Animism Tarot

The Triumphant Elephant

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was ten minutes and thirty seconds long, and focused on the intrusion of thoughts into meditation.

A lot of people think meditation is a time for clearing the mind of everything and sitting in the complete silence of a blank slate.   What I find, though, is that isn’t the case at all.   In meditation, the mindfulness approach involves not pushing away or burying  thoughts, but rather developing an awareness of thoughts that visit without letting them carry you away.

That is to say, thoughts come and you acknowledge that they came to visit and then move on, rather than falling down into the rabbit hole trap of focusing upon them and letting them drag you in.   It’s the difference between allowing a thought to flit in and back out again, or grabbing hold of it (or letting it grab hold of you) and allowing it drag you into deeper contemplation.

By letting these flitting thoughts go rather than being pulled in, you return again and again to the mindfulness of the moment at hand, rather than getting wrapped up in the cyclical thoughts of the past and future.

Today’s draw is the Nine of Wands (the Asian Elephant) which is a representation of fulfillment, fruition, culmination, and consequences in the area of one’s passions, drive, willpower, and ambitions.  This card often deals with themes regarding one’s resilience and courage in the face of adversity and challenges.

In the guidebook for this deck, the Asian Elephant’s key words are endurance, strength, dedication, remembrance, and protection.

I see…. triumph.   I see breaking free of the chains that bind you.  In the imagery of this card, I see freedom.  The elephant has torn down the tent and it rests in shambles around and behind him, while he stands proud and free, trampling the remnants at his feet.

That is what I see in today’s Nine of Wands.

I’ve been revisiting the memories of my ex lately, and this card is a reminder that I am the elephant.  I may have feel as if I’ve torn a good deal of my life asunder in the process of healing from everything that’s happened, but in the end, I am on top.  I am strong, and I am triumphant.

Deck Used: The Animism Tarot

 

The Impending Spring

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and focused on how it is important to take small pauses within your day to center yourself and just breathe.

This is a sort of reset, and it is something that I do on the regular.  Stoplights and moments in parking lots are my friends, as they give me these pauses in which to just take a deep breath and -be- for a moment.  To set aside everything and stretch my inner soul.   Rainy days are also wonderful for this, as I often work outside and I can take a moment just to stand in the rain, my face to the sky, and soak in the scent and feel of the world when it is being washed clean and nourished.

These times give the tight clench of anxiety and awareness a moment to ease throughout my day, letting a touch of stress and concerns slough off briefly.   I also find when I am super stressed or dealing with my depression, these times are something lacking from my days.

Today’s draw is the Seven of Pentacles (the Peacock) which is a representation of progress and the unknown, as well as the entrance of spirituality and looking outside the self in the area of resources, the physical world, finance, and manifestation.

In the guidebook for this deck, the Peacock has been assigned the keywords of rebirth, confidence, victory, patience, resilience, and devotion.

Today, I see the Seven of Pentacles as perseverance.  If you look closely at the card, you see that behind and around the peacock the world is covered in snow and ice, with hints of the green sprouting up to break free into the sunlight.

It is a message of holding on.  Of leaning into the hard times in life and the times when life feels barren and wanting, because spring is coming.   Relief and release is coming. To me, the imagery in this card represents the cusp of that change, and offers hope for the times when I am stressed and worried, reminding me to always keep in mind that such situations and mindsets are temporary.

Deck Used: The Animism Tarot

 

Energy and Inspiration

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was twenty minutes long, and I did not meditate to a guided meditation.  Instead, I put on YoYoMa and used the twenty minutes to sink into the sensation of the music as it flowed through my senses.

It has been a long time since I’ve done this, and it was very soothing.  So much of my crossed wires boils down to an effort to ignore sensation, and the opportunity to settle in and just let it flow over me doesn’t come very often.

Today’s draw is the Page of Wands (the Chinchilla) which is a representation of a receptive omega type of energy, personality, or person in the area of  passions, drive, willpower, and ambitions.

In the guidebook for the deck, the Chinchilla is assigned the keywords of discovery, curiosity, communication, awareness, innocence, and enthusiasm.

The Page of Wands appearing in today’s reading means that it is a good day to work on my new idea, and that’s exactly what I did with this energy.   I took pictures, I did research, and I began the preparation process that is needed before actions can be taken.

This, of course, meant that I got a bit of a late start on my orders for the day, but that too seems to be coming along nicely.

