Finding Balance in Stillness

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

Ritual Abuse TarotToday’s draw is the Justice card, which is traditionally a representation of cause and effect, repercussions and consequences, fairness, truth, balance. and often the law and legal matters.

What comes around goes around. When I see the image on this card, that’s the phrase that comes to mind. It’s like the figure is leaning in to aggression. The head decapitated in the background, and blood still dropping from the sword.

The thing is? Scales can’t balance in chaos. Scales can’t balance with movement and aggression in the mix.

The message in today’s card is about how we find our balance in life, and how we find our footing on our life’s path.  It’s not through chaos and aggression.  It’s through taking a pause that you can allow for balance as the scales ease their sway.  In the quiet they can slow and still.  The more you fight and lean into the chaos, the more the scales will tip and sway.

DECK USED:  RITUAL ABUSE TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsOct2022 Challenge Prompt
Question for October 14th: Poltergeist – What needs to be banished from your life?

To The End Love OracleReading Summary: You need to look at where in your life, either due to loving you (Love) or out of a sense of respect (Honor), your loved ones are enabling you in unhealthy ways (Temptation).

Take Away: It isn’t the love or respect that needs banishing, but rather what they are doing with it that is the problem. This boils down to a form of dishonesty, for they are withholding their true thoughts and feelings “out of respect” for your own choices, not fully realizing that your decision-maker can and is compromised at times by temptation, addictive tendencies, and self destructive urges.

DECK USED: TO THE END ORACLE

Mr Lionhart’s Seasons of the Witch Challenge Prompt
Questions for October 14th thru 17th – The Ritual

Ritual Abuse TarotThe blade it cuts what’s rooted deep, what am I to rod of, what am I to keep?

Seven of Swords – Any thoughts of escaping what is to come need be let go of now. You are too close to the holiday rush for escapism fantasies, and need to instead pivot and fight.

Four of Swords – Make sure you are getting enough rest. You are no longer “of an age” where you have the boundless energy of your youth, and you need to make sure you are refilling your tank in order to make it through the weeks ahead without crashing.

The wand it swings, it works for me, how can I conjure what I may need?

King of Wands – Own your passion and drive, and control it with a tight fist. Delegate and direct so that you are not doing everything yourself.

I let the chalice guide my heart, I drink from it, I embrace this part:

Two of Cups – Those who love you are there to help. Don’t forsake their help and exclude them due to pride or a desire to not burden them. Instead, let them add their strength to yours.

From south, to north, from east to west, what am I to plant or to manifest?

King of Pentacles – Authority and stability need to be your main focus this season. Not independence.

DECK USED: RITUAL ABUSE TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I rested a lot today.  Lots of sleep and elevated leg time.

Gideon’s Challenge

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IMG_4450Leisure Time

I want to curl up
in your arms
on the balcony
and settle
into you
as the sun
slowly sinks
below horizon
until only
a golden glow
remains
and your lips
brush my nape
as you whisper
“Mine”

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

It’s In the Reach

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

VooDoo Dolly TarotToday’s draw is the Ace of Coins, which is traditionally a representation of the seed of new beginnings in the area of one’s finances, resources, health, hearth and home, labors, and manifestations.

What stands out to me in the imagery of this card is there’s a crown free-floating out there in the ether. It speaks to me of opportunity and potential. It says you can do much better, reach for the gold and you will achieve your best result.

Today’s card is an encouragement that tells us that it is in reaching for better that we succeed. It’s how we build a life worth living, how we grow and succeed, and how we become our best selves. Life isn’t about failures and misfortunes, but about what we reach for and where that reach can help us grow.

DECK USED:  VOODOO DOLLY TAROT

HealingThruTarot’s October Shadow Work Challenge Prompt
Questions for October 11th and 13th

VooDoo Dolly Tarot and Heart Forward DeckHow are my insecurities projected onto others?

The Stars and Death – You worry too much about what might happen and when, instead of looking to the present ant towards hope and positivity. This creates a more apathetic outlook towards others as your pessimism creates a lackadaisical “everyone dies sometime” attitude that is neither healthy or helpful.

How can I overcome my perceived flaws?

Knight of Swords and Loving – Be proactive about keeping your negative inner narrative in check through loving and caring thoughts, rather than an uncaring attitude. It is in leaning into self-kindness and positivity that you keep your inner critic from eating you alive.

DECK USED: VOODOO DOLLY TAROT AND HEART FORWARD DECK

#DiscordTarotholicsOct2022 Challenge Prompt
Question for October 13th: Spirits: How can you improve your relationship with your ancestors?

