Opening Up to the World

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Today’s meditation was a self-guided ten minute long session spent visualizing the patterns of sunlight through a canopy of green leaves.

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Daily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Anima Mundi Tarot - Eight of Swords

Today’s draw is the Eight of Swords, which is traditionally a representation of willful ignorance, self-imposed restrictions, turning a blind eye (especially when it can be harmful to self), and entertaining a victim mentality.

The Eight of Swords is then combined with Edouard Manet’s The Plum card from the deck Because Art Heals, which says, “The pause is part of becoming.”

When we pause, we are given the opportunity use this time to connect within, then open our eyes to reality.

Often this time is used to awaken our defense mechanisms and try and build a shield between us and the world. Shutting out experiences and awareness of what’s going on around us. There’s opportunity here, though, to center ourselves and open up instead, if we allow it.

The message in today’s cards is a reminder that taking a pause gives us the opportunity use a moment in time to take a deep breath and open our eyes. These cards encourage us not to hide from the world, but instead take these momentary pauses to soften and open up instead of closing yourself off.

DECKS USED: ANIMA MUNDI TAROT AND BECAUSE ART HEALS DECK

@ambitiouslyalexa’s February Journal Prompts
Prompt for February 22nd

Oracle Reading with the Renais Tarot Oracle Deck

How I respond to stress

Moon – You have a tendency to respond to stress emotionally. This is because stress usually involves your fears rising to the surface and lighting the fuse on your anxiety. This feeds into reactivity, instead of rational thought.

Thus, the more uncertainty involved in the stressful situation, the harder it is for you to find stable footing.

How to improve upon how I respond to stress

Euterpe – Don’t sit and stew in the fear, anxiety and stress. Instead, channel your energy, emotions, and anxiety into creative endeavors. In doing so, you are using this energy in productive ways, and giving your mind something to focus on that doesn’t exacerbate your emotional reactions, allowing for both energy dispersal and distraction at the same time.

Other elements included in this reading:
Dried Rosebuds for Potential and Beauty Waiting to Unfold
Dried Purple Heather Flowers for Independence and Luck
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: RENAIS TAROT (ORACLE)

#DiscordTarotholicsFeb2026 Challenge
Prompt for February 22nd : Do Spread 3
For each position, pick the card from your deck that you feel fits the question best for you, then explain why.

Tarot Reading with the Anima Mundi Tarot

Which one card do you feel sums you up best?

Two of Pentacles – I feel like I am constantly struggling with balance these days. There’s no stable footing, and I understand that that’s how it’s supposed to be. Balance is a dynamic situation, after all, always shifting and changing… but that lack of stable footing means I feel like its a constant struggle. A hamster wheel I can’t escape.

Which one card do you feel represents your strengths?

The Hanged Man – I like that I have the ability and desire to see other perspectives beyond my own. Not just see them, but to strive to understand them as well. It’s a quality that I don’t see very often in others, and I like that I’m able to pause in this way and find a larger view point than the singular one through my own two eyes.

Which one card do you feel represents your limitations?

Queen of Swords – I can be extremely harsh in my thoughts, judgements, and words. Both when directed toward myself as well as toward others. I have expectations about standard level of common sense and intelligence, ownership of one’s actions and responsibility. Sometimes when others don’t meet those expectations, my reprisals can be harsh (especially when I personally fall short of them).

What kind of issues do you feel that you need to work on?

Wheel of Fortune – The more that I delve into learning about my emotions and experiencing them instead of burying them, the more I struggle with the unpredictability that is an inherent part of life. Adaptability to shifts and changes in life seems to be becoming more difficult as I get older, and I feel that this is something I need to work on.

What message do you want to share with the world?

Two of Cups – Find your people. Stop trying to impress those people that aren’t a good fit for you. Instead, be authentic in putting yourself out there. Although it might attract backlash, it will also attract those to you that will appreciate the real you.

