Kindness vs Stranger Danger

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

•    •    •    ◈    •    🌾    •    ◈    •    •    •

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

The Gilided Tarot's Moon card and a card from the Mindfulness Cards

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

The Moon card has then been combined with the Notice Strangers card from the Mindfulness Cards, which says, “Making an effort to pay attention to people. We don’t ordinarily notice in our daily lives can help us avoid getting caught up in our own personal dramas. Next time you come across someone you don’t know – whether it’s during a morning commute, on a trip, or even in your workplace – take a moment to really notice how they are. Resist the urge to create a story about them. Instead, just take a small moment to connect with them through eye contact, a smile, or a hello. See them as they really are: as real human beings rather than as anonymous extras passing through a movie about your life.”

We often avoid contact with strangers out of discomfort with the unknown, fear of those that we haven’t personally yet vetted, or an expectation of being judged by others no matter whether we know them or not.

When we set aside these fears and feelings of uncertainty, though, what we find is that strangers are just other people living their own lives, just as we are living ours.

What does it really matter if they judge you? What does it really matter if they’re not somebody that you would like or approve of? These passing strangers have no true influence over your life, so why do we avoid interacting with them on any level and ignore them?

The message in today’s Moon card and affirmation is a reminder that everything is not all about you. When you release this assumption, what you find is that there’s a whole world full of people out there that you can awaken with just a smile or a nod. By acknowledging others that are not a part of our circle, we create connectivity and an openness in society as a whole, adding a positive influence into the spaces where fear usually rules.

DECKS USED:  THE GILDED TAROT AND MINDFULNESS CARDS

September Prompts by @forgotten.dumpling & @ml.mecham
Prompt for September 11th : the pilgrimage of my marrow

Creative Cartomancy Poetry with the Morpheus Playing Cards

The pain of life’s trials
leave marks upon the souls
(Ten of Spades)
of intrepid travelers
that choose exploration over stagnancy
(Ace of Clubs)
and knowledge over ignorance
(Jack of Spades)

These scars stand
as testament to battles fought.
(Nine of Clubs)
Yet only the wearer knows
how deeply into their marrow they go,
(Ten of Hearts)
and what lies they whisper in the dark.
(Nine of Spades)

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
Clear Quartz for boosting Mental Clarity
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: MORPHEUS PLAYING CARDS PALACE OF LUCID DREAM EDITION

@lightningwildflower‘s September Self-Talk Challenge
Emotion Prompt for September 11th : What emotion is asking to be felt more fully today?

Tarot Reading with The Gilded Tarot

Reading Summary: Allow yourself to feel child-like wonder (Six of Cups) without the expectation of fairness (Justice Rx) or your personal worries and anxieties getting in the way (Nine of Swords Rx).

Take Away: Your inner compass has an inherent need for fairness. Between this need and your own personal fears and anxieties, it can be hard to let go and allow yourself time to feel carefree and lighthearted.

It’s this energy, though, that you need to try and instill into your day. Not just today, but every day.

For today, work to give yourself permission to step into a mindset of wonder, if only for a few minutes. Delve in and experience what it feels like without allowing guilt or other negative emotions to hold sway. Even if you do this briefly, that little taste will bring you back to experience it again in the future.

Other elements included in this reading:
Foraged Acorns for Protection during New Beginnings
Foraged Oak Branch with Moss and Lichen for Perseverance
Gneiss Stone for Patience in Moments of Discomfort
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: THE GILDED TAROT
Daily Self Kindness

I ate mostly bland foods today to make sure that my stomach was back up to par before trying anything that might prolong my previous upset. I’m thinking it might have been a bout of food poisoning, though, considering the violence of the experience and the time frame from it’s start to finish.

Gideon’s Challenge – Sweet Nothings

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Sweeping Sunset in Pink

Sweet Nothings

cuffs rolled up
to just beneath
the knees
we sit
together
on the dock
with toes in
ice cold water
to watch as
the sun sinks slow
to paint the sky
in the pink
of roses
that match
the color
of my cheeks
as you
rumble whispers
in my ear

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

Awakening Curiosity

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

•    •    •    ◈    •    🌾    •    ◈    •    •    •

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

The Gaian Tarot's Knight of Swords and a card from the Listening to Flowers Deck

Today’s draw is the Explorer of Air (Knight of Swords), which is traditionally a representation of a projective and active “beta” energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s thoughts, intellect, education, ambitions, and communication. This often translates into themes that have to do with pursuing one’s goals related to their education, actively seeking one’s goals, action and decisiveness, and at times can indicate impulsivity without thinking things through.

The Explorer of Air has then been combined with the Cerato card from the Listening to Flowers Cards, which says, “I listened to my inner voice. I release doubt and accept certainty. I embrace my truths as pure knowing.”

