DAILY DRAW: Queen of Wands

The Queen of Wands is someone who lives life to the fullest. She embodies the spirit of her suit, Wands, in a dynamic, masterful way. She is not one to let life pass her by. There is too much adventure to be had, too many people to meet, too many parties to attend, and she would not dream on missing out on any of it.

She is also all about confidence. She knows who she is, she knows what her strengths are, and any attempts to knock her down are just laughable to her. It's not so much arrogance as it is a genuine love and appreciation of herself. Anyone who takes offense at her extroverted nature or who tries to criticize her for her blatant self-love will get a lesson in sheer pointlessness (they might also want to examine their issues with someone as unselfconsciously happy and self-satisfied).

Wands are all about the spark inside us. It's the key in our ignition, the match that lights the bonfire of all our creative potential. This card coming up for us today is telling us that we need to get out and enjoy life today. Let your hair down, don't be afraid to be you, let your personality and dynamism shine through.

I find it wonderfully synchronistic and even a little humorous that this card popped up on Pride parade day in Toronto. This card totally embodies the spirit of that event. Let's take a lesson from all the people who are celebrating gay pride today by celebrating who WE are. Better yet, join the party.

Let yourself be a diva today (not in a bitchy, nasty way, but in a totally self-loving I AM FABULOUS way). That's what the Queen of Wands is all about.

DAILY DRAW: Five of Wands

The Five of Wands, like all tarot cards, can be interpreted in many different ways. Some people might see it simply as a group of young men engaging in some recreational sport, and others might see it as discord, chaos, confusion, competitiveness, and jockeying for position.

I get the latter sense from this card today. Be prepared to possibly clash with others today or to have to deal with difficult people. Remember that the more you allow a negative person to affect your state of mind, the worse off you will be. If someone gives you a hard time or pushes your buttons, just breathe, smile, and don't allow yourself to get caught up in their negative energy.

This card could also simply indicate miscommunication. The men in this card look like they are trying to erect some kind of structure, but there is no coordination going on. One man is going this way, the other is going that way, none of them are looking at each other, and it's just a mess. That could also be the case today. Make sure you communicate clearly and if you don't understand what someone else is doing or saying, ask for clarification.

The Five of Wands can only get us in a tizzy if we let it. Remember that you have the ultimate control in every situation by the way you respond to it.

DAILY DRAW: The Empress

What a wonderful, incredible card to draw today. After some drama I experienced last night that left me feeling a little shaken and stirred, this card is a definite message to me (and you): Embrace your goddess energy! Do not kid yourself into believing that other people can take your power away from you. You are innately powerful.

The Empress is all about the divine feminine. She is the goddess of love, sexuality, nurturing, creativity, nature. She has the power of the universe at her fingertips. Anything is possible with the Empress.

This card to me is also about regeneration. The Empress in this card makes me think: queen of the harvest. She is sitting in front of a crop of wheat and water from a stream is trickling beside her. She represents growth and the life force. I cannot say enough about the power of this card.

If you have been feeling a little helpless, a little uncertain about the significance of your actions in the world, this card is telling you to have no doubt. Nature goes in cycles. Sometimes it's in full bloom, other times it's stark and dry. But even in those stark times, nature is still working her wonders. It might not be immediately visible, but it will come to fruition when the time is right and then it will dazzle you. Think of a child growing in its mother's womb. Before the baby is born, it grows and develops and we cannot see what is going on with our naked eyes. When the baby is born and we see that amazing new human being, we are all amazed at the beauty and wonder of life.

Never doubt your power. Never doubt your ability to create what you want in your life. We are all innately creative, powerful beings. Embrace that Empress energy today. Her power is within us all, female and male alike.

DAILY DRAW: The High Priestess

I am loving these cards lately. We are going through a major transformation in our lives which is why these incredible Major Arcana cards are popping up. It's an exciting time.

The High Priestess is all about intuition. She is the keeper of secrets and ancient knowledge. She sits quietly in her inner chamber waiting for us to access her silent wisdom. She is the truth teller deep inside us.

If you are simply wondering about a situation or perhaps even agonizing over a major decision (like I am right now), the High Priestess tells us that all we need to do is be quiet and still and to come into her world. There, we will find the answers we seek.

Pay attention to the things that catch your eye today, snippets of text you see on the internet or in the paper, what images you see on TV and out in the world. They are one way of providing clues or a path to finding the answers you want. Even more importantly, make some time to be alone today, in a quiet place, and call upon the High Priestess inside you. What would she tell you if you were to sit at her feet and ask your questions? Visualize yourself sitting in front of her asking your question(s). What would she say?

That is your answer.

DAILY DRAW: Strength

Strength is one of my favourite cards in the tarot. The image evokes some very powerful emotions. Observe what is going on in the card. A very graceful-looking lady draped in flowers is bending down to clasp shut the jaws of lion. What do you think would happen if she were to do this in "real" life? The lion would probably jump on her and maul her. But look at what the lion is doing. He is just looking up at her, making eye contact with her as if he is hypnotized and allowing her to handle him. You can tell that she is not handling him forcefully ... she is doing it gently, being careful not to hurt him.

Strength is all about calling upon that gentle force within us to tame our darker or aggressive side. The lion represents the beast within us, and the lady represents our higher self, the person we are when are manifesting our most positive essence. We all have our weaknesses and fears. Very often, they can sabotage potentially great situations and many of us feel helpless to do anything about it. We find ourselves acting in ways that are counterproductive or even destructive. We act without thinking and then we are left wondering, why did I do that? Or, what just happened?

If you find yourself in a challenging situation today, make sure to take a pause. Better yet, close your eyes and breathe. If anxious, fearful, uncomfortable emotions are raging inside you, remember that you have this gentle force within you that can tame them. Call upon her. The solution to any challenging situation is never to approach it with negativity or aggression ... that just makes it worse. If you can develop the ability to take a step back and call upon the wise, gentle soul inside you, she can work wonders in your life.

DAILY DRAW: Three of Pentacles

Do you like your job? Do you feel that you are a master at what you do? The Three of Pentacles is about work: what you do, how you do it, and working with other people.

In order for us to be happy in our work lives, we have to do what we love. If you go to work every day dreading it and resenting the fact that you have to spend time doing something you hate, obviously you are not going to get much out of it ... not only psychologically and emotionally, but financially as well.

The man standing on the bench is a stonemason. He has just placed the cornerstone of the building and he is consulting two other men, a monk and an architect. They appear to be quite satisfied with what he is doing and he appears quite satisfied to be there.

Work involves providing a service. Who are you providing a service for in your work? Do you enjoy providing that service? Are the people you are providing the service for happy with the help you give them? Or is all you can think about that you are feeling stifled and would much rather be somewhere else?

We all deserve work that satisfies us and enriches our lives financially and emotionally. If you don't have a job you enjoy, think about how you can bring that into your life. Browse the want ads for jobs in your area of interest ... start conversations with people who are doing what you want to do and ask them about openings in that field or how they got started.

If you are already doing what you love, enjoy it. The more you genuinely love your work, the more your efforts will pay off in your heart and in your bank account.