Various Paganism, Tarot, Etc

Broaching Paganism With Others

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

This week’s question from the Pagan Perspective YouTube channel is about discussing your practice with others, or to be exact, how to approach others with the topic of one’s pagan practice.

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Topic for the Week of 7/29:  How do I approach the topic of my practice with someone new, while dating, or with children?

I don’t normally broach the subject, as I don’t really feel the need to shout from the rooftops what my belief system is.  But, I am happy to honestly answer questions in a relaxed demeanor when they arise.  While answering questions, though, I usually will try to avoid “trigger words” such as witch, pagan, spell casting, magick, etc.   These words will often close down a conversation with someone that is not familiar with these faiths and practices.

This is not so much to force acceptance from them, but rather because I would like to teach them that perhaps any negative preconceived notions they might have about these labels could be wrong.

Instead, I usually explain that I follow an earth-based religion where I connect to the earth, the elements, and the energy that makes up us and all that is around us.  I may explain some of my practices from this angle as well, if they have more questions.  But, I usually will refrain from using the “labels” until -they- bring up these labels, either by naming some to seek the right one or by asking what the correct terms would be.

This approach will, of course, also depend on if I feel my personal safety would be at risk or not, as there are people out there that… will reject non-mainstream beliefs with violence.  Fortunately, I live in an area of the country (and the world) where that is not so common place.

For children, it is much the same.  I feel it is more important to communicate a connection and respect for the earth than to put a label upon myself.  I’ve found that when it comes to this discussion, children are often less likely to need labels on a whole and more interested in the “meat” of a topic instead.

As for dating.  It never really mattered until meeting you. With those that I was with before, it was just about sex.  Those partners didn’t need to know about that part of my life, or really any part of my life.  I wasn’t looking to connect on any substantial level back then.

I am pretty sure when the topic eventually came up with you, though, that I explained it to you much as I outlined it above.  We have been together for over eleven years now, and just this year I have finally begun sharing more of my path with you beyond the basics I’d explained so long ago, and I have found this sharing to be a wonderful experience.

Top 5 Decks I Cant Live Without (non)VR To Kelly Bear

/ Twist the Leaf / 2 Comments

I feel like I’ve answered this recently, but I can’t find it.  It’s a bit different than Simon’s “five favorites” as you can pick from any decks you have.  Still, I looked through and couldn’t find it so maybe it’s something I did in my head instead of actually writing down.

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This post’s theme was originally created by Kelly Bear on YouTube a few years ago, and she recently did an update (because, well, favorites change over time).  From what I understand she usually does an update to this list yearly for her, we’ll see if I can remember to update it next year.

The way that I’m looking at this question is along the premise of if my house was on fire and I could only choose FIVE decks out of my collection to save, and none of my collection could be replaced for some reason, what five would I grab?

So here are my top five decks that I would  not want to live with out… at this moment.

Tarot of the Hidden Realm – This goes without saying. I’ve mentioned this many times on here that when I opened the box I had a very deep and immediate reaction to these cards the moment I touched them.  They speak to me on a level I’ve never had another deck speak to me before and I can’t see these cards falling off of this list any time soon.

Although… the artist is in the process of working on a second deck, and has already signed a contract with Llewellyn to produce it, so you never know, right?  I’ve seen some of the finished artwork for the deck and it is spectacular.

Blue Owl Lenormand or the 1889 Lenormand – I’m really kind of torn on this one.  The Blue Owl holds a lot of sentimental value for me, but the 1889 Lenormand’s aesthetic really speaks to me.   It would be a hard choice but if my ass was on fire and I had to choose just one, I would probably choose the 1889 primarily because I am currently using it more.

Dixit Decks – You can bet your ass if it came down to it I’d shuffle all ten of the decks I own into one monster deck and call it good.  I love these decks.  They’re actually a card game where you make up stories about the cards and other people have to guess what card you’re making up the story about.  It’s a fun game, but it’s not how I use these cards.    I personally use Dixit cards as an intuitive oracle, and they work really well for me in this way.

