Tarot Reading by Grease Coakes

By Deaflegacy

I went to Grease Coakes' apartment for a tarot reading.  I was very curious to see how it turns out.  Grease said that the posters behind him are actual tarot cards from his deck dragon tarot.  Grease also mentioned that some of the art work is from his friend in Second Life, Amehana Ishtari.

I asked him if we could sit at the table, and it was okay with him.  So we sat down at the tarot table.

My question for Grease was if I would move to Langley. Grease told me that the reading he was about to do for me is called a Celtic cross.  Since we are friends on Facebook, he can show me the cards that he draws.  Grease would take pictures with his phone, and then send them to me via instant-messaging there. He then started drawing cards.

“So the first card is ace of swords reversed," Grease announced, "which means your question will you move back to Langley seems to be stuck at time.  You're thinking of a way or a how to move back there but you can't seem to find an effective way to move back there at this time.  Swords cards are about intellect communication and problem solving.  So right now you can't seem a way to solve your problem for the time being.” said Grease.  “This might be why this four of wands reversed.  This shows you don't have a strong foundation of plans to move forward on your quest, or perhaps resources or money for right now.  This is your challenge card and since this card is reversed, it means your objective is very hard for you to obtain right now.  But this is just for the present time.  Things could change later.  Don't get discouraged.”

“So this deck is all dragons," Grease explained, "Meaning the hanged man is going to be the hanging dragon instead.  Which for right now, you're stuck in a waiting period. Since you're a pony, your hooves are tied.  Nothing you can do but wait.  When the dragon wakes up, maybe then you'll have more control.  But for now, you're stuck, kiddo.” 

He drew once more, “Well this is a positive card.  The chariot how the dragon flies across the skies.  There was fast travel in your past.  You moved quickly up to a point.  But then everything stopped and stood still.  Like in a chariot race, all those chariots zoom by drawn by those horses.  Well in this card, other dragons.  But this looks good to the page of cups with the dragon hatching from an egg.  Maybe the start of a new friendship. Might it be you since you're a young person, right?  Make you think you're a water sign like Cancer, Scorpio or Pisces.”

I told Grease that I'm 42.  “Oh you fooled me since you're wearing a youthful pony avatar,” responded Grease.  I told Grease that I am young at heart.  Grease continued on with the tarot card reading, “For right now, thought your future does not look sunny for your move back to Langley.  The sun reversed is clouds covering your sunshine for the time being.  But I'm looking at the hanging dragon makes me think this is temporary.  Things should brighten up soon I would think.  Two of coins the two dragons sharing coins tells me the best bet you can do now is balance your finances.  Don't order a pizza every day or don't go clubbing every night.  Balancing and saving your money is your best bet for the time being.”  I told him that it sounds like a good idea.  “

Grease went on, Five of coins with the dragon looking over the maze for a safe way out of the maze to make sure he/she has enough coins to make it safely to the other side.  You're having a hard time with money but if you concentrate on the two of coins and balance everything, you'll do fine.”  At that point, I told Grease that I am having a hard time with money. Grease went on with the interpretation, “Judgment is coming your way to transform you and straighten everything out.  The dragon is coming with his hammer to smash everything and save the day.  Even if things seem bad right now, I think judgment will turn everything around for you. I have a good feeling about this card." He drew once more,  “But the last card looks pretty bad though.”

“Nine of swords where the dragon is covered in dog and surrounded by those swords.," he told me, "You're stuck in limbo for the time being and short on cash.  For the time being, things look bad.  The nine of swords is like a situation where everything seems horrible.  However, the good side is that it's upright.  Which means if you panic, things will be worse.  But if you keep your pony head high, you can rise above it.  And trot away from these swords to a brighter future.  Sooner or later, that hanging dragon will wake up, and you'll have more control of you life.”

After the tarot reading, Grease told me that his regular price is 300L.

Grease said that the best way to contact him is by email: grease711@yahoo.com or to send his avatar a notecard since IM's get capped all the times. Grease also said that they can stop by his apartment, too.  Grease usually try to park his avatar at the apartment. 

