The New Moon is an astrological phenomenon that happens once a month that is often overlooked by many as they live their day to day lives.  Although we see evidence of this through the changes of the seasons in both animal and plant life, many of us – possibly with enormous arrogance – seem to presume that we are too sophisticated to listen to such basic and ordinary rhythms.  However, psychological studies have revealed that our inner world is still strongly influenced by these cyclical changes, and as such it might benefit us to listen to them.

Anytime there is a concern with cyclical changes there is also a concern with astrology.  After all, astrology is the cosmic science that ‘weighs and measures’ how the influence of the planets affect human beings and define our lives.  Since we are conscious beings (hopefully), we do have more control over the manifestation of such influences, yet we still must recognize that on the inner level our relationship with the planetary bodies is important and beneficial.

Every month the New Moon provides us with a seed level for the upcoming month.   It tells us what the basic energy of the month is, and

how we can work with it.  We can utilize its power to do intention work or simply to understand ourselves and our inner process on a deeper level.  In astrological jargon, the New Moon is actually a conjunction between the Sun and the Moon and every conjunction has a feeling of the sign of Aries attached to it.  Since Aries is the most personal of the personal signs, we can use the energy to plan out the month.

The New Moon which happens on August 28, 2011 occurs in the sign of Virgo.  Virgo is known for its picky and critical nature, but what does this really mean?  On the deepest level, Virgo (since it is Mercury ruled) gives us the ability to see what is wrong with our lives, and begin to work on these issues.   In the tarot, it is connected with the wise Hermit card, who through his illuminating lantern reveals to us things that we cannot see in the dark.   According to Kabbalah, all of our negative characteristics are simply potentials for creating light.   This month we are able to see our self-defeating behaviors in the light of day, and we can begin the process of changing them.

The astrological aspects of this New Moon are powerful and filled with the promise of opportunity if we are willing to take up the task of working with it.   The New Moon will conjoin with Venus, trine Jupiter, and trine Pluto creating what is known as a grand earth trine.  A grand earth trine is known for its ability to create opportunities in the material world, yet there is the responsibility of staying focused to achieve our desires.  If you have ideas or projects that are on the backburner waiting to be born, now is the time to dust them off and give life to them.

Tarot Tune-Up: Get out your tarot or oracle deck.   Shuffle the cards thoroughly.   Ask yourself the following question, “What are the primary blocks that are preventing my success?”   Draw a card out of the deck.   This is your block to work through during the month of Virgo.

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If you have a problem in your life, we have a candle for that!

One of the things that confuse me the most about fundamental Christianity is the way bible verses are used to explain an idealistic argument for or against a given topic.  Often, many of these verses are used to either oppress or denigrate an individual in the name of “God”, and are often taken out of their original context.

This week we are in the portion of Re’eh, which literally means ‘to see’.  However, there is no Zohar available for this particular portion, which means that we have to read between the lines, and search for insight and meaning in the regular Torah text.   Although many scholars will focus this week on “blessings and curses”, which is the first line of this particular portion, there is a particular section that I feel is pertinent for those of us that work in the arcane sciences or utilize the services of the practitioners of the arcane sciences.

The verse in question says the following:

“If there arise among you a prophet or a dream of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying: ‘Let us go after other gods, which you have not known, and let us serve them;’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the Lord, your God, is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and all your soul.”
Deuteronomy 13:2-4

According to the sages, there is nothing wrong with prophetic vision.  If there was such a restriction you would not see several books written by biblical prophets including Isaiah and Jeremiah.   If you read the verse closely, you will see that Moshe says (paraphrased), “If this prophet or dreamer of dreams says, ‘Let us go after other Gods, which you have not known, and let us serve them.’     In essence, you should not listen to anyone who instructs you to take another spiritual path – regardless of where you are in life; you are where you need to be.

The prologue to the Zohar is very specific about interpretations of the Torah.   It reveals that the Torah should be interpreted through the eyes of the individuals that are engaged with it.  In other words, the Torah should not be taken literally, but explored from the perspective of adding meaning to our lives, and as a result we should constantly update our interpretations based on the needs of the current times.

How would we interpret this verse in this day and age?  The truth behind this verse lies in the intentions of readers and the reader’s belief system.   Let me explain.

How many times have you gone to a psychic, tarotist, or astrologer, and you felt that the practitioner was pushing their belief system upon you or you felt that the practitioner in some way was judging you and your situation?   Regardless of the ‘current situation’ that you are in, it is the reader’s responsibility to provide you with compassion, understanding, and emotional support in helping you resolve your issues and to answer your questions.   It is not the reader’s responsibility to force you down a road that you are not ready to receive.   Your spiritual path is your spiritual path, and your choices are what you are responsible for, and not for another individual to judge.  Everyone should feel respected and treated with human dignity irrespective of the reader’s personal feelings about your situation.

As you make decisions about whom to consult regarding your life, make sure that you ask yourself whether or not the individual supported you or whether the individual tried to steer you down a different path.  Remember, you are where you are meant to be, and the choices you make in the present formulate your future.   Of course, sometimes you are given information that you do not want to receive, but the information should be presented in a manner that allows you to make choices and decisions about your life.   After all, it is your life to live!

