Horoscope for the Week of December 2, 2024 - Mercury Retrograde in Sagittarius

Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius not only upends our communication, it can make anything we say become even bigger. Keep up the good humor and think before you speak!

Here is my favorite book on astrology and a "must" for anyone interested in learning more: Secrets from a Stargazer's Notebook: Making Astrology Work for You and here's a guide to the best books available this month. This column is (c) 2024 MADAM LICHTENSTEIN, LLC., All Rights Reserved. For Entertainment Purposes Only. Madam Lichtenstein is the author of the best selling astrology book “HerScopes ” now in its 12th printing and available as an eBook.

ARIES   (MARCH 21 - APRIL 20)

Anything you say has the potential to go global fast. Have a compelling idea? Feel strong in your opinion? All good, Aries, but wait a bit before you share it. Consider how you deliver that message and allow others to give their views to you first so you can better gauge the audience. Then when you feel ready, go carefully forward.

TAURUS (APRIL 21-MAY 21)

If your heart feels full and passionate, that is a good and genuine place to be, Taurus. However, allow yourself time and consideration to sift through all of your emotions before you emote them. You want to be absolutely sure that your caring message is received correctly and to the right recipient. The, once secure, go for it.

GEMINI   (MAY 22 - JUNE 21)

Whatever opinions you need to share in a certain relationship, let it be known that you are entitled to your feelings. I advise though that you wait and hear the other side out before you share, Gemini. There may be things that you are not seeing or you may be misinterpreting others’ actions. The fog will soon lift and reveal.

CANCER   (JUNE 22 - JULY 23)

As you embark on a new health regime or an expanded work project, be sure to allow yourself some time to carefully review next steps and eventual results. There may be aspects of any project that are still unclear or require some adjusting. Keep your eyes open, Cancer, and go carefully forward to insure ultimate success.

LEO   (JULY 24 - AUGUST 23)

Fun may have its moments, Leo. That means that when you agree to take on anything creative or festive, it may lead you on a tangent that wastes some of your time. Ask questions before committing and follow the process as it unfolds carefully. The result will be brilliant if you don’t get sidetracked on miscommunications.

VIRGO   (AUGUST 24 - SEPTEMBER 23)

Family issues may get complicated especially if all those involved do not commit to really listening to each other. But you have the solution in hand, Virgo. The secret to yours and others’ success is to diplomatically share ideas and opinions with no judgments … to start out. There will be time to make fuller decisions later.

LIBRA   (SEPTEMBER 24 - OCTOBER 23)

Your opinions carry weight, Libra, because you are naturally diplomatic and charming. Now you just need to be extra sure that your words are clearly understood and processed accurately. This can be achieved by carefully crafting your message to the appropriate audience and getting feedback all along the way.

SCORPIO   (OCTOBER 24 - NOVEMBER 22)

Your investment ideas may be sound, but there are aspects of it that need to be more fully researched and confirmed before you should go forward. You work too hard to squander your money, Scorpio. Use your intensive strategic talents to vet every idea and even then, take your time before deciding any big direction.

SAGITTARIUS   (NOVEMBER 23 - DECEMBER 22)

First impressions may not go as planned, Sagittarius. But don’t worry about any major gaffes. Your good nature and sense of humor can get you out of any sticky situation. The main goal for you now is to avoid any miscommunication especially when it involves new people, projects or social circles. Do your research and impress!

CAPRICORN   (DECEMBER 23 - JANUARY 20)

So many secrets and so little time to keep them under wraps, Capricorn! There may be times when your ability to control fate seems out of control. But this is all good for your future freedom. Allow yourself the ability to open up to others a little more and embrace whatever the cosmos delivers. You emerge stronger for it.

AQUARIUS   (JANUARY 21 - FEBRUARY 19)

There may be come miscommunication among friends and other social interactions, Aquarius. You may feel strongly about a certain subject or have great ideas for the group dynamic. Whatever energizes you, find ways to introduce your opinions after you have found ways to share them in very, very understandable language.

