Weekly Creativity Prompt – The Sun

Prompt: “Pull the card from your deck(s) that matches the card posted below. Compare the imagery between the card provided below and the card(s) from your own decks). How would you read them differently and why?”

Tarot of the Hidden Realm - The Sun CardTarot of the Hidden Realm – Children touch upon an innocence that is often depicted in the Sun card in tarot, and here we see two that play together, a flower in full bloom and abundance of green giving an impression of success that is about happiness and the butterfly above their heads lends a carefree atmosphere to time spent together.  This card speaks of happiness being about those you spend time with and the joy found in abundance, camaraderie, and sharing rather than monetary values.

The Sun Card - Lonely Dreamer Tarot, Förhäxa Tarot, Autumn Miss Tarot

The Lonely Dreamer Tarot – Here in the imagery of this card that is a serenity provided in the pool of water the figure stands in and the reflection of her form upon its surface.  The pool is calm and smooth, and the form of the woman graceful as the sun overhead turns the water into pure gold. The imagery in this card speaks to me of success in its many forms.  Not everything has to be about excitement, optimism, and positivity. Sometimes it’s in our most calm and serene moments where we discover true value in ourselves and the world around us.

Förhäxa Tarot – In this imagery, an angel appears to reap energy from a forest fire’s blaze below.  This speaks to me of there being no energy ever wasted.  Even forest fires have their purpose, and that energy is not wasted either. There is mystery here, but also hope.  Strength, too.  This card says that failures are not always failures at all, but rather a plan that is simply beyond our ken put into action.  It encourages, optimism and asks us to reject pessimistic viewpoints for a more positive perspective.

Autumn Miss Tarot – This card’s imagery is the closest to the traditional RWS imagery, and it speaks to me not of fun… not of joy or of peace (for who in their right mind can be peaceful, optimistic, and joyful when riding a horse while without paints?)  Instead, it speaks to me of success earned through tenacity and hard work, and the celebration of that success (as seen in the flying of the red banner the figure holds and the clenched fist of the other hand).

DECK USED: THE LONELY DREAMER TAROT, FÖRHÄXA TAROT, AUTUMN MISS TAROT

Interconnectedness in Life

Today’s meditation was

Artist's Vision TarotToday’s draw is the Star card, which is traditionally a representation of hope, renewal, positive outlooks, faith, and the connection between physical, emotional, and spiritual realms.

There is so much going on in this card, yet, what stands out to me strongest in the imagery today is the house in the center and how the roof blends almost perfectly into the background.

So many aspects of our lives are interlaced with each other. How we feel physically can influence how we react emotionally. How we feel emotionally can have a direct influence on our drive and ambition. It is all interconnected.

Today’s message is about paying attention to those interconnected aspects of our lives. Explore how they influence each other and seek out the influences that inspire hope and optimism, as opposed to letting more negative themes flourish.

DECK USED:  ARTIST’S VISION TAROT

OwlandBonesTarot’s #BothSidesOfTheTarot Prompt
Questions for September 5th and 6th

The Essential Tarot and the Pythia Botanica Oracle v2Where could you give more?

Nine of Wands – You could stand to evaluate your boundaries, and shore them up a bit more. Make sure that your protections and wards are in place in your home, that you’re locking and using the katy bar on the door, and are otherwise being proactive in increasing your safety practices.

Where might you dial back?

Page of Cups – Although your emotional growth is important to you and so is your creativity, right now might be a good time to put more logic into action in your life rather than leaning into the emotional side of things.

Finding Balance Between the TwoBanksia and Larkspur – Be vicious about your protections and pour it on a little thick for good measure. Now is not the time to slack on such things, and leaning into the practical and logical will only assist you in this.

What’s in?

Ten of Cups – Doing what you need to do to not just find happiness in your life, but to share it with others in your life that matter most.

What’s out?

Nine of Swords – Anxiety, discord, over-worrying, and stressing about shit you can’t do anything about.

Finding Balance Between the TwoJasmine and Lilac – Focus more on them instead of yourself, and let them distract you from the negative inner narrative that sometimes wants to take control.

DECK USED: THE ESSENTIAL TAROT AND PYTHIA BOTANICA ORACLE v2

To Cull & Gather #VennoxesTarotChallenge Prompt
Questions for September 6th thru 9th – TURNING LEAVES

Artist's Vision TarotWhat part of me is changing?

Strength – You are learning to develop better social skills and emotional intelligence that are helping in making you a more compassionate person.

How can I shed gracefully what needs to be left behind in this process?

Ten of Swords – Don’t focus too hard on it, and thus end up letting it overwhelm you as a result.

Why is this change is important to me?

Three of Swords – You don’t enjoy revisiting the times when you are disappointed in yourself, and as a result you want to be a better person and do better as a whole.

How to I embrace this evolution?

The Devil – Allow yourself to feel enthusiasm for it, and lean into it in healthy ways. Watch out for those addictive tendencies of yours that try and take over and send you too far over the edge. Self-awareness is important.

