Welcome to the Tarot Forecast for August 2016!

Remember this is a general forecast for everyone, which picks out the energies and trends most likely to be active and felt throughout the coming month.

Work - Ten of Wands, Three of Pentacles, The Star

For many of us, August is usually a month when we go on holiday and relax a little.  Here in the northern hemisphere it is summer, so even if we are working things tend to be a bit more chilled and laid back.  This year, however, you may have to think again.  For many of us there will be no let up in the work load and you may find big, new  projects that need instant attention landing in your lap unexpectedly.  Don't even try to look around to see if you can offload all this new work on to someone else, as they will have their hands full with their own stuff.

Although you may feel bogged down by all this extra responsibility, and it may feel like a hard slog when all you want to do is slope off to the beach or find a nice pub by the river to sit and have a drink in the sun, it does bring with it many benefits.  You may find you have to learn new skills or develop new ways of working which will help you as you move forward in your career.

The Star highlights our hopes and dreams, so have you identified a skills gap that is holding you back?  If you decide you want to do something about it, many training courses start in September so maybe have a look at what is available in your area or speak to your company about what they can provide and are willing to fund for you?  This is a time to follow your dreams, so you have to make it happen and put the work in.  If you want change, you will have to find the courage to shake things up a bit..

Or maybe, all this hard work is making you realise you want to change paths and re-evaluate what you want to do with your life?  Is the effort worth it?  Are you flogging yourself to death for nothing?  Take some time out of your schedule, however busy you are, for some quiet reflection on what your hopes and dreams really are.  What is it that you really want to do?  What is it that makes your heart race in excitement and your blood fizz with anticipation?  Can you really reach for the stars if you are mired in day-to-day drudgery?  Is it time to pull your feet out of the mud and dance to a lighter, more joyful tune?  If you are not happy, stop punishing yourself and go and find something that puts the smile back on your face.  If you are sticking with something purely for the sake of your family or others, remind yourself that if how you are spending your life is not in line with your highest good, then it will not be for their highest good either.  Negotiate a win-win solution for all.

August Tarot Forecast - Is Your Summer Blooming?

Relationships - Knight of Cups, The Moon, Five of Swords

How many of you are dreaming of a tall, dark, handsome sizzling romance this summer?  A bit of summer loving?  This is a good time to meet someone while you are travelling.  They may capture your heart quickly as they are romantic, spontaneous, take you on journeys and introduce to new experiences.  But even though it will be exciting and set your heart pounding, don't be too quick to jump in with both feet and make commitments that may be difficult to back out of further down the track.  The presence of The Moon warns that you may not be seeing things clearly; that you are letting your emotions lead the way rather than thinking things through.

With the Five of Swords also present, there may be things going on in the background you are not aware of.  Is your fascinating new lover already in a relationship?  Are they using you in some way - for money, for a visa? Or is it you who moves in too fast?  Are you trying to make something out of a relationship that was never supposed to be more than a light-hearted holiday fling?  Think again before you consider any kind of coercion or underhanded tactics to keep hold of this romance.  It will likely backfire on you and cause even more pain and destruction.

If you are already coupled, you maybe looking to making changes and spice things up a bit.  But again, be careful that you are doing it for the right reasons.  If you are feeling insecure, unloved or a bit neglected, it would be better to be brave and have an honest, frank talk about your needs and fears with your partner.  Any game playing or underhanded stuff to get them to notice you, will cause more problems not fix the ones you already think you have.  As The Moon can obscure what is really going on, maybe it is as simple as your partner is having problems of their own which is making them seem distant? Reach out and offer a helping hand and a comforting shoulder.  It may not be about you at all!

Money - The Devil,  Four of Pentacles, Knight of Wands

Have you battened down the hatches and tightened your purse strings.  Recent world events have left many people feeling shaken, as though the foundations of their world are crumbling under their feet.
The result being many of you are keeping a very firm hold of your money and what is yours.  But is this very natural response to what you perceive to be threats coming at you from the outside world, really the most constructive one?  The presence of The Devil suggests we are clinging to outmoded paradigms that no longer offer us security.  We are enslaving ourselves to old ways of thinking and doing because we are too scared to let go and create something new.

If we are really sincere in our resolve to create a fairer, kinder more peaceful world where everyone has somewhere to live, enough food to eat, access to clean water, medical care and education for their children then maybe clinging for dear life to what we have and our grim determination to create more for us and our family is not the way to go about it?

The Knight of Wands is showing us the way to new paths, new ways of thinking and an expanded world view.  Holding on is restrictive and painful.  So little by little, try unfurling your wings.  See how good it feels to stretch those wings and soar across the skies in joyful exploration. We live in an abundant universe, but we need the energy to flow before we can tap into all its richness.  Learn to let go.  Know that sharing, generosity and allowing abundance for all of our human family will ultimately bring greater riches than any narrow, fear-based view of protecting what you think you already own.

