Rainforest Sentinels
Touch with care
or not
at all
for cedar slivers
sting
like bee stingers
when piercing flesh
leaving behind
red marks
angry welts
when a rough
graze
knocks bark free
from thick trunks.
Month: January 2021
Self Care Saturday (On a Sunday)
These Saturday readings are (not usually) bearing in on any one thing or event in my life, as the question used is asking for a more general outlook. This is a self care exercise, and is not meant as a predictive reading… although that, too, happens on occasion.
The question is… What do I need to focus for self-care through the week ahead?
Earth – Seven of Cups and Ruby Throated Hummingbird – The meaning of the Ruby Throated Hummingbird is to take only what you need, and here with it we see a card that is filled with options and opportunities… but you have to choose. The message here is that it’s not a time for gluttony and piling on more than you can handle. Take things slow this week and do what you need to do. Make wise choices about how you spend your time and in taking care of yourself.
Air – Death atop Three of Cups, Great Horned Owl – “Every day there are opportunities to learn something new,” is the message conveyed by the Great Horned Owl. Death rides atop merriment with others and reminds us that nothing lasts forever and you need to cherish what you can while you can. Use this time with those you care about to learn what you can from them, for they won’t be around forever to share their knowledge, wisdom, and joys with you.
Water – The Empress and Sulfur Crested Cockatoo – The Sulfur Crested Cockatoo’s message is that it’s time to reassess relationships and figure out which are working for you and which it is time to let go of. The presence of the Empress narrows this theme down, indicating that you need to hold onto those that nurture and support you, and let go of those that are no longer taking any effort to do this on their part, and thus you need to let go of putting my own energy into them in turn. Not all relationships (friendships, work relationships, etc) are meant to last a lifetime.
Fire – Judgement atop Three of Wands, Ferruginous Pygmy Owl – The message that the Ferruginous Pygmy Owl conveys is about not becoming distracted by “shiny things” and examining what it is that is distracting you from what you’re meant to be doing. Judgement speaks of this same examination on a grand scale of one’s moral compass and how you feel about how you are living your life, and the Three of Wands speaks of direction. Take some time this week to do these examinations and make sure you are still on your true path and not being pulled off course.
Waning – Attention to Detail – Step back and let go. Don’t worry about all the little details that need to be done. This week, just carry on and let the small shit take care of itself while you focus on the bigger picture and work at getting your ducks in a row.
Waxing – Humility – You don’t know everything and you need to make sure that you are accepting your mistakes with grace, and taking the actions needed to repair the damage and return things to status quo once more. Everyone makes mistakes, and sometimes these mistakes are needed learning experiences. With true humility, balance can once again be achieved.
Take Away – There is a lot of mention in this week’s reading about taking time to examine friendships and relationships, options and opportunities, and your trajectory of your life path as a whole and ensure that all of these things are on the right track. If course corrections are needed, be humble and accept that you’ve been drawn off course. Through that humility you will be able to then course correct back to your intended path without allowing negative self talk and self-recriminations to drag you down.
DECKS USED: PAMELA COLEMAN SMITH’S RWS TAROT, BIRDS ORACLE 1 & 2, VISIONARY I-CHING CARDS
Dawn’s Light
Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and was another of the guided meditations from the Calm app with added interval timer for my piriformis stretching.
The topic of today’s guided meditation was about encouraging one’s imagination instead of squashing it under the weight of realism and responsibility. Sometimes even unrealistic dreams come true, and it’s important not to crush the hope that lives within your heart by quashing your dreams before they have a chance to grow into fruition.
Today’s draw is the Ace of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of the seeds of new beginnings in the area of one’s emotions, relationships, creativity, and intuition.
What really stands out to me in this card today is the glow. I know that it looks like it’s coming out of the cup, but it’s really coming from behind the cup, as evidenced by the fact that the interior of the cup is dark.
The message here is about the shadows cast by the dawn. Sometimes when we’re in the dark, which is often the case when we’re experiencing something new and different, we long for the dawn and the light that will make everything more familiar again. But there are always going to be shadows on any experience, because there is no positive without negative and no light without darkness.
The message here in today’s card is to not allow the dark moments to taint the dawn light. Bask in the glow and take a breath, and leave the darkness alone for another time. Spend some time focusing on the good and enjoying the now. It’s okay to let go of the shadows for a bit. They’ll still be there for you later on.
DECK USED: BONESTONE & EARTHFLESH TAROT
LionHart’s Elements Tarot Challenge Prompt
Question: What can I do to start my 2021 positively?
Reading Summary: You need to start off on your journey with a plan (Two of Wands) to begin as you intend to continue (Justice).
The Five of Wands in this reading isn’t about the question at all, but rather it is an objection to me trying to get out a third card when the deck didn’t want to give me one. Sort of a “fuck you” to my insistence on having a third card.
Take Away: The cards here are a reminder not to procrastinate on the way I want to do things. If I want to focus on self care this year, I need to start off this year focusing on self care. If I want to focus on balance this year, I need to start off focusing on balance. If my focus for this year is to be furthering my emotional intelligence and fostering my emotional growth, then I need to begin as I want things to continue.
To start my 2021 on a positive note, I need to begin as I wish things to continue. In this manner, I can pick up and maintain momentum on my intentions from the start instead of wasting time on procrastination and avoidance.
DECK USED: TAROT OF THE DIVINE
#DiscordTarotolicJan2021 Challenge Prompt
Question: What could you use less of in your life?