Grease's apartment is at: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Randgrand%20Central/137/103/324

The tarot reading I just have was amazing.  I do have other questions I would like to ask Grease.  When the time is right, I hope to have another tarot reading with Grease.

Deaflegacy

Grease Coakes' Tarot Card Readings

By Bixyl Shuftan

Grease Coakes is known in Second Life for his DJing, such as his performances at the Happy Vixen. But there's something else he does: Tarot cart readings. At his skybox at Perfect Paradise, he does the readings for 250 Lindens. But he occasionally offers them as prizes for a contest.

Welcome to my humble home here in Perfect Paradise. I offer tarot readings at an affordable rate of 250L

Confused of what's going on? You need a question answered? Things seem dark and tragic? I can help clear things up for you with a Celtic Cross Tarot reading.

I read from Dragon Tarot or also Incidental Tarot. Or also a diffrent dragon deck called "The Dragon Tarot." The posters you see are actual cards from those three decks.

Send me an IM or notecard or email if you're interested from a reading from me. I have been doing tarot for a year or so so I have plenty of experience and intuition to help guide you on your journey of life.

Grease offered to do a reading for me, and so I headed over to the skybox, "I did a reading exchange here the other day. ... The cards I drew reflected what he was thinking about. I won't say exactly what I drew to respect his privacy. But the cards were shuffled for him and it was happening around him and his future." Grease stated he wasn't a raw beginner at tarot cards, " It took me a lot of practice to learn the cards and meanings to link them together in a reading. So the investment of time and buying tarot decks is why I charge for the readings a mere 250L. Others have more experience, so they might charge more. My readings are more affordable for the average Second Life user."

Grease then drew a card, "So the first card I draw for you is the ace of swords but it's reversed. You're in a state of lacking clarity. Something isn't working for you. You have to take a step back and find a better way of doing things. Swords are air cards. Thinking and problem solving. The ace card is telling you stop tripping yourself up and find a new way of doing things."

He drew another, "Nine of wands is your current challenge your second card. Wands means fire and action. You're low on hit points,but you can still fight forward. Even if you're a little beat. That makes sense if you said this is your busy time of year." I nodded, "Yes, the Second Life Birthday, and the Relay season, notably the Relay Weekend."

Drawing more cards, Grease went on, "Five of coins reversed means you're watching your money. Coins or pentacles are earth/money cards. You're in a financial mess and you need to dig your way out. But in your past you had guidance of the high priestess upright. Which means your inner voice was guiding you. Your intuition was moving you forward. The hermit reversed says you want to get out of the house. You're tired of cabin fever. You want to get out and enjoy the sunshine and beach." Grease sent me some images, "So as you can see I'm not making up these cards."

Grease drew still more cards, "Strength reversed shows your soon to be future. Oh, by the way, the card layout is called a Celtic cross. Which means not physical strength. But your mental strength is fading. Emotionally you're getting tired and worn out." I did admit, "Quite a bit has been happening lately." "Ten of wands and nine of wands early on says the same thing. There's a lot resting your shoulders now and your plate is full. So there's lot of action surrounding you and it's overwhelming you." I nodded, "That's how things often are for me this time of year."

Grease's next card showed not all was bad, "But amazingly I draw the ten of cups. You're happy despite these challenges. ten of cups is the ultimate happy card. You're happy being a writer and being with friends. Cups is water emotion." I agreed, "Yes, I'm satisfied with the course on how things are going, at least how I perceive them to be going." The card after that however, "But your magician card is dizzy and he fell to the floor. You can't seem to get your projects moving. It's like his spell backfired and he's knocked out for now. The magician card is about making things happen through everyday means."

 Grease drew another time, then winced, "Ouch nine of swords is the last card. Nine of swords means severe stress like a living nightmare of challenge and shutdown one after another. But this will pass." I mentioned, "Well, it's on the record my computer was shut down for almost a week, stuck in the repair shop, but that was a month ago. But I wouldn't quite call that a nightmare. ..." "Hmmmms ... Nine of swords means a tough future though not your past."

