Gideon’s Challenge – Come Find Me

Autumn SkiesCome Find Me

Would you
come find me
if I were
to float
in the ripples
of the sound
and let
currents
draw me out
to the sea
where waves
dance
and no one
feels the rain

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

One Thing at a Time

Today’s meditation was nine minutes long, and was one of the #DailyTrip sessions from the @Calm app.

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Anne Stokes Gothic Tarot - Ace of Swords and Halloween AffirmationsThe @GlitterbyInk #OctoberMagic25 Challenge
Mother Prompt for October 10th
: Strength
Daily Mental Health Prompt
: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Today’s draw is the Ace of Swords, which is traditionally a representation of the seed of new beginnings in the area of one’s thoughts, intellect, education, logic and reason, ambition, or communication.

The Ace of Swords has then been combined with one of my personal affirmation cards that says, “You deserve to celebrate your victories rather than immediately moving your goal posts.”

New ideas are amazing, and you have a -lot- of them because you’ve got a massive amount of imagination and creativity.  Because of this, it’s important to remember that new ideas don’t have to be acted on immediately. Sometimes it’s better to let them percolate first.

Write them down so you don’t forget instead of pouncing on them right away, and it will give you more time to truly appreciate your successes and accomplishments, rather than discarding them out of hand for something new and different.

Today’s message is a reminder that when you introduce working on too many new ideas at once, you end up overwhelmed and not enjoying any of them. Better to space them out so you can explore them and enjoy them, than to try and do them all and not enjoy any of it.

DECKS USED:  ANNE STOKES GOTHIC TAROT AND TWIST’S HALLOWEEN AFFIRMATION CARDS

#DiscordTarotholicsOct2025 Challenge
Zombies Prompt for October 10th
: What new opportunities are rising up in at this time?

Tarot Reading with the Halloween WaiteReading Summary: Revisit your past experiences (Six of Cups) as a way to foster greater stability for you and yours (Queen of Pentacles) as you move forward in new endeavors that require returning to the drawing board once again (Page of Swords).

Take Away: There are a lot of reminders lately concerning ensuring that you are referencing back to past experiences.  By doing so you don’t just build your confidence for new things, but help remind yourself of the pit falls and stumbling blocks that can be avoided as you move forward in the present.

There’s a lot of lessons available to you by examining past experiences and digging out the gems of knowledge among the rubble of both your failed efforts and your successes.  Moving forward, take care to use these past experiences in the seizing of new opportunities.

Other elements included in this reading:
Carved Bamboo for Positive Outcomes
Citrine for Energy Lift (easing the weight of heavy energies)
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: HALLOWEEN WAITE

@LightningWildflower October Tarot Challenge
Fire and Air “The Fours” Prompts for October 10th thru 12th

Tarot Reading with the Anne Stokes Gothic Tarot and Memento Mori CardsFour of Wands

How can I create a greater sense of community and connection in my life?

Four of Pentacles and Love Endures – If you share with your community in those times when you need to hunker down in the storm and hold yourself tight or else fall apart, they will be more understanding and more supportive than if you just disappear on them. The key here is to allow others to help support you rather than retreating into yourself and away from them in the process. The first step in that is sharing.

Four of Swords

How can I make more time for peace and stillness?

The Empress and Future Past – Sometimes when you’re considering what you need to feel nurtured, it’s important to look forward to the future and consider how you will feel about how you’re treating yourself now. What will your future self look back on with a sigh and say, “Ahh, I should’ve done that differently” when it comes to your own needs?

What will slowing down now allow me to prepare for later?

Five of Pentacles and We Are Grains of Sand – Slowing down gives yourself a chance to see things from a greater perspective than the feelings of the moment. For example, when scarcity comes to call, you can step back and see the bigger picture, and ascertain whether these feelings of scarcity are actual reality or just an emotional reaction to something going on with you or your environment.

Other elements included in this reading:
Foraged English Oak Leaves for Strength and Stability
Foraged Ponderosa Pine Cone for Resilience and Adaptability
Foraged Deer Rib for Connection through the Veil
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECKS USED: ANNE STOKES GOTHIC TAROT AND RED WHEEL’S MEMENTO MORI

Daily Self Kindness

I had Chinese food.  I’ve been craving it for a while, but it’s become -so- expensive that I’ve been shying away from it for a few months now.

