November 2024: Tarot spread for the full moon in Taurus

Plus an astro-tarot forecast, journaling questions, and an exploration of the Sabian symbol for the full moon in Taurus.

The November 2024 full moon falls in the sign of Taurus. The Taurus archetype is grounded and steadfast, calm and composed, firm and also somewhat stubborn. This is a sign that is practical and earthy, and is associated with material pleasures, desires, luxuriousness, and abundance.

Spiritually, the Taurus archetype teaches the principle of belonging through presence…our presence as sacred human beings…honouring the body temple…honouring the flow of life. This can be difficult given the society we live in, which praises the hustle over reverence and treats time as money rather than a finite resource that should be used wisely in the pursuit of the things that give us meaning.

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Book review: We Are All Ghosts In The Forest by Lorraine Wilson

“She returned with the boy ten days before the rains. The boy was hardly to blame but still, first came the stranger and then came the rains.”

Thus starts Lorraine Wilson’s We Are All Ghosts In The Forest, a post-apocalyptic novel set in a small village somewhere in Eastern Europe, in an unspecified amount of time after the Crash, when the internet escaped its bounds in a paroxysm of entropy.

The world is now inhabited by digital ghosts. Fragments of the internet that roam the world, playing their stories in a loop. If you aren’t careful, they can infect you, though like any virus, some ghosts are more infectious than others. Weak ones are harmless, or ones with little emotion in them. Data, maps, news reports, shopping websites, things like that. The occasional story ghost can be a problem if you happen to know the story. But the ones connected to destructive emotions are the riskiest, if your state of mind resonates with them well enough, they can… upload themselves into you.

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November 2024: Tarot spread for the new moon in Scorpio

Plus an astro-tarot forecast, resources, and an exploration of the Sabian symbol for the new moon in Scorpio.

The November 2024 new moon falls in the sign of Scorpio. The Scorpio archetype is known for its intense power and its ability to transform, much like the butterfly emerging from its cocoon, ready to fly. The Scorpio archetype isn’t afraid of the birth-death-rebirth cycle, for it is only when parts of us die and are reborn that we can fully transform.

So perhaps it’s not surprising that spiritually, the Scorpio archetype teaches us to surrender – to align our human will with divine will. It can teach us that sometimes our human trials can reveal a need for deep healing. This is not always easy to live with or to understand, especially when the need for healing arises from trauma, and yet on the other side of working with and healing trauma there can be deep and valuable transformation.

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October 2024 reading wrap up

Spooky season is here, and my reading preferences have taken on a decidedly cozy mien. I have a few thrillers that I have to review, but I just can’t bring myself to read them. All I want to read is something cozy — be it a cozy mystery or a cozy romance, or, better yet, a cozy fantasy.

There are seasons to our reading, I think. I know there are times when all I want is to sink my teeth into something “serious” or to immerse myself in some Jungian psychology or books on art and creativity. There are seasons when I want to read all the YA/fantasy, and others when all I want is to immerse myself in some good historical fiction.

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October 2024: Tarot spread for the full moon in Aries

Plus an astro-tarot forecast, journaling questions, and an exploration of the Sabian symbol for the full moon in Aries.

The October 2024 full moon falls in the sign of Aries. The Aries archetype is known for its bold – often rash – action, for going where angels fear to tread. As the first sign of the zodiac, it represents the active core of our spiritual journey on earth, and teaches us to act in accordance with our ideals. The Aries archetype teaches us to be unafraid to march to our own drumbeat, to assert our willpower towards the attainment of our desires, and to embrace beginner’s mind and the innate trust and explosive power {conviction + action} that is needed to start something new.

Spiritually, the Aries archetype teaches us about action. And as most of us know, it’s easier to talk about the things we want to do than to put in the work and actually do the thing! Aries teaches us that courage is the key to unlocking the full potential of this spiritual principle. And that comes from connecting your head to your heart, focusing your will, and taking consistent action towards your dreams.

