She changes everything she touches

The Wicca Deck by Sally Morningstar

The Lady 

High note: All that you need is present
Low note: Issues of disempowerment are highlighted

The companion book to The Wicca Deck suggests that this card, The Lady, is the equivalent of the tarot High Priestess. Let's take a look at her.

A barefoot young woman with flowing dark hair stands on a green hill, barefoot. She wears a blue tunic with bell sleeves and a rope tied loosely round her waist. The full moon creates a halo behind her head. Above her floats a pentacle, at her feet a lit candle, in her left hand a sword, in her right hand a cup. On her left side, a swan swims in a pink sea, and there is a dove and pink and white roses. On her right side, a furrowed field, grain ready for harvest, and a honeybee. Over her head, a branch entwined with ivy, on which perches a crow. Very witchy, very Wicca.

The companion book says, 'The Lady signifies that you may have been feeling differently recently. New blood seems to be coursing through your veins, and you are changing as a result. It is possible to embody any characteristic we choose...The Lady indicates that you have the ability to stand up for yourself, even if it doesn't seem like it sometimes. You are the power behind your reality.'

I believe The Lady here is more 'Lady' of neopaganism than High Priestess of tarot. The Lady (as in 'Lady and Lord' or 'Goddess and Horned One') is more a combination of High Priestess and Empress. The Goddess of course is associated with the earth's constant, endless self-renewal. It reminds me of the Kore chant:

Aradia

Wicca Deck by Sally Morningstar 

Aradnia 
High note: Claim your birthright -- success awaits
Low note: Review your personal opinions and beliefs 

I have four meetings today, two of them key to the issue I've been fretting over lately. I'd like to have a close look at this card today. The companion book suggests that 'high spiritual powers' are acknowledging my efforts. Who knows about that, but these lines are welcome: 'You will receive all the help you need. Claim your power. Stand alone for a while, if necessary; you will not be alone for long.'

I think the most valuable advice I can take from this card today comes from its 'Low Note', telling me to 'review my personal opinions and beliefs.' Most days this week, cards remind me that I must be on guard against closed-mindedness.

The Aradia card has the keyword 'Heritage', because she has come to be seen as the foundation (or a key figure at least) in the development of modern pagan witchcraft, or Wicca. This is entirely down to an American folklorist called Charles Godfrey Leland, who in 1899 published a book called 'Aradia', which purports to represent the publication of a single manuscript, the Vangel or gospel of a secret religion of witches. He claimed to have received the manuscript from an Italian witch called Maddelena, who disappeared never to be seen again after that. In this book, goddess Diana mates with Lucifer after he has fallen from heaven, and produces Aradia, who is sent by her mother to earth to teach witchcraft to the oppressed masses  and to instruct her followers to meet naked in wild places at each full moon to worship Diana, hold orgies and take a supper of crescent-shaped cakes. They should continue these meetings until all of their upper-class oppressors are dead. The rest of the Vangel is a book of spells and invocations.

In Triumph of the Moon, Dr. Ronald Hutton examines three possibilities about the origin and authenticity of this book: 1) The book is indeed a witch's gospel, which he asserts is unlikely given the Roman Catholic church's diligence in detecting secret societies and heresy, 2) The book was concocted by Maddalena to satisfy her employer, cobbled together from unknown sources, 3) The book was the concoction of Charles Godfrey Leland himself. Leland actually did have a reputation for being an 'unusually unreliable scholar,' as Hutton puts it. To read the full details about this book, see pages 143-149 of Triumph of the Moon by Ronald Hutton. He himself says, 'So much space has been devoted [here] to Aradia because it was to be one of the most important texts of modern pagan witchcraft.' In any case, there is no other evidence that a religious cult holding these beliefs ever existed in Italy (or anywhere else). From Roman times to present, there is only evidence to suggest that some people believed in a supernatural being called Diana and some also believed that witches prayed to her and to Herodias (the queen who secured the head of John the Baptist in the Bible; Aradia is the Italianized version of Herodias), and that witches met at night to plot evil. The other details appear only in Leland's book.

