The Wharf
A walk
along the pier
with fresh air
in the nose
and colorful
splashes of
floating walls
where people
live and work
side by side
riding
the currents
of life
spent
on the water.
Discernment vs Discrimination
Today’s meditation was a twelve minute long #DailyTrip session from the @Calm app.
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The @GlitterbyInk #NovemberWhispers25 Liminal Dreamland Challenge
Truth-Teller Prompt for November 10 : Lineage
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 (Feathers), which is traditionally a representation of crossroads, difficult decisions, needing more information, seeking inward for answers, weighing one’s options, and sometimes avoidance.
Discernment vs discrimination.
These terms, in my opinion, overlap. It’s like those venn diagrams where two circles overlap to create a third area of combined traits.
I’ve experienced a lot of discrimination in life due to my appearance, my father even more so. I can’t really look beyond him in my personal lineage, as there’s no resources to plumb, but I would imagine that he and I weren’t the first in our family to experience such things.
Through those experiences, “knowledge” has been passed down in how to behave in the company of others, who to gravitate towards (and away from), etc.
The thing is, though, how much of this carried down knowledge taught from generation to generation is actually a value, and how much of it is just bullshit built on prejudice and discrimination?
This happens with even small things like a great grandfather from a long ago war telling his great grandson that Asian people eat with chopsticks. Knowledge which this child carries into adulthood and then is surprised the first time they see a Korean eating rice with a spoon.
With such innocuous misinformation carried forward so easily through decades, it poses the question… how much misinformation are we carrying forward with us that’s not so innocuous?
The message in today’s card and the prompt of “lineage” is a reminder to challenge your preconceived notions and discriminatory knowledge. Every culture has these things they believe about other cultures, every person has these things that they believe about other people. Sometimes we pick them up from society and other times they are carried down through generations in our families.
Today’s message challenges us to not just go along with “the party line” just because it’s what we’ve been taught or what “sounds good”, but to actually explore and make up our own minds through personal experience.
DECK USED: LIVING EARTH TAROT
The @owlandbonestarot #78DaysOfTarotSpreads Challenge
The Lovers Spread
What choice brings you closer to love or self-love?
Five of Swords and Clan of the Moon – When you let go of your fear of exposing your vulnerability, it brings you closer to love and self love. Your fight to stay strong and not let others see your vulnerabilities and weaknesses hold you back from them and the love they have to offer while simultaneously punishing yourself for these vulnerabilities. If you want to be closer to love and self love, you need to work on accepting your vulnerabilities rather than trying to hide them away.
What choice aligns you with your higher self?
The Fool and Entwined Roots – When you choose to allow yourself to stretch beyond your comfort zone, especially in the area of fun and play, it helps in aligning you with your “higher self”. A great deal of your strategizing, planning, and preparations that you do in life are about protection. When you let go of that need to protect, it helps you to connect with something raw and real that otherwise is hidden away from yourself and the world at large.
What choice risks pulling you out of alignment?
Wheel of Fortune and Portal Into the Depths – Allowing yourself to fall into negative narratives when things aren’t going the way you expect them to opens you up to dipping into depression and pulls you out of alignment with your path and purpose.
What choice will expand your growth?
Ten of Swords and Desert Seclusion – Making the choice to move on from moments of defeat and failure instead of wallowing in the pain helps you to expand your growth. When you choose to keep moving instead of wallowing in your misery, you are able to recover faster and look back to find the boon that much sooner than you otherwise would.
Other elements included in this reading:
Foraged Oak Branch with Moss and Lichen for Perseverance
Beak Hazel Branch for Sustainable Growth and Grounding
Dried Red Maple Leaf for Adaptability and Connection
Ammonite for a Sense of Stability During Times of Change
Orange Aventurine Leaves for Pause and Reflection
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy
DECKS USED: THE MYTHICAL CREATURES TAROT AND LIFE’S SEASONS ORACLE
@LightningWildflower November Tarot Challenge
Earth and Water “The Fours” Prompts for November 10th thru 12th
Four of Pentacles
What am I holding onto too tightly?
