Various Paganism, Tarot, Etc

Weekly Creativity Prompt – (Bad?) Luck

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Pull (at least) three cards and use them to… tell us about a (real or fictional) mistake that turned into a happy ending.  (I went with fictional.)

Black Cat Tarot by Theresa Luck

There was once a young man that always flaunted the rules (The Fool).  He loved to drive fast, treated his car horribly and never took care of it (The Devil).

One day while whipping in and out of traffic and driving far above the speed limit (The Chariot), his cars breaks went out and would not work. He ended up in a horrible crash (The Tower).

Taken to the hospital he learned that in his folly, he’d been severely hurt and it would take many months or even years to recover from his injuries (Justice).

He was sent to a physiotherapist to begin his healing process (The Magician). The physiotherapist was a hard and harsh taskmaster who (The Emperor), who at first seemed to have no empathy at all. Over time and working together closely, the young man discovered that the physiotherapist was really very deep and they ended up falling in love (The Lovers).

In the end, the strength and stability and support that the physiotherapist provided, combined with the time I it took for the young man to recover from his injuries gave the young man time to grow and he learn from his mistakes (Death).

When he returned to the road he did so with more respect for the law, more loving care for his car, and less impatience (Temperance).

DECK USED:  BLACK CAT TAROT BY THERESA LUCK

 

 

What Kind of Reader Am I? #THEREADERIAM (non)VR to James Feeney

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So although this tag originally comes from James Feeney on YouTube, it was actually first brought to my attention by Casper the BoyDiviner.

ScatterTarot11

What is the primary system of divination you use (as specific as possible)?

Recently, I’ve been sticking mostly to tarot cards, and the occasional image-only cards or oracle cards, unless I have a client making a request for something else specifically.

Who do you read for?

Paying clients.  Myself.  Friends and loved ones. Random occasional strangers when I’m feeling the urge to offer a free reading here and there.

What types of readings do you normally do? (ie: topics, spreads, time, medium)

I specialize in intuitive reading that incorporates an element of predictive reading.  I do well with the present and the future, but I do not do past readings whether that be past lives or someone’s personal past.  I also rarely do predictive readings that span more than three months ahead.

I’m good with a variety of topics with the exception of mediumship, which I am not prepared to offer. I usually let my moral compass guide me on whether or not a question or topic is okay to do… and I avoid those topics that could put me in legal jeopardy.

I prefer free-form readings over spreads most of the time, but do spreads on request or when reading for myself as reading for myself requires a bit more structure sometimes.

What is your reading style? (ie: analytic, intuitive, spiritual/ predictive or fortune)

I think I pretty much covered this above when I mentioned the types of readings I do.  My reading style is intuitive interpretation of the imagery, which I then augment by including traditional meanings of the cards as a secondary contribution to the reading.

The exception to this is excessively pip decks, lenormand, and playing cards.  With these three systems it is the opposite.  Because these styles of decks are not imagery rich, they don’t provide enough input for me to allow my intuition free reign off of the imagery.  In these cases, I lean heavily on numerology and/or foundational meanings within those systems, and then incorporate a more “directional based” intuition into that foundational knowledge.

Although my readings are not secular, that is between me and my concept of divinity (and possibly also my spirit guides), and therefore rarely reflects in my delivery to others.

What types of readings do you conduct? (ie: evaluative, coaching, empowering, reflective)

All of the above.  It really just depends on what the client needs.  In the case of reading for myself, it is usually either evaluative or guidance towards self care, life balance, and a healthy well-being.

ReadingWhat is your ideal reading atmosphere?

Outside. A picnic table.  Bare feet to bare earth with weather warm enough to make that comfortable but not so hot as to feel uncomfortable. Overcast or bit of shade and a slight breeze but not windy.  Not raining. Lots of grass and trees.

Reversals? Jumpers? Shuffling style?

Reversals – Occasionally.  Only when it really calls to my intuition that the card was meant to land that way and looking at it upright just feels… wrong.  Otherwise I use my intuition to tell me what message the cards want to convey, no matter the orientation of the card on the table or if that message is a reversal meaning or an upright one.

