Working with Colour - Red

This week's Pagan Blog Project is R, which for me was easy as I am really into colour and its vibrations and benefits etc etc. I started out with a very clinical approach to this blog, but just didn't feel it. I had read something this morning from another blogger which got me thinking about my own blogs - are they real? Are they what I truly believe in my heart or what I have read in books? I hope it is the former as I always try to be authentic, but this morning it just felt clinical. I had a formula based on previous work with colour and it wasn't working for me. So, as I am learning to be more spontaneous (which is anathema to my 4 vibration) I thought I'd just sit and write and see what happens.

So, Red? What do I use it for? What does it mean to me?

I love red, have done so for a while now and it is probably my favourite colour after orange. To me, red is about passion, vitality and life. When I wear it I feel sexual and sensual (especially as a lipstick!), confident and ready to tackle anything - dare I say bullet-proof?

I also feel like me... I am not a pastels girl, and never will be, so wearing strong colours is part of who I am, wearing the standard rainbow colours gives me strength I can't describe. It also fills me with hope, hope that today will be a good day, hope that maybe I can achieve anything, hope that I will get through the day and whatever challenges it may bring (and as a casual High School teacher, these are many!).

I would love to say that I use red for grounding, but until recently I didn't think specifically of grounding techniques so I would be lying. I guess I naturally moved towards it without understanding it properly. I have owned and worn a read pair of boots for a few months now and I love them and wear them any chance I get! I now realise I may have been doing this instinctively as I desperately needed grounding and was unaware of it - I live in my head and have recently discovered my inability to understand the earth element reflected a deep need to be grounded, but that is another story...

In my travels (Inna Segal's book again!), I have learnt that red can be good for improving the circulation (which I often have trouble with), healing wounds and blood disorders, constipation, sciatica, increasing the sex drive and helping with weight loss but I have not had the urge to use it for these issues... probably should see what happens the next time I cross my legs for a period of time in my red boots! An interesting experiment... I may yet have cause to test the other theories out along my journey, but today they remain untested!

I do, however, use it for balancing my base chakra, which I am assuming is common practice. If I have money troubles or issues concerning the home or security, I will wear my boots or another piece of clothing to help balance this chakra. I will also meditate with a red jasper at my base or wear a garnet if the mood strikes me (or if I have the flu, as garnet is great at helping to assist with flu-like symptoms - to this I can attest!). I have also recently 'learned' that red is the numerological equivalent of the number 1, being about all things physical and how you relate to the world around you.

To me though, it is a colour of passion and vitality! I always feel a little sexier when I am wearing it, a little more confident and able to meet the challenges of the day. I do feel just simply better... Blue also does this, but for different reasons... Red is just such a strong colour to me, it gives me strength and for that I am forever grateful.

Knights in the Tarot

I won't go too into an introduction, but I have to write something - years of school and teaching has ingrained this in me on a fundamental level, but I am continuing from my previous posts about the court cards (Queens and Kings) with this one one the Knights. 

General Meaning

The Knights in the Tarot are generally about change and transition. They mark the maturation of the individual from the child (Page) to young adult. They are generally still immature, but are more action oriented than the thoughtful or dreamy Page with much less discipline than the King. As the fire element, these people have the drive to achieve that which they dreamt about in childhood. They are not destined to become the King of their suit, the Knight of cups is not guaranteed to become the King of cups for example, unless they choose to master that particular skill - the Knight can become King of either the wand or the cup/sword/pentacle depending on which characteristic they choose to develop. The Knight will generally refer to someone aged 21-30 or someone who exhibits the same qualities.

Knight of Wands: desire for a challenge for the challenge's sake.

The Knight of wands is pure fire, as a result they will make goals for themselves so they have something to direct their energy into rather than remain stagnant. They are not as disciplined as the King and often get off track, distracted by a more appealing goal or lose interest quickly, either way many of their goals remain unaccomplished. Nor havethey discovered the King's lesson, that the journey is more important than the goal, and will jump into a new project as soon as the old one is complete. They love travel and learning and are driven by a need for change. In fact this love of change is often the reason for their new projects. They are also straightforward, positive and eager for action. I also see them as eager to help, but they can get frustrated if their help is relied upon too heavily or not accepted. As a lover, they will enjoy the pursuit rather than the end result and can move quickly between partners. The lesson in this card is to allow change to take place as it will benefit you in the end, also it is time to put plans into action. 

Knight of Cups: change and transition in relationships, emotional maturation. 

