My Planetary Week # 5: June 23 - 29

[Nemia]

This is an invitation to work with one card deck for one week in a group reading.

You can pick any deck: tarot, Lenormand, Kipper, oracle or playing cards. From this deck, you'll draw one card per day - i.e., seven Daily Cards from your Deck of the Week that allow you to get to know the deck better, to hone your reading skills and get new insights about your life.

In a Planetary Week reading, we don't only draw a card per day but also give it a topic. We focus on motifs, topics, patterns in our lives, inspired by the planetary ruler of every weekday (for background information, look here).

On Saturdays, ruled by Saturn: Obstacles and Blockades,
on Sundays, ruled by the Sun: Inspiration and Goals,
on Mondays, ruled by the Moon: Dreams and Fears,
on Tuesdays, ruled by Mars: Conflicts and Challenges,
on Wednesdays, ruled by Mercury: Interactions and Change,
on Thursdays, ruled by Jupiter: Power and Influences, and
on Fridays, ruled by Venus: Love and Attraction.


The focus words I chose for each planet/day are not binding. Please don't limit yourself to the two short words if you feel other aspects of the planet are relevant to your reading.



There are different ways to perform a Planetary Week reading.

Traditional: draw a card per day and use the prism of the planetary influence to connect the card to your day and life.

Selective: select a card that suits the topic of each weekday and use it as affirmation and empowerment to improve your life.

Day-by-day: draw or pick your daily card one by one through the week.

Summarily: draw or pick all cards together before the week starts and treat them as a complete reading.

Share pictures if you can or want to.

No matter how we do it - by reminding ourselves of the planetary regents and their influence, we re-connect to the sevenfold cycle of time that our ancestors established, with their eyes to the sky.

Participants:

Nemia: Tarot Nova
I Sunshine: Mystical Cats Tarot
Stronglove: dust ll onyx
Rachelcat: Our Tarot
CharlotteK: Pearls of Wisdom

[Nemia]

I decided to use my newest deck, the pretty little Tarot Nova (or is it called Nova Tarot?). I discovered it in a Youtube review by Katie Flowers and it caught my eye. I didn't read with it yet.

[I Sunshine]

I will join again. I will use the Mystical Cats Tarot, just to switch it up some. And because I will be still finishing off the Solstice Spread, I am going to draw all the cards for the week on Saturday morning, but post them day by day.

I am enjoying the focused draws from different decks each week. Getting to know some of my decks that I have sorely neglected and finding them quite wonderful. Thank you so much, Nemia, for hosting this thread!

[stronglove]

for me this is the perfect way to start my day, so yes, i will join this week as well. and yes, like i sunshine, i enjoy the focused draws from different decks. great way to work with old neglected decks or to get to know new ones!
this week i will use my lovely, powerful, dust ll onyx, the most beautifully executed and most thoroughly researched and documented deck i own.

[Nemia]

Oh Stronglove, I never heard of this deck before and I'm excited that I'll have a glimpse at it over the next week! I'm glad I took a harmless light-weight little deck so I'll have more time to gaze at yours

[stronglove]

Oh Stronglove, I never heard of this deck before and I'm excited that I'll have a glimpse at it over the next week! I'm glad I took a harmless light-weight little deck so I'll have more time to gaze at yours

it was the first ever kickstarter i backed and i had to wait a really long time but it is one of the most perfect decks i know
i think you will like it, because it is heavily rooted in (african) ancestor worship/reverence, and religious/spiritual myths, symbols and rituals
here’s a great video about it by kelly-ann maddox, who i am a big fan of
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DvSOvPUqeAk#

[Rachelcat]

Can I join?

I'll use my brand new Our Tarot (as promised in the deck stork thread). I'll probably draw all the cards at once and lay them out in the fabulous 7 pointed star, but read a card each day.

Thanks so much for hosting! This looks like a wonderful exercise!

[stronglove]

Can I join?

I'll use my brand new Our Tarot (as promised in the deck stork thread). I'll probably draw all the cards at once and lay them out in the fabulous 7 pointed star, but read a card each day.

Thanks so much for hosting! This looks like a wonderful exercise!

welcome, rachelcat! would love to see your draws from Our Tarot! not only is this a wonderful exercise, you get to know lots of beautiful decks too!

[Nemia]

Dear all, it's wonderful to have you all on board!

[Nemia]

Another planetary cycle, another deck.

