Picking Favorites

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This week’s question from the Pagan Perspective YouTube channel is about one’s talents and preferences.

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Topic for the Week of 8/19:  “Which areas of magic do you excel in or enjoy most?”

One of the hosts spoke on the word “excel” in their video, mentioning that they believed you cannot really say for yourself what you excel at, and that it’s up to others to decide that and inform you.

I disagree with this, as when I’m good at something?  I know it.  Granted, there are certain things I don’t realize I’m good at and I’m told by others at some point.   But, there are other things that I don’t need external input to know I’m good at.  Personally, I don’t think anyone should need external input to tell them what they’re good at.   Those things that I am so good at that I excel at?  You can bet I know what they are, and in many cases I have worked very, very hard to earn that level of skill.

So, on to the areas of magic that I excel in or enjoy most.  For me, these answers are the same whether it is one of the other.  I know that sometimes that isn’t the case and you can greatly enjoy things you are just no good at, or be really good at things you don’t enjoy, but when it comes to my practice… they align well.

These areas are…

Nature Magic –  Specifically, magickal workings that incorporate spellcrafting with herbs and plants, the elements of the earth, and the gifts that nature gives to us. This type of Nature Magic is my favorite type of spellcrafting, and considering my connection with the element of earth and my studies in botany, it is not surprising this is where my talents and joy lies when it comes to magic and spell craft.  Although some people do, I do NOT include celestial influences or astrology, etc into my definition of Nature Magic, as to me, these are a different thing.

Lunar Rhythms – I have already promised you a post about the lunar cycles and how I incorporate them into my life and practice.  In Lunar Rhythms, that is what I am referring to.  It is the following of the moon’s cycle and timing my magickal endeavors and rituals to fit into that cycle.

Cartomancy – For me, my magickal practice and my faith are deeply intertwined with each other, and so, too, is the addition of cartomancy.   This can be Lenormand, Playing Cards, Tarot, Oracle, or just whatever other cards that speak to me (such as Dixit cards).  They are a connection to my inner voice, and a connection to that energy that is at the center of my beliefs and practice.  I enjoy them immensely, and if cartomancy disappeared off the planet tomorrow?  I’d be reading playing cards and immediately begin drawing on them to make my own deck out of them, because it’s just not something I’d want to be without.

Spending time (and savoring that time) within Liminal Spaces – We spoke about liminal spaces the other day.   That space between the plane of Faerie and our own reality.  That space between sleep and wake.  That place you find when you sink to the bottom of a lake and find the moments between heart beats where the world shifts and time stretches.  Those in-between spaces where mystery and potential and a kind of sacred awareness reside. I know that many people find these spaces uncomfortable, and feel uneasy within them or even find them frightening.   But for me?  They are like coming home.  I love them. I linger in them.  I am respectful of them, but yet they are where I feel as if I am… whole.

Forest Bathing – I’m not sure I would consider this magic so much as a part of my spirituality, but it feels like magic to me.  Walking in nature, soaking in the atmosphere and the energy, and practicing a time of gratitude within these spaces?  To me?  That is the absolute best type of magic there is.

 

Take Your Time

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and I had a little bit of an issue focusing during the last couple of minutes, so it was really something like seven minutes long.

I did manage a decent first seven minutes though, and the discussion for the guided meditation was about setting intentions at the end of your meditation practice that you carry with you into the rest of your day.

I do this through the card that I draw prior to lying down for my meditation.  The daily draw posted here on my blog becomes my intention for the day.  It is the positive message to focus on throughout my day and help me in fostering perspective.

Today’s draw is the Ace of Zephyrs (Ace of Swords) which is a representation of new beginnings, opportunity, potential, and “the seed” of a start in the area of the mind, intellect, thoughts, logic, communication, and instinct.  This can often be expressed within the theme of new ideas and potential success, breakthroughs that create opportunity for growth, and mental clarity.

