The Inner Light Comes Forth
SYMBOLISM
The Hermit’s gaze is directed both inward and outward.
The lantern focuses on vigilance in the dark.
The six-pointed star represents the light within us.
The golden stave is the individual light and strength of The Hermit,
The Hermit wears gray to warn us against uncertainty.
The green-gray sky represents withdrawal from outside distraction.
The Hermit’s white beard is a disguise.
The snow represents a new beginning.
Getting to Know the Hermit
The Hermit appears in a Tarot spread because he has a message. His message: Look within for wisdom.
We find peace and contentment within ourselves.
The Hermit appears in a spread in several situations: You need to be alone and, as the querant, just can’t get the time. Or, you may be afraid of being alone. Finally, you can’t escape being alone.
Whatever the situation, The Hermit waits for you to turn to him for advice. You don’t always need a Tarot spread to work with The Hermit.
Were you ever in a situation where soul-searching helped you reach an authentic decision? Do you keep a mental/spiritual space just to quietly explore your inner thoughts? Have you ever thought, on some level, that truth waits for you?
The Hermit enters your life because you need time to process thoughts, things, and events introspectively. You leave the either/or world behind when you find truth somewhere in the middle.
Your discretion and privacy are essential so you can process what you’ve learned and what is happening to you. This gives you a chance to be at peace.
When you are grounded and centered, you can return to the crowd again.
A Story
The Hermit visited me often when I managed a food pantry in Woodstock between 2008 and 2013. The Hermit helped me find – and keep – my own-authentic light. I used it as I walked along my path.
I saw his face in the trans person who wore a fringed leather jacket, completely worn-out western boots, and sparkly apricot nail polish.
I saw his face in the old man who drove a worn-out pickup and had no money to replace it. Any repairs happening on that rig were his handiwork.
I saw his face in the expressions of the older couple who shopped weekly and shared a coat in the winter.
These people were the real deal, not just something made up, like the autographed photographs of Jesus Christ that the Christian radio station in Monterrey, Mexico, sold on the air when I was a young girl growing up in Texas.
No one could convince me of anything otherwise. Not even the woman who came up to me quietly and privately after the local writer’s group meeting in Stoneridge. She spoke her truth to me: “You wouldn’t know the face of God if He showed up wearing a sign on his chest.”
She had a right to her own opinion. After all, chances were good she read a whole lot more about God than I. No doubt she paid more attention to many more sermons than I had ever thought about listening to.
What did I know? I hadn’t been in a church in over 30 years when I walked into that Episcopal Church in Woodstock in 2005. Truth be told, I never set foot in the place on Sundays because I couldn’t take my beloved papillon, Pork Chop, with me.
And, for sure, I don’t think this lady (whose name I’ve forgotten) would ever have seen God in the faces of any of these people. Bible stories I read tell us we see God in the burning bushes (Exodus 3:2-4), in the desert (Exodus 16:10), in a manger (Luke 2:16), or in a prison cell (Acts 12:7-11). But not in a food pantry hallway.
God meets us anywhere and speaks to us in ways we understand.
People entering the food pantry brought their hearts, minds, souls, and feelings with them. I saw volumes written on their faces in the church basement: broken dreams, loss, damaged relationships, memories, apologies, new hopes, goals, starting over.
And, finally, forgiveness.
Forgiveness was God in action and faith in the food pantry. Hungry people prayed, questioned, and sought forgiveness.
I finally decided that I, too, could own up to the anxiety we all experienced. It was no longer a we/they situation. Everyone experienced the threat of hunger and lived with a primal fear created by this threat.
My constant threat? the pantry deniers closing the pantry.
Under The Hermit’s direction, I learned not to sweat the haters.
Giving up was a luxury none of us had. We worked on self-confidence, self-awareness, and our futures. One unspoken question hung in the air every pantry day.
“How am I going to get out of this mess I’m in?”
Focus In
When your life calls for a time-out to sort things out, use it. Think. Rest. Read. Meditate. Pray. Focus on the larger issues.
Sometimes you can get away. Sometimes the getaway is a mental time out in your living room.
Remember: Your light is your light. Your path is your path. After you’ve worked out things on your own, notice how much calmer and clearer things are when its over.
Withdrawing from your everyday life give you a new perspective.
Meditation
Go to your private and safe place. Settle in to your most comfortable chair or mat; whatever is the best place and position for you. Turn on some healing music. Light a candle or turn on your Himalayan salt lamp.
