Various Paganism, Tarot, Etc

Full Moon in Capricorn – June 2021

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On Thursday is 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 about how words are magick, and brought to you by Ethony.

Fantastic Being Oracle - Full Moon in Capricorn

1. What long-term plans are calling you?

Manatee (Heart-Center) – Putting yourself first is an important step to finding inner peace and true happiness.  You’ve been daydreaming a lot about taking a longer break/vacation and struggling with the hurdles it might cause.  The manatee is a reminder that sometimes it’s not about changing external factors, but about changing how you view things from within. It’s time to look at getting in touch with your inner self and finding those things that stir you up and bring you peace…. even when you’re not taking days off.

2. What foundations do you need to lay to succeed?

Elements (Complete)  – Balance is needed.  Take a look at the different aspects of yourself and your life.  Which parts are being underrepresented or neglected?  Which are perhaps getting too much attention?  Take some time to redistribute and find a better balance, seek out what’s missing and what needs a bit more attention and make sure that you’re finding a balance between the different elements of your life rather than leaning too far one way or another.

3. Where do you need to apply patience?

Platypus (Evolution) – When we grow and change, it’s something that takes time. As the card back says, “The evolution of the heart, mind, and soul is measured.”  It takes time and sometimes?  That in itself is so frustrating.  That slow pace can drive you nuts and frustrate you to no end, but it’s a slow change for a reason and it’s important to acknowledge that personal growth sometimes need to move at a slower place whether we want ti to or not.

4. Where do you need to think BIGGER?

Sphinx (Awe & Wonder) – Smelling the roses along the path is an important part of life. Don’t wait for the “time to be right” to enjoy the little, wonderful things in everyday life.  Enjoy them now and create space in your life to do that.  It can’t be serious, nose to the grindstone work all the time. Be kind to yourself and let yourself enjoy life.

5. Where do you need support?

Komodo Dragon (Powerful) – We all have parts of ourselves we’re not proud of or don’t want to accept.  The Komodo Dragon card encourages us to work on accepting these parts of ourselves as another part of the whole that makes us who we are and unique from others.  In allowing ourselves to accept these aspects, we can turn weaknesses and perceived faults into strengths.  Sometimes? We need a little help and support from others to find the positive aspects of these parts of ourselves, though.  Don’t forget you have people in your life happily eager to boost you up and support you.

DECK USED: FANTASTIC BEING ORACLE

Bonus Read – World Domination

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Just a bit of fun for today…

Bohemian Wild Lenormand - Pinky and The Brain Tarot Reading

Your Plan For World Domination

Mountain, Lady, Heart – Put obstacles in everyone’s way so that nobody can get the love, support, and understanding that they need from others. By breaking down the connections between people, everyone ends up feeling isolated, alone.  The obstacles look bigger and bigger the more alone the are, which perpetuates those feelings of isolation.

Narf!

Gentleman – It will affect you as well. You are not immune to the need for others in your life and the love and support that they offer you.  What affects them will affect you as well.

Next Step

Scythe – Scrap the plan and try something new. A bit of self blame and flagellation would not be unheard of.

DECK USED:  BOHEMIAN WILD LENORMAND

Summer Solstice 2021 – Midsummer

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Yesterday was the Summer Solstice, which is the longest day of the year and one of the eight holidays that I celebrate throughout the year. This day marks the ‘official’ transition into summer and a shift from days that become longer and longer through the spring into days from here on out will grow shorter and shorter for the next six months.

This holiday is often called Midsummer or Litha, although I usually just refer to it as the Summer Solstice. On my path, it celebrates the turning point of summer, where the build-up of creative energy from the spring crests into a time of abundance as we travel into the depths of summer in much the same way that the growing energies of the full moon crest before beginning to wane each month.

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 on 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 First Harvest (aka, Lughnasadh, Lammas, Lughnasa, Lugh) on August 1st.

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

NOTATION:  I did not finish interpreting this spread here on the blog.  I got some of what I needed from it at the time of the reading, but I just never got around to writing it all down.   Regardless, I want to place this on the blog to make sure I have a record of it to look back on.

Theme of the Season – Summer Solstice, Waxing Gibbous, Taraxacum officinale (Dandelion)  – Break down each card individually, then…

When looking at these three cards together, the theme that I see here is

Earth – Nine of Cups – I’m feeling very secure emotionally I’m really enjoying a quiet time with less stress in the area of the home and health and finances.

Air – King of Swords – Focus on taking ownership of your thoughts and directing them where they need to go. Now is a good time for strategizing and solidifying your knowledge and ambitions.

Water – Six of Cups atop Ten of Wands – Watch out for feelings of overburden in the area of familial responsibilities.

Fire – The Devil – Don’t retreat from those overburden feelings by turning to work and trying to bury yourself, as is your usual habit of dealing with things that are unpleasant. Now is not a time to be burning yourself out with these things.

Waning – The Dusk Child atop The Priestess –

Waxing – Offering –

Take Away –

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

Morning Bonus Read – Reading In Nature

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The prompt for this reading came from one of my Discord servers and is as follows:
“Go outside, and sit in the grass, in a space where the nature knows you (your yard, a local park, etc.) Do two different three card spreads. Each spread should have one card for roots (taking in nutrition), one card for stems (moving things into position), and one card for flowers (future plans, what people notice). Do one such spread to ask your local nature what it would want or need, and a second to ask it what it sees you needing.”

