Month: July 2020

Ingenuity and Adaptation

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Today’s meditation was just over fifteen minutes long and was a centering meditation I use to find focus sometimes before doing client readings.

In this type of meditation, I often place labradorite on my solar plexus for soothing calm, smoky quartz on my forehead for clarity, clear quartz in my left palm for a wash of cleansing energy, and honey calcite in my left to attune myself to exuding a positive and caring influence on others.

This meditation is about attuning myself into these stones and their energies, and creating a flow of energy that sweeps through these different locations and qualities in order to create a sense of centering and ease.

Cosmos Tarot and OracleToday’s draw is the Knight of Fire (Wands) which is traditionally interpreted as an active beta energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s passionate endeavors, drive, innovations, and that inner spark that creates interest and pushes us forward.

What stands out to me the strongest in the imagery of this card is the rope and climbing hook that the imposter soldier is carrying.   The difference between him and the other soldiers is obvious, and yet he blends in even as he goes about his own thing.

The message here is that sometimes the things you do to protect yourself and others aren’t about confrontation. Rather, they are about knowing your skills and using them with ingenuity to get where you want to go.  Not everything has to be a fight or a struggle.  Think outside the box and find a better way.

I’m not sure where this message fits into my life at this moment, but the message rings true and relevant, as if it is something I need to keep in mind in order to adjust my behavior when needed so that things can go more smoothly than the would otherwise.

DECK USED:  COSMOS TAROT AND ORACLE

#DiscordTarotholicsJul2020 Challenge Prompt
Topic:  A Mistake Made / A Lesson Learned

Midcenturian TarotReading Summary: When your crown becomes too heavy (King of Wands), you can’t always run away from your problems (Six of Swords). The lesson is that you continue to carry the stresses and worries with you instead of leaving them behind (Nine of Swords).

Take Away:  When I emancipated from my parent’s home, I expected that my life would be transformed and so would I. The new freedom was expected to give me a new perspective… and it did. But what I didn’t do was erase the damage of what had come before. That damage was carried with me and had to be dealt with regardless of the fact that I had moved on in other ways.

You can’t leave the damage done to you behind in the past.  It won’t heal by being buried or shoved aside.  Instead, it will fester under the surface until you ultimately decide to (or are forced to) deal with it.

DECK USED:  MIDCENTURIAN TAROT

#OwlandBonesJuly Challenge by Owl and Bones Tarot
Topic:  what is vulnerable // what is safe // what protects

Evolution Tarot

What is Vulnerable – Ace of Potions – My emotional growth.

What is Safe – Three of Coins – My business and working with friends to keep it stable.

What Protects – Queen of Wands – My inner spark that keeps me moving forward even when I do so at a slower pace.

Take Away:  This reading is about my current transition and the efforts I’m taking to stay on track with my emotional growth rather than allowing myself to delve back into the familiar shove of responsibility.   The fact that I am allowing others in and to help me is giving me the room that I need to keep that growth going and keep myself from closing off and bearing down in the physical world or responsibilities.  Instead, I’m allowed to explore while letting my inner spark move me forward instead of fear and obligation.

DECK USED:  EVOLUTION TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: A card to describe your creative self.

Albano Waite Tarot - Eight of PentaclesI am a hard worker that likes to hone my creativity into expertise.  I also have a habit of taking my creative interests and turning it into money making endeavors.

I think this is a part of the reason that I find it hard to just “relax and be creative”.  For me creativity is more than just something you do in your spare time or enjoy as a hobby.  Nearly everything I do has a creative aspect to it, which incorporates creativity into every aspect of my life in one way or another, including in how I make my money and provide resources for myself, my home, and my loved ones.

DECK USED:  ALBANO WAITE TAROT

 

Gideon’s Challenge

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IMG_4598Explore
with me
Come see what I see
The magic
the wonder
it’s all there for thee.
Open your eyes
and take a breath
step through the veil
I’ll do the rest.

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

Cleansing Energies and Fresh Air

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Today’s meditation was just under twenty minutes long, and was another purr-focused meditation as Luna again decided to come cuddle up against the side of my head while I was meditating, which shifted my focus from my breathing to her purring.

I really like this type of meditation.  It’s extremely relaxing.  I didn’t immediately fall asleep this time, but it was still really nice and I ended up lingering longer than I would have because I was really enjoying it.

The Herbcrafter's TarotToday’s draw is the Sun card, which is traditionally a representation of hope, joyous celebration, and all around good ol’ fun.

Spiritually speaking, Hypericum perforatum (St Johns Wort) is used to invoke the healing powers of light against the darkness and this is expressed no more evidently than it’s medical use as well, as medically this herb is best known for its anti-depressant properties.

The message in today’s card is about seeking out positive healing experiences and spending time outside soaking up the goodness of vitamin D while taking in the cleansing energies and fresh air of being outside among nature.

