Threading the Needle

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

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The @GlitterbyInk #MayMoon26 Rise Root Return Challenge
As Within Prompt for May 18th : Reflection
Daily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Tarot 78 Kart & Kîtap - The Moon card

Today’s draw is The Moon card, which is traditionally a representation of uncertainty, illusion, anxiety, fear, the unknown, and the subconscious.

We can’t deal with our fears and overcome them if we are unwilling to confront them.

That feels like a monumental task steeped in uncertainty. The thing is, though, when we don’t confront our fears, the uncertainty surrounding them only increases. The shadows become darker and the path harder to see.

Think about when you’re learning to drive. If you’re afraid, the lane that you need to keep the car in feels impossibly narrow, as if the car can’t possibly fit in it; every little twitch of the wheel feels like a risk of going into the oncoming traffic or the ditch. And yet, years or decades later, if we look at this again the same lane that we drove upon when we were learning that felt so narrow is now much wider.

This is perspective that has been changed by fear, and then changed again by confidence. And that is how every fear is eventually overcome.

The message in today’s Moon card and the “reflection” prompt is a reminder that when we are dealing with uncertainty, what we see is not really an accurate reflection of the challenge that lies before us. This message encourages us to confront our fears rather than hiding from them, and in doing so change that perspective from one of fear into one of strength and empowerment.

DECK USED: TAROT 78 KART & KÎTAP

@ambitiouslyalexa May Journal Prompts
Prompts for May 21st thru 23rd

Tarot Reading with the Tarot 78 Kart & Kîtap and The Green Witch's Deck of Magical Herbalism

What I want more of that I already have

Dandelion and Two of Swords Rx

You would like the brain to lead less and intuition to lead more in your decision-making process and your life as a whole.

Your intuition is excellent, but you’d like more from it than you currently experience. The thing is, no matter how in touch you are with your intuition, it’s only through the trust you put into it that you can grow it into something greater.

Part of this process includes not allowing the brain to take over, but instead of listening to input from other areas such as your emotions and physical sensations that your intuition uses to nudge you in one direction or another.

A version of my life I’d miss

Caraway; Four of Pentacles atop Two of Pentacles

There is a certain feeling of stability and balance that comes with using your brain instead of depending on intuition.

In order to step past your dependency on this sense of stability and balance, you have to be able to trust that your intuition is leading you in the right direction even when it doesn’t look like it is.

Because this sense of balance and stability is familiar and comfortable, it becomes difficult for you to step away from it to utilize a method (trust rather than logic) that feels more uncertain.

Where I feel genuinely content

Lily of the Valley; Queen of Pentacles

Peace and contentment, for you, often comes in the guise of nurturing stability. This means that you feel genuinely content when things feel stable and secure, without feeling necessarily stagnant.

This balance is not easy for you to find, often illusive and just out of reach, when in truth what’s needed is more encouragement for it to flourish in your life instead of you trying to chase after it.

Other elements included in this reading:
Dried Cedar Bundle for Protection from Negative Influences
Foraged Lodgepole Pine for Resilience, Growth, and Renewal
Deodar Cedar Cone for Fostering Clarity and Spiritual Connection
Rose Quartz for Gentle Kindness to Self and Others
Citrine for Energy Lift (easing the weight of heavy energies)
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECKS USED: TAROT 78 KART & KÎTAP AND THE GREEN WITCH’S DECK OF MAGICAL HERBALISM
Daily Self Kindness

I planted oregano seeds on my balcony today to replace the plant that was destroyed the other day when the gutter people came to deal with a problem out there.

Gideon’s Challenge – Enthralled

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Rainforest Lichen (Parmeliaceae)

Enthralled

Tiny details
lost
to thousands
that pass by
each day
only noticed
when a pause
allows
for moments
to look closer
and truly
see
a world
hidden
within our own

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

Finding What Fits

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

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The @GlitterbyInk #MayMoon26 Rise Root Return Challenge
As Within Prompt for May 17th : Essence
Daily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Smithtiny Tarot - Nine of Wands

Today’s draw is the Wheel of Fortune card, which is traditionally a representation of luck (both good and bad), changing circumstances, the ups and downs of life, and the cyclical nature of life and the world.

Look how very unhappy the figure looks in this card’s imagery. Not only is he tired and battle worn, but he’s not looking particularly happy in his position as protector, either.

That’s what happens when we put ourselves in rolls that don’t fit who we are or what we want. We hang on and we protect, but we can’t really advance because we’re too tired doing the thing that we put ourselves in line to do that doesn’t match with who we are.

This is how we end up stuck in patterns that don’t align with our authentic selves. We integrate ourselves into these patterns, building them up until they are an essential part of our lives, even though they’re not an essential part of us. Then, we are so taken up with and preoccupied by this effort that we it feels impossible to escape to find something that fits us better.

The message in today’s Nine of Wands and the “essence” prompt is a reminder that when we are introducing new pursuits, endeavors, and cycles into our lives that it’s important to ensure they are something that we really connect with, and that connects with the essence of us as well. Otherwise, no matter how hard we work at it, we’re never really going to be satisfied with what we have.