Now, on with the astrology…

Your Cosmic Weather Forecast:

This week is going to be a shock to the system for many.  We are moving out of the vibrant, energetic, and spirited sign of Leo, and into disciplined and hardworking Virgo.  The feeling will be akin to the alarm clock ringing in the morning after being out till 3 AM.  However, we still must get out of bed, put our knickers on, and plod forward.

As the Sun and Venus move into Virgo, we will notice that our attention will shift to our work, health, and our ordinary day to day responsibilities.  This will be rather dull if you are fiery by nature, but welcomed if you are of a more earthy temperament.   This is a great week to put everything in order and get back into a routine for the fall months, but be relieved that you still get one more weekend of fun and frolic because Labor Day quickly approaches.

This coming Thursday could prove to be the most frustrating day of the week as Mars squares Saturn.  We may feel thwarted or blocked (Saturn) as we pursue (Mars) our immediate tasks at hand, but this aspect provides us with the steadfast determination to succeed regardless of what may be hindering us.   Since this is a waning square the areas of frustration may be experienced in your work or professional life.   Avoid letting Mars out of the box by engaging in petty arguments as you could likely damage your professional reputation.

Friday will be a day of great relief for many as Mercury goes direct.  However, if you are taking any trips or traveling during this time make special preparations for mishaps that may happen.  This is especially important if this trip is for business.  As I have mentioned in past forecasts, Mercury rules communication and the days that it goes retrograde and turns direct are two of the prickliest days that the trickster planet tends to operate.  However, during the weekend we can begin to take actions on things we have put on hold over the last three weeks.

Tarot Tune-Up:

Get out your tarot or oracle decks.   Shuffle the cards thoroughly.   Since we are in the portion that has to do with “seeing”, let’s ask the cards a direction question.   What do the cards have to tell me about “seeing” the obstacles on my path that prevent me from achieving my highest good?  Draw a card out f the deck!  Let me know which card you drew.

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How many times have you read something and then read the same thing later only to discover information than what you learned before?  It is a common experience that happens to us all!  In kabbalah, there is a belief that if we have not elevated (fancy word for ‘ready’) to receive information a screen or a curtain is produced that prevents us from fully absorbing what is being read or studied, and as a result we frequently forget the material all together.  So, the next time you are reading something for the second time and realize how much material you missed, it was not because you are mentally deficient it is because you were not ready to receive the material.

This week we read the Kabbalistic portion known as Vaetchanan.   It is one of my favorite portions because it reveals that we should always be absorbed in our spiritual studies.   Why?   When you disconnect from your spiritual studies, you separate yourself from the energy of life and disconnect from mastering mind over matter.   In other words, you begin to live in the physical world only.

Scan the Hebrew Letters from right to left to make a connection

According to the Zohar (above), if we continue to focus on spirituality and spiritual studies then it will remove all forms of fear from our lives.  This can be outside fears, inside fears, fear from other people, fear in the stock market, fear of financial failure or any other fear that you can imagine.   Why?  When we are connected to the laws of mind over matter, we realize that our day to day problems are simply there to teach us a lesson.  If we stay connected to the Light and our tools (prayer, meditation, and continued inner work) there is simply nothing to fear.

This week there are two different tools that I want to introduce that are powerful tools to assist with awareness and transformation, but first the astrology…

The Astrology:

The Astrology for this week is rather interesting because it involves the building up of a rather challenging grand cross that will occur next week.  Whenever, we have challenging aspects of this nature it is always good to stay up to date on weather activities especially next week as there is a strong likelihood for a rather intense weather to occur – this could include hurricanes, floods, and tornados.

Venus Sextile Saturn:

On Sunday and Monday we have our first astrological aspect which is a sextile (opportunities) between Venus and Saturn.  Any aspect with Saturn will make us feel a bit more withdrawn than normal, but since this is an easy aspect we will often find it easier to get the support that we need from the people around us.  However, we still may feel very wary of social circumstances.   This is a week for us to begin to focus and concentrate all of our efforts into our work life.  Saturn is the natural ruler of the 10^th house of work and Venus is the natural ruler of the 2^nd house of money, and with these two in positive aspect it is a time for us to be resolute, reliable, and not swayed by our emotions.  It is a great day to put the nose to the grindstone and complete any projects that have been collecting dust or need to be completed.

Mars square Uranus/Mars oppose Pluto:

On Tuesday and Wednesday, two rather intense aspects occur – Mars will square Uranus, and then Mars will oppose Pluto.   This is a very potent and powerful combination that is the beginning of the grand cross (Saturn joins the fun) next week.  The planet Mars has to do with getting what we want, and has the ability to aggressively go out and get it.   He is the fighter planet!   However, with Uranus (liberation and freedom) and Pluto (survival) Mars becomes a super charged powerhouse that is not concerned with limitations of civilized society.    Needless to say, this will create an enormous amount of friction (especially with others) throughout the week, as everyone attempts to get what they want.   Although it will be very difficult try to remain calm throughout the week, because the smallest provocation could easily raise our Martian spirit which likes to fight.  Furthermore, the likelihood of power battles, unresolved conflicts, and spitefulness could arise.   If you can stay out of the ‘den of iniquity’, then do so!

Full Moon in Aquarius:

At the end of the week, The Full Moon will occur in the sign of Aquarius.   This is a beautiful Full Moon because the Sun will be conjoined with Venus and opens us up to social situations.   This will be a great weekend to go out and spend time with friends and associates.   Moreover, we can use this weekend as a great day to take advantage of the Venusian energy (love and money), and do some intention work to bring in money and love.

