Today’s meditation was skipped.

•    •    •    ◈    •    🌻    •    ◈    •    •    •

Daily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Today’s draw is the Five of Pentacles (Orbs), which is traditionally a representation of tests, trials, struggles, and setbacks in the area of one’s finances, resources, health, home, work, or manifestations. This often translates into themes that have to do with scarcity and times in life when one needs to seek out help from others instead of suffering through alone

The Five of Orbs has then been combined with the Sensitivity card from the Pass Around the Smile Guided Affirmation Cards, which says, “ I embrace my feelings of sensitivity and know that I can protect myself from negative energy.”

Reminder! It’s okay to freak out now and then when things aren’t going the way that you think that they should be going. The key here is to make sure that you don’t fall into the negative thought patterns that turn a small or medium sized problem or hiccup into an end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it event.

Being sensitive gives our lives of depth and exposes us to an array of emotions that we avoid otherwise not have the opportunity to explore. In opening yourself up to being sensitive, though, there is also a trap waiting where anxiety can turn things from normal sensitivity into catastrophizing.

It’s such an easy slope to slide down too; suddenly some problem that may be peripheral, or maybe right in the center of things but isn’t particularly catastrophic, becomes the end-all of everything.

The message in today’s Five of Orbs and the Sensitivity card is a reminder to keep an eye on when agitation and anxiety begin to turn the tables for you, and that pivot begins to blow something out of proportion. By being aware of when anxiety begins to introduce negative influences into your emotions, you can help to circumvent these more extreme and chaotic reactions.

DECKS USED:  QUESTEROS TAROT

One Card Tarot Journal Activity by @mariasofia_astro
Chapter 5 | Entry 2 – Health and Body
Affirmation : “I honor my mental well-being.”
Prompt : Under times of stress we all have certain coping mechanisms. Can you identify what yours are? What can the tarot show you about how helpful those strategies may or may not be to your mental health?”

Coping Mechanism : One of my biggest coping mechanisms during stress is to withdraw into myself and deaden my more vulnerable emotions.

What feelings came up when I pulled this card?

This card came out of the deck reversed, and while I don’t usually use reversal when working with the activities from this book, there are significance in the reversal in this instance.

Amusingly, I felt a sense of betrayal at the appearance of this card. I don’t usually get my favorite card in such a negative context as provided here in this reading. It’s a silly reaction, but then emotions are very rarely logical.

What elements of the card’s meaning resonate with me and this prompt?

The Hanged Man card is about stepping back. It’s about distancing yourself from a situation in order to observe things from a different perspective.

While the defense mechanism mentioned above can absolutely be seen in this light, the fact that it was turned upside down indicates that while I am, in fact, distancing myself from the situation by stepping back emotionally… what’s missing is seeing the extra perspectives that should be picked up with this action.

Instead, with the card reversed, we see that in stepping back I am closing myself off instead of opening up. This means that I end up stuck with only my own perspective to circle around and around in my head and get mixed up with the negativity and anxieties that linger there, instead of seeking out more positive perspectives and outlooks that could be more helpful.

What in the artwork spoke to me?

The Hanged Man’s eyes are closed, at the same time the little furry gremlin on the ground at his head has its eyes wide open in an anxiety-like stare. Neither the Hanged Man’s close eyes nor the gremlins’ open ones seek any outside perspectives. Combined with the appearance of anxiety in the yellow eyes of the gremlin, this speaks of getting lost in one’s own perspectives and opinions, and allowing anxiety to hold sway rather than the seeking of alternate perspectives this card usually represents.

My prompt response and reflections.

The withdrawal and closing off defense mechanism may protect me from outside sources that could hurt my feelings or touch on my vulnerability, but it also closes me off with the most vicious monster of all which is my own mind and the negativity and pessimism that lie there. This negativity and pessimism is always ready to speak up and put a negative cast to anything and everything at the smallest provocation on a good day, let alone on a bad one where my anxiety then swing the door open wide for it to step in and make a mess.

Other elements included in this reading:
Amber Resin D25 and Banded Agate D6 Dice

DECK USED: LEGEND OF ZELDA TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsAug2026 Challenge
Prompt for August : Do Spread 4
Focusing on the SPIRITUAL aspects of your life and growth this season

Seeds Sown: What seeds for my spiritual health & growth planted in the Spring have flourished and grown strong?

King of Cups – You are connecting with and sharing more with Gideon. He is your “emotion guru”, often helping you to work through and sort out your feelings when they become overwhelming or confusing. Since the spring you have been working to open up more and withdraw less when things get emotional. In doing so, this helps you be less chaotic in your spiritual practices, for there is less stagnancy to work through.

The Chaff: What seeds have not flourished and need to be let go to encourage healthy growth in other areas?

Six of Pentacles Rx – All for one and one for all has not served you well. Remember that it is okay to lend your experience and formidable knowledge to others where able. Help them to grow and thrive through sharing what you have in abundance, instead of keeping your own council.

The Harvest: How can I best prepare now to reap the benefits of a positive and healthy harvest in the Fall?

Knight of Swords – Stay sharp and be ready to swoop in at a moments notice. Take care to think strategically, and not act on impulse.

Other elements included in this reading:
Foraged Oak Branch with Moss and Lichen for Perseverance
Flower Agate for Opening the Mind to New Possibilities
Clear Quartz Point for boosting Mental Clarity and Focus
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: QUESTEROS TAROT

I took a little time to just lie on the couch and space out. I can’t really call it meditation, but I needed a little silence and stillness, and was too scattered to manage an actual session.