Month: August 2024

Emotional Tools

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Peculiar Pathways Tarot's King of Cups and and It’s Going To Be Okay 2024 Day-to-day Calendar By Kate AllanToday’s draw is the King of Cups combined with the affirmation “You are both strong and smart enough to handle everything you’ve got going on today.”

The cards for today are a reminder that you have grown and develop more skills and tools to help you emotionally than you think that you have. You may often feel like a novice, and maybe compared to others you still are, but you are leaps and bounds beyond where you started.

You simply need to remember to use these new skills and abilities that you have developed, rather than falling back on old unhealthy habits of the past.

DECK USED: PECULIAR PATHWAYS TAROT AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

#DiscordTarotholicsAug2023 Challenge Prompt
Lionharts #TheAugustTarot Challenge Prompt
Prompt for August 31 : Grab a spread of your choice that you’ve been curious about… and give it a go!

Bring Out the Lion Tarot Reading with the Peculiar Pathways Tarot and Flow Ogham Oracle

What area of my life is calling for a bold and rebellious approach?

Six of Coins and Muin – Be vocal about what you need, and be firm in expressing what you are willing to offer. This card is as much about give and take as it is about boundaries. Make both your needs and boundaries clear, sharing with others what you are able to give as well as what you need from them in turn.

How can I answer or honor that call?

Six of Cups and Coll – Pay attention to the tools others are using to bend your boundaries out of shape. Your past is often being used against you, and it’s only through watching closely and awareness that you’ll be able to see when and where that is happening. Awareness of this cycle can help you in breaking it.

What aspect of my comfort zone is holding me back?

The Fool Rx and The Circle – It is not within your comfort zone to act foolish, be silly, or pursue happiness. This reluctance is holding you back from the things that you need most right now. (Such as getting out in nature to frolic in liminal spaces.)

How can I step out of my comfort zone to explore new paths?

Queen of Swords and Úr – Lean into the transitions taking place with you right now. The shift of energy is positive and needed. Don’t just take time to savor it and enjoy it, but look beyond that to the practical as well, and use these changes to your advantage.

DECK USED: PECULIAR PATHWAYS TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I had some extra cuddle time with Miss Luna today. Yesterday was such a stressful day that I felt I really needed the extra rest, and allowed myself to have it.

📆 Transitioning from August to September

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Month End Tarot Reading with The Spore Tarot

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

Eight of Swords / Rosehips (Rosa canina) – Just like those in the world that don’t know the medicinal properties of rosehips or the joyous flavor of rosehip tea… you are missing something important. It’s not being hidden from you, but rather you are hiding from it through willful ignorance. No one can tell you what it is. Rather, you are going to have to figure it out for yourself, preferably before it’s too late to act.

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

Five of Pentacles / Thyme (Thymus vulgarus) – In order to get things around you and energies moving freely again, you need to let go of your feelings of scarcity. They aren’t helping you, but instead these feelings are gumming up the works.

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

Knight of Wands / Ginseng (Panax ginseng) – Energetic focus on your passions and goals. You have felt less that your best over the past bit of time, and the zing of energy and clarity you have felt over the last few days is something you hope to carry forward with you into the future.

Limitations – Negative influences, opposition, or ill will.

Judgement / Giant Puffball (Calvatia gigantea) – Grudges get you nowhere and hold back your personal growth. Instead of holding onto past slights, it’s okay to let the emotions involved go. It doesn’t mean forgetting or being doomed to repeat the lesson again, just that you release the experience’s ability to control your emotions.

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

King of Swords / Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus) – There is stability in knowledge and experience. This stability is your friend, whether it’s your own that you are sharing with others, or that of an elder that they are sharing with you. In the latter case, take in all that they have to share, even if it may not be something you agree with at the time. That information will become useful to you later on.

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

The Hermit / Agaricus (Agaricus blazei) – Healthy alone time is a wonderful thing, but keep in mind the damage that can be done by indulging in the unhealthy alone time that isolates you and lets you wallow in stagnancy. It’s time to explore healthy alone time again. Get out in the forest among the trees and revel in the solitude of quiet places under the canopy.

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

Four of Swords / Moringa (Moringa oleifera) – Tying into the previous card, you are encouraged to focus on the healing energy that being in nature provides for you. Breathe it in. Stretch out in the moss and listen to the crunch of the pine needle and cedar carpet under your feet. Immerse yourself in the healing energy of nature.

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

Four of Wands / Suma (Hebanthe eriantha) – Take care not to delve too deeply inward right now. You need to connect to the outside world and let its energy revitalize you, not linger in the energies of stagnation and stillness. Get out of the house and move your body.

Empowerment – A future opportunity to work toward.

The World / Fairy Ring (Marasmius oreades) – You currently have the opportunity to connect to a healthier cycle, leaving the unhealthy one you have been struggling with behind in the process. Seize this opportunity to step through to the other side.

Message from the Spirit World – Turn over a new leaf with your loved ones at home by embracing this energy of transition and stepping into it instead of retreating.

