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.

Sep 24 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Sept 24, 2014 — Ten of Swords

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Ten of Swords

What do you do when you come to the end of as arduous journey and find yourself facing a very painful reality? The Ten of Swords begs this question as you’re faced with the knowledge that it may be time to lay down your sword.

Perhaps a relationship has run its course, and you’re forced now to finally put it to rest. Or maybe a dream you held onto for far too long is proving itself to be impossible to achieve.

You know that you’ve given it your all — you’ve fought a worthy battle — but you realize it’s time to let it go: once and for all. You just don’t have any more “fight” left in you.

So what do you do? Do you lay down and die, or do you surrender to the knowledge that the Universe has something entirely different in store for you?

The Ten of Swords is one of the more ominous cards in the tarot, yet here we can see the focus is one of triumph and victory more than surrender and defeat.

A balsamic moon sits high in the background, the raven’s scythe pointed defiantly toward it. There’s a sense of liberation here in the imagery of this card. The vanquishing of ego; the surrendering of pride; the dissolution of conflict — these are all here. And what is left after all of these things have been abandoned? Victory, triumph and regeneration.

Sep 23 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Sept 23, 2014 — Six of Pentacles

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Six of Pentacles

There’s some inconsistency today in what you have coming in and what you have going out.

Whether this is money coming in and going out or your time being squandered away and you don’t know where it all goes as you run out of time to get things done it. One thing is certain… you are not coming up trumps when it relates to the fine act of balancing.

As Jupiter is inconjunct Chiron today the planet of excess (Jupiter) may have so completely had you running around in circles that you are thrown off balance when it comes to what you have actually been doing and coming up short on answers that make sense when you try to retrace your steps that got you to where you are now.

Chiron can be of help with self healing and wisdom here but Jupiter’s effects on it today are that wisdom is a bit thin on the ground and what wisdom and common sense is around is being blindsided.

This is not the day to go out and do a spot of shopping as it may turn out you spend so much that you can’t tally up the amount that went out to the value of the purchases that caught your eye. It is also not the day to forge headlong into a pile of bills and pay them without checking all the facts are straight and the figures are correct.

Sep 22 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Sept 22, 2014 — Queen of Swords

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Queen of Swords

As we roll into the equinox today and the sun moves into Libra there is a sense that change is in the air.

Adding weight to this change is Pluto turning direct today and this means force although perhaps it is not the type of force you have in mind.

This version of the Queen of Swords is subtle. It is all about subtlety and aligning your thoughts, emotions and ideas into one clear intention and setting it lose upon the winds of change.

The colours in this card are all about spirituality so there is no brute force needed to attain your goals. It is more about relaxing and “listening” to that quiet place within yourself and then allowing this to flow through you as a message to the Universe in what you want next.

This type of action can be stronger than a full on assault to what you are wishing for as it takes you away from the “doing” and action mode and more into the feeling and emotional mode that you so often need to accomplish your goals. Add the power that Pluto lends to this and you have a very strong base on which to launch your intentions.

This Queen stands in a spiritual dimension. She is surrounded by messages so expect communication to play a large part of your day.

Sep 21 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Sep 21, 2014 — Five of Swords

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Five of Swords

What better card than the Five of Swords for today’s transit involving a t-square between Mars, Moon and Neptune.

Be careful things don’t get out of hand for you today when it comes to arguments and disagreements because this is a day where no one wins.

It is a time when the argument may go around in circles and there is no resolution.

The Moon’s involvement indicates a high chance that the quarrel will be about your relationship and at the same time Neptune clouds your better judgement. It also throws an array of confusion around the situation where neither person can see the whole picture.

It is rather like you are both coming from your own view points and perspectives and speaking of this watch out for force of your words and actions.

Mars’ square to Neptune denotes tension and not just any old tension this is huge tension almost as if there is a power play being acted in the midst of a lof of emotional turbulence. No one is backing down. No one is saying they are wrong.

As the waves (emotions) wash up on to the shore under the cloudy sky you get the general gist of how you may be feeling today. All is grey, all is dismal. You are on your guard. There is no room for movement with the armor you have built up around you.