Grease's tune then changed, "But not all is lost. After the nine of swords you get the star. So when your magician gets better, your star will come to inspire you. After all the hard work and future of nine of swords that star will regenerate you so you can move forward with that star guiding you. So with the summer time pushing your limits I'd say in the fall things will turn for the better. Listening is a good idea. I drew the star above the high priestess which was your inner voice in your past granting you wisdom and ideas. So the high priestess wandered off but the star will shine in your future."

"I hope this reading gave you a lot to think about," Grease concluded, "about your present and future." It was just we were interrupted by a bit of real life, then Grease had to log off.

So a busy, stressful time in which I manage to stay fairly happy and things get easier eventually. For someone reporting on news in Second Life, the summer can have a lot to cover to the point where choices have to be made and even good topics have to be put on the back burner for later, or even shelved. While one can always make a temporary extra effort, one can only burn the candle at both ends for so long, especially if things are going on on the other side of the computer.

So what will a tarot reading by Grease reveal to you? Perhaps a warning, perhaps a chance to relax, or perhaps of an opportunity in the near future.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Perfect%20Paradise/108/217/1065

Bixyl Shuftan

A Tarot Reader in Second Life

By Grease Coakes

One of the things you may of heard in Second Life that there are people who offer tarot readings for various prices. Tarot cards hold mysticism and mystery and maybe even seem exotic to some people. Tarot readings have been used for a few hundred years in Europe to show a probable outcome to a question by a layout of cards.

My friend Amehana Reikaz (Amehana Ishtari) has done many Tarot readings for me for a moderate price of 300L per reading. I joked one time that she did so many readings for me that she’s problary rich by now. Today (April 3^rd) I asked her what my next move should be concerning my children’s book. Lucky timing on my part that when I imed her she said sure.

So I met her in her hang out and asked what I should do now to market myself as an author? Amehana’s first card was the 10 of swords in the spirit position saying that would have to make a sacrifice to further my writing. When I typed my ideas out loud it made sense that I would have my character Ginny Griffin do something that I would not do. That’s a huge sacrifice.

The next card was the empress which Amehana explained as thus, "We have the Empress inverted for the Air position actually. The pregnant empress' robes flow away like the river she's beside, while talking to a white lunar/death dragon. This card for me is often about strength and learning to work within cycles." Maybe it showed I needed strength to move forward and same with my children’s book character that was facing a difficult and unpopular decision.

The next card was the Knight of cups came up inverted or also upside down. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but Amehana explained that to me as two sides of a coin or yin and yang. Meaning that my main character Ginny and a newer character are two opposites.

When I was talking back and forth with Amehana, she was being helpful as I was talking out my ideas for my next book. Amehana is a writer herself so it made perfect sense that I picked her as a tarot reader. When I talked about my book with her and what ideas I had she drew the next card, "The water position has The Sun upright. Although this is traditionally the area of emotions and the psychological state, we have the solar dragon burning brightly. Very active once the fire starts it will take off quickly."

I picked up on that right away meaning the story itself will be easy to write when I get started, but I said for now I’m feeling lazy after writing Dragon Heart’s story. Amehana said that’s understandable. Next question I asked will I run into someone to take my book to the next level. Here’s what she had to say, "The Eight of wands shows a flight of dragons all carrying wands. When you find the right people, they will help. Word of mouth will be important. So make certain to provide a gentle reminder that reviews are appreciated in your back matter."

 

Sounds positive and we both agreed that when I write the sequel which shown by the sun shouldn’t take too long I have a stronger stance as a writer and author. I thanked Amehana for her help and she encouraged me and said you’re welcome as we talked for a little bit afterwards.

Tarot readings even after a few hundred years seem like an interesting way to see what’s going on around you. With a little critical thinking it shows what you should be doing towards whatever goal or what will happen soon. Keep in mind though it’s best to get Tarot card readings from your friends or someone who seems legitimate. 300L is generally the average price for a Tarot card reading (in my experience). If someone asks for a ridiculous amount of Linden it might be a scam. A tarot reading from a friend however may be very insightful though.

