Saturday 22 November 2014

Your Herbal Tarot Reading ~ New Moon in Sagittarius, Sat 22nd Nov '14


Today I'm gifting you with a one card herbal tarot reading to celebrate the new moon in Sagittarius.

The new moon is a time when the night sky is at its darkest, also known as the black moon, so it's a good time to refocus, gain clarity of vision, create and initiate a plan for the next phase ahead.

With the new moon in fiery expansive Sagittarius, the emphasis in general is to stretch your boundaries, take bold and decisive action steps, heart and mind opening wide, exploring new possibilities to broaden horizons, dreaming big and shooting for the stars.

I trust that the card you choose will help focus your intentions for the next moon cycle.

I offered these free herbal tarot readings back in September when I launched my new herbal astro tarot reading service. I've loved receiving such wonderful feedback from so many of you. So I'm considering doing these on a more regular basis to coincide with the new moon.

I've also been delighted to offer herbal astro tarot sessions with some of you already one to one on Skype and in person in Edinburgh during the past couple of months.

These readings come with explanation and pdf of your astrology birth chart, a one to one 90min herbal tarot reading with a high resolution image emailed after the session, and a personalised herbal tea blend based on your focus and the outcomes of your reading.

An astro herbal tarot tea is posted or delivered to you in the following week to enjoy their healing benefits and continue to reflect on what comes up afterwards.

Now on to your new moon reading...


********

Close your eyes, breathing 
deeply and gently into your belly....

Focus your heart and mind 
on any issues you would like 
support or guidance with 
over the next moon cycle....

When you're ready, 
open your eyes 
and click on the card number 
you feel most drawn to:


Love and blessings,


PLEASE NOTE: 
If you are reading this on the main home page of my blog, **stop scrolling down now** to avoid spoilers of your card reading in the blogs posts below.

P.S. You're welcome to share this with your friends or invite anyone who might appreciate it.

For occasional updates of upcoming new moon readings, soulful self care tips, my herbal wellness blog adventures, holistic clinics and events, I invite you to click here to sign up for your free Nourish and Flourish Love Letters delivered by email directly to your inbox.

Your New Moon Herbal Tarot Reading ~ Card no 1

New Moon in Sagittarius Herbal Tarot Reading 

You chose card no 1 ~ Nine of Pentacle ~ Dark Grapes



A woman sits amongst her grape vines, dressed in all her finery and enjoying the fruits of her efforts.

The Nine of Pentacles card recognises you for all your hard work and determination. You have planted seeds in the past, lovingly nurtured and tended to them as they grew over a long period of time through sunny spells and times of hardship, your persistence eventually pays off.

You can afford to take more breaks just now. Feeling stable and secure, you can invest more in yourself at this time as you are supported in more ways than one, allowing yourself to enjoy some luxuries. Be aware of a possible tendency to excess however, but this is a time for you to celebrate life and our earth's abundant gifts!

You may also feel you are in a position to give more to others at this time, knowing the struggles we have all experienced to different degrees, whether it is generosity in the form of material gifts, emotional and moral support, or simply advice based on your own trials and errors. 

The Dark Grapes indicated in the card are symbolic of abundance and fertility, slightly reminiscent of the opulence of Ancient Greeks. In Greek mythology, Dionysus (or Bacchus in Roman mythology) is often depicted with bunches of grapes and revered as the God of wine. 

In herbal medicine, the dark pigmentation in the skin of red or black grapes, called anthocyanins have a strong antioxidant effect on our body's cells, promoting healing and regeneration. These constituents have been shown to help boost cognitive function, reduce inflammation, prevent various diseases, protecting against environmental stress and support healthy cardiovascular function. 

Grape seed extracts have similar benefits. These have also been studied and used to help promote skin healing, support healthy musculoskeletal tissue growth and as a cancer preventive. Cold pressed grape seed oil is commonly used on skin as a light massage base oil by many bodywork therapists.

Why not treat yourself and household to a bunch or two of grapes? If you enjoy a glass of wine, treat yourself and a friend to a bottle of good quality red wine and toast to your good health and success. 

Enjoyment is a key word. There may be temptations to overdo things with this card especially as we head into the festive season, so explore fun and healthy ways to eat, drink and be merry... and share the abundance!


Healing blessings,
Fiona x


P.S. I'd love to hear how this resonates with you. You are most welcome to leave a comment below or on my Nourish and Flourish FB page.


For occasional updates of upcoming new moon readings, soulful self care tips, my herbal wellness blog adventures, holistic clinics and events, I invite you to click here to sign up for your free Nourish and Flourish Love Letters delivered by email directly to your inbox. 

Your New Moon Herbal Tarot Reading ~ Card no 2

New Moon in Sagittarius Herbal Tarot Reading 

You chose card no 2 ~ Knight of Wands ~ Aconite


A Knight strides out his latest a mission, a wooden staff slung over his shoulder, travelling light in the sunny countryside. He encounters the a highly poisonous Aconite plant (aka Monkshood or Wolf's Bane).

