Various Paganism, Tarot, Etc

Transitioning from October to November

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Mio Im's Tarot and Oracle of Nightmares

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

Ace of Wands and Caution – You are in a moment of limbo and it is holding you up in all areas of your life. There is burning awareness of the potential of what is to come, but it isn’t time quite yet, and that has left you antsy and out of sorts.

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

Two of Wands and Entrapment – Your time stuck in the planning phase of things is drawing to an end. There won’t be a chance for standing still for all that much longer. You should enjoy it while you can.

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

King of Hearts (Pentacles) and Finale – At this time your eye is focused on one prize and one prize only. That prize is financial abundance earned by the end of the holiday rush, which then creates stability for the year ahead and a sense of security that you constantly crave.

Limitations – Negative influences, opposition, or ill will.

Five of Cups and Guilt – A good deal of your recent malaise is being sourced by your guilt. You need to examine what these feelings of guilt are about, and work on releasing them, as they are only dragging you down and are not a useful tool.

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

Two of Swords and Liberation – Stop waffling! Step away from the things that are allowing you continue to hesitate and dither. (Hello, games on your phone.) This avoidance of decisive thought and action is the root of your lack of true rest.  Retreating into these pursuits is not rest at all.

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

Judgement and Indecision – You need to stop beating yourself up for the opportunities missed and things left undone. This doesn’t equate with inaction, but rather with course correction. Do these corrections kindly instead of with derision.

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

King of Swords and Confusion – Its okay to look back on how you dealt with things in the past, prior to the efforts to open up emotionally, and allow the crisp and concise purpose you had at those times inspire you.

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

Five of Swords and Truth – Keep an eye out for liars trying to get ahead by dishonest means. Winning at any cost really does mean “at any cost”, and you don’t want to become collateral damage or a part of the fallout.

Empowerment – A future opportunity to work toward.

Knight of Cups and Illusion – Emotional clarity is coming. You will have an opportunity to better ingrain the emotional growth you’ve acquired and your practical mind in new ways in the days ahead.

Message from the Spirit World – There is emotional warfare going on that needs to be addressed.  Do not allow other’s determination to win end up creating false narratives for you and end up stabbing you in the back.  Do not allow their awareness of what you want in life to be turned into something that they can use to manipulate you.  Pay attention and make choices aligned with your moral compass while taking what others say with a grain of salt right now.

Message from the Mind’s World – Ground yourself in order to weather the storm that is coming. You have the ability to achieve the goals you have plotted and planned for, but you have to free yourself from the negativity first, and find steady footing.

Message from the Physical World – All of the inactivity and dithering you have been doing needs to be taken in hand.  Slice through these issues with your practical nature and allow what you want to happen and what you want to become to be a beacon to draw you forward through the fog.

Take Away – This reading is primarily guidance in finding the source of the struggle I’ve been going through the past week or so, and finding a more secure and comfortable place within myself to start off the holiday rush with.  Finding positivity and stability are important right now.

DECKS USED: MIO IM’S TAROT AND ORACLE OF NIGHTMARES

October Lessons Cartomancy Reading

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The prompt for this reading came from one of my Discord servers and is as follows:
“It’s about that time again! We are closing in on the end of October, a month full of festivities, harvests and rich culture. Let’s tone things down and enjoy that this week. 🎃”

Halloween Playing CardsWhat can I do for myself to celebrate this month?

King of Hearts atop Ace of Hearts – Spending time with Gideon is a must. You need his help to lift your spirits and breathe in some fresh air for you.

What aspect of my my life at this time can I obtain a useful skill from?

Two of Clubs – Looking where you’re going doesn’t have to be anxiety inducing. Planning a path forward doesn’t have to rip you off your stable foundation.

Are there any other current aspects of my life I could benefit from? How?

Four of Diamonds – Yes. You are supposed to be resting and caring for yourself right now, so stop beating yourself up about it. Without rest and recovery there is no stability.

