The "upright" Tarot card of the 8 of Wands or Sticks or Batons, Rods or whatever you may call it, for me always indicates that motion and change are underway or on their way, usually requiring a hurried decision to grasp that opportunity or not, and fairly consistently everything works out admirably.

But the REVERSE! Argh! This card usually falls in the layout of someone who has, is or will be reaching out too quickly for happiness and sometimes love. This position denotes being too eager. The biggest problem with any fast relationship pace or sudden major life change (perhaps such as geographically relocating for work) is that necessary realistic forethought about possible outcomes is completely forgotten. Invariably the situation ends up fraught with frustration, jealousy or resentment (over things that were not anticipated or considered even as possibilities) and these lead to "hasty" messages, which again were not thought through as carefully as they needed to be. Then the conflict and fights begin, and knowing that you didn't think ahead, and didn't construct your reaction or response carefully, there is subsequent guilt and disappointment. And as usual, what appeared to be too good to be true, simply wasn't true. So the person with this reversed card in their spread often ends up being forced to spend much time unhappy or alone.

Inherent in the Eight of Wands is the necessity to make an evaluation and decision quickly. Best advice when you are faced with this card in your Tarot reading in the reverse position, is to imagine the worst possible scenarios as well as your fantasies about happiness. Think of some consequences of your decision that would be unacceptable to you, and then talk about these possibilities with the other people involved in the changes or if that seems impossible or inappropriate, clarify your own thinking so you know exactly which event markers could tell you clearly that you don't want to go where those rods are flying. Always have a plan to fall back on, so that if things don't work out the way you wish you won't be in difficulty, confused or immobilized.

The 8 of Wands in reverse is a warning. "You're Moving too Fast!" And that is really what a Tarot reading is all about. A guide that can be carefully considered so that the course of your life will make smooth changes for the better. Definitely heed the Tarot so that the exercise is useful for you, rather than simply an entertainment.

Very little information is recorded or available about this fairy, aside from the story of "The Nutcracker Suite", the famous ballet by Peter Tchaikovsky. This fairy seems to have Anglo Saxon, Celtic and Druidic origins connected to winter and the Christmas celebration. But for what it is worth, here is what I found about this delicate symbol of seasonal treats and magic!

In the famous ballet, the Nutcracker Prince led the heroine to the "Land of Ice and Snow" where they waltzed with snow fairies. Then the Sugar Plum Fairy appeared and presided over the following banquet and entertainment in the candy kingdom. (Great excuse for lots of dancing!)
Other "sources" state that these fairies are very rarely seen and then only at dawn particularly during the bird song dawn chorus where they have been seen resting singly or dancing in pairs. In spite of the seasonal connection in our era, it is stated that best times and places for sightings are in the orchards in early spring at apple and cherry blossom time or harvest time for sweet plums. The absolute best time to sight one is when the fruit is fully ripened and falls to the ground. This "source" also suggests: "Failing a sighting in the woods, encouragement could be made for small children to have ballet lessons so that Sugar Plum Fairies may be seen throughout the year world wide." (Hmn.)

These fairies reportedly like sweets, bees, ballet dancing, making jam and wine, organic cultivation, music and Christmas time. They really dislike mice, and powdery mildew on plums. Apparently they vary in size and blend in with the color of their surroundings and the color of the plum fruit. Generally they are never more that three to four inches high. Their favourite creatures are the Snow King and Queen, ladybugs, toy soldiers, the Nutcracker Prince, dragonflies and butterflies.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle became embroiled in an effort to prove the existence of fairies in his era. With the above information came a timely warning, "Should you see one, never approach a fairy or take photographs, the fairies seldom show on the prints. It is recommended to take a pencil and paper and quickly sketch what you see. Please remember to note everything, i.e. time, weather, month of sighting, type of plum." Needless to say analysis of Victorian photos of lovely little girls playing with fairies exposed the fairies in the pictures to be paper cutouts.

For me, I have an imprint of this delectable fairy on the videotape of my mind, dancing delicately to the tinkling of the dance music named after her. The Sugar Plum Fairy, like other strong cultural icons of Christmas, is part of the spirit of the season. All the best to you.

"Ride the winds of adventure and change. Horse will take you, and will protect you on the journey."    Unknown.