Your Cosmic Weather Forecast:

The portion of Vaechanan is filled with many secrets.   However, one of its most potent messages involves our need to study spirituality.   As I stated earlier, when we are connected to spiritual issues we are not concerned with outside influences or outside difficulties as we know they are lessons to teach us to grow spiritually.  However, if we are not connected to a spiritual system, then we tend to focus only on the 1% reality that is presented to us.

Of course, we are not connected spiritually (even me) 100% of the time, and there are certain pressing issues that no matter how hard we focus and how hard we try to restrict it takes us over.   According to the Ari (Isaac Luria – the father of modern kabbalah), these areas of difficulty are called ‘husks’ (klipot) that we have to break through and crack, and his own remedy for breaking through difficulties that cause us problems is through study.   We can do this in two different ways – bibliomancy and bibliotherapy.

Bibliomancy is a long standing tradition in many spiritual ideologies about using sacred books to receive messages that are important to you.   You simply grab a book (I did this to write about this week and what you are reading is the message) that you find sacred and lay the book on its spine.  Close your eyes and let the book open to a certain page.   That page will hold a message for you.   If you are using a book such as the bible, once you get your page open then you close your eyes again and place your finger down on the book.   The verse that your finger lands on will have a message for you.  You can also use a random number generator (many are available online) and tell the program how many pages are within the book and it will select a number.  You can then use that page information to get your message. However, if you land on a blank page while doing bibliomancy it is recommended that you do some form of spiritual cleansing before proceeding.

Recently, psychology (as of the 1930’s) has entered into the fray of bibliomancy with a unique form of bibliotherapy (which is not really that unique considered the Ari wrote about it in the 1500’s).  Bibliotherapy is the use of books and our relationship to the books content as a form of therapy or healing.  This has been very successful when treating depression, anxiety disorders, panic attacks, and post-traumatic stress disorder.   So, whatever issue you are going through you can get a book on the subject matter and you will begin to notice (over time) a healing beginning to occur for you on the subject matter.   According to the Ari repetition (studying the same material over and over to get a breakthrough) is one of the most powerful tools that we can use to break through our self-defeating behaviors that are preventing our spiritual growth. I will state, that I have been playing with bibliotherapy (rather ironic that when I used bibliomancy to find a topic to write about it would be on this subject matter) for a few weeks and have found some amazing personal results with it.

Tarot Tune-Up:

Step 1:   This week we are not really going to use Tarot, but I am still going to call it a Tarot Tune-Up.   Get out a book that you value and you treasure.  Ask the book the following question – what lessons do I need to learn in my life now?  Lay the book on its spine (if you have problems with the pages opening up, just use your fingers to find a page while your eyes are closed) and allow it to open up to a page.   What message did you receive?

Let me know in the comments below what message you received!

Step 2:   Whatever message you received, get yourself a book on the subject matter.  You can get this on amazon, on kindle, or you can even go to webpages that deal with the message.   You will find out tons of information to help you resolve your problems and make lasting change in your life.

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Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

I believe that we can find the spiritual in everything if we are willing to look closely.   Often, it is hiding in the most unlikely places.   We can find it in the most evolved and esoteric or veiled in the mundane, the hilarious, and even the absurd.  However, like the mysteries contained within the High Priestess card of the mystical tarot, it is up to us to have the courage to seek out the spiritual nuggets presented to us.

Believe it or not a movie that has an overflowing basket of spiritual nuggets is the 1995 comedy, Clueless.  I am sure your kneejerk reaction to this revelation is “as if!” But seriously, there is much insight that can be gleaned from this movie.  The adventures of Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) and her group of Beverly Hills friends as they journey through the angst of young adulthood is something we all experience on one level or another.   Although our problems in adulthood can be more complex and sophisticated, they truly are not all that different.  We all go through love problems, the need to be accepted, the need to feel secure, and the need to find ourselves in a world that can seem overwhelming.   We all make mistakes, and we all learn from them.  However, when we look back at our past problems and difficulties, we often realize how clueless we were.

So, what does Cher Horowitz have to do with the energy of the week?  Everything!  But first the astrology…

Astrological Energy of the Week:

After several weeks of rather intense astrological energies we finally get a break.   Get out those margaritas, fun in the sun toys, and if you live in the southern hemisphere some hot apple cider with cinnamon while snuggling in front of the fire will do the trick.   Enjoy this break while it lasts because Mercury will go retrograde on August 2^nd.

There are two sign changes this week.   First, Venus will move out of emotional Cancer and into fiery Leo.  Leo is all about glamour and pampering ourselves.   Go out and get your hair done, buy yourself a new outfit, or simply bling up your outfits with a little glitz and frost.   Venus is in her joy when she is in Leo, and it is a great time for us to explore possible new romantic relationships or spice up our current ones; however you need to try to remain grounded.   Often Venus in Leo can get so caught up in the romantic drama that the reality of relationship and structure becomes more than she can handle.  Secondly, Mercury moves out of dramatic Leo and into meticulous Virgo (the sign it will retrograde in).   In Virgo, Mercury understands life by creating structured order in what can feel chaotic and unorganized.  It is a great time for you to do research, take on mental projects, and be very clear about what you want out of life.  If you are finishing up a writing or research project this will be an incredible week for you.  However, keep in mind that Mercury will turn retrograde so this window of opportunity will quickly close.

