The sting of the Scorpion

Today, at 12.22 BST, the Sun moved (astrologically) from Libra into Scorpio. 

Leaves continue to change colour, but now they’re falling from branches, covering the earth in a blanket of gold, bronze, and orange.  The autumn winds lift them up; they whirl through the air, twisting and swirling in a vortex... Since the equinox, the nights are growing longer, giving us the opportunity to spend more time dreaming.   

Here in the mid-latitudes of the northern hemisphere, people are planting bulbs – the ‘seed’ of life being sown underground where it will lie protected and nurtured until it’s ready to ‘spring’ forth in a few months’ time.  Is it any wonder that Scorpio, the scorpion, is the sign of transformation?  

All around us, in nature, the world appears to be going to sleep; animals are starting to hibernate, the birds are gathering and forming their migratory v-shapes as they head for warmer climates. 

'Scorpio'  © Alison Coals

Before long it will be Samhain (“summer’s end”) the end and start of the Celtic New Year, the Day of the Dead – times of transformation and change, which is what we’ve come to associate with Scorpio.  In astrology, Scorpio is one of the three Water signs, along with Cancer and Pisces, as well as being one of the four Fixed signs.   It ends the second cycle of the elements (Cancer through to Scorpio), and opposes Taurus on the axis of resources.  While Taurus is interested in material resources, Scorpio – as a water sign – is more interested in emotional resources.  As a fixed sign, Scorpio wants to know what’s going on at a deeper level, not at the bubbly surface – “still waters run deep” is a good description of Scorpio’s focus.  Only by diving into the depths can Scorpio unearth the root of a problem and attempt to transform it – and it will probably take a crisis or something similar before Scorpio will take that plunge. 

The traditional ruler of Scorpio is the planet Mars, providing passion and drive.  It also has a modern ruler, Pluto, named after the Lord of the Underworld, reflecting the cycle of life and death and the change involved.  Both planets are associated with power; “knowledge is power” is another good description.  We’ve just left Libra, with its 7^th-house focus on partnership, and the need for harmony and balance through negotiation and diplomacy. Now we’re about to move into 8^th-house issues with Scorpio – shared resources, power issues, life cycles,… and recycling! What follows once the contract is made, within partnerships and relationships (of all kinds)…  Emotions run deep, and power struggles can ensue.  Intensity.  What will be the fall-out, as we move into (in the northern hemisphere) fall)? What are we recycling, or composting? Any transformation, under the auspices of Scorpio, will be intense!

Tarot Blog Hop: Samhuin 2016

Previous | Master | Next

Welcome to Alison’s Alembic! You may have arrived here as a stop on the Tarot Blog Hop from either Louise’s Priestess Tarot or Ania M's blog. Or you may have found this through TABI’s Facebook page, or though one of the many wonderful tarot bloggers in the ether... It doesn’t matter – what does matter is that you’re here!

(First of all, I have to apologise for any weird font sizes that follow. No matter how many times I reset them to 'normal', Blogger insists on making it all tiny again. If they still look odd, I hope you all have a good magnifying glass to hand!)

It’s the time of Samhain (“summer’s end”), a liminal time when the veil that separates us from those who are no longer walking in this world is thinnest. The Day of the Dead, a time to honour the ancestors - and, in the old Celtic tradition, the end of the year. Our wrangler for this particular Blog Hop, Louise of Priestess Tarot, has asked us to think about how we might connect to the ancestors, to see what advice they might have for the coming year. She suggested we might want to design a spread, or a sigil, or anything else with the cards that connects advice from the ancestors to the year ahead.

Now, it just so happens that in another pagan group I work with, we’ve been set the task of creating an organic symbol which we’ve imbued with things we want to release – known and unknown - into our Samhuin fire. I thought I could combine this symbol with the challenge Louise has set. So, here’s a photo of my symbol, made of the sunflower stalks and dead fronds from plants in my garden…

…and here’s a spread based on that design. Not an original shape, by any means, but I hope you will find the concept useful. The cards are from the Margarete Petersen deck, and all card images are copyright Margarete Petersen.

                                              

Five of Flames (trimmed):

Card 1(at the top): What do I need to let go of?

The Five of Flames. I need to let go of anger, channelling it into something more useful, like clarification. As Margarete Petersen says “cleansing the atmosphere like a thunderstorm”. This certainly hits the nail on the head...I spend too much time railing against things I don't seem to have much control over. This feels much more productive!


Moving clock-wise around the symbol...

Four of Coins (trimmed)

Card 2: What do I need to protect?


Four of Coins. I need to protect my boundaries, work out where I need to be and maintain that – and then rest! Again, excellent advice. I've been letting too much 'crap' sneak in. Some time spent reviewing the situation (to quote Fagin) will help me gain better perspective, and show me what I need to hold onto and protect.

Hierophant (trimmed)

Card 3: What do I need to learn?


The Hierophant (V). I need to learn how to make the ‘outer’ rules work with my ‘inner’ ones – to stop kicking against all the restrictions by trying to understand the reasons behind them, and then working with them productively.

Mediatrix (trimmed)

Card 4: What do I need to create?

Mediatrix (XIV) - Temperance in other decks. A better balance in my life.

It's hard to see in this image, but the figure dances above the glyph for the planet Pluto. Now, I've always associated Jupiter with this card, but Pluto makes me think about transformation, about the urge to change at a very deep level... this balance isn't just about surface stuff!

