Month: November 2025

The Compass and the Path

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was skipped.

•    •    •    ◈    •    🍂    •    ◈    •    •    •

The Endless Tarot - Ace of SwordsThe @GlitterbyInk #NovemberWhispers25 Liminal Dreamland Challenge
Shape-Shifter Prompt for November 15 : Navigate
Daily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Today’s draw is the Ace of Swords, which is traditionally a representation of the seed of new beginnings in the area of one’s thoughts, intellect, education, logic and reason, ambition, or communication.

It’s an important part of the journey of one’s life to align with one’s values and communicate them clearly. There’s always going to be new ideas to explore and opportunities that land at our feet.  When we are in alignment with this compass that lies within us, our journey becomes more than just a trudge down a path towards some far off and goal.

It is through our inner moral compass and what our gut tells us is right for us that we decide how to navigate life in an authentic way, and communication of those values is key to ensuring that we choose to follow those opportunities that suit us best.

The message in today’s card combined with the “navigate” prompt as a reminder that staying in touch with what’s right for us should be at the top of our priority list. It’s the core foundation of how we will feel about how our lives are going and how much we enjoy the journey.

DECK USED:  THE ENDLESS TAROT

@thetruthinstory #embracethemagical2025 Challenge
The Descent Prompts 17 and 18

Tarot Reading with the Pillars deckAncestor (Connection) – Who among the ancestors is reaching for me?

Sulfurous Rose – A passionate male figure who sought a greater understanding of the universe. Yet, discovered that it’s only in the cycles of death and rebirth that these secrets are exposed.

Tomb (Rest) – What must be laid to rest, sealed away in peace?

The King’s Constriction – You will be smothered under responsibility and obligation if you allow yourself to continue to hold so tightly to control. Ease your grip and let the tower stand, rather than crushing it in that too tight grip.

Silence (Stillness) Where can I allow silence to speak for me?

The Giving – Listen more than you speak. There are times when collaboration needs your voice in the mix. More often, though, is the need for you to listen and dole out advice only sparingly.

Raven (Messenger) – What omen or message is flying in from the unseen?

Cedar Tips – All that’s coming through right now is an overwhelming encouragement to spend some time in nature among the evergreens. Doing so will provide you with stability that you are currently lacking.

DECK USED: TRAVIS LAURENCE’S PILLARS

The @owlandbonestarot #78DaysOfTarotSpreads Challenge
The Justice Spread

Justice Tarot Reading with The Endless Tarot

What is light?

King of Pentacles – Right now you are feeling uplifted by sharing what you can with those you love. This sense of community is creating a needed sense of stability in your life right now, making your responsibilities feel a bit lighter than the have been previously.

What is heavy?

The High Priestess Rx – In your efforts to get some momentum back in your jewelry business, you’re neglecting the more intuitive side of your nature. This is making everything more difficult.

What is true?

Knight of Swords – You can only move forward, not back. You long for the easier times that you took for granted, but it’s in a forward direction that you need to stay focused. You can learn from the past, but you can’t go back to it or recreate it.

What is known?

Nine of Wands – You know where your boundaries lie and need to remember to keep them in place. Don’t allow others to sneak over the line, because they will do so eagerly if you give them the wiggle room to do so.

What is felt?

Seven of Cups – You are feeling a bit overwhelmed by the options currently available to you. It’s not the waffling indecision of two or three, but the snarl of many and their possible repercussions that has managed to tangle you up.

What is fair?

Page of Pentacles – Step back and slow down. Allow yourself time to linger and enjoy the little things and small moments that help to lift your spirits. Neglecting yourself should not be an option, regardless of the reasons why.

DECK USED:  THE ENDLESS TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I paid the housekeeper to come by and clean the bathrooms and give the place a good vacuuming. I haven’t had her come by in more than a month, but her help was needed for a few things.

Gideon’s Challenge – Tranquility

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Strait of Georgia SunsetTranquility

Ass parked
on wooden slats
warming
the damp wood
beneath
with body heat
as the sky
shifts
from blue to pink
and darkness
falls
and I don’t
want to leave
this spot
of fresh air
and softly
lapping waves

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

Spirit of Exploration

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was skipped.

•    •    •    ◈    •    🍂    •    ◈    •    •    •

Druidic Tarot - Three of SwordsThe @GlitterbyInk #NovemberWhispers25 Liminal Dreamland Challenge
Shape-Shifter Prompt for November 14 : Morph
Daily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Today’s draw is the Three of Swords, which is traditionally a representation of depression, grief, and disappointments. This theme often seems strange to people, being that it is seated in the Swords suit (which is often all about intellect and the mind), but it is important to remember that how we react emotionally is often rooted in how we think and what expectations we create for ourselves before everything falls apart.

