TAROT AND THE CREDIT CRUNCH This does indeed appear to be a time where we are looking at money & materiality with spiritual eyes, a time to perhaps reflect on how significant & important material wealth is to us & also to the world in general.  There are shifts in consciousness happening at the moment. People are recognising that their lives are reduced on so many levels by war, conspiracies & fabrication. This apparent new overview is, possibly, being fuelled by our journey towards 2012,& a promise of a new dimensional paradigm emerging, where hope springs eternal for those that are spiritually sound & not enslaved to the physical, manifest energies. A new Jerusalem awaits us, For some, this almost Darwinian approach to this spiritual shift, as surely, the dividing line between materiality & spirituality has set down the parameters for what, ultimately will be the survival of the fittest, requires us all to be on our metal & to bring in a balance between working with spiritual energy & material energy. Saint Paul said that we cannot be out of this world, we must remain a part of it. This implies that we have to work with what we have,& it is therefore important that our house should not be built on sand, t is with this imagery that we can see that a foundation for the future, spiritual, money or otherwise has to be built on rock. We are told that we are heading towards a recession, all the indications are that this is so. Certainly, there is much suffering of a financial kind. What does credit crunch actually mean ? We understand on an esoteric level that money is an energy in it's own right,& as an influence it interacts with us cyclically. A question we could perhaps ask is how does the financial squeeze affect our ability to manifest & work with the money energy. There are those that have envisaged a return to arcadia, where money has little importance & one lives off the land. Perchance to dream, whilst there is nothing wrong with a longing for utopia, one must also bear in mind that for every utopia is a dystopia, again it is all about balance, being in the now & working with what you have. Tarot is a wonderful energy system in it's own right,& with this in mind we can turn to the cards to ask for their insight into the current financial dilemma. The Hermit indicates that this is indeed a spiritual time, time seems to be the operative word,as it is over a period of time that fresh perspectives can come into being & encourage balance over chaos & therefore a healing can be realised. Each to their own, everyone will find their way through, it's almost as if that money is a teacher, stretching us & blending our positivity of thought. Your wisdom lies within & is personal to you. By applying thought to spiritual processes on a sociological level, we give time for money to change it's vibration,& a quiet (r)evolution takes place within .A time for flow, not  analysis, yet speak your truth, be in your power & be a channel for something greater. The Five of Wands encourages us to really harness that money energy by being ordered & constructive. Plans are to laid accurately & we are prepared to negotiate. Think & visualise the future, making 'stuff' watertight. The way forward is not going to be easy for everyone,& indeed there could be confusion & resentment. Others may not share your values, but it is so important to look after your own backyard & listen to your own good advice. Confusion abounds, with effort this will settle,as long as you yourself are ready for any potential problems, then all will be well. Nine of cups, although this is the wish card it is in effect discouraging vanity & self centred-ness. Desires & wishes will be met, but the old adage, be careful of what you wish for as you just might get it comes to mind. Great times ahead, emotional stability, security, aspirations are all very well aspected, yet without egotism. We can gain the world, the promised land is in sight, what one needs to question is what the individual sees as the promised land. Emotional & spiritual wealth are both prominent here, perhaps these are the shores that we are heading for. We are being reminded that great abundance & well being lie ahead, Allow the inner life to support the manifest world & make the most of the journey.