The Knight of Cups is the fiery part of water which directs imagination and intuition into action. It represents the transition from thinking about relationships to acting upon them to produce growth and a deeper understanding of life. Once in a relationship, the Knight will take his partner's needs into consideration when faced with a challenge or decision. They are very intuitive and use this and their imagination to find creative ways out of situations. They are enthusiastic and sensitive and will take on a challenge based upon their emotions and intuition. It can specifically refer to an emotionally beneficial offer, meaning the project or opportunity you are currently being presented with will help you emotionally so seriously consider accepting it. The lesson of this Knight is two fold. Firstly, take careful consideration before acting, following your emotions or intuition as to whether to act or wait. Secondly, focus on your relationships and put more effort into them, taking your partner's needs into consideration. 

Knight of Swords: thinking and action.  

This Knight is the fiery part of air, combining thought and action, yet it is often hasty action. These knights are often restless, unpredictable and impatient in their search for new mental challenges. They are more inclined to act rather than plan, often resulting in mistakes that could have been easily avoided. They need to develop a disciplined mind and/or will for success. Their relationships are often fleeting and based on an intellectual match, they will not be around for long so enjoy them while you have them! The lesson in this card is to stop thinking and act, just do it - quick action is required. It is may also be telling you that you need to discipline your mind or enthusiasm for growth. 

Knight of Pentacles: consolidate plans before moving forward. 

This Knight is the fiery part of earth, meaning they are capable of practical effort leading to tangible results. They will take risks like the other knights, but they will be researched and well thought out, having covered all possible scenarios.  They are more focused on their ambition, climbing the career ladder while they are young and will most likely be in a higher position than someone their own age who may have played around for a while. Their emotions are hampered by their immaturity making relationships difficult when they do choose to enter into one, which they won't until they are financially able to afford it. He takes relationships more seriously than the other Knights and will see it as a long term investment, they will hang around for a while so they had better make the right choice!! Serious by nature, they are plan oriented and will not move forward in anyway until they have a clear plan. The lesson of this Knight is to be prepared to work hard to achieve your goals and to examine all possible outcomes before acting. 

The information gathered above is through personal experience, conversations and The Tarot Revealed by Paul Fenton-Smith (Kindle and Hardcover)

Q is for Quarters

I have just finished reading the other posts about quarters, and I thought I'd just add my thoughts... A friend and I were discussing this the other week and we both pretty much said the other's was wrong. I realise now, as I did shortly after the discussion, that there is no right or wrong, it is all up to you as your interpretation.

Still, as a traditionalist I struggled with this for a time. All the books, as has been said many times before, say certain things which I just didn't get. Why would I put water in the west, when I am on the east coast of Australia and the Pacific Ocean is right there! Why would I put earth in north as to my west I have the Great Dividing Range and thousands of square kilometres of desert? It just didn't fit. So I thought about it, read some more Southern Hemisphere focused stuff and came up with the following:

North - fire, because of the heat of Northern Australia and the equator being up there. This is also the direction the sun travels across the sky. 

East - water, mostly due to the location of the ocean, there is little more thought than this...

West - earth, again little more thought than the thousands of square kilometres of mountain range and desert... (Sarcasm intended!)

South - air, at first it was placed here due to a process of elimination, but upon further reflection I realise that this, other than east, is where the wind comes from mostly in this part of Australia. The southerlies are beautiful and bring the cool in summer and the chill in winter.  

So there you have it, correspondences according to me! hehe I know that if I moved to Western Australia it would change, well east and west anyway... It may even change if I moved somewhere on the east coast where there was a river to the west and a large mountain to the east, depending on how I felt at the time. The key for me is that it is purely a personal thing and each person has a right to choosing their own correspondences. The hard thing is doing a ritual with people with different views!!!! 

Queens in the Tarot

I don't know why I didn't think of this for P and K week, as these are generally the cards I have the most trouble with. I'll do one for Pages, Knights and Kings anyway as I really feel I need the extra experience with them. It's more that I am unsure of the universal meanings of the court cards and how they relate to the other cards and their elemental affiliations. When I am doing a reading I usually rely on my intuition for these cards, but I also feel that getting the hang of the universal meanings would benefit me greatly. I have used the 'Tarot Revealed' book to help me here, but also my own intuition and understanding and interpretation of the cards based on elemental knowledge and personal experience.

General meaning of the Queens

For me, the queens are about the feminine qualities of feelings and emotions, intuition and nurturing and correspond to the element of water. They can describe a woman over the age of 21 or someone with the specific qualities inherent in the card. For example, the queen of cups can also relate to a young male who is very aware of his emotions and family oriented. 

Each of the suits corresponds to a particular element which has an effect on the specific meanings of the cards. I will go into detail in the next section, but as I recently discovered no element is independent of the other, so there are always going to be elemental overlap! The basic gist is as follows:

- queen of cups: watery part of water, which is equal to 100% emotion.