One of our most powerful tools in life is curiosity.

When we experience curiosity, the unknown becomes an adventure and uncertainty is dampened by our need to explore and discover. Wonder replaces fear, giving us a new perspective in which to explore the world and those things in it.

This, in turn, then opens us up to new opportunities and experiences.

The message in today’s Explorer of Air combined with the Cerato card is a reminder that uncertainty is not our enemy. It’s an invitation to awaken the curiosity within us all, and spur us into exploration and adventure. When confronted with uncertainty, consider leaning into curiosity instead of bracing for impact or shutting down. In doing so, you may find a world of new opportunities and experiences waiting for you to discover and explore.

DECKS USED:  THE GAIAN TAROT AND LISTENING TO FLOWERS CARDS

September Prompts by @forgotten.dumpling & @ml.mecham
Prompt for September 10th : always and everywhere

Creative Writing Exercise with the Solar Terms 4-in-1 Playing Cards

Enthusiasm sparks excitement,
carrying us forward
(King of Clubs)
from the first buds of spring’s awakening
(Seven of Clubs)
into the dog days of summer.
(Ten of Hearts)

And with each step
we carry on together,
connected and aligned.
(Two of Diamonds)

In love through miles and years.
Everywhere we are
and for always.
(Queen of Hearts)

Other elements included in this reading:
Dried Cedar Bundle for Protection from Negative Influences
Honey Calcite for Optimism and Motivational Boost
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: SOLAR TERMS PLAYING CARDS

#DiscordTarotholicsSep2026 Challenge
Prompt for September 10th : What do you need to focus on for self-care for this month’s new moon?

Tarot Reading with The Gaian Tarot

Reading Summary: Creating anew narrative (Five of Air and Seven of Air) with loved ones (Three of Water) is going to take time and perseverance (Explorer of Earth).

Take Away: In the reading done for this new moon, it was pointed out that it’s time to put yourself first. It’s time to accept that you need care, and your needs matter.

After so long putting what everyone else needs and wants above your own, there’s going to be an adjustment period during this time of change. Others are going to fight back against this shift, for they are not used to be putting second.

Have patience as you move through this transition, and keep your eye on the prize. Remember that this change is for a good cause, and the disruptions it cause will settle over time as others get used to the new status quo.

Other elements included in this reading:
Tree of Life Raku Medallion for fostering Balance and Harmony
Bronze Compass Rose for Seeking Directional Guidance
Clear Quartz for boosting Mental Clarity
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: THE GAIAN TAROT
Daily Self Kindness

I had J pick me up some Imodium and probiotic yogurt early this morning, because I was -so sick- today.  I also took the day off work.

Gideon’s Challenge – Bereft

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Algerian Ivy (Hedera Canariensis)

Bereft

Too much time
spent
swimming
in the
choppy sea
of mental health
deficiency
and unable
to see over
the whitecaps
means
too much
of life’s
enjoyments
are lost
along the way

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

Patience as Skill Development

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

•    •    •    ◈    •    🌾    •    ◈    •    •    •

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

The Green Tarot - Seven of Pentacles and a card from the Crone Power Oracle and Affirmation Deck

Today’s draw is the Seven of Pentacles, 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.

The Seven of Pentacles has then been combined with a card from the Crone Power Oracle and Affirmation Cards, which says, “I am peaceful. I find calm within myself.”

I have a tendency to rush. Not just in pushing myself in my endeavors, but also in everyday life. Like a dragonfly zipping from task to task and place to place, never pausing for long and rarely slowing down.

I’ve found, though, in my efforts to ease off in this behavior, that life’s little joys are enjoyed far more if you pause longer and move a bit slower.

The key is in learning to practice patience. In finding patience within yourself and encouraging it to flourish. In giving yourself permission to linger instead of rush. As a result you are then able to notice more instead of disregarding everything as a distraction. And that… is a major aspect of mindfulness.

The message in today’s Seven of Pentacles and affirmation is a reminder to slow down. Practice (as in try, fail, and try again) patience, and use that extra time to notice the things you normally wouldn’t. The more you practice? The more you will become better at bringing that patience up from within yourself when you need it most.

