Articles By Mel and Chris

About Mel and Chris

We’re both full-time professional astrologers with more than 30 years experience (studying, teaching, writing and consulting) individually. We met several years ago while doing online consultations and have been collaborating on weekly and monthly horoscopes for the last five years.

Mar 03 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — Mar 3, 2015 — Wheel of Fortune

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Wheel of Fortune

Today you may be looking at the ups and downs in your life and thinking about how they’ve led you to where you are today. The Wheel of Fortune card is associated with fate, destiny, “karma,” life cycles and both good and bad luck.

Sometimes we blame ourselves for the down times (assuming we’ve “brought it all on ourselves”) while viewing the up times as outside of our control.

We all experience these up and down cycles — and we all try to maximize the former while minimizing the latter. But the Wheel of Fortune — this version from the beautiful Feng Shui Tarot — tells us that both are necessary and that the good times wouldn’t be good without the frame of reference of the not-so-good times.

The Wheel in this version is balanced between solid ground and turbulent waters. Four colored lanterns — representing the four elements (fire, earth, wind and water) — keep it suspended in midair.

The Wheel of Fortune is tied to “luck” and you may see yours turning with today’s Jupiter / Uranus trine. This aspect brings Jupiter’s benevolence and Uranus’ penchant for surprise together in unexpected ways.

There are also elements of karma and fate associated with this card; yet the Wheel of Fortune refers as much to creating your own destiny — and mastering your own fate — as it does to dealing with karmic repercussions.

It’s a reminder that all we send out comes back to us in some form or another. It may not be today; it may be months or years or even lifetimes away. The Jupiter / Uranus aspect can bring in unique opportunities to clear up past-life karma and rewrite your destiny.

Remember that as one one door closes, another one opens — just as the wheel turns and the seasons change. Today’s transits speak of finding ways to voice your intentions while at the same time putting disappointments and heartaches behind you.

Mar 02 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — Mar 2, 2015 — Knight of Cups

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Knight of Cups

Today you may find yourself the happy recipient of a pleasant surprise, an unexpected gift, or reassurances of love and affection from someone near and dear to your heart.

The Knight of Cups may represent a person in your life; if so he or she may come sweeping in, professing feelings of love and adoration that are going to be hard to resist.

As Venus conjuncts the South Node today, your “knight in shining armor” may even be someone from your past, as in a past life connection or an old flame.

The Knight of Cups — this version from the Connolly Tarot — is a sensitive and romantic individual (usually male) who leads with his heart. He’s in love with love and may be somewhat moody or overly sentimental.

This version is ardent and passionate as well: notice the vivid reds and fuschias that are so prominent in this card. In addition to the skyline, there’s his cloak and his gloves and the plumes in his helmet — and even the horse’s tassels are bathed in hot pink.

This Knight isn’t messing around: He’s going all out — or all in in this case — as evidenced by the single red (representing love) and white (representing marriage) roses he lifts up in his golden chalice.

While today’s news may not manifest as an actual proposal, be prepared for good news or some validation of your feelings — if only a small gesture. While the Knight of Cups is known for his extravagance, he can also be quite subtle. He may just sneak up on you when you least expect it.

Feb 28 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — Feb 28, 2015 — Ten of Swords

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Ten of Swords

Today you may find yourself in the uncomfortable position of having to put something to rest that should have been put to rest a long time ago.

The Ten of Swords speaks of inevitable endings. These usually refer to something that’s been held onto well past its expiration date — such as a job you’ve outgrown, a relationship that’s run its course or a friendship that is no longer supportive.

You may have to surrender to the realization that something that means a lot to you must come to an end.

This card is called “Ruin” in some decks, and refers to damage that has been done which cannot be undone, such as a loss of a friendship, the end of a dream or a betrayal of trust.

There’s a bit of a dramatic conclusion in this of the card, as there very well may be in real life. In this version — from the gorgeous Paulina Tarot — we see a swooning woman with 10 swords piercing her flesh. Or are they? If you look closely you’ll notice that there is no blood. And all of the swords are crooked. Perhaps they’re not stuck into her after all.

Whatever it is you’re being forced to let go of, know that it was no longer serving its purpose. There are indications here — just as there are in every version of this card — that the worst is over.

As hard as it is, you know what you’re up against: there’s no more fretting and worrying about the future (as that was left to the Nine of Swords). The Ten of Swords tells you that it’s time to put the past behind you, pick up the pieces and begin the process of moving on.

