Gideon’s Challenge

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Faerie House in the MossGifts…

Little trinkets
sparkly things
lots of sugar
and shiny bits.
Honey cakes
and mossy spots
just don’t leave
the lemon drops.

Although they are not incorporated into my spellcraft or a part of my ritual, the Fae are a part of my path and the liminal spaces of the forest a place where I connect most strongly with those energies. That said, I often have Fae energy at home as well, and I leave gifts and offerings for them all of the time, providing them with trinkets and bauble traps to play with and sweets to taste.

I set boundaries and respect theirs in turn. I treat them as friends and equals, brothers and sisters, and cherish their presence and influences.  Because of this, I’ve never had a problem with them… well, other than a bit of tug of war concerning boundaries now and then.   The Fae are a gift, my relationship with them a treasure. It seems only right I should offer them gifts in turn.

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

 

Weekly Creativity Prompt – The Playlist

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This is a repeat exercise from back in March!

Have you ever listened to a song and suddenly realized “This song is such a Tower song!”? This week’s activity is based off the love of music and how we associate music with the world around us.

Activity: Randomly draw five cards from your deck. For each card pick (or find) a song that you feel fits that card perfectly.

Bianco Nero Tarot

Nine of Swords – X Amount of Words by Blue October
https://youtu.be/X_jY7wILH-E

Four of Cups – Only Happy When It Rains by Garbage
https://youtu.be/GpBFOJ3R0M4

Two of Cups Rx – We Don’t Talk Together by Heize
https://youtu.be/ByHNlfmmT-w

Wheel of Fortune – Everything Falls Apart by Dog’s Eye View
https://youtu.be/Maz6jFdvn2Q

Knight of Cups Rx – That XX by G Dragon
https://youtu.be/j57IzkTFnT8

Gratitude For the Present

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and ended in me dozing off towards the end of the process.  I’d made it through my piriformis stretches, though, so I know I managed to be in the meditation for at least ten minutes.   Unfortunately, because I dozed, I was nearly late for work!  Which kind of fizzled my zen that I’d managed to achieve during the meditation and nap.

Herbal Tarot - Ten of Cups - MarijuanaToday’s draw is the Ten of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of finding a level of fulfillment or completion in the areas of one’s emotions, relationships, and intuition.

What stands out to me the strongest in this card today is the beautiful green scenery in the background, as well as the tall stretch of the Cannabis plant looking much like an overhang of palm trees over the scenery.

I’m pretty sure I don’t need to go into the medical or spiritual uses and symbolism of Marijuana.  If anything, it’s probably the most well known plant in this entire deck. So I’ll move on to the message that today’s card is trying to portray to me through its imagery.

What I see here is a carry over from some of the readings in yesterday’s cards.  That is to say, that I need to take some time to be grateful for everything that I have and all of the emotional fulfillment currently in my life.

There’s always room for more, but sometimes you have to just pause for a bit and live in the moment.

DECK USED:  HERBAL TAROT

#TarotForGrowthJune Challenge Prompt
Question: What is my relationship with victimhood?

Grimalkin Tarot

Reading Summary: I move from this quickly by taking control and steering myself into (The Chariot) making the choices that need to be made (Seven of Cups) and using the tools that I have at my disposal (The Magician) to find my way to a better place where I connect with others rather than retreating into myself (Unity).

Take Away:  The cards here indicate that I do not connect well with the “victimhood” mentality but rather move immediately to bypass it and move into the healing process.  There’s no wallowing and no hesitation involved.  Just “how can I move forward” and overcome, and am not shy in reaching out to loved ones to help me accomplish that.

DECK USED:  GRIMALKINTAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsJun2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: How can I begin to resolve this pattern of neglect?

Everyday Witch TarotReading Summary: Dive into it as you would anything that you choose to put your passionate drive towards (Knight of Wands). Brainstorm on new ideas (Ace of Swords) and new methods of doing things (Ace of Pentacles).

Take Away: The pattern of neglect that is being referred to here is my slacking off on my self care practices. The cards here indicate that if I want to resolve this I need to actually focus upon the practices and use my intellect and ingenuity to rekindle my passion for these activities. The reading here actually picks out the core root of the issue that has caused me to slack off in the first place, which is that lack of spark.

To resolve this issue of lack of spark, I need to consider new ways to look at and approach my self care so that I can foster return of enthusiasm in this area that had begun to wane recently.

DECK USED:  EVERYDAY WITCH TAROT

#TheJuneTarot Challenge by Lionhart
Question: Close your eyes, take a deep breath and draw a card. Share what it says to you.

