The Fade
Fading green
new bruises show
life drains out
to leave me low.
The drop
it flirts with
every breath
leaves me feeling
trampled,
soul crumpled…
joy’s death.
Weekly Creativity Prompt – The Prophet
Pull (at least) three cards use them to tell a story about a hayride or a visit to a pumpkin patch.
There was once a young boy that was high strung and seemed to constantly be afraid of everything (The Moon). Because of this, he was picked on by everyone in town (Judgement).
Even with all the teasing and mockery, the boy was not dissuaded in the least from returning to the towns people, his teachers, and even the police, with wild stories about the town going to waste and world destruction (The Tower).
One autumn, the towns people had had enough and decided to take things into their own hands (The Magician). They plotted together to come up with a plan to change the boy’s ways and make him stop (Death) with all the horrible tales of death and destruction.
For Halloween, they created a haunted pumpkin field and tricked him into visiting late one night (The Fool) with the intent of teaching the boy him a lesson (The Hierophant). They they tempted him into the pumpkin patch with promises of listening ears (The Devil) and caught him in a trap and strung him up (The Hanged Man), forcing him to stay the night in the haunted pumpkin patch with all the scary decorations and frightening noises.
It was a horrible, terrifying experience for the boy and when he was released, he ran home to tell his mother of what he’d experienced (The Empress).
His mother was enraged by what she heard, and she plotted her revenge. On Halloween night, she showed her true colors (The High Priestess) and revealed herself as a witch.
She cast a curse upon the town (The Chariot), seizing control of the fate of each and every person that tortured her son, and sentenced each of them to a lifetime of night terrors (Justice). And as the people of the town became more and more sleep deprived, the prophesy that her son had tried so hard to warn the towns people about came to fruition. The town truly began to waste away as some trying to outrun the curse and others passing away… until none remained.
DECK USED: HALLOWEEN TAROT MAJORS ONLY DECK
The Power of Manifestation
At the moment, I’m playing catch up after having not kept up on my blog posts for a few days, so I don’t remember what the meditation was like today… or if I did it, to be honest. I will return to updating about my meditation each day once I’m caught up with my posts again.
Today’s draw is the Eight of Pentacles, which is traditionally a representation of harmony and expertise built over time through hard work and the honing of one’s skills. It’s about manifestation through these skills, and work with one’s hands to create one’s masterpiece.
What really stands out to me in the imagery of this card today is the pentacles themselves and their positioning within the air above where the woman kneels in her circle. She has honed her skills of manifestation and is in the middle of doing a boon spell. She has worked on this craft, done all of the physical labor, and with the skills she has honed she has become strong enough to manifest abundance in a very physical way.
Today’s card is a reminder of what I can do… of the fact I have this ability. Not to create coins out of mid-air, but rather to take an idea and make it into a reality. To spin an idea into physical reality is a skill of creativity and creation, and a blessing to cherish and enjoy instead of simply exploit.
DECK USED: TAROT OF HAUNTED HOUSE
LionHart’s #TheOctoberTarot #SeasonOfTheWitchChallenge Prompt
Question: What should I keep in my mind when working with the other side?
Reading Summary: Stay grounded (Four of Pentacles) and don’t linger (The Chariot) or things can start to fall apart fast (The Tower).
Take Away: This is an echo of the reading I did yesterday that was a very similar question. It’s a warning that when I am working with the other side I need to be in a grounded place of control. In order to avoid chaos and disaster, it’s important to make sure I’m in the right place to be working with the other side, and able to get “in and out” quickly and smoothly while maintaining control.
DECK USED: GHOSTS & SPIRITS TAROT
#DiscordTarotholicsOct2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: What echos from the past are trying to resurface for me right now?
Reading Summary: Dad (The Devil and Six of Potions) trying to come back and tell me (Six of Candles under Six of Potions) what living my life should look like (Ten of Pentacles).
Take Away: This is the “cheer up and be a man” message that my father always had ready and waiting for me. “A man” being a provider and the strong foundation of a fruitful family. My father loves to try and rise up at this time of year and bring with him his whispers from the past, although I am grateful that these aren’t the worst whispers he’s ever shouted at me back when he was alive.
Still, with the fact that I feel like I’m lacking motivation this year, I really don’t feel like his input is productive, but more of a thorn in my already sore side.
DECK USED: NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS TAROT
#MysticStarChallenge October Challenge Prompt
Question: How do I embrace my message?
Reading Summary: Look at all the blue in these cards. It spreads through the entire reading, and is only missing from the second card where pink shades tie in that card to the rest instead. Pink is independence. Blue is calm and poise.
Card 1 – Hiding behind one’s independence in an effort to seize control and use it to create a solitary graceful strength away from the fear of other’s judgements.
Card 2 – Here is the solitary graceful strength. Independence without censure.
Card 3 – Insidious whispers from outside sources. Sitting atop one’s independence and begin resentful of those whispers, which creates negative feelings.
Card 4 – Very little independence. That resentment from Card 3 has stolen the ability to fight back and the independence you seek.
Card 5 – Trying to seize control of a situation involving conflict. This situation feels out of control as you try to reign back in the independence lost.
Card 6 – Wearing your independence once more and at rest and ease now that it is once again back in your possession.
Take Away: The cards here indicate that to embrace this message of support I need to set myself free (second card) of the fear and worries (first card) of insidious whispers and influences (third card) sneaking up and taking me by surprise ambush (fourth card).