August Tarot Forecast - Are You Seeing Things Clearly?

Spirituality - Two of Swords, Eight of Cups, Knight of Pentacles

During August many of us will feel caught in a spiritual trap.  We are not seeing clearly and do not know which way to turn.  So much violence and terror has been perpetrated in the name of religion, that we are finding it hard to remember that the God of all religions is one of love, peace and mercy.  Is it time to let go of some of your traditional beliefs that may be causing you pain rather than joy? To release any ideas you may have of a vengeful, punishing deity and replace them with a tender, caring Creator who cradles you in love and mercy always?

Once you have torn your blindfold off, August will be a time to walk away from any spiritual beliefs and practices that no longer serve you.  This may not be easy.  You may have mixed feelings and be very emotional as you take your first steps on your new path.  You do not know where it will lead, but the hope in your heart will be to find a deeper, more personal connection to All That Is. Direct access to your divinity is your birthright and you will find that you no longer need to go through other people or accept other people's doctrines to approach your Creator.

The Knight of Pentacles tells us we can send the message across the world that now we can build our spirituality around very firm foundations that keep us grounded; in tune with the needs of our fellow humans and our planet, yet free of dogma, the old restrictions and rules.  The big issues of our lives here on Earth need resolving in a practical, tangible way.  This month we can find a way, via our deep connection with the divine within us, to bring about big, positive changes in our material world. But only if we are brave enough to tear our blinkers off and gaze fearlessly into the light.

The World Picture - Seven of Wands, Judgement, Six of Wands

As August gets under way it will seem as if everyone in the world is fighting with with each other.  Countries, religions, political parties, groups - they will all want to get their message across and be heard.  The need to be right and to get everyone to listen and agree feels paramount.  And we have all seen where that can lead over the last few months?

It might seem as if this wave of violence and terror is going to engulf us all.  That there is no answer and  no chance of resolution.  But the message is to stand firm in your beliefs, without feeling the need impose them on others. What you stand for may be sorely tested this month and there will be many who will try to convert you to their way of thinking and not always in a gentle way.  This is not a time to be swayed by the media or public opinion.  Go within to find your own truths and live your life by the answers you receive.

Judgement tell us we now approach a crossroads in world history.  Are we going to carry on the same old sorry story of greed, corruption, violence and warfare? Of have we tired of the bloodshed and long to step down a brighter road of prosperity, cooperation and peace?  As a collective it is time to take the lessons we have learned and put them to practical use in our world.  This starts at a personal level as we start to realise our spirits are reawakening and need the challenge of a different way of being.

We have the tools, the ability and the determination to be victorious in our quest for a better world if we have the courage to start along a new way of being.  Are we ready to challenge our governments in a peaceful, loving way so they start giving us the type of leadership we crave?  Are we ready to stand up to the the bloodshed and violence and say enough is enough, without seeking revenge? Are we strong enough to look at he bigger picture, honestly acknowledge our part in it and be ready to cast our old ways aside to move forward?  The choice lie within each one of us, as the only person we can ever change is ourselves.

In August, do you choose to be a beacon of hope and love or an unthinking instrument of our collective shadow?

Law of Attraction - Find the Blessings in Your Current Situation

Have you ever been broke?  I mean really broke? The kind of broke where you are staring at a big fat zero on your bank balance, where you don’t know how you are going to pay your bills and it feels like you’ll never see another penny come your way again?  If you have been there, then you will understand only too well that feeling of deep gnawing panic that you get in your gut and the overwhelming sense of total despair and failure that you experience.  Surely this can’t be happening to you right?

Abundance is all around us

So you might have spent more than you earned every month, taken on bit more debt than you could really handle, or things might have happened that you weren’t anticipating like losing your job, your marriage breaking up or not earning for a few months because you were sick.  It is a time when we look desperately for solutions and sometimes do stupid things that dig us even deeper into the financial mire.  But if we can damp down the rising panic long enough, then just maybe we can see that however terrible things may look on the surface we also now have an opportunity to transform our situation and lives through using spiritual laws and by utilising the principles of the Law of Attraction.

The foundation of the Law of Attraction is that like attracts like; so it is what you are, what you believe and what you think about that creates your physical reality on this earth plane.  So if you are broke, then changing how you feel about money, abundance and getting the things you need and want is what is going to move you forward to the rich and fulfilling life that you deserve.  But where do you start? How do you change the way you think about money and boost your feelings of self worth overnight?

Perhaps surprisingly one of the best ways is to find the blessings in your current situation. Yes, one of the very best ways to kick start the process is to identify what is good about your current situation and give appreciation and gratitude for what you already have and what you have already created.  Now you are probably howling indignantly at what I have just said and are calling me all kinds of unflattering names for even suggesting that there could be anything that could possibly be appreciated in the current wreckage that is your life.  But humour me for a bit and let’s take a look at some of the things that maybe you have overlooked that you can thank the Universe for or lessons you have learned and wisdom that you have acquired from going through the tough times you are going through.

