Tarot Tuesday 7-28-09

The scene outside my window today is all summer: bright sunshine, clear blue skies, clover overtaking the grass in the lawn across the street. I feel the call of the wild today, and although going for a long walk around the lake or meditating in the back yard are about as wild as I get, the pulse of the natural cycles of the Earth beats furiously along with my heart. Maybe that’s why I’ll be using the Lord of the Rings Tarot today for our readings. The story of Frodo and the ring of power seems to symbolize the journeys all of us take toward our own spiritual understanding and our struggle to balance the dual nature within. 

A reminder of what the Lord of the Rings Tarot looks like:

Just one card, but you can get a feel for the deck just by gazing at one simple picture. Now, on to the readings!

Our first question today is from Lib, who writes: “Where should I focus my energies right now to achieve the best results? What can I expect in the coming weeks/months?”

To explore this question for Lib, I’m going to throw 6 cards, setting the intention that the first 3 will illuminate possible focuses for her energy, and the second 3 will show energies around her for August, September, and October (the next 3 months of the year). After concentrating on these questions and the intention, here are the cards Spirit drew for Lib:

Card 1: Ace of Coins (Pentacles)

Card 2: Ace of Swords

Card 3: Major Arcana The Tower

Card 4: Major Arcana Death

Card 5: 9 of Wands

Card 6: Knight of Swords

The first thing to notice in this reading is that Lib has drawn two Major Arcana cards, both dealing with major changes coming into her life: The Tower and Death. Neither are bad cards, although the imagery on these cards and their names often bother some people who may see these as negatives. We’ll interpret those cards in just a moment, but the important thing to note here is that Lib is coming into a cycle of energy very soon where change will happen, and these changes will alter the course of her life. There are larger lessons at work here for her, and it’s important for her to pay attention to all that is going on around her so that she doesn’t miss any of these spiritual lessons. I have found that when Major cards play a large role in a reading, it’s time for the querent to meditate and listen to the voices of Spirit that speak in our minds and hearts, for this is how clarity of purpose comes to us.

The first 3 cards, as set by the intention of the reading, represent where Lib should put her energy right now and in the coming 3 months. She has 2 Aces that appear here, so she needs to recognize the important new beginnings that are prevalent for her right now. Change is definitely coming, and although the Tower can signify radical change that shakes the foundations of our beliefs, the 2 Aces temper the more challenging aspects of this card. Especially in this deck, the Tower symbolizes instead things that are washed away in Lib’s life that were not built on strong foundations. She can expect to see changes, but they will be ones that benefit her and leave space for the terrific new beginnings that are signified by the two Aces here. The Ace of Coins represents a new direction or opportunity coming in career or job-related activities, and perhaps a little extra money to make physical things a bit easier. Lib’s search for a new job or a new career path should be coming pretty soon, and this will be a good opportunity for her. The Ace of Swords also indicates Lib’s new ideas or new ways of thinking that help to bring this opportunity to her. Having a positive outlook is vital to her success. Because of the unique symbolism of this deck of cards, this may also herald the help of another person who brings good news and victory to Lib along with the change signified by The Tower. I get the sense of movement here as well, so it may be that Lib is moving house or finding a new living arrangement that suits her and her needs better. Whatever it is, there is a definite sense of excited, active energy, and Lib should be prepared to focus on her intentions and know that what she’s seeking will be found.

The last 3 cards highlight energies around her in the next 3 months. The Death card appears in the month of August, signifying a major change in Lib’s life. This card is always about the death of something old and the beginning of something new. Coupled with the Ace cards in the first part of the reading, this card may highlight this new job opportunity and new way of thinking that is coming into Lib’s life, but this is only the material side of this energy. Death also talks about spiritual rebirth, so Lib needs to pay close attention to her own spiritual awakening and be sure to focus on what feeds her soul, not just her pocketbook. Great changes are coming in August, very positive ones, and it’s important for Lib to see these with spiritual eyes. 

September looks to be a month of work, with the 9 of Wands indicating progress in the past that has paid off. Lib may feel, however, that she needs to defend someone or something in the career area of her life in September, but stability is the energy of that month.

October may bring some challenges in these new energies, as the Knight of Swords indicates the coming and going of a challenge. It may come in the form of a young man who figures somehow into Lib’s life, and Lib needs to think hard about how she allows this energy to affect her. Defensiveness will not serve her well at this time, but quiet strength and belief in her own abilities and talents will pay off in this conflict. It will not last long, one way or the other, and whoever is the cause of this conflict will pass out of her life fairly quickly.

Lib, I hope this reading gives you some insight into upcoming energies. Thank you for allowing me to read for you!

