Looking Back at Your Track Record

Today’s meditation was a ten minute self-guided session based on an affirmation card that says, “The negative voice in your head isn’t worth your time.”

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The @GlitterbyInk #OctoberAlchemy26 Challenge
Breathe Prompt for October 18th
: Peace
Daily Mental Health Prompt
: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Maravilla Tarot's Ten of Pentacles and a card from Twist's Halloween Affirmations Deck

Today’s draw is the Ten of Pentacles (Diez de Oros), which is traditionally a representation of satisfaction and stability in the area of one’s finances, resources, home, health, manifestations, and the physical world. This often translates into themes that have to do with hard earned success, accomplishments, abundance created through patience and hard work, and reaching a point in that abundance and stability where it is comfortably shared with those around us.

It takes a long time to build lasting security that you can share with others. You have done what you can to prepare for the destabilization of the lives connected to yours, and now you are facing that situation.

Remember that you are not without resources. You also aren’t alone when you need some support. Don’t let your inner negative narratives tell you that things won’t work out. Your track record proves otherwise.

The message in today’s Ten of Pentacles, affirmation card, and Peace prompt is a reminder that your pessimistic and negative thoughts are lying to you. Community creates peace, and your backstory proves you’re more than capable of setting things back to rights with a bit of time, ingenuity, and effort.

DECK USED:  MARAVILLA TAROT AND TWIST’S HALLOWEEN AFFIRMATIONS DECK

#DiscordTarotholicsOct2026 Challenge
Prompt for October 18th
: Do Spread 3

Cartomancy Reading with the Unhistorical Playing Cards

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

Nine of Spades – Stop allowing your fears and “what if” thinking to steal your focus and call the shots.Your anxiety is high right now, and that “what if” scenario thinking your inner narratives are trying to pitch to you needs to be rejected outright. Don’t play with it or consider what it’s saying… let it go instead.

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

Queen of Spades – You talk a good game but need to work on your follow through. Make sure that you’re actually getting the activity you need instead of just thinking and talking about it.

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

Seven of Spades – Work on not allowing others problems and actions to have so much influence over your own joys and perspective on the world. Remember that you can and -should- be more focused on what -you- believe to be right and true than what others think about it all.

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

King of Diamonds – Meditation provides the kind of grounding that shores up your foundation. It’s not a quick fix, but a long term maintenance type of thing that helps in keeping you grounded in the day to day.

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

Five of Diamonds – Again, remember that although other people’s scarcity can affect your own, this is not your crisis. Support them without taking ownership.

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

King of Spades – Your particular brand of creativity both exercises the mind and invites others to join you. Thus, including more creativity in your life invites both mental clarity and a greater sense of community.

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

Three of Hearts – More love, understanding, and camaraderie; less discord.

Other elements included in this reading:
Carnelian Agate Mushroom for Focusing On Aspirations
Foraged Parmeliaceae Lichen for a “Breath of Fresh Air”
Honey Calcite for Optimism and Motivational Boost
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED:  UNHISTORICAL PLAYING CARDS

One Card Tarot Journal Activity by @mariasofia_astro
Chapter 5 | Entry 1 – Health and Body
Affirmation : “I value my physical form, even what I perceive as its flaws.”
Prompt : Use the card you draw to guide you as you write a gratitude letter to your body. Work keywords attached to this card into your letter.

Tarot Activity from The One Card a Day Journal by Maria Sofia Marmanides - Halloween Ephemera Tarot - The Hermit

What feelings came up when I pulled this card?

In my personal readings of late, I’ve had a lot of messages from the Hermit come through as a reminders of how to identify and avoid unhealthy alone time.

It took me a minute to get out of that headspace and consider the card free from that perspective today. Not that that perspective doesn’t play a part, more that it was blocking what else might be there for me to see and understand.

For this reason, there was a moment of disgruntled dissatisfaction before I picked apart why I was feeling that way.

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

The Hermit is often about alone-time and solitary self-reflection. It’s about looking within and illuminating what needs our attention, soul searching for answers, and connecting with our inner shadows.

Alternately, it can often shed light on times when unhealthy alone-time is trying to masquerade as healthy solitude.

Bare bones, it’s about connecting with self.

What in the artwork spoke to me?

The lantern always hits in the Hermit card, for it speaks of shedding light in places where perhaps visibility is not at its best. We often lie to ourselves and deceive ourselves, and this lantern symbolizes pushing back the shadows to see what’s really hidden there.