What lesson(s) have I learned that can benefit me from October into November?

Eight of Diamonds – You are experienced in what lies ahead. The holiday rush is coming, but there’s no reason to be nervous about it.

How can I get the most out of these lessons?

Ace of Swords – Listen and accept. Open yourself to these lessons and absorb what they are teaching you. Let down that stubbornly hard, protective shell that is not needed.

DECK USED: HALLOWEEN PLAYING CARDS

Last Harvest 2021 – Samhain

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Coming up on October 31st is the third and Last Harvest of the 2021 autumn season.  Although this holiday (which is also known by most as Halloween and by many as Samhain) is celebrated around the world by those that embrace the rich history of many traditions that originated in Paganism, most don’t realize that is what they are doing… or that this holiday carries special significance as the eve of the Day of the Dead when the veil is at its thinnest between our world and those that have passed.

Solstice Art Card, Pagan Underworlds Tarot, Compendium of Witches Oracle, Healing Herbal Cards Vol 1 & 2

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 Winter Solstice (aka. Yule) in December.

Theme of the Season – Samhain, Waning Crescent Moon, Berberis vulgaris (Barberry) – In my path, Samhain is not just a time to remember and pay our respects to our loved ones that have passed on, as well as reach out to them more easily… it is also a day that marks the end of the harvest season as well as the year’s cycle of seasons as a whole. The earth has gifted us with her abundance throughout the spring, summer, and fall and now settles in to rest throughout the colder months ahead.

Magically speaking, the moon’s waning crescent phase is a time of purging, severing, or otherwise cutting free things that need released and let go. This theme carries over into farming and gardening, where the waning crescent is a time of pruning and trimming, weeding, cutting timber, and other purging practices. This is the phase that the moon will be on during the night of Samhain, and as children reap in candies and treats, the magical and spiritual worlds will be in a phase of letting go and saying goodbye to those things that are no longer serving us.

Barberry (Berberis vulgaris) is primarily a digestive herb that is used to treat a wide variety of ailments that have to do with purging waste and toxins from the body.  This includes not just treatments of the gastrointestinal tract, but also the liver and kidneys. In magic, it is used in spellwork that has to do with release, creating barriers, protection, and atonement.

When looking at these three cards together, the overarching theme that I see here is that this Samhain’s theme is all about releasing what isn’t working and letting go of the things that are holding you back.

Earth – Queen of Pentacles – The queen is a nurturing soul at heart, and is here as a reminder that you don’t need to beat yourself up over your mistakes.  Just fix them.  So you slipped on your self care.  It happens. Now it is time to get back on track. Self flagellation will only exacerbate the problem.

Air – Knight of Wands – A breath of revitalizing fresh air is needed.  Take some time before you leap forward into the fray, to ascertain what you want out of the next few months.  Sit with it and work it out in your head before charge into action. Things pan out better when there’s strategy involved.

Water – King of Cups atop Seven of Pentacles – Seek out help from Gideon to help you better deal with slow growth as you move forward. Your patience sucks, but with his encouragement, you are better able to weather the “long game” a great deal better than you do on your own.  Whether it’s his encouragement, or his providing you with a bit of distraction, in either both cases, it makes the slower growth of… well damned near all of your goals and desires… far more tolerable.

Fire – Seven of Wands – Once you’ve taken the time to figure out where you want to go and how you’re going to get there, stand strong on those goals. It’s hard to not get distracted, especially when there’s mental health issues involved like what you’ve been dealing with recently.  Push back against obstacles instead of letting them trip you up.

Waning – Familiar – Stop ignoring the advice coming your way from your loved ones and spirit guides.

Waxing – Rest – You are going to have to take some time to get some true rest. Not the restless rest that you’ve been getting, but actual guiltless rest that will help recharge and recover before the holiday rush really swings into gear.

Take Away – It’s time to let go of self abuse and self sabotage.  It’s time to allow yourself true rest, as well as the recuperation  you need.  Stewing and spinning  your wheels is getting you nowhere and will tank everything you have been working for and want to happen. Use the tools and help that you have at your disposal to get you back on track.

