Month: March 2023

Inner Luminescence

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Daily Calm with the Calm appToday’s meditation was ten minutes long, and was another of the Daily Calm sessions with the Calm app. The topic of the session was about using mindfulness to help us to stay in the present so that we are not allowing the mind to roam and scramble.

In doing this sort of practice throughout your day, the session explains that it can assist in lowering anxiety and creating a stronger sense of ease and comfort in our day to day lives, instead of constantly feeling discombobulated or rushed from one thing to the next.

Purple Cat Tarot - The HermitToday’s draw is the Hermit card, which is traditionally a representation of inner reflection and healthy alone time when one retreats to deal with and explore the self.

There is a beautiful sense of gracefulness in this card’s imagery, and a luminescence that goes beyond the lantern and speaks to me of how we can feel lit up from within when we explore and get to know our true selves inside and out.

I have found in my own life that the better I know myself, the more grounded and stable I feel, as if each part of myself I explore and get to know allows for more stable footing for me to stand upon.

In this card, the message is a reminder that there is more to explore and discover in one’s self-explorations than just the stability of knowing yourself well.  There is a beauty and peace that also comes with self-exploration, and in accepting all parts of ourselves through times of inner reflection.

@lucet.in.aurora.tarot’s #lucetinauroraMaartTarotChallenge Prompt
Prompt for March 12th: Tarot and your phone.

DECK USED:  PURPLE CAT TAROT

@Lionharts #TheMarchTarot Wander Lust Challenge Prompt
Question for March 12th: What is the significance of animals I am currently seeing or hearing?

Unusual Animals OracleReading Summary: Don’t allow opportunity for something new (Shoebill) to distract you from the rest and self care that you need (Snail). Instead, look clearly at your current situation and weigh it carefully before making a decision that could draw your attention in a new direction (Dung Beetle).

Take Away: You spend far too much time jumping on new opportunities, when instead it’s the long road of development on the paths and practices that you are already on that is in need of your attention and time.  Don’t let new and shiny things draw your attention away from what’s really important to you.

The only reason these things aren’t shiny to you is because they are so familiar to you that you now find comfort in them instead of eager sparks of anticipation.

DECK USED: UNUSUAL ANIMAL MESSAGES

#DiscordTarotholicsMar2023 Challenge Prompt
Prompt for March 12th: Do Spread 2
Question: The pros and cons to putting up a services post on IG.

Purple Cat Tarot and The Gratitude Postcard OracleReading Summary: In the Two of Swords, the kitty is blindfolded, whereas in the anchor card, the cat is not. Also, the swords in the card are at the same angle as the cat’s ears in the anchor card. These correspondences indicate that you need to make this decision with full clarity and awareness.

Front and center with the kitty looking out at you from above is the Ten of Wands, which speaks of overwhelm and poses the question of if this is really a good idea or not, considering all that you already have on your plate.

On the right, pay attention to the look irritation on the Emperor’s face when he looks over those cards on the table in the anchor card, while the white of the Emperor‘s fur corresponds with the titles of the cards on the anchor card‘s table.

Take Away: Yes, you could “take charge” and seize this opportunity, but at this time it will be more of a burden and an irritant than a benefit if you do. This isn’t a no… it’s a “not right now”.

DECK USED: PURPLE CAT TAROT AND THE GRATITUDE POSTCARD ORACLE

Daily Self Kindness

This is another catch-up post, and I’m not entirely sure what my self kindness was for this day.

Gideon’s Challenge

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Blue

Something dark holds me tight
I’m sinking in the cold blue eyes
Nothing here to save me now
Oh I’m not ready to fall

IMG_9876All blue, all blue
Know it takes me blue
Embers going out
Don’t let me drawn
When gravity stops
Only light will stay

All blue, all blue
Know it takes me blue
Embers going out
Don’t let me drown
When gravity stops
Only light will stay

SOURCE: LUAMEL
Photo © ZenStatePhotography

Yes… I cheated today.  These are lyrics from the song Blue by Luamel rather than my own poetry. It just felt… so right.

❤️ Self Care Saturday (On a Sunday)

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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?

Self Care Saturday Tarot Reading with the Oh, What a Wild Life! Tarot and Magickal Folklore Lenormand

Earth – King of Swords – Be decisive and make good decisions concerning your finances this week. Keep your eye on the prize and strategize with a leaning towards stability and security. Don’t act on emotion but think things through instead.

