Day: November 17, 2021

Sugar vs Vinegar… Flowers vs Thunder

/ Twist the Leaf / Leave a comment

Today’s meditation was skipped because I overslept my nap and my shrink’s appointment call woke me up. I then dove right back into bank and credit fraud department calls in an effort to fix my damned card.

Heretical Fates Tarot and How to Be a Wildflower DeckToday’s draw is the Justice card, which is traditionally a representation of repercussions and other themes that have to do with cause and effect, and can often indicate the involvement of law enforcement or the legal system within a situation.

Raise your words, not your voice, is advice that I really needed today.  It’s another way of saying “you attract more bees with honey than vinegar” and… considering how frustrating today was?  I very much needed the reminder to be nice.

The thing is? Sometimes being nasty works out. But more often than not? It just makes people balk and not want to help you. When calling in to customer service, if you’re getting a new person each time, they really have absolutely nothing to do with your last experience.  So when you then “come in hot” instead of being nice? To them, it’s out of the blue.  This is hard to remember when we’re frustrated or annoyed, but if the aim is getting someone to help, you definitely don’t want them balking on the other side of the phone.

DECK USED:  HERETICAL FATES TAROT AND HOW TO BE A WILDFLOWER DECK

Mr Lionharts’ #TheNovemberTarot Solitary Tarot Challenge Prompt
Questions for November 17th

Enchanted Spell Oracle and Naibi di Giovanni VacchettaWhat am overthinking or do I tend to overthink frequently?
Intellect, Amore atop VI di Bastoni

You’ve spent too much time thinking about how others perceive you and wanting them to like you. You don’t have to overthink this. You’re a likable person, even if you don’t feel like that’s the case.

How can I find or create more inner piece for myself here?
Luxury atop Energy, IX di Dinari

Be grateful for all that you have and all those that are within your life rather than looking for more. New people and new friends are all well and good, but make sure that you aren’t forsaking those you care about and that care about you in the process.

DECK USED: ENCHANTED SPELL ORACLE AND NAIBI DI GIOVANNI VACCHETTA

#DiscordTarotholicsNov2021 Challenge Prompt
Philosophical Question for November 17th: Can a person without hope live a full and happy life?

Heretical Fates TarotReading Summary: By making oneself comfortable in the moment (Four of Wands), setting oneself apart from conflict and strife (Four of Swords), and fostering good relationships (Ace of Cups).

Take Away: Yes. It is possible for a person without hope to live a full and happy life.  The key to doing this successfully is to avoid the things that require hope to make one happy.

For example, if you avoid the things that make you wish for more or hope for better, and are happy with what you have and have a life filled with only good and healthy relationships, then there is less need for hope to lighten your load, as your load in life is already quite light.

This is an interesting answer for me, as I was certain the reply would be no.

DECK USED: HERETICAL FATES TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I made sure to get in my smoothie, as well as my muffin and tea, even though it wasn’t easy today.  I kept getting distracted.  In fact, by the end of the day I had partially eaten plates of food all over the house as every time I tried to eat I either got interrupted or distracted.

Weekly Creativity Prompt – Experiencing the Cards

/ Twist the Leaf / Leave a comment

Prompt: Draw three random cards from your deck. Separately for each card, tell us about an experience, incident, or event in your life (past or present) that fits the theme of that card. Share the cards you pulled with us here, as well as what event or experience in your life that you connect with it, and why.

The Mushroom TarotThe Emperor (Boletus edulis) – When I was seventeen, I was in a catastrophic car accident. After many, many surgeries to repair and reconstruct a good deal of the joints on the right side of my body and a good deal of physiotherapy, I spent time in a pain clinic, where I received some very useful advice.

For those that don’t know, a pain clinic is not meant to take away your pain.  You are sent to a pain clinic to learn to live with your pain as a constant companion (and not inconvenience others with it).

In this clinic, the advice given was that “fake it ’til you make it” is a tool.  A tool that can be used to alter your reality. Fake that you are not in pain and it will not take your pain away, but over time you can teach your brain and body that it doesn’t matter. You can learn where your “base line” is for your pain, and come to understand that nothing is wrong, even when you hurt… as long as you don’t hurt above a certain pain level.

In learning this, over time I was able to seize control of my responses to my pain, and adjust my perception of it. I was able to learn how to accept it as a part of my day to day life, and not allow it to rule over me moving forward.

The Hermit (Armillaria sp.) – The trip up the mountain to the lake is a hard one no matter if it’s rain or shine or snow. Agonizing and painful, as lungs burn and fingertips tingle as the body struggles to get enough air and the breeze turns frigid with the elevation gain until even sweat slicked, a jacket is needed.  But reaching the lake? Is a gift.  A joy.  A relief.  And a pleasure. With no one around but the deer and the bears, stripping off clothes to dive into glacier fed water is a shock and a balm, as freezing temperatures wash over heated skin and ease overworked muscles.

This is a hike I do often in a little known part of the rainforests, deep within the woods.  And after the swim, I take time to clothe and then wander into the woods, to find myself a bed of moss to spread out on and relax. I let muscles ease as I look up at dappled leaves and fronds that block out the sky far above and listen to the voice of nature serenade the senses.

When I return to civilization, I return refreshed and recharged. Radiant, and at peace.

The Hanged Man (Morchella sp.) – Being wrong happens to everyone. And, we all have moments when we feel we’re right, our back gets up, and we just refuse to back down. As much as I try to always take in other’s perceptions and perspectives, it even happens to me now and then. I want to see other’s perspectives.  I want to learn to see things differently.  And yet, sometimes I get stuck too, just like everyone else, on my own perspective. Unable to see any other, unwilling to let go or loosen up on my own.

Then?  I sleep. It’s in sleep that that “loosening up” happens.  In sleep, my mind often processes what I wasn’t processing while awake.  It never fails during these moments, that after a good sleep, I’m able to look beyond my perspective.  Sometimes, I realize I’m wrong.  Sometimes? I realize whoever I was clashing with and myself are actually arguing on the same damned side, just using different approaches or wording.

I then feel the need to re-hash everything.  The need to go back and talk, to clear the air and admit that I fucked up or that I was wrong.

Do you go back? I do.

DECK USED: THE MUSHROOM TAROT