Month: September 2021

Don’t Skip It

/ Twist the Leaf / Leave a comment

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

Cult of Weimer Tarot and Thera-Pets Emotional Support Animal CardsToday’s draw is the Lovers card, which is traditionally a representation of love, marriage, successful unions, and (as is often the case for me in readings) making healthy choices aligned with what you want in life.

I have a hard time with self care sometimes.  I just do.  It’s linked into my self destructive tendencies, I’m pretty sure.  There are just times when anything that is self care oriented sounds absolutely horribly miserable.  This includes exercise, meditation, morning smoothies, going outside for fresh air, physiotherapy for my mobility, working with my plants on the balcony… even eating or showering.

These are all things that are necessary to a healthy me, and yet… things I sometimes struggle with them regardless of that fact. Making healthy choices for myself (which means doing these things that are simple and easy and yet feel so horribly unpleasant during those times) is extremely important and yet can become monumentally difficult at times due to this.

And, today is one of those days.  Today’s cards are a reminder that need to do these things even when I don’t wanna.  That I can do it, that it’s not as horrible or monumental as it feels like it is… and that I need need to not let that dark cloud of “meh” convince me to skip it.

DECK USED:  CULT OF WEIMAR TAROT AND THERA-PETS EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL CARDS

#DiscordTarotholicsSep2021 Challenge Prompt
Topic: Grab a spread that you’ve been curious about and give it a go!

Noisy Museum Tarot

1 What part of me has been yearning to “get messy”?

Seven of Swords – The strategist is tired.

You know, I never really thought much about this before, but there’s some validity to that phrase. I plan and plot, I scheme and strategize… it is a constant cycle of weights and measures in my mind as I seek how to get the most out of every situation. How to make the most out of my time and energy.

What would it look like to not be constantly conniving and strategizing my life like this?

2 Why have I been censoring or editing myself?

Page of Swords Rx – I want to be kinder. I want to be a better person than the narrative in my head. This requires making sure I don’t spout off with answers or commentary without examining what I am going to say first in order to avoid being insensitive or worse. I don’t really consider this to be a bad thing.

3 Where/how did I learn that it’s not ok to be imperfect?

Two of Pentacles atop Nine of Cups – When I learned that not meeting the expectations of authority figures have consequences that imbalance myself and my life, turning everything on its ear.  Namely, this is a lesson that my parents taught me. I was such a disappointment to them in so many different ways that I didn’t have any control  over (sexuality, interests, etc), that I tried really hard to satisfy them in other ways in which I did have control over (perfectionism).

4 How can I release the tendency to self-censor?

Six of Cups – I am not my father. I need to leave those dark clouds from my past where they belong… in the past.  It’s possible to have learned the lessons needed from these experiences and carry those lessons forward with you into the present without carrying those dark clouds with you as well.

5 How would creating more of a joyful “mess” benefit me?

The Architect (The Magician) – It would provide me with a new set of skills and tools to navigate life with. By being overly rigid, I am cutting myself off from these additional skills.

6 How can I get messy (i.e., let my hair down, color outside the lines, play like a child, etc) today?

The Moon Rx atop Five of Cups – Don’t allow uncertainty to steal away your enthusiasm.

DECK USED: NOISY MUSEUM TAROT

BekahMurphysMagic’s #IntuitiveHealingTarotChallenge Prompt
Questions for September 29th and 30th

Cult of Weimer TarotHow can I become more confident in my intuitive abilities?

Lean into optimism (The Sun), and ensure that you are making choices that keep your emotions (Seven of Cups) in balance with everything else going on in your life (Two of Pentacles).

Neglecting your emotional balance in deference to other goals and endeavors will damage your confidence on many levels, including how you interpret messages from your intuition. So, too, will allowing yourself to sink into a negative mindset.

What have I learned from healing and connecting with my intuition this month?

To stand back and take a breath (Five of Wands Rx). Success (Ace of Pentacles) doesn’t always necessarily require a forward leap (Ten of Cups).

This challenge was a reminder of how developed my intuition already is, and that sometimes it can be harmful to continually push to advance without taking time to sink into the growth I’ve already accomplished.

DECK USED: CULT OF WEIMAR TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I forgot to type in what I did for myself today but considering my struggles with self care today, I think the fact that I had a smoothie with spinach added in is pretty damned good.

Transitioning from September to October

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Tyldwick Tarot 2nd Edition and Brian Froud's Faeries' Oracle

Here and Now I Exist – Who you are here and now, in your entirety.