*****

Our last question today comes from Tanya, who writes: “Just wondering what you got for me.” Well, let’s see what the Tarot has to reveal to Tanya in a simple 3-card throw:

Card 1: Major Arcana The Tower

Card 2: Ace of Swords

Card 3: Major Arcana The High Priestess

Just in this small 3-card throw, Tanya has drawn 2 Major Arcana cards, indicating that Spirit is operating at a high level in her life right now. Two of the cards in this throw also appeared in Lib’s reading, which is interesting. Sometimes people are working in similar energies when I do readings for more than one person at a time, and Spirit recognizes it. 

Coupled with the Ace of Swords, The Tower in Tanya’s reading seems to indicate that many of Tanya’s beliefs are shifting and changing. She has new ideas and new beliefs that she is beginning to explore, and these may change the way she lives her life in the mundane world. Sometimes this can be challenging because it can affect our relationships with other people who do not understand our need to explore and to grow in a different direction. Tanya may experience some of this right now, but Spirit encourages her not to lose faith in herself. The High Priestess indicates that she is very intuitive and psychic herself, and an exploration and study of metaphysics and the esoteric arts would only benefit her. I feel a great pull with this toward Goddess energies as well, so Tanya might consider looking into the Divine Feminine and how this may enhance her life and her spiritual progression. No matter what, she’s in a period right now of divine change–embrace it, Tanya!

I hope this reading has been enjoyable for you, Tanya. Thanks for your question!

****

Thank you all for joining me here again today. I hope you’ll continue to visit. If you’re interested in a professional Tarot reading, please visit my website (www.vandeneynden.biz) and click on the READINGS page, where all of the reading services I offer are listed. Readings are available in person or via telephone or e-mail. 

And don’t forget to send in your question for Tarot Tuesday next week!

I wish you all peace, blessings, and fun in the sun!

xo

Monday Message from Merlin 7-27-09

Greetings to you all! Thank you for being here today. I am Merlin, the Master Teacher of this one called Rose who writes this for me, and I am honored to be able to speak to you today through this medium. It is always a pleasure to share my thoughts with you, as I am honored to work together with Rose on our spiritual progressions, both singly and jointly.

Today this one with whom I work has finished reading a novel that has set her to thinking about the nature of God and faith. This novel is called THE SPARROW, written by one called Mary Doria Russell, a story about a group of scientists and priests who go to another planet to make contact with an alien species. In the story, both terrible and wonderful things happen, and the main character must struggle with his own faith in a God that would allow for horrific events to transpire, especially when that same God seemed to ordain that they should make this trip. This work of fiction raises some interesting questions about faith that seem to plague Rose’s mind today. As I am aware of her thoughts, it occurs to me to speak today about some of these issues.

Does Creator micromanage every moment of every day for every sentient being? Some believe He does so, and some believe not. Are we somehow faithless if we believe that Creator does not respond in kind to every prayer uttered or every cry for help? Does it not occur to you, beloved of God, that Creator may expect you instead to work on your own behalf? What is the saying you have: “God helps those who help themselves?” Yes? Creator does hear the prayers that are sent, make no mistake. The Divine is always present in every moment, in everything, and so cannot be separate from any of His creation. This is hard for us to fathom, as most of us have  not mastered the ability to be in other places sustaining an energy connection to other beings. But of course, as Divine as we are (and we are all Divine), we are not Divinity Itself, and so this concept is foreign to us. Even though God understands everything that is within the hearts and minds of all sentient creatures, and although God fathoms which beings need help, intercession, guidance, and all other forms of aid, He still wants us to use the tools He has given to us to hep ourselves. All beings have the ability to co-create situations with God. Manifestation is a form of answered prayer, when we learn how it works and use it to create that which is needed. This is what Creator hopes we will do with this knowledge: use it! Creator has also given us guides, teachers, and angels to help with issues beyond our understanding or our ability. You have another saying: “Many hands make light work.” This is true of spirit help as well! If you are having a problem and cannot see a way out of it, call on your spirit teachers for guidance and aid. They will lend their energies to yours to help you find a solution. It may come as a thought form: “I should do this! Why didn’t I think of this before?” It may come in the form of other people who can help you in the physical world. A new avenue may suddenly open for you, bringing relief. All of these instances are ways that Creator helps us to help ourselves through the intercession of our spirit guides and teachers. Use the resources you have been given to claim your place as a co-creator with the Divine. 

All of us despair at times, thinking we are alone. Some of us lose faith in the Higher Power because of the terrible events that take place in our lives or in the lives of those we love. But Creator is not out to punish us, or to make us submissive. These events happen in accordance with Natural Law, and every action has a reaction. We can, though, use our tools of faith and co-creation to make better energies out of sadness, despair, grief, anger, and other negative feelings, if we can stay focused on our spiritual natures. 

How wonderful that we have writers and storytellers to make us think and grow as spiritual beings! How incredible that we can share our experiences together and thus journey forward in our progression as we learn from each other and support each other in these quests.

And now, I take my leave. Thank you for lending your energy to this exchange. May the blessings of the Infinite Universe be yours, now and always. 