"Ask for clear guidance from Horse. He can help to put things into perspective if you are lost or confused." Rabbit's Warren of Wisdom.

Throughout the first, and a good deal of the second, millennium, the Horse was regarded by many as a mystical animal. The term Horse Whisperer has been around for a long time, first recorded in the 3rd century B.C. about Alexander the Great as a child, when he trained a stallion his father had given up on. Although that horse was afraid of its own shadow, the small boy was able to understand and calm it. The first North American Horse Whisperers were of course Native Americans. Clearly, such was the power of the horse that a man able to harness it to his will rose above the level of the ordinary man in pre-industrial times. And to those who lacked the skills, and were in awe of the ability to control such power, the horseman could all too easily be believed to have mystical knowledge.

Even the colors of horses had meaning. White horse was connected to the Moon, Red with the Sun, and Black with the Wild Huntsman. Pale Horse meant famine and death. If a certain word was whispered into the horse's ear, he would become compliant. This secret word was passed down among blacksmiths from father to son.

For many, 'mystical knowledge' suggested use of the arts of sorcery and , and it is not surprising that some particularly skillful trainers were burned as witches. In fact it was not only the trainer who was at risk. In the case of a horse called Mauroco who performed in the French town of Arles in the 17th century, the horse was burnt along with the trainer! How many more might have suffered the same fate is not well recorded, but we can safely say that any man or woman who exhibited unusual ability was liable to be denounced. Just to be seen talking to an animal was quite enough to attract a charge of - ! The early Christian church did not take well to such ideas.

It is no wonder then that those who were skillful also became somewhat tight-lipped about their work, and often chose to do it in a place that was safe from prying eyes. So, we have mysticism, secrecy and silence - all the required ingredients for the creation of a myth. Once the practice of burning witches had finished, showman practitioners began to flourish. The aura of mystery remained, but this could now be turned towards attracting a crowd and, along with the crowd - their money! In Victorian England, John Rarey did his training within a closed barn, where no one could observe his techniques. A wild, unruly horse would go in . . . and a docile, totally changed animal would come out. Legend has it that another of the first famous whisperers was called Dan Sullivan from Mallow in Ireland. He would tame vicious and stroppy horses by whispering to them. The horse would undergo a personality change and then follow Sullivan's lead. He is said to have learnt his technique from a soldier who had been taught by a mystic in India. Dan's method also involved taking the horse into the secrecy of a barn from which the horse would emerge, completely subdued (and some say in a state of terror). On what took place in the barn Dan's lips were sealed. But the horses' old ways returned once they escaped Dan's influence. Some said that Sullivan's method, whatever it was, was cruel, and that he damaged the reputation of those 'whisperers' who, by some innate gift, were able to quiet the most unruly horses. Whatever the truth was, the term 'horse whisperer' had arrived to stay.
Secret societies sprang up, supposedly to teach the whispering secrets. There were some very strange rituals associated with these groups. One required that the horseman kill a frog or toad and hang the body on a thorn tree until only the skeleton remained. At full moon the man then had to take the skeleton to a running stream and throw it into the water. One small forked bone would detach itself from the rest and float upstream, and that was the bone from which the horseman would then derive devil-given power over horses. Such were the "Toadmen"; whisperers with a demon covenant.
For many horsemen in olden times their whole livelihood and safety depended on their ability to achieve a good working relationship with the equines in their care. And some people seem to have a natural flair for working with horses. But this has nothing to do with 'whispering' or pacts with the devil, and an awful do with body language, personal temperament and, perhaps most important of all, patience, kindness and a real affection for horses. For every gifted horse person there are, and always have been, untold numbers of charlatans whose primary interest is lightening the purses of the unwary and gullible. (Sure sounds like the problems with psychics, eh?)

One example was the classic case of 'Professor' Sample and his ''Marvellous Horse Taming Machine" who arrived in London in 1885 bringing with him his machine, with which he declared he could tame three or four wild horses per hour. The machine consisted of a platform onto which a horse would be loaded and secured, and would then be spun by a steam engine until the horse became quite dizzy. Unfortunately for the self-styled professor the machine failed to work during most public displays in theatres of the time. Such was the design that the mechanism only functioned when on a level surface, and theatre stages were commonly angled down toward the audience - otherwise folks might still be disorienting horses to this day!