None of that detracts from the relevance of the message of the card today. In fact it may reinforce it: 'Review your personal opinions and beliefs.' Gotcha.

The affairs of wizards

Today's card has some pretty strong key words: self-importance, impeccability, egotism. Not for nothing did Tolkien warn, 'Do not meddle in the affairs of wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger.'

I was surprised by the use of the word 'subtle' there, so I looked it up: difficult to perceive or understand, clever and indirect, not showing one's real purpose, having or showing skill at understanding things that are not obvious. In other words, don't mess with wizards because they don't like to be messed with and they are always going to be one step ahead of you and you won't like it when they finally turn their attention to get rid of the irritation -- you.

We have to be careful in our daily lives not to be like wizards, tempted by ego or personal agenda to use our powers and influence in ways not conducive to the greater good. We may not realise it but we have the power to affect the lives of those around us for good or bad. It is better to be careful of being reactive, and to consider the consequences of our actions, no matter how tempting it may be to go around zapping the world with our thunderbolts.

'Current circumstances may be a test to see just how much spiritual wisdom you deserve to carry,' the companion booklet warns.

So we see the wizard, drawing up the energy of his powers into the spiral. He can cast it however he wishes. How will he use that power? We see a stormy sky vs a sunny sky, sunlit hills with a clear, silver path vs a lonely fortress up a steep and narrow trail. The wizard could go in either direction, and so can we.

'Move forward with integrity,' the companion book advises.

I have a good idea what situation this is pointing to. I seem to be getting very similar messages this week. This is an important lesson for me!

Call me Georgie

Today's draw from Wicca Deck by Sally Morningstar advises me: 'Be aware of how you use your tongue in communicating with others, and guard against gossip or intrigue. Hold to your own truth and be honest. Always aspire to your greatest good.'

The card has the keyword 'Aspiration', and is said to vibrate at the throat chakra. The sword is a phallic or masculine symbol in pagan thought, and of course the sword 'cuts through' things, so represents fierce energy. The symbolic sword cuts through confusion and brings clarity to situations. But as the companion book wisely notes, we can choose to cut through confusion with the Sword of Silence, or through frustration with the Sword of Patience.

I really like the idea of exercising self-control as wielding a sword, vanquishing a foe. Perhaps the dragon in the card is confusion, frustration, or obfuscation. I can take up the sword like St George and slay the dragon with Silence or Patience! I like that very much.

In SMART Recovery, it is suggested that we imagine our irrational beliefs and the Problem of Instant Gratification (also known as 'PIG') as a foe, and ourselves as a hero doing battle with them using the tools of REBT. For example, that little voice urging you with thoughts like, 'She resents you and wishes you had never come to work here,' is Darth Vader, to whom you can stand up like Luke Skywalker, activate your light sabre and say, 'Hold on, PIG. What are you up to now? What lies are you telling me?' Then you ATTACK with powerful disputes and counter statements: 'What evidence is there that she resents me? Is there a universal law that co-workers must have unconditional positive regard for one another? Even if she does feel that way, does that have any bearing on your working day or your life outside of work? There is no reason to think she resents you, but if she does, she has a right to her own thoughts and feelings and in any case, what she thinks and feels has nothing to do with you.'

All of this internal snicker-snacking can be going on internally while in the 'real world', I am using the Sword of Silence and the Sword of Patience to cut through confusion and frustration. The Sword of Silence will help me listen instead of talking, will prevent me from reacting with PIG (Problem of Instant Gratification), and the Sword of Patience will help me give others the space and time needed to express themselves, and will give me the space and time to come to some level of understanding of their perceptions and ideas.

Okay, this is good advice. I go forth into my day thinking of swords and dragons.

Elven Queen

I'd never heard of this character until I saw her in The Wicca Deck (Morningstar, US Games 2014). The companion book makes no explanation, but some sources I've found say the 'Queen of Elphame' is mentioned in witchcraft trial transcripts, where she is said to be a form taken on by the Devil. She also appears in a few Scottish ballads, such as Thomas the Rhymer: 

True Thomas lay oer yond grassy bank,
  And he beheld a ladie gay,
A ladie that was brisk and bold,
  Come riding oer the fernie brae.
True Thomas he took off his hat,
  And bowed him low down till his knee:
“All hail, thou mighty Queen of Heaven!
  For your peer on earth I never did see.”
“O no, O no, True Thomas,” she says,
  “That name does not belong to me;
I am but the queen of fair Elfland,
  And I’m come here for to visit thee.

