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.

Aug 07 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Aug 7, 2014 — High Priestess

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High Priestess

Today as Mars trines Neptune, you may feel the need to step away from all the hustle and bustle of the outside world and retreat to your own private sanctuary.

The High Priestess represents intuition, serenity and wisdom. She encourages you to seek guidance from within and to heed your inner voice. In this respect you may need to find your place of quiet and solitude in order to best access her messages.

The High Priestess in this card steps out under the night sky from behind a veiled canopy. She stands between the moon and stars to commune with the magical creatures and night-blooming lilies in her garden.

Notice how she strains to extract the symbols from the ethers around her. The impressions she receives are not always be easy to decipher. The High Priestess is wise and perceptive but even she has to make sense of all the messages she receives.

Like the High Priestess in this card, you may need to make time for quiet reflection and introspection. The Mars / Neptune aspect is harmonious in nature. But it’s still Neptune. There’s still the potential for getting your wires crossed.

Getting away and communing with nature or going on a spiritual retreat are both good options. But just taking time to quiet your mind can also help you to satisfy these leanings.

Aug 06 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Aug 6, 2014 — Nine of Cups

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Nine of Cups

Today is a good day to be counting your blessings. The Nine of Cups is called the “Wish Card.” It refers to abundance, prosperity, felicity and fulfillment. it’s a card of gratitude and wonder; it speaks of being present in the moment and willing to receive all that the Universe has to offer.

The Nine of Cups serves as an important reminder that we all create our own joy. We can get stuck in a mindless rut of worry and anxiety or we can make choices to embrace our good fortune and see our not-so-good fortune as lessons or stepping stones.

This version of the card is rich with esoteric symbolism. The Nine Cups look like golden bells, symbols of the abundance that echoes all around us. A winged-heart with is an all-seeing eye floats in the center against the backdrop of a star-filled sky.

The Rumi quote: “God will grant you whatever you desire in your heart” ties in perfectly with the modern-day Law of Attraction principles. And in the context of this quote, it refers to the personal relationship that each of us have with the Divine.

Nothing is taken for granted here — it’s all about putting out there to the Universe what you want and fully expecting to have it delivered. At the same time there’s a great appreciation for all that you have and a willingness to share it with others.

Aug 05 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Aug 5, 2014 — The Hierophant

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The Hierophant

There is a sense of order and peace around today which will facilitate your ability to get on with what you need to do and do it well.

It is as if you have 2 paths ahead of you or perhaps you are incorporating two different ways of looking at the same problem.

On one hand you are grounded and practical and want to plod along and get ahead in the same old way you always have yet on the other hand, which can be seen from the green dragon resting on your arm, there is perhaps a path you would like to take that is totally different to just practically plodding along… a path that is more filled with adventure and where things happen at the drop of a hat.

I wonder which you will choose especially as Saturn trines Chiron today and gives you a chance to bring together that from your past which has possibly been holding you back and allows you to come up with new ideas and plans to put into motion that may not have been possible in the past.

Whichever way you go you will feel peaceful and focused. The flowing robes and colours in this card suggest that you are well in tune not only with yourself but also your environment and the background images, a sea port on one side and a hill on the other also give you further thought for any choices you wish to make.

Allow yourself to be your own best guide today, as it seems from the vantage point of the Hierophant on the hill you have already overcome hurdles to journey as far as you have.

Aug 04 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Aug 4, 2014 — Four of Cups

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Four of Cups

Are you feeling like something is missing in your life today? In particular in your love life or in your relationships with others?

The Four of Cups can refer to a sense of boredom and discontent. As the bridge between the excitement and promise seen in the Three of Cups and the crisis / despair so often found in the Five of Cups, this card begs the question “Is that all there is?”

The Four of Cups is called “Luxury” in this deck. It refers to the potential for taking something that you no longer have to work for for granted.

Your love life may seem stuck or stagnant; and like gazing into the languorous swirling colors in the center of this card, you may find yourself lost in a hypnotic daze that you’re unable to snap out of.

Mercury is inconjunct Neptune today. And the Sun is inconjunct Pluto. The first refers to a sort of listless lack of clarity and perspective, and the second refers to a lack of drive or motivation. Neither of these are ideal.

Ask yourself what’s holding you back from making your relationships all that they could be? Chances are good you find yourself circling the same issues over and over again, to the extent that it’s become habit.

