The Giants’ Tarot, Raven Kaldera

Wrapping up September on a serious note: Hreidmar & Ottar/Five of Coins; Isa; Skadi/Justice as the Hidden Influence.

Things may not make sense. Things may seem incredibly unfair. Things may seem horrible and as though they will never ever change and it is going to be awful forever. We are caught in the cold, hard grip of Skadi, wrapped in Isa, devastated by loss as Hreidmar was–and sometimes, life is simply that way, regardless of whether we have done anything to cause these things to happen, or if we are simply caught up in events surrounding us.

Things may not make sense to you right now. Things may seem incredibly unfair right now. And things may be horrible right now–and, things will change.

Beneath Isa’s frozen surface is the liquid energy of potential. You have work to do, perhaps even grieving to do. Change will happen, be assured–and you need to have done your mourning for what is passing away so that you are able to focus on the new.

Skadi reminds us that we do not see the universal picture to give us context for what is happening. The wheels of cosmic justice turn to put things to rights in ways we cannot see or anticipate. We see how events affect us, the changes wrought in our lives and the lives of those around us, but we do not see how it fits into the overall pattern of events. We are humans, not Gods, and rarely do our Gods give us such a view. When They do, we must give ourselves time and space to process it–you can’t just glimpse the Norns’ tapestry and go back to life as you have always lived it. You are changed by that experience, and you must let that change happen.

However, without that view to guide us, all we can do is continue on–keep going, keep working, keep creating, cooking, singing, doing the laundry–whatever is required to make it through the day in one piece. Accept what is offered, make the best of it, and know that things underneath the surface are changing, even if we cannot see or sense it right now.

The Giants’ Tarot, Raven Kaldera

Today’s Draw: Hela/Death; Isa; Geirrod & Loki/Eight of Swords.

Beneath the ice of Isa is a pool of crackling energy. The surface seems calm, but underneath is movement, potential, and possibly a lot of chaos. You can shield yourself from others’ wild energies with the reflective power of Isa; how you manage your own energies running underneath Isa is probably your greater concern today.

To free Himself from Geirrod’s cage, Loki had to agree to do something abhorrent to Him–to lure Thor, without His weapons, to Geirrod’s house to fulfill Geirrod’s desire to kill Thor. The plan did not succeed, thanks to Grid’s lending Thor some of Her armor and weapons, as Loki and Thor just happened to stop at Grid’s home on the way to seeing Geirrod, and Loki was able to wordsmith the arrangement in such at way that He kept His promise to bring Thor to Geirrod’s house without His weapons–even though Loki knew that Geirrod intended for Loki to bring Thor completely unarmed and defenseless. We may find ourselves in a situation in which we have to make agreements we do not want to keep, or may be unable to keep–but we still have to deal with the fact that we made the agreement.

Hela, despite Her half-living, half-dead body, is not about doing anything by half. She requires complete action, and there is no “baby steps/slow start” approach. As Kaldera’s write up states: “There are no half-deaths in Hela’s world; this is not about simply picking up and moving and claiming that you are a different person. This is about burning down your house and walking away from the inferno saying, I have no name.”

The tricks that have helped you before are not going to help now. Whatever you agreed to, you will need to make good on. If you can’t make good, or even if you can, be prepared for an ending. Things must change, and whether you are ready or not, the change is here.

The Giants’ Tarot, Raven Kaldera

Aurboda the Healer/Page of Wands; Fehu; Hidden Influence of Hymir & Hrod/Five of Swords.

Today is all about communication and movement. Aurboda is seen flying from Jotunheim to Vanaheim, carrying healing herbs for Freya, creating a bridge between the two realms. Hymir & Hrod represent some of the first Jotnar to cross between Muspellheim and Niflheim, creating a bridge between the two cultures.

Ansuz is the God Voice, the Breath of Life. Many runeworkers associate Ansuz with Odin as Allfather and creator of Ask and Embla. Ansuz is also associated by some with Loki, both for his affiliation with Mercury as messenger of the Gods, and also for those who view Loki as the pre-Norse Father God.

No matter who you associate with Ansuz, the message is clear: LISTEN. Listen again. Whoever you are listening to has something you need to hear about healing. Pay attention to others’ words and actions. Be open to synchronicity. You may find something today that is exactly what you needed and didn’t know you were looking for.

Also, communicate clearly. We have two ears and one mouth. Listen,  then speak after you have confirmed with the other person that  you have understood what they meant–not just what they said. Then take the time to convey your thoughts, feelings, ideas, etc. clearly, and to make sure the other person has understood. The Active Listening technique can take some time to learn, and may seem to make conversations take longer, but is it really longer than getting into an argument, having to calm down, and having to have the same discussion again?

