Holding the Light of Humility and Hope

Those of you who know me fairly well will know I took part in a Venomous Snake handling course two days before Christmas. It was the completion of something I had started back in NSW with WIRES a couple of years ago. I had passed the theory component for reptile care and rehabilitation and had been so excited about becoming a reptile rescuer and learning all I could about the graceful creatures that slithered around our property from time to time. Alas, COVID meant the physical workshops (which would complete the whole course) stopped running and many courses were suspended. I couldn’t let the idea go that I wanted to be more involved with snakes and reptiles generally so when we moved to Tasmania in July last year I decided to try and find something similar here so I could complete that basic level of learning.

I will be honest. Much as I adore snakes, the idea of handling, capturing and relocating the Tiger Snake and the Copper Head filled me with a rising fear that I was constantly trying to suppress, but my love and desire to learn propelled me forward. Residing alongside that fear was fascination and a desire for knowledge – a longing just to be in the same space as these incredible creatures. The morning of the course took the form of theory, safety, First Aid and what I would call exposure therapy. Snakes were moving freely between the course participants – mainly innocent, hand-reared, non-intimidating snakes like the Children’s Python. I guess the idea was to allow people to be exposed in a safe environment and gauge levels of fear, acceptance or reactivity. At one stage late in the morning I realized potentially deadly Tiger snakes were moving around on the floor in front of us and no-one was batting an eyelid. “These guys are placid. I’ve hand-reared them and they are used to being handled” our instructor informed us. We all accepted this without question. I wasn’t scared. The fear had gone. I felt safe and my love and fascination once more dominated. I can do this, I thought to myself.

We moved on to the afternoon session and all too soon things became real. We learned the tools of the trade, and the techniques to catch and relocate a snake safely, without harming the snake, others or ourselves. It was important to learn with feisty, freshly rescued snakes that were not used to love, care and handling.

There was a careful strategy at play here – starting with the lesser venomous, less feisty snakes before building to the cranky, livelier Tiger snakes. It was at this point my legs began to shake, my mouth dried up and my heartbeat throbbed in my ears. Let’s just say after having looked at the cards, there may be a point in 2024 where we feel real fear – where things suddenly get real.

The Tiger snake adopts a cobra-like stance when in defensive mode and has been known to lunge itself quite dramatically at whoever stands in its way. To me, this represented a level of unpredictability that most of us who have endured volatile relationships find scary. However, what I also learned was the Tiger snake soon settles once it feels safe again and tries like any other snake to beat a hasty retreat. There was back up here if I needed it. I had been given the tools and the technique – now it was up to me. I won’t lie. I had to go inward …dig deep and give myself a good talking to. And then I decided to use the fear to keep me alert, but I wouldn’t allow it to take over. I took a deep breath, a big swallow and I stepped forward to take control.

By the end of that day, I had caught and bagged and released at least six, perhaps eight, highly venomous snakes. Did my arms and legs shake? Hell yes! But the pride (and relief) I felt emerging on the other side of that experience with a ‘venomous snake handler’ certificate in hand was immeasurable.  I think this is how we are all going to feel as we emerge into 2025 and 2026.  There will be a certain amount of relief that we handled the feisty snakes (The Patriarchy and the Old Guard/Systems) as they lunged indiscriminately in their death throes).

Education and knowledge is a powerful thing – especially if you are scared of something. I could never share my space with spiders until I learned more about them and believe me this was a necessity living alongside Sydney Funnel Webs and Trapdoor spiders on our property. It wasn’t long before we were capturing Funnel Webs and I would be sitting with them in a Tupperware container or jam jar on my lap, as we headed to the Australian Reptile Park to donate our finds to their milking and breeding program. I would often look at their fangs and think how thin the divide was between me, the spider and a painful experience, perhaps even death. But armed with a crazy form of bravery, knowledge and understanding, we did our bit to help ensure there was enough anti-venom to help those who had been bitten. Sometimes these are the brave moments in our lives when we do something that scares us, purely for the sake of others. It felt the same to be a certified, venomous snake handler – and we may all have to face the energies of 2024 as a brave new snake handler might face their first rescue or relocation.

