Me in the Tarot: Zodiac spread (2)

7. SEVENTH HOUSE: RELATIONSHIPS AND PARTNERSHIPS: The Ace of Cups
In light of my injury, I am renewing my relationships. My family and close friends nourish me. During these readings, the Ace of Cups showed up five times -- the most of any card. The Ace reminds me that the Universe is caring for me.

8. EIGHTH HOUSE: TRANSFORMATION AND CHANGE: Seven of Wands
I am fighting something. What it is, I do not know. Sometimes I feel as though I am resisting change. Other times, I am fighting through my injury. In my readings, this card appeared four times, causing me to ponder what it is that I am defending.

9. NINTH HOUSE: SPIRITUALITY AND HIGHER AIMS: The Ace of Swords
This second Ace also indicates that I am at the basics in my life. This card shows that I am attempting to merge logic and intuition into a whole. The two Aces (Cups and Swords) caution me to reconcile the two opposites into a healthy union.

10. TENTH HOUSE: CAREER AND STATUS: Three of Cups
My reputation amongst people is one of friendship. People like to be around me since I am a happy, cheery sort of person. My friends and I enjoy each other’s company, and they are always happy to see me.

11. ELEVENTH HOUSE: GROUPS AND FRIENDS: Ten of Swords
Since my accident, my social life has been non-existent. I cannot go anywhere and stay for very long. The Ten of Swords reflects my profound loss.

12. TWELFTH HOUSE: UNCONSCIOUS AND SECRECTS: The Emperor (IV)
The Emperor (IV) indicates that I have power which I do not wish to recognise. Whilst I am healing, I have latent powers I am not aware of.

CONCLUSION:

In this reading, several cards appear as pairs. The two Knights and Aces are the obvious ones. The Aces represent logic and emotion while the Knights focus on mental issues. Death (XIII) with the Ten of Swords emphasizes endings and transitions. The Magician (I) and the High Priestess (II) are the male and female parts of insight and intuition. The Hermit (IX) and Emperor (IV) are the accepting and turning away of power. The Three of Cups and Seven of Wands show the opposites of human relations – openness and guardedness. Then there is the male triad of the Emperor (IV), the Magician (II), and The Hermit (IX) in this reading. The active male merges with the intuitive and shadow males to create a synergetic whole.
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After completing various Tarot readings over the past few months, I have noticed that all of the Aces and Knights have appeared. They also have appeared the most times, with the Ace of Cups showing up five times. The Knight of Pentacles and Seven of Wands were tied at four times. These cards indicate to me that I am starting over, and am impatient to be on my way.
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Me in the Tarot: Zodiac House Spread (1)

To get a feel of where I am today, I decided to use the Zodiac Spread. Reflecting on each of the Houses, I could review the various aspects of myself. This spread would give me a holistic reading of myself.

1. FIRST HOUSE: PHYSICAL SELF: Death (XIII)
Death (XIII) is appropriate for me. With my brain injury, I am going through a transition. My old life that I knew is over. I am now embarking on a new one.

2. SECOND HOUSE: VALUES AND SELF-ESTEEM: The Hermit (IX)
Like the Hermit (IX), I withdrew into my cave after my accident. Because of my shaking and stuttering, I feel alone. In my readings, the Hermit appeared three times reminding me of my solitude. However, I am still searching for the light as the Hermit (IX).
3. THIRD HOUSE: COMMUNICATION AND KNOWLEDGE: The Magician (I)
The Magician (I) reminds me that I am an alchemist. I can manifest much of what I need. Moreover, the Magician (I) showed up three times in my readings to remind me that I have the power to create a new life for myself.

4. FOURTH HOUSE: HOME AND FAMILY: The Knight of Wands
Dynamic and determined, I am also impetuous. My family call me “Squirrellie” because of this behaviour. In my readings, the Knights of the Minor Arcana have appeared ten times. They are there to remind me of my impulsive tendencies.

5. FIFTH HOUSE: CREATIVITY AND FUN: The High Priestess (II)
The High Priestess (II) does not seem to me to be a fun character. Perhaps, She has a wry sense of humour to appear here in this reading. I often think of the High Priestess (II) as Jane Austen, observing the world around her, and following her muse. She does encourage me to follow my intuition to play and enjoy myself.

6. SIXTH HOUSE: WORK AND RESPONSIBILITY: The Knight of Swords
I rush forward when I need to stop and think. Although I am confident, I am not ready to go out into the world just yet. If I go too quickly, I could reinjure myself by pushing my brain too much. The two Knights (Wands and Swords) gently remind me of my tendency to go first and ask questions later.
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HAMERKOP (HAMMERHEAD): Follow Your Passion

Hamerkop, a small heron-like Bird, is well known for his large nest. His name “Hamerkop” comes from his permanently erect crest of feathers. This crest is usually shaped into a distinctive hammer shape. Because Hamerkop is similar to both Herons and Storks, He is placed in his own family, the Scopidae.


Besides his nest and crest, Hamerkop has other notable traits, as well. One is a ceremony where ten Birds run in a circle. As They flutter their wings, the Hamerkops call out loudly. Then, They all raise their crests. Another is to call shrilly before a rainstorm. Also early in the morning, Hamerkop patrols the highways looking for road kill for his morning meal.

