Various Paganism, Tarot, Etc

Full Moon in Leo – January 2021

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Leo Full Moon Spread - Tarot Noir

Today is the full moon, and like all new moons and full moons, I did a spread aligned to the moon’s current themes as a part of my recognition of the moon’s cycle and influences upon us. Today’s spread is about moving beyond the shadows, and brought to you by Sharron Basanti of Seeds of Shakti.

1. What medicine does the Leo Full Moon offer?

Eight of Cups  – The Leo full moon offers you the strength and opportunity to leave behind you the things that are no longer working for you.  You’ve been drug down and disappointed, struggling with your emotions, but this full moon is offering you the energy needed to begin the climb back out of that dark place and towards the light.

2. How can I harness the potent medicine of Leo for activating what my heart is yearning to manifest?

Ten of Wands – Don’t overwhelm yourself.  It’s okay to take things a little at a time instead of trying to pile it all on and deal with it all at once.  Responsibilities can sometimes feel like they are just too much of a burden, but they can be manageable if broken down into smaller bite sized pieces.   Yes, this means it will take more time, but it will help keep you from feeling the overwhelm that can drag you down and hold you back from that climb into the light.

3. How can I embrace Leo’s shadow medicine?

Six of Wands – Listen to those that cheer you on.  It’s okay to accept praise.  It’s okay to feel good when people say that you’ve done well or say that they admire you.  It won’t make you a lesser person to allow these good feelings when you are given compliments or praise.

4. What shifts will emerge after the Full Moon?

Ten of Coins – A return to a sense of security and good fortune is on the horizon as the moon’s energy begins to wane.  The healthier you begin to feel, the more that sense of well-being in your situation will improve.  It is all about your perception… and your gratitude, which is much easier to get in touch with as you begin to feel better.

5. Message from the Ancestors.

Seven of Wands  – Stand up for what you believe in and follow that moral compass so intrinsically embedded in how you think and feel.  As the energy of the full moon peaks and its waning begins to lead the way out of the darkness you’ve slid into, make sure that you keep your focus centered on those things that are worth fighting for and what you need to do to protect them and allow them to flourish.

DECK USED: TAROT NOIR

Weekly Creativity Prompt – The Swamp

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Prompt: Draw up to three cards and use them to tell us a story of getting lost in a wild place such as a forest, swamp, etc.

Quantum Tarot v2He had spent his entire life carving out his little piece of heaven out of the wet clutches of the heart of the swamp.  Moisture and mildew clung to every thing, it ate away at everything, and the small shack with attached pier he’d built needed constant work and upkeep in order to keep it from being yield over to the swamps voracious appetites. (Seven of Pentacles)

As he got older, he found that some days were better than others, and he had to plan his work on the small shack and pier carefully to make sure that he didn’t overtax himself in the process. (Wheel of Fortune)

When the waters began to rise in the spring rains this year, he was ready as always… or he thought that he was.  He’d taken care to make sure that the planks of the pier were sturdy and the items in the shack were all on risers to give a few extra inches clearance in case the waters rose that high. As with each year, he looked at his place with new eyes as he shored it up for the coming weather and high waters. (Ace of Wands)

But what he didn’t anticipate was the shifting ground beneath his home stirred up by water’s currents.

It happened in the middle of the night, when the water rose to wash over the slates of the pier and ripple under the door of his shack, while the man slept on his bed set on risers.  There was a long, low groan from the shack as the supports began to shift, and a shuddered moan of wood and rope and nails pulling free.

He awoke with a start as the shack began to come apart, not collapsing or crumbling, but falling apart as if every nail that held the place together were simply and suddenly gone, and as he rose from the bed and ran out of the shack, the shack and pier beneath his feet crumbled into the water… and he was pulled down into the depths with it.

And as the swamp then quieted and stilled, it was as if the old man and his shack and small pier were never there, for all had been swallowed by the wild he had fought to keep at bay for so long. (Three of Swords)

DECK USED:  QUANTUM TAROT V2

Morning Bonus Read – Peaceful Tree

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Japanese Pattern Lenormand

Leaves: What feeds my soul?

Clouds – Challenges and struggle.  This is an odd card to see in the “feeds your soul” position until you consider the fact that it is only through challenges that we grow.  The things that create confusion and complications in life are the same things that facilitate our growth. Without them, life is stagnant and so are we.  This card is not just an answer to what feeds the soul, but a reminder to be grateful for each and every experience we have… even those that are confusing, challenging, or filled with hurdles and complications.

