And what of ketamine? Well, what of the confident separations of cognitive and material spaces? A few nights ago we had an evening employing much of the stuff with _______; a strange session to be sure. The first ingestion induced a reverie of which the intention seemed a compact and warm reinforcement of a roster of mystical symbolism. Window fingerprints catalyzed visions of Pan. Wiggles and knots in the wood ceiling pushed pale, swirling sperm whales. A stain on the cinder block suggested an undulating but qualified demonic face. The exhortations were fast and gloomy but always benevolent — there was a general intimation that these myths are wholly real, just not physical, and are to be brought into quotidian life with the same conviction as “Windex” or “school.” There was also music playing; no matter the melody, all moods became aggressively “exotic” — intimations of Marcel Schwob’s story The Embalming Women was in the air; and classical North African clothing in general. The rest of the evening wanted no solitary contemplations; the effects of subsequent sniffs were spent in direct interaction with _______. All chat seemed to ask for a light hearted tearing of conceptual confidence, particularly of the unavoidable tendency towards the psychological domestication of physical space. Following this thought procession, it occurred that it might be fruitfully psychotic to put on Christopher Young’s beautifully soap operatic soundtrack for Hellraiser. More success! Various oddities ensued — after a particular riff on the bizarreness of family contingencies, we yielded to an urge to crawl (uninvited and quite suddenly) through _______‘s legs. The pull was some sort of need to manifest somethiing like a birth friction!? It was quite a time. At some point we could take no more and drifted off to sleep, not without waking to vomit calmly and take a serene look in the mirror.

Image: Nancy Grossman
 

This week we pulled the “The Seven of Swords”. This card indicates that a certain shadiness is afoot. If the underhandedness is from within (as in you are the perpetrator) stop it immediately — shame will follow. If the underhandedness is from without (like someone is plotting against you) keep your guard up — but not too much, as conspiracies are fed by the weakness of fear; be brave!
            Our first hexagram, which we partner with our tarot to describe (or further detail) the current situation, is #45, “Gathering Together.” For great things to be achieved people must work together; to unite them a special person is required. Of course neither the populous nor a leading individual are necessarily good, so it is important to have a noble binding outside of both the leader and the people —as to ward off poor behavior. So, if you need some deed or job done, foster a common, generous, and benevolent objective among all the players (inside and out).
            Our second hexagram, the one that suggests how best to meet the challenges (or the changes) is #35, “Progress.” “Progress” here is seen as the image of a sun rising out of the dark, ever increasing its clarity and reach. In terms of human interaction it is suggested that deep trust and mutual clarity among collaborators is the basis for all success. Duty born of trust equals prosperity. Here the image is of the dawning sun, rising in height, constantly widening its illumination. In human terms it speaks of a humble and honorable leader rising in influence with humble and honorable supporters, as the best way forward. “The superior person brightens their bright virtue.”
            Our extraction: Things may not be what they seem the first part of this week. But steer your efforts towards the truth by finding universal and collective goals among family and/or friends and/or colleagues.