#asabovesobelowchallenge

Modulating Enthusiasm

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I’ve managed to fall behind yet again… and I can’t remember whether I meditated on the 11th or not. So I’ll leave this empty this time around as I finish up these posts that got started… but never published on the blog.

Tarot of the Little Prince - Knight of WandsToday’s draw is the Knight of Wands, which is traditionally a representation of exuberance and a intensity directed towards one’s focus through passion and drive.  This card is about inspired action and the embodiment of the phrase “Go get’em cowboy.”

What I see in the imagery of this card today is overkill.  That, too, is a part of the meaning behind the Knight of Wands.  Impulsive action and overkill often go hand in hand with feelings of enthusiasm and drive.

The message here is about moderation.  It’s great to be motivated, and spectacular to feel a sense of enthusiasm for a purpose or project.  But the thing is?  When you get too carried away in those feelings of motivation and enthusiasm, it’s very easy to become destructive to yourself, to those around you, and to the project at large.

It’s important to remember not to let those feelings of motivation and enthusiasm carry you away to the point that you become a destructive force instead of a productive one.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE LITTLE PRINCE

LionHart’s As Above So Below Challenge Prompt
Mars Question: An obstacle, or blockade, I am asked to deal with.

Antique Anatomy Tarot Mass Market Edition

Reading Summary: There’s a big difference between avoidance (Four of Elixirs), and moderation (Temperance). Avoidance (Eight of Blades) leads to overburdening and overwhelm (Ten of Wands).

Take Away:  I need to work on learning the difference because I excel far to well at avoidance… and not well enough at moderation.  The cards here indicate that my tendency toward avoidance is a part of the problem that causes me to hit overwhelm and burnout.

DECK USED:  ANTIQUE ANATOMY TAROT MASS MARKET EDITION

#DiscordTarotolicsNov2020 Challenge Prompt
Philosophical Question: What harsh truths do you prefer to ignore?

Delos TarotReading Summary:  That I can’t last forever with fresh as a daisy enthusiasm (Ace of Wands) without getting some rest and recovery along the way (Four of Swords). Gideon can help you find balance (King of Cups) but you have to reach out to him for that help (Two of Cups).

Take Away:  I hate that I need to rest.  I really do.  I hate that I can’t go the way I could have ten years ago, non stop and moving fast.  It just doesn’t feel right to me to need the amount of rest that I do, regardless of the fact that I know I get less rest than the average person.   Rest feels like an inconvenience more than a necessity and it drives me nuts that I have to take time for it. Time I could be putting forward into things that I need to get done.

I’m aware this is an issue that’s rooted in my upbringing and in my determination to be independent from a young age.   My need for stability requiring money that you have to work for, etc.  And I know that Gideon can help calm that desperation.  Sometimes, I fear, though, that in calming that inner desperation, I will lose my independence and the stability that has been so hard won so far.

DECK USED:  DELOS TAROT

Heal & Transform November Challenge Prompt
Question: How can I heal myself?

Lunatic Tarot

Reading Summary: Pay more attention to where you wanna go (Ten of Pentacles), and less attention to your feelings of scarcity (Five of Pentacles). You need to be able to rest and recover (Four of Swords)… and focusing on your feelings of scarcity is just not going to get you there.

Take Away:  Rest and recovery.  Recuperation and rest are the path to healing myself.  Feelings of scarcity rooted in my past (figure looking to the left in the center card) drive me to treating myself badly and making unhealthy choices.

I need to remember that I won’t be able to enjoy the stability I’ve accomplished, or further stability I might gain, if I’ve worked myself to death in trying to fill that never ending hole of emptiness that those feelings of scarcity create.

DECK USED:  LUNATIC TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: What part of my life would I like to improve over the next year?

Edmund Dulac Tarot

Reading Summary: A better work / life balance (Two of Coins). The ability to enjoy my time with my loved ones freely (Three of Cups). Reclaiming my ambition while finding a better way (Knave of Swords).