Branches: What direction do I need to grow?

Woman – This card recently came up in a different reading for a very similar question.  It is an indication that you need to tap into your softer side.  That sacred feminine side that everyone has within them that fosters energies of nurturing and warmth.  You spend too much time poking and prodding and shoving at yourself, pushing yourself to your limits and beyond without any mercy or kindness.  It’s time to grow in a direction that fosters a more supportive and nurturing energy in how you treat yourself as well as how you talk to yourself.

Trunk: What supports my well-being?

Clover – Over the past year you have been working really hard on injecting more positivity, optimism, and happiness into your life.  You’ve discovered that these efforts are not in vain, but assist in finding balance that allows you to continue to push toward your goals, but in far more healthy ways.  It’s important to continue this practice.  These influences created in small ways have a large impact over time, and are especially important when you are feeling your lowest and worst as they can help lift you up out of the darkness.

Roots: What anchors me in place?

Scythe – Cold hard logic. While you explore your emotions and they feel as if they are always out of control, always sliding this way and that, and always feeling just slightly outside of your understanding… cold hard logic is the anchor in the storm.  Just remember that you do not have to cut your emotions off or end your growth to use this logic to its fullest potential when an anchor is needed.

DECK USED:  JAPANESE PATTERN LENORMAND

Morning Bonus Read – Facing Reality

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In a post earlier this week, I briefly mentioned “spiritual bypassing” in the reading. I thought that today I’d do a spread on that topic.

Spiritual Bypassing is defined as a “tendency to use spiritual ideas and practices to sidestep or avoid facing unresolved emotional issues, psychological wounds, and unfinished developmental tasks.

Lua Lenormand - Facing Reality Tarot Spread

An aspect of reality that I’m avoiding.

Bear – Ugh… my finances. I mean it’s a good time to drop the ball, honestly, because I’m in the wake of the holiday rush, which means I have a bit of a cushion from any negative repercussions that not obsessing over my finances as usually could cause.  But still. It’s definitely an aspect of reality that I’ve been sticking my head in the sand about lately.

Why it’s important for me to stop avoiding this.

Ring – Because it’s important not to fall behind on my commitments.  I have a mortgage to keep up on and responsibilities to deal with that require me to stay on top of my finances and not let them go off on their own little way for too long without a guiding hand to keep them on track.

How I can accept this truth that I’ve been avoiding.

Book – Open up your bank website, log in, and do a little research.  Look into what’s going on and it will help you in getting your ass back into the groove it needs to be in.  Ignoring those various accounts is not going to do any good for you or your life.  Better to open your eyes and stay informed.

A way that this ties into my own spiritual bypassing.

Dog – You’re getting too comfortable.  You’re allowing your spiritual practices and methods to wrap you up in comfort and fool you into thinking “everything is okay”, instead of ensuring for yourself that all’s well and good.

A pattern of behavior I fall into during stress.

Anchor – See above in the previous answer. I pretend everything is grounded and good even when it’s not. I make others believe that all’s well when I’m actually struggling beneath the surface.

How I can become a better version of myself.

Lady – Tap into my softer side and allow it to show more often.  This card is about the sacred feminine energy that we all have within us, and allowing it to come out and be a part of the day to day rather than “sucking it up” and, in my father’s words, pushing myself to “be a man”.  Yuck

DECK USED:  LUA LENORMAD

Morning Bonus Read – Authority Issues

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I had to adjust this topic a bit (the original prompt is at the end of this post), as I do not have the urge to look to external sources of authority to tell me what to do. In fact, I have authority and control issues that cause me to rebel against such controlling behavior from other parties. The prompt mentioned that there are so many external authorities that there is a struggle in knowing who to listen to, etc. I have very few “authorities” over my actions… in fact even my employers are more collaborators than any form of authority figures.

SO… for this prompt. I am going to use the one single authority figure that -is- a part of my life, and with whom I have found a balance between authority and independence that works. That would be my partner, Gideon.

Cabinetarium Playing CardsWhere in my life do I benefit most from having an authority figure in my life?

