April Affirmation: I embrace the realityof my resurrectionas I step into
the newness of my springtime.

As we continue our soul’s journey through the major arcana of the Tarot, we now encounter the Wheel of Fortune or as it’s known in the Inner Child cards, Alice in Wonderland. This card challenges us to confront the changing cycles of life as well as the reality of the abundance of the Universe. We are surrounded by abundance, which is much more than just the balance on our bank statement. Take a moment now to reflect on the abundant growth of springtime: the green grass, the first flowers bursting into bloom, the spring rains, the trees beginning to show their delicate leaves. Remember to give thanks for all this abundance that we so often forget and ignore.

The Wheel of Fortune also confronts us with the cycles of time that can be called the Wheel of Karma. In the West we shy away from this concept, feeling that it limits our free will but in reality karma is simply another way of expressing the universal law of cause and effect. The energy we share with our world is what comes back to us, good, bad or ugly. So why not make it as good as possible? Find time for random acts of kindness. Be aware that our thoughts create, so mind your mind and think positive thoughts about yourself and others around you. It may seem like a tiny effort but it’s an important one. We are all interconnected and what we share with the Universe makes a difference.

Finally, the message of Alice in Wonderland reminds us that we each have the choice to “fall” down our own rabbit hole. And this is not necessarily a bad thing. Going down her rabbit hole, Alice discovers a whole new and different world, and so can we. This can be our resurrection, not after we die but here and now. We can choose a higher level of consciousness, a higher dimension. Yes, change can be scary, but think of the changes that a tulip bulb undergoes to bloom beautifully. Do we choose to stay underground as a dead bulb, or do we break free and evolve into what we’re meant to become? Spring is a time of choice and growth. Reach for the sun and grow beyond your limits!

And remember: “Those that say that the Lord first died, and then was resurrected are wrong: for he was first resurrected, and then died. If someone has not first been resurrected, they can only die. If they have already been resurrected, they are alive as God is Alive.”

The Gospel of Philip, Verse 21

Sweet Spirit, you fill us with your creative Power. Let your sun shine in our hearts. Let your cleansing Love nourish us as it flows through every cell, every organ, every vein and artery of our being. Break up the clods of “dirt” that block our becoming who you meant us to be. Heal us to the depth of our souls so that we may grow and blossom and bear good fruit. We honor the seeds you have planted within us. Teach us how to be attentive gardeners of our souls and spirits. Bathe us in the Light of your sunshine. Water us with the nourishment of your Knowledge and we promise to cultivate our gardens well. So it is.

January Affirmation: I release memories and pain from the past and
welcome a new beginning in the New Year.

We continue our soul journey through the major Arcana with the Chariot. The Chariot symbolizes forward motion, which is a perfect energy for the beginning of the New Year. But before we can move forward, we need to reflect on the past and any regrets that might block our continued forward progress.

In these first days of the New Year, find a quiet space to go within and connect with your inner soul. Let yourself feel any pain, any anxiety, any regret that you have stored from the experiences of the past year. Revisit the circumstances that created these feelings and if you’re ready, release them and let them go with a blessing for what they have taught you. Allow the newness of change into your life as you step across the threshold of the New Year.

As you move forward with the energy of the Chariot, take this opportunity to create your New Year affirmations. I prefer the word “affirmations” to “resolutions”. Reflect on your goals and your purpose for the year ahead and then put them in writing. You can use this as a daily meditation practice, affirming on an ongoing basis your focus and goals as you move forward on your soul journey. Be aware that the two horses of the Chariot can veer in opposite directions. One is often pictured as black, the other white, which highlights the challenge of keeping the energy flowing forward into the Light and avoiding the pitfalls of doubt and fear. Step forward with courage and faith in the future. All will be well.

And remember: “The outcome of the world, the gates of the future, the entry into the super-human – these are not thrown open to a few of the privileged nor to one chosen people to the exclusion of all others. They will open only to an advance of all together, in a direction in which all together can join and find completion  in a spiritual renovation of the earth…”

~ Pierre Teilhard De Chardin

O God of Love and Compassion, often we are hardest on ourselves. We live for years with old resentments, old guilts, old anger and frustration. Now it is time to clean house. Heal us at the very depth of our souls. May we release the old baggage that we have carried for so long. Remove the blocks that build walls against loving and being loved. There is so much that we can do here in your world if we have the strength and the courage to walk forward, vulnerable and unafraid. Be our Protection, dear God. May your Light always surround us. May your Love always enfold us. May your Power always protect us, and may your Presence always watch over us. Wherever we journey, you go before us. Thank you, thank you, thank you, God. Alleluia. So it is.