As Above, So Below for Thursday, 26 October 2023

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The reading notes for today’s reading are below. You’re welcome to watch the video here.

Significator Runes: Perthro (14th rune, Water element rune, fate, birth, womb, chance, well of Wyrd, childbirth, healing, understanding fate, cause/effect, synchronicity, cauldron, divination) and Cauda Draconis (South Node influence, Dragon’s tail, karma, endings, evil, lower kingdom, terminating affairs)

Cards: 8 of Swords, The Empress (3), Temperance (14/5)

Pattern(s): Two cards from the Major Arcana suggests that soul is guiding the reading. Master Numerology of 11 between the 8 of Swords and The Empress reinforces soul awakening.

Overall numerology: 5+8+3+14=30; 3+0=3 (integration, interaction, communication, self-expression, optimism, imagination). Numerology of the cards only: 8+3=11 (Master number for awakening and enlightenment) and 14 reduces to 1+4=5 (change, protection, innovation, freedom versus restriction)

Beginning with today’s significator runes, Perthro describes fate and who actually controls that. Are you controlling your own fate, even if all you can do is control how you see or feel about a situation? Or are you giving that control away to outside influences? Cauda Draconis, today’s geomancy rune, involves the influence of the South Node of the Moon and its governance of the past (perceptions, experiences) on who you are now and the choices you make. Together, the runes suggest today that either past experiences or perceptions could be informing your fate or they could be controlling your decisions surrounding your fate. But let’s look at the cards to see how that plays out.

The 8 of Swords shows a woman wearing a red dress standing in wet sand. A castle is visible at the top of a cliff in the background as eight swords surround her while she’s bound and blindfolded. She has one foot on the sand and one seems to be in the water. The card’s eight numerology describes strength, leadership, as well as material recognition and approval. Although the suit of sword reflects the Air element, Earth, Fire, and Water are also present. The water obviously represents the Water element and our emotions and change, while the Fire element involves the will and is represented by the woman’s red dress. The sand represents the Earth element and security and grounding, and the Air element represents the intellect, interactions, perceptions, reason, rationality, deception, and balance.

The fact that the woman is bound and blindfolded suggests that she’s exercising her will to go within to find inner counsel regarding a decision she needs to make. Essentially, she’s turning off the influence of others as well as her own perceptions to seek a higher perspective. With one foot on the sand and one in the water, she’s balancing her emotions with being grounded. (The same pattern or depiction exists with Temperance)

One note…considering the numerology of the cards alone, the 8 of Swords and the three numerology of The Empress express an overall numerology of 11, the Master number for awakening and enlightenment which I think factors in when looking at the 8 of Swords and the need to go within and access higher awareness.

Moving on to The Empress, we have a soul archetype card from the Major Arcana that depicts the Mother of creation who represents fertility, love, the womb, abundance, beauty, success, and a receptive presence. So, regarding the decision that you need to make today, The Empress is asking you to consider what will you create from the decision you make, and whether or not in making that decision you give away any of that to others or to past experiences or perceptions?

Lastly, Temperance, another soul archetype card from the Major Arcana, shows an angel pouring water from one chalice to another. Like the woman in the 8 of Swords, the angel has one foot on the land and one in the water. Yellow irises grow on the bank of the pond while a path winds between the pond and two mountain peaks in the distance. Between the two peaks, The Sun rises on a new day. Temperance reflects both moderation and balance, as well as balancing will with emotion. Another balance is seen with the angel’s feet in the water and on the land, so there’s a sense of becoming emotionally grounded with this card. The glyph for Fire appears on the angel’s gown suggesting that exercising the will is part of achieving that balance.

SUMMATION

It’s not always easy to turn away from outside influences when making a decision, especially if it’s from family or friends, or from someone with an agenda who wants to influence you. Today’s reading suggests that if you need to make some kind of a decision during this period, it’s best to shut all of that off and go within to access higher awareness. In other words, you don’t need to make the same decision you’ve always made or do what you’ve always done and then feel controlled by the outcome. It’s no different than doing the same thing over and over, each time expecting a different outcome when clearly it’s just not going to happen. You may experience a shift in perception by going within and then take charge of your circumstances in a manner that expresses your own inner power. We all have to do things we don’t want to do, but how we feel about it can make all the difference. And that’s for you to decide instead of giving in to the influence others or the influence of your own past experiences.

Blessed Be