Journey Moon is New

The new moon on May 24 is named the Journey Moon in Annette Hinshaw's calendar. It is the time of the blessed pause between the hard work of sowing and birthing and the herculean tasks of harvesting and raising young. It is the time of year where, in most places, the weather is sweet and warm but not yet oppressively hot and travel is at it's easiest. It is a time for exploring... exploring the physical world around us, the mental world in our heads and where the two intersect.

Just the other day as I was walking in a park near my house I spotted a playing card on the ground. I picked it up to see what it was... the queen of diamonds. I took her home, figuring she had something important to say to me. Playing cards and tarot cards are close cousins of each other and one can actually use playing cards as one uses the minor arcana of a tarot deck. I love the symbols of tarot and own a particularly fun tarot deck; The Inner Child Cards: A Fairy Tale Tarot by Isha and Mark Lerner. This deck uses well known charcaters and stories from fairy tales and fiction for the major arcana and the face cards of the minor arcana. For instance, the Fool card is represented by Little Red Riding Hood and the Tower card by Rapunzel. The Queen of Diamonds in a playing card deck is equivalent to the Queen of Pentacles in a tarot deck and in my deck the that card, called the seeker of Seeker of Crystals, is represented by the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz.

In a traditional tarot deck the Queen of Pentacles is an earth mother like figure. She is often thought of as nuturing and very resourceful, but willing to put those resources to use for others. Biddy, of biddytarot.com, says that the Queen of Pentacles represents "Want[ing] to establish yourself TO yourself, to find your 'centre' or place where you belong, and for words (prophecies) or ideas to come to light. Keep following your star and you will get your wish. You may have to wait but what you want WILL come. " In the Fairy Tale Tarot the Seeker of Crystals talks about transformation and spiritual growth through a journey. The Lion eventually finds his center by following his star. He is able to drop the facade of bravery because along his path he finds his true courage.

It's always good to have traveling food when you go on a journey. Cookies travel well and are always welcome, no matter where you find yourself. Last winter I made these Swedish Rye Cookies and loved them. Try making them in a shape that represents what you need or what you have. Try diamonds to represent the Queen and her blessings or perhaps find a lions cookie cutter and nibble them as you walk your own yellow brick road.

Swedish Rye Cookies

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup rye flour
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup fine sugar
1/2 tsp salt
coarse or powdered sugar for dusting

*Sift flours and salt together. Cream butter and cream cheese together until combined and fluffy. Add flour to butter mixture and stir only enough to incorporate. Knead gently to get the dough to stick together, form into a flattened ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill.

*Line baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough out to 1/4 inch thickness and cut out with cutters. Sprinkle with coarse sugar now, or powdered sugar after baking. Bake for 4-6 minutes or until they are fragrant and just starting to brown around the edges. Don't let them overbake or they will be dry.

What path are you traveling during this Journey Moon? What is testing your courage? What resources are avaliable to you on your journey? Do you feel more like a Queen of Pentacles this month or more like the Cowardly Lion?