Message from the Mind’s World – A mindset of scarcity is keep you blinded to the exciting potential currently before you. Make sure you are looking beyond it instead of allowing it to put blinders on you.

Message from the Physical World – Get your ass outside and spend some alone time in nature without prying the eyes that tend to make you feel “off” about it all.

Take Away – The uplift of energy and clarity you have been feeling lately is an opportunity to move into a better place both emotionally and physically. Don’t let the chance to revel and enjoy life pass you by. Connect with others when needed, let go of grudges weighing you down, and get out in nature to really celebrate that connection and recharge.

DECKS USED: THE SPORE TAROT

Necessary Growth Spurts

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and was one of the #DailyTrip sessions from the Calm app.

The topic for today’s session was an exercise to help in counteracting that negative voice in our heads that is always there to whisper self doubts and tear us down.  It involved picking a simple supportive phrase that makes you feel safe and cared for.  I used the phrase “I love you” which, over the ten minutes of the meditation, morphed into “It’s okay. I love you.”

Honestly?  I don’t usually like affirmation based meditations. That said, today’s was very comforting and I really enjoyed it.  It helped untie a few knots of tension I didn’t realize I was holding onto.

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The Little Tarot and It’s Going To Be Okay 2024 Day-to-day Calendar By Kate AllanToday’s draw is the Turmoil card combined with the affirmation “With every challenge you meet, you gain experience; every day you are leveling up.”

Hurdles, obstacles, and challenges on our path are not there to break us down. They are opportunities for needed growth. Needed growth is growth that we may not always feel that we are ready for or necessarily want to experience, but that is needed for us to move forward in life.

The message in today’s cards is a reminder that struggles are a form of self improvement. It is the universe providing us with the added knowledge, strength, and tools we will need to continue on. It’s not life being unfair to us, but rather these challenges are a gift… even if it doesn’t feel like it in the moment.

DECK USED: THE LITTLE ORACLE AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

#DiscordTarotholicsAug2023 Challenge Prompt
Questions for August 29th and 30th

Earth Alchemy Oracle and The Little OracleWhere do I need to foster more joy and happiness in life?

Azurite and Orchid; Stability – You could do with instilling a bit more of a more lighthearted tone into things when you connect with your intuition and share what it has to say with others. It doesn’t have to be so dogmatic and serious all the time, which is a rut you have fallen into a bit lately. Instead, play with your cards more, play games with your intuition, and instill a bit more frivolity into your practice.

How can I encourage that joy to flourish in my future?

Mushroom Magic; Departure – Experiment and explore. There’s plenty of fun to be had when you choose to step outside your comfort zone. Be unconventional.

Other elements included in this reading:
Dried Pansy Flower for Hearing the Heart More Clearly
Amethyst for Spiritual Growth
Citrine for Lift (easing the weight of heavy energies)
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: EARTH ALCHEMY ORACLE AND THE LITTLE ORACLE

Daily Self Kindness

I ate so much that I made my stomach upset.  I know this doesn’t sound like a self-kindness… but the food was really good.

Finding the Positive for August 27 and 29

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Rustic Fortune Tarot and It’s Going To Be Okay 2024 Day-to-day Calendar By Kate AllanAugust 27

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and was one of the #DailyCalm sessions in the Calm app.

The session for today was on the topic of emotional dependence, and how when we grasp onto something too tightly, sometimes it can cause what we are so desperately trying to hold onto to smother and die. The session talked about how trust helps us to keep from tightening our grip too much, and how this is why trust in one’s relationships with others is so important.

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Today’s card is the UFO Area card combined with the affirmation “You don’t have to maximize the potential of every day. Some days are just about getting through.”

Belief is a choice. This card makes me think of the movie Independence Day (1996). People assuming that aliens come in peace and racing up to rooftops to celebrate and welcome them, only to have the space ship open up and the aliens to kill them all in a single blast.

People… actions speak louder than words. Those two fingers that little green man is holding up don’t necessarily mean “we come in peace”. Maybe he’s ordering take-out a la “two humans to go, please”.  You don’t know. You can believe anything you -want- to believe, but it won’t change the truth, and the truth is? Actions always speak louder than words.

Sometimes, we forget that, yeah?  And when we do?  We usually end up getting hurt.

The cards for today are a reminder that it’s okay to step away sometimes when that hurt or sense of betrayal nips you in the ass. We all experience it now and then, and it’s okay to need to take some time now and then to lick your wounds, pull yourself back together, and then (eventually) work toward getting back on the horse again.

DECK USED: RUSTIC FORTUNE TAROT AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

August 29

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Sunflower Field Tarot and It’s Going To Be Okay 2024 Day-to-day Calendar By Kate AllanToday’s card is the Nine of Swords combined with the affirmation “Don’t focus on success or failure; just focus on effort. Focus on trying.”

I like this affirmation much better than the “do your best” one from the 28th.  Just sayin’.

