A Slow Rake of Claws

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

The Lost Forest Tarot - Five of Cups - Five of OceansToday’s draw is the Five of Oceans (Cups), which is traditionally a representation of a negative mindset, closed mindedness, pessimism, and “sour grapes”.

The imagery in this card makes me think of drowning. Not the good kind of “drowning” that is actually subspace that I’ve renamed to fit how it feels to me personally, but more the bad emotional type of drowning where you sink and sink and sink… and it feels like there’s no bottom. The kind of drowning that starts by secluding yourself to find a little peace and quiet… and end up pulled down into the depths of a depression.

Today’s card is a reminder not to withdraw down deep into yourself. That’s where the monsters live. They lure you in with the promise of peace and quiet, then sink their claws into you and make you miserable. The temptation is a lie… a promise lain out as a trap.  Don’t allow it to tempt you into waters you can’t swim in or navigate safely or well.

DECK USED:  THE LOST FOREST TAROT 2ND EDITION

HealingThruTarot’s October Shadow Work Challenge Prompt
Questions for October 17th: What irrational fears lurk below the surface?

Spirits & Shadows Oracle and Le Tarot Interdit VampyriaFear –The Path and Le Monde – That you will lose your way along your path and end up on the wrong side of growth. After all, bacteria and infections can also experience growth if allowed to fester in the dark.

What can I do about this fear?

Remembrance and Sept de Miroir – Pick and choose the memories that you carry forward with you. Populate your memories with positive experiences and cherished moments, and let go of those that were painful.

Fear –Exile and l’Étoile Rx – That others will consider you a lost cause and write you off, ostracizing you due to your depression driven pessimistic tendencies.

What can I do about this fear?

Death and Commandant de Pieu – Share with others your passions and those things that light up your spark of inspiration. In doing so, you light a fire within them as well as adding kindling to your own spark.

Fear – Melting and Deux de Pieu – All your plans, strategizing, and good intentions will be for naught.

What can I do about this fear?

Foresight and Neuf de Pieu – Don’t let this fear keep you from looking ahead and working on creating the boundaries needed to protect what is important to you. This fear is merely a perception that grows from your fear, and your efforts are not in vain.

DECK USED: LES TAROT INTERDIT VAMPYRIA AND SPIRITS & SHADOWS ORACLE

#DiscordTarotholicsOct2022 Challenge Prompt
Question for October 17th: Samhain – As the last harvest approaches, what needs to be discarded from your life?

The Lost Forest TarotReading Summary: It’s time to let go of your focus on slow growth (Seven of Earth), and the emotional reassurances that you use to keep yourself moving slowly (Queen of Oceans). Instead, use this time to begin a quick growth spurt (Page of Skies) towards the speed, precision, and alacrity that will be needed in the weeks ahead (Eight of Skies).

Take Away: With the holiday rush just around the corner and only a couple of weeks off, it’s time to start gearing up and getting moving at a quicker pace.  You can return to developing that slower pace once more after the holiday season has drawn to a close, but for now?  Toss it on the back burner and give yourself permission to surge forward instead of moving at an ambling pace.

DECK USED: THE LOST FOREST TAROT 2ND EDITION

Daily Self Kindness

I’ve decided to accept Ms B’s help.  She offered to do some of the extra “helper tasks” that are involved in the holiday rush preparations.  I wasn’t sure about accepting, but the cards keep pushing so I’ve packed up a few things for her to see if any of them are something her eyesight will allow her to assist with.

Gideon’s Challenge

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IMG_4652The Lost Fall

Indian sumer
stretches on
and trees
refuse to turn
as smoke rolls
with the east wind
and we’re left
unable to see
our nose
while summer heat
drags
on and on
as if
it will never end

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

Rallying the Troops

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Today’s meditation was skipped, although I did do a sort-of one while chilling at the hospital this morning.

