Balcony Prayers
Fuzzy
furry
little leaves
bow to the chill
yet still
are green
Last harvest done
all that remains
enough to return
in spring
once again.
Time to protect
and hope.
Month: December 2020
Morning Bonus Read – A New Month
The prompt for this reading came from one of my Discord servers and is as follows:
“This month I want us to focus on our goals. I thought this would be a great tarot spread for the rest of this month :)”
You at the beginning of this month.
Ace of Serpents atop Eight of Cups
At the beginning of this month you were preparing for the holiday rush and all of the bounty that I was hoping would drop into my lap with extra orders rolling in. Because of the pandemic, I was uncertain (water in the Ace of Serpents) that I would manage to draw in the orders and income that needs to come in at this time of year to make sure that the rest of the year runs smoothly. At the beginning of the month I had become to realize that abundance is smiling upon me and diving headlong into the alternate reality that the holiday rush holds me within for six weeks or so out of each year.
Three defining events of this month.
Ten of Wands – Overwhelm and potential burn out. This is the result of that six month race of too many orders and too little time. It is inevitable, but can be mitigated a bit to ease its effects by trying to fit in some self care.
Judgement Rx – Am I doing well enough? Is it going to be enough? Am I going to be enough? Am I doing enough? This time of year is filled with these worries and doubts. There is no way to tell while in the middle of the fray, but these worries drive me forward to work harder and harder, push more and more.
Two of Serpents Rx – There is no balance. None. It’s something that is struggled with even when things are quiet and smoothly running. But now is not a time of quiet and smooth, but chaotic and overwhelming. There is no balance, just as there is no balance every year for these six weeks. All you can do is do your best to keep moving forward, and eventually restore that balance once the rush is over.
Three defining characteristics of this month.
Six of Swords – A constant focus on the fact that this won’t last forever. A constant focus on moving forward and riding the wave. A consistently repeated reminder over and over again that this stress and strain and overwhelm is not forever… just for this moment, and that it will soon be over.
The Wheel – There is a lot of uncertainty that comes with the month of December, and a lot of ups and downs because of that uncertainty. In this case, though… things are looking good and the upswing is a beautiful thing. Needed. Sooner or later what comes up must always come down tho, so watch out for the downswing that will eventually show up. Probably next month.
Ace of Wands – The holiday rush is very literally the “seed” of my passion and drive. The business is my drive, my intent, my focus, my goal, and the white hot spark of my ambition. The holiday rush funds necessary aspects of this endeavor, giving my goals and drive the funds needed to continue forward into the next year.
You at the end of this month.
Ten of Cups
Contentment and relief at having made it to the end. Pleasure and a breath of fresh air for my emotions now that I can bring them back to the surface once again. A chance to enjoy the good stuff in life again, including all those things that make me happy and connect again with Gideon and my loved ones. And a bit of an opportunity for some rest (the cup tipped on its side).
DECK USED: TAROT OF LIGHT AND SHADOW (LIGHT CARDS ONLY)
Get Moving
Today’s meditation was just under ten minutes long and was a guided meditation with interval timer for my piriformis stretching.
The topic of the guided part of the meditation was about the benefits of meditating, especially when life has become chaotic and hectic. How using meditation during these times can help in establishing a quiet calm within the chaos that swirls around you.
This is the reason I am trying especially hard during this month to make sure that I do not skip my meditations. I might have to skip a good number of my self care practices during this month… but not that one. Not when the world is in chaos due do the holiday rush. It’s during this time of year that I need my meditation the most.
Today’s draw is the Eight of Wands, which is traditionally a representation of fast paced, action oriented energy. It can also represent alignment and fast moving changes.
I honestly don’t have anything that stood out to me in this card today, and the reason for this is that when the card hit the table, I immediately heard words in my mind. This type of response to the card happens now and then, and is like a whisper in the ear that is coming from the area of my ear but behind the eardrum instead of from an external source.
What this card said today is “move your ass”. This was very appropriate considering that I had far more to get done today than I had hours in the day, and even while rushing full speed from hour to hour, I didn’t manage to get everything done until after 4:30am.
DECK USED: NEO TAROT SHADOW EDITION
#DiscordTarotolicsDec2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: Where should I direct my focus this week to be more understanding?
