Various Paganism, Tarot, Etc

Weekly Creativity Prompt – Different Perspectives

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Prompt: “Pull the card from your deck(s) that matches the card posted below. Compare the imagery between the card provided below and the card(s) from your own deck(s). How would you read them differently and why?”

Tarot of the Hidden Realm - Wheel of Fortune (aka Fortune Faery)Tarot of the Hidden Realm – In this imagery (not surprisingly), I see wishes and hope. In the golden glow and wistful expression there is hope for good things to come, and in the blowing purse of her lips and preparation to send seeds to fly is the wish she will use to give those hopes flight.

The thing is?  Wishes sometimes come true, but sometimes they don’t.  Blowing those seeds into the wind sets flight to one’s hopes and wishes, but it doesn’t guarantee results.

The Greater Secrets Tarot, Gravity Falls Major Arcana, The Orphans of Dudleytown Tarot

The Greater Secrets Tarot – (From the COTD reading I did on this card the other day.)

In the imagery of this card we see a representation of the three fates.

The idea of the three faiths that not everything is under our control, no matter how much we want it to be. Some things will be decided for us, depending on the situation and external forces. There’s nothing we can do about this except to be adaptable and prepared to adjust to what is thrown in our way upon our path by chance or fate.

Gravity Falls Major Arcana – The “shut your yap” in this card says it all for me where this card is concerned.  Well, that and the reference in the imagery back to the “Wheel of Fortune” game show. Here, again, I see an indication that being clever and making smart decisions can help to protect one from the fickleness of chance, but not mitigate it entirely. Sometimes you just have to accept what’s being dealt and deal with it.

Orphans of Dudleytown Tarot – Could you imagine the amount of balance it takes to ride one of those penny-farthing bikes?  It’s not as if you can stick out a leg to catch yourself if you begin to fall. It’s almost a unicycle.  Unicycle with training wheels, right?  What I see in this card is that when you take risks, there’s a chance you could fall down.  You have to make the decision for yourself if the risk is worth the chance you take or not.

DECK USED: TAROT OF THE HIDDEN REALM, ORPHANS OF DUDLEYTOWN TAROT, GRAVITY FALLS MAJOR ARCANA, THE GREATER SECRETS TAROT

🌑 New Moon in Pisces – March 2022

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Tomorrow is 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 about the medicine within, and brought to you by Ethony‘s Tarot by the Moon series.

New Moon in Pisces Reading with the Sufi Wisdom Oracle

How can I experiment with my creativity?

Union of Love – Involve others and enjoy working with them instead of by yourself. This is true of your interactive storytelling with Gideon, but just as true in you creative business and other hobbies. Nor is it about only connecting with the living, as there are spirits and guides that are also eager to step in and lend a hand.

What creative project is ready for my attention?

Trust Your Gut Feeling – Combined with the card above, we see an encouragement to spend some time exploring mediumship and experimenting with different techniques and methods to find what feels right for you personally.

What is the next step I need to take?

Open Mind – Don’t discount anything out of hand. Stay open to the process of experimentation over snap judgements. Remember that it’s not about what is right for others or works for them, instead you need to take what they have to offer and adapt it to what feels best for you.

How can I embrace my inner “Stevie Nicks”?

Free Will – Open yourself up to new experiences.

New Moon advice from the Minoan Goddess Amalthea.

Imagination – Don’t discount the value of imagination. Sometimes it feeds your creativity. Don’t use it as a scapegoat to discount unusual experiences.

DECK USED: SUFI WISDOM ORACLE

📆 Transitioning from February to March

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Shades of Magick Tarot and The Personal Space Oracle 2nd Edition

Here and Now I Exist – Who you are now, in your entirety.

Six of Wands and The Fossil – You are finding yourself falling into old patterns of approval seeking. This has not worked for you in the past and you need to be aware you are leaning in that direction so that you can course correct your trajectory.

The Slough – What is to be left in the past as you move forward.