When I look at the artwork on today’s card, what I see is not just the brain in the center and the wings that, to me, symbolize the taking flight of new ideas, but the eye above in the center of the crescent moon speaks to me of intuition.  I do not usually associate intuition with the suit of swords, as to me it is more of a water element.   But  here in -this- card, I see intuition.  I see intuition bleeding into the mind, creating inspiration.

The snail in the lower left hand corner of the card also speaks to me.  It indicates that although intuition blends into intellect to create inspiration, sometimes that inspiration is going to need time to percolate and coalesce in order to become something of use.

Sometimes, you have to sit on your budding ideas for a bit and let them grow before you can act on them.

Deck Used: Stolen Child Tarot

#TarotForGrowthSeptember prompt 19 … Purpose

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For the hell of it, I did the #TarotForGrowthSeptember prompt today from Instagram.   I know this is actually a 3rd post for the day, but I’d actually intended on including this in my card for the day post that I made this morning.  I just forgot.

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Question: What message does my spirit have for me about my purpose?

Reading Summary: In times of worry, troubles, or strife, my creativity and the joy that I take in it will guide the way from darkness into the light.

Take Away: Sometimes when I am in the midst of personal struggles, I forget the spiritual value of what I do in my business.  There is a reason behind why I decided to sell my artwork, and that reason goes beyond the making of money.

The creation of the jewelry I make involves the gifting of a part of my soul.  In the creation, a small bit of me that  I share with the world is put into each of the pieces I make and sent out into the world, one small bit at a time.  When I make these pieces, each is made with the intention of bringing the recipient pleasure or joy.  It makes me feel good to contribute this to the world, and in doing so, improve the lives of others in some small way.

Decks Used: Dixit Quest Expansion Pack #2

#50QuickQuestions2019 Just for Fun (non) VR to The Hermit’s Cave

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Simon over at The Hermit’s Cave created a new hashtag today, and it’s my favorite type of quizzes to do, which is random question posts.   So, I grabbed it to answer and here we go….

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The Questions

1. Have you ever changed your clothes while in a vehicle?

Yes.  I lived in my car for a while in my teens and I have done just about everything you CAN do in a car in the whole day-to-day life aspect, including eating, bathing, sex, changing clothes, sleeping, etc.

2. What do you want to do before you die?

I had trouble with this one.   One more visit to the rainforests.  It doesn’t matter how many times I go… one more.

3. Are you single?

Nope.  I belong to Gideon.  We’re going on over 11.5 years now.

4. What’s one thing you will not eat?

Live insects.  Live anything that moves, really.  I have an issue with the wiggle-in-the-mouth thing.

5. What color is your underwear?

Dark gray for today.

6. When is the last time you went out of England?

Never been to England, but out of my own country?  Last Tuesday, because I cross into Canada twice a week for work.

7. Who was your last received call?

UW Medical Center.   Most of my communication with others is through texts.  I don’t get many phone calls from people I know other than my mother.

8. Have you ever drank milk straight out of the carton?

Yes.  I don’t these days, but back when I was living alone or living in the car?  Yep.  Although… I never realized it was an actual skill until watching Becca’s responses.

9. What was your last holiday?

I’m guessing this is the UK meaning of “holiday”, which means vacation.  That would be a visit to my mother’s in the spring.  I left all of my work except my phone at home and deliberately focused on rest and restoration while I was there.

10. Can you hula hoop?

Yes, I can.

11. Have you ever crawled through a window?

Yep.  I have.  And I’m going to plead the 5th under the risk of incriminating myself.  LOL

12. Ever skinny dipped?

Yep.  In lakes, canals, and the ocean… I’ve never skinny dipped in a swimming pool tho.

13. Have you sang karaoke?

Once upon a time… yes.

14. Was today better than yesterday?

A bit busier today than yesterday, so not really?  But it’s not bad either.

15. Is anybody getting on your nerves?

Not at this moment.