Four of Wands and Selkie – This question should be what aren’t you holding onto too tightly. You’re stubborn to a fault. You want to do things your way, you want them to look your way, and you want things to be your way… and your formidable will has a tendency to push for just that.
It is that formidable will that you need to let go of, though. Especially if you want to remain comfortable in your own home and more comfortable overall in the world. Being too rigid will not serve you well.
Four of Cups
What is distracting me from recognizing new opportunities?
The Hierophant and Garden – You spent too much worrying about how things should be done instead of thinking outside the box and exploring new methods. It’s true that sometimes it’s easier to just fall back on old traditions and all that came before, but if you do this too often it becomes a bad habit.
What would getting out of my comfort zone look like?
King of Pentacles and Gold – Getting out of your comfort zone more often would lead to a journey of self discovery towards a greater sense of “self”. As a result, as you learn to accept more of yourself, you learn to value yourself more.
Other elements included in this reading:
Staghorn Sumac for Connecting with Nature and the Wild Within
Foraged Parmeliaceae Lichen for a “Breath of Fresh Air”
Foraged Ponderosa Pine Cone for Resilience and Adaptability
Carnelian Agate for Inner Drive and Focusing On Aspirations
Desert Rose for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy
DECK USED: LIVING EARTH TAROT AND FOLKLORE ORACLE
I managed to get my tax updates finished today, which feels like it lifted a huge weight of my shoulders.
Gideon’s Challenge – The Bite
The Bite
Rain is
always cold
here in
this place
and the sea
has a frigid
bite
to it
when you
decide
to take a leap
and dive in
for a dip
Photo © ZenStatePhotography
Be Loud
Today’s meditation was a ten minute long #DailyCalm session from the @Calm app.
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The @GlitterbyInk #NovemberWhispers25 Liminal Dreamland Challenge
Truth-Teller Prompt for November 9 : Whisper
Daily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.
Today’s draw is the Three of Wands, which is traditionally a representation of the first active step in a journey, progress towards a goal, and the seizing of opportunities.
When you want to accomplish something, you need to step beyond the silence. Action requires boldness. It requires moving beyond watching and waiting, beyond planning into actually stepping up and stepping forward.
When the time to act arrives, it’s no longer time to whisper and go about silently doing all the planning and preparation. Beginnings require more than that. They require stepping out of that safe space and being loud.
The message in today’s card is that you can only plan for so long before there’s nothing left but to step out of your shell and actually start moving. That place of planning and whispers may feel safe, but it can only get you so far before you have to step out of the shadows and take action. Lingering in that safe space beyond that point just creates unhealthy stagnancy.
DECK USED: THE TAROT OF DÜRER
#DiscordTarotholicsNov2025 Challenge
Prompts for November 9th thru 11th
Do Spread 2 : Advice I need to hear at this time concerning my ambitions.
Reading Summary: There is a color correlation between the ram’s clothing in the King of Pentacles and the hyssop flowers in the anchor card, which draws the attention to the base of the ram’s throne. This connection speaks of a need for a strong foundation in order to back up the success that you seek (as seen in the dog in the background of the Ten of Pentacles, who is also close in color match with the hyssop card.
In the Three of Wands, there is no blatant correlations aside from that of the vertical wands standing tall, which connects to the trees in the King of Pentacles and the stalk of the hyssop in the anchor card; standing tall in the center of its own card. There is also a slight color connection between the Three of Wands background and the anchor card’s background. These factors communicate a need for action after you get your foundation in place. You have to be able to stand strong first, before movement can begin towards your dreams and aspirations.
Take Away: This message expands on the Card of the Day message pulled this morning, which is that you can only go so far with planning and preparation before you actually have to start moving towards your goals and take action. The reminder here is that you need to make sure that that foundational planning and preparation is in place first. Don’t jump the gun just because you want to get there faster.
My Desire – Goldenrod – You want to ensure that you are going in a healthy direction, and try to prioritize this above everything else.
An Obstacle In My Path – Lemongrass – Your negative inner narratives and your drive toward addiction and excess are your greatest obstacles when trying to set yourself on a healthy direction.
The Solution – Clary Sage – Focus on clarity of mind and self-awareness. You need to be able to see clearly what you’re doing and the motivations behind your actions in order to circumvent these less healthy tendencies and habits.
