Are You the Knight of Wands?

The Knight of Wands is one of the Court Cards of the Tarot. On the Decan Wheel, he rules from July 12 to August 11. In some systems, he is called the Prince, however, he is almost always shown on horseback. The Knights carry out the mandate of the Realm set by the King and Queen. They are usually associated with action and motion. Keywords include: adventure, passion, impulsiveness, quests for glory, fame and fortune, pride, generosity, ego, striving for victory, charisma, success.

Many people choose a Court Card to be their Significator in a Tarot reading; a card that represents themselves. If your birthday is between July 12 and August 12, then choosing the Knight of Wands as your Significator may be appropriate! Or, you may choose him because you resonate with his qualities, regardless of the dates, and that is perfectly acceptable as well.

Drawing the Knight of Wands can indicate a person, personality, or behavior. A question you may ask yourself is, how do you get things started? The Knight of Wands can sometimes be the dramatic entrance that sets the tone and kicks things into gear and propel everything forward. Is this your style or the style of someone you know?

Associated Minor Cards
The 3 Minor Cards associated with the Knight of Wands are the 4 of Cups (Lord of Blended Pleasure), the 5 of Wands (Lord of Strife) and the 6 of Wands (Lord of Victory.) If you resonate with the Knight of Wands as your significator, you may want to intuit how these cards connect to your life and experiences.

QABALAH Considerations
On the Qabalistic Tree of Life, the Knights of the Tarot are assigned to the sephirah Tiphareth. When seen in a “Jacobs Ladder” configuration, the Knight of Wands is Tiphareth in the World of Atziluth (Fire/Wands). The Knights also represent Vau in the Holy Tetragrammaton “Yod Heh Vau Heh”, which which is related conceptually to our connection to God and our own divinity, and also represents the Word of Yetzirah. When the Tree of Life is shown as as representing only the World of Yetzirah, it is colored according to a particular set of colors developed by the Golden Dawn. Because of the correspondences between Vau = Yetzirah = Knights/Princes, the color scale for Yetzriah is called the Prince scale.

The Decan Wheel
And for those of you who like math, if you take a look at the Decan Wheel below, you will see that it has several divisions. A circle is 360 degrees, and a Decan is 10 degrees, so there are 36 Decans in a circle, which correspond to approximately 10-11 days each.

There are 40 minor cards, (Aces thru 10’s, 4 suits) but the Aces have been removed, leaving 36 minor cards (2’s thru 10’s, 4 suits) So there is one Decan for every minor card in the tarot (36 x 10 = 360.)

Now for the Court Cards: there are 16 Court Cards, but the Princesses have been removed, leaving 12. So each of the Court cards gets 30 degrees (12 x 30 = 360). You can see by studying the Wheel that for every Court Card there are 3 associated minor cards, with corresponding dates. At the center of the Wheel are the 12 Zodiac signs, however they do not align directly with the 12 Court Cards. The consensus seems to be that the sign with the 2 out of the 3 Decans aligned with the Court Card is the sign usually connected with that Court Card. For example, the Queen of Disks covers one Decan of Sagittarius and two Decans of Capricorn, so she is more often associated with the sign of Capricorn. (Note, the C, F, M at the very center of the Wheel indicate if the Zodiac sign is Cardinal, Fixed or Mutable.)

Lastly, we see the Aces and Princess that were removed placed in tandem in the 4 large sections around the outer rim of Wheel. These can also correspond to the listed dates, or seen generally as the seasons between the Equinoxes and the Solstices. Aces are associated with Spirit and the essence or “root of power” of the Elements (Wands = Fire, Cups = Water, Swords = Air, Pentacles = Earth) Princesses are associated with the “boots on the ground” aspect of the Element. Sometimes they are also allocated to space, or quadrants of the globe, rather than time. (Princess of Wands = Asia, Princess of Cups = the Pacific Ocean, Princess of Swords = the Americas, Princess of Pentacles = Europe & Africa) Both the Aces and the Princesses correspond to the three Zodiac signs in their quadrant.

Consulting the Decan Wheel can help you pick a significator and incorporate time into your readings. Have fun!