This full moon also highlights your voyage of self-discovery: who you are, who you’re becoming, how do you realize your best self?

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In my Victorian Era

Bridging the hustle and bustle of the 21st century with life in the slow lane

I quit.

My job and corporate life, that is.

I have no big plans. No business goals. No ideas for freelance work. At least not yet.

What I have is a small financial nest egg and a deep desire to live a simple, slow life.

I’m calling it my Victorian Era.

Living the Victorian Life

I have romantic notions of long periods of leisure time — the ability to do the things I love for no reason other than the fact that I enjoy them. Of taking the time to cook a delicious meal {even though I’m not particularly fond of cooking}. Creating some art. Reading for hours. Scribbling away in my journal. Writing and sharing my words through this here blog, as well as on Studio Diaries. Maybe even making some YouTube videos, because I enjoy filming and editing my art process.

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October 2024: Tarot spread for the solar eclipse in Libra

Plus an astro-tarot forecast, journaling questions, resources, and an exploration of the Sabian symbol for the new moon and solar eclipse in Libra.

The October 2024 new moon falls in the sign of Libra. The Libra archetype is closely associated with justice and maintaining balance in social interactions and within the self. They are the true diplomats among the zodiac archetypes, and focus on fair dealings in all their relationships.

Spiritually, the Libra archetype teaches the principle of intimate balance, of the ability to remain centered and true to yourself no matter what may be going on around you. This is a skill that can be particularly helpful for those of us who turn up our noses at societal expectations as we dance to the tune of our own drum beat. Being able to remain centered is also an important skill to have if you’re surrounded by toxic people – and in these times, even toxic politics! One of the easiest ways to remain centered is through the breath, and by being able to distinguish between the things that are in your control, and those that aren’t.

This new moon we also have a solar eclipse, which will be visible in the southern part of North America, much of South America, the Pacific, Atlantic, and Antarctica. Solar eclipses typically lend extra oomph to the new moon, helping us to break habitual patterns, bringing in an awakening of sorts, and offering us a cosmic reboot.

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September 2024 reading wrap-up

September was a somewhat mixed reading month. I read a total of 7 books, finally breaking that ceiling of 4 books a month that I’ve been hitting since May, but some of them were just about average, which was a pity. The handful of interesting books more than made up for the disappointment of the damp squibs, though, which is always a silver lining when it comes to books and reading.

Without further ado, let’s jump into this month’s reading wrap-up!

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September 2024: Tarot spread for the lunar eclipse in Pisces

Plus an astro-tarot forecast, journaling questions, and an exploration of the Sabian symbol for the full moon and lunar eclipse in Pisces.

The September 2024 full moon falls in the sign of Pisces. The Pisces archetype is highly intuitive and very open to the flow of creative imagination. This is the sign of creative dreamers and mystics and visionaries, which makes this full moon an excellent time to flex your intuitive and creative muscles.

Spiritually, the Pisces archetype teaches the principle of unity, of recognizing the divinity within you. One way to understand this principle is by looking at creation – the creator {God, Universe, Source, however you wish to name it} created this earth, the rivers and seas, the trees, birds, insects, animals, man. Similarly, man has the ability to create – and to create consciously. It is this ability that points to the spiritual truth of Pisces, that we are spiritual beings having a human experience {with the emphasis on our humanness in all its frailty and beauty}. It is by accepting responsibility for consciously creating – which isn’t always easy – that you connect most deeply with the creator. Needless to say, empathy and compassion are the cornerstones of the Pisces archetype.

This Pisces full moon also kicks off eclipse season, with a partial lunar eclipse that will be visible in Europe, much of Asia, Africa, North and South America, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Arctic, and Antarctica.

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August 2024 reading wrap up

I spent most of August back home visiting my parents. My sister was home too, with her two children aged 4 years and 4 months, so it was a time for family and baby cuddles, and painting with the niece. But through it all, I did manage to read quite a bit too — from published diaries, to dystopia, a short story collection and general fiction. Here’s my reading wrap up for August 2024.

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