Wonderment and Awe

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was skipped.

•    •    •    ◈    •    🌱    •    ◈    •    •    •

Ace of Wands from Tarot Minchiate al Leone di Girolamo and It’s Going To Be Okay 2024 Day-to-day Calendar By Kate AllanToday’s draw is the Ace of Wands combined with the affirmation “Time for yourself is not selfish. It’s self-care.”

Enthusiasm is an important part of life. It helps add spark to one’s spirit and allows us to see the world through the lens of eager discovery and exploration.

The cards for today are a reminder that we need to make sure that we are directing that sense of discovery and exploration to more than just the world around us, but also to delving into knowing ourselves and our needs better… and finding ways to sate them.

There was an article in the HuffingtonPost about seeking out awe in our lives and how that can improve our lives as a whole. It reminded me of how I used to feel when I would take my camera (the big heavy pain in the ass one) out into the world to capture the things I found miraculous and fascinating.  This reading is a reminder that maybe it’s time to pick up the camera again instead of letting my phone “be enough”.  That conscious act of carrying the camera around? It was like a treasure hunt… a treasure hunt that’s just not the same when you have your phone camera there so easy and simple to forget about or dismiss.

DECK USED:  TAROT MINCHIATE AL LEONE DI GIROLAMO AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

@tarot_juf Een Uitnodiging voor de herfst #SeptemberTarotChallenge
Prompts for September 26th, 29th, and 30th

Lunar Eclipse Tarot and The Ripple DeckWhat can I put aside for the coming winter, to pick up again in the spring?

Nine of Wands atop Nine of Swords Rx – Put aside your worries over if you are doing enough to fulfill your responsibilities and protect what is important to you. You’re sliding into a period each year where you give so much of yourself that there’s absolutely nothing left for anything else. Don’t second guess yourself in this, for you’re doing more than enough.

I may take this lesson with me from the calming nature this month.

The Lovers and Self-Discipline – This month has continued to encourage you to make health choices that are right for you, stressing that this is imperative to your well-being.  These cards are also a reminder that part of making healthy choices for yourself includes not just acknowledging but utilizing the fact that there are others in your life willing to help you stay on track if you let them.

A card to close the month; what do I take with me?

Eight of Wands Rx and Awe – This answer is an echo of the card-of-the-day pull that you did earlier. Slow down and smell the roses. Tap into the energies of discovery, wonderment, and awe. Pull your camera out and go for a walk.

DECK USED: LUNAR ECLIPSE TAROT AND THE RIPPLE DECK

Daily Self Kindness

I can’t say that I was particularly kind to my body today, as I overdid it by not just a small amount.  My self kindness for today is in making sure I took ibuprofen to help in handling how pissed off my body is for pushing it so hard.

Repercussions of Discouragement

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was skipped.

•    •    •    ◈    •    🌱    •    ◈    •    •    •

Katarungan (Justice) from the Terra Forma Tarot and It’s Going To Be Okay 2024 Day-to-day Calendar By Kate AllanToday’s draw is the Justice card combined with the affirmation “Just because the path is obscured or difficult does not mean you should give up on the destination.”

Cause and effect are a part of how the universe seeks balance, and this is the same even when it comes to our own actions and motivations.  When we get discouraged, if we let that affect our effort and interest in moving forward on what we find discouraging?  Then we don’t reach those goals. They fade off into the ether as we either trudge along without motivation on the same path but with no spark… or move on to other things.

The message in today’s cards is about that shift that happens when something gets difficult or discouraging.  it’s a reminder that if you really -want- what you’re after or where you’re going, you have to keep trying and keep pushing… even when things get tough.  Don’t let a little extra difficulty set you back or turn you away from what you know in your heart is right for you.  Keep going instead, with enthusiasm and determination.  Show the universe that whatever that thing is? It’s meant to be yours, and the effort you put into going in that direction will be rewarded in the end.

DECK USED:  TERRA FORMA TAROT AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

#DiscordTarotholicsSep2024 Challenge
Philosophical Question for September 25th : What are the 3 major weaknesses of humanity?

Terra Forma Tarot - Ang Magsing-Irog (The Lovers), Siyam Tungkod (Nine of Wands, Walo Tungkod (Eight of Swords)Ang Magsing-Irog – The Lovers is often about making choices about what’s best for us. It’s about unions and give and take, about connection and promises.  As a weakness of humanity, it is about being selfish, and being motivated by selfishness and self-centered interests.

Siyam Tungkod – The Nine of Wands is about defensive positions, and ensuring that what matters to you is protected, even when things are tough.  Here again when put into a position of a weakness, there is an element of selfishness there.  It speaks of not standing strong for -should- be important to you out of laziness or disinterest.

Walo Tungkod – The Eight of Wands is about speed and determination toward one’s goals and interests. It speaks of moving faster, and often is in reference to instant gratification. As a weakness of humanity, it speaks of impatience and the unwillingness to take things slow and let them come naturally. The entitled belief that everything should be done/accomplished/obtained now.

These cards indicate that the three greatest weaknesses of humanity are selfishness (The Lovers), apathy (Nine of Wands), and impatience (Eight of Wands).