I chose the Nova Tarot, and it's the complete opposite of the Rosetta. The Rosetta is based on esoteric correspondences, on astrology, kabbalah, egyptian and world mythology. The Nova is clearly based on the RWS, and in an approach that I call narrative, it condenses the narrative scene of the RWS cards into one small, pointed image. I want to see this week whether it does so successfully (though, if Katey Flowers says it does, I can be optimistic!), and whether I can understand its messages.

2018 06 23 Nova Tarot Four of Swords.jpg (150.57 KiB) Viewed 3548 times

In the case of the Four of Swords, this is imo an interesting take of the RWS card.

2018 06 23 rws four of swords.gif (8.09 KiB) Viewed 3548 times

There are so many rectangular, box-like shapes in Waite-Smith's original image. The knight is resting on a sarcopague like a gisant grave monument, there is a stained glass window, there are many details. Restful, concentrated on himself, boxed in by rectangles.

The Nova artist (Julia Paschkis) made the box from four swords whose hilts are playing card spades. The little figure within may smile or breathe out, you may take his facial expression to either direction: relief about being in a safe place, or difficulties with feeling hedged in.

Right now, there is not much manoevring space. True. Yes, it's Saturday, I look at Saturn in my life, at the obstacles, the things that are my personal four swords that hedge me in. Oh, ha, it's another perfect-fit card.

Just yesterday I had a long discussion with my husband about my professional future, and about the less-than-ideal conditions that I created myself. You can say that I built this cage for myself, then complain about it. It's exactly what happened because this cage is very very comfortable and I confess, I like it. But I also resent it. I don't want to take the swords away, I don't want them gone. What I want is only to move them a bit further so that I have more room to wiggle. And we discussed yesterday how I can do that, even came up with a plan. (We came up with that plan already a number of times but I never implement what's in it - my little cage is so snug, so nice).

Now this is one aspect of the card that's spot on for my life.

And another one is - I was thinking, dreaming, sketching and planning the quartered circle. I want to continue today my series on the Thoth cards, on tarot and its esoteric underpinnings, and planned to write about the court cards. A quartered circle. And start with the Princesses/Pages. I was thinking about their relationship to the fixes signs. And next to my right elbow is a sketch I made for a quartered circle with the fixed signs, the princesses, the royal stars, the elements etc. I plan to turn it into a nice picture and then scan it and write about it.

The Four, the Four, the Four. MY number. Systems may work like a cage - but I see them more like a protective cage when you go diving to watch sharks. There are situations where you need it. The main things is to know when to leave the cage. But cages, boxes, are not per so evil. Of course - never put anyone else in a cage. EVER.

This looks like a very lovely little deck, and clever, and I'm looking forward to a week with it.

[stronglove]

love the way the four of swords are represented here. such a simple, but at the same time multi layered image..... wow!

[stronglove]

omg i just watched kelly bear’s review of the mini nova deck, it is sooo cute! on my wishlist now, of course.....
am really looking forward to see more of your draws for this week!

[stronglove]

here’s my card for today: obstacles and blockades
it is the five of coins
what do i see? a figure with arms half outstretched, cannot see if s/he’s coming toward me or moving away, head bent, leaving behind or being blocked by a multicolored shape that looks a lot like a stained glass church window, a bit like in the RWS’s five of pentacles..... she is prevented from reaching for the five coins, or she is walking away from them. it is not a happy image, whichever way you view it, the five of coins usually implies some struggle or hardship, i sure get that impression from this card. it feels rather hopeless.
looking the card up in courtney alexander’s guidebook i find the image does not represent a figure/person at all!
“the five of coins depicts the italian navy rescue mission for refugees crossing the mediterranean sea.....the five coins falling into the sea represent the different types of sacrifices they made for the journey - the lives, material posessions, connections to cultural traditions, old identities and dreams they must leave behind to take on the new. this card comes up when life seems to throw hardships from all sides. you may be feeling alone and unsupported. worry and anxiety, especially over material and physical well-being, weigh heavily on you.this is the time to assess and cut away the unnescessary.......new possibilities will have room to emerge and bring blessings into your life.”

yes, that does make sense. at the moment i am a physical wreck, with both my arms and my legs causing me extreme pain and lots of other problems. i am really struggling with the fact that there are more and more things i cannot do (like walking, standing, knelling etc) and what that means for my future. and it does make sense to cut away the unnecessary, even though it causes grief. i have already had to stop trying to cook my own meals, which i still agonize over, because i loved cooking soooo much..... but i need to save the little physical energy i still have for other things. so yes, the cutting away provides me with more possibilities.