When you are ready to begin this meditation, remember a busy day in your life. Think of the busy-ness, the hassles, the deadlines of the day.
Now, leave all that behind you. For this short time, release your frustrations and stress.
Focus your attention on your breathing. Allow your inhales and exhales to become rhythmic and calm. Breathe in calm and positive feelings. Release toxins and negativity when you breathe out.
As you pay attention to your surroundings, notice that you are experiencing a quiet, still evening. You carry a lantern. You focus this meditation on a question that you have been trying to answer for some time now.
As you look around, you move your lantern around to familiarize yourself with your surroundings. You see a quiet area in front of you. There is a small bench waiting for you. Quietly, you walk over to the bench and seat yourself comfortably.
Somehow, you know this is a learning moment for you. You realize this learning experience a different kind of learning. You know you are going to learn –
without words
without pictures
without anything you can describe or analyze
In the silence of the moment, you receive insight which you will use. .
You sit with this moment. As you do this, you absorb the needed wisdom.
You sit quietly for a few moments and then realize it is time to return to your day.
You know you can return to this time and place anytime you want.
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The Courage of Your Convictions
SYMBOLISM
The bright yellow background stands for vitality and acting with conscious awareness.
The woman with the lion wears white to signify her purity and kindness.
The lemniscate (infinity symbol) above the woman’s head symbolizes her ability to call upon her higher self. This is the energy of the universe. Has she experienced this before in a prior lifetime?
The green landscape indicates her success.
The blue mountains in the background indicate a peak experience.
The position of the woman’s hands demonstrates hands-on healing.
The woman and the lion show the ability of the meek to overcome the mighty.
The red lion stands for power and fire.
GETTING TO KNOW STRENGTH.
Are you making your way through a risky situation? Are you overcoming fear?
For me, the Strength Card is a feminine card showing that intuition and gentle responses are more effective than sledgehammer tactics. Negotiation and balanced calm win over a seemingly impossible challenge. Call on focus, patience, and stillness when you tune into your intuition to really understand the situation.
With the Strength Card, your inner strength and courage guide you to stand firm because you are grounded. When you are steady and calm, you can win. This is better than running, hiding, or denying the situation.
Important! The Strength Card tackles anything and everything operating destructively in your life – from within or without. This includes anger, anxiety, despair, laziness, lust, and loneliness.
Patience and courage are important. With determination you live up to your potential. Self-control and faith in yourself strengthen your intuition.
Strength is an inner spiritual trait, overcoming ignorance and oppression as it solves your problems. With the Strength Card in control, tact and diplomacy work better than aggression and confrontation.
Even in the thick of things, you can stand up for yourself. The change you fight for is worth the effort.
In the end, it all comes down to forgiveness.
A STORY
One October afternoon, in 1976, I called on the Strength Card for help. I married Barry, my second husband only weeks before. Barry, myself, my two children, and a Keeshond puppy ived in an apartment near the Air Force base where Barry was stationed.
With only two days’ notice, I learned my new in-laws were coming to visit. They arrived with a list of rules and conditions. One, my new mother-in-law was a chain smoker and they were trying to wean her off cigarettes. So, “Please, no smoking.” Two, they were staying a couple of weeks. And, on and on and on. The smoking prohibition impacted us strongly because both Barry and I were smokers. What were we going to do?
We gave up the tobacco.
It wasn’t easy but, when they left, I was no longer a smoker. During their visit, I gave up a habit of a decade. And, it stuck with me for life.
With the Strength Card in my life, I overcame obstacles. I had the courage and resolve to cope with the challenges.
The Strength Card responds to loneliness, grief, anger, depression, and anxiety. Channeling the inner beast and unruly passions positively is effective. This is a time to reconcile with the negativity in your life to win the battle. In fact, negativity teaches you how strong you are.
When the weapon of choice is Strength, the potential is infinite.
FOCUS IN
Heal your own mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, and mythical wellbeing. Enrich your relationship with yourself. This is definitely a time to call in Reiki.
Include complementary medicine healthcare with your self-care. Lifestyle adjustments will support your improvement. This applies to things like fatigue, feeling down, or not coping.
Throughout my life and career as a healer, I’ve seen healthcare and self-care turn people’s lives around. Miracles can happen when you care for yourself and include the Strength Card. For starters, your hair, skin, and nails improve. With sufficient sleep, yo wake up skills you didn’t even know you have.
