“Being in charge means making decisions, no matter how unpleasant. If it’s broke, fix it . . . you cannot let the mission suffer, or make the majority pay to spare the feelings of an individual.”
-Colin L. Powell, My American Journey
Leadership
Predicting the Future
“Predicting the Future? When people consult me, it’s not that I’m
reading the future; I am guessing at the
future. The future belongs to [a Higher
Being], and it is only he who reveals it,
under extraordinary circumstances.
How do I guess at the future? Based on
the omens of the present. The secret is
here in the present. If you pay attention to
the present, you can improve upon it.
And if you improve on the present,
what comes later will also be better.”
~ The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Biddy Card of the Week, Strength Reversed
“I’ve been taking these stutter steps towards my future for a long time now, unsure if I can do it, unsure if my difficulties are just growing pains or permanent disability. I need to take a lot of breaks to rest and re-group, but even if I have to hop instead of fly most of the time, I keep going. Just like the little bird.”
– The Little Bird, by Rachel Mankowitz
* * * *
Biddy Tarot’s Card of the Week is Strength, reversed.
Biddy Tarot says that:
“This week, you may be feeling exhausted and in need of an energy boost. Remember, all your energy reserves and strength come from within. Take some time out this week to pause and reflect, and gather up your energy. Even though you may be lacking in strength, vitality and energy, it doesn’t mean you have to be completely incapacitated this week. Instead, go within to access your energy reserves and restore your inner strength.
You may also find that your inner strength and confidence is compromised this week. You may be doubting yourself and your ability to move through any challenges that have come your way. This is your opportunity to go deep within, and reconnect with your inner source of power and strength. You may have relied on others to provide this to you in the past, but the important lesson here is that only YOU can do this and you will be at your strongest when you discover how to find that part of you that is fierce and powerful!
Ask the Tarot: How can I restore my inner strength?”
(Esselmont)
* * *
* * *
I am indeed “feeling exhausted,” “lacking in strength, vitality and energy,” and “doubting” myself and my “ability to move through … challenges” this week (Esselmont). So this card is a nice reminder and encouragement for me.
I also had never thought of viewing “feeling exhausted” as an Opportunity – an “opportunity to reconnect with” my “inner source of power and strength (Esselmont).”
Literally – like – “Yay, this week I get to really challenge myself”, or “Awesome, I get to utilize my inner reserves!”
So that’s an interesting way to view it instead of just “Oh my god, I”m so exhausted.” I’m going to give that a go, I think.
My exhaustion is temporary anyway, and I know it. Started work at a retail store last week after 15 years of cushy office work and my body is coming up the physical labor remembrance curve hard and fast, taking no prisoners. So positive outlooks have been getting washed away by “Oh my god I just need to sleep 16 hours to rejuvenate.” I’m feeling good tonight, but that’s only because I slept all last night and half of today, and that seems to be what it takes to recover from working.
Going to come back to this and re read after my next shifts so I can remember that its a blessing to have the opportunity to give my inner reserves of strength a trial run here and there.
Hope it helps some of you as well!
And you can click here if you want to read up on Biddy’s official Strength card attributes, both Upright and Reversed, in more detail.
Works Cited
Esselmont, Brigit. “Strength Reversed.” Received by Michelle Sebly, 6 Aug 2018.
Cathy Pagano’s Take, FM July 2018
from CathyPagano.com
“The cosmic waves of change keep rolling in…
“Don’t forget to go out and look at the Full Moon, even if you can’t see the eclipse.
“The sight of the Full Moon and brilliant Mars shining nearby will imprint on your psyche in a magical way.
“Eclipses are magical moments where something slips through an energy portal to both destroy and create. It’s a path opener.
“Eclipses are known to bring things to a head; something is released, especially at a total lunar eclipse. It’s time to bring things sleeping into the light.
“The energies during the past few months have been intense and chaotic, and it feels like things are getting more intense, very much like the stage in labor called transition – the contractions keep coming without stop. It’s an intense time, but it presages birth…
(YES, SINCE APRIL – in my experience, anyway. Really as far back as February for me.)
“It’s during this most intense stage of labor that mothers have to try to stay focused on our task – to birth new life…
“So during this powerful Blood Full Moon lunar eclipse, when the light of the Moon is veiled, we have to stay focused, to see and understand what lives deep within us, those parts of ourselves we’ve locked away from our awareness that need to be seen and acknowledged.
“These parts might be gifts we developed in other lifetimes, old behavior patterns shaped by beliefs that no longer serve us, or lies we’ve told ourselves about who and what we are…
(Yes, and yes.)
“When outer planets are involved in an eclipse pattern, it signals a change in the collective energies as well as in our personal energies.
“…It’s time to figure things out – to see the root cause of our trauma and heal it through the trine to Chiron in Aries – through a new understanding of who we really are.
“We can ground in the meaning and purpose of our life experience when we see ourselves clearly.
“The healing is for masculine energy in men, woman and the world…
“The Divine Feminine has been awake in the world since the 70s.
“It’s time for the divine Masculine to be birthed anew…
“Warrior, father, lover and magician: these are the archetypal energies that need to be embraced and developed as the New Masculine.
“Will men rise to the occasion? Some of you have. Hopefully, you will help others who are ready.
“This means women have to do things differently as well, since we also have patterns of how we use our masculine energies that have been shaped by patriarchy.
“It’s time for women to find our own way of doing things. And many of us already have.
“Deep change is upon us and we have a chance to work consciously with it…
“These cosmic alignments focus on what questions we need to be asking ourselves.
“How does masculine spirit want to be renewed and incarnated now?
“…How do we deal with Mars’ shadow of aggression, anger and competition? What is bravery?
“How do we change our way of doing things? How can we shape something different by how we act in the world?
“Are we living our dharma? How are we contributing our knowledge and wisdom to the world?
“…Mars retrograde with South Node in Aquarius will find us walking away from collective expectations of what we should do and how to do it.
“Just as Aquarius rules the round table of collaboration, it also rules mob mentality.
“South Node in Aquarius demands that we look at how we betray our beliefs when we don’t have the integrity to act on them.
“When it comes to dealing with Mars – the masculine spirit, left brain rationality and men – how have we been betrayed by them?
“…With the collective nature of Mars retrograde on the South Node in Aquarius at this lunar eclipse, it’s time to recognize that our world’s fate is in our hands.
“When we engage in community on whatever level, we are participating in our world and bringing our unique gifts to the collective.
“Look at what you’ve been hiding from and bring it into the light of day where you can create something new out of it.
“With 6 of our 10 planets in fixed signs during this eclipse, there are possibilities of big personal breakthroughs on issues that have been stuck for a while.
“…We’re all being tested. Trust your inner spirit. Don’t fear the changes. We don’t have to go through anything alone. Where’s your tribe?
“Don’t be afraid to ask for help… we don’t have to go through things alone now. That’s a new way to solve old problems – help each other.”
© Copyright 2018 ~CATHY PAGANO All Rights Reserved
And then my Assistant rearranges it:
My Assistant:
Fiery K. Tarot 