Collective Reading for 2024 – the key points

In a nutshell, we are approaching the time of the Divine Feminine, the Age of Aquarius, a time when the Patriarchy and the Old Systems are indeed being exposed or dismantled. When we think of old patriarch systems we think of the oldest traditions – financial institutions, political powers, and monarchy. We have a glimmer of what that new age will look like when women step forward and take the reins of power, when women take control of the narrative, instead of being dictated to in matters of their body or their financial worth. This isn’t just about ‘women’ though – it’s about every single human being being able to embrace a higher vibration and connect with their inner divinity.

However, like the Tiger snake, those old systems, those “patriarchal forces” who have held the most power, will feel justifiably threatened or wounded and they will rise up and lunge with all the venom and cruelty they possess.

What I have to share is a double-edged sword and I urge you to see the bigger picture.  Keep in mind I said I had started something and had to wait for a bit because of Covid before I could finish– but I did complete it. It’s important to remember this point as you watch the rise and then the suppression (and oppression) of something wonderful – the Divine Feminine and nations under tyrannical rule have a glimmer …but then it is lost. You may see the start of ‘the end’ for some, even if you do not see the complete collapse of all that is this year.

The Divine Feminine energy will make itself known and felt throughout 2024, but I can also see it will be interrupted. The Divine Feminine doesn’t get to fully step into her incomparable power until the following year. That said, at various points throughout this year there will be triumphs for “common sense”, and for women, progress will be made, rulings over-turned, secrets of the old systems and the Patriarchy will be revealed, light will be shone into the darkness, and as I say, there will be a glimmer – a glimpse of that new world we all desire. Women will find themselves more in the spotlight (for better or worse) and some who were in the shadows or in the background will take control and be instrumental in shining that light into the pits of the earth – into networks and structures that have hidden underground (perhaps literally) for eons. The Divine Feminine will bring bravery and wisdom to the centre stage. They will call for humility, hope, and mercy instead of fear-mongering, saber-rattling, and the atrocities of war. Interestingly we can see the Divine Energy, the Goddess, Mother Gaia all represented in my altar so she is ready to bring her message forward. 

Kneeling at the Altar of The Divine Feminine

For those of you with an interest, the crystal ball (cosmic womb), the wine chalice (vessel), Hathor (Mothership and Queenship), The Babushka doll all represent the Goddess in all her forms and they connect us to ‘source’ and oneness as well as our mothers and the ancient grandmothers. The elephant shows wisdom and the egg and snakeskin show there will be death/rebirth/rebirth and transformation. It is interesting to note the Serpentine (also known as Atlantisite) is a rare mineral found on the Tasmanian wild west coast and it’s a stone I discovered a couple of months back and was given at Christmas. Coincidence or what? Serpentine is known to improve kundalini energy flow, to aid spiritual connection and to ward against negativity. There is going to be a LOT of negativity rearing its head – almost unprecedented levels.

The interesting thing is, Kundalini energy is represented by the serpent coiled at the base of the spine, so the snake is going to be important symbolically as we move through these times. My venomous snake handling course couldn’t have come at a more symbolic time, could it? Nothing is accidental.

To complete my altar I also added my prized wand, encircled by a python. There is a whole gorgeous story around this wand that I will share at some point, but suffice to say a dear friend created this pure piece of ‘ancient’ magic, especially for me (I’ll share her business details at the end of this article).  These correspondences all work together to emit a powerful vibration of the Goddess and share a powerful message.

The Divine Feminine will rise, but oppression, tyranny, and world war has the potential to halt that rise – at least in the short term. Leaders wishing to hold on to power will get increasingly creative – or ‘ballsy’ about how they hold on to that power (I’m looking at you guys – Putin and Netanyahu and gang) so be aware that things may not be what you are being led to believe  (and this is in your personal life, the world of social media and in the collective). I’m seeing fake news and barefaced lies and deception – to the max. The question is – for whose benefit? What is being hidden?

There is a window of opportunity to avoid all the conflict and pain the likes of Putin and his gang are planning to cause, but so much depends on what we have learned as a species since the start of the last world war.