16. Do you talk to yourself?

Yes.  Not that I can physically talk anymore, but my mouth still works even if my voice doesn’t.

17. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again?

That would be Gideon, and that’s a HELL yes.   If we’re talking about just a peck-on-the-cheek?  That would be my sister, and of course I would.

18. How many languages can you speak?

None of them anymore.  I’m fluent in English.  I’m semi-fluent in Korean and French.  I can mostly understand spoken Vietnamese.   I can semi-understand spoken Japanese, and spoken or written Italian and Spanish.

19. Ever waxed your eyebrows?

I have not.

20. Earrings or Necklace?

Necklace, because if I had to give up my collar I’d be really upset.

20. What’s the last gift you received?

Gideon sent me a pair of labradorite hearts to take with me on my trip.

21. Are you mad at anybody?

Not that I can think of at the moment, so I guess that’s a no.

22. Ever receive detention?

As in when in school?  Yes, a few times.  Usually for sleeping in class.

23. Ever cried listening to music?

Yes.  Absolutely.  Some music just touches me that way.

24. Do you use smiley faces on the computer a lot?

Yes.  Well, yes and no.  It depends on what I’m doing, where I’m communicating, and who I’m communicating with.

25. What are you doing tonight?

Prepping orders to ship out tomorrow and spending time with Gideon.

26. What time is it?

Nearly 2pm

27. Are you loud?

Not anymore.  LOL   No, I’ve never been a loud person.  Although I have been told that I’m very good at projecting energy, which I suppose is a kind of “loud”.

28. What are you looking forward to?

Sleeping. Samhain. January.

29. Do you watch Family Guy regularly?

Yep.  I love Stewie. He’s a little evil genius.

30. Have you ever watched a little kids show?

Yes.  Both as a kid and as an adult. Sometimes they’re just fun.

31. What does your last inbox text say?

“DEBIT – $10.84 Purchase Visa G…”

32. Zodiac sign?

Taurus sun sign, Scorpio moon sign

33. Are you wearing socks?

No.  In fact I go barefoot as often as I can.

33. Were you born during the last century?

Um…. well, I was born in 1988.  So yes?

34. What is your religion?

Buddhist Pagan.  Buddhist like an adjective, Pagan as a noun.

35. What’s something you have nightmares about?

Aside from my ex?  I sometimes have nightmares about not finishing high school, getting lost in the high school I went to, and/or losing my class schedule/locker combination/etc in school and missing classes because of it.

36. Have you ever been on a rollercoaster?

I have been on many rollercoasters.  I love rollercoasters.

37. Do you care what others think about you?

Sometimes. Strangers, not so much.

38. What do you do all the time in a car?

Listen to music and/or an audiobook.  It helps me stay awake.

39. Do you trust people easily?

No?   Maybe.  Mmmm…. No, I don’t think so.

40. Do you watch football?

I do not.  I’m not into sports.

41. Where was the last place you went shopping?

Walmart (for cat litter and to pick up prescriptions)

42. Favorite football team?

I don’t have one, cuz I don’t watch football.

43. Do you watch the Olympics?

Only the gymnastics really, and sometimes ice skating.

44. Last bar you went to?

The Pine Box (in Seattle)

45. Do you have a favorite number?

Thirteen

46. Are you multitasking right now?

Yep.  I’m answering these questions, working on making earrings for tomorrow’s orders, and watching YouTube.

47. Do you believe in love at first sight?

I do.  I think it’s extremely rare, and that people mistake infatuation for it on a regular basis…  but, yes I do.

48. Do you believe in karma?

Absolutely.  I believe in balance.  I believe the universe requires balance and rectifies imbalance.   And thus, Karma is born.

49. How is the weather today?

Very nice.  Overcast.  67 degF.  A little damp.   Perfect, really.