Take Away:  These three cards tie in together, in that it is through finding that better balance between work and life that I can find time to spend with loved ones free of guilt or negative inner dialogue.  The cards also indicate that on the work side of things, the lagging of my ambition over the past handful of months is a reflection of the efforts to settle into the new work / life balance I’ve been trying to foster.  As I learn to adjust to this new balance and find it more comfortable, the card indicates that my ambition will then rekindle.

DECK USED:  EDMUND DULAC TAROT

Dropping The Ball

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Today’s meditation was supposed to happen just before my nap this afternoon, and I did start it.  And then I dozed off before I finished it.  Which, was not my intention, but was a risk in doing it when i was feeling tired.   I will try again at bed time and see if I can’t complete a full meditation before bed.

Traditional Manga Tarot - Two of PentaclesToday’s draw is the Two of Pentacles, which is traditionally a representation of juggling one’s responsibilities, trying to balance one’s obligations, committing to use of one’s time wisely, and being adaptable in order to keep things in one’s life in balance.

I have identified rather strongly with the Two of Pentacles throughout most of my adult life.  I’ve juggled up to five part time jobs at once… and until this year? No less than three at any one time.  I’ve struggled with balancing in personal time and home life, with committing time to my employers, and yet giving all that I can to my home business.  Finishing high school while trying to live and thrive on my own, putting myself through uni while recovering from surgeries and working to support myself.

For me, life has always been a juggling act.  But what stands out to me the strongest in the imagery of this card today is more than just the juggling act going on, but also the currents that swirl around the figure’s legs.

The thing is?  Sometimes juggling is harder than others.  Sometimes outside influences come in and distract your focus, and you drop the ball.  The important part is that you keep trying.  Keep working at it, and you’ll find a balance that you can sustain even in the middle of distractions.

DECK USED:  TRADITIONAL MANGA TAROT

LionHart’s As Above So Below Challenge Prompt
Mercury Question: How can Mercury’s curiosity help my current journey?

ICER Intuitive Art Tarot

Reading Summary: It can help me to cut through hesitations and delays (Two of Wind Rx) to allow me to concentrate on my craft (Eight of Earth) and excel at it with enthusiasm (Fire Princess).

Take Away:  The cards here indicate that Mercury’s curiosity can help me in finding purpose and assist me in excelling at those things I choose to become skilled in by circumventing my natural moment of hesitation and allowing me to leap forward into the learning process more readily.

DECK USED:  ICER INTUITIVE ART TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicsNov2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: Advice I need to hear at this time concerning my work life.

Sabbath TarotReading Summary: The greatest warriors meditate to center themselves (Four of Cups) and strategize (Seven of Swords). What you plan for and begin now (Two of Wands) will predict how things come to an end (The Demiurge).

Take Away: In a lot of ways, the holiday rush is like being in battle.  It’s overwhelming and exhausting and chaotic, a wild thrashing energy that swirls around you and drives you on, and you have to withstand the storm in order to reach the other side intact. Like all battles, there is a need for planning and strategy in order to achieve the results you want… and a need for grounding and a centering within oneself to build up the strength to carry you through.

DECK USED:  SABBATH TAROT

Heal & Transform November Challenge Prompt
Question: How can I help heal others?

Ring Cycle Tarot

8 of Walsungs – Guiding others to their personal independence and doing what feels right for them.  So many people are dictated by what they feel are society’s expectations, or familial expecations, or other influences beyond what is right for them and healthy for them. The 8 of Walsungs card indicates that one of the ways in which I help others to heal is by helping them in finding their personal independence and identify what is right for them instead of what others say should be right for them.

King of Gibichungs (Hagen) – Helping people to learn to think for themselves and to think things through rather than going with their first reactions. This is similar to what is noted above, but it’s more about finding that place where you are able to see things from all angles and reason out what’s happening.  The King of Gibichungs card indicates that another of the ways in which I help others heal is by helping them see beyond their initial reactions and emotional responses to see the bigger picture.

