Those Rose-Colored Glasses

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

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The @hippiepixie333 #Escapril2026 Challenge

Prompt for April 16th : spring again

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

Business Class Tarot - Four of Wands

Today’s draw is the Four of Wands (Product 4), 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.

We’re all searching for “home”, and every new thing is a hopeful possibility that that perfect fit might’ve been found. When you think you find it, is it really perfect, though, or is it just better than where you came from and so it seems that way in the moment?

Relationships aren’t the only thing in life that goes through a “honeymoon phase”. Finding the fit that feels like home is almost always about leveling up or upgrading from what you had before… but not always.

To find that fit, we have to look beyond the rose-colored glasses of newness. Sometimes that can be harder said than done. Sadly, those rose-colored glasses usually only wear off after you’re already stuck.

The message in today’s Four of Wands card and the “spring again” prompt is a reminder that new is exciting and it’s okay to indulge in that excitement, but also make sure to stay aware that you’re looking at the situation through rose-colored glasses which sooner or later are going to wear off. Make smart decisions (even during that time when you’re immersed in the happy glow of newness) that help to protect that comfortable fit you think you have found.

DECK USED:  BUSINESS CLASS TAROT

One Card Tarot Journal Activity by @mariasofia_astro

Chapter 6 | Entry 12 – Spiritual Development

Affirmation : “I trust my instinct when something doesn’t feel true.”

Prompt : It’s said that most advice people give his autobiographical (learned through personal experience). Consider the possible autobiography of the card you draw, then think about the worst advice this card could give you. Reflect on why it feels untrue and where you store that feeling in your body. This exercise is a good lesson and trust in your instincts and knowing when something being said to you is not aligned with your inner truth.

Tarot Activity from The One Card a Day Journal by Maria Sofia Marmanides - The Millennials Tarot - Death / The Sushi

What feelings came up when I pulled this card?

My first reaction was, “Ohhhh that looks like a bad idea.”

I found it interesting that they used sushi for the Death card. This immediately brought up lots of different ideas about how those two elements could connect, stirring my curiosity and creative thoughts.

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

Sushi is one of those foods that has to be served fresh. Very, very fresh. It loses it ability to be safely eaten quickly. First the smell shifts, then the taste turns, and within moments after that it can cause severe food poisoning.

It’s a balance of time and temperature. There is no set time limit for how long it will stay good, because the temperature drastically changes the window of time for food safety.

What do you know for sure, is that it is going to go bad… you just don’t know exactly when. Just like death. We all know it’s coming for us, we just don’t know when.

What in the artwork spoke to me?

Actually. The artwork made me hungry. This, in turn, make me think of all of those different places that I have tried over the years for sushi, and how many of them have been failures.

There’s a reason I don’t eat sushi anymore, other than from one place that I found that seems to be consistent in their freshness. It doesn’t mean that I don’t like it… it just means that I don’t trust the establishments that are serving it.

My prompt response and reflections.

The worst advice this card could provide is, “Go ahead and eat. It’s fresh! It might smell a little like fish, but it’s supposed to smell that way.”

I feel a rejection of this advice through a slightly backward tug in the area of my chest as if my body wants to lean away, as well as in the feeling of an eyebrow wanting to rise in skepticism even though I don’t allow it to.

Other elements included in this reading:

Agate D20 and D6 Stone Dice

DECK USED: THE MILLENNIALS TAROT

@lightningwildflower‘s April Energetic Shifts Challenge

Mars sextile Pluto, Mercury conjunct Neptune Prompt for April 16th : What deep inner strength is being activated for me?

Tarot Reading with the Business Class Tarot

Reading Summary: You are feeling the need to stand guard over (Product 9) what you feel creates the stability and security you and others depend upon (Money Assistant) from others who may try to out-do your efforts with their own (Product 5 Rx).

Take Away: There is such a thing as healthy competition. The problem is, what you’re feeling right now doesn’t feel like healthy competition.

It feels like an attack. Thus you have put up your defenses in response, in order to protect the stability and security you have built in your life.

This defensive reaction is a deep inner strength that rose up to the fore without you realizing it. It might be worth taking some time to figure out what triggered it in the first place.

Other elements included in this reading:
Foraged Oak Branch with Moss and Lichen for Perseverance
Dried Cedar Bundle for Protection from Negative Influences
Black Tourmaline for Grounding and Protection
Carnelian Agate for Inner Drive and Focusing On Aspirations
Calcite for Gently Calming the Mind and Stimulating Insights
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED:  BUSINESS CLASS TAROT
Daily Self Kindness

I didn’t really have the time for it, but I took a short nap anyway. I was just too tired.