Apparently, Elphame means Elfland.  In the image, above the cave or doorway the Queen has presumably just emerged from, are the words 'Thierna na oge'. Again, the companion book makes no explanation of this. I googled it and to my surprise, I got a lot of hits from DC Comics! Apparently it is named as one of the 'five lost cities of Atlantis' in the Aquaman comics. Ha! Further searching brought up this:  Fairy Legends - Thierna na Oge. According to this source, Thierna na oge is a city or palace under water, which was submerged by the water from a spring or well as a result of the king their trying to horde the water for himself. After much clicking and frowning, I found this: Tir na nOg, Land of the Young. Which makes more sense if we're talking about elves or faeries! Those who live in Tir na nOg are the Tuatha De Danaan, at last a term I've heard! These are the faery folk or deities of pre-Christian Ireland. And it looks like Queen of Elphame is their queen, at least in this card. Not that the companion book would tell you ANY of that. 

Instead, it says that is the leader of the fairy and little people and is also known as Morrigan and embodies the Triple Goddess as well as Morgan le Fay and the Lady of the Lake. It's certainly Wicca to take various strands and stir them up together like that.

She's meant to be telling me today that 'magic and beauty' are touch me. 'Seek the magic in all situations and call upon the Elven Queen to guide your journey,' it says. 

Well. Okay. :) 

Why are we here?

Well, the bad news is I didn't get the job I went for yesterday. It was quite demoralising. But oh well. You just have keep going, don't you.

Today's card from Wicca Deck (Morningstar, US Games 2014) is The High Priest. In Wicca, the High Priest is the consort of the High Priestess, in a traditional coven. In this deck the High Priest represents 'Guardianship, wisdom and guidance.' In light of yesterday's disappointment, this bit from the companion book is remarkably apt: 'You may have experienced humbling situations. Pick yourself up and stand true to your higher purpose, then reach for the stars, confident that you, too, have a reason to be here.'

The reason I'm here is because I'm here. Same for you. I personally do not believe that each of us is sent here 'for a reason'. That would not only mean we have no control over our lives, but that we need to search for what that 'one thing' is and then strive to fulfill it. Whereas, realising that there isn't a specific mission to be accomplished in our individual life experience frees us to do absolutely anything we want with our lives. Anything. There's no particular thing I am meant to be or do, except to be alive and to stay alive for as long as I am alive. I am here, just because I am here. Same as a flower, or a tree, or a river. Same as a deer or a whale or an eagle. I came into existence, and I exist. Existence itself is a deep enough meaning for an eternity of pondering; we don't need to define it beyond that.

Existence and life -- these are the higher purpose. Life just is because it is. I find that beautiful and freeing.

Thunder! Lightning! Snakes! - The Horned God

I seem to have forgotten to tell you that The Wicca Deck (Sally Morningstar, US Games 2014) is actually an oracle and not a tarot. Sorry for any confusion!

Today's card is The Horned God, which seems fitting as it is a pivotal time of the year, Autumn Equinox (yesterday) and the new moon (today).

In Wicca, and other neopagan traditions, the Horned God represents male energy, and in some instances, male aspects of deity. In some traditions, there is a belief in an actual Goddess and Horned God. In others, these deities are considered symbolic of energies on earth and in the universe.

There are many symbols of fertility and rebirth in this image, as well as power and duality. The Horned God sits in an oak tree, which has glowing acorns, symbol of growth and rebirth. The snake is a symbol of transformation and rebirth. He holds a torc, a rigid metal piece of neck wear that marked its wearer out as having a high rank. Of course the day and night sky in the background denotes duality and balance.

