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.

Nov 11 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Nov 11, 2014 — King of Cups

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King of Cups

Today’s Moon in Cancer can be a bit tricky. On the one hand it encourages you to immerse yourself fully in the realm of feelings, intuition and emotions.

And on the other hand it spends a good part of the day in hard aspect to Mars, Pluto and Uranus — the three most intense, aggressive and tumultuous planetary energies out there.

What this means for you is that getting in touch with your feelings today can bring some things you’ve been struggling to deal with (or avoiding entirely) to the surface.

Look at the King of Cups in this card. He appears as a Poseidon-like figure, naked (open, receptive, exposed) and submerged in a pond filled with lotus blossoms (purity and enlightenment).

You can see how he’s become almost one with the murky waters that surround him, in fact you can’t tell in some places where the water ends and he begins.

Notice that his trident is also partially submerged and its tines have been distorted by the play of light on the surface of the water.

The King of Cups is about more than just getting in touch with your feelings. It’s about learning contain and control and master them. While it’s clear there is some turbulence in the water that surrounds him, you can see how this King is able to maintain his composure.

Nov 10 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Nov 10, 2014 — Strength

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Strength

With Mars conjuncting Pluto today, you may be called upon to tame your inner beast, meaning that if you feel your emotions rising and you know they may get out of control if you give way to them then you need to reign those emotions in and find another way to express them.

On the surface you look happy and calm almost contented as if nothing can rattle you yet underneath a storm may be brewing.

Be on the lookout for anyone trying to press your buttons to seek a reaction from you.

If you have been having trouble with someone and they know how to rile you then you need to be extra vigilant that you do not react the way they are hoping for. If you do you lose and they win.

The yellow sky shows a prevalence of mental abilities today yet if your mind is too cluttered with many different thoughts you may not get to the gist of what you are wanting to know.

The white dress shows you as innocent in some way… almost like a blank canvas waiting to see what sprouts forth.

Whatever does come forth for you today you can be sure it will not be small.

Nov 09 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Nov 9, 2014 — Nine of Cups

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Nine of Cups

Today — with the planet of love (Venus) in hard aspect to the planet of excess and overindulgence (Jupiter), you could find yourself tempted to overdo it in some areas.

The Nine of Cups is associated with appreciating the finer things in life. With a natural fondness for luxury, comfort, sensuality. composure, self-indulgence, and tranquility. And potentially with excess, depending on how fond of those things — and how susceptible to their charms you are — at this point in your life.

Overall this card speaks of getting to where you feel comfortable enough to kick your heels up and start enjoying the fruits of your labors. And while you may not be exactly there just yet, this card indicates a sense of accomplishment and pride in how far you’ve come.

Here we see a man leaning back and draping his arms across the what looks like a well-stocked bar. He doesn’t appear to have a care in the world.

A large painting of a tastefully concealed nude woman hangs on the wall in the background. Everything about him is relaxed, right down to the trust he places in his rickety chair.

This Venus / Jupiter aspect can be a bit careless. As in trusting too much and taking too many chances. But there’s an element of luck there too, which seems to offset the risk.

Nov 08 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Nov 8, 2014 — Page of Swords

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Page of Swords

Today as Mercury enters Scorpio you may take the opportunity to look back at the last few weeks where, although communications may not have gone as you wanted or smoothly, to say the least, you have come out of it all and can at last put it all behind you.

You are not quite out of the woods yet when it comes to communication difficulties and this Page of Swords shows that what you are thinking and actually wanting to communicate may not come out the way you planned.

Because of this it may be best to put serious conversations off for a few days.

You may think you are standing (or sitting) on solid ground but as this image shows the solid mountains are beneath you and you are actually sitting within the clouds.

Its almost as if you are not fully aware of where you are or how you got there.

With the moon in Gemini today you will have a lot of mental activity around you and if you are required to give a firm answer to a question it may be best if you try to buy yourself a bit of time while you gather all the facts before answering.

After all, as this image suggests, you are not standing (or sitting) on solid ground and you are also not coming forth with solid ideas.

Nov 07 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Nov 7, 2014 — Two of Pentacles

Author: Mel and Chris • Discussion: 2 Comments

Two of Pentacles

Today it’s going to be all about juggling the different areas in your life and finding ways to maintain some sort of equilibrium in the process.

