Eager Awakening
Fresh and tender
little bits
unfurl to greet
spring’s warmth,
stretching
delicate furls
and ruffled tufts
to seek out
sunlight’s kiss
And so the
season of abundance
begins
Month: April 2021
Weekly Creativity Prompt – The Fool
Prompt: “Pull the card from your deck that matches [The Fool from Tarot of the Hidden Realm]. Compare the imagery between the card provided and the card from your own deck(s). How would you read them differently and why?”
Tarot of the Hidden Realm – The Fool in the Tarot of the Hidden Realm is filled with joy and light that casts a bright golden glow over everything. The Fae here speaks with a butterfly and the mind can easily imagine him dancing off into the green to follow the butterfly’s flight with laughter on his lips. The image is filled with carefree joy and a sort of gentle lightheartedness fostered by the flower he holds. The message here is “Ignorance is Bliss” and the joy that comes from being able to let yourself be consumed by heart filled and innocent pleasures.
DNAXCAT Tarot – Vibrant splashes of color make this card loud in the funnest sense of the word, like a child taken to the playground and set free to have their fun races from the car to their friends and playground games with eager abandon. Here in this card’s imagery, especially in the colors used, it is all about joyful abandon. Here we see the classic cliff represented which also gives a word of caution in the card’s meaning, as it is easy to get so carried away with that joyful abandon that we forget to look out for the dangers that may surround us.
Kitchen Tarot – The Colander was a bit of a confusing one as the fool when you first come upon it until you see the words around the colander’s rim. “The colander lets everything wash over it, and remains the same. This is the innocent one, who helps us all to purify.” Sometimes it is the innocent that remains stubbornly filled with faith that can refresh us all when we encounter them. We see the potential of a world through their eyes, and with that potential realized, we are cleansed of negativity and given a brighter perspective.
Botanical Grace Tarot – Here we have an illustration of Codonopsis pilosula (Dang Shen), which is often used to treat ailments associated with weakness, fatigue, poor appetite, and anemia. In this way, this herb connects to the energy of the Fool through embodiment. it is the light shining forward to uplift and revitalize, and the colorful splash of hues in the background help reinforce the presence of this clean and vibrant energy.
DECK USED: DNAXCAT TAROT, KITCHEN TAROT, BOTANICAL GRACE TAROT, TAROT OF THE HIDDEN REALMS
Endings Sometimes Hurt
Today’s meditation was skipped because I couldn’t convince anyone (even the cat) to leave me alone. Every time I tried to get a few minutes of peace, someone was popping in to ask a question, lick my ears, or complain about something. I finally just gave up and said fuck it.
Today’s draw is the Ten of Swords, which is traditionally a representation of painful endings, coming to the end of a painful or uncomfortable journey, and taking a pause to acknowledge that you’ve lost and then pick yourself up and try again.
It’s the latter that I see represented here in this particular imagery, with the person that lies beneath the pinning tips of the sword also represented walking away from that experience. It is a reminder that bad shit happens, but the strong carry on from it and continue moving forward.
Combined with the Thera-Pets card for today, the message that I see here in today’s cards is that sometimes endings hurt. Sometimes? They really hurt. But there’s a light at the end of the tunnel of all that pain if you just hold on and keep your focus trained ahead. Take a breath, learn what you can from the experience, and carry the knowledge forward as you keep going and move beyond the ending and the pain.
DECK USED: MY GARDEN DECK AND THERA-PETS EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL CARDS
The #httSelfImprovementTarotChallenge Prompt
Question: What lights my soul on fire?
Reading Summary: Creating opportunities (Two of Seeds) for others to grow and manifest what is right for them in their lives (Eight of Cups). In this endeavor there is an element of nurturing energy that I put towards these things as I give gentle nudges to help people to grow and make the choices that are best for them (Listener of Seeds).
Take Away: I was actually surprised to see this come up as the answer to this question. There are a few different things I thought might come up, but this wasn’t at the top of the list. Not that I don’t take a great deal of joy in helping others in this manner, as I absolutely do and it’s a part of the reason that I do tarot readings for others. It brings me a great deal of joy to help people find the path that’s right for them.
DECK USED: FUTURE ANCESTOR TAROT
#DiscordTarotolicsApr2021 Challenge Prompt
Question: Where in your life do you need to direct more gratitude?
Reading Summary: It’s the ones around you that you hold dear (Two of Cups) that help create the security and stability of your home life (Ten of Coins) and encourage you foster connections with not just them but the world around you as well (The Star).
Take Away: I need to remember and acknowledge more often that I am not an island unto myself. The people in my life are my support system, my encouragement, my cheerleaders, and often my inspiration.
I often take these people for granted. Perhaps we all do from time to time. Hopefully not so much that they feel neglected, but I’m sure that they could absolutely benefit from me directing a bit more gratitude their way.
DECK USED: MY GARDEN DECK
Honestly, after I passed out at the grocery store, I wasn’t feeling completely up to RP. I’m glad that I did it anyway though, as it helped me find my center again and get comfortable in my own skin after the glucagon shot.