Gideon’s Challenge – Release

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Star Magnolia (Magnolia stellata)

Release

A tight bud
of protection
can only
take you
so far
before
it’s time
to open up
and breathe
as the air
ruffles
your hair
and fills
your lungs

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

🌑 New Moon in Aries – April 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 @biddytarot

New Moon in Aries Tarot Reading with the Black Lily Tarot

How can I shape my life to align with my true desires?

Knight of Pentacles (The Killer and the Lioness) – Take time to gather the allies you need. It’s a long journey to reach your end goals, both in time and distance. Having those along with you that can share in your interests and have your back along the way make the effort (and the wait) far more satisfying.

Where do I need to assert myself to feel emotionally secure?

Seven of Cups (The Hedger and the Octopus) – Autonomy and independence make you feel secure. When you give up your choices to others, it weakens that sense of emotional security you get from making the decisions yourself. Part of this is because you’re choosing to not think about things, which is killing that little clever and curious spark within you little by little through giving up your choices to others.

What new experiences will heighten my self-confidence?

The Moon (The Avoider and the Scorpion) – Confront your fears head on. Don’t worry so much about the bumps and bruises you may gather along the way. You have been blowing the possible consequences out of proportion of late, when considering your options. Worry less, act more.

What courageous action do I need to take to achieve my goals?

Seven of Wands (The Fuckboy and the Dragon) – Remember that you don’t have to take on every challenge that crosses your path. Not even the ones that are directed at you. Sometimes it takes more courage to snort with an eye roll and walk away, then it does to open your mouth or engage in battle.

How can I handle conflict effectively?

Eight of Swords (The Princess and the Swan) – Keep your eyes open and your mouth shut. You will learn more (including how to get yourself out of sticky situations) by listening than engaging. Just stay quiet. The knowledge you glean will become useful when it’s needed.

What is my highest intention for my personal power?

Nine of Pentacles (The Resting Woman and the Seabird) – You seek to look back at the end of the day with satisfaction, and in doing so feel as if your rest is well-deserved.

New Moon advice from the Minoan Goddess Amalthea.

Princess of Swords (The Ballerina and the Moths) – Keep a close eye on your addictions and remember that mistakes happen. Just do what you can and stay aware of your tendency to be drawn toward those things that are dangerous for you or unhealthy.

Other elements included in this reading:
Goat Charm as Sympathetic Representation of Amalthea
Staghorn Sumac for Connecting with Nature and the Wild Within
Banded Brown Agate Mushroom for Grounding and Stabilization
Flower Agate for Opening the Mind to New Possibilities
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: BLACK LILY TAROT

Spit It Out

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

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The @hippiepixie333 #Escapril2026 Challenge
Prompt for April 15th : undercurrent
Daily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Disney Stitch Tarot - Ace of Swords

Today’s draw is the Ace of Swords, which is traditionally a representation of the seed of new beginnings in the area of one’s thoughts, intellect, education, logic and reason, ambition, or communication.

If you don’t say the stuff that’s on your mind and communicate with others when it’s needed, it becomes an undercurrent in the situation and relationship. Something left unsaid that leaves its mark on everything else between you.

This unseen undercurrent of the unspoken changes the relationship with others overtime, and it can become stronger and stronger without you ever even realizing it’s happening because you’ve tucked it away out of sight.

This is true about important emotions, negative perceptions, or anything else that would be healthier to talk about rather then burying out of sight.

The message in today’s Ace of Swords card and the “undercurrent” prompt is an encouragement to speak up more when there’s a problem, instead of burying it and letting it fester. This doesn’t mean that you don’t need tact, compassion, or an effort at being gentle with your words… it just means that you need to get it out instead of holding it inside and trying to pretend it doesn’t exist.

DECK USED:  DISNEY STITCH TAROT

@Lionharts #TheAprilTarot Root & Rise Challenge
Prompt for April 15th : Do the Alignment Tarot Spread

Oracle Reading with the Apothecary Spirits Oracle

The Claim : What is mine to take ownership of now?

Marshmallow – The stability you have created, and the comfort it provides for both you as well as others in your life. This stability you’ve created in your life isn’t just about hard work paying off. It’s also about who you are and how you stand strong in the storm.

The Choice : What requires a clear decision from me?

Cacao – If you want to enjoy life more and find more fun and pleasure in the experience of the day-to-day, you need to make a clear and conscious decision to lean in that direction. You can’t just say you’re going to do it or put a little mindfulness towards it… This is a choice you need to actually make and hold to in order to shift your life in that direction.

The Limit : What am I no longer available for?

Vinegar – Self-neglect and all or nothing thinking. You don’t have to pour yourself in full-bore to every single thing you do or feel that you want to include in your life. Some things you can do just a little at a time, and that’ll be perfectly enough.

The Core : What action aligns with what I already know?

Pomegranate – Actions that create a greater sense of balance move in the direction that the universe wants things to go. The fact is that the universe requires balance, and is constantly seeking that balance. If you lean into trying to create that balance yourself, it will provide you with the path of least resistance to your goals.

