December 25, 2000, the last Solar eclipse of the Millennium. The Moon travels across the face of the Sun covering a part of the fire (22 to 77% depending on your location). The Moon, The Sun and Mercury all conjoin in Capricorn. A puissant reunion! NOW is the time to take a non-judgmental look at where we are, where we are going, where we have been and either recommit to our course or to determine a new course and to set the vision of that future.

Planting a new determination with a clear intention on the New Moon of the Winter Solstice will lead to an abundance of energy and effectiveness ready to harvest come the Summer Solstice. But! don't wait too long, for the opportunity does not last indefinitely.

Venus trines the Sun now through January 03, 2001, a pleasant Libra transit.

Everyone is ready for a good time. Keeping the atmosphere charming and calm and your love and grace will be apparent in every endeavour.

Don't be tempted to take short cuts. Leadership and skills are emphasized with Mars in Scorpio. If you've got it, flaunt it! Show your stuff!

In keeping with the Cosmic conditions the single card I drew for interpretation carries the theme of self-inspection and renewal. Today I used the Gendron Tarot Deck.

Card # 12, The Hanged One. Melanie Gendron's card shows an obvious female figure (although highly stylized) suspended head down in a bower of nearly frightening pink and reddish flowers. Behind the flowers in a background of what I am assuming to be an indigo sky filled with stars, above a pale green landscape of what appears to be hills and a towering monolithic stone. A turkey (!!) graces the lower left hand corner of the card.

Gendron says about the twelfth card, "I give up than I may serve You." She follows up with the meanings of: Release, sacrifice. Pierce the veil of limited perception and avail yourself of higher."

I feel that this places some great restrictions upon the card and the message of the card. For while I "see" the Hanged Man as speaking to the principles of surrender, I do not see him subjecting himself to a You. No, I see him urging us to move beyond ego, to learn to trust ourselves, to recognize and revel in the beauty of that self. Rather than to a You outside of self I witness the 12^th card surrendering to, sacrificing to, and releasing to the expansive moment.

Surrender, followed by acceptance. By surrendering and accepting the surrender without a display of frustration, anger or impatience the first step is taken in breaking destructive habits and moving beyond the damaging and limiting patterns that bind to mediocrity.

The Hanged Man is the symbol of equilibrated power; equilibria and poise under pressure are not learned without effort and dauntless courage to persevere. When the burden of experience threatens to overwhelm us, The Hanged Man assumes the flyflot position to remind us of our unique personality and individual strengths that can be counted on in any circumstance.

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