DECK USED: ARTIST’S VISION TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

Todays self kindness is claiming a free night at the casino hotel in the newly renovated wing to rest and relax instead of trying to drive home exhausted tonight.

Gideon’s Challenge

IMG_0741Your Stare

I flush pink
for you
as your gaze
holds fast
making cheeks
turn rosy
and color rise
along my nape
and a twitch
of upturned corners
come to lips
before teeth tug
lower swell

This?  Is all yours.

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

Summer Soul Glow Lenormand Reading

Summer Soul Glow Lenormand Reading with the Antiquitarian Lenormand

Relax – Take a mini break from doing this.

Mice and Snake – Undermining your own confidence through use of self-destructive tendencies based in picking yourself apart a little bit at a time. There’s no need for this, and its possible if you take a break from it for a time, that the urge to do so will ease off and it will become less of a common occurrence in your life overall.

Reflect – Make time to sit alone and think about this.

Tower and Key – This is an echo of this week’s Self-Care Saturday spread, and encourages you to step back and observe rather than involving yourself form the get go. There is much more that you need to see that will only visible from a place on the sidelines.

Refresh – Find time to do more of this.

Fox and Clouds – Be clever in how you confront confusion and uncertainty. There’s lots of out-of-the-box thinking that’s needed, and you’re more than capable of the task, but in order to do so you’ll need to suspend snap judgements and actually take the time to pause and reflect on the issues prior to trying to deal with them.

DECK USED: ANTIQUITARIAN LENORMAND RESURRECTED

Out of Character Moments

Today’s meditation was skipped.

Lonely Dreamer Tarot - Five of WandsToday’s draw is the Five of Wands, which is traditionally a representation of conflict, tests, trials, and struggle in the area of one’s passions, drive, determination, principles, values, and willpower.

In the imagery of this card, others watch on from the left while a man filled with determination and fervor prepares to beat on one fallen but still pushing towards rising. It reminds me of the saying “this is the hill you choose to die on”… meaning there are some things that we are closed minded about and will not change our minds no matter what, even if we’re wrong, and even if others try to force us.

The watching faces to the left and the abject violence of the man with the club also feel as if there is a warning here about acting out of character in the face of frustration in these types of situations, and the impression that such out of character acts can give others, no matter how right we may be.

The message in today’s card is to take care that you don’t go overboard or let yourself fall into acting out of character when trying to get your personal perspective across to another. Some people will refuse to see, even if you beat them over the head with it.

DECK USED:  LONELY DREAMER TAROT

The #ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge Prompt by E Roebuck-Jones
Questions for September 4th thru 6th

Dragons Tarot and Universal Dragon OracleHow can I work on building my confidence?

Knight of Wands and Protect Your Ideas – Put value into those things that you are passionate about by protecting them from others who might take them as their own. You gave away a lot to the world, but you don’t have to give away all your good ideas as well. Instill value in them instead.

How can I speak my mind more clearly?

Ten of Swords and Bliss – Communication struggles and troubles of the past that you have already overcome still hold you back. Remember that you already learned from these mistakes and the struggles that they created. There’s no reason that you will repeat them now that you have learned these lessons, so don’t let them dampen your enthusiasm and cause you to hold back.

What makes me “bulletproof”?

Seven of Swords and Research – You are clever, cunning, and a strategist at heart. Your methods are based in logic with a foundation in knowledge. Being able to circumvent subjective emotions and influences allows you to see things clearly and always come out on top.

DECK USED: DRAGONS TAROT AND UNIVERSAL DRAGON ORACLE

#DiscordTarotholicsSep2022 Challenge Prompt
Questions for September 5th and 6th

Lonely Dreamer TarotWhat are you ignoring that needs rooted out and dealt with?

Reading Summary: Your need to be in control (The Emperor) is getting out of hand and overwhelming you (Ten of Wands) . You need to make sure that you’re interests and passions remain fluid and open in order to be able to touch upon the joy that they can bring you (Page of Wands atop The Sun).

Take Away: Focus on being less rigid and easing your grip on your control of everything around you. There is more strength in flexibility and going with the flow than you will ever find in rigidity, and it opens the door for joy to flourish too.

What makes you feel…

ExcitedSix of Swords – Opportunities to take the initiative to make life better for myself, or to help and/or guide others into doing the same.

HappyFive of Pentacles Rx – Times when your sense of security flourishes, and your feelings of scarcity have faded into the background.

CalmSix of Wands Rx – Independence. The ability to make your own choices and choose your own path. The knowledge you are able to stand on your own with confidence.

DECK USED: LONELY DREAMER TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I asked for help with orders today instead of doing it all myself.

Gideon’s Challenge

IMG_2713To Feel Small

A blade of grass
makes the ant feel small
A sapling stretching tall
makes the grass feel small
A hill of forest green
makes a single sapling small
and when mountains tower
it makes the hill seem small
and then above it all
the blue sky stretches wide
and even a single cloud
makes the mountains small
like the ant
and the blade of grass

Photo © ZenStatePhotography