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Strength In Vulnerability

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Today’s meditation was twelve minutes long, and was one of the #DailyTrip sessions in the @Calm app.

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The Nigel Jackson Tarot's World Card and Inner Joy OracleDaily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Today’s draw is The World card, which is traditionally a representation of the end of a journey, the completion of a time of growth, accomplishment, and transitioning from one path in life to another.

When we learn to accept and appreciate our vulnerabilities, a new journey begins.

When I became my partner’s submissive seventeen(?) years ago, I spent a few years feeling awkward and embarrassed. Not with what we have or did with each other, but with how others might perceive me. I worried that in other people’s eyes, being submissive in our relationship made them see me as weak.

It took me time to accept that this is a part of myself, and even longer to see, understand, and truly accept that my submission is not a weakness. It takes courage to let someone else take the reigns, and strength to find that balance in a relationship that fits for both of you. It also takes strength to allow our vulnerabilities to show, which is also a part of submission (not to mention the subdrop, which I’m personally prone to).

Once I got to a point where I could see that strength in my submission and all it entailed? It no longer mattered anymore what others thought. I had moved into accepting myself and my vulnerabilities more easily.

Today’s cards ask us to look at these things about ourselves that we see as weaknesses or vulnerabilities, and seek out how they make us better and stronger. The message here encourages us to recognize that by accepting these vulnerabilities and seeing them as strengths to value, instead of weaknesses to be ashamed of, we become more authentically us.

DECK USED:  THE NIGEL JACKSON TAROT

@LightningWildflower‘s July Tarot Challenge
Reveal Prompts for July 25 – 27

The Spiritual Meaning of Birds Oracle ReadingWhat truths are coming to light in my life?

Chickadee/Sweet Brier – It’s is through the shedding of old ideas and patterns for new ones that we continue to grow and change. You lead naturally in areas where you hold knowledge and expertise. Remember that keeping that expertise up-to-date and relative means not getting so bogged down by old ideas and traditions that new ones can’t be added.

What hidden gifts have I uncovered?

Cuckoo/Feverpod atop Magpie – You have a one track mind when it comes to your hoarding tendencies, and aren’t above lying to yourself to convince yourself to continue on with addictive behaviors (which hoarding is included in) well past when it would be healthier to back off.

Fortunately, you are aware of this and work to stay attentive to these issues. As you have begun to explore mediumship, your ancestors have also stepped forward to help in establishing and maintaining balance this area.

What am I afraid (or resistant to) reveal to others?

Wren/Winged Elm – You are resistant to let other’s see your more extreme swings in mood and behavior. You don’t like the highs and lows, and worry that showing these extremes may cause you to appear less dependable. You’ve worked so hard to create a stable foundation for yourself, and worry that these extremes could create cracks in that foundation not just for yourself, but also for others who depend on your stable nature.

Other elements included in this reading:
Foraged Wood Fern for Exorcising Negative Influences
Dried Rhododendron Leaf for Fostering Confidence
Rainforest Rhyolite for Facilitating Calm Transitions
Flower Agate Moon for Opening the Mind to New Possibilities
Gneiss Wishing Stone for Patience in Moments of Discomfort
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: THE SPIRITUAL MEANING OF BIRDS

Daily Self Kindness

I went to the dentist to have my cleaning done, even though I was extremely tempted to cancel my appointment.

Whose Dreams are These?

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Carnival of Time Tarot's Knight of Cups and Chakra MandalasDaily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Today’s draw is the Knight of Cups (Bottles), which is traditionally a representation of an active beta energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s emotions, relationships, intuition, and creativity. This often portrays itself in a theme of going after what brings someone joy or following your imagination and creativity into new adventures.

Whose dreams are you chasing?

As we grow up, those that raise us and influence our development, instilling within us values and dreams, mores and ideals. We adopt these as our own until as adults we are given the autonomy to choose our own beliefs, values, and direction in life.

How much of what came before remains, though? Are we striving in life to fulfill our own dreams; or are we focusing on the dreams others have told us we should be focused on? Have we broken free of the mold to discover and explore our true and authentic selves? Or are we still trying to fit ourselves into that mold created by others?

The message in today’s cards is an encouragement to look within, and work on getting to know the true and authentic you. Then, when you begin to tap into that authenticity, examine if the goals you’ve set out for yourself really align with who you are… or are you carrying dreams from someone else who didn’t allow themselves to freedom to follow those dreams when they had the chance and now have placed them upon you to fulfill?

It’s your life. So shouldn’t you be fulfilling your own dreams?

