For those who need a refresher, Friday, March 20 was Spring Equinox, (known in my tradition as Ostara) when day and night are balanced and equal. It also heralded the first day of Spring and the growth of the Sun. Friday was also the New Moon and not just any moon, but a Supermoon where the moon is closest to the earth in its orbit. As if this were not enough, Friday was ALSO a Total Solar Eclipse seen in the most northern latitudes, but felt over all the earth.
I’ll just summarize all that again!
- Spring Equinox – Ostara
- First Day of Spring
- New Moon
- Supermoon
- Total Solar Eclipse
It is no wonder my spirit was anticipating something!
Between heaven and earth, between light and dark, between Full and New, between day and night, between winter and summer, between the worlds, we find balance.
I found myself searching. Dreaming of something nebulous, just out of my reach, just out of my sight. Something liminal. Coming but not yet here. I found inspiration for my search from a veritable potpourri of all things Spring from one of my favorite blogs, Hecate Demeter’s Undermining the Patriarchy: https://hecatedemeter.wordpress.com/2015/03/20/first-evening-of-spring-potpourri/.
Her Light and Darkness spread fit the confluence of magickal influences happening for Divine Ostara and I modified it just for me. I used the Osho Zen Tarot because it fit my mood and I love the artwork of the cards and the simplicity of the descriptions.
LIGHT AND DARKNESS SPREAD (Cards 1 through 6 are from Hecate Demeter)
Card 1: Beloved Light – what lights you up brightest (inspired by the sun).
Card 2: Shadow obscures my light – this is the obstacle, habit, barrier etc (inspired by the moon).
Card 3: Move from the shadow to reveal my light to the world (inspired by the solar eclipse).
Card 4: Beloved Darkness – a part of yourself that you do not share with others (inspired by the dark supermoon).
Card 5: How I balance my beloved darkness and beloved light to enhance my life and those lives around me (inspired by the Vernal Equinox).
Card 6: What the Universe wishes me to shower upon the Earth (inspired by the Northern Lights where the solar eclipse was visible).
Card 7: For the Magick Over All (inspired by my love of the Magic number 7).
I drew them into the following layout with card 7 at the top, card 6 showering over the rest, then card 1 as the sun, card 2 as the shadow over the sun, card 3 moving from shadow, card 4 at the bottom for the beloved darkness, and card 5 over it to balance between.
The Cards I pulled:
Card 1 – Beloved Light – 2 OF RAINBOWS (in the Osho Zen Tarot, Rainbows represent the Minor Arcana suit of Earth but with the Zen-like qualities of the Rainbow which bridges earth and sky, matter and spirit.) The card is named, “MOMENT TO MOMENT”. The card challenges me to move away from my preoccupation with other spaces and other times, and stay alert to what is happening in the here and now. It encourages me to drop all judgments in order to attain freedom and be available to what comes.
As the Beloved Light card, this makes sense to me as I am either consumed by work, or preoccupied with upcoming events, or day-dreaming something other than where I am. Being in the moment is a most precious gift and does light me up when I gift myself with presence.
Card 2 – The shadow that obscures – VIII COURAGE – This Major Arcana card suggests that when faced with difficult challenges (perfect for a shadow card, yes?), we can be resentful or we can face the challenge and grow through it.
As the flower has conquered the stone, I too, can conquer my obstacles. I love the Zen description, “The seed cannot know what is going to happen, the seed has never known the flower. The seed cannot even believe that it has the potential to become a beautiful flower.” My barriers to fulfillment and joy come back to gifting myself with care. My challenge is to overcome not listening to the needs of my physical body. (Having recently turned 60, this has become more important to my well-being.)
Card 3 – Move from the shadow – QUEEN OF FIRE – The card is named, “SHARING” and suggests an opportunity to share love, joy, and laughter. The Queen of Fire is so rich and abundant that she can afford to give without limits or worry about putting aside something for later.
