The Ride Along

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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.

Star Power Tarot - The Lovers

Today’s draw is The Lovers card, which is traditionally a representation of love and relationships, long term contracts, harmonious unions, and making choices that are geared toward what is best for you.

The Lovers card has then been combined with a card from the In This Moment Mindfulness Affirmation Cards, which says, “In this moment, I flow with life and let go of control.”

Every day we make choices in what we engage in, and what we choose not to engage in. Sometimes those choices are good ones… and sometimes not so good.

Usually, the not so good choices in this area, come about because we let our emotions or the demands and expectations of others take over our decision-making process, and during times when others are making decisions or pushing expectations upon us that do not align with our authentic selves or our desires on who we wish to become.

The message in today’s Lovers card and affirmation are a reminder that it’s okay to let go of control once in a while. Just make sure that when you do, that it’s during time when you can continue to float for a time along the path you’ve chosen for yourself, and not get pulled off course.

DECKS USED:  STAR POWER TAROT AND IN THIS MOMENT MINDFULNESS AFFIRMATION CARDS

#DiscordTarotholicsAug2026 Challenge
Prompts for August 19th through 21st

Tarot Reading with the Unofficial Shel Silverstein Tarot and Strange & Eerie Cryptid Creatures Oracle

Philosophical Question: Can we understand good without evil?

Ten of Cups Rx and Hugag

No. Like many things in life, humanity has trouble understanding certain concepts without something in opposition to compare it to.

This doesn’t mean that there can’t be good without evil, though, only that we cannot understand one of these concepts fully without being able to make a comparison to the other.

As an adult, where am I neglecting myself at this time?

Ten of Wands and Tsmok

You are putting too much pressure and unreasonable expectation upon yourself instead of doing what comes naturally to you. In doing so, you are neglecting needs that have been with you throughout your entire life and you know are necessary to be healthy and happy.

Stop trying to juggle and put the burdens down now and then so that you can get the time in nature that you need

How can I begin to resolve this pattern of neglect?

Death and Yowie

Stop ignoring your needs to get out and nature among the trees and connect with the soil and roots. Ignoring these needs will not make them go away or fade. It just makes being able to fulfill them seem more illusive.

Other elements included in this reading:
Staghorn Sumac for Connecting with Nature and the Wild Within
Foraged Parmeliaceae Lichen for a “Breath of Fresh Air”
Dried Cedar Bundle for Protection from Negative Influences
Conch Shell Knot for Concentration and Clarity
Green Aventurine for Harmony and Balance of the Heart
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: THE UNOFFICIAL SHEL SILVERSTEIN TAROT AND STRANGE & EERIE CRYPTID CREATURES ORACLE

@lightningildflower‘s August Reflections Challenge
Awakening Prompt for August 19th : What part of me feels more awake or aware today?

Tarot Reading with the Star Power Tarot

Reading Summary: The judgy bitch (Judgment and Empress Rx) and the problem solver (Magician) that insists the old ways are the best ways (The Hierophant).

Take Away: Why break the wheel? If it’s not broken, why fix it?

The above was written this morning when I first pulled these cards. Indeed, the judgy bitch and problem solver were both very much awake and aware today.

Conflict happened due to the former, and was resolved (I hope) because of the latter. Things were broken that I didn’t realize were broken… things need fixing that I hadn’t realized needed fixing.

Now, the judgy bitch is living in my head picking me apart, and the Empress Rx is a reminder that I can allow my negative inner narratives to bleed me dry on these words spoken that were not meant in the way they were heard and taken… or I can be kind to myself and try to let it go.

Other elements included in this reading:
Staghorn Sumac for Connecting with Nature and the Wild Within
Conch Shell Knot for Concentration and Clarity
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: STAR POWER TAROT
Daily Self Kindness

When I got home and could have some time to myself (with Gideon), I bawled my eyes out concerning something someone said that severely tripped my triggers earlier today.

🎨 Weekly Creativity Prompt – Fragile Things

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Prompt: “Pull at least three cards and use them as the foundation to tell us about the life of a very delicate or fragile object or person.”

Creative Writing with the Wayhome Tarot

The dandelion tuft stands tall in the grass,
(The Fool)

proud of its lions mane of white
(Six of Wands)

A soft breeze tussling it’s delicate fibers
(Temperance)

until a stronger one makes them take flight
(Three of Wands)

And the now bereft head watches with a sigh
(Death)

as its seedlings float away out of sight
(Ace of Pentacles)

DECK USED: WAYHOME TAROT

Gideon’s Challenge – Triggered

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Tidal Flats

Triggered

words
that make
my world
implode
words
not heard
with my ears
for decades
words
that shatter
my insides
to pieces
as they echo
and reinforce
insidious whispers
that my brain
has been
poisoning me with
for always

and I cry

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

The Inhale and Exhale of the Universe

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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.

