Day: July 1, 2026

The Self Abuse of Perfectionism

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Today’s meditation was a ten minute #DailyCalm session from the @Calm.

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The Everyday Enchantments Tarot - Ace of Pentacles

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 Coins, which is traditionally a representation of the seed of new beginnings and new opportunities in the areas of one’s finances, resources, health, labors, manifestations, and the physical world.

The card has then been combined with an affirmation card from the Soul Seedlings deck, which says, “I strive for progress, not perfection.”

In my opinion, the expectation of perfection is a form of self abuse. This is coming from someone who has spent the majority of their life in pursuit of perfection at all costs, including whatever personal costs are involved. This kind of mindset means that your best is never good enough, and you tear down your best again and again to do more until it’s better than your best. Even then, you finally have to concede that this is the best you can do, but it’s probably still not perfect.

See the abuse in there? It’s all over the place from the actions taken to the mindset to the fact that no matter how good you do it’s never going to be enough.

Years after having discovered this, I still catch myself, falling into the old pattern of expectations of perfection. Not from others, but from myself. I am working to be kinder to myself, though, and this is a part of that journey.

The message in today’s Ace of Coins and affirmation card is a reminder that demanding perfection from yourself is unhealthy. It is abusive. These cards encourage us to instead focus upon progress rather than perfection, for it’s not in perfection where we find growth and betterment, but in the small steps of progress we make from day-to-day.

DECK USED:  QUEER CROW DEATH MAGIC TAROT AND SOUL SEEDLINGS AFFIRMATIONS FOR KIDS

#DiscordTarotholicsJun2026 Challenge
Prompt for July 1st : Do the Third Quarter Spread

Third Quarter Tarot Reading with The Everyday Enchantments Tarot, Queer Crow Death Magic Tarot, The Skybound Traveler Oracle, and Soul Seedlings Affirmations for Kids

Year Ahead Theme : The Devil

The Devil card is traditionally a representation of temptation, struggles with moderation, harmful excesses, addiction, and self-harm. Temptation is not always bad for you, but neither is it always good. It’s through grounded and sound judgement that we are able to make healthy decisions when choosing what temptations we indulge in and which ones we leave behind.

Theme for July : Seven of Cups

There’s a lot of choices, directions, and options laid out in front of you this month. Make sure when you are looking at all of these options that you first weed out the ones that are impractical or unhealthy for you. They don’t need to be in the mix causing extra confusion with their presence. This weeding process is the first step in making the best choices possible.

Focus / Advice for July : The Crux

“… suffering and its cure are written into our DNA. Any unrealized goal is a form of dissatisfaction“

Make sure when choosing which opportunities you moved towards and which ones you step away from, that you are also considering which of those opportunities will be too heavy to carry over the long run.

Ray of Hope for July : My Voice Matters

Consider discussing these options with others rather than making the decision alone and on your own. By bouncing your options off of others, you gain a perspective on these options that you would not otherwise have, as well as a better understanding of yourself as those you trust to consult with offer you honest advice based on what they know about you. Not to mention, sometimes they are more likely than you are to take into account and add value to the things that will make you happy.

Theme for August : The Tower

Make sure whatever choices and deliberations needed to be made are done in July, because in August it’s time to start moving on the destruction and restructuring needed to make room to bring these new opportunities you’ve chosen to pursue to life.

Focus / Advice for August : The Benighted

Make sure to leave room for lots of cluster fucks. Just because things feel like they aren’t going as planned doesn’t mean that you’re not getting something out of the process. It just means that you need to give yourself more time to get where you want to go. Feelings of uncertainty are natural during this time. Tenacity is needed.

Ray of Hope for August : My Mind is Being Filled with Fantastical Ideas

Instead of falling into “what if” thinking where your brain begins to fill up with all of the catastrophic issues that could turn things awry, use that creativity in your mind and imagination to consider all of the ways that things could go even better than planned because of these obstacles and delays.

Theme for September : Temperance

Slow down. Explore and consider where you are pushing too hard, to the point where it can be detrimental to you, your health, or your well-being. Don’t ignore the warning signs that you are overexerting yourself through excess and lack of moderation.

