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August 21 through August 27, 2023

There's a call to higher awareness this week, as the Moon travels through Scorpio Monday through Wednesday and asks us to pay closer attention to things. To top it off, the Sun will enter Virgo on Wednesday, followed by Mercury, (its ruler) going retrograde. So again, the stress will be on paying attention, practicing caution, and not getting stuck in the minutia of day-to-day life. Flexibility and a willingness to compromise will be essential to get through the first three days of this week. A light-hearted energy will prevail on Thursday and Friday under the Sagittarius Moon, allowing us to regroup after a trying few days. Make it a point to relax, play and leave the heavy lifting for another day. This weekend's Capricorn Moon will offer us a chance to get re-grounded, take a look at things from a more logical and practical angle, and promote self-care. The week ends with Mars moving into Libra, marking the start of a two-month cycle of more balanced movement and interpersonal relationships.

Cartomancy and Mermaid Magic, by Leeza Robertson

(Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal.)

I have a confession to make. When I sat down to write The Book of Mermaid Magic, it was never, ever meant to have tarot in it. This was meant to be a stand-alone book that would allow those who find themselves mermaid-curious a chance to wade into the shallows and explore the watery world of the mermaids. I wanted to provide them a space to just explore, play, and maybe even hear the call. If you are reading this article, you might have heard the call of the mermaids. It doesn't matter if you live near the water or find yourself landlocked.

The mermaids call to all those who crave depth, flow, and magic in their lives. Some people, like myself, might be more reluctant to acknowledge they have heard the call. It took me a few years before I would truly accept my own mermaid calling, and maybe you too are shy about admitting the pull you have towards the mermaids.

In many respects, this is why I wrote the The Book of Mermaid Magic: to help others answer their own personal mermaid call. You see, the call is not the same for all of us. For some it might be to walk a more devotional path, like the Ocean Priestess. Others might find their draw to the mermaids to be more playful, like the energy of the sprites. Then there will be those who just know they have a mermaid heart. What I have learned while working with these magical beings is that there is a place and space for all of us. So no matter where you live or who you are, there is a mermaid just waiting to connect with you.

Which brings us back to the tarot and how it ended up worming its way into this book. You see, this Book of Mermaid Magic manuscript was finished. Fully complete and submitted, and I thought I had done a really good job of bringing the many different beings of the mermaid pantheon together. I was quite happy with how we weaved moon magic and chakra healing throughout the chapters. After six months of deep and wide research, I felt like we had a really solid book ready to send out into the world for mermaid lovers everywhere.

That was not the case.

Apparently the book was just missing a little something. One thing that would bring it all together. The very thing I had avoided at all costs to include in the book. Yep, you guessed it: tarot. Isn't it funny that no matter how much we say no to something, if we are meant to experience it or have it, it will happen anyway. No matter how much I didnt want it, tarot ended up in the pages of The Book of Mermaid Magic anyway.

So now I was left with the task of weaving the tarot through an already finished manuscript. You might be wondering why someone who created a Mermaid Tarot didn't want to include it in her own book about mermaids. Here's the thing: there are loads of mermaid lovers out in the world who do not read tarot. In fact, many of them don't know how to use tarot, and I did not want that to be a barrier for them when it came to this book. Which means I needed a work around—one that was slightly more inclusive.

This is how the cartomancy sections of this book were created. Not every mermaid lover knows tarot, but most of them do sling the odd oracle card. So I thought, what better way to start your mermaid magic adventure than with a special spread? If you have my beautiful Mermaid Tarot, go ahead—pull it out and give it a shuffle. If you are more of an oracle deck person, find a deck that you think would work well with the mermaids, and give it a little shuffle. For those of you who have no decks and don't even know what cartomancy is, relax, I got you. Just grab your journal and a pen and use the prompts and questions below to journal with.

Before we begin any sort of divination or sacred practice, it is a good idea to just take a moment, pause, and breathe. Be present in this moment. Let all the outside noise just drift away. Drop your shoulders, unclench your jaw, and focus on the here and now. If you feel moved you might even wish to recite the following: "Mermaids I am here, present and aware, ready for you to share your wisdom, guidance, and divine grace."

