Curious
fifteen minutes
is how long
it takes
for delicate skin
to pinken
in the sun
visibly shifting
from porcelain hues
to a flush
that will linger
for weeks
and then finally
peel away
Gideon’s Challenge – Curious
Everything Takes Longer
Today’s meditation was a ten minute self-guided session based on an affirmation card that says, “I’m a witch of infinite potential, manifesting destiny.
• • • ◈ • 🎃 • ◈ • • •
The @GlitterbyInk #OctoberAlchemy26 Challenge
Breathe Prompt for October 15th : Awaken
Daily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.
Today’s draw is the Seven of Pentacles (Flora), which is traditionally a representation of slow growth, sustainability, domestic harmony, hard work, and practicing patience while the fruits of your labors develop and take form.
Growth takes time, and unfortunately… feeling lost is a part of the process. So are the painful moments when you stumble, fall, or manage to get hurt along the way.
That’s what the phrase “growing pains” is all about.
The rewards come in making it through to the other side, and the lessons learned along the way. It’s in our experiences, after all, that we develop into the people we are to become.
The message in today’s Seven of Flora and Awaken prompt is a reminder that awakening into a new enlightened state, whether spiritual or mundane, isn’t an immediate process, nor is it an easy one. It takes time and patience, growth and even more patience. It takes effort, trial and error, and a certain amount of pain as well. Don’t give up just because it’s hard or is taking longer than you think it should… just keep going. You’ll get there.
DECK USED: THE DARK LIBRARY TAROT
#DiscordTarotholicsOct2026 Challenge
Prompt for October 15th through 17th
Gravestone: Pull 3 cards, and use them to write a spooky or witty epitaph.
Here lies Alfred Cole
May god have pity on his soul
(Judgement)
He tripped and fell
Speared Lady Belle
(Seven of Swords)
Thus her beloved buried him here
(Five of Swords)
Skeleton: How can you connect more deeply with your ancestors?
Mars – Stand strong for those things you believe to be right and true. Provide the protection and patronage to these things you value most. Waging war isn’t always about violence and bloodshed, sometimes it’s standing strong in the storm.
Spirits: What guidance does your ancestors have to offer at this time?
Banshee – Let it out. Stop holding your emotions so close to the chest. Express yourself to those you are tied to through loyalty and blood. Share your laments with your ancestors, and let them see and hear you cry out to them for their guidance and support.
Other elements included in this reading:
Staghorn Sumac for Connecting with Nature and the Wild Within
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy
DECK USED: ORACLE ODUSSEIA AND ALCHEMY 1977 ENGLAND TAROT
October Prompts by @forgotten.dumpling & @ml.mecham
Prompt for October 15th : my spine curved to
“I will not bend”
(Four of Diamonds)
says the tree that breaks
in the harsh winds of the storm
(Five of Spades)
its trunk fallen and stump left behind
for roots to wither and die alone
(Ten of Spades)
for it’s the tree that bends to the wind
thrashing but flexible
(Three of Hearts)
with roots buried deep while trunk sways
(Two of Clubs atop King of Diamonds)
that survives and thrives
beneath the sun once more
instead of meeting its end of days
(Nine of Hearts atop King of Clubs)
Other elements included in this reading:
Foraged Parmeliaceae Lichen for a “Breath of Fresh Air”
Foraged Driftwood for Connecting with Cycles
Dried Rhododendron Leaf for Fostering Confidence
Carnelian Agate Mushroom for Focusing On Aspirations
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy
DECK USED: THE HORROR NIGHT PLAYING CARDS
@owlandbonestarot #OctoberinBetween Challenge
Prompts for October 15th
Challenge – The Empress atop Knight of Blood – Challenge those wants and desires that draw you away from the nurturing and care you need.
You have a tendency to be drawn to self destructive pursuits. These things have a tendency to pull you away from self-care and the healthier options available. It takes discipline to challenge yourself when you are tempted by these things.
Adapt – The Star – Lean into positivity and optimism during these times.
Change your preconceived notions of what you are being most drawn to by reminding yourself of what these less appealing but far healthier options can do for you and their positive qualities. This is how balance is created.
Other elements included in this reading:
Staghorn Sumac for Connecting with Nature and the Wild Within
Oregon White Oak Leaf for Strength, Stability, and Longevity
Flower Agate for Opening the Mind to New Possibilities
Pyrite for fostering Determination and Manifestation Energies
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy
DECK USED: THE DARK LIBRARY TAROT
I went and got my covid vaccination updated today, and made the appointment to do my flu vaccine next week.