Gideon’s Challenge
Perspective
Sweeping skies
make miniature toys
out of
towering mountains
as snowtops pierce
the soft haze
of clouds
barely there
as they measure
the vast expanse
like heaven’s ruler
Photo © ZenStatePhotography
Morning Bonus Read – Monthly Key Spread
Key to Your Heart: What will Guide you to make decisions that are aligned with your heart and your truths this month?
The House – When making decisions this week, make sure to keep in mind the safety, security, and above all else, stability, of home and how those decisions you make may affect and influence that stability.
Anchor: What will ground you in the face of anxiety, stress, overwhelm, and existential dread in general?
The Heart – Reach out to those closest to you for support when feelings of anxiety and stress come upon you. They are there to give you that support, to love you and help you when you need it. It is something they want to do, so reach out to them and let them.
Star Wand: What accelerates your magic, creativity, and manifestation powers?
The Fox – A quick and clever mind will help accelerate your inner spark and those things that grow from it. Your magic, creativity, and skills at manifestation are all a part of that spark, and that spark feeds off of your clever mind full of ideas, strategy, and cunning.
Blessings from the Stars: The Universe has got your back – how will you be supported this month?
The Key – Opportunities abound if you’re paying attention. This month the universe will be throwing opportunities at you that all have the potential to lead to success. They key is paying attention and grabbing hold when they manifest in front of you.
One Trick Up Your Sleeve: A life saving idea or inspiration for any unexpected challenge or difficult moments?
The Cavalier – You have the energy and enthusiasm to get things done and when things challenge you or stand in your way you’re more than capable of powering through to get things started. Don’t allow unexpected challenges or moments of difficulty to stand in your way.
Emergence Pt 1: What is emerging within you / within your reality right now?
The Clouds – Watch out for self doubt encroaching in and confusion. Sometimes, the ground shifts under your feet unexpectedly and you’re left trying to catch your balance. Keep in mind that if you follow your intuition and inner compass, even those moments in the fog of uncertainty will pass without any real damage done.
Emergence Pt 2: What are you expanding towards?
The Garden – The last factor of life to fall back into balance after the MDE is your social life. This month you begin to expand in that direction, and in doing so, complete the healing journey out of the dark pit of your depression.
DECK USED: LITTLE SOUL’S PARTY LENORMAND
(Wo)Man Behind The Curtain
Today’s meditation was just under ten minutes long and was another of the guided “Daily Calm” meditations on the Calm app, which was combined with an interval timer for my piriformis stretches.
The focus of today’s meditation was about finding peace within the chaos of life through the mindfulness techniques learned during meditation. I think that this is a valuable lesson, that you can find inner peace in the middle of chaos. But I also think that there is also a need for actual external peace through quiet and solitude. Both are important and necessary for inner balance.
Today’s draw is the High Priestess card, which is traditionally a representation of secret knowledge and esoteric wisdom. It’s about intuition and the subconscious, and being aware of the secrets both within oneself and the world at large, and using that knowledge in a way that helps others.
In the theme of baseball (which is the theme of this deck) this role is filled by the girlfriend/wife. She knows the secrets of her husband or boyfriend. She shares her insights, watches and supports, and that secret self and secret life she shares with him is something only she and he share with each other.
This speaks of those things in life that are not for public consumption, and when combined with the Thera-Pets card for today, the message that I see here is is a reminder that even if you’re not out on the front lines and in front of all the eyes, you’re still important. Not everyone wants or needs to be in the limelight. Sometimes? Being the support in the background is the most important job of all. So don’t sell yourself short just because you’re not in the spotlight.
DECK USED: TAROT OF BASEBALL AND THERA-PETS EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL CARDS
The Sacred Grounds Tarot Club Prompt
Question: Where does my sense of play need nurturing?
Reading Summary: Make sure that you’re not being too harsh of a taskmaster (King of Swords). Pushing yourself to always strive for more and better (Eight of Pentacles) is not showing yourself kindness or nurturing that inner child (Queen of Pentacles Rx).
Take Away: Fostering my inner child is important, and allowing the harsh slave-driver that is always seeking perfection is –not– nurturing to my inner child or my sense of fun and play. The message here is that if you don’t give your inner child room to slowly creep its way out of the shadows into the light… if you lean too hard into responsibility and innovation… then that inner child will continue to hide away in the dark.
DECK USED: FRIENDS TAROT
#DiscordTarotolicsApr2021 Challenge Prompt
Question: What is the most important lesson you need to learn this spring?
Reading Summary: Sometimes when you stall too long to find direction (The Hanged Man) in the middle of chaos (The Tower), it leads to uncertainty and indecision (The Moon atop Seven of Caps).
Take Away: There is a difference between stepping back to get some perspective, and stalling your way into indecision. One is a productive way of sussing out the best path forward, and the other is harmful and diversionary.
The cards here indicate that the most important lesson I will need to learn this month is about how to tell the difference, and make sure that my searching for perspectives doesn’t end up going on so long that I end up worse off than if I’d acted without pausing at all.
DECK USED: TAROT OF BASEBALL
I’ve struggled a bit today with being kind to myself about taking time off. I ended up spending most of the day playing with Gideon again, which was wonderful. I also put off working on blog posts and catching up because it felt a bit overwhelming.
Twisting the Leaf 