Month: October 2024

Exploration Ahead

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

Sometimes, when we meditate, it’s difficult not to try too hard.  We push for serene and a blank mind, we try to push out distractions instead of accepting their presence, etc.  Other times, we may become too lax and allow our minds to become too distracted and wander too far.

The session for today is a reminder that there is a middle ground that lies between trying too hard to focus and being too lax on your focus, and how it is in that middle ground where the benefits of meditation lie, and where we can find them and thrive from those benefits.

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StringerArts Tarot's Knight of Wands and Halloween Affirmation CardsToday’s draw is the Knight of Wands combined with the affirmation “I am connected to the spirits of those who came before me, and their wisdom guides me.”

Take an impulsive leap forward in pursuing your passion for mediumship and connecting with ancestors.

Dive in and do a little exploring, seek out new paths and adventures on this path and look for new ways to connect.  As the veil becomes more and more thin this month, now is the time for developing and strengthening these connections.

DECKS USED:  STRINGERARTS TAROT AND SELF-MADE HALLOWEEN AFFIRMATION DECK

@HealingThruTarot’s #httOctoberTarotChallenge2024 Prompt
Prompt for October 21st thru 23rd

StringerArts Tarot - Seven of Wands, Three of Wands, The Empress, Page of Wands, King of CupsHow to prepare for any coming darkness.

Seven of Wands atop Three of Wands – Your progress will be blocked by defensive behavior. Take care to stay loose and not get your back up, or it will hinder you from making progress in the months ahead.

Whispers from my Ancestors to guide me.

Page of Wands atop Previous Cards – To keep moving you need to do more than “stay loose”, but be open to making changes to your process in order to keep things moving. Don’t get stuck in old practices and let them them hold you back. Embrace new methods instead.

How to balance the shadow with my light.

King of Cups atop The Empress – Gideon is always going to be the answer to creating a nurturing place for yourself, as well as alleviating subdrop. Take care to stay connected to him and lean into him for help with your emotional stability needs.

DECK USED: STRINGERARTS TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I took a nap in the back of the car earlier today while J drove.

Temporary Trials

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Tarot Obscura's Judgement card and Halloween Affirmation CardsToday’s draw is the Judgement card combined with the affirmation “All difficult days come to an end. You will get through this.”

Don’t judge yourself so harshly when you are struggling or make a mistake. Mistakes can be recovered from and struggles are a temporary condition that we all go through from time to time.

The people we grow into and become (hopefully, better people than the people we are today) are formed out of our trials and challenges.

Those struggles and mistakes are simply growth spurts. Small ones and large ones, uncomfortable as hell… but  but temporary. After we make it through them, there is then time for recovery, rest, and to bask in the sunlight for a bit before the next growth spurt begins.

Rough days and difficult struggles will pass, and we will be better for them… no matter how uncomfortable we are in the moment.

DECKS USED:  TAROT OBSCURA AND SELF-MADE HALLOWEEN AFFIRMATION DECK

@Lionharts #TheOctoberTarot Season of the Witch Prompt
Prompts for October 21st thru 23rd : The Spell

The Infernal Oraculum by Monica KnightonMirror, mirror, show or tell, what intention do I give this spell?

Canities – With offerings of acorns and oak, a spell for strength of body and determination of will, that bolsters the body and mind, and lends spark to the energies of one’s “prowess”.

Now is the time, this is the hour, show me what this spell will empower?

Triskaidek – In wet dirt that clings to heavy stone a sigil comes and is reborn to remove obstacles from one’s path while traveling through prejudice and wrath. Giving the recipient the ability to bear the weight of the stares and slight with strength and ease.

And as I cast my spell tonight, what rooted magic will take flight?

Bulbitis – To purge is the answer needed this night, bile’s sigil earns this spell flight. It’s in not caring what others think and disgorging from within the need to please that this spell is manifested, and on its recipient’s shoulders rested.