[stronglove]

here’s the photograph by Massimo Sestini that courtney used in her collage

[Rachelcat]

Here’s my 7-pointed star spread for the week with today’s card ready to read.

Saturday, June 23, Saturn, obstacles and blockages
Our Tarot 7 of Cups, Eleanor of Aquitaine

Not knowing what I want is definitely an obstacle for me. In little and big things. I have overcome so many blocks to energy and determination. But I’m not focused enough to use my newfound strengths to achieve anything. If you don’t know where you’re going, you’re never going to get there.

My personal meaning for 7 Cups is overly emotional (7-Venus + Cups-emotions = too much feelings, not enough other stuff!) And I’m kind of there, too. After I’ve achieved so much (weight loss) without a lot of dithering and trouble, NOW I’m an emotional mess over 5 pounds! “I feel fat. I’m upset with myself. I don’t care. I DO care. I don’t want to be restricted. Why can’t I just do what I have to do?” Etc. Dithering and trouble have shown up. Definitely an obstacle, but I know I can overcome it.

The book says Eleanor of Aquitaine is the 7 of Cups because she had so many more choices than other medieval women. She made some good choices and some bad ones. Good advice from the book is that we need to become conscious of our desires and how they affect our lives. I’m going to focus on that this week.

[Nemia]

Oh, interesting cards so far

Personally, I'd see Eleanor of Aquitaine as Wands person. So much energy, temperament, passion. She's a queen of Wands for me But oh it will be interesting to see the rest of the week...

Sunday today. The Sun means so much... I can even think of the early Christian depictions of Jesus as Sun God because that was the strongest formula for divine power they could imagine...

2018 06 24 Nova Tarot Eight of Wands.jpg (156.53 KiB) Viewed 3493 times

And it's the Eight of Wands. How nice to see this card without 8 wands flying through the air. The idea of speed is conveyed well enough with the wheel and the stop watch. Like the swords with the spades hilts, the wands are drawn with little clubs heads. Nice touch.

So what inspiration, aspiration, plan, goal, idea... has to come quickly? I have several. It's certainly an anti-procrastination card. And I'm the world champion of procrastination. If the Sun God or Jesus could bring back some of them, any of them!, from the dead, that would be great AND a miracle.

I'll have to think about this card a bit. It's a bit vague for me right now.

[Rachelcat]

I love the Tarot Nova. So minimalist but so full of information!

Here's my Sunday:
Sunday, Sun, inspiration and goals
Our Tarot Page of Pentacles, Mary Lou Williams

I’m happily leaving old Saturn behind and moving on to Mr. Sun. My inspiration and goal for the week is to prepare for (pagey) next week’s vacation from work in which I hope to work on a tarot project, as well as prepare for my presentation at for Capital Tarot Society. The wandsy (intuition and openness) and swordsy (intellectual) parts of creativity are already pretty much accomplished for both projects. Now is the time for coinsy creativity -- making and producing a finished product. I need to gather everything I need (computer files, printed stuff) for both and be ready to work this time next week.

Who is Mary Lou Williams? A jazz musician from the 30s through the 70s who broke gender barriers by playing with Duke Ellington’s band and many others, leading her own band, writing and arranging many compositions, and later organizing a jazz festival and teaching at Duke University. She never stopped honing and expanding her craft. An inspiration indeed!

[stronglove]

sunday - inspiration and goals
judgement
i am struck by her eyes.... she looks at me with so much compassion..... maybe she wants me to have as much compassion for myself when i am taking my own measure, judging my worth as a human being.
that would be a wonderful goal and a great challenge, because i tend to be rather harsh towards myself and my endeavors.....
i am going to look in the mirror and try to give myself that look and explore how that feels.....

[Nemia]

It's Monday morning. Monday, the Moon, Luna...

2018 06 25 Nova Tarot Knight of Swords.jpg (161.87 KiB) Viewed 3486 times

Oh, I guess that means some trouble... this Knight looks ready for fight. And my immediate response to the more assertive and aggressive cards is always a gulp: "oh what now???", never rubbing my hands: "let's go, I wanted to confront that for a long time!".

So I think about the Knight as daily card and I know from experience that it means an unpleasant discussion, I even know who is the knight who stirs up my complacency... and I think about it as Moon cards. And I know that I HATE when people raise their voice and get angry. Now this Knight seems to enjoy a little confrontation, he sees it as fight for what is just and right. I personally have often preferred to avoid a confrontation, even if that meant I don't put things to right, don't tell my side of the story. And that's a pity.