Sun (Natural Rhinegold) – Assisting people in finding their joy is where the Sun card comes in with answering how I help others heal.  Fostering someone’s enthusiasm and helping them in finding the things that resonate with them helps them in finding joy and enjoyment in life.

DECK USED:  RING CYCLE TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: What personal qualities do I struggle with?

Bosch Tarot

Reading Summary: My struggle to see (The Hanged Man) beyond my mothers influence King of Swords).  The Lovers card is the focus here, indicating that the path to finding this perspective is one that is healthy for me… but also something that requires a conscious choice to explore.

Take Away:  There have been a great number of reminders in my readings today about how I help and heal others, and here we have a message that is about helping and healing myself.  My fear about becoming my mother is something I struggle with often, and I work hard to not wander down that path but rather to excel and become a better person.  A kinder person.  Keeping my eye on this goal and my gaze focused on seeing myself as more than just “my mother’s son” takes choice and a deliberate effort, as it is not something that comes naturally to me.

DECK USED:  BOSCH TAROT

Accolades To The Self

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IMG_7720Today’s meditation was just under ten minutes long and was a guided meditation with interval timer to allow for my piriformis stretches. 

The topic of today’s meditation was about checking our expectations in order to assure you do not create repeated situations of disappointment.  This is something that I have been doing my entire life and, I suspect, is something that the majority of pessimists do regularly.

Interestingly enough… even with this precaution in place?  There is one place where I am continually finding myself disappointed and caught in expectations that… I didn’t really think were unrealistic and yet have been proven to be again and again.   That area would be… people.

I am taken by surprise and disappointed in this area so many times when it comes to people and their common sense, their intelligence, their respect of others or the earth, their ability to empathize, their lack of awareness…  The list goes on.  People… somehow even my low expectations are often just too lofty.   As I’ve aged, the bar has dropped more and more, and yet is never low enough it seems.

Tarot of the Little Prince - Nine of PentaclesToday’s draw is the Nine of Pentacles, which is traditionally an indication of taking stock and enjoying the fruits of your labors.  It is about appreciation and accomplishment, and the pride of a job well done.

What stands out to me the strongest in the imagery of this card today is the boy’s fist in the air.  It creates a sense of celebration in this card, indicating that his accomplishments are something that he is elated about.

I also note that, unlike in many Nine of Pentacles cards, he is not alone.  He is accompanied by a lamb that appears to gaze up at him in admiration, perhaps helping to reinforce for him his sense of accomplishment.

The message here in today’s card is about appreciating your own accomplishments, and doing so regardless of who looks on or what their opinions may be on the matter.  If you can’t take pride in your own work and triumphs, no amount of praise or adoration is going to get you there.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE LITTLE PRINCE

LionHart’s As Above So Below Challenge Prompt
Mercury Question: What can I learn from my Mercury Zodiac placement?

The Multi-Stabber Tarot

Reading Summary: To not tolerate (Six of Swords) what doesn’t work for me (The Sun Rx), when there is so much out there that could suit me better (The Universe).

Take Away:  There’s definitely a lot that I already do not tolerate and am willing to shed when it doesn’t work for me.  The thing is, though?  There is also plenty that I have not yet managed to shed. Much of these things have to do with my upbringing and the negative inner narrative that has spawned from that time in my life.  The cards indicate that having Mercury in Taurus is an element of my chart that could help me in learning to let go of these things and find a better path that is more suited to me personally.

DECK USED:  MULTI-STABBER TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicsNov2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: Self care I need right now for the…. Mind / Body / Spirit

Edgar Allan Poe TarotSelf Care I Need Right Now For The Mind

The World is a reminder that everything is going to be okay. The world moves on and life moves on, and even when things are sometimes difficult, that too is temporary.

Self Care I Need Right Now For The Body

The Wheel of Fortune reminds me that I need to stay grounded. Don’t step to the edge of the wheel where the spin is felt more severely. Instead, remain as close to the center as possible, so that the pull and chaos of the spin does not affect your body and life so strongly.

