Various Paganism, Tarot, Etc

Morning Bonus Read – New Season, New Focus

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The prompt for this reading came from one of my Discord servers and is as follows:
“Welcome to Fall! (At least, according to some). This week, ask your divination tools about how you should be preparing for the Dark Half of the year, which starts at the next Sabbat.”

Pipmen Playing Cards

In what area of my life should I be preparing for rest?
Five of Diamonds

I am currently bereft of the physical supplies I need to make it through the holiday rush that will soon enough be upon me.  Now is the time to resolve this issue and start the long and tedious process of restocking those supplies that I can make ahead of time and have ready for the orders that will begin rolling in once we say goodbye to the harvest season.  For me, harvesting for the winter months is all about getting those things ready that I can stock up on prior to getting to that time of year where  being too busy keeps me from being able to up otherwise.

If I do not have these things in place in time, I will have no time to rest at all once the winter months arrive.   By getting these things ready now I open up my future self to a modicum of rest in the future that I otherwise wouldn’t be able to have.

In what area of my life should I be preparing to keep working?
Four of Spades, Five of Hearts

If I want to keep working, I need to respect the fact that I have to rest as well.  Not just in the future, but in the now.  It’s all well and good to get a jump on the stuff that needs to be prepped for the rush to come.  But it’s also necessary to take time for myself and allow myself the rest I need.  Overworking now will set me up for failure later when I need all the extra oomph and energy I can get.

This is the time of the year to start foraging. Where should I look in my life for an unexpected harvest?
Ace of Diamonds

This is about going through my supplies room and getting things put away.  I have more of the supplies that I need than I realize.  I’ve been slacking off on putting everything away in its proper place, and as a result I’ve lost track of stock on a few things.  The Ace of Diamonds in response to this question tells me I need to make sure I don’t order more until I’ve made sure that I need to.

DECK USED: PIPMEN PLAYING CARD

The Great Glyph of the Sidhe

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The prompt for this reading came from one of my Discord servers and is as follows:
“What’s a symbol you’ve felt really strongly to when it comes to your craft. Like a rune or tarot card or sigil or so?”

I considered mentioning the Hanged Man and the Ten of Swords here as a response to this question. But I went with something from my early childhood instead.

SidheSpiralThis is the Spiral of the Sidhe (aka the Great Glyph of the Sidhe).

It was introduced into mainstream by an archeological writer named John Matthews in his 2004 book “The Sidhe: Wisdom from the Celtic Otherworld” who has written that it was given to him by the Sidhe as a symbol of welcome and a bridge between humanity and the world of the Sidhe.

Since this publication, it has popped up in a number of places, such as on the back of the cards in the Tarot of the Sidhe deck and being featured prominently in the Moon Oracle of the Sidhe.

Interestingly, I don’t know where I first saw this glyph, but I suspect that it was not through John Matthew.

I have been drawing this symbol all of my life, first as a child in the dirt and then incorporating it into spells and rituals as I got older. As I was born in 1988, I can’t imagine that I saw this symbol through John Matthews influences… and I have absolutely no idea where it came from to take up its place within my life.

I would be remiss not to note that the Great Glyph of the Sidhe looks a lot like what I understand to be one of Reiki’s most powerful symbols, the Cho Ku Rei. And yet, the Cho Ku Rei does not create the tightening tug in my solar plexus that the Sidhe spiral creates each time I see it.

A side note on John Matthews – I can’t say that I’ve ever read any of John Matthew’s books, although from looking through those he’s written, I don’t think I would necessarily consider him an authority on the Sidhe and the Fae. His writing is eclectic at best and seems to wander here and there and everywhere on an array of (seemingly unrelated) topics.

Weekly Creativity Prompt – Random Eight

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Shuffle your deck of choice, then pull out every ninth card.
Of the eight cards now sitting in front of you, which card do you relate to most strongly and why?
Of the seven cards now left sitting in front of you, which card do you relate to the least and why?
Extra Credit: There are now six cards left. Assign a real person in your life, a fictional character, a movie, a book, or a song to each of these six cards and then tell us why you made the choice you did for each.

IMG_5588

Part 1 (most relate to) –Ten of Swords – I am a survivor. I survived my father’s tyrannic rule.  I survived the accident that decimated the right side of my body and made it impossible for me to go through an MRI machine. I’ve survived sexual assault, betrayals, car accidents, impalement, a home invasion and near death experience, life-long chronic pain, ongoing physiotherapy, testicular cancer, and melanoma.

I have survived through years of suicidal obsession and urges, multiple major depressive episodes, and just this past year I survived a stalker that tried to kidnap me out of a Costco parking lot.  I have survived dropping out of university a mere three months before earning my degree, the crushing disappointment of discovering my mother is not the person (or mother) I thought she was, a metabolism that is determined to eat me alive, and the loss of loved ones.