With judicious strength bestowed at last, so mote it be, this spell is cast.

DECK USED: THE INFERNAL ORACULUM

#DiscordTarotholicsOct2024 Challenge Prompt
Question for October 21st : Gravestone : What part of your past needs dug up and examined?

Tarot Obscura - The Tower, Page of Pentacles, Six of SwordsReading Summary: Look back upon the methods you have learned (Page of Pentacles) to take advantage of (Six of Swords) moments of catastrophe (The Tower).

Take Away: Often, when we move away from comfort, it leads to chaos and struggle. That doesn’t mean that struggle isn’t good for you and exactly what you need.

It’s important to look back at these times in the past when you have gotten through trials and tribulations, and acknowledge that it’s these times when you have learned the greatest of life’s lessons and skills that have gotten you through and allowed you to “up your game”, so to speak.

Steel is forged through fire, and so are we.  At this time, dig up some of those fires of your past to take a look at what you gained from them and remind yourself that the trials are worth what’s been earned along the way by going through them.

DECK USED: TAROT OBSCURA

Daily Self Kindness

I took a nap even though it was orders day and I couldn’t really afford the time.

Validation vs Abuse

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

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The Strange Beast Tarot Eight of Swords and Halloween Affirmation Cards@GlitterbyInk #OctoberCauldron24 Prompt
Cauldron of Wisdom Prompt for October 20th : Reflection

Today’s draw is the Eight of Swords combined with the affirmation “Brewing success daily. No tricks, just treats.”

Instead of ignoring your accomplishments, take time to enjoy them. You spend far too much time stewing over what might happen next or what needs to be done.  You discount your accomplishments, and instead always try to look forward toward the next moment, the next responsibility, the next thing  you need to get done.

This leaves a life filled with lackluster moments and a ton of little cuts and wounds caused by all that lack of validation. Instead, take time to reflect on your accomplishments, even the little ones that seem insignificant.  They aren’t as insignificant as you feel that they are, and by celebrating them, you draw yourself out of the cycle of abuse that ignoring them causes.

DECKS USED:  THE STRANGE BEAST TAROT AND SELF-MADE HALLOWEEN AFFIRMATION DECK

@Lionharts #TheOctoberTarot Season of the Witch Prompt
Question for October 20th :When ghoul and ghost come creeping near, what am I to embrace, not fear?

Goblin Antics CardsReading Summary: The discomfort that you feel toward cultural appropriation (Tiki Goblin) virtue warriors (Warrior Goblin) that sweep in to bash others (Goblin and Goliath) is not because you are feeling awkward, but because it is in these situations and people that you feel a sense of fear. It’s that fear that causes you that discomfort.

Take Away: Virtue signaling and aggression in the area of cultural appropriation has a tendency to piss you off and make you uncomfortable. Too often people pile on with any little thing, whether it’s the recent shifting of terms once common and now taboo, or the demand to no longer hold in your practice something that has been integral to it since childhood.

Remember to do your best to see beneath their snotty and entitled “justice warrior” or “karen-type” behaviors, and hear what lies beneath. Don’t fall into a battle with them. Just listen and do research to look for actual –legitimate– sources. Then, be open to adapting if verification can be obtained.

Other elements included in this reading:
Foraged Wood Fern for Exorcising Negative Influences
Amazonite for Self Awareness and Facing Truths
Rose Quartz for Gentle Kindness to Self and Others
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: GOBLIN ANTICS CARDS

#DiscordTarotholicsOct2024 Challenge Prompt
Prompt for October 20th : Do Spread 3

The Strange Beast Tarot - Five of Coins, Ten of Wands, Five of Cups, Two of Wands, King of Cups, Judgement, Three of Swords

Smoky Quartz – How can you best clear negativity from your life and in turn gain greater stability?

Five of Coins Rx – Abandon your tendency towards feelings of scarcity. Remember that these thoughts and feelings are a habit, and thus not necessarily a reflection of the truth.