The Vow : What takes form when I commit to this?

Tumeric – Anything worth having is worth working for. Not everything can be instant gratification and immediate rewards. A lot of the stuff that is worth having in life you actually have to spend a lifetime working towards to achieve.

Other elements included in this reading:
Japanese Cherry Leaf as a Reminder of Life’s Fleeting Moments
Staghorn Sumac for Connecting with Nature and the Wild Within
Foraged Red Oak Leaf for Fostering Unconditional Love
Foraged Oak Branch with Moss and Lichen for Perseverance
Dried Cedar Bundle for Protection from Negative Influences
Conch Shell Knot for Concentration, Clarity, and Determination
Green Jasper and Tiger Eye Turtle for Confidence within Progress
Carnelian Agate for Inner Drive and Focusing On Aspirations
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: APOTHECARY SPIRITS ORACLE

@lightningwildflower‘s April Energetic Shifts Challenge
Pause Prompt for April 15th : What new message or idea is still forming in my mind?

Tarot Reading with the Disney Stitch Tarot

Reading Summary: You are continuing to search (the caffeine-crazed bugeyes in the Temperance card) for ways in which you can indulge in more alone time (The Hermit and Suspension) without it becoming unhealthy (Suspension and Temperance).

Take Away: I really need to find a way to get out in nature on my own without an escort. It’s become a serious problem. The stalker issues have kept me from being able to do this and… I just need it. There’s no other way around it. I need it in the same way I need sleep.

Apparently J and I are going to have to work something out. I’m not getting what I need when he comes along. Perhaps a list of random options and he stays at the trail head or something. I don’t know, but ideas are definitely percolating in my head on how to work it out.

Other elements included in this reading:
Japanese Cherry Leaf as a Reminder of Life’s Fleeting Moments
Dried Rhododendron Leaf for Fostering Confidence
Conch Shell Knot for Concentration, Clarity, and Determination
Calcite for Gently Calming the Mind and Stimulating Insights
Blue Aragonite for Fostering Truth, Understanding, and Clarity

DECK USED:  DISNEY STITCH TAROT
Daily Self Kindness

I finally finished trimming my Llewellyn Tarot just how I want it. It’s been sitting on my to-do list for a while now, gaining weight the longer it sat there. It felt good to get it done.

Gideon’s Challenge – Flustered

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Macro Photography - Tortula muralis Moss

Flustered

“Pay attention”
she says
and eyes lift
to rest upon
her pretty face
and wait
for what
will come next
as clatter quiets
to silence
as if the world
holds its breath
and color rises
to her cheeks

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

🎨 Weekly Creativity Prompt – Art Interpretation

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Prompt: Below is a 3-card spread from Sasuraibito Tarot and a question/prompt to go with it. Your task is to pull the same three cards from your deck(s) and tell us how you might interpret these two (or more) decks differently, and why. Same question, same cards, different decks. And if you’d read them similarly? Tell us that, and explain why!

Today’s cards are Six of Wands, Two of Swords, and Two of Cups. And the question from our imaginary querent is “How can I best nurture whatever is sprouting right now?”

Sasuraibito Tarot - Six of Wands, Two of Swords, Two of Cups

You are at an impasse (Two of Swords positioned in the center) between people pleasing for your community (Six of Wands), or connecting more closely with someone specifically that matters (Two of Cups).

Although you connect strongly with your community (strong, sturdy staffs) and they provide you with a great deal of growth (leaves and flowers growing from the staffs) and comfort through the diversity you find there (rainbow), you can’t pursue this connection -and- connect more deeply with this single person (linked pinky fingers in the Two of Cups) at the same time (separated by Swords).

To best nurture what is sprouting right now in your life, you need to decide which side of the coin you want to pursue; the community connection, or that closer one-on-one relationship. Both offer you growth, but it’s too much to try and do both at the same time.

Best Deck Ever Tarot - Six of Wands, Two of Swords, Two of Cups

You can work hard to achieve the recognition you crave from others (Six of Wands/Spatulas), or (Two of Hooks/Swords) you can allow yourself to build something meaningful between yourself and someone else (Two of Patties/Cups).

Either of these pursuits is going to snare (hooks instead of Swords) all of your attention, tangling you up in it so that you’re unable to do both. Specifically, on the side of things where you develop a meaningful connection with someone else, there’s a good chance that even if you met them at work, they’re going to be a distraction -from- your work in the end (there’s a spatula hanging in the air between them in the background).

You have a choice. These cards indicate that you can’t have both, after all. You can try to balance both, but in doing so both situations are going to get dicey and you’re giving up your ability to choose which one will be your end result. By directing your attention to the choice you prefer, you give that side of things a better chance of growing into fruition.

DECK USED: SASURAIBITO TAROT AND BEST DECK EVER TAROT