The Celestial Curse (6 page)

“Ok. Close your eyes and take a deep breath through your nose, hold it for three seconds before slowly breathing out through your mouth. Repeat this two more times or until you feel sufficiently relaxed. Now in your mind I want you to picture a budding light in the centre of your chest. See it get bigger and brighter in your mind’s eye. Do not just imagine it though I want you to feel it. Feel that budding light expand and glow. What does it feel like? Answer only to you, no one else needs to know unless it feels weak or wrong in some way.”

I sit and picture the light being in the centre of my chest and I can feel the power coursing through my veins. As the light gets bigger it morphs into my favourite flower, a white lily that glows pink. I can see that pink glow spreading across my skin and it feels warm and comforting. Aunt Betsy continues to talk and I follow her instructions as best I can while concentrating on what I am doing. Guided by my aunt I let myself open up just the tiniest bit and immediately feel the difference in the energy surrounding me. Whereas before I felt light, now I felt full like there was something crowding around me like im not alone on the metaphorical plain. Again following instructions I ask this, energy as I think of it, to move back and to my surprise it moves back and I feel light again. It doesn’t move completely away, I can still feel it there in the background but it is dulled now compared to my own. I open my eyes and everything looks the same this time but I can feel the energy coursing through my veins. Just like I can sense the lily flower in the middle of my chest wide open as if full of sunlight sending out waves of warmth and power throughout my entire body.

“I can sense the energy coursing through you and that presence you felt was your guardian so I think we are ready to continue to the next phase. Pick up your cards, shuffle them and ask your guardian to provide protection, the wisdom of the universe and protection from any and all harm. After you have said the verse, cut the cards and spread them like you did before.” Aunt Betsy says.

In my head I say; ‘I ask my guardian to provide me with protection from those who would wish me harm, the knowledge the universe has to offer and the wisdom of all the great magical leaders before me who are now in the spiritual plain so that I may help others as well as myself in our journey through life.’

As soon as the last word has left my lips, a hand brushes against my cheek and a whispered response flutters to my ears, making the few strands around my neck move in slow motion as if moving on a slight breeze. I smile to myself as I feel my guardian and her response, yes I know it is a female as I can sense it is a she just like I can sense Aunt Betsy’s curiosity at my silent conversation. I offer thanks and decide to let Aunt Betsy in on my joy.

“I felt my guardian and heard her response!” I say with excitement. Aunt Betsy’s eyes widen and her eyebrows disappear, that seem to happen a lot when she is around me, you would think she had none. I silently laugh at my own joke, I don’t want to offend her but I couldn’t help it!

“Your guardian spoke to you? And you could sense it was a female?” She asks with a touch of incredulousness in her voice that seemed to climb higher with each word. I laugh at her expression and watch as it goes from incredulous to amazement in the blink of an eye. I return my attention to the cards and reshuffle then cut and lay out a Celtic Cross spread.

Present – Queen of wands

Influence – Two of Wands

Past Issues – Three of Wands

Immediate Past – Ten of Pentacles

Crowning Thoughts – Knight of Pentacles

Immediate Future – The Fool

You’re Fears – Queen of Cups

Environmental Factors – Two of Swords

You’re Hopes – Ten of Cups

Outcome – Ace of Cups

These are the cards that I lay down before me. Aunt Betsy and I look at the cards and their meanings and then put the meanings together to get the overall reading and what is saying. I can feel my guardian looking over my shoulder before whispering in my ear the information I needed to know to read the cards right. I think she understands that this is the first time I have used the cards and needed help interpreting them. Aunt Betsy is still looking at the spread when I lean back and pick up my diary, a pen and begin to write down the reading. She does the same after a couple of minutes and turns to me to see what I wrote.

“Ok let’s compare notes and see what we got.” She says. I hand over my diary and she passes me her note book. We both take a moment to read through the notes before she points out to me some things she finds interesting.

“What would you tell me if you had done this reading for me?” she asks. I quickly read through my notes before replying.

“Well first I would tell you that the cards are a tool used for guidance only and that they do not control your future and have no control over your actions. Then I would look through the reading myself first as positions one to four give me information on your background and give indications for the reason you asked that particular question to begin with. Then I would look at position five which is your crowning thoughts, which suggests what is currently on your mind the most at the moment and can relate to all areas of life.” Aunt Betsy nods and continues to listen as I explain, in my own way since everyone has their own ways of interpreting their cards and continue with the reading.

“Position six is your immediate future so I would look at this card combined with the card in position ten which is the outcome card. These cards are linked together because they are both in future positions and one influences the other. But, cards in positions; five, seven and nine also contribute to the outcome as these reflect on your attitude to the question and influence your future immensely, as it is your attitude that will determine your actions and the progress you make. I would also check to see if the cards support one another or if they are in conflict, then I would either figure out why by looking to the rest of the cards or I would ask you if the reading made sense to you and if so to explain so that I could understand its relevance to the reading.” I finish with a deep breath and look to Aunt Betsy before continuing.