Aug 03 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Aug 3, 2014 — Five of Wands

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Five of Wands

Situations and events may get out of hand today and it is a good time to take stock of where you stand and don’t go rushing into an argument or disagreement in order to defend yourself.

The Five of Wands — much like today’s Mars / Mercury square — can mean that no matter what you say or do there is going to be tension.

There is something reminiscent in the centaurs as they tussle with each other and go head to head that says neither is backing down and they are fairly evenly matched in strength.

There is no winner here. If you rush in you may well find yourself at a standstill and within such a state of high emotions that the clear feeling that you have to act and do something to remove yourself from this emotion will vanish.

That may also be your downfall though for as you struggle and oppose what is coming at you there is a good chance that you find yourself further immersed in the situation and more than likely in a way you do not wish to be.

If you find yourself in a situation like this today, one where you are not willing to back down and the opposition you find in taking this stance is equally as stubborn then you may wish to think on what it will accomplish by fighting your corner as the other person is equally as adamant in their views.

Aug 02 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Aug 2, 2014 — Page of Wands

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Page of Wands

Today, with Mercury and Jupiter coming together in Leo you should be feeling more creative, enthusiastic, energetic and alive. The Page of Wands combines the fearlessness, restlessness and impulsivity of the Page with the fiery, dynamic, passionate energy associated with the Wands (or Fire) element.

This card is about racing toward your goals with the sort of fierce determination that propels you toward the finish line. There’s no conserving your energy or plodding along methodically when it comes to the Page of Wands. It’s all go go go and get it done now!

You may be rushing toward a deadline, scrambling to outsmart your competitors or planning an adventure — but even in that case there’s little planning involved. It’s more about chasing after your goals and striking while the iron is hot.

In this version of the card we meet the Greek god Phrixus, charging toward Colchis on his golden ram as he races to outrun his assassins. He raises his wand triumphantly in one hand and guides the ram towards his destination with the other.

This is the essence of the Page of Wands. It represents the urge to get the ball rolling, make things happen, and fearlessly go after your goals without worrying about consequences or pitfalls.

Aug 01 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — Aug 1, 2014 — The Empress

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The Empress

It’s time to take things easy, sit back and not react to what is going on around you? Why should you when you are feeling so emotionally relaxed.

Venus, Saturn and Chiron are forming a grand trine today in water signs which should be giving you a sense of peace and also the capacity to clear up any emotional problems you have been experiencing or trying to get to the bottom of.

With the planet of love (Venus), wisdom (Saturn) and Chiron the healer all lined up in perfect unison not much can go wrong for you and it is a great chance to become clear in your own mind where you want to go next.

It is as if you are sitting back and enjoying the easy way this day is panning out for you. You may have things to do but there is no urgency in accomplishing them especially if they are related to emotions or relationships.

In fact, any relationships around you just now will be feeling the beneficial effects of the grand trine so don’t go rocking any boats by trying to cause an argument or open something up for discussion if you know for a fact it will lead to choppy waters and not a calm sea.

You are striving for calmness today so you are ready to face “come what may” on another day. This is the time to rearrange your thoughts and emotions so they are in tune with you and what you want from a situation.

Jul 31 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — July 31, 2014 — Nine of Disks

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Nine of Disks

Today you should start seeing evidence of all your hard work mirrored right back to you, in both the spiritual and material realms.

As Mercury enters Leo today, it’s a good time to be shifting your attitude to one of gratitude. And as Venus moves into a grand trine with Chiron and Saturn, it’s going to be important to temper your ambitions with empathy and compassion for others.

The Nine of Disks refers to a sense of satisfaction for all you’ve achieved, though not because you’ve been lucky or have been the benefactor of someone’s generosity.

It’s through your own hard work and determination (seen in the Eight of Disks) that leads to that you to that place of fulfillment, although we know that none of us gets to where we’re going alone.

We all know (in theory) that all the money in the world won’t buy us happiness if it’s acquired without passion . Yet we keep on wanting more of it, and find ourselves struggling with the idea of figuring out how much is “enough.”

The Nine of Disks challenges us to not only answer that question but to examine our personal values as well. Money is just one form “values” and is usually the one we pay the most attention to. We need to be mindful of the temptation to overlook one set of values for another, especially when it involves compromising our principles.