Never forget how forgiveness fits into the picture.
MEDITATION
Go to a private, safe meditation place. Get in your most comfortable position – either on a chair or a mat.
Gently close your eyes as you begin your deep breathing pattern. Take several deep sighs of relief and relaxation. You may even have an urge to yawn.
Begin your inbreaths as you relax. Each inbreath increases your relaxation level. Each outbreath releases toxins and negativity. As you breathe, and bring more relaxation, move into your calm posture of a warm golden sun and sky. You feel a gentle breeze as it rustles white clothing.
Pay attention to the luscious green lawn beneath your feet. You see bountiful trees and shrubs in the distant meadow. You notice trees, flowers, grass. Birds, butterflies, and other insects seem to be abundantly happy.
You are in a special place.
Settling in your safe and secret space, you look down a path toward challenges and experiences. You see that you are at a place in life where you will know what is best for your future. It’s time to learn about yourself.
Find the place of greatest comfort and forgiveness.
Use your strength to feel safe now. Open your heart – both for yourself and the other. You are ready to take responsibility for your actions. You are ready to accept and forgive imperfections.
It’s time to return to your day now. You know that you can return whenever you are ready.
You are forgiven, for now and forever.
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Press On!
SYMBOLISM
The Charioteer carries a wand which he does not raise above hi head to heaven. Power, creativity, and initiative are important here as he moves on.
His hands do not hold the reins. His character controls life’s forces and his mental energy directs his passions.
The Charioteer’s belt is decorated with symbols of the planets.
His skirt has magical symbols.
The shape of the Chariot represents the material world.
The Chariot wheels are in the water while the Chariot itself sits on the water. The Charioteer gets his energy from the water (the unconscious) and from the land.
The black and white sphinxes are guardians of mystical secrets. The sphinxes stand for life’s mysteries. The black sphinx represents the night, femininity and the unconscious mind. The white sphinx stands for masculinity, conscious thought, and the sun.
The Armor show us The Charioteer is ready, and prepared for the next event.
The Crown symbolize authority and is worn on the head with a laurel wreath symbolizes victory.
The Canopy of Stars represents liberty and independence.
The Winged Sun accompanies the Charioteer on life’s journey.
GETTING TO KNOW THE CHARIOT
The Chariot shows up for graduation, new apartments, new jobs, driver’s licenses.
Energy triumphs over obstacles. You have the skills to succeed. This works especially for things like taking a test or running a race, but it’s also about your understanding your motivations.
It’s also about control and willpower.
But, there’s another thing: This all goes better with intention.
With the Chariot, you move in a new direction. That’s where the intention comes in, know where you are going. This means you set your goal and make your plans. It’s all about knowing where you’re planning to go and how you’re going to get there.
STORY
The Chariot showed up years ago when I studied Spanish. Before thi time, I used what Spanish I knew to buy groceries, chat with neighbors, protect my family’s health at the local medical clinic, and keep myself on the positive side of the law with the Federales while living in Venezuela and Mexico…
But, time passed and I was in a totally new place: a new country, a new spouse, a new job, and a completely different lifestyle.
I used Spanish in my new job but things weren’t what they could be. In my heart, I knew I was stuck and stagnant. I wasn’t learning any new words.
The situation required a goal-oriented focus and courage without heavy-handed tactics. I knew I must, finally, learn the language – not just play like it.
When I enrolled in a Spanish class at a local college, the willpower of the Chariot carried me through. I used the strength of the Chariot for the confidence and belief in myself to learn Spanish.
I knew this was going to be a time of overwork but the outcome would make the effort worthwhile. There were conflicting demands on my time and resources but i felt things would work out well in the end because I was in the driver’s seat.
I also knew that grit and determination were the things most needed to see this project through.
The Chariot helped me make this major life decision. It was time to on my life’s journey. The Chariot was an important pathway for me.
Ambition and determination helped me overcome the obstacles I found along the way and the Chariot helped me cope, develop skills and use my abilities to succeed.
Ambition and determination helped me overcome th obstacles I found along the way and the Chariot helped me cope, develop skills, and use my abilities to succeed.
I finished the classes with A’s. Even all these years later, I can still speak to people in their language. The strength of the Chariot gave me the energy to not only set goals but carry them through to success.