In addition to the two sign changes, there are two planetary aspects this week as well.   On Wednesday, the Sun in Leo will trine Uranus in Aries.   This aspect is a powerful juggernaut, and being in fire signs will give you an enormous creative urge over the next week.   New ideas will come to you rather spontaneously and you will feel highly stimulated.   Often, the intensity of this aspect will make you feel high strung, alert, and restless, so try to contain yourself and be as grounded as you can be throughout the week.   Further, this aspect directs you to focus on technical gadgets, so make sure you back up your computer before the retrograde hits!   On Thursday, Mercury will oppose Neptune.  Normally, this is a rather confusing aspect that can make you feel out of sorts (and for airy people it still may), yet your advantage is that Mercury is in its own sign of Virgo.  If you begin to feel confused or need to make order out of chaos (see above), Mercury will provide you with the ability to sort things out and make sense of it all.  All Mercury – Neptune aspects are a great time to do creative or artistic work, or connect to your inner spirit.

Finally, on Saturday we will have a New Moon at 8 degrees of Leo.  At its core, the sign of Leo is about individuality.   This is a great time for you to do intention work that focuses on your individual talents and gifts.  Also, if you are interested in attracting love to you, this is a great time to do it.  If you have any planets around 8 degrees of a sign, this New Moon could be a channel for new beginnings and new opportunities heading your way.

Your Cosmic Weather Forecast:

Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) is the heroine of the movie Clueless.   She is not the normal image of a heroic figure that fights dragons, engages in warfare, and topples kingdoms, yet she is a heroine nonetheless.  Unlike other heroic female figures, such as Wonder Woman or Xena, Cher is a heroine of the heart.  Her battles are in the name of love, and rather than using swords and power she uses the depth of her feelings and emotions.

Through most of the movie, Cher spends her time being a matchmaker for other people, yet her own desire to be in love is denied.   The one instance she attempts to connect with another classmate, she shockingly finds out that he is gay!  However, severe crisis (which occurs with all heroic figures) strikes when she fails her driver’s exam, which gives Cher insight into her own personality, and she begins to reflect.  This process of reflection allows Cher to realize what she wants in her own life and the depth of her own emotional feelings – however awkward those may be.  Once she takes the steps to honor herself, she finally falls in love.

This week the kabbalistic portion is called Massei.  It is a story that retells the places that the Israelites stop on their journey from Egypt

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

to Israel.  To be honest, it is one of the most boring portions of the Torah, and it drones on and on about each place the Israelites set up camp.   I truly have to force myself to stay awake when reading this portion.  Further, there is no Zohar assigned to this portion, so the meaning is hidden and obscured.  However, this portion has one of the most powerful messages of the entire Torah.

According to the Kabbalistic sages, the portion of Massei is all about our spiritual journey.   It includes the things we learn, the things we get wrong, the places that we are reactive, our moments of joy and happiness, and those periods of our life that we are in pain.  It is through our spiritual journey and process that we learn what we want to achieve, and we decide what our priorities are.   In essence, the trip from Egypt to Israel describes different spiritual lessons (and those teenage years are part of them) we learn to complete our correction.

Many new students of kabbalah become overwhelmed by correction.   They believe (and trust me I have been there) that you need to fix everything as quickly as possible and then you will achieve some form of spiritual ascension.  However, the Kabbalists state that in order for us to achieve our correction we must take action.   What kind of action?   It is rather simple – the actions we must take to perform our correction are bound up in living our lives.   It is our journey, our path, the way we experience it, and the choices that we make along the way.

True spiritual change does not happen overnight.  It is a series of trial and error.  We learn by our perceived failures and triumphs, and we adjust and modify our lives based on those experiences.  Sometimes we hit a crisis (like Cher does), and we begin to realize what it is in life that we truly want.  We feel clueless, but through our confusion we achieve our next step on the journey.  We learn that it is the process that is our spiritual ascension, not the destination.

Tarot Tune-Up:

Get out your favorite Tarot or Oracle Deck.  Shuffle the cards thoroughly.   Ask yourself the following question, “What do I need to know about my current process within my journey?”  Draw three cards.  Let me know which ones you picked!

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I had to laugh this week when one of my Facebook friends asked me whether or not there “was a positive week in my world.”  It made me really sit back and reflect on how much challenging energy we have had this year.   Ironically, the astrology for 2011 is much more intense than the astrology for 2012 – despite what people predict about the Mayan calendar.  Batten down the hatches and put on your seat belts, the next several weeks are going to be very intense with the kabbalistic Negative Three weeks and Mercury Retrograde in the very near future.   Sigh!

I think the most important question for us to ponder is what can we learn from these intensive energies?  According to Kabbalah, the planetary activities are messages from the Light, and provide us with information on how to navigate our lives through “intensive periods”.   Let’s face it with global warming, political gridlock, people forgetting about human dignity, and numerous wars that include the loss of human life, we begin to understand why the energies are so intense?   Are we really learning the lesson or are we simply missing the point?   We tend to see the problems of the world as ‘out there’ and anesthetize ourselves against any personal contribution or responsibility.