Today is also the Lunar Eclipse with the Full Blood Moon. ALL THE ENERGY. Tap into it and channel it wisely. Much healing of personal wounds and relationship problems (any kind of relationship, not just romantic) can be done today, if we pay attention to the real words of ourselves and the others involved.

The Giants’ Tarot, Raven Kaldera

It may be Friday, but your work is not yet done. Daeg/Knight of Wands says the time has come to do what you’ve been postponing. Angbroda, the High Priestess, advises bold–and thoughtful–action. Eihwaz, the yew tree, underscores Angrboda’s message of thought. Get out there, and be careful out there.

Daeg, the Knight of Wands, is all about taking action. Do it. Whatever it is. Just do it. It’s not going to get done by thinking about, or planning it, or wishing someone would take care of it. Take action, and be done with it.

The fire of Eihwaz feeds the active energy of Daeg. Lots of fire means lots of energy to direct–Angrboda’s wisdom can guide us to right action and right timing if we will listen to Her.

The yew tree is sometimes seen as Yggdrasil, the World Tree, which allows us to move between worlds. Angrboda is sorcerer and shaman who moves between worlds Herself. Her guidance helps us to ground our magical work in the practical world to create the changes we have been avoiding or delaying through fear, lack of confidence, or sheer stubbornness. Get over yourself, and get on with your work.

The Giants’ Tarot, Raven Kaldera

Kolga/Six of Cups reappears this week, along with Fehu, and the Hidden Influence of Gerda/Page of Coins.

Kolga most recently appeared with Dagaz to melt the frozen emotions which keep us stuck in unhealthy patterns. Fehu continues this work, its warmth freeing the cups trapped in the ice.

Fehu blesses us with the resources we need to do the healing work, drawing upon our strength, luck, and connections to to others, allowing us to manifest our own best qualities.

Gerda, as the healer, helps us to use those resources wisely and well. She knows which herbs will help and which will harm. We are guided by Her wisdom to avoid what is harmful and to choose what we need to heal ourselves. Gerda works within the rich world of her walled garden, and She suggests that we, too, retreat to our walled garden to do our healing in safety and sanctuary.

The Giants’ Tarot, Raven Kaldera

After yesterday’s draw of balance and centering in preparation for the Equinox, today we are advised to mind boundaries, especially in terms of guarding our own boundaries against trickery.

Ior, the rune of Jormundgand, the World Serpent, reminds us that boundaries are necessary to protect ourselves on both the material and non-material planes. A strong boundary keeps out negative influences, as well as allowing us sacred space to do our own work within the boundary. Think about not only what you are keeping out, but about what you are protecting, and nurture that which is special and sacred.

Suttung, for all of the physical barriers he erected, was unable to protect his dearest treasures–his daughter, Gunnlod, and the Mead of Poetry–from Odin, who took the form of a snake to sneak into the smallest of openings in the rock. Had Suttung allowed his daughter a regular life as a member of the community, perhaps she would not have succumbed to Odin’s charms and been able to guard the Mead of Poetry. Oh, who are we kidding? Odin is Oh-So-Charming when He deems it necessary. However, the suggestion for us is to look at whether we are going to unhealthy extremes to guard our treasure, when a bit of generosity would serve everyone far better.

Then, Loki and Thor play dress up to fool Thrym and regain Thor’s hammer. Now that you have allowed yourself time to enjoy the idea of the God of Thunder in an apron dress and braids, let’s look at what’s going on here. A valuable treasure (Mjollnir) has been stolen from its rightful owner (Thor), and Thrym demands an impossible price–the hand of Freya. Freya is having none of that, thankyouverymuch, it’s not Her hammer and it’s not Her problem. (That boundary thing again.) The direct approach–Thor storming into Thrym’s hall and taking it back by force–won’t work, because Thor is without His weapon. So, of course, Loki comes to the rescue with the idea for Thor to disguise Himself as Freya, and fool Thrym long enough for Thor to retake the hammer. Setting aside how Thrym could possibly have seen Thor dressed so and taken Him to be Freya (maybe Loki threw some extra glamors over Him), Thor is having to compromise what is most important to Him–His self-image as the manliest of manly men–to regain what is most valuable to Him. And He has to trust Loki, which, well, let’s just say that was probably as much of a stretch as getting Thor to dress in women’s clothing.