50. Stupidest thing you ever did with your cell phone?

I don’t do stupid shit with my cell phone.  It costs too much to replace.  That said… I have dropped it on concrete a few times.

 

Trial By Fire… The Aftermath

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes and twenty seconds, and focused on moving forward after struggle or loss.   This is an interesting topic for today, because the card that I’d drawn before meditation is a fitting correlation to this subject.

The guided meditation spoke of there being two different types of people that are displayed best by children.  There are those that build a sandcastle, then cry when the sea comes to tear it down and wash it away.  Then, there are those that watch the sea come to wash it away and begin to build again once it has retreated.

There is also a third type, though.   My type.    When the sea came to steal my sandcastles?  I cheered.  I thought it was the most AWESOME part of the entire process, that reclaiming by the sea.   And even now?  I have the same reaction.  I may not cheer… but inside I am dancing and laughing as I see the sea drag through the sand that’s been sculpted with such care.

I’m not sure -why- I have this reaction, but it is very much something that comes with within.   Perhaps that is why I do not find the Tower card so intimidating.

Today’s draw is the Six of Oak (Pentacles), which is a representation of harmony, vitality, and cooperation (as well as “humanity issues” and limitations) in the area of resources, finances, manifestation, and the physical world.

I usually see the Six of Pentacles in the tarot as a bountiful harvest card. It’s all about what comes after the five. Fives are filled with tests, struggles, and strife… and yet, when we get to the six, the storm is over, light shows on the horizon, and there is now bounty to be had and harmony to savor.

And that is what I see in this card.  I see a tree that has been through much, with dried bark and broken parts.  And yet, it has weathered the storm and still grows.  It produces leaves and nuts, offering its nourishment to the world.

This message is one of hope and encouragement for the trip that’s now looming on the horizon.  It speaks of the struggle I will no doubt go through (considering where I’m going and who I will be visiting), but it speaks as well of the time after.  It speaks of the light on the horizon at the end of the storm, and my resilience to get through the hard times and come out the other side still strong and resourceful.

Deck Used: Stolen Child Tarot

#BackupDecks (non) VR to The Hermit’s Cave

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I’ve been sitting on this post for quite some time, because originally?  I wanted to do pictures of all of these decks.  But it turned out that the pictures were just becoming a HUGE pain in the ass, so I revised the idea and will be sure to add links to each deck so that you can see what they are, but I’m not going to bother taking pictures of them all.

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Luna (upper right corner) assisting me in sorting and organizing my decks to be stored in my trunks.

The original theme for this post was created by Simon over at The Hermit’s Cave, where he did a video a few months ago about his backup decks. I had thought that I don’t often purchase back-up decks until I started writing this post. Now? Lets just say it started out with a few decks that I have done so because the deck was just TOO important to me to risk ever being without… and then kind of shifted from there.

In fact, I only have…. hm, three?  No, four, I think.  That is to say, back up decks that are very literally and very much bought -as- back up decks.

Gypsy Witch Fortune Cards – I have the original 1970s version that was given to me as a child as my very first divination deck, and then I also have an old 1920s version that I picked up more recently.

Sasuraibito Tarot – This one is because I already owned a copy and was then gifted a copy by Z a few months after I’d already bought it for myself.  I held onto the second one because I really like the deck so… why not?

Tarot of the Hidden Realm – I’ve mentioned this deck many, many times.  I connected to it from the moment it came out of the box and that connection has only gotten stronger over time. I have a second copy of this deck (and TWO extra guidebooks for it) because I love it so much.

Tyldwick Tarot – I have two of this deck for the same reason as the Tarot of the Hidden realm.  It’s because I love it so much.   And, because it speaks to me in a way I’ve not found any other deck has ever spoken to me before, and I find that it communicates well with ALL of the various Fae themed decks I have.

And, soon to be added, the Stolen Child Tarot, which has quickly stolen second place right behind Tarot of the Hidden Realm as my all time favorite deck.

