Bohemian Animal Tarot

The Sweet Spot

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Today’s meditation was… Hell.  I know I did it.  I just can’t remember it?  This is the folly of doing a post a day late.   Not that it’s happened before, but I knew it was about to happen eventually.

Temperance - Spacious TarotToday’s draw is the Temperance card from the major arcana, and I just have to say?  I really love this depiction.  I think it really expresses for me what temperance is all about.  It’s that middle road between two extremes.

This feels like a reminder about the whole “slow and steady” plan, which has been something that’s difficult to keep in mind.  Especially today when I’ve been working hard to get my ass through a sudden rush of orders.

I think that it’s a good idea that I’m leaving work at home on this trip, and for once I’m not really feeling all that bad about it.   I think that might have to do more than burnout than with having found some sort of balance, but either way…. I’ll take it.

DECK USED:  SPACIOUS TAROT

#TarotForGrowthJanuary Challenge Prompt
Question: What good thing have I already manifested this year?

Ember + Aura Tarot

Reading Summary:  Taking charge (The Emperor).  New emotions (Ace of Cups) directed by a centered balance of energy (Diviner of Wands).  Temptations (The Devil) and new emotional growth (Daughter of Cups).

Take Away:  This is something I’ve mentioned in a previous reading earlier this week, but it refers to finding a certain amount of balance and control of my addictions and their more destructive influences through examination of what these effects are and how to mitigate them.  What else is showing in this reading, though, is how my emotions, and especially that new depth of emotion I’ve begun to grow into over the past six months, also factors in and influences my temptations and behaviors.

In other words, the good thing that has manifested this year is the fact that I can see these connections clearly, and I am not just aware of them but taking steps to control them rather than allowing them to control me.

I also see a clear correlation between the safe in the Emperor card, the Ace of Cups card, and the Devil card.  This speaks to me about the danger of closing myself off to these new emotions and the negative results that can manifest.

The combination and color coordination between the Diviner of Wands and the Daughter of Cups also brings up the fact that with this new “leveling up” and new development of emotions, I need to allow myself to stay open wide to sharing this experience, even as I focus on staying balanced.

DECK USED:  EMBER + AURA TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsJan2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: What is a very positive thing in your life you are overlooking?

Forest Creatures Tarot

Reading Summary:  Look at all those coins.   My work (Three of Coins) has provided me with security (Queen of Coins) and a safe and steady outlet for my passions (King of Wands) while providing me with what I need to have a stable home (Four of Coins).

Take Away:  This is something that, in my emotional upheaval over the past couple of months, I’ve lost sight of for a bit.  I’ve lost a good deal of my passion and “spark” for creation through the fear and stress that has been overwhelming me.   It’s caused me to over look the parts about running my own business that I love the most.   That is, the fact that I have  the ability to control my own destiny and create my own sense of stability within my life while allowing my creative spark free reign.

DECK USED:  FOREST CREATURES TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge Prompt
Question: How can I hold myself accountable In relation to asking for help?

Bohemian Animal Tarot

Reading Summary:  The first two cards here are the same cards used on Saturday to represent that foggy-mind situation that I have been stuck in lately. The Rook and The Warrior indicate that I need to remember what I have to lose and depend upon my strength to push forward toward resources for healing rather than the weakness of burying it.

Take Away:  The thing about that box and burying negative emotions and worries?  It feels like strength.  It really does feel like by doing so I am bolstering my strength and the walls are sold.  But that is a lie.   It’s a lie because when you try to build -anything- on that foundation, over time the foundation begins to fester and rot… and then everything is at risk of collapsing and landing you worse off than you were before, all because you didn’t deal with it properly the first time around.

DECK USED:  BOHEMIAN ANIMAL TAROT

An Optimistic View

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and was incorporated into my yoga/physio routine.   When I do yoga first and then settle into the meditation after, it seems to create a sense of accomplishment to my routine that I don’t get otherwise.   That said, although it creates this sense of accomplishment, I don’t feel as if I get as much out of these meditation sessions as I do from guided meditations.

Or… maybe I’m just missing the guided meditations, as I haven’t been doing them all that often lately.

The Fool - Spacious TarotToday’s draw is The Fool card of the Major Arcana.   I love this card for the Fool because it has the feeling of beginnings in a way that I think a lot of cards lack.   Yes, there’s an end to that cliff, but looking out over the horizon, there is a vast array of possibilities that the artistry speaks of for me.

And that is the message of the card in today’s draw.  The Fool makes an appearance today to remind me that life is a journey, and each day presents new possibilities to discover and explore.  It’s okay to look at the world with a sense of wonder and set aside pessimism to take a deep breath and appreciate all life has to offer.

DECK USED:  SPACIOUS TAROT

#TarotForGrowthJanuary Challenge Prompt
Question: How can I keep my actions aligned with my goals throughout the year?

Bohemian Animal Tarot

Reading Summary: Don’t allow yourself to get overwhelmed (Ten of Fire) and focus on staying optimistic (The Sun), proactive yet well grounded (Knight of Earth) while taking the time to be kind to yourself and others (The Goddess).

Take Away:  These are all things that are a bit of a challenge to me.  I have a habit of stacking too much on my plate, being pessimistic, and allowing myself to be unkind to myself.  These traits will be a hindrance to staying on track with my goals this year if I don’t stay on top of them.

DECK USED:  BOHEMIAN ANIMAL TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsJan2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: Draw 3 cards to tell the story of what you would do for a Dove Bar. (Had to change it from Klondike bar, cuz those things are nasty.)

Textured Tarot

Reading Summary: Dive to the deepest of depths (Ten of Swords), and fly to the highest of heights (The Sun), and use all of my substantial skillz to get what I want (The Magician). WahhhHaHaHa!!!  (LoL… Sounds like a Celine Dion song, yeah?)