Today will likely have difficult choices–what must you give up to protect what is yours? You may have to choose between things of equal importance, which is even more difficult. You may also have to trust someone you have very good reason not to trust–if you do, make the decision consciously, acknowledging that it might not work out in your best interest. Understand why the other person is offering to help, and step back and see if there is a way you can do this without them. If you absolutely must work with this person, keep your shields up and don’t give away your game–you need a Plan C for when they go to Plan B.

The Giants’ Tarot, Raven Kaldera

For today’s Equinox, Sigyn as Temperance is an apt draw, along with the rune Dagaz, and Groa/Nine of Wands as the Hidden Influence.

On this day of balance between light and dark, Sigyn’s influence helps us balance our own energies. She reminds us that we find and re-find our center as our experiences temper and shape us.

Dagaz is the rune of transformation–from day to night, night to day, season to season–making it the perfect companion to Sigyn. Some also attribute this rune to Loki, making this connection to Sigyn/Temperance even more powerful. Their experience in the cave, with Sigyn tending the bound Loki, was an extreme tempering experience for both of Them. Dagaz helps us filter our experience and make sense of it so that we can truly take in the lesson and not have to repeat it.

Groa, a respected healer, guides us to use our skills wisely and well. Think about how you use your abilities, and your time. Are you putting them towards what is truly important, or are you distracted from your goals by material considerations, emotional issues, or just plain old lack of focus? Today is a good day to consider how you structure your day, and how that aligns (or doesn’t) with your priorities, and figure out how to change your day to match your (possibly changed) goals. As a Wand, a card of action, Groa tells us that balance is an active process; what achieves balance on one day may not work the next, and so we need to be flexible within our structure to keep that midpoint focus.

Take time, make time, to rediscover your balance point, and make the necessary changes to meet it.

The Giants’ Tarot, Raven Kaldera

Dagaz and Beli/Knight of Swords each make a return appearance for the week, along with Kolga/Six of Cups.

The light and heat of Dagaz are melting the ice in Kolga’s card, releasing stuck emotions and letting us see where our energies are trapped in negative emotional and behavioral patterns.

Beli is all about the mind–unable to let go of old thought patterns, our minds perpetuate our repetition of experiences which cause pain and keep us from healing. Beli is also about rebellion for the sake of rebellion, breaking things just to break them. While breaking out of stagnation is an opportunity for healing, it needs to be done with awareness, rather than simply reacting from old patterns.

Be aware of your thoughts and feelings today. Manage them, or they will manage you, leading to behavior which you will likely regret. With all of the energies being freed by Dagaz (itself a rune of life changes), breathe and think before speaking. Change is not always easy, and it’s certainly no easier if we are coming from a place of thoughtless reaction rather than thoughtful action.

The Giants’ Tarot, Raven Kaldera

The Nornir from Monday’s draw have returned today as the Hidden Influence. Asvid the Hierophant and the rune Hagalaz keep company with Them. Wherever to begin?

Hagalaz, hail, destruction, and disruption. Think of it as Uber for your change process. You can’t control what happens, you can only control your response.

Hagalaz is linked with Hel, the Goddess of the Afterlife, life-in-death and death-in-life. You can’t control what happens, you can only control your response.

The Nornir and the Web/Wheel remind us that you can’t control what happens, you can only control your response.

Asvid as The Hierophant is our bright spot. Asvid tells us we have the resources and knowledge to respond to events in a wise and authentic manner, including the support and guidance of wise others in our lives. We must choose to do so, however; responding to the situation from our core being, rather than simply reacting from the surface. Asvid also encourages caution–test the ice before walking across it.

Like Monday, today is not an ordinary day. You have the chance to be extraordinary, to move and act from your Highest Self, and to meet the changes and challenges with grace.

Images from The Giants’ Tarot, Raven Kaldera

Today’s draw has two Swords cards and the rune Ear. Today’s moon is in Scorpio, so the day is full of intense mental and emotional energy–much of which is unfocused and easily misdirected.

Today calls for mental clarity and careful speech. If you find yourself itching for a fight, stop and think before going on the attack. Sort out that energy. Are you really upset with the other person, or are they simply a convenient target for what is actually bothering you?

Deal with the real issue of letting go, mourning the loss, and accepting change. You don’t have to like change; you do have to accept it in order to get on with your life.

If you must fight today, fight bravely and well. Ensure you are fighting a just battle–no bullying, no scapegoating, no dishonorable motives.

Cleverness is going to be more helpful than brute force. Use every advantage you possess–never fight fair when you are fighting for your life. (To quote Captain Ned Lynch. of “Swashbuckler”.)

With all of this volatile, intense energy, remember that you cannot control other people or circumstances. You can control your thoughts, your words, and your actions. Focus your energy on managing yourself, and do what needs to be done.