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The trunks where I home the majority of my decks.  These are located in my bedroom on the far side of the bed beneath the windows.

Aside from those mentioned above, I also have a few that I have two decks for, but it is because I have done some kind of alteration to the deck that has significantly changed how I use it or how it reads, and yet still wanted to retain one for myself in its original format as well.   These include….

Arthur Rackham Oracle – Essentially, I took both decks and picked out the best artwork for each card, added in the cards from both decks that were different, and thus created a giant deck.   With the repeat cards that were left over, I then trimmed them down to just the image and use them as an intuitive oracle deck.

Fairy Lights Tarot – Both of the versions of these I have trimmed, but in different ways.   The first one, I trimmed off just the sides of the deck.  This is because some of the cards fit together to make panoramic views of a larger picture and the side borders made fitting them together impossible.  The second deck I have trimmed down to just the images, and use them as an intuitive oracle deck.

John Bauer Tarot – I have an un-modified version.   And then I have one that I’ve removed all the borders and text, cutting them down to just the images and edging them in multiple colors to match the artwork on each card.  Like the others in this group of decks, I use the trimmed down version as an intuitive oracle deck.

Nicoletta Ceccoli Tarot – I have three versions of this one.  I have an un-modified full size deck, I have the mini pocket size of this deck, and I have a third one that I have trimmed down to just the images to use as an intuitive oracle deck.

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The interior of one of the trunks prior to finishing filling it up.

Ok, so then there’s a third category here… because I also have a handful of decks that I have more than one of that are not back ups, but different versions of the same deck.  These would include…

1971 Rider Waite Deck; plus a newer “mini deck” size copy of it.

Centennial Smith Waite – I have three versions of this one.  That includes the borderless edition, the edition with borders, and the tarot-in-a-tin pocket size.

Earthly Souls and Spirits Oracle – I have this one in both the large 2nd edition format, which I use as center focal cards for wheel spreads sometimes, as well as the tarot-sized 3rd edition of the deck.

Good Tarot – I have the official mass-market copy, and a mini bootlegged copy from China.

Halloween Tarot –  For this one, I have it in the full sized version, as well as in the tarot-in-a-tin pocket version.

Luminous Void – I would probably not have both sizes of this deck, but I bought the original size before the smaller “shuffle size” came out. The shuffle size is a bit easier to handle and I really struggle with the larger cards of the original deck, so I bought the ‘shuffle size’ and now have both.

Morgan Greer – Like some of the others in this section of the list, I have this deck in the full sized version, as well as in the tarot-in-a-tin pocket version.

Mystic Faerie Tarot – I have both the bordered edition, as well as the borderless edition.

Radiant Rider Waite Tarot – I have three versions of this deck, which includes the standard full sized edition, a standard full sized edition in Chinese, and a tarot-in-a-tin pocket edition.

Roots and Wings Oracle – I love this oracle and have been loving it for a while.  I originally bought the full sized version, and then later ordered the mini size in a tin when she released it earlier this year.

Sun and Moon Tarot – I have it in the full sized version, as well as in the tarot-in-a-tin pocket version.

Universal Waite Tarot – Again, I have it in the full sized version, as well as in the tarot-in-a-tin pocket version.

Universe Has Your Back – I have the official mass-market copy, and a mini bootlegged copy from China.

Wild Unknown Tarot – I have the official mass-market copy, and a mini bootlegged copy from China that I plan on coloring in to see if I can connect better to the cards with them colored.

Wildwood Tarot – I have two official mass-market copies of this deck (one that’s trimmed and one that isn’t), as well as a mini bootlegged copy from China.

Witches Tarot – I have the original 1989 mass market edition, and I have a mini bootlegged copy from China.

Okay so… I think that’s all of them.  I’ve considered picking up a second copy of the Llewellyn Tarot, as I am planning on trimming the one I have down to just the images, but I haven’t pulled the trigger on it yet.