DECK USED:  CARNIVAL OF TIME TAROT AND CHAKRA MANDALAS DECK

#DiscordTarotholicsJul2025 Challenge
Prompt for July 27 : Do Spread 4

Oracle Reading with the Weird Beehaviour Trading Cards

Flowers – What is flourishing in my life right now

FreeBee  – You’re getting lots of in-person time with those in your inner circle. Sometimes this feels like a good thing, other times it feels like it sucks, and still there are other times when you wish you could just walk away and tell everybody to fuck off. Remember that together time needs to be valued, though, because it won’t last.

Sun – Where you’re shining your brightest this summer

SnobBEE – Where you are really shiny brightest this summer is in your discernment; especially in learning how to enact that discernment around others. Some might call it just being a dick, and others will call it having good boundaries. You know it’s the latter, so don’t let the naysayers hold influence over you.

Stars – What needs released to shine even brighter

Danny DeBEEto – Discrimination and restraint are not a bad words. Okay,  they can be in certain contexts, but we all need to be discriminate in what, for example, comes out of our mouths. Let go of the idea that every little thing that enters your head needs shared with others. Sometimes just shutting up and stepping away is a better option. Let your ability to do this flourish.

Bees – Where you focus your energy to get things done

ChubBEE  – Excess is not your enemy if you pick and choose where those tendencies are directed. Like most things in life, it can be either healthier or unhealthy, depending on how you apply it to your life. When drawn into moments of excess (as you almost inevitably are), make sure that you are channeling that energy into positive and healthy directions.

Bonfires – Embers to stir up for a brighter future

BEEthoven – Your creative spark is looking for an outlet. Pick something that moves you and give it a go, even those things that are long-standing in your life will do, as long as they help in fanning the flames of your creativity.

Other elements included in this reading:
Purple Heather Flowers for Independence and Luck
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: WEIRD BEEHAVIOUR TRADING CARDS

Daily Self Kindness

When the news came on the TV today, I stole the remote from J and turned it off.

Emotional Intelligence

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

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The Whisper of Stars and Garden Tarot's King of Cups and Inner Joy OracleDaily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Today’s draw is the King of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of a projective alpha energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s emotions, relationships, emotional intelligence, creativity, or intuition. This often translates into authority figures that are emotionally supportive and understanding, possessing both compassion and strong leadership qualities.

In my life, no one celebrates me more than my personal King of Cups. Gideon is my cheerleader and my biggest fan. He often knows me better than I know myself, and doesn’t just provide emotional support in the traditional sense, but also assists in my emotional growth by helping in sorting out my confusing emotions and learning how to interpret and/or deal with them in healthy ways.

These are things that, left to my own devices, I struggle with. I spent so much of my childhood and a good portion of my adult life disconnecting from and burying my emotions, that in the present I often struggle with identifying what I’m feeling.

Thanks to him, I’m now learning about my emotions. I can’t say it’s an easy road. It’s confusing and often frustrating. But, what I’m discovering along the way is that emotions have a place in my life after all, and the potential to make life a richer and more enjoyable experience… if I let myself experience them.

The message for today is about the value of your emotions, as well as those that have taught you by both guidance or example how to identify and process them.

This type of support is often overlooked. It’s usually experienced in childhood, integrated, then the source of support (or perhaps the support itself, to be more specific) is forgotten about. Today’s cards ask; who provided the foundation for how you view, process, and respond to emotions? How does their influence still carry forward for you into the present?

DECK USED:  THE WHISPER OF STARS AND GARDEN TAROT AND INNER JOY ORACLE

@LightningWildflower‘s July Tarot Challenge
Trust Prompts for July 22 – 24

The Witch of the Forest Earth Oracle and The Herbal Healing Oracle ReadingWhat does trust look like for me?

Patchouli and Spilanthes – Dependability, especially on an emotional level. You aren’t fond of surprises, and unpredictably causes you to feel the need to put up your defenses, even with those in your inner circle. This is why you choose not to be around people when they are drinking; you view their inebriation at unpredictable and it makes it hard for you to trust them even in the smallest ways during these times.

In what way do I need to trust myself more?

Mint and St John’s Wort – You don’t need to supervise with exacting detail every step taken along your path. Trust yourself to be surefooted even when you’re not looking, even during times when you are outside your comfort zone. Your moral compass and sense of what’s right for you will help keep you headed where you need to go, even when you’re not investing everything you have into staying on track.

Where is uncertainty holding me back?

Lavender and Violet – Your explorations into mediumship could be going much faster. You are currently moving at a pace so slow that it’s bordering on discomfort. That tight grip on “the reigns” feels like it makes things safer, but it’s actually a choke-hold on your progress. Ease up on the reigns a bit and let things develop and connect more naturally. In return you’ll find more comfort, peace, and familiarity in this practice.