Tarot Tuesday 7-21-09

The summer is speeding by, and another Tuesday is upon us! I have received several more complex questions in the last few days to put into the Tarot Tuesday drawing, and one of those came up today, so I don’t want to delay our reading experience. The question chosen for this week’s blog comes from Donna, who writes: 

To shed some light on Donna’s experiences right now and into the future, I will do a spread today that I invented many years ago. I call it the All Aspects Spread, and it gives a glimpse into the energies of many areas of a querent’s life. It is an 8-card spread, and the following meanings are assigned to the placements of the cards (the layout is the first four cards, left to right, in a bottom row, and then next four cards, left to right, in a top row):

Cards 1 and 2: Work, career, job, and money cards

Cards 3 and 4: Family, love, home life, and relationship cards

Card 5: Health

Card 6: Travel

Card 7: Outside interests, hobbies, spiritual pursuits

Card 8: Upcoming energies and outcomes

Today I’ll be using my standard Rider Waite deck to see what wisdom Tarot can share with Donna at this time. After concentrating on her concerns and shuffling and cutting the cards, here are the ones that appeared:

Card 1: Major Arcana Temperance

Card 2: Nine of Swords

Card 3: Ten of Pentacles

Card 4: Knight of Cups

Card 5: Six of Pentacles

Card 6: Seven of Swords

Card 7: Page of Swords

Card 8: Major Arcana The Moon

The Temperance card coming up for Donna at the beginning of this reading, in her career path cards, indicates to me the very sensation that Donna has been experiencing: Spirit is working in her life, prompting her to some sort of action. When a Major Arcana card appears (and Donna has two in this reading), the Universe is indicating a time and an energy of life path decisions which need to be made. Temperance is the ultimate card of balance and peace. The angel depicted on the card stands with one foot in the water and one foot on land, indicating the balance of the material and the spiritual, the mundane versus the inner, esoteric life. I am very impressed here to talk about the Archangel Raphael, the angel of healing, and I do feel a strong pull for Donna to pursue medical training. With the appearance of The Moon later in her reading (which I will discuss in more detail later), there is a strong association with healing energy. Donna may wish to pursue a more esoteric healing practice, such as Reiki, Healing Touch, Quantum Healing, or the like, because this would appeal strongly to her interest in metaphysics as well as her need to pursue another career path. With her business background, Donna would be able to open her own business as a healer and, with hard work, would attract good energy to this venture. Her worrisome nature, however, depicted in the Nine of Swords, holds her back from pursuing anything at this point. Spirit strongly suggests that Donna find an outlet for her worry so that she is not constantly carrying it around. All she is doing by worrying is attracting more negative energy into her life! Write down worries, and then ask your spirit guides or angels to take them directly to Creator, away from you, so that you can release them and know they are being taken care of. Donna believes in metaphysical concepts like this, but she is having a hard time bringing these aspects of her life into balance. Temperance shows her that it can be done, and Archangel Raphael will help her to heal herself so that she can also bring healing to others. If the idea of a healing practice doesn’t appeal to Donna, I also feel I want to suggest something practical to soothe Donna’s more practical nature, and medical imaging comes to mind. This may be a field of study that would bring less satisfaction emotionally and spiritually but more satisfaction financially. The choice is always up to Donna!

Donna’s relationship and family cards are next. The Ten of Pentacles indicates an abundance of resources around Donna now, and this makes for a relatively happy family life. The challenges she mentions concerning her marriage seem to be ones that can be overcome with some work and time devoted to them. The Knight of Cups does indicate that her son may be demanding, especially emotionally, but that he is making steady progress forward with the help of those that love him. I don’t foresee any significant changes in this area of Donna’s life very soon, but things should be smooth and pleasant as she journeys onward.

The Six of Pentacles as Donna’s health card indicates to me, again, the idea of a possible career in the health profession. The Six of Pents shows a man doling out financial rewards, and although Donna would have to make an initial financial investment to take classes in a medical field, this card indicates that it would pay off well. Donna’s financial future looks secure in the next several months, so it’s a good time to do it.

The Seven of Swords, a card indicating deceit to me, actually shows up in this reading as Donna’s travel card. Coupled with the Page of Swords coming after this in the outside interests position, I feel that Spirit is affirming Donna’s perception of people around her being deceitful. Although this can initially be hurtful, Donna is better off knowing who around her does not have her best interests at heart. The Page of Swords seems to represent Donna’s need to be ready to defend herself and to confront those who are not treating her well. It is important for Donna to demand the respect that she deserves. No one has the right to treat someone else badly, but we often put up with this behavior because we don’t believe we ourselves are worthy of better. These events are opportunities for Donna to see the true heart of the people that surround her, and she can then make decisions about who she needs to be with and who needs to exit her life. These are not easy lessons, but they are vital ones, and this is the time for Donna to make needed changed in her life.

