August Reiger

Just over a year ago, in June of 2013, a young man named August Reiger, from Oklahoma, was visiting Ecuador with his family. While they were hiking, he got ahead of them, and that was the last time they saw him. I had not heard about this case until recently, when someone asked me, in a comment under another reading, if I would do a reading for him. 

The reading starts with the seven of cups crossed by the Lovers. Here we have a number of possible ideas and pursuits, and one choice. The Lovers often represents a relationship, but also important choices. Here, it's message has to do with choosing between unexplored and unknown possibilities. Both cards, curiously, relate to water. 

Beneath this is another watery card, the Moon. This tells of secrets, deliberate deception, bad luck, and possibly stalkers and secret enemies. Many Tarot decks also portray a wolf and a dog on this card, and my eyes were drawn to them, here. The wolf is the canine in his wildness and glory; the dog is the canine's development after living with Mankind. I believe the suggestion here is twofold: use resources that are both conventional and unconventional to search, and on the mundane level, use search and rescue dogs! The moon is also led by intuition. 

The next card describing the past is the nine of wands. This card's general meaning has to do with waiting and patience, sometimes the lack thereof. Because August was hiking when he disappeared, I think there is a practical message here about branches and possibly tripping or falling in or among trees or branches. The next card is a bit disturbing; the seven of wands. This tells me that private property, or some bit of acreage that was perceived as private property, or someone's "territory", somehow became part of this picture. Next, we find the Page of Swords, reversed. Reversed or upright, this card often tells of spying and gathering information. It would appear that information is involved, and that perhaps, by accident, August saw something or someone that others had intended to keep hidden. Reversal of this card refers to unforeseen events, and I think August's presence was a surprise to someone.

The first card on the staff is the two of wands. As a situation, it tells of help in specific pursuits, and as a place, it describes a large house, or a manor. The owner of this "manor" does not see himself as subject to any local laws. The five of cups follows, in the place of environment. Disappointment is indicated here, yet not without hope of partial resolution. We also have the reference to water on this card, and a large house or a "manor" in the background. The next card deals strictly with hopes, and it is the ten of cups. This is a card of familial bliss, and it is the hope of those who are searching for August. The last card is the one I really hate to see in readings about missing persons, and that is the ten of swords. It is a violent card, and often tells of endings. Aside from the water references, that is the only card here that suggests that we may not have a happy ending here. I sincerely hope I am wrong. It appears that August is on private property near a river or some other body of water. I hope he is home soon.

Kyron Horman Case: What Was Officer Staton's Comment About?

"We have knowledge of things we wish we didn't"...... What, exactly, did Sheriff Staton mean by this statement, made shortly after Kyron Horman disappeared in Portland Oregon from his school in June of 2010? Someone wanted to know what the Tarot would say about that comment, and a lot of people have speculated about it and written about it over the last four years, so I will attempt a reading to answer that question. Staton does not appear to have explained what he meant.

The reading begins with the Queen of Pentacles crossed by the four of cups. The Queen of Pentacles is an independent woman with resources and business skill. She is intelligent and ethical, and I would expect her to have dark hair and brown eyes. The most important part of this description is not the physical aspect, but the character aspect, though. She is crossed by the four of cups, which tells of dissatisfaction, yet also of not being quite willing to give up her current course of action. 

The main cause of this reaction on the part of the queen appears as the ten of pentacles, reversed. This is usually the loss of a large amount of money that was given, rather than earned, such as an inheritance. It could also signify and insurance policy. As the card is reversed, it speaks of a loss. Hopefully, it is not the risk of not being able to find Kyron, but lets come back to it, if necessary. The next card to describe the past is the ace of cups, which is a new love, or a birth. It can also mean an addition to the family via adoption, or simply love, joy, and fertility. So we have a new relationship, possibly familial, playing into the picture. 

The next card, telling us what had been intended, is the two of wands. This is usually an idea-become-a-venture-with-help-from-another, forming a "partnership" of sorts, but in this case, I am inclined to wonder if it is a big enterprise run by a rich person. It also represents two different possible outcomes in this case, and it was very hard for the sheriff to second guess and direct his resources effectively. Next, we have the eight of wands, reversed, which is what the sheriff encountered when he investigated the family. Jealousy, infighting, and disputes, mostly centered on family matters, took center stage. 

