Fading Warmth
Frozen no more
the water flows
in swirling eddies
and dancing currents
as the chill
keeps visitors away
as dusk promises
to come to play
and the end
of the day
slips by
as skeleton trees
grasp for the last
shred of warmth
Today’s meditation was skipped.
Today’s draw is the Two of Wands, which is traditionally a representation of planning and the choices come with mapping one’s path forward, looking ahead, plotting a course, and progress.
Like the girl in this card’s imagery that takes a moment to sit on the rock and plot her course, this card’s appearance is a reminder that forward movement goes a lot more smoothly when you have a plan in place.
There’s always going to be lots of different ways to get where you want to go, but to help things go more smoothly, it’s good to take a moment and look ahead, decide on a plan, and then act.
Today’s card is a reminder that the planning stage is important, and that in the projects and endeavors you invest in, a bit of extra planning is never a bad thing… neither is checking in on that plan in the middle of the journey just to make sure you’re on track and don’t need to make any adaptations or adjustments.
The #ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge Prompt by E Roebuck-Jones
Questions for March 19th and 20th
How can I further enhance my intuitive abilities?
Manifestation atop Happy Endings – What you focus your attention on is what will manifest into reality. Focus on moving in the direction of what will make you happiest, and your intuition will be a part of that journey, thriving and growing along the way.
How does my intuition speak most strongly to me?
Let Go and The Sun – When you can relax and let go of control is when your intuition speaks most strongly to you. This is why when you are tense, under duress, or otherwise struggling, your intuition speaks in a barely audible whisper and you have to strain to hear it.
#DiscordTarotholicsMar2022 Challenge Prompt
Topic for March 20th: Do the Ostara Spread
Tulips: Where do I need to practice forgiveness to foster stronger loyalty?
Justice – Let the scales of balance do their job instead of trying to mete out punishment on your own. All of life requires balance, and throughout life the scales of balance tip one way then the other in an effort to find that perfect medium. There’s no need to step in and push the scales the other way with your hand, as they will do so on their own if given a chance.
Robin: How can I give myself more compassion and patience?
The Sun – Through optimism, positivity, and allowing yourself to experience fun and joy, you are able to give the roots of compassion and patience in your life and for yourself the nutrients that are needed to grow.
Rose Quartz: How can I be more open to offering unconditional love to others?
The Magician – Everything you need to accomplish this is already within you. You only need to open up your heart and allow that love to flow more freely. Just make sure you are being wise about the application, as although everyone may be deserving of love, not everyone is deserving of your trust.
Rabbit: How can I encourage more abundance in my life this spring?
Five of Cups – Don’t focus so much on the bad that you turn away from the boon. This is another area where focusing on the optimism and positivity mentioned above will serve you well. Abundance doesn’t lie within what you have, but upon what you choose to focus on. Are you focusing on what you don’t have? Or all that’s good that you do have already?
Aquamarine: What do I need to help me stay calm and courageous in the face of adversity?
Nine of Swords – The awareness that your worries and anxieties are not based in reality, but rather a tactic of your negative inner narrative, and thus not just useless, but harmful to you.
Butterfly: What sort of transformation is waiting for me the spring?
Ten of Cups – With the spring comes an opportunity to climb yourself out of that dark pit and look up.
Clover: Where in life will luck play into protecting me from potential harm?
Wheel of Fortune – Luck likes to step in for you whenever life becomes unpredictable. This falls back to the earlier Nine of Swords in this reading, and remembering that your negative inner narrative is not there to help you when it’s whispering words of anxiety and worry in your ear. Remember that there is luck to be had when you need it, you have only to have faith that it’ll be there for you.
I’m currently playing catch up and… I can’t remember Sunday so I have no idea what self kindness I might have done.
The Departure
A stranger
lies on tiles
with clammy skin
and shallow
noisy breaths
and when they stop
compressions start
as sirens wail
in the background
Will anyone mourn
the loss
of you deciding
to let go?
I will.
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?
Earth – King of Wands and The Wings – Stability and grounding are something that you prioritize above all else. This week, make sure you are looking for ways to make these priorities rise above the rest. Don’t forsake them for other pursuits, as you need this sense of security in your life right now more than ever.
