Natalia Lee

A nest of sorts

The augury of fire

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Augury

After a brief hiatus last weekend, I was in the middle of moving, I am back with this week’s augury.

As I was shuffling my playing cards, my mind drifted towards the Tabula Mundi deck by MM Meleen, which I have unfortunately rarely used. I decided to take it out and keep it near to give it more use and get to know it better. I have used a single card here to accompany the cheeky deck I always keep close-by.

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October 9-15 2017

Tabula Mundi Colores Arcus Tarot deck by MM Meleen, ATU House, 2015; Hotcakes Playing Card deck by Uusi Design Studio.

The themes of this week are transitions and movement. The many thorny rocks obstructing ways and impeding movement are shifted away by a sudden torrent of water. This improves communication, movement and exchange. Concrete results, from mind to matter, and ideas come into fruition and play this week. From the dark veil that hindered our way we move into the lush and crimson flux of possibilities. Money starts to come into our pockets, and paralyzing doubts, as well as strife, is dispersed.

In general, I don’t comment on what goes on out their in the media infused political-social world on this website. But, as I read these cards I thought of my home, in the Caribbean, recently devastated by hurricane Maria. I thought of my family in the midst of the devastation slowly picking up the pieces. The lives lost, the homes destroyed, the hopes crushed. Today, I spoke with my mother and she said that slowly, the island is getting back up, the leaves are beginning to flourish again from trees that were left barren from the force of the winds, bees are buzzing and flowers are blooming. Working together, locally, being a community that sees beyond divisive lines, is slowly nourishing the island and the people back to life, back to bloom. I have hope.

I think about the devastation taking place in many parts of the world, I think about suffering and pain, and loss, and want, yet, while pondering the hopelessness, I gather up a glimmer of hope, and I stoke the fire of persistence, of change, of agency, and of autonomy.

I hope this fire lights your way this week. Change is the one true constant in life, and I hope this week brings fruitful change, hope, and agency into your lives, and my own.

~~~
A cheeky Augury

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Augury

September 25- October 1st.

It seems that going with the current and flux of things is favorable on my end, I realize as I sit down to write this week’s augury. A lit candle guided the shuffling as I thought about all the potentialities this week might hold for me, for you (whomever stumbles upon this augury), and us all, the collective. I shuffled thinking about the possibilities, and the changes that incorporate themselves in our landscape, both outer and inner, as September closes.

I have been enjoying a fruitful Cyprianic novena, as I am sure many out there have these last nine days, and under the auspices of the eve of Saint Cyprian’s feast day, tomorrow, I spread out my cards.

Hotcakes Playing Cards by Uusi Design Studio, manufactured by The US Playing Card Company.

All black cards, spades to be exact, nefarious whispering lurks around poisoning the body and the heart, underpinned by toil and burdens. Well my friend, this looks like it will be a challenging week. As September closes its chapter, the dim lights of October descend upon us. Autumn is at its peak and gloom begins to set in. This alludes, at least for those, like me, in the Northern regions, to a time of introspection, and withdrawing within. The beginning of hibernation. Spades, connected to earth confirm this stasis and darkness, of going within. The image that underpins all this is the burden of toil seeking change, a change of pace, a change of load.

As Autumn hits peak, change pace and allow yourself to walk at a calmer gait. Let the season descend upon you with ease while also guarding yourself for the darker days ahead. Also, be aware of your body as the cold sets in and guard your well-being and health.
New Moon, New Season

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Augury

Today is a good day for runes, as Mars marks the second day of the week, I feel the weight of Wednesday in this new moon. A new season has begun here in the North, and I find myself packing boxes and selling furniture in preparation for another big move.

I know I mentioned in my previous post the current upheaval taking place, the move and the time constraints that this move entails in regards to my weekly posts. I have decided to keep things loose and simple. I will be doing weekly readings on my Instagram, because it is simpler and easier for me at the moment. A quick picture that encompasses the week’s energies. If you would like to follow along with the weekly readings, you can see my Instagram account or my Twitter account, both are connected. As for what I will be writing here, much will remain the same. I will continue writing about my journey, my ideas, and my notions on all things literary, cartomantic, and sorcerous.

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As for this week, and today specifically, I want to share some thoughts based on a spontaneous rune reading. For me rune-casting, and similar forms of casting lots, hold a deeply imaginal realm when reading the signs, intensely experiential. As opposed to the clear images one can see in the Tarot, with runes, one has shapes attached to verses and mythic ideas. This allows for a keen sensorial reading, where words take second place, and what grasps at my senses are images, mythic reflections, places, and spaces. Oftentimes, my understanding of the reading is felt instead of textually understood, or encoded.

Attempting to constrain this runecasting, my words will be brief, and they will be addressing the energies of the week as it transitions with this new moon and the beginning of autumn.

Wooden Rune lot and paraphernalia.

There is a turning here of elements as the days change shape, taking on darker and constrained aspects. It isn’t a smooth transition, as from above a huddled flux of forms, opposition, and frailty move into play. Our mettle here is tested in these darker months, a descent into the chthonic realms, and a testing of strength and resilience. During this time, we attune our eyes to see through the shadows, to find the light. It is also a time for thinking on the other, the neighbors, the friends, the family, those that surround our daily lives. For when times are dark, others help us find our way, and vice versa. Stay close, and stay resilient.

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A short augury

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Augury

…to color our awareness this upcoming week.

Ancient Italian Tarot, published by LoScarabeo, Italy, 2010.

Foundations are shaken this week and we leave the place of comfort to find a taut blade peeking through the discomfort. This is a sign of things turning for the worse, but alas, as the edifice crumbles, the promise of release for the blade is immanent, as what is strung, and firm always has the potential of being taken down. In life their are few certainties. As for seeing things for what they are, look for the road that opens, the X that marks the spot in the horizon. Because where things crumble, therein resides the capacity to build something else in its place, hopefully something better. With the week looking like a battlefield, keep an eye for the opening roads along the way and make sure to take the ones that hold promise and change. Keep working at it.

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I began these weekly auguries as a way to bring more consistency into my blog, plus, I love reading the cards and exploring different ways of doing so. I am not one to read the cards for myself everyday, but I thought this would be a good way to see how the readings mirror the week in the long run. So far it has been fun and enlightening for myself, I hope it has been so as well for those that have read them. This week I decided to trim it down a bit with the card layout. This is because I am in the process of moving, packing my books and selling furniture, it is a lot of work. For now, I will be doing these auguries in shorter form, but know that I might also suspend these installments, at some point, until after the move.

I will, as always, continue writing and sharing my thoughts about all things tarot, cartomancy, magic, books, and perhaps even dive into more esoteric subjects.

Wishing you a wonderful week.

~~~