personal reason for choosing to cover.  Some find it very comforting.  As empathic people, wearing a headcovering can help you feel more grounded, and more protected from the unwanted energies of other people.  Some women commented that they felt more intuitive when covered; and spoke of wearing a headcovering when doing tarot or oracle readings or for going to ritual.  Some women felt it was a call to modesty, and a practice of declaring their status as either a married woman or as someone devoted to the Goddess.  Not all the women here were called by Hestia or Vesta, but there is quite a wide variety of deities and pantheons that seem to have brought these women to the practice of veiling.  Many women commented that once they started headcovering, they felt more connected to their Goddess, more feminine, sexier, more powerful, and more comfortable in their roles at home.  Some feel drawn to cover their hair/heads in public, while others feel drawn only to do it while at home.  The wonderful thing about the group Covered In Light is that through this diversity, all the women are supportive and tolerant of each other.  No one says, "This is how or why you should cover", but it is all about learning about eachothers' reasons and experiences, learning from each other, and supporting one another.
So I began that very day to experiment with headcovering and find out exactly what it meant for me.  I have discovered that if I put on a headcovering when I say my morning prayers to Hestia, I stay more focused on my housework through the day.  Feeling the scarf on my head reminds me that my daily tasks are a reflection of my devotion to the Goddess, to myself, and my family.  In other words, the headcovering keeps me mindful, living in the present moment.  It is very much like an active meditation.  I also feel more intuitive about what housework needs to be done.  Sometimes it's hard to know where to start in a home with three children where the messes abound.  But when I am covered - instead of feeling overwhelmed and frustrated, I tend to feel more peaceful and less worried about everything that needs to get done.  I'm easier on myself, easier on the kids, and happier with the progress I make.  It becomes less about how much I get done, and more about the loving attitude I come to each small task with.  Mostly I feel very comfortable with my head covered, but if I start to feel uncomfortable, I take that as a cue from the Goddess that my "work" is done.  I take the headcovering off and take a break to do something for myself - like read a book or play on the internet... so in this sense I feel that headcovering has made me more aware of how I take care of myself as well.  I'm overdoing things less, taking more time for myself, and feeling overall more connected with Goddess than ever before.

me, wearing my scarf with a headband

Another thing I have noticed when I am covered; I feel a lot more in-tune to not only The Goddess and Divine, but to messages from my family.  First of all, when I am covered and cleaning, I am having a lot more of those inspired moments when something I have been thinking about suddenly makes sense, or I get inspired ideas for art and craft projects, blog and journaling ideas, etc.  Today for example, I put on my headcovering and said my devotional prayers to Hestia, intending to get as much housework done as possible.  I got a little cleaning done, but the one thing that kept coming to mind was this blog post.  Different points I wanted to make, different thoughts of what to write.... finally I stopped resisting and just came to sit down and write!  I am feeling like wearing the headcovering takes that energetic flow from The Divine and my Higher Self that flows through the crown chakra, and instead of that energy flowing away from me; being covered helps pull those energies down into my third eye, throat, and heart chakras to be assimilated from there.  Before experiencing this, I would have assumed that wearing something on my head might block this flow from the Crown Chakra, but now I am experiencing quite the opposite.  It comes right back to the way that Covering just keeps me in a higher state of awareness; fully in the here and now.  I'm a lot more aware of what my children and husband are saying to me, what they need from me, and what they feel... but without their feelings overwhelming me.  As if the covering works as a kind of filter, I can understand my children's feelings without getting wrapped up in the emotion and frustrated by my empathy.  I'm becoming a better listener, and I'm also much more aware of the words I say and how I treat others when I am covered.
I'm personally not drawn to wearing the covering outside of my home or in public.  I don't feel like Hestia is calling me to cover at all times, but just when I want to feel more connected to my role as a housewife and mother.  For me, it is something that keeps me more centered and grounded while at home... although I have kept my scarf on to make a couple quick trips to the grocery store. 
When I first started veiling, I drew an Angel card from the "Daily Guidance From Your Angels" oracle card deck by Doreen Virtue.  This is the card I got; (This was the day after joining Covered in Light and only my second day covering)

I had been asking myself if this was really right for me, really something I needed to do or wanted to do.  This angel is Covered!  I looked through the deck and there is not a single other angel card that depicts artwork of an angel with it's head covered in any way!  Later that day I felt an urge to go to the mall and just walk around.  I didn't really have money to spend, but I just kept feeling that nudge to "Go!"  So I went, and found another beautiful scarf, on sale!  I knew it was my gift from the Goddess and the Angels for listening to my heart, so I bought it for myself.

feeling just beautiful!