Apple – What insight is needed to improve your physical health at this time?

Ten of Wands – Remember that overwhelm is not your friend. When you overburden yourself, you break yourself down, not just mentally and emotionally, but also physically.

Chrysanthemum – Where do your defenses and boundaries need some bolstering?

Five of Cups – That negative inner narrative and natural inclination towards pessimism need more boundaries and defenses in place. Make sure that you are working for the optimistic view and leaning into positivity whenever possible, instead of falling into old negative habits.

Aquamarine – In what ways can meditation promote more calm and confidence in your life?

King of Cups – A regular meditation practice helps you in finding more calm and stability in your emotions, giving them a stronger foundation that then leads to less overall uncertainty.

Mint – What factor in your relationships needs some reevaluation and perhaps adjustment?

Three of Swords Rx – Don’t worry so much about disappointments. All relationships have ups and downs, and even those who are closest to each other have differences of opinion and beliefs. This is a natural part of relationships and not something that you need to worry about. It won’t be the death of these friendships and relationships.

Carnelian – In what ways can including more creativity in your life brighten your daily outlook?

Judgement – For you, striving to be a better person includes creativity being a part of your life. When you include more creativity in your day-to-day, it helps you in seeing yourself eventually becoming the person that you want to grow into.

Pomegranate – What wish of yours is ready to be manifested into reality at this time?

Two of Wands – Flip back in the pages of your ideas book and take a closer look at the lists of future plans that you wrote down “for a rainy day”. Now is the time to find the ones that look appealing and begin taking steps to bring them into reality.

Other elements included in this reading:
Ceramic Pine Tips Impression for Protection
Carnelian Agate for Warmth and Courage
Desert Rose for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: THE STRANGE BEAST TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I am doing what I can to not force myself into overworking, and keep my anxiety under control as the holiday rush approaches.

❤️ 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 Zombie Tarot and Lunatic Lenormand

Earth – Seven of Swords Rx – Don’t panic, and don’t move. Do not allow the events taking place around you too, cause you to bolt when you need to stay still.

Air – Ten of Wands – You’re going to feel the need to overburden yourself this week. Make sure that you do not go in this direction, and don’t allow yourself to get all up in your head. You’ll have plenty of overwhelmed later on when the holiday rush begins. There’s no reason to start it early with your anxiety and worries piling on.

Water – Page of Cups atop Seven of Cups Rx – Remember that you are not well-versed in your emotions and how to react to them. When they rise up, and you feel the urge to act, step back instead, and try to limit your options rather than being confused by them or trying to take on too much.

Fire – The Tower – It’s going to feel like the end of the goddamn world as a shit show ensues within the area of your passion projects and your business. Remember the advice given in the other three positions of this reading today. Don’t panic. Step back and wait it out instead of reacting or taking on too much.

Waning – Letter and Snake – Don’t let incoming communication and bad news this week set you off. Wait it out instead of reacting.

Waxing – Bear and Clouds – Times of uncertainty are hard for you to take. Make sure that you are staying solid and steadfast in your values and what you need to protect in your life. Prioritize what’s important above all else.

Take Away – No jumping the gun on the holiday rush this year, no matter how hard you emotions and fears push you to do so. Savor every moment you can before it begins. When chaos lands in your lap, make sure you don’t panic.  Pause and stay still instead, while remembering it’ll pass and isn’t half as bad as it seems in the moment.

DECKS USED: ZOMBIE TAROT AND LUNATIC LENORMAND

Hiatus is Okay… Leaving is Not

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

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The Emperor of Todd Alcott's Horror Tarot and Halloween Affirmation Cards@GlitterbyInk #OctoberCauldron24 Prompt
Cauldron of Wisdom Prompt for October 19th : Fulfillment

Today’s draw is The Emperor card combined with the affirmation “You are not a burden. We are lucky to have you.”

