circle of life tarot

Everyday Isn’t Today

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and took place in the car while J was driving.  Unfortunately, it wasn’t particularly relaxing or rejuvenating.  I’ll have to give it another shot before bed tonight.

Ten of Cups - Circle of Life TarotToday’s draw is the Ten of Cups, which is traditionally read as an indication of completion past contentment in the area of one’s emotions, creativity, relationships, and intuition.  This often translates into themes that deal with relationship bliss, harmony with others, an alignment of values, and an even flow of abundance in the meeting of everyone’s emotional needs.

What I see here is reassurance, though.   Today has been a slow crawl through the cloying sludgy quagmire of existential quicksand. Every fucking thing I’ve tried to do today has taken three times as long as it should have.  Packaging orders, drawing my cards, taking a shower… even making a sandwich.   I don’t know how or why this has been the case.  If I didn’t know better?  I’d think I had missed my meds, but I just checked last night and I have not missed any.

The appearance of the Ten of Cups in today’s draw is a reassurance that it’s not always like this.  It’s just not.   Today was an aberrant fluke, and not the norm.  So take a deep breath and remember that things usually go much smoother and are much more harmonious.

DECK USED:  CIRCLE OF LIFE TAROT

#TarotForGrowthMarch Challenge Prompt
Question: How is the growing lunar energy manifesting in my life?

Reigning Rouge Tarot

Reading Summary:  I’m beginning to see the light (Four of Wands) at the end of the long trek through this winter’s fog (Five of Cups) and just need to remain patient with the process (Temperance).

Take Away:  Lots of reminders this week to foster patience with myself.  It’s a good reminder, though, and one that I need pretty regularly, so I suppose it’s not that big of a surprise.  After so long in the fog and in the effort to find a path out of it and back to a better place mentally and emotionally, I’ve recently begun to identify some progress.  Small at it is, it’s encouraging, and the growing lunar energy will assist in this effort and my progress, as long as I remember to not push.

DECK USED:  REIGNING ROUGE TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsMar2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: What would be a better option or path? (Built off yesterday’s cards.)

Law of Attraction Tarot

Reading Summary:  Accept that I have the tools (Magician) I need to protect what’s important to me (Four of Coins) without going overboard. It’s okay to take some time for self reflection (Hermit), but don’t lose sight of what you’re truly after (Judgement).

Take Away:  When I’m feeling vulnerable, I have a habit of erecting barriers and perpetuating self abuse (not physical but mental/emotional).  There are better ways to accept that I need to take things slow, including accepting I’m capable and making sure I stay in touch with myself and my goals.

DECK USED:  LAW OF ATTRACTION TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: How am I blocking my intuition?

Animal Totem Tarot

Reading Summary: I want to go go go (Three of Wands) when instead I need to be seeking a more stable pragmatic approach (Queen of Swords) and grounded energy for myself (Four of Pentacles).  Only with a good foundation can you successfully charge forward toward your dreams (Knight of Wands).

Take Away:  So… yeah.  This is yet another reminder about where I am in emerging from the fog I’ve been dealing with over the last few months. As I emerge my intuition will grow and flex, stretching out of that fog along with the rest of me.  But if I allow my tendency to push and rush, this isn’t going to work and it will hinder my progress rather than help.

DECK USED:  ANIMAL TOTEM TAROT

 

Even Baby Steps Are Progress

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and was tacked on to the tail end of my yoga/physiotherapy practice.  As usual, it wasn’t as effective as when I take the time to relax fully and take a separate few minutes to meditate.  Unfortunately, the housekeeper was on her way over and I was limited in just how much time I had to get my morning needs completed before she arrived.

I may do a second meditation tonight when I head to bed, though, as I feel I could use one.

The Hermit - Circle of Life TarotToday’s draw is The Hermit card of the Major Arcana, which is a representation of taking time to yourself, often for introspection or time alone to sort things out in some way.

What stands out to me in this imagery today is the motion in the man, and the rocks on the ground.   What I mean by the “motion of the man” is that I see clear movement.  He isn’t standing still, he’s moving forward.  He’s making progress.  But at his feet lie stones that could be tripped over if caution is not taken.

The message that I see in the appearance of The Hermit is that I am getting somewhere in my healing, growth, and development.  I may not always feel like it.  In fact, sometimes it might not feel like it at all. At other times I might come across a rock or two and stumble along the way… but progress is progress, even if it’s one small, agonizingly slow step at a time.

DECK USED:  CIRCLE OF LIFE TAROT

#TarotForGrowthMarch Challenge Prompt
Question: Where would I most benefit from taking action at this time?