Here is a wonderful prayer to Hestia that was written by another member of Covered in Light and I have been using it when I veil before going about my household duties;

"Hestia,
Keeper of the flame
Goddess of the Hearth
Gentle Hestia,
Eternal Virgin,
Sister, Daughter,
Veiled one
Bless this the hearth
Of Thy sister,
She who comes
Veiled before you
May the flame
Never be extinguished
May your blessing and spirit
Always abide here"
 ~ ZedralZ/Nar

And this is my own prayer that I wrote that I use to connect with Hestia each morning and night;

"Oh beautiful Hestia, you who are both First and Last, Goddess of the Home and Keeper of the Hearth Fire, may your Love and Light continuously burn in this home.  Show us each how to live in unity, peace and love.  Guide us each to bring blessings upon this home through the service of our own unique gifts.  Thank you, Hestia, for your lasting blessings and presence here!"

And I also wanted to share this one with you.... and Invocation to Vesta by Doreen Virtue;

"Beloved Vesta, please bring your flame of Divine Love into this household and light the fire of kindness, compassion, and understanding within everyone who lives in and visits this home.  Help us burn away any fears concerning love, and to feel warm and secure."

So I understand this has been an incredibly long blog post, and I truly thank and appreciate those of you who have actually read the whole thing!  This is a post that contains many things near and dear to my heart and I have been inspired to share with others!

In Love and Light,
Lady Josephine

Update 4/13 - Look, another blog about Hestia which also mentions Headcovering!  http://witchfire02.blogspot.com/2012/04/pbp-hestia.html

The Faith of The Fool

I just discovered The Pagan Blog Project!  I'm a bit late in joining, but I think I'm going to join now!  I was absent from the blogging world for awhile and probably would have seen this if I had been blogging and actually reading the blogs I follow!  But... I guess it's not too late to join in on the fun and sharing!

This week's Pagan Blog Project theme is the letter F.  So, let's get started and explore the Tarot Card - The Fool!

 Major Arcana 0 - The FoolNew beginnings, heading out into the unknown, taking a chance, being spontaneous, following your heart, having faith, innocence, living in joy, releasing worry and doubt, going with the flow, making foolish or childish choices, learning to accept responsibility for your choices and actions.

In the Classic RWS image of The Fool, we find a young Page setting out on a journey.  He seems oblivious to the dangers that might lie ahead, and any wrong step could mean certain disaster.  But I don't think he's unaware of the dangers.... just that he is so excited about his journey and so joyful about the possibilities that his travels will bring, that he is choosing not to focus on the perils.  Some would see this as truly irresponsible, and well.... Foolish.  Others, who more willingly embrace the flow of spirit... they might see this as wise.  I think it all boils down to Faith.  Understanding the basic Law of Attraction, you can't really go into your life journey full of worry and doubt... because then of course your fears can easily manifest.  For me, the Fool serves as a reminder that attitude is everything.  If we can only learn to approach life with the open-heart, trust, innocence, and faith of the Fool, then every step becomes an adventure, every path becomes an opportunity to learn and grow, and we really learn to "go with the flow".

More details on this card here.

Pictured here to the right is The Fool from the Marseilles Deck. 
I look at this card and my first thought is, "Hey, dude... your pants are ripped and your ass is hanging out!"  But then I think, there is something to be learned from this as well.  When you put yourself out there, trusting in the flow of the Universe, there are bound to be times when things just don't go as you had planned.  Sure, if you're focused on the positive, The Law of Attraction will help you out... but this doesn't mean you might not slip and fall or rip your pants and expose yourself as an utter asshole every once in awhile.  The Fool's Journey means NOTHING if he doesn't learn and grow from his experiences.  But the Wise Fool takes what he has, and keeps going.  Is this guy going to give up on his plan to go out into the world full of experiences just because his ass cheek is hanging out?  Nope.  Perhaps he is learning humbleness.  Perhaps he is learning how to laugh at himself.  Perhaps he is learning that no matter where you go, there are butt-sniffing dogs who want to point out your failings. (There is something a lot deeper in that concept for you all to ponder, but let's stay focused.)  Perhaps he just needs to learn how to sew.  But regardless of the setbacks The Fool may face, he keeps going.  What a joyful affirmation of Faith!