Planetary Influences

If you follow astrology and understand the placements of the planets, you may be aware the planets are sitting in direct opposition to where they were when the second world war erupted in 1939 (which is why I mentioned it). This means we could repeat the mistakes of the past – or we could feel ripples or echoes from the past. Look for the ‘repeat’ of events of the past (abdications, assassinations/murder/attacks, saber rattling/peace talks breaking down/war/ and i hate to mention worldwide illness/pandemics again with huge social unrest.

Only when we all work together will there be harmony – the Divine Feminine, the Divine Masculine, and the leaders around the world will have to work together to bring leadership (real leadership), wisdom, transparency, and light shining into the darkest of places – only then will we find freedom from oppression, freedom from the old ways, freedom from the patriarchal structures and process that have governed for too long. Freedom from the tyranny of war and destruction of all that we hold dear.  The Age of Aquarius is all about Freedom so we have to be able to tenderly usher in this age – just as we would tread gently around a mother in labour.

Battle of the New and the Old – the Light and the Dark

As we progress through the year (I’m seeing April being a deeply transformative month – (in the most painful/tumultuous of ways). In fact there are hints of this – a foreshadowing if you will, in March.  Through July/August/September, we are looking at a time of uncertainty frustration and suffering for the collective – though this could be more around the financial market or the banking industry. I am feeling it’s to do with a lack of resources/finances so we could feel a squeeze on our purse strings again. There is a significant change around us at this time, but the appearance of the Empress in September points to the creation of something new – perhaps a new world order –

I’m seeing monarchy/changing of the guard/ new way of doing politics or new financial systems are being birthed. this concerns me slightly because what has ‘ended’ in order to make way for a new beginning?

The good news is we have all we need at our disposal to make things work and to forge this new path, but as suggested earlier, it’s as though the ‘old’ powers that be are refusing to go quietly and so November could be a volatile time around the world. In fact there just seems to be a lot of instability coming from different quarters from March onward…

While the chaos plays out around us – we have to remember and believe, the light will shine again. There will be a period of grief and perhaps even mourning, introspection and withdrawal. Humanity will unite and rise like the phoenix after spending time licking our collective wounds, inflicted by the old guard as it crumbles, or by those we cherish, leaving this world too soon.

Often great change occurs after we go inwards in quiet contemplation and reflection. In 2025 and 2026 we will see the finally the shift as the masses wake up!

Open “cut to the chase” to read the month by month reading.

Remember this is just one possible timeline, but there are many possibilities open to us, depending on how well we have learned the lessons of the past. I always use the Mirror of the Soul (Thoth) for the ‘warts and all’ picture

JANUARY – the Knight of Disks has a tenacious energy. He is so focused on the physical world of wealth and security. This energy is at its heart a stable force – and perhaps that’s what we are hoping for as we enter 2024. Stability in the world and stability in our lives. We are willing to work hard to have the things we need, however, we also have to maintain the balance – particularly when it comes to the natural world, Mother Gaia and her resources. It’s interesting that just as we are entering a period of earthquakes, tsunamis and ferocious fires and floods, most of us are longing for stability underfoot. War is waging all around, so yes, a desire for safety and security is definitely on all our minds in January. The darker side of the Knight of Disks can be his short-sighted in his behaviour as he overfishes our water and plunders resources with no care of tomorrow, so we need to all be mindful at this time that we are caretakers of Gaia. She is a living being and if we disrespect her, she will take matters into her own hands. However, when channelled appropriately, the Knight of Disks can choose to be a stable, safe haven for those in need – as always it’s up to us to decide.

FEBRUARY  sees the stirrings of the Age of Aquarius with The Star. It’s a time of hope, bravery, wisdom, and deeper relationships as the female form, the Divine Feminine is birthed, bathing us all in the love we feel separated from – the love and comfort of our Mothers. We are reminded that Gaia is the Great Mother, and we can’t help but feel the wise, gentle but strong, power of the Goddess surround us. We have a desire for ‘Light’ in the face of the gathering clouds and rumblings we can hear on the not-too-distant shores. Battle lines have been drawn and I am hearing the song words of good old Frankie Goes to Hollywood here “When two sides go to war, one is all you can score.”.  There is also news on the horizon for the women who have come back at this time to step into their power and shine their light. This may not always look the way we think it should though – there may be light workers who are experiencing pain and suffering – to raise awareness, create connection or raise the vibration of others.