PISCES   (FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 20)

Any long term plans need to be carefully reviewed, Pisces. You may be under an illusion that something is happening because of what someone else has said. It could be true but it will benefit you to verify first. Carefully ask questions and carefully listen to all of the different answers. You get to the right conclusion soon.

(c) 2024 MADAM LICHTENSTEIN, LLC., All Rights Reserved. For Entertainment Purposes Only. @thestarryeye Find astrology readings on tinyurl.com/TheStarryEye and a great sun sign book at tinyurl.com/Herscopes

Lucky Numbers for the Week of November 29, 2024

Lottery ads tell us you only need a dollar and a dream. But it is also helpful to have a list of lucky numbers to help spur the good fortune ... or fortunes. So with that in mind, here are some lucky numbers that can be used in any helpful way. I gazed into a pool of water, Nostradamus-like, and contemplated the cosmos. Then I mixed the tarot cards and allowed the spirits to guide me to the cards that represent the lucky numbers for this week. Nothing is guaranteed but who knows ....?

Here are the lucky numbers for the week of November 29-December 5, 2024:

I choose eight numbers because 8 is the number of of wealth.

3, 10, 18, 24, 34, 41, 54, 67

There are many ways to delve into your own consciousness to find luck and intuition. Try reading Dream Power/Improve Your Luck (Super Strength Series) and see if your dreams give you any clues and premonitions. Here's a guide to the best books available this month

Banishing Evil With Plants

Atlas Obscura offers some insights into how to best banish evil using what they term as edible plants. I would say that of the three, I would only ingest garlic. The other two could seem to have poisonous properties. But it seems from the article that you needn't actually eat any of these - just wear or hang them around. Check out other options here.

GARLIC

Garlic is a vampire repellent as tried-and-true as silver bullets and sunlight. It’s even used in the American tropics to ward off vampire bats. But why do vampires hate garlic so much? One theory claims that the blood disease porphyria inspired the original European vampire tales. Porphyria’s symptoms are worsened by both garlic and sunlight, which might cause sufferers to avoid them. However, this fails to take into account that garlic has widely been viewed as effective against the supernatural in general, and even non-supernatural misfortune like robbery or wild animal attacks.

The plant’s medicinal properties might explain why garlic was considered protective, and may also explain the vampire connection. Garlic contains the antibiotic compound allicin, and its positive effects on the immune system have long been recognized. Before modern literature like Dracula established the trope of the genteel, aristocratic vampire, the creatures were more associated with filth and disease than glamor. Outbreaks of tuberculosis and other illnesses were sometimes blamed on vampires, as occurred in the “New England vampire panic” of the late 19th century. An ingredient that helps cure sickness is a logical choice to keep away the beings that were believed to cause it. Another reason for garlic’s evil-averting reputation might be its overpowering smell, a feature it shares with other protective herbs like rue.

How to Use It: Wear it around your neck, carry a clove in your pocket, or hang strings or wreaths of bulbs near doorways or windows

Where to Find It: Your local grocery store

 

RUE

Rue’s complex, citrusy bitterness, reminiscent of blood orange, made it a popular ingredient in Medieval Europe, and the Ancient Romans were positively obsessed with rue-laced sauces, salads, and marinades. But today, the herb has largely fallen out of favor because it’s toxic in large quantities. This applies to medicinal more than culinary use; in dishes, a little rue goes a very long way due to its intense flavor. In modern Ethiopia, rue is still used to aromatize coffee, and may be included in the spice mixture berbere.

Fortunately, there’s no medical warning against rue’s other major historical use: magical protection. In Early Modern England, rue had such positive associations that it was used to sprinkle holy water at Christian masses and known as the “herb of grace,” as Ophelia states in Hamlet. A sprig of rue could be carried on one’s person or hung over a bed or doorway, and the plant itself could be grown by the door to prevent evil witches from passing. Rue could also be included in a “witch bottle.” These protective charms were made by sealing a tiny bottle filled with one’s own urine, along with items meant to symbolically hurt any witch who tried to harm the bottle’s maker, such as a piece of rue or sharp pins.