Tarot Deciphered by T. Susan Chang & M. M. Meleen
Astrological Keywords by Manly P. Hall
The New A to Z Horiscope Maker and Delineator by Llewellyn George
Qabalistic Tarot by Rober Wang
Astrology for Yourself by Douglass Bloch & Demetra George
A Beginners Guide to Astrology by Lisa Butterworth
The Secret Teachings of All Ages by Manly P. Hall

The SECERT ALCHEMY of CANCER

The Mystery of ALCHEMY

Alchemy is obscure and can be off-putting, with it’s enigmatic and strange imagery and odd terms. However, once it becomes clarified, it is powerful system for spiritual development and manifestation. To provide this clarification is one of the goals of Sacred Circuit.

There are two basic types of Alchemy, spiritual and physical. Spiritual alchemy comprises the bulk of what you find when you search the term online, or browse books on the subject. Spiritual alchemy involves a system of personal refinement and growth; it is highly psychological in this way. Physical alchemy is actual lab work and experiments. Both of these systems include seven “operations” which are loosely based on the planetary and chakra systems. True Alchemists of old advised that integrating both spiritual and physical alchemy was necessary if substantial personal transformation was desired.

There is another more rarely used system of twelve operations, which correspond to the Zodiac. The twelve steps can be seen as a more detailed version of the seven steps, in which some of them have been split, but most are added in. For Hermetic purposes, which integrate Qabalah, Tarot and Astrology with Alchemy, and for use with work with the Astrological signs of the Zodiac, the twelve-operation system is highly effective, and it is what we have embraced here at Sacred Circuit.

The twelve alchemical operations can be seen as a Hermetic roadmap of spiritual transmutation — a journey in which the raw matter of the self, or Lead, is refined into the radiant gold of awakened consciousness. Each operation — Calcination, Congelation, Fixation, Dissolution, Digestion, Distillation, Sublimation, Separation, Incineration, Fermentation, Multiplication and Projection — corresponds to an Astrological sign, and mirrors a stage in the initiate’s inner work — dissolving attachments, purifying desires, and reuniting fragmented aspects of the psyche, all in alignment with the celestial Ecliptic.

This Alchemical-Zodiacal journey is not only about personal growth and spiritual enlightenment, it is also about manifestation. As the soul undergoes inner purification, it evolves to become a more receptive vessel for the Divine to enter into the realm of forms. Through these operations, the practitioner does not simply manifest desires — they come to embody them. Alchemy, Qabalah, Tarot and Astrology together teach that manifestation is not control over reality, but harmony with the Great Work —the Magnum Opus of the Soul.

THE ALCHEMY of the sign of CANCER

The Alchemical Operation assigned to Cancer is Dissolution. Spiritually, Dissolution involves the breaking down of corrupted aspects of the personality, or personality structures which have been erected due to societal or family programming. These aspects live in the subconscious and can be difficult to access. Certain meditations and practices help to access these structures, which must at least be recognized if not totally dissolved, if personal growth is to occur.

Physically, Dissolution involves turning a substance into a liquid, or dissolving a substance in water or other fluid. Alchemists regarded dissolution not just as a substance simply becoming liquid, but as a return of an element into the womb-like state of it’s elementary principals. 

Qabalistically, the action of performing the operation of dissolution in the material world of Assiah can connect a person more viscerally to the corresponding psychological work of Yetzirah. In other words, the physical action helps the psyche process the equivalent concept in the subconscious, making the psychological-work more accessible.

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Are You the Queen of Cups?

The Queen of Cups is one of the Court Cards of the Tarot. On the Decan Wheel, she rules from June 11 to Jully 11. She is the Nuturer. Keywords include nuturing, intuition, empathy, sensitivity, emotional and changeable, protective, sentimental, fiercely maternal, mother hood, responsive to others, and emotions shown opening.

Many people choose a Court Card to be their Significator in a Tarot reading; a card that represents themselves. If your birthday is between June 11 and July 11, then choosing the Queen of Cups as your Significator may be appropriate! Or, you may choose her because you resonate with her qualities, regardless of the dates, and that is perfectly acceptable as well.

On the Qabalistic Tree of Life, the Queens of the Tarot are assigned to the sephirah Binah. When seen in a “Jacobs Ladder” configuration, the Queen of Cups is Binah in the World of Briah. The Queens represent Binah’s qualities of “the Great Mother” - the receiver of the force of Chokmah (Kings), and the organizer of force into form. The Queens also represent the first Heh in the Holy Tetragrammaton “Yod Heh Vau Heh”, which is related conceptually to the Breath of Life. When the Tree of Life is shown as as representing only the World of Briah, it is colored according to a particular set of colors developed by the Golden Dawn. Because of the correspondances between Heh = Briah = Queens, the color scale for Briah is called the Queen scale.

