Tacita

Tacere = hush, to be quiet

shhh
Roman Goddess of silence, averting of harmful gossip, her feast day is today.  Placing their hand on their testes (hence "testimony") Roman men would swear by Tacita to be truthful.  

I nod in tacit agreement.
 shhh

Tacita,  oh  Tacita,  where  were  you  when  I  needed  you?

"Oh no, I've said too much, I haven't said enough" 

- REM (Losing My Religion)
shhh

It always hurts to hear that someone is lying about you behind your back, and I wish everyone would have the courage to tell us directly what they say about us.  (Indeed, I have that courage!) 

I do think it's fine to let someone know what's being said about them so they have a chance to defend themselves. But how embarrassing it is to tell the confrontational truth and hit "reply all"!  

When Strength is reversed, the lion devours.
But the Starry universe hums within us all - in stillness.
Ave, Cynthia, shining bright upon my path...

 

from the Tarot of the Sevenfold Mystery, copyright Robert M. Place, used with permission

to see more cards like this, follow the Lynx to Alchemical Egg

Venere, veni a Venezia

Si, signore. In our dreams...

Ave Bacchus Dionysos,"Fair Flowering One" 

Carnivale! The romance of Valentines day dancing with the eerie-ness of Halloween. The closest thing we have to it in our area that I know of is the German club's Karnival where men dress up in tutus and serve spaghetti (!) and things get stranger as the night progresses.  We're not too far from New Orleans and some lucky friends go to Mardi Gras, but me, I'd rather be with my love in Venice...forse l'anno venturo.


There are many Greco-Roman antecedents to this modern Bacchanalia and perhaps it's a good thing I don't have enough time to go into to them now (I have a life offline - and a job).  Lupercalia, Parentalia, Ferialia, Anthesteria, Veneralia, Dionysia, all happen in February or early March...yes we really should do a Lupercalia  again...

Che un bello kanino!  
Sophia would look good in that costume too (hey little girl why are you running away?)

On the auspicious day of Tyche-Fortuna, 

I drew two cards, 

one from the front and one from the back of the deck.  

Lo and behold they are my own two significators 

earth and water, they are me,

the Queen of Pentacles and the Queen of Cups.  

Perfect costumes for Carnival.  

Indeed, most any of Ciro's cards  would make 

a good masquerade.

Drawing the Queen of Pentacles

after the Emperor card 

showing up so frequently 

reminds me of this

music video by Kate Bush.   

Which in turn reminds me of this

music video by Wendy Rule.

Yes, the Wild Hunt destroys, but to create something better.
Now they are in the mood for revelry - Voliamo a Venezia!

Februa

February in ancient Rome was the last month of the year and a time to purify the home and even the city itself in preparation for the New Year. Numerous Roman ferie during this month are all about purification, reparation of broken ties, wiping the slate clean to enter the new year fresh and clean.

ooo

The old Roman goddess Februa, who purifies and protects the home and is the mother of Mars (March), later merged with Juno to become Juno Februa, and this is how February (Februarius) got its name.  The whole month was a liminal time for the Romans, a month of transition from the old year into the new, from winter into spring.

ooo

And so this is the prime time for spring cleaning. I've been slacking on my household duties to work on this blog.  But this month (ok, at least this week), it will be vise versa and I'm gonna throw out alot of stuff that's been accumulating.  Also it's Superbowl weekend, which means cleaning both before and after this event, although Bob does most of it because it's his thing.  I'll probably say hello, eat with them, and then head out like I usually do, leaving the faithful congregation to enjoy their Ludi in earnest - and babysit their own kids. (Who says football's not a religion?)  Hmm, where to go this year...I'm thinking camp. Haven't been there yet this winter.

ooo

Besides house cleaning, this is also an optimum time to purify our bodies.  My son does the detox diet, I just simply "eat food, not too much, mostly plants".  I might go to a sauna / sweat lodge (not James Ray's!).  I always emerge from these like a new born baby.

***

Last week's tarot card was the Emperor again so I pulled another: 2 Cups.  Twin souls mirroring each other. I find that I mirror and am reflected back by everyone I meet, but it is rare indeed to meet a kindred spirit, much rarer still a twin soul. Linking this card to our currient Feria, Februa is related to Febris, (spring) fever love and romance...;)

***

Today I will pull a new card and any of you tarot enthusiasts reading this might want to do the same, or even a more complete reading, because today is the feast day of St. Agatha, a christianized version of Tyche-Fortuna, and so this day is considered especially potent for divination. Oh you guys will probably read this too late, if at all, so I better post something...will I ever get off this computer?