The Blue Hour
Darkness
falls
in hues
of blue
as hills
cast shadows
upon
shadows cast
by clouds
and birds
find their nests
for sleep
Keep Trying
Today’s meditation was nine minutes long, and was one of the #DailyCalm sessions from the @Calm app.
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The @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?
Reading 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
Three 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
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 – Rosehip Season
Rosehip Season
It always
surprises me
how many
don’t realize
that rosehips
come from roses
as petals
fall away
and the fruit
left behind
swells large
to be harvested
for tea
Photo © ZenStatePhotography
Goals, Plans, and Strategy
Today’s meditation was a self directed ten minute long session based upon the results of a “what kind of tarot reader are you” quiz that I took last night. The results of that quiz said, “The Conduit: You are a channel. Readings move through you, sometimes before you even realize what’s happening. Your practice is intuitive, creative, and bold. You may speak messages aloud or move while you read. Your fire draws people in and helps them ignite something within themselves. ‘The message moves through me’.”
• • • ◈ • 🎃 • ◈ • • •
The @GlitterbyInk #OctoberMagic25 Challenge
Mother Prompt for October 7th : Choice
Daily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.
Today’s draw is the King of Swords, which is traditionally a representation of a projective “alpha” energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s thoughts, intellect, education, ambitions, and communication. This often translates into themes that have to do with someone that has a way with words and is able to use those skills to lead others to their way of thinking, as well as those that are in authority on intellectual topics such as professors, doctors, etc.
The King of Swords has then been combined with the one of @crowtarotmjcullinane‘s Crow Affirmations that says, “Creativity: I create solutions.” On the back it says, “I love my creativity as a key tool in problem-solving, finding innovative solutions that transform challenges into opportunities for growth.”
Strategy is an important factor in reaching one goals and aspirations. Note that I said goals and aspirations, not life as a whole. Yes, you can go through life carefree and strategy free, if you want to be goal free. But, if you want to have goals, strategy is important.
The message in today’s cards encourages us to examine our goals and aspirations, and take a good look at our strategy for getting there. Are you just “winging it” and hoping it goes well? Or do you have some sort of plan involved? How is that working out for you? It’s time to decide if more strategizing is needed, or if you’ve done enough and need to ease up on the reins a bit.
DECK USED: DREAMING EYE TAROT AND CROW AFFIRMATIONS
@thetruthinstory #embracethemagical2025 Challenge
Prompt for Threshold (crossing) : What doorway am I standing in front of and what is on the other side?
Reading Summary: At this time, continuing to seek out further growth in your divination (Achiever and Divination) will involve moving deeper and deeper into mediumship (Medium). There is no need for concern, though, as you are protected on both sides of the threshold (Love).
Take Away: Your natural inclination toward mediumship combined with the fact that the veil is thinning means that your growth and development in your divination is currently like water channeled down from mountain to sea. All roads lead the same way.
This is not something to shy away from, but rather to acknowledge this is the threshold you currently stand at, with the living on one side and the dead on the other, and make choices in your practice accordingly.
Other elements included in this reading:
Pressed Yew Tips for Ancestral Connections
Foraged Silver Maple Key for Bouncing Back to Thrive
Foraged Red Oak Leaf for Fostering Unconditional Love
Septarian Stone for Physical and Mental Healing
Gneiss Stone for Patience in Moments of Discomfort
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy
DECK USED: ANCESTRAL MAGICK DIVINATION KIT WITH EXPANSIONS
#DiscordTarotholicsOct2025 Challenge
Coffin Prompt for October 7th : Where in life can you find room for restful recuperation?
Reading Summary: When you’re feeling a sense of discontent (Five of Cups) and powerlessness (The Magician Rx), don’t let uncertainty (The Moon) cause you to stray into anxiety and restlessness (eye looking out in the Four of Wands Rx).
This is the time to seek out rest and recuperation, not in the form of sleep and hiding away at home, but in healthy activity (Four of Wands Rx).
Take Away: I can’t help but note that these cards are describing in precise detail exactly how I’ve been feeling through the month of September, and precisely what I didn’t do enough of during that time.
That is to say, when you are feeling overwhelmed and out of control, get your ass out in nature and spend some time there grounding, centering, and giving yourself the connection with the earth you need to find your balance.
Other elements included in this reading:
Dried Red Maple Leaf for Adaptability and Connection
Labradorite for a Focus on Mental and Emotional Healing
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy
DECK USED: DREAMING EYE TAROT
I got to have some dragon play time with Gid today.
Gideon’s Challenge – Harvesting Time
Harvesting Time
Harvest come
and harvests go
and the clouds
roll in
to promise us
rain
as the reaping
of fields
continues
acre by acre
until soon
all will be barren
except the sky
Photo © ZenStatePhotography
Surprises in People
Today’s meditation was skipped.
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The @GlitterbyInk #OctoberMagic25 Challenge
Maiden Prompt for October 6th : Path
Daily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.
