New Moon Reading: And the days were bright red

Talk about a red reading! I must say it bewilders me a bit. First of all because of the Geomancy: the only figure I get, in all three positions, is Populus. I can only assume this will be a rather populated cycle (terrible pun, I know). And it makes sense – after a few weeks on holiday, I am returning not only to work but also to my psych internship and to my classes. So yes, I will be seeing and speaking to lots of people... may the Mother help my introvert heart!

DigitalAmbler, which is a very nice resource on Geomantic meanings, described Populus as "a symbol of complete passivity, inaction, and inertia. It [...] carries on the status quo or gives any input a force of inertia to continue". Which apparently goes against the flurry of activity suggested by the overall redness of the spread.

But not so fast! Let's see the rest of the cards. The top one, 6♦, while nominally included in the very excitable Diamonds suit, is... a bit lonely and reserved. The Tower does not share much of its energy, but rather saves it. It also relates to feelings of confinement, which connects in an interesting way the the card below it, the 2♥. The Lovers speaks of bonds of love, be it for a person or an activity. Again, we have the impression of being tied to something and not being allowed a lot of free movement, even though it is something one loves.

Then we have the two Queens below, Déjà (Q♥) and Livia (Q♦). Both are very nurturing queens, each in her own way. Déjà is all about empathy and knowing of the heart, while Livia is a card of resourcefulness, supporting others and volunteer work (which is kinda what my psych internship is, since I don't get paid). I feel like my emotional and energetic resources will be in high demand the coming cycle.

One of the most curious aspects about this spread is how it has no... stronger card in it. All cards are red, all cards are even, and the Geomancy gives the same emphasis in all positions. You could argue that both the 6♦ and the Q♥ are in dignified positions, but because we don't have a single contrasting card, like a complementary black suit or an odd number, they kind of fall flat.

So, while the red suggests movement and activity, and the combination of fire and water is a sizzling one... the result is a lot of steam and noise. There is no powerful impetus to direct it... which suits Populus as described by DigitalAmbler.

To summarise, I believe that, in the coming lunar month, I will be at the mercy of external tides. The Geomancy suggests a flurry not merely of activity, but of... other people stuff. The 6♦ speaks of being in a place of security, and the 2♥ is all about connecting through something you love. On the other hand, both cards have as aspect of 'confinement' to them – there is very little leeway. And the Queens represent the skills that will be expected of me, as well as some of the people I might come across.

In all honesty, I am kinda tired already.

New Moon Reading: There is a (small) fire under the mountain

It's been a long time since I posted a New Moon reading (and quite a while since I last posted, I won't deny that). This reading was done for the last Oracle Tide, the monthly gathering organised by Ana Cortez.

The first card felt somewhat ominous: the 8♠, the Field of Stone, aka the unluckiest card in the deck! Since the Head of the reading tends to 'set the mood', so to speak, I kind of expected a bad news report for the coming cycle. The following cards, however, were a lot less daunting, even though the 5♣ in the Foot position isn't the most sure-footed of all cards.

This is when Geomancy comes in handy, to help us look at a spread from a different point of view. And the Geomancy for this reading is surprisingly positive: Caput Draconis + Albus = Acquisitio. New ventures, when accompanied by wisdom, patience and clear thinking, lead to benefits. Not bad at all!

How how does this combine with the rather underwhelming cards of this spread? Well, the first thing that calls my attention here is the 3♦, the only red card. A long time ago I wrote about this card, about how it points to the creation of opportunities and the development of events, even if at first it seems small or invisible. Combined with the 7♣, the Sword of Enchantment, which speaks of coincidences and the presence of unseen influences, we can see that, its core, the spread shows a situation that is indeed, coming to be. The deep waters - or fires, in this case - are not still, they just haven't come to surface yet.

And then we have the two less positive cards, flanking our more lively pair. The 5♣ in the Foot position speaks of a situation marked by uncertainty - we feel uprooted, not sure where we stand. And the 8♠ points to a heavy obstacle, a sterile scenario that cannot be easily transformed, the inability to act because the moment is not right.

Nevertheless, the 8♠ is also the HEAD of the dragon, if you look at the shape of this particular geomantic figure. Sometimes, trouble is precisely what we need to spearhead us into a different direction. The Field of Stone is bare, there's nothing here, and the message is: consider a different path.

So, this reading tells me this cycle will bring to light an obstacle which might appear difficult to overcome at first, and might render me unstable (5♣). However, beneath this 'wall of stone', a small fire is being kindled by unseen forces, preparing for new ventures. There is a caveat though - too much air can blow this fire out! So it's important to remain confident, have some faith and not let the temporary lack of footing lead to confusion or despair.

The path has lead you to a mountain you cannot – or should not – climb. What looks like the end of the road will actually force you to create new ways, to new places, and it will be for the best.