Feb 27 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — Feb 27, 2015 — King of Wands

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King of Wands

Today you may be called upon to lay down the law or exert your influence and authority over others.

The King of Wands — this version from the Arcus Arcanum Tarot — is depicted as a powerful and imposing figure.

This KIng is hearty and robust. He’s seated on his throne against a fiery red and gold back-drop. His royal garb is rugged yet dignified and the club he holds in his lap (his “wand”) is not one to be trifled with.

As with all of the court cards, the King of Wands can represent a person in your life, in this case someone who possesses strong leadership qualities and who has a personable, larger-than-life presence that’s impossible to ignore.

If this is the case with you, know that this person is here to teach you to embrace some of these qualities yourself. You may need to learn to wield your own authority over others, at home or in the work place.

The King of Wands can also represent a state of mind — as in displaying confidence and problem solving skills that draw people to you and elevates you in their eyes. And he can represent an event — such as a promotion or recognition from your peers.

However he appears for you today, see it as an indication that it’s time to step and start exerting your own influence. It may be time for you to pick up your own mighty club and show the rest of the world what you’re made of.

Feb 26 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — Feb 26, 2015 — The Fool

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The Fool

Today’s Sun / Neptune conjunction may have you thinking about taking a giant leap of faith into the unknown.

The Fool card is the first card in the tarot, numbered Zero. It represents the onset of the Fool’s journey and refers to new beginnings, fresh starts, a period of awakening and unlimited potential.

The Fool card is so beautifully represented here in Gina Pace’s Pagan Tarot. In this version we meet a young female initiate stepping into the void with only her instincts — represented here by her feline companion — to guide her.

She steps gingerly out into the Universe with only her robe on her back and her familiar at her side. She touches down with her bare feet onto a pathway of stars and feels her way through the darkness.

There’s a starkness in this card and a vastness at the same time. It reminds you that there’s a great big world out there filled with possibilities; a blank canvas of opportunities with which to construct your story.

The Fool card encourages you to consider the possibilities, no matter how impractical or far fetched they may be. But there may also be uncertainty. The young witch in this card appears a bit more cautious and timid than most. But notice she’s moving forward and gaining momentum with every step she takes.

This is the ultimate “leap of faith” card. It’s about jumping into the unknown and trusting the Universe will provide a net. Think about what new adventures are in store for you, and how suspending all beliefs and concerns can get you in the necessary mindset.

You want to think about where you may be focusing too much on the destination (outcome) today and not enough on the journey. It may not be easy to trust in this process, but the magic that can happen as a result is well worth the effort.

Feb 25 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — Feb 25, 2015 — Firefly

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Four of Branches

Today is a good day to look around you and count your blessings for the world you’ve created and the loved ones who surround you.

You could be the recipient of good news, or an unexpected surprise; or you may be thinking of celebrating an achievement that involves friends, family and those who’ve supported you along the way.

The Firefly (or Four of Wands) — called the Four of Branches in the Animal Wisdom Tarot’s version of card — heralds the completion of the first stages of an ongoing project and acts as confirmation that things are moving forward.

It says that you are making progress, building on something that’s well on its way to being established, and have every reason to feel good about the foundations you’ve already laid down.

The Firefly can represent a joyous celebration: a marriage, a promotion, the birth of a child. It tells you that “this is only the beginning” of something you’ve already established and that it’s bound to just keep getting better.

There’s an archway in this card made up a beautiful canopy of flowers. Fireflies hover above and light the way. A four-leaf clover (symbolizing fortune and luck) rests beneath it and a sprinkling of stars shine in the night sky.

The Four of Wands is represented by Venus in Aries, which is where Venus is right now. It speaks of rejoicing in the moment and keeping things fresh and alive, all the while moving toward the future. You could be planning a party or casual get-together; or you could be making plans to attend one on someone else’s turf.

Either way, this is a time for rejoicing and celebrating. It’s not a time to isolate or withdraw from social opportunities. Look around you and take note of all you’ve accomplished thus far. Chances are good there’s a lot to be grateful for and a cause for celebration right there in front of you.

Feb 23 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — Feb 23, 2015 — Ten of Wands

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Ten of Wands

You may feel like you’ve taken on too many responsibilities and have overextended yourself to the point of exhaustion.

The Ten of Wands — this version from the beautiful Infinite Visions Tarot — refers to being overburdened and overtaxed; feeling overwhelmed by the work ahead of you and seeing no real end in sight.