On Monday evening, the ‘Negative Three Weeks’ begin.  Why are these three weeks negative? Kabbalistically, we are taught that during the last part of the sign of Cancer, and the beginning of the sign of Leo that the energies are no longer diluted (The Sun and Moon rulers of Cancer and Leo rule no other signs, so their energies are not distributed between two sources; whereas all the other planets rule two signs) and we get a straight shot of light without a filter from the universe.   Kabbalists believe that during this period the spiritual ozone layer is removed, and as a result we are exposed to excessive amounts of Light that we spiritually cannot handle.

In essence, we have to create our own “ozone” layer, which I will reveal after the astrology…

The Astrology:

This week we have very little astrological activity.   There are no major planetary aspects, and the only sign change is the Sun moving out of Cancer and into Leo.   For those of you who have read my Cosmic Weather Forecast in the past, you know I am very suspicious about weeks that have no aspects.  Why?  The energy seems to enter into a stagnation period.   This amplifies the last aspect which seems to take hold and linger without a shift of energy for a long period of time.

The last significant astrology aspect (minus the Full Moon) was Venus in Cancer square Saturn in Libra.  I stated the following about Venus square Saturn last week:

“In my experience as an astrologer this is one of the most difficult aspects – especially for those that are more emotionally sensitive to the outer world.  Venus is our ability to relate and enjoy our connections with others.  When Venus becomes afflicted by Saturn, Saturn exposes Venus’ emotional vulnerability and we often close down emotionally.   In many cases, we begin to isolate and disengage from our social circles.   It is necessary when Venus is square Saturn for us to develop self-confidence and a feeling of personal self-worth. “

This remains true for the upcoming week as well.

On Saturday, the Sun will move out of watery and emotional Cancer and into its own sign of Leo.   Whenever the Sun is in Leo, we need to find an area of our life where we can shine.   This could be in career, relationships, or outside activities, yet there is a need for us to discover creative outlets where we can truly express ourselves and our uniqueness.   Leo is a dynamic sign that reveals our own personal power.  We can use this energy to find our own sense of personal destiny, which will help relieve the energy of the ongoing Venus – Saturn square.

Your Cosmic Weather Forecast:

This week the kabbalistic portion is called Matot (Tribes).  This is a rather peculiar portion because it ALWAYS appears during the Negative Three Weeks.  In Kabbalah, nothing happens by accident so there is a reason why this portion occurs during this time period.  Why?  Matot can give us needed information on how to create our own “spiritual ozone” layer to shield us from the intense energies of this period.

In this portion, there is a story where God instructs Moses to avenge the Israelites (code for those that believe in mind over matter) of the Midianites.   God does not instruct Moses to send the best warriors, yet the most spiritually elevated members of the tribe.   Why?   This particular war against the Midianites was not a physical war, yet a spiritual one.   The sages teach us that the Midianites never stopped provoking and instigating the Israelites.  In fact, the Midianites went to other nations and stirred them up to attack the Israelites as well.

So, who are the Midianites?     According to the Zohar, the Midianites are a code for “awakened negativity inside and outside of us”.   They are the self-defeating behaviors (and we all have them) that continuously appear in our lives over and over.  The Midianites are the parts of ourselves that we have problems letting go of despite the amount of chaos they create.   They are a tricky lot!  They will appear inside of you, but they also appear as people around us that ‘awaken’ our particular self-defeating behaviors as well.  Further, the Midianites are prone to using black magic.  In Kabbalah, black magic is different than what black magic is considered in the pagan tradition.   Black magic is used to confuse us so we are not able to see the truth, and to distort circumstances so they appear in fragmented forms and guises.

This week (and the two weeks after), we begin a process of needing to keep our spiritual guard up.   We need to be very aware of the energies (and the people) around us, and try not to fall into our own self-defeating behaviors.    It will not be easy – as spiritual warfare is not easy.   We may feel reactive, depressed, dramatic, angry, bitter, and attacked; however it is necessary for us to realize that it is an illusion.   An attempt to throw us off our guard!

The portion Matot is about vulnerability, and the energies that arise when we do feel vulnerable.  We can choose either to combat these energies, or we can choose to give in to them.   According to the Kabbalistic sages, the most efficient way of battling this energy is for us to mourn how our self-defeating behaviors have limited our relationships, personal and spiritual growth.   We need to be aware of how our self-defeating behaviors have brought circumstances into our lives that have caused pain and suffering – not only for ourselves, but for others.  When we get to the point that we can truly mourn and release tears over our actions are we able to conquer our behaviors.

Tarot Tune-Up:

Get out your tarot or oracle decks.  Ask the cards, “What can I do to let go of my self-defeating behaviors and remove chaos from my life?”   Draw one card from the deck.  Let me know what you pulled!

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I am convinced that I was a scribe of the Torah in a past life.   Since I was a boy in high school, I have been a perfectionist when it came to writing things down.  Whether this was class notes, letters, or reports everything had to be perfect – and I really did not like to use white out.   I wrote and rewrote everything until it was just right.   Yeah, I know a little obsessive compulsive.

At this point, I am sure you are wondering what this has to do with being a scribe of the Torah.   Well, the scribes of the Torah had to write everything down to perfection.   This was an extremely tedious task that took 1-3 years to complete.    Every single spot, every single letter, every single nuance had to be precise and perfect.   If it was not, then the scroll was considered invalid, and had to be rewritten.     Could you imagine, getting halfway through a scroll and have to throw it out and start all over again because of a tiny little error?  No correction tape, no spell check, no word processing programs to fix it!