Sep 20 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Sep 20, 2014 — Ace of Pentacles

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Ace of Pentacles

Today is a good day to be counting your blessings and focusing on attracting more of the same into your life.

The Ace of Pentacles refers to new opportunities for growth, prosperity and abundance, of which material (financial) gain is only a small part of.

It refers to planting seeds which then grow and flourish, and ultimately begin to propagate and replenish themselves — much like the grape vines framing the scarab on this card.

You want to be focusing on what you have today rather than what you lack. What you’ve invited into your life rather than what you’ve left behind. And what you’re putting out there now, as a means of attracting more of the same.

The Ace of Pentacles — like all Aces — is a card of assurance and inspiration. It’s a “Yes” card, a manifesting card, a card of limitless promise and potential. It’s an essence rather than a “thing,” which means you have a lot of say in how it plays out. If it’s money you want (or security, stability, comfort, etc.) now is the time to work on attracting more of it into your life.

But remember that money is called “currency” for a reason: It’s expected to flow, both to us and from us. We need to be willing to put our own resources to use if we want to attract more of the same.

Sep 19 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Sept 19, 2014 — Page of Swords

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Page of Swords:

There’s a lot on your mind today and a lot of things to do.

For the most part you are pretty happy just getting on with everything but there seems to be such an abundance of chores that you may need to watch that you don’t miss something…

Especially running with scissors as this can imply that if you do miss something it can come back to hurt you later or imminently.

Your mood is happy and upbeat and as you go about your day there is a sense of childlike fascination in all that you do and perhaps a bit of manic energy in which you do it in.

This is not the day for cutting ties with anything or anyone in your life without giving it further thought. If you rush in and act without thinking something through then you may find out something else further down the line that you didn’t know at this time which brings to mind the saying “act in haste… repent in leisure.”

For this is exactly what you will be faced with, namely, the hard, cold fact that you could’ve avoided the impulsive actions and/or words you used.

You don’t want to get your hands dirty and yet at the same time you can’t help leaving your palm marks everywhere you go as if you are marking your territory out in some haphazard way.

Sep 18 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Sept 18, 2014 — Six of Batons

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Six of Batons

Sometimes you just want to go with something and sometimes you just want to sit back.

Today is a bit like that… the need to choose how far you want to go with a situation/project or something in your life or how much you want to hold back and see if the situation/project takes care of itself.

It may be a dream you are having on what you wish to do with your life and you need to “pluck” the details to what your next step is out of your imagination.

It may also be that you are not quite ready to pick up the baton and run with it but rather know that your stance in “sitting pretty” will work for you. Either way — with the Victory card, ie Six of Batons (Wands in many decks) — you are a winner.

This Six of Batons is called “Triumph” in this deck. It refers to the sense of pride and glory that goes with a job well done. Still you’ll have to strike a balance between sitting back on your laurels and taking the reigns and running with them.

Do not get too far ahead of yourself. The white horse is looking a bit anaemic to say the least and whilst it still has a lot of strength in it to be holding your weight you do not want to push your luck too far.

At the moment it is working… the roses are blooming and you are “sitting pretty” but this may not always be the case.

Sep 17 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Sept 17, 2014 — Wheel of Fortune

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Wheel of Fortune

Be conscious of the decisions you make today as well as the words you use to communicate your needs. With Mercury conjuncting the North Node, what you put out there can have far reaching consequences, particularly in the way you express yourself to others.

The North Node, like the Wheel of Fortune, refers to karma, fate and destiny. Reaping and sewing. The Law of Attraction. The winds of change.

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.

Venus and Chiron are also in aspect today, indicating a need to let go of painful associations. This can be an important step toward clearing up some of the negativity in your life, especially if you’re holding onto something (or someone) that no longer serves you.

The Wheel of Fortune is all about life’s natural cycles and rhythms. It can bring exciting new opportunities or challenges you have to face. There are as many ups and downs as there are highs and lows. One day you’re “on top of the world” and the next you’re clawing your way back up from the bottom.

Sep 16 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Sept 16, 2014 — Knight of Swords

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Knight of Swords

You may be feeling a sense of urgency today — to chase after your goals, deliver an important message or reach some objective that you feel time is running out for.