[stronglove]

monday, moon day, dreams and fears.....
and the card is: lil’ staff (page of wands)
this page has the eyes of usain bolt and he represents: liberation, vigour, innovative, pure potential, passion/arousal
how does that connect to my dreams and fears?
from courtney’s guidebook:
“just as a phoenix rises from the ashes, lil’ staff understands that flying high requires a fearless knowing and acceptance of their whole being........they courageously shine light on even the darkest parts of themselves and face rhem head-on......we can look to lil’ staff as a representation of the liberation we experience when we move beyond external limitations and choose to live our best, most authentic life. it’s time to take the emotional baggage to the incinerator and let it burn, purifying our spirit.”
wow. just this morning i wrote about how i would like to perform a ritual to expel some of my worst demons, because i feel that’s the only way i will be able to finally get rid of them..... this card tells me to go ahead and do it! so tonight i will light a fire and burn some very old negative and limiting stuff! yay! and maybe finally conquer my fear of flying in the process

[Rachelcat]

Good Monday morning, crew! Here we go!

Monday, the Moon, dreams, imagination, shadows
Our Tarot Keeper (King) of Wands, Cleopatra

Gender bias alert: The book describes Cleopatra as natural leader, but I think of the sexual aspect of her power politics as distasteful. I would never use sexuality as a way of gaining power. (Or would I?) Not so much because it would be taking advantage of others but because it would be untrue to myself. We also have to remember that her story has been told throughout history by men, who would naturally play up the sex angle in the story of a very powerful woman.

And then I think that a real leader will use any means necessary to gain the power she needs to lead and preserve her country. And maybe middle class morality doesn’t apply to queens worshiped as goddesses?

Where does all this leave me on a Moon day?

Maybe there is a bit of fear of stepping into my own power. I’ve done a lot in the last 2 years to take back and own my power over my life. Maybe now it’s time to take it to another level, conquering societal conventions as well as other people’s restraints on me. It’s time to imagine myself truly in charge of myself and my life. Fewer boundaries than I think I have now. And see if I like what I imagine.

[Nemia]

Tuesday. Mars rumbles and grumbles somewhere... but right now, there are no conflicts or tensions in my little world...

2018 06 26 Nova Tarot Hermit.jpg (145.72 KiB) Viewed 3620 times

... and the Hermitshows that if there were, I'd react by retreating into my shell. I think that's a very nice Hermit. If you think the card reflects only the solitude aspect, look again. The hands, head and face of the Hermit remind me of yoga, mudras and symbolic gestures. Introvert wisdom, wisdom of the body, wisdom that can only be experienced and shown by example, not explained.

[CharlotteK]

Last week got crazy and I'm joining late this week too but I hope to catch up a little.

I'm here with my lovely poker sized Pearls of Wisdom. I love smaller cards and have learned never to be tempted again by jumbo size! These are perfect.

I drew all my cards in one go:

Saturday, ruled by Saturn: Obstacles and Blockades - Three of Wands

Sunday ruled by the Sun: Inspiration and Goals - The ace of Cups

Monday, ruled by the Moon: Dreams and Fears - Knight of Wands

Tuesday, ruled by Mars: Conflicts and Challenges - Seven of Cups

Wednesday, ruled by Mercury: Interactions and Change - Eight of Cups

Thursdays, ruled by Jupiter: Power and Influences - Ten of Swords

Friday, ruled by Venus: Love and Attraction - Nine of Cups

[CharlotteK]

So today - Mars, planet of conflicts and challenges.

I am pretty sure I know what this is about and it relates to a couple of people in my team with lots of creative visionary ideas but a seeming inability to knuckle down and get the important stuff done. The figure on this card even looks a little like one of them and the expression navel-gazing has come up once or twice. I feel very frustrated by them. But perhaps I need to loosen up a bit and try see it from their perspective. I still want the work doing but maybe I could embrace their creativity a little more.

[Rachelcat]

Tuesday, Mars, conflict and challenges
Our Tarot Queen of Swords, Benazir Bhutto

Caution: Possible court card overload! Although each card of this deck is a person, so it probably shouldn’t make that much difference. But the ubiquitous difficulty in reading court cards might be catching up with me here.

I would say my challenge or struggle for the week is to keep my intellectual endeavor level high (swords) while not giving up on a nurturing, accepting attitude (queen). The book points out that Benazir Bhutto personifies that very ability. Her life shows that one can be a wife and mother, and an intellectual and politically powerful person, all at the same time. While we don’t all have that ability or opportunity to live that, we can be inspired by her.