Gideon’s Challenge – The Guardian

The Guardian

A moment
of quiet
in a hectic day
as sore bones
slip
beneath water
and warmth
soaks in
as my friend
watches on
to guard me
from
interruptions

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

Find the Fit

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Super Heroes Parody Mini Tarot and Sinister AffirmationsThe @GlitterbyInk #OctoberMagic25 Challenge
Mother Prompt for October 9th
: Nurture
Daily Mental Health Prompt
: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Today’s draw is the Judgement card, which is traditionally a representation of judgements, one’s inner calling and chosen life path, and looking back on one’s life to consider how they feel about the path they’ve taken and who they have become.

The Judgement card has then been combined with an affirmation card from the Sinister Affirmations deck, which says,”In case no one told you today: Your gaze is as bewildering as it is haunting. You’re like a breath of fresh hellfire” You’d be terrifying to encounter in a dark crypt.”

Be true to you. There’s always going to be people out there that are a perfect fit for you, of you’re open to allowing them into your life. Stop trying to impress those that aren’t a good match, and instead look for the ones that are.

We all want to “belong” and many dream of belonging to “the in crowd”.  The thing is, though? That “in crowd” sucks. To fit in with it you have to fake being what you’re not, and once you’re in it becomes a miserable experience of always doubting yourself and worrying that you might be ousted.

Better to find those people that fit you, and in fitting? That anxiety isn’t such a worry, and the stress of being something your not isn’t a worry either.

The message in today’s cards is a reminder that as cliche as it sounds?  Being yourself really -is- the best choice when making friends. Stop looking for who you think you -should- fit in with, and instead look for those that you actually -do- fit in with.

DECK USED:  SUPER HEROES PARODY MINI TAROT AND SINISTER AFFIRMATIONS

@thetruthinstory #embracethemagical2025 Challenge
Prompt for Veil (unseen)
: What is hidden, blurred, or waiting just beyond sight?

Oracle Reading with the Arcanaless ApocryhaReading Summary: Imposter syndrome and self-doubt are a thing (Imposter Syndrome), even for you. And, although it’s not present 24/7, it does come to visit you under the right conditions (The Nightside Tree).

When it does, you need to focus on grounding yourself in your learned knowledge and experiences (The Roots of Experience), and accept that these moments of self-doubt are not reality, just a temporarily altered perception of the moment at hand (Altered State).

Take Away: Everyone feels awkward in moments of uncertainty. This isn’t something you experience alone, and when you ground yourself in your past experiences and the knowledge you’ve gained from them, it can help you in keeping that uncertainty at bay.  The solution is in drawing on your past experience, and that solution works whether it’s a moment of uncertainty, or feeling as if you aren’t knowledgeable enough.

Other elements included in this reading:
Deodar Cedar Ceramic Impression for Clarity and Spiritual Connection
Onyx Stone Fox for Identifying and Connecting to Truth
Black Tourmaline for Grounding and Protection
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: ARCANALESS APOCRYPHA

#DiscordTarotholicsOct2025 Challenge
Witch Prompt for October 9th
: How can you seize control over your path at this time?

Tarot Reading with the Super Heroes Parody Mini Tarot and Golden Age of Horror Comics OracleReading Summary: Deity work is not the answer at this time (The Offering and Stupid God). Focus instead on your mediumship (A Cold Spot).

Take Away: You do a bit of deity work with the Minoan goddess Amalthea from time to time, and you’ve been looking at ways on deepening that connection.  Now is not the time, though, to move in that direction.

While the veil is thin at this time of year, now is the time to work on  your mediumship. Connect with the dead and allow your abilities to grow organically while they are being naturally influenced by the shifting veil and those reaching through it.

Other elements included in this reading:
Foraged Purple Heather Sprigs for Independence and Luck
Orange Flowers on Bamboo for Positive Outcomes via Enthusiasm and Creativity
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: SUPER HEROES PARODY MINI TAROT AND GOLDEN AGE OF HORROR COMICS ORACLE

Daily Self Kindness

This post is a catch-up post, and I can’t remember what my self-kindness might have been for this day.