Here's another version of The Fool, from the Housewives' tarot.  I have explored the meanings of this Fool in a couple other blog posts.
Here and Here are a couple of them.   The main thing I notice with this version of the card is that, even though this young housewife is obviously ill-prepared and lacking organization, she still seems excited and hopeful for what lies ahead.  In truth, we are never really prepared for what lies ahead... and even the most organized and prepared person will come across things they hadn't expected.  Somehow, a monkey-wrench always gets thrown in the mix, and we are faced with choices or situations we hadn't planned for.  Once again, The Fool reminds us about Faith and being able to Go With the Flow!  Worrying about how things will turn out isn't really going to help anything... sometimes you just have to pull yourself together the best you can and keep going.

Here on the right is The Fool depicted in The Goddess Tarot as Beginnings and related to the Tibetan Goddess Tara.  Tara was born from a Lotus Flower in a lake of tears, and she is considered to be a strong protector Goddess.  "Tibetans believe that the goddess Tara has the power to heal all sorrows and grant all wishes.  Tara is honored as the protectress against the many fears that block men and women from living in happiness and harmony." (from The Goddess Tarot guidebook by Kris Waldherr)  Once again, it comes down to FAITH.  Tara teaches us to let go of our fears and worries, heal our sorrows, and move forward to the new beginnings that we face with faith and trust.  She helps us find happiness, optimism, and trust in ourselves.  I do plan on blogging more about the goddess Tara, as she has been calling to me recently, so stay tuned!



This has been my tarot card for the month of March.  Around the beginning of the New Year, I did a tarot reading for myself in which I drew one Major Arcana card for each month of the coming year.  I have been finding that the messages of each month's card are really fitting my life, and giving me great guidance for my learning and life lessons.

By the end of February I hit a depression that really threw me off balance.  This lasted through the end of February and most of March.  I was struggling just to get through the mundane daily tasks of life, had lost all motivation, had lost hope, and had lost faith.  As the clouds lifted (which took some fighting on my end) I realized maybe I hadn't really lost faith after all... I mean I did keep going and I did keep fighting the depression and exploring ways to get through it.  It took some time and strength, but I got through it.  When I returned to the land of the living, I found a sense of newness in everything.  It is now all opportunities and beginnings everywhere I look.  I think sometimes we have to fall in order to find that sense of starting over.  I slipped and fell off that cliff, a danger that the RWS Fool faces.... but I got up again.  I discovered humbleness and the feeling of my "ass" being exposed like the Marseilles Fool, but now I know I can keep going.  I feel like a beautiful lotus flower has bloomed inside of me, watered by the tears of my sorrow and transformed into something amazing and fresh.... the lessons of Tara becoming clearer to me each day. 

Sometimes when we stumble, maybe it's because the universe needs us to stop, re-evaluate our direction, and start over with the Faith and Innocence of The Fool.  May your road always bring you adventure and growth, and may you be able to face it all with the Faith of The Fool!

New Moon, Meditation & Motivation!

After yesterday's post I was feeling a little lost, needing direction, and searching for my motivation.  My motivation to clean the house was GONE, I was feeling overwhelmed, and just a bit miffed.  I knew I needed some time to meditate, and I wanted to meditate and connect with the Goddess for the New Moon.  I figured after the kids went to bed I would sit in my Living room and meditate and have a small ritual.... but by the time night came my house was still a mess and my living room looked like this;

It was then (finally!) that I found my motivation!  The Goddess!  SHE motivated me to clean up my space.  I knew the energy wouldn't flow right if the room was like this... so I dedicated the time for cleaning to do it for the Goddess so that I could connect with Her, and so she could better work through me!

Guess what?  It only took FIFTEEN minutes to clean up that room!

 This included picking everything up, putting stuff away, throwing away trash, vacuuming the room, AND smudging/blessing the room with sage!  Here's another angle of the Before & After pics I took for my cleaning group.

 Fifteen minutes!  I'm not lying, that's all it took!  I felt so empowered by this!  I was motivated to do it... for the right reasons... not because it's expected of me, not because it's my job or duty, not because I HAD to do it, but because I wanted a clear space so I could commune with the Goddess and the energy of the New Moon!  And that motivation in turn reminded me that it does NOT take long to get something done if I just DO IT!