It’s about needing to be flexible and adaptable, as well as being able to shift from one task to another without losing focus.

.Notice the two pentacles the woman in is juggling deftly on this card. They look identical, and this may refer to their level of importance in the realm of larger considerations. But as far as what you want to accomplish today (as opposed to what needs to get done), they’re probably not equal at all.

It could be work and responsibilities vs. pleasure and play. It could be relationships vs. autonomy. Or it could even be up time (productivity) vs. down time (rest).

Whatever it is, you don’t want to be so focused on weighing your options that you lose sight of what’s going on around you. In the midst of all this rocky terrain the woman in this card stands on solid ground. Yet there’s a storm brewing in the background and shipwreck taking place right behind her.

Maybe she feels safe because she’s somewhat sheltered from the storm. Or maybe she’s so invested in trying to balance out her priorities that she doesn’t even notice it. One thing’s for sure: if she loses her concentration and ends up dropping the ball, everything she’s striving for will fall out of balance.

Nov 06 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Nov 6, 2014 — The Empress

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The Empress

Today’s Full Moon is in Taurus, a feminine earth sign that ties in beautifully with the blessings bestowed upon us by the Empress card.

This card is all about getting in touch with your “feminine” side. This isn’t related to gender — it’s more about the qualities that are traditionally associated with anima-type energies.

They’re more sensitive, intuitive, reflective and passive. They’re introspective and creative as opposed to extroverted and dynamic. But they are just as powerful and can enrich your life in ways you never dreamed possible.

There is a rich inner world that each of us — male or female — possess, yet few of us take the time to fully explore. It’s a lush, fertile garden where primitive instincts and natural desires reside.

The woman in this card is at one with nature. She’s at home among the exotic animals, fruits and foliage that surround her. She’s nurturing yet commanding and exotic yet organic.

The sunlight behind her casts its glow and surrounds her like a subtle golden aura. She wears a crown of wildflowers and has draped a string of them around a wildcat’s neck. A pheasant rises up and rests comfortably in her arms.

If you look closely you can see that her headdress and even her gown is “alive” with plant-life and forest greenery. This is the essence of the Empress card.

Nov 05 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Nov 5, 2014 — Three of Wands

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Three of Wands

Today you should be looking at opportunities that are presenting themselves for you to expand your horizons.

The Three of Wands says you’ve already made strides toward accomplishing important goals. And you’re probably also already starting to see the fruits of your labors.

Whether this is related to a projects in the workplace or momentum you’ve gained in your personal relationships, you can take a moment to pat yourself on the back for a job well done.

But it’s also time to look toward the future. The Three of Wands — like all Threes — acts as a bridge between the tension and uncertainty of the Twos and the structure and stability of the Fours.

With that in mind you want to think about how far you’ve come as you plan your next move.

The central figure in this card is a young woman looking out over the vast horizons before here. The night sky is alive with fireflies and stars. A crescent moon — waxing, which relates to growth and potential — shines down on her from above.

Look at the three wands placed neatly behind her. They’re there within arms’ reach, but her focus is on what lies ahead. Her trusty companion sits by her side, and is equally immersed in the landscape before them.

Nov 04 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Nov 4, 2014 — Queen of Pentacles

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Queen of Pentacles

Today you may be thinking about ways to establish security for yourself and your loved ones. This means financial security first and foremost, but ties into other areas of your life as well.

Building a solid foundation in your relationships for example. Making sure you’re where you need to be with your education and professional credentials. Fortifying your relationships with family and friends.

The Queen of Pentacles is all about security and longevity. She appreciates the finer things in life and is not afraid to work for them. But she also wants to see returns on her efforts — material and otherwise.

This Queen is not a pushover. She stands firm in her convictions and does what it takes to achieve her goals. As a strong, solid practical business woman, she’s probably weighed all her options before she’s made a move.

This could be a person in your life or it could refer to qualities that you need to incorporate into your own personality.

The Queen of Pentacles is practical and efficient. She also tends to move a little more slowly, for two reasons. One, she knows from experience that practical choices are more likely to pay off than get rich schemes in the end. And Two, she wants to savor the life she’s built rather than scrambling to earn her next buck without taking the time to appreciate her gains.

