Defense Mechanisms
Even the most
beautiful of buds
with silken petals
in alluring shades
have sharp thorns
to protect them
but how
do we learn
to ease up
on the thorns
and let in
the sunlight
of love and hope?
Month: August 2021
The End of the World
Today’s meditation was skipped, as it’s an orders day.
Today’s draw is the Tower, which is traditionally a representation of (as mentioned day before yesterday) the calamity and chaos of sudden, unexpected upheaval and change. The Tower card reminds us that for new good things to be built, the old and rotted remnants of what once stood must first be torn down.
Combined with the Thera-Pets card, what we see here is a message of hope and encouragement. It’s a reminder that as chaotic and confusing, painful and overwhelming as sudden change can sometimes be? You will get through it. You will come out the other side and, through the process of chaos, be in a place where you can begin to start again and rebuild.
It truly isn’t the end of the world, even if it might feel like it.
DECK USED: WOMEN OF HIGH FANTASY TAROT AND LESS ANXIETY AFFIRMATION CARDS
CoffeexTarot’s Who’s Your Spirit Guides? Prompt
Questions for August 26th and 27th
How do I unlock my highest potential?
A Blessing of an Anam-Cara and Ace of Swords
Share your thoughts, ideas, and whispering inner dialogue with Gideon. Communication is key. He is your anam-cara. He is there to listen and help, to soothe and sort through the things you need assistance with. He is your closest, deepest friend and does not judge. He helps lift you up and keep you on track, providing the extra perspective you need to unlock that highest potential.
What message from you am I not seeing?
A Blessing of Honesty and Two of Pentacles
You are still trying to juggle too much. You need to look with a clear ha e and honest mind at just how much you’re taking on and how much is truly healthy for you to handle.
DECK USED: FAERY BLESSING CARDS AND MANY QUEENS TAROT
#DiscordTarotholicsAug2021 Challenge Prompt
Questions for August 26th and 28th
Remember – Ace of Wands – Your inner spark. Your enthusiasm. The joy found in the creation of beautiful things.
Forgive – Knight of Cups – Sometimes when we’re going after what we really want, we can become blind to the feelings of others, focused to sharply and too deeply on our own desires. It happens to you… and it happened others too.
Forget – Seven of Wands – Don’t worry so much about defending the high ground. Those that have come up against you in order to try and take it from you have lost, and it’s time to let it go.
What do I need to hear right now? – Three of Swords Rx atop Page of Swords – Your depression is a journey of learning. As unpleasant as it might be, it has lessons to teach you just like every other experience in your life.
DECK USED: WOMEN OF HIGH FANTASY TAROT
When my soul was aching a bit earlier today, I laid down and cuddled with Miss Luna for a bit.
Gideon’s Challenge
The Stranger
Words hit like
sledgehammer fists
crushing
in their impact
as they speak
hatred that is dark
sticky and cloying
insidious grasp
a whisper awakened
that you
are not welcome
and forever
undeserving
Photo © ZenStatePhotography
Morning Bonus Read – Virgo Season
Card that best describes me currently.
King of Wands
Although you are not paying attention to the fact that you do this, you inspire others through your passion and your directness… your forthrightness. You allow your true self to be seen, and it sparks enthusiasm and others as a result. Even in things like presenting your depression, your mistakes, and your opinions honestly, you give inspiration to others to do the same.
How can I improve my ability to “go with the flow”?
Page of Swords
Remember that although not all new ideas are good ideas, a great number of good ideas come from new ideas. Accept that a seed won’t share with the world whether it is a good seed or a bad one until it starts to grow. You can’t weed what hasn’t sprouted yet. This means you have to have patience and let things move along at their own pace until you have all the information that you need.
Why should I begin to ask others for help?
The High Priestess
Your intuition needs the support. When you overburden yourself, it affects your intuition, creating blocks to your natural ability to see and understand the unseen. Asking for help can in turn help you, and free up that space for your intuition to continue to stretch and grow.
Why I sometimes feel misunderstood by others.
Two of Swords
Your motivations and opinions are your own, and so are your values and your principles. Your moral compass is what guides you, and it is attuned to you and you alone. Sometimes when you make decisions based on this moral compass, others won’t understand why are you made the choice that you did or how you came to the conclusion you have. When you waffle, they may not understand for the same reason… because they’re moral compass is not aligned with yours, and so they don’t see why you hesitate.
How I can start to see the perfect in my imperfect self.