Fear can make you balk when it matters most to just put in a little effort. So many tasks often feel so much bigger and more intimidating than they actually are  when our anxieties conflate them to the point that they seem impossible to accomplish.

It’s important to remember during these times when our confidence flags that the massive size of what we’re looking at is all conjecture and perspective. It’s a lie whispered by fear. If you step forward and try anyway, that fear will recede, and in most cases you will then be able to see that the hurdle you’d been dreading really wasn’t insurmountable after all.

DECK USED: SUNFLOWER FIELD TAROT AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

What’s Actually Enough?

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Reitekina Tarot's The Tower card and It’s Going To Be Okay 2024 Day-to-day Calendar By Kate AllanToday’s draw is the Tower card combined with the affirmation “Just do your best. It will be enough.”

I have mentioned issues with the “do your best” affirmations in the past, and I can assure you that my feelings have not changed on this matter. Although, I *did* see a comment the other day that puts things in a slightly different perspective… or maybe not.

It said that if you only have 40% of your normal energy to give, then at that that time if you are giving that 40% in effort? You’re giving 100%.

I’m not sure if that works with “doing your best” though, as “your best” implies an overall track record than an in the moment capability in my opinion.

Alright, so, tangent aside. My “best” usually amounts to overextending myself to the brink of overwhelm and burn out, which is where The Tower card comes into the equation in today’s cards. It says that if you push into hard, there could be catastrophic consequences as a result. Thus, the message for today is that it’s okay to not pour your best into every single thing you do. Sometimes less than your best is absolutely enough.

DECK USED: REITEKINA TAROT AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

#DiscordTarotholicsAug2023 Challenge Prompt
Philosophical Question for August 28th : Does luck (good or bad) actually exist?

Photo-Aug-28-2024,-1-24-29-PMSummary: It’s a game of balance (Two of Pentacles) that has nothing to do with you (Four of Cups) other than how you react to it (Ace of Wands Rx).

Take Away: Good luck and bad luck exist because that’s how we perceive the universe keeping everything in balance around us and in our lives.

It’s not really an intentional act upon us any more than sunlight bouncing off a wall to shine in our eyes is an intentional act upon us to force us awake.  The perception of taking offense (or boon) from these pendulum like swings of balance is our own perception, but not necessarily based in the reality of what’s actually happening.

That doesn’t mean that the back and forth swing isn’t happening, though.  Just that we are taking it far more personally than it actually is.

Other elements included in this reading:
Freshly Gathered Basil for Spiritual Clarity
Pansy Flower for Hearing the Heart More Clearly
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: THE RAVEN’S DREAM TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I spent a bit of time dawdling in bed with Miss Luna earlier today, just enjoying the feel of relaxing and watching the leaves on the oak tree outside rustle in the breeze.

🎨 Weekly Creativity Prompt – Differing Perspectives

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Prompt: “Pull the Queen of Swords 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?“

Terra Volatile - Queen of SwordsTerra Volatile – She has a decapitated head dangling from one wrist and blood on her sword.  The Queen of Swords in this particular imagery is clearly going to not just be judicious, but deal with issues quickly and with precision.  There is no room for sentimentality here, and the situation the querent finds themselves in is going to need to be dealt with in much the same manner.  Don’t worry if you come  off seemingly cold-hearted, every harvest requires the chaff to be removed, and now’s the time to get that done.

Queen of Swords in the RTEXT Tarot, Stunning Tarot, and Zoomies Tarot

RTEXT Tarot – This deck has an interesting take on the Queen of Swords, blending her in with the Queen of Wands to draw in an element of fire and creative spark. It speaks of using your mind in creative ways, to think outside the box for solutions you can use to help and guide those around you. Experience resides in the blue cloak she wears, and it is through her experience that this Queen is strong in her leadership of others, guiding the way forward in what might possibly be considered unconventional and surprising ways.

Stunning Tarot – How often do our thoughts come without emotions attached to them?  Not often. In this card we see the queen as a mermaid, submerged within the water with her sword drawn, but held with a touch of restraint.  She wants to listen first, hear what you have to say, and hold off on judgement until she’s had time to sort through both her emotions and her thoughts and come to a solid conclusion. It is this energy that needs to be brought into the situation you find yourself in. Don’t react impulsively and take the time to sort out your emotions from your thoughts, weighing what you’ve learned and your internal reactions to it prior to speaking out or taking action.

Zoomies Tarot – “At the dogforsaken swingers club.” Dogs are playful and fun. If dogs are forsaken, it doesn’t sound like it’d be that much fun of a club, and the bored look of the frog on the swing seems to agree.  Take time to examine what is missing from the picture before you step forward to try and offer advice or perspective to others.  Something is missing in the situation, and until you figure out what that is? Your advice isn’t going to get through and land as you hope it would.

DECKS USED: TERRA VOLATILE TAROT, RTEXT TAROT, STUNNING TAROT, ZOOMIES TAROT