Growing Pains and Inner Strength

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

Light Seer's Tarot - Ten of SwordsToday’s draw is the Ten of Swords, which is traditionally a representation long journeys coming to an end, painful endings, lessons learned, deep wounds, and sometimes can indicate loss or betrayal.

The imagery in this card speaks deeply to me, as I wear a great many scars on my body from an array of life experiences.

When I was younger, I was given a reading where I was informed that my life would be one of struggle, strife, and woe. I was told that it is not the struggles themselves, nor the strife and woe, that I needed to focus on, though.  Rather, it was the lessons learned from these experiences that I needed to carry with me as I moved past them.

Each of the scars on my body is a reminder. A lesson.  Something I have survived… something that has made me stronger. And thus, I see this card as a sign of great strength.  The appearance of this card today asks us all… what experiences do you carry with you from the past that could be transformed into a lesson… and into a greater strength?  What can we do to take these experiences and transform them into something positive we can then take with us into the future?

DECK USED:  THE LIGHT SEER’S TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsNov2022 Challenge Prompt
Topic for November 6th: Do Spread 1
Question: What influence does each of these themes have in your life?

Avalon Magick CardsFate – Fate is defined as a predetermined end of the journey. This end is unchangeable, but you have free will to choose whatever paths and roads you want in the getting there… only the purpose for your life and/or its end is predetermined and remains unchanged.

Dreamcatcher Woman and Grace – Your fate is the foundation that your intuition and unique abilities are based upon. They are there to ferry you forward into the fate awaiting you at the end of your journey.

Destiny – Destiny is about not only the final destination but every step from the very beginning of the journey to the end. In other words, everything is predetermined and out of your control, and thus free will is an illusion.

Raven’s Perch and The Knight – Divine timing is a thing, but it does not supersede free will. We may repeat certain lessons over and again in life until we learn them, because we are meant to learn them, but how slowly or quickly we learn them is up to us. This means not all aspects and nuances are predetermined to exacting detail, and there’s lots of wiggle room to work with.

Chance – Chance is the opposite of both of these in that it is the occurrence and/or developments of events in the absence of any cause that can be predicted, understood, or controlled. Accidents are a form of chance. Random coincidences can be considered moments of chance (as long as they are truly random).

The Winding Path and The Unicorn – Chance can often determine how direct or convoluted your path is, and what surprises await you along the way.

DECK USED: AVALON MAGIC CARDS

@The.Journey.Well ‘s Friendship & Community Challenge Prompt
Questions for November 5th and 6th

Light Seer's TarotWhat energy do you need?

King of Pentacles and Three of Cups – Make responsibilities fun.  Fun for you, and fun for others. Turn your attention and creativity toward this process and goal, and you will find yourself far more prepared to take on the challenges ahead.

How are you serving, or what is stopping you?

Death atop Nine of Cups – You sacrifice too much of your time and energy to others, and it holds you back from experiencing smooth transitions in your own life. This process leads you astray from your own path, and you need to take more care in just how many of your “cups” you’re allowing to spill out onto the ground as you try to help others balance theirs.

DECK USED: THE LIGHT SEER’S TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I had more play time with Gideon today, which again helped a lot in easing the slow creep of anxiety trying to rear up and work its way in.

Gideon’s Challenge

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IMG_6341The Bruises

Bruised and battered
I stretch toward you
and seek out
your touch
not to heal
the black and blue
but to nourish
the soul
so that I may grow
and change
dazzle
and eventually
rest
in your arms

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

❤️ Self Care Saturday (On a Sunday)

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These Saturday readings are (not usually) bearing in on any one thing or event in my life, as the question used is asking for a more general outlook. This is a self care exercise, and is not meant as a predictive reading… although that, too, happens on occasion.

The question is… What do I need to focus for self-care through the week ahead?

Everyday Witch Tarot and the Black Salt Lenormand

Earth – The Lovers – Make sure you are doing what is needed to keep you happy, healthy… and grounded.  Connecting with others right now is extremely important for your well-being.  So is making sure you allow them to keep you grounded.  Not everything has to be done alone, and you will need input from others to make healthy choices for yourself this week.

Air – Queen of Pentacles – Again we see a need for grounding.  Seek out those that help you find that stability you need instead of insisting you can do it all on your own.  Their input can help put your mind at ease and keep you from spiraling into anxiety and other non-grounded mental avenues.

Water – Three of Pentacles – Another reminder that this is not a time to do things on your own.  Incorporate others in seeking out what you need, and in providing it.  You don’t always see what you need half as clearly as others around you do.  Make sure you are consulting them instead of just settling for what you can manage on your own.

Fire – The Devil – Do  not allow yourself to fall into bad habits or the temptations that could harm you this week.  Keep an eye on those things that seem far too good to be true and turn away from them instead of trying to figure out how you can accept them without them causing harm.  You can’t.  Spurn them instead, no matter how tempting they appear.