DECK USED:  HERBCRAFTER’S TAROT

#TarotForGrowthJuly Challenge Prompt
Topic:  I’m struggling to find my purpose.
Question: Why am I struggling to be honest with myself?

Aquarian Tarot

Reading Summary: Because change is hard… Juggling in my old way of doing things is hard to let go of (Two of Pentacles) because that familiarity is comforting to me (Six of Cups) and makes it difficult to choose a different path (Two of Rods).

Take Away:  It’s difficult to admit when you’re struggling, and that applies to me as well. I struggle all the time with the draw of the familiar and temptation to sink back into what I know so well rather than staying focused on the new path I’ve chosen for myself.  That struggle is… embarrassing and something that’s difficult to admit.

DECK USED:  AQUARIAN TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsJul2020 Challenge Prompt
Philosophical Question: Is it always better to have more choices?

Wheel of the Year TarotReading Summary: There are always more choices available to us than we realize (The Fool). But as humans, we are not in the habit (The Devil) of seeking them out and instead stick with what we know (Six of Cups). When we do this, we miss out on long reaching opportunities and rewards (Seven of Pentacles).

Take Away:  I would interpret this answer as yes… and no.  What it’s saying is that we only perceive the number of choices we are able to handle… but that there are always more out there we cannot see.  When we open our minds to them, they become available to us… so I guess in my opinion this would be a yes.   Because the more open minded you are to possibilities and thinking outside the box, the more choices you have available to you… and I consider open mindedness and thinking outside the box to always be a good thing.

DECK USED:  WHEEL OF THE YEAR TAROT

#OwlandBonesJuly Challenge by Owl and Bones Tarot
Topic:  plant the seed // take root // grow

Karma Tarot

Plant the seeds of doing things in a more patient and measured way (Knight of Coins)

Take root a more restrained approach (Temperance) over the wild charge driven by passionate intensity and interest (Knight of Swords).

Grow each day that you follow this path. With each day you practice this new form of patience, restraint, and measured approach, you build up the ability to instill these traits into your daily life with more skill and less effort (Strength).

DECK USED:  KARMA TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: Do I believe I am creative? Why or Why not?

The Fifth TarotReading Summary: Yes (One of Shells). This is evident because I struggle with keeping a balance (Seven of Feathers Rx) between my responsibilities (Nine of Feathers) and the passion of my inner spark that drives me to go after and take part in (more like get carried away by) the things that inspire my creativity (Initiate of Fire). I often feel that my responsibilities (Nine of Feathers) are stealing away from (Seven of Feathers) my creative time (Initiate of Fire), and vice versa.

Take Away:  If I was not creative, there would be no struggle between my responsibilities and my passionate pursuit of those things that strike my interest.  It is in my nature to be both earthbound and realistic (Taurus Sun) as well as creativity driven (Scorpio Moon).  This conflict between the two is evidence of both sides of the coin and the constant need to find balance between them… thus evidence of my creativity.

DECK USED:  THE FIFTH TAROT

Gideon’s Challenge

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IMG_5849Je ne sais quoi

It happens sometimes
that moment of concern
as we prep to play
and I look at
the character chosen
and think
“Can I fill these shoes?”
“Have I lost the voice?”
And then we start
and everything slips
into place
and I can breathe a sigh
of relief.

Some of our characters I enjoy so much that when we take a break from them and then go to play them again, I find myself worrying that I won’t be able to slide back into their skin and play them again.  That I’ll have lost their voice… their  essence.  That thing that makes them unique. I’m so relieved to have found that special spark again today and realized that it was not lost for the chars we are playing.

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

Weekly Creativity Prompt – Happy Endings

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Draw up to three cards from your deck and use them to tell a (real or fictional) story with a happy ending.

Tarocchi dei Celti

La Torre – There was once an old man who was always too worried about what others thought about him and it caused him a lot of struggle and inner strife. He always felt like everyone’s eyes were upon him, and throughout his life he struggled with going after any of the things that interested him, which stunted his growth and left him stalled and standing still throughout his life rather than enjoying each and every day.

La Sacerdotessa – One day, a new family moved in next door to the old man. Their daughter was very friendly and he met this young girl, who found joy and mystery in everything.  She encouraged him with her smile and assured him in her young but wise ways that even old dogs can learn new tricks. She brought him a gift every day.  Each day she brought him a little plastic Easter egg with a small wonder inside just for him.  Sometimes he opened them right away, other times he set them on his mantel and savored the anticipation.   In the end, she encouraged him to open himself up to new experiences.

Il Giudizio – Thanks to this lovely little girl, the old man’s life changed forever.  The small joys she shared with him fostered within him the confidence and curiosity to seek out and explore new experiences in other ways and finally go after some of the things he has always wanted to do but avoided due to the judgements of others.  Instead, he learned to judge his actions through his own eyes instead of the eyes of others, and his burdens lightened with each day that followed.

DECK USED:  TAROCCHI DEI CELTI