Various Paganism, Tarot, Etc

#31DaysofWitchcraft Prompt 14 (non)VR to Heather Carter

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Heather Carter on YouTube put together a series of prompts titled #31DaysofWitchcraft that she’s been working her way through since the beginning of May. I really like this idea, but I can’t handle the responsibility of any more daily posts, so I thought that for the next few weeks, I would do one (or a few at a time) for the end of week “My Pagan Perspective” posts and work through them a bit at a time.

Today’s prompt was chosen through the inspiration of a question posted by someone on one of my discord servers.

Fae

14. Do you believe in fantasy creatures such as dragons, fairies, unicorns etc?

So… clearly from my response above, I absolutely do believe in the Fae.  In fact, I’ve written about this in the past on this blog.

I love the Fae, and have a special connection with those that I term the “shrubbery rustlers”.  These are the Fae of the forest and the trees, the moss and the bushes, the leaves and the flowers.   I have spent my entire life trafficking with these Fae, frolicking with them, playing their games, and welcoming them into my life.   They are my friends… they are my family.  I feel a deep kinship with them.

Fae

Unlike those people that say they have interacted with “higher Fae”, these Fae do not speak to me in words. Giggles and laughter?  Absolutely.  But not words.  Instead, my communication with them is through energy, not words.    I have actually never met one of these “higher Fae”… or, at least not that I’m aware of.  Actually, there was this one man I met once that I’m relatively sure was one of them… but I didn’t ask and he didn’t offer.  Something about his energy.

In any case, I was told once a long time ago by a woman that I was claimed by the “shrubbery rustlers” and that claim keeps the others away.  Perhaps that’s so, perhaps not… but I’m happy with those that I visit, and that visit with me.  My life and my home are open to them, and I go into the forests to visit with them often as well.

Dragons, Unicorns… Chupacabra, etc.

cryptid

I would say that I am open to the possibility.  Both the possibility of them existing in the present… or having existed at one time and gone extinct.   There’s just so much of the world that is still unexplored. How can we possibly reject the possibility of different creatures that very well could have existed, or could still exist hidden away in those unexplored places.

Ghosts and The Tulpa

I absolutely believe in ghosts. I believe in reincarnation, and I believe that when we die some people move through a process of reincarnation, and others linger either for a short while… or longer.  Especially if they have a purpose for lingering.  I also believe that some of these souls can end up “stuck”.

Tulpa

By the same turn, I also believe in the Tulpa.  These are entities that are manifested through the belief of man.  Invisible friends that become autonomous, certain spirits, demons, etc.   Even some cryptids such as the Rake and the Stickman.  I think that, with enough energy and intention poured into something, especially from multiple sources, that it is absolutely possible to essentially “birth” an entity through belief.

New Moon in Leo – August 2020

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New Moon in Leo Tarot Spread - Tarot of the Dream Enchantress

Yesterday was the new 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 brought to you by Ethony‘s Tarot By the Moon series.

1. What do I need to purge in my life?

Queen of Cups – I can’t find the word for this at the moment.  I know it, but it won’t come.  What I see in this card is the “obsessive possession” of an object… in the case of this imagery it is the cup that the Queen holds.  It’s that “Mine Mine MINE!” mentality of the Gollum in the Lord of the Rings.  This is a blend of selfish, territorial, proprietary feelings that keep the hands holding tight upon what belongs to you beyond the point of reason.

2. What is draining my energy?

Emperor Rx – The feeling that I am not in control and thus trying to then overcompensate is causing a drain in my energy.  Instead of scrambling to tighten the reigns in panic at the feelings of lack of control, try taking a deep breath and letting go. The problem is that it feels like letting go and releasing control will cause everything to fall apart.  And so… I continue to tighten the reigns more and more, and this then takes up more and more of my energy in a vicious cycle.