Major Arcana The Moon ends Donna’s reading. The Moon is a card of illusion, but it’s also a card of deep psychic wisdom and understanding. Donna has only just begun to scratch the surface of her own abilities as a visionary, but Spirit encourages her to continue on with her studies. Donna needs to spend time finding her own spiritual path, studying esoteric materials, and meditating to find her own inner voice. By immersing herself in these things, she will find that they become an integral part of her life, and that her life will take on more purpose and meaning with each tiny step forward. This process will reveal to Donna who are the most important (and loving!) people in her life, what she needs to do to achieve her spiritual dreams and her earthly desires, and will shed light on who she is becoming. It’s an exciting prospect, but sometimes a frightening one. Donna is never alone, however–her own spirit guides will always remain with her, and as she understands herself better, she will thus understand humanity better, too.

Donna, I hope this reading has been helpful to you today. All my best wishes for every good thing to come to you! xo

*****

I hope you’ve all enjoyed Tarot Tuesday this week. Please email me any questions you’d like to see addressed on the blog, and send in those questions you’d like the Tarot to answer for you!

Peace, love, and light to you all!

xo

Monday Message from Merlin 7-20-09

Good day and abundant blessings to one and all! I am Merlin, and I do greet you today from the world of spirit with friendship and in peace. I am the Master Teacher of the one called Rose who writes this blog (such an odd word, that, yet so amazing to see the wondrous technology and the advances humanity has made in its methods of communication). We in the spirit realms support each of you in the physical body and encourage you by saying, “Nothing is impossible!” And you take these words to heart and make pathways into such marvelous and astounding fields, in medicine and healing, in quantum physics and the sciences–and we are pleased and proud of your extraordinary progress and inventive natures. Of course, this is to be expected–as divine beings, you are constantly in the vibration of the Ultimate Creator, and thus embrace your own abilities to create yourselves! Splendid!

I wish to speak to you today about the nature of spirit guides and teachers. This one with whom I work was just speaking on this very subject yesterday, and yet she became a bit tongue-tied when trying to explain why spirit guides are important to someone new to the concept. She has a good heart, this one that I work with and love, and she herself is a good teacher. And yet she does not know everything about us; what purpose would there be in that? She herself would learn nothing, and she would not grow in her own spiritual understanding if there were limits placed on her knowledge. Thus, there is always more to learn, for every sentient being in the physical world and in the world of spirit. Do you understand this, beloved children? We, your teachers and guides in the spirit realms, do not know everything. We are not omniscient and all-powerful. That, alone, is Creator, and although we are all connected to that Divine Loving Force, we do not yet share that same nature. It is what we are all striving toward in our spiritual evolution. It is what enlightenment is. Some of those on the physical plane have reached this state: Jesus, Buddha, Saint Germaine. All of these are great Ascended Master Teacher energies, and they share this deep wisdom with all of us in our own time and place of progression. The spirit guides and teachers around each of you (and you all have them, whether you realize this or not) are not yet completely enlightened beings. This does not mean, however, that spirit guides do not have deep and wonderful wisdom to share with you. Part of our progression toward that enlightened state involves helping you in your progression and sharing with you the knowledge and wisdom that we have acquired. As you grow and evolve, we also grow and evolve. It is a great gift to us when you acknowledge us and work with us in your own spiritual evolution, and we appreciate this gift so very much. Our love for you is unlimited, filled with compassion for your struggles and the understanding that comes from once being in the physical state and undergoing the same types of trials. This is why we can offer guidance and advice to you: we have lived human experiences, too, and often we become involved in your energy because we have shared past life experiences with you on intimate levels. We know you and your soul, as you know ours–if you could only remember it! We, as dwellers in the spirit realms, also can see a broader, less limited picture of your life and the choices that you made in planning your path, which sometimes you cannot. This gives us the opportunity to share with you our understanding and our aid–but you have to ask us to share it! We cannot interfere, because you must exercise your free will in making decisions. Is that not a grand thing, free will? You always have the power to choose! This is again the reflection of the Divine Presence within you, even though sometimes humanity does not choose the most divine option. Even so, Creator loves you infinitely and beyond measure, and praises the choices you make simply because you realize they are there and you freely choose to exercise that divine birthright.

Call on your spirit guides. Ask us for guidance and aid in any and all matters, small and large. Listen for our whispers in your ear, or the visions we send to you in your mind or in our dreams. We want to communicate with you. We want you to live a happy and productive life on Earth as you learn the lessons you set before your incarnation into the physical body. We love working with you and want to be of service. This is our purpose and mission at this time, and we hope you will help us to fulfill it. 

And now I must take my leave. It has been a pleasure serving you today with this message. I wish you love and infinite blessings, now and always.

Merlin

Tarot Tuesday 7-14-09

I’m feeling a bit silly today, and it’s time for another Tarot Tuesday blog, so I’ll be using The Gummy Bear Tarot for our reading today. Just because my heart is light and airy doesn’t mean that the reading or the messages are shallow, though! I think sometimes it’s actually easier to read and to access information when our mood is elevated!