The Seed Taroracle - Wheel of Fortune and the Messages From the Universe Deck

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.

On the Wheel of Fortune card is also the phrase, “The magic happens when you believe.”

The Wheel of Fortune card has then been combined with a card from the Messages From the Universe deck, which says, “Your life is about to start to move quickly in some areas. Events that seem to have been on hold suddenly propel forward. Move with the flow and be mindful of what needs your attention most.”

Life is a series of cycles. Sometimes things move slow, and sometimes things move so slow that they feel like they’re not moving at all. Then, at other times, they speed up and move so fast that it feels like you can’t even keep up.

The acceleration and deceleration are all a part of the natural ebb and flow of the world around you and its energies. It’s like the world breathing in and out. This isn’t something that we can stop, nor is it something that it is healthy for us to try and prevent.

Instead, the healthiest course of action is to go with the flow. Be adaptable, and allow your own activities and energies to align with those of the world around you. Time, after all, is a subjective perception.

The message in today’s Wheel of Fortune card and affirmation is an encouragement to seek alignment with the universe and its cycles instead of resisting them. Rather than stubbornly trying to perceive things the way you want them to be and in doing so forcing them into a box that doesn’t fit, try working to let go of your resistance and go with the flow instead.

DECKS USED:  THE SEED TAROCLE AND MESSAGES FROM THE UNIVERSE DECK

@lightningildflower‘s August Reflections Challenge
Recalibration Prompt for August 18th : What will help me reclaim my sense of direction?

Cartomancy Reading with the Hyakki Yagyō Playing Cards Seimei Edition

Reading Summary: Utilize your creativity (Queen of Clubs) as a time to restore harmony (Six of Diamonds) and balance (Four of Spades) where disorder and discord has taken root (a lack of odd numbered cards).

Take Away: Once upon a time, your creative spark was something that you took great joy in and a type of play that you could indulge in and explore without guilt or discomfort. You reveled in your creativity, finding each new idea and inspiration and adventure you were eager to explore.

It’s time to return to this attitude towards creativity. In doing so, it will help you to also reclaim your sense of direction that has been lost since losing touch with this joy you once experienced and enjoyed.

Other elements included in this reading:
Staghorn Sumac for Connecting with Nature and the Wild Within
Dried Cedar Bundle for Protection from Negative Influences
Gneiss Stone for Patience in Moments of Discomfort
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: HYAKKI YAGYŌ PLAYING CARDS

@note.project August Journal Prompts
Prompts for August 17th and 18th

Tarot Reading with The Seed Taroracle - Wheel of Fortune and Inner Tree Intuitive Oracle

A routine that helps me feel more like myself

Death and Healing

You are learning to get in touch with your authenticity by going through a process of healing and self exploration. Stop looking forward to the end of the journey.

Healing takes time. You are not just exploring and healing from those things that hurt you and the wounds you carry, but there is also healing involved in the grief of letting these things go.

You will get the most out of the experience by living in the moment and savoring what’s happening right now, rather than looking ahead to whatever comes next.

A habit I want to continue building

Nine of Cups atop Nine of Swords; Diversity

Your deck collection is massive, and the idea of downsizing does not bring you joy.

Stop listening to the negativity from your inner narratives (occasionally fed by outside sources) and instead use the diversity of your collection to keep you interested and invested in the self exploration, healing, and helping that are the foundations of your practice.

You are learning to tune out that negative inner voice and the naysaying of others that have no business being in -your- business in the first place. Keep it up. Fuck’em if they don’t get it. It’s not for them. It’s for you, and your enjoyment.

Other elements included in this reading:
Dried Rhododendron Leaf for Fostering Confidence
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

DECK USED: THE SEED TAROCLE AND INNER TREE INTUITIVE ORACLE
Daily Self Kindness

I pushed myself to get my ass online today so I could spend some time with Gid instead of wallowing in the “meh” of subdrop on my own.

Gideon’s Challenge – Wanderlust

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Evergreens and Willow Trees

Wanderlust

lets go
for a long walk
that starts off
easy
and becomes
a challenge
in rocky ground
and elevation
as we end up
scaling
steep inclines
for yet unseen
peaks

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

Self Care For the Nurturer

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

•    •    •    ◈    •    🌻    •    ◈    •    •    •

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

The Yellow House Tarot's Empress Card and The Oracle of the Soul Healing Messenger Cards


Today’s draw is The Empress card, which is traditionally a representation of a nurturing energy of strength and empowerment without losing that “softer side” in the process, abundance, fertility, the divine feminine, and Mother Earth.