Knight of Wands and The Key – Set aside your expectations of what motivation looks like. You can’t unlock what it will truly feel like for you until you stop using other’s definitions and expectations to measure yourself against.

What Lies Ahead – An ideal state or ideal self you are seeking at this time.

The Devil, The Boot atop The Pin – You are seeking a better way to keep your addictions in check that doesn’t require only identifying that things have become a problem when you’ve stepped on it (the pin, in this example) and feel the pain.

Limitations – Negative influences, opposition, or ill will.

Eight of Swords and Umbrella – Trying to protect yourself through willful ignorance doesn’t work.  Don’t hide from what is bothering you.  Don’t hide from what you fear. The anxiety of trying to hide from these things builds beneath the surface and you end up not protecting yourself from anything.  Better to deal with things head on.

The Boon – Positive influences, higher guidance, or divine intervention.

The Chariot, The Arrow atop The Antler – Move your ass or lose something essential and intrinsically you. Use it or lose it is the theme here. Look into those skills and abilities you have been neglecting, and seek out ways to reawaken them and explore them more fully.

The Wound – An unpleasant past experience or event that is ripe for some support and healing.

The Hermit and The Candle – It’s time to return to using alone time in more healthy ways instead of indulging in alone time that is not serving you well. There is a beacon that lies within optimism and positivity that you have ignored in the past and that can light your way to a safer, better use of your alone time than what you’re doing with it now.

Nostalgia – A positive past experience or event to acknowledge, reflect upon, and enjoy.

Three of Swords, The Bloom atop The Anchor – Take time to reflect upon all the times others have helped ground you and lift you up. This isn’t about them, but about that sense of grounded uplifting and how it makes you feel. You can wallow in that feeling from the past by bringing the memory into your present.

A Warning – Something coming that can be prevented or overcome.

King of Swords and The Finch – Remember that just because someone presents themselves as an authority doesn’t mean that they are dependable or can be trusted.

Empowerment – A future opportunity to work toward.

Seven of Pentacles and The Hand – At this time, the speed of your progress is in your hands. This will not always be the case, so find what works for you now and carry it forward from here.

Message from the Spirit World – Your growth in this area is directly under your control. It’s time to plot a “flight plan” and step on the path, awaken those things neglected that are at risk of falling to the wayside and take control.  It’s in your hands what you decide to do with this, but keep in mind the journey is a long one… not a sprint.

Message from the Mind’s World – You need to battle your demons for you, not for anyone else.  Pick those things you want to deal with and move forward with care. Take your time and don’t get impatient. There is no one else’s expectations to cater to other than your own, and you need to set those to be kinder to yourself so that you won’t rush forward headlong but will take time to truly do things right.

Message from the Physical World – Stop pretending that you’re okay and get your ass out in nature. You need to recharge, ground, and allow the earth to give you the nurturing you need.  It will do your mental health good, and your body too.

DECKS USED: SHADES OF MAGICK TAROT, THE PERSONAL SPACE ORACLE 2ND EDITION

Personal Divination Practices

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Recently, one of the Discord servers that I’m a member of posted this question… “What is divination to you? What does it feel like when you do it?”

Casting Lots Divination

Divination is a great many things to me as it’s been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. As I’ve mentioned before on this blog, my mother started both my twin and myself out with Lenormand cards as bedtime story prompts when we were children. The three of us would take turns pulling a card, and using it to add to the story.

So, for me, divination is bedtime stories with my mother and twin sister when she and I were little.

It’s campfire stories in creaky lawn chairs around a fire with playing cards for prompts.

It’s lazy weekends in the woods communing with the trees, and communication with deity during devotionals and ritual.

It’s seeking answers, reassurances, and sometimes? A little bit of forewarning of what’s to come.

It’s speaking to my subconscious and letting it have a louder voice when it tries to whisper back, connecting to ancestors and guides allowing for easier communication, and a way of coaxing out my wounded inner self to have a heart to heart.

It’s a way for me to help myself, and help others as well.

Sometimes? It’s just something to pass the time or sate my curiosity.