You receive fulfillment from being a leader, but there are times when self doubt makes it hard to see the forest through the trees.  There are times when you retreat, when depression pulls you into yourself, and you forget that there are others in your life that need you.

Remember that these others understand that these times happen, and are willing to wait, as long as you are willing to return once more once the darkness and self-doubt lifts.  Depression steals a lot of things from you, and self confidence is one of them.  It’s temporary, though.  In time, that sense of self returns and as you step back into the role of leader once you can take a deep breath once more? Your loved ones will be there waiting for you, eager for your return.

DECKS: TODD ALCOTT’S HORROR TAROT AND SELF-MADE HALLOWEEN AFFIRMATION DECK

@Lionharts #TheOctoberTarot Season of the Witch Prompt
Question for October 19th :As spooky season fills the air, what is my truth {draw a card}, what should I dare {draw a card}.

Halloween Tarot of the Trick or Treat - Three of Swords, Four of PentaclesWhat is my truth?

Three of Swords – You are a pessimist at heart. It’s just a part of your make up. This is why affirmations and other such practices that help bring an element of positivity into your life are so important, as it helps keep the depression away that is fed by your negative inner commentary and pessimistic nature.

What should I dare?

Four of Pentacles – Continue to feed into your need to hoard money. Seek the dopamine high that comes with building up a sense of stability on a financial level. It’s okay if it becomes an obsession for a while. You can work on breaking that addiction later down the road when the big expenses that aren’t under your control have passed.

DECK USED: HALLOWEEN TAROT OF THE TRICK OR TREAT

#DiscordTarotholicsOct2024 Challenge Prompt
Question for October 19th : Bewitched : What depths lie beneath the mask that you show the world?

Todd Alcott's Horror Tarot - Three of Cups, The Sun, Ten of Wands, Queen of Wands, Seven of PentaclesThree of Cups Rx, The Sun Rx, Ten of Wands – Asking for others to lend you a hand does not make you happy and is always a struggle for you.

You understand that t’s a necessary  part of life in order to keep you from hitting overwhelm and burn out, though, and do your best to not let them see your distaste in asking in the first place.

Seven of Pentacles and Queen of Wands – While you don’t enjoy asking others for help, you do enjoy sharing your passions with others.

You take pleasure in the process of teaching them your skills and watching them grow within their own unique skill sets as a result as they branch off from what you’ve taught them onto their own path.

DECK USED: TODD ALCOTT’S HORROR TAROT

@HealingThruTarot’s #httOctoberTarotChallenge2024 Prompt
Prompt for October 19th and 20th

Halloween Tarot of the Trick or Treat and Ask Your Cat OracleEnchantments to weave this magical season.

The Tower and Ignoring You – Instead of allowing your anxiety and worries over how badly things are going, step back from the emotions and away from the fears.  Just let shit fall apart while you wait on the sidelines and keep your worrying to a minimum.

A trait taught to you when you were young, you excel it being willfully ignorant when you want to be. Now is the time to practice that skill.

Darkness within I can transform with light.

Five of Cups and So Not Happening – Use that stubborn nature of yours and strength of will to ensure that you are not falling too deeply into pessimistic thinking or a defeatist attitude. Make sure you are leaning into optimism whenever possible instead of just letting that natural inclination take over and drag you deeper into the dark.

DECK USED: HALLOWEEN TAROT OF THE TRICK OR TREAT AND ASK YOUR CAT ORACLE

Daily Self Kindness

Once I’d taken Ms B’s friend to the airport, pulled over and took a nap before trying to drive the rest of the way home.

Life Raft Inflation Techniques

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

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The Tarnished Tarot and Halloween Affirmation Cards@GlitterbyInk #OctoberCauldron24 Prompt
Cauldron of Wisdom Prompt for October 18th : Magick

Today’s draw is the Five of Cups combined with the affirmation “You are not Failing. Depression lies. Keep going.”