Six of Spades atop Four of Diamonds – In helping me stay grounded and away from those things that are most harmful to me. I am self-destructive. Those tendencies sometimes rise up and whisper insidiously in my ear at the worst of times. Gideon is there in those times to help me stay on the right path, and does so in a way that doesn’t make me feel the searing sting of rebellion… such as when he made the request that I stop drinking.

Where could I use a better balance between his authority influences and my own need for independence?

Seven of Hearts – In my struggles to find balance and harmony by making the best choices for myself that I can. I need to consult with him more during these times when I am confronting these choices and get his input.  Not so much to give him the choice instead of me making it, but to make sure that I have his perspective and input on what the best choices available to me are.

How can I begin establishing that better balance?

Three of Clubs – Work more closely with him and I will be heading in the right direction.  I understood this from the card that previously came out concerning balance and his input. I need that input.  Sometimes? I really suck at turning to him when I need to.  It’s stupid and a part of those self destructive tendencies.

Why do I need this outside authoritative energy in my life?

Three of Diamonds – To counteract the poisonous influences of my upbringing by providing me with support.  It’s something I can’t do alone but needs to be worked on together.

How does this authority figure in my life influence my self-care?

Queen of Spades – He works with me and supports my self care goals by being “all in” with helping me to make them happen. He does not lord over me but works with me so I do not get my back up and rebel against that authority, making that authority less offensive in his approach.

DECK USED:  CABINETARIUM PLAYING CARDS

Original Diviner’s Den Prompt: This week it was brought to my attention that I have trouble trusting myself to make good self care decisions– I tend to try to find some kind of external authority to validate my decisions on how much I should work, eat, rest, exercise, etc. The problem with this is that… There are SO MANY external authorities. This may not be an issue for you– if not, feel free to ignore or adjust this topic as necessary. But I know I’m not alone in this— if you would like, join me in my shadow work this week around this topic.
-Who/what do I look to as an authority on my daily choices (food, exercise, rest, worries, self care, etc)?
-Is there a healthier place to look to for those choices?
-What resources would I need in order to better trust myself to make self care decisions?
-This week, what is one self care choice I can trust myself to make well?

Weekly Creativity Prompt – Near and Dear – The Aces

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Prompt: First, pull the Aces out of a deck of your choice. Then consider… Do you have someone in your life that fits with the theme of one of the cards? Do you have people in your life that would fit with each of them? Share the connection you see between each Ace card and the person in your life it represents. 

Insight Tarot

Ace of Pentacles – The bakery could run on its own these days, and he could spend his time in an office while others do the work.  And yet, every morning he gets up at 3AM, and is in the bakery by 4 in the morning to start the first batches of bread for the day.  This is his quiet time, where he can bake loaves of bread, buttery croissants, and sweet scones… And feel content in the fact that he’s feeding the world, and that every bit of food he brings into existence is going to feed someone, whether it’s the customers that come in to buy his breads and confections or the needy that receive what’s left at the end of each day.

Ace of Swords – If you’re stuck in a rut? This is the woman to talk to.  She’s full of ideas and happy to share with anyone that needs a little bit of encouragement.  Sit down with her and let her fill your head with the possibilities of what you could do. Brainstorm about where you’re going, and talk long into the night as you bounce ideas off each other.  She will inspire you, and give you a peek into the possibilities at your fingertips, helping you to find your way to unstuck so that you can follow those potential ideas into a new path.

Ace of Cups – He smiles without provocation, his laugh is infectious, and he cries at the drop of a hat. With his heart on his sleeve, every touching commercial causes his heart to pitterpat and his eyes to shine with tears, a happy ending will do the same, and an audio book as well.  Music creates souring emotions that he rides like a surfer rides waves, immersed in the emotions of the music as they carry him away.  He feels with every shred of his being, and loves with all his heart.  He feels pain deeply… but then, he feels everything deeply.

Ace of Wands – Her house is filled with Rubbermaid tubs, cardboard boxes, and shoe-boxes, knitting bags, totes, and skeins of yarn, scraps of fabric and wicker baskets filled with this and that.  Paints and paintbrushes, candle molds, boxes of wax, and little baubles.  Beads and pearls and epoxy mixes and everything in between.  She knows how to do everything, learning skill after skill, starting project after project… and yet none of them are ever finished before her attention is caught by the next new thing to learn, discover, and explore.

DECK USED:  INSIGHT TAROT