Self Care I Need Right Now For The Spirit

The Page of Pentacles atop The Magician indicates that new tools are coming my way. I need to make sure that I claim them for myself instead of ignoring them, as they will help in manifesting what I want to bring into reality once I have learned to use them well.

DECK USED:  EDGAR ALLAN POE TAROT

Heal & Transform November Challenge Prompt
Question: What hidden aspect of myself would be better exposed for the world?

Mary El Tarot 1st Edition

Reading Summary: My ability to share the heart’s truth (Queen of Cups) during times when people are most open and receptive to healing words (Four of Swords) that will guide them into making the choices that are best for them (The Lovers).

Take Away:  Gideon has mentioned this on numerous occasions. That sometimes I come out with a seemingly random (or not random but unexpected) little nugget of thought during a conversation with people, that to these other people is groundbreaking and speaks to their heart, opening them up to something they hadn’t realized was possible.  I don’t know when I’m doing this… and don’t realize notice when it happens.  But I’ve had people occasionally come back and tell me about these moments.

DECK USED:  MARY EL TAROT 1ST EDITION

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: When do I feel happiest with myself?

Elemental Tarot

Reading Summary: When I am in control and in my element (The Chariot) sharing my knowledge with others (The Hierophant), and guiding them toward making the decisions in life that are best for them (The Lovers).

Take Away:  Yes… I am a control freak.  I admit it.  I need my independence, I need my autonomy, and I absolutely need to be in control of my own life.   I also love sharing my knowledge with others, as well as helping them in not just learning the things they want to learn, but in helping them in finding the path that is best suited for them.  Whether done in small ways or large, I also learn during this process… as well as finding it very rewarding besides.

DECK USED:  ELEMENTAL TAROT

Revelry Can Be Healthy

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Today’s meditation was skipped.  This is primarily because I overslept and felt like if I went to lie down and meditate, I’d end up dozing off again.  I figured that an impromptu nap, although nice, probably wasn’t going to make my day go any smoother, so I decided to put the meditation off until later.  At this point, it’s now a meditation that I will do before bed, since it’s now the end of the day.

Traditional Manga Tarot - Four of WandsToday’s draw is the Four of Wands, which is traditionally a representation of the passion and stability found in one’s home life, the celebration of that stability and the relaxation it can provide, and the joys of homecoming.

When I think of the Four of Wands, I think of that moment when you step through the front door and take a breath.  The stress and tension of the outside world sloughing off and falling away as you exhale, and leaving behind a sense of relief.  That, in its own way, is very much a celebration… but it is not the kind of celebration that I see here in the imagery of today’s card.

What I see here looks more like revelry.

And… why not? Sometimes a little lighthearted revelry to celebrate the comfort and stability of your home life is a good thing.  A form of appreciation and expression of joy at the harmony and security you’ve grown and fostered for yourself and those you love.

DECK USED:  TRADITIONAL MANGA TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicsNov2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: Do Spread #2
What drives my urge to spend beyond my means?

Golden Tarot by Kat BlackReading Summary: The desire to have what I want when I want it (Seven of Swords), and feeling a lack of nurturing in my life (Queen of Cups Rx), combined with an enthusiasm that tries to blind me to reality (The Fool).

The Seven of Swords and Queen of Cups lean into the past, indicating that these urges are rooted in my past instead of within the present or future.  There is also a color connection between the Seven of Swords and the Fool which indicates that the “I want what I want when I want it” urge is a foolish endeavor, and rooted in childish mentality.

Take Away: I am feeling called out. *LOL*  Fortunately we are talking about urges, and I have the self restraint to make sure I do not spend beyond my means… no matter how tempting that might be sometimes.  The indication here is that that urge to spend beyond my means is rooted in the need for a balm to some inner part of myself that feels neglected and abandoned… combined with a bit of the whole “I want what I want when I want it” added in there.

DECK USED:  GOLDEN TAROT BY KAT BLACK

Heal & Transform November Challenge Prompt
Question: What aspect of myself am I ready to nurture and embrace?