DECKS USED:  SOLSTICE ART CARD, PAGAN UNDERWORLDS TAROT, COMPENDIUM OF WITCHES ORACLE, HEALING HERBAL CARDS VOL 1 & 2

Samhain Tarot Reading with the Old Whispers Tarot

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Old Whispers Tarot - Samhain Tarot Reading

Death: What is coming to an end in your life?

Ten of Swords – A cycle is coming to an end and the beat to fuck feeling of being unable to move is coming with it.  You will not be stagnant and struggling forever.

Death: What aspect of yourself you no longer are.

Knight of Swords – The time in your life when you foolishly go flying forward into battle with impulsivity at the tip of your blade has come to an end.  You have tasted the forbidden fruit of rest and recuperation, and found a liking for the taste.

Trick: Negative influences getting in your way of letting go.

Five of Wands – The principles of your past and the new ones your establishing are clashing against each other.  Rest vs motivation. Self care vs delving into your work. These conflicting passions are getting in your way.  There is no balance here, only a struggle for dominance. Is balance even possible? Or will you need to pick a side and stand firm?

Treat: Positive influences. Blessings in disguise.

Three of Pentacles atop Five of Cups – You disinterest and dissatisfaction is creating more opportunity for you to work with others instead of taking everything upon your own shoulders. Because you’re not so gung-ho about work, you are less willing to take the full weight of the work and the business on your own.  You reach out to others more, involve them more, and allow them to help rather than pushing them away to do it all yourself.

Cat: Your inner wisdom. The biggest lesson learned this year.

Four of Swords – Rest is important. Recuperation is important.  You need it.  In interspersing time off into each month, you have successfully managed to avoid even a single bout of catastrophic burnout for a full year.

Ghost: What is still haunting you.

Nine of Swords – Your mental health is not at its best. You’re struggling with the edges of cloying depression and can’t seem to shake the clinging tendrils of it.  Perhaps you cut back to your normal dose of meds a little too early when heading off the onset of that last MDE.  Next time try three weeks instead of two.

Spider: The road ahead. The life you are weaving for yourself.

Eight of Wands atop Nine of Cups Rx – The road you are currently on is not a good one. You’ve been neglecting yourself for the past couple of weeks.  Self care has gone down the toilet, and your running on autopilot with the business instead of getting ahead of things a little at a time as you’d planned to do. Continuing on this course will only lead (very quickly) to unhappiness.

Bat: The fear that remains.

Knight of Pentacles – That slow progress is no progress.  Not that you’re making any particular progress at the moment, you’re backsliding. But, as always, you struggle with the concept of slow progress. You need to stop looking at slow progress as having your wings clipped.

DECK USED:  OLD WHISPERS TAROT

Trick Or Treat Creative Writing Prompt

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Prompt: “Halloween is just a week away! This week, draw (at least) three cards from your deck and use them to describe for us a (real or fictional) trick-or-treating outing or adventure.“

Halloween Ephemera TarotDeath atop High Priestess – I had a dream that the bad man was coming, three nights in a row. On the third night, I woke up screaming in bed with mama there beside me trying to wake her up.

Mama convinced me to tell her about my dream and when I did, she got up right away and began packing our clothes into bags.

Strength – I told her I didn’t wanna go, but she convinced me it would be okay.  She told me stories about the places we might go next, and the new friends I would make, and in the end I decided maybe it would be okay.

I helped pack up our stuff that night, and we hopped in the car with our bags in the back and drove off into the night with that old song by the 4 Seasons “Bye Bye Baby” playing on the radio as we drove out of town.

Death (continued) – We settled in a new town and school started.  She was right!  I did meet new friends, and the school is really great with lots of activities my old school didn’t have.

Temperance – I was really excited for Halloween to come, because I hadn’t been allowed to trick or treat for years.  So this year I was going to go out with some friends, and Mama said it was okay as long as I didn’t stray too far.