78 Tarot Elemental Tarot of the Natural

Reading Summary:  Move forward from suspension (Ace of Earth).  It’s okay to take a leap (The Fool), but in doing so you might have to move fast in order to stay on target and bypass obstacles (Eight of Fire).  There is a discordant feeling to the combination of these three cards.

Take Away:  Honestly, although I might most benefit from taking a leap and racing ahead at this time concerning my business?  I don’t feel like it’s the right time.  I think this is a test of my patience.  The cards are giving me information that is actionable and even beneficial, but contrary to my current goals…. as if they are asking, “What do you really want?”

DECK USED:  78TAROT ELEMENTAL TAROT OF THE NATURAL

#DiscordTarotholicsMar2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: How can I improve upon where I am mentally over the week ahead?

Arcana Iris Sacra Tarot

Reading Summary:  Accept that this is the beginning of something good (The Fool) and move forward with an open mind and balanced judgement (Queen of Swords) while keeping a focus on the relationships in my life that work in harmony with my own energies.

Take Away:  So although this is probably not going to be a week where I’m going to end up finding a helper, it IS a week for new beginnings and making sure that I get things in order for that eventuality.  At the same time, I need to make sure I’m taking time for myself and those closest to me who make up an important part of balancing my emotional well-being.

DECK USED:  ARCANA IRIS SACRA TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: When am I intuitively insecure?

Celtic Dragon Tarot

Reading Summary:   At times when I am in a mindset of feeling defensive (Seven of Wands) and insecure (The Moon), my judgement is compromised (Judgement) and it makes it too difficult and distracting to be able to focus (Seven of Cups) in on my intuition clearly.

Take Away:  And thus why I’ve been having a little difficulty over December and January with my intuition feeling muffled.  Because of the fear issue I’ve been dealing with, the fog of that “freeze” reaction that I’ve been working through, and the residual effects of that experience, I am aware that I am feeling a bit handicapped with my intuition at the moment (although that has been resolving itself over the past few weeks a little at a time).

During this time, I’ve noticed that I have been leaning more fully in the area of tarot, and placed image only decks on the back burner for the time being.  I believe this is a natural reaction, as I subconsciously balance my logic mind with my intuitive ability so that I can continue to read cards regardless of where I am on those scales at any given moment.

DECK USED:  CELTIC DRAGON TAROT

 

It’s All About Patience

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IMG_2872Today’s meditation was was about the temporary nature of unpleasant situations.  It talked about an Icelandic concept called “Gluggavedur” or “Window Weather”.   That is to say, weather that looks beautiful from within the safe confines of your home, but is just the opposite when you step outside in it.

Applying this concept to life, the guided meditation spoke on how during times of difficulty and struggle, it’s good to emotionally step back from the problem and observe as if you are from the sidelines.  When we are not panicked and under control of volatile reactions and emotions, we can sometimes learn more from unpleasant situations than when we are fully immersed in them.

This “window weather” view also allows for the realization that nothing lasts forever.  The storm on the other side of the glass will pass, and the sun will again come out eventually.  Sometimes? You just have to stay calm and wait the bad things out.

Five of Pentacles - Circle of Life TarotToday’s draw is the Five of pentacles which is often an indication of tests, trials, and challenges in the area of one’s finances, resources, and the physical world, which including home and health issues.

What I see in the imagery of this card ties into the theme of today’s meditation.  I see the tapestry being made and its long length. The weaver and their sour expression.   They sit and they work, and they don’t seem particularly happy about it.  But you see that the weaver is not tangled up within the tapestry.  Instead they sit on the outskirts and watch that long coil spool out beside them.

Sooner or later the tapestry will be done, and the weaver will be able to put down their work and rise to move forward, not tangled within the tapestry itself, but having rode out the length of it and finished it off calmly.

As of the news I received just about 20 minutes ago (from when I wrote this post, of course)?  This message is a good one for me today.  It turns out I have to escort my sister to a work function tonight.   I don’t particularly want to go, but  her date bailed on her and she’s being honored and doesn’t want to go alone.   It’s not what I want to do with my evening.  It’s not what I need to do with my evening.

But,  I’ll do it for her.  And I’ll practice temperance and tolerance for all the celebrating drunk people because she deserves to be recognized, and to have someone there that makes her happy and comfortable to have at her side.

DECK USED:  CIRCLE OF LIFE TAROT

#TarotForGrowthMarch Challenge Prompt
Question: What challenges might this shift present for me? (Built off yesterday’s cards.)

New Choice Tarot de Marseille

Reading Summary:  Burden (Ten of Wands) can be battled by staying attentive to what is going on within and around me (King of Wands) and keeping an open mindset of growth and learning (Page of Pentacles).