Gideon’s Challenge – Wonderment
Wonderment
giants paint the sky
in delicate strokes
with mystical brushes
stretching
spilled paint
of apricot hues
over a canvas of blue
until the world
dips
into darkness
as twilight approaches
Photo © ZenStatePhotography
Generosity From the Universe
Today’s meditation was a ten minute #DailyCalm session from the @Calm.
• • • ◈ • 🎃 • ◈ • • •
The @GlitterbyInk #OctoberAlchemy26 Challenge
Breathe Prompt for October 14th : Trust
Daily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.
Today’s draw is the Six of Pentacles, which is traditionally a representation of charity, generosity, sharing the wealth, asking for or accepting help, and balancing the scales between the “haves” and the “have nots” in life.
Sometimes you just have to trust that everything is going to turn out okay, that the universe will provide, and that generosity will prevail.
In my life, I have been in far too many situations where I was on my last leg and out of options. Every single time, it felt like the end of the world.
And yet? I’m still here. Surviving, and occasionally thriving. Okay… more than occasionally these days.
I’m here because I fought to be here, but I’m also here because of the generosity of the universe to provide me what I needed to keep climbing and striving.
The message in today’s Six of Pentacles and Trust prompt is a reminder that it’s not all up to you. You are being given a hand up now and then, even when you might not realize it. These cards encourage us to trust that that with perseverance, that hand up will be there when we need it most.
DECK USED: DARK WHIMSICAL TAROT
October Spooky Season Challenge by @MercuryTarot
Prompt for October 14th : What is unique about me?
Reading Summary: When you land at a fork in your path (Crossroads), you always choose the path that leads towards stability (House), no matter how daunting the obstacles in your way (Mountain).
Take Away: You are singularly focused on stability and security. In your life, your finances, your health, your future… no matter the aspect of your life, your decisions are geared towards that singular goal.
It doesn’t matter to you if the path to the stability that you seek comes with greater obstacles and bigger struggles than the other options available to you. To you, it’s worth the extra trials and hardships to move in the direction of security and stability than to choose an easier path.
As a result, you tend to provide a sense of stability to others who are going through their own trials.
Other elements included in this reading:
Pressed Pansy Flower for Hearing the Heart More Clearly
Garnierite for help in Releasing Anger, Anxiety, and Guilt
Carved Jade Japanese Kitsune for fostering Wisdom and Cunning
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy
DECK USED: GOTHIC LENORMAND
October Prompts by @forgotten.dumpling & @ml.mecham
Prompt for October 14th : an exorcism of lies
I am legion unto my own
with myriad personalities and characters
hidden beneath the surface
(Ten of Clubs)
some clamoring for freedom
(Ace of Clubs)
while others whisper from the dark
spreading rot and decay
in stagnant places
(Three of Spades)
until new chemicals are introduced
to chase away the shadows
created by their lies
(Ace of Hearts atop Five of Spades)
Other elements included in this reading:
Foraged Pin Oak Leaf for Strength and Endurance
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy
DECK USED: GOOFY GHOULS PLAYING CARDS
@owlandbonestarot #OctoberinBetween Challenge
Prompts for October 14th
Push – Four of Cups – Push yourself to do the meditation practices that help to balance out your days.
This little ten minute space is just for you and no one else, and is an important part of your day. It allows you to give yourself some time apart and away from the responsibilities and social obligations so often pressing in from all sides. This little break is important.
Pull – Knight of Cups Rx – Pull back against recalcitrance to take these few minutes each day for yourself.
Your resistance to this simple practice is caused by mood, emotion, and/or negativity. None of these things need the validation of avoidance half as much as you need the validation of practicing regularly.
Other elements included in this reading:
Oregon White Oak Leaf for Strength, Stability, and Longevity
Honey Calcite for Optimism and Motivational Boost
Rose Quartz for Gentle Kindness to Self and Others
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy
DECK USED: DARK WHIMSICAL TAROT
I watched a movie (The Unholy) instead of fucking around on my phone during spare time at Ms B’s house.
Gideon’s Challenge – Small Joys
Small Joys
in the cloying
foggy wet
of an
evergreen forest
walk with me
among the trees
and lets play tourist
for with your hand
in mine
our shoes will
trod the path
and as water drops
drip from our hair
we’ll discover
hidden secrets
and laugh
Photo © ZenStatePhotography
Finding Another Way
Today’s meditation was a ten minute self-guided session based on an affirmation card that says, “I’m mysterious as a black cat, with foresight and intuition.”