Shuffling Style –  When I first add a deck into my collection (or after I have reorganized it back into its suits for some reason) I will then riffle shuffle a deck at least 7 or 8 times before using it.   This is because mathematically speaking, you need to riffle shuffle a deck of 52 cards at least 7 times to effectively randomize the deck.

After that, though?   When I do a reading, because the cards are already randomized I will usually riffle shuffle about three times before handing the cards to my client for them to shuffle them a few times.

Jumpers – I use jumpers to pull my cards.   So after I have done the riffle shuffling, I will then shift to a seesawing overhand and, with my question in mind, wait for a card (or two) to fall out, then repeat for the next question, and the next, etc.  So essentially, all of my card pulls are jumpers.  If I receive more than two cards at a time, I will put them back in the deck and ask for a more succinct answer.

What is your delivery tone? (ie: constructive, positive, reflective, action-oriented)

All of the above, but not at the same time?  That is to say that deep down in my psyche, I’m essentially a “fixer”.  Meaning, essentially, that I don’t want to know things just to know things. I want to know things so that I can move forward, improve, or somehow adjust and/or fix something.  I have no problem delivering the hard answers or even the harsh answers, but I do it with a little bit… more.

So even though the question might be “how am I physically at this time”, when I’m asking the question? I’m really looking for more than just a status update… so when the cards answer me, they are going to give me more than just a status update. They’re also going to provide me with a path to improvement/betterment.

This is the same whether I’m reading for myself or someone else.

What are some of your personal reading quirks? (ie: correspondences you tend to draw on, habits you have, little details that you alone use and have)

I’m not exactly sure how to answer this, because in my observation everyone reads the cards differently.  Especially when you start delving into those that read the cards intuitively.   Just as there are many different ways for intuition to speak to someone, there are even more ways for us to take and utilize that inner voice in our tarot readings.

I think I’ve outlined a few of the oddities above.  Possibly the most notable being my method for pulling cards. I also think that my need to teach others is somewhat unique.  To be honest I’ve been doing this so long that it’s hard for me to tell anymore what’s the “status quo” norm of the masses, and what’s unique to me and my personal style.

Weekly Creativity Prompt – The Walk

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Pull (at least) three cards and use them to… describe a walk outside.

Akira Uno's Spiritual Tarot

The Hike – 3500 Feet in 3.2 Miles

Strength – Exiting the car is the easiest part of the day.  The little gray Prius is parked in the small lot hidden among the trees and he exits the car to pull out his pack.   Turning off his phone it is slipped into one of the pockets of the pack before the small daypack is slid onto his back and the trunk is closed.

Moving to the trailhead, he pauses at a post with a wooden box upon it.  Lifting the lid, as expected, what is found inside is a notebook and a tethered pencil.  The pencil is picked up and his name is written down along with the date and the time, as well as the anticipated time he would be on the trail.   The box is then closed and left behind as he moves to take the first steps upon the spongy soft ground of the trail.

Following the path to a small bridge that crosses a busily babbling stream, booted feet find the other side and he looks up the sheer face before him.  Breathing deeply the damp, musty air filled with the scents of evergreens and decay, his gaze follows the zigzag of the trail going up the mountain as far as the trees will allow.

The hike to the top is just over three miles, with an elevation change of 3500 feet in that short distance.  Nearly 1200 feet of elevation per mile of trail making it one of the most difficult trails accessible to the general pubic.

Hanged Man – As he makes his way along the switchback trail, following the long stretches of straight that zigzag up the mountain and sharp turns at the end of each, muscles stretch and blood pumps.  His body protests as his body demands more oxygen to fuel the effort put fort as each step along the path is the same as taking a double step on a staircase… without the staircase.

Using roots and rocks as footholds, each breath becomes an agony and a pleasure at once, the fresh air filling his lungs even as his lungs ache greedily for more and more.  A sheen of sweat coating flesh blending a hint of clean sweat and personal scent into the damp crispness of the air.

But over time, the body adjusts and breathing evens out.  Refusing to stop, refusing to pause and catch his breath or rest, the agony increases and increases… and then finally begins to fade.  To shift as the fire in muscles turns into a warm, wobbly burn.