Drawing the Queen of Cups can indicate a person, personality, or behavior. A question you may ask yourself is, how do you relate to the concept of Nuturing, as a person you may know, or a personality or behavior that emerges from time to time, in yourself or others? The Queen of Cups calls on us to ruminate on this.

And for those of you who like math, if you take a look at the Decan Wheel below, you will see that it has several divisions. A circle is 360 degrees, and a Decan is 10 degrees, so there are 36 Decans in a circle, which correspond to approximately 10-11 days each.

There are 40 minor cards, (Aces thru 10’s, 4 suits) but the Aces have been removed, leaving 36 minor cards (2’s thru 10’s, 4 suits) So there is one Decan for every minor card in the tarot (36 x 10 = 360.)

Now for the Court Cards: there are 16 Court Cards, but the Princesses have been removed, leaving 12. So each of the Court cards gets 30 degrees (12 x 30 = 360). You can see by studying the Wheel that for every Court Card there are 3 associated minor cards, with corresponding dates. At the center of the Wheel are the 12 Zodiac signs, however they do not align directly with the 12 Court Cards. The consensus seems to be that the sign with the 2 out of the 3 Decans aligned with the Court Card is the sign usually connected with that Court Card. For example, the Queen of Disks covers one Decan of Sagittarius and two Decans of Capricorn, so she is more often associated with the sign of Capricorn. (Note, the C, F, M at the very center of the Wheel indicate if the Zodiac sign is Cardinal, Fixed or Mutable.)

Lastly, we see the Aces and Princess that were removed placed in tandem in the 4 large sections around the outer rim of Wheel. These can also correspond to the listed dates, or seen generally as the seasons between the Equinoxes and the Solstices. Aces are associated with Spirit and the essence or “root of power” of the Elements (Wands = Fire, Cups = Water, Swords = Air, Pentacles = Earth) Princesses are associated with the “boots on the ground” aspect of the Element. Sometimes they are also allocated to space, or quadrants of the globe, rather than time. (Princess of Wands = Asia, Princess of Cups = the Pacific Ocean, Princess of Swords = the Americas, Princess of Pentacles = Europe & Africa) Both the Aces and the Princesses correspond to the three Zodiac signs in their quadrant.

The 3 Minor Cards associated with the Queen of Cups are the 10 of Swords (Lord of Ruin), the 2 of Cups (Lord of Love) and the 3 of Cups (Lord of Abundance.) If you resonate with the Queen of Cups as your significator, you may want to intuit how these cards connect to your life and experiences. Have fun!

Tarot Deciphered by T. Susan Chang & M. M. Meleen
Astrological Keywords by Manly P. Hall
The New A to Z Horiscope Maker and Delineator by Llewellyn George
Qabalistic Tarot by Rober Wang
Astrology for Yourself by Douglass Bloch & Demetra George
A Beginners Guide to Astrology by Lisa Butterworth
The Secret Teachings of All Ages by Manly P. Hall

Happy Summer Solstice 2026! Set Your Intent

In scientific terms, a solstice is one of two times a year when the Earth's axis is tilted most closely toward or away from the sun, resulting in the longest or shortest day of the year for a given hemisphere. The Summer Solstice marks the cardinal axis - the moment the earth's tilt toward from the sun is at a maximum - 23.5˚ - and aligns with the Tropic of Cancer (which is a Cardinal sign).

Astrologically, the Summer Solstice marks the start of the zodiacal reign of Cancer, June 20/21 - July 20/21 - the sign of the Mother. Cancer is associated with birth and the life giving properties of water. The ancient Greeks called Cancer “the Gate of Men”. Souls were said to descend to Earth from heaven through the Cancer constellation, and then go back the other way and ascend to heaven through “the Gate of the Gods” in Capricorn.

A Magical Alignment

A powerful alignment happens during the Summer Solstice as the Sun, a symbol of masculine life-sustaining fire and energy, enters the Cardinal gate of Cancer, a symbol or the feminine and mother associated with the live-giving properties of waters. The climatic joining of these opposing forces creates a powerful manifestation portal.

Because of this alignment, the Summer Solstice is a perfect time to set your intent for the second half of the year. Setting an intent is very similar to saying an affirmation, and is done by speaking out loud that which you would like to manifest in your life. Intent can feel more powerful if done in a ritual (see below) or spiritual setting, or during/after a meditation when your mind is clear and focused.