Sawyer's Path TarotReading Summary: Procrastination is not your friend. All of that chaotic water indicates you should have your eyes open and be paying attention instead of screwing around.  The reminder to meditate is also present in the Lotus flower on the cup in the corner.  With all the chaos that can swirl around you on a daily basis, you need that calm that the meditation can bring.

Take Away: Stop procrastinating on your meditation practice and start taking it seriously again.  Going through the motions and skipping when you don’t feel like it isn’t going to help you in taming that chaotic splashing going on in your heart and soul.

DECK USED:  SAWYER’S PATH TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: What brings me joy?

Tarot of Passing Showers

Knight of Pentacles: Slow and steady progress towards a stable future. Stability is something I crave and feel a great deal of need for. When things feel stable, I have a huge sense of relief and feel a sense of freedom as my worries ease.  Being able to make progress towards the goals of prolonged and sustained stability makes me very, very happy.

Queen of Wands: Embracing my creativity and directing it towards my passions. I have a great deal of creative spark at my disposal and a huge amount of curiosity that allows me to fire off that creative spark again and again towards new ideas and different pursuits.  These pursuits… not just the doing of them but the process of learning and perfecting the skills involved… is a great joy to me.  As is sharing these pursuits with others when the opportunity presents itself.

The Sun:  Okay, so I’m not particularly talented at the optimism thing, and I usually have to actually work at it to accomplish it… but it’s still nice when it happens organically now and then and takes me by surprise.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF PASSING SHOWERS

Gideon’s Challenge

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Rainforest Fern PlantsActs of Service…

Support
comes in many forms
from the philanthropy
of the rich
to the young boy
offering a hand up
to a stranger.
It isn’t in what
you contribute
that matters…
only that you do
with a
generous heart.

I feel like I run into a lot of people that feel that because they can’t afford to contribute money or resources to a cause, they think anything they contribute is worthless.  It always bothers me when I run across this mentality, because in my opinion?  Every little thing you do with a generous heart is a contribution.  Whether it’s to a cause or just because you feel the need to lend a hand, it all counts.  It’s all important.  And every single little contribution spurred by a generous heart lifts us all up a little higher than we were before, whether you see the results of it personally or not.

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

Reassess and Reapproach

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and was relaxing despite the fact that it was an order day and I had a lot of crap to get done. I think that I just needed a break and the meditation gave me some time away from thinking about everything I had to get done so that I could relax and breathe. Usually, having a lot to do creates an opposite effect, so this was a nice change.

Herbal Tarot - The Tower - GarlicToday’s draw is the Tower card, which is traditionally interpreted as having to do with sudden change and the chaos that ensues when sudden change takes place. Unlike the Death card, where the change is gradual and organic, in the Tower card the change comes on suddenly and without warning, often with destructive force.

What stands out the strongest to me this card today is the red sky and the flames. It speaks to me of the type of chaos that is hard to recover from.  The type of chaos and destruction that feels like the end of the world.

Combined with the Garlic in this card, which is a representation of ostracization and time spent away from others to reconsider… and restructure.

It’s in the combination of these themes that I find the message in today’s card.  Sometimes when I am trying to restructure and rebuild (as I am now) it can feel like nothing is going right and everything is fucked up.  In these times, it can be a good idea to step away… take a breath… and reassess.   Consider the situation, and consider coming at it from a different angle.   The message here is about that different angle and is an encouragement to reassess.

DECK USED:  HERBAL TAROT

#TarotForGrowthJune Challenge Prompt
Question: Where am I being invited to recognize the beauty in myself, my life, and the world?

Tattoo Tarot Ink & Intuition

Beauty in Myself – The Hermit signifies that it’s time to respect that you need alone time now that you’re able to get it again and how healthy that alone time is for you. This message came through on the Tarotholics spread that I did as well, and there is a reminder here that I need to make sure I’m getting the alone time I need as a part of taking care of myself and my well being.

Beauty in My Life – The Eight of Wands indicates that it’s important to recognize that my purpose will go on and continue, even if I’m not pushing things forward every step of the way. This perpetual motion is natural and creates space for other pursuits and interests.  There is beauty in this.  In the ability to “coast” between pushes and allow other interests and passions room to flourish in those times in between.

Beauty in the World – The mystery of the High Priestess speaks of the fact that in order to see beauty in the world you need to see with your intuition, and not your logic. The beauty is there but it’s not in your face… it’s beneath the surface and requires reading between the lines.