After that I decided to do a pre-ritual cleansing bath... so I went in my bathroom and of course, I had to clean the bathroom before I could expect to energetically and physically cleanse myself in that space.... FIVE minutes was all it took and; Wha-La!  My bathroom got cleaned too!
After a lovely bath, I went back in my clean living room and had a wonderful time meditating and praying.  I set up a small altar on the floor with a couple candles, my Hestia/Vesta figurine, sandalwood incense, and my tarot cards.  I set out The Heirophant (Taurus), The Empress (Venus) and The Hermit (Vesta) as focal points to underline the energy of the New Moon in Taurus.  (I also put out the Queen of Pentacles - Fixed Earth, and the 10 of Pentacles - Earth, and I used The Celestial Tarot)

 I read this article by Rebecca Brents about the New Moon in Taurus energy, and followed by this creative visualization/meditation :)  I LOVE this New Moon series by Rebecca Brents!  This meditation is so peaceful and positive, I plan on doing it again tonite!

 I followed up that meditation with this purification ritual.  This is from "Moon Magick" by D.J. Conway and it is the suggested ritual for the energy of the New Moon in May.  I haven't included all of the details here, just the basics and the prayer.

Vesta of the Hearth Flame Purification Ritual(Red Candle, purifying incense)

Cast your circle.  Kneel before the altar until you feel recognized by The Goddess, then say
"May I be cleansed outwardly and inwardly, body and soul,
that all things in my life may be made new."

Light the red candle and meditate on it's cleansing and purifying energies, and think about the myth of Vesta, the Deity of both domestic and ceremonial fires.  Keeper of the Hearth flame she was considered very pure, and if a condemned man were to happen upon one of her priestesses, his trespasses would be forgiven and he would be set free.  Come before Vesta in your heart and mind, knowing that she will help cleanse you of any negative patterns you may be repeating, and ask her for purification and renewal with the following prayer;
"Vesta of the Sacred Flame,
Goddess of purification and renewal,
lady who sets the imprisoned free,
Pour your cleansing fires upon my heart and soul
That my life may be made new, my spirit receptive.
Awaken my mind to new opportunities.
Call my soul to greater spiritual knowledge.
Reveal to me your Inner Mysteries
that I may experience initiation anew.
Purify and bless me, O Vesta!"

remain in front of the altar in meditation until you feel the blessing of the Goddess.  How you feel it will be different for every person... a tingle, a warm or cold sensation... anything!  Listen and wait for the blessing of the Goddess.  Once you feel you have been blessed, Thank Vesta and close your circle.  Your purification may be received in different ways.  Within a couple days you may have a change in attitude, a desire to change your eating habits, or otherwise experience changes... embrace your purification as being personally meant for you from the Goddess for your Highest Good!
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Even my cat looked more peaceful and happy after my New Moon meditation and ritual!

Goddess Giveway at Bringing Up Salamanders

A great Giveway going on over at Bringing Up Salamanders! Follow her blog and leave a comment about which Goddess you would like her to create for her Etsy shop (which is already full of a multitude of great Goddesses, Gods, and other cute trinkets) and you'll be entered into a drawing!

Festival of Sarasvati - Ritual for Inspiration and Wisdom

The Festival of Sarasvati is traditionally held in India on the New Moon that falls closest to January 12th, or on January 12th itself. The festival is known as The Besant Panchami, or Duwat Puja. Since Sarasvati is the Goddess of Learning, Writing, and book-keeping, it was traditional to clean the ink stands and pens. Since last night was the New Moon, with January 12th just around the corner, when I found this ritual I knew it would be perfect for me! I was born on January 12, Sarasvati's Festival day.... is it a coincidence that I love to write and learn? I think I have been blessed by this Goddess throughout my life... though it took me 30 years to find Her.

SARASVATI -
Often depicted as a beautiful woman with 4 arms, she rules over the arts of civilization such as all branches of learning, writing, communication, the alphabet, math, and calendars. She is often called upon to bring inspiration, knowledge, wisdom, and to clear away sluggishness of the mind and ignorance.

The ritual I found is from the book, "Moon Magick" by D.J. Conway. (Can you tell I love this book? I'll probably reference it often throughout the year, it's so fabulous!) The book suggests honoring Sarasvati at the time of the New Moon in January, after New Years Day, but I think it could be held at any time you want some inspiration and help from Sarasvati. Here I will outline what I did for last night's ritual.

I actually started on the 3rd, by cleaning out my computer desk. I cleaned out the paper caddy on top of the desk and put important papers into files and threw away the junk. I cleaned out three desk drawers on the 3rd, doing the same thing - filing the important stuff and throwing away the junk. This was actually an important part of the ritual for me... and I found it very fitting to do this so close to the New Year... getting a fresh start with paperwork, so to speak. On the 4th I continued and completed my project of clearing out the desk. I had books that needed to be put back in place, scraps of paper to be thrown away, things to be filed.... but I did it and it feels great!! The book also suggests organizing and dusting your book shelves, and dusting/cleaning your computer area and keyboard. Basically clean up any area that you use to read, write, and learn.

