Your Week Ahead: December 23 to 29, 2024 – Return To the Oak Tree

Amidst life’s difficulties, we always have a choice. We can stay on the side of the problem, playing loops around in our heads and continuously talking about all the ingredients of that problem. Or, we can lean into and start emphasizing the solution. This is sometimes challenging especially if we feel hurt or “cast out”. We want people to pay for what they’ve done, and so we naturally gather social reinforcements so that we can defeat the “hurt”.

Anyone who has gone through some deep changes that were intensely felt as hard experiences will know that there are often phases of grief that one goes through during the healing process. The Swiss-American psychiatrist Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross categorized these phases as: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

Esther Hicks, in channeling Abraham classified the emotional guidance scale as:

Joy/Appreciation/Empowerment/Freedom/Love
Passion
Enthusiasm/Eagerness/Happiness
Positive Expectation/Belief
Optimism
Hopefulness
Contentment
Boredom
Pessimism
Frustration/Irritation/Impatience
Overwhelment (feeling overwhelmed)
Disappointment
Doubt
Worry
Blame
Discouragement
Anger
Revenge
Hatred/Rage
Jealousy
Insecurity/Guilt/Unworthiness
Fear/Grief/Desperation/Despair/Powerlessness

One can see some similarities between these two examples, particularly how denial and despair precede anger and revenge, as we move toward joy and acceptance.

When we look at The Lovers card, we see described a few things surrounding a choice and the unfolding experiences of that path. When I work with it, I first see it as the relationship we have toward ourselves and our inner harmony. When balanced, this is expressed in our external relationships and the understanding of how that balance is honoured.

It is a card to be appreciated as we appreciate those we love and hold dear. Within unity, there is a balance of different qualities as each one compliments the other. The flow between aspects acts to support each of them, not to suppress or diminish.

When we look at the next card, the 5 of Pentacles, we see something about ourselves that needs healing and nourishment. Ultimately, we are individuals within any relationship(s) and so we may feel exposed to the elements by needing to attend to our heart so that we can offer the warmth of our love.

That’s why, when I saw the first two cards, I thought of the stages of healing above. The 5 of Pentacles represents our journey back to our inner warmth, our inner temple. We may indeed be thinking about the elements of our inner sanctuary and what that means for our peace of mind.

Here, we see ourselves withdrawn from what may be a warm environment full of love and support, and we may be asking ourselves why. It’s important not to withdraw too much and not see how we could be disconnecting ourselves from good energy. There is something to nourish but also it’s important not to isolate ourselves.

The 5 of Pentacles can feel like money shortages, low energy, not being part of the language of solutions, and dwelling too much in grief and despair. This is a cloud of the present where all we seem to feel is what we have to endure while asking how much longer. However, clarity is borne out of such clouds. And so comes the meaning of coming back to the warmth, back to the temple, and back to love.

This path is lit by our self-esteem. It is the grace of the Queen of Pentacles. She is a tender loving woman who shows us what is truly important for us. She councils us on the way we can approach challenges. We may not be able to change people or experiences, but we can operate from a different energetic viewpoint.

This queen can help us recalibrate our relationship to finances and to help us feel better about this aspect of our life, as well as our source of income. There is nothing and nobody that can diminish us. Everything that we experience is of value and is profitable. She understands how the earth recycles everything and how that energy gets used and reused continuously.

She represents continued growth, even through adversity because she helps us understand how we gain insight and awareness – and self-dominion – through life’s incredibly diverse garden. Anything that was challenging us becomes less important as we readjust our relationship toward it.

In broader terms, we adjust our energetic being. This can feel like one is either less concerned (and influenced) with lower vibrational people or circumstances, or that we have integrated and transformed the challenge, thus rising above it. If we can meditate on this process, we may understand how to express our self worth through the process of inner work, rather than by externally fighting or attempting to triumph against all that rails against us. The laughter we feel now is joyous and jubilant because it is pure. This kind of purity can’t be achieved through worldly or mundane victory. It is achieved through grace.

Affirmation: It’s okay for me to feel what is bothering me. I just take care not to stay there too long. I look up and around, and appreciate what the universe is giving me. It is a beautiful opportunity to feel my sense of purpose. I gradually feel my strength and clarity, and understand that I am an oak tree, graceful and towering.

I wish you a very Merry Christmas, joyous Winter Solstice and peaceful New Year ahead! Happy Holidays to you and yours.

Daniel Palmo

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