- queen of wands: watery part of fire, which is emotionally directed passion or passion for emotional fulfillment. 

- queen of swords: watery part of air, which is analytical approach to emotions.

- queen of pentacles: watery part of earth, which is practical application of emotions or someone who is grounded in their emotions.

I like these correspondences, and feel that an understanding of this connection will add depth to my readings. 

Specific suit meanings

As unsaid earlier, I have used the book as the basis for my research but have applied my own perspective and intuitive interpretation to it in places, making connections for myself that will help me understand the cards better. 

Queen of Wands - success through inner strength and acting upon emotions.

This combines the fiery, passionate and enthusiastic characteristics of fire with the emotional nature of water. These people love a challenge and can use their intuition to manifest their desires. The watery aspect of the queen lends patience to an otherwise impatient element. They are usually very strong and independent, with a tendency to speak their mind, often void of diplomacy. They mean well yet get lost in the moment. They are enthusiastic, energetic and outgoing and happy to help in any situation but can overlook the fact they were not asked for it! The lesson in this card is to find a balance between relationship and career, as these queens tend to focus on one at the cost of the other. 

Queen of Cups - success through listening to your feelings and intuition; employing creative imagination.

As the watery part of water, I'd describe these queens as pure emotion. They focus on their family and relationships and get more out of emotional fulfillment than any other aspect of relationships. Their focus will be on unions and true emotional intimacy. These women can be over emotional if not disciplined, but this sensitivity allows them to be great listeners, often taking on the counselling role. When this discipline is mastered they will be able to direct their emotions and inherent creativity to create something of beauty. The lesson of this queen is to listen to your heart and intuition when making decisions and planning a course of action. 

Queen of Swords - success through clarity of thought. 

As the watery aspect of air, these women will apply their intellect to their emotions and try to make sense of them. They are analytical and logical in all things, preferring the rational to the emotional. They have developed an intellectual understanding of life and tend to be able to see above emotional turmoil as a result. They welcome new experiences but analyse that which approaches. They have a quick wit making them excellent talkers, but you must be listening in case you miss their subtle sense of humour. These queens are the 'watchers' of the world. They will try to discover the reasons for people's behaviour through an analysis of their mannerisms and actions. As a result, they are often the best judges of character as they often see that which other people miss. Their shrewd understanding of human behaviour and their own experiences allows them to give the best advice; it is founded on rationality and deep thought. Their relationships will be based upon an intellectual match and you will need to challenge them on this level to keep them interested. The lesson in this queen is to observe opportunities as they approach and focus on gaining clarity of thought through careful consideration of your emotional reactions to guard against repeating last patterns.

Queen of Pentacles - success through trust in your own abilities and practical and realistic approach to emotions and intuition.

As the watery aspect of earth, these reliable, dependable women will be down-to-earth in their approach to their emotions. They look at what is real and assess their emotions on a practical level and discard any that are of little use. They enjoy all aspects of the physical world, from animals and plants to good food. As a result they will take pride in their bodies and look after them, eating healthy foods and exercising regularly. These women love routine and physical contact, becoming disconnected in a relationship without it. They have tested the limits of their abilities and are confident within them, having gained an emotional understanding of herself. These women have an excellent business sense, usually with a little near egg off to the side for a rainy day. Not given over to spontaneity, they work hard for long term gains in over and career. The lesson of this queen is to work towards lasting success in relationships and career and also to be grounded in your emotions when making decisions for success. 

As a cusping water/fire sign, I have as yet not gained a deep understanding of he element of earth, but this had helped on what I would call a superficial level. If nothing else it has highlighted a need for me explore this element more. 

Still, the above exercise has helped me to see the deeper aspects of the Queens and to understand how they are different. I hope it has helped you as much!! Feel free to add any comments below that will help deepen my knowledge! 

Kings in the Tarot

I think my previous post, Queens in Tarot, has inspired me to do the other court cards. As I said in that post, I have always struggled to find something to help the meanings sink into my brain, to find some point of reference. In my research, I did discover something that may have helped! Turns out that each of the court cards is associated with an element. This coupled with the suit of the court card provides the meaning for each one. The following is the elemental correspondences for each court card:

Kings - Earth

Queens - Water

Knights - Fire

Pages - Air

With this in mind, I have continued my research and have interpreted each King individually as well as the general meaning of the kings. 

General meaning of the Kings

Kings generally represent having a high regard for or great importance placed upon something. It also indicates success on the areas associated with each element. It can indicate that you are, or are being influenced by, a successful man who exhibits traits associated with each suit. As they are they are connected with the element of earth, they are also about being grounded in or practical about something. More generally, and for me, it refers to what you need to do in order to be successful. 

