This month we have king of cups. This card is about the mastery of our emotional nature and the ability to put our feelings to good use – so there is a sense here of gathering together with people with whom we have a strong attachment; friends, family and like minded people. The dog pictured on the card represents these close loyal connections and people who stand by us no matter what. So spend some time thinking about who these people are for you and focus on appreciating them in small heartfelt ways.

Also we consider our own loyalties, who we are loyal to and who is on the periphery of our social scene. As we assess who we truely feel connected to we start to create a family of friendships and those we can truely be ourselves with, rather than adapting ourselves to everyone who comes our way. When we over-adapt in this way we find we start to lose our authenticity and, over time, weaken our sense of self. Also we can find ourselves in a circle of friends who seem suddenly not to be there for us when we need it. Often this is a sign that we were only showing a small portion of ourselves to someone in order to fit in, or be liked, and in doing so the friendship we may have assumed was deeply felt, was more on the surface than we realised. This month is not a time when we are likely to find this out through a shock to the system though. It is more a month to be conscious of how much we are ourselves with others and how much we are holding back or adapting to fit in – with this awareness we can also regulate our expectations of connections we have and also strengthen our connections with those we do feel we can be completely authentic with.

A month to develop friendships that are important to us and to allow ourselves to be more and more authentic in our interactions and so to naturally find those of like minds and similar disposition and build that family of our own choosing.

Socialising is also highlighted as we let down our hair and inhibitions around those we are close to. We gain deeper and deeper insight into each other when we allow ourselves to be off guard and accept ourselves for who we are. We can also then accept others for who they are more easily also.

Our sensitivity to others is likely to be high this month so our ability to know how another is feeling is good. we can use this to help those around us, with our support and compassion. But as stated above the warning is not to compromise oneself in the process and to stay aware of what we hold back of ourselves as we do this and in some cases to find ways of compassionately stating our own truth as well as understanding another’s point of view. Honesty with ourselves, our feelings and those around us will help us stay authentic and create the most rewarding, honest and loving relationships. Sometimes difference is what makes a friendship stronger when there is the courage to state our own perspectives.

Another side to the energy of this month is the ability to creatively express ourselves in a physical way – this may be through music, art or some other creative pursuit, particularly if done as part of a group or collaborative project. The sensitivity around this month enables people to work together well and create something together that is greater than the sum of the parts.

With hops in the focus of this card it is also a month to rest well and allow yourself to have the healing power of sleep and dreaming. If you are suffering from insomnia then hops as a herbal remedy can help (though not through beer :D), a tea or tincture can help you break a cycle of sleeplessness and get your sleep patterns back on track.

Prize draw

Congratulations to this month’s Free Prize Draw winner HELEN. You have won a free distance reading – I have sent you details of how to claim by email.

If you want to sign up for this prize draw use the form in the top blog post to do so or the form on my facebook page. I pick one person each month to receive a reading. I will occasionally send an email to the list updating you of my services etc..