The companion book is a bit muddled on this card. On the one hand it is said to mean 'fun and celebration,' which frankly I don't see at all. Then it says 'your desires may be out of balance' and also 'we need to give thanks for what we receive'. So I will leave the companion book in this case and use my own associations with the Horned God -- masculine energy, power, and all the qualities we associate with masculinity. The figure in the card has his legs arranged in the figure 4, much like the Jupiter symbol, as we see in traditional Emperor cards in tarot. The Horned God is much like the Emperor, but tempered with a lot more nature energy. (In other words, he's the Emperor with a lot more Empress in there).

Today's my assessment for the new job, and I can use all the masculine energy and power I can get. Come thunder! Flash lightning! Give me the power of the Horned God to impress and persuade. :)

Bats in the Belfry

I'm not entirely sure why 'Bat' has made it into the Wicca Deck (Sally Morningstar, US Games 2014). I didn't realise bats had any particular significance in Wicca. I know they are associated with 'spookiness', but what's spooky about Wicca? As far as I know, bats are only loosely associated with 'witchcraft' in the Halloween sense - Frankenstein's monster, Wolfman, Dracula and 'witches'. To be honest, I don't really like those associations, though they are sometimes fun. I did some googling and found a website which suggested that bats could be associated with Wicca because of 'their affinity for nighttime, and because they maneuver by non-ordinary senses. As well as, perhaps, the shamanic powers bats represent.' I'm not convinced. 

In this deck, Bat represents a change from within. Maybe because bats appear out of the darkness of caves? Seems a tenuous link. Still, I will remain on the lookout for anything that might change my consciousness today. :) 

Wicca Deck - Crystal Ball

This week in honour of Autumn Equinox, I will be drawing from Wicca Deck by Sally Morningstar (Connections 2014). The deck uses objects and concepts associated with Wicca as bases for divinatory interpretation.

Today's card, Crystal Ball, represents clear vision and intuition. It also suggests keeping close counsel. Actually, I've been thinking about both these things lately. I have a tendency to say what I think without considering the consequences or taking the time to temper how I word things. I am forthright and open as well as emotive and quite verbal. Dangerous combination!

'Clear vision now creates your future,' says the companion book. This reminds me that I need to do some preparation and also some serious soul-searching about the upcoming interview on Wednesday. I have a history of focusing a lot of attention on being successful at an interview without really considering what the job might be like or whether I would enjoy it. The secondment I was on earlier this year (which I ended early) is an example. I did a number of readings on my chances of getting the job and how good I would be at it. I didn't remember to read or contemplate how I might actually enjoy the work. Of course, I found that though I did get the job and was able to do it, I didn't like it and so I ended the secondment early. What I need to do this time around, the Crystal Ball card is telling me, is spend time meditating on and envisioning the job I'm going for, to see how I feel about doing it. Just because you go for a job interview doesn't mean you intend to accept it. Just because someone offers you a job doesn't mean you have to take it. Leaping to a yes can be a bad decision.

What will the work be like?

It is a corporate institution with many rules and regs to be followed and I would be in a definite leadership position there. (Tower + Mountain = Institutions + blockages or boundaries, Mountain + Snake = professional conduct that observes or deals with blockages/boundaries.) The buck would stop here, in many cases. There would be responsibility and the need to be shrewd. 

Will I like it? How will I enjoy doing it? What will be my emotional reaction to it?

I have the love and commitment to this institution and the experience to both do a good job and derive satisfaction from it. (Ring + Heart = Commitment + love, Heart + Lily = Devotion and experience.)

This draw suggests I would like it...I will draw again tomorrow and see what I get!  

Green Man

Now this is an interesting card we have drawn today from Wicca Deck (Morningstar 2014). The green man image is depicted on an oak tree (you can see it has acorns on it), and carved into the tree is a door with runes around the frame. To be honest, I don't think these carry any meaning, which is a shame. I think it's purely decorative -- too bad. If any rune experts know better, do let me know!

In front of the door is a glowing orb wrapped round by a snake, which reminds me of the orphic egg.  Just outside its glow are some little flowering plants that might be some sort of lily. In the background we see a buck deer rearing up on its hind legs.
The card obviously speaks of masculine energy, creation and fertility. But who is the Green Man?