As the heyday of horse power waned with the introduction of modern machinery the whisperers passed into the twilight - a myth, born out of ignorance, and shrouded in secrecy and superstition, whose heyday had passed.
Today there are at least a hundred modern trainers who are called whisperers. Whisperers, it seems, now come in both genders and all shapes and sizes, and variously offer 'horse whisperer training techniques', 'secret techniques' and even whisperers with 'clairvoyant understanding'. There are 'whispering' challenges and time trials, courses offering to teach the horseman's word, in fact a whole little industry whose various gurus circle the globe performing brief but expensive clinics and seminars for the 'enlightenment' of the horse owner, so perhaps nothing has really changed.

The key to this magic training can be explained as follows:
Listen to what the horse has to say through his body language. His tail tightly between his legs, means he's tense. If his head is high, he's bothered about something. If it's low, he's not paying attention. If a he licks his lips, it's kind of a concession and he'll probably be willing to at least try to do what you ask. To be successful working with horses, listen to their side of the story. Others say that training a horse is basically typical behavior modification. Horse whispering is about achieving leadership through creating a relationship of trust with the horse.

Perhaps the true mystique of the horse is that, through our relationships with them, we are able to rediscover that precious connection between ourselves and the rest of creation - a truly mystical oneness that cannot be bought or sold, and requires neither show nor whisper! The horse teaches people how to be free and beckons them to come on an adventure. People riding horses speak of galloping with the wind. It is said that horses teach that "wild hearts can't be broken."

Thanks

Hello,

First thing, anyone who claims they can rid you of something for a high price is definitely a fraud and a liar.
There may be a cloud around your aura, but it is generated by you, in how you feel about yourself. You weren't born with this, it is more of a reaction to events and patterns that have happened in your life so far. It was definitely not set upon you by anyone in an effort to hex you. People invariably attract negative energy when they don't feel that they deserve better for themselves.

My best advice here is to use some candle magic. Burn the candles (all at the same time) for 20 minutes a day and don't blow them out, just snuff them. (The act of snuffing shows respect for the flame and the sentiment.)
Use a white candle to protect you and those you love.
Use a yellow candle to strengthen your spiritual power.
Use an orange candle to enhance and develop your attractiveness.

In terms of love, astrologically it shows that you are currently enduring a karmic challenge around relationships. The first thing you need to do is to slow down, in terms of how much of yourself you give to a romantic prospect and how quickly you do the giving. Deliberately test each person rather than simply reacting to them and relying on your feelings.

Perhaps it would be wise to report that other psychic to the police.

Bests - Atham Z

Now that winter is approaching (or has arrived) in the Northern Hemisphere, it seems an appropriate time to share information about this year round, but ice related phenomenon. These spots are caused by light refracted off ice crystals in our atmosphere. Sundogs are visible when the sun is near the horizon and on the same horizontal plane as the observer and the ice crystals. As sunlight passes through the ice crystals, it is bent 22 degrees before reaching our eyes. This bending of light results in the formation of a sundog. If the flat ice surfaces are horizontal to the viewer, s/he sees a sundog, but if the surfaces are random, a halo is seen.

Of course our forefathers interpreted these visual phenomena as signs from God. Once a miraculous sign was reported it was followed by an interpretation, which usually ended up appealing to the recipients or viewers to repent and do penance, and prayer to God for His mercy on the sinful people. This pattern was applied to all mysterious occurrences regardless of their individual nature; any inexplicable apparition was interpreted as a manifestation of God's wrath over the sins of the people. In the 17th century a variation developed concerning the interpretation of the different miraculous signs. Regarding celestial phenomena, there was finally an attempt to find a logical explanation for them. In 1626, for instance, Caspar Fuld suggested that a sundog indicated a weather change. Jacob Koppmayer in 1681, concluded that they generally predicted rain. Koppmayer even tried to make an attempt to give information about the natural cause of such apparitions.
It is not astonishing, therefore, to find that our early forefathers carefully discriminated the various phenomena of sea and sky, and evolved terms, full of real meaning, which have been passed down to us through the generations, but now basically lack significance other than as items of weather lore.