Judgement – Each quarter mile is marked, but it is not those markers he seeks but rather the green sign with white letters high up upon a tree where the trail finally splits.  The words “Summit Loop” a blessing.   It is the holy grail that does not truly mean the end… but rather a shining light of hope that tells him that he’s done good and is getting there.

When he comes upon that split in the trail and the beautiful sign, he finally takes a moment to pause in the bliss of being over half way there.  A hand lifting to press against the stitch that quickly develops in his side as his body’s adjustment to the extreme exertion now tries to settle and relax.

Pulling off his pack, he pauses to down half a bottle of water, and finish off a couple of protein bars, his back resting against one of the trees off-path as he looks up at the gray sky and lets the crisp bite in the air at this new elevation cool him down and dry the sweat on his skin.

Justice – Eventually he has to get up and continue upon his climb, and his body screams in protest as muscles that had tightened up now object to rising and joints that are stiffened try to move.

Familiar with the trail, he takes the left side of the split, choosing to take the steepest part of the loop first so that he climbs it rather than giving his knees the agony of trying to going down that incline.   Muscles screaming and lungs aching once more, he pays for his break upon the spit in the trail with a steep decrease in the stamina he’d gained over the nearly two miles he’d hiked thus far.

As he continues to climb upon the trail, trees become more scarce and the spongy earth beneath his feet turns harder, jutting rocks breaking through the soil become footholds on the incline as he pushes on, forcing his body to keep moving through the pain and promising that it will be worth it once he reaches the peak.

The Hermit – As he climbs this steepest part of the trail, the treeline opens up.  Jagged silvery spikes of an old forest fire open up the view on one side of the trail, the other side filled with sparse woodland that slopes down and away the way he had come.

Here and there remnants of snow linger on the ground, tucked into the crevices of rocks and grooves between tree roots.  Scenic views of the valley beyond, the peak of another climb not far off, and the large shimmering lake far below greet him and soothe the pain even as he continues on, fresh air now crisp and cold chills the tip of his nose and his cheeks.

Soon he arrives at at a small outcropping of rocks, and a sign that indicates that he has reached the peak of 4301 feet.  Here he stops and removes his pack, setting his ass upon the rock and tilting his head back to catch his breath.

Here he will linger.  He will sit and enjoy the view and the chill in the air. He will eat lunch and he will hydrate.  He will meditate, and he will enjoy this time alone, savoring the feel of muscles well worked and lungs washed clean of the pollution of the city so that they can be filled instead with fresh, crisp air.

Soon he will have to take the trip back down… but for now?  He will savor the fact that he is the only human for miles and soak in the peace and solitude.

DECK USED:  AKIRA UNO’S SPIRITUAL TAROT

 

Connecting With Something More

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This week’s Pagan post is again from a question on one of the spirituality Discord servers that I’m a member of rather than from the Pagan Perspective prompts on YouTube.  No real reason this week for the deviation from the PP prompts other than I just really liked the question.

Question for the week of April 6th:  If spirits or deities aren’t part of your practice, talk about how you connect to energy/the elements/a plant/whatever you connect to.

nature

As I’ve mentioned in the past, I grew up in a Wiccan/Buddhist household, but I never connected with the concept of deity, so once I was out on my own it was the first thing that I discarded from my practice in the process of transitioning into something that worked better for me.

At that time, I first stepped into working with the energies of the elements and the forest, which felt comfortable and right. As time moved in, I had a good deal of time to think in depth about the concept of divinity, though, and over time I began incorporating a different scope of energy into my practice.  I now still work with the four elements combined with the energies and entities of the forest, but the foundation of my path beneath that is based off of the energies of creation, evolution, and balance.

For me, the energies just… feel right. Fit better than deity ever did.  That said, these energies are incorporated into my spellcraft and ritual in similar ways to how Wiccans incorporate the God/Goddess aspect. That is to say that these energies are called upon to add their blessing and their strength to the ritual or workings taking place.