3. Where do I need to spark play into my life?

Five of Pentacles – Find those things that are distracting to you… and let them carry you away a little bit when things feel dark.  Grow not through the negative connotations of what’s around you during troubled times, but by distracting yourself from those negative influences by finding the things that captivate you and will help you move forward, help you be more optimistic, and help you foster hope.

4. What relationships need examining?

Two of Pentacles – I continue to need to pay close attention to how I am filling my plate and juggling my responsibilities.  Don’t allow the upcoming holiday season and preparations toward that time to screw up the progress you’ve gained.   Take time for yourself, and make sure that you are not allowing overwhelm to grab hold and work its way back into the equation.  Juggling everything is not supposed be easy… and you don’t have to make it look easy when it’s not.

5. Where do I need to speak my truth?

The Hermit – To myself above all others.  Now is a good time to take a close look at your feet upon the path you’ve chosen and ensure that you are still heading in the direction you want to go in.  Be honest with yourself about what needs to be changed, and genuine with yourself concerning your motivations, aspirations, and priorities.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE DREAM ENCHANTRESS

Weekly Creativity Prompt – The Teapot

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Pull (at least) three cards use them as the foundation to tell us about the life of a very delicate or fragile object or person.

22 Talismani in 22 ArcaniI once lived in the home of an old mystic (La Papessa – The High Priestess) that was skilled in many methods of divination (Il Bagatto – The Magician). I was trusted to hold her special herbs and serve them up in warm water’s embrace, so that she could read the tea leaves that fell from my spout.

Many that came to the mystic’s home specifically to have their tea leaves read, and they looked upon my rounded belly like shining beacon of hope. (Le Stelle – The Star)

One day, someone did not like the advice given in the tea leaves. They reported the mystic to the law (La Giustizia – Justice), who then came and told her that she had to shut down (La Torre – The Tower) and would no longer be able to take people into her home (L’eremita – The Hermit).

The mystic moved on from the path of the tea leaves (La Forza – Strength). She found other things bring her joy and became a great-grandmother (Il Sole The Sun). Soon after, she passed on and I was placed in gentle hands to be set upon a shelf (L’appeso – The Hanging). to watch quietly as the mystic’s family continued to grow and flourish in her wake. I am a remnant of the past, and a remembrance of a woman loved and now gone (La Temperanza – Temperance).

DECK USED:  22 TALISMANI IN 22 ARCANI

Morning Bonus Read – Connection and Clarity

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The prompt for this reading came from one of my Discord servers and is as follows:
“I’m working my way through The Witching Way Of Hollow Hill and it’s amazing– so this week’s divination prompt is based off of where I’m at in that book. Please note that I’m not advocating for any one spiritual framework here– substitute in whatever words work best for you! Chat with your divination tools this week about connection and clarity.”

IMG_5721

In what ways do I experience connection and clarity within my spiritual reality?
Two of Clubs – Heartsease

The Wild Pansy is a gentle flower filled with love and luck. Combined with the Two of Clubs, it indicates that the ways in which I connect with my spiritual reality and find clarity there is through a sense of duality and direction upon my path.  By being aware of all of the options open to me and allowing my intuition to be my guide in this area, my path is always clearly stretched out before me, and there is no hesitation or confusion concerning if I’m headed in the right direction.

In what ways do I close myself off from, or am unaware of, that reality?
Seven of Spades – Wood Anemone

Wood Anemone is a flower of the duality between anticipation and relaxation.  In this card it is combined with the Seven of Spades, which indicates that I spend too much time pushing forward instead of meandering upon my chosen path and enjoying the journey.  This constant push steals away both my enjoyment of the journey and my anticipation of what each new step might bring, as long as the easy relaxation that such a journey could… and perhaps should include.

How should I go about becoming aware of that reality?
Three of Diamonds – Harebell

The Scottish Bluebell holds within it the qualities of humility and constancy, and is strongly associated with glen sprites and forest Fae.  Here, it is combined with the Three of Diamonds, which speaks of coming together in harmonious collaboration to reach a goal.  The suggestion here is to open myself up to working with others, and the use of the Harebell in this instance leads me to understand that those “others” are in reference to my spirit guides.