Air – Five of Pentacles – Scarcity issues are going to be a bit of a problem this week. Remember that a great deal of that is “in your head” and not realistic or reality based. The rest of it can be dealt with by following the advice in this reading’s Earth position.

Water – Four of Wands – Savor all the things that make you feel “at home” both in your home and concerning those in your life as well. It’s okay to wallow a bit in that sense of comfort and belonging you get from those people in your life, as well as in the environment you’ve made for yourself.

Fire – Eight of Pentacles – Put your nose to the grindstone this week in preparation for what is soon to come. Time off is coming, and business is going to continue to slow down as summer approaches. You have things you can be doing to make this go more smoothly, so do them.

Waning – Tree and House – Don’t worry so much on how everyone else is doing right now. Focus on yourself instead.

Waxing – Scythe and Child – Nip moments of childishness in the butt this week.

Take Away – Make sure you are making stable and strategic decisions with your money this week and don’t let your inner narrative fool you into panicking about what you -don’t- have right now. Just keep moving forward with your business and work on what needs to be done while leaning into those that give you comfort.

DECKS USED: OH, WHAT A WILD LIFE! TAROT

Listen In Silence

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

Inspiratriz Tarot - The Hanged ManToday’s draw is the The Hanged Man, which is my favorite card in the tarot, regardless of the deck. This is because I have a personal connection with this card, but it also has to do with the meaning of the Hanged Man, which often represents taking a step back in order to see things from a new perspective, taking time to settle into new perspectives until they become familiar and comfortable, and with that, the surrendering and/or letting go necessary to foster growth.

In this particular Hanged Man card, the figure appears to be praying, which for me brings in an added level of spirituality as well as it’s more traditional meaning.

What I see in the message of today’s card is a reminder that everyone’s beliefs and spiritual paths are unique.  Just as you share your path with others, others are eager to share theirs with you.  Make sure you are listening when others speak on such things, instead of mulling over what you want to say next.

DECK USED:  INSPIRATRIZ TAROT

@Lionharts #TheMarchTarot Wander Lust Challenge Prompt
Question for March 11th: What can I learn from the plants and the trees I find around me right now?

Inspiratriz Tarot and The Herbal Astrology OracleReading Summary: Not everything can be rooted in pleasure (Mandrake beside Three of Swords). At those times, you need to take your disappointments and unpleasant experiences (Three of Swords), and use your own agency to turn them around into something useful for you (Ginseng).

Take Away: Even the most useless seeming of weeds and most toxic of plants have their uses.  Make sure that you are looking around and paying attention to what mother nature is offering you, and don’t let it go to waste.

Also, remember that even though there’s a good chance that your tree on the balcony won’t be coming back this year, it’s an opening for new opportunity and not just a loss with no boon or gain attached.

DECK USED: THE HERBAL ASTROLOGY ORACLE AND INSPIRATRIZ TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsMar2023 Challenge Prompt
Question for March 11th: Johnny Appleseed Day – What interest could you pursue at this time that could become a lifelong passion?

Inspiratriz Tarot - Queen of Cups, Six of Cups, Three of Swords, King of PentaclesReading Summary: Assisting others in your life (Queen of Cups atop Six of Cups) in getting over their disappointments (Three of Swords) in order to develop greater stability in their own lives (King of Pentacles).

Take Away: You like to help people in finding what works for them, and this is something that you find fulfillment in. Helping them when they feel they’ve come to the end of their rope or are experiencing struggles and disappointments gives you the opportunity to let them see that something better is possible.

A lot of times, this is what your doing readings for others is all about, and it absolutely could (has already?) become a lifelong passion of yours.

DECK USED: INSPIRATRIZ TAROT

@lucet.in.aurora.tarot’s #lucetinauroraMaartTarotChallenge Prompt
Prompt for March 11th: A deck that is on your wishlist.

Il Tarocchi di Pinocchio c.1988 by Armando Valcauda
Right, so… this is IL Tarocchi di Pinocchio. It is a majors only deck that I have been in love with this deck for years and years. I absolutely adore the colorful and quirky artwork style, and I see a lot of humor in the illustrations. I’ve missed out on getting this deck for (what I consider to be) a reasonable price again and again. I’m still trying, and hopefully some day I’ll manage to get my hands on a copy and add it to my collection. For now, I continue to admire from afar and keep my fingers crossed.