The Knight of Pentacles appears as a man who went through all information quietly and methodically. Some of his findings have not been published. He and the Queen of Pentacles, most likely a workmate, discovered most of the information that was developed. The Knight of Wands is next on the staff, and his is the face everyone sees, connected to Kyron's case. I think this may be Staton. The next card is Judgement, and as it appears in the place of hopes, it is the hope of finding Kyron. Also, there is a suggestion, with this card, that someone investigating truly expected to find Kyron in water. The last card is Death, reversed, which does not tell us anything about Kyron, but describes Staton's frustration at the failure of the information to help him connect the dots and find him. So it looks like early in the case, it was noticed that there was a lot of familial disagreement and jealousy at play, coupled with money and possibly revenge. The two of wands may also represent the actions of an attorney or other advocate whose "help" is not helpful to Kyron. It looks like Staton was referring primarily to his department's findings about Kyron's family, and some of the relationship stresses and circumstances that hindered Kyron's well being; also about the frustrations of not being able to convince all parties who testified to testify truthfully. The comment appears to center of the obstacles from dealing with testimony and suspects, rather than actual circumstances. 

Unique Harris

Unique Harris disappeared right inside her house, seemingly into thin air. Her children woke up one morning and were unable to find her. The only things that disappeared with her are her cell phone and keys. So where is she, and what happened?

This reading begins with the four of pentacles, reversed, which sets a tone of wasted resources, crossed by The Last Judgment. Events were set in motion by someone who didn't want to wisely manage money and material resources, and no chance of renewal of relationships or lost friendship and the conveniences that accompanied the friendship. Founding this, we find the World, with all of it's freedoms and opportunities. And bringing the whole situation down to earth, someone involved here took advantage of that.......a new place to live, and new opportunities. This is reiterated by the appearance of the eight of cups, telling us that Unique had recently discarded a lifestyle and direction she to which she had formerly committed. Something that never materialized, but was in the picture as a possibility, is the King of Pentacles. This is a man who had material resources and a mature, helpful outlook to offer. He was also kindly disposed toward Unique, as he falls upright in this reading. Next, we find the Hermit, which is a card of spiritual and physical searching. Unique was searching for a new direction in life, and that is what prompted her disappearance.

The staff is the part of this reading that bothers me, as it describes other individuals, and motive. In the place of fears and plans, we find the seven of pentacles. This card tells of waiting for a harvest, but here, I think it answers my question concerning what happened as "lying in wait". Someone was lying in wait for Unique, waiting for the most convenient moment to confront her. The Hermit, who appeared earlier, also suggests this. It is followed by the none of pentacles, which gives us a motive: the nine of pentacles is interpreted as financial independence, and whether Unique was actually independent or not, her potential independence was seen as a threat by someone. Also, at face value, these cards are both pentacles, which are associated with the element of Earth, and both of these cards suggest gardens and digging. I do not like them coming up in the positions they have taken in this reading, one right after the other! The six of wands appears next, and this card usually tells of successful communication and messaging....I think she got a call on her cell phone and stepped outside to talk. I think this provided the opportunity for someone to grab her. The final card in this reading is the Empress, which says quite a bit. First, it gives us insight into the fact that a woman is a big part of this picture, possibly the instigator. It also tells us about this woman's relationship to the Hermit, who is a man who is involved, but was closer to the action. Look for her to be "old enough to be his mother". Next, motherhood, and the business thereof, was, at least in part, the motive. Yet, had Unique received any challenges to custody of her young children?

These are the clues given by this reading: more than one person, with a woman calling the shots, digging, gardens, and earth. Pentacles and earth also point north, as does the Hermit, but the four of pentacles is upside down, so perhaps north is merely the direction traveled by the perpetrator. The six of wands also tells us that this crime was premeditated.

National Missing Childrens' Day Is May 25

Today is National Missing Childrens' Day, enacted by Ronald Reagan in 1983, because Etan Patz had disappeared in 1979, and the number of missing children who had not been found was inexcusable. Clearly, the media, in only giving these cases cursory coverage, had it's priorities confused. Above is a reminder about ways that personal information can get into the wrong hands. One does not even need a computer, or social media online, to give the wrong person the information that can leading to stalking and a missing persons case. 

Melanie Metheny

Melanie Metheny has been missing from West Virginia since July 19, 2006. Since then, her name has come up in testimony once, during a trial in West Virginia, but she still has not been found. 

We start with the four of wands, a happy, celebratory card, crossed by the five of swords, a violent, vengeful card. It appears that Melanie was simply going about her own business on July 19, when she was targeted by a very violent man. This is founded by the ace of wands, which represents the window of opportunity this man was able to open, here. The ace of wands can describe  new family, birth, or business opportunity, and sometimes, an inheritance; but it is always an asset that acts as an opportunity, not something to be hoarded. Whoever the man is, he knew enough about Melanie to know that she had something he wanted, and thought he could take, as illustrated in the six of pentacles, which follows. The six of pentacles tells us that Melanie might have been willing to lend or give this man money, but he, for some reason, wasn't satisfied. As the card has fallen upside right, it does not quite fit the scenario of a robbery, but the violence of the five of swords describes the situation as very similar to a robbery. 

