The arrival of the new moon stamps the moonth with an initiating energy that shifts and develops through a cycle of growth, fullness, and descent. Each moonth I look to the Tarot’s astrological correspondences for the new moon to find 3 Tarot cards (a Major showing us the path, a numbered Minor showing us our passage and practice, and a court/people card showing us the posture to take on the path) to guide musings on soul tending, selection of prompts for personal/spiritual practice, and creation of a moonthly reading. The reading can be done any time, but ideally between the new and full moons. Revisit the cards you pull periodically up until the next lunation to gain new insight as the light changes.
On Courage: How to Be a Dissident in an Age of Fear by journalist Julia Angwin and political strategist Ami Fields-Meyer is written in the context of a world where nearly three out of four people on earth live under authoritarianism and the US’ slide into that state is creeping, steady, dangerous.
But they didn’t write the book to tell tales of gloom. They wrote it to show the creative, life-giving resistance around the world that springs from people’s inextinguishable desire to be free, to create a better world, to show care for their neighbors.
And this is what keeps me moving forward in these desperate times. That we, the people, while recognizing the hard truth of now still seek to serve the Greater Good.
I was going to say that it gives me hope, but the August 12th new moon’s (exact at 1:36 pm ET, time zone converter) association with the Tarot’s Strength card has me pondering not hope but the strength that grows from acknowledging rather than ignoring how scary the times we live in truly are.
Strength’s pathway invites us to an alignment with our wild self while calling us to act with compassion for all.
Strength cards across Tarot decks offer us images of a human figure in relationship with a creature. Most commonly a lion, but there are also versions with snakes and bears. In the Numinous Tarot, a person is enveloped in the arms of a bear—quite a bear hug!
Deck creator Cedar McCloud tells us that the bear is coming from the person’s own heart and represents fears that grow bigger and wilder. But the person’s embrace of the fear soothes both of them. The power in this image comes from being in relationship with the wild feelings of fear.
This moonth’s Strength path takes us through the passage of the 7 of Wands.
In the iconic Rider Waite Smith deck, a lone figure stands on a hill with staff raised against 6 other staffs menacing. The odds would seem to be against our young hero. Perhaps they are an immigrant in detention organizing to get word out about their horrible conditions despite knowing guards will punish them. Or an activist verifying an ICE raid standing with their camera facing masked agents. Or they are the only one questioning why their municipality’s accounts are invested in arms dealers profiting from war. Maybe they are an artist bringing disturbing truth into their work and being critiqued because art shouldn’t be political (fie on that!).
No matter what they are undertaking, they look determined to face whatever comes their way. They may feel fear but they also have courage.
As you may know, the root of the word courage connects its meaning to the heart. The word entered English from the Old French corage meaning “heart, innermost feelings; temper”
In the 7 of Wands passage through Strength we answer the call of our heart despite our fears. We stand prepared to take a risk.
We think of these people as exceptional, but, no, they are not. They are everyday people who open to the strength of their heart and can’t help but respond.
On Courage is filled with these stories as are so many books gathering stories of the many refusing authoritarianism and defending democracy. And you don’t have to read a book. Look in the mirror. I bet you have been resisting the cruelty in some way. Then look around at your neighbors. The ones who stand on street corners and the ones who organize less visibly. The ones organizing care for those most impacted and the ones who have the patience for tedious governmental meetings. We all have a role to play. If you don’t think you’ve found your role yet, no worries. Just keep looking.
Good thing our model to emulate this moonth is the Knight of Pentacles, perhaps the slowest but steadiest of all the Tarot figures. So far, the invitations of this moon have been fire-inspired: passion, wildness, heart, action, risk. But the Knight of Pentacles as guide for how to travel the next 28+ days of this moon cycle adds balance and perspective. The slow-moving Knight of Pentacles reminds us we are in a long-term process of creating the world we want to live in. We’ll move at the pace of guidance and take good care as we move along the way.
Knights of Pentacles—known as Explorers of Earth in the Gaian Tarot—know that our hearts are sheltered in our bodies. That our bodies are the place where our passion grows; the structure for our strength; the vessel for water’s flow; and the home of soul and spirit. They know their individual bodies to be part of the greater body of the earth. Recognize that care for their bodies makes possible their work.
They also know we must travel together to bring the work to fruition. If the figure of the 7 of Wands always works alone that will not lead to the desired change and will burn change seekers out. But Knights travel in groups; they support and protect each other. For sustainable change making the 7 of Wands figure needs to work with others, needs to join a tribe. The Explorer of Earth shows us that our tribe can include the More Than Human from creatures we share the planet with to the spirit realm (might the white buck be a spirit animal?).
This decan is a hologram of the whole of change making it seems to me: Align with the passion, the call, the broken openness of your heart despite fear. The heart will give you the courage you need to take up the work of change. Make sure you don’t always act alone. Join with your tribe and call on your helpers from this world and the Beyond. Because only together do we all get free.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS / READING FOR THE MOONTH
These questions are offered for reflection and to spark practice throughout the moonth. Pulling Tarot and oracle cards in connection to these questions is appropriate, but not absolutely necessary. You might carry a question with you on a walk, for example, and observe what is happening in the natural world as a way to find insight into the answer to the question.
WILD LOVE: What wild love is emerging from your heart right now?
FEAR: How to work with any fear that emerges from your embrace of this wild love?
ACTION: What is the best action to take this moonth to feed this wild love?
I do offer this as an e-reading in my collaborative intuitive format for $32. Sign up with Pay Pal or email me about sending a check. When I receive notification, I’ll be in touch to let you know about when to expect to receive your reading by email. I generally do these readings on Mondays and Saturdays (but, FYI, not on Saturday, the 15th as I will be doing family support).