Other elements included in this reading:
Foraged Parmeliaceae Lichen for a “Breath of Fresh Air”
Scotch Pine Cones for Purging Negative Influences

DECK USED: ANIMA MUNDI TAROT
Daily Self Kindness

I stayed in bed most of the day due to a migraine instead of trying to push myself to function anyway.

Gideon’s Challenge – Last Light

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Dusk in Anacortes

Last Light

Sun at rest
and all
that’s left
is the twilight
of dusk
in hues of blue
that touch
at the soul
and speak of
the cold
as they invite
thoughts
of warm fires
in stone hearths

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

❤️ Self Care Saturday (On a Sunday)

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These Saturday readings are (not usually) bearing in on any one thing or event in my life, as the question used is asking for a more general outlook. This is a self care exercise, and is not meant as a predictive reading… although that, too, happens on occasion.

The question is… What do I need to focus for self-care through the week ahead?

Self Care Saturday Tarot Reading with the Herbal and Spiced Culinary Tarot and Simple Daily Divination Pocket Lenormand

Featuring quotes from the Herbal and Spiced Culinary Tarot Guidebook

Earth – Nine of Mushrooms (Wands) – “Stay resilient and think about what armor you need to put up to fortify you as you cross the finish line of a milestone in your life.”

Be on guard this week, and make sure that your boundaries are in place and in good repair. You are reaching a place in your journey where you need to make sure that you rest… yet stay alert. Both are needed in order to succeed in what you want right now. Don’t ignore the warning signs of approaching problems, especially problems caused by mistaking the nature of another for safe instead of problematic, but also don’t ignore your need to recoup while you can.

Air – Page of Tools (Swords) – “You are a sponge for knowledge right now, so take that energy to learn as much as you can and don’t be afraid to be curious.”

Research what you want and need to know. You’ve been struggling with a particular company/service lately. Combined with the card in the Earth section of this reading, perhaps it’s time to start researching other options and looking into different resources rather than depending upon one that has repeatedly managed to put you on unsteady footing.

Water – Compost (Death) – “At this pivotal moment… consider how you can alchemize the lessons of your past to and reinvent yourself.”

You are creeping up on a subdrop this week. It’s time to look at how you’ve dealt with these moments of angsty vulnerability in the past, and consider turning over a new leaf in how you move forward in dealing with them in the present and future. It’s going to take time and practice to change those defense mechanisms, but the first step is to start trying.

Fire – Knight of Cups – “It’s okay if you can’t explain why you need to make a certain decision-if it defies all logic, and you need to do it anyway, trust your decision.”

Trust your gut and just do it if it feels right instead of trying to talk yourself out of it. As you know already, your intuitive spark doesn’t always listen to reason… and yet it’s always right. You need to hear this encouragement right now. Don’t let your brain start picking things apart, as it’ll just lead to unnecessary (and possibly even harmful) procrastination.

Waning – Book and Stars – Stop trying to prove yourself right, and just let it go. This message connects with the card in the Fire position of this reading. Listen to your intuition and prioritize it over your brain’s interference. Sometimes it’s okay to just yield right away, even when you don’t necessarily agree.

Waxing – Scythe and Ring – Proceed with a great deal of caution when it comes to making any kind of commitments this week, no matter whether they seem like something good to commit to or not. There may be small print involved that could end up cutting deep if you’re not careful.

Take Away – Trust your gut this week, and back away from any commitments that might try to come up. Put them off for now. Instead, focus on shifting away from those things (and services) that are causing you problems by doing research on other avenues… and allow yourself to reach for better and healthier methods of dealing with the subdrop that you know is coming.

DECKS USED: THE HERBAL AND SPICED CULINARY TAROT AND SIMPLE DAILY DIVINATION POCKET LENORMAND

Considering the Approach

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

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My Little Pony Tarot - Nine of Wands

Daily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Today’s draw is the Nine of Wands, which is traditionally a representation of boundaries, defensive maneuvers, and protection of what you hold dear.

The Nine of Wands has then been combined with the Resolution card from the Love Affirmations deck, which says, “I seek resolution, turning challenges into stepping stones for our growth.”