The next card is the Knight of Cups, reversed. This man is a liar, who is often involved in theft and fraud. Sometimes, drugs, alcohol, and addiction are part of the picture. This is the person who can lead us to Melanie. The four of swords follows, reversed. I believe the message in this card, as it has come up, is paranoia. The unrest, and sometimes, fear, that are associated with the four of swords falling reversed have a lot to do with why Melanie disappeared. The perpetrator was unwilling to take a chance that she would testify about him. 

For self, indicating Melanie, we get the three of cups. As a situation, this is another happy card, but it falls in a place we often find fears. She was aware, at some point, that she had been snatched from a family she cherished.......the ultimate robbery. As a location, it would indicate springs and small streams. For environment, the Tarot gives us the five of cups, which is another water card. The five of cups tells us that clues have been overlooked, and valuable information has somehow been rejected. As a location, it would also indicate streams. In the place of hopes, we find the Emperor, who represents control. He is also a man who would like to see Melanie found. While law enforcement is usually represented by court cards in the suit of swords, I think the Emperor may be an investigator. He would love to use force on the suspect to gain information, as illustrated by the ace of swords appearing as the final outcome, but hopefully, he will remember to be a bit more subtle and mindful of emotions when he gathers information, which is another message of the three and five of cups. 

Another suggestion of the four of swords is man-made tunnels and shafts. 

Kelli Bordeaux Has Been Found

Kelli Bordeaux, who disappeared in North Carolina on April 14, 2012, has been found, deceased. A young man named Nicholas Holbert has been charged with murder in this case.

Update On Relisha Rudd

A question was posed to me concerning the time frame of finding Relisha Rudd. The Tarot is notoriously difficult to understand in establishing time frames, but I will attempt to answer this question based, not only on linear time, but other considerations. Sometimes, a clue linked to an event can help with a guess about how much time is needed, or the Tarot can give us a suggestion.

The first three cards, which represent the past, are the five of wands, the seven of pentacles, and the five of pentacles. The five of wands tells us about games and trickery. Precious time was lost in reporting Relisha missing, because the perpetrator was playing games with everyone from Relisha's family to her school, and later on, to law enforcement. The seven of pentacles is a situation of carefully waiting for fruit to ripen on a cultivated tree, with tells me that initially, a sincere effort to find Relisha was actually made. It came up empty, as we can see with the five of pentacles. Note that we have two fives here, which can mean five of anything, or the fifth of something........we may have the fifth month, which would be May; or we may have five weeks. The suggestion in the seven of pentacles is that this investigation will take some digging and some legwork before it comes to fruition.

The three cards which represent the the present are Death, reversed; the two of pentacles, reversed; and the Hierophant. When Death appears reversed, we are being told that there is stagnant energy about, as in movement is stalled. The two of cups is a water card; once again, we are reminded that water is part of this entire picture. But as this card falls reversed, there is not only instability in the physical environment, such as rain and varying water levels, but disagreement between the community and investigators about finding Relisha. In the future, the Hierophant foretells some agreement, however. He represents codified conformity and community. Individuals in Relisha's community still feel that authorities have dropped the ball on this situation, though. The reader should note that the numeric value of the Hierophant is also five.

The future of this effort brings us the ten of wands, reversed; the Emperor, and the ace of swords. The ten of wands reversed speaks to the recognition of failed efforts. I say "recognition" because it is followed by the Emperor, who is a decisive male figure with a certain amount of authority. Combined with the Hierophant in the last three cards, he can give searchers a lot of help and direction. The last card is the ace of swords, which augers success, but also tells us that new methods must be employed here. New tools, and possibly an aerial view, either connected to this search; or in some other process, yet yielding clues, nonetheless; will be helpful. But it will happen, and in the meantime, no clue, phone call, message, tip, or sighting should be overlooked or discounted. 

Time constraints and time frames are very hard to deduce from Tarot, but it looks like five is a symbolic number, this time. It could be five weeks or five months, or the first week after the fifth month, or the five could mean something else, entirely. This reading gave us something else, though; it showed a few of the challenges in finding this little girl. 

New Picture Of Relisha Rudd

This is a recent picture of Relisha Rudd that was shared with me on Facebook. It has been over two months since she was last seen alive, and more searches are planned tomorrow. Awareness is very important in missing persons cases; please feel free to share Relisha's picture.