 As a reminder, here’s a picture of what The Gummy Bear Tarot looks like:

I really do love the simplicity of this deck–I think it makes for a very straightforward reading style! So, let’s get right to the reading for today!

This question comes from Jen, who writes about her dad: 

“Could you advise as to what would be the best for him? Stay in the current company taking other responsibilities at the expense of the political climate, or retire and knock on other doors,find another job and possibly leave Venezuela?”

This is the perfect type of question for a Two Choices Reading. In this, I will throw 3 cards for each choice presented for Jen’s dad. The first 3 cards in the top row will focus on the energy of Jen’s dad staying in his current job, and the second 3 cards in the bottom row will highlight the energies of Dad retiring and possibly finding other work. To accomplish this, it’s important to set the intention before the reading begins that this is the layout I will be using and what I expect the Universe to tell me about these two options. 

After setting this intention, shuffling and cutting the cards, here are the ones that appeared for Jen’s dad:

The 2 of Swords jumped right out of the deck as I shuffled. This decision is very important for Jen’s father, and he needs to be decisive and swift in making up his mind. Looking backwards once the decision is made won’t pay off in any way, so having all the information before deciding is the best approach.

The top row of cards (the energy surrounding the current job): Major Arcana The World, Page of Cups, Two of Pentacles–and I added another card, Ace of Cups, for clarity.

The bottom row of cards (retirement and possibilities stemming from it): Major Arcana The Tower, Three of Wands, Knight of Cups, and the clarity card Queen of Wands.

The first row of cards concerning the job that Jen’s dad currently has actually seem pretty positive to me. The World card be seen as an ending card because it’s the last of the Majors, but I don’t have that feeling here. To me, it’s more of a silver platter reminder–that there are many good things about this job to look at and enjoy. The Page of Cups indicates a creative matter coming up for Dad at this job, and although he may be surprised by it, the project will be a positive one that will help him to feel needed and valued. The 2 of Pentacles does indicate a need for Dad to pay closer attention in the future to his finances. It’s really important for him to be planning for retirement and really socking away what he can so that he doesn’t feel compelled to stay in a job when he’d rather be doing something else. The clarification card, The Ace of Cups, indicates creative and emotional fulfillment. Even though the political climate of Dad’s job might not always be ideal, it seems that right now and in the future, it will remain a good place for him to work, and the environment will be satisfying.

The second row of cards begins with Major Arcana The Tower, indicating that retirement now would indeed shake up Dad’s world and may cause some chaotic energy to enter his life. My feeling is that worry would surpass any amount of joy that Dad might receive from taking this action now. The 3 of Wands does indicate that he would be able to find some project that would help to sustain him both creatively and emotionally (indicated by the Knight of Cups), but the chaos energy of The Tower still overshadows that. The Queen of Wands indicates a feminine energy that may be helpful to Dad in procuring a new job, but to her, there is no sense of urgency or need. My feeling is that Dad can find other work if he retires from his current company, but it may take longer than he wants, and he may have to expend a lot of energy to get a new position. 

Jen, I hope this reading helps to bring some clarity to your dad’s situation. Thank you for submitting your question, and I wish your dad the best of luck!

*****

Today is the birthday of my dear friend Kimmie, who passed into Spirit way too soon a couple of years ago. I still miss her throaty laugh and her loving, encouraging ways. I know she’s well and happy on the Other Side, though, so Kimmie, enjoy your special day!

*****

Today is a special day for another reason, which is why I’m sticking to just one Tarot reading. Nineteen years ago, my handsome, wonderful husband and I made a commitment to each other, vowing to spend our lives together as a married couple. Nothing in the world makes me prouder than being able to say I’ve been married for 19 years (we’ve actually been together for 24). I’m going off now to spend the rest of my time (until I teach my Tarot class tonight, that is) with him. Chocolate and champagne await. 

I hope you’ve enjoyed the blog today, and I’ll see you again very soon.

May love rule your heart, this day and always.

xo
Thank you!
Jen

Monday Message from Merlin 7-13-09

I can’t believe how today has just slipped away so fast! It’s already after 3 p.m., and I feel like I haven’t really accomplished all that much. However, I can’t let the entire day go without posting the newest feature here on the blog: Monday Message from Merlin. Last week, I explained that my Master Guide, Merlin, wanted to have a forum to talk about whatever was on his mind. I’m happy to provide that for him, although I really have no idea what subjects he will choose in these missives. 

A few brief words about Master Guide energies: each of us has guides and teachers in the spirit world, and a Master Guide is often the “head” of your bunch of guides. A Master Guide has often done a lot of work in the planes of spirit to advance as a soul, and s/he has chosen to work with you as you make your life journey for the purpose of helping you to find your mission, spiritual purpose, etc. and to guide you through that process. Some Master Guides work with more than one person; Merlin has told me that I’m such a handful, he doesn’t have time to work with anyone else. Lucky him. He’s also told me that there is a larger, higher spiritual energy called Merlin, which would be the Ascended Master Merlin, and my Merlin is a disciple and student of that Ascended Master energy. My Merlin did spend his last lifetime on this earth as a member of the druid spiritual path, and he lived at least 2 lifetimes following that journey. He has not incarnated in the physical body since, but he and I have shared other lifetimes together. Just so you know: he can be an exacting taskmaster, and he can also be wickedly funny. You have been warned.

