Month: May 2019

The Spark

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Today’s meditation was curtailed by the fact that I either fell asleep, or passed out. I’m not really sure which, but it cut my day short and I did not get in my meditation.

Today’s draw is the Page of Wands, which is a representation of a eager to learn, student-type energy in the area of inspiration, passions, and drive.

I personally visualize the Page of Wands as a spark. That spark within the mind and heart that bursts into life and creates the energy and curiosity necessary to move forward in a new endeavor or idea.

Off-topic (but yet not), I think that the artwork on this card, like so many cards in the Tarot of the Hidden Realm, is spot on in its representation of how I interpret the tarot. The character on this card is so full of life, and the expression on his face is one of joy and inspiration.

I spent most of yesterday in the creative endeavor of getting my tarot journal set up. This is usually something to do in January, or sometimes even in October in preparation for the new year to come. Circumstances didn’t allow for that this year, but I believe that the Page of Wands is telling me that I’m now back on the right track and ready to move forward again with my practice and journey with the cards and what they can teach me.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

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Today’s meditation was fifteen minutes and forty eight seconds, and focused on bringing mindfulness into daily life instead of just during meditation.

It discussed how easy it is to get distracted and overwhelmed during the day, and how taking a moment now and then to take a breath and pay attention to that moment and all that entails in the physical world can help in getting out of one’s mind and the constant wild turbulence that is often going on up there.

Today’s draw is the Two of Pentacles, which is a representation of duality, division, and openings in the areas of resources, money, and the physical world.

In the standard tarot, the Two of Pentacles has an image of someone in the process of juggling and looking slightly overwhelmed with an infinity wrapping around the juggled items. In the Tarot of the Hidden Realm, on the other hand, you can see that there is a much softer image portrayed, with a Fae watching over the growth of a plant.

I like this softer image. I like that it shows both the duality of the nurture and growth dynamic, but also how it shows that as the plant grows above the earth, so too do the roots dig beneath. It is a symbolic relationship, each needing the other to keep the plant healthy and happy.

In this draw, the Two of Pentacles is telling me that although I have a lot going on in my life, it’s also important to balance my self care into the equation.

This is something that’s not always easy for me to do because I get overwhelmed with work responsibilities, the running of my business, and all that that entails. I get too focused on pushing forward, and forget to pay attention to my own needs.

I need to remember that living a balanced and healthy life is not always about where I’m going and where I want to be, but also about where I am now… and how I’m doing now.

To Thine Own Self Be True

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Today’s meditation was eighteen minutes and four seconds, and focused on a body scan encouraging relaxation which started at the head and ended at the toes.

During the scan the guided meditation also discussed maintaining momentum with your practice. In other words, ensuring that you are meditating daily and not skipping over or setting aside your meditation for other issues, activity , or concerns.

This is something that I personally struggle with. I know that the meditation is helping me, and I know that meditation is good for you in a number of different ways. Yet, at times when there just doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day I’ve been known to skip my meditation… even when I know that the meditation only takes 15 minutes or so.

Today’s draw is the Seven of Swords, and has to do with progress, the unknown, and/or a leap ahead in the area of thoughts and communication.

This card often indicates deception or betrayal, but I believe in this case the card is a representation of a need to look inward. In this representation the Seven of Swords is the epitome of the Shakespearean quote (said by Polonius in Hamlet), “This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.”

The Seven of Swords is a reminder to take a look at my beliefs and intentions to ensure that I am staying true to myself and my values as I move forward.

It’s message is the importance of being true to yourself and staying in touch with what’s important to you rather than letting outside influences or even your own fears or emotions get the better of you. I think everyone needs this reminder every once in a while… myself included.

When business slows down, as it always does after Mother’s Day each year, I suffer through a period of self-doubt and worry. It’s a bit silly because my business is thriving, and this time of year is a regular slow period that is predictable and expected.

And yet, every year the whispers of worry and self-doubt return to make a repeat appearance. The Seven of Swords is telling me to look at my inner values and my core self and then continue forward, confident in myself and what I know to be true, instead of becoming distracted by the whispers.

The Inner Child

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Due to spending the majority of what would have been my free time today with the police dealing with the break-in down in our gated garage, I did not get the chance to meditate today.

Today’s draw is the Six of Cups, which is a representation of memories, childhood, and innocence in the areas of emotions, relationships, and creativity.

This card has multiple meanings, as many of the cards in the deck do. But, it’s presence today is a reminder to get in touch with my inner child, where my joy in creation resides.

I have so many projects on the go right now, and so much to do. I’ve been feeling a little bit overwhelmed while trying to play catch-up from the depression that took so much of my time at the beginning of the spring.

The Six of Cups is a reminder that even though there’s so much to do, many of the projects that I need to work on our seated and creativity. These are projects that I should be looking forward to with an open heart, rather than trudge towards as if they are a chore.

A funny and fun coincidence… An excellent article offered in my NYTimes Smarter Living subscription this morning is “How to Revisit the Ghosts of Your Past“, which relates to another possible interpretation of this card.

The Return Trip

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Today’s meditation was about self-compassion and kindness. If focused on how when we look at our inner thoughts throughout the day the cycle around in our head, they are often berating and judging in nature.

The guided meditation was an activity focused on how to get better at being kind to yourself both during meditation and throughout the day.

Today’s draw is the King of Swords, which represents strength, authority, and a decidedly alpha energy, personality, or person in the areas of logic, thought, and communication.

He is… me. The me beyond the influence of my depression. As the King of Cups is so very much the “you” that I see and admire, the King of Swords is an embodiment of what you express admiration for in me.

That is my moral compass, my need for fairness, my logical mind, and my efforts at impartial examination of things from all angles I can reach before coming to a decision.

This card is a reminder of where I am returning to as I pull out of my depression completely and recover from it effects and lingering sensitivities.

In the time following a depression there is a period of rebalancing. A time when I am more reactive, more sensitive, and less likely to pay attention to all aspects of a situation.

During these times it’s all about following my instincts to keep me on track as well as in my interactions with others. Then, over time, my mind kicks back into gear and I settle back into I far more logical approach, while my instinct and moral compass whisper in the background.

The King of Swords is an indication that this transformation is in the process of taking place and I am on my way back to my own sense of “normal”. My own, very personal type of balance.

Ideas Transformed Into Reality

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I did not get a chance to do meditation today.

Today’s draw is the Three of Pentacles, which is one my favorite cards, as it represents the manifestation of ideas into reality through creation.

It indicates that with focus, creativity, and determination you can bring something physical into existence that was once simple an idea or thought.

As today I am going to be shopping for the supplies I will need to re-caulk my bathtub (a project I’ve never done before, but that is desperately needed), I believe the Three of Pentacles appearance is guidance and encouragement.

Ive been feeling a bit of self-doubt concerning this project, and the Three of Pentacles is telling me that I CAN do this. It might involve a little bit of a learning curve, a little trial and error, but with the right tools and some determination and patience, I can do it.