Tarot Decks

All of these feel different on a physical, emotional, intuitive, and psychological level. That is because they are all very different, and yet they are also all the same in some ways. The resounding way in which they all feel the same, though, is in that they all feel… right. A puzzle piece that slips into place and fits just right. That’s how it feels.

I think there are certain types of divination that fit better with different forms of inquiry. And, that not all kinds are suited to all people. I personally haven’t really been able to connect with things like automatic writing, mirror scrying, or flame reading, for example. Whereas cards, and especially cards with rich imagery on them, are very easy for me to use.

Throughout the past 20+ years, I’ve used a variety of different divination techniques from multiple different types of card decks (tarot, lenormand, playing cards, oracles, game cards, etc) to pendulums, casting lots (runes, charms, oghams, dice, etc), coin spinning, stick and stone casting, tasseomancy, reading dust motes, stichomancy, smoke reading, and many more (I like to explore and experiment).

Divination Coins

I’m sure that I’ll be exploring more in the future, as well. Some will come easy and become a part of my practice in some way, while others won’t be suited to me and I’ll pass on them and move on to something else.

The Two Meme Tarot Reading

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Shades of Magic Tarot

Your current actions.

Knight of Swords – Leaning in, or rather, the seeking if things to lean in to. There is a desire to avoid stagnancy and getting caught up in standing still.

The option you’re currently taking.

The Hermit – Alone time of the healthy sort. And allowing yourself to take this time alone to recharge, and ground yourself. This means more time in nature now that the weather is turning and you can spend more time connecting with the earth on a deeper level. (It’s much easier on the body to spend time laying down upon sun warmed moss, then on frozen ground.)

The option you’re neglecting.

Five of Crystals (Wands) – Conflict and clashes in values with others that could create chips and cracks in your armor. Staying inside and not getting that healthy alone time makes it more likely (and more common) that you might clash with others.

Take Away: These cards are indicating that as long as I am on a path where I am actively pursuing healthy alone time in order to recharge and ground myself, I will be better able to handle conflict and clashes with others in a way that will be healthier for both myself and them.

You.

Page of Cups – You’ve committed yourself to delving into your emotions, learning how to live with them, and even enjoy them, instead of allowing them to drag you down or burying them so that they become neglected. This is a journey of emotional intelligence that you’ve chosen to embark on.

The problem you’re overthinking.

The World – You don’t have to focus so damn hard on where you’re going and how you’re going to get there. Relax and enjoy the ride, listen to your intuition and your moral compass, and don’t worry so much about The end of the journey.

DECK USED: SHADES OF MAGIC TAROT

Weekly Creativity Prompt – Mood Boards

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Prompt: “Draw a random card, and create a mood board for that card. You can use the card you drew in your mood board, but only that specific card from that specific deck (no others of the same card from other decks). Build your mood board using whatever other elements you wish to express the theme of the card and its meaning.”

Mood Board for the Emperor - Tarots UniverselsThe Emperor puts out fires… and starts fires. He is the “man” in charge, and not adverse to the luxury provide through success that his position of authority entails, and yet he will work hard for those in his care. Encouraging growth in those that depend on him, he wants those around him to thrive, but will not tolerate usurpers that may try to step on his toes or lay claim to what is his.

Mood Board for the Fool - Tarots UniverselsThe Fool sees life as an adventure filled with unlimited potential and exciting things to explore. Vivacious and naïve, he bounds forward with carefree enthusiasm that is instilled in all that he does. Rose colored glasses and a sense of adventure make life for the Fool a treasure trove of experiences that he’s ready to plow into headlong without a worry to be found.

Mood Board for Judgement - Tarots UniverselsJudgement has sharp edges when at its harshest. A weight we carry as we gather up our experiences throughout life, then look for the exit sign while examining all we’ve collected. Its not about what we own but who we are and what we’ve done with our lives. Do we hide away from responsibility? Or step forward and shout out loud our truths? Through faith and love we reach the end not under the thumb of guilt, but ready to rise above.

DECK USED:  TAROTS UNIVERSELS