Waning – Scythe and Snake – Do not lean into your work this week.  This is your opportunity to have a few easy days to breathe before the holiday rush falls into full swing.  Don’t waste them trying to accomplish more… just breathe.

Waxing – Rider and Tower – Pay attention to those that try to step in and integrate themselves into your life at this time. Lean into those that are there with you all the time, and reject the advances or offerings of those that are suddenly trying to step in and be a part of things.

Take Away –  Tried and true friends are the way to go this week.  Don’t waste these last days of rest, and allow those around you that you trust to keep close to help you find a positive spin on things so that your worries and anxieties don’t get a chance to try and eat at you.

DECKS USED: EVERYDAY WITCH TAROT, BLACK SALT LENORMAND

The Right Path

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

Diramazioni TarotToday’s draw is the Three of Twigs (Wands), which is traditionally a representation of the first active step in a journey, progress towards a goal, and the seizing of opportunities.

What stands out to me the strongest in the imagery of this card is the leaves that sprout from the “twigs” in the scene.  They are not little sprigs, but fully formed leaves, and they speak to me of being well upon one’s path.  No, there are no branches yet, no great growth, but there is growth.

Today’s card is an encouragement. It speaks of having found a worthy path before you, and making the necessary preparations, are now well and truly starting.  Don’t look back… keep going!  Help those small beginnings grow and flourish into something truly spectacular.

DECK USED:  DIRAMAZIONI TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsNov2022 Challenge Prompt
Question for November 5th

The Forty Servants OracleLet Go – The Contemplator – Let go of your worries and stresses. They are only holding you back and serve no purpose at this time.

Find Support – The Adventurer – Seek out others to support you as you dive into the holiday rush. All of your energy will be poured into this time and you need to “spread the load”. Also, don’t keep all the fun to yourself… just as you share the work with others, be sure that you’re sharing the fun with others as well, even if this means getting their help to find the fun in the first place.

Dig Deeper – The Witch – Seek out new ways to incorporate mystery and magic into your everyday life. Just because your holidays are filled to the brim with work doesn’t mean that you can’t continue with small practices that help you to ground and connect with yourself on a deeper level.  It just means you may not be able to sit with these deeper levels and explore them fully right now.

DECK USED: THE FORTY SERVANTS

Mr Lionhart’s The Suits: Revisited #TheNovemberTarot Prompt
Questions for November 5th and 6th

Diramazioni TarotSuit of Wands – What should be cleared or dealt with before I begin to create?

Lord of Twigs and Judgement – Clear out harsh judgments on how you expect things to go, and instead ride it out without trying to control every little aspect.

Suit of Wands – Something I should know about the things I wish to create for myself?

Five of Twigs and Lady of Amphorae – Make sure that the effort you put in are worth the time and energy expended. When you overtax yourself you become emotionally vulnerable. Support yourself by looking closely at those things you fight for and weeding out the ones that really are frivolous or just pride.

DECK USED: DIRAMAZIONI TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I had some play time with Gideon today and it really helped in easing some of my stress and anxiety.

Gideon’s Challenge

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IMG_4964Waiting for Snow

As cold creeps
across the land
and slips among
the trees
I wait
with bated breath
for the first
fall of flakes
to coat the world
in a moment
of pristine white
and allow us all
to see
winter’s beauty
on display

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

Haunted Times Cartomancy Reading

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Once Upon a Time Playing CardsThe prompt for this reading came from one of my Discord servers and is as follows: “Alright! It’s Halloween/Samhain, so let’s do some divination about what’s “haunting” us in our lives.”

What’s sitting over my shoulders and/or clinging to me?

Nine of Hearts, King of Spades atop Five of Hearts – Your inner narrative is a demanding taskmaster with harsh judgements and a sharp tongue.  It is putting in overtime trying to crush happiness under its boots and leave you aching and in need of retreat.

Is this something that will always be with me, or that I should try to work into my life?

Four of Hearts, Queen of Clubs atop Jack of Clubs – Although that inner narrative may be permanent, the amount of influence it has over your emotions is temporary.  Make sure that you are leaning into your passions, and dipping into creative endeavors and those things that motivate you, to help provide you with extra strength to resist that negative inner narrative when it rises up.

Or… is it something I need to banish and/or does not serve me to keep?

Eight of Diamonds and Nine of Clubs – Only hard work and good boundaries can keep the influences of that negative inner narrative at bay. It cannot be banished entirely, but it can be controlled and mitigated if you’re willing to put in the effort.

What is the best way to handle it at this time?

Three of Hearts atop Three of Spades, Jack of Hearts – Lean into others in your life to help lift you up when you start to feel the darkness creeping in. They have the ability to teach you how to lean into the positive and seek out optimism for an emotional lift during these times.  Something you’ve yet to master on your own quite yet.

DECK USED: ONCE UPON A TIME PLAYING CARDS