There are also situations where The Chariot can help you control competing forces and inner conflicts. A politician or business employee sometimes needs to settle into the situation and take the middle road and go with the flow. When this happens, follow the road where it takes you to success.
I’ve seen this work well on the local government level. Several years ago, in my community, a few buildings needed modernizing and upgrading. One building, the Highway Department Garage was a teardown and rebuilt project. Our Town Supervisor certainly had the building contractor skills. He knew how to manage the budget. One noisy faction of the community was critical. He knew how to call in The Chariot
Before it was over, Woodstock had new and improved buildings. They included a Highway Garage, Town Hall, Community Center, and the Comeau Property with the Town Clark’s Office and Supervisor’s Cottage.
The goals you achieve are important. But, don’t stop here. Other accomplishments are waiting for you in the future.
Then it’s time to ask “What’s next?”
DO THIS
Are you planning a project? Set your goal. Chart your map. Make a list.
MEDITATION
Find a safe and private location where you can get comfortable. Settle in a comfortable chair or on a flat surface.
Turn your attention to your breath. Close your eyes and focus on your inbreaths and outbreaths. As you inhale and exhale become more and more relaxed. Let your breath settle in to a calming and cleansing pattern.
You open your eyes now and see that the sun shines brightly and is high in the sky. The sun illuminates the sky in a positive yellow. This is your reliable consciousness focusing on your goal.
A star-covered canopy shelters you from the heat of the sky above.
You look around and see a path that you feel was created just for you. You know, in some way, that this path is for you to reach your goal. Your job is to stay on this path.
You see a Chariot waiting for you right underneath the canopy. Two sphinxes are stationed at the front of The Chariot. You know they represent the mysteries you experience as you travel to your goals.
The Chariot is your space and time on this project and in your life. This vehicle has a connection to your karma. As you realize this, you do not fear it. Instead, you feel empowered to work with it to your benefit.
You see the winged sun adorning the front of The Chariot. You feel that this sun will join you on your new project.
You know that this Chariot and these symbols are part of your journey as you stay on your path. They further your progress to your goal.
You realize now that the path is its own journey as you steer your course toward your success.
The landscape around The Chariot is positive and fruitful. The lawn is a lush green grass. Your path leads you along the banks of a beautiful stream.
Farther down the path, across the stream and through the park, is a city with gorgeous buildings capped with red roofs.
The path leads you to success!
You sit with this scene for a few moments while you enjoy and absort your future which is waiting for you. Get comfortable with your success and how it feels.
You know it is time to return to your day. You continue to focus on your breath while you slowly and carefully move your hands and arms, feet and legs.
You move consciously into the now of the day.
Thank you for reading this article This post is a series of seed chapters for an upcoming book I’m writing about The Tarot:
This third book “The Spirituality of the Tarot” will be available soon.
My two Tarot books, “A Healer’s Tarot Memoir” and “The Minor Arcana and the Court Cards” are available in ebook form .
You can order them at www.thurmangreco.com.
While they last…The Minor Arcana and the Court Cards
are being given with a tarot reading.
A few copies of “But for Gabriel” are available. You can order them at www.thurmangreco.com
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www.hungerisnotadisease.com
Taking Responsibility
GETTING TO KNOW THE EMPEROR
The Emperor doesn’t quibble around with what is right and what is wrong. An authority figure, he knows what is worth having. He is his own person. He is also an important father figure. And, the Emperor may be a person of authority, such as a boss. He is balanced. He brings security and conventional values.
He does these things through rules, systems, discipline, and boundaries. He develops the rules. He fosters disciplines. He creates boundaries and he honors values.
He is not afraid of conflict.
Boundaries have meaning for the Emperor. He knows when to create them and how to maintain them. He does this because he understands and respects the rules of society.
The Emperor lives authority and power. And, he likes controlling it all. He knows how to use things like structure, rules, logic, and reason.
The Emperor is thought of as a man but can also be a woman. Women are the Emperor when they structure their careers and their lives according to the rules. Women who know how to use the Emperor’ skills can find the experience to be a powerful experience.
People think of The Emperor as a warrior but, really, he is a ruler. His job description requires that he defend the boundaries and values he lives. The Emperor believes that if something is worth having, it is worth fighting for.
Whatever environment the Emperor connected with, whether it be business, government, partners, parent, he can take charge as he works with honor and tradition.
