Journey to the Court of the Winds

August 12, 2000

Journeyed to the Court of the winds.  I had been invited to a small party at the castle.  I was struck at how different this journey was from my first visit when I was initiated into the court of the winds.  That was a journey in the real sense of the word.  This was the metaphysical equivalent of packing a bag and catching a flight to get somewhere on time.  My gown was a deep sapphire blue and I wore over it a shawl with the 5 colors I was entitled to wear (yellow, light or speckled blue, olive green, gold, and bright blue) 

The court of the winds is a very bright, colorful place.  Since the number of colors you can wear at any one time is determined by rank and standing in the different winds, prints and patterns are rampant at court.  The right to wear gold is achieved by obtaining the top rank offered in any particular wind, (a similar concept to that found in Britain where Knighthoods are offered to people based on notable achievements.  Since individuals who follow the path of the wind tend to be multi-talented almost as an obsession, one rarely sees less than three colors on an adult over 40

My choice of a solid bright blue marks me rather clearly as part of the new generation of cyber mages (technology centered workers of magic).  A very deep dark blue is the traditional color of the Northeast wind but even here in the court of the winds things change with the time.  It's not really strange that I would chose to deck myself out as this since it's the only wind to which I'm truly entitled to master status. In addition my wooden ring sits proudly in on my index finger, marking me a Elolach (a third level hedge witch), and I have small yellow butterfly in my hair to signify that I am a journeyman healer of the mind.  But none of that seems to matter at the moment since I seem to have lost my place both in real world and the next.  I used to be so sure of things one day to the next and now I find myself more and more at lose ends.

Lost in thought, I didn't even realize that I was standing there staring off into space fingering the sole gold key that hung around my neck, until I felt a feather light touch on my other wrist.  Then Cardea, most gracious queen of the court of the winds, and a true friend, looked at me with compassion and said.  "You have to get beyond it.  What ever you're feeling, what ever you think you've lost. That's the lesson.  The one they don't teach you.  The 10 of swords isn't the end.  It's a gateway, to the suit of spirit. 

"But what do I do now?  I can't simply sit around waiting for life to pass me by, and nothing else seems to interest me quite as much."

Cardea shook her head in laughing dismay.  "That's quite a performance.  Are you looking to make Ollamh (master bard) as an actor and not a writer? Might have to work on it but you're putting on quite a performance."

I can't help but smile at her insight.  "I promise to get beyond it as soon as I find something else to do.  But don't worry, Cardea, I promise to quit sulking very, very soon.  I know there is change on the horizon, and it doesn't come fast enough then I will stir things up to make it happen."

"Now that's my girl.  None of this passive nonsense."  She folds my arm through hers and steers me back into the thick of the party.  "Come and be sociable.  You will find it good practice for any change you might make in the future"