Emerging From Darkness Tarot

Reading Summary: Everybody is looking towards the past, and thus this reading is about the past and how it influences my present and future.

In the past lies the home life I craved filled with stability, security, comfort, and harmony (Four of Wands Rx). I’m ready to lean into my meditation and spirituality (Four of Cups) to overcome the obstacles that my past has created (Nine of Wands) and move forward in learning how to build my own home (Daughter of Coins).

Take Away:  The cards here indicate that it is time to use my spirituality and meditation to assist me in overcoming my shadows concerning my home life when I was young and how it influences how I treat myself and look at my future goals concerning home life and stability.  There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding my stability and security when it comes to my home life, not because I am unable to create these things, but because there is a negative whisper inside where my shadows live that tells me it’s never enough.

It’s time to start nurturing that part of myself, and accepting that the past does not have to reverberate into the future.

DECK USED:  EMERGING FROM DARKNESS TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: What is my biggest strength?

Tarots Egyptiens Anima Antiqua

Reading Summary:  Using my sense of order and organization (Nine of Wands) to assist me in getting what I want out of life (Ten of Coins) and using my creativity to get me there (Knight of Cups) despite the obstacles that stand in my path (Queen of Wands Rx).

Take Away:  The fact that I am adaptable and willing to use my creativity to advance towards my goals, combined with my sense of order and organization, is my greatest strength as it allows me to overcome obstacles that might try to block me along the way.

DECK USED:  TAROTS EGYPTIENS ANIMA ANTIQUA

Take A Look Around

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Like yesterday’s post, I’m playing a bit of catch up. I can’t remember whether I meditated on the 7th or not. So I’ll leave this empty this time around as I finish up these posts that got started… but never published on the blog.

Tarot of the Little Prince - Eight of SwordsToday’s draw is the Eight of Swords, which is traditionally a representation of painting oneself into a corner, putting hurdles in your own way, and other self defeating behavior including negative inner dialogue and pity party mentality.

What stands out to me the most strongly in this card’s imagery today is that there is no swords or snakes on the other side of the large tombstone looking rock.  The boy and the fox are so focused on the snake and swords that they haven’t looked around to see that there’s another way out of their situation.

And the boy and the fox?  They are me.  Freaking out and forgetting to look at other options, allowing my worries and fears to narrow my focus.  I need to remember to stay calm and take a look around.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE LITTLE PRINCE

LionHart’s As Above So Below Challenge Prompt
Rising Sign Question: How can I balance the self with those around me, to achieve what I am asked to work on this month?

Witches Wisdom Tarot

Reading Summary: Focus on your new emotions (Ace of Water) and not the old feelings of scarcity that so often drive you (Five of Water Rx). You need to be able to go after what you desire and not just what you think you need to do (Messenger of Water atop Ace of Air), and you will once again light the fire of inspiration within you (Ace of Fire).

Take Away:  This is about putting more priority on the pleasure of my work and letting go of that iron grip I have on the feelings of responsibility and desperation that I often you use to push me forward.  The truth is? I’ve been using those feelings of responsibility and desperation more and more over time, and they are smothering my spark of enthusiasm and inspiration under their weight.

DECK USED:  WITCHES WISDOM TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicsNov2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: Wish for the Future / Next Step in Getting There / The Home of My Hope

Savran Forest TarotWish For The Future – The Moon Rx – Less uncertainty is a great wish for the future.  Like most people, I struggle a great deal with insecurities and the illusions they create that make my reality mine and subjective.  These insecurities create a feeling of anxiety, and encourage predictive thinking that isn’t rooted in divination but rather is rooted in fear.  To be free of the uncertainties that stir up these insecurities would make for a beautiful future.

Next Step in Getting There – The Tower atop Four of Swords Rx – Make sure that you’re not standing back and practicing restraint during the chaos to come.  Sometimes, if you step back, you can ride out the chaos in peace.  Other times?  You have to fight for what you want to keep during those moments.  In this case?  You have to fight.