DECK USED:  SMITHTINY TAROT

One Card Tarot Journal Activity by @mariasofia_astro
Chapter 5 | Entry 12 – Health and Body
Affirmation : “I release habits that hinder my growth.”
Prompt : Do you currently have any habits that may have been a helpful coping mechanism at one time, but now impact your health negatively? Ask the tarot to help show you what habit is holding you back-and the underlying feeling that may be triggering it.

Tarot Activity from The One Card a Day Journal by Maria Sofia Marmanides - Tezuka Osamu Character Tarot Set - Wheel of Fortune

What feelings came up when I pulled this card?

“Well, it’s not the Devil.” (Said in a count-your-blessings kind of way.)

The thing is, I’m well aware of what my coping mechanisms are, especially the unhealthy ones. So this thought (above) was more a relief at not having to address the elephant in the room than it was about anything related to the message in this specific card.

What elements of the card’s meaning resonate with me and this prompt?

One of my most pervasive coping mechanisms is pessimism. It’s been something I’ve used throughout the entirety of my life to protect myself from the harsher affects of disappointment. After all, preparation makes everything easier to handle, especially the bad stuff.

When you always expect the worst, the good stuff that happens comes as a happy surprise, and the bad stuff is something you already knew was coming.

Unfortunately, this pessimism instilled in every nuance of one’s life has a tendency to do more than just prepare you for the worst, but actually harm your outlook on life as a whole.

What in the artwork spoke to me?

The guy on top of the wheel sits on his own platform. He’s steady in his footing because he doesn’t have to run the wheel that turns and turns and turns in cycles beneath him. And yet, he is the least happy character of the three depicted on the card. His stagnancy makes him judgmental as he sits out on the ups and downs of experience that make life interesting for the other two.

My prompt response and reflections.

This pessimism is a something that I used to think was just a part of who I am, but I have learned over time to recognize it as a defense mechanism rather than an actual personality trait. It’s been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, but I am slowly working on easing up in this area.

Over the past few years in using the Card of the Day exercise that I post each day, I have begun to connect with optimism and positivity in healthy ways and recognize their value. Now, instead of blindly accepting the pessimism that whispers in my head, I often find myself debating with it or otherwise counterbalancing it with a bit of hope and positive self talk.

There’s still a long way to go, though, as this card’s appearance in today’s prompt points out.

Other elements included in this reading:
Sodalite D20 and D6 Gemstone Dice

DECK USED: 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF BIRTH TEZUKA OSAMU CHARACTER TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsMay2026 Challenge
Prompt for May 17th : Do Spread 3
Summer is right around the corner! While this season is often well known for being a time to enjoy the good weather and fill your life with fun times and memorable moments, sometimes even summer has its stresses, struggles, and anxieties. Use this spread to take a look at those issues and how to surmount them.

Tarot Reading with the Smithtiny Tarot

What is the core stressor in my life at this time that is under my control to change?

Ace of Cups – Your emotions. You have a tendency to take on learning about your emotions as if it is homework or a battle to engage in. In truth, you don’t need to really engage at all other than not close yourself off, though. There’s no need to identify every little thing, as long as you’re letting them breathe in the open air instead of burying them.

What has allowed this stress in my life to take root and grow?

King of Wands – You have a tendency to go after the things you want full boar with single-minded attention and focus. This makes you feel like you always need to do more in order to succeed.

When it comes to learning and understanding your emotions, though, it’s not so much about active participation as it is about observation and sitting with how you feel.

What can I do right now to help ease my stress and anxiety related to this issue?

The Hierophant – Lean into the tried and true methods others have shared with you. This isn’t an area you know much about, but they do. Trust them to guide you well.

Other elements included in this reading:
Black Wood Kitsune Carving for Cleverness and Ingenuity
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED:  SMITHTINY TAROT
Daily Self Kindness

I started the first steps in getting organized concerning the intention to do a bit of weeding on my deck collection.

Gideon’s Challenge – Ragged

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Ragged

Rough edges
should wear down
over time
like pebbles
in a stream
become smooth
and round
as water flows
over them
for decades
and centuries
and yet
sometimes
those rough edges
only get sharper
with time

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 Wind Rose Tarot and Forest Bathing Cards

Earth – Three of Wands – Do the stuff. You’ve plotted and planned and everything’s in order in your head now; you just need to do the stuff. Get your goddamn taxes done!

Air – King of Pentacles – Also taxes related… Keep your mind in the game and make sure everybody is on the same track as you as you in getting everything put together for the accountant. Demand their participation. Communicate your needs. This is about them too, and you don’t have to do it yourself, so make sure that they are on board and doing their part.

Water – The Empress – Don’t neglect your emotional health this week. Make time for the things that help you feel better than you did before you started them.

Fire – Ace of Swords – Communication is the end-all-be-all for the week. As noted in the Air position above, you need to make sure that you are expressing what you need and how you need it, so that others can help in fulfilling those requests and demands. Don’t allow them to tune you out or shut you down.

Waning – “Have you ever pondered the flavor of forest air? Be adventurous! Open your mouth wide and take big bites of air. I wonder what you will taste.“

“Meticulous and Calculated” is the name of the game this week. A carefree devil-may-care attitude will not get you where you want to go. Don’t be greedy, and don’t be careless.

