Sage Leaves, September 17, 2024

Welcome to Sage Leaves, a compendium of wisdom for those seeking to heal ancestral wounds. We are starting a new feature this week focusing on a week-long read of the energies for the coming week. Let us know how you like it!

Table of Contents

1. Energetic Influences This Week

2. The Chariot & the Heroine’s Journey

3. Spotlight on a Jungian Archetype: The Chariot

4. Sneak Preview of the Sage Conversations Tarot Deck

Energetic Influences This Week

This is a reading for the energetic influences at play for the week of September 17-23, 2024. I drew the Page of Cups, The Fool, The Sun, the 4 of Cups, The Emperor, the King of Pentacles, and the 5 of Swords. Looking at the cards overall, this week’s journey leads us through emotional exploration, risk-taking, success, introspection, and challenges, with lessons in balance, authority, and self-awareness. Now we will explore each of the cards laid for each day of the week for a guide to energetic influences for the week of September 17-23, 2024.

We begin our week with the Page of Cups on Tuesday, a card of emotional openness and curiosity. A new opportunity for connection or creativity is emerging, and the querent is encouraged to explore these feelings with innocence and imagination. This sets the tone for a week of personal growth. The Page of Cups, when laid during the partial lunar eclipse of the Harvest Full Moon signifies that we may experience heightened emotional sensitivity, intuition, and the emergence of new creative or spiritual insights. The Page of Cups symbolizes youthful emotional openness and the beginning of emotional healing or new relationships. Coupled with the transformative energy of the eclipse and the reflective nature of the full moon, this card invites us to explore deep emotions, embrace unexpected messages, and be open to intuitive guidance. It’s a time for emotional growth and inner reflection, particularly regarding relationships and self-expression.

On Wednesday, The Fool marks a leap of faith. We feel called to embrace this new beginning, embarking on an unknown path with enthusiasm. It's a day to trust the universe and release fear, knowing that risks are essential for growth. The Fool, when laid with Mercury in Virgo opposing Saturn, highlights a tension between caution and a desire for freedom. The Fool symbolizes new beginnings, spontaneity, and trusting the journey ahead. However, with Mercury's practical, detail-oriented energy in Virgo clashing with Saturn’s restrictions, there’s a challenge between our yearning to take risks and the need to remain grounded in reality. This card encourages us to embrace fresh opportunities while being mindful of responsibilities and details. It’s a call to balance youthful optimism with careful planning, allowing you to move forward without unnecessary recklessness.

By Thursday, The Sun shines brightly, signaling clarity, success, and optimism. We feel a sense of joy and purpose, as the steps taken earlier in the week now yield positive results. This is a day to celebrate personal victories and embrace the lightness of spirit. The Sun, with Mercury in Virgo signifies a day of clarity, joy, and intellectual illumination. The Sun represents success, positivity, and the unveiling of truth, and with Mercury in Virgo's analytical and precise energy, this combination suggests that ideas and plans can be communicated clearly and effectively. It’s a time to bring forth creative projects, resolve misunderstandings, or gain deep insight into a situation. The practical influence of Virgo grounds the radiant energy of The Sun, allowing for confident expression and concrete progress. Expect clarity, enthusiasm, and intellectual breakthroughs.

However, by Friday, the 4 of Cups introduces a moment of introspection. We may feel emotionally distant, perhaps missing opportunities by focusing on past disappointments. It’s a reminder to stay open to what’s being offered and to avoid falling into apathy. The 4 of Cups, suggests a day of introspection and emotional re-evaluation. The card often represents feelings of discontent, boredom, or disengagement, indicating that we may be focused inward, potentially missing opportunities or offers around us. The energy of the day encourages us to look beyond immediate dissatisfaction and consider what is being offered to you emotionally or spiritually. It's a time to reflect on our desires, realign with our deeper needs, and open up to possibilities that may not be immediately obvious. Avoid becoming stuck in emotional detachment or apathy.

On Saturday, The Emperor calls for structure and discipline. We regain control, establishing boundaries and taking charge of their responsibilities. The week’s earlier emotional journey is balanced by practical and strategic thinking. The Emperor, with Mercury squaring Jupiter signifies a day focused on structure, discipline, and control, but with potential tension between expansive ideas and practical limitations. The Emperor embodies authority, stability, and the need for order, encouraging us to take charge of situations with clear strategy and leadership. However, with Mercury’s communication and Jupiter’s expansive thinking in conflict, there may be a tendency to overextend or overlook details. The key is to ground big ideas with careful planning, ensuring that ambition aligns with realistic goals. Balance vision with responsibility for effective outcomes.

Sunday brings the King of Pentacles, symbolizing stability and abundance. We feel grounded and secure, enjoying the material rewards of their efforts. This is a day for appreciating success and planning for long-term prosperity. The King of Pentacles, signifies stability, abundance, and the harvest of hard work. The Autumnal equinox, a time of balance and transition, aligns with the King of Pentacles, representing material success, grounded energy, and mastery over the physical world. This card suggests that our efforts are yielding tangible rewards, and it’s a time to enjoy the fruits of our labor. This energy encourages practicality, financial security, and responsibility. On this day, focus on maintaining balance between work and rest, appreciating stability while preparing for the next cycle of growth.