Today’s draw is the Two of Swords, which is traditionally a representation of crossroads, difficult decisions, needing more information, seeking inward for answers, weighing one’s options, and sometimes avoidance.
The Two of Swords has then been combined with an affirmation card from the Sinister Affirmations deck, which says,”Find someone who looks at you the way of freshly turned she-wolf looks at the ominous glow of a harvest moon.”
In my life, this someone is Gideon… and he doesn’t get half as much credit for how I’ve turned out and the person I am today as he should.
The thing is, when we first met I was a bit of a fuck boy. I didn’t want a relationship or anything committed. I was happy that way, and not looking for more than to get laid whenever I wanted to get laid.
When Gideon came along, he knew that I was the one for him. I, on the other hand, was absolutely positive that I did not want to be in a relationship. It took a lot of convincing on his part, and a lot of struggle on mine, just to get me to allow our relationship to move beyond casual.
Nearly 17 years later, we’re still together. Not only that, but we’re still happy together. I count this is one of the greatest decisions I have ever made in my life… The decision to be in a committed, serious relationship with Gideon.
If you have this kind of connection in your life, the message in this cards today is a reminder to look into the past and see how this relationship started, the decisions that were made, and appreciate the work it took to get to where you are; as well as the uncertainty and the struggles along the way.
If you don’t have someone like this in your life at the moment, these cards encourage you to keep your mind open to possibilities. Don’t write people off out of hand just because of your own perceptions of them, or your own personal wish list of “standards”. Sometimes people surprise you when you least expect it.
DECKS USED: INKROMANCY 6 MONSTERS & MYTHS TAROT AND SINISTER AFFIRMATIONS
#DiscordTarotholicsOct2025 Challenge
Prompt for October 6th : What do you need to focus on for self-care for this month’s full moon?
Reading Summary: It’s very possible that you’re not gonna be entirely happy (crying woman on the Ace of Cups) with some of the decisions that you’ve made (Two of Swords). Remember that “shit happens”, and that no matter how disappointing this moment may be, it could always be worse (Three of Swords atop Ten of Swords).
Take Away: Experimentation comes with failure now and then. It’s a part of the process and helps you to learn. This means that sometimes disappointments happen and you just have to deal with them and be grateful for what you receive from the experience; whether that be knowledge, success, failure, experience, or a combination of the above. Make sure that you are practicing gratitude exercises during times of struggle and failure, so that you don’t let yourself fall into an emotional pit of despair.
Other elements included in this reading:
Bind Rune on Cedar for a Protected Home
Dried Cedar Bundle for Protection from Negative Influences
Deodar Cedar Ceramic Impression for Clarity and Spiritual Connection
Picture Jasper for Sense of Proportion and Grounding
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy
DECK USED: SHADOW OF AEONS TAROT
@LightningWildflower October Tarot Challenge
Fire and Air “The Twos” Prompts for October 4th thru 6th
Two of Wands
What plans do I want to make for the future?
Six of Swords and Fearless Adventurer – Changing the narrative to move on to something better takes bravery and courage. It’s not for the faint of heart.
After the catastrophe of September, you want to make decisions that will move you in a direction less likely to fall apart at the whim of others… but in order to do so, you need to take on an attitude of adventure, and understand that this change is to move you into a better place no matter how hard or scary it might be. Look more closely at options, do your homework, and then act instead of hesitating.
Two of Swords
What is a difficult decision I’m currently facing?
Six of Pentacles and Calming – You struggle to find harmony between the workaholic that you have always been and the quiet rest that you need as as you get older. Your body just can’t continue to handle the type of abuse you’ve been doling out on it all of your life so far.
Being generous with yourself has always been a difficult endeavor, and at this time of transition, it’s important to remember to make choices that create opportunities for generosity towards yourself. Each time these choices come up, you have a tendency to want to lean toward ambition and motivation, when you need to instead remember to be looking at ways to balance that with quiet and calm.
How can I determine the best course of action moving forward?
Four of Wands and Spring Beginnings – Lean in to incorporating times of calm and harmony into the cycles your life is built upon. Sometimes creating new cycles is disruptive to the rhythm, and that’s not what you’re looking for here. Instead, you need to seek adjustments that allow you to feel more relaxed and at home in your environment.
As you move through this time of transition ensure that you instill these moments of harmony and quiet into your habits and cycles so that they become a part of the whole instead of outliers.
Other elements included in this reading:
Foraged Red Oak Leaf for Fostering Unconditional Love
Dried Rhododendron Leaves for Fostering Confidence
Mandala Disk Charged for Serenity and Balance
Gneiss Stone for Patience in Moments of Discomfort
Desert Rose for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy
DECKS USED: INKROMANCY 6 MONSTERS & MYTHS TAROT AND KITCHEN WITCH ORACLE
This post is a catch-up post, and I can’t remember what my self-kindness might have been for this day.
Twisting the Leaf 