DECK USED:  TATTOO TAROT INK & INTUITION

#DiscordTarotholicsJun2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: As an adult, where am I neglecting myself at this time?

Trippin' Waite TarotReading Summary: Meditation (Eight of Cups). And moving forward (Three of Wands) with the nurturing and self-care (Queen of Pentacles).

Take Away:  Right.  So… I’ve been slacking on the self care a bit lately.   Not just the meditation, although the cards call me out on that specifically here.   But also on some of the self care things that I normally do like the weekly soaks in the bath for example and the extra stretching that comes along with the meditation that I’ve not been keeping up on. I’ve also been slacking a bit on my daily devotional. All in all, these are things I need to pick back up on and do rather than think about and then “meh” out of again and again.

DECK USED:  TRIPPIN’ WAITE TAROT

#TheJuneTarot Challenge by Lionhart
Question: Where would I benefit from taking more time?

Golden Girls Tarot

Reading Summary: It’s time to slow down on your ambition and drive (Knight of Wands), and spend some more time focusing on being nurturing to yourself (The Empress) and enjoying what you have (Nine of Pentacles). Have some faith that you have everything in hand (The Chariot) and can afford the break (Nine of Pentacles on top).

Take Away: This wasn’t really a surprising result for this reading as this has been pretty much the theme of my personal readings for the past week or so.  The constant reminders are actually a good thing, as they help to keep me on track.   As is the reassurance that now is the time of year when I can afford a break and that everything is well in hand.

DECK USED:  GOLDEN GIRLS TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: How can I better connect with my family?

The Crystal Tarot

Reading Summary: Be supportive (Ten of Pentacles) and make the choice (Two of Swords) to see the good and wallow in it (Nine of Cups). Don’t let harsh words or irritation steal away that pleasure (Seven of Swords).

Take Away:  The choice to enjoy and wallow is signified by the Two of Swords in this reading because that choice is extremely difficult for me.  Even when the choice is made, actually following through is still very much a struggle for me when it comes to letting to and just enjoying.  (Wallow, btw, comes from the over-spill of liquid from all the cups.)

The cards here indicate that I need to appreciate the good and practice gratitude, be supportive with my family, and not allow their negativity and negative (sometimes painful) qualities to pollute the good I find.

DECK USED:  THE CRYSTAL TAROT

Tarotholics June 21st Challenge Spread

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Fanuna's Tarot

So!  I kinda sort a did the wrong Taraholics Challenge spread yesterday.   I thought I’d rectify that by doing it separately today.  This is Spread #3 of the #TarotholicsDiscordJun2020 Challenge.

1. What in my past is it time to let go of this summer?

Six of Pentacles – One of the biggest reasons that I struggle with asking others for help is because I was taught that such help is considered charity and you become indebted to the one that is providing help. The Six of Pentacles in this position is telling me that that is not how it works, even if it feels like it should.  This belief is ingrained not through reason or observation, but was taught to me at a young age and has stuck with me all this time.  Perhaps it is time to start seeking a different perspective in this matter.

2. What have I carried over from winter I need to weed out?

Three of Cups Rx – Now that you have the opportunity to get out and enjoy some alone time, it’s time to do it.  You need that time for your self care and to help you in feeling balanced and grounded.  Restrictions have lifted enough to allow that to happen and the girls are safe being left home alone while you go off and have a bit of time on your own.

3. Where do I need to focus my energy thru the summer months?

Page of Swords – Finding a different way to communicate with yourself.  Preparation for when you need to charge ahead into your responsibilities is fine, but take your time at it and give yourself time to learn and grow.

4. What opportunity will arise to fill the space I’ve weeded?

Seven of Pentacles – Some of the readings lately have spoke about the patience needed to follow the path of my emotional growth, and the changing of habits and methods being a long term effort and not a quick change.  This card reinforces that sentiment, speaking of long term growth that, over time if I stick with my plans, will bleed over into growth in areas I usually am so very, very focused on such as that stability and security I crave.   In other words, following through with plans to make room on my plate to breath combined with getting the alone time I need to feel balanced and centered will, in turn, end up providing long term growth of not just these areas, but beyond that limited scope as well.

4. How can I help this new opportunity to flourish?

The Empress – This new opportunity is about growth, and how that growth, even as slow moving as it is (or perhaps because of how slow moving it is) has the ability to spread into all aspects of one’s life, influencing them all in positive ways.   The Empress indicates that to encourage this opportunity to flourish, I need to allow my more nurturing energies and connection with the earth to rise to the surface.  She also reminds me that these qualities are not weaknesses.

DECK USED:  FANUNA’S TAROT