Category: locksmithing

Weekly reading September 6, 2021

The story of the Two of Swords – the positive transformation of conflict into partnerships

Sometimes we get to a point in a project or a partnership where things don’t seem to be working like they used to. Everything feels like work , and two parts that at one point seemed to be executing in harmony are now working against each other. This is not a sign that the project, idea, or partnership is over or can no longer work. It is sign to stop and examine things, and figure out a new way to communicate, work or understand each other. If we do this, we can create something even stronger than what we had before.

Lets look at a couple of examples of this card.

First the two of swords from the Santa Muerte tarot is a scissors. If we look closer at the scissors we can see that the sharp part of the blades are facing outwards. With this configuration the scissors may not be very effective. If we stop trying to use these scissors for a second and take a look we might decide to re-orient the blades so they can work more effectively together. If we don’t stop and thing about why things aren’t working though, we might keep trying to use the scissors as they are, and eventually decide they are broken and can no longer be used. If we make the change the top of the scissors starts to represent a butterfly instead of a broken skull. The end result of any of the twos is to transform into a better version of itself.

In the second card from the Brady tarot we have the two of arrows which in this deck is called Armistice. What is an armistice specifically? Its a mutual agreement between two parties to stop fighting, but not an agreement that the war is actually over. The two parties see that they must work together in order to get through a rough part of the path, or to achieve a mutual goal. In this card a wolf and a mountain lion are working together. They are wearing blindfolds that bind them together which can mean they agree to turn a blind eye to their usual differences and work together.

The amazing thing that could happen if the two parties see how well they were able to work together is that it could turn into an actual partnership instead of the two going back to war. What a transformation if people can only see the power in that.

Lastly we have the two of swords from the Afro Brazilian Tarot. Again we have two leaders putting aside their swords to talk and understand one another. What could be the possibilities of this?

I don’t mean to make it sound easy. Putting away swords when one of the swords has always been pointed at you, your family, your project, your way of life is a very difficult thing to do. And that’s only the first step. Next you have to learn how to talk to each other without drawing swords again. But once this is achieved common ground can usually be found, and upon this common ground new things can be built.

Where is this manifesting in your life today? Do you have a “broken” pair of scissors that just needs a tune up or reconfiguration to become a new tool? Have you been in an uneasy armistice, and can you see yourself maintaining the partnership once the challenge is over? Or are you in a place where you can lay down swords and make powerful change for more than just yourself?

With so much love!

Weekly Reading, August 22, 2021

In Honor of the Sturgeon Moon

The Moon is one of later cards in the Major Arcana and represents how we realize our connection between our finite self and the infinite universe.

This month we have a blue moon as well as a sturgeon full moon, (the typical name for the August full moon). What does this power mean, and what does it caution us to be weary of?

The Moon card in the Tarot is reminiscent of the foundational archetype of the High Priestess. The Moon reflects the suns light, and it reminds us to reflect upon what energies are bouncing off of us in the present.

Unfortunately some of us might equate the introspective nature of the moon to that of a mirror. Looking at yourself in a mirror is not introspection, it is illusion and distortion. Depending on what we see in that mirror, we may become obsessed with that reflection, and never want to stop looking at it, and even worse, we may take that illusion and define ourselves by it.

Notice that none of the female spirits in the three cards above are looking up. They are all looking down or back toward a reflection or the moon. One – the Moon card from the Afro Brazilian Tarot, is fighting its own reflection. The Moon card from the Santa Muerte Tarot shows a woman who cannot see past the reflection in the water, and becomes obsessed with this illusion. The Moon card from the Divine Tarot is the story of the Japanese Fairytale of Princess Kaguya. Princess Kaguya was from the Moon and eventually had a huge decision to make, stay with her earth parents, who adopted and took care of her, or return to the moon to her moon parents. She choose the moon because she became obsessed with the robes of the moon, and she was unable to see herself as she truly had become, only as her reflection told her to be.

So what advice does the moon have to give us. Never look in the mirror? Don’t look within? Ignore the divine feminine influence of the moon?

Hardly! The advice of the moon card is to visit this place often, but not stay here permanently. Don’t get stuck in the illusion. Observe and take note. Learn new things about yourself each time you visit, but always return at the end of the night to your path where you will find a place to ground, and a time to incorporate your latest lessons from the moon.

As always with many bushels of love.

Weekly Reading, August 15, 2021

Understanding Your One Ring Circus

This week I had a re-occurring Oracle Card from the Enchanted Map Oracle which was the One-Ring Circus. I won’t post all of the readings I did in combination with other Oracle and Tarot decks here, but definately a big message to dive deeper into this – at least in my world, or should I say my circus. Here I pulled two cards from the Literary Witches Oracle which are shown on either side.

