Month: July 2023

Weekly Creativity Prompt – Death

/ Twist the Leaf / Leave a comment

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

Death Card from the Modern Love TarotModern Love Tarot – When I look at the imagery in this card, I see vanity, and how very fleeting beauty can be. That, in turn, speaks to me of the need to cherish the beauty in our lives while it is there, for it will not last forever… just as everything is temporary, so too is that.  The advice I see in this card is about cherishing the good so that you can hold onto  memories of these good things once things change.

Death Card in the Healing Waves Tarot, Dive To You Tarot, and Seasonal Fox Tarot Day Edition

Healing Waves Tarot – A brand new eco-system using the skull of the dead as its foundations is what I see in this card, and it speaks to me about what comes after loss. Change and loss create a void, and in time that void is filled with something new.  We cannot have that something new that is to come until we have gone through the loss that precedes it.  I would read this card as a reminder of what to look forward to, and a reassurance that something more is to come to fill the void left by what has been lost.

Dive To You Tarot – With change comes loss, and with loss often comes the painful feelings of grief. This card focuses on one’s grief, and encourages us to not shut it out but to experience it and process it. It’s okay to cry, or even rail at the universe for those things we have lost.  It’s a part of letting go and processing what has been taken away and/or left behind by change that is upon us . It speaks of healthy processing rather than burying one’s feelings in the face of change.

Seasonal Fox Tarot Day Deck –  A fox looks back and considers the shadows of the past and what is lost. In lingering too long, the fox is also then cast in shadow.  Although, after change has happened, it is okay to look back now and then, make sure you do not linger in the past.  Doing so keeps us from embracing the future and making the most of what is to come.  When you consider living in the past instead of seeking the future, a part of  your future dies along with what you’re already leaving behind.

DECKS USED: MODERN LOVE TAROT, HEALING WAVES TAROT, DIVE TO YOU TAROT, SEASONAL FOX TAROT DAY EDITION

Finding the Positive Message for July 16 – 18

/ Twist the Leaf / Leave a comment

Kitten Nugget Tarot, Mimit Tarot, Elevate Tarot, and Thera-Pets Emotional Support Animal Cards

July 16

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and focused on the affirmation in the Thera-Pets card for today, which is a reminder about treating yourself kindly.  Not just physically being kind to your body, but mentally making sure you’re not calling yourself names and that your inner voice isn’t being an ass and beating you up.  Sometimes, when we feel like crap (especially emotionally), it can be really hard not to let that inner voice hold sway.  Just remember… it’s a liar.  Don’t listen to it.

The Magician – For some reason? I saw this card and it said “MONDAY!” and I just went along with it and it was Monday all day today… even though it was actually Sunday.  The end result? I got a lot done that I normally would have had to do tomorrow… and I got to spend time with Gideon as well.  How about that?

DECK USED: KITTEN NUGGET TAROT

July 17

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and focused on the affirmation in the Thera-Pets card for today, which states “You are strong enough.”  This is a message that I think everyone needs to hear sometimes and I’m no exception.  Sometimes things feel so overwhelming, and it feels like there’s no way forward or no way to make it through.  The thing is, though?  We will make it through, and are far stronger and more resilient than we give ourselves credit for.  Myself included.

Eight of Cups – Remember that it’s okay to say “fuck it” and strike out on your own.  It’s about what’s right for you. If it’s not working for you? It’s just not going to work for you. Instead of self-sacrificing and making yourself miserable? Let it the fuck go and walk away.

DECK USED: MIMIT TAROT

July 18

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and focused on the affirmation in the Thera-Pets card for today, which says “you will survive this”.  Although not feeling particularly powerless at the moment, this card is a good reminder when you’re feeling vulnerable that you’re not going to crumble to dust just because you’re feeling out of sorts.  It’s okay, and you’ll get through it.  You’ll come out the other side just fine.

Queen of Swords – It’s always a good idea to keep in mind, though, when feeling out of sorts not to take those feelings out on others. There’s no need to lash out.  You can glide through it silently without hurting others feelings or dragging them down to feeling as crappy as you do in that moment.

DECK USED: ELEVATE TAROT (MODIFIED)

🌑 New Moon in Cancer – July 2023

/ Twist the Leaf / Leave a comment

Today is the new moon, and like all new moons and full moons, I did a spread aligned to the moon’s current themes as a part of my recognition of the moon’s cycle and influences upon us. Today’s spread is brought to you by Leo at Apollo.Tarot.

New Moon in Cancer Tarot Reading with the Healing Waves Tarot

How can I best nurture the feminine and masculine energies that make me who I am?

Feminine – Four of Earth – When you foster a stronger sense of stability, it allows these more feminine energies within you a chance to surface and breathe.

Masculine – The Letter atop Nine of Air Rx – Don’t allow rocky seas and unexpected surprises to send you down into a downward spiral of negative inner talk and anxiety. Doing so diminishes the masculine energy within you.

