Kindness Goes a Long Way

Daily Calm with the Calm appToday’s meditation was ten minutes long, and was one of the #DailyCalm sessions in the Calm app.  It dealt with consistency in the things that are good for you like meditation practice, self care things, etc. It spoke about the importance of consistency, but also visited our resistance to establishing and sticking with it.

This is something that I personally struggle with, and I really enjoyed the listen, so I ended up saving it to return to again and repeat at a later date.

Best Tarot - StrengthToday’s draw is the Strength card, which is traditionally a representation of inner strength, persuasion usually through means of compassion, influence and/or manipulation, and courage.

And that’s one damned -funky- looking lion on the imagery for this card.   It takes a special kind of either stupidity or bravery to approach situations of uncertainty with confidence. Illnesses and deformities can take one aback, especially when surprised by them.

Today’s card is a reminder that illness and deformity is not always catching, and that with those that deal with these struggles on a daily basis?  A bit of kindness and care can go a long way toward connecting with them on a deeper level.

CrowSister’s #DeckStudyTenTrueWords Prompt
Prompt
: Distill your reading of the card to your ten truest words.

Let warmth
from within
ease the way
with prickly pears

DECK USED:  BEST TAROT

Lionharts’ #TheJanuaryTarot 2023 Year of Evolution Challenge Prompt
Question for January 13th
: How am I asked to begin to incorporate my lessons of the past?

Gamilas Tarot (Oracle)Reading Summary: In order to “make the bar” and be truly well (Passe), you have to give yourself (Six of Clubs) the kindness you need and allow yourself time outside (Terre). You can’t talk yourself out of this need (Parole), so just do it.

Take Away:  Your behavior is self punishment and self neglect, both of which are a part of your self-sabotage patterns concerning how you treat yourself and your well-being.  No amount of reasoning with yourself that you don’t -need- time in nature is going to change the fact that you do, and no amount of self-denial is going to keep you hearty and hale.

Instead of repeating patterns of the past, turn over a new leaf and be more generous with yourself.  Give yourself what you need instead of withholding it out of habit or through the machination of inner demons.

DECK USED: GAMILAS TAROT (ORACLE)

#DiscordTarotholicsJan2023 Challenge Prompt
Question for January 13th
: Blame Someone Else Day – Where in life are you assigning a scapegoat when you need to take more responsibility?

Best Tarot - The Magician, Queen of Wands, The LoversReading Summary: It would be far healthier for you (The Lovers) to own your part (The Magician) of your falling out with your own personal Queen of Swords in your life.  It’s not that she doesn’t play a very strong part in the dynamic that has become the norm between you two (Queen of Swords looking into the past with a lifted chin), but that she didn’t create the situation all on her own.  You chose to turn a blind eye (Magician in the lower left position and appears to be stubbornly ignoring the Queen of Swords looking down her nose at him) instead of seeing things clearly where she is concerned.

Take Away: Relationships are a two way street, even bad ones.  We each play a part in the dynamic that develops between us and others, and can’t blame everything on the other party all the time, no matter how much we’d like to.  Own your mistakes.

DECK USED: BEST TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I meditated again (as you can see above) and I saved this meditation because I liked it and the topic deals with something I struggle with in my meditation, which is to say… consistency.

Gideon’s Challenge

IMG_1684Missing You

Everything
around me
is so lonely
without you
by my side
your hand
curled on mine
and our fingers
entertwined
and nothing
is the same
without you
I need you
around me

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

Giving Others a Leg Up

Daily Calm Quote from the Calm appToday’s meditation was ten minutes long and was one of the Daily Calm meditations from the Calm app.  It was a body scan from head to toe, focused on gratitude for what each body part does for you in your day to day life. The interesting part for me?  Was that they went from the heart and lungs… to the legs. They skipped entirely over the spine and digestive system… and I’m not entirely sure why. I added them into the meditation, though at the end, as I think they are just as important (if not always as well functioning in my own body) as the rest.

The Royal Court Tarot - Queen of SwordsToday’s draw is the Queen of Swords, which is traditionally a representation of a receptive alpha energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s mind, intellect, education, logic, ambitions, and communication. This often translates into themes that have to do with strong and supportive individuals that give spectacularly good advice based upon their own experiences and creative thought processes. They are willing to support your dreams, especially if those dreams involve learning new things, expanding your education, and broadening your horizons.

What draws my attention in this imagery is that the Queen seems quite reserved. That, and the black roses along the bottom right of the card that have the look of decay spreading through the vegetation that covers the lower half of the card. This speaks to me of the dangers of “holding one’s tongue” when you could be using it to help others.  Life is hard enough without making people struggle when they don’t have to. If you have advice that will be well received by others, especially advice based off personal experience? Share it. Holding back just allows struggles to thrive and problems to spread.

CrowSister’s #DeckStudyTenTrueWords Prompt
Prompt
: Distill your reading of the card to your ten truest words.

Don’t hold back
knowledge earned
when sharing
can bolster others

DECK USED:  THE ROYAL COURT TAROT

Lionharts’ #TheJanuaryTarot 2023 Year of Evolution Challenge Prompt
Question for January 11th and 12th
:

Oracle of the Moon DeckWhat can I do today to {begin to} support my personal growth?