Next, I set up my altar. I have The Goddess Tarot by Kris Waldherr, and I found that the equivalent of The High Priestess in this deck is called Wisdom and depicts Sarasvati. Since I don't have a statue of Sarasvati to put on my altar, I used this tarot card. If you don't have anything, you can perhaps print a picture of her from the internet, draw a picture of her, or at least write her name on a note card to place on your altar. I surrounded her with flowers, and I laid out a fresh clean peice of paper and a pen, and a white candle. I also added the two tarot cards that relate to the current moon cycle - Death for the New Moon in Capricorn and The Chariot for the upcoming Full Moon in Cancer (Capricorn's polarity). Since I was already using The Goddess Tarot, these cards brought into attentance the Japanese Goddess Nyai Loro Kidul and the Celtic Goddess Rhiannon. I am sure I will be blogging about them at some point this month, but the focus here was on Sarasvati!

After my altar was set up, I prepared myself by taking a bath, shaving my legs, brushing my hair, and getting dressed. It was probably 9:00 at night, but I dressed myself as if I were going to a job interview. I figure that when you are invoking a wise Goddess such as Sarasvati, you can't just show up in your bath robe and slippers! Conway suggests that you should light the incense and candle, and meditate for awhile in front of your altar, chanting the OM. But in my research of Sarasvati I found something I thought would be even better... I found a Mantra specifically used to invoke Sarasvati! So I turned this lovely video on from my computer, and chanted/sang the Mantra while facing my altar until I could feel myself vibrating and I truly felt that I was having an audience with Sarasvati!
Sarasvati Beej Mantra

Candles lit, incense burning, wine poured, I spent some time in meditation, chanting the mantra and thinking about how Sarasvati has blessed me with a strong desire to learn and a passion for writing. Then I prayed this prayer from the book;

"I stand at the center of this spiritual universe,

within the heart of the sacred mandala.
Gentle Sarasvati, I come to you for aid and blessings."

On the piece of paper I wrote down some goals that I have... asking for assistance with my organization and help keeping important papers straight in my home. I wrote down that I would like to be inspired to write in my blogs; to learn more, share what I learn, and teach others. I asked for clarity in my writing, clarity of thought. I filled the page with several wishes, then laid the paper back on the altar and prayed;

"Beautiful Sarasvati, Goddess of Light and Inspiration,
Reveal to me the knowledge I need.
Grant my requests in a manner that benefits me.
Thankyou, lovely Goddess."

I made sure my candles would be safe for the night (placed on fire proof holders, nothing too close to them, banished the cats from the room, etc.) and I went to bed. This morning when I rose, I lit another white candle, chanted the mantra again a few times, and meditated some more, then I burned the paper in a metal pan and watched the smoke swirl around my altar and the image of Sarasvati. When the ashes cooled, I took them outside and scattered them to the wind, thanking Sarasvati for the Knowledge and Inspiration I know she will bring me.

Libra Spread ~ I Balance ~

Libra Spread ~ I Balance ~

1) My power of decision making
2) My ability to bond in a relationship
3) My ability to connect in a professional collaboration
4 ) My aggression and my desire for peace (How do I fight?)
5) My will to forgive (How do I make peace? How vindictive am I?)
6) What do I give to my lover?
7) What kinds of feelings do I suppress?
8) How is my artistic feeling?
9) How superficial am I? (How moody am I?)

___________________________________________________

So, I decided to give myself a reading and use this spread. It seemed like a nice follow-up to my last reading, The Balance spread that I did for the Autumnal equinox. I have been working hard at finding the balance between my personal life, my professional life, and my priorities as a wife and mom, but this past week it seems like I've hit a wall. I lost all my motivation and drive, and could feel myself just wanting to give up on trying to find balance in my life. I've just been feeling like there is no way to balance it all; wife, mother, housekeeper, volunteer, waitress, tarot reader, ME! Often when I'm feeling "in a funk", a tarot reading will help give me the perspective I need, and give me the "jump start" that I'm looking for. I decided to use my newest deck, The Goddess Tarot by Kris Waldherr.

Here is my Tarot reading.