My message for February is there is hope – a beautiful abundance of hope as we see women step forward (or we at least see the spotlight on women) – however – we each must do all we can to hold the light – in our own lives and the hope and mothering compassion we extend to others. This is a time to send healing, love and compassion into the world and prepare for what is to come.

The Patriarchy is crumbling  and on the one hand the old guard is not happy!!! While on the other hand the crumbling Patriarchy is experiencing pain and loss – through which all things may indeed transform.

We are being shown a beautiful shining glimmer of what our world could look like if the Goddess took the reins once more. We see woman making decisions, stepping into their power (and I’m also seeing this has an energy of when women kept the Home Fires Burning – and went to work while men were at war. There is solidarity and women rolling their sleeves up to get on with business – perhaps even unseen in the background), I can see strong women you would not want to mess with …On a personal level, this may be the time to think – ‘OK what’s my contribution to society?’  This is the time to get on with that – especially if you have been procrastinating. Think about the ’causes’ in the world or things that light you up, and that use that light to shine for others. The more light we can shine together, the brighter our future will be. Make no mistake the light is shining bright in February because there is so much death and darkness around – but it’s our job to hold the light.

MARCH – Three of Wands/Virtue – We are still holding on to the hope and the light of the Star from February – even though there is darkness all around. We are feeling love, compassion and beauty within us blossom. We may have received some news that fills us with sadness, and so we are reminded of what’s important. 

We are in touch with our creative spark and we find ourselves dreaming in our future with optimism. I always think this feels like “Spring” after a long winter (though here in the Southern Hemisphere we are hurtling towards the colder months in March). As a collective we can see the shoots of new growth thanks to the long-awaited warmth and light. This is a time of the “new”  whether new relationships, new homes or new careers. Nature is opening up – we are awakening (this may also mean we are seeing things in a new light – things that were hidden are now discovered). We are much more highly tuned to anything that threatens to disturb this harmony, but we are also holding an awareness that this sense of ‘spring’ may be short lived – but we live in hope anyway.

APRIL and MAY –Trumps/Art. Alchemy and transformation are key in April and May (Cups/Luxury). We have enjoyed a time of harmonious relationships and we feel the love of the Great Mother keeping us safe, nourishing us with the type of love that allows us to bloom and grow. We have enough of everything we need without being too indulgent – everything is in balance. We can feel our inner world and outer world changing under the gaze of and protection of the Divine Feminine. We can nourish our appreciation of the arts, and we feel from our vantage point of safety and wisdom that we can hold the light and some of us may awaken and Be The Light.  However, that does not mean we should be complacent. We will have to be on our guard and alert to all we hold dear at this time (whether that’s our families, our joy, the security of our homes, our freedom or our planet) as this card in the shadows can suggest excessive conflict. Given we find ourselves (at the time of writing) surrounded by conflict, we will need to be mindful that things do not escalate at this time. If we bring the energy of the philosopher and seek union, harmony and wisdom to conflicts in our lives, we will at the very least be sharing the light and holding the light.

This is potentially a time of transformation, so while this is exciting and liberating, we must also be aware that change is not always easy and may bring some pain. The old way of life must die before we rise, reborn like a phoenix from the ashes. It is part of the human experience that death is the end of one cycle, and is necessary to make space for the new. Throughout this whole reading I have felt the presence of “final endings” which is a bit unnerving …but even in the face of this feeling we must all hold the light and continue to face the future with love, hope and compassion.

JUNE-  Wands Valour –Here there is an energy of Bravery (remember the crazy bravery I had to conjure to face my fears? The venomous serpent may strike at any moment). There was a brief moment I felt paralysed by my own fear, but simultaneously that fear propelled me to take action and turn the emotion into a decisive moment. It’s a very similar energy we are talking about with valour. We could give up and walk away, but instead we decide to challenge ourselves and in so doing we are successful. There may be something in your life that calls for valour (there certainly will be on a geopolitical level). Perhaps you need to find a solution to something rather than walking away from it or coming to blows over it. I’m hearing David and Goliath which immediately leads me to Israel so we may see tensions here beginning to escalate to a tipping point …but again, there is hope that a ‘wise’ solution may be sought and found to avoid a venomous strike. Could a two-state solution be on the cards? I have to confess I’m not sure I see Netanyahu around at this point (or for much longer).