This card is filled with energy and inspiration, and I’ve felt it all day long.

Deck Used: The Animism Tarot

 

Slow Down

/ Twist the Leaf / 2 Comments

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and focused on awareness during mindfulness.   That is to say, the practice of being aware of your surroundings while meditating instead of sinking into a space where you are not aware of what’s going on around you and are turned completely inward.

In the meditation, it walked you through exploring sensations one sense at a time before combining them into a full awareness while in that meditative state.   It was very relaxing right up until the last part, which I found a little overwhelming and really brought home how much I compartmentalize physical sensations.  This is a habit I got into when I was dealing with pain after the car accident in my teens, and serves me well in pain management since then.

Today’s draw is the Four of Cups (the Sloth) which is a representation of stability, ease, structure, shelter, and taking time to reassess, as well as cloistering and stagnation in the area of emotions, creativity, relationships, and intuition.

In the guidebook for the deck, the Sloth carries the key words of solitude, withdrawal, introspection, observation, and fatigue.

My intuitive hit off this card when it was drawn this morning is that it’s telling me it is okay to take my time.

Often, I push myself so hard and  get so focused on my tasks and goals that I forget to slow down and just breathe.  Today’s card is a reminder that sometimes you need to take that pause.   It’s healthy and important.

Choice… is a Choice

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation is super relaxing. It was a full body scan meditation that started at the crown of the head and went in a very detailed scan all the way down to the tips of the toes.

These yoga nidras are my very favorite types of guided meditation, as the laser focus needed in going through each part of the body assists me in being able to have a completely centered focus without a lot of distractions.

Today’s draw was another combination of doubles, with both again coming out together without a jumper.  The cards in today’s draw are the Chimpanzees (the Justice card, which is the 11th card in the Major Arcana), and the Horse (the Chariot card, which is the 7th card in the Major Arcana.

The Justice card deals with cause and reaction, action and consequence.  It is a card that deals with cause and effect, justice, truth, and “fairness” in the way of balance.   In the guide for this deck, the chimpanzees are associated with the keywords of adaptation, objectiveness, awareness, compassion, and honor.

The Chariot card deals with willpower and determination. Like the Knight card from yesterday, this card deals with the strength to act with precision and control, to direct one’s trajectory, and to move forward in the direction of one’s ambitions.  In the guide for this deck, the horse is associated with the keywords of strength, control, resilience, intuition, determination, and victory.

With the Justice card on the bottom and the Chariot overlapping it, the cards today are telling me that sometimes when you want life to be fair?  You have to make it fair.  That is to say, sometimes when balance is needed, it’s your own strength, courage, and resilience that directs the boat to the results you need.   At these times, you don’t just need a firm hand, but a strong connection with your intuition as well, in order to make the right choices and steer things in the right direction.

This isn’t so much a reflection on my day as it is a reminder that we are not victims of fate, but rather  the master of our own choices.

Deck Used: The Animism Tarot

Yesterday’s Meditation and Draw

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

OK… so yesterday was a bit of a clusterf’k and then I came home and you distracted me and I did NOT get to yesterday’s post. SO…. here it is, a day late.

Yesterday’s meditation was ten minutes (and a few seconds) long and focused on self-worth, not just in how we treat ourselves, but also in what we -allow- in our lives.

It was a good reminder to not allow other’s negativity to be absorbed and repeated through self abuse.

Yesterday’s draw was the Cheetah… aka, the Knight of Wands, which is a representation of an action based beta energy, person, or personality in the area of passions, drive, willpower, and ambitions. Knight cards are cards of action and forward movement.

The Cheetah on this card is described in the guidebook with the keywords of focus, power, conviction, awareness, passion, and courage.

Looking back on yesterday, I absolutely needed that “RAWR” energy of “plowing forward” towards my goals to make it through the day, and that is how I took the card when it was drawn in the morning (as a need for that sort of energy in my day ahead).

From the “Genius” Bar appointment… and I digress, but really. If you’re going to name yourself a GENIUS Bar, there should be f’king geniuses working there. Not idiots that don’t know how to do a damn thing and refuse to practice common decency, let alone good customer service.

Ok, from the “Genius” Bar, to the traffic, to the accidental falling asleep at the wheel, to the customs delays, to just…. everything yesterday while I was out and about. It was a damned mess. And without that passion and energy of the Knight of Wands at the forefront of my mind, the day would have been that much more difficult.

Deck Used: The Animism Tarot