Deceptive Beauty
Rough and rocky
the water’s cold
gray mixed and choppy
it will numb the toes
yet with such a view
it’s hard to take care
it seems so harmless
when you’re there
I want to dive in
and explore beneath
then slip into the forest
and get lost
among moss and trees
My Third Eye Energy Right Now
King of Cups – If you want full use of your intuition, you need to allow your emotions free reign. They are connected and you know this. Own your emotions and don’t spend time trying to deny them. Get comfortable in their presence instead of shirking away. This card is not so much about where you are now, but about what you need now in this area.
Tension I’m currently holding in this area.
Knight of Coins – You are looking at everything as work and progress. It’s holding you back from experiencing things fully in the moment when you constantly look at everything as another step forward.
How I can release this tension.
Knight of Cups – Spend more time in the now. Enjoy the moment instead of constantly planning and plotting your way forward again and again. More time stopping to smell the roses will connect you more closely to what brings you pleasure and that, in turn, will make your connection to your emotions and intuition stronger.
A message from my intuition.
The Chariot – Stop fucking around. Plotting and planning, scheming and strategizing. You’re doing everything except moving forward because all this extraneous shit is holding you up and holding you back. Snap the reigns and start moving into your growth instead of hedging at it.
Something my dreams are trying to tell me.
Page of Cups – Again, don’t forget that your emotions and your intuition are intimately connected. This reading is filled with Cups for a reason. As you learn and grow in your emotional growth, so too will your intuition grow.
Something about my psychic abilities I should explore.
Nine of Cups – Don’t worry about it right now. As noted above, as you learn and grow through your emotional growth, so too will your intuition grow. This is a natural evolution. You’ve spent a long time developing your intuition and your trust in it. Allow it to strengthen and appreciate what it adds to your life. Gratitude… not grasping.
Today’s meditation was skipped because people are rude as fuck. ‘Nuff said.
Today’s draw is the Nine of Swords, which is traditionally a representation of worries, anxieties, insomnia, and nightmares. It indicates the issues that come from the mind’s nagging negative tendencies.
One of my biggest and most significant personal struggles in my life is the “not enough” theme of inner narrative. Directed only at myself and my own performance, this narrative tells me that anything I ever do could have been better if I’d just invested more into it. In that vein, nothing I do is ever enough, and thus I am never enough.
This is my own personal inner demon. Perhaps others can relate. When I see today’s card combined with the Thera-Pets card for today, I see a reminder that that inner narrative, that demon that haunts me, is a lie. Not everything has to be perfect. What matters is you’re trying and the effort and intent put in, not how “perfect” or “imperfect” the end result might be.
Raven Willow Tarot’s Emotional Exploration Prompt
Question: How can I better cope with worry?
Reading Summary: Use logic to stand strong (King of Swords) and fight back against the invasion (Seven of Wands). Don’t allow it to become a self-fulfilling prophecy (Ten of Swords).
Take Away: Worry and anxiety are often illogical in nature. They creep in and whisper all these different things in our mind that could go wrong or could happen. But none of these things are based in reality, and none of them are set in stone. The future is fluid and even those able to predict the future can’t do so with 100% accuracy, as every little thing in life transforms and changes the trajectory of our path and that of other’s paths as well. That means the unexpected can and will happen… and that predicted future will adjust and change as a result.
The thing is, though? If you continue to constantly worry about something, it’s much like when you stare at something while driving. As you stare at that something, you unconsciously steer towards it. This is why so many learning drivers end up in ditches or bumping against cement barriers and curbs. They’re so focused on not hitting the thing… that they hit the thing. This too happens with worry and anxiety. We become so focused upon whatever we’re worried about that we bring it into existence through our focus.
Therefore the answer is that to better cope with worry, remind yourself of these things. Remind yourself of what that focus can do, and how illogical it is what you’re worrying about really is.
#DiscordTarotolicsMay2021 Challenge Prompt
Philosophical Question: What is happiness?
Knight of Wands: Happiness is not a set and stagnant thing. Instead it is different for everyone. For some it is having something to work and strive for that sparks their inner passion and drive.
The Fool: For others, it is abandon and freedom that at times backfires, but always creates a sense of adventure to any situation.
Four of Swords atop Five of Swords: For still others it’s about peace and balance, and knowing when to stand your ground, and when it’s better to yield the field to others.
Take Away: The common denominator between all three of these themes is one of positive energy. Positive energy creates happiness, no matter which scenario it is applied to or what preferences individuals have towards what their own personal happiness entails. Happiness is positive energy.
I took the time to use my ice pack today in conjunction with an ibuprofen to help ease the raging anger and inflammation in my back.