Here we see an old man kneeling down amidst a pile of books that represent all the work he has to do. He doesn’t know where to begin.

The Wands stacked around him represent more responsibilities – more piles of work — including the one he holds in his hand.

The keys lying next to him may represent the solution to his dilemma but he’s so focused on the mountain of work that surrounds him he doesn’t even notice them.

Nor does he pay attention to the bird squawking at him from the ledge — perhaps here to deliver an important message that gets drowned out by all the worries taking up space in his head.

The Ten of Wands refers to a situation that’s so overwhelming and exhausting that you’re left feeling completely spent.

But notice the Sun peering through the storm clouds in the distance. It’s an indication there there is a silver lining to your situation and that it doesn’t have to be that hard. Although this transit (and this card) may have you feeling like you’re doing all the work and reaping none of the benefits, they’re both character building archetypes that ultimately promote growth.

You may feel like you’re alone in the world or that you’re not getting any outside support — which is especially true right now with today’s Sun / Saturn square. But it’s important to note that there are solutions to your dilemmas (the “keys” to your problems) and outside messages that can lighten the load.

Feb 22 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope –Feb 22, 2015 — Two of Cups

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Two of Cups

Today’s Venus / Mars conjunction may see you bonding intimately with another.

The Two of Cups speaks of falling in love, finding your other half, and connecting with another on such a powerful level that the two become one.

It’s not always a love connection. It can refer to a close friendship, business partnership, or some other deep bond. It refers to the “sum of the parts being greater than the whole,” which reminds us that two heads (and hearts) are better than one.

In the context of romance though, this is a very loving and romantic card. This version — from Jennifer Galasso’s ethereal Crystal Visions Tarot — is about as romantic as you can get. In it, a pair of star-struck lovers bathe in a shimmering lotus pool under the light of a full moon.

There’s a sacred connection here, a blending of energies with the pouring of an essence from one cup to another and the tiny faerie that rises in the mist and bestows her blessings on the couple below.

This is the essence of the Two of Cups. It’s not just relating to another romantically, but also sharing, merging and uniting in love. The Venus / Mars conjunction in Aries increases your libido, sexual magnetism and physical chemistry.

It can also relate to finding your “soul-mate” or your other half. It brings with it the ability to see yourself through someone else’s eyes (and heart). In this respect it’s about falling in love with yourself — at your very best.

If you’re already involved in an established relationship, this card can relate to reinvigorating the love you felt upon first meeting. And if you’re not involved and just looking, it may very well be the time you find exactly what you’re looking for.

Like these two figures, you may find yourself on the verge of a passionate, all-consuming affair. It can be riveting and it can be intoxicating, and as long as you keep your wits about you, it can also be a life-altering experience.

Feb 21 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — Feb 21, 2015 — The Empress

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The Empress

Today’s card — the Empress from the Morgan Greer Tarot — is all about getting in touch nature, with your femininity, your creativity and your fertility.

The Empress is the quintessential Earth Mother archetype. She’s loving and caring yet completely approachable. She’s someone you know you can turn to when you need reassurance or support.

In some ways she represents the perfect woman. She’s strong yet sensitive, loving yet protective, and nurturing yet sensible. If you look at the imagery in the card you can see that the Feminine symbols (lotus blossom, crescent moon, pomegranate and heart) are counterbalanced by the Masculine symbols(the shield, the eagle, the wheat and the cross).

The Empress is less concerned with ambition and success though and more interested in keeping the home fires burning. She surrounds herself with beauty, comfort and love.

Although this may be someone in your life — a mother, sister, a role model, a friend — the qualities she possesses are going to be important for you to embrace today.

Perhaps someone you care about needs comforting or advice. A loved one may reach and ask for help or just a shoulder to cry on. Someone you don’t even know could use a kind word, a smile or a gesture of compassion. These all fall under the realm of the Empress’s domain.

The qualities associated with the Empress card are not gender-specific. They apply to men as well as women. It may be about getting in touch with your inner woman (the anima archetype) or taking on a more nurturing role in your personal relationships. It may also be about exploring a different kind of fertility: giving birth to a creative project or a body of work.

Whatever role you’re taking on today — whether you’re caring for another or getting in touch with your femininity in other ways, know that it’s going to be less about the mark you make on the outer world and more about tending to the world you’re creating at home.