I have survived, and learned from, all of these things and more. Each of these things was more than just a painful experience. Each experience brought me to my knees and made me bleed either from my body or my soul… and yet I have continued on.  The Nine of Swords connects me to these experiences, and my survival from them… as well as the fact that I continue to thrive not just despite them, but also because of what they taught me along the way.

Part 2 (least relate to) – Eight of Wands – I’m not getting anywhere fast these days, it seems.  In fact, life in general as well as the cards seem determined to teach me to slow down and take my time more often.  This is not something that is easy for me to do… and I struggle with it even at the best of times. 

Extra Credit:

Two of Wands – She makes lists.  Going on a camping trip?  She’s got a list.  A shopping trip?  She’s got a list. Need ideas for what to do next weekend?  She has a list for that too. If you need to get organized?  She is the one to go to.  She’ll help you make a list, and explain how to use it too.  There’s power in lists and she knows it well, and she wields that power with impunity.

Seven of Cups – A woman that sees outside the box, if you need ideas, she’s the one to go through.  Not that she’ll give you the answers, but sit and talk with her a while and you’ll soon find that your narrow view of what’s possible will begin to open up.  Options appear where none had been, just in the span of spending time in her presence.  Suddenly, the diversity of what’s possible is breathtaking and you wonder how you ever felt your options were so limited.

Five of Swords – He’s one of those guys that always has to have the last word in any situation. It makes him feel like he’s won, and that feeling is something he lives for. Whether it’s a debate or a disagreement, or even a physical fight, rest assured his voice will be the last one that sounds, and what he says will be sharp edged but probably not entirely unwarranted.

The Chariot – Single minded and determined, he plows forward with his eye on the prize. He knows what he wants out of life and he knows how to get it, he has both hands on the reigns and full control over the direction of his life.  Goals for this man?  They aren’t possibilities… they are already his reality as if he needs only to reach out and pluck them out of the air and they’ll be his.

The Tower – She’s spent her life catastrophizing every little thing. Nothing catastrophic has ever happened to her, and yet… to her even a splinter is just that.  The end of the world.  Her life is in chaos, her world in upheaval… and this is how she lives.  Each and ever day is one horrible thing, one disastrous event after another and she is unable to see beyond the cacophony to anything positive in any of it.  She’s trapped in this place… and refuses to try and escape.

Judgement – He lies in a hospital bed and waits for his family to arrive and surround him.  He has things to say, and apologies to make.  Weathered, with aching joints and years of hard work wrought in wrinkles upon his face… he’s had plenty of time to consider all that he’s done and all that he failed to do.  It’s time to make things right, before it’s too late to do so.

DECK USED:  MONSTAROT TAROT

Full Moon in Aquarius – August 2020

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The Hilda Tarot - Full Moon In Aquarius 2020

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

1. What possibilities are being offered to me right now?

Death Rx – A time of peace is being offered to me.  Change is so often a constant in life, and organic change is a theme that runs throughout a life like the circulation system of a body.  But there are moments of pause… of peace.  Of quiet.  These moments are not stagnancy, they are an opportunity to take a deep breath and rest before life moves on into the next change.

2. What area of my life is craving freedom and experimentation? (check
the suit for big clues)

Page of Pentacles – Get your ass outside and have more fun with it.  Yes, hiking in the woods is peaceful and amazing, but allow it to do more than just be refreshing.  Allow these experiences to brighten your day and lighten your heart. Find your excitement, and stoke that fire again so that your enthusiasm spills over into a joyous sense of discovery.

3. Where can I be more open minded?

The Fool – Being jaded is boring.  Don’t allow yourself to become boring.

4. What old habits/beliefs need to be released under this Full Moon?

Strength – Heroism is not always a sign of strength.  Sometimes? It’s a sign of weakness and stupidity. Don’t mistake risk-taking behavior for strength… strength comes from within in relation to doing what needs done and how you grow from those experiences. It has nothing to do with putting yourself in unnecessary danger.

5. Where do I need to go with the flow?

Four of Wands – Let your freak flag fly.  It’s okay to be silly now and then.  The entire theme of this reading (with the exception of the allowance of rest) supports this need to let down your hair, kick off your shoes, and just let yourself have a little more fun with life.   It’s okay.  The world isn’t going to fall apart if you have a little fun and smile freely a bit more often.

DECK USED: THE HILDA TAROT

First Harvest 2020 – Lammas

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August 1st was Lammas, which is known as the First Harvest of the year. This day marks the transition into the harvest season of August, September, and October (of which there is a Second Harvest and Last Harvest that correspond to these months).