STORY
My father was the Emperor in my life. Although he was depicted as a warrior, he was a beneficient ruler.
In the Rider Waite Deck, the Emperor wore robes over a full set of armor. My father wore armor daily. His armor was a bullet proof vest and a side arm which he hid under his arm in a leather holster. When he was in public, I never saw my father without a suit coat over his armor. He even wore his armor at the breakfast table.
My father, a small-town Texas attorney, was good enough at what he did to plead a case in the Supreme Court of the United States of America in Washington, D.C. I never knew the particulars or even the names of the plaintiffs or the defendants.
What I knew was that my mother took him clothes shopping in Austin and bought a special blue serge suit and a white shirt with just the right collar and even more special, somber tie just for the occasion. And, on or about May 15, 1954, he packed himself, my mother, and myself into his late model, dark green Oldsmobile 88 and drove to Washington, D.C. to plead the case.
While we were there, he drove us around Washington, D.C. so I could see the Capitol, the White House, the Washington Monument, and the George Washington University camput.
We didn’t get out of the car to walk around the city or even stay the night in Washington, D.C.
My father, who always carried a concealed weapon, knew the martial arts of the day, served in the FBI under J. Edgar Hoover, and was in the OSS during World War II, did not call attention to himself.
He didn’t want to be noticed by anyone because he was constantly on the lookout for trouble. And, for him, crowds meant trouble. He saw things and people and could pick a person out of a crowd and recognize him/her as “trouble”. This was an attitude I grew up with.
After riding around Washington, D.C. all day, we ate dinner at a fish restaurant, O’Donnell’s. Fish was not readily available in my hometown so my father loved the meal. I don’t remember what fish dish he ordered, but I do remember that when he ordered for us, he asked the waitress: “Do you have jalapenos?”
They were served at every meal in our home. Mother drove across the bridge into Villa Acuna and bought large, #10 cans of them in a bodega there.
After dinner, he drove us to Salisbury, Maryland, and we stayed in the Wicomico Hotel.
The next morning, he put on his fancy new suit, shirt, tie, shoes, and drove back to Washington, D.C. to plead his case before Justices Robert Jackson, Harold Burton, Fred M. Vinson, Hugo Black, Tom C. Clark, Sherman Minton, Stanley Forman Reed, Felix Frankfurther, and William O. Douglas, the Supreme Court Justices of the day.
Then he returned to the hotel in Salisbury, paid the bill, picked us up, and drove home to Texas. He drove nonstop taking the short route through Arkansas.
He returned home to his practice which was primarily civil but included criminal cases because he provided whatever services his small town Texas clients needed.
At a time when women in Texas had few rights, my father was known area-wide for doing much for his clients. In divorce cases, he had a reputation for taking everything for his female clients, especially if there were children involved. The first thing he did was clean out the checking account leaving fifteen cents for the divorcing husband. The washing machine went where the children went.
I recall that every day he used the word “ethical” somehow.
FOCUS IN
What is your relationship to responsibility? Journal about this masculine energy.
MEDITATION
**This meditation is most effective when practiced in the morning. The goal is a meditation that is tranquil and quiet.**
Find a quit and safe place which will be distraction-free.
The goal here is to find a supportive and stable place where you can sit comfortably on the floor or recline on a cushioned chair.
You want to be both relaxed and alert so you can go about your activities with a positive, focused attitude.
Once you are seated, encourage your body to feel at ease while remaining aware. Take a slow, deep breath in through your nose. Hold this breath in and breathe out, feel the support and comfort where you are resting.
Connect to this place. Allow your breathing continue to connect you to this place and this day.
These in-an-out breaths clear away mental stress and clutter. They steady you for the coming events, both scheduled and unscheduled.
Take a moment to settle your intention for the day. Prepare yourself to continue through your coming schedule with clarity and positive intent.
Close your eyes and take calming in and out breaths for a few moments. Take a centering outbreath now to center yourself. Continue with your attitude of calm and positivity.
Take a deep inbreath now and appreciate your readiness for your schedule today.
Bring to mind a powerful attitude reflecting how you will move through the coming hours. Let this attitude resonate with your inner self.
You know it is time for you to move forward with your schedule today. Know that you can return to this meditation whenever you want. Meanwhile,
Take a deep breath to release any negativity. Wiggle your fingers. Open your eyes and proceed with your day.
