7th Space

Moon In A Cloud is now part of 7th Space. An amazing collaboration of energy and healing...

Please join us:

www.7thspace.co.uk

And the blog can now be found here:

www.7thspaceblog.blogspot.com

Peace?

Maybe we should develop a Crayola bomb as our next secret weapon. A happiness weapon. A beauty bomb. And every time a crisis developed, we would launch one. It would explode high in the air - explode softly - and send thousands, millions, of little parachutes into the air. Floating down to earth - boxes of Crayolas. And we wouldn't go cheap, either - not little boxes of eight. Boxes of sixty-four, with the sharpener built right in. With silver and gold and copper, magenta and peach and lime, amber and umber and all the rest. And people would smile and get a little funny look on their faces and cover the world with imagination......

Spring is in the air...

Daffodils that come before the swallow dares, and takes the winds of March with beauty.

Birthday

It was my birthday yesterday !

My sun sign is Pisces. My Ascendant is in Capricorn, and my Moon is in Sagittarius.

Sun in Pisces, Moon in Sagittarius
This astrological combination indicates a person who is in a perpetual state of motion. Your nature is excitable, sometimes irritable. You love change and will probably be involved in numerous occupations throughout life. You approach each new project and contract with new enthusiasm. At first, your interest is real enough, but it tends to be fitful. You appear to be a busy worker and have good abilities in a variety of areas. In society you are inclined to be talkative, sometimes enjoying gossip. However, your intentions are always sincere and you have a sympathetic nature. Your most conscious aim in life is to gain understanding and sympathy, but your chances for attaining these are diminished because of the diffuseness of your character.
The key to a harmonious existence lies in trying to concentrate your will in a single direction.

Ascendant in Capricorn, Saturn in the Seventh House
At the time of your birth the zodiacal sign of Capricorn was ascending in the horizon. Its ruler Saturn is located in the seventh house.
The sign of Capricorn denotes an existence in which temperament is very important. You will give an image of ambition, persistence, will power, consistency and perseverance. You were born with the tendencies to seek material, social, and, perhaps, even political power.
Capricorn tends to a challenging life which forces you to exert all your resources in order to triumph. Because of your tact and prudence, you will be favored with the good will of important people.
Your mind is egocentric, rational and you have a natural tendency toward scepticism. Able to work hard, you will bear obstacles and frustrations with patience.
You will proceed with prudence in your love life and in all other activities. You will seriously consider all of the ramifications of a relationship, especially the aspects of your independence, and you will not commit yourself to a partner until you are sure of your choice. After that however there is a tendency to conduct a peaceful and quiet life.
You are very economical in your daily activities, and if you do not exert some control over this trait, it could appear as rather mean.
You are best placed in governmental, municipal, political, or large business organizations where hierarchy is very exactly defined. The key word for your professional orientation is responsibility.
This position denotes a life which possesses extroverted qualities. It indicates, too, that marriage and personal associations will be the most important motivations of your existence. Saturn in this house refers to a partner who is faithful and perhaps older than you.
In your relationship you hesitate to express yourself to the fullest extent; you see it as a profound circumstance that requires responsibility and stability and, therefore, should be enduring and satisfying.

Sun in the First House
The Sun is in the first house. You are by nature energetic, proud and self-assertive. You project yourself enthusiastically and energetically into all situations. Your naturally outgoing disposition and personable manner usually make a good impression on people.
Your heightened self-perception puts you in touch with a strong sense of will, and you can manipulate your will to suit your aims and desires in life. This position of the Sun gives the capacity for leadership, for you tend to attract people and to have a strong influence on them when they are with you.
You do not like to depend on others, but you hold on to your friends, for they are usually pleased to help you when you need it. You are willing to help close friends who are deserving, but only if you know that your efforts will be appreciated.
You often prefer to work alone. However, this is not your only choice, for you adapt well to working with people as long as you are free to express yourself. With a first-house Sun, there is a tendency to overestimate your own worth, but through repeated contacts with others you will inevitably come to a more realistic appraisal of your abilities and potential.

