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June 5 through June 11, 2023

The week starts out on a high note with the keen Gemini Sun combining with a diligent Capricorn Moon on Monday and Tuesday, providing endless productivity and creative networking! Add in the fact that Venus will move into Leo on Monday and cast a dramatic flair to our movements and we've got the perfect combination to make great things happen! Social activities will call to us on Wednesday and Thursday under a friendly and inspired Aquarius Moon. As the week comes to an end we can embrace the free-flowing energy of a Pisces Moon, stepping back to admire all we've accomplished or simply going within to reconnect with our spiritual sides. Don't get too comfy though, as the Moon will move into Aries, and Mercury will enter Gemini on Sunday, encouraging our adventurous sides to try something new, expand our circle of friends, and flex our communication skills for the next three weeks.

Are You the Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, or Metal Element? Introducing the Personality Test You Didn’t Know You Needed, by Tisha Morris

(Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal.)

Personality tests are a multi-million-dollar industry with a continued growth rate of 10% to 15% annually. According to the Harvard Business Review, it's common for employers to require workers to take personality assessments to identify who to hire and how they can best collaborate and work as a team member. In the post-pandemic era, personality tests are likely to only increase as more workers move to remote working. In such work environments, a personality test may be the best indicator of one's personality and work style.

The Myers-Briggs test developed in the 1960s has continued to be the most popular personality assessment test in the workplace and for interpersonal use. Now, we have a multitude of personality systems with which to define ourselves, such as astrology, human design, and the enneagram. However, the Five Elements based in ancient Taoism is arguably the earliest of all personality indicators.

The Five Elements were first introduced in the ancient text, known as the I Ching, or Book of Changes, as the foundational building blocks of everything that exists. They were not originally viewed in terms of the individual until thousands of years later when Chinese Medicine applied the Five Elements for purposes of medical diagnoses. Chinese Medicine used the Five Elements to determine an imbalance in the organ systems, which we now know as Acupuncture.

It was after Chinese Medicine migrated to the West when the Five Elements were also used as a system for individual personality types. While there is no exact marker for when this evolution took place, it most likely occurred as a result of the depth psychology movement spearheaded by psychoanalyst Carl Jung. In fact, Carl Jung looked to the I Ching as a guide for the archetypes that became a significant part of his work.

Considering that the field of psychology was developed only 150 years ago and only became mainstream approximately fifty years ago, we've had a relatively short amount of time in our evolution to consider who we are, what we want, and what makes us happy. Until then, the individual ego that gives rise to one's personality was not examined to the extent it is today.

Perhaps our fascination with ourselves can be attributed to having more options than ever in choosing what career or relationship is best for us, particularly for women who were historically exempt from such choices. It's now rare to commit to one career or one person and stick with it for the rest of our life. The pursuit of what will make us happy is not as easy as it seems and takes self-inquiry to help find what will bring us satisfaction.

You may be wondering what makes The Five Elements different from the other personality systems. The Five Elements consist of Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, and Metal, which exist as the cycle of birth, growth, death, and rebirth in nature. According to Taoist philosophy, everything on the planet consists of the Five Elements, including us humans. It's the one system that doesn't separate us with all living or non-living beings. We are all a microcosm of the Universe, a mini-Universe, so to speak, and thus all connected. And yet we all have our unique concentration of the Five Elements.

At our base, we all share these core energies. Our individuality is expressed with each one of us having a slightly different concentration of each element. In other words, we all have the same recipe, just a different amount of each ingredient. For example, some people have more yang energy, meaning they embody more Wood or Fire elements, while others are naturally more yin and thus embody more Metal or Water elements. This individual makeup of energy will play a role in one's physical characteristics, energy level, and even personality traits. Some people may have a high concentration in one element, while someone else may be more evenly balanced among all five elements.

Not only do we each have our own Five Elements constitution that makes us unique, but your profile may change as you go through different phases and experiences in your life. Knowing that we fit into a category can be comforting, but it can also be limiting to the full breadth of who we are and who we can become. Instead of stuffing yourself in a box, you can truly be all categories by what you put your attention on. Thus, the Five Elements allows expansion of ourselves.

By reading the following elemental descriptions, you'll probably glean some insight as to which elements you are stronger and weaker in. Usually, there are one or two elements that feel natural to us and at least one element that feels foreign or challenging. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses can be an invaluable tool in understanding yourself in work and relationships. While the full characteristics of the elements are beyond the scope of this article, the following descriptions provide a quick look at each element as personality types.

Water Element: The Water Element is the Philosopher. They are quiet and typically introverted, and yet so unassuming. They hold a quiet strength. They may seem fragile at times, but they are anything but weak. They are deeply creative, contemplative, and introspective. They will most likely be the ones to figure out the key to world peace or an invention that saves climate change. It will be up to the other elements however to implement it.

Wood Element: The Wood Element is the Pioneer. They are the leaders, inventors, seekers, and visionaries. They will take the lead in groups and take action steps to create movement in projects. They can easily vacillate between being introverted and extroverted depending on what a situation calls for. For example, they can work solo on creating a new business or work well with groups. Wood elements keep things in forward motion and their challenge is to know when to contract their energy or take a step back.

Fire Element: The Fire Element is the Manifestor. They are high energy and generally extroverted. They are often the life of the party and enjoy life. Like a flame, they create the highest expression of energy in the form of enthusiasm and passion. Fire elements provide the fuel in projects in order that they manifest in its highest and truest form. While the idea may have been born with the Water element, and the Wood element provided forward motion, it is the Fire element that brings something to full culmination.