Page of Cups, Solus atop O! That Gnome – These cards encourage faith in your emotional growth. You have worked hard to get where you are on this path, but with every shift towards the busy season, there is moments of nagging doubts and worries. Believe in this new perspective to strengthen you and help you in doing things in a better and healthier way.

The Slough – What is to be left in the past as you move forward.

Two of Cups, The Singer if Initiation atop Honesty – Your time to explore shadow work and look within yourself for what needs to be exposed to the world (and especially those that love you) is coming to an end. Although self-development may percolate internally over the months ahead, the time of focus and pursuit of this endeavor is drawing to a close for the year.

What Lies Ahead – An ideal state or ideal self you are seeking at this time.

Seven of Coins, The Fairy Who Was Kissed by the Pixies atop The Oak Men – Open your heart, but do so slowly. Haste is not your friend. Remember that friendships and relationships happen slowly over time. There’s no rush. Keep your eyes open. It’s prudent to take some caution.

Limitations – Negative influences, opposition, or ill will.

Wheel of Fortune atop The Empress, The Laume – Take pause and caution when faced with unexpected kindnesses. Not everything is as altruistic as it may at first appear.

The Boon – Positive influences, higher guidance, or divine intervention.

Five of Staves and The Fee Lion – Your passions and principles aren’t a bad thing, even when they put others up in arms. Make sure that you are aligned with your moral compass, and that you have your ducks in a row… then? Don’t worry about what others think. Make sure you are listening to that “need to do” whisper on your shoulder, even if it means making a list to work on -after- you take that needed nap.

The Wound – An unpleasant past experience or event that is ripe for some support and healing.

The Magician atop Four of Swords, She of the Cruach – Don’t look for that nurturing energy you long for from your mother. There are people in your life willing to give that energy to you, but she’s not one of them.

Nostalgia – A positive past experience or event to acknowledge, reflect upon, and enjoy.

Two of Swords and Iris of the Rainbows – Make sure you are looking back on the times when you’ve leaned into optimism and hope instead of allowing yourself to indulge in your natural pessimism. Take a look at how these times have influenced you and your growth, and the lessons that having used this type of positive thinking in the past have taught you.

A Warning – Something coming that can be prevented or overcome.

Five of Swords, Gloominous Doom atop The Guardian at the Gate – If you allow a negative thoughts and negative emotions to take over this month, it’s going to cause conflict and barriers in your way that don’t need to be there. Don’t let the pessimism you’re used to sink in and hold you back from the potential that the next few months have to offer.

Empowerment – A future opportunity to work toward.

Two of Staves and The Singer of the Chalice – Stop trying to force it. Pushing isn’t the answer. If you treat yourself with more kindness as you move along your path and make plans for the future, you will still get where you want to go, but will be much happier and healthier along the way.

Message from the Spirit World – There is a huge amount of warning here about the unpleasant effects on your path forward if you lean into pessimism and negativity in the month ahead.  The cost will be significant, causing many setbacks and conflicts. Better to make sure you are focusing on the positive, and leaning into hope and optimism.

Message from the Mind’s World – You may feel like you are moving far too slow this month to get everything done, but remember that this is an emotional perception and not reality. Hold back from scrambling and racing against the clock, and work to keep your emotions and inner narrative kind and seek an honest perspective instead of leaning into how much more you “should be” doing.

Message from the Physical World – Be kind and nurturing to your body.  It needs a bit of care to recover from the battle it just fought (and won) against the cold that tried to sneak in, not to mention the ankle needs more time healing.  Give yourself, and your body especially, what it needs. Make healthy choices that foster a healthier outcome.

DECKS USED: TYLDWICK TAROT 2ND EDITION AND FROUD’S FAERIES’ ORACLE

Exchange Rates

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was about ten minutes long and was a self-guided meditation using breathing exercises while doing piriformis stretches and trying to ease some of the tension in my back.

Tarot of the Thousand and One Nights and Thera-Pets Emotional Support Animal CardsToday’s draw is the Six of Pentacles, which is traditionally a representation of the give and take of generosity and charity, and at times can also represent the hidden (and possibly nefarious) expectations of someone feigning altruism for their own ends.

I very much see that last part of the traditional meaning mentioned above in the imagery of this card, in the way that the wealthy individual’s body language leans into the other man. His kindness definitely appears to be expecting something in return.