Venus in the First House
Venus is in the first house. This is a strong position for Venus, for it adds charm to your personality and gives you an amiable and pleasant disposition.
You concentrate a great deal on your appearance and even if you are not especially beautiful or handsome, you have a quality of softness and friendliness, which endears you to many.
You like to keep beauty and grace around you as much as possible. You have a strong affinity with nature and prefer the quiet life of the country to the plastic constructions of city life.
It is likely that you grew up in an atmosphere of warmth and congeniality. Now it is easy for you to project these same feelings to family and friends, and others often count on you to restore peace in difficult situations.
You have strong inclinations toward music, art and drama and you may wish to cultivate a form of artistic expression.
You work very hard to get along with others, and you usually try to win arguments with diplomacy rather than force. You must learn to be self-assertive when necessary and to stand up for your own rights, forcefully if need be. Otherwise, people will not have much respect for you.
Relationships are important to you, and you often go out of your way to initiate them. It is vital that your associations remain harmonious, because quarrels and disputes affect you adversely.

Saturn in the Seventh House
Saturn was found in seventh house at the time of birth. In your dealings with others, you are going to present a very cautious personality and you will work slowly towards the achievement of security. The environment will be a very restricting factor in your life; the same limitations that hinder your relationships with others will emerge in a narrowness of reception to your ideas and emotions. This indicates that the key to more spiritual and material development lies in your response to the several tests destined for you which consist of patiently enduring difficulties through human relationships.
You should remember that Saturn does not lend a propensity to be demonstrative in an emotional sense. It does, in those individuals with whom you will start a lifelong relationship, give a sense of duty and stability of emotions. Yet you are going to experience some sorrow throughout your life in a relationship. This is mostly going to consist of the several limitations that this state is imposing upon your personal freedom.
The key to a better integration of your existence lies in the ability to view these obstacles and binds with philosophical resignation.

Moon in the Twelfth House
The Moon was in your twelfth house at the time of birth. Secretly, you enjoy a love of romance and adventure that lends a bit of excitement to your daydreaming.
It is possible that the little popularity that you may enjoy in this life will be from some very reserved and secretive circles where your merits are recognized.
It can be expected that you will be successful in positions that call for solitude or remote locations.

Am I Psychic?

A question I get asked regularly is: Can anyone be psychic?

Well in short - Yes!
We are all psychic, to a greater or lesser extent. Some are the Michael Schumacher’s of the psychic world, natural talent and great drive to use their ‘gifts‘. The rest of us are capable of being psychic through study and development. And tapping into to our deep intuition.
Being psychic or deeply intuitive is simply a case of using another sense which we all possess. Often psychic skills have different ways of expressing themselves.

Just as some of us are more open to auditory expression than others, they maybe use phrases like ‘I hear what you are saying‘ Another may be more empathic and feel what another is feeling or experiencing.

I am for example; a very visual person and that is reflected in my strongest psychic ability which is Clairvoyance. I can ‘see’ auras and can see many different energy fields. Some of what I see is commonly termed as ghosts, although I tend to feel that visualising ghosts is an effective way that the minds gives meaning and form to the energy shifts I am witnessing.

I am also, psychically tuned in to what people are thinking, which is often their true, but sometimes unexpressed thoughts. Clair cognizance – the ability to know clearly without any obvious means.

For me this is a particularly useful ability in my work with the Tarot.
Importantly not all psychics have all the skills. In psychic terms I am deaf as a post! Clair audience is not an area that has developed for me. Not even a peep! If you’ll excuse the pun.
Of recent, through developmental work, I am finding that my skills in Past Life Viewing – the ability to accurately view a person’s past life, have grown and are starting to be useful in the work that I am doing.

The point is just as most of us taste, smell, hear, touch and see so these senses are taken to a greater depth.
It can be hard to ‘believe’ what we are experiencing on our initial trips into psychic experience. We are conditioned to ‘believe’ that only what can be defined is reality. Be that through language, science, social and religious training.