Waxing – “I invite you to lift your eyes towards the sky and imagine yourself freely soaring like a bird taking in the grand perspective from above. I wonder what you notice…“

Train your attentions on what you want to accomplish and allow your focus to remain there. Make sure that you are paying attention to what is going on around you and how things are coming together (as well as where they’re not) to find cracks and fissures in the plan.

Take Away – This week needs to be about getting your taxes done and turned in before the end of May rolls around. You can get this done in a few days if you really put your mind to it and involve others in the process. You don’t have to do it all yourself, so don’t take it all on your own shoulders. Use the freedom that comes with delegating tasks to others to take a closer look at what’s going on and what needs to change in this area moving forward.

DECKS USED: WIND ROSE TAROT AND FOREST BATHING CARDS

Perspective Makes a Difference

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

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The @GlitterbyInk #MayMoon26 Rise Root Return Challenge
As Within Prompt for May 16th : Shadow
Daily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Sci-Fi Tarot - Four of Wands

Today’s draw is the Four of Wands, which is traditionally a representation of one’s passionate love for the security and welcoming energies of home. This often translates into themes that have to do with homecoming, celebrating home and stability, as well as relaxation in comfortable spaces.

Put away your stresses and worries for a time in order to enjoy your homecomings more.

There’s something to be said for leaving your work at work. It’s a mentality that a lot of people have forgotten about in today’s world, but it essentially boils down to considering your home a place to relax, unwind, and be safe.

I don’t really have that privilege in my home, because I work from home for two of my jobs. That said, it is possible to see my visits up north in this light.

How much more enjoyable could my visits north be if, instead of having a shadow of reluctance and obligation attached to them, I worked at seeing them as a carefree time when I can release my stress and let go of my worries for a while?

The message in today’s Four of Wands and the “shadow” prompt is a reminder that perspective makes a difference. If you enter into a situation or experience with a negative mindset, then you’re almost guaranteed to have a negative experience as a result. Today’s message encourages us to try shifting that perspective, and in doing so shifting our experience to something more positive and enjoyable.

DECK USED:  TODD ALCOTT’S SCI-FI TAROT

@ambitiouslyalexa May Journal Prompts
Prompts for May 18th and 20th

Tarot Reading with the Wind Rose Tarot, Sci-Fi Tarot, and Sacred Witness Oracle

What joy looks like on an ordinary day

Purpose & Values; King of Swords

Clarity and lack of discord when it comes to what you need to do for the day, and a lack of struggle and resistance in connecting with following your moral compass.

For you, joy on an ordinary day is the lack of friction and resistance to what feels right for you. Whether that resistance comes from external sources or (as is more often the case) from within, it has the ability to make things far more difficult than they need to be.

Something beautiful I noticed recently

Guardian of Innocence; Death

After someone has passed, we often remember the good things and forget the bad… or at least start to forgive the bad.

Often when we hold grudges or otherwise hold onto bad memories, they influence how we see other people and hold us back from the release we can experience by letting go of these negative emotions attached to those experiences and people.

And yet, when they pass away, it often seems like part of the grieving process naturally seems to include letting go of these things. It may take time, but they no longer stay fresh and strong. Instead, more and more we are able to soften towards these people that we once regarded as unforgivable.

Other elements included in this reading:
Foraged Purple Heather Sprigs for Independence and Luck
Foraged Parmeliaceae Lichen for a “Breath of Fresh Air”
Gneiss Stone for Patience in Moments of Discomfort
Calcite for Gently Calming the Mind and Stimulating Insights
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECKS USED: WIND ROSE TAROT, TODD ALCOTT’S SCI-FI TAROT, AND SACRED WITNESS ORACLE

#DiscordTarotholicsMay2026 Challenge
Prompt for May 16th : What do you need to focus on for self-care for this month’s new moon?

Tarot Reading with the Sci-Fi Tarot

Reading Summary: Don’t give up (Queen of Swords) just because you are feeling defeated and disappointed (Three of Swords). This is not the end (Ten of Swords Rx).

Take Away: If you allow yourself to sink into feelings of defeat and disappointment, they will swallow you whole.

These feelings and the effects they can have on your mental health are the entire reason why you do your card-of-the-day exercise, and all the work you put into counterbalancing your negative self talk with positivity and optimism.

This means that in order to stay out of that slump that this mentality can drag you down into, you need to keep fighting. Keep doing those things that help and make sure you’re also going in to see your therapist as scheduled. All of these different things may feel useless sometimes, but when gathered up together and combined, they are a much bigger help than you realize.

Other elements included in this reading:
Black Spruce Needles to Boost Self-Confidence and Positive Thinking
Dried Rosebuds for Potential and Beauty Waiting to Unfold
Dried Purple Heather Flowers for Independence and Luck
Dried Rhododendron Leaf for Fostering Confidence
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED:  TODD ALCOTT’S SCI-FI TAROT
Daily Self Kindness

I paid the housekeeper to come by to clean instead of putting it off for another week.