I wonder if dealing with the sentinels that terrorize our cities might be approached in a different manner. One that puts them off guard and at ease.

Instead of ducking our heads and quickening the step, what if we nod congenially and give them a smile or a grin. Would it set them off kilter? Would it create a sense of “this guy is okay” instead of spurring the suspicion that they come wearing like a glove?

Sometimes how we approach people makes a difference, after all. Today’s cards made me wonder if this might be the case in more situations than I’ve first realized. This isn’t to say I’m comfortable testing the theory… at least not with them. Maybe with others in my life, though, yeah?

The message in today’s cards is to reflect upon how you approach challenges (and challenging people), and consider if there isn’t a better way to interact that might get you where you want to go with them with less push-back in the process.

DECKS USED: MY LITTLE PONY TAROT AND LOVE AFFIRMATIONS

@ambitiouslyalexa’s February Journal Prompts
Prompt for February 21st

Tarot Reading with the Mystic Cats Tarot and Essential Oil Oracle Cards

What I want to feel proud of

Three of Swords and Siberian Fir – You would like to be proud of how you handle disappointments in healthy ways.

This isn’t to say you always do, but rather that this is something you would -like- to do more of so that you can be proud of yourself for it more often.

How to connect with that sense of pride in this area

Page of Cups and Women’s – If you want to deal with disappointments in healthier ways so that you can be proud of yourself for how you handled it, you need to focus on being kind and compassionate to yourself.

Make it a point to remind yourself that you are still in the process of learning about your emotions and how to deal with them. Allow that compassion to be a part of the process, and be mindful to celebrate the small wins along the way (pink fish gave me the impression of fireworks).

Other elements included in this reading:
Foraged Acorn for Protection during New Beginnings
Deodar Cedar Ceramic Impression for Clarity and Spiritual Connection
Bird Figurine for Fostering Hope, Positivity, and Renewal
Rose Quartz for Gentle Kindness to Self and Others
Desert Rose for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECKS USED: MYSTIC CATS TAROT AND ESSENTIAL OIL ORACLE CARDS

@de_tarotjuf’s Love Is All We Need Challenge
#detarotjuffebruaritarotchallenge
Prompt for February 21st : How can I be more patient in my relationships?

Tarot Reading with the My Little Pony Tarot

Reading Summary – Instead of allowing yourself to fall into the pessimistic views that are your habit (Eight of Swords) when chaos and destruction reign (The Tower), work on connecting to the nurturing side of your nature (The Empress).

Take Away – You have a tendency to save the nurturing side of your nature for others, and treat yourself to a lower standard than you do them. This harmful treatment creates disparagement in your relationships when hardships come calling, because you end up allowing that darker side you usually only safe for yourself to bleed out and start inflicting itself on others as well.

Work on turning it around in the other directly and allowing you nurturing nature to bleed out to be bestowed not just on others, but also on yourself. In doing so, it will soften the harshness that tries to come calling during times of struggle and chaos.

Other elements included in this reading:
Foraged Oak Branch with Moss and Lichen for Perseverance
Beech Pod for Realizations that Foster Personal Growth
Foraged Parmeliaceae Lichen for a “Breath of Fresh Air”
Rose Quartz for Gentle Kindness to Self and Others
Ferruginous Quartz Crescent for Enhancing the Evolution of Self
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: MY LITTLE PONY TAROT
Daily Self Kindness

I pulled the simmer pot back out, because the humidity was getting so low in here and my sinuses were hurting.

Gideon’s Challenge – Fearful

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Yellow Hellebore

Fearful

I duck my head
moving past
with tension
in every cell
but hidden
from showing
in the muscles
as gazes
turn my way
speculatively
but today
I’m allowed
to pass by

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

Abandon the Boring

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Today’s meditation was a ten minute #DailyCalm session from the @Calm app.

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Daily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Таро Евы - Eight of Cups, and Grateful AF Cards

Today’s draw is the Eight of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of withdrawal, abandonment, or letting go of things, situations, or people in your life that are just not working out for you emotionally.