Grease Coakes

Xymber Slade's Horoscopes for January

Xymber Slade's Horoscopes for November

It's been a while, I know. To celebrate the passing of Halloween I did a 5 card spread for each sign instead of a three-card like I normally do. Consider this one good for the rest of the year, and I'll post a ten-card for each sign at the end of January to be a "2012 incoming" spread.

Capricorn (12/22–1/19), Magician upside down, 3 of Swords, 3 of Cups, Wheel of Fortune, Queen of Pentacles upside down: Things screwed up, but they got screwed right back down. Many bullets were dodged and will continue to be dodged. Don't put any resources toward long term projects; nothing is stable right now and there's a saboteur in the works. Fortunately said saboteur is affected by the same unstable environment and will not be effective.

Aquarius (1/20–2/18), Death upside down, Ace of Swords upside down, King of Wands upside down, 4 of Swords upside down, Judgement: Cut ties to the previous chapters in your life. It's all dead weight for a variety of reasons. An older man in your way is too established and has his resources too defended/protected and has friends in high places; go around him rather than through him, or if you can't go through him, get away from him as much as you can. They will fall soon enough and you will be able to step in and clean up their messes, both political and material. But do not directly engage this older man.

Pisces (2/19-3/20), 6 of Pentacles, 10 of Cups upside down, 7 of Wands upside down, The World, 8 of Wands upside down: Lots of talk, talk, talk, and very little action that accomplishes anything. You're not doing anything wrong, simply keep trying and keep yourself out of the interference of those who are strutting around like they own the place (even if they do).

Aries (3/21–4/19): Ace of Cups, 7 of Cups, Death upside down, 4 of Wands upside down, 2 of Swords upside down: Take advantage now of all that you can and "test" all routes of potential before committing to one (and only one) particular road). Once you pick a road you cannot go back. Don't make plans from home; do them in social spots. Plan for between-a-rock-and-hard-place situations.

Taurus (4/20–5/20), Star upside down, Page of Wands upside down, Death upside down, 3 of Swords upside down , Hanged Man upside down: Simply put, don't push your luck in relationships or business. You're at a low point right now, best bet is to just run, hide, and retire until things thaw out in the spring of next year. All Stop, instead of Warp 9.

Gemini (5/21–6/21), 3 of Wands upside down, Death upside down, 6 of Cups, 8 of Swords upside down, Temperance: A trojan horse is about to go off but it's too late to stop it; people were lulled into monotony and blind to the obvious and now it's the snake's turn to strike. Patience rather than fighting back will be the name of the game here.

Cancer (6/22–7/22), 6 of Pentacles upside down, 8 of Wands upside down, Ace of Swords upside down, 8 of Cups, 2 of Swords: What seems like a profitable venture likely will not be (either through fine print or people not wanting what is being sold) so leave yourself an escape route before you're stuck between a rock and a hard place leaving you without resources.

Leo (7/23–8/22), 7 of Pentacles, 7 of Cups, Knight of Wands, The Lovers, 10 of Swords upside down: There is a LOT of good potential here, but that one person you seem to have a good connection with? There's a nasty flavor of betrayal behind them. Your new friends might not be so friendly, so don't let them lull you into a false sense of security.

Virgo (8/23–9/22), 10 of Swords, 10 of Wands upside down, Page of Wands upside down, 7 of Pentacles upside down, Page of Cups: You got set up. There was nothing you could do, so do not worry. This is an "it's not you it's them" series of events that drain your resources. Let them have their fun; karmic payback does exist and will be felt full force. Whether the trouble makers involved learn (or ignore) the lesson is another story.

Libra (9/23–10/22), 5 of Wands, 10 of Swords, Ace of Wands upside down, Justice upside down, The Moon: Secrets and gossip will have more of an impact than the petty fighting for position everyone is doing. The road currently traveled seems like a good one, but things have to be "unlearned" before they can be learned properly. Justified Karma is a bitch, so watch your actions no matter how minor they seem.