JULY – Three of Disks (Work) – we may have to work hard this month, but there is some positive growth here – maybe we have had to find creative solutions to solve a problem in our life. Again we see a glimmer of the stability we all long for and seemed to be possible at the start of the year. The harmony and co-operation we seek is taking form and there is room for hope  – room for new beginnings. There’s going to be reward for your hard work this year. And yet, there is also a growing sense there is one more battle to fight … so yes, rejoice in the potential of the new – but don’t drop your guard. There may one last venomous snake we didn’t round up. 

AUGUST – Five of Cups (Disappointed) . Here we see a split or a separation. This may be in your own life – a split from a partner or it may be a split into two camps.  We may see a high profile split or separation – a split that shocks a nation – a split we didn’t see coming and totally devastates us because we think “if they split …what hope is there for the rest of us? But we must hold on to hope!. This could also be something even bigger though (I know a relationship split is big – but life and death matters are more significant). The five of cups suggests a big disappointment or a feeling that things didn’t go the way you wanted them to.  With that comes a certain level of loss, grief or even anger and resentment.  There is a sense of frustration and suffering here. Has something happened in the collective that we were all hoping was going to be OK, but it’s turned out to be worse than we were told – or worse than expected?

The new beginnings or perhaps even that Age of Aquarius may just have to wait a little longer, though there is a sense a new consciousness is emerging (remember death must make way for new life). The cups are empty here – and we have moved from (Cups/Luxury) in May of having enough – to now having nothing. The well is dry, or perhaps worse still – stagnant and rotting. The connection with the archetypal feminine is lost. There is no fertility here. For some this will be a sad and lonely time as you go inwards looking for answers. In your day-to-day life, I regret to say it could mean infertility, hysterectomy, ectopic pregnancy, or a failed project – there is a real sense that there is an old wound being re-opened here, but please note even these saddest of times will pass. There is loss of the Divine Feminine here – so I will have to revisit this around March or April to see if I can see more information on what this could be?

On the Geopolitical stage, perhaps old alliances join together (does this mean Harry and William join forces (though in the shadow of Five of Cups perhaps there is a sadness or a loss of something here?) I always think of the ‘auld alliance’ of Scotland and France (though this was a much more positive arrangement than I can see here) so who knows what could happen in the political world.  It may be that Putin joins forces with another dictator to cause even more suffering. I see a supply of water is being cut off …  certainly, emotional nourishment is being withdrawn. The battle lines may be drawn around this time – but hold the light because this is all a necessary part of the process.

SEPTEMBER – The Empress. At face value The Empress symbolises the devotion of a mother’s love. She is open and ready to receive – she is ready to create something new. She symbolises transformation, fertility, birth, creation and rebirth. The Empress is the Embodiment of the Great Mother, The Goddess and the Divine. She represents ‘source’ and the source of our very existence.  The Empress is the endless power of nature that constantly brings new life. It is worth pointing out though, she also ‘knows’ that in order to create new life, she must protect the sacred womb and the only way to do this to make sure the old oppressive/dangerous structures  and powers are vanquished and destroyed. This is potentially another turning point – another opportunity for great chance and for the Divine Feminine to rise up once more. Change is never far from our thoughts at this time. A woman may step forward to hold the highest reigns of power at this time.  However, when we see what the Empress is surrounded by (her environment) there is reason to suggest all is not as it seems. In amongst the vanquishing of the old patriarchy, there have been some losses and disappointments – there have been some losses that are harder to take. There is also an energy here that when something dies – great truths come to the surface.  Something has been hidden – until now.  The Empress energy will shine her light in all the dark corners – she does not want to be surprised by anything lurking in the shadows at this time of great importance (and vulnerability). What areas in your life do you need to step forward and take control of? Are there secrets and truths about to be revealed in your life?  Use your ‘spidey’ senses and protect what is within you – ready to be birthed.