Crazy to think about isn’t it?

In the portion of Pinchas, there is an exception to this rule.   There is a cracked letter in the Torah scroll, and it is the only place in the whole Torah where this occurs.    What would be the purpose for this?   The secret lies within one of the Major Arcana cards of the Tarot!  But, as always you will have to wait…

The Astrology:

I don’t know about you, but after a month and a half of nonstop aspects including 3 eclipses, I am sighing with relief with the lack of astrological aspects.  We all need a cosmic break!   This week we have only two astrological aspects (although there is a Full Moon in Capricorn this week, which puts the focuses on business affairs and the public eye) – Mercury sextile Mars and Venus square Saturn.

On Monday, Mercury in Leo will sextile Mars in Gemini.   This is a great aspect if you need to communicate ideas, write, or for sales activities. Our ability to observe the obvious is at an all-time high at this time.    Mars gives Mercury the ability to convince anybody of anything, and the tenacity to get the job done.  Under a hard aspect, (square or opposition) Mars revving up Mercury could lead to knee jerk reactions to outer stimuli; however with this being a sextile there is minimal amounts of friction creating obstacles to derail our goals.  Take advantage of this energy while it is available, because Mercury will go into its shadow cycle later in the week.

This leads us to Wednesday when Venus in Cancer squares Saturn in Libra.   In my experience as an astrologer this is one of the most difficult aspects – especially for those that are more emotionally sensitive to the outer world.  Venus is our ability to relate and enjoy our connections with others.  When Venus becomes afflicted by Saturn, Saturn exposes Venus’ emotional vulnerability and we often close down emotionally.   In many cases, we begin to isolate and disengage from our social circles.   It is necessary when Venus is square Saturn for us to develop self-confidence and a feeling of personal self-worth.    This will allow us to build our current relationships with more reliable structure.

Your Cosmic Weather Forecast:

The Hierophant from the Alchemical Tarot www.thealchemicalegg.com

Now back to the fun stuff!

The reason I do the Cosmic Weather Forecast is because there are 52 different energies that are allocated to the 52 weeks of the year.  This week the energy is called “Pinchas”, which is the name of the central figure of this week’s story in the Torah.   The primary kabbalistic message in the story involves the power of healing, and is one of the most significant kabbalistic portions of the year.

Healing is such a tricky word.    How many times have you seen people in your life who are just fine, they go for a random checkup and then they find out they have some illness, and they go downhill from there?  It is amazing what happens to the mind once it believes something to be true.

As I mentioned earlier, there is an interesting occurrence that happens in this portion that does not occur elsewhere in the Torah.   There is a crack in one of the letters (in the word SHALOM) that normally would invalidate the scroll.   However, in Pinchas the crack is put in purposely.   The letter in Hebrew is called VAV, which means “nail”.    All of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet have a corresponding Major Arcana energy attached to them.   In this case, the letter VAV corresponds with the controversial Hierophant.

According to Kabbalah, everything originates at a seed (thought) level.  It begins in the upper worlds (thoughts) of Kether and travels down the tree to physical manifestation in Malchut.     The Rav states that the cracked letter VAV leaves enough space for us to go back and heal any form of illness at the seed level.  In essence, it provides us an opportunity for correction.  So, what does this have to do with the Hierophant?

In most books written about the Tarot, the Hierophant in some manner has to do with beliefs.  Whether it is religious beliefs, dogma, or the institution of religion the word “belief” is hovering around this card like a bee around a beehive.  C.C. Zain in his book “The Sacred Tarot” (Church of Light Press) simply refers to the Hierophant as meaning religion or law.  For many, the fundamental issue of belief involves their spiritual or religious ideologies, which is why the Hierophant in modern new age circles brings forth feelings of the dogmatic institution of the Catholic Church and fundamental Christianity.   These feelings many are repulsed by due to the vast amount of repression that has been inflicted on many by the Church.

If we take the Hierophant to be connected to the letter VAV, then we must also consider that the Hierophant itself (this week) has a crack in it.  What does this mean?   It means that we are granted the energy to change how we believe and how we think, and begin the process of reversing any damage that has occurred as a result of our belief system.  This healing is all healing – whether it is mental, spiritual, physical or emotional.

Take some time out this week to truly think about what you believe.   Do you find that your beliefs limit you?  Do you find that you’re too rigid in your thinking?  Do you find that you believe things simply because others believe it? Further, what does the Hierophant mean to you?   By exploring our inner ideologies and expanding our beliefs we activate the true power of healing.

Tarot Tune-up:

Pull your Hierophant card out of the deck.   Shuffle the deck and ask yourself the following questions.   What can I do to bring forth mental healing?  What can I do to bring forth emotional healing?  What can I do to bring forth spiritual healing?  What can I do to bring forth physical healing.

Lay down the cards in front of you.  Pick up your Hierophant card and look at it for a few minutes.  Get the image of the card implanted in your mind.   Now, close your eyes and ask the Hierophant if he has any further information that can help you with your healing.  Write down what he tells you on a sheet of paper.

Let me know what you learned!

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“Is it over yet?”   I have answered this question multiple times over the past month, and each time I can hear the horror in people’s voices when I answer, “not anytime soon!”   It’s been a rough road since the beginning of June when the current eclipse cycle began.  Week after week we are being bombarded with very intensive astrological energies with no end in sight.