DECKS USED:  THE GREEN TAROT AND CRONE POWER ORACLE AND AFFIRMATION CARDS

September Prompts by @forgotten.dumpling & @ml.mecham
Prompt for September 9th : before we fossilize

Creative Writing with the Dunhuang Duyumen Playing Cards

Let’s pick apart the issues
(Nine of Spades)
Let’s celebrate our joys
(Nine of Hearts)
Let’s connect heart to heart
(Two of Hearts)
And create confidence from the noise
(Four of Hearts)
So that what we carry forward
(Jack of Clubs)
Is solid and strong
(Four of Diamonds)
Immortalized into the future
(King of Diamonds)
To help them to fix what’s gone wrong
(Queen of Hearts)

Other elements included in this reading:
Beech Pods for Realizations that Foster Personal Growth
Foraged Oak Branch with Moss and Lichen for Perseverance
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: DUNHUANG DUYUMEN (THE NINE-COLORED DEER) PLAYING CARDS

@lightningwildflower‘s September Self-Talk Challenge
Prompts for September 9th and 10th

Tarot Reading with The Green Tarot

Reset – What part of my routine needs a reset?

Four of Swords and Ace of Wands Rx

You need to stop looking for new things to get excited about, and instead take some time to assess and what you’ve already explored that is working for you, as well as ascertain what isn’t. Looking for new interests and ideas is simply a way for you to run away from those things that aren’t working for you instead of dealing with them.

Venus enters Scorpio – Where am I craving intensity, honesty, or deeper connection?

Intensity – Ace of Cups – You don’t like feeling as if he’s lost interest or is no longer enthusiastic about learning new things about you. You are used to his emotions keeping him invested (and obsessed). As a result, when he’s not as invested as he once was you equate it to a waning of emotion.

Honesty – Seven of Pentacles – You don’t want to be pandered to when it comes to those things you’ve invested your time, energy, and patience into. If something isn’t working out or needs changing you’d rather know right away than have it sprung upon you later on down the line or have to discover it for yourself.

Deeper Connection – Queen of Pentacles – You miss the nurturing energy that you used to get with more frequent trips out into nature. Find the time to get out among the trees and lichen more often and this craving will ease.

Other elements included in this reading:
Mandala on Cedar for Anchoring to the Present
Dried Red Maple Leaf for Adaptability and Connection
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: THE GREEN TAROT
Daily Self Kindness

I brought home cupcakes from Ms B’s for a treat to snack on over the next few days.

🌑 New Moon in Virgo – September 2026

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Tomorrow is the new moon, and like all new moons and full moons, I did a spread aligned to the moon’s current themes as a part of my recognition of the moon’s cycle and influences upon us. Today’s spread is courtesy of @auragami.la

New Moon in Virgo Tarot Reading with The Garnet Witch's Tarot and Willowseeds for the Wild Soul Oracle

A powerful reset in your daily life

Seven of Pentacles – You are in the process of learning how to allow things to move at their own pace instead of constantly pushing them forward with unreasonable demands and expectations. This change will allow you to take more time for the things you truly enjoy, and see life less as a race and more as a journey of growth and development.

The desire to simplify, organize, and create more structure

The Lovers – It’s time to look more closely at those things you continue to tend in your life that aren’t suited to you. Whether bad habits or self destructive behaviors, this moon’s cycle offers you a chance to objectively look at what these things are doing for you and how they are holding you back.

A stronger awareness of where your time and energy are going

Four of Cups – Where are you wasting time resisting others and holding yourself apart? Consider how life might be different and/or easier if you were connecting more closely, and what things might make those closer connections problematic. Your interactions with others need work in order to smooth out moments of resistance and rectify unhealthy patterns.

A renewed focus on health, healing and overall well-being

The Emperor Rx – Your focus on everyone else’s well-being is restricting you from taking better care of yourself. You are allowed to give yourself the care and attention needed. The needs of others can wait while you do that.

Clarity around what needs to be refined, released or improved

Refine – Guide – Consider examining more closely who and what you are listening to. Hone in on those you really want to follow or align with, instead of just allowing yourself to be pulled in multiple directions.

Release – Rooted – Consciously make the choice to get out in nature more instead of trying to ground yourself through “shortcut” means. Plants need soil, and so do you.

Improve – Keeper – Remember that the only person you are truly responsible for is yourself. Take time to enjoy and sink into the little wonders in the world instead of sacrificing these things to the demands of responsiblies and the needs of others.

New Moon advice from the Minoan Goddess Amalthea

Page of Pentacles atop Four of Pentacles Rx – Make sure you are focusing on your new understanding of stability (developing one’s sea legs) and balance (the tip and sway of scales) through movement. Don’t get sucked back into your outdated views of stability and balance as still or stagnant. You are learning, at this time, how to incorporate this new understanding into your life.

Other elements included in this reading:
Goat Figure as Sympathetic Representation of Amalthea
Dried Cedar Bundle for Protection from Negative Influences
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
Rose Quartz for Gentle Kindness to Self and Others
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: THE GARNET WITCH’S TAROT AND WILLOWSEEDS FOR THE WILD SOUL ORACLE