People often see practices towards positivity as an either/or situation. Either you deal with the bad stuff and be weighed down with negativity when disappointment happens, or you ignore the bad stuff and pretend it doesn’t happen and try your best to always be positive.

In truth, a healthy positivity practice is neither of these things. It involves meshing one’s disappointment and disenchantment with a bit of hope and optimism, so that they balance each other out.

I didn’t discover or understand this concept until I had started doing this daily card practice each day. Over time, my perspective morphed and changed to realize that doing a positivity practice doesn’t negate the bad, nor does it allow you to ignore the bad, it just allows you to deal with (and survive) the bad in healthier ways.

Today’s card combined with the “morph” prompt is a reminder that first impressions are not always correct, and first assumptions are often mistaken. If you’re confronted with an opportunity to try and better your life in some way, but it looks “lame” or otherwise at odds with what you’re currently doing… don’t write it off out of hand. Sometimes it’s worth giving it a try, and your opinion may change over time.

DECK USED:  DRUIDIC TAROT

The @owlandbonestarot #78DaysOfTarotSpreads Challenge
Wheel of Fortune Spread

Wheel of Fortune Tarot Reading with Tarot of Druids

What cycle are you moving through?

The King’s Gifts – You are seeking to find a balance between doing things your own way, and toeing the line with the will of the authority that you can’t avoid. This is difficult for you not just because of your authority issues (which are significant), but because you have a tendency to live your life doing things your own way, lead by your moral compass far more than by the rules and regulations of others.

What is shifting beyond your control?

The King’s Throne and The Dancing Ninnies – There’s a lot going on now that you need to stand back from and not take part in. Lots of rumors and lots of “let’s try this or that”. Instead of participating, sit back and watch and see what works and what doesn’t. You don’t have to be part of the trial and error. Let other people do the fumbling for you.

How can you align with the turning of the wheel?

Grandpa’s Courtship – Be open to the unexpected. Look for the benefits of what may come. Even if the situation at hand is possibly not exactly what you’re looking for, there’s a boon in there to not take for granted if you’re willing to step past your initial negative reaction and look deeper.

Where can you find stability within change?

The Bonfire – Have a little fun wherever you can find it. There’s lots to celebrate, if you’re willing to look for and appreciate the small wins.  Not everything has to be about the finish line, nor about the big picture.

Other elements included in this reading:
Zodiac Wheel for Understanding Cycles and Rhythms
Deodar Cedar Cone for Fostering Clarity and Spiritual Connection
Japanese Cherry Leaf as a Reminder of Life’s Fleeting Moments
Foraged Oak Branch with Moss and Lichen for Perseverance
Aragonite for Truth and Understanding
Picture Jasper for Sense of Proportion and Grounding
Desert Rose for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: TAROT OF DRUIDS (trimmed naked)

#DiscordTarotholicsNov2025 Challenge
Future Prompts for November 14th : Pick a topic and pull a card for…
Topic : The Sun – Exploring past happiness and successes. (The horse and rider are heading off to the left/into the past.)

Tarot Reading with the Druidic Tarot - Three of Swords and Gratitude Postcard OracleTomorrow – Druid of Stones atop Druid of Cups – Lean into the connection you have between yourself and your partner. Where has he created stability for you in the past? In relation to these experiences, how can he assist you in doing the same in the present?

Next Week – Seven of Stones – Consider how long it has taken you to get where you are. Let these memories remind you that the journey holds far more value than the final destination.

Next Month – Four of Cups – Remember the times in the past where too much alone time has been detrimental to you. Examine what this says about how to better care for yourself moving forward.

Other elements included in this reading:
Staghorn Sumac for Connecting with Nature and the Wild Within
Dried Rhododendron Leaves for Fostering Confidence
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: DRUIDIC TAROT AND TWIST’S GRATITUDE POSTCARDS ORACLE

Daily Self Kindness

I didn’t take the extra hours offered today. My stomach has been upset, so I chose to go home instead.

Gideon’s Challenge – Lost

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Massive TreeLost

Sometimes
healthy growth
looks like
a tangle
of chaos
and knots
instead of
linear progress
one can gauge
easily
and those tangles
cause anxiety
as we worry
we’ve become
lost

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

Listening to Self

/ Twist the Leaf / Leave a comment

Today’s meditation was skipped.

•    •    •    ◈    •    🍂    •    ◈    •    •    •

The Wheel of Change Tarot - The Lovers CardThe @GlitterbyInk #NovemberWhispers25 Liminal Dreamland Challenge
Shape-Shifter Prompt for November 13 : Wings
Daily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Today’s draw is the Lovers card, which is traditionally a representation of love and relationships, long term contracts, harmonious unions, and making choices that are geared toward what is best for you.