Other elements included in this reading:
Black Spruce Tips to Boost Self-Confidence and Positive Thinking
Purple Heather Flowers for Independence and Luck
Serpentine Dragon to Bolster Heart and Emotions
Gneiss Wishing Stone for Patience in Moments of Discomfort
Citrine for Energy Lift (easing the weight of heavy energies)
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: THE WITCH OF THE FOREST’S EARTH ORACLE DECK AND THE HERBAL HEALING DECK

Daily Self Kindness

I took a nap this afternoon before driving home this evening.

Finding the Positive for July 23 – 25

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Tarot of the Hidden Realm's Four of Wands, Sprites & Beasties Tarot's Hierophant card, and Goose Tarot's King of Pentacles

July 23 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was a self directed ten minute long session based on the included graphic by @Sunni_Chapman; which has a figure holding a bunch of dandelion tufts as if to make a wish and says “I’m doing exactly the right things, because I’m doing what I want. Doing what you want is the right thing, if you want to get what you want.”

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Daily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Today’s draw is the Four of Wands, which is traditionally a representation of one’s passionate love for the security and welcoming energies of home. This often translates into themes that have to do with homecoming, celebrating home and stability, as well as relaxation in comfortable spaces.

Combined with today’s meditation, the card pulled for today really brings home to me just how often I’m not doing what I want. Because… what I want? Is to be at home. Honestly?  That’s all I want, even as unhealthy as that might be.

I say that because there was a time in my life where I was living as a shut-in.  I could barely make it to the store and back, and it’s -very- easy to imagine slipping back into that inclination, especially lately when I feel like all I really want to do is hide away from the world.   Why exactly is that?  I think it’s because I feel overwhelmed.

All.
the.
time.

Coming home, therefore, at least gives some little small modicum of relief from that feeling.  I mean, it’s still there, but there’s this comfort in stepping into a private familiar space that’s yours.  I savor that feeling every single time I step through my front door.  Every time the katy bar is put into place. Every time my ass hits the couch cushions or my body settles on the bed.

The message for today is a reminder not to take these comforts for granted.  Savor them.  A moment of appreciation is needed for those things in life that just feel -good-… even the small ones.

DECK USED: TAROT OF THE HIDDEN REALM

July 24 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was nine minutes long, and was one of the #DailyTrip sessions in the @Calm app.

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Daily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Today’s draw is the Storyteller (Hierophant) card, which is traditionally a representation of traditions, spiritual guidance, long standing institutions, teachers and guides, and themes that deal with conformity and social norms.

When I meditate, a lot of times, I have a tendency to focus more on the inhale than the exhale. I noticed this tendency today while meditating, as the session encouraged visualizing the inhale as drawing in light and energy, and the exhale as releasing stress and tension.

It made me wonder, what other experiences and/or benefits am I missing out on in life by doing things my own way instead of exploring traditional methods? After all, traditional methods became traditional, carrying on through generations, for a reason.

The message in today’s cards is to be open to exploration of long held traditions. You might feel certain that your own way of doing things is a better fit for you, but this isn’t actual fact (and is instead just your own assumption) until you actually give those traditional methods a try.

DECK USED: SPRITES & BEASTIES TAROT AND CHAKRA MANDALAS DECK

July 25 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Daily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Today’s draw is the King of Pentacles, which is traditionally a representation of a projective alpha energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s financial security, resources, health, home, labors, manifestations, and other elements of the physical realm. This often translates into leadership that creates a grounded sense of stability for others.

For me, today is an order catch-up day. Having stepped away from processing orders for a handful of days, they have understandably built up in the background and need to be caught up on.

I used to try and do my catch-up all in one shipment. I’ve come to realize that that’s not doing me much good, though, for as soon as I’m caught up I then need another break.

So instead, I now split the outstanding orders into two piles. The more difficult time-consuming orders in one pile, and the rest that can be done easily and be quickly knocked out in another. The more difficult pile, I work on over the span of a weekend, giving me plenty of time to get them all done and ready to ship out in my Tuesday shipments. The pile of easy ones, I prep for a Friday shipment because I usually only have Thursday (or sometimes just Thursday night) in which to get them done.

Although I hate that this means catching up takes more time, it significantly reduces my stress and energy expenditure.

Today’s King of Pentacles card combined with the affirmation. “Go easy on yourself. Life is not a speed run.” is a reminder that part of being responsible and taking care of those responsibilities, is a responsibility to take care of yourself. It’s okay to do things at your own pace. The world will fall in line behind you if your boundaries give them no other option.