The Hanson Roberts Tarot – I find this deck easy on the eyes and exceedingly easy to read.  I also like the card size.  My own copy was purchased pre-owned and is one of the earlier printings of the deck.  This was good for me because it meant the cards were already broken in just a bit, as I find smaller decks are sometimes difficult for me to shuffle straight out of the box until they get broken in a bit.

The Universal Waite in a Tin – No surprise here that my favorite coloring of the deck is by Mary Hanson Roberts.  Although, if they would come out with a Radiant Wise Spirit in a tin?  I might have to change my mind. I chose this deck because of the traditional symbolism in the cards, the coloring, and because it’s IN A TIN.  Got to love a protective shell.  They’re also smaller than a regular tarot deck, which makes them easier to tote around.  Not that I tote around my tarot decks, but if I was reduced to five decks?  I might have to make myself a go-bag and this one would be in it.

I was actually a bit surprised that none of my out of print decks made it onto this list, although I did consider the Tyldwick Tarot. As much as I absolutely love that deck, though, it would fall in at sixth in line, though.  It would kill me to leave it behind because I really love it so much, but it isn’t on this list.   I also considered some of my plant or animal decks or a playing card deck, but they didn’t make it on the list for this time either.

 

Paganism and Practice

/ Twist the Leaf / 2 Comments

I discovered a new channel on Youtube (new to me, not new on YouTube) called Pagan Perspective the other day, and I really liked some of their weekly discussion topics.  I’m a bit inspired to follow along here on the blog, and so here is my first post.

Spiritual development is a progress, so sometimes thoughts and opinions change along the way, and sometimes we don’t even realize this has happened.  I think this is a nice way to share a bit more of my path with you, but also a way of looking a little more in depth at different aspects of my own faith and getting in touch with where I am at this moment on that journey.

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Topic for the Week of 7/22:  How often do people practice? What do you think about NeoPagans who believe without practice? Is it still a spiritual path?

I think that I have a hard time with the word “practice” in this question.  To me, “practice” usually refers to spellcraft, where as Paganism is a spirituality/belief system.

So, with that in mind, I would say that you can absolutely be a Pagan without “practicing” anything.  Just because you’re not lighting candles or what not does not change your beliefs and as long as you have your beliefs, you are still walking the path.

That said… perhaps there are “belief system” practices, right?  Because there’s things like daily devotionals, or meditation on deities, etc.  Still, I stand by what I’ve said above.  If you have a belief system, then you are on a spiritual path, regardless of the amount of “practice”  you are instilling within it.    As long as you have that belief and are following its tenants, then you’re there.

For example (and lets beat this horse to death, shall we?) we’ll look at Christians. A Christian is a Christian because they believe in the Almighty God and the tenants outlined in the Holy Bible.  If they do not go to church or say their nightly prayers does that mean they aren’t a Christian anymore?  Of course not.  They still have their belief system and thus, are still on their spiritual path.

On to my personal practices…

For me, it’s hard to separate spellcraft from my pagan practices, because in my case they are very interwoven together in how I connect with the energies of the elements, balance, and creation.

Over about mid-2016 through the beginning of this year, I had taken a bit of a hiatus from a physical practice.  I still did my ‘forest bathing’ and I still had my faith, but other than on Samhain, I wasn’t really doing any sort of a physical, tangible practice.

Even in those times, though, I was connected to my beliefs.  I was aware and comfortable with my connection with the earth in all the things I did that brought me in contact with it, I was instilling intention in my time in the kitchen and in my time working on jewelry that was to be sent out to others.   It was simply not being structured or physically expressed in ritual.

Prior to that (and again since the spring) I have returned to doing a daily devotional when I get up in the morning, which includes a short meditation each day, and I have returned to ritual and spellcraft on holidays, new moons, and full moons.  Not that these are the only times I do so, but they are the structured times that are planned for.

Therefore… back to the question at hand because I’m rambling all over the place.  How often do I practice?  Every day.   And I suppose that was always the case, even when I stepped away from a more structured practice for a time.