Scorpio (10/23–11/21), 7 of Pentacles, Justice upside down, Knight of Pentacles upside down, The Sun upside down, The Chariot: Resources spent now will bear fruit but that fruit will be coveted with everyone biting off a tiny bit off as "their little secret share." If not stopped, when the fruit gets big, the bitten-off chunks get just as big. The new year will start with a roller coaster of events, so be ready for them after a "cold snap."

Sagittarius (11/22–12/21), Tower upside down, Knight of Cups, 7 of Wands, Ace of Cups, Hermit upside down: A fall from grace and a collapse of whatever was held dear leads to better connections... a "knight in shining armor" pulls out a victory from nowhere (infurating those who set up the fall in the first place, setting the stage for petty revenge later on, so be careful) but only if it's done -quickly- after the fall. If there is a "complete" loss of things, don't give up and don't be intimidated by those in power.

Xymber Slade's Fortunes for August

Aries (3/21 to 4/19): Wheel of Fortune (fate and chance), upside down 5 of Cups (crying over mountains made from molehills) and an upside down Knight of Wands (Right thing for the wrong reasons) --- don't bet that just because the "ends justify the means" that you'll be happier because of it. Don't take such a crap-shoot and go more solidly with tried-and-true methods; don't be a maverick.

Leo (7/23 to 8/22): 4 of Pentacles (Stubbornness), the Lovers (personal connections) and the Knight of Cups (Honest knight) --- There may be some relationship spats both in business and pleasure. Your personal strength and inability to give in may in fact be a hinderance here. At least people will be accepting once it is time to kiss and make up, though.

Sagittarius (11/22 to 12/21): 2 of Cups (Gift giving and friendship restoring), upside down World (things turned on its head) and an upside down 5 of Cups (not seeing the forest for the trees) ---Good intentions end up on the paved road to hell. Some things are too far gone to restore; the most important things are not too far gone. Keep that in mind.

Taurus (4/20 to 5/20): 9 of Cups upside down ("All that glitters..."), the 8 of Pentacles (hard work), and an upside down Ace of Pentacles (bad finances) --- people are going to attempt a hostile takeover; do not let them take credit for your good deeds or you'll never get out of the hole.

Virgo (8/23 to 9/22): The Sun (personal relationship opportunities), the Ace of Swords (Victory) and Justice (karma, destiny) --- Now's the time to ask people out, the window of personal relationships is not going to remain open this wide forever! And if they turn you down, it's a pretty sure sign they'll -never- want to connect.

Capricorn (12/22 to 1/19): Upside down 6 of Cups (boring routine), the 5 of Pentacles (big dreams with a lack of resources) and the King of Wands (Stability) --- If you ask someone with resources to aid you, you'll get that aid but be prepared to be in a "boring" situation for a long time as you dig yourself out of the hole.

Gemini (5/21 to 6/21): 2 of Swords (Black and white choice), an upside down Ace of Swords (growth in the wrong direction) and the upside down 10 of Wands (big burden) --- Double back on all major decisions this month. Just because all roads lead to Rome doesn't mean you have to pick the one with 24-hour construction covering it.

Libra (9/23 to 10/22): 6 of Pentacles (communications), upside down World (scrambled signals to those communications) and the upside down 5 of Wands (petty babbling) --- watch what you say, words have a stronger impact than normal and you might not realize to what out-of-context extremes people might take what you say.

Aquarius (1/20 to 2/18): Upside down King of Pentacles (Greedy man), upside down Knight of Pentacles (his lacky) and the Devil (danger) --- Danger comes in the form of someone who wants/knows too much and wants more. Don't get shaken up by the goons they send and hold your ground. They'll "go to hell" eventually...

