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 22 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — Nov 22, 2015 — King of Wands

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King of Wands

As the Sun moves into Sagittarius and with a Moon / Uranus conjunction in Aries today, you may be thinking about going off on a grand adventure or pursuing higher mind ideals.

You may be thinking about expanding your horizons and taking a leap of faith into the wild unknown. You may be latching onto larger-than-life ideals, like the King of Wands in this card.

This version of the King has nothing but the clothes on his back and his torch to guide him as he and his trusty Unicorn gallop off into the night. The pair of them are fearless: they’re not going to let a raging bonfire get in the way of their goals.

You may be excited about a trip you have planned or a destination that’s been calling out to you for some time. On a smaller scale you’re still likely to be bursting at the seams with big plans and ideas. You may be feeling more bold, confident and enthusiastic about where you are heading and about what your future holds.

The King of Wands may appear as a person in your life. If so, you’ll know him by his dynamic presence and his fearless attitudes. He may be a parent, boss, mentor, lover or companion. Whatever form he takes, know that he’s here to show you how it’s done.

He can also represent a state of mind, as in displaying confidence and problem solving skills that draw people to you and elevate 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.

Nov 21 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — Nov 21, 2015 — Three of Swords

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Three of Swords

Today’s Venus / Pluto square may have you thinking about some of the heartaches and disappointments you’ve endured as you focus on alleviating your suffering and healing your tender heart.

The Three of Swords is often associated with sadness and separation. And you could be dealing with this now. But keep in mind that disharmony is usually rooted in misunderstanding, or at the very least a misassumption about your role in someone’s life.

It can be that knife in the heart feeling of being hurt, betrayed or seething in anger over a situation that you have little control over. Or like the figure in this card — from Paulina Cassidy’s beautiful Joie de Vivre Tarot — it can be the realization that it’s going to be up to you to tend to your fragile heart.

You may be reeling from a breakup or the loss of a friendship, or it may be that eye-opening moment when you realize that what (or whom) you’ve wanted so badly just doesn’t want you back.

You may be forced to face a painful reality, one that tells you that something or someone has been lost forever. It can also refer to unrequited love, the loss of a friendship, or the realization that something you’d hoped for is just not going to pan out.

The Three of Swords is often linked with feelings of sadness, loneliness, suffering and pain. While we all experience these things at different stages in our lives, how we respond to them — and how willing we are to work through them — will go a long way toward determining our ability to move on.

Nov 20 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — Nov 20, 2015 — Ace of Wands

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Ace of Wands

Things are looking up for you today as Mercury moves into Sagittarius and brings with it clearer insight and a renewed sense of confidence, passion and inspiration.

It’s a good day to visualize and then work on manifesting your goals. Any new project you are thinking of starting now would be a great time to begin.

The image on this Ace of Wands — from Stephanie Stephanie Pui-Mun Law and Barbara Moore’s fantastic Shadowscapes Tarot — suggests there is a correlation between what you are thinking of doing on a higher level and bringing it into your life. If this is the case it will not be difficult.

Things will fall into place for you almost seamlessly as your thoughts and actions correlate to what is around you and help comes from unexpected sources.

There is an abundance of energy for you whether this be physical or mental and with this energy plus more importantly you are able to channel this energy into whatever you are doing. This is a good day to plough through your workload.

This is the energy you want to keep in mind as you work on manifesting your goals. It is that raw, pure, unharnessed energy that is the Ace of Wands as it changes energetically from spark (idea) to flame (intention) to contact (manifestation). It’s about increased confidence, drive and enthusiasm. Ardor. Vitality. Passion. Creativity. Power. Potential.

The Ace of Wands invites you to ask yourself what you really want to do that you can put your whole heart and soul into. It invites you to offer your intentions up to the Universe with every reason to believe you will be rewarded for doing so.

With this in mind, it’s time to push all negativity aside and replace it with optimism and inspiration. If you’re truly serious about manifesting your desires, there is no time like the present to do it

Nov 19 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — Nov 19, 2015 — Three of Pentacles

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Three of Pentacles

Today — as Mercury sextiles the North Node and trines the South Node — is a good day for connecting with others and putting your heads together to bring a project to fruition.

The Three of Pentacles — this version from Nathalie Hertz’s Vampire Tarot — joins companionship and camaraderie with work and productivity. It refers to the bringing together of like-minded people in a business or financial capacity. It’s about networking, collaborating and team-building.

It’s a card of cooperation and coordination. Bringing all of the necessary elements together — and adding your own unique contributions to the mix.

The Three of Pentacles also represents progress. Seeing the fruits of your labors come to life. And overseeing your efforts from start to finish, much like the three bats in this card are watching over the young Vampiress.

If you’re involved in a project that could benefit from someone else’s expertise, don’t be afraid to ask. And don’t be afraid to offer your assistance to those who might need it as well. You may just need a little push to get past a hump, or you may need the discerning eye of someone you trust.

The Three of Pentacles — like all threes — refers to the initial stages of progress where you’ve taken an idea (the Ace) put it into production (the Two) and are making progress now toward creating something real (the Three). It says you should be feeling good about what you’ve accomplished so far. But there’s still work to be done, and you won’t be able to do it alone.