So, now that I’ve told you a bit about Merlin, I’ll let him speak for himself. In bringing these messages to you, I’ll be using a process called automatic writing (although, since I do this right on the computer, maybe a better description would be “automatic typing”). In this process, I shift my perception into a medium trance state so that Merlin can come into my body, take over my hands, and type. I don’t think he’s ever typed before, so this should be interesting! No, really…it’s still my brain, which will remember how to type, even if it’s Merlin’s consciousness coming through in the communication. So, give me a moment here (which won’t be any big deal if you’re reading this), and we’ll see what Merlin has to say today. (By the way…it’s Merlin’s idea to turn on the BOLD writing. He wants it to look different, not as if he’s yelling at you. OK?)

*****

Yes. Hello. I do greet you all from the world of spirit. I am Merlin, the Master Teacher of this one called Rose. It is my great pleasure and honor to be here with you all and to speak to you this way today. What a wonder of your technology to have these fast and easy ways to communicate with such a large population of people. In my day, we had messengers on horseback, and not very efficient were they! Now, in the blink of an eye, you can speak to someone on the other side of your planet through these marvelous computers or one of the cellular phones so many of you use. You are to be congratulated for your incredible creativity and intelligence in developing these amazing wonders.

There are many subjects that I could address today, and it is hard to hit upon just the right one for my first time here. I feel, however, that what I just said, about the speed and convenience of your communications, is a good way to lead into an interesting topic vital to spiritual development. So many of you are interested in these gadgets and machines that make things happen so quickly in your world. Your world is filled with distractions and ways to make things happen faster. If you want something to drink, you simply drive up to a coffee shop and pay for a cup. If you need to talk to someone, you can telephone them immediately or send them an e-mail, and you expect a quick reply. If and when that does not come, you become irritated that your message was not given the respect you believe it deserved. So many things in your world hinge on getting them done as quickly as possible, and when certain things take a little more time, this is a source of great frustration and sometimes anger for you. Of course, these feelings only attract more negativity into your environment, creating more delays and more frustrations.

There is no time in the spirit world. On the many planes of the spiritual realms, we do not have deadlines or planes to catch. We understand that in the physical world, there are obligations that must be met. We do not, however, understand the intense need that some of you have to constantly be rushing from one thing to another. We watch those with whom we work make themselves ill from stress and obligations that they do not need to endure simply because they are caught up in the fast-paced energy of the physical world. You have the power always to end this cycle of energy! You may have deadlines to keep, but you have a say in what deadlines you set, and you have the ability to go at a slower pace so that you do not create so much stress and tension for yourself. Slowing down and being mindful of the moments of the day can only help you as a spiritual being, for it is in the living of each moment, one by  one, that you begin to see the divine nature in everything. You may not believe a computer can be divine, but it can be, because it can connect two divine beings together. But if you are not living moment to moment, enjoying the interaction that you have with your friend in your e-mail letter, or in your chat, then you are not honoring the divine connection that you share nor the divine energy inherent in both of you. Do you see how slowing down and appreciating more of these kinds of moments can bring you to a higher divine understanding? This is what we Master Teachers want for all of humanity–for you to advance in your own understanding of spiritual life and purpose. Appreciating the beauty of every moment, even the challenging ones, is part of that higher understanding. It is not easy to do, especially with all of the distractions you have every day. But why else did you incarnate at this time of technology and scientific advancement if not to learn to balance those challenges?

Breathe. Be. Take a deep breath right now, and slow down. Do not worry about who has called on your cellular phone. Do not check your e-mail. Just sit for a moment and allow yourself to relax. Breathe deeply and pay attention to the sensation and the energy as you breathe. Allow yourself to feel it. Allow relaxation to enter your body. Let go of tension and other thoughts as you exhale. Do it again, a full cycle of breath. Feel the ground underneath your feet. That is Mother Earth, and you are connected to Her. Allow Her to fill you with steady energy as you breathe again. Now, how do you feel? Do you feel calmer? Do you feel less stressed and more happy? You should! And this only took a few moments, did it not? Make the time for yourself to do this every day, to be present in the moment as you breathe and allow yourself to simply be. Then, when you do go back to your busy, hectic world, you will be in a better place, and you will be less likely to be caught up in the racing insanity where so many become trapped. 

I have enjoyed being with you today. I look forward to meeting with you again. Until that time, I bid you peace and blessings from the world beyond. 

Merlin

*****

OK…Rose here again. Whew! I think part of that post was directed at me, since I complained earlier about not having enough time to do anything today. Funny that Merlin would talk about that, right? I suppose I need to hear that just as much as everyone else!