How to Use It: Place a live rue plant near a doorway, carry a pinch of it in your pocket, or make a witch bottle or a protective wand. Rue may be burned as incense in rituals of purification, which is also the most common use for “Syrian rue.”

Where to Find It: Specialty herbal medicine shops or online vendors. It’s easier to find dried rue than fresh nowadays due to its use in traditional medicine. However, I have seen live rue plants for sale at flower shops in New York City’s Flushing Chinatown.

 

HAWTHORN

Along with rowan, hawthorn was regarded as one of the most magical trees in European folklore. Haw comes from the Old English word for “hedge,” and because the tree was grown for boundary-marking hedges, it was believed to form a barrier against evil. In the Balkans, the stakes driven into the hearts of corpses to prevent them from becoming vampires were traditionally carved from hawthorn wood. ABC News reported that the inhabitants of one Serbian village were sharpening hawthorn stakes for this purpose as recently as 2012.

In Central Europe and Britain, hawthorn branches were hung over doorways for protection well into the 19th century. However, the flowers of hawthorn were also associated with death in British folklore because they smell like rotting flesh, thanks to the chemical trimethylamine, which is found in both. It was believed that bringing hawthorn flowers inside a home would bring tragedy to the family, and hawthorn was even known as “mother-die,” a name also used for several poisonous plants.

But far from being poisonous, hawthorn’s crunchy, apple-like fruits have a tart flavor and a high vitamin content. Eaten throughout the Northern Hemisphere, hawthorn fruit was so important to early settlers of Manitoulin Island in Ontario, Canada that locals are still known as “haw-eaters.” In Mexico, whole hawthorn fruits (tejocotes) are a key ingredient in Christmas punch, while in China, they are skewered and dipped in crunchy sugar to make the street snack tanghulu.

How to Use It: Stake vampires with hawthorn wood, or hang branches or wreaths of hawthorn above the doorway (but don’t bring the flowers inside)

Where to Find It: Various species of hawthorn grow wild in North America, Europe, and Asia. Assuming that the powers of the tree extend to its fruit, a Chinese grocery store might be your best bet to find commercial products made with hawthorn. These include soft drinks and filled pastries as well as candies like “Haw Flakes:” crumbly, coin-shaped discs of dried hawthorn often regarded as a nostalgic classic. But can a roll of Haw Flakes hung over your door keep away evil spirits in the same way as a wreath of fresh hawthorn boughs? It can’t hurt to try.

Horoscope for the Week of November 25, 2024 - Sun Enters Sagittarius

The Sun enters feisty Sagittarius this week heralding in a time of expansion, exploration and general optimism. Spread your good vibes and see how they resonate.

Here is my favorite book on astrology and a "must" for anyone interested in learning more: Secrets from a Stargazer's Notebook: Making Astrology Work for You and here's a guide to the best books available this month. This column is (c) 2024 MADAM LICHTENSTEIN, LLC., All Rights Reserved. For Entertainment Purposes Only. Madam Lichtenstein is the author of the best selling astrology book “HerScopes ” now in its 12th printing and available as an eBook.

ARIES   (MARCH 21 - APRIL 20)

There has never been a better time for you to expand your universe, Aries. Get out of your rut and check out new territories that can prove to be pivotal to your global perspective. There is much to learn and  many interesting areas, events and people to experience that it would be a shame for you to miss any of it! Get out and about.

TAURUS (APRIL 21-MAY 21)

Taureans are eager to make their emotions front and center, and why not? Playing coy will not get you to where you want to be and who you want to be with. Take a calculated risk in love and see how much you can expand your options and deepen your commitments. Life is too short to waste time worrying about it.

GEMINI   (MAY 22 - JUNE 21)

Relationships take front and center for you, Gemini. Find more ways to deepen and expand certain partnerships with the goal of creating a personal balance that works well for you and is acceptable to others. Some folks need more attention than others. Give what you can give and see how it can improve connections.