Specific card meanings

King of Wands: success through self-discipline and perseverance. 

As the earthy part of fire, these people embody 'practical will'. This means they are usually very passionate and have learnt how to direct this passion towards concrete results. They enjoy a physical challenge, but value the journey rather than the destination, their great patience allows them to wait until the right opportunity comes along. Relationships are usually approached in the same way and they are best suited to the Queen of Wands. They are confident, honest and straightforward in communication and their advice is to be taken on board as it is the result of their own hard work and practical effort. The lesson in the King of Wands is to harness their passion and will to create something tangible and to work on your self-discipline to gain lasting success. 

King of Cups: success through practical application of emotions and intuition.

This is the earthy part of water leading to creative discipline and the practical application of intuition and emotions. These men will feel their emotions more than the others, yet they will be very practical in the expression of them. Any emotions that don't serve them will be discarded as useless. They have great patience and sensitivity with a focus on their family. They are strong and calm, sentimental and compassionate with great perseverance and patience. They are best served in the caring profession, as they have a great depth and understanding. The lesson for this card is to have a more practical approach to your emotions and creativity for success. 

King of Swords: success through clarity of thought and having a clear plan; high regard for purposeful thought.

Someone told me once that this card indicates depression, and I used to think so but since then I have decided this is one interpretation I will rely on my intuition for, say it when I get the nudge so to speak. More specifically, the King of Swords is the earthy part of air leading to a practical application of thoughts. These people are logical and practical about their ideas and dreams and have a focus on purposeful thought - dreaming of fanciful things are not important to these people. They have a disciplined mind and combine their thoughts with practical action. They are excellent organisers and give sound advice based on personal experience and deep reflection. They long for a relationship based on intellect, as a meeting of minds, and believe that conversation is the best part of a relationship. The lesson in this card isto couple  clarity of thought with practical effort for success. 

King of Pentacles: success through slow, steady steps and practical effort.

This card is pure earth, meaning they have a focus on all things physical. They value physical action above all things and will show their emotions by buying things for those they love. Material possessions are a focus for them as they have learned that they make the journey through life easier. They are more focused on good service rather than value and will chose the silver service over the bistro every time. They are serious, conservative, reliable, grounded, hardworking and pragmatic, but can also be stubborn and territorial. Yet, they are easily rebalanced either through spending time in nature or eating good food. The lesson in this card is to put practical efforts into any project, emotional or physical, and don't give up!

This process for me has been very educational, I have realised the elemental link and connection between the cards and their suits. What is even better, I have realised my own disconnection to Earth and why that is, so yay me!! Definitely need to work with this element more......

*information based on that found in The Tarot Revealed, my own interpretations and conversations with others.

Working with Colour - Purple

Well, it's P week on the Pagan Blog Project and I thought I'd continue with the previous week's post and do another one on colour. This will focus on how I work with the colour and include some of the work of others, but as there seems to be a plethora of different uses I have just kept this post to what I use it for.

Purple is often associated with the Crown Chakra, but I see it in my Brow Chakra, despite many attempts to try and change it! I finally decided to stop fighting it and run with it, but now I just as often see indigo for the Brow so I tend to wait and see what happens on the day. Still, my Crown Chakra has and always will be white I guess. I wont go too closely into the Chakra other than to say that it governs the intuition, imagination, clairvoyance, dreams and visions/visualisation and purple can help in all these areas. In the tarot, purple is the colour of compassion (as in the Lovers), spirituality and visions. Inna Segal, in her book The Secret Language of the Body, states that purple helps to clear mental complexes and brings out leadership qualities. It can also help improve the connection between mind ,body and soul and attracts hope and success. On a physical level, purple helps boost the immune system, heal skin eruptions, rheumatism and bones, kidney, lung and stomach problems. It helps to relieve nervous tension, thus calming the heart and helping with blood pressure.

To work with purple, the easiest way is to wear it on or around the head, however, the location is not as important as intention when wearing of the colour. Purple socks will do just as good as a purple bandana if the intention is stated clearly! For physical healing, you can eat purple food, such as eggplant or beetroot, or visualise yourself inhaling the colour directly into the part of the body you want healed (this last is most effective while in a meditative state). Perhaps the easiest, and possibly the prettiest way to work with purple is to incorporate crystals, such as Amethyst or Purple Fluorite, into your healing regimen. Again, it is all about intention, so if you are having trouble seeing the big picture, with visualisation, clairvoyance and dreams or perhaps have constant sinus problems, then purple can help!