Awful news from Bondi Beach

I grew up on Bondi Beach.  It was my local.  We went there most days after school,  we ate fish and chips on the grass,  we swam in the kiddies rock pool on the south end and as teens,  we found our friends on the steps and hung around. 

So I'm devastated about the events of yesterday for so many reasons,  but also because they desecrated such a special place to so many Sydneysiders. 

We had a display of brazen hate and amazing heroism yesterday;  when a father and son brought guns to a family event and shot randomly at people,  just because they were celebrating a Jewish festival.  And when a migrant from Syria rushed in and disarmed a gunman from behind,  because he was brave and wonderful. 

Wishing for the gentle lights of Chanukah,  to bring us some peace... 

This week's song

My son introduced me to Raye with this song - and I'm sure many of my tarot regulars will love it! 

Isn't that just wonderful!  Loved it from the very first time I heard it.  I've been listening to a lot of her this week and it's all really good.

Enjoy! 

Rider Waite Smith Deck

When you first learn about something, and they give you a name for it,  you just accept it. So when I came across the Rider Waite deck,  I didn't really wonder who was Rider and who was Waite and were they missing a name,  I just used the reference points given.

However

It turns out that Rider,  William Rider, is the publisher of the deck - the business person,  the money man.

And Waite,  Arthur Edward Waite,  was the psychic who described the deck.

But

The missing name Smith - is Pamela Colman Smith,  is the name of the actual artist who created those iconic images based on Waite's descriptions.  She definitely deserves to be named in the deck title. 

So now we are calling them the Rider Waite Smith Deck,  or sometimes the Smith Rider Waite Deck.  Either way her name is definitely included!   

So interesting to see who is remembered and honored in history,  and who is excised out. And if we don't look for them,  we'll never find them. 

Four of Cups

Cards often come in waves,  and in decks across the world,  in my readings, the same card is being drawn more often.  This is a four of cups season for my clients.

Four of cups is a sense of not enoughness.   I have 3 cups before me,  but they are not the cups I'm dreaming of.  That fourth one,  out of reach,  in my head, maybe never ever real,  that's the one that has my focus/energy.

And isn't that the world today! The world of instagram and our friends endless holidays (someone is always in Italy and it's not me!) fabulous meals,  marvelous nights out...  It's easy to get dissatisfied with the 3 cups before you,  and yearn for that one out of reach.

But the three of cups is an amazing card,  of strong friendship and connection.

So if you are drifting into the four of cups,  I would encourage you to let go of that one mysterious missing cup and focus on the three cups that are actually there.  Drink your fill from them,  value what you have that's real,  and let the chimeras go... 

Online shopping

I do a lot of online shopping,  and consider myself quite experienced.  But lately I've been having really bad luck - I buy things and when I receive them,  they don't resemble the photos and are not at all what I wanted - the fit is bad,  the look is flimsy.  Or they are good enough, wearable but not really giving joy.  Some of it is my own parsimoniousness,  I'm choosing things which are too cheap, and then, not surprisingly,  they look really cheap.  (That's a life lesson I should have learnt by now!  But the lure of the bargain is so strong!!)

So now I am going back to an old habit.  I'm putting my new selections in the cart,  and then leaving them for a week or so,  to see if they still shine when I go back to them.  And I'm also revisiting my pinterest page - Things I am not Buying today - and letting them sit there.  I can relax,  knowing I won't forget about them,  and then see if I really need it a month or so later.  (and I've also taught myself how to create pins, which is a more cumbersome process than I think it should be,  but at least I am saving my more expensive choices somewhere!) 

Much to be thankful for...

So around this time I often meet super stressed women who are trying to be their own personal Martha Stewart and put on the most amazing meal possible.  The magazines don't help with their helpful suggestions of the perfect pie crust.  It's very easy to get lost in the preparation and be sweaty and exhausted on the day! 

I love traditional meals and can fully understand why you need to have five sides,  each one with it's own special twists.  I love a beautifully set table and a part of me even wants seasonal crockery.  But I don't go there,  because the most important thing about this festival is that we sit around a table and say what we are grateful for this year.  What we hope for next year. And if it takes store bought pie and plain brussel sprouts in order for me to sit at the table and be present,  then that's what I will do. 

So this Thanksgiving I wish you all to be present with the people who you love,  who love you.  And may you laugh at the table and share what makes you thankful. 

Amongst other things,  I'm thankful that my friend has volunteered to do the turkey,  and I only have to bring sides this year!  

Feeling Grounded

One of the most important things you can do for yourself is to increase your sense of groundedness.  It's so easy to slip into uncertainty or rage or depression.  If you focus on a sense of being grounded,  of being of the earth,  it's easier to hold true to yourself when emotions buffet you. 

As usual,  I prescribe music and meditation.  They really do help me stay in my body,  stay in myself, let go of the noise. But recently I went to a really excellent healing massage,  and he encouraged me to do a series of Sauna and Ice baths.  I was not sure,  but I trust him,  so I agreed to try.  Twenty minutes in the sauna is a long time to be in that dry heat,  but one minute in the ice bath is much longer!  I only made it for 25 seconds the first time I tried,  but I returned the next week,  and knowing what to expect,  I forced myself to say in that icy water for a full minute.  I really did feel better afterwards,  a bit like I had rebooted myself.   

So if you are looking for something new to try,  give it a chance.