Who is the Green Man?*
As with many neopagan properties, the Green Man has been appropriated and a new history created. He is not an ancient remnant of a horned-god-and-earth-mother worshiping pagan faith. (Though I see absolutely no reason why he can't represent those natural masculine energies now, as he does to the pagan community). Actually the Green Man appeared in churches from the 11th century as part of the Christian visual iconography and declined after the Reformation period when the visual culture of medieval Christianity collapsed. He enjoyed a comeback in the 19th century as part of the Gothic Revival and appetite for medieval things. He was later appropriated to represent 'the archetype of our oneness with the earth' and embraced as such in counter-culture movements.

Modern study of the Green Man began in the 1930s with folklorist Julia Somerset, Lady Raglan. Influenced (as so many folklorists of the time were) by Sir James Frazer's The Golden Bough, and by Margaret Murray's The Witch Cult in Western Europe, she came up with the notion that the Green Man was a remnant of pagan tree worship and spring sacrifice. But studies of pre-Christian religion in Britain have failed to find green men and they were not deities of classic pantheon. These images were not carved into Christian churches as a remnant of ancient pagan faith, but by devout Christian craftsmen.

Green men, being neither green nor always men, started as small drawings in the margins of Christian books in the 11th and 12th centuries. Their profuse tangled branches suggest an origin in the interlaced ornament of Saxon and Celtic art. Green men on churches, therefore, derived from an artistic culture rather than popular custom, as images in books were an important source of inspiration for patrons of churches. Sources for many motifs in churches and cathedrals have been traced to English manuscript illuminations, in particular English psalters of the 12th century. If the carvings are studied through the ages, the Green Man moves from a type of medieval demon to a Renaissance decoration, then into the Gothic revival period where they become mere badges of 'authentic' medieval style. The post-Industrial Revolution yearning for a more natural past informs recent transformation of the Green Man from an image rooted in medieval Christianity to the one that now, to some, stands for humanity's relationship with nature.

The Cards
Anyway, all that aside, the Green Man has its own meaning now, and certainly its own meaning in the Wicca Deck, which no medieval Christian mind would have derived from it, but which modern pagans do, and that is the idea of oneness with nature, abundance, fertility and growth.

In a draw, this card could suggest returning to simple things, ecological concerns, oneness with nature, natural growth processes, going with the natural flow, and so on.

The supporting card from the tarot deck is 6 of Swords. The card's meaning of journey, travel, exploration or overcoming difficulties takes on resonance in light of the history of the Green Man. If we take the pagan meaning of the Green Man as growth or ecological concerns, we can see 6 of Swords supporting us as we make a change from damage or hurt that may have been sustained (either personally or to the environment) and toward better times. (Though I'm really not sure how the huntress and hounds fit into that!)

Some things to think about today:

How is fertility and abundance playing itself out in your life right now?
When was the last time you went outside and enjoyed nature?
What can you do today to help the environment?
What new, fresh direction can you turn yourself toward?

*Hayman, Richard. 'Ballad of the Green Man'  History Today. April 2010. 37-44.

Raise your candle high

This little light of mine
I'm gonna let it shine...
Let it shine, let it shine
I'm gonna let it shine
Oh yeah

If you've been following the blog this week, you've done a lot of work already. Good for you! We've used the Wicca Deck (Morningstar 2014) and the Old English Tarot (Kneen 1997) to consider taking action toward our goals and setting boundaries in our self-talk and relationships. This is HUGE work and not something that can be completed in one day! These are issues that we come back to again and again. Personal growth starts with our first breath and doesn't end until our last. That's the nature of the game.

The card is all about letting our little light shine. It's time we said good-bye to concealing or making little of our talents and ideas. That's what the Bible calls hiding our light under a bushel -- how long will a candle burn if a bushel basket is turned over it? Not only will the candle soon be snuffed out, but while it does burn, no one will be able to see the light, and so what purpose has it even served? The same is true of us. We all have talents and skills to offer to the world. Not to do so is to let ourselves go to waste. We are meant to show forth our talents and skills and ideas, to offer freely to the world all that we have to give it. Like the peacock in the card, we should not be afraid to offer our beauty and our radiance to the world.