The Judge and The Rumor/The Book – Make sure you are doing your research and not either assuming things or taking other’s words as gospel. Do your own research and make up your own mind for yourself. It’s okay to hear what others have to say, just don’t let that be the only information you gather.

What has my past taught me that could help me right now?

Rot and The Anvil – Letting things weigh heavy on your shoulders and heart only leads to stagnancy and depression, which then quickly slips in to start eating away at your insides. Keep moving, even when you “aren’t feeling it” in the moment.

DECK USED: ORACLE OF THE MOON DECK

#DiscordTarotholicsJan2023 Challenge Prompt
Question for January 11th and 12th
:

The Royal Court Tarot - The Chariot, Ten of Pentacles, Eight of Pentacles, Knight of Pentacles, Two of PentaclesPhilosophical Question: Is it truly possible for people to change?

The Chariot and Ten of Pentacles – Yes, but they have to actually want to change and be willing to put in the work. Creating true change in oneself is uncomfortable, and can be a miserable experience. You have to have the willpower and drive to not just want the change to happen, but to stick to it to not just manifest those changes within yourself, but also get those changes to stick and stay. Even then, sometimes it’s not enough to create permanence.

Feast of Fabulous Wild Men Day – What “wild and fabulous” behavior can help you break out of your shell more often?

Two of Pentacles, Knight of Pentacles atop Eight of Pentacles – Give yourself more balance in your life by allowing your development and progress to move at its own pace instead of pushing ever forward with impatience.

This doesn’t particularly sound “wild and crazy” until you consider that it goes entirely against your nature.

DECK USED: THE ROYAL COURT TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I took things a bit slow today in the order fulfillment part of today.  It made it all last a bit longer, but with a great deal less stress.  I also meditated today for the first time in… months.  I’m pretty sure it’s been months.

Gideon’s Challenge

IMG_9850Midday’s Dusk

Clouds roll in
to sweep
around
mountain peaks
like a scarf
wrapped around
a slender neck
as raindrops
hang
just out of reach
felt on the air
and yet
not touching
the ground
as light is smothered
under a heavy sky

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

Next Phase Tarot Reading

The Next Phase Tarot Reading with Granny's Postcards Tarot

What I’m being called to do next on my journey.

Four of Cups – Work on opening up and being less apathetic.  Also… Do your damned meditation already.

What this looks like for me.

The Hermit – Alone time of the healthy sort. Don’t use this alone time to wallow in empty “feel good” methods of wasting time.  Use that alone time in healthy ways instead.

Action I can take to initiate this next phase.

Three of Wands – Just do it. Add it to the path forward rather than waiting on whim or chance to fit it into your day. If you actually schedule it into the path forward, you guarantee room for it each and every day.

How this next phase of my journey will impact me.

The High Priestess – It will help you connect more strongly with your intuition and inner knowledge.

Something I need to understand about this next phase.

King of Swords – You can’t reason your way out of it… or into it either.  This has to do with emotions and intuition, and doesn’t lie in the logic nor is it something you can strong-arm into compliance through plotting and strategy.  As the Three of Wands already said… just do it.

A message from spirit I need to hear right now.

Strength – Doing your meditation regularly provides you with the strength and fortitude that you need in order to deal with things as they come at you instead of falling apart under the stress.

DECK USED: GRANNY’S POSTCARDS TAROT

Weekly Creativity Prompt – Different Scenarios

Prompt: “The purpose of this activity is to practice interpreting small spreads by combining card meanings, symbols and intuition. We will all interpret the same cards based on a few different (imaginary) situations. A 3 card spread will be posted together with 2 more specific scenarios. It’s your choice which scenario you’d prefer to use, or if you’d rather do a general reading of these cards as for an imaginary querent.

This Might Hurt Tarot - Nine of Pentacles, The Devil, Nine of Wands

Scenario 1 – Connor is torn. He just got his birthday money, and wants to either use it to buy a new computer or enroll in an arts class offered by a nearby pottery studio. 

You’re feeling on top of the world with the money in your pocket (Nine of Pentacles), but you need to look at which option is going to actually benefit you long term instead of be a fleeting bit of fun or passion (The Devil). Things aren’t going to always be as carefree as they are now. Which option will you not just enjoy now, but will help you down the road during those more difficult  times? (Nine of Wands)

Scenario 2 – Raven is going to be performing in a concert next week and is very nervous about it. She’s also excited, but in general is feeling ungrounded about it. She wants to know steps she can take to ground herself.

The night of the concert is going to be a bit wild and crazy (The Devil).  Make sure that before the concert arrives you are taking stock of all you have accomplished to help bolster your confidence (Nine of Pentacles), and that once the concert is over you return to doing what needs to be done to keep everything in your life balanced and on track (Nine of Wands).  In other words?  Don’t let the wild and crazy escape the event itself. It’ll be fun and crazy… and one night only.  Contain it to that one night through focusing on building your confidence beforehand, and the return to stability and responsibility after.

DECK USED: THIS MIGHT HURT TAROT