The Knight of Wands card is perfect for the Sagittarius new moon as it corresponds exactly to the qualities of Sagittarius, therefore potentiating these qualities of broadening horizons, exploring new possibilities and activities, opportunities to learn and possibly travel for the cycle ahead. 

The Wands suit represent fire, symbolic of taking action, energy, inspiration, and the Knights symbolic of adventure, courage, a carefree spirit. The Sagittarius symbol is a centaur, half horse, half man, holding a bow and arrow, pointing upwards to the heavens and setting sights high

Like the Knight, centaurs are warriors, with a fire in their heart and bellies, ready to discover foreign lands and encounter new and exotic experiences. This is a time of exploration and discovery, a time to be fearless.

A sense of confidence in your own abilities, with faith and trust in the universe accompanies this card, but there is also a warning.

The Aconite plant indicated in the card is a truly exotic, intriguing and beautiful plant, but its distinctive flower on close inspection looks almost like an alien's head. The hood mimics the knight's helmet, suggesting that despite its humble plant status, it's equal to the destructive strength and power of his warrior opponent. 

Aconite is a deadly poison in even relatively small amounts. Ingesting it can cause nausea, vomiting, intense, burning pain, paralysis, heart irregularities, breathing difficulties and even death.

It's called Wolf's Bane as historically it was mixed with bait to kill wolves. Gardeners have reported numbness, tingling and burning of the arms, even just gathering up the cut plant with bare arms. 

Experienced herbalists may use this plant (known as a Schedule 20 herb, not available over the counter and to be used with utmost care and caution) but very few take the risk. It is used only externally blended in very specific amounts with other preparations as a pain relief.

In this reading, the symbolism suggests that mindfulness and care must balance eager optimism, bravery and a carefree attitude. These qualities can make you feel invincible, powerful like a superhero... But be aware of your personal Achille's heel or Kryptonite.  

On the other hand, the Knight of Wand represents an inclination to boldly go where no man or woman has gone before, and provides opportunities for new discoveries and innovations

This card helps us learn to balance our fiery sides with a skillful humility and respect for the unknown. With this awareness, you can safely shoot for the stars and quite possibly end up there!


Healing blessings,
Fiona x



P.S. I'd love to hear how this resonates with you. You are most welcome to leave a comment below or on my Nourish and Flourish FB page.

For occasional updates of upcoming new moon readings, soulful self care tips, my herbal wellness blog adventures, holistic clinics and events, I invite you to click here to sign up for your free Nourish and Flourish Love Letters delivered by email directly to your inbox. 

Your New Moon Herbal Tarot Reading ~ Card no 3

New Moon in Sagittarius Herbal Tarot Reading 

You chose card no 3 ~ Queen of Pentacles ~ Marshmallow


A Queen sits on a bank by an expanse of water looking noble and reflective communing with a soft leaved blossoming Marshmallow plant.

The Queen of Pentacles represents a more feminine representation of the mastery of the earth element. The earth element (represented as the suit of Pentacles, like large oversized coins) relates to matters of feeling grounded and earthy, such as stability, security, finances, fertility and abundance

As a Queen, she has journeyed through all the stages of development and learning of the earthly realms experienced the highs and lows of scarcity/lack of stability and abundance/security. At the level of the Queen she is able to mentor others and become a gentle guide.

If these sorts of issues have been concerning you, this card appears to suggest a new approach, a more feminine approach. Like the soft leaves and sweet tasting soothing root of the Marshmallow plant, the Queen counsels us to take a softer gentler approach to handling these matters.

We live in a fast paced modern world, where slowing down is often perceived as weakness. The Queen of Pentacles gives us permission to slow down. In doing so, we may gain a renewed clarity and perspective of our inner wisdom, reflected in our waters of the smooth still lake within our heart.

Instead of the more masculine and forceful attitude of the King, the Queen's wisdom is in having the humility and openness to receive materially and be supported

The Queen does not take everything upon herself and carry heavy burdens, but has learned to delegate and take healing time and space to gather energy and resources so that she can give her abundant gifts back in return when the time is right... In its own sweet slow leisurely time.

The Marshmallow plant in herbal medicine is one of the greatest soothing remedies to irritated tissues anywhere in the body. Where there is dryness and soreness, it will bring moisture like a gentle balm, whether it is dry skin, irritated throat and lungs, dryness in the digestive system and bowel, this herb brings comfort and relief.

Not all medicines need to be bitter and unpleasant to take. Marshmallow encourages us to sweeten up and soften up and can be a powerful healing remedy where possibly harsher attempts have failed.

This card encourages us to create the time and space to receive, try a more feminine approach, giving ourselves the queenly sacred self care and support that not only we deserve, but need in order to feel grounded enough to grow, thrive and inspire others in turn. 

Healing blessings,
Fiona x



P.S. I'd love to hear how this resonates with you. You are most welcome to leave a comment below or on my Nourish and Flourish FB page.


For occasional updates of upcoming new moon readings, soulful self care tips, my herbal wellness blog adventures, holistic clinics and events, I invite you to click here to sign up for your free Nourish and Flourish Love Letters delivered by email directly to your inbox.