VooDoo Dolly TarotReading Summary: Make peace with your ancestors (Queen of Swords) by turning over a new emotional leaf where she is concerned (Page of Cups) and letting her back in and allowed to have an opinion in your life (Seven of Wands).

Take Away: Let go of the history and step into a new beginning concerning those that should have loved you but perhaps did so too harshly.  Listen to these ancestors, even if the history that you have with them is unpleasant.  Regardless of that history, in the present they only have your best interests at heart.

DECK USED: VOODOO DOLLY TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I didn’t get fed up with the hospital and leave like I wanted to, but stuck around and waited it out.

Gideon’s Challenge

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IMG_2394The  Bite of Pain

White hot poker
flames red
savage and bright
angry… enraged
the fire sears
beneath the skin
with sharp
savage prongs
that rake
through the pain
to make it
that much worse
until there is
no air
to breathe

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

Stop Procrastinating Tarot Reading

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Stop Procrastinating Tarot Reading wit hthe Gustave Doré Tarot

Why am I feeling unmotivated?

Seven of Pentacles – You struggle with staying motivated when something takes a good deal of time to accomplish. Especially when it feels like there are no rewards along the way, only an end goal far off in the future and feeling out of reach.

What fear is keeping me from moving forward?

Nine of Cups Rx – The unpleasantness of it all. You have a hard time getting motivated for things that you don’t enjoy or feel lackluster about.  It holds you back when you should be pushing through.

What do I need to release so I can start taking action?

Ace of Pentacles – The expectation that everything has to be done perfectly. Perfectionism can hold you back if you let it.  Let go of the need for absolutely everything to be perfect.  You don’t have to be perfect all the time for every little thing.

What is the first step I can take?

Four of Wands – Celebrate what you already have, the stability you have built, and the security you value. These things are a great motivator, and will carry you forward.

What beneficial energy/attitude can I embrace?

Judgement – Take care not to judge yourself too harshly. You are a work in progress, and you are your greatest critic.  Be kind and accepting of yourself, and ease up on the self cruelty.

What is my motivation?

Four of Pentacles – Stability and a sense of security will always be an excellent motivator for you.

DECK USED: GUSTAVE DORÉ TAROT

Cherishing Good Memories

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

Черное ТароToday’s draw is the Six of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of nostalgia, joyful memories, childhood experiences, and revisiting the past in some way.

The imagery in this card looks not like children, but more like adolescents to me.  It appears like date night.  Maybe the very first date night ever.  With the offer of flowers and all the nervousness of those moments.

And yet? We all go through those moments, and in many cases they become a joyful memory to look back on in the future and enjoy.  Those moments of innocence and anticipation become sweet in our memories, and cherished.

Today’s card asks us to look within our memories not just for the trauma and bad experiences, the lessons and pain, but also to make sure we are looking at these beautiful memories.  Take them out of their “box” and enjoy them. Take pleasure in them and allow them to make you smile.

DECK USED:  ЧЕРНОЕ ТАРО

#DiscordTarotholicsOct2022 Challenge Prompt
Philosophical Question: Can anyone on the other side make contact when the veil is thin?

Anatomical TarotReading Summary: They have to be willing to learn how to make contact (Page of Swords) and then pick and choose who they want to connect with (Two of Swords), because if they are too overeager (Page of Wands), they will overwhelm themselves and end up bogged down (Ten of Wands) instead of succeeding in their goal.

Take Away: So… the answer is yes, and no.  Anyone could, but they have to be motivated to learn, and motivated to understand that there is a price for energy spent, and only so much energy available to spend. Not everyone has the determination, desire, or temperance needed to make this effort and succeed at it.

DECK USED: ANATOMICAL TAROT

HealingThruTarot’s October Shadow Work Challenge Prompt
Question for October 12th: What limitation impacts my self-confidence?

Черное ТароReading Summary: When you feel rushed to act (The Chariot and Two of Pentacles) without getting a chance to think things through and fully consider what the results or repercussions might be (Justice).

Take Away: When you are rushed, you don’t always make the best choices. You go in with single minded focus instead of weighing your options, and this can often result in really unpleasant consequences. Because you are so focused on success and progress? The consequences are usually to your health and self-care.

DECK USED: ЧЕРНОЕ ТАРО

Daily Self Kindness

Before heading north, I spent a good deal of my day hiking and climbing in the forest here and taking pictures.