Mio Im's Tarot - King of WandsToday’s draw is the King of Wands, which is traditionally a representation of a projective alpha energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s passions, drive, determination, principles, values, and willpower. The King of Wands often indicates themes that have to do with leadership figures or authority figures with the ability to rally others to their causes and draw them in to their own values, principles, and passions.

In my life, today is the day that I officially go back to work after taking a few days off.  The shops were open during my small vacation, and thus there are orders that need to be caught up on.   The card, therefore, is a reminder that I’m the conductor on this train… the general in this army.  It’s time to rally the troops and get them going on helping in getting things done, on getting orders set on track, and making sure everyone is on board with not just help in this moment… but in the weeks to come as the holiday rush rises up to greet us.

The card today asks us all… what do we need to “rally our troops” to help us with?  Where is it that you cannot accomplish your goals without others?  And in those areas, how can we best inspire others to our cause?

DECK USED:  MIO IM’S TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsOct2022 Challenge Prompt
Topic for October 16th: Do Spread 3

Mio Im's Tarot

Smoky Quartz – How can I best purge negativity from my life and develop greater stability?

Six of Wands – Stop looking to those in your past for approval. They are long gone, and it is only the memory that you seek approval from. You can’t change the past, so look forward instead and, if you feel the need approval from others, seek it from those in your present and future… not your past.

Apple – What insight is needed to improve my physical health at this time?

Knight of Wands Rx – Take care in where you leap forward and act impulsively. A bit of restraint is needed to keep things moving in the right direction.  In other words? Just because your leg is feeling a bit better doesn’t mean the problem is solved.  Take things slow and make sure this issue isn’t something that’s going to reoccur later on.

Chrysanthemum – Where do my defenses and boundaries need some bolstering?

Three of Wands – You’re going to have to be more realistic about your plans and take things at a different pace than usual. A bit of extra care and a bit of extra time is going to be needed. Don’t allow your inner narrative to step in and make things ugly for you just because you have to take things a bit slower.  A slow burn is best, so you don’t set the bridge ablaze and the entire forest along with it.

Aquamarine – In what ways can meditation promote more calm and confidence in my life?

Queen of Swords – Meditation can provide you the balance to foster your own strengths. You don’t have to be ruthless, but sometimes you can feel that urge when you don’t have enough balance in your life.

Meditation gives you that balance that allows you to choose between being your own Queen of Swords… or being the kind of domineering and self-centered Queen that you’ve observed from others with similar qualities used in less kind or generous ways.

Mint – What factor in my relationships need some reevaluation and perhaps adjustment?

Ace of Swords – You have received a lot of advice from the cards lately about turning over a new leaf in your communication with others. Here we see this message again in your relationships. Use your voice to communicate what you need instead of staying silent.

Carnelian – In what ways can including more creativity in my life brighten my daily outlook?

Ten of Swords – Creativity helps you avoid feeling as if everything is lost and nothing is going your way. In participating in creative endeavors, you then shine a touch of light to the darker corners of your life and make everything a bit better.

Pomegranate – What wish of mine is ready to be manifested into reality at this time?

Knight of Hearts (Pentacles) – You want more time to explore a slower pace in your life.  This card indicates that there is boundless potential here, but you’re going to have be patient. The holiday rush is not a time of slowing down and a measured pace.  But, the holiday rush won’t last forever.

DECK USED: MIO IM’S TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I’m continuing to work on keeping my foot elevated, and treating things gingerly, even when my patience is stretched a bit thin.

Gideon’s Challenge

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IMG_3471I’m Here

Your heart beats
heavy and hard
as you drag on
and fight
the good fight
showing others
you are strong
while inside
your heart bleeds
and I reach out
to cover your soul
and help keep
everything in
that is trying
to spill out

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?

Cute Ghost Tarot and Mystery's Halloween Lenormand

Earth – Queen of Sticks – Use your time at home and your resources to foster your passions this week.

Air – Ace of Blades – Communication will be key this week. Turn over a new leaf and work at being more open with others.