IMG_2444My Local Nature

Roots – Community effort has been lacking lately which has caused a bit of disappointment.  Although the area is clean of litter, there is a sense of lack of upkeep and neglect. The people come… but the tending to keep things in healthy balance is not happening.

Stem – As summer continues, more people will come to visit this area.  It will bring about a sense of community among those that love nature and the area as a whole.  It will set the scene for those that care to band together and begin to tend to those things that are being neglected.

Flower – Noticeable change to a more harmonious state. Everything is moving in that direction and a harmony between those that visit and the nature in the area is around the corner.

IMG_2445Me, Personally

Roots – This is where I belong and I need to spend more time in the area making sure I am taking advantage of what nature and the earth can offer me.  Find a way to structure this time among the trees into my life on a more regular basis and it will strengthen my foundation as a result.

Stem – Talk with others and find a way to arrange it so that they can support your need for this time. You can stretch short visits over a long period, and still get what you need, but as you are already aware, without this time in nature you will not flourish.

Flower – You’re too possessive of your responsibilities and obligations, and it is causing you to miss out on the amount of time in nature that you need. This is a hurdle you will need to continue working on overcoming in order to get what you need.

DECK USED:  SANDS REGENCY CASINO CARDS

Elemental Influences

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Prompt: “What elemental system do you ascribe to? What are the correspondences of the elements in the system you use? What is associated with the elements? What are some other systems you know? Do you ascribe to more than one system, and if so where do you use/incorporate which?“

My faith is a four elemental system.

Earth is plants, soil, growing things, material things, the physical world, manifestation of items to the physical plane by creativity or spellwork. It includes our earthly pleasures like food and wealth. Its direction is to the North. The energy is solid and calm. The element of Earth is dark and still, nurturing and heavy. Grounding lives here among the tree roots. This element is the one that is most within our control and is filled with foundational strength.

Air is air and ether, wind and turbulence, strategy and thought. Communication and ambitions live here until you act upon them (then, once action is applied, they move to Fire). It’s direction is to the East where ideas rise from the depths of our mind like the sun rises over the horizon. The energy is ever moving and never still, restless. Although we can control our thoughts to a point, there is an element of lack of control here that is not present in the previous element.

Water is for wet, and is refreshing and welcoming. Comforting and soothing. Its direction is to the West. Emotions and the flow of creativity reside here, as well as intuition and the subconscious. Spirits of those that have passed often linger here in this energy. As emotions are far less easily controlled than thought, so Water becomes the third element as we get further from the earthly plane and closer to divinity. Centering oneself lives here in the depths of still waters and quiet calm among pondweed and cattails.

Fire is for flames, heat, and enthusiasm. It’s direction is to the South. It is what lights us up from within and pushes us to act. Too much fire will burn your life to the ground, too little leaves your life empty and listless. It’s energy dances and sparks, for it is through action that this element is most commonly expressed. It is the fervor of our lives, and is where our ethics and principles stand tall. Pride also lives here. Within this element, we have the least control, for it is where our soul sings out to speak of what is right for us… and what isn’t.

You will note that although the four elements above climb a ladder from what is most in our control to what is least in our control, there is no element here for divinity. Each of these elements holds their own spirituality within them. Divinity, for me, resides beyond and “above” these elements and is best defined as the energies of creation, evolution, and balance. I do not feel that it is an element, so much as the beginning and end of all things… and all that lies between those two points as well.

Having been raised Wiccan, I am of course very familiar with Wicca’s five-element system (earth, air, fire, water, spirit) of that faith. I am also familiar, through my father and research, with the Japanese Gogyo system of five elements (fire, water, wood, metal, earth). Although the Wiccan system is similar to what I use now, I don’t use either of these systems in my practice at this time.

Morning Bonus Read – Self Investment

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Inner Child Cards Fairy Tale Tarot - Invest in Yourself Tarot Reading

Why I should invest in myself.

Ten of Cups – Because happiness is important and you deserve it. It influences and affects not just you, but everyone else as well. Investing in yourself makes not just your own life better, but the lives of others better too.

Where I should invest my energy.

Justice – It’s time to take a look at what you value most and what you work towards. Make sure your actions align with your heart and those things you value, and isn’t being driven by greed or other outside influences (like your past).

How I should invest in myself.

Three of Pentacles – One of the ways you can invest in myself is by allowing others to take on a more active role and a more balanced share of the work and responsibilities. You’re doing good with this, but there’s a great deal further you could go.

What will come if I choose to invest in myself.

Two of Cups – Choosing to invest in yourself will bring a closer and more aligned connection with others that are closest to you. This echoes up to the Ten of Cups and the influence that your own self investments has on others.

How will this change my daily life?

Ace of Pentacles – There is a great deal of potential for new growth and opportunity that could stem from investing in yourself. This connection mentioned in the Three of Pentacles plants the seeds for something new and wonderful to sprout.

Something I need to learn about investing in myself.

Two of Wands – Investing in yourself is going to take some deep reflection and soul searching. Connect to your true self. This echoes back to the message in the Justice card of this reading and examining what in life is valued most and if your actions align with those things.

Why I’m worthy of this investment.

Five of Pentacles – You are uniquely talented and are blessed with great creatively and manifestation abilities. You put your heart and soul into your connection with your spiritually and with the earth, and you will always be able to find comfort and strength in those things.

DECK USED:  INNER CHILD CARDS FAIRY TALE TAROT