Five of Pentacles atop Four of Cups – Procrastination being egged on by issues with scarcity. It isn’t so much that scarcity creates the breeding ground for procrastination to grow and thrive so much as… fear does. And scarcity issues are fertile ground for fear to grow within. And once fear has taken root and starts to take over like an invasive species of weed allowed to get out of control, it binds you up and drags you down until progress to getting things done and moving on to better horizons becomes no more than a crawl at best.
Ace of Wands – Clutter and feeling crowded (imagery in the card) due to having so many potential projects going on at once. New projects put off until there’s a bit more time build up over time, and that includes the ones that you’ve bought the supplies for and maybe even started before needing to set aside for one reason or another. All that clutter is feeling mighty crowded these days and now is a good time to begin looking at ways to re-organize and clean out what isn’t working for you anymore.
Three of Wands – The drive that pushes you forward with such stringent enthusiasm, even when it’s not entirely healthy to push at that time. This also ties into the Ace of Wands and all those projects partially done or not yet started. Leave behind the urge to keep piling more and more on your plate. It doesn’t create progress or get you anywhere, it just slows you down.
DECK USED: GUARDIAN OF THE NIGHT TAROT
Gideon’s Challenge
The Drowning
Frothed like
whipped topping
stray bits
of sensation
lick
at the air
as the swirl
of clouds
float overhead
seen
beneath a
rippling surface
as I drown.
Photo © ZenStatePhotography
Morning Bonus Read – Cheers to the New Year
Bubbly: Something to celebrate as the year begins.
King of Diamonds
You’ve done a damned good job at riding through the holiday rush and making it your bitch. You have earned what you needed to create the stability you so greatly desire. Things are flush and good right now, and that’s not something to take for granted, but rather something to acknowledge and celebrate.
Countdown: Something to look forward to this year.
Nine of Clubs
You’ll be given the opportunity to close out a lot of passion projects this year and show just how much you’ve learned and how well you can do at keeping your business moving at an even flow. Just make sure you don’t exhaust yourself in the process.
Sparkle: Talents you can bring forward.
Five of Clubs atop Two of Hearts
You need to spend some time focusing on helping others overcome their conflicts and miscommunications so that they can find common ground. You have the ability to assist others in this, and it’s a skill that shouldn’t be taken for granted.
Drop the Ball: Quit doing this this year.
Four of Hearts
Procrastination is not your friend. If you want to make the most out of the year, wallowing in hesitations and procrastination is not the way to do it. You spent a lot of time in that fog last year at this time of the year, and there’s no need for a repeat performance this time around.
New: Fresh energy available to you.
Three of Hearts
You are far more open to the support of others, emotionally and otherwise, than you ever have been in the past. As you learn about your own emotions and allow yourself to take better care of yourself, this energy of love and support from others will flow even more easily between you and your loved ones.
Midnight Kiss: How to deepen love for yourself and others.
Ace of Diamonds
Communicate freely and honestly with yourself and others. The ability to communicate clearly provides you a direct connection to the trust they have for you, and that trust that you have in yourself. Communication is the key.
DECK USED: CONTAGION PLAYING CARDS
Connection Is Important
Today’s meditation took place after a soak in the tub and was just over eleven minutes long. It was another of the guided meditations from the Calm app with added interval timer for my piriformis and forearm stretches.
The topic of today’s guided meditation was about how unanticipated plot twists in our life can change our planned trajectory. When reading the cards, you find this a lot if you do predictive readings. Shit happens and things change. When you read for someone, you are reading the trajectory they are on in that moment. But if something comes along to bump against them and change their trajectory, it can often change the outcome as well.
The meditation today was a reminder that we don’t want to stick so strongly and so stubbornly to our goals that we miss the opportunity for something different or better that might come along and change our course.
Today’s draw is the Ten of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of emotional satisfaction, utopia, or completion of an emotional journey.
What really stands out to me today in this card is the rainbow. I really think this deck is breathtaking, and the way that they depict the rainbow here being so very faint and yet glowing brightly is almost ethereal to my senses. It really sinks home to me the meaning of completion and well-being that this card is mean to convey.
The message here in this card is that it’s time to focus on my own emotional well-being and make sure that I get some time in with Gideon today. Yes, I’m tired. Yes, there’s still a few things left to do. Yes, I’m feeling just a bit overwhelmed still. But, a part of finding that “all is right in the world” place is in spending time with him and allowing him to soothe my senses and ease the tightness in my soul.
DECK USED: HEAVEN & EARTH TAROT
#DiscordTarotolicJan2021 Challenge Prompt
Question: What could you use more of in your life?
Reading Summary: Slow down (The Chariot) and allow your heart’s desires (Heart of Elements)to have more say (in your perspectives (The Hanged Man) in every uncertain step forward that you take (The Wheel).
Take Away: Sometimes when you’re moving along your path in life, it can be hard to know exactly what the next step is going to bring with it. In these moments, you need to make sure that you slow down and give those things you enjoy and bring passion into your life more sway in your decision making process.
Life doesn’t always have to be about logic and responsibility. Sometimes it can also be about passion and following where the heart leads you.
DECK USED: ATOMIC TAROT
Purefield.Healing’s Taking My Power Back Challenge Prompt
Question: How do I define “power”?
Reading Summary: The ability to pause and see beyond the surface of a person or situation (The Hanged Man) in order to make the best decisions possible (The Lovers) for myself and those I collaborate with (Three of Pentacles).
Take Away: True power is being able to see beyond yourself and your own personal views and perspectives. The ability to take in other’s viewpoints and perspectives, to see things from their side of the table or take a moment to walk in their shoes to better understand where they’re coming from. Being able to do this, and then use that information to make good choices along that path you walk with those walking the path with you is a form of true power.
Twisting the Leaf 