A ring is circular, kind of like a cycle. Sometimes we spin in that cycle over and over again without ever really completing it or looking at why we are spinning. This is overwhelming and exhausting.

Sometimes we can’t see why we are spinning on our own. When we do that we should ask for help, especially if that spinning seems too heavy. It may feel comfortable and safe to stay on the rock shown in this card, it may even feel comfortable to sit on the back of the elephant in the room, but eventually you have to face it, and you might need help doing that.

I guess I should probably get to the Hedgehog and the Spider. I am someone who bounces between the two notions of retreat and preservation (hedgehog), and reaching out and trying to connect myself and others to various parts of the universe (spider). So the overall message for me is to become aware of this and to ask myself if that is balanced or in constant spin. I’ve felt emotionally exhausted lately, and this could be one of the places to look.

Maybe these two polarities aren’t what your are spinning between or maybe its more than two things. That can feel pretty crazy. In this case I would tell you to spend time in mediation reflecting on this. Do this until you can clearly see it. Maybe talk that through with a friend or even a therapist depending on how drastic that spin is for you.

I would also point that cycles are meant to have beginnings and ends, and when we hit those beginnings and ends they can feel awfully rough. Death and rebirth are no small tasks, especially if its in a major area of your life. But they signal breakthroughs and that we may be actually breaking out of a cycle. If this is where you are at do not take this on yourself. Take care of yourself, get off the island.

With much love!

Weekly Reading, August 8, 2021

Happy Lions Gate!

This week I pulled Oracle cards from Three Different Decks. The Enchanted Map Oracle by Colette Baron-Reid, The Angels and Ancestors Oracle by Kyle Gray, and The Wild Unknown Archetype Oracle by Kim Krans.

I feel the message is short and sweet, but can lead you to a profound question at the same time. From the Enchanted Map Oracle I pulled the Listening Card – this is the Action for this week.

From the Angels and Ancestors I pulled the Drum warrior symbol and the Earth Mother sacred one – this is the Focus for the week.

Finally I pulled The One Archetype from the Wild Unknown Archetypes – this is the result of following this weeks advice.

Put it all together and what does it spell? (Sorry, couldn’t help myself.) Listen to your own drum beating – it is the drum of your connection to this earth. If you can focus on the sound of your own drum – you may find a path to experience a connection with The One – which may refer to enlightenment, the holy spirit, the divine, or however you experience this.

What is the beat of your drum? Is it the sound of your own breathing? Your own heartbeat? Are you connected enough with your present moment to hear this? Is it the sound of your footsteps falling as you put one foot in front of the other? Is the sound of you preparing a meal? Playing a song?

Listen to this beat, try to sync up with this beat, connect to this and you may find more than just the next step on your journey. You may find peace, even if its only momentary.

With much love!

Weekly Reading, August 1, 2021

Rocks and Shells

This week’s exploration is using the Nocturna Oracle by Megan Wyreweden. You might think looking at these three objects that would all have a similar message, but they each have very different secret processes going on inside of them and in the case of at least two of them – you are looking at an ancient species, or something that has been percolating for hundreds of years – lets explore.

The Chambered Nautilus represents sacred geometry. What does that mean? It means that it grows according to the golden ratio, or Fibonacci series that can be found throughout nature and our universe. It is the shape of our galaxy, is the spiral pattern in sunflower seeds, and is found in the structure of our own DNA to name a few examples. The Nautilus in many ways is also a living fossil as it has remained unchanged for over 450 million years. It starts with 4 chambers and grows to create additional chambers in this spiral pattern. Each time it grows it moves into the new chamber, and uses the empty changes to regulate its own buoyancy. I would take that time to see what that means to you – how is your growth part of your own sacred geometry, and with each growth phase, what are you learning to regulate? Is it the balance of water and air, or something else entirely?

The Conch at first glance just looks like a pretty thing washed up on the beach. Its actually a type of sea snail with a very strong shell. Why then have so many cultures taken it as a ceremonial tool? A Conch is an example of all four elements coming together in a unique and balanced way. It is a strong physical shell that can be filled both with water or air. When we blow air through the conch it makes a sound that ignites our spirit through music (fire). The conch is used to start and end ceremonies in certain cultures and is even thought to be making the “om” sound used in Buddhist chanting. So maybe there is more to the Conch than just its shell. How do you balance all the elements within yourself and what ceremonies can you use to do this?