Focus / Advice for September : The Ethics

Remember that how you go about doing something is just as important as getting it done. You may be tempted this month to try and bypass your own personal ethics in order to foster expediency. Don’t do this. Make sure that you are checking in with yourself and your moral compass and following where they lead, regardless of what extra difficulties or delays that may entail.

Ray of Hope for September : I Am Doing My Best

Don’t forget that “your best” it’s not about perfection or self-abuse. It’s about doing what you can in the moment without harming yourself in the process. Some days you are going to be more capable than others, and that’s perfectly okay.

Other elements included in this reading:
Pressed Pansy Flower for Hearing the Heart More Clearly
Foraged Silver Maple Key for Bouncing Back to Thrive
Clear Quartz for boosting Mental Clarity
Citrine for Energy Lift (easing the weight of heavy energies)
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECKS USED: QUEER CROW DEATH MAGIC TAROT, EVERYDAY ENCHANTMENT TAROT, THE SKYBOUND TRAVELER ORACLE, SOUL SEEDLINGS AFFIRMATIONS FOR KIDS
Daily Self Kindness

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

📆 Transitioning from June to July

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Month End Oracle Reading with the J Miranda Deck

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

Center – You are the warm center that keeps everything feeling safe and comfortable. While you are this person for others, you seek this from those closest to you as well. You are coming to the realization and understanding that you need them to help stoke the fire and keep things going.

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

Center Left – Leave behind your tendency to focus too much on control, which you know to be both impractical and unhealthy. A bit of mindfulness and small corrections here and there will create far better results than trying to control every aspect and see every obstacle that may come up along the way.

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

Center Right – You’ve been daydreaming an awful lot about having some true quality alone time lately. Just make sure when you try to pursue this avenue that you don’t end up closing yourself off in the process.

Limitations – Negative influences, opposition, or ill will.

Bottom Center – Your expectations of perfection are inhibiting you from being able to appreciate your home in its present state. Instead of obsessing over the mess and allowing it to drag you down, try waxing poetic over the stuff you like about your home. Just like everything else in life, it’s never going to be perfect.

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

Top Center – Take time to stop and savor the little things. Sunsets and fireflies and quiet afternoons are your reward for just being here. Don’t pass them up just because you have “things still to do”.

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

Bottom Left – Don’t allow the shadows of uncertainty to get the upper hand and take over. They will eat away at you if given the chance. Instead, cast a light on them to help guide you through dark times. When you share your worries and troubles with other others, it helps lighten the burden as well as the uncertainty you’re experiencing.

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

Bottom Right – Use your “nighttime in the greenhouse” experiences in your meditation exercises. Explore the feel of the air and the leaves, the scent of the greenhouse at night, and the atmosphere through your meditation and visualization. These experiences are still fresh in your mind and able to be explored to add a little spice and variety to your meditation practice.

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

Top Left – As mentioned previously, your expectations towards perfection are going to get in the way of the things you want to do and experience if you let them. Pay attention when that voice rises up that tells you that you should be doing more or doing better, and put it back in its place instead of allowing it to pollute your self-esteem and drag you down into self abusive behaviors.

Empowerment – A future opportunity to work toward.

Top Right – Remember that creativity is messy! It’s okay to make a mess and not be as organized as perhaps you’d like. As long as you are enjoying each aspect and step along the way, it doesn’t matter if there’s a mess to clean up afterward or if things are a bit more disorganized than the more exact side of your nature may prefer.

Message from the Spirit World – Have fun with color and creativity. Enjoy the beauty in the world around you instead of becoming hyper focused on all the little organizational bits that need to be put into place. Sometimes it’s okay to just have fun.

Message from the Mind’s World – If you allow your darker thoughts to run amuck, they will isolate you from the warmth and support others can provide.

Message from the Physical World – Consider getting outside during the darker hours of twilight and sunrise in order to beat the heat and find a more comfortable experience for your outdoor activities.

DECKS USED: THE J MIRANDA ORACLE

Gideon’s Challenge – Rebirthing

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Western Hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) Seedling among Red-stemmed Feather-moss (Pleurozium schreberi)

Rebirthing

New life springs
from dark places
as tender roots
search for purchase
and tender bits
reach open air
and stretch
for the sun
as the moss
whispers
to each other
about a babe
in their midst

Photo © ZenStatePhotography