The Empress card has then been combined with the Heart card from The Oracle of the Soul Healing Messenger, which says, “…pause and reflect on your state of mind, identify the inner conflicts, and listen to your inner voice. By doing so you can reconnect with your relationship needs, comprehend your underlying desires, and determine what your heart truly seeks.”

It’s important to remember that nurturing is about more than just caring for those things and people outside yourself. When we look at the Empress card, sometimes that nurturing energy isn’t about other people or things, but about taking care of ourselves as well.

After all, if our own cup has run dry, then we have no water to offer to anyone else in need. Thus, taking care of ourselves is in itself another faucet of taking care of others.

The message in today’s Empress card and affirmation is a reminder that your relationships and your connections with others depend on taking care of yourself. It’s not just about taking care of everyone else. It can’t be, because if you’re not taking care of yourself, then you will have nothing left with which to take care of others, and that care of others will then suffer as a result.

DECKS USED:  THE YELLOW HOUSE TAROT AND THE ORACLE OF THE SOUL HEALING MESSENGER

@lightningildflower‘s August Reflections Challenge
Prompts for August 16th and 17th

Oracle Reading with The Pigeon Oracle

Settling – What insight is settling into place in my mind?

Strike a Match – “Sometimes, the best way to discover what’s ahead is to take that first step and see things in a whole new light.”

Discomfort and uncertainty aren’t necessarily a bad thing if you choose to look at them as opportunities to expand on your understanding of others in the world around you, rather than something standing in your way or potentially harmful to you or what’s important to you.

This new fear and discomfort with uncertainty isn’t something that you’ve always experienced. It’s something that has risen within you in response to now having things in your life that you value and don’t want to lose.

These new fearful reactions to uncertainty put these things of value at risk more so than your previous devil may care approach back when you had nothing to lose.

Mars square Neptune, Mercury trine Saturn, Venus sextile Jupiter
What disciplined step will support my long-term goals?

Meditation – “Sometimes, doing nothing and allowing yourself to recharge is exactly what your mind and body need.”

More consistency in your meditation practice is needed. It’s a mere ten minutes a day, and there is absolutely no reason you cannot spare these ten minutes of doing absolutely nothing. Ten minutes that are just for yourself and nothing else.

You can spare this much time for yourself each day. Putting it off and skipping your sessions is a concession towards your self harming and self sabotage tendencies. It’s not even an emotional response, nor is it a logical one. Don’t give into these tendencies so easily.

How can I act on this with courage and clarity?

Becoming – “… you’re allowed to take things at your own pace and in time your true colors will shine.”

Pay attention to the benefits that doing your meditation practice on a regular and consistent basis provide for you. Usually, when you see these benefits, it triggers, your self sabotage tendencies. Instead, allow yourself to see these developments and benefits as the first step to something that might become something even more remarkable. They are the first results, not the end results. Be curious about what comes after these first results appear.

Other elements included in this reading:
Staghorn Sumac for Connecting with Nature and the Wild Within
Dried Cedar Bundle for Protection from Negative Influences
Conch Shell Knot for Concentration and Clarity
Gneiss Stone for Patience in Moments of Discomfort
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: THE PIGEON ORACLE

#DiscordTarotholicsAug2026 Challenge
Prompts for August 17th and 18th

Tarot Reading with The Yellow House Tarot and Plants of the Heart Oracle

What unresolved angst is my inner adolescent still holding onto?

Four of Swords and Echinacea

The inability to rest and regroup without guilt getting in the way.

You were condition for a young age to reject the need for rest and recovery. Instead, you were required to always be doing something. It could be that you were laid up and couldn’t move, but you could read, and thus you studied. Regardless, rest and recuperation on its own was never an acceptable use of your time.

Today, as an adult, you still feel guilt when you take time to rest and regroup. This guilt triggers the angst in your inner adolescent, for one of the things they wanted most was just to rest and relax once in a while without constantly being pushed to do something more with their time.

How can I help my inner adolescent to let go of their unresolved angst?

The Hierophant and Mullein

When that angst flares to life, remind your inner adolescent that you are working on learning how to care for yourself as you need to be cared for, and at eradicating the legacy of abuse you inherited.

Point out all the times in which you choose to treat yourself kindly, and encourage them to see that you are working on resolving this issue and not letting it become a systemic expectation throughout the rest of your life.

Other elements included in this reading:
Pressed Pansy Flowers for Hearing the Heart More Clearly
Rose Quartz for Gentle Kindness to Self and Others
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECKS USED: THE YELLOW HOUSE TAROT AND PLANTS OF THE HEART ORACLE
Daily Self Kindness

I started using the medicated creme in my ears that helps keep my cradle cap under control when it starts spreading that way.