Tarot originated around the year 1440 in Italy. The original cards were hand- painted and used in the courts of the nobility. They were a rare and exclusive passtime of the rich, and nothing more than a game.

There are many legends about the origins of these cards and they have been linked to India, the Jewish Kabbala, Egypt, or even ancient China. Historically there is no evidence for these stories.

Around the year 1500 these cards became known as tarocchi in order to differentiate them from ordinary trumps, or what we know as playing cards. The French form of this word is ‘Tarot’.

Folklore says that the gypsies, specifically Romanies, brought Tarot to Europe. This idea was actually started by writers from the mid 19th Century. Gypsies only started using tarot cards during the twentieth century. Prior to this they told fortunes by reading palms and interpreting ordinary playing cards.

Ordinary playing cards came to Europe from Muslim Spain around 50 years before Tarot cards arrived. These cards had four suits with kings and pages and the Tarot added The Fool and the Queens to this. These cards were originally used to play a game similar to bridge.

Around 1781 occult writers like Comte de Mellet started to mention Tarot as a divinatory tool. Interest in the cards as a system grew rapidly and they became an integral part of occult philosophy. They do infact tell a story which goes from the ‘Fool’ to enlightenment.

In the 21st century these cards are still used for prediction and interpretation of events and situations. There are some who consider the whole idea of prediction to be ridiculous and others who fear the power of the Tarot and it’s advocates. They have been called ‘tools of the devil’ and are said by some to be banned by the Christian churches. This is not true. The ban imposed by the church was solely on the ‘Pope’ and ‘Popess’ cards of the old decks. These were replaced by more acceptable images.

The cards themselves hold no power as they are merely cards which originated as part of a game. The real power comes from the reader’s ability to interpret the cards and relate them to situations. Those individuals who have a gift for this could do equally well using baseball cards!

In the hands of a sensitive, receptive reader, Tarot cards can work. They operate like a very basic map of a person’s mind and seem to work as a tool that facilitates access to whatever is really going on inside. It’s a little like looking at a rather distorted mirror. Images come and go and are far from clear. A little imagination can soon fill the gaps and make perfect sense.

Swiss psychologist Carl Jung studied the symbols within the Tarot and came up with the idea of universal symbols that can be used to map the human mind. He developed the idea that the unconscious mind of an individual is made up of the personal unconscious and a collective unconscious. This, he reasoned, partly explained the success of symbollic systems like the Tarot.

The Moonsign astrology of Pisces adds a watery forecast and New Moon energy all at once for Thanksgiving day.

Moonsign Astrology of Pisces

Pisces is a spiritual sign that harkens back to the days of Roman persecution of people who wanted to follow Christianity. The symbol of Pisces, Icthus (fish), became iconic, and is still commonly seen throughout contemporary Christianity.

Christians who wanted to secretly alert others of their new religious persuasion painted the symbol of the fish on their doors, indicating a place of safe harbor for those who needed to hide from the Roman soldiers.

So, a strong spiritual sentiment exists for this Thanksgiving’s Moonsign Astrology. More than turkey day, we can easily tune in to the aspect of gratitude. Gratitude is an important focus due to the fact that gratitude brings more of the good things in life into our perspective. 

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A spritual focus shows gratitude shared between the settlers and natives in one of the first Thanksgivings for the Pilgrims.

Pisces Moonsign Astrology and the Weather

Usually a drenching rain, Pisces astrology doesn’t normally sponsor violent storms. Weather permitting, travel should be smooth for this day, as well as, communication. Higher energy levels of the new moon facilitate positive social interchange.

Astrology of the shrouded aspects of Pisces.

Overindulgence is often part of the Thanksgiving feast. Wonderfully prepared food sends delicious aromas throughout the air. Giving way to the urge for an extra serving or two is a common event that goes along with a Thanksgiving feast. So, it may be wise to stay in tune with the feeling of fullness.

Overeating is attributed to what is known esoterically as “astral body cravings.” In the case of Thanksgiving, eating for sheer pleasure comes to the forefront.

When the tendency to overeat rears its ugly head on Thanksgiving day, don’t let the essence of Pisces lead you too far astray. Once the normal hunger has been satisfied, the food becomes a drug of sorts.