Memento mori

In support of this oracle card, we've drawn the tarot card Death.  Usually we see this card as symbol of an ending, usually a painful ending, that ultimately leads to renewal. But there is another meaning to the Death card that is often overlooked: memento mori. It's a Latin phrase that means: 'Remember you will die.'

You've got a light inside you. You have so many beautiful talents and abilities, natural tendencies, propensity to help and love and nurture. Are you allowing those beautiful aspects of yourself shine out and bless the world? Why not? Why are you waiting? Each day you are less than your radiant beautiful self is one day gone from your life when you could have contributed to the happiness and joy and peace of others. Don't be shy! Don't be modest! Don't hold back! You can bask in your own warmth and radiance as well. The Death card reminds us -- we only get a finite number of days to enjoy this.

I just thought of a song. You know of course that the word 'Phildelphia' means 'Brotherly Love', right? Greek 'philia' means 'altruistic love' and 'adelphos' means 'brother, fellow, belonging to the same people, countryman'. Well, I just thought of the song 'Philadelphia Freedom' by Elton John --

Oh Philadelphia freedom, I love you, shine on me
Shine a light, shine a light
Shine a light, won't you shine a light
Philadelphia freedom - I love you , yes I do!

Hey, we are part of this big world of fellow human beings, and we all should be shining our lights for as long as they last, shine our lights for each other.

I remembered another one! Do you remember Melanie and a song called 'Lay Down (Candle in the Rain)'?

So raise your candles high!
Cause if you don't we could stay black against the night.
Oh, raise them higher again
Cause if you do we could stay dry against the rain! 

(Melanie says, 'I wasn't really a hippie. I was more of just an oddball.' LOL)

 How are you going to let your light shine today? It doesn't have to be something huge. Watch for it today. When you feel like saying or doing something but feel yourself holding back--don't hold back. Go on and shoot that ray of love out into the world.

We've got the power and we've got some teaching to do

Today's draw from Wicca Deck (Morningstar 2014) and Old English Tarot (Kneen 1997) continues giving us messages about taking our personal power. Good!

In today's card we see the Athame, or knife, a Wiccan tool, also used in witchcraft, Druidry and other earth-based spiritual traditions. It's a beautiful image. The hand clutching the athame rises through rings of air (athame is the symbol of the element Air, direction east), and reaches up into the starry night sky where a mystical spiral sun burns up the night, a crescent moon watching from above. What an amazing scene.

The card is called Commander of Power. In practice, the athame is ritually used much like a wand, to direct energy. In the Wicca Deck, it takes on more authority, possibly because it is associated with masculine energy. (It is a phallic symbol in Wiccan ceremonies, where it is ritually plunged into the chalice, a female symbol). The card represents a commanding presence, a strong sense of self, and being in charge of one's life. A blade cuts through things, and so this image represents healthy boundaries. Now, that's the real fire!

And so that leads us to our supporting card for the day, King of Cups. Another masculine card, another symbol of mastery. This card, from Old English Tarot, features the king on his throne, surrounded by clusters of grapes. (Many Cups cards in this deck feature grape clusters). The card shows us where we need to set boundaries in order to become Commander of Power in our own lives--our emotions and our relationships.

Maya Angelou said that we teach people how to treat us. We lead them by example, did you know that? The way we treat ourselves and they way we let them treat us -- that's the precedent we create.

Time to set some boundaries then, and the place to start is with ourselves.

Ask yourself:

• Do I put myself down in front of others (or even just to myself)?
• Do I take the blame for things onto myself? 
• Do I put myself last? 
• Do I think other people deserve better than I deserve?

Now you know you need to use your Athame to cut out that behaviour. Set a boundary with yourself -- STOP belittling yourself, labelling yourself, blaming yourself, failing to prioritise yourself and feeling undeserving! Instead:

• Compliment yourself on something -- anything! And instead of putting yourself down in conversations, catch yourself before you speak and instead, use that breath you drew to pay a compliment to the person you're talking to (or about the person you're talking about. You heard me!)
• Think logically when things go wrong. Could you really have 'caused' what happened? Even if you were actually at fault, can you go back and do it over? And in 100 years, will anyone care? Let it go!
• Do at least one thing today that is just for you--and don't wait until everyone else in the house is finally in bed. Tell them they can wait and go do something for yourself. You're teaching them how to treat you, remember?
• Read this out loud right now - 'I am a precious child of the universe and I deserve every blessing it can offer.'