But many of these are only in their infancy…think what scientific advances have been made in the last 100 years..imagine what a 1000 years will bring!
We have been on this earth for a very long time, and have the habit of dismissing old idea’s and beliefs. But our old instinctive knowledge and understanding still comes through. Much of the psychic awareness is based in survival skills we learned long ago passed down through genetic memory.
How limited our religious teachings can be - not because they are wrong or any less important but because these systems are not in the business of self exploration! They are here to give us stability and give society structure.
And the limitations of language can be a mine field when trying to explain the (currently) unexplainable! Try to describe what being in love feels like…countless artists, writer’s, poet’s, and philosopher’s over the centauries have tried to communicate the state of love, but once in solid form it often loses it’s potency. Just as trying to describe an aura or the sensation of a spinning chakra.
The surety that we just ‘know’ or ’feel’ can be incredibly strong. That gut reaction is hard to pin down but it’s there , as clear as day! And that is the basis for many of the psychic experiences we have.

Much of understanding and progressing as a psychic is trust.
Trust in your self and trust in the universe that there is more than what you can simply see.
Trust also that you are not going mad! I joke not, when my psychic abilities came to the fore I truly questioned my sanity and sought guidance through the church and others. Thankfully, I realised that I was not going nuts, and began to take tentative steps towards a fuller and deeper world.
You may find that you are already well on the way to developing your psychic skills and you are seeking guidance and support in this. It can also be a deeply personal and spiritual journey developed through mediation and other techniques.
Psychic development can be a very practical and wonderfully rewarding thing to share. Being able to advice, comfort and enlighten people is incredible!
We are all psychic it is merely a case of taking steps into a wider world!

Big Steps

I am about to embark in partnership with the wonderful Susan at Theta Healing Scotland!!
We have decided that our amazing collected energy and philosophies compliment each other so stunningly, that we have to work together!
I will still be running the tarot workshops and she will still doing fabulous healings but in addition we are planning a series of workshops, talks, in depth healings and combining techniques from all modalities.

So what this space! The hunt for a stunning space is on!

Snow

Yet again we have a sprinkling of snow...we look destined not have a big fall this year. Most of the country has ground to a halt and there is the usual media frenzy about our inadequate services etc. Frankly it's just an excuse to regain some sort of Blitz mentality, where everyone drinks steaming cups of tea and we recycle old scarves & go tobogganing on animal feed sacks...ahhh the good ol' days!

But even a sprinkling transforms the city into a pretty picture.

Learn The Tarot

The next Learn The Tarot Practical Workshop dates are 14th-15th March 2009!

This 2-day practical, very hands on workshop is being held in Edinburgh.

Join me for a journey through the Tarot.

Learn the Tarot meanings and how to interpret them.

• The Major Arcana; follow The Fool on life's path to The World.
• The Minor Arcana; learn the nature of the suits and their meanings.
• The Court: Just who are these people and what roles do they have in the Tarot?

Learn to give clear and confident readings. Using a variety of spreads and techniques, discover how to ask questions.
Read for yourself and begin a fascinating voyage of self-discovery and enlightenment.
Together we will develop you intuition and psychic abilities using meditation, visualisation and other methods.
In a fun and relaxed environment you will receive readings and connect with like minded people.

Booking Essential
www.mooninacloud.co.uk
07905 946259

Trust

My Destiny Card today was : Trust

1. Firm reliance on the integrity, ability, or character of a person or thing.
2. Custody; care.
3. Something committed into the care of another; charge.
4.
a. The condition and resulting obligation of having confidence placed in one: violated a public trust.
b. One in which confidence is placed.
5. Reliance on something in the future; hope

It can be hard to trust! Trust in the process, trust in your self and trust in the Universe.

Laughter

Carry laughter with you wherever you go.

Psychic Connections

Someone asked me the other day if it was difficult giving psychic readings or clairvoyant readings over the telephone or via email, I didn't hesitate with my answer. To me there is really no difference between a face-to-face psychic reading and a distance psychic reading; in many ways I now prefer it.

To me if I am going to link with someone it matters little where they are psychically, what matters is the connection. In many ways to conduct a psychic reading over many miles and not actually see the person goes further to substantiate what is happening.