The Geode is literally a tough nut to crack. It spends hundreds of years growing a crystalized structure inside of it. There is no way to tell what kind of crystal will be found inside until you finally break it open. To me it represents solving a very long standing problem by finally cracking the code. Its the fruition of complex ideas that have been forming over a long period of time and with great effort. Have you cracked any Geodes in your life lately? If so congratulations, appreciate the beauty of what you have discovered and display it prominently in your own practice.

Weekly Reading July 25, 2021

Loyalty is a Double Edged Sword

One of my favorite things to do is to use multiple decks to evolve the threads of intuition. This week I started with my newly procured Angels and Ancestors Oracle Deck, and the image of the Shield Maiden. I haven’t looked up the meaning in the guidebook yet. I’m going to listen to her first. She is telling me to focus and plan carefully. Keep my sword at the ready but also my shield.

Next I pulled three cards from my Animal Totems and I Ching deck. The Card of Loyalty (Dog). Dedication, Enthusiasm Support. The corresponding I Ching Hexagram to this is 16 – Enthusiasm and talks about obedience and devotion obtained from forming an enthusiastic army.

The overall theme from this reading is the responsibility of loyalty once you have been given it from your team, and what you have a duty to do with that loyalty to make sure you are acting in the best interest of the community/team/family/yourself.

The other two cards from the Animal Totem deck were #56 (The wanderer – Distraction – Opossum – Theatrics). And #57 (The Gentle – Pursuit – Moth – Intuition/Insight). I felt that these two cards represented two different ways to treat loyalty – a healthy option and an unhealthy option. I also drew two cards from the Osho Zen tarot to augment these two choices – Sharing (Queen of Fire) and Clinging to Past (5 of water).

One way to treat loyalty is to take it for granted and continue to tie it to past events. This is a distraction and amounts to posturing. It does not respect the loyalty you have earned. It also traps yourself and your team/community/family in a box from the past instead of seeing what choices need to be made in the future. Focus on the past will not result in a positive outcome. While we should celebrate and reflect on the reasons we have formed a team or community we also have a responsibility to move forward with focus and determination. We can then put into place ideas and actions that move the team forward. Especially if we are the leader of that team or community.

Staying in and clinging to a box from the past is not loyalty – its unhealthy attachement. And there is no greater distraction from connecting with the present moment.

Instead we can share our gifts of intuition, and use insight to decide how to move the team/community/relationship forward. Loyalty is a gift, not a shackle. You can be a strong leader and still be gentle, transparent with your reasoning behind decisions, and share the rewards of any accomplishments. This is the message of the Queen of Fire – to give back freely.

And this stoking of the creative fires of the team through generosity is likely to result in even greater enthusiasm and loyalty, and a better result using the encouragement of the creative collective energy of the team.

Weekly Reading – July 18, 2021

The Page of Swords – A Key to Innovation

This week in one of my personal readings I drew the Page of Swords using the Tarot of the Divine. This card can be the harbinger of new ideas coming from a place of wit and optimism. The story behind the card in the Tarot of the Divine is that of Princess Parizade – an Arabic folktale.

A quick summary of the story is that Princess Parizade and her two brothers were set adrift on the river by their mother’s jealous sisters. A royal gardener raised them, but one day passed away and they weren’t sure who would care for them. One day Parizade was kind to an old woman who let her know about three magical objects at the top of a mountain. In order to reach the top of the mountain they would have to ignore the taunts of spirits, for if they didn’t they would be turned to stone and never reach the top. The two brothers insisted on going on the journey without Parizade, but they were unable to ignore the taunts and turned to stone. Parizade tried next. Using all of her courage and her own “Medicine”, or ideas, she decide to stick wax in her ears so she could not hear the taunts – she climbed the mountain and as the taunts came she laughed at them. She reached the top of the mountain and received the three magic objects that allowed her to heal her brothers, heal the Gardner’s garden, and discover their true lineage and return them to the home of the Sultan. It was then that they were reunited with their mother.

I decided to pull some cards from one of my favorite Oracles – the Literary Witches Oracle – to understand the page of swords further, and what I needed to unlock it. I pulled Maria Sabina who knew a thing or two about healing medicine. She was a powerful shamanic healer who used psilocybin as part of her medicine, as well as the power of her poetry. She lived in the mountains of southern Mexico.

I find it interesting that I pulled an “old woman” from a mountain with a magical story to help understand this since that’s exactly what happened in the story. Even more interesting that it emphasizes non-traditional medicine and healing a key to unlocking your own innovation.

This week I encourage you to use your own non-traditional medicine, what ever that may be, to find keys to innovation. Maybe its innovation in your own healing process, maybe its innovation in how to help others heal. Maybe its storytelling and poetry as medicine that unlocks new ideas for you.

Whatever that is trust that medicine, and you will find your own magic objects at the top of your own mountain.