By the way, you have seen nothing; this week is going to be INTENSE! Buckle your seat belts — hazardous conditions ahead.

The Astrology:

Your major weather player this week is the Sun.  The Sun currently is in emotionally fluid Cancer.   Under normal circumstances, the Sun provides us with the ability to shine, be ourselves, and be individual.   He gives us the ability to know ourselves and remain loyal to the truth that lives within our hearts.   When the Sun has positive outlets from other planets, those planets provide us with a path to express our specialness.  However, when the Sun is afflicted (fancy word for difficult to express itself), our ability to shine can feel stymied, and we may feel pressured to conform to others or the collective consensus.  In fact, the urge to be unique and special can be threatening to others, who in turn may criticize or envy another’s sense of individuality.

As with the last few Cosmic Weather Forecasts, this forecast will continue to be challenging.  The Sun will be highly afflicted as it squares Uranus in Aries, opposes Pluto in Capricorn, and then squares Saturn in Libra.  In the midst of this intensive solar energy will be a Solar Eclipse on July 1 (I will focus exclusively on the Eclipse in a future blog) forming a cardinal grand cross.  If you are dizzy after reading all that, join the club!  I am dizzy thinking about it.

Your Cosmic Weather Forecast

Each week, I attempt to look at the current astrological signature and ask, “What is the lesson in this?”  What are the planets trying to tell us, and more importantly how do we understand this energy to make sense of it in a productive manner?  After all, what would be the use of knowing the energies of the planets if we could not use them to our advantage!

What can we learn from a grand cross?  A grand cross is an accumulation of astrological energies that have manifested over a period of time that have a profound influence on the collective.  Since they do not occur with regular frequency, they tend to bring about life altering energies.   Our natural tendency is to attempt to defend ourselves against their (the planets) onslaught, yet this only works for so long till we are forced to make particular changes and decisions that we have little choice in.  In many ways, if we are heavily influenced by these energies (major configurations such as Sun, Moon, or Ascendant in cardinal signs such as Aries, Cancer, Libra, or Capricorn) it is going to feel like we are being pulled in many directions until we hit “rock bottom” because there is no easy route out or any quick fix to our problems.  In fact, the intensity of our problems will persist until we make an active decision to change what we are doing, which might ultimately include a different path.

This week you will notice areas of your life that need changing.  What areas do you feel frustrated (Sun square Saturn) in?  Where do you feel obstacles are hindering (Sun square Saturn) your movement?  Are there areas of your life where you are reacting impulsively (Sun square Uranus) with knee jerk reactions?  Where do you feel worried, paranoid, obsessive, or uneasy (Sun oppose Pluto) in your life?   The areas of our lives that become highlight give us a hint about what changes we need to make in our lives to make them free of conflict and less stressful.

In Kabbalah, we are taught that what we see is only a small (very small) part of the big picture.   Often we are so afraid of change that we stay stuck in our current patterns much to our own dismay.   This week we are provided (via the stress of the aspects) an opportunity to see the bigger picture.  Often the scary change is for our better good, and often open doors and opportunities that would not be available to us.  The only condition is that we are brave enough to see.

Tarot Tune-Up:  Shuffle your favorite Tarot or Oracle deck.   Ask the following question, “Despite my current obstacles and frustrations, how can I best let my light shine?”   Pull 3-cards.  Let me know what you pulled!

I did not intend to restart the “Cosmic Weather Forecast” in the portion that involves candles and lighting the candelabra, yet I was rather amused that this (Beha’lota’cha) is the Kabbalistic portion of the week.  I suppose being the co-creator of a magical candle line the understanding of how candle magic works is an important metaphysical philosophy to me.  Despite our modern attempts at sanitization and simplification, candle magic is a powerful tool that can be used to link us directly with the light of the creator.

Although the modern translation of Beha’lota’cha is “when you light the candles” the word actually means “to elevate”.   Elevate is a word in English which means “to rise”.  Many people believe spiritual elevation simply means the internal change we go through in the process of our journey.  However, the kabbalistic mystics disagreed and believe that true elevation are those times when we “instantly” get it, and begin to see reality in a different way.  Often these are the moments when we truly are “connected” to the light force of God.

Courtesy of Zohar.com

There is an interesting discussion that occurs in this week’s Zohar, which I spent a lot of time meditating on.   I suppose with all the talk in the media over the “Rapture” that occurred last month, and its connection to the “world to come,” I found it rather interesting that this phrase appeared in this week’s Zohar portion.   Religion interprets the “world to come”, as what occurs after we leave this particular life time.  However, what would be the purpose of experiencing the “world to come” if we are not experiencing it during this lifetime?

What does this “world to come” really mean?  To fully understand this we have to travel back to the beginning – as in Genesis!  Why?  So we can understand the concept of cause and effect.

It surprises me the number of people that are not aware that the book of Genesis has two creation stories!  The first creation story is when God created the heavens and the earth, and everything that walks upon it.  If you read the story, you will see that everything is instantaneous.  God creates and it instantly appears.   There is no separation between cause and effect!  This means that the results of our actions were immediate, because time in the first creation myth really does not exist.   Unfortunately, this also limited freedom of choice.   The sages are very clear when they talk about the first creation that the limits upon our freedom of choice prevented us from earning what we were receiving from Light which caused ‘Bread of Shame’.  In essence, ‘Bread of Shame’ is when we receive something that we did not merit, and ultimately holds little or no value to us.