If you are using cards, pick them up and give them another shuffle, but this time imagine an iridescent light flowing into them, around them, and through them, connecting your deck to the energy and light of the mermaids. If you are journaling and not divining, then imagine this light curling around your pen and infusing itself into the pages of your notebook. Take a few steady breaths here and then begin the move to the spread/prompts.

Card One: What do the mermaids want me to understand at this point in my human journey?
Remember that you are here on this physical plane having a journey, to which there will be many twists, turns, and oftentimes surprises. Don't presume that just because something has never happened that it won't, or even that just because something has always been one way that it will stay that way. The mermaids know that journeys can both flow and stangnate, so open yourself up to receive some guidance about where you are right now.

Card Two: What blessings do the mermaids want me to open up and receive?
Not all blessings will initially put a smile on your face. We humans seem to think that blessings are meant to bless us with good fortune; however they can just as easily bless us with things we may not seem at the time to want, or situations we don't feel ready or capable to deal with. So, be mindful of what comes up here, as this blessing might need time to unfold.

Card Three: What do the mermaids want me to release at this time so my journey can flow towards my highest and greatest good?
When considering the word "release," you can also say, "reframe" or even "rewrite." It is also good to remember that releasing happens in layers and not all at once. So, if you are working on a belief or habit, just be mindful that it might take some time to rewrite. If what you are releasing is an emotion or a situation, be kind and gentle with yourself as you take the first step at reframing your identity without this in your life. Whatever comes up here is just the beginning of a process, one that you can continue to work through as you spend more time with the mermaids.

Now that you have all of your cards out in front of you, you might consider picking up your journal and going deeper with the information you have gathered. For those of who you already journal, consider exploring what you have written at a deeper level. I find journal work tends to leave a lot to unpack, so take your time and don't rush the process.

When you feel the work is complete, just say a short thank you to the mermaids: "Mermaids, thank you for spending time with me and giving me this wisdom and guidance to help me on my journey. Until next time we speak again, we are now complete."

Now, of course, if you want to go further and wider with the mermaids, grab your copy of The Book of Mermaid Magic and dive in! There is so much more to explore.

Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal. Copyright Llewellyn Worldwide, 2022. All rights reserved.

Ever since an actor passed away suddenly last year, I have had very strong feelings of love for him. I never even knew of him as an actor until he passed away. Then I saw him on TV and the internet, and had a very strong feeling of attraction to him. I think about him all the time now. Is it possible that we knew each other in past lives, and he is now remembering me?

Cynthia

Astrea:

Of course it's possible - even probable - that the two of you are connected in some metaphysical way. The Universe brings our Karmic Family back to us one way or another in each incarnation. This time the two of you were unable to meet in person, but as soon as you saw him, you recognized him on a soul level even though he may have physically looked quite different from the way he looked when you last met.

This feeling of deja vu happens to most of us who have some kind of psychic awareness. Often we have that feeling when we actually meet someone we knew before in person, but we can also have the same kind of reaction to someone we've never met. Just seeing someone's gestures and mannerisms can remind us who they are and bring up all the feelings of love we had for them the last time we lived and loved together.

If you give yourself some time to process your feelings, you might begin to figure out where and when you knew one another. If he comes to you in dreams, write down everything you can remember about them. If you sense him nearby, keep a record of those experiences too.

This person also could have decided to become a Guide or Guardian for you for the rest of this incarnation or until you can be reunited in the future. While this may sound crazy, you can try to communicate with him. I feel you might do better writing him letters (that you don't mail, of course); a lot of things will come through to you in that way.

You needn't feel you missed out on anything with him in this lifetime because you will see each other again. In this incarnation it simply wasn't possible for the two of you to be together due to the distance between you and your choices of profession.