OCTOBER – The Magician – The Magus depicted in the Thoth tarot means active, self-fulfilling, empowering, and he possesses extraordinary vitality. While ‘The Fool’ at the beginning of his spiritual journey is still blind and only feels that something has been discovered, The Magus makes the first decisive step on the path (the new world/a new journey). He knew what he wanted, and this allowed him to achieve every goal.  We have come full circle and have started anew. I have to ponder though whether this means a certain individual reclaims power (by any means) and of course this could be the usual suspects, or whether some situation has returned full circle. The only reason I mention this is The Magus can mean a reflection of Truth and Falsehoods – again smoke and mirrors – again perhaps some Fake News wrapped up in some semi truths … the Magus can be a bit of a trickster – but let’s give him The Magician the benefit of the doubt and err on the side of the light and the positive. The Magician energy is an excellent communicator adept at handling any given situation. He/She has all s/he needs for this new journey or new endeavour. But again – don’t drop your guard- until we know for sure it’s not all smoke and mirrors.

NOVEMBER – 10 OF WANDS/ Oppression – In order to understand this card we need to look at what’s going on around us (at home and overseas). The number ten shows the “last position” and so there is no more time to be wasted on a particular situation without going back to the drawing board (or going inward). We could read this as a ‘last stand’ and I am desperately trying to push images of Trump and Putin from my mind as I look at this card. I am also being shown the Middle East. It could be one of our more tyrannical leaders becomes a tad unhinged and out of control, using their power cruelly and unjustly – so we must be alert to this (without collapsing ourselves helplessly into the narrative). Remember the Magician shows us we have all the tools we need to be able to deal with this situation.

We may feel trapped by external circumstances by the time November rolls around and the glimmer of joy and harmony we experienced earlier in the year has been diminished somewhat. It’s a challenging time, I won’t lie – mainly because we are unable to say what we really think – we are not being allowed to share the truth.  I must stress though – there are always other pathways of possibilities – so this is by no means set in stone (from this point in January). As I said earlier, we do have a window of opportunity earlier in the year to make huge changes that could affect the trajectory of this particular timeline and the rise of the Divine Feminine could have some influence to bear.

There is something about the sun coming through here and I am wondering whether this is about solar flares – which can disrupt our communication systems (this would explain our frustrations and challenges at this time) – the scorched earth may hold deeper messages though I would want to wait until August before reviewing where we are with this. There may be the chance of spectacular Auroras around this time (particularly if you are in the darkness of winter in the Northern Hemisphere) so remember to look up when you are out and about at night.

On a personal level, if you have been working on a project (or relationship) but you feel like you are banging your head against a brick wall – it may be time to retreat and stop wasting your energies and time.

Indeed, the card for December, is a progression in the story illustrated above.

DECEMBER – The Hermit. By the end of the year, we have decided to retreat inward – whether that’s on a personal level, or as a collective. It’s been a painful year, but not without its moments of hope. The Old Wise man we see on this card is Merlin and though he is turning his face away from the darkness, he is still shining a light into the void. Wisdom, enlightenment, truth and knowledge are the energies we need to call in at this time and it’s all there for us. Of course, we can’t ignore the idea that the oppressive energies of November, may lead us into a possible ‘isolation’ period, but I’d rather not bring energy and awareness to that scenario by exploring it too deeply here. I may review this in July or August.

In closing, I would like to share this explanation of imagery on The Hermit card though –

“Through the act of turning away from his world, Hermit directs his interest in the source of all things: with the world egg or the “Orphic egg” (the origin of all things) embraced by the great Ophion snake (serpent) He was no longer interested in finding ideas that were protecting the spiritual realm in a dogmatic way, instead, he sought the truth behind the ideas. This requires caution, concentration, asceticism, perseverance, silence, regression, “going deep into the self”, and humility.”

From here I can perfectly understand why I felt called to place the egg and the snake energy on my altar. In all honesty, the messages were communicated to me via my altar a couple of weeks back– though sometimes it’s nice to see the “workings” or something physical we can refer to, especially for those newly awakened. The card reading does verify what has come through to many readers, astrologers and light workers in the quantum field.

It may seem like a challenging year, there are losses/casualties – the journey may even be perilous, but take heart, big changes are coming and we are now closer than ever to the Love and Peace I channelled a couple of years ago. You are the Light and you are the torch bearer of hope as we progress into these turbulent times. Your light will be a beacon and all will be well.