In the second creation story of Genesis 2 reveals the spiritual elements that were created that allow us to grow, change, and earn the light we are receiving.  These spiritual elements are time, space, and motion.  Simply put, if we decide to perform an action the results of our actions are not always instantaneous, which creates a space.  So, if we decide to take a higher spiritual path often the results of our positive actions are not immediate.  This leads us to question our actions, and we will fill the space with either positive or negative thoughts.  For example, say you begin a new business endeavor and you do everything right – the correct marketing, you communicate and networking with others, and you do everything you are supposed to do to make your business grow.   However, you cannot see any results.  This created space becomes an opening for our negative thoughts to begin to creep in.   We begin to question why we are doing it, and whether or not we made the right decision.  We begin to seek advice from others, and in many cases become fearful of failure or anxiety.

Let’s put this into a formula:   CAUSE+SPACE = EFFECT

We decide to take an action, and immediately a space is created.  We will attempt to fill a spiritual void or a space with something – whether that be the positive or negative.   What comes after the space?  The results!   So, according to the kabbalistic mystics the “world to come” is the world of results (the effect of our cause).

Let’s revise the formula:  CAUSE+SPACE = EFFECT = WORLD TO COME

Courtesy of Zohar.com

So, I am sure you are wondering how this connects to candle magic? In order to understand this we have to change our perception of spiritual tools (whether they are tarot, astrology, a cross, an ankh, or a candle).  We need to view them as tools for us to connect with the life force of the creator.    According to the sages, candles allow us to fill the space with an intention (prayer/petition) that brings about the desired effect.  Through this process we then control the results of the world to come.

Astrological Guide:

Good Days:  June 7, June 8, and June 9
Challenging Days:  June 5, and June 10

Storm Cestavani — June 4, 2011

Are you seeking a better job, new employment opportunities, or just want to try something new?   Hundreds of people a month contact me about career prospects and opportunities.  However, in this challenging economy we need “help” to get us noticed, get the callback, or get hired.  You can open these doors once and for all by utilizing the power of candle magic.

Career Magic:

Whether you are looking for a job, a better position, or new opportunities, I can perform the magic ritual to help open the doors of career and success for you!

$49.99

How It Works:

Once I receive payment (which includes all the materials I need), I will contact you via Keen mail to find out what your current needs are.  I will need the names and dates of birth of those involved, as well as a picture (not 100% necessary, but will add more power to the candle magic) of the individual or individuals involved in the ritual.   I will perform the ritual on my altar, at an agreed upon time.

If you wish to light your own candle at that time, I will provide you more information so you can fine tune your meditation and petitions.  This allows your energy and desires to connect with mine.

Why should I use candle magic?

If you knew that you could take something to remove a headache would you do it? Of course, thousands of people a day take aspirin or ibuprofen to relieve headaches created by tension. If you had heartburn or indigestion problems, would you take an antacid? Of course, you would! Thousands of people per day go to pharmacies and drug stores to purchase products to relieve their ailments.

If you could purchase a remedy to resolve the practical problems in your life would you? Of course you would! If we could instantly take something and it would remove all the energies around us that is creating obstacles that prevent us from getting what we want nothing would stop us from doing it. Using candle magic is like creating a personal prescription that removes any blockages, barriers, or obstacles that prevent you from receiving what you desire in your life while rebuilding energies around you that are aimed at achieving your desire. Whether those concerns are about love, romance, money, health, career, or spiritual growth the power of candle magic can and will transform your life.

I can help you!

I (Storm Cestavani) began studying candle magic in 1999, mainly to prove it did not work!   However, candle magic proved me wrong when I learned that it did. Over the next decade, I aggressively studied why candle magic worked and the components that go into creating candle magic. This included the study of colors, herbs, oils, transporters, combinations, how to construct petitions, and much more. After thousands of hours of study, in 2010 I (Storm Cestavani) released my first candle line, “Storm Cestavani’s Tarot Magic,” with Coventry Creations, and the tarot line quickly became the largest selling Tarot Magic line in the history of candle magic.

Have you ever made the decision to let something go only to go after it once again?   This week we move into the Kabbalistic portion of Beshalach.  Beshalach, simply put, means “to send away” or “sent away”.  This portion is important, because this story reflects our movement from one level of spirituality to another, but first the portion starts out with the character of Pharaoh from the Old Testament.

In my practice as a Kabbalistic counselor and psychic astrologer, I often encounter circumstances where my clients have verbalized the desire to let things go.  They are tired of the circumstance, which is upsetting their life and wish to move on.   Then, out of nowhere, they are entangled within the circumstances once more.

In the story, the Pharaoh after being ravished by multiple plagues let the Israelites leave only to chase them down.   Pharaoh reflects our negative ego or “shadow” component of the personality.   How many times have you chased something down that you knew you should let go of?   How many times has it ended in disaster?   According to Kabbalah, whenever we chase something down (and that means anything) it is “dangerous” for us.  In addition, we attempt to use a powerful negative “incantation” called “justification” to continue the negative behavior.   We convince ourselves that if we did something different everything would work out for us.  

This week we are granted the tool of an “inner voice” that is provided to us by “The Light”, in order to fight off the negative thoughts of justification.   We can make the choice to allow our “inner wisdom” to guide us rather than our “negative thoughts”.