The first thing I noticed was that there is a lack of cups. Since this spread is about balance, I notice this and realize my Water energy is out of balance. My emotions have been out of whack. I have not done much of anything this week, because I "don't feel like it" and then I beat myself up and judge myself for not getting anything done, which just perpetuates the cycle of inactivity. *Makes a mental note-to-self to find a way to balance my water energy.
The suits that are present are Earth and Fire (Pentacles and Staves/Wands) In the Goddess tarot, the suit of Staves is related to The Path of Freyja - The Norse Goddess of creativity, fertility, and beauty. Procreative, wands channel energy to areas where growth can occur. The suit of Pentacles relates to The Path of Lakshmi - Hindu Goddess of fortune and prosperity. The riches contained within the Earth. The grand Harvest of life, and the bounty of the cycles, Lakshmi is the personification of fertile, prosperous, and feminine force. This Fire/Earth combo is a strong call to be creative and procreative in my life… rather than waiting for the balance to occur I should take creative steps and actions to create the balance I desire.

There is one Swords/Air card in the reading, and it's right smack in the middle of the spread - you can't ignore the big fat bleeding heart of the Three of Swords right there, can you? And that is where the reading begins, with card one;

1) My power of decision making - Three of Swords - relying too much on others to help me make choices, though sometimes this may create conflict. Self-destructive. Fear of pain and loss or sorrow effects my decision making. I keep waiting for my husband to kinda take the lead on certain things, but it just hasn't been happening. My non-action is the same as driving a sword into my own heart; it's self destructive and doesn't propell me further down my path but just leaves me tied to my old scars and fears.
2) My ability to bond in a relationship - Four of Pentacles - must feel stability in financial realm. Need to have control over finances in order to feel comfort that promotes bonding. If I am worried about money and stability, I close myself off. If I am feeling secure and in control, I am much more likely to open up and bond with others.
3) My ability to connect in a professional collaboration - Nine of Wands - I keep myself somewhat protected or separate from others, need to be able to pause and think things over before moving forward. Desire to prioritize and plan things out. Perhaps this wall that I have built has ceased being a protective boundary and has become a wall of limitation.
4 ) My aggression and my desire for peace (How do I fight?) Nine of Pentacles - I have a strong desire to enjoy the fruits of my labor. My desire for peace is strong, just want to enjoy beauty. Will fight for what I have worked for, or to protect the peace and beauty that I have built.
5) My will to forgive (How do I make peace? How vindictive am I?) 20 Judgment (Gwenhwyfar) - Forgives but does not forget. Will learn from the past, I won’t allow someone to get too close once they have wronged me or hurt me. I can be a harsh judge of others, and a harsh judge of myself.
6) What do I give to my lover? King of Pentacles - respect, the ability to rule the home and finances, stability. I can give him a stable home environment. There is somewhat of a conflict here though, since with card 2 (and what I already know of myself), I need to be somewhat in charge of the finances in order to bond in a relationship. I know my husband also desires this control, and I have given him that responsibility over finances, but this has caused me to have feelings of insecurity. This has given me reason to pause and think; I guess we will have to work on a compromise and middle ground in which I can let him feel like the King of Pentacles, yet I can still maintain a sense of control over finances and our security.
7) What kinds of feelings do I suppress? Four of Wands - putting down roots, commiting to a goal, my frustrations about home life and romance. I hold in my frustrations about home life and romance, it's true. I need to find my voice and not just internalize my frustrations...

8) How is my artistic feeling? Page of Wands - my artistic feelings and creativity come with waves of passion, a new thing or person will trigger a new spark of interest, but it will not always be lasting. Yes, that is an understatement. It's also called "I'm a Capricorn with ADD."
9) How superficial am I? (How moody am I?) 15 Temptation (The Devil) (Nyai Loro Kidul) My moods and goals are strongly effected by my innermost desires, but also by my addictions and temptations. I easily become a slave to my moods, and obsessed by my desires - or obsessed with things that are out of my control. I focus my energies in the wrong direction, avoiding the things that really need to be done, and that just gets me in more trouble. My drug of choice; Procrastination. I need to control my temptation to follow my moods and better listen to my Higher Self.

I added together the numbers of the cards to find my "Sum of The Digits" card, which is like an Overall Advice card to summarize the whole reading. Interestingly, the card I got is the card associated with Lakshmi, who was already "flagged" in this reading with the presence of her related suit; Pentacles.
Sum of the Digits - 10 - Fortune [The Wheel of Fortune] (Lakshmi)
Overall advice of the reading - Be open to the generosity of the Universe. Be open to abundance, have positive expectations. Be aware of Beauty and Love all around me.