For context we return to the intersection of akasha and akasha, how what is right is influenced by what we deeply know. The idea that perfection is the enemy of good, but that we need to strive for the good even when the universe can’t tell us something hard and true. It’s all relative and there isn’t a deep set of laws that we can follow that will be true in all cases and for all people. So we are the Primal, a first mover, the one who creates the elements that make up the world. The power to live a moral life is ours and we must pursue it. It comes from within us, not from without. Then comes the storm that gives us pause. Lightning strikes and provides clear relief to something that had been merely a concept in our minds, now made real and practical. There is a moment of destruction or collapse that we face as we must live out our moral ideas in reality and then deal with the consequences of those actions. We live the book of our lives, our internal world a rich tapestry of thought and ideas, yet everyone else experiences the movie of our actions without that rich context. So we come to the question that eats at everyone with the privilege of debating morality, what do we do when we have excess. What is the right thing to do with what we have but do not need. Is there more goodness in giving, regardless of why or the consequences. Lastly, we are reminded to rest. Even in the face of the struggle to be moral, to know truth, we have to pause and allow our pursuit to settle so that new pathways, new reactions can take hold.

When the ether, akasha interacts with your fire, your core, what does that mean. Are you a beacon, a shining light in the darkness, a lighthouse on troubled waters? How does your authentic self look like in the dark vastness of space. How does the orbit of others affect you and your light. You are the ever burning flame, the source of fire in your life and the lives of those around you. You have to love learning, feeling the flames and gravity of others in your life. The fuel you burn comes from the stardust of others, the shared energy that crosses your threshold and makes up the secretions of your life. There are dreams in your depths that you have to trust to rise up and be seen. To share them with others as they share theirs with you. Again we are focused on the intersection of the third eye and the heart. Lovingly seeing others, imbibing others, feeling others. The reminder, the message, is to shine, to act, to do, but to be conscious of where your flame comes from, what you burn and what you shine.

What are the pretenses that you have formed that block the truth from flowing, that keep your core from really giving you the power to live. What is your authentic sparkle and how have you been either finding or ignoring it because of other whips and whispers. Everything changes. Change is life. Change is what happens if you live and move and breathe. It is inevitable. But you can find yourself in the midst of that change and align your chakras to uncover your authentic self, find your sparkle and shine. When the storms come you can be washed clean of things that you don’t need. You may have wanted them, but you don’t need them, not for what comes next. The storms show you what truly matters. A home is a home, even if it’s not perfect.

The reading begins with a poignant reminder to be aware of the ways in which information influences emotionality. When we look around to observe, perceive, and learn, it is vital to understand that our emotions are a filter that influences how we process what we know. Rather than allowing information to pull us in all directions, there is a better way, a middle way. One that is emotionally intelligent and intelligently emotional. From this place of balanced understanding, it is easier to know that what wells up from our dreams is a representation of who we are actually are: A person who deserves to be treated with respect and care. If we have filtered the learning and understanding to a high degree, then we can move confidently in the direction of our goals. In treating oneself as preciously as platinum, we instruct others in how to do the same. Where as the Gold Rule is externally focused – and often fixated on sacrifice – the Platinum Rule gives us the ability to share of ourselves from a place of abundance, rather than impoverishing sacrifice. Once all this is understood, the moment has come to act. You know you are well informed, you trust your intent, and you share without sacrificing – now go! Do that which has been sifted, cleaned, and checked for impurities. Act knowing that it is an accurate expression of yourself. In manifesting your will, it becomes clear that you see your purpose and accept it to be good.

The reading opens with a reminder that true friendship is a rare and beautiful light that nourishes us, and gives us the energy we need to thrive and put forth fruitful harvests. The cards then remind us that we are freed of our guilt, and that this happens by way of the connections we make. We learn from other people not only when we have erred, but how we can make amends and continue to grow. Coming out of these conversations and interactions we learn more about our moral drivers and motivations. The Sage makes an appearance to remind us that sometimes we learn the most when we take moments of silence to reflect and consider what we have done, said, or thought. And during these meditative times, the decks wanted us to remember that curiosity and deep analysis are vital for understanding everything we are trying to accomplish.

The context for today’s reading is the idea of how our emotions intersect with how we express ourselves. As with the instruments in a band or symphony, the meaning the plays out with our expression changes based on intention. The same metal flute with the same air moving through it can play the same notes an infinite number of ways, and that is one way to think about how our emotions color our words. Remember that you might not play the same melody in the same way on a different day, and take responsibility for the consequences of what you put out into the world. When your words cause a reversal for yourself others, remember to clear the rubble from your third eye to perceive better what has happened and why. Allow new information and understanding to reform your context and intent, then use that rubble to build something new and wonderful. The stones from a Roman ruin can be used to build a cathedral. You are that cathedral, that progress in work, that project that takes a lifetime. It is the living that matters, even more than the tasks themselves. As the storms come and go, as they will forever, remember your cathedral can withstand them. With each storm, you make repairs. You stay out of your own way, and allow yourself the grace to realize that guilt and shame are distractions once their lessons have been learned. If there is grief, consider how it might be a hole, and you can fill it with anything you want. What building material will you choose?

We navigate the world based on how we perceive it and what we know and learn from it. But our emotions and instincts are a filter, and we must be aware of them as we process the information that comes our way. Sometimes those experiences root themselves within us as shame, and this impacts our choices for the worse. Being free of shame releases energy once used for defense to be allocated instead toward growth. Making a safe space (both internally and literally) provides a respite, but guard against guarding so much that no one can climb the walls around your garden. Otherwise a transformational experience is not actually able to affect change in your life. Be aware of whether compasses that are externally set to true north haven’t been substituted for dials that can be set by biased hands. And finally, recognize that the safe space you built isn’t only for you, so remember to include features that benefit the community of people you love.

In the vast universe, things move at incredible speeds and yet take millions of years to reach each other. Like that cosmic ocean, we too are together and apart, separated and yet emanating into each other’s lives, seen through the static of each other we must filter down what we are seeing. We can’t look for what’s perfect, we have to look for what we see, and filter that down into our lives and ourselves. We can gain insight at times, leaping above the surface of the ocean and taking in new things, new ideas. But we return again down into our heart and our connection with others. Through willful action we play out those things we have learned and know. We are called to action to reflect the glow we have taken from the universe, or the seeds we have gestated within us. Sending the light back out, but filtered so that we are increasing the good and leaving things better than we found them. Finally we are reminded that we are part of something greater, and that we have to filter ourselves in that greatness so that we are being authentic and improving what we interact with. We have the strongest effect when we share our heart, our lives, our experiences so that others can learn and live with us.