Cancer (6/22 to 7/22): King of Cups (Stable man), upside down 8 of Swords (Lies, hiding the truth), the Queen of Cups (Stable woman) --- if there seems to be secret keeping between a relationship you know of between two other people, do NOT get in the middle of it! You don't need to be getting any of the lies on you.

Scorpio (10/23 to 11/21): Upside down Page of Swords (Not looking before one moves), upside down 10 of Cups (Disaster), and the upside down 3 of Swords (breakups) --- If you jump the gun and don't verify your facts before you act, you're going to REGRET IT. Make sure all the layers of lies and deceiving are lifted before exposing the heart of the matter!

Pisces (2/19 to 3/20): Upside down Page of Pentacles (Someone talking out of his butt), upside down 5 of Swords (lots of combat and squabbling), upside down 7 of Wands (Victories not worth holding) --- You might hold the moral high ground in an argument but the moral high ground in this case is potentially worthless; you're going to have to be ruthless instead of acting all worried about what other people think of your actions.

Xymber Slade's Fortunes for July

Aries 3/21-4/19 Upside down Heirophant (Unhealthy Knowledge), upside down 3 of Pentacles (bad foundation), upside down 9 of Swords (Big mistakes): Do NOT jump to conclusions this month. They will be as far from the truth as Egypt is from New York. Even if you don't like where your knowledge of events takes you, to jump to conclusions will only make the problem(s) worse.

Leo 7/23-8/22 Upside down 10 of Pentacles (People as a whole), upside down 6 of Pentacles (Bad communication or outright lies), 5 of Wands (petty conflict and combat): Rely on actions, not others' words or guarantees, and don't worry what others say or do to criticize your works. It's all minor compared to the big dreams and goals you're chasing and to hold on to such small grudges would be a mistake.

Sagittarius 11/22-12/21 Upside down Star (Lack of a chance), 5 of Wands (Conflict), The Sun (A new dawn on a situation): Current obstacles are not worth the trouble to cross directly unless you have a lot of resources to spare. Circumvent them with unusual ways and methods and your path should be clear to your goals.

Taurus 4/20-5/20 Upside down 6 of Swords (Wrong-way travel), 7 of Cups (Too many possibilities), upside down 9 of Wands (Impassable barriers): You're going the wrong way about things, but you'll find that out on your own before the big goals you have in mind are shot down out of the clouds. Afterward, take one goal out of the many you have and focus on that 100%.

Virgo 8/23-9/22 Upside down Lovers (Trouble in relationships), King of Swords (Strong male influence, a possible threat), the Emperor (an even stronger man / bigger threat): The strong male influences in your life may get suffocating in a BIG way. Open a window, quick!

Capricorn 12/22-1/19 The Tower (A fall from grace or hitting rock bottom), upside down King of Swords (Dangerous threat), Page of Swords (Threat reduced in power to lowest rank): Absolute power corrupts absolutely... but at least here the lesson is learned. Stay out of the fall of others... you don't want to get hit by falling bodies on the way down.

Gemini 5/21-6/21 Upside down Wheel of Fortune (stacked deck, taunting Murphy), upside down Lovers (relationships on thin ice), 2 of Cups (Gift giving and emotional bridges repaired): The relationships you "fix" from a rocky start won't last long. Too much unpredictability. Heart's in the right place though, and that may be enough.

Libra 9/23-10/22 The Chariot (Movement and speed), 6 of Wands (Victory), upside down King of Wands (Unbending resilience): Goals set this month should be able to be reached with a minimum of effort and problems. Just don't let it all go to your head.

Aquarius 1/-/18 The Moon (Secrets revealed), 2 of Wands (Stay or go? Moderate choice), Upside down 3 of Wands (Bad intent): Err on the side of caution and paranoia this month regarding leaps of faith. Any escape route you set up beforehand you may very well be needing.

Cancer 6/22-7/22 Upside down Devil (Handbasket to Hell), Ace of Swords (Victory in the extreme), 8 of Swords (Blind to the obvious): You escape the current round of difficulties very very easily... but you still overlook something that may come back later. Double back on your route and check sources.