Feb 20 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — Feb 20, 2015 — Red Phoenix Ace

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Red Phoenix Ace

Venus and Mars both move into Aries today, setting the mood for romance and passion in a big way.

The Moon joins in too, and if you’re lucky enough to have a relatively cloudless sky you can see them all tonight on the Western horizon just after sunset.

In honor of this spectacular stellium, we have the Red Phoenix Ace — the Feng Shui Tarot’s version of the Ace of Cups.

The Ace of Cups is traditionally associated with the concept of Love. And there’s no absence of that here. The Red Phoenix rises in this card above a tranquil pool and spreads its wings across a heavenly landscape.

Add in the fiery, dynamic Aries archetype and a conjunction involving Venus, Mars and the Moon, and you’ve got a recipe for romance, affection, passion and sex appeal all rolled into one.

These planets all at zero degrees of Aries — known as the Aries point — inspire you to rev up your engines and put yourself out there in the romance department.

It’s the yin (Venus) and yang (Mars) energies coming together and joining with the sensitive, loving and nurturing light of the Moon. The i-ching hexagram in the bottom corner of the card —Hsiao Kuo — refers to a bird delivering a message.

You may hear from someone unexpectedly today, or you may feel the urge to reach out and touch a loved one yourself. Either way — with the Ace of Cups and Mars / Venus / Moon at the Aries Point — it’s not going to be about holding back; it’s going to be about taking a risk, laying your heart on the line and letting your feelings be known.

Feb 19 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — Feb 19, 2015 — Eight of Pentacles

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Eight of Pentacles

Mercury and Saturn are in sextile today. This aspect is favorable for hard work, discipline and organization. It’s perfectly referenced in the Eight of Pentacles — as seen here in the Mythic Tarot’s version.

The Eight of Pentacles is known as the “apprenticeship card.” It refers to developing craftsmanship and expertise; putting your all into a project and being satisfied with the results. You take pride in your work — whether it’s something you’re in the process of learning or something you’ve done a thousand times before.

In this version of the card we meet Daedalus, who is known for having built the Labyrinth for King Minos. Here you see him perfecting his skills as he labors over Eight golden coins.

You can see his focus and dedicating as he works on the intricate details of each coin. He’s patient and diligent. He knows it takes a keen eye and a steady hand to bring hone his craft to perfection.

This is the essence of the Eight of Pentacles — and of the Saturn / Mercury aspect.

it relates to fully investing yourself in a skill or trade. It’s usually a labor of love. It’s not about seeing work as drudgery, but instead being totally engaged in whatever it is you’re devoting your time to.

The Eight of Pentacles also sometimes has to do with shifting gears — as in finding your calling at a point where you might have already considered yourself well on the road to success in some other profession.

Your challenge today is to embrace that aspect and apply it to your work. Whether that means improving upon something you’re already good at, or learning to master new skills. Like Daedalus in this card, it may just be a stepping stone to something bigger and better down the road. But taking pride in your work and honing your skills now will see you one step closer to those goals.

Feb 18 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — Feb 18, 2015 — The Star

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The Star

Today’s New Moon is another Super Moon, occurring at 29° Aquarius 59′. This is the Sun and Moon coming together in the last degree and last minute of Aquarius, and by the time it’s all over, they’ve both moved into Pisces.

You can see the symbols for both in this card. There’s the water bearer (Aquarius) statue at the base of the fountain, and the two fish (Pisces) swimming through a sea of stars within.

The Star card is related to hope, promise, inspiration and enlightenment, all of which are referenced through the Aquarius / Pisces transition.

For Aquarius it’s evolution and humanitarian endeavors. For Pisces it’s a spiritual undertaking — it’s compassion, understanding and forgiveness.

The Stars in this card are both high in the sky and reflected down below in the fountain’s pool. It’s a reminder that hope and inspiration are all around us — not just “up there” and not just outside of ourselves.

The cat in this card doesn’t look ready to pounce. He looks more inquisitive. Perhaps he knows his presence could startle the fish at any moment, so he hangs back and watches them from a comfortable distance. And they in turn gaze at the statue with a similar curiosity.

This Cat and Fish interplay is repeated in the statute — like a holographic version of what’s happening in real time. This is similar to the repetition of the stars — shining high in the night sky and low in the fountain’s reflection.

It’s a reminder of the “as above so below” axiom that is central to the Star card’s theme. The connections that we all have to one another, and how all of our actions impact on humanity at large: this is the message behind the Star card and one we would all do well to heed.