Whether I am calm and collected (last card), or fully aware and trying to seize control (fifth card)… what is coming is inevitable (water represented in both cards) and it is best to try and move forward into it with calm and poise (all the blue throughout the spread).
DECK USED: NICOLETTA CICCOLI TAROT
#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: What do past lives mean to me?
Reading Summary: You build up the physical within your life (King of Pentacles) which is then stolen away (Seven of Swords) as you are set free to join lost loved ones (Three of Cups) and the soul then can start again with prior knowledge it has earned (Knave of Wands).
Take Away: This is about reincarnation. It’s about how during our lives on earth, we have a habit of focusing too much on the physical. Then when the physical is yanked away, we are left with a clear understanding of what’s left behind and what we’ve learned. This knowledge is not conscious, but resides in the soul and is then carried forward into a new cycle.
DECK USED: LUIS ROYO’S DARK TAROT
Gideon’s Challenge
Helping Out
The little snot
she likes to play
she hangs out with me
every day
even when
I try to work
she’s right there
to help
to meddle
or lurk.
My little mischief maker.
Photo © ZenStatePhotography
Morning Bonus Read – Dark Year Spread
What is dying away, sloughing off, departing?
Five of Wands
My enthusiasm for the fight. I haven’t had that spark of fire this season that usually rides me so hard. That lack of enthusiasm makes it hard to push forward and has caused a slackening of motivation.
How can I lovingly support this transition?
Six of Cups atop Seven of Wands
These cards are not about supporting the transition. They’re about supporting myself through a time of discomfort and reminding myself that I need to stay in the present and not allow the past and my past experiences to force me into unpleasant situations. A lot of my motivation comes from those past experiences, and so this is also about acceptance.
What will this death make way for? What’s looking to be born or reborn?
Six of Pentacles
I really dislike this feeling of lack of motivation, but what this death is trying to make room for is a the ability to be more generous with myself and others. This is about having the awareness of where I am, what I need from others, and what I can offer in turn. Thus, putting me more in touch with what’s going on around me instead of within my own life from only my own perspective.
DECK USED: THE VAMPIRE TAROT
Take Care of Yourself
Today’s meditation was skipped, unfortunately, because I got a bit of a late start after the farm. Or rather, I ended up staying a bit longer at the farm this morning than planned, and it screwed the rest of my morning schedule. I did manage to still get my flu shot tho, and made it to my Aunt’s only about an hour late, so it wasn’t an entire wash.
Today’s draw is the Ten of Wands, which is traditionally interpreted as running into overwhelm or burnout in the pursuit of your passion projects and other endeavors. It is about taking on too much responsibility, about having too much on your plate, and about feeling over-burdened.
This is a very apt card for today, as today’s major project for today was about going over to my aunt’s new apartment in the city and helping to move all of her belongings out of the moving container (you know, like one of those big metal shipping containers) and into her apartment. This also ended up including the assembly of a couple pieces of furniture that she needed help putting together, and helping her get a few of the essential boxes unpacked.
The sharp tips on the ends of the wands in this imagery are especially apropos, as I feel that the message in this card today is about making sure that I don’t over do it to the point that I end up hurting myself (sharp pointed spears) in the process.
Today’s card was a perfectly timed reminder to make sure I would take care of myself today.
DECK USED: MADAM LYDIA WILHELMINA’S TAROT
LionHart’s #TheOctoberTarot #SeasonOfTheWitchChallenge Prompt
Question: How can I best work with the thinning veil this year?
Reading Summary: Take a position of strength (Queen of Staves) and gratitude (Nine of Cups), of grounded fulfillment (Ten of Pentacles) about having made good choices that got you to where you’re at (The Lovers)…. only then can you work with others on the other side of the veil safely (Three of Coins).
Take Away: This is about making sure that I am “well seated” both emotionally and in the physical word and confident in where I’m at prior to reaching out to work with the other side. It’s about more than just being grounded, but about being in a place of strength, confidence, and power.
DECK USED: GOTHIC HORROR TAROT
#DiscordTarotholicsOct2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: Energy I’m emitting / What that energy is attracting / What to do about it
Energy I’m Emitting – The Hanged Man – Open and observant. Quiet and willing to take my time when needed to understand things from different angles. Non-biased and able to take in different viewpoints without losing perspective.
What That Energy Is Attracting – Ten of Fish – People are drawn to this as it feels safe and soothing. It makes me approachable even when perhaps I’m not as skilled as I’d like to be in communication and other interpersonal aspects.
What To Do About It – King of Chaos – Do nothing. The repercussions would suck for yourself and for others. Chaos is just not comfortable or something you really want too much of in your life.
DECK USED: GRIM TAROCK
#MysticStarChallenge October Challenge Prompt
Question: What message do my other Guides need to tell me?
Reading Summary: My spirit guides say that they see that I’m moving forward in my business (Page of Wands) and that I’m not just capable (The Magician) but also highly skilled (Eight of Pentacles).
Take Away: They are all on my side and being my cheer-leading team, letting me know that I’ve got this. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed, but they are reminding me that I’m strong and capable and in my element and if I just go with it, everything will be fine.
DECK USED: TRICK OR TAROT
#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: What does shadow/darkness mean to me?
Reading Summary: The influence that creates bad choices (Lovers Rx), the self recriminations and inner dialogue that drags me under into depression and retreat (The Hermit Rx), and the emotional mess that spills out to damage my ability to relate to others (Queen of Cups Rx).
Take Away: Shadows and darkness are, in my perspective, the influences and decisions that create a situation of isolation and depression.