I wandered across a video recently on IG where someone was going off about how if anything in your life isn’t a “hell yeah!” then it should immediately be a “fuck no”. They indicated that this should be across the board from work to people, relationships to hobbies, etc. They said that if you think about spending your time on it and it’s not a “Hell yeah” inner response, then it’s got to go, because life is too short to waste your time on things you don’t enjoy.

While in broad strokes, I agree with this sentiment, I also disagree with it a great deal. Just because you might not be in the mood doesn’t mean someone or something is not for you. Just because we feel in a slump, doesn’t mean abandoning people or things that (during the slump’s duration) don’t light us up. Hell, I deal with episodes of severe clinical depression. If I followed what this influencer was saying? I’d self destruct my life at least once a year, and probably be a coke or heroin addict.

The message in today’s card, combined with the “wings” prompt, is a reminder that a lot of times the messages that influencers put out there are an effort to lift you up and encourage you. That doesn’t mean that you follow their advice to the letter.

The video that I watched was uplifting and encouraging and empowering; and while I enjoy those emotions as I watch the video, I have the good sense not to follow the advice verbatim.

Today’s message is a reminder that it’s okay to let things lift you up for a moment of experience. To let them send you aloft with a draft of hope and empowerment under your wings… just don’t lose your common sense and the knowledge of what’s right (and healthy) for you along the way.

DECK USED:  THE WHEEL OF CHANGE TAROT

The @owlandbonestarot #78DaysOfTarotSpreads Challenge
The Hermit Spread

The Hermit Tarot Reading with the Fabled Cloudland Tarot

What guidance do you seek?

Ten of Pentacles – You seek ways to find a greater sense of security. You struggle a great deal with scarcity issues, both real and imagined. As a result, you are constantly seeking a greater sense of stability in your life. A perspective where the fears that drive your feelings of scarcity are divorced from your sense of stability and security.

What light helps you find an answer?

Eight of Pentacles – The answers you seek lie in applying yourself to learning new techniques to build that stability in your life. You won’t get there by sitting on your laurels. Instead, you need to work at trial and error to develop what will work for you, then hone that into a skill you can use.

What message do you receive?

The Emperor Rx – Remember that it’s okay to let someone else take the reins now and then. Instead of worrying about the greater good, focus more on what lies within and what you need.

What inner truth becomes illuminated?

Death Rx – Stagnancy is not your friend, no matter how comfortable it may seem. Don’t ignore the subtle changes going on around you, as they prepare you for the larger ones to come.

What insight comes in stillness?

Nine of Wands Rx – There’s no need to take on change with a defensive approach. There’s no need to be on guard all the time.  Use moments of stillness to take a breath and release the tension, instead of seeing them as the silent pall in which to brace for impact.

Other elements included in this reading:
Foraged Wood Fern for Exorcising Negative Influences
Dried Red Maple Leaf for Adaptability and Connection
Foraged Oak Branch with Moss and Lichen for Perseverance
Gneiss Stone for Patience in Moments of Discomfort
Carnelian Agate for Inner Drive and Focusing On Aspirations
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: FABLED CLOUDLAND TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsNov2025 Challenge
Past Prompts for November 13th : What from the past is…

Tarot Reading with The Wheel of Change Tarot and Bob Ross OracleBlocking My Way – Queen of Cups and The Old Cabin – Your emotional attachment to security and safety is an obstacle in your path. This includes your introverted tendencies and urges to hide away instead of connecting to others that can nurture you emotionally.

Distracting My Attention – Knight of Swords and The Almighty Mountain – You have a tendency to take on challenges without considering if they may become too heavy for you to comfortably carry on your journey.

Tying My Hands – Queen of Wands atop The High Priestess; The Dead Tree – Although the pied piper of inspiration calls your name, you first have to discard what’s no longer working. If you weren’t holding on to those things so tightly and let them fall away naturally, you’d have an easier time dancing to the tune of your inner calling.

Other elements included in this reading:
Staghorn Sumac for Connecting with Nature and the Wild Within
Foraged Acorns for Protection during New Beginnings
Dried Red Maple Leaf for Adaptability and Connection
Carnelian Agate for Inner Drive and Focusing On Aspirations
Desert Rose Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECKS USED: THE WHEEL OF CHANGE TAROT AND BOB ROSS ORACLE

Daily Self Kindness

Due to the veterans day / remembrance day holiday, orders were all messed up this week. I managed to get them done tonight, though, which which feels like it has taken a huge amount of pressure off.

Gideon’s Challenge – Momentary Fugue

/ Twist the Leaf / Leave a comment

M/F Trash BinsMomentary Fugue

Laughter
blooms
as a moment
of clouded
confusion
clears
and thoughts
of a
bathroom break
turn into a
mistaken
impression
of
segregated
trash bins

Photo © ZenStatePhotography