And that’s where the Thera-Pets card for today steps in.  It is a reminder that not everything has to be give and take. We all deserve kindness and care, love and understanding. We should not have to bargain for them or barter for them. Today’s cards tell us to take a look at the dynamics in our relationships and ensure that they are healthy.  Do you have to pay a price for the love and affection that others should be offering freely? If so, perhaps it’s time to examine your own self worth and figure out why you’ve made this type of exchange as acceptable.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS AND THERA-PETS EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL CARDS

The #ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge Prompt for the Sacred Grounds Tarot Club
Question: How do I make time for rest and relaxation… every day?

Tarot by CaroReading Summary: It is a conscious choice (Two of Swords) that you have to make in order to foster (Queen of Wands) your emotional health (Five of Cups).

Take Away: Your emotional health and well-being has been a major focus of the last few years, and being sure that you are making the right choices that further these goals is a part of that process towards better mental health. Sometimes this means making choices between what you truly want to do, and what you need either mentality or emotionally.

DECK USED: TAROT BY CARO

Healer Josephine’s #MindfulImperfectionTarot Prompt
Questions for September 27th thru 29th

Smoke & Roses Oracle and Tarot of the Thousand and One NightsWhat support does my body need in releasing hyper-vigilance and anxiety?
Bluebells atop Orange Lily, Nine of Swords

Stop looking at your body, the damage it has sustained, its limitations, and the chronic pain as an enemy. Be grateful for your mobility and all that you can do instead of looking at the worst case scenario at every turn.

What support does my heart need as I release rigid expectations, impossible standards, and harsh “shoulds”?
Helenium atop Freesia, Ten of Pentacles

Supportive friendships that will provide an ear when I need it are important. These friendships can help you to see see just how much you have in life, and that you don’t have to drive yourself so hard for more all the time, but instead need to spend more time focusing on what you have in the present.

DECK USED: SMOKE & ROSES ORACLE AND TAROT OF THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS

Daily Self Kindness

I had to cut my deck gathering short today and lie down due to a headache that just kept getting worse and worse, even after taking something for it.  It developed into a migraine and instead of pushing on, I marked the decks still to gather down to get later and laid down for a nap.

Weekly Creativity Prompt – A Walk in the Woods

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Prompt: Imagine a walk (or remember your last walk). Draw between 3 – 5 cards from your deck. Then for each card, associate the card to something you saw on your walk. Share your card(s), and your reasoning behind the associations that you made with each card you pulled.

Tarot Manouche Universel du XXIè Siècle

Acorn – La Protectrice (The Empress) – She holds within her the burgeoning promise of new life. Fallen and upon the earthen floor, she bathes in the dappled light cast between softly rustling leaves and whispers of the secrets that grow within her belly that will soon take root… and grow.

Squirrel – Le Fou (The Fool) – He bounds from branch to branch with curiosity and enthusiasm, chittering in the trees with a merry voice that celebrates his eager task. There is quickness and cheer in every movement, even in the moments he moves with purpose.

Douglas Fir Cone – La Force (Strength) – There is an old legend in the Pacific Northwest (believed to be of indigenous origins) about the Douglass Fir that speaks of a large fire in the forests of the west. Many animals ran around frantically trying to escape the flames. Tiny mice, not fast enough to outrun the fire, sought shelter from various trees. The mice approached many trees asking for help and were turned away again and again. When they eventually approached a mighty Douglas Fir tree and asked if they could take shelter among its branches, the Douglas fir agreed to help the mice, and allowed them to hide within its cones. As a result, the mice survived the fire, and to this day, if you examine a Douglas Fir cone, you can see the tails of the mice sticking out between the scales of a cone.

Stream – La Sagesse (The High Priestess) – Water flows and explores. It seeps into crevices and slips into cracks, soaks and saturates even as it flows ever onward. It spreads beneath the soil, showing only a small bit of what truly runs ever onward, while so much is hidden beneath the earth where none can see.  Water holds many secrets, and flows ever onward.

Fallen Log – La Mort (Death) – Decay is the birth of new life as a fallen log lies within shaded forest floor and begins to break down. This tree that dies, fallen and lies, now offers itself up to the forest and the promise of new life. A nurse log. And as structure breaks down it provides shelter and nutrients, seeds take root, while mushrooms and moss grow from slowly forming crevices and holes. As life fades… so too does it flourish once more. One form transforming to make another.

DECK USED: TAROT MANOUCHE UNIVERSEL DU XXIè SIÈCLE