Monday Musings 8 July 2019

Missed a week last week, but it was not my fault. The internet dropped shortly after my morning stroll and didn't come back until the wee hours of Tuesday morning. Did you miss me? 

This weeks Monday Musings are brought to you by The Illustrated Herbiary, by Maia Toll. I picked it up because it went well with me starting to work with the herbs again. I love the artwork and the messages. I just wish there had been proper cards, rather than the 'tear out' perforated pages at the back of the book that reminded me of buying cereal with Sugar Sugar by the Archies on the back just so I could have the record!

​It's been a busy month in the skies so far, and there are more 'goodies' yet to come! There was a solar eclipse on the 2nd and Mercury turned retrograde yesterday (and boy, howdy, did it ever), This week, we've got a couple of challenging inconjuncts on today (the 8th) between Sun and Jupiter, and the again on the 16th between Venus and Jupiter. Saturn poses some difficulties on the 9th with the Sun and the 17th with Venus. The Sun opposite Pluto could also brings some temper tantrums on the 14th; remember, anytime Mercury is retrograde, patience is your friend! 

There are some good aspects around though. The Sun and Neptune play particularly nicely together on the 11th, and there's a Lunar eclipse on the 16th that could bring interesting juju your way if you tap into those awesome energies. Of course, all of this is just what colors the situation; how you use any of this energy is up to you! 

So, what will this week bring to you? Monthly forecast? Weekly forecast? Daily forecast? It's up to you, you know the drill! Pick the one that calls to you, then read the reveal in the comments for a mini-reading for the week ahead, or read them all as a story-telling spread. Your reading, Your call. I'm just the messenger.. I'm still offering private readings, too, so if you want to know a little more about what the universe has in store for you, hit me up. "I'm here to help."

Left: Plantain
How interesting that in this Mercury retrograde period, the first card out of the deck was a 're' word card; rewild. If this is your card for the week it is time to remember—another great 're' word—where you came from, and what your ancestors did without some of the modern conveniences that you enjoy, perhaps even take for granted. If you've chosen this card for the coming week, it's asking you to get back to basics. Plantain is a fantastic herb when it comes to drawing out splinters and infections; what does it need to draw out of you so you can find your way back to wholeness? Connect with that childlike wonder that filled your youth, before life got in the way and you were told who you were supposed to be. Pull out what is stuck, and let wholeness and freshness replace what is keeping you trapped in an illusion of pain and disappointment. 

Middle: White Willow
Many people—myself included—look at the arching and sweeping willow trees and see grace and beauty. The next door neighbors had one that swooped and whooshed along the lawn when I was a child and I was fascinated by the way that it shimmered and danced. However, don't let the elegance of the willow fool you; for the roots go down deep, searching for water, and they don't care what stands in their way. If this is your selection, it's reminding you—another 're' word—to work with your feelings rather than trying to dismiss them, and this is quite appropriate with the Sun being in Cancer just now. You might want to start a little water ritual, even if it is only mindfully drinking a glass of water before your morning meal. Between the Sun passing through Cancer and the retrograde planets, you may feel your emotions frazzling and wearing thin. Willow will help you to recognize—there's the 're' again—what are your own feelings and what you're picking up from others. More than that, though, it's a reminder to let those emotions flow; still waters may run deep, but they also breed mosquitoes!

Right: Sweet Violet
Violet is asking you to be true to yourself, and reminding you it's okay to keep parts of yourself that are private, and hidden from others. If this is your card for the week, it's a reminder you don't have to share everything—and with Mercury retrograde, it's probably just as well you do not, lest your words be misunderstood or their meaning be misconstrued. I once saw a quote that said to learn yourself one truth at a time. Violet asks you what lives in your spirit that is yours and yours alone—or maybe shared with just those who are closest to you? Don't just think for a few seconds then answer, but rather, dismiss the first few things that come into your head and dig deeper this week. This retrograde is a fabulous time for reflection, revision, reviewing, and all those other 're' words that take us past the mask that we present to the world, and deep into our inner psyche. Remember—there's that word again—that knowing yourself is the greatest gift you can give to yourself.