When I started doing this exercise a couple of years ago, I was extremely skeptical as to their efficacy. I have been a life-long pessimist, and my brain’s litany of negative input and abuse is pretty impressive and extensive.

The psychologist proposed using an “affirmation a day” app and meditating on each affirmation that came up, but I didn’t relate to the affirmations, and meditating on them felt stupid as hell.  So I adjusted the practice to (at first) make it a card of the day practice with tarot, the goal being to find a positive message to carry with me each day through whatever card came up that day.

Over time, I’ve done different things with the practice.  I’ve made myself a few affirmation decks that I connect with more strongly than the affirmation apps I’d tried.  I’ve picked up a few affirmation decks with the same themes so that I can connect to them easier as well.   I’ve also begun sometimes combining affirmation decks and tarot cards or oracle cards.

And the thing is?  It works.  I was shocked.   Does it take the negativity away?  Does it make me -not- a pessimist?  No.  No it doesn’t. What it does, though, is create a ray of light in the darkness.  It’s like a little extra air in a partially inflated life raft.  On its own, that air doesn’t really account for much, but when added to what’s in the raft? It helps keep me that much more afloat so that I don’t sink into the depths quite so easily.

DECKS USED:  THE TARNISHED TAROT AND SELF-MADE HALLOWEEN AFFIRMATION DECK

@Lionharts #TheOctoberTarot Season of the Witch Prompt
Question for October 18th : The weird ones chant beneath the stars, what strength lies underneath my scars?

Tarot Obscuro - Seven of Swords, The Empress, Eight of Swords, Queen of WandsReading Summary: There is strength in the stillness needed (Seven of Swords Rx) to sort out what is real and what is not (Eight of Swords). This allows you to be judicious in where you direct your energy (The Empress) and what projects you choose to support (Queen of Wands).

Take Away: One of the things you have learned through painful experiences in your past is to pause and pay attention rather than just reacting.  By listening and watching first,  you see more and that gives you a greater understanding of what’s going on and those involved.  This knowledge is helpful in making good choices not just for yourself, but sometimes for others as well.

DECK USED: TAROT OBSCURO

#DiscordTarotholicsOct2024 Challenge Prompt
Philosophical Question for October 18th : Is there an afterlife?

The Tarnished Tarot - The Hermit, The Lovers, Six of WandsReading Summary: It’s not about others experiences or pleasing others in life (Six of Wands Rx), but instead is all about you and learning to know thyself  (The Hermit), as well as the choices you’ve made and motivations behind those choices (The Lovers).

Take Away: The answer here is that the afterlife is an individual thing.  Some people experience an afterlife, and others don’t, won’t… or even, can’t.

Whether someone experience an afterlife or not, as well as what that experience may entail, is dependent upon what choices they’ve made along the way and how they’ve lived their life.

These cards indicate that whether or not there’s an afterlife is about who you are deep within yourself, how you’ve grown, and who you have become through the journey of your life and your spirit.

DECK USED: THE TARNISHED TAROT

@HealingThruTarot’s #httOctoberTarotChallenge2024 Prompt
Prompt for October 18th : Limiting thoughts that need banishing.

Norwegian Woods The Soul Oracle CardsFae Dance – The limiting thought that others opinions and wants should outweigh your own. As independent as you are, you still fall into people pleasing habits. In doing so, you put your welfare in the hands of others and allow them the ability to rip you asunder. It is a no win situation.

Blood Drop – You’ve heard all your life that it’s not a good job until you bleed on it. Who says that everything has to be -that- perfect that a blood sacrifice is required?  This limiting thought holds you back from trying things, and pushes you to overextend yourself when you do.

Conquering Crow – Vengeance and ensuring people you’ve defeated are securely put in their place is unnecessary and limits you from moving on from conflict and adversity once the dust has settled. Contrary to what you’ve been taught, it does not always keep the troublemakers from coming back to try again.

DECK USED: NORWEGIAN WOODS THE SOUL ORACLE

Daily Self Kindness

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