The Home of My Hope – The World – I take comfort from, as well as it being the home of my hope concerning, the cyclical pattern of life. The fact that we move through a journey that spirals back upon itself on another higher level again and again as we become better people through each event and trial we work through.  It fills me with hope that this cycle moves not just through our lives, but is also the journey of the soul.  A journey of betterment through time and experience.

DECK USED:  SAVRAN FOREST TAROT

Heal & Transform November Challenge Prompt
Question: What aspect of myself am I ready to shed?

Oak Ash & Thorn Tarot

Reading Summary: I’m ready to take control (The Chariot) of my depression caused by my constant disappointment in myself (Three of Swords), and instead live in a place of contentment (Nine of Cups).

Take Away:  The cards are long-form telling me that I’m ready to shed some of my shadows that spur on my detrimental inner dialogue and create the potential for that slippery down-slope into depression.  This more generalized depression then has the ability to trigger a major depressive episode with far reaching and dangerous effects. 

The cards here indicate that shedding these shadows requires determination and control, but that the reward on the other side of having dealt with them and shed them is finding greater contentment in life.

DECK USED:  OAK ASH & THORN TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: What is my biggest fear?

The Mushroom Tarot

Reading Summary:  Being overtaken (Five of Swords) by my mother’s qualities and influences (Queen of Wands Rx), and turning my world into shit as a result (Wheel of Fortune Rx)

Take Away:  The cards here indicate that my biggest fear is turning into my mother.  I have many of her qualities, and this is something I do very much fear.  I don’t want to become the cold, calculating, self centered type of person that uses the world and everyone in it as their personal game of chess.  I dread the effect that allowing these qualities to take hold within myself would have on my life and those around me.

DECK USED:  THE MUSHROOM TAROT

Kindness Isn’t a Roadblock

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I’ve managed to fall behind again… and I can’t remember whether I meditated on the 6th or not. So I’ll leave this empty this time around (and tomorrow too) as I finish up these posts that got started… but never published on the blog.

Traditional Manga Tarot - Queen of PentaclesToday’s draw is the Queen of Pentacles, which is traditionally a representation of a receptive alpha energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s finances, home life, health, resources, and manifestations.

What stands out to me the strongest in the imagery of this card today is the way that the woman holds onto the coin/pentacle/disc. She holds that disc much as a woman holds her unborn child when it is still tucked within her womb.

The message here is about nurturing growth.  It’s about the fact that manifestation of those things you want to create will come more smoothly, more healthily, and far easier if you add a bit of nurturing warmth to the process of getting there.

DECK USED:  TRADITIONAL MANGA TAROT

LionHart’s As Above So Below Challenge Prompt
Rising Sign Question: How does the world around me perceive me right now?

Bosch Tarot

Reading Summary: Easy to work with and align with (Two of Cups), able to lead the way with other’s new emotional investments (Ace of Chalices), the governing body over chaos and conflict (The Emperor) there to save the day when needed (Seven of Swords Rx).  Something within the warmth of the cups cards also indicates that they think I’m nicer than I really am.

Take Away:  Apparently the world around me sees me as understanding and admirable, and more approachable than I realize.  A leader willing to help others and work with others, but able to put my foot down when its needed.  

DECK USED:  BOSCH TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicsNov2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: Advice I need to hear at this time concerning my friendships.

Sweeney TarotReading Summary: When you’re feeling lost (Five of Pentacles) and internally chaotic (The Tower Rx), your friends are there to help point the way and lead you forward (King of Wands).

Take Away: The advice here is that I can trust my friends and loved ones to know where I want to go and the ambitions I want to fulfill, and to help nudge me forward and keep me going even when I feel lost in the weeds of my own inner chaos.  Sometimes it can be hard, during those times, to see beyond the inner conflict, but I can safely trust those that love me to help keep me from falling off my desired path entirely.

DECK USED:  SWEENEY TAROT