Ace of Flames (trimmed)

Card 5: What do I need to pass on to others?


Ace of Flames! The spark of creativity, the seed of a new adventure…that new beginnings are not only possible, but are ready and waiting for us.


This card comes up for me time and time again. Clearly I haven't been getting the message... Perhaps I've spent too much time in unnecessary conflict, or fighting against perceived rules and boundaries that have kept me off-balance. Time to re-dress all of that over the coming year.
Thank you for stopping off here on your travels through this Samhain Tarot Blog Hop! Please do come back and read some of my other posts – I’m currently working my way through the Margarete Petersen deck!

The next stops on the Tarot Blog Hop are - depending on whether you’re moving backwards or forwards through the list - Louise’s Priestess Tarot or Ania M's blogs. The Master List can be found here.

Previous| Master | Next

Margarete Petersen Tarot, Copyright ©2014 Königsfort-Urania Verlag

Commune, commemorate, communicate - Tarot Blog Hop Samhuinn 2015

Previous | Master | Next

Welcome to Alison’s Alembic!   You may have arrived here as a stop on the Tarot Blog Hop from either Karen’s Waxing Oracle or Joy Vernon's blog.  Or you may have found this through TABI’s Facebook page, or though one of the many wonderful tarot bloggers in the ether... It doesn’t matter – what does matter is that you’re here!

It’s the time of Samhain (“summer’s end”), a liminal time when the veil that separates us from those who are no longer walking in this world is thinnest. The Day of the Dead, a time to honour the ancestors - and, in the old Celtic tradition, the end of the year.

There are many traditions that have been passed down through the years surrounding Samhain. One of these involves the souls of the dead re-visiting their old homes. To this end, rituals are performed, inviting them in, and places are set at tables for them.  Food and drink would be left out for them.  It’s the likely origin of the tradition of dressing up at Hallowe’en - based on the mumming and guising of older times, with people going around their neighbourhoods in disguise, reciting verses or performing in exchange for food.  I have fond memories of All Hallows Eve as a child, dressed up as a witch or ‘gypsy’ (complete with crystal ball, of course!), having to recite something in order to receive my ‘soul cake’, my favourite treat, baked by a family friend.

Our wrangler for this particular Blog Hop, Arwen, has asked us to write about a loved one, or someone we admire/dislike, that ties in somehow with tarot, Lenormand or oracle decks.

I struggled quite a bit with this, and nearly pulled out of the blog hop in frustration. But then I started rifling through tarot decks for inspiration. It usually works – and sure enough, I was stopped in my tracks by Margarete Petersen’s stunning version of the Magician.

(detail) Margarete Petersen Tarot

Copyright ©2014 Königsfort-Urania Verlag

It was the mask that drew me in. Masks worn at Hallowe’en, All Hallows Eve – but also the mask that represents drama, the theatre.  For those of you who don’t know me well, the theatre is one of my great passions - most evenings find me at rehearsals, on stage, or behind the scenes! This started in childhood when my parents joined the local drama group at the suggestion of the woman who essentially ran it – who just so happens to be the same woman who baked the soul-cakes for All Hallows Eve!

So for me, Samhuinn and the theatre are strongly linked by Paddy, who died a number of years ago. At Samhuinn we honour the ancestors but also the warriors, protectors, healers, teachers, mentors who have guided us through life. Well, she was so many of those things to me and my family. When my father made the decision to emigrate when I was a child, she and her family met us off the train to welcome us to our new home. She took us under her wing, and absorbed us into her family. She was also the person who encouraged me to dance and to join the local theatre group, and instilled a love of both in me that has never died.

She represents the Magician for me because she showed me not only all the ‘tools’ I had at my disposal, but also acted (yes, the pun is intentional) as a mentor as I learned how to use them. Her house was like a second home to me – not only at this time of year when I went to claim my soul cake!

I’ve always regretted not asking her for the recipe, but I found one recently that produces cakes not unlike the ones she handed out. I honour her today by sharing this recipe with you.

Sift 340g/12oz sifted plain flour with ½ teaspoon each cinnamon, mixed  spice, and nutmeg
Rub in 170g/6oz cold unsalted butter.
Mix in 170g/6oz caster sugar.
Add 2 lightly beaten eggs and 2 teaspoons white vinegar.
Mix until it forms a firm dough. Wrap this in Saran Wrap/cling film (depending on which side of the Atlantic you’re on!) and chill for 30 min.

This is where the recipe diverges from my memory. It says to roll out into rounds 5mm/2” thick, 7mm/2 ¾” diameter and put them on cookie sheets (baking trays) – but Paddy used to make them as cupcakes. I think either would work here.

The tradition, apparently, is to make the initial of an ancestor on the top with dried fruit or crystallized ginger, but she used to mix both into the dough, as I recall. Your choice.

Glaze the top with a beaten egg. Bake for 15 minutes at 200°C/390°F/GM6. 

Enjoy!

Thank you for stopping off here on your travels through this Samhain Tarot Blog Hop!  Please do come back and read some of my other posts, looking at astrology in the tarot.

The next stops on the Tarot Blog Hop are - depending on whether you’re moving backwards or forwards through the list - Karen’s Waxing Oracle or Joy Vernon's blogs. The Master List can be found here.

Previous| Master | Next