Other elements included in this reading:
Dried Red Maple Leaf for Adaptability and Connection
Foraged Silver Maple Key for Bouncing Back to Thrive
Aragonite for Truth and Understanding
Yellow Aventurine for Confidence
Kambaba Jasper as an Aid for Inward Focus

DECK USED: TERRA FORMA TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I made myself a healthy second supper instead of just snacking on unhealthy stuff.

🎨 Weekly Creativity Prompt – Autumn Themes

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Prompt: “From your deck of choice, select one card for each of the following themes: 1) A wander in the Autumn woods; 2) Guidance from the Past; 3) The Beginning of the End. Post the cards you chose here, and share with us how you made the connections that you did with the prompts above.”

Rings of Fortune Tarot - Four of Wands, The Hierophant, Judgement

A Wander in the Autumn Woods

Four of Wands – Stepping into the woods and among the towering trees is like coming home, the energy of the forest welcoming me in as a celebration bursts to life in my soul.  Energy flows and welcomes me deeper, and with each step I take into the shadowed embrace of earthy greens, the soil under my feet sings its welcome and eagerly reaches to welcome me home.

Guidance from the Past

The Hierophant – When we listen to our ancestors, they teach us lessons about what is important and the value of traditions. In their guidance comes age old skills and methods that have been proven through the tests of time and carried forward to be shared with new generations. Sometimes, the “new ways” of doing things “work just as well”, but yet dilute the power and meaning old traditions keep strong. Guidance from our past keeps those traditions strong, and their power rich and potent.

The Beginning of the End

Judgement – As children, we rarely think about the -kind- of people that we will become. We think about the things we want to do and experience, but not really about if we want to be good, or wise, or generous, or kind.  We don’t think about this until later in life, when we begin looking toward the ends of our lives and realize perhaps we don’t yet “measure up” to our potential.  This is the beginning of the path to the end.  That place where self awareness connects with the kind of person we want to become before we move on.

DECK USED: RINGS OF FORTUNE TAROT

Bad Starts Don’t Mean Bad Days

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and was one of the #DailyCalm sessions in the Calm App. And… I fell asleep.  I know I made it at least half way through the session, but I didn’t make it to the whole “moral of the story for today” end part. It was primarily just a relaxation and breathing exercise, to which I relaxed into just a little too deeply.

•    •    •    ◈    •    🌱    •    ◈    •    •    •

Enchanted Mushroom Tarot and It’s Going To Be Okay 2024 Day-to-day Calendar By Kate AllanToday’s draw is the Page of Pentacles combined with the affirmation “Today kind of sucks, but you don’t. Hope your day gets better.”

So, when I drew this card this morning, I figured it would just be a rhetorical topic to keep in mind, but it actually turned out to be something that I really needed to hear.

That is because I managed to receive the fluke injury of all fucking time this morning. Driving with the window down, while passing a semi-truck on the highway, the truck’s tire threw a stone (you know, like the ones that crack your windshield). This particular stone comes IN the open window and hits me in the shoulder, and holy CRAP did it hurt. (I’m okay. Just bruised and sore.)

So, as you can imagine, my day really didn’t start off all that great, although I DID manage to not swerve or jerk the steering wheel, so that’s good.

Today message in the cards are to not let one bad experience screw the rest of your day.  That may mean that you have to adjust how you do things in order to accommodate and/or work within the parameters of the unexpected when it jumps in.  That’s why humans are adaptable, though. So when shit happens? Do your best to work at lightening your mood, give yourself a little comfort, and keep going.

DECK USED:  ENCHANTED MUSHROOM TAROT AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

@tarot_juf Een Uitnodiging voor de herfst #SeptemberTarotChallenge
Prompts for September 22nd, 23rd, and 28th

Enchanted Mushroom Tarot and Divine Nature OracleHow can I hold on to the warmth in the coming period?

Page of Swords and Garden the Heart – Use your intellect and curiosity to find ways to nurture that softer side within you. Explore things that interest you and allow yourself to learn through experimentation.

This is soft and tender.

Four of Pentacles and Burn Sacred Fire – Your tendency to hunker down and hide in order to obtain a sense of stability is keeping you from the connection to nature that you need. Do not let this habit born out of vulnerability thwart you from fulfilling you needs. Even that vulnerable place inside you needs time out among the trees.

This is becoming more intense.

Nine of Swords and Submerge – Worries, fears, and anxieties are rising as the holiday rush gets closer. Remember to pull yourself up for a breath of fresh air once in a while.  Wallowing in those anxieties and fears are not going to help you, but will drag you down into a pattern that is unhelpful and unhealthy.

DECK USED: ENCHANTED MUSHROOM TAROT AND DIVINE NATURE ORACLE

Daily Self Kindness

I used ice packs and ibuprofen today.

Instant Gratification

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was skipped.

•    •    •    ◈    •    🌱    •    ◈    •    •    •

Oracle of Wong Tai Sin and Soul Creatures OracleToday’s draw is the Patience card combined with the affirmation “I ignite the flames of creativity and inspiration, and inspire and uplift those around me.”