• • • ◈ • 🎃 • ◈ • • •
The @GlitterbyInk #OctoberAlchemy26 Challenge
Breathe Prompt for October 13th : Listen
Daily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.
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.
Speaking to a brick wall is a waste of time, no matter how cunning the approach or how sweet the words spoken.
There are always going to be people in life so stuck in their own narrative that they cannot see beyond it, as well as those who simply stubbornly refuse to. No matter how hard you try to share your own view or expand theirs, they refuse to hear you. They refuse to listen, instead deflecting, pandering, or gaslighting their way around actually opening their minds beyond their own stubborn viewpoint.
It’s important to realize when this is happening. Wasting time in this manner serves no one. A better option is to vary one’s approach, look for chinks and cracks where a small amount of information can seep in like a water leak and spread over time.
Breaching these brick walls isn’t about brute force, it’s about the small things that can begin to corrode the mortar over time instead. Think outside the box, be patient, and stop the futility of beating your head against the wall. Find another way. Keep in mind that finding another way might mean opening up to listening to -their- viewpoint with an open mind as well.
DECK USED: THE BLOOD-DRINKER’S DRAW TAROT AND TWIST’S HALLOWEEN AFFIRMATIONS DECK
#DiscordTarotholicsOct2026 Challenge
Prompts for October 12th through 14th
Ghouls: Who in your life needs a bit more acceptance and understanding?
Luck / Mirror – Yourself. You are in need of more acceptance and understanding, most especially from yourself. It is important to incorporate these themes into your everyday routines, allowing acceptance, forgiveness, and understanding to thread through the substrate so that it can become inherent over time.
Poltergeist: What needs to be banished from your life?
Correspondence / Clothing – Ease up on your armor. Hyperactive self defense mechanisms numb you to the world around you and those in it. Take care to diversify instead of doubling down when you’re feeling out of sorts or vulnerable. You still need others, even then, and perhaps even more so than when everything is on an even keel.
Philosophical Question: Why do the living feel a desire to connect with their ancestors?
Resourcefulness / Mannaz – Connecting with our ancestors connects us to what is important in our past and the pasts of those that came before us. Lessons learned can be carried forward instead of being repeated, as long as they aren’t forgotten. Our ancestors connect us to these lessons and knowledge.
Other elements included in this reading:
Pressed Pansy Flower for Hearing the Heart More Clearly
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
Smoky Quartz for Introspection and Emotional Balance
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy
DECK USED: EVERYDAY SPELLS FOR BUSY WITCHES DECK
October Prompts by @forgotten.dumpling & @ml.mecham
Prompt for October 13th : how to bury a moment
the lift of an eyebrow
and an uncomfortable pause
an ice cold stare and lack of applause
(Queen of Spades)
not a word said
a mere presence speaking loud
is more than enough to silence the crowd
(Seven of Spades atop Ace of Spades)
a flash of doubt on an offending face
before my chin tips
as we turn to leave this space
(Two of Hearts atop Six of Spades)
Other elements included in this reading:
Staghorn Sumac for Connecting with Nature and the Wild Within
Norway Maple Key for Fostering Strength and Resilience
Clear Quartz for boosting Mental Clarity
Rainforest Rhyolite for Facilitating Calm Transitions
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy
DECK USED: BLOODY LOVERS PLAYING CARDS
@owlandbonestarot #OctoberinBetween Challenge
Prompts for October 13th
Known – King of Wands – You inherently know what kindles your interest and breathes life into your creative spark.
These things pull your inner strings, causing you to stand up and pay attention even when the world is clouded in hues of gray due to depression. The depression may dampen the enjoyment, but if you’re paying attention, the resonance is still there.
Unknown – Seven of Cups – The struggle is not in identifying these things, but in choosing which ones to pursue. Sometimes you get overwhelmed by the sheer number of options, other times you are simply overwhelmed by the act of having to choose at all, even when there’s only one or two options available.
Don’t mistake feelings of indecision and discomfort in making choices with disinterest.
Other elements included in this reading:
Conch Shell Knot for Concentration, Clarity, and Determination
Clear Quartz for boosting Mental Clarity
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy
DECK USED: THE BLOOD-DRINKER’S DRAW TAROT
I let J drive for the errands that needed run today and took a nap in the back of the car.