To the sceptics who say a Medium, Clairvoyant or Psychic is merely "Cold Reading" the sitter then psychic telephone readings must be considered favourably. Granted there are still some unscrupulous companies out there who take on anyone providing they can memorise a script, but you can normally spot these scammers.

I believe that a good psychic generally doesn't need to ask a lot questions, but there are exceptions.

Sometimes I look for clarification of what is coming through; it's a way of confirming what I am are seeing. There can be alot of information and it helps to filter through to the relevant bits!If I ask for clarification I ask my sitter to answer with a yes or no making it clear I don't mind the no's because they help too! Sometimes there just isn't a connection, an honest psychic reader will always admit if the link is weak or they are having trouble linking.

I often ask a question or two at the start of a reading where the sitter wants to concentrate on a particular subject, say a relationship. To save time and the sitters money a psychic may ask for a name and date of birth for instance of the other party, again I see nothing wrong in this. Sometimes I use not just tarot but numerology, astrology and runes, so extra information would be asked for to utilise these. (But be wary of a constant barrage of questions concerning the person then I would be ending any call pretty fast.)

I do feel that the people who are drawn to come to you for a reading are going to usually get the most valuable information. Their guides, angels and so on usually know if the psychic with be able to convey the information effectively to the person for maxium benefit.

Sadly, you don't always have messages that the person would like to hear, I call it tough love on the behalf of the guides! But remember that if you have had the courage to look into yourself and try to discover some of you purpose or path, then your guides and guardians want the best for you and will be overjoyed at the opportunity to convey messages to you!

Overall, a psychic reading is an amazing experience and often the beginning of a wondrous journey of self-discovery!

Three Decks

I use The Gilded Tarot for many of my clients readings, and use them on my workshop days. They are vibrant which works well for my personal preference for strong artwork and colour. However, they are also suitably close to the Rider Waite style that they are good for teaching.

Ciro Marchetti, the artist, has produced two more decks.

The Tarot of Dreams & The Tarot of the Divine Legacy ( to be published by Llewellyn later this year).

The Tarot of Dreams is a self published deck, with an interactive CD to accompany the deck. It has animations of the cards...adding further depth to their meanings.

For example, the card of the Fool shows the following animation: a kitten's paw batting at a flying butterfly, movement of the white dove, and a shimmering, glimmering crystal ball. The text for the Fool is as follows:

In brief:
Being Foolish, playing the fool, making fun of something. The beginning part of an endeavor or journey. An unorthodox or nonconformist approach. Being a catalyst for change.

Path on the Tree of Life:
Sphere 1 Consciousness (Keter) connect to Sphere 2 Energy (Chokhmah). As the Fool's journey begins, consciousness manifests itself as pure energy, without any rational or ethical restrictions.

Hebrew Letter:
Aleph means Ox. The ox is used to till the fields, preparing them for the introduction of seeds, which will eventually grow.

Astrology:
Uranus, the planet of eccentricity, originality, and anarchy.
I would dearly love these but I believe they are now out of stock and unlikely to be produced again.


Finally, he has created the Legacy of the Divine Tarot. These are firmly on my wish list. They look even more intense than the other decks...if that is possible! His use of people in the cards works well, as they play a very prominent role..you certainly can't ignore them. The jewel like colours may not appeal to everyone and indeed, occasionally it is refreshing to use a calmer less rich deck.

I love to see a progression of an artists work, and in the Tarot it is especially exciting.


Nathalie Hertz is another artist who has produced three decks. The intense and darker Vampire Tarot Deck (for full review on these click here) And the colourful and rich Faerie Tarot (here for review)
And my personal favourite and a deck I use alot the Fantastical Tarot . In these decks, like the Ciro Marchetti there is a distinctive style and many recurring themes. But the artist develops each deck that it forms it's own identity and makes them very individual.

Maybe I should start collecting deck sets by the same artist...umm just an excuse to get more tarot cards!!

