I know virtually nothing about alchemy, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the Museum of Lost Wonder. Its main purpose is to teach dummies like me a little something about the magical art.
Taking a virtual tour of the museum is great fun, as well as educational.
Starting at the ticket booth, you’re led through a series of halls dedicated to the different steps in the alchemical process.
Along the way you can click around the rooms for hidden nuggets of information, all the while enjoying the bubbling sounds of everything from calcination to conjunctio.
I had a fabulous time scooting from one hall to the next, looking for flashing lights or hidden rooms. I’m still an alchemical dummy, but perhaps a little less dumb than I was before the tour.
And if you do decide to visit, make sure to try the other links on the site as well. I especially liked the sacred geometry movie, ‘A Love Story.’
Celebrate with enthusiasm! Today is for fun and sharing. Friends are at the forefront, especially the ladies in your life.
Good times, good friends, good drink – it could be a pretty excellent day. Don’t be afraid to be happy and remember to let people know how much you like them.
Take delight in music, poetry, painting – this is a time of inspiration and creativity. Social interaction with others will be invigorating and fruitful.
Let yourself get carried away by laughter and joy. Seek out the beautiful within yourself and those around you. You won’t be disappointed if you do.
Last year, the Court of Appeal in Brisbane, Australia, upheld an appeal by a man jailed for allegedly committing arson.
A new trial will be set for him later this year, but reasons for the court’s decision were made public earlier this month.
Officially, the appeal was upheld because the accused had not been given the chance to present expert opinion on some vital evidence.
What’s more interesting though was a second grounds for appeal that was not considered by the court, though it would have been had the case not already been decided.
Apparently, one of the jurors was a psychic medium. She told the jury speaker, and then the judge, that though she was not trying to use her psychic powers to make judgment on the case, she had a strong sense of what really went down with the fire.
Though the defense requested that the entire jury be dismissed in case the psychic had influenced them beyond the evidence at hand, the judge decided to dismiss only the psychic herself.
I’m particular interested in this case because a number of years back, I was deemed ‘unacceptable’ as a jury member because I told the court I was a Tarot reader.
It was a bit insulting at the time, especially since it was the other jury members who rejected me, not the lawyers or the judge.
Ultimately though, it was probably a blessing in disguise. I didn’t really want to sit on a jury.
And truth be told, if they were worried I might pull cards on the case, they were probably right to be concerned. I’m sure I would have controlled myself from doing so, but it would have been very tempting.
The Moon moves into Aries today and will stay there until Sunday.
Translating this transit into Tarot Cards, it would be like the High Priestess is wearing the Emperor’s clothing. She’s in scarlet and armor and is ready for battle.
The Moon in Aries, or High Priestess in the clothing of the Emperor, is a time of intensified emotions. You might feel an increased desire to shape your own world.
Rather than sitting back in stillness, this transit encourages the loosening of emotional restrictions and the conscious expression of enthusiasm and/or passion.
It might be uncomfortable at first, but allow yourself to speak out loud. Take steps forward to let people know what you know and what you love.
Try to remain objective and open-minded while acting with determination and direction. It might sound impossible, but you can do both if you try.
This isn’t the day for action. It’s time to slow down and take a close look at what’s been going on. And if you can do it from a different perspective – great! Choose a comfortable place to relax and review what you’ve been up to. It might seem like a sacrifice, but it’s well worth it.
Are there patterns in your life that seem to be becoming more obvious than usual? This is a wonderful time to pay attention to how you’re life’s been going these last three months or so. Does it remind you of another time – maybe 12 years ago?
Look carefully at any people, places or things from your past (or that remind you of the past) that might unexpectedly appear. They might be highlighting particular areas in your life you’re repeating. Is it a repetition you’re happy with?
After you’ve done some review, start thinking about where you want to go next. Your old ways are almost over. Think about the new patterns you want to develop – you’ll be ready to start them soon enough. For now, relax, review and let yourself imagine?
Last week, a phenomenon known as Omiwatari, was observed on the frozen Lake Suwa in the Nagano prefecture of Japan. Chunks of ice pushed up from cracks like giant crystals rising across the lake.
It’s the first time in a few years Omiwatari has appeared. It happens when ice on the water expands and contracts due to temperature changes from day to night.
And apparently, when it occurs, it’s a chance for some divination.
According to tradition, Omiwatari is caused by the footsteps of the god Takeminakata-no Mikoto when he crosses Lake Suwa to visit with the goddess Yasakatome-no Mikoto.
In honour of its occurrence Shinto priests performed a purification rite, and gathered data for predictions on this year’s social situations, weather, and the prospects for crop harvests.
This year’s Omiwatari patterns were compared to patterns from the past, and it was determined that they were similar to ones observed in 1897 and 1963.
Thus, the priests predicted unseasonable weather and adverse conditions. But despite the weather, they still expect a good year with an abundant harvest.
Watch the video below to see the Omiwatari and the priests doing their work. It’s in Japanese, but even if without understanding the language, you can figure out what’s going on.
Emotional renewal is the name of the game today. A new way of feeling about something and/or somebody is about to emerge. Perhaps you’re feeling it already – it’s like that first hint of spring or when a magnolia tree finally blossoms after a long cold winter.
Joy and hope are in the air and accessible to you. Throw away any gloom you’ve been dragging around and wake up to the inspiration of postive emotions. There’s a sense that anything can happen and it’s probably going to be good. Be receptive to the love that’s around you and give it back in kind.
I wrote about this Kickstarter project last year, but unfortunately, the artist wasn’t able to reach her goal at the time and it was put on hold for a moment.
But the Stolen Child Tarot has made a reappearance, and this time Monica Knighton, creator of the Tarot of the Dead, has already raised the funds she needs to print her new 24 card deck.
Though she’s met her goal, I’m writing about her project again anyway, just in case you missed it before and/or didn’t know that there was a new opportunity to get yourself a copy.
The Stolen Child Tarot is inspired by the poem of the same name by William Butler Yeats. It features changeling children and magical creatures of the natural world.
In it, the mystic meets the adorable, and no adult humans are allowed.
