Welcome to the first Oracle Outlook of 2017! I hope you enjoyed the New Year’s weekend, ringing in 2017 with friends, family, or other like-minded people (if you were able to stay up ‘til midnight, that is!).
Since this is the first week of a new year, I was guided to use the Archangel Oracle Cards by Doreen Virtue (and published by Hay House).
Before getting into the reading, I’d like to take a moment and share how that guidance came about.
The Guidance of “Renewal”
I was staying with a family member, who I was caring for after he had a surgical procedure. It was December 19th, the first day of Mercury retrograde; I mention this because it is significant.
Renewal, from the Angel Tarot Cards. Art by Steve A. Roberts.
I had pulled Renewal from the Angel Tarot Cards (by Doreen Virtue, Radleigh Valentine, and Steve A. Roberts; published by Hay House), the only deck I packed to take with me, so I could continue my daily card draws that are part of my spiritual practice.
The card has Archangel Jeremiel depicted on it, one of my favorite archangels.
I found time to meditate, the first time actually since I had arrived at the house. No sooner than my meditation time began, I was “shown” the Renewal card in my mind, which let me know that Archangel Jeremiel had a message for me.
Archangel Jeremiel shared that Mercury retrograde (which is still in effect until January 8th) is a time to practice the three Rs (which are not reading, writing, and arithmetic):
- Review (and Jeremiel is the angel of life review)
- Reflect
- Reconsider
I could “hear” him saying to me, “Isn’t it interesting that the Mercury retrograde would be present as the years are about to change? It’s an auspicious time—especially with all the changes taking place around you—to practice reviewing and reflecting on those events for the lessons they hold. When you do, you then get to reconsider any previously-held beliefs that may no longer serve and support you going into the New Year—which is also an opportunity to become a new you.”
After that, I was asked to work with the Archangel Oracle Cards every day, up until the day I decided to make the video for this week’s reading—and to use the deck for the reading as well.
So, after an invocation (calling in the energies of the angels), I’m taking the deck in hand, asking Spirit and the angels for the messages pertaining to the week ahead.
The video presentation of this week’s reading is below:
If you prefer to read the text, here it is for you:
After shuffling the deck, I pulled three cards for this reading: the first for the beginning of the week; the second for the middle of the week; and the last to round out the rest of the week.
Cards for the Week
Spread Your Wings!, from the Archangel Oracle Cards. Art by James Yale.
For the beginning of the week, we have Spread Your Wings!
I love this as the first card in the first reading of the New Year. Here, Archangel Ariel is depicted about to take flight into the air, symbolizing a time to consider the actions we need to take to reach our goals and aspirations.
Archangel Ariel, being the “environmentalist angel,” sends the message to consider the space that we’re occupying when it comes to our goals and aspirations. If we’re looking at what we want to achieve from a place of fear, she wants to assist us in taking back our personal power before “take off.”
Keeping with the power aspect of Ariel, I also consider her to be an angel who helps us with our self-confidence, which can waver when we start something new. If this is true for you, consider inviting Archangel Ariel to work with you on bolstering your confidence.
And with Archangel Ariel being one of the angels of abundance, you can call on her to help manifest the material support needed to achieve your goals at just the right and perfect time.
Spread Your Wings! has a travel feel to it, carrying the message of “going places,” suggesting actual travel (perhaps by air) or the more metaphorical journeys we take in life.
Going with the latter, a message could be that seeing things from a higher (spiritual) perspective can change our outlook and help us to rise above any challenges—especially those that are self-imposed.
Counselor, from the Archangel Oracle Cards. Art by Catherine Andrews.
For the middle of the week, the card is Counselor.
The first thing that comes to me with this card is its association with Archangel Azrael, the angel of change and transition; I find this interesting, as he comes to assist us with the change and transition of the years, leaving 2016 behind and moving into 2017.
2016 was a 9 Universal Year (2 + 0 + 1 + 6 = 9), and that carries the energy of things being wrapped up, that things come to some type of completion, preparing us for the next chapter of our lives (with the 1 Universal Year cycle, which 2017 is).
Sometimes, this completion or wrap-up can come in the form of loss, and with that, Archangel Azrael is the angel who aids us in healing from grief as the result of a loss. If you’ve experienced a loss of some kind over the past year, Archangel Azrael stands in support during this time (the angel with its hands on the shoulders of the woman).
Archangel Azrael works with grief counselors, so another message could be that you’re being guided to see a counselor to work with you in beginning to take the steps to move on after loss.
Another possibility is that you’re being directed to become an actual counselor, because of your ability to support others during times of transition. If that’s true for you, it’s important to remember that the client is still responsible (shoulders being a symbol of responsibility) for making progress throughout his or her process; your role is supportive—you can’t do their “work” for them.
Aside from this aspect, the Counselor card just reinforces the message that our angels are always there to support us—as long as we are open and receptive to that support.
You Know What to Do, from the Archangel Oracle Cards. Art by Eileen Poldersman.
For the end of the week, the card is You Know What to Do.
I find this card to validate my experience with Archangel Jeremiel, that led me to use this deck for this week’s reading. It’s just as the card states: I received the guidance; I trusted the guidance; and I acted on the guidance.
That would be the first message of the card; if we ask our angels for guidance, then we’re being called to trust it when it comes, and to take action on it.
The guidance can come in the form of an idea, an insight, a revelation, an epiphany, as this card is associated with Archangel Uriel, the angel of illumination, who I also call the “bright idea angel.”
Here, Uriel holds a lantern, and it brings to mind The Hermit card from the Tarot. The lantern is symbolic of turning within, going within to receive guidance, which can suggest meditation.
I also refer to Uriel as the “psychologist angel,” as it has been my experience that his energy helps us become aware of our psychological blocks and moving beyond them.
Bringing this aspect to the other cards can suggest becoming more aware of what holds us back (Spread Your Wings! states, “Do not hold back right now.”), especially when we begin to embark on creating change (Counselor) in our lives.
And since I mentioned psychology, You Know What to Do can reinforce the message of becoming a professional counselor, and taking up the study of counseling psychology toward that goal.
This is the week to begin taking the action steps on the intentions we have for 2017—and to know that our angels are always there for support and guidance.
And, with that, I’ll land this week’s reading.
Wishing you love, light, and many Angel blessings,
For personalized readings, please visit my Services page over at jameshimm.com.
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