And I suppose that in the end, “practice” can be anything that instills your beliefs in your life, even if that is just in the way of one being consciously aware of their beliefs rather than abandoning them entirely.   Which, in a way, ties right back into what I said at the beginning of this post.

 

Self Care Saturday (on Sunday)

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

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So, I’m thinking maybe I need a little bit of accountability on my Self Care Saturday spread.  For the next month, I’m going to try adding it here, as although I’m doing the spread and reading it in the moment, I find that my motivation to write it down seems to be a bit lacking.   I’m hoping that by adding it here that possibly I will be able to get myself motivated into writing it down rather than just reading the spread in the moment and moving on.

These readings are (not usually) bearing down onto 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 not meant as a predictive reading.

The question is… What do I need to focus on in the week ahead?  (Boring, I know, but helpful in pointing out where I might not realize I am neglecting or not realizing needs my attention.)

Body – Page of Wands – Be sure to approach caring for your body’s needs this week with a spirited and youthful mindset that is open to learning new methods and taking in new ideas.

Mind – Knight of Swords & The Death Card – Being aggressive in one’s thoughts and their expression will lead to endings and change that has perhaps been building for some time.

Emotions – Seven of Wands – Be willing to take some risks with your feelings and emotions.  Just be sure (and careful) of what comes out of your mouth and take the repercussions of speaking your mind into account first (see Mind).

Inner Spark – Two of Cups – One on one collaborations will feed the soul this week and keep the inner spark kindled and burning bright.

Moving Away From – Sedum / Discomfort – Testing limits and learning tolerance.  Last week I had a bit of an issue with tolerance where the helper was concerned.  Working through that may show to have created lasting change in how I see things and set in place good (new) methods to use again in the future.

Heading Towards – Cardinal / Authenticity & Aloe / Restore – By embracing my unique qualities and characteristics, I will be able to both foster my own store of energies, be refreshed from within, as well as better seated within my own skin.

Decks Used: Luminous Void Tarot, Flora Healing Cards

 

#SmallMagicks #MySpiritualToolkit a (non) VR to Yarrowen

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Another YouTube hashtag response.  This one is from Yarrowen’s channel on YouTube, and addresses not specifically about tarot, but about little magicks and spiritual practices.   Not the big things you do daily or weekly or monthly, but the little everyday things that incorporate magick into your daily life.

So here is a small, non-comprehensive list of the little magicks that I incorporate into my life on the day to day.

  • Forest bathing (in the forest and out of it) is my number one magic in day to day life. Being in touch with my senses and the whisper of nature even in the city is very much a part of my every day.
  • Also, as she called it, the “micro mini meditation” of a breath, a check in with myself, and moment of gratitude.
  • Meditative shuffling.  Sometimes when I just need to feel a little soothing comfort, I’ll pull out a deck of cards (tarot, lenormand, or playing cards) and sit with them and shuffle for a bit.
  • I wear a small bead charms of labradorite and citrine attached to my medical bracelet.
  • The morning daily draw that I do, while seeking a positive message to carry with me through the day and foster a bit of perspective.
  • I match the mug I use with my morning tea to the mood of my day or the intention of the mood I wish to set for my day.
  • My daily devotional in the morning, which reminds me to stay grateful each day.
  • The jewelry that I wear, which is always a reminder of you.
  • Mudras during my meditation.  This is a new practice, but I have found one or two that really seems to enhance my meditation practice.
  • I create the jewelry and other items that I make in a mindful manner, with the conscious intention of it bringing something positive into the life of the person that each piece ends up with.
  • Speaking to my plants and the animals in my life.
  • Labradorite on the solar plexus and smoky quartz on the third eye during my meditation.  Also just a small thing that enhances my meditation practice and assists me in “tuning myself in” to where I want to be.

Yarrowen speaks of one little thing a day, but the truth is that I do most of these nearly every day.  But, just as I scatter sacred items and sacred spaces throughout my home, I scatter little bits of magick and spirituality throughout my life.

This is far from a complete list, because so many of the things I do are just a natural part of my day and I don’t even recognize them as spiritual or magickal until it is pointed out to me.