Eight of Cups
Let go of expectations and step away from what you know is unhealthy for you. Demanding perfection from yourself isn’t healthy, and neither is pushing yourself to your limits and beyond them. Abandon these unhealthy habits and find a path that feeds your soul through a healthier outlook and healthier treatment of yourself.
A new healthy habit I should explore.
Three of Wands
Embracing changes and moving forward with a plan, rather than allowing those changes to cause you to stumble, hesitate, or fall.
DECK USED: THE INSECT TAROT
Gifts of Goodness
Today’s meditation was just over twelve minutes long, and was the eighth installment of the Foundations II series on the Balance app. The main focus of today’s meditation was about posture and the benefits good posture can provide during meditation.
Honestly? Good posture is important all the time, not just during meditation. You see those elderly that walk funny, have a hump between their shoulders, or are in a perpetual slouch position even when trying to stand straight? That is the results of poor posture. Your body gets stuck in those positions, and eventually you can’t get out of them.
I often see people not work on their posture because it’s uncomfortable, or boring, or “useless” and I wonder how the chronic pain will effect them as they reach their geriatric ages. I don’t understand why this issue isn’t more important to people. Why volunteer for that kind of pain when it can be so easily avoided by being conscious of your body mechanics in the present?
Today’s draw is the Six of Pentacles, which is traditionally a representation of generosity, gifts, and “sharing the wealth”. This meaning can be with or without reciprocation expected, but there is a reminder here to always take care when being offered something for free what the motivations and expectations that come with that gift my be.
The imagery in this card is a biblical depiction of the Pharaoh’s daughter (widely believed to be Hatshepsut) discovering baby Moses when she goes to wash her hands in the river (approximately 1512 B.C.) This princess wanted a child so badly that even though it went against her father’s decree that all Hebrew children were to be killed, she kept the child, named him, and raised him as her own, giving him a good education, and a good life.
Obviously, shit goes down later on that turns things on their ear as Moses grows up and becomes an adult. BUT, here we see the beginning. We see the hope and the joy, the moment when a gift has been discovered and even in times of uncertainty is recognized as such and cherished.
The cards here today are a reminder not to forget the gifts in your life. The things that lift you up and give you hope. Don’t reject them out of turn just because they are of no value to someone else. Embrace them because they are of value to you.
DECK USED: JOURNEY INTO EGYPT TAROT AND THERA-PETS EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL CARDS
#DiscordTarotholicsAug2021 Challenge Prompt
Philosophical Question: Which is more real… mind or matter?
Reading Summary: It is through our creativity, our energy, and collaboration (Three of Chalices) that we put into things that we transform (Death) ideas into reality (Knight of Pentacles).
Take Away: Ideas turn into work, which brings those ideas into reality. Inspiration creates enthusiasm which turns into creation. Therefore mind and matter are not separate, but rather a process of transition. Energy that feeds the sprout of reality… thus, the mind is the seed of reality. The seed sprouts, then grows and flourishes.
DECK USED: THE ASL TAROT
Mr Lionharts’ #TheAugustTarot #SOLTarot Prompt
Questions for August 25th thru 27th
I am lucky because…
Patterns and Ace of Wands Rx
When shit repeats again and again, it can be discouraging. Keep in mind that these repeating cycles are a lesson that has not yet been learned. Thus, you have the opportunity to learn it the next time around. The universe has not given up on you, and will not give up on you. It will keep bringing it around, giving you opportunity after opportunity to “get it” until you finally figure it out.
I can be proud of myself for…
Alliance and Five of Coins
You can be proud of yourself for making good and supportive friendships, instead of inviting a multitude of frivolous acquaintances into your life. The people in your life aren’t there as figure pieces, but rather they are a functioning part of what makes life work for you.
Considering who I was raised by and how she collects her “friends”? This is indeed something to be proud of myself for. I certainly didn’t learn to foster flourishing, healthy, depth focused friendships from her.
I can be thankful for…
Stretch atop Balance, Two of Coins
The ability to grow and adjust as you constantly moving forward. This adaptability allows you to shine bright in the face of adversity and stretch your limits to keep things in balance with each experience you go through.
DECK USED: SACRED EARTH ORACLE AND JOURNEY INTO EGYPT TAROT
I made one of the other security council for my building go with me to deal with the drunkard that decided to break into our building and be a pain in the ass, instead of trying to deal with it on my own.
Gideon’s Challenge
First Aide to the Soul
Teardrops fall
each one minuscule
a drop
in the bucket of life
to be collected
and stored
for us to wade in
when times are
not so difficult
not so stressful
and far easier
They are the balm
to our bruises and burns
Twisting the Leaf 