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Adventure! The Journey Begins
GETTING TO KNOW THE FOOL
For me, The Fool is not a here-today-gone-tomorrow event in your life. When The Fool invites you to come along on this path, you have an opportunity to live and learn from all the other Major arcana as you travel from the Magician to The World. This is your one-way ticket to your spiritual journey.
The Fool is the most powerful card in the deck. To the Fool, what can be and what actually is, are the same.
The Fool mentors the Tarot as he journeys through all the experiences of life, changed by each experience. As The Fool Journeys through the major arcana, he journeys through the experiences of life, changed by each event.
We experience these challenges as we travel through our own life journeys, adapting and reawakening. The presence of The Fool shows up in every spread.
The Fool lives in the moment. His journeys are unintentional. This life story does not limit him.
The Fool’s appearance tells you that something new has just entered in your life. This is the new beginning you’ve been needing: opportunity, adventure, and escape.
Experiences reveal your true potential. Your new life journey with The Fool is exciting!
New challenges and projects empower you to find yourself. You now move toward spiritual self-enlightenment. Enjoy the truth right in front of you!
Because you are connected to something bitter than yourself, you feel protected. Your special, telltale attitude tells everyone you’re connected to something bitter than yourself.
STORY
Back in the 90’s I took a massage class. I’d already graduated from PMTI a decade before. Marge D’Urso, my reflexology guru, taught a new kind of massage.
Our class was small, only about 8 students. Including Elizabeth. While the rest of us were trying to learn new massage strokes and more about the body systems, Elizabeth flew through the class. It seemed the information went from Marge’s mouth straight to her brain. She absorbed the information through the pores of her skin. Elizabeth was on a path.
Elizabeth somehow found a source of untapped potential and was making a new start in life. She jumped into the unknown with both feet!
After a while, Marge had us each gathering our list of people for our clinicals. While we scrounged around looking for people, Elizabeth had lists of names and phone numbers of people who seemingly appeared out of nowhere to be on her list to receive a massage.
A couple of people in the class began to get a little jealous.
I didn’t. I saw her situation for what it was: Marge’s massage class was a new beginning for Elizabeth. She was on a path. More specifically, Elizabeth was a modern-day personification of the age-old Tarot card “The Fool”.
While the rest of us word comfortable student clothing (jeans or sweatpants), Elizabeth came to every class dressed richly, celebrating her total openness to life and anything on the curriculum that day. More importantly, Elizabeth wore gorgeous shoes. She wore sandals with 4-inch heels, or wedge-soled pumps. Elizabeth’s shoes celebrated life, love, and reflexology.
Each class was a new opportunity for her to learn whatever new thing Marge set out for us. Elizabeth was fearless!. .
Elizabeth was an innocent student absorbing the wisdom of the class. This set her apart. She was a separate category all by herself. When I saw this, I realized that this “separateness” meant she fit anywhere and everywhere.
She was a totally free spirit.
How did this happen? She saw through the illusions and took a chance on knowledge, peace, and, finally, liberation!
But Elizabeth didn’t travel alone. Her companions and friends supported her. Her experiences supported her without controlling her. Her healing skills became symbols of power.
When the rest of us were afraid to move forward using our new skills, Elizabeth saw that the new things she learned represented possibilities and opportunities, even in new learning territory and difficult chapters.
Elizabeth’s fool energy stood for her inner spiritual freedom that allowed her to enjoy her new skills, accomplishments, and avoid entrapment.
If Elizabeth was afraid of unexpected surprises along the way, she never let any of us know. Her confidence and idealism seemed to allow her to be ready for everything.
When the class ended, Elizabeth embarked on the next leg of her journey. She danced along to her career unafraid of surprises which might be on their way. She went job hunting, carrying her ubiquitous bag which I felt was certainly filled with magical opportunities.
Time passed.
The last time I spoke with Elizabeth, she admitted that she had had several jobs before she found the best opportunity. Her confidence and idealism carried her through to the best place waiting for her.
Elizabeth and her healing embraced the world and all it had to offer. For sure Elizabeth is still out there, living the “Fool” life. She calls on us to listen to the child inside, to follow our instincts.
Was Elizabeth always right? Of course not. Do we think we understand what leads her on? No. Her “fool”ish inner core led us on.
Thank you Elizabeth, for your inspiration. Sometimes, I think you were never real. But, in the end, I know you were. All of us have a “fool” in our lives. We just need to recognize this when we see it.