I feel these energies of creation, evolution, and balance around me all day every day… all the time. Same with the energies of the elements and my very strong connection to damp earth and the forest. That connection to these energies is incorporated in everything I do, as it is something I am conscious of every moment of every day.

forest

As for spirits…. I had a mediumship experience back last fall, and I realized after some contemplation that (for reasons of discomfort) I’ve been ignoring an ability that I’d now like to explore.

But, I want to do that safely, which I feel means I need a closer (and more conscious) relationship with my guides to accomplish. So, I’ve begun working on transitioning to a more conscious relationship with my guides primarily through meditation and a bit through some tarot experimentation.

I never really “connected” with my guides growing up or through the years since.  I understand that they’re there (although I have no idea what kind of guides they are whether they be ghosts or other entities of some sort).  I’ve always just sort of ignored their presence and let them “do their thing”… to wit I understand that they have probably been using the signals of my intuition (which communicates with me on a very physical level) and possibly also the tarot, to guide me without my awareness of their hand in things.

Honestly, I’m not even really sure what a more conscious and aware relationship with my guides might look like, but I feel that it is needed for safety if I want to explore the mediumship ability that let itself be known last autumn.

Weekly Creativity Prompt – Vacation

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Pull up to three cards and use them to… create and/or describe your perfect vacation.

I 22 Arcani FiabeschiNo vacation would be right
without you along
I need you at my side
or else everything just goes wrong

Together there is fun and joy
and a lot of indulging in pleasure and play
In the end it doesn’t matter where we go
It’s being with you that makes my day

DECK USED:  I 22 ARCANI VIABESCHI

Wands… and Their Place On My Path

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So I wanted to try and get back into my Friday paganism posts.  I’ve sort of been slacking off on those a bit since the new year and I think it’s time to get back on track.

Since the Pagan Perspective channel on YouTube is talking about a subject that I’m completely clueless about this week (that would be starseeds), I decided to pick up a question from one of the pagan servers I’m a member of on Discord.

Question for the week of March 30th:  Let’s talk about wands today! Who has a wand? What does it look like? How do you use it? If you made it, how did you make it??

sticks

I don’t really use wands in my practice all that often.  At least not in the traditional “wands are used to direct energy” sort of way.  I find that my hands do this just as well if not better in most cases.

In my practice, if I feel the need to use a wand, I most commonly use tree-fall sticks for wands when I need them, and then return them to the earth with an expression of gratitude when I’m done with them.

Outside of that, I have the following….

My Wands

(Click Image for Larger View)

Left Photo: An amethyst crowned antler with the Inguz rune carved into it.  This piece was originally a pendant included in one of my Witches’ Moon boxes a few months ago.  I wear specific jewelry, though, and it just isn’t something I would wear.

I loved the amethyst setting, and the fact that it was made out of genuine antler, though.   So I chose to set it on my altar as an offering to the energies of creation, evolution, and balance.  I feel with the combination of the antler, amethyst and inguz rune (which stands for fertility and is the epitome of the phrase “life finds a way”) it is a perfect fit as an offering to those energies.

Center Photo: Selenite (the white stone) and Nuummite (the black stone) wands.  Selenite is a high vibration stone used for cleansing and dispelling negative energies.  It is one of few purification crystals out there that does not require cleansing or re-charging, and can also amplify the power of other crystals.  This selenite wand sits in a dish among a collection of my other crystals to help keeping their energies cleansed and balanced.  I also sometimes use this wand in energy purification in certain holiday rituals.

Nuummite is (to me) an extremely heavy stone.  Not in weight, but in its energies.  It is very powerful in assisting in grounding, which is not something that I need any assistance in (which is probably why I find its energy so heavy). Because of the overkill of grounding this stone can produce for me, it’s dangerous to my mental health to remain in contact with it for too long.  It is also a very useful as a protection stone, and I primarily use it for this purpose.

Right Photo: The “wand” in this picture is my father’s kila, which I inherited when he passed.  A kila is (in the most basic of explanations) a ritual item used in certain Buddhist traditions to dispel evil and protect against negative energies.

I personally do not use the kila in this way.  Instead, this kila sits upon my altar as a representation of my ancestors along with a deck of canasta playing cards that once belonged to my great-great-grandmother and were used for divination purposes.