Reading Summary: Avoid focusing on your disappointments (Three of Clubs Rx) and instead lean into (Eight of Hearts) how you are feeling about (Jack of Hearts) the surprise attack of fortune (Jack of Diamonds Rx). Note how the Jack of Hearts and the Jack of Diamonds are facing each other, playing off of each other.
Take Away: I was not expecting the holiday rush to be quite so hectic this year. With the pandemic and all of the struggles associated with it (economic, etc), I figured it would be slow. I made a few adjustments in how I was advertising due to that and, as a result, have been remarkably blessed with a massively busy holiday rush as a result. I really need the money and I’m very grateful for every single sale… but it means I am pushing myself extremely hard at the moment. Part of that process is ignoring my own weaknesses and circumventing others, and treating myself with a great lack of understanding, as well as closing off and not being quite as tolerant of irritations as a result.
In order for me to foster understanding for both myself and others, I need to make sure that I’m practicing gratitude in my thoughts and inner dialogue. Instead of allowing myself to deal on how my hands and forearm hurt, how I’m not getting enough sleep, how the stress and rush has my anxiety riding high in my chest (and causing acid reflux whenever I lie down), etc… I need to make sure I’m focusing on the positive aspects and the good that all of this is going to do for me and allow these things to be uplifting.
DECK USED: KEYMASTER TAROT
Gideon’s Challenge
Musings of a Giant
Lie down
and settle in
on damp moss
and pine needles
and take
a moment
to breathe
and sink into
the smallest
details
and most delicate
hints of
a different world
just beyond
your grasp.
Photo © ZenStatePhotography
Don’t Close Off
Today’s meditation was just under ten minutes long and was a guided meditation about mindfulness and how it isn’t some metaphysical magic or weird fad, but rather is about learning how to be in the moment rather than constantly distracted by plans for the future or inner thoughts and dialog that steal away your attention.
With life moving so fast and so much going on in the world, it isn’t surprising that it would be challenging for people to focus on the here and now. There always seems to be something to drag our attention in a million different directions. Meditation is a way of fostering mindfulness and that single minded focus. That focus developed through meditation can then be carried forward into everyday life and applied to one’s interests, goals, and endeavors to take you deeper into the things you enjoy.
Today’s draw is the Page of Pentacles, which is traditionally a representation of a receptive omega energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s finances, home life, health, resources, and manifestations.
What stands out to me the strongest in the imagery of this card today is that the figure is barefoot, and there’s a deer in the background. The bare feet signify to me both a sense of vulnerability as well as a sense of grounding and a connection to the earth. The deer in the background reinforces that sense of vulnerability I sense from the bare feet of the figure. There is also a sense of regal quiet about the deer that blends into the omega energy that the page represents.
The message I see in this card today is about being receptive to what the earth has to offer and teach. Right now in my life I am so wrapped up in the holiday rush and my work that I barely have time for much of anything else. Eating is done while I work. Showering is rushed. Sleep is short. Every hour of my day is spent working to keep up on orders. In order to keep from being overwhelmed by the desire to do other things or become distracted, I close myself off from the world around me in many ways.
The reminder here is to not close myself off. I am strong enough and grounded enough to weather the storm while remaining open and receptive.
DECK USED: TAROT OF THE HOLY SPECTRUM
#DiscordTarotolicsDec2020 Challenge Prompt
Topic: Do Spread #2
Question: Will I want to move if they build an apartment building behind my condo as I heard they are planning to do? (Prompted by the fact that the people that lived there moved out this weekend, and there’s a construction trailer in the yard next door.)
The edges of the aura in the Ten of Cups display a shade of color that matches the hot pink and magenta shades in the Nine of Coins. This connects the two cards together that indicates that they are saying that I will continue to feel contented here in my place and grateful for what I have, even if the apartment building goes up behind my place.
That said, the Page of Cups with it’s arc of empty circles echoes the arc of coins behind the figure in the Nine of Coins. This correlation says that it will take a bit of adjustment to settle into those feelings of comfort and gratitude. It will be a… learning experience. Although, not in a negative way that many of life’s “learning experiences” can be.
DECK USED: INKROMANCY TAROT
Gideon’s Challenge
The Shift
Autumn slips
to winter cold
and drains away
vibrant hues
to muted colors
and soft
gray shades
Chill and wet
break down
summer’s bounty
as the last
of the leaves
tumble
to the ground.
Twisting the Leaf 