The Secret Squishy
Prickly edges
jut out
in angular patterns
with insides jagged
and not inviting
yet you reach anyway
and discover
what appears sharp
is soft as rose petals
and feathered down
while soul’s arid ache
waits
for the kiss of dew drops
Prompt: “Pull the card from your deck that matches [The Chariot 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 – Here we see controlled abandon in the card. In the expression on the Fae’s features is joyous celebration of that abandon, but also a thread of confidence that displays even as she enjoys the ride, she is the one in charge of not just the speed at which they move but the direction that they go in. This sense of control is reinforced by the bridle that the unicorn wears. The imagery here tells us that control doesn’t always have to be joyless and stoic. Sometimes it’s in savoring the ride as we ride the chaos… instead of the chaos riding us.
Icarus Tarot – Here in this card we have stagnancy in the sphinx that are attached to the chariot, and yet, there is absolutely no doubt that this figure is going to get where they’re going. Fierce determination is in every cut and contour of the driver’s visage, control clear in the cut of the hands and curl of the fingers. This card displays savage determination and a will to come out on top, no matter the obstacles in their path.
Hydesville Tarot – Here we have the most “classic” of the images between the cards displayed with the military leader in full regalia, spear at the ready and in full control of the two horses (Pegasus in this case) that pull his chariot forward. No reigns needed, for his control is complete and undeniable. The symmetry and balance present create a solid sense of stability. The expression on the driver’s face is one of studious determination. They know where they’re going, have a plan, and they clearly have everything well in hand.
She-Ra And The Princesses of Power Tarot – Here in this card we have a lesson in extremes. This card’s imagery is about losing control or taking on too much control. When you lose control, others may step in and take the reigns, but are you sure that they can be trusted? On the flip side, too much control leaves you like the figure in the background. Alone and ignored, forgotten or feared. This Chariot card is about finding balance between too much control… and not enough.
Today’s meditation was just over thirteen minutes long and was one of the guided meditations from the Calm app with an interval timer added in for my piriformis stretches and forearm flexor stretches. This often works really well for me as it allows me to listen to the guided meditation, then extend the length a bit afterward to continue until the stretching is finished.
The focus of today’s meditation was about emotional reclamation. That is to say about not rejecting your emotions or feeling ashamed about them, but accepting them as they come and learning how to understand them and process them in a healthy way. I really liked the Mr Rogers quote included in this meditation, which you can see in the graphic on the right. It really speaks to me of how I’ve viewed and dealt with my emotions in the past, and the path forward to finding a better way in the present and the future.
Today’s draw is the Queen of Cups, which is a representation of a receptive alpha energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s emotions, relationships, creativity, and intuition. This often translates into themes that have to do with emotional support and those in your life that are good listeners or are there for you on an emotional level.
Here we see Isabel Snail studying the book “Compassion 101” while chilling at the seashore with a cocktail. To me the imagery here is a perfect representation of what this card is all about, for it is through the self assured Queen of Cups in our lives that are comfortable with their own emotions that we learn how to understand and process ours. These people are kind and compassionate, and willing to help support you and teach you through their own experiences how to navigate the watery uncertainty of an emotional landscape.
When combined with the Thera-Pets card for today, what I see here is a message about making sure we’re not rejecting help when it’s being offered. It’s great to be able to take on challenges head-on and push forward, but not if it’s going to bury your emotions in doing so. Sometimes? Having a Queen of Compassion on your side to keep you in touch with your emotions can help ensure that you don’t put on so much armor that you end up fighting alone… and lonely.
The Sacred Grounds Tarot Club Prompt
Question: Where can I find the energy to sustain myself when I am struggling?
Reading Summary: When in need of rest and recovery (Four of Swords), you need to slow down and conserve your energy (Knight of Swords Rx). Speak plainly during these times, whether this is in your thoughts or in communication with others (Queen of Swords).
Take Away: Beating around the bush is not your strong suit in the first place, and when you’re struggling and low on energy, trying to do so can be extremely draining. People are used to your practical, logic-leaning brain and they are rarely taken by surprise when you’re blunt or speak plainly, so when you are feeling you need to rest and recover? Stop trying to soften your words and beat around the bush. Just speak clearly and it’ll sort itself out just fine.
#DiscordTarotolicsMay2021 Challenge Prompt
Question: How can you go about adding more fun and play into your life?
Reading Summary: Don’t spend so much time struggling to balance responsibility (King of Thorns) with overwhelm (Ten of Wands). Find a better path (Three of Wands).
Take Away: This is the fatal flaw in my balancing act, yeah? For a really long time, instead of trying to balance home and work… I was trying to balance responsibilities and my sense of overwhelm. Although this allowed me to get a great deal done? It didn’t allow for any personal time at all, let alone time for things like fun and games.
In the past couple of years I’ve been working at finding a better path, and keeping my focus on a balance between self care and work instead of work and overwhelm. This has allowed for me to care more for myself and fill some of those needs I have been neglecting so long. The Three of Wands indicates that this same path can also be used to find time for play. I only have to look for the fun and it will be there for me, ready and waiting to come with me on the journey forward.
I took a nap even though I wanted to spend that time with Gideon. I was having some stomach issues and the nap seemed to help a bit, or maybe it was the Imodium… or both.
Twisting the Leaf 