Thank you for the terrific hashtag Yarrowen.

 

#MyTop5Faves a (non) VR to The Hermit’s Cave

/ Twist the Leaf / 2 Comments

This is a reply to Simon’s newest hashtag over at The Hermit’s Cave on YouTube.   His question was what are your ultimate favorite Tarot, Oracle, Lenormand, and Playing Card decks… plus a wild card number five.   For his wild card, Simon introduced his favorite crystal, and I will be using that as my wild card as well.

Please keep in mind that some of these will change over time.  Others have been the same answer for years and years.

So, here we go….

Tarot of the Hidden Realm Favorite Tarot Deck — The Tarot of the Hidden Realm by Julia Jeffrey and Barbara Moore. This became my favorite from the moment it came out of the box.  It was much different than any tarot I’d owned to date, and when I ordered it, I wasn’t entirely sure how I would click with it.   As soon as the deck arrived and I opened the box and got the cards in my hands, though, all those worries disappeared.

I connect in a deep and profound way with the artwork in these cards.  The deck feels perfect, from the way they shuffle and fit in my hands to the artwork on the cards, and even the accompanying guidebook, which I see as more of a book of short stories than a guidebook.  I just love them.  In fact, I just recently bought a back-up set in case anything ever accidentally happens to the set I currently use.

Favorite Oracle Deck — For oracle decks, I’ve really found that it changes regularly. I have a “primary deck” for both tarot and oracle that I change out each month.   I might use others during the month as well, but these decks are my “deep dive” type of decks where I spend the majority of my time with them specifically.   I’ve found that whatever oracle deck I’m using during this time?   That ends up my favorite… at least until the next month comes along.

Flora Healing CardsCurrently, I’m combining the Flora Healing Cards and the Fauna Inspiration Cards (both by Phoebe Hunt and Rebecca Lefebvre) into one deck and using that as my oracle for the month of July.  These are beautiful cards filled with flora and fauna in watercolor imagery and include the elemental affinities on the top of each card as well.  On the back of the cards is a paragraph that explains the significance and guidance for the fauna or flora represented on the front.   I really like these.   They are not the normal gloss card stock, but something softer, which means you have to be a bit more careful with them than most decks, but surprisingly I don’t mind it with these decks, in fact…. it sort of “fits” really well.

1889 LenormandFavorite Lenormand Deck — This was difficult, but I think my favorite of all time is the 1889 Lenormand by Jennifer Sager.   I like the earthy colors and the artwork that is both soft and yet very clear at the same time.  It has that “old time” feel of the Lenormand decks I grew up with, but with a hint of modern style.

I have a feeling this will change if I can ever get my hands on a copy of Kelly Fitzgerald’s Story in Color Lenormand.  I’ve yet to get this deck into my collection, and it is not traditional imagery for the Lenormand by any means, but there is something about the images that I’ve seen that makes me think it will end up being a favorite for me.

Favorite Playing Card Deck — The Daydreams expansion pack of the Dixit Cards. They are not a regular playing card decks, but they are game card decks, which I personally use as intuitive oracle decks.  So maybe these should have gone up in the Oracle section?

Faunae Playing Cards Playing cards as in poker decks?  This one is slated to change very, very soon… but at the moment it is the Aqua and Creme playing cards put out by Bicycle (and are notoriously difficult to photograph), which I think might be out of print now, but can still be found on eBay from time to time.  I like them because I find the colors (as well as the distressed look of them) very soothing.   I say that they are is slated to change very soon, though, because I have backed a Kickstarter deck called the Faunae Playing Cards, and I have a feeling once I have them in my hands I am going to be enamored.

Labradorite Palm Stone The Wild Card — Favorite Crystal — Labradorite has been my favorite crystal for as long as I can remember.   I connect really well with the energy of this stone (at least, as long as I avoid putting it on my forehead during meditation).  I find labradorite to be very soothing for me, and often meditate with a piece resting at my solar plexus, which can ease anxiety when I’m having issues in that department.  I’m a big fan of the large palm stones in particular, as I like that sense of “weight” with this stone, more so than any other.