Scorpio 10/23-11/21 Knight of Wands (Stability), upside down Hermit (Moving to action), upside down 3 of Pentacles (Bad set-up): You're on a shaky path, but you can't afford to stop now. Press on with the knowledge that despite best attempts and nothing going wrong, some things are not meant to be.

Pisces 2/19-3/20 9 of Cups (All that glitters), upside down 3 of Cups (Bad or false luck), upside down 5 of Cups (Lamentation, wasted resources): You're being sold a sob story on fool's gold, or it's not as bad as someone makes it out to be. Be very careful who you help, because you might not get the help returned when you need it.

Xymbers Slade

Xymber Slade's Hororscopes for June

Aries (3/21–4/19) 6 of Cups ("Same old, Same old..."), upside down Ace of Cups (Overturned holy grail), 2 of Swords (Black and White Choice): You're running on fumes; when faced with upcoming tough choices simply pick the lesser of two evils and otherwise just -get some rest-.

Leo (7/23–8/22) Upside down 3 of Cups (Bad or negative luck), 7 of Pentacles (Stored resources) and the Lovers (Intimate connections): Relationships shouldn't go wrong, but they likely will and it will be out of your control. Don't fight it, you've got enough "stored potential" to outlast Murphy -and- his damned Law.

Sagittarius (11/22–12/21) Upside down 2 of Pentacles (The unhappy jester, living a lie), upside down 9 of Cups (all that glitters, and some things that do, ain't gold), upside down Queen of Cups (Someone focused only on themselves): Someone you care about is holding you down. Cut them loose before you get dragged down further; know when it's time to call it quits.

Taurus (4/20–5/20) Upside down 4 of Pentacles (selfishness), The Lovers (personal connections), and the King of Swords (dangerous threat): Someone who doesn't bend with the wind will instead snap like a twig in a storm. Be careful what you say and how you say it as people will be so singleminded as to refuse to "agree to disagree".

Virgo (8/23–9/22) Upside down Justice (Time for Karma), upside down 9 of Wands (barriers and walls) and an upside down King of Cups (The emotional game-player): People who have done you wrong will get what is coming to them, but not without some feedback to you. Don't worry about the backlash, this has been a long time in coming.

Capricorn (12/22–1/19) Upside down Ace of Cups (Overturned holy grail), Queen of Cups (Strong emotional allies) and an upside down Knight of Swords (Tripping over one's feet): Good intentions, bad outcome. Conclusions you jump to may be right, but the obvious "fix" isn't the correct fix. Try approaching a problem from an unusual 75-degree angle.

Gemini (5/21–6/21) Page of Pentacles (Overeager friend), Knight of Cups (Said friend with a good heart) and King of Cups (Someone who listens): If you have allies and big dreams, use the former to achieve the latter, quickly! Now is the time to act on those big dreams. It won't be cheap, but it will be cheaper than normal.

Libra (9/23–10/22) Upside down 10 of Cups (Incoming storm), the Devil (Dreams and reality are two different things) and an upside down 5 of Swords (War, conflict, physical harm): You're on far thinner ice with many explosive situations than you realize. Unless you like causing nuclear war, Back Off.

Aquarius (1/20–2/18) Upside down Knight of Pentacles (Personal greed), upside down Queen of Pentacles (wasteful and materialistic), and an upside down 10 of Cups (Trainwreck of a situation, incoming): The road to Hell is paved with gold. You can get rich quick, and get poorer quicker.

Cancer (6/22–7/22) Upside down Judgement (The final end of one situation, beginning of another), the 7 of Wands (fighting for every step), and an upside down 3 of Pentacles (the house of cards): You feel forced into climbing a mountain made of loose sand and looser stones. Sometimes the best game played is simply none at all.

Scorpio (10/23–11/21) Upside down 8 of Cups (Empty potential), 4 of Pentacles (Stubbornness), and the Queen of Wands (Established, but too by-the-book): Let others hold on to their ideals, even if those ideals can't be met. You may need to play the "What they don't know won't hurt them" card.