You have a one-way ticket to a long-term spiritual journey which guides you a you travel from The Magician to The World.
Along the way, you will ask the big questions here: What is the meaning of life? What is your purpose?
Whatever happens or doesn’t happen, you can feel as if the answers are waiting for you. All you have to do is find them.
Celebrate this new normal.
FOCUS IN
When you meet up with The Fool, he invites you on a journey of a lifetime and for a lifetime. This experience calls for a celebration. You are embarking on your own personal spiritual journey which unlocks spiritual secrets for you.
Pick up the phone and schedule an appointment with a food reflexologist!
MEDITATION
Find a quiet, safe, and comfortable space for your meditation.
If you want, light a candle, burn incense, or turn on healing music.
Get comfortable now. Sit or lie with your spine straight. Your goal is to be comfortable enough to be unaware of your body.
Begin breathing comfortably now. Take a deep breath. Hold it for a moment. Release it. See and feel tension leave you with each in or out breath.
Take a deep breath – Hold it for a moment. Release it. See the tension leave.
Your inbreaths bring positive feelings, calm, and peace. Your outbreaths release tension, stress, negativity. Continue this breathing pattern for a few moments until you feel calm.
You notice now that you are in a parklike setting surrounded by trees, shrubbery, and plants. You see a rose bush nearby. It has a white rose bloom.
You are seated on a bench with a small dog curled up at your feet.
You look around and see that the sun is shining. The sky is a clear blue. The temperature feels comfortable.
You see snow capped mountains off in the distance.
Looking closely around the bench, you see that you are in a clearing in a forest. You see several paths leading around your bench. You realize that they are each an invitation for you.
You know that it is time for you to choose the path most attractive for you. You know that each of these paths offers a success.
You walk now to the path which you know is the one waiting for you. You know that this path is yours.
You look around and know it is time to return to your day now. You return to your bench, take a last look at the scene and return to your breathing.
You return now to the space where you found your comfortable meditation space. You know you can return to the bench, the white rose, the snow-capped mountain, and the path whenever you want.
You may decide to journal this moment to take notes for future notes.
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If you enjoy the blog, you’ll enjoy my weekly shows on YOUTUBE. This program has been running, with a few time-outs now and then, for over 15 years. My program is an entertaining and informative hour with no rehearsals. You can find it on Woodstock’s own TV channel 23 or on YOUTUBE.
My guests are people whose lives have brought them to Woodstock for a day, a week, an hour, a decade or more.
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Both the blog and the show are a means to healing for viewers.
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Creating as an Expression of Love
When the Empress reveals herself in a spread, the situation is full of promise and potential. Abundance is a possibility with marriage, motherhood, material gain, writing, music, creating a home, and more.
The Empress in a Tarot spread is important for anyone looking to get pregnant, foster a child, adopt a child, or seek a surrogate. This energy applies successfully to projects dealing with nurturing. This also applies to any project with creative energy and to anyone creating from the soul level.
This is a time of renewal. To make the most of your situation, plan new ideas for the future. Enjoy your creativity and make the most of your situation and abilities.
The Empress supports abundance on a material an an emotional level.
The Empress creates an environment where you can develop your own individual potential. She enables you to make the right decisions.
The message of The Empress is loud and clear: Nurturing and caregiving are essential to heal. She is the foundation of the most significant relationship in your life. This impacts all other relationships.
The Empress has all the tickets – beauty, creativity, passion. An ultimate woman in your maternal role, she is the symbol of the maid, mother, and crone. The Empress loves life unconditionally.
With The Empress, you get up close and personal with a person who nurtured something to fruition. She is at peace with herself.
The Empress uses the same energy to create a new project: a book, a TV show, a job, hobby, or anything else creative.
Plan for the future using your creative talents. Make the most of your situation and your abilities. Incorporate abundance – both materially and emotionally. Create a situation where you develop your own individual potential and make the right contribution
STORY
Rita lived in the Saugerties/Palenville area of the New York Hudson Valley before Hurricane Irene cost her everything. One day her life was normal and the next day she was homeless with nothing.
A friend we both knew, Lorene, found Rita a worn-out pickup somewhere. The owner couldn’t sell it or even give it away so Lorene got it for Rita.
Until I looked closely, I didn’t even know what color it was. I knew what color the tires were, though: slick and bald.