The following are examples that can be used or adapted for setting an intent:
General Empowerment
1. I am aligned with my highest potential and call forth all that supports my growth.
2. I fully receive the abundance that flows effortlessly into my life.
3. I step boldly into [ … ] with clarity, confidence, and grace.

Spiritual Awakening
4. I open fully to the wisdom of my higher self and integrate it with ease.
5. I walk the path of grace and am a vessel of God’s will.
6. I embrace and embody sacred transformation in every cell of my being.

Wealth & Abundance
7. I am a magnet for wealth, prosperity and [ ... ] .
8. I allow money to serve my [purpose/project] and flow freely into my life.
9. My creative gifts generate sustainable abundance with joy.

Love & Relationships
10. I attract and nurture deep, conscious, and loving connections.
11. I radiate self-love and call in partnerships that honor my worth.
12. I am open to giving and receiving unconditional love.

Health & Vitality
13. My body is strong, my mind is clear, and my energy is vibrant.
14. I restore, regenerate, and realign with perfect balance and health.
15.  Every breath nourishes me on a cellular and spiritual level.

Alchemical Focus
16.    I dissolve from my essence all that no longer serves me.
17.    I transmute fear into clarity, and limitation into infinite design.
18.    I call forth the future-self that already knows, already is, already becomes. 

A Summer-Solstice Intent-Setting Ritual

Ritual Instructions:

1. Create a Sacred Space
Find a suitable place where you can be alone and/or have privacy. If possible, sunlight should fill the room or space. Sanctify the space by doing one of the following:
• Light sage and direct the smoke in a circle, clockwise, around the room and around yourself
• Use a fan, feather or hand broom to “sweep away” negative energy from each direction in turn, starting with East and moving clockwise. (E, S, W, N)
• Do the Banishing Ritual of the Lesser Pentagram

2. Set up Your Sacred Space
• Arrange a small altar with:
South: Fire - Choose one: A wand, a yellow or gold candle (wax or electric), Censor with insence (Frankensense)
West: Water - Choose one: A chalise, a bowl or cup of water 
North: Earth - Choose one: A pentagram, a small plate with Salt, foliage, flower or crystal
East: Air -  Choose one: a small dagger or knife, a feather, a bell, or pictures of dragonflies, birds or butterflies
Center: A white candle and a simple drawing of the solar glyph ☉ or your own sun sigil or symbolic object, ex. The Sun Tarot Card. A yellow candle can be used if it not being used in the south/fire position.

3. Opening: Invocation of Light
• Light the candle. Say aloud:
“I call upon the energy of the Sun that shines within me and around me. May the golden light of the inner and outer Suns purify my heart, illuminate my path and open the gate of transformation.”

4. Breath & Visualization
• Close your eyes and imagine you are breathing in energetic sunlight -energy and releasing old, tired energy.
• As you are breathing, visualize a golden orb of light growing in your solar plexus.
• Feel this inner Sun expanding outward, burning away fear, doubt, or stagnation. Let it fill your body and expand to a comfortable size. Then, seal it with a firm edge, so that it remains with you as your personal energetic space. You are in control of what enters or leaves this space.

Note: if you have placed a Tarot Card on your altar, take this time to meditate on the Card and receive any impressions.

5. State Intent
•  Face East. Speak your intention for the second half of the year. Use or modify one of the suggestions above, or create your own.

6. [Optional: Qabalistic recognition:
• Touch your chest (Tiphareth), and say:
“Beauty and perfect Balance dwell within me.”
• Dip your fingers in the water (Cancer) and anoint your heart (Tiphareth), anchoring spiritual light in your body.]

7. Closing
• Close by saying “I release my intent to God/the Universe/Great Spirit/etc., knowing it is already fulfilled in the right and perfect way for me and through me, with gratitude as brilliant as the celestial Sun.”
• Repeat santifying choice, this time moving counter-clockwise (or repeat LBRP)
•  Extinguish candle (use a snuffer if possible) or turn off the candle if electric, with thanks

For this ritual, I have chosen items that are most similar to the Tarot Suits: a dagger (East, Air, Swords), a crystal wand (South, Fire, Wands),  a Cup (West, Water, Cups) and a pentacle made of selenite (North, Earth, Disks or Pentacles). In the center, for this particular ritual, is a Pyrite Sun and The Sun card from the Rider-Waite deck.