Nov 18 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — Nov 18, 2015 — Six of Swords

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Six of Swords

Neptune goes direct today and brings with it a shift in energy that can guide you toward pursuing dreams that you may have recently put on hold.

The Six of Swords — this version from the Robin Wood Tarot — speaks of making changes in your life, moving away from something (or someone) that no longer serves you and moving toward “the light.”

In this version of the card the ferryman is a spiritual being, guiding the young traveler to his destination. This ties in very well with the Neptune change in direction, especially if you recognize that there are greater forces at work in guiding you toward your goals. Notice the tiny light on the horizon — the beacon of light that tells you are moving in the right direction.

This doesn’t necessarily mean material things; in fact that’s rarely what it means. It’s more about attitudes and belief systems, as well as a life you may have built and dreams you may have dreamed that are no longer capable of sustaining you.

The Six of Swords is all about transitions, and in most decks (including this one) about leaving something painful behind in an effort to move toward “the light.”

You may be moving, changing jobs, ending a relationship, or releasing some baggage that’s been holding you back. Although this card refers to change more than it does to endings, there are elements of “clearing the slate” that are a necessary part of this process.

This is the message behind the Six of Swords. You may not be where you want to be just yet, but you’re moving in the right direction. It also provides clarity and perspective. We may see things we don’t want to see — or admit to ourselves — but it’s that kind of clarity that motivates us toward change.

Take a moment today to reflect on where you are and where you want to be heading. This is the first step, courtesy of the Six of Swords, toward manifesting your goals.

Nov 17 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — Nov 17, 2015 — Eight of Wands

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Eight of Wands

Today’s Sun / Mercury conjunction can have you thinking about which direction you want to go and how you want to go about making your next move.

You may be feeling more decisive about putting your plans into action and striking while the iron is hot.

The Eight of Wands — this version from Robin Ator’s Prairie Tarot — is all about declaring your intentions and be purposeful about your goals. It speaks of consolidating your efforts and moving ahead.

Notice that all of the pencils in this card are pointed in the same direction. They may be different sizes and colors, but they’re lined up and pointing in one (forward) direction. This indicates both clarity and purity of intention.

The Eight of Wands is a high energy card that represents a highly focused sense of action and activity. It’s all about progress, efficiency and momentum. It’s about getting things done and making things happen.

It may be as simple as ticking off all the little things on your to-do list, and it may be as significant as making great headway on an important project.

And while it might feel to you like there just aren’t enough hours in the day, you could be surprised when it’s over at how much you really accomplished. The Eight of Wands can also refer to travel. In that respect it relates to being literally and physically on the go. Are you planning a weekend getaway? Use this extra energy to make preparations for your trip.

Nov 16 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — Nov 16, 2015 — Ten of Swords

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Ten of Swords

Today’s card — the Ten of Swords from Nathalie Hertz’s beautiful Faerie Tarot — is one of the more difficult and uncomfortable cards in the deck.

It speaks of having to face facts over a situation that didn’t turn out the way you’d hoped and a sense of having to admit defeat, no matter how hard you to try to engineer a different outcome.

You may have been clobbered over the head with a dose of hard cold reality, or you could be feeling like you’ve hit rock bottom over something you wanted so desperately that turned out to be just not be in the cards.

If you find that you’re in this position today, don’t be so hard on yourself. Don’t think that “Up” is such a bad place to go when there’s nowhere to go but up.

The Ten of Swords forces you to stop fighting a losing battle and prepare for what you should be doing instead. Being at your lowest point means that you not only know what you’re up against, but you also know that things aren’t going to get worse.

If you’re ready to put this behind you — whatever your “this” may be — know that it really is darkest before the dawn. So take some time today to it to rest, then dry your tears and dust yourself off. Remember that tomorrow is a brand new day, and that things can only get better from here on out.

Nov 15 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — Nov 15, 2015 — Four of Tides

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Four of Tides

As Venus inconjuncts Neptune today, you may feel like you’re drifting along in a sea of apathy.

This card — the Four of Tides — is the Japaridze Tarot’s version of the Four of Cups. It’s a card that generally relates to disillusionment and discontent. And you can see how the couple are floating along with their backs to one another, lost in a state of reverie.

The may not even be aware of one another’s presence. They just drift along, eyes closed, not even seeing the beauty and serenity that surrounds them.

The Four of Tides can relate to a lack of motivation or a lethargy so profound that it threatens to numb you or trap you in your sense of boredom. It can have you wondering whether there might be something else out there that would excite or inspire you.

It can also relate to a lack of energy, which may mean it could turn into a lazy day where you don’t feel like doing much of anything.

One of the positive aspects of this card though is that it reveals to you exactly what’s “wrong with this picture” and allows you the opportunity to make it right. And the Venus / Neptune aspect can do the same.

It can get you thinking about how things could be — in an ideal world or at least with respect to following your dreams — and then what you can do to make those dreams a reality. While you may start out thinking “what’s the point?” you’ll have a clearer idea of what’s worth salvaging and what could use a little more work in the end.