It has always been the case that the way out of any depressing situation (at least for me) is to give of myself; my time or money or something as a way to get out of my head and my own problems, and become connected to others. While I am not now depressed, it is good to see that the cards say the way to move out of the shadows is to share. The card describes my life perfectly. It says, “everything around you seems to be ‘coming together’ now. Enjoy it, ground myself in it, and let the abundance in me and around me overflow.” Sweet.
Card 4 – Beloved Darkness – KNIGHT OF WATER – TRUST. This card demands absolute trust. It suggests taking a quantum leap into the unknown without preparation or thinking about it first. It promises the exhilaration will be tremendous, even if I am scared to death.
I don’t often employ my Beloved Darkness of absolute trust, but when I have, the results have been as beautiful as this card. There are ‘opportunities’ on the horizon that I have pondered and have not prepared for, nor made any firm decisions regarding whether to do them or not. Perhaps I just need to trust that if they appeared to me as they have, it is something I should trust myself to do.
Card 5 – Balance – XXI – COMPLETION – (*Magickal synchronicity* This Major Arcana card in most Tarot decks is the WORLD card, and was the card I drew for Ostara 2014. I even blogged about it here: http://wp.me/p2oWch-5A). Osho Zen Tarot suggests that whatever has been absorbing my time and energy is now coming to an end. In completing it, I am clearing space for something new to begin. A perfect card to pull for balance.
There have been many endings lately, but the one this brings to mind is my coven work. Over the last several months, my coven completed another student year and initiated two new members. The newest initiates wrote and performed their public ritual for Ostara for the Tradition Clan just last week and did an excellent job. Now they begin classes for the initiate year, and we bring in a whole new group of students. Lots of endings and lots of beginnings. The card suggests this is a time to celebrate both – the end of the old, and the coming of the new. Couldn’t be any more perfect than that.
Card 6 – Shower from the Universe – 0 THE FOOL – With every step, and moment to moment, the Fool leaves the past behind and jumps into the unknown. The Fool exudes purity, innocence, and trust and is supported by the Universe at this moment. The Fool is at the peak of intuition and is in harmony with all the elements. Adventure awaits!
The card suggests that I too, should leave the past behind and shower my intuition and elemental knowledge to those around me. If I trust my feeling of the ‘rightness’ of things, I cannot go wrong. My actions may appear ‘foolish’ to others, but if I am in harmony with the elements, I can take that leap into the unknown and will be supported.
Card 7 – The Magick over all – ACE OF FIRE – THE SOURCE – This card reminds us that there is a vast reservoir of energy available to us. We tap into it not by thinking or planning, but by getting grounded, centered, and silent enough to be in contact with the Source. Seems a fitting and perfect card to pull last to represent the magick over all.
When we speak of being grounded or centered, this is the Source we are talking about accessing. This is also the Source we would go to for inspiration to begin something new or for safe haven to rest from a challenge we just finished. I am so fortunate to have this Source available to me as I need. And I do need.
Summary:
LIGHT AND DARKNESS SPREAD
Card 1: Beloved Light – what lights you up brightest (inspired by the sun) – 2 OF RAINBOWS – MOMENT TO MOMENT
Card 2: Shadow obscures my light – this is the obstacle, habit, barrier etc (inspired by the moon) – VIII COURAGE
Card 3: Move from the shadow to reveal my light to the world (inspired by the solar eclipse) – QUEEN OF FIRE – SHARING
Card 4: Beloved Darkness – a part of yourself that you do not share (inspired by the dark supermoon) – KNIGHT OF WATER – TRUST
Card 5: How I balance my beloved darkness and beloved light (inspired by the Vernal Equinox) – XXI – COMPLETION
Card 6: What the Universe wishes me to shower upon the Earth (inspired by the Northern Lights) – 0 THE FOOL
Card 7: For the Magick Over All (inspired by my love of the Magic number 7) – ACE OF FIRE – THE SOURCE
So mote it be!
Tree of Knowledge Coven 
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