This holiday is often called Lammas, Lughnasadh, or Lugh, although I usually just refer to it as the First Harvest. On my path, it celebrates the beginning of Summer’s decline and ramping up of the busy season where we begin to reap in the abundance that the bounty of summer’s energies has encouraged to grow and flourish.

First Harvest Tarot Reading

Like with new moons and full moons, I usually do a spread to check in with myself and give myself some direction for the next couple of months for each solstice, equinox, and other Sabbats. This spread is an adaptation of my Self Care Saturday spread, so there are sure to be  some similarities in how it is read. The focus of this spread, though, is not about Self Care, but rather about progress and my path. The time period is also longer, reaching through the next handful of weeks until the celebration of the upcoming Second Harvest (aka. Mabon, Autumnal Equinox) in September.

Theme of the Season – Lammas, Weaver Moon, Wood Mouse – The first harvest of the year is a time of evaluation.  It’s a time when you want to ascertain what you want to accomplish before winter has arrived, and make sure that all those things you’ve done so far this year to get you there are still on track in the correct direction.

The Weaver’s Moon is about the many hats we wear in life, and how those hats don’t change the true person that we are underneath it all.  When we put on these hats, we see the world through different perspectives and interact with it in those perspectives as well.  This teaches  us many things, but it doesn’t change us into what we present. It is about open to the many perspectives and experiences that build our lives.

The story of the wood mouse card is one of thankless work behind the scenes and the unsung hero. This card is a representation of that energy and purpose that comes with doing the work that is mostly unseen so that the larger work that needs done can be done.  In relation to my life, this would refer to those small ripples of happiness and positivity that I create with each piece of jewelry I make for others.

When looking at these three cards together, the theme that I see here is one about making sure I am staying open and receptive even as I do these little things that ripple outward from me to others and from others to still more.  I wear many hats in my efforts to further my business’ growth, and yet, what is the purpose behind these things?  I am not spearheading some great purpose or showy result.  My purpose is quiet and subtle but pervasive. Concentrate on the hats I need to wear to do what needs done and wear them as needed to do the job… but don’t allow them become me (or me to become them) along the way.

Earth – Three of Swords – You may start feeling some repercussions from the irresponsible spending that you did over the spring and early summer.  Don’t allow it to screw up your head or send you into a downward spiral though.  Even if something happens that causes a gushing wound pouring blood money from its heart… just scream out your frustrations and keep going. A wounded heart can heal, and even a scarred heart still beats.

Air – Four of Cups – Stop looking the gift horse in the mouth. You’ve noticed that additional pessimism that’s been swimming up from the depths lately.  Pay attention to it.  Do not allow yourself to push it away and treat it as inconsequential.  If you don’t give it the attention it needs, it will grow and you’ll find yourself not just feeling a bit pessimistic and bored but falling off into something far uglier and harder to recover from.

Water – Knight of Cups –  You’ve been doing really good with sticking to your guns where your emotional growth is concerned.  Make sure you continue to put  your conscious attention on keeping on this path and nurturing it to flourish.  The soil is rich and you’ve planted the seeds of your emotional growth.  Results have grown from those seeds, but they continue to need TLC to make sure that they survive and thrive.

Fire – King of Cups – Added time with Gideon over the past few weeks has helped create a sense of comfortable emotional support and strength within your creative writing.  This can easily be spilled over into other areas of creative expression, if you are willing to tap into it and allow it to spread outward like a singing bowl’s sound reverberates through both air and matter alike.

Waning – Wolf Spirit – You are on the cusp of misalignment and need to take care do what you can to soften the effects of this.  Note the negative aspects that have been flitting around the edges and try not to allow them to pull you too far off course.  You can turn this around, but you might go through a period of confusion and disorientation before you find your balance again.

Waxing – Parrot Spirit – During this time of misalignment, make sure you are watching what you are saying not just to others, but to yourself as well.  Sometimes when feeling out of sorts and disoriented, you can come off sharp or condescending to others, as well as downright vicious to yourself concerning your weaknesses and performance expectations.  These are not going to help you and are unhealthy… if you want to make it through this time of misalignment smoothly and quickly, stay mindful of your words.

Take Away – You are on track with your emotional growth, but maybe not so much when it comes to your finances and portfolio.  Don’t let that get you down too much, and don’t panic if a sudden expenditure comes up to expose to you just how “oh shit” that deficit might actually be.

Depression is creeping at the edges of the shadows, staying back but toying with those small frays at the edges of the fabric of your well-being.  You’ve seen small signs of this and need to make sure you’re not ignoring them. Be genuine and be yourself, but make sure you are consciously choosing to treat yourself and others kindly, and turn your focus on finding ways to spread the pleasure and security you feel in your creativity with Gideon into other aspects of your creativity elsewhere.