Gideon’s Challenge – The Blue Hour

Evening CloudsThe Blue Hour

Darkness
falls
in hues
of blue
as hills
cast shadows
upon
shadows cast
by clouds
and birds
find their nests
for sleep

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

Keep Trying

Today’s meditation was nine minutes long, and was one of the #DailyCalm sessions from the @Calm app.

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Tarot of the Unexplained and Halloween AffirmationsThe @GlitterbyInk #OctoberMagic25 Challenge
Mother Prompt for October 8th
: Grace
Daily Mental Health Prompt
: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Today’s draw is the Five of Pentacles (Saucers), which is a representation of tests, trials, struggles, and setbacks in the area of one’s finances, resources, health, home, work, or manifestations. This often translates into themes that have to do with scarcity and times in life when one needs to seek out help from others instead of suffering through alone.

The Five of Pentacles has then been combined with a Halloween Affirmation card that says”I am strong like a spider’s web.”

The guidebook for this deck speaks of the farmer in the imagery that stands in an empty field with massive saucers overhead; all of the cattle, his entire livelihood and sole sense of income, gone. Joined with the affirmation pulled today, the message in today’s cards is about perseverance.

Bad shit happens. It’s a part of life, and something we all have to go through.  Today’s message is a reminder that we have the inner strength to make it through, as long as we choose to not give up when things become a struggle or it feels like we’re about to break to pieces.  We will persevere.  We will survive.  Life will change, but we’ll still be there as long as we keep trying.   So keep trying.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE UNEXPLAINED

@thetruthinstory #embracethemagical2025 Challenge
Prompt for Whisper (message)
: What is whispering on the wind that I need to lean close to hear?

Tarot Reading with the Incubus TarotReading Summary: Remember when you feel like everything is falling apart (Ten of Pentacles) and you begin to lean into your addictive tendencies and bad habit temptations (The Devil), that keeping your eye on the goal that’s important. That means instead of leaning into destructive tendencies, you need to encourage within yourself feelings of empowerment (The Magician atop Queen of Wands).

Take Away: You are not your addictions. Breaking free from their grip involves empowerment that is fostered by encouraging your passions. That means that when you are feeling vulnerable, you need to seek out those things you enjoy that are healthy, and discarding those that are rooted in your more addictive tendencies.

Other elements included in this reading:
Dried Rosebuds for Potential and Beauty Waiting to Unfold
Clam Shell Shard for Protection and Grounding
Gray Agate for Instilling Gentleness, Calm, and Stability

Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED:  INCUBUS TAROT

@LightningWildflower October Tarot Challenge
Air and FIre “The Threes” Prompts for October 7th thru 9th

Tarot Reading with the Tarot of the Unexplained and The Graveyard TarotThree of Wands

When I look ahead at my potential future, what do I want to see?

Two of Swords (Ghosts) and Don’t Be Afraid To Fly – You want to see that you have made good choices that foster autonomy and a sense of freedom in your life.

What will help me move forward with greater confidence?

Nine of Cups (Portals) and Sometimes the Dark Is Safer – Find your happy place. When you find your happy place and allow yourself to enjoy it, everything else in life seems a bit brighter, lighter, and better.

Three of Swords

What have I learned from painful experiences in my past?

Seven of Pentacles (Saucers) and Oops – No matter how much you want something, if it’s not meant to be, it’s not meant to be. Take care that you’re not trading in your happiness for more and more hard work.

The goal shouldn’t be prioritized over one’s present happiness, because in doing so you lose far more than you gain.

Other elements included in this reading:
Dried Rhododendron Leaf for Fostering Confidence
Dried Cedar Bundle for Protection from Negative Influences
Gneiss Stone for Patience in Moments of Discomfort
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: TAROT OF THE UNEXPLAINED AND THE GRAVEYARD ORACLE

Daily Self Kindness

This post is a catch-up post, and I can’t remember what my self-kindness might have been for this day.