The Knight of Swords is a fearless and driven individual who can be so intent on pursuing his goals that he fails to see any obstacles in his way. In some ways this is a blessing in disguise: in the “what he doesn’t know can’t hurt him” vein.

But the downside of the mind-set is an inability to see what (or whom) he’s trampling over in his single-minded quest to get to the finish line.

The Knight of Swords can be aggressive and abrupt. He’s no-nonsense and no-BS and is unlikely to worry about sparing anyone’s feelings. He’s also not someone you can reason with or who will be deterred by emotional displays.

In this version of the card the Knight and his stallion are both wearing armor — and both cloaked in royal attire. The Knight raises his sword and rears back on his horse in a gesture of defiance. A second Sword has been thrust into the ground in a symbol of triumph. The spoils of war are behind him.

As with all the court cards, this may be someone in your life or it may be a set of attitudes that you need to adopt. If he’s someone in your life — especially someone you’re at odds with — your best bet is to just get out of his way.

He can be combative and contentious, which means that you’re not going to make any headway in getting your views across.

Sep 15 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Sept 15, 2014 — The Hierophant

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The Hierophant

What do you know and what don’t you know? Are you preaching to the converted or are they preaching to you?

The Hierophant is about knowledge and from what can be seen in this version of the card it looks as if there is a long lost wisdom being given out to the masses under various guises.

Where does this wisdom come from and where is it going?

If you look at the base of the tree it is as if wisdom is still being learned and put into practice and if you have found yourself perhaps sitting back and “looking” at life without partaking in it then you will know that you are still learning and becoming wise but from a different perspective than if you had been involved in a situation.

On the other side of the coin the various figures surrounding the tree who look to be actively requesting information and wisdom may all be in the throes of their own personal dramas and not seeing the facts clearly.

This is what it can be like when you are caught up in life all around you and doing things too quickly, becoming emotional and not sitting back to learn from your past mistakes.

We all sometimes need a wise observer or friend who can guide us when we have become so embroiled in a situation that we can’t see things clearly.

Sep 14 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Sept 14, 2014 — The Lovers

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The Lovers

As Venus sextiles Pluto today you may be feeling the urge to merge. This aspect brings together the planets that rule love (Venus) and sex (Pluto) — among other things.

The Lovers card can bring someone new into your life or heat up an existing relationship. It can ignite (or re-ignite) a rapturous passion. And it can cause you to throw logic completely out the window as you give in to your desires.

Be careful with that though, because Venus and Pluto can also be tremendously seductive. Pluto represents power but as we can see from the figures in this card, it’s the female (Venus) calling the shots here.

This version of the card references the famed mythological sirens who lured unsuspecting seafarers into the rocks. But this sailor isn’t exactly falling for it. While she tries to coax him over the ledge, he holds onto the one thing that can save him — a weapon he’s concealed from view.

The Lovers card can also represent decisions. Choices between lovers (as in a love triangle) or choices between love and something else. In this scenario the choice may even be between life and death.

The Venus / Pluto transit is not likely to be so dramatic. But it does call for you to look at your relationships (and relationship choices) with a more discerning eye.

Sep 13 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Sept 13, 2014 — Ace of Bows

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Ace of Bows

As Mars moves into Sagittarius today, you want to be thinking about your dreams, desires and intentions; as well as the actions you can take to turn them into a powerful reality.

The Ace of Bows (Wands in most decks) speaks of directing your energy toward your goals with purpose and intent: much the same way you’d take aim with an arrow and launch it at a distant target.

If you’ve ever done any archery, you know that you don’t just pick up an arrow and fling it haphazardly into the air. You have to pull back, focus on your objective and become one with the bow before you even shoot. Once you let go of the arrow, you’re committed to the outcome so you have to put everything you have into hitting your target.

This is the energy you want to keep in mind as you work on manifesting your goals. This card — called the “Spark of Life” here — refers to that raw, pure, unharnessed energy that is the Ace of Wands as it changes energetically from spark (idea) to flame (intention) to contact (manifestation).

The symbol for Sagittarius is the “archer” which is perfect for this card. And Mars is all about drive, initiative, energy and action: also perfect. Put them together and you have all the tools that are necessary to manifest your reality, via the Ace of Bows.