Nov 14 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — Nov 14, 2015 — Seven of Wands

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Seven of Wands

You may find yourself with your back against the wall today and feeling the need to defend your thoughts or your actions.

This shouldn’t be too much of a problem though as you look confident, strong and well able to head off any opposition that comes your way.

One thing you should watch out for though is that the attack, although it looks to come directly at you, may not necessarily be clear cut.

For instance you cannot see who or what the problem is in this image from the artist Beeme’s gorgeous contribution to the 78 Tarot — rather it seems to be several things coming at you at once with the desire to knock you off your feet.

Be wary of anyone around you who seems envious or jealous as they may take an underhanded attempt to knock your confidence and/or undermine you.

I’d like to see them try though as you look so confident and assertive here that anyone who thinks they have a chance of knocking you down may have taken on more than they realised.

There is a lot of self love around you which can be seen in the pink hues in the dress and if you need a speedy retreat you have one already mapped out within the water behind you which I must say is the only fertile piece of nature in this image. Don’t be afraid to jump in… you never know what you’ll find or where it will lead you.

Nov 13 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — Nov 13, 2015 — The World

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The World

Today’s card — The World from the beautiful Feng Shui Tarot — is all about looking at the big picture and being able to trace the steps that have brought you to where you are today.

It’s a card of fulfillment and completion; recognizing milestones that have passed and goals that have been achieved as you prepare to close the door on one chapter in your life and open another.

You may be setting new goals in place or you may be taking some time to celebrate how far you’ve come.

As the last card in the tarot, the World complete’s the Fool’s journey, with the understanding that he’s grown, evolved and matured along the way.

This card can also have you thinking about where you fit in in the world and about your contributions to humanity. It speaks of not only realizing your dreams and achieving your goals, but also becoming one with the Universe, becoming fulfilled and whole.

Mercury sextiles Jupiter today while Venus sextiles Saturn. These are both fortuitous aspects (in spite of it also being Friday the 13th). They remind us that we’re all in charge of our own destinies and that we all create our own luck.

You may be tying up one cycle today and preparing to embark on a new one. Whether you’re taking some time to relish the satisfaction of having achieved something, or are ready to dive back in and start again, the message behind the world card is best received with insight and awareness.

Ask yourself: “What is is I’ve learned through all that I’ve experienced in this chapter of my life?” and “What must I now give up in order to start anew?” If you can answer those two questions with honesty and humility, you’ll be able to carry those lessons into the next chapter.

Nov 12 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — Nov 12, 2015 — Ace of Coins

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Ace of Coins

Mars moves into Libra today and brings with it many opportunities to start something new.

Are you thinking of launching a new business or starting a new financial venture? Mars relates to action and energy and while its placement in Libra can have you struggling with decisions about what exactly you want to do in the first place, it does mark the onset of a new cycle.

You may be looking back over your shoulder though, like the rabbit in this card — from the gorgeous Alchemical Tarot.

The Coin in this deck is fashioned like a compass with four arrows pointing in different directions. This ties in with the Mars in Libra conundrum. Which way do you go? Which path do you take? There are many different options and you may be drawn to every one.

The Ace of Coins is says it’s time to think about what you value, which extends to well beyond money and material things. It says it’s time to look at what you put out there and what you get back in exchange. Like the rabbit looking over his shoulder, you may have to clear up some unfinished business, but there’s no time like the present for that.

The Ace of Coins encourages you to participate in your own energetic exchange. Whether it’s time, money, energy or aid, all of us have resources at our disposal. Put yours to good use this today and see what the Universe sends back.

Nov 11 2015

Free Daily Tarotscope — Nov 11, 2015 — The Moon

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The Moon

Today’s New Moon is at 19° Scorpio , a sign associated with mystery, depth, secrets and all that is hidden from view.

It represents a time of getting in touch with your feelings and emotions, and getting a better understanding of your doubts, insecurities and fears.

The Moon card is tied to the hidden and mysterious realm of the unconscious, from which all of our instincts and emotions arise. When we’re aligned with that part of ourselves and in sync with our emotions, everything seems to just fall into place — and when we’re not, all hell can break loose.

This version is from the beautiful Sun and Moon Tarot from Vanessa Decort. In it an ethereal young woman sits arc of in the crescent moon and looks down on the turbulent waters below.

Many versions of this card contain the symbol for Cancer (the crab), yet this version contains the symbol of Pisces (the fishes). Yet there are references to Scorpio as well, thus completely the watery triad. There are the opposing pillars (lighthouses), the black and white dogs, the Hebrew Symbol for resurrection and redemption, and of course the turbulent seas.

Today is a day to explore and own rich inner world and immerse yourself in the realm of emotions. And while you do want to be on the looking for things that may at first not be what they seem (as the Moon can also bring confusion and cloud your judgment), it’s also a brand New Moon, which can bring with it a fresh perspective.

While you may not want to trust your first impressions or take everything at face value today, the secrets of the Moon always reveal themselves over time. If you’re feeling hesitant about something, put it aside until you feel more comfortable. Your own motivations — and the motivations of those around you — will become clearer to you in the fresh light of day.