The Fool

I heard this song by Suzanne Vega and was reminded of The Fool which I then pulled as my daily card. Of course, it's entirely possible that I am so focused on tarot at the moment that everything seems relevant!

You come from far away
With pictures in your eyes
Of coffee shops and morning streets
In the blue and silent sunrise
But night is the cathedral
Where we recognized the sign
We strangers know each other now
As part of the whole design

You are the jester of this courtyard
With a smile like a girl's
Distracted by the women
With the dimples and the curls
By the pretty and the mischievous
By the timid and the blessed
By the blowing skirts of ladies
Who promise to gather you to their breast

You have hands of raining water
And that earring in your ear
The wisdom on your face
Denies the number of your years
With the fingers of the potter
And the laughing tale of the fool
The arranger of disorder
With your strange and simple rules
Yes now I've met me another spinner
Of strange and gauzy threads
With a long and slender body
And a bump upon the head

With a long and slender body
And the sweetest softest hands
And we'll blow away forever soon
And go on to different lands
And please do not ever look for me
But with me you will stay
And you will hear yourself in song
Blowing by one day

Mandala's

The Buddha Tarot

The Sanskrit meaning of mandala is circle. The circle is a symbol of perfection, eternity, unity and completeness. Given these meanings, it's no wonder mandalas are such important symbols in all cultures.
Mandalas are incredibly versatile and can personify any number of meanings for the viewer. The meaning each mandala holds is limited only by the creator and the observer.

Along with the meaning of mandala, comes the use of it. There are many uses, the following paragraphs will outline the basic process.

The design of the mandala is to be visually appealing so as to absorb the mind in such a way that chattering thoughts cease, and a more philosophic or spiritual essence envelopes the observer which in turn leads to higher consciousness or awareness. In short, a mandala can be seen as a hypnotic, letting the creative hemisphere of our mind run a little more free while our analytical mind takes a little nap.
That said, we use the mandala as a form of meditation for the purpose of gaining knowledge, primarily the kind that resides within each of us.
Before meditating, we must first set an intention. Normally, we select a mandala that appeals to us. It is good to know what the meaning of mandala you've chosen - or set your own meanings/intention before focusing on it.

For example, focusing on the Native American labyrinth mandala, we know this meaning of mandala relates to beginnings, our eternal nature, and how this is relative to our life journey. So, before meditating on the mandala we set the intention to more clearly understand our life journey, or be shown guidance in a particular area we are having trouble on the path.

Once we have set our intention, we begin to focus on the mandala. Let your eyes take in the beauty of the designs, allowing your mind to wander as it will. If your mind begins to chatter (i.e., I should do laundry, have to get milk, need to finish that report for work), simply bring your attention back to the beauty of the mandala. Get inside the mandala, simply fall into it, swim in it, let it absorb all of your attention. As you fall into the mandala, you will begin to feel lighter, and intuitive thoughts may arise. Relax and float with the thoughts and feeling that come to you. If you begin to feel lost, uncomfortable or if you get the "chatter" again, simply focus your attention back on the mandala.
Each observer has different experiences. However, the overall consensus is that meditating with the mandala leaves the observer relaxed, and he/she comes away with a resolution or clarity concerning the intention that was set before the meditation.

By colouring mandalas, we allow ourselves to play. By playing, we open up a broad range of creative and intuitive processes that we don't normally experience in our day-to-day lives. It is play that will always open up our spirit, and facilitate a connection to our higher understanding and purpose.
By colouring or painting these powerful symbols, we also become a part of the circle, which involves us in the cyclical nature of our bodies, our lives, our thoughts, our emotions, just about everything. The act of mandala coloring draws us into the very circle of life.
Further, this artistic activity is like speaking a language. Our bodies and our minds connect and engage in a process that allows for our entire nervous system to explore new realms of identity. Performing this necessary and artistic function with a mandala further encourages our souls to sing as our spiritual and physical nature come chime in with harmony.

That technical stuff out of the way, my main point is to HAVE FUN!

Here are some I found to print & colour:
Mandala 1
Mandala 2
Mandala 3

Calm

Sea Calm

How still,
How strangely still
The water is today,
It is not good
For water
To be so still that way.