What Hamerkop is most famous for is his huge dome-shaped nest. He and his Mate construct their nest out of 10,000 sticks on a tree fork. Building this massive structure, one Hamerkop will pass a stick through the nest, whilst the other one pulls it inside. Then They place the finishing touches on their huge nest. While one Hamerkop lines it with grass, the other one coats it with mud. When They are finished, their nest will range six feet (1.5 meters) in width. So well constructed is this nest that a man can easily stand on it.

Hamerkop’s nest is a major feature of the African countryside. In fact, many Birds will append their nests on to the Hamerkop’s nest. But Barn Owl will force the Hamerkops out, and use their nest, Herself. However once Owl leaves, the Hamerkops return to reclaim their nest. Once They have abandoned their nest, other Animals will use it as their new home.

Hamerkop makes an impregnable and mysterious nest. Because of his nest’s immense size and inaccessibility, many Africans consider Hamerkop to possess magical powers. If a Hamerkop lands on your roof, someone you know will die. Under the protection of Khauna, anyone robbing a Hamerkop’s nest will be struck by lightening. Furthermore according to the Malagasy, anybody who destroys the nest will get leprosy.

Following his passion, Hamerkop builds his wondrous nest of magic. Many will benefit from this with new homes. Only those who seek to rob Him of his achievements will feel his destructive magic. Be in awe of Hamerkop’s accomplishments, and know that you too can achieve great things. Do what you love and create magic urges Hamerkop.

SHOEBILL STORK (BOGBIRD, WHALE-HEADED STORK)

Connect with Deep Ancestors

One of nature’s strangest-looking Birds, Shoebill Stork is remarkable for her huge hooked bill, which is similar in shape to a shoe. She uses her bill for catching and holding her slippery prey, the Lungfish. Shoebill Stork is a remarkable Bird of which little is known about, such as what is her place in the Order of Birds. Therefore, She has her own Family – the Balaenicipitidae. Perhaps Shoebill Stork is a connection to other Birds living and extinct, who live near marshes.

The strange and other-worldly Shoebill Stork was unknown to Europeans until the 1800s. However, the Ancient Egyptians knew Her well. They painted her images on the walls of their tombs. Perhaps, when they died, She quietly waited for them in the Otherworld, to connect them to the Spirits of the past.

Living in the papyrus swamps of Africa, Shoebill Stork shrewdly hunts in areas of low oxygen. Standing motionless in the sluggish water, She patiently waits for Lungfish to come up for air. When He does, She quickly thrusts her head into the water and catches Him. Afterwards, Shoebill Stork pushes Herself upright using her wings as arms.

Soaring on the thermals, Shoebill Stork finds suitable places for nesting. Together with her Mate, They incubate their eggs. With their huge bills, the two Shoebill Storks ladle water over the eggs, and later the hatched Chicks to keep them cool. After taking trips to get water, the Adults greet each other by clattering their bills. Imitating their elders, the young Chicks hiccup their own greetings.

Let this strange Bird take you to the past, back to your deep ancestors. When you seek your distant kindred, Shoebill Stork will wait for you. Do not let her odd appearance deter you, but let it give you joy. Silently, She will guide you home to your deep past.

Sources on the Internet for Old Irish Translating

To translate simple words from Old Irish to English, and back again required me to use several sources. One source that I used extensively recently went off line – Denis King’s “In Duil Belrai - Old Irish Glossary” (http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/sengoidelc/duil-belrai/english.html). Therefore I needed to find an adequate replacement. I did discover a “work around” which seemed to produce accurate results. I used a Modern Irish site in combination with an Old Irish one.

I began with “Gaelic Dictionaries On-line” (http://www.ceantar.org/Dicts/). This dated site does offer a jumping off point to looking for an Old Irish Dictionary. I used “MacBain’s Etymological Dictionary” (http://www.ceantar.org/Dicts/MB2/index.html) which I thought was the best for my uses. It was an excellent source for translating from Old Irish to English. Since the search feature on the site does not work, I had to go to the alphabet section, and then use my computer’s search feature. This was long and cumbersome, but did ensure accuracy while I was using the modern language site for translating words from English to Old Irish. In addition, I found “MacFarlane’s Gaelic-English Dictionary” (http://www.ceantar.org/Dicts/MF2/index.html) to be useful for a second source. Using the two together was helpful with Old Irish words.

Translating from English to Irish, I used “Irish Dictionary On-Line” (http://www.irishdictionary.ie/home). Although, this is a Modern Irish language site, I reasoned that for the simple words I was looking up such as “dog” or “oak” would be unchanged from Old Irish. However, in using this dictionary care is needed. For example, I asked for the translation of “dog” which returned “cu”, which is correct. However, when asking for the translation of “cu”, the result was “greyhound”, “bloodhound”, and a list of words containing “cu”.

Another example is “oak”. Two results were “dair” (noun), and “darach” (adjective). I choose to use the noun form for “oak”. Another thing, I encountered with several popular books on the Ogham was a different spelling for “oak”, which was “duir”. When working in a language you know very little about, it is best to have several sources, and use the ones that are deemed the most reliable.

While working back and forth with these sources, I was able to find translations for basic words. The sources did denote the parts of speech for each work, which for me is helpful. The Modern Irish Dictionary separated verbs from the others, and allowed you to add a fada, which is important in Irish spelling. Meanwhile, the two Gaelic dictionaries were helpful in confirming the Modern Irish one’s results.