The Eight of Cups has then been combined with the Pesto card from the Grateful AF Cards, which says, “Naming a food to sound like it’s a magical trick was an amazing idea. On top of that pesto tastes good on everything. Stick a cucumber in it and PESTO!, It’s yummy AF!!”

Look at the girl in the card, abandoning the security and stability of wealth to go on an adventure with her cat, many ghosts and uncertainties on the horizon, waiting for her among the shadows of the woods.

The thing is? As much as I focus on stability and security? When you focus on it too much, it becomes stagnancy. It becomes old. It becomes boring. It becomes unhealthy. We -need- a bit of adventure and diversity in our lives in order to keep the blood flowing and our energy moving. It can’t all be about safety and security… even for someone like me that’s often hyper-focused on that theme.

The message in today’s cards is an encouragement to abandon the boring. Life is more fun when you think outside the box and add a little amusement and creativity into your world. Allow your imagination to stretch and grow, and allow yourself to experience new things now and then, and see old ones in a new light.

DECKS USED: ТАРО ЕВЫ (by Ukrainian!) AND GRATEFUL AF CARDS

#DiscordTarotholicsFeb2026 Challenge
Prompts for February 19th thru 21st

Tarot Reading with the Secret Garden Tarot and Alice In Wonderland Oracle

What your comfort zone feels like.

Ten of Swords; Too Many Tears – You find comfort in endings.

Specifically those endings where you have given all of yourself to the point that rest isn’t just relief, but also its own sort of pain (muscle spasms and discomfort, etc). This tells you that things have turned out how they are meant to be.

Even in failure, you find this understanding reassuring and you find comfort in knowing that you really did do all you could.

When is it safest and healthiest to linger in your comfort zone?

Nine of Cups; The Mock Turtle – When you stay long enough to find the boon, so you can “dress your experience up” into something positive, even when things don’t turn out as you want or expect. Allowing yourself to acknowledge the boon makes it easier to move forward with a positive mindset of acceptance.

When is it healthier to break free of your comfort zone?

Three of Swords; Growing and Growing – When the pain and disappointment hold you back from growth, it’s then healthier to break free and move on without that closure that gives you comfort.

If you can’t find a way to grow from the experience, it’s better to move on than linger in the negative space. You can always revisit and look for the boon later on after you’ve had more time to process.

Other elements included in this reading:
Japanese Cherry Leaf as a Reminder of Life’s Fleeting Moments
Foraged Parmeliaceae Lichen for a “Breath of Fresh Air”
Foraged Silver Maple Key for Bouncing Back to Thrive
Foraged Acorn for Protection during New Beginnings
Moss Agate for Attracting Opportunities for Growth
Gneiss Stone for Patience in Moments of Discomfort
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECKS USED: SECRET GARDEN TAROT AND ALICE IN WONDERLAND ORACLE

@ambitiouslyalexa’s February Journal Prompts
Prompt for February 20th : One thing that brings me comfort

Tarot Reading with the Таро Евы

Reading Summary – Knowing that you’re not alone (Hermit Rx) in your efforts to balance the burden (Two of Pentacles) of life’s overwhelming struggles and upsets (Ten of Wands).

Take Away – You may struggle to ask for help, but that doesn’t mean that you’re not grateful and comforted by the fact that it’s there for you when you need it.

You may push yourself far beyond your own means to try and deal with it yourself first, but the fact someone is there to have your back when you need it allows you to not freak out when you -have- to ask for help, because you know that help will be there for you and you won’t be refused or turned away.

Other elements included in this reading:
Staghorn Sumac for Connecting with Nature and the Wild Within
Chinese Silver Grass for fostering Grounding and Nurturing Stability
Scotch Pine Cone for Purging Negative Influences
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: ТАРО ЕВЫ (by Ukrainian!)
Daily Self Kindness

I refused to do anything that would challenge my back or hip today. They’ve been a bit sore and I’m trying to avoid them going into a full flare-up.