How can I best support my family and those dear to me?

Five of Water Rx – Stay positive, and make sure that you are pushing a positive perspective on them as well, so that they too are unable to completely wallow in a pessimistic viewpoint.

Where in my life should I apply love unconditionally?

Page of Water – Everywhere. Be open to sharing your love with everyone and everything. You are in a learning phase when it comes to your emotional intelligence and your own emotions, and you cannot learn if you are closing yourself off.

What unresolved matters from the past need to resurface?

Seven of Fire – Take a look at the things that have made you feel defensive lately. Bring them back up and into the light. Look at them again, and work through them instead of pushing them aside.

What areas of my life do I need to go with the flow?

Three of Water – Don’t forget that getting together with friends and having a good time is a good thing, and good for you and your emotional well-being. You can’t be staid and steady all of the time. Sometimes cutting loose with others is needed.

How can I improve my emotional intelligence?

Eight of Air – Keep in mind that you cannot see everything others are going through and experiencing in life. You don’t know what troubles and trials are causing them to act the way they are. Foster understanding through the fact that you can’t see everything and know everything all of the time.

New Moon advice from the Minoan Goddess Amalthea.

Nine of Earth – It’s important to recognize all that you have accomplished and encourage a mentality of gratitude and a perspective that allows you to see clearly all you have done, and all you have garnered as a result of your hard work. Don’t allow negativity to overshadow these positive perspectives.

DECK USED: HEALING WAVES TAROT

Finding the Positive Message for July 13 – 15

/ Twist the Leaf / Leave a comment

Spacious Tarot, Seasonal Fox Day Tarot, Songs for the Journey Home Tarot, and Thera-Pets Emotional Support Animal Cards

July 13

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and focused on the affirmation in the Thera-Pets card for today, which is about what a liar anxiety is, and a reminder of how easy it can be to fall into anxiety’s thought patterns and traps, and end up stuck there.

The Lovers – The Lovers isn’t always about romantic love, unions, and the like… but today it is. Today’s card is a reminder to reach out to Gideon and make sure that your energies are intertwined and in sync instead of out of rhythm or tangled. Sometimes, when things are feeling stressful, you have a habit of closing yourself off from others.  Don’t do that today… reach out to him instead.

DECK USED: SPACIOUS TAROT

July 14

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and focused on the affirmation in the Thera-Pets card for today, which was about those times when one is feeling defeated, and like you have nothing left to give. Just recently, I was doing some time helping an elderly woman in her recovery from first gall bladder surgery, and then shoulder surgery soon after. There were times when I really thought I had reached the end of what I was capable of… and yet there was always more to do.  By the time I made it home, I felt broken… and yet?  I recovered.  This affirmation is a reminder of that resilience and that we can bounce back if we give ourselves what we need to recover from times of struggle.

Five of Wands – Are you going to butt heads all day with everyone you come across? Or are you going to foster community and allow everyone to have their say, then encourage them all to work together to get something productive done? Differing opinions and methods don’t always have to end in negative outcomes.  Sometimes?  It becomes like a brainstorming session, and something even better comes out of it in the end.

DECK USED: SEASONAL FOX TAROT DAY DECK

July 15

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and was about tenacity. It’s about being confident about things moving on past bad experiences. Shit happens. Change happens. Things sometimes go wrong, and sometimes when things go wrong? It creates an opportunity for something better. But you have to get through the bad part first, yeah? That’s what today’s meditation is about. Getting through the hard parts, and having faith that when you get through the hard parts? There’s something more, better, or just different on the other side.

Two of Wave Songs (as in… Cups) – Today’s card is about the “honeymoon phase” of relationships with others. That’s what the geyser of water lifting up to support the cherubs makes me think of as the two little cherubs play in the water, uplifted by heightened emotion and blind to the pitfalls. That “honeymoon phase” is a natural part of relationships with others, whether they be platonic, romantic or even with a place or thing rather than a person. Today’s card is a reminder that the honeymoon phase is just that. A phase. Enjoy it and the bliss it offers, but remember that there are depths to explore beyond it as well, and that not -everything- about anything or anyone is all good and right and perfect. It’s okay to enjoy what is, though.

DECK USED: SONGS FOR THE JOURNEY HOME TAROT

Finding the Positive Message for July 10 – 12

/ Twist the Leaf / Leave a comment

Keeper of the Sacred Bee Tarot, Tinseltown Tarot, Tarot of Tales, and Thera-Pets Emotional Support Animal CardsJuly 10

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and focused on the affirmation in the Thera-Pets card for today, which was a reminder that anxieties don’t equal reality, and just because you are stressed and worrying about something doesn’t mean that something is going to turn out as badly as you think it might.  It’s a reminder to allow yourself to be hopeful instead of wallowing in pessimism, which only makes your anxiety that much worse.