The Sun

After writing a post about snow, I pulled The Sun for my daily tarot card!
What a great card it is...never fails to bring a flutter of excitement and hope to my day, has to be one of my favourites.

What is your favourite card?

Snow

It's snowing today...sadly not the beautiful powdery, dry snow of the Alps but the wet, slush of Edinburgh!

However it has inspired me to look into any tarot cards that may depict snow.

5 of Pentacles often has snow. The imagery of snow deals with being "out in the cold," isolation, and exposure to harsh conditions. However, anyone who has stepped outside just after a fresh snow can tell you the beauty is stunning. Clean, crystalline, and quiet. These are also symbolic qualities of snow.

When the flakes fall in your eyes it is a matter of perspective - we can either see the snow as isolation or we can see it as a fresh clean blanket - waiting for us to make a few snow angels in it.

I found this stunning looking deck Fantastical Creatures Tarot and the Death card has this snowy scene with Fenris-Wolf.

The The Fairytale Tarot has The Chariot with the Snow Queen, which is very wintery and highlights the cold, arrogant aspect of this card in readings.

The Viking Tarot depict the pips in a seasonal order and here is the Queen of Chalices.

Tarot for All Seasons: Celebrating the Days and Nights of Power Combining Tarot and the seasonal lunar and solar festivals of the year, with seasonal tarot spreads and each holiday has its own section explaining its traditions and associations, and listing appropriate ritual types for the season; associated tarot cards, scents, magical 'brews' and candle colours.

Roses

Won't you come into the garden? I would like my roses to see you.

Unicorn Oracle

I bought the Magical Unicorns Oracle Cards for my daughter's Christmas...she is obsessed by unicorns!

Whilst I admire and respect Doreen Virtue enormously, the cards are a disappointment to my mind. They are so many differing styles and I feel differing purpose as well. They are not sure if they are for adults or children. The captions and titles vary in advice, from profound to eat more fruit! Personally this seems a little trite for an Oracle deck.

However, I appreciate that there are no hard and fast rules! And my daughter is extremely happy with them!

If you are a fan of Oracle cards here are some of my recommendations:

The Way of the Horse: Equine Archetypes for Self-discovery - A Book of Exploration

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Universal Wisdom Oracle (Oracle Card Series)

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The Druid Animal Oracle Deck

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The Hawaiian Oracle: Animal Spirit Guides from the Land of Light (Book & Cards)

Walk the Labyrinth

I have been researching Labyrinths today. Fascinating subject ...without wanting to preach to the already converted I thought I'd share a small post here.

The Labyrinth is an ancient archetypal pattern found in many cultures around the world dating back more than 4000 years. One of the most famous is Chartres Cathedral in France.
Unlike a maze that challenges the mind with blind alleys, dead ends and choices to be made labyrinths have only one clear, winding path leading you from the outer edge into the centre and back out again. Walking the path offers a unique space to slow down, still the mind and explore the inner landscape of the soul.

When you enter the Labyrinth you can trust yourself to the simple path ahead and begin to slow down. As you walk to the centre let it be a time to release the thoughts and feelings preoccupying you. Allow your mind to quieten.
When you reach the centre be still. It is a place of openness and receiving.
As you return along the same path reflect on any insights and connections that may have come to you and begin to integrate new insights and possibilities into your life.

For some the experience of walking the path may offer a renewed sense of well-being and inner peace. Others may use it to focus on a particular question or issue. For others it will be primarily a path of meditation or prayer. There is no right or wrong way to walk a labyrinth. Use it in whatever way is helpful for you.

Edinburgh is lucky enough to have two: a permanent outdoor one in George St gardens and the other, a indoor canvas one at the Chaplaincy in the University...I am hoping to walk both by the end of the month.

In the meantime, I am going to spend the rest of the day making a finger Labyrinth. Not sure what medium to use, perhaps I should get some clay or maybe quilt some silks to make a nice foldable one.

Click on the pattern for big size & print...try it for yourself!