Morning Bonus Read – Caring For Your Garden

Caring for Your Garden Reading - Aquarius Lenormand

Crown: Where can I activate my power at this time?

Fish – Sometimes it’s not about resistance.  Sometimes our greatest strength is in going with the flow and letting things move at their own pace.  Success doesn’t always have to be a fight. Reach in deep and seek the strength to let yourself move with the currents and adjust to each shift and flow of change.

Arbor: What protects me but also frames and limits my perspective?

Tower – The things that have happened in your life have made you extra diligent and watchful, extremely cautious about the security of your home and your surroundings. This behavior doesn’t just protect, but it also causes limitations that can sometimes make you feel trapped.  It doesn’t mean they’re not important, only that you need to be aware of the influence that these things have on how you see the world and those around you.

Landscape: What is the background energy in which I’ve been situated?

Star – Hope as you move forward, seeking the light.  You know that the opportunity for growth and better things is there. You may not have found the right road to reach that horizon yet, but you know it’s there and you’re inspired to reach for it.

Rabbit: What is the most fertile ground for advancing my position?

Letter – This is a reminder to get my property tax paperwork taken care of.  It’s been sitting on my desk for the past four days and I keep glancing at it but not getting it done.  There’s a deadline, so… yeah.  I need to get that done.

Glowing Gold: What is the potential of this investment of energy?

Mountain – There’s a lot to get through and a lot yet to overcome.  Like all journeys and the hurdles involved, you don’t get anywhere if you don’t keep taking one step forward at a time.  Take on those challenges one at a time, and soon enough you’ll find yourself at the peak and ready to hoof it down the other side. Then, of course, there will be yet another mountain to follow.

DECK USED:  AQUARIUS LENORMAND

What I Want, When I Want It

Today’s meditation was skipped as it’s an orders day.

Fortune Queens: A Drag Race Tarot and Less Anxiety Affirmation CardsToday’s draw is The Lovers card, which is traditionally a representation of relationships and sometimes marriage, as well as making healthy choices, weighing one’s values when making a decision, and themes to do with love and harmony.

When combined with the affirmation card pulled for today, what I see is a reminder that sometimes making choices… is hard.  Sometimes it’s a tug of war between what we want and what needs to be done, or a debate between what is best for others or best for ourselves.

At these times, having choices doesn’t feel like a boon, even though it absolutely is, and it’s important to take a step back and just breathe.  Let things settle, weigh your values and your needs against what might be your actual desire.   Stay calm and the right answer will come.

Sometimes?  That means we can’t always have what we want when we want it.  For example, in today is an orders day. This means that the mass majority of my waking hours has to be focused on work and getting orders ready to ship, which means limited contact with Gideon. It sucks, but it’s temporary. And so I tell myself to breathe through it and keep moving.

DECK USED:  FORTUNE QUEENS: A DRAG RACE TAROT AND LESS ANXIETY AFFIRMATION CARDS

CoffeexTarot’s Self Love For The Summer Prompt
Question
: What spiritual gift do I possess?

Oracle of the Strange ForestFirefly – My ability to be genuine with both myself and the world around me. I’ve met people that find this quality extremely annoying, and others that find it refreshing.  Some understand, and others can’t grasp it.  But I really have no one else I’d rather be, and no one else I could bother pretending to be.

I don’t have the heart, the motivation, or the memory to hide myself from those around me, and I figure if I instead simply allow my true sell to shine, people are far more aware if I’m someone they’d want to get to know, or someone they’d rather pass on.

Groundhog and Hawk – Balancing optimism with control. Allowing others room to grow in their own way and their own direction while providing guidance.  This balancing act between providing inspiration and direction, and allowing others to grow at their own pace and in their own unique ways is something that I find extremely important.  It’s a gift that allows me to guide (and occasionally also teach) others without imposing my own path upon theirs.  Instead I encourage their own growth on their own path, and provide experiences and information to help them find their way.

DECK USED:  ORACLE OF THE STRANGE FOREST

#DiscordTarotolicsJun2021 Challenge Prompt
Topic
: About love…
Question: How can I better discern acts of love from those spurred by other motivations?

Fortune Queens: A Drag Race TarotReading Summary: You need to work on having more faith in those around you (The Star atop Three of Cups). Everyone picks (Seven of Cups) a bad apple now and then and has to take time to recover from the betrayal (Wheel of Fortune atop Four of Swords).

Take Away: The answer here in these cards is that there is no better way to discern acts of love from those spurred by other motivations than the methods I am already using.  You can’t know everything, and life can turn on a dime and bite you in the ass.  

Have a little faith, and try not to go too overboard on the paranoia.

DECK USED:  FORTUNE QUEENS: A DRAG RACE TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I’m going to bed at a decent hour tonight.

Gideon’s Challenge

The Garden Quacker

Sassy li’l fuzzy butt
with lots of ‘tude
he sits in muck
with tufts of moss
upon his tail
he watches over
flowers fair
He brings a smile
and lifts the heart
with every stare
from the little upstart
Guardian
among the green
to my eyes
you’re always seen

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

Self Gratitude Is Important

Today’s meditation was skipped.  I was just too damned tired.

Spiritsong Tarot and Flower Fortune CardsToday’s draw is the Four of Shells (Cups), which is traditionally a representation of meditative contemplation, taking a pause in which you turn away from external help and look inward, soul-searching, meditation, and at times, apathy and discontent with what is being offered.