Drug addiction is often known to be a weakness inherent in the sign of Pisces. Food can be considered in the category of addiction when eating goes beyond sustenance. Everyone knows how overindulgence and Thanksgiving go hand in hand. If you are a diet conscious person, today could hold a double whammy for you.
Pisces Astrology and Planning

Pisces is in an incompatible astrology arrangement at this time. The Piscean shrouded qualities may tend to contribute to confusion. When planning a trip, gathering, or other special plans work on the details first. For this kind of Thanksgiving astrological climate, having the details out of the way circumvents last minute confusion.

On the “wheel” shaped graph, the astrology chart reveals the position of nine planets (for this purpose, the moon is considered a planet.) 

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The next step in constructing an astrology chart is sort of like connecting the dots to make a picture.  Angular relationships of the different facets are also calculated.  Now we begin to see the unique individual with a mix of planetary influences aspecting one another.

The Astrology Aspects Basics – for a very rudimentary chart, here are four different configurations that begin to distinguish an individual.  They are angles drawn from one placement to another.  The visual method finds the angles, and the geometry is listed by degrees.

Difficult: Opposition and Square aspects

Easy: Conjunctions and Trines

The angles can go on infinitely, but these basics are plenty of food for thought and introspection.

Place no value judgment on these descriptions.  Esoteric /spiritual astrologers often express that when there are no challenges such as presented by square or opposition, an individual may miss out on inward growth.  This theory references karma accrued during past lifetimes, and the belief that this lifetime is only one destination in the journey of the soul.

One interesting way to learn about the effects of the arrangement of planets in an astrology chart is to examine the chart of historically famous, or infamous figureheads.

The astrology study of these historical individuals shows a spectrum of unusual groupings that go along with people like Martin Luther, Einstein, Marie Currie, or Gandhi to name a few.  At the other end of the spectrum we may study people like Adolph Hitler, or Jack the Ripper. 

Certain planetary astrology positions occur very infrequently.  These arrangements produce historically important individuals who change the world in profound ways.

Could you be a big changer and affect thousands or millions of people?  Were you born at that quintessential moment that the energies cast that certain, unique fate upon your being?  The answer is yes. 

If you don’t have a natal chart analysis, you can get one very easily on the web.  Simply do it yourself with a guided step-by-step query of your birth information.

Who are you? 

Now the introspection begins.  As you learn about yourself, knowledge becomes power.  Astrology helps you get there.

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Represented in terms of sex, death, and regeneration, Scorpio and mystery go hand in hand.  The season changes with much turbulence, and this water sign ushers in the rainfall that precedes winter.

Scorpio is tough, tenacious and powerful.  A water sign, Scorpio has sensitivity flavored with desire.  Some have said that desires are like waves lapping near the beach.  They are endless.

 Depending on the consciousness level of a Scorpio, the desires that come up may lead to powerful intentions to get from point A to point B   The consciousness level takes into consideration the side effects of such powerful endeavors.  Some Scorpios would consider the benefit of the whole, while others may be ruthless, and all encompassed in getting what they want.

 The Scorpio child feels strong desires and at a very young age may need to learn the discernment between getting his or her way no matter what vs. thinking of others. 

 If your Sun sign is Scorpio, remember that the entire chart needs to be considered before making conclusions on whether the Scorpio general astrology applies to you, personally.

 One of the few signs holding two representative planets, Mars and Pluto are both assigned the co-rulership of Scorpio.  Mars is the planet of up close action.  Very near earth, the energy is hot and intimate, affecting life on a daily basis although the path of travel is erratic at times.

Pluto represents a certain darkness.  Since Pluto is recently discovered in terms of astrology, it has been attributed with qualities of powerful, subconscious leanings.   Before the times of satellites and telescopes, the unknown factors claimed front and center.

Scorpio is a fixed sign, meaning that flexibility isn’t a strong suit.  Yet, on the same token, this comes part and parcel with the incredible strength and tenacity that Scorpios are known for.

As far as mystery and the unknown, Scorpio has an inclination to submerge feelings.  Meditation and introspection help with unearthing genuine feelings that a Scorpio may keep hidden in some dark, and obscured recesses of the mind.

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The hieroglyphs are symbols seen within an astrology chart.  What do they mean?

Astrology is an ancient art, and the early symbols are still used in contemporary natal or birth charts known as horoscopes.  Hieroglyphs are a type of shorthand that saves time, and space.  A lot of information makes its way to the wheel shaped form used by most astrologers.