Take Away:  Honestly?  Dove Ice Cream Bars are, hands down, the most amazing ice cream bars on the planet.  No contest.  I’ve tried them all and they are far and above the winner out of them all.  That said?  I intentionally drew these cards with humor in mind, and they didn’t disappoint. 

DECK USED:  TEXTURED TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge Prompt
Question: How will I know I’m improving concerning my procrastination habit?

Ethereal Visions Tarot

Reading Summary:  Less issues with being upset with myself (Three of Swords), less struggles and more of a sense of accomplishment (Six of Wands atop the Seven of Wands), and obviously I’d be getting my work done (Eight of Pentacles).

Take Away:  When I let things pile up because of procrastination, the longer it goes on the worse I feel about myself and life in general.  By keeping up with tasks and not allowing them to pile up, I’m able to release the sense of struggling to move forward as well as that sense of disappointment in myself and embrace a sense of accomplishment.   It’s also a pretty obvious and telling sign that I’m improving if I’m actually getting things done and feeling on top of my work and projects.

DECK USED:  ETHEREAL VISIONS TAROT

The Quagmire

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Today’s meditation was twelve minutes long, and was an activity in sensory awareness, and using the five senses in a productive way that can reduce moments of anxiety.

The activity starts off with the meditative breathing, and then moves through finding five things you can see.  Then four things you can hear.  Three things you can feel (tactile). Two things you can smell.  Then one thing you can taste.

By focusing on each sense individually, you sort of “distract” your anxiety away from whatever has been triggering to you.  I think that it could also work really well to bring you down into a meditative state at times when having trouble focusing during meditation.  That’s something I’ll explore another day, though.

Efflorescent Tarot (Color Edition)Today’s draw is the Eight of Swords, which is a representation of being trapped in your own “mental mess”.

This is very much a clear representation of me of late.  I feel like I am stuck.  Stuck in regards to the business.  Stuck in regards to the clutter in my home at the moment. Stuck in my spiritual development. Stuck in the quagmire of being… stuck.

It’s like the “pause” in the new year where you go into reflection of the past year and consideration of future steps turned into cement that is drying around my feet.

Today’s appearance of the Eight of Swords is an encouragement to seek a path out of the “stuck” that I currently find myself in.  This feeling is one of my own making, and it needs to have a light shined on it so that I can find the steps forward out of the mire rather than standing in it and growing roots there while the cement dries.

DECK USED:  THE EFFLORESCENT TAROT (COLOR EDITION)

#TarotForGrowthJanuary Challenge Prompt
Question: How can I do so without neglecting my own needs? (Build off yesterday’s cards.)

Bohemian Animal Tarot

Reading Summary: Be selective in who I offer my help to (King of Earth), and make sure they are appreciative (Six of Fire) of what I have to offer (The Shaman).

Take Away:  Yesterday’s read was about friends that come to me for an open ear or a bit of guidance.  Today’s reminds me that I can’t be that for everyone.  In order to keep from becoming overwhelmed and to allow myself space for my own self care, I need to be selective concerning those I offer that ear and advice to.  And in order to keep from becoming frustrated or resentful, I need to make sure that those I give these gifts to value them rather than disregarding them as either inconsequential or their due.

DECK USED:  BOHEMIAN ANIMALS TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsJan2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: Do Spread #2

Lo Scarabeo TarotReading Summary: The Moon focuses this reading upon my uncertainties in moving into the new year.

The Ace of Wands indicates that the new beginnings planned for my business are feeling a bit overwhelming. The redirection is a new ambition in this area, and that newness can can cause a “sit and stew” situation when there is a lack in push to move forward.  This doesn’t have to deal with just the business, as I had a lot of “newness” to explore in the new year.  Things I put off emotionally, spiritually, as well as concerning my business ambitions.

The Knight of Swords indicates that I’m stuck too much in the mud of the ideas and inspirations, and not pushing forward as much as I need to.  What started out as a rest after the holidays has turned into a stymied situation that I really need to push to get through and out of.  Because there is so much newness in so many areas, the Knight here speaks of finding focus.  You can’t charge forward without having a direction to charge into.

The Knight of Cups makes it clear that without emotional investment, I’m not going to break free of the quagmire that I find myself in. Don’t close my emotions off and go about things as if everything is fine.  Instead, use my emotions as motivation to drive me forward and into action.

The Three of Pentacles reminds me that I am not alone.  Not in any of this.  I have support when I need it, and help whenever I need to ask for it.  I don’t need to do it all by myself and will become better at these different aspects I’m struggling with if I bring in others to help me learn along the way.

Take Away:  Too much new shit on my plate at one time.  If I want to get going with the things I want to change, I need to pick a direction and go instead of stewing in uncertainty and letting that uncertainty mire me deeper and deeper in immobility.

DECK USED:  LO SCARABEO TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge Prompt
Question: Where could others benefit from me contributing more?

Spirit of the Flowers TarotReading Summary:  These cards are a reiteration of the Tarot for Growth answer for today.   They speak of choosing recipients of my time and attention by looking at the long-term benefits (Seven of Pentacles) that my contributions will offer to others to help them through times of overwhelm (Ten of Wands) and emotional development (Knave of Chalices) by using my skills at guidance to help them along their path (The Hierophant).

Take Away:  I feel that this read is about how others benefit more, but also myself.  It speaks of the need to look at a larger picture and a more far-reaching development and result when I choose those that I share my time, advice, and knowledge with.  Those “fly by night” friends and students will only benefit a small amount, and I will only benefit in helping them by a small amount.  If I really want a beneficial relationship with helping others, I need to look for those that are going to carry those lessons forward into their lives.

DECK USED:  SPIRIT OF THE FLOWERS TAROT