Author: Twist the Leaf

🎨 Weekly Creativity Prompt – Queen of Cups

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Prompt: “Pull the Queen of Cups card from your deck(s). Compare the imagery between the card provided below and the card(s) from your own deck(s). How would you read them differently and why?“

Queen of Hearts from the Wizard TarotThe Wizard Tarot – For me, the imagery in this particular Queen of Cups is looking like a representation of the reversed meaning.  Between her expression and the pouring of the cup into the water around her, it feels like this card’s sentiment is “cry me a river”.  She appears so very tired of hearing other people’s feelings and emotions, and it feels never ending to her. In a reading, I would interpret this card as asking the querent if they haven’t perhaps been complaining overly much lately, perhaps to one person in their life in general, and suggest mixing things up by giving them some interaction that isn’t centered around unhappy emotions.

Queen of Hearts from the Fairy Tarot, Mythical Creatures Tarot of Orient, and City Labyrinth Tarot

Fairy Tarot – The queen in this card’s imagery reminds me of the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland.  She has the potential to be warm and sweet, but there’s a cunning in her eyes that makes you wonder what she’s up to. Just as she has that capability of sweet, she has the capability of getting too wrapped up in her own emotions and desires and thus become selfish.  This card asks you to look at those around you that you perceive as being selfish… what is it that they are lacking? What is it they need in order to balance things out and become caring and supportive people again?

The Mythical Creatures Tarot of Orient – Emotions are often chaotic and wild, the clash and bang around like the sea in the imagery of this card, always moving and often violent. And yet, here we see the Queen of Cups holds steady the jade vase, even among the chaos of the storm. Others, smaller and less steady come to her for stability, and she can provide that for them as well. This card promises emotional stability in the face of chaos, and suggests seeking out those in your life that provide that touch stone for you.

City Labyrinth Tarot – Here a woman sits, quiet and reserved with a glass of wine, as if waiting to chat.  I see here an encouragement to share your feelings with those that will listen and be emotionally supportive to you. Sometimes, the easiest way to sort out one’s feelings is to talk about them with someone else.

DECK USED: WIZARD TAROT, FAIRY TAROT, MYTHICAL CREATURES TAROT OF ORIENT, CITY LABYRINTH TAROT

Heavy Is the Head

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and was a meditation session from YouTube that I was curious about.  During the meditation, my mind wandered to a topic that it seemed to stay on for a bit. That topic being how to accept the phrase “I don’t know”, and how sometimes it is the best and wisest of answer we can give.

I don’t usually have a problem with “I don’t know”. The words come easily to my lips and regardless of the fact that I feel triggered by the words “pissant” and “stupid”? Saying that I don’t know doesn’t usually trigger any of those issues at all.  I know others who are, though, and I spent my meditation considering how I can better accept “I don’t know” from others, and appreciate their vulnerability when they say it.

City Labyrinth Tarot's The Emperor and It’s Going To Be Okay 2024 Day-to-day Calendar By Kate AllanToday’s draw is the Emperor card combined with the affirmation “You are a fighter ever onward.”

You know that phrase “heavy is the head that wears the crown”?  Well, they weren’t kidding.  Being in charge is not always all it’s chalked up to be.  In fact, sometimes, it downright sucks.

It takes a fighter to lead the hoard. That’s a part of what makes a leader a leader.  Don’t forget that it is that inner fight and strength within you that keep not just you going, but others too.  Even on the hard days.

You stand up for yourself. You stand up for others.  You stand up for what is right, and what needs to be done… even in the face of adversity. It’s an important, integral part of who you are.

DECKS USED:  CITY LABYRINTH TAROT AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

#DiscordTarotholicsFeb2024 Challenge Prompt
Question for February 27th : No Brainer Day – What is something simple and easy you can do for yourself?

City Labyrinth Tarot - Ten of Pentacles, Queen of Swords, Eight of Cups, Eight of PentaclesReading Summary: Get your unlisted work listed and on display (Eight of Pentacles).

Remember that an appointment with your shrink (Queen of Swords) can help you in finding contentment and stability (Ten of Pentacles) when frustration has you wanting to run (Eight of Cups).

Take Away: Confession…. I have a lot of jewelry pieces that are done, but not yet listed in my online shops. Like… a lot.  Primarily?  It’s because for me, the listing process is the most boring and tedious part of the entire process.  So I get the pieces made, I get them photographed, I even get the photos prepped and ready to go online… and then I stall out because of the listing process.   The Eight of Pentacles in this reading is about that.  It’s about getting my work seen rather than just done.

And… I’m overdue for a shrink appointment.  I was considering skipping it, but the argument here in the cards that she helps me to find stability and contentment is a good one.  I have to make a call and get an appointment set up.