DECK : IL TAROCCHI DI PINOCCHIO c.1988 BY ARMANDO VALCAUDA

Daily Self Kindness

This post is a catch-up post, and I’m not entirely sure what the self kindness was for this day.

Gideon’s Challenge

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IMG_0290Tenacity

When the wind blows
and the skies
are dark
or the sun shines
and blue
stretches wide
from horizon
to horizon
I will hold on
and cling tight
to you
because it is you
that makes
my soul sing
and the air taste
that much sweeter
on every inhale

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

Good Enough

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

The Cute Ninja Tarot - Knight of PentaclesToday’s draw is the Knight of Pentacles, which is traditionally a representation of an active beta energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s finances, resources, manifestations, home, health, and the physical world. This often translates into an active pursuit of these particular themes, alibi… usually a slow moving pursuit, as the Pentacles suit as a whole has a tendency to take its time.

The knight here in this card’s imagery definitely doesn’t appear to be taking his time, but then again, how can you be sure when he’s running with such effort if he’s actually getting anywhere?  Is he the tortoise going as fast as he can to his own personal abilities?  Or the hare, who chooses to sprint ahead recklessly.

Being the Knight of Pentacles?  He’s the tortoise. He might feel like he’s behind in the race, but he’s doing the best he can and that’s good enough.

Where in your life are you doing the best that you can and putting yourself down for it not being enough?  How much better would life be if you viewed these efforts as  good enough, instead of not enough?  Maybe it’s time to give that a try.

DECK USED:  THE CUTE NINJA TAROT

@Lionharts #TheMarchTarot Wander Lust Challenge Prompt
Question for March 10th: What can I do to cultivate a deeper appreciation for my current journey?

Kindred Lines OracleReading Summary: Don’t not allow moments of betrayal and deceit from others to create a feeling of uncertainty on your path (Moon atop Deceit). Only you know what works best for you (The Expert), so don’t give others the power to make you doubt yourself (Lost Identity).

Take Away: It can be hard not to take other’s harsh judgements and negativity to heart sometimes when it’s directed your way.  Just remember that they don’t know you as well as you know yourself, and there’s nothing they can judge you on.  You are your own worst critic, so if -you- aren’t seeing something wrong with what you’re doing?  Then there isn’t anything wrong with what you’re doing.

DECK USED: KINDRED LINES ENNEAGRAM REFLECTION DECK

@lucet.in.aurora.tarot’s #lucetinauroraMaartTarotChallenge Prompt
Prompt for March 10th: The second deck you choose.

Brian Froud's Faeries OracleI’m not sure if this prompt is asking for my second most favorite deck, or if it’s maybe the second deck you owned?  I’m not sure. 

This is the Fairies’ Oracle by Brian Froud.

When playing favorites, there are many decks that sit in “second place” to my top pick, and this is absolutely one of them.  It’s also the fourth non-lenormand/playingcard deck I ever owned. (Number one wad a debacle and I do not actually count, while number two and three I usually count together as I used them together and they hold equal standing in my heart… so in essence this would be number two instead of number four, in my mind.)

It felt perfect and -right- the moment that I opened it up and I have used this deck so much over the past 23 years that I’ve had to replace it numerous times due to wearing them out, damage to the cards, and in one strange instance… two cards ending up lost due to theft by crow while I was sitting right there at the time.

DECK USED: BRIAN FROUD’S FAERIES’ ORACLE

#DiscordTarotholicsMar2023 Challenge Prompt
Question for March 10th: International Day of Awesomeness – How can you focus more in the present?

The Cute Ninja Tarot - Seven of Wands, Seven of Swords, Wheel of FortuneReading Summary: Whether you fight for what you value (Seven of Wands) or you bail on what isn’t working and start over (Seven of Swords), it’s a crap shoot where you’ll end up (Wheel of Fortune).

Take Away: Focus on the present instead of betting everything on the uncertainty of the future . When you spend too much time looking ahead, you lose focus on what’s right before you.

You can’t know all that’s coming down the line, so stop trying and spend that time connecting with the moment and what’s going on around you instead.   There’s plenty to deal with right now without adding on the “what if’s” of the future.

DECK USED: THE CUTE NINJA TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I took a much needed nap when I got home.  I also did a bit of a vent earlier in the day about something that happened, which helped a bit in letting go of some of the tension at the time.