Jul 30 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — July 30, 2014 — White Tiger Nine

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White Tiger Nine

Life may be catching up with you today as the White Tiger Nine (Nine of Swords) sweeps in with the promise of… well perhaps a change in your luck and not necessarily for the better.

The Nine of swords is a card of struggle and from the image on this card you can see that the path before you is not a straightforward one, albeit that you are not in the flames, you are nonetheless walking a very fine line between things going ok and things taking a turn for the worst.

Keep this in mind if you have anything big to do today and don’t try to push for more than you naturally believe you deserve and even then you may wish to push for a bit less than that.

A white tiger is a rare creature and if you are feeling as if the world is against you today then bear in mind that you are perhaps a little out of your depth when it comes to the direction you are seeking to take and that the path will not be easy.

If you look in the background of this card there is a reminiscent scene from Gone With the Wind in which people are running from something and a horse is rearing its front legs as if in fright.

These figures are going in the opposite direction to the tiger which gives an indication also that around you people may be fighting their own battles and struggles and perhaps not coming up trumps with them.

Jul 29 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — July 29, 2014 — Three of Cups

Author: Mel and Chris

Three of Cups

Today would be a good day to take a break from work and responsibilities to focus on social activities with friends and loved ones.

The Three of Cups represents people gathering together to connect, interact and celebrate. It’s a happy, joyful energy that can manifest as a party or celebration, or it could be as simple as a girls night out.

Either way it’s a time of merriment and gaiety. Hanging out with like-minded people and expressing feelings of affection and good-will. There’s no room for fretting about work, and none of this sitting around ironing out political or ideological differences.

Today’s Leo Moon (still very new) fits perfectly with the sense of joy and playfulness seen in this version of the card. The three figures in this card are virtually identical: Whether they’re best friends or siblings (triplets!) the sense of sisterhood and camaraderie are emphasized here.

In terms of romance the Three of Cups can refer to reconnecting with an old flame or reuniting with an ex. It can also manifest as a natural progression from the Ace of Cups (an attraction) and the Two of Cups (a mutual attraction) to the Three of Cups (taking that attraction to the next level).

Jul 28 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — July 28, 2014 — Ten of Swords

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Ten of Swords

Today, with Venus opposing Pluto and Mercury squaring the Nodes, you may have to think about surrendering to the knowledge that the Universe has something different in store for you than what you’ve been holding onto.

The Ten of Swords is similar to the Death card in that it forces you to accept — once and for all — the need to put something to rest. It could be a relationship, a job, a hope or plan for the future, or it could be a set of belief systems that are no longer aligned with your principles.

Out of all the cards in the tarot, this one best describes the process of conceding defeat and letting go of the fight — thus liberating yourself from further heartache and misery.

In this version of the card, we see the goddess Athena intervening on behalf of Orestes, who lays crumpled in a ball at her feet. He’s been relentlessly chased, taunted and tormented by the furies, avenging his mother’s death.

Orestes is not blameless here. Even though he was acting on direct orders from Apollo, he’s still committed murder. He’s beaten himself up mercilessly, and is consumed with guilt and shame. But Athena steps in and intercedes: “enough,” she says. “Enough.”

If you look closely though, you can see that while Orestes lies defeated at her feet, the sun still rises in the background.

Jul 27 2014

Free Daily Tarotscope — July 27, 2014 — Queen of Pentacles

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Queen of Pentacles

Who is pulling your strings? Are you in charge of your own life or is someone else pressing your buttons to get you to do what they wish?

The Queen of Pentacles is practical and grounded yet in this card we have water and many images from the sea suggesting an emotional quality to the day when it comes to practicalities… especially if these are connected to money or finances.

There is a suggestion that you need to “come up for air” in order to see more clearly although you are on the right track with what you are intuitively feeling is your next step in gathering around you a plan to build a firm foundation on.

What is going on “underneath” is not necessarily what is showing on the “surface”.

Notice that the eyes to the woman in this image are not in the image yet they are actually out of the water, on the surface so to speak, which implies she sees more and knows more of what is going on than she is letting on to those around her.

What you are seeing may be holding you back in some way as you try to come to terms with where you fit into the grand scheme of things which is another good reason to listen to your own intuition on what you want and what you need to do next to get it.

It’s time to come out of your shell and let those around you know exactly what you are worth whether this be in a relationship and what you give to it or at the workplace.