Finally, on Monday, the 5 of Swords warns of potential conflict or miscommunication. We may face a power struggle, but the lesson here is to approach it with wisdom, avoiding unnecessary victories that could harm relationships. The 5 of Swords, suggests a need to navigate conflict or tension carefully, particularly in relationships as the Sun passes into Libra. The 5 of Swords often represents disputes or feelings of defeat, while Libra’s energy emphasizes balance, harmony, and fairness. This contrast highlights potential power struggles or unresolved conflicts that need to be addressed with diplomacy. The card advises avoiding win-at-all-costs attitudes and instead seeking resolution that fosters mutual understanding. As the Sun moves into Libra, focus on compromise and restoring equilibrium, rather than clinging to past disagreements or personal victories.

The Chariot & the Heroine’s Journey

In the Heroine's Journey, The Chariot Tarot card plays a pivotal role in representing the heroine's mastery over conflicting internal forces and her ability to harness personal power as she moves forward on her path. Unlike the Hero’s Journey, which often focuses on external conquests, the Heroine’s Journey is largely an internal and emotional quest, where balance and self-integration are key themes. The Chariot reflects this process by symbolizing the heroine's determination and willpower in navigating these complex inner dynamics.

1. Control and Mastery of Dual Forces:

In the Heroine’s Journey, the heroine often grapples with balancing different aspects of her identity, particularly the masculine and feminine energies within her. The Chariot signifies the moment when she learns to direct these opposing forces—represented by the two sphinxes or horses—toward a unified goal. This control is not about domination, but about achieving harmony between her nurturing, intuitive side (feminine) and her assertive, action-oriented side (masculine). Mastery over these dual forces is crucial for the heroine’s emotional and spiritual growth.

2. Assertion of Personal Power:

As the heroine reclaims her power, The Chariot represents her ability to take charge of her destiny. The heroine, who may have spent part of her journey in a state of surrender or self-doubt, now confidently steps into her authority. This card signals a moment of conscious direction, where the heroine actively chooses her path forward, embodying both strength and vulnerability.

3. Overcoming Obstacles:

The Heroine’s Journey often involves emotional or psychological obstacles that are deeply internal. The Chariot represents the heroine’s triumph over these inner barriers, such as past wounds, self-limiting beliefs, or inherited trauma. The heroine has learned to steer through her challenges with discipline and clarity, moving toward her goal with confidence and inner balance.

4. Integration and Forward Motion:

The Chariot marks a key moment of integration in the Heroine’s Journey. It shows that the heroine has achieved enough balance within herself to move forward with purpose. This forward motion isn’t just external progress but an internal journey toward wholeness. She is no longer at the mercy of conflicting emotions or external expectations—she is in control of her inner life and is now ready to move toward the final stages of her journey with strength and direction.

5. Self-Determination and Autonomy:

Another important theme in the Heroine’s Journey is the reclaiming of self-determination. The Chariot signifies the heroine’s newfound autonomy, where she fully owns her choices and charting her course, free from the constraints of societal or familial expectations.

In summary, The Chariot in the Heroine’s Journey represents the heroine’s mastery of inner forces, her assertiveness in taking control of her path, and her ability to overcome emotional or psychological challenges. It symbolizes the strength and balance required for the heroine to move forward, integrating the various parts of her identity, and guiding her toward a fulfilling resolution.

Spotlight on a Jungian Archetype: The Chariot

In Jungian psychology, The Chariot Tarot card symbolizes the conscious willpower and determination necessary to navigate the journey of individuation—the process of integrating various aspects of the self to achieve psychological wholeness. The Chariot represents the triumph of the ego, the conscious mind, over the conflicting forces within the psyche, aligning closely with Jung’s concept of balancing opposing forces.

The Chariot is often depicted with a figure controlling two horses or sphinxes, one black and one white, representing dual forces—light and shadow, conscious and unconscious, or masculine and feminine energies. In Jungian terms, these symbolize the tension between opposing aspects of the psyche. The Charioteer’s ability to keep these forces in balance reflects the conscious self’s need to harmonize internal conflicts to move forward in life. This parallels Jung’s idea of integrating the shadow, where one must acknowledge and reconcile hidden or repressed aspects of the self.

The charioteer’s armor suggests psychological defenses, representing the boundaries and discipline needed to protect the self while navigating life’s challenges. The Chariot’s path symbolizes the individuation process, which involves overcoming internal conflicts, mastering emotional control, and harnessing one’s inner resources to pursue personal growth.

However, The Chariot also warns of the dangers of over-identification with the ego or excessive control. Jung cautioned that too much focus on the conscious mind, without integrating the unconscious, can lead to rigidity and imbalance. The Chariot encourages maintaining control while remaining open to the unknown forces of the unconscious.

In summary, The Chariot in Jungian psychology represents the conscious mastery over internal conflicts, the integration of opposing forces within the psyche, and the journey toward individuation. It highlights the balance between control and surrender necessary for personal growth and wholeness.

Sneak Preview of the Sage Conversations Tarot Deck

Created in the style of the great painter Hans Holbein the Elder, whose richly colored works of a religious nature led the revolution from late Gothic to the opulent Renaissance style of painting. My deck is based on the Waite-Smith methodology but with my own unique approach. It will be released in late 2024 or early 2025, and will include alternate cards in the deck. Here are three samples of cards from the Sage Conversations deck.