You've given yourself some thought, now let's look at others. Please ask yourself: 

• Am I in any relationships in which I feel powerless?
• What boundaries do I need in order to feel more empowered?
• How can I do so in a way that is respectful toward the humanity of the person and of myself? 
• What is one boundary-setting action I can take today? 

Take up that Athame of Power and look after yourself, lovelies. 

Do, or do not. There is no spell more powerful than that.

Today's card comes from The Wicca Deck by Sally Morningstar (Connections Publishing 2014), an oracle made up of cards depicting tools and concepts of Wicca. Illustrations are by Danuta Mayer. I'll be drawing all week from this pack, along with supporting tarot cards from Old English Tarot by Maggie Kneen (US Games 1997).

The card shows a Wand, the instrument used by Wiccans and many traditions to focus and direct power. Thus the Wand is given the key word 'Intention.' The wand in the image has clear crystal quartz points on either end, embellished with copper. There is a band of bronze or copper decorated with  a pentacle clamped around it. And carved into the wood we see the sigil 'sowilo', which stands for the sun, wholeness, success. Little chains attached to the wand lead to a small goddess charm and  three beads with a raven or crow feather, no doubt the three beads stand for maid, mother and crone.

This card certainly portends good things, but also brings the message -- good things come to those with clear intent and strong will. Not a vague wish, but a definite, focused intention.

So far so good. We all have intentions, but what comes next?  To see how the tarot would support this card, I shuffled and drew from Old English Tarot and received 8 of Batons (also known as 8 of Wands). And this is just the perfect support for our oracle card of the day! This card shows us the backbone of intent -- action. You can send all the intentions into the universe you want, but if you do not then take action, you are very unlikely to see any manifestation of your will.

'What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.' ~ James 2:14-17

Every witch or spellcaster will tell you the same. Cast your spell, then do the work. The Buddhist and Hindu will tell you, do your meditation, then do the work.

'Those who believe and do good works, their Lord guides them by their faith. Rivers will flow beneath them in the Gardens of Delight.' ~ Quran 10:9

This is a universal principle that cannot be escaped. It's common sense. If you want something, wanting is not enough. Yes, you may create a ripple of energy in the fabric of the universe. But if you want it to materialise, you are going to have to take action.

The little figures in the 8 of Batons are working very hard in the field, bending their backs again and again in the hot sun, doing repetitive labour. But what great rewards this work reaps! Bread for the winter. Fodder for the cattle. A roof for their homes. Fuel for the fire. Every stalk of that harvest must be collected and it will be put to good use. Their intention of surviving the winter will materialise.

The card gives a good idea of the kind of tasks we will likely have to do to manifest our intentions -- work that we may not want to do, that is not particularly fun to do, but that step-by-step will lead to the results we want. You don't have to go fast, but you do have to be organised and expeditious. Also tolerant and patient.

So here's your work for today. Ask yourself:

• What do I want? What do I really want? Write it down and be very specific. 
• What do I need to do to get where I want? List the actions.

Not sure how to get there? No problem:

• If you don't know exactly how to get to where you want, make a list of tasks that lead in the right direction. 
• If you don't know any tasks that lead in that direction, make a list of questions because it's time to gather information.
• Now choose one task (or one question) and do it (or ask it) today.  It doesn't matter how small that action may seem in the face of your big goal. Trust in your intention and do it.

Now you've done that task, sit back and -- wow! You did it. You're making magic happen. Well done! Congratulate yourself for taking that step.

Wait -- did I just hear you say, 'But I have so far to go and I'm not really clear yet how to get to my dream?' Well, stop that! Look at the next task on your list. Keep focused, keep acting, keep gathering in that wheat, just like in the card. You can do it. You can!