Pisces (2/19–3/20) Upside down Queen of Cups (Entitlement), the 2 of Wands (a safety net) and the 6 of Pentacles (communications): You've got it, but you don't know you've got it. Time to be more assertive than normal but remain aware of your limits; your "insurance" can't protect you forever.

Xymber Slade's Hororscopes for April

Aries (March 21 to April 19): Upside down 9 of Cups (All that Glitters is not gold), the Fool (Self-explaining) and Death (An ending of some sort) --- Put your past mistakes behind you. You've made some dumb moves, now it's time to close the door on that self-doubt that resulted and open a door to the next chapter.

Taurus (April 20 to May 20): Upside down 5 of Cups (crying over spilled milk), King of Cups (someone established, with power willing to share) and the 2 of Wands (Moving forward) --- Don't hesitate to ask someone with power for help, despite previous fall-outs you may have had with them.

Gemini (May 21 to June 21): Upside down 7 of Pentacles (Lack of resources), upside down 5 of Pentacles (Goal in sight, but feeling blocked) and an upside down Magician ("miscast" spells) --- Plans made now will not stand on their own feet. Delay progress a month. The goal is sound and the steps to get there are good. Now's not the time to execute those steps though.

Cancer (June 22 to July 22): Upside down Queen of Pentacles (someone holding more than they deserve), Page of Swords ("attacking the problem head on"), and the Knight of Cups (Good intentions triumph) --- You know the difference between right and wrong, but zealotry will make more enemies than it will fix problems. Still, sometimes zealotry's needed to win.

Leo (July 23 to August 22): 10 of Swords (Betrayal, endings), Upside down Heirophant (Bad knowledge leading to a worse situation) and the Page of Wands upside down (a liar) --- don't trust everything you read or hear. Some of it may be just plain bad or come from sources with a subtle agenda.

Virgo (August 23 to September 22): Upside down Hanged Man (stagnation, total block), The High Priestess (Emotional power) and the 10 of Pentacles (people as a whole) --- You won't accomplish your goals on your own; people are not listening nor will they. Time to hire outside talent, even if it's on a very short term basis.

Libra (September 23 to October 22): Upside down Queen of Cups (Someone who acts good but is a black widow), Justice (teaching the Queen a lesson) and the 4 of Pentacles (Stubbornness, not listening to the universe) --- Someone in your circles is ignoring a lesson or is stubbornly getting in the way convinced they're in the right. They're not going to go away. Adapt rather than fight them off.

Scorpio (October 23 to November 21): Upside down Page of Cups (Brat), Queen of Swords (Someone ignoring the brat), 8 of Cups (Emptiness) --- A problem involving two people will burn out on its own. Don't go trying to fix what will properly end or you stand to be the next troublemaker.

Sagittarius (November 22 to December 22): Upside down Queen of Pentacles (someone who is too connected), the Star (opportunity rising), and the 7 of Wands --- Someone with a winner-take-all attitude's "time to shine" is rapidly approaching. They'll be so busy fighting to keep every step whether they got it legally or not that your plans are unaffected. Fly under the radar.

Capricorn (December 22 to January 19): Ace of Cups (Holy Grail), upside down 8 of Cups (Emptiness, no potential) and the King of Pentacles (Someone with a lot of riches/power/connections) --- You hold the "cup of bounty", but it will rapidly run dry. Enjoy it while it lasts before it passes into the hands of the lawful-but-undeserving.

Aquarius (January 20 to Febuary 18): Upside down 3 of Wands (Trojan horse), 9 of Wands (barriers), and the upside down Knight of Wands (Bad starts, slow progress) --- Trust yourself over others on the same life goal or path, though your own progress will be slow going for a while.

Pisces (Febuary 19 to March 20): Upside down Page of Pentacles (Bad spending), Upside down King of Pentacles (Worse spending), upside down Knight of Wands (near-no progress) --- stop spending your material resources. They're getting you nowhere. Back off on projects, use go-betweens or emotional resources instead.