Other elements included in this reading:
Japanese Cherry Leaf as a Reminder of Life’s Fleeting Moments
Foraged Silver Maple Key for Bouncing Back to Thrive
Foraged Parmeliaceae Lichen for a “Breath of Fresh Air”
Cedar Mandala Charged for Predictive Clarity
Aquamarine for fostering Wisdom and Clarity
Rose Quartz for Gentle Kindness to Self and Others
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy
DECK USED: WOODLAND WARDENS TAROT AND WILD MEDICINE CARDS v2
@LightningWildflower November Tarot Challenge
Earth and Water “The Threes” Prompts for November 7th thru 9th
Three of Pentacles
What challenges do I usually face when collaborating with others?
The Hanged Man and A Light In the Forest – While happy to listen to other people’s perspectives and try things their way, you often find that others are not willing to do the same for you. They either want to take control, or they want you to take control and lead them. You have found that, in your experience, collaboration very rarely results in an actual give-and-take from both parties.
Where in my life would I benefit from calling in support?
Ace of Cups and The Gingerbread House – You are quite unskilled when it comes to understanding new emotions. Although this is your journey and your challenge, you would benefit from not going off on it alone.
Three of Cups
What can I celebrate with my community or chosen family?
Page of Wands and Branch of Summoning – Share new discoveries on your path of learning, and doing so well draw in those that share your same passions. This makes it a learning experience for everyone involved and something all enjoy.
Other elements included in this reading:
Staghorn Sumac for Connecting Deeper with Nature and the Wild
Foraged Beech Pods for Realizations that Foster Personal Growth
Japanese Cherry Leaf as a Reminder of Life’s Fleeting Moments
Foraged Parmeliaceae Lichen for a “Breath of Fresh Air”
Gneiss Stone for Patience in Moments of Discomfort
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy
DECKS USED: THE TAROT OF DÜRER AND THE FOREST OF ENCHANTMENT ORACLE
I made Miss Luna come lie down with me in the bed instead of letting her stay where she wanted to on the couch because I was feeling needy and wanted her cuddles.
Gideon’s Challenge – The Neglected
The Neglected
Sometimes
neglect
offers its own
kind of growth
as the wild
takes over
where culture
and care
leave off
to fill
the spaces
left alone
and abandoned
Photo © ZenStatePhotography
❤️ Self Care Saturday (On a Sunday)
These Saturday readings are (not usually) bearing in on any one thing or event in my life, as the question used is asking for a more general outlook. This is a self care exercise, and is not meant as a predictive reading… although that, too, happens on occasion.
The question is… What do I need to focus for self-care through the week ahead?
Earth – Nine of Pentacles – Celebrate your accomplishments. This is a time of harvest, and you should be paying attention to what you have brought in and how to preserve it through the winter months. Remember that this includes practices of gratitude and enjoying the fruits of your laborers.
Air – Seven of Cups Rx – Don’t worry so much about making choices right now. Just go with the flow and observe. Sometimes the right answers will land in your lap if you just give them time to sort themselves out.
Water – The Magician Rx – Remember that you don’t have to be in control all the time, and this is especially true with concern to your emotions. Sometimes they swirl in their own direction, and you’re just left to ride it out instead of trying to fix it.
Fire – Nine of Swords – Mistakes are a part of the process when you’re learning something new. Make sure that you’re not being too hard on yourself or falling into “end of the world” thought patterns in these moments.
Waning – Fox and Fish – Don’t go along with it just because you think it’s clever. I’m not sure what this is in reference to at the moment, but it looks like some kind of “get rich quick” scheme that you need to avoid when it comes up. Keep your distance and don’t buy into the hype.
Waxing – Cross and Scythe – Take care this week to make choices that will cut down on your feelings of being burdened.
Take Away – This week is going to challenge your need for control, and if you take care with your actions, may help you in learning to let go and go with the flow more, instead of trying to steer everything with an iron grip. Work on connecting with a mindset of gratitude and setting fears of scarcity aside will help with this. Don’t go adding more to your plate right now. You have enough responsibilities and obligations to contend with at the moment.
Twisting the Leaf 