The Devil – When the night came, I dressed up as my favorite cartoon character and when my friends came we went out to knock on some doors.  It wasn’t scary at all, and I was having a great time! My friends wanted to go over to the next block, and I figured it wouldn’t be any harm, so I agreed.  And that then turned into the next block after that… and the next one after that.

The Devil (continued) atop Hanged Man – As it got later, friends started to break off and head home, and I eventually found myself walking alone, heading back the way I came.  I felt okay until this guy came up behind me and grabbed my arm!  The moment he touched me, I knew he was the bad man from my dreams, even before I turned around to look at him.

Breaking his hold, I started to run away when he called out three words that made me pause.  “I’m your father!” he said.

The news stole the breath from my lungs and I turned to stare at him for what felt like forever.  Then I raced home to Mama to tell her what happened. Time to move again.

DECK USED: HALLOWEEN EPHEMERA TAROT

Dark Fairytale Lenormand Reading

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Dark Fairytale Lenormand Reading - Tea Bats Lenormand

The Dark Fairytale Opens: What marks the prologue of your dark fairytale?

Scythe and Birds – Cruel comments and arguments, confrontations, disagreements with others, and other such communication struggles. This is an echo of my childhood, and the majority of my experiences with my father as I was growing up. These experiences are a part of the reason I am so very careful with my words, further exacerbated by a few similar issues later on in life when I’ve “fumbled” during an inopportune time and created a clusterfuck mess due to miscommunication.

The Curse: What imprisons you & torments you?

Crossroads – Often, when we have a variety of choices and the freedom to choose our path, it can feel like the generous grace of good fortune on our side.  Other times?  That same freedom and plethora of choices available to us can feel overwhelming.  Right now I am in the latter state of mind, and instead of making choices and moving forward, I’m left at the crossroads spinning my wheels in the muck.

The Ghost: What haunts you and tortures you?

Anchor – From the lack of emotional stability provided through my childhood to the lack of stability in life that came after I left that environment, I now find myself in a constant state of scarcity.  This is not reality, but rather an ever-present need for more stability and security.

Bramblewood: What are the dangers that surround you?

Child – I’m not sure if this is a perceived danger or a real one, but what I see in the Child card in this question is my fear that by being irresponsible or by having fun, that I can lose all that I hold dear. The the idea of being helpless is terrifying to me.

The Mirror: What is your deepest fear?

Book – This bleeds into the previous question, for it is through lack of knowledge that we are at our most helpless.  That’s why children are protected.  They haven’t learned all that they need to know yet, and thus their independence is sacrificed for safety while they learn what is needed to keep them safe. Although this is not something I express often, my deepest fear is loss of knowledge.  My deepest fear is being an idiot.  Helpless to take care of myself or “steer my own boat” due to lack of intellect needed for that simple goal.

The Sword of Truth: What will set you free from your dark fairytale?

Rider – Pursue what I want out of life. It is through energy, zeal, and a constant forward movement that I keep on top of my memory loss and cognition issues caused by the accident that damaged so much of my body over fifteen years ago.  Gideon helps me with this a lot, taking me down memory lane again and again, helping me to remember what I lose, helping me strategize new ways to remember what I need to, and building new pathways through the threads of memories to knit them back together when they begin to fray.

Awaken from slumber (Part 1). What grounds you in your reality?

Woman – Those in my life that nurture me.  L, Z, Gideon, J… all of these people are a part of my life in a way that is not just companionship, but also supportive.  They care about me, care -for- me, and help remind me what is important.

Awaken from slumber (Part 2). What makes you invincible?

Moon – My intuition and the guidance of my spirit guides through my intuition’s voice. These skills create an extra layer of knowledge and guidance, assist me in seeing what is needed when I would otherwise be blind and unaware. Also encompassed here is my creativity, which then blends into my adaptability.

DECK USED:  TEA BATS LENORMAND