Water – Six of Sticks – It’s okay to need a little validation from others now and then s long as your emotions and stability don’t become dependent on this, let yourself feel good when others give you price instead of brushing it off.

Fire – Ten of Coins – Appreciate all you have accomplished and make sure the goals you are reaching for are realistic and attainable.

Waning – Tree and Lady – Step away of extra time with Z for a bit.  You are distracting both of you with it at a time when you both need to begin to be on the ball instead.

Waxing – Coffin and Cross – Watch out for the creeping in of depression.  Attend to those warning signs as they arise instead of brushing them off as not important.  They are important, and they need to be handled right away.

Take Away – Getting your “ducks in a row” is going to be an important theme this week in your life.  Don’t ignore problem areas, and make sure you’re tying up loose ends and other things that need your attention so that your focus can begin to pivot towards the holiday rush as it approaches.

DECKS USED: CUTE GHOST TAROT AND MYSTERY’S HALLOWEEN LENORMAND

Recuperation is Not Indolence

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

Tarot of the Poppet MasterToday’s draw is the Eight of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of withdrawal and abandonment, especially in times of frustration or in an emotional response.

What catches my attention in the imagery of today’s card is that the arms of the puppet are made from fabric depicting little skulls, and the head / hat is made out of a poinsettia. This fits well for me with the key word of “indolence” that is also on the card.

By the time I get to the end of the holiday rush (poinsettia), and it is time to slip back into a slower pace (the skulls for arms), I am at the point where I am ready to walk away from everything. The exhaustion is so great that a change to a quieter time is extremely welcome… and anxiety inducing.

At this time of change, I am plagued with fear that I am becoming lazy, and that I’m not doing enough to help my business thrive and grow. And so, for me today’s card becomes a reminder that the need for rest and recuperation is not indolence.

This card’s appearance asks… What are you viewing as lazy behavior that is really just needed rest? How are you judging yourself too harshly in these times when you need a break? And how can we all do better to see that the need for rest and recuperation is not laziness or indolence, but a basic human necessity?

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE POPPET MASTER

HealingThruTarot’s October Shadow Work Challenge Prompt
Questions for October 14th thru 16th

Santa Muerte Tarot and Konxari CardsWhat pain has been ignored?

Three of Dream Catchers and Window – You only hurt yourself when you refuse help from others. Don’t close the window in opportunities to involve others in the reaching of your goals. The rewards are richer when the journey is shared.

Which wound keeps me trapped in the past?

Eight of Candles – There is a repeating pattern from your past where you were always pushed to move with speed and precision, never allowed to take things slow and savor. You have carried this pattern forward into the present due to it never having acknowledged and dealt with it.

How can I heal my greatest wound to move forward?

The Empress and Honor atop Knight of Wands Rx and Fire – Forsake impulsive behavior driven by a desire to get ahead and those feelings of inadequacy inside you that cause you to always seek more. Instead, respect your need to be nurtured, and give yourself what you need rather than punishing yourself for needing it.

DECK USED: SANTA MUERTE TAROT AND KONXARI CARDS

#DiscordTarotholicsOct2022 Challenge Prompt
Topic for October 15th: Write something free form inspired by the card(s).

Tarot of the Poppet MasterThere was once a queen filled with rage that saw all of her subjects as pawns to be used and abused as she pleased (Queen of Wands). She took great joy in carrying out a vast array of different tortures and cruelty upon those within her reign (Seven of Cups atop Nine of Swords).

One day, the subjects of the queen’s realm had had enough. Believing that there had to be a healthier and better place for all of them to settle down and grow roots (The Lovers), they gathered up their things and moved away from the queen’s lands (Eight of Cups) in search of a better future and a better ruler (The Star). And thus, the queen was left all alone to rule her lands empty of any but herself (The Tower).

DECK USED: TAROT OF THE POPPET MASTER

Daily Self Kindness

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