DECK USED: CITY LABYRINTH TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

Even though I went north, I slept a lot today.  In the truck.  In the car. On Ms B’s couch.  A lot.

Gideon’s Challenge

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Wetland EddiesThe Tides

Each day slips
in and out
like tides
breathing life
into eddies
picked over
by seagulls
and each day
that passes
leaves us
picking over
the remnants
again and again
seeking the good
tasty bits
and leaving the rest
behind

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

Upsetting the Apple Cart

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

The Mystical Creatures Tarot of Orient's Page of Wands and It’s Going To Be Okay 2024 Day-to-day Calendar By Kate AllanToday’s draw is the Page of Wands combined with the affirmation “You’re strong, smart, and you got this.”

Just because you don’t always know what you’re doing doesn’t mean you shouldn’t charge forward and do it anyway.  Adaptability and flexibility can go a long way when exploring and experimenting.

Try new things. Have some fun with it. Don’t worry so much about failure, or about upsetting the apple cart.  Sometimes, you find the best apples by tipping the cart over and digging around in the bottom of the pile.

DECKS USED:  THE MYTHICAL CREATURES TAROT OF ORIENT AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

The #mysticstartarot Challenge Prompt
Question for February 25th thru 27th

The Mystical Creatures Tarot of Orient - Strength, Ten of Wands, Page of SwordsWhat does my subconscious wish to share with me?

Ten of Wands – You are still trying to recover from burnout. Don’t push too hard. If you push yourself too hard right now, you will end up setting yourself back from your recovery. Better to let yourself recover fully and then work on keeping things on an even keel.

How will this information impact my relationship with myself?

Page of Swords – You will need to work at reminding yourself that research is just as valid a type of work as physical pursuit of your goals. Sometimes it’s not about how much more you can -do- physically to obtain your goals.  Sometimes you have to do the digging and research instead.

What resistance do I have to the messages my subconscious is sharing?

Strength – Your inner narratives will try to manipulate you into not listening and doing things the old way. That old way is proven as unhealthy, so make sure that you are not falling into old habits. That cycle of burnout you sustained for years is not your friend.

DECK USED: THE MYTHICAL CREATURES TAROT OF ORIENT

Daily Self Kindness

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

Little Seeds… and Time

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#dailycalm with the Calm app - Bertrand Russell quoteToday’s meditation was ten minutes long, and was one of the #DailyCalm sessions from the Calm app. I can’t quite remember what the whole meditation session was about, because I was spending a good deal of it spacing in my own way instead.

That said, I do remember something about always questioning and being open to other’s insights and interests.  It was most likely about keeping an open mind, and I’m sure I’ll end up returning to it to listen to it again at some point as a refresher, since I clearly wasn’t paying attention the first time around.

Cozy Cards for Sad and Anxious Moments and Tarot of the Gnomes Temperance cardToday’s draw is the Temperance card combined with the affirmation “The tiny seed you plant today will bring you joy over time.”

The key part of today’s affirmation is the “over time” part.  That brings the meaning of these cards very much in the realm of “patience is a virtue”.

These cards advise us to plant good things.  Seeds of good things like good thoughts, optimistic moments, little joys, etc.  Plant them and let them flourish into your life a little at a time to brighten your days moving forward.  Little things are better than big… and taking one’s time is always better than pushing too hard and overburdening yourself.

DECKS USED:  TAROT OF THE GNOMES AND COZY COMFORT CARDS FOR SAD AND ANXIOUS MOMENTS

@de_tarotjuf’s #DeDonkereGodinTarotChallenge Prompt
Questions for February 8th, 21st, and 26th

Tarot of the Gnomes - Death, Ace of Cups, Nine of Pentacles, The Sun, JudgementThese desires lie dormant in my heart.

Death and Ace of Cups – You wish to feel better about yourself and the world around you. As hard as you work to change your perspectives, real progress and permanent change seem like they continue to elude you again and again.

I am strong in my vulnerability in this way.

The Sun atop Judgement – During times of vulnerability you always return to center, reconnecting with what you really want out of life, and what you consider to be “successful”.

This ensures that you are on your feet if something unexpected happens.

Nine of Pentacles – You gain stability and better balance through your past successes and experiences. By looking back on those things that you have successfully worked through in the past, and how well you have moved on from them, it helps pave the way to an easier road forward when things go awry.

DECK USED: TAROT OF THE GNOMES

Daily Self Kindness

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

Gideon’s Challenge

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Mossy BranchesSpring is Coming

A moment’s pause
to breathe in deep
of fresh moist air
cool and sweet
scented of pine
and cedar boughs
as the quiet
soaks in
winter’s end
slips into spring
and impatience comes
to see everything
from fuzzy moss
to winter red tips
and brand new buds
and little green bits

Photo © ZenStatePhotography