Is this a good time to go looking for greater spiritual connection?
Queen of Diamonds – Meadow Buttercup

The Meadow Buttercup is a flower filled with youthful energy and enthusiasm.  Combined as it is with the Queen of Diamonds, there is an encouragement here to seek out the earth and her nurturing embrace and allow her to renew my sense of optimism.  Be open to allowing a shift in view, and let the sunshine in.  It is a very good time to seek out that deeper connection.

Or should I focus on the mundane for right now?
Ten of Diamonds – Policeman’s Helmet

One of the strongest qualities of the Policeman’s Helmet is the energy of impatience that it possesses.  The Ten of Diamonds blends this meaning into a desire for stability and fulfillment through security.  It tells me that I am already focusing on the mundane more than enough at this time, and pushing more in this area is simply an expression of impatience that will get me nowhere.  These mundane goals I desire to accomplish are not easily or quickly gained.  Enjoy the path… don’t rush.

DECK USED: FAMOUS WILDFLOWERS PLAYING CARD

#31DaysofWitchcraft Prompt No.7 (non)VR to Heather Carter

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Heather Carter on YouTube put together a series of prompts titled #31DaysofWitchcraft that she’s been working her way through since the beginning of May. I really liked this idea, but I can’t handle the responsibility of any more daily posts, so I thought that for the next little while I would do one (or a few) at a time for the end of week “My Pagan Perspective” posts.  I still have a handful more to go… but this week I’m doing Prompt 7.

hummingbird

7. Do you work with a specific animal spirit? If so, which animal and why? If not, is there one you would like to work with?

Although I don’t work with specific animal spirits, I do feel a connection to them and have used their representations in ritual as a connection to specific energies. This isn’t something I do often though, as I feel that even if I am asking for permission first, there is an element of usury involved in using creatures (whether they be nature’s animals, the Fae, or any other creatures) in my magic and ritual.

This isn’t to say that animal spirits, or animals themselves, are not welcome in my practice.  But, I feel that if the choice is not entirely voluntary, without me asking first, then it is taking advantage.   Interestingly, bees are very eager to take part in my practice and are often drawn to my spellcrafting and ritual when it is performed outside.  I’ve also had the occasional squirrel, butterfly, hummingbird, moth, caterpillar, fly, dragonfly, chipmunk, robin, ant, chickadee, crow, and the Fae step in to participate without request.

These unprompted voluntary participation are always welcome.

Weekly Creativity Prompt – Emotional Connections

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Pull up to three cards.
Create a piece of art, a crafted item, or a bit of writing that conveys the essence of an emotion expressed in each of the cards.

Potion Hunter Tarot

The Lovers – A grandfather and his young grandson decided to go on a journey to meet God. The grandson was excited and skipped a long, carefree and trusting in his father’s lead. The father was more practical and he knew that they would have to make wise choices on their journey in order to make it to the top of the hill where God lived.

Judgement – As they climbed the hill the child was full of innocence each step only brought more joy. But, as the father stepped one step after the other, with each step he considered and weighed every little thing that he had done in his long life and wondered if he was really worthy of meeting God.

The High Priestess – The higher they got, the more the little boy seem to chatter on and on, excited at the prospect of where they were going. The old man, though, became quieter and quieter, delving deeper and deeper within himself as he sought the answers of his faith and how he fit within it.

Together these two represent the duality of each card upon the path of one’s life.  With youth comes innocence and enthusiasm, a guilelessness that is tinged by lack of experience and naivety.

With age, though, comes experiences.  Decisions pile atop decisions, and the choices made become something to contemplate on.  Where the youth does not carry such a weight upon their shoulders, with age we come to a point where we must look within and seek out our inner knowledge and inner compass to tell us if we have lived a good life… or if there are changes that need to be made.

DECK USED:  POTION HUNTER TAROT