Science of the Sand

Science of the sand is a loose translation of the Arabic words for geomancy pointing back to its earth-rooted wisdom. Today I'm going to explore the geomantic analysis by color of Monday's spread. Ana Cortez describes this with real clarity in her wonderful book The Playing Card Oracles. Essentially one looks at the color of the first card in the spread and then one adds together the numerical value of it and all the other cards of that color. You'll arrive at a number that is either odd or even the result of which determines whether that color is odd or even.

Playing Card Oracles ~ by Ana Cortez

In my spread from Monday the first card is red with the numerical value of nine, the only other red card has a value of five. Added together the sum is 14, an even number. As such, in this spread, reds are even, blacks are odd and the geomantic figure looks like this...

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This gives us the geomantic figure Acquisitio.

This figure is in many ways the balance or polarized energy of Amissio as its associations are with gain and success. Its astrological associations are with Jupiter and Sagittarius. I always think of Jupiter as the 'welcome to the feast' planet. It connotes good fortune, magnanimity and expansion. Sagittarius aspires to its goal with lots of actively directed energy.

Acquisitio ~ Astrogem Cards by Les Cross

In a reading Acquisitio suggests success, that something desired is in one's grasp. It favors gain if gain is desired but not loss if that is desired, basically the inverse of Amissio. How fascinating to see these two cards show up in the position of 'First and Second Witness.' As again I'm reminded of cards one and three with their inverse suit~body position placements--a water suit in a fire position and a fire suit in a water position.

Perhaps this is a nod to the conflicting energy of the week, the desire to support my son combined with the reality of the commute. A wise friend suggested that Leah's energy of being able to rise above the denser, more complicated details while keeping the water (excess emotion) at bay behind her might allow me a similarly spacious perspective. This observation is quite brilliant and not one I would have come to so intuitively on my own. Thank you, wise friend ;) I also sense a resonance between Leah and The Bridge. Certainly they share the same suit but further than that I sense her body as a bridge itself between the worlds. In this case the denser world of the earth plane details and the more refined world of aspiration and intention, the latter which are fueling me energetically this week.

Acquisitio ~ Astrogem Cards by Les Cross

The imagery to the left shows a cup with droplets falling into it which conveys the theme of gain and success nicely. The crystal associated with it is amethyst known for its amplification of energy among other things so there is some resonance here with this association. I do have a nice chunk of amethyst so I shall pop that into my travel basket today.

I feel I'm being given the opportunity to see this week as a bit of a dance here with a natural ebb and flow, one that mimics the pattern of breath itself. I shall continue holding this dance of opposites, this inbreathing-outbreathing energy that is characterizing the week. The delight my son is taking in his experience combined with making sure lunches get made, proper breakfasts are consumed and that we are drinking enough water! Hello Nine of Hearts on a literal level. I do feel a bit like Leah, overseeing it all and while I don't have a crow familiar at my side I do have my little dog who is an important connection to the land of joy, instinct and movement.

Tomorrow I'll finish up the geomantic analysis with The Judge, the result of adding the first two Witnesses together. I'm mid-way through the week but it doesn't feel like the end is in sight yet. I can't quite see the other side of the bridge ;) One thing about The Bridge that comes to mind is that beneath it flows a lot of water. Perhaps this is another way to work with that first card with its excess of emotion, traveling across it, so to speak, instead of getting immersed in it. On we go...