Here is a brief rundown of what the planets actually signify.  Hopefully this demonstrates some of the complexity covered in an authentic astrology reading.  Whether the chart is simply exploring the personality of the subject, or calculating trends, an astrology chart is a basic necessity for truly understanding whom a person is.

Astrology and what the Planets represent:

Sun – soul

Moon – emotions, intuition

Venus – love nature

Mars – motivation; love nature of male expression

Mercury – communication, intelligence

Jupiter – growth and expansion (prosperity)

Saturn – stability through knowledge

Uranus – quixotic changes, genius, electricity

Neptune – spirituality

Pluto – subconscious

Astrology and House Placement

 The next category functions as a sort of an underlay for the placements of the planets.  This is the system of houses.  Wedge shaped areas are described further in depth as to characteristics that are feminine or masculine, as most people have attributes of both genders.  The houses represent basic areas of life.

For example, if you are a Leo, and your Leo sun sign falls into the fourth house, you are more of a homebody than most Leos.  If the sun sign is placed in the seventh house, you are a relationship person. Because the seventh house is Libra’s home, this placement gives a tinge of the Libra nature to a basic Leo archetype.

After all of the planets are placed on the wheel or the natal chart, the angles between the placements are calculated.  If two planets are opposite each other, on the wheel, it is called an opposition.  This means inner conflict that needs to be resolved.  A triangle shape between signs is a smoother flow of energy, and it adds ease to a person’s life.

Astrology – Triplicities and Quadruplicities indicate elements describing a certain facet of personality – Fire, Air, Earth, Water are descriptions of personality facets.  The other consideration is a description of Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable. Cardinal shows administrative abilities.  Fixed indicates someone who isn’t too flexible.  Mutable indicates flexibility.

An astrology chart goes a long way toward understanding a human being as a unique individual.

A short-lived love affair may be in the picture.  It could even have all of the illusory appearances of being “the one.”  With the astrology of transiting Saturn, it will be a serious love affair, but will not offer much potential for a long-term partnership.

Some astrology experts go so far as to indicate the breakup of an existing relationship.

The lessons of Saturn’s astrology transit offer personal growth through self discipline.  This may include a course of study, an exercise regimen, or even a weight loss program. As a matter of fact, self-discipline is the only way to handle the upcoming celestial event.

The magic of Saturn is that there is a reward at the end of the astrology transit, if you apply Saturn’s rules correctly.

Handling the energy properly usually includes a low expectation insofar as accomplishments.  Keep plugging away on one goal for the next two years, and success will be yours. 

The main thrust of Saturn transit astrology goes on for about six months.  But a powerful planet like this will be felt for most of the two years.

Social life won’t be at it’s best during this astrology period.  Of course there is the obligatory social contact, like visiting Grandmother, but fun and parties just won’t be up to par for this transit astrology..

Since energy levels tend to be low during the astrology of Saturn period, a Libran must be extra mindful of health issues.  Get plenty of sleep; keep a healthy diet, and avoid foods with caramel coloring.  Don’t forget about some kind of exercise regimen.

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Everyone must go through this time of difficult lessons to learn at one time or another in life.  This is just part of growing up in terms of what the universe has in store for you.

The only way to benefit from this astrological energy is with discipline.  Keeping your nose to the grindstone leads to a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  When the constricting energy breaks loose at the end of this astrology transit, you reap the rewards of your endeavor.

On the flip side, if you ignore the signs, you may actually be inviting trouble to your door.  The Libran scales also encompass the judicial system. 

 Though it doesn’t include much fun, there is a way to handle the astrology of Saturn transiting the sign of Libra.

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The full birth chart must be taken into consideration before any accurate interpretation can be made. We are not one-sided creatures but display many facets to our personality, and these facets appear at various moments throughout our lives or, perhaps, for just a very short while. Whatever part they play, they are a valid aspect of our personalities. If I asked you to describe someone you know to me and you focused purely on their family life, career, or any other single aspect, you would fall far short of describing the person accurately. It’s exactly this way with astrology interpretations: we have to consider the whole picture.

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A proper astrology reading is carried out by interpreting a map of the heavens at the exact time you were born. This is by no means an easy task and, if done by hand (rather than by a computer programme), can take many hours. The chart is circular and is divided into twelve houses, in addition to the twelve astrological signs. Each house has a different meaning and each one of  the planets will mean something different, depending on which house and which sign they fall under. The planets also have their own unique associations so you can imagine the complexity of any given interpretation. In addition to this, there are shapes and patterns created within the circular charts and these also have an effect upon the personality of the individual.