Rita got the pickup and the key that went with it. She put it in the ignition, turned it and the motor came to life. When the engine turned over and got into gear, Rita became The Empress.
It got her to the gas station. Hurrah!
She began her new career doing anything anybody needed to have done for $10 an hour and lunch. Rita cleaned out flooded houses and sheds and then hauled the trash to the dump. She used her computer skills when someone needed administrative work. She nurtured her way from assignment to assignment daily.
Rita’s “professional attire” came from the free store at Family of Woodstock.
She rented a room in somebody’s house and was finally no longer sleeping in the pickup.
When she worked in Woodstock on Wednesdays, Rita shopped at the pantry.
And, I will say this about Rita, she never once grumbled. Rita was a creative force working for harmony wherever she went each day. With a smile on her face, she acted as if the pantry food was the best she had ever eaten. And never, not even once, did she complain about the ancient jalopy rig she drove around.
As far as I could tell, she never lost hope. Without hope, I don’t think she would have made it to the other side – wherever that was. This hope made her a symbol of abundance.
For my part, I never asked her how she got the rig repaired and I never even looked near where the inspection sticker belonged.
Truthfully, Rita was no different from the rest of us after Hurricane Irene. She had to figure out how much of her past she could rebuild. And she had to figure out how much of the past she was simply going to close the door on as she moved into the future.
Beyond her material possessions, Rita gave up everything standing in the way of her success. She gave up her rear vision. Looking back into her past simply didn’t happen so she gave up bitterness and seeing wrong. This means she gave up waiting and putting off something because the stars and planets weren’t properly aligned. She gave up criticism, self-criticism included.
Rita was the right person in the right place in the right job to unfold her path. She lived each day as if the blessings were all around her and all she had to do was open her eyes a little wider.
Daily, she risked whatever was necessary to rebuild her life. Rita embraced the future while renouncing the past. She never quit.
Rita was the poster girl for us all. She lived each day with meaning, even in the worst situation and under the most inhumane condition.
FOCUS IN
This is a time of creative projects with profound healing and blessings. Nourish your body and soul with luxurious self-care. OR, climb a tree, or ride a carousel! Do whatever connects you with your Mother-God.
MEDITATION
Select a quiet, safe, secluded place to experience this meditation. Make yourself comfortable. This may include sitting in a comfortable chair, or resting on a pallet on the floor.
If it feels appropriate, light a candle, turn on some selected healing music, place a a favorite stone nearby.
Focus on your breathing now. Inhaling, you breathe in calm energy. As you exhale, breathe out negative energy. Continue to inhale calm energy and exhale negative energy for a few minutes as you transform you breathing into relaxation and calm.
As you close your eyes, visualize yourself walking along a smooth path. See yourself carrying suitcases, tote bags, briefcases, and other assorted packages. You feel tired and your muscles ache.
You carry your bags and luggage to an outdoor area.
As you set them down, you notice the beautiful blue sky above you. You see several puffy clouds in different sizes and shapes.
After a few moments, you notice you are feeling better. You think about the things in your baggage and packages.
You see that slowly, carefully, the baggage and packages and their contents disappear.
As this luggage, baggage, and packages and their contents disappear, you feel lighter, calmer, and freer.
The sun in the sky is moving low into the sky. The bright blue gives way to oranges, pinks, and purples.
You are aware how much calmer and more positive you are after you release these bags and their contents.
You pause for a few moments and then you stretch your arms, legs, and spine. You feel the oxygen enter your muscles. You stretch, bend, and rotate your legs.
Your arm and back muscles stretch as you move them overhead and back. You feel as if your muscles are breathing.
Soon, every muscle in your body feels refreshed from oxygen. While stretching and bending your muscles, you take in fresh air which relaxes your body and mind.
Slowly, your realize that your heavy burdens are disappearing. The release of these bags and packages give insight into how much better you feel without this weight and these issues.
You feel healed.
You are now ready to move forward as you journey down your path.
You are relaxed as you wiggle your legs, feet and toes, your arms, hands, and fingers.
You are now ready to explore promise, renewal, and plan for the future.
You are ready to develop your potential.
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Find out more about Thurman at www.thurmangreco.com
Interested in Woodstock? This show has 20 years of segments about the people, the community, and subjects important to our residents.
This book is available as an ebook at www.thurmangreco.com
These recently listed articles are the seed chapters of the new book: “The Spirituality of the Tarot”.
Thanks
Thurman Greco