Earth Element: The Earth Element is the Stabilizer. They are the grounding force that keeps the status quo maintained so that change doesn't happen too quickly. The Earth element is the container or stage on which we all get to play. They are highly supportive people that bring harmony to groups and help maintain the peace. Think of the Earth element as the parent that keeps harmony among the children when bickering ensues. They go out of their way to not ruffle feathers. Worry is their default emotion, especially when something seems out of their control that could lead to possible change.

Metal Element: The Metal Element is the Organizer. They are natural organizers and keep things in check and on schedule. They make great accountants, engineers, scientists, editors, architects, personal assistants, and professional organizers. They are guaranteed to be detail-oriented, focused, and precise in anything they do. They tend to cut to the chase in conversation without the need for embellishments. They also love an orderly environment with even their storage items labeled appropriately.

For a deeper dive into identifying your primary element and your missing element, you can take the Five Elements Quiz in the book, Missing Element, Hidden Strength. Once you determine your missing element, you can learn how to integrate it into your everyday life, along with all Five Elements. You'll likely find that your missing element is what has kept you from starting projects, finishing tasks, or even sticking with relationships. Once you identify it, embrace it, and embody your missing element, it will soon become your hidden strength to unlocking your full creative potential.

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

My grandmother died of cancer. I was extremely attached to her and saw her as my mother. We had a deep bond and when she died I felt as though she took part of me with her and I kept part of her here with me. I dream about her often, and am wondering if she is visiting me in these dreams. I have a reoccurring dream where she shows up at my aunt's house (which was her house before she passed). She is my bedroom doorway and I am in total shock, saying I have missed you so much I thought you were dead! She does not respond to this, she just smiles and hugs me and acts like nothing ever happened. I also have had dreams where she calls me and tells me that she is still alive. My brother has had dreams where he wakes up in the middle of the night thinking there is an intruder in his home and gets his gun and goes searching through the house and goes into the basement, only to find it is her hiding in our house as if she never passed on. I often get the feeling she is looking over me and protecting me but I am just so unsure so I would like another opinion. What do these dreams mean? Is she visiting me and my brother in our dreams? Is she watching over and protecting me? Thank you for taking the time to read and respond, it means a lot.

Brittany

Susyn:

Your grandmother has never left your side and is most assuredly visiting both you and your brother through your dreams. Although she has left the physical plane, her soul continues to remain close to you and all her loved ones.

It must be very comforting when your grandmother pops up at your aunt's house as if nothing has happened in these dreams. The dream phone calls in which she tells you that she is still alive are indicative of the fact that she still exists and is reaching out to you from a different realm. You can't see or touch her, but you can sense her spirit and hear her voice clearly. It is her way of letting you know that, despite all evidence to the contrary, she remains close by, watching over and protecting you.

I am certain that she sends you additional signs during your waking hours, so watch for certain aromas, music or flowers that trigger memories of her. You may feel a sudden breeze or hot and cold temperature changes for no apparent reason. When this happens, it is proof that she is around.

Your brother's dreams are quite telling as well. He and your grandmother may not have been as close to each other as you were. The dreams in which he hears noises and goes in search of an intruder, only to find your grandmother hiding in the basement, suggest that he may not be as open to the idea of her spirit visiting him. Perhaps when he was growing up they used to play hide and seek games, and that is why she does this in his dreams. Perhaps she is wary of unnerving him, so she lets him seek her out.

When our loved ones die, they do not just disappear; many remain close to us to watch over and protect us. Some people refuse to believe in spirit contact, but for those of us who have been exposed to it firsthand, as you and your brother have, the experience is very real. You can trust what your instincts are telling you. In fact, the more you trust them, the more contact your grandmother can make with you.

When you have one of these dreams or sense her spirit around you during the day, this is the perfect time to stop and visit with her. If there are things you would like to share, questions you want to ask, or you simply want to tell her how much you love her, now is the time to do it. Of course, you don't have to wait for this to happen; you can call her spirit to you through prayer and meditation whenver you desire. I recommend a channeling session with a psychic if you would like even more communication and validation that she is near.

*****

Oceania:

I'm sorry for the loss of your grandmother, who was clearly a mother to you. What you wrote about loss is true: A part of us goes with the person who dies, and a part of them stays here with us.

I don't know if your grandmother is visiting you in your dreams, but I do know your dreams are part of your grieving process. In one dream, you're able to freely express your truth about how much you have missed her. It's a refreshing feeling when we can be honest and genuine with someone, as you could be with your grandmother. I recommend that you join a grief group where you can safely process and honor your emotions, and be heard and accepted in return. It's important that you find other people you can be truthful with.

Your wise unconscious mind comforts you with recurring dreams about your grandmother's smiles and hugs. Her warm and affectionate nature clearly enriched your life. You need to talk about how much she meant to you, which is another reason a grief group would be beneficial. It's also important to find other people whose smiles and hugs you can enjoy.

Dreams of the deceased calling to say they're alive are very common when we're grieving, for we try to alleviate our emotional pain by imagining that our loved one is still alive. As your brother is experiencing a similar dream, he would probably be a good person for you to grieve with. I recommend the two of you look through old photographs of your grandmother and share memories of her.

Of course you yearn to have her back, but it's in the natural order of things that grandparents and parents pass before we do. In their wake, we have an opportunity to parent ourselves. It seems that something prevented your biological mother from mothering you. Perhaps she died young or was unavailable to you due to illness, addiction or other circumstances. What a blessing that you had a grandmother who could fill your mother's shoes! It's very possible you have some grief work to do about your mother as well.

Your mother's absence or dysfunction likely prevented you from internalizing and developing your own strong inner mother, which may have left you overly dependent upon your grandmother. You might now turn to a therapist or a reader here to serve as a surrogate mom, and also strengthen your ties with your female friends. I'm certain your grandmother is watching over and protecting you, but your task at hand is to develop your own maternal energy so that you can directly nurture and comfort yourself.

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.