Take Away:  The message here is to take care not to close myself off.  Stay open and aware, and don’t allow myself to take on so much that I end up struggling with feelings of overwhelm and burnout.

DECK USED:  NEW CHOICE TAROT DE MARSEILLE

#DiscordTarotholicsMar2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: What can I do to encourage that arrival? (Built off yesterday’s cards.)

Green Witch Tarot

Reading Summary: Have patience (Four of Athames). Play along (The Greenman). And try to stay flexibly balanced (Two of Pentacles).

Take Away:  In order to allow good things to grow into being and blossom in the spring, I need to make sure that I “stay in my lane”.   Take time to rest and don’t push myself too hard, allow time for fun and let the energy of the impending spring carry me along like a leaf in the wind.  Just focus on keeping my boat afloat, and let the rest (including that persistently demanding ambition of mine) take care of itself for a while.

DECK USED:  GREEN WITCH TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: How can I better listen to my inner voice?

Tarot of the Golden Wheel

Reading Summary: Allow hope and positivity to flourish and set aside despair.

This read is based off imagery alone, and how the darkness on the left side of the Wheel of Fortune card contrasts with the brightness on the right side, which then flows smoothly (and nearly seamlessly) into the image on the Ten of cups.  The outsider card on the right (Three of Swords) speaks of what “does not fit” into this picture.

Take Away:  The key here in this reading is the word “allow”, which is not about controlling or demanding, it’s not about pushing and striving.  It’s about letting things happen and turning your efforts to other areas… in this case that area is in setting aside that fear and struggle from the past few months in order to clear room for better things to take root and grow.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE GOLDEN WHEEL

Take Your Time

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was supposed to be twenty minutes long, but I ended up dozing off in the middle of it and it turned into a nearly three hour nap instead.   I’ll give it another go before sleep tonight.  I’m pretty sure I got at least ten minutes in, but I can’t be positive.  A second practice before bed won’t hurt anything.

Four of Swords - Tarot of the Hidden RealmToday’s draw is the Four of Swords, which is about rest and recuperation.

What I see in this card is the value of taking time to sit and think.  Not just the value of rest and recuperation, but in allowing your mind to roam and restore.  The allowance to mull things over and let time slide by as you do so, rather than demanding the answers now and pushing forward, always forward.

I’m always pushing forward, but today I took some time for myself.  I relaxed and watched some tv.  I meditated, and napped a bit more than I’d planned.   I loused about and played games on my phone.   Most of these things are not things I allow myself all that often, or at least I don’t openly allow myself to accept them without recriminations.   Today, though, I gave myself these small pleasures and did my best to not put myself down for them or the time spent with them.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE HIDDEN REALM

#TarotForGrowthFebruary Challenge Prompt
Question: What is my current relationship with creativity?

Circle of Life Tarot

Reading Summary:  Stagnant (Hermit) due to a waffling on choices (Two of Swords) has left me feeling a bit apathetic and unable to see the good/joy of creativity (Five of Cups), which is swiftly (Eight of Wands) spiraling me down into feelings of scarcity (Five of Pentacles).

Take Away:  Usually, my creativity is very free flowing and constantly pushing through me like an inner light.   Since my issues with that letter came in, and the self doubt that letter and the fear it created sparked up in me, my creativity has been very much blocked, though.  It feels heavy and I’m struggling with it a bit, to be honest.

DECK USED:  CIRCLE OF LIFE TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsFeb2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: What do I need to focus on for self-care for this new moon?

Dame Darcy's Queen Alice Tarot

Reading Summary: Now is the time to go for it (Knight of Wands) concerning those new ideas I have (Ace of Swords) about my financial portfolio and establishing more solid financial footing (King of Pentacles).

Take Away: There’s some taxes stuff I’ve been putting off and a few ideas I’ve had for directing money in a different direction, but I’ve been putting it off as it hasn’t felt like the right time.  From these cards, it sounds like now is the time and I should hop to it.

DECK USED:  DAME DARCY’S QUEEN ALICE TAROT

Owl and Bones February Two Card Challenge
Question: Wash Away / Invigorate

Prisma Visions Tarot v5Wash Away :  It’s time to wash away the energies of winter that have been dragging me down and holding me back.  These energies didn’t serve me then and are not serving me now, it’s time to allow a fresh clean breeze to blow through and clear them out.

Invigorate :  Invigorate the industrious energies of spring. It’s time to start moving forward instead of wallowing in stagnation.

DECK USED:  PRISMA VISIONS TAROT V5