The mountains behind the Hermit speak to me of hurdles and obstacles yet to be dealt with. With the Hermit standing at a place where he can cast his light over these mountains, to me it symbolizes using our ability to dig within to find the strength needed for these hurdles, and root out anything we’re struggling with internally that might make the journey harder than it has to be.

My prompt response and reflections.

Let me first apologize for the abuse. I know that you are doing the best that you can, and that my demands for more hurt you. I know that you are hurting, and yet even during these times I punish myself by punishing you with unreasonable demands and even more pain.

There is no excuse for this behavior. There are reasons, of course, but they excuse nothing.

Thank you for keeping going even when I am being cruel or unreasonable. Thank you for the mobility I still have, and for putting up with my demands for more. I could be in a wheel chair, but you continue to allow me to walk. I could be in a great deal more pain, but you do what you can to mitigate my abuse.

I can’t promise to do better, but I do promise to try. I appreciate you, scars and metal pins and all. I appreciate you through the pain and stiffness, I appreciate you through the days when just waking up and getting out of bed are an agony. I don’t just appreciate you on the days when I can move more easily, so please don’t think that is the case. I’m just an asshole at showing how much I truly am grateful for all you go through for me and all you give.

Other elements included in this reading:
Labradorite D20 and D6 Gemstone Dice

DECK USED: HALLOWEEN EPHEMERA TAROT

@owlandbonestarot #OctoberinBetween Challenge
Prompts for October 18th

Tarot Reading with the Maravilla Tarot

Soften – Cuarto de Oros – Soften your need to grasp and grab and hold on so tightly. This instinct keeps you from moving on and moving forward.

White knuckling what you have solves nothing, for it’s only with letting go and letting things flow that you actually manage to make progress.

Strengthen – Siete de Bastos – As you let go of this need to grasp so tightly, take care to connect and strengthen your priorities, values, and beliefs. These things ensure you aren’t lead astray.

Look to those things you value and put effort into ensuring they are getting what they need to stay healthy and strong. Lean into the beliefs, values, and mores that are the bedrock of who you are and who you want to become.

Remember to push back against those that would try to draw you off the path and into the weeds. You don’t need their help or their interference.

Other elements included in this reading:
Black Wood Kitsune Carving for Cleverness and Ingenuity
Staghorn Sumac for Connecting with Nature and the Wild Within
Pressed Pansy Flower for Hearing the Heart More Clearly
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED:  MARAVILLA TAROT
Daily Self Kindness

I took the photo of the Maravilla Tarot on the floor instead of trying to fight with fitting those massive cards on a table and having to stitch together too many pictures to get the full image.

❤️ Self Care Saturday (On a Sunday)

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 Horror Tarot and Blood Nightmare Lenormand

Earth – Knight of Cups – Actively pursue the things that make you happy this week. You have enough bad going on. You need a little extra good to work as a counterbalance. When the opportunities arise to indulge or enjoy, jump on them without delay.

Air – Five of Swords – Keep a tight grip on your tongue and your temper. Depression has a tendency to make you cranky and give rise to your “my way is the only way” attitude. This is natural, but you need to take care with your determination and will power that it doesn’t overpower others and bend them to breaking.

Water – The Emperor – Don’t let the fact that you’re not going to get everything you want this week keep you down. Sometimes the greater good has to take priority over personal whims and self medicating behaviors. Don’t let not getting what you want be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

Fire – Ace of Swords – Communicate instead of just doing shit on your own and expecting them to either keep up. Others can’t read your mind and won’t know what you need from them without you saying so.

Waning – Tower and Key – Hyper-vigilance is not the end all be all answer to everything. Make sure you put down those binoculars and take a breath instead of letting your defense mechanisms and anxiety keep you on constant alert.

Waxing – Fox and Garden – Take care to watch closely for those wearing masks that hide their true intentions. Not everyone can be trusted this week. Pass on associating with those you feel even a niggling of distrust for. Now is not the time to deal with them.

Take Away – Seek more positive experiences this week, and go for those things that create pleasure for you instead of allowing yourself to wallow in your depression and anxiety. You may not be able to do everything you want, but there’s plenty to enjoy if you open yourself up to it, especially if you communicate with others what it is you want instead of trying to “make things happen” on your own. Take care that frustrations and anxiety don’t loosen the leash on the sharper edge of your tongue, and take care with who you trust.

DECKS USED: HORROR TAROT AND BLOOD NIGHTMARE LENORMAND

Gideon’s Challenge – Fanciful

Rocky Beach

Fanciful

a hag stone
in progress
left on the beach
lingers
among friends
not lonely
but waiting
for someone
to notice
pick it up
and send it
back in

Photo © ZenStatePhotography