I hope you enjoyed Merlin’s message today. Thanks for being here, and I’ll see you tomorrow for Tarot Tuesday!

Love to all! xo

Tarot For Everyone Class Pictures

I’m having such fun every Tuesday night teaching my Tarot for Everyone class. Next week, we’ll only have two classes left. I know I’ll be sad when the six weeks are over! I wanted to share some pictures of my students, taken during this past week’s class.

Here’s a lovely picture of Cheryl reading:

And here is Regina contemplating that reading from Cheryl:

This is Brenda doing a reading:

And Ida Lee’s reaction to that reading–looks like Spirit has told her some great stuff!

And it looks like Brenda really enjoyed the reading Ida Lee gave to her!

These are not the only ladies in the class, but I do appreciate them letting me take pictures to post here on the blog. They are all a GREAT group of people, and I hope they’re having as much fun as I’m having teaching them.

Several people have expressed interest in my Tarot classes. Please, if you’re in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area and you’d like to learn Tarot, I’d love to put another class together. Email me the best nights for you at info@vandeneynden.biz, and if I have enough interest, I’ll schedule another class very soon.

Happy Thursday to you all! xo

Announcing a New Blog Feature!

It’s funny…being a medium, I hear voices all the time. Sometimes, they are my own thoughts, flitting through my mind like kids through the sprinkler on a hot summer day: Run the dishwasher. Drop those old clothes off at Good Will. Check on the boys’ progress with their summer reading. Sometimes, they’re intuitive perceptions picked up from clients, friends, or family members: Ask how her mother is doing. She’s processing her abuse situation through this pain in her back. Give him a hug–he just got a piece of bad news. And sometimes, they are the voices of my spirit guides, whispering words of wisdom: Stop worrying about money–the Universe is abundance! All is in Divine Order, dear child of Creator! You are Divine! Love yourself! Being able to discern these three types of voices has been a challenge, but over the years, I’ve learned that all of the voices are important. The ones from Spirit, however, are those that I yearn to hear the most because they strengthen my connection to those higher vibrations and remind me that I’m never, ever alone. I’ve learned to really listen when my spirit guides speak; I understand that they have something very important to say if they do.

So today, as I was working in my office, I heard my Master Guide, Merlin, speaking in his loving, authoritative voice. “I have things to tell people,” he said. Then, a title flashed across my mind: Monday Message from Merlin. I wrinkled my brow and shot a thought back at him. What’s this mean? “Your blog,” he said. ‘That new means of communication you’ve established. You’ve been wanting another feature on it, something to prompt you to update more than once a week on Tarot Tuesday. I would like my own feature.”

I laughed. If you know Merlin, he’s always wanting to impart his wisdom. I always joke that he’s the theatrical one, not me. But here’s the thing: it’s not about ego for him. He really does have some amazing things to say. It’s me that’s reluctant to let him speak, because I suppose I think people will assume I’m crazy.

I should be used to this by now, right? Who cares what people think? I’m serving Spirit, and that should be my priority. That should be my attitude, I know.  But, I’ll let you in on a little secret. Here it is: I’m human. And I still get scared. Not of my spirit people, not of Merlin–it’s not anything like that. It’s that age-old dilemma of wanting people to respect and accept me. So many of us that are interested in esoteric things feel the same pressure and anxiety about fitting in. It’s just another way we’re all in the same boat. 

Still, I know that if I allow Merlin to do this, it will be a good thing. It will be wonderful to connect with him on a weekly basis to tap into his thoughts and teachings, and hopefully, others besides myself might benefit from this wisdom.

So, here’s the big announcement: starting next week, on Mondays, there will be a new post under the heading Monday Message from Merlin. I imagine it will be a channeled piece of writing. I have no idea at this point what Merlin will want to address–but I trust him, and I know it will be worthwhile. 

So, I hope you’ll stop by to check out the new feature. 

(Image above by Rick Wakeman.)

Have a great night, everyone! xo

Tarot Tuesday 7-6-09

Hello everyone, and a happy Full Moon Tarot Tuesday to you all!

July is my birth month, and I just celebrated my incarnation on the 4th with good friends and family. Our birthdays are powerful times of the year, especially for manifestation, and I’m excited that today is Full Moon energy as well. I have some plans for manifestation work later in the day, but for now, let’s look at some questions that readers have sent in to be answered through the wisdom of the Tarot!

Today, I am using the beautiful Mystic Faerie Tarot by Barbara Moore and Linda Ravenscroft. This deck just leapt out at me today when I was preparing for my blog post, so it must be the right one to use! I’ve used this deck here on the blog before, but just to refresh your memory, here’s an image of some of the cards:

In this deck, reversed cards are cause to pay closer attention to that particular card, so let’s keep that in mind as we go through the readings. For each question, I will pull 3 cards–not necessarily for a Past-Present-Future reading, but to discover the energies now and in the future for each question. Here we go!