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Sound confusing? It is…

One planet’s placement can even pretty much cancel out that of another, depending on the rest of the chart, so you may recognise far less of one aspect than the other. Perhaps other aspects are currently repressed or suppressed so you simply don’t – or possibly you refuse – to recognise them as a part of your personality yet. We have no idea what the future might bring and this currently unrecognisable aspect of your personality may well come into play later in life.

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If you visit the site at the bottom of the article you can enter your birth details and obtain a full birth-chart, detailing exactly where each of your planets are located. If you visit the relevant pages on the same site you’ll be able to read interpretations for each placement. This will give you a far better all-round picture of who you are and who you might become. For a full, in-depth reading you should visit a professional astrologer.

If you enjoyed this article you may be interested in the following:

What is The Occult? What Does an Occultist Actually Do?

The Colour Red: Symbolism & Associations

Reincarnation: Food for Thought – An Extraordinary Case

Colour Therapy

American Scientists Develop Mind-reading Telepathy Machine

For your free birth-chart:

http://www.cafeastrology.com/articles/howtoobtainchart.html

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Rudraksha

Rudraksha are described as Lord Shiva’s Tears. Lord Shiva was meditating on the condition of humanity and when he paused tears ran down his face and from those tears grew the Rudraksha tree. The seeds are believed to have great spiritual and medicinal powers.

Pearl  [Astrological signs of Cancer and Gemini]

Pearls are described as a symbol of purity. This product of both sea and river can help with focusing your attention.

Red Coral

Red Coral is associated with the the Base Chakra. When pursuing goals this is a good energy point to meditate with.

http://www.artfire.com/users/MsMastiff

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Prism embellished with Garnet

Prism

When the sun shines through a prism, it produces a rainbow. Rainbows are a sign of gods love. The rainbow is also associated with Nirvana. Many creation myths are closely linked with the rainbow including the Navajo, who were created under the crossing of a double rainbow as tall as a mans head.

Garnet [Astrological sign of Leo]

Garnet was revered by the Aztecs, they believed it contained a flash of lighting and would help speed spiritual growth and enhance internal fires, boosting creative energies. The energy within the garnet gem is helpful in cleansing energy blockages. The energy body also known as the chakra has 7 main focus points. When energy blockages occur garnet can be a useful sourceof help in clearing up this problem, many illnesses are the result of poor energy flow immersing yourself in the energy field of the garnet will produce a healthier aura.

This stone is also been long associated with faithfulness. When within its energy field it will promote goodwill among people and help smooth rough tensions in your environment.

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The beginning of September starts off with Mercury in Libra until the second week when the retrograde motion takes the planet of communication back into Virgo for three weeks.  Most often retrograde signifies mixed messages, or some kind of confusion.

This month, however, with an extra bright spotlight on the sign of Virgo, there will be an exception to this rule.  Virgo, being a sign that easily pays attention to detail, the retrograde motion and the influence of the Sun provides the benefit of perceiving things with mental clarity.

Mix-ups will be easy to clear up, and it’s possible to evade any of this type of event, all together.  To be sure, ask questions. 

Astrologers have often described retrograde motion as a second chance to go back and do it right.  This is a good time to talk with people that are close in your personal sphere, or at work.  Find out what they are thinking.  Get your finger on the pulse.

Image of Mercury – wikimedia

Mercury revolves around the Sun

Mercury, in its movement around the sun is described as an objective point of view on daily events, thoughts, and reactions.  Paired with the Moon, the closest planetary body to the earth, astrologers believe that this planetary pair works together in synchronization.

The Moon is reflective, and being so close to Earth, it has a significant effect on the emotions.  When paired with the mental input of Mercury, the emotions can be viewed and interpreted analytically.

Mercury modulates the Sun, and the Moon modulates Earth.  The latter is a subjective reaction to events, and Mercury represents an objective viewpoint.

What does modulate signify?  In short, the effect superimposes a pattern on energy.  The energy that starts out in raw form changes from undifferentiated to something with definition. 

Possible nervous reactions

 For people with sensitive nerves, there may be an exception to the positive input of Mercury.  Mercury also rules the nervous system.  The rush of incoming energy may cause too many ideas, and perceptions all at once. 

The excitement about the ideas may overrule the mental clarity factor.  One may spin around in circles of excitement, rather than directing the energy into a positive and productive event.