8 is a number of setting priorities and goals, systems, regeneration and structure, practicality, balance and symmetry. On its side 8 resembles the lemniscate - a symbol of infinity.  Wands are usually associated with the element of fire, inspiration, energy, passion, feeling, enterprise, ambition, matters pertaining to the "spark of life".  They can refer to the growth and awareness of the self.  Wands are focused on discovering your true self, apart from others.  This card can sometimes be viewed as new ideas and new inspiration entering into your life.   Or as taking time to consider the various aspects of yourself that you portray and deciding which aspects you need to de-emphasize and which roles you’re willing to enhance.

Amazing, this is the second day in a row I drew this card reversed.  Obviously the Tarot wants to make sure I'm getting the message.  I decided to look at the cards.  On the Sorcerers Tarot I was struck by the focus and energy that is displayed by the figure on the card.  Whether he is drawing the wands towards him or sending them away is irrelevant - the thing that drew my attention is the fact that he is moving them.  The flying wands are not being moved by some invisible force, they are moving according to his will.  He is determining the path of the wands.

On the Kaos 8 of Wands there is an exuberance and sense of fun that I get.  It looks like a tree-nymph dancing in the woods with a satyr.  There are branches stretching out from her and flying through the air independent of her.  It brought to mind the idea that sometimes our creative energies and ideas are a natural outgrowth of where we are in our lives and what we are focusing on.  Other times these new ideas and creative energies seem to appear from nowhere - out of the ether as it were.  We are struck by divine inspiration, a gift from the universe that allows us to dance to a new tune.  Ultimately it is our decision which of these new gifts to use but we are being offered a number of choices.

The reversed nature of the cards suggests to me that these energies are within me; that I need to focus on harnessing and channeling them within myself.  This is not about using them for external entities.  It is about organizing, focusing and prioritizing these gifts in a way that will most beneficial to me.

Today was a quiet and fun day.  I met the folks from the Aeclectic Tarot meetup at Quest books.  I haven’t been there in a while.  I have always loved that bookstore but I wish it had a better selection of books on Tarot and Pagan topics.  They’re selection of eastern mysticism and Christian mysticism is fairly good but their selection of Tarot, Paganism and other “new age” topics is a bit spare.

I did two readings for members of the meetup.  I hope they were useful to the recipients.  Sometimes I’m just not sure I have any clue what I’m talking about.  I also realized that I either need to refresh my memory of the Celtic Cross spread or find another general spread that I can use instead.  I hate wasting time trying to figure out what position a card is in.  Overall it was a lovely day and I had fun catching up with Shawn and Brian and the others.  I hope to make some of the future meetups but that can be hard because they’re always on Sunday afternoons and I’m usually at the Lake.

Tomorrow is my first day back at school.  I’m a bit nervous and excited.  I’m looking forward to learning more but I’m also distracted by some of the things going on at work.  Time will tell how things are going to go.