Air – Queen of Cups and The Star – Focus on mitigating the effects of your negative self-narrative with positivity and optimism. Bolster yourself and soothe the emotional turmoil that that narrative creates by fostering hope. These are the tools you need to keep that inner narrative from continuing to drag you down into the muck and the mire.
Water – The Hanged Man and The Amulet – It’s time to pay attention to your emotional wounds and deal with them. Not just on a physical level or an interpersonal level, but also through your spiritual practice. Incorporate your spirituality and practice into this journey and you will find you will get far more out of it as a result.
Fire – The Emperor and The Lightning – Don’t go cracking the whip this week, or you might end up with some unpleasant consequences if you do. No extra crap on your plate or additional responsibilities.
Waning – Letter and Key – Don’t worry about the taxes right now. Yes, they’re important, but you can set it aside for a bit longer in order to give yourself the room you need to take care of yourself.
Waxing – Tower and Ship – Take time to talk with Ms B about her upcoming trip and make sure she has all that she needs and is being safe about her approach to this travel and prepared. Look out for her, for she’s not always great at looking out for herself.
Take Away – Low responsibility, no extra tasks or work added to my plate, and make sure I’m looking after Ms B and that she’s being safe. The depression is at its turning point and it’s time to focus on the climb back out, which includes feeling like you’re going a bit “overboard” on the optimism and positivity. It’s not as overboard as it feels, so keep going and really lean into it.
Today’s meditation was skipped.
Today’s draw is the Art card. This deck is based on the Thoth system. In that system, Art replaces the RWS Temperance card, and it’s traditional meaning is about finding which elements are missing in your life, honing and refining one’s skills and abilities, and self-discipline angled toward a purpose.
In the imagery of this card, we see the three little pigs doing exactly that. They work to hone and refine the house they are building to perfect it for their needs.
Today’s card is a reminder that there is still work to be done. It doesn’t need to be done right this minute, in fact, it would be better to take some time to look over your plan and do a bit of refining yourself. Look for what’s not going to work, and see if you can’t adjust and refine things until you get just the results you’re working towards.
Mr Lionharts’ #TheMarchTarot Animal Guide Challenge Prompt
March Animal Guide – Raccoon – Teamwork and finding healthy balance between independence and community, goal-oriented, ingenuity, industriousness, cleanliness, curiosity, adaptability, and equality.
The Raccoon appears in the Medicine Cards Deck as card No.46, and is described as a protector and provider, likening them to the tales of Robin Hood and pointing out that, in groups, there is a great deal of generosity demonstrated in their behavior among each other. Although this creature is often seen of as a “trash bandit”, they often steal not for themselves, but to further their community and feed those unable to feed themselves.
A desire I should feed in support of my best self?
Queen of Wands and Nine of Cups – Do more of the stuff that you want to do, and less of the stuff you don’t. Indulge in your pursuit of happiness instead of setting it on the back burner. Don’t allow you focus to pull you from the things you enjoy, allow the things you enjoy to distract you from your focus.
In what way could respecting my needs liberate me?
Death and Four of Swords – Respecting your needs will foster gradual changes towards a healthier form of rest and restoration, a more grounded inner narrative, and better sleep. It’s through being kind to yourself that you will be able to heal more thoroughly and find a better balance in your life for further restoration moving forward.
What is the first step I can take to honor my needs?
Ace of Pentacles and Three of Pentacles – New collaborative methods at work are needed, but make sure that when you invite people in to help you that you’re doing so in a healthy way for both yourself and for them. Look closely at your methods and how you interact with others and turn over a new leaf on how you go about expressing what is needed.
Today I went down into the basement storage and worked to get the shelves reinforced and the place cleaned up. There’s at least 15 years of dust down there. Piles of it. And if I’m going to be putting stuff down there that I have to access somewhat regularly, all that had to be taken care of. I’ll have to go down once more and wipe everything down with a rag, but when my body said stop? I stopped instead of continuing to push myself to do more.
The Slipping Day
Stillness
breathes deep
in the quiet
of evening light
as the sun slides
towards horizons
and casts
golden hues
over the land
while clear sky
deepens
into rich shades
of flawless blue