For whatever reason, it wasn't right for your paths to intersect during this lifetime. Usually this happens when you have such different lessons to learn in this incarnation that it isn't practical for the Universe to put you closer together.

Be happy that you realized you were important to one another, and try to feel that happy feeling even though you never met this time around; it will help you connect with him on a soul level. Next time you meet should be a very happy time. Then you can find out where you were together before. In the mean time, try to channel him as a powerful Guide in your life.

*****

Susyn:

When we experience unexplained emotional ties to someone we've never met, it's often an indication of a past life connection. While there could be additional influences contributing to your feelings, such as the manner in which he died or the publicity surrounding it, those should have passed by this time.

We've encountered many different souls over the centuries. Thanks to the mass media, it's not uncommon for someone we've known before to be in the spotlight and for us to recognize them on some level.

Further, with the dawn of the internet, email and instant messaging, our world has become smaller. As a result, it's not uncommon to form instant and lasting bonds with people throughout the world, even if we never meet them in person. These relationships can carry the mark or feeling of past life connections.

Strong connections always add to our world. Though you never met this actor in person, he has transformed your world and your awareness on many levels, which is precisely the main reason we cross paths with people from the past.

Your strong attraction to this actor could indicate that you had a relationship of some kind in the past. Now that he has crossed over to the Spirit world, it's easier for him to interact with you since you never met in this world. When we cross over, our memories past, present and future tend to meld, making it very possible that in his own way, he continues to influence and remember those closest to him.

When you sense these emotions about him coming on, it would be a good idea to do a meditation and see if you can invite him in for a chat. In this way you can channel his spirit directly and perhaps learn more about why your feelings for him are so strong.

You may also want to ponder how you can honor his memory. You may be drawn to build some type of shrine or collection of his pictures, or learn more about him and try to emulate some of the character traits you admire about him. For example, if he was forthright and direct and you tend to beat around the bush, you can try to emulate his candor.

You may also want to look for these traits in a future partner, as one of the reasons you resonate with him has to do with his similarity to your soul mate. You can use his essence to set an ideal to strive for both in your partner and in your own character.

Astrea:

Many times in life we hear, "You will always have what you NEED, but not necessarily what you WANT." Your spirit must have needed to experience the feeling of leaving your human body, and the suggestion in the next chapter of Sylvia Brown's book was all it took to get you there.

Even though you hadn't read it yet, your SOUL recognized the title of that chapter as something it had been seeking, and your soul, knowing that you had that reference to read after your experience, got with it and out you went!

While I don't usually recommend her books, Sylvia Brown has a wide reaching and powerful effect on lots of people. A Gemini like you would be able to relate easily to her writing and put it to good use. Synchronicity - you gotta love it!

I like your description of "getting caught." That's exactly what it feels like, isn't it? One minute you're free and hovering above the room, and the next minute, ZAP! back down into your corporeal form you go!

As a little kid, I loved that "feeling of return." With practice, most of the time we can control that event, but sometimes, when our physical ears hear a distracting noise or something else occurs to knock us back into reality, back we go. With practice you will be able to control your return better.

I find it interesting that you were visiting your mother-in-law and not someone in your own genetic family. Evidently, you and your husband got married for reasons that are even deeper than love. His family's interest in "psychic stuff" will nurture your children in such matters and help them to grow into their own abilities.

You'll never have to be concerned that when your daughter visits them, she'll be discouraged from exploring her own psychic life and power. My parents encouraged me to develop my psychic senses in a time when it wasn't nice to even discuss such things in public. Heck, it's STILL not considered a great topic at the dinner table in some families!

Your kids will get to talk about it ALL and ask questions and read and study. This is going to give them such an edge in life! Talk with your husband about how you want to present this to your kiddos, so that you are united in your approach and ready to tell them their experiences are all natural and okay.

A word or two of warning: Geminis often have difficulty staying grounded in REAL LIFE. Don't get so strung out on your ASTRAL life that you neglect what you're doing here on Earth.

You are at the beginning of a long journey to learn where your power really lies. Try to be patient with this process and take your time.