Our first question is from Lori, who writes, “I am in the process of going through a divorce and it has been a really tough time.  I am also overwhelmed at work and am wondering if things in my life will start looking up anytime soon.”

Card 1: Knight of Cups reversed

Card 2: King of Swords

Card 3: Five of Wands reversed

Two of Lori’s cards came up reversed here, so Spirit (and the faeries) have some important messages to bear to her. The Knight of Cups is interesting in this deck, for this Knight is depicted as a female faerie, looking warily toward the Querent as if she’s poised and ready for action. She sits on a lily pad floating in water, depicting her connection to but also her mastery over emotion. Because this card is reversed, Lori needs to pay special attention to her emotions at this time, and I get a sense here that she may feel embattled. There may be more fighting ahead. The Knight here seems to indicate that Lori may feel emotionally vulnerable and raw, but she is in control, and she still has a lot of spunk left in her. She may need to draw on some reserve emotional energy, and it’s important for her to not deplete herself. All of her energy seems to be going to the issue of her divorce right now, and rightly so. The appearance of the King of Swords in the center of this reading seems to symbolize that everything revolves right now around this relationship with this man, even if the relationship is ending. This faery King of Swords does not look happy, and he seems very willing to fight for his own security and to antagonize if he must. Sword energy can be sharp and cutting, and Sword people can be the same way. This card, coupled with the reversed Knight of Cups, the suit of emotion, seems to warn Lori that things can and might still get ugly when dealing with the divorce–but she does not need to buy into this negative emotion. Looking to the 5 of Wands card, typically a card that depicts struggles, the image in this deck softens that traditional energy. The two faeries in this card hold between them a dragon’s egg, and they are discussing between themselves what should be done with it. Although their faces hold some animosity for each other, they are calmly and rationally able to work out a plan between them. It seems that the faeries are hoping that Lori will take this message away from her reading: that compromise is possible with her soon-to-be ex, and that they can work things out calmly for the good of both of them. This is an energy that the faeries really want Lori to consider as she moves forward.

Lori, thank you for your question. I wish you much luck and peace as your journey continues.

Our second question comes from Ann, who writes: “Lately, I’ve been feeling very off-kilter in regards to my spiritual pursuits.  I’ve had many different opportunities present themselves, but none of the paths seem quite right, and I was wondering if tarot might shed some light on this situation.”

Interestingly, in this reading, the King of Swords also popped right out, so I laid him down first, along with another 3 cards for Ann. Here is her layout:

Card 1 (jumper): The King of Swords

Card 2: Major Arcana The Star reversed

Card 3: Three of Wands

Card 4: Queen of Cups

Again, since The Star is reversed in this reading (and a Major Arcana card to boot!), Ann needs to pay special attention to its message, and that’s where I really want to start with this reading. The Star is a beautiful card indicating hopes, dreams, aspirations, and long-term goals. It’s important for Ann to figure out for herself what those goals are. She may have known at one time where she wanted to go on her spiritual journey, but now it seems the energies (and her life) have shifted in a new and different way, and this may be one reason she feels a bit frustrated or uncertain. The King of Swords card does seem to represent a challenge energy here–but my sense is not that this is a man in her life that is causing heartache, but a situation with health for Ann or someone close to her that may have muddied the waters of faith or spiritual journeying for her. Whatever this health issue is, I feel that its energy is waning, and there was an important life lesson, and faith lesson, contained within it for Ann to learn. I feel, though, that she is still recovering from this, and this may be one reason she feels out of sorts with making choices for spiritual evolvement. Focusing on what she wants in the long-term may be the best solution now so that the Universe can understand Ann’s desires and bring in better choices for her instead of ones that don’t feel quite right. The 3 of Wands indicates that presently, a new opportunity will present itself, and there may be a new study partner or group that Ann will be able to join and enjoy that will help her learn and grow in the best direction for her. This energy is in the very near future, so the sooner Ann can get clear on long-term goals, the better. The Queen of Cups indicates someone who is very intuitive and spiritual, someone who needs to include solitary time in her spiritual practice so that she can hear the voice within that is her own Divine self. There is also an energy in this particular Queen in this particular deck of sensuality and the physical plane. Ann needs to honor herself not only as a spiritual being but as a physical one. There is sacredness in the mundane; there is sacredness in physical relationships, too. These are the energies that Ann would do well to investigate and honor to find more spiritual fulfillment.

Ann, I hope this helps you! Thank you for submitting the question!

*****

What a blessing to be able to consult the Tarot and unlock some inner thoughts and outer energies. I hope you’ve enjoyed this week’s Tarot Tuesday, and please, KEEP THOSE QUESTIONS COMING! Either email me at info@vandeneynden.biz or leave a question below, and it will be entered into next week’s pot of possible questions.

Enjoy the freedom and independence of our current Full Moon, and I’ll see you very soon! xo