“Having taken all this into consideration, I would summarize this reading as saying; you have completed the first stage of your project and are continuing to progress with your plans, which has given you financial stability to feel confident to proceed further in your goals even though you have not reached your ultimate goal as of yet. Judging by your attitude you have the will to succeed which mean that new beginnings, unexpected opportunities are on the way, along with some major choices that will lead to new relationships and happiness that will be yours for the taking.” Again I turn to Aunt Betsy to see if I read the cards correctly and to my delight she smiles and tells me it was a very good reading. She then tells me to return the cards to the deck and give them a quick shuffle.

“Always finish off thanking your guide for providing you with their knowledge and wisdom of the universe. And thank the deck too as they completed what you asked of them and deserve to rest their energies. To do this you need to use a sage essence stick, light it up and waft it over and around the cards and yourself, this will disperse any energy that may have clung to them and you, especially if you have just done a reading for a client who could have unknowingly picked up any negative energy while on their way to the reading.” After parting with that bit of advice she gets up and walks out of the room. She returns a few minutes later with a sage stick, bigger than I anticipated but I remain where I am and watch as the master continues to do her thing. She lights it up and walks around the room with it. Then she comes to me and asks me to stand up. I stand up and put the cards on the table while she waves it slowly over me from head to foot, front and back.

“Pick up the cards and hold them out please while I cleanse them, then put them into the pouch and straight into the box.” She says.

I watch as she cleanses the cards, then I put them into the pouch and finally place them gently into the box. I pick up the box as we make our way to the kitchen.

“I’ve been keeping them in the safe under the picture, hanging above the coffee maker. They will stay in there until your next visit.” Aunt Betsy says at the same time she removes the picture from the wall and unlocks the safe, opening the door and steps back. I glance between her and the safe stunned into silence.

“You have a safe in your kitchen behind a picture that’s hanging above your coffee maker.” I say totally in awe of my cool aunt!

“Yes I have a safe in my kitchen behind a picture hanging above my coffee maker.” She laughs. “It’s the best place because nobody would ever suspect such an important safe being so small.” She says. I walk up to the safe and place the box inside. Aunt Betsy shuts the door and relocks it before placing the picture on top to conceal the safe and its contents hidden within. She turns to me before speaking.

“What are your plans now then?” She asks. I think it over for a moment.

“Well I have my final exams coming up so I have to study hard for those and hopefully I’ll pass. I also need to find a job for when university finishes since my part time job is only until the end of the semester.” I zone out as I think of how fast I can get a full time job and what vacancies I should start applying for. A couple of my professors have already started recommending applying now and telling potential employers what our expected grades will be.

I stay for dinner and we catch up on the usual stuff like family and what our daily activities have been. Aunt Betsy has recently taken to hiking at a nearby nature trail, which is good for her health. I have spoken to her before about getting a dog to keep her company but due to past commitments and a love of travelling, she always declined saying she liked travelling too much to give it up just yet, but that in the future she may consider getting a pet. Since she is not planning on travelling much anymore I decide to push the issue once again. After a lot of consideration (begging on my part) aunt Betsy agrees to get a rescue dog as she doesn’t want to be toilet training and ruined furniture that a pup would bring. As you can probably imagine, I am over the moon that I finally broke down this bull of a woman and got my own way. With a huge smile on my face right now, I practically bounce out the door and down the drive way to my car. Little did I realise Aunt Betsy had followed me to the door and was watching me with a bemused twist to her lips. Seeing she stood at the door, I wave before setting the key in the ignition and start the engine. I pull out the drive way and head home.

Chapter Six

What a week!

For those of you that don’t know, it is now August and this week is exam week and so is next week. The worst two weeks of my life! So much stress not just for me but everyone in their final year so you can imagine how many tempers have erupted at some point or another! I am to stay away from those that look ready to combust; unless it’s me then it is everyone else that needs to watch out!

I walk across campus to the library building to study for my next exam. I’ve already done three this week and this will be the last until Monday. I enter the library and find it pretty full with students all doing the same as me. The desks are all full of people with books so I decide I should start looking for jobs since my part time job at the university will be finishing next week. I spot a computer free near the end of the row, tucked into a nice quiet corner and quickly make my way over. I place my bags under the table and sit down in the chair. I turn on the monitor before going to the help desk for a username and password. I book the computer for the next hour and get to work revising for the exam I have this afternoon. I check the time of my exam through the timetable on the university Portal website for students. My next exam is at four o’clock so I have an hour and a half to revise. Time flies by and I find myself signing off just as quick as I signed on. I take my things and head to the exam room.

The room fills up quick so I hurry and choose a seat in the middle. As the remaining few students make it through the door the professor comes in last and closes the doors. He addresses the room, introducing himself to those that do not know him and gives out instructions, along with the exam papers. Although most of my course is made up of work experience and different projects, seventy-five percent to be honest, there is still a twenty-five percent that makes up the final grade. So even though I get to do some really cool projects and work with some exciting people in different settings, I still have to complete the written assignments too. When everyone has their exam papers the professor, Mr Turner starts the exam.

Exactly two hours and thirty minutes later, the exam is complete and I have checked through my answers twice! I wait until Mr Turner has collected all the papers and returns to the front of the room. After a short speech on when to expect our results he tells us we are free to go. I pack my stuff and head for the door. In the rush of students trying to get to the door first I drop my mobile phone on the floor. I back track to pick it up, except when I reach out, another more masculine hand gets there first. I look up into green eyes peeking through messy black hair and swoon inside as we stand up slowly watching each other.