DECKS USED:  LIGHT SEER’S TAROT, THE GREEN WHEEL ORACLE, THE SPIRIT ANIMAL ORACLE

Transitioning from July to August

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This is a spread that I do at the end of each month to close out the month.

Month_End

Individuality – Seven of Pentacles and Self Heal (Responsibility) – At this time I am in the middle of a long term growth and healing process. This extends beyond the emotional growth that I have been dealing with through the past few months.  As I come to a point where that growth spurt changes from active growth to a time of adjustment, the emotional growth I experienced has begun to spread out into other areas of my life, influencing everything around me in small ways that will over time develop into something more beneficial and obvious. Have patience with yourself.

Dependence – Six of Rods and Nettle (Transformation) – Sometimes lately?  I feel like a know it all asshat.  Especially when dealing with that one specific brick wall we have on our server right now.  I want to release this feeling, but in order to do so, I need to dig into what’s creating that feeling.  Is it something in my personal communications that has shifted lately that’s causing it?  Or is it being stirred up by an external source?

Creativity – Page of Cups and Bee Balm (Vibrance) – I want more lighthearted creativity in my life. With the emotional growth I’m feeling a bit softer and a bit warmer, but I also want to feel a bit “lighter” and instill a bit of carefree creativity  in my life that’s been missing for the past… year?  I mean, there’s been little hints of it, but I’d love to have more.

Limitation – The Hermit and Borage (Optimism) – Retreating into yourself and closing yourself off to others is not assisting you in your goal to be more optimistic and positive in life.  By closing yourself off, you are allowing your inner dialog free reign to have its way with you.  It’s not healing, and it is important to both acknowledge this fact as well as watch out for these tendencies.

Change – The Chariot and Daylily (Centering) – Focus on the fact that you can’t truly control the future or the past.  It’s only the present that’s truly in your control, and you have the ability to make every day what you want it to be if you’re willing to grab the reigns and actually do it now instead of just thinking about it or planning for it to happen sometime in the future.

Sympathy – Wheel of Fortune and Rosemary (Clarity) – The past event these cards refers to has to do with my family’s expectations growing up as well as as an adult, and how there were times in which those expectations created self doubt. This painful lesson holds relevance at this time, and I need to remember that I have found my path and that I do not need to live my life for anyone but myself… nor conform to anyone’s expectations but my own.

Luck – Two of Swords and Evening Primrose (Rebirth) – These cards are a reminder of the day that I first was introduced to the poem “The Dash” by Linda Ellis.  This is a poem that changed my life.  It gave me a perspective that I needed, at a time when I needed it a most, and provided me with the knowledge I needed both of myself and what I wanted from life, to allow me to choose my path wisely.

Power – The Hanged Man Rx and Purple Poppy (Evolution) – Take care to stay aware and seeking those extra perspectives and different opinions.  It’s okay to have your own opinions and methods, but don’t forget that you need a much wider and more vast array of input to make good decisions on how you move forward and grow from one day to the next.  Don’t close yourself off or allow yourself to grow and evolve in a direction that would close you off from these things.

Responsibility – Strength and Bleeding Heart (Independence) – The opportunity in the month echos back to the mention of being in a time of “adjustment” concerning my emotional growth.  I have the opportunity to create a steady foundation at this time that will develop into a new kind of internal strength that includes a depth of emotional capacity rather than excluding my emotions from the equation.

Message from Spirit World –  You have the control to steer how you develop spiritually over the month ahead.  Stay open to new perspectives and seize control of your own autonomy.  Your future and your development is in your hands.  Your personal hands.  Your growth stretches beyond just the emotional and into the spiritual.  Make sure that you staying mindful of your choices and the direction your progress is taking.

Message from Mind’s World – It’s okay for things to take time and you need to accept that.  Fill that time with the things you want to do and stop worrying so much about what other people think about you.  This should be a time to focus on what you want, not what others want or expect of you.

Message from Known World – Although the world is often uncertain, you can make choices to steer things in the direction you want them to go.  Stay focused on what you want as things change around you, and your path will continue to steer true as you evolve upon it into the person you want to become.  Each day is filled with a series of constant choices.   Stay true in these choices to who you are… and what you want.  The Hermit in these cards stands out as the outlier… now is not a time to retreat or close yourself off from the world and those around you.  It would not be healthy for you at this time.

Take Away – There is a theme here in the cards that has to do with growth and progress, in what I want to instill into my future, and how the future is built from the present.  What you do here in the now is what directs you upon the path of your future, so make sure that your present choices are ones that suit what you want of both who you are today, and of who you want to be in the future as well.

DECKS USED: HANSON ROBERTS TAROT AND THE SOULFLOWER ORACLE CARDS