Nov 03 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Nov 3, 2014 — Six of Cups

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Six of Cups

You may feel the urge today to reach out to those who remind you of life’s simpler pleasures, such as a family member or a childhood friend.

The Six of Cups speaks of innocence, wonder, sentimentality and reminiscing about the past. You may be missing someone, longing for the comforts and companionships that have gone by the wayside over time.

You could also hear from an old friend unexpectedly today. Someone who’s been on your mind and who takes you on a trip down memory lane, reminding you of long-forgotten events that come rushing back to you in a wave of nostalgia.

This card is also about fantasy and make-believe. Notice the young girl in this card hosting a tea-part among her imaginary friends. Along with her treasured childhood toys there are birds, fish, fairies and elves.

Five of the six cups are teacups and the sixth is a golden vessel on an outcropping by the stream.

There are symbols here of abundance (fish), emotions (water), and luck (the 6th golden vessel). But it’s the sweetness and sincerity that stands out the most.

This is also true of memories — especially the happier memories — which tend to take on softer hues when we look back on them with longing.

Nov 02 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Nov 2, 2014 — Temperance

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Temperance

Today you want to work on achieving balance and harmony in all areas of your life.

The Temperance card refers to bringing the opposing facets of your personality (or your relationships, or your desires) into alignment by finding the perfect middle ground.

It’s about symmetry, synthesis, equilibrium, moderation and restraint.

The little lamb in this version of the card is equipped with golden fleece and angels’ wings. He stands at the based of a pool of water, pouring water from one receptacle to the other, never missing a beat.

Notice he has one foot in the water (the realm of emotions) and one on solid ground (earthly matters and mundane affairs).

The Sun shines brightly in the background, giving breath to the meadows and the daffodils growing around him. But you can’t tell if it’s rising or setting: it’s midway between the horizon and the heavens.

Similarly, today’s Pisces Moon is midway between two planets: Neptune and Chiron. The soft, gentle, flowing energy found in the Temperance card is repeated through this transit.

There’s a calm, tranquil energy expressed through the imagery in this card. It encourages us to stay centered and not tilt too much in one direction or the other.

Nov 01 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Nov 1, 2014 — Knight of Chalices

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Knight of Chalices

Today you may encounter someone who inspires you to open up your heart and express your true feelings without fear or censure.

This could be an individual in your life (male or female) or it could describe qualities that you yourself need to develop. Qualities like love, affection, romance, and emotional expression.

The Knight of Chalices (Cups in most decks), while not exactly the proverbial Knight in Shining Armor, does have a certain romantic sweep-you-off-your-feet vibe. He’s ardent and passionate with a lot to say and a colorful way of saying it.

He may be “in love with love,” in which case he’s apt to be better at the hearts and flowers aspects of romance than he is at the nitty gritty.

Notice that this Knight is charging off on some unknown adventure with his chalice raised high in the air. He’s likely following his heart — and will go to the ends of the earth to find what he’s looking for.

There is a bit of a dramatic flair associated with this Knight. He can be chivalrous and gallant when he needs to be. Or when the mood calls for a softer approach he can be sensitive, caring and kind.

If this is someone in your life, you will know him by his charm, sensitivity, and emotional availability. He wears his heart on his sleeve and has no problem expressing feelings. He may reach out across the miles or send messages of love and affection from afar.

Oct 31 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Oct 31, 2014 — The World

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The World

You may be feeling like you’re coming to the end of one chapter of your life and preparing to embark on another.

The World card (Universe in some decks) speaks of a sense of fulfillment and completion as you put the finishing touches on a project or cycle and begin to tie up loose ends.

This version of the card is ripe with symbolic imagery. We see a sea siren or mermaid, framed by the mythical Ouroboros (world serpent).

Two human-faced fish are situated at the top of the card, gazing at one another. A pair of hybrid beasts safeguard the gateway between past and future at the bottom of the card.

According to tradition, the Ouroboros swallows his own tail and devours himself, only to be reborn again and again.

This represents the World card’s on-going cycle of past and future, death and rebirth, transformation and regeneration.

The mermaid is front center here, midway between the past and future. She’s risen from the sea behind her as she begins her transition across solid ground.

She only needs to cross through the gateway before her to complete the transition. She may need to confront her fears (the beasts on the other side), but if you look at them closely, they’re not so frightening after all.