1)      Maybe what you are going through has led you to a deeper appreciation of the things that you do have and has brought you into a deeper state of appreciation for things that you may have taken for granted in the past?

2)      Maybe you have realised how few material things you actually really need or want?  Is this a good opportunity to clear the junk out of your home, leaving a good, clean space for new, better things to come into your life?

3)      Maybe being temporarily broke has made you think about how much money you have frittered away in the past and not having much money has taught you to spend the money you do have more wisely?

4)      Maybe going through some financially tough times yourself has given you a greater empathy for the many people in our world who have never had enough food, shelter or medical care in their lives? Perhaps this has led you to enrich your life by raising funds, volunteering or working to eliminate poverty in our world?

5)      Maybe this is the beginning of the understanding that you can create a state of peace and happiness for yourself whatever may or may not be happening in your external world and appreciating that your internal world is forever peaceful, loving and abundant

6)      Maybe you have learned that although you are yearning for the return of the good times, that the challenging times you are living through have been a much richer seam of learning and growth for you?

7)      Maybe your bad financial situation has made you stop to think about how the world economy works and the role that money plays in all our lives for the first time?  It could be that you have started to review your beliefs and morals surrounding money and how you acquire it?  Do you think that the world’s economy is totally out of balance and needs a new paradigm? Could you become a catalyst for moving forward towards a fairer, more sustainable financial system for us all?

8)      Maybe it has made you examine what you really want money for?  Do you want money just for the sake of having money in the bank or is it something more?  Personally, it made me realise that I want money because it gives me freedom – freedom to do the work I love and live how I choose.  So what does money really mean to you?

9)      Maybe your situation is teaching you about patience and trust? Teaching you that abundance and financial security has already been created for you but that it has just not yet manifested into your material world?

10)   Maybe it has made you realise and truly appreciate that having people that love and care about you is more important than having money? That giving your love is much more important than giving money?

11)   Maybe being broke has brought you to an understanding that abundance is not just about money? True abundance is about getting up in the morning with a heart that is singing with joy, is about love, is about feeling rich when you walk through the woods on a sunny day, is about cuddling your children, is about almost anything that makes you want to skip, dance, giggle and give thanks

12)   Maybe before you looked down on people that you considered to be poor, as you believed back then that having a bigger house, car and bank balance made you the better person? Perhaps you have now found a new respect for people who live lives that are not centred on the acquisition of money and possessions?

13)   Maybe you have seen how lucky you are that the only problem you are currently experiencing is cash flow manifestation?  If everything else is fine, then you are truly lucky and blessed.

14)   Maybe your despair about being broke has led you to do a lot of inner work and meditation for the very first time, which is leading you towards manifesting many wonderful things in your life?

So learning to be grateful for the things that you already have is the key to moving towards a more abundant future.  Counting the blessings in your current situation, however bad your finances currently are, is the key to moving forwards and to manifesting those things that will really enrich your life and bring you happiness and joy.

And The Old Year is Dying - A Reflection for the Coming New Year

And The Old Year Is Dying

And the old year is dying

As once more the sun stands still in the sky

Offering only darkness

Where once its golden light it spilled

And far below we watch with bated breath

Stoking our fires ever higher

Desperate for the year to turn again

The sun to resume its procession across the sky

Is this the year that will never be born?

Stuck forever in shadows and black of deepest night?

Keep your faithful watch in the hushed darkness

Listen for the whisper, the faintest promise of light

This is the time of year when it feels as though the whole world has stopped turning.  In the northern hemisphere for a few days after the Winter Solstice on December 21^st the sun appears to be standing still in the sky. This stillness used to fill our ancestors with fear and dread, as they needed the sun to start moving again so that it would return to warm the land once more, allowing their crops to grow and the animals they hunted to breed. They filled these days of darkness with festivals of light, building huge bonfires on hilltops, feasting and filling their homes with fragrant evergreens.

As we approach the end of yet another year, are you pleased with what you have achieved over the last twelve months, the steps you have taken along your spiritual path?  Are you working with love and the light to help usher in a wonderful new age of increased peace, tolerance and spirituality?

So as you are raising your glass to make a toast over this coming Christmas and New Year and making your resolutions, think of how you would like this coming New Year to unfold and choose accordingly.  For if our world is to be a peaceful one, each one of us needs to find that peace and serenity within ourselves and reflect it outwards.  If we want to help to usher in a new age of light, then we must expand that little spark of light that shines deep inside us, until the whole world is illuminated with peace and joy.

As the sun goes down every day, take a moment to pause. Reflect on all the things that you have experienced during that day and be thankful. Take some deep breaths and be at peace.