The message in today’s cards is that just because you feel inspired and that creative spark is kindled within you, doesn’t mean that you have to charge ahead full speed.

Remember that every cool and interesting idea doesn’t have to immediately come into fruition. Take your time. Share your ideas with others and invite them in to help you, brainstorm with you, and let them get their hands dirty too.

DECK USED:  THE ORACLE OF WONG TAI SIN AND SOUL CREATURES ORACLE

@tarot_juf Een Uitnodiging voor de herfst #SeptemberTarotChallenge
Prompt for September 24th and 25th

Kumacchi Oracle ExpressThis is how I can hold on to myself during the autumn storms in my life.

The Fool and Luggage Car – Let go of that heavy baggage from your past that you’re carrying around. It’s too heavy and you will feel much freer and more at ease without it weighing you down.

The nights are getting longer; this is how I can deal with that.

The Magician and Passenger – Remember that you have the power and independent streak needed to not just be “along for the ride” Either in life or with others. Use the tools at your disposal to adjust your direction in the way you want to go. Others will fall in line with you if you don’t fall in line with them.

DECK USED: KUMACCHI ORACLE EXPRESS

@mercurytarot #SensualSeptemberTarot Challenge
Prompts for September 22nd and 23rd

Floral Enchantments Tarot and Oracle of Wong Tai SinHow can I honour my needs?

Six of Pentacles and Avoid Extremes – Although generosity and fairness are important, even in difficult times, it is not the end-all-be-all of a satisfying sexual experience.

Instead of focusing on fairness to the point of it feeling like you are straining yourself, work instead to find a balance that works for both you and your partner. That balance will not look so much like an even weighing of scales, but rather will be more like fitting two very different puzzle pieces together into what works for both.

In other words, you don’t have to try so hard to do the things there are not a part of your nature as long as you both are happy.

What tempts me?

Ace of Swords and Letting Go – Inspiration that distracts you from your responsibilities. Sometimes it’s difficult to stay focused on the things you “should do” when you are inspired by something new and exciting. Okay… more than sometimes. These new ideas are always tempting, and make the balance between what needs to be done and what you -want- to do difficult at times.

Note: With the theme of this challenge, this is talking about my desire to spend time exploring new characters in play with Gid and being creative with him online rather than doing the work that I need to get done for my business. Although I usually manage to lean into my responsibilities? The temptation to say “fuck it” and go be with him instead is always there.

DECK USED: FLORAL ENCHANTMENTS TAROT AND THE ORACLE OF WONG TAI SIN

Daily Self Kindness

I made sure not to push myself too hard on orders, even if it meant that it took me a bit longer to get things done.

Ill Fitting Masks

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was (yet again) skipped.

•    •    •    ◈    •    🌱    •    ◈    •    •    •

The Mantra Oracle and Soul Creatures OracleToday’s draw is the JAPJI 33ᴇ PAURI card combined with the affirmation “I am the master of my dreams and my reality.”

It is too much work hiding your true self behind masks in order for others to find you more “acceptable”.  The message in today’s cards is encouragement to let your true self free and allow the world to shift to fit you instead of the other way around.

When you stop trying to conform to what others expect of you, you shed those that don’t “fit” the true you and find others that truly do.  The world around you adjusts, and you are no needing to expend so much energy on appearing to be what others want you to be, but instead find acceptance within your heart for who you really are.  This acceptance carves a you-sized niche in the world that is all yours and a perfect fit… as opposed to the ill fitting ones those masks are providing.

DECK USED:  THE MANTRA ORACLE AND SOUL CREATURES ORACLE

#DiscordTarotholicsSep2024 Challenge
Prompt for September 22nd : Do Spread 3

Autumn Oracle Reading with the Seasons of the Witch Mabon Oracle

What gifts from Summer are ready to be harvested?

Kitchen Witchery – Make good food and share it with those you love. Nurture not just them, but also yourself. There is healing in the act of tending to one’s needs and in sharing that care with those you love.

Where is your attention most needed between now and the upcoming last harvest of the year?

Darkness Falls – Make sure you are not flirting with your depression. If it’s creeping in, you need to acknowledge it rather than try to ignore it. Keep an eye on your mood and emotions, and make sure that you are doing what you can to counterbalance.

What seeds need to be planted now to be ready in the Spring?

Campfire – Work on opening up to others more. Appreciating camaraderie and sharing with others will allow for a closer bond between you and those you care about in the year to come.

Take Away:  On the whole, there is a great deal of encouragement here to connect with and bond with others over the next handful of weeks.  Make sure you are not just communicating with others, but sharing good food and quality time with them as well, and enlist your help on darker days when the depression starts to encroach.

Other elements included in this reading:
Pressed Pansy Flower for Hearing the Heart More Clearly
Foraged Pin Oak Leaf for Strength and Endurance
Picture Jasper for Sense of Proportion and Grounding
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: SEASONS OF THE WITCH MABON ORACLE

Daily Self Kindness

I wasn’t really planning on napping today, but I let myself have one and I definitely feel better for it.