CANCER   (JUNE 22 - JULY 23)

There are more ways to energize your physical, emotional and mental outlook, Cancer. Whatever area of your life needs a boost, use this time to explore the options. Whether it has to do with exercise, meditation, diet or personal interactions, you are able to find more ways to feel stronger and more in control.

LEO   (JULY 24 - AUGUST 23)

Your creativity expands into new areas, Leo. That means that whatever juices up your creative urges, go with the flow. Festive gatherings of any sort give you a refreshing new outlook. Romance may also be in the cards, as well as games of chance. Mine your luck along with inspirational your pluck and explore the possibilities.

VIRGO   (AUGUST 24 - SEPTEMBER 23)

Find ways to introduce or expand the calming and soothing energies of your home environment, Virgo. Stress is not on the menu. Cut out things that are not working for you and choose to spend time with those who support and engage you. Also find more creative ways to decorate your space and achieve greater harmony.

LIBRA   (SEPTEMBER 24 - OCTOBER 23)

You now know just what to say to get others to do more things for you. Libras are usually very diplomatic but now you are in top form. What is on your mind? What do you feel a great need to share? Ideas that you put into motion now seem to expand over time and can take on a life of their own. Good. Go forward.

SCORPIO   (OCTOBER 24 - NOVEMBER 22)

You get much more strategic with your money, Scorpio. Suddenly you are all about profit … and more profit. Find those things that are especially valuable to you and work towards getting what you want. Sometimes it has an expensive price tag and sometimes the best things in life are free. Decide for yourself.

SAGITTARIUS   (NOVEMBER 23 - DECEMBER 22)

You shine brightly, Sagittarius, and wow the crowds with your sparkling warm personality. Find more ways to get out into the center of the social swirl and become a major force there. You can not only impress some impressive folks, you manage to move your personal projects forward. The future beckons. Heed the call.

CAPRICORN   (DECEMBER 23 - JANUARY 20)

Secrets can be exposed, Capricorn, and your ability to go with whatever is revealed will serve you well into the future. Sometimes hidden things seem scarier than they really are and opening up is not only cleansing but also restorative. This can be an inspiring and strength-building time where you feel much more in control.

AQUARIUS   (JANUARY 21 - FEBRUARY 19)

Expand your social circle, Aquarius. There are people you simply just have to meet and groups or clubs that might join that benefit you over time. You become the one to know and can command the group dynamic. The question is – where do you want to go and what ideas will offer you greater harmony. Think on it.

PISCES   (FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 20)

Long term plans suddenly start to take off and go forward. Are you ready for all of the action, Pisces? I think the answer is yes since you have been putting in great effort to make all of this happen. Prepare to turn up the energy and focus more on the essentials of what you really want and where you really want to go. Then go, go, go.

(c) 2024 MADAM LICHTENSTEIN, LLC., All Rights Reserved. For Entertainment Purposes Only. @thestarryeye Find astrology readings on tinyurl.com/TheStarryEye and a great sun sign book at tinyurl.com/Herscopes

Lucky Numbers for the Week of November 22, 2024

Lottery ads tell us you only need a dollar and a dream. But it is also helpful to have a list of lucky numbers to help spur the good fortune ... or fortunes. So with that in mind, here are some lucky numbers that can be used in any helpful way. I gazed into a pool of water, Nostradamus-like, and contemplated the cosmos. Then I mixed the tarot cards and allowed the spirits to guide me to the cards that represent the lucky numbers for this week. Nothing is guaranteed but who knows ....?

Here are the lucky numbers for the week of November 22-28, 2024:

I choose eight numbers because 8 is the number of of wealth.

1, 11, 13, 28, 32, 33, 62, 58

There are many ways to delve into your own consciousness to find luck and intuition. Try reading Dream Power/Improve Your Luck (Super Strength Series) and see if your dreams give you any clues and premonitions. Here's a guide to the best books available this month