Eight of Swords – What are you ignoring that you need to look more closely at?  Closing your eyes and sticking your head in the sand does nothing but expose your ass to the world. It’s time to take a little time to sit down with your worries and confront them, instead of allowing yourself to push them away and ignore them.  Doing that solves nothing.

DECK USED: KEEPER OF THE SACRED BEE TAROT

July 11

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and focused on the affirmation in the Thera-Pets card for today, which were words of encouragement and a reminder that you are a fighter. A survivor. You are strong and stubborn and know what is right for you. Don’t allow yourself to be beaten down and buckle under the pressure of the world around you when it tries to push what you know isn’t right down your throat.

Temperance – Moderation is important. As much as you hate it. As much as you struggle with it.  It’s important. You can only do so much.  You can only afford to expend so much energy, or spend so much money, or fit so many things in an hour or a day.  Like in spoon theory, you have to pick and choose, and be happy with what you manage to accomplish instead of always pushing yourself for more.

DECK USED: TINSELTOWN TAROT

July 12

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and focused on the affirmation in the Thera-Pets card for today, which speaks of struggle not being an indication of failure.  It’s hard sometimes when struggling with something not to see yourself as failing at it. So many things come easy, especially when one knows what they like and what they’re good at, that when something comes along that really challenges us, it feels like we’re not doing good at it and might fail. That isn’t the case, but it feels that way. This affirmation is a reminder that what we’re feeling in those moments isn’t failure, but growing pains.

The Hierophant – This card is about tradition, and the learning of “old ways” of doing things. So often in today’s society we balk at tradition, always seeking the new and different, discarding the old, well worn, and often tried-and-true ways for new ones. It’s important to remember, though, that there’s value in the old ways of doing things. Wisdom in the generations of knowledge seeking to be passed down. Today’s card is a reminder that as great as new and shiny cool things, thoughts, methods, perspectives, and mentalities might be… there’s value in the past that we need to seek to preserve rather than discount and reject outright. And even when those perspectives might not fit today’s climate or society, they still hold knowledge and value in allowing us to see where we’ve come from and the perspectives we have grown from as people and a society.

DECK USED: TAROT OF TALES

Finding the Positive Message for July 7 – 9

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

HappyToast Word Cloud Tarot, Kawaii Tarot, 78Tarot Carnival, and Thera-Pets Emotional Support Animal Cards

July 7

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and focused on the affirmation in the Thera-Pets card for today, which speaks about anxiety not being indicative of reality.  It was something I admit that I really needed to hear.  A reminder that just because anxiety is whispering in your ear doesn’t mean it’s going to become a self-fulfilling prophesy, and instead of focusing on those whispers, sometimes we have to do our best to just let them go.

Seven of Pentacles – The Seven of Pentacles is often about slow, steady progress towards sustainable goals, and considering that today was Ms B’s post-op, it was really fitting that this card would show up today.  She passed her post-op with flying colors, and it really relieved me to hear that.  She can’t start physio for another four weeks, and she and I had a very long talk about the benefits of taking things slow so that the shoulder can heal well and without setbacks.

I actually used this card in that talk, to help in encouraging a slow and steady mindset.  Muscles, bones, and tendons take time to heal. It’s not something that’s going to happen over night.   I also need to hear this message, as I strained my own shoulder while caring for her over the past week, and it’s going to need some TLC as well.

DECK USED: HAPPYTOAST WORD CLOUD TAROT

July 8

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and was focused on the “blueberry fairy princess” affirmation in the Thera-Pets card for today. I rarely call myself garbage, but I -am- extremely hard on  myself and the whimsical “you are a blueberry fairy princess” made me laugh and, it feels like, gave me the permission to be a bit silly and lighthearted today.

Four of Wands – Homecoming and the goodness of home is what this card is about, and with all the little sloths holding different things and busy with different tasks? The imagery of this card is a reminder that there’s lots of fun to be had at home and lots to do that you can enjoy.  It doesn’t all have to be work and seriousness all the time.  Do something today that makes you really appreciate the comforts of home.

DECK USED: KAWAII TAROT

July 9

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long (yes, if you haven’t figured it out yet, I use a timer).  It was based on the “weird is wonderful” Thera-Pets affirmation card, and… this is something I’m very aware of already.  I’ve never been someone that was very good at “fitting in” and have always done far more walking to my own drummer.  I’m happy with my oddities and weirdness, and I have absolutely no issues with being different.  It’s what makes life interesting.

Justice – When you play with fire, you’re eventually going to get burned.  The Justice card is all about cause and effect, and often involves the consequences of our actions, just as the carnival performer in this card dances on a blade with bloody feet while an angel whispers in one ear and the devil in the other.  The imagery in this card speaks to me to say that no one can be good or perfect all the time. What’s important is when you do something bad that you take the time to consider the repercussions and accept them beforehand… because there’s always that chance that what you do is going cause you to have to eat the bitter pill those consequences for breakfast the next morning.

DECK USED: 78TAROT CARNIVAL