June Theme - Take Responsibility and Control

Well, I hope everyone made it out of those icky waters of the Six of Swords. It really wasn't as simple as I'd hoped it would be, moving through those issues, but we made it. And now, it's time to shake it off and take responsibility for what has passed and what is before each of us. It's time to take control of our lives.

June brings the Knight of Pentacles, an example of courage and faith in oneself. He has arrived after a long journey, and yet he and his horse remain strong and ready to work, ready to be everything he's meant to be.

"We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future."  ~ George Bernard Shaw

The bright yellow in this card makes me feel warm and confident of the progress we'll make in June. All we need to do is settle in and get to work. The type of work you engage in during June will depend on you, but for the most part, I'm guessing you know by now what's before you.

What is the one thing you keep avoiding? Improving your relationship, writing a novel, learning to paint, researching retirement, or even decluttering your house? And, if you're like me, there are probably multiple jobs before you. Just take it one step at a time and don't overwhelm yourself.

June presents an opportunity to practice the Five-Minute Rule. Sometimes it's hard to leave life behind in order to do what's really important to you. Try telling yourself that you only have to get five minutes of work done, that's all. You'll be amazed how many times after five minutes you'll be working away with no thought of time or those other duties and making progress on your real work. This is a great method to overcome procrastination.

"He is responsible, hardworking, uncomplaining." ~ Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom, Rachel Pollack

We faced our fears in April, moved forward in May, and now it's time to take responsibility and control of ourselves, to be our own truths. It's so easy to blame others for the wrongs of the past, and even the missteps of our day to day activities. But, we really are in charge of our own actions and responses. But, of course, we've all made it through this part of the journey during the last two months. The important thing is to stay here, right here and now, in the present.

"In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility."  ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

Let us make the most of June and progress forward in our journey. Best wishes to you all.

May Theme - Move Forward

Ah, after spending April lost in our fears, isn't it nice to see some movement. I know the theme last month was to face your fears, but how many of us lost our way and got stuck and let that fear bear down on us. Well, I did even with the knowledge that it was coming. So much for being forewarned! But, I made it through, as I'm sure you all did. And, congratulations to those who stood tall and faced the fears head on.

So, as we move into May, there will be a shift. I actually began to feel this a few days early. But, I'm sure the decision to take a week off had a lot to do with the uplift in my feelings.

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.” – Vivian Greene

The Six of Swords brings with it some sorrow, despair, and turbulence, but it's the devil you know. It's the past that keeps nipping at your heels, interrupting those happy thoughts, or just brings your fears into speaker volume. You know what I'm talking about, those ghosts of the past, the skeletons. Of course, it may not be a distant past, but one you've just stepped out of.

You've escaped your cage of fear. It's time to move forward, through the difficult time. Whether you're at the edge of the situation or many years beyond, the important thing is to move passed it, into a new future.

If you've been with the difficulties for a long time, you may not even recognize them anymore. But, if you quiet your mind, I guarantee it will start screaming at you. It's that one (or more) thing you carry with you, day in and day out. You keep moving but it's there slowing you down.

"Though we carry our troubles with us we have adapted to them; they will not sink us or bear us down." ~ Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom, Rachel Pollack

As you move through the month, remember every ending leads to a new beginning. It's time for us to see what's right around the corner.

Good luck in your travels.

April Theme - Face Your Fears

Rider-Waite Tarot

As we leap into April, you may find yourself coming to a standstill after your March successes. Isn't it crazy how we second-guess ourselves the closer we get to triumph, the closer we get to being happy?

Notice, the woman is not bound at the legs and the swords do not cage her in. She can leave this situation any time she wants. The problem is she can't use her eyes to see, or her arms to help guide her out. But, if she really wanted to leave, she would find a way - tiny steps forward, or even a shout for help.


"The clue to this card is the blindfold - symbolizing confusion, oppressive ideas, isolation from other people in similar situations; what political liberations call mystification' - keeping people down not by direct force, but by training them to believe in their own helplessness." ~ Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom by Rachel Pollack

The bondage in this card is self-imposed. Your own thoughts are confusing and trapping you in a situation, in which you see no apparent way out. In order to move from this situation, you must face your fear, see things clearly, and make decisions based on an understanding of what's really going on.

"Each of us must confront our own fears, must come face to face with them. How we handle our fears will determine where we go with the rest of our lives. To experience adventure or to be limited by the fear of it." --Judy Blume

Some of us spend so much time looking into the past, readjusting it to what should have been that we fail to see today. A paralyzing fear takes hold when we try to adjust what we do today, and what that action will bring tomorrow. The fear of the unknown brings us to a standstill, so instead of moving forward and being present, we feel stuck in one place, in one routine.

In March, we focused on starting something, striving toward success. We found success, along with failure, but we kept going. You may have hit a wall, realized what success might bring, uncovered a fear you wasn't even aware of. Don't stop, push past the fear and keep achieving and failing.

April brings us the energy of fear, but it doesn't have to stop you in your tracks. Identify the fear, give it a name, and face it head on. Always remember, fear is usually of something of which does not exist at that moment. Our imagination creates the worse possible scenario in order to keep us safe. This is an automatic action of the brain, but you can adjust it, reinvent its reaction, and remove the feared scenario. Imagine something wonderful developing from your action.

"Fear keeps us focused on the past or worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that right now we are okay. Right now, today, we are still alive, and our bodies are working marvelously. Our eyes can still see the beautiful sky. Our ears can still hear the voices of our loved ones." --Thich Nhat Hanh

Activity for April: Write about your fears, about the imagined scenarios which stop you in your tracks, and delve into why you may be creating such scenes. And then, write about what you started in March, why you began, and what you hoped to accomplish. See your fear for what it is, your imagination, and continue toward success.

Good luck in your journey.

March Theme - Strive Toward Success

Today's Journey Tarot

As we step into March, we find ourselves filled with ideas and hopes of finding success. You may have decided to try something new this month, take a class, write a poem, or maybe you are nearing the end of a long project. The Six of Wands (Fire) brings with it the energy of likely success. No matter where you direct your energy the possibility for success is high this month.

Success is the sum of small efforts - repeated day in and day out. ~ Robert Collier


In the Rider Waite Tarot version, a man celebrates his victory with pride, while a crowd cheers him in his accomplishments. In the Today's Journey Tarot version, a runner is supported by a crowd, urging her toward the finish line.

Rider-Waite Tarot

Some see the Six of Wands as the card of Success, but notice the runner has not yet made it to the finish line. The rider may not be returning, but headed out to begin his journey. 

The Six of Wands is more of beginning, of continuing, than it is of completion. You've set upon the right direction, but there is work to do to actually arrive at success.

Think of the young scholar on his graduation day. Yes, he's achieved success and is recognized for his accomplishments, but this is only the beginning of a long journey set toward a larger success, a larger recognition.

Action is the foundational key to all success. ~ Pablo Picasso

So, as we step into this new month, expect success in your tasks and goals, but remember you must put in the work and sweat to make it to the finish line. Raise your arms in victory at each small breakthrough, but then gather your energies for the next step, and then the next.

Good luck in your journey.