I find that the Flower Fortunes card for the day matches this theme in the way that we often forget to pause and appreciate ourselves in the day to day of our lives.

We see the good in others, we evaluate the world around us in the day to day much lie the watchful crane stands still among reeds and evaluates its environment.   But when do we take time to actually look at ourselves and truly appreciate ourselves?  Not all that often.  Instead we look with a critical eye, an apathetic eye, or the eye of someone seeking out their favorite whipping boy.

The message in today’s cards is to take a step back and look at yourself with kindness.  Look at yourself with appreciation.  Take time to be grateful for yourself.  For who you are and what you can do, for the decisions you’ve made and how far you’ve come.

DECK USED:  SPIRITSONG TAROT AND FLOWER FORTUNE CARDS

#DiscordTarotolicsJun2021 Challenge Prompt
Topic
: Do Spread #1

Prairie Majesty Oracle How is the rise of summer energies manifesting in my life?

Dragonfly – You’re being given the opportunity to pivot direction into something stronger and happier.  Welcome the change and lean into the turn.  What you’re seeking is around that corner,  you just need to let go and enjoy the ride.

How can I Harness these summer energies for my purpose?

Earthworm – In order to let this change happen you’re going to need to let go. Take a breath, and let the chips fall as they may instead of fighting against it because you’re afraid or uncomfortable. The struggle isn’t needed and is rooted in judgements concerning the discomfort that comes with change.

Where would I be best served in directing these energies throughout the summer months?

Cottonwood – You need to direct this energy into a sense of curiosity and enthusiasm. Don’t let the dread of change and discomfort take away this opportunity. Stretch your self tall, explore… look at it as an adventure.  Something fun and interesting instead of something to fear.

DECK USED:  PRAIRIE MAJESTY ORACLE

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: How can I improve upon how I spend my time?

Spiritsong TarotReading Summary: More focus on what I’m doing, less distraction (Ace of Acorns). Increase your gratitude practices, for they help you feel more fulfilled as a whole (Nine of Shells). Seek out time with Gideon which allows for both emotional growth as well as a sense of emotional security (King of Shells).

Take Away:  Everything looks back to the Ace of Acorns, meaning that whatever I’m doing, no matter what it is, I need to make sure that I am leaning into focusing on that thing instead of allowing multiple different things to tap in and distract me, splintering my focus.

This is something that has been happening quite a lot lately, and only I can make the changes and choices that will allow me to get past this splintering of focus and back to somewhere more solid and productive.

DECK USED:  SPIRIT SONG TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I allowed myself not to give a fuck about my mother being pissed off that I fell asleep on her when she was on the phone.

Gideon’s Challenge

The Missing Returns

A cheerful greeting
a bit of calm
colorful specks
bobbing in the sun
always vibrant
and filled with life
they’re pansy’s friends
and bring a smile
delicate petals
a bit of white
by summer’s end
they’ll spread
far and wide

I missed you last year

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

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?

Flora Healing Deck, Fauna Inspiration Deck, Fantastic Being Oracle, and Inner Compass Kids Cards

EarthJackalope, Lion, Dandelion – Calm composure and leadership is needed this week to keep things moving smoothly.  Although you may feel as if accomplishing what you wish this week may feel impossible at times, if you lean into your steady and rooted foundation and the community around you, you will manage to get done what is needed of you.

AirTree of Life, Otter, Holly – You need to work this week on balancing your forthright nature and integrity with a good dose of optimism. It’s okay to crave fairness and to speak your mind, but do it with gentle calm and a bit of tact and you’ll get further than just jumping off at the mouth without forethought or measured tone.

WaterLangur, Dragonfly, Sage – You’ve got to let go and you’ve got to let it happen. You can’t continue on with the growth you want to move into unless you release the old habits and unhealthy ways of doing things.  Do some work this week to clean out the old.  Cleansing and a focus on letting go will help get things moving before they begin to stagnate any further.

FireLeafy Sea Dragon, Beaver, Foxglove – Slow and steady wins the race this week.  Break things down and take them one step at a time, and make sure you don’t let the slow pace tap you out of your  motivation to get things done.  Just because it can’t be done fast doesn’t mean it’s not worth working on. Don’t get disappointed or discouraged just because things are going slow right now.  This lag is anticipated and something that happens every year.  Steer the boat where you want to go and let things run their course.

WaningScales – Don’t worry so much about balance this week. As mentioned above, you need to focus on shifting gears and letting go.  That can create a sense of imbalance that you will work through just by simply going with the flow and letting things adjust.  You don’t have to force those scales to balance.  It’s okay to let them do it on their own in their own time.

WaxingFunny Pants – Fun, positivity, lots of laughter, and an abundance of smiles are needed this week. Really lean into the optimism.  You spend too much time on the darker side of the fence.  Step out into the sun and shine for a bit. Listen to some uplifting songs and align your focus to bringing some more joy into your life.

Take Away –  Things might feel a bit unbalanced this week.  Instead of working on forcing things back into balance, use this time to lean into optimism and joy, as well as easing up on that tight grip of control you have going on.  Don’t panic when things feel off… just go with the flow, stay calm, and take things a little at a time.   Oh… and don’t pop off at the mouth.  Take a little extra time to compose your words when communicating with others this week.

DECKS USED:  FLORA HEALING DECK, FAUNA INSPIRATION DECK, FANTASTIC BEING ORACLE, INNER COMPASS KIDS CARDS