DECK USED: GOOSE TAROT AND WILDLING WISDOM ORACLE

Daydreaming Possibilities

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Melodic Moods Tarot's Three of Wands and Inner Joy OracleDaily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Today’s draw is the Three of Wands, which is traditionally a representation of the first active step in a journey, progress towards a goal, and the seizing of opportunities.

Resting is a time of dreaming.

Whether it’s when we sleep or just when we are relaxing, these are times when we unwind and allow our minds to wander… and in the wandering, we see our (sometimes otherwise hidden) wants, as well as the vast myriad of possibilities life has to offer us. In these moments we see that life can be different or more than the narrow path we walk up upon day in and day out.

Today’s message is a reminder that rest and restoration isn’t just good for the body; it’s also often the first step on a new journey into what’s possible.

DECKS USED:  MELODIC MOODS TAROT AND INNER JOY ORACLE

#DiscordTarotholicsJul2025 Challenge
Prompt for July 22 : What do you need to focus on for self-care for this month’s new moon?

Ogham Grove Oracle ReadingReading Summary: Take some time to work on healing your emotional turmoil and those things that weigh heavily upon you heart (Hawthorn). Seek peace and tranquility by taking time to actually feel your emotions (Fearn), and rise above the chaos instead of allowing it to drag you down. (Holly).

Take Away: You are out of the drop and on the upswing. Don’t allow those things that might rock the boat have sway right now, even if they possibly should be given more weight than you give them.  You need to take this time to heal yourself, and you can’t do that if you’re walking on eggshells trying to appease everyone else in your life.  Instead of doing this, look within at what’s bothering you and put your energy and attention into acknowledging your feelings, then letting these things go.

Other elements included in this reading:
Black Spruce Tips to Boost Self-Confidence and Positive Thinking
Purple Heather Flowers for Independence and Luck
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: THE OGHAM GROVE ORACLE

Daily Self Kindness

I did the driving today while I had the energy and alertness to put into it, so that I wouldn’t have to do the driving tomorrow.

Who’s Talking?

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

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SUNNY Orange Cat Tarot's Page of Swords and the Wildling Wisdom OracleDaily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Today’s draw is the Page of Swords, which is traditionally a representation of a receptive omega energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s thoughts, intellect, logic, ambitions, and communication. This often translates into themes that have to do with learning new ways to communicate with others, beginning new educational pursuits, exploring new ideas. and seeking to sate one’s curiosity.

When I spoke to my shrink the last time, while we were discussing the idea of scheduling daily languishing time, my first response was a harsh condemnation about being lazy. In reply, she asked, “Wow, whose voice was that?”

To be clear? It was my father’s voice, but her calling me on it brought into focus the fact that even after years of trying to break free of the negative narratives in my head (which are invariably not my voice at all, but those in my past), it’s still my brain’s initial response when my guard’s down.

All this time, and I’m still learning how to talk to myself with kindness and treat myself as I would treat others.

My shrink would say to this observation that the years I’ve spent trying to be kind to myself and redirect my negative inner narratives is a drop in the bucket compared to how long I’ve had absorbing and learning to allow these narratives to have free reign. And, she’s right. There is no quick fix. I’m still learning.

Today’s message is a reminder to treat yourself with the same kindness, compassion, and understanding that you would give to others. And, to remind yourself daily that this is the goal. It’s a long journey, learning to turn self abuse and self criticism around into something more positive and nurturing, and this is one of the first steps; an essential one that needs to be repeated again and again.

DECK USED:  SUNNY ORANGE CAT TAROT AND WILDLING WISDOM ORACLE

@LightningWildflower‘s July Tarot Challenge
Belong Prompts for July 19 – 21

Ancient Animal Wisdom Oracle ReadingWhat do I need in order to feel seen?

Nile Crocodile – To feel seen, you need acceptance without them feeling the need to fix or change things. Especially an acceptance from others that your path is not open to being meddled with by outside opinions, and that just because your path is different than theirs, coexistence is not just still possible but desired.

What role do I often play in a group, and does that reflect who I really am?

Rabbit – You have a tendency to just go with the flow as long as whatever is happening doesn’t conflict with your personal values. If it does, as long as it’s not your own territory in danger, you’ll simple walk away rather than follow. If your territory is involved in some way , you’ll simple walk can be a fierce fighter when backed into a corner. This is all about who you are, and your unwillingness to sacrifice that despite pressures to do so in both large and small ways.

Where do I find it easiest to be myself?

Black Rhino – You find it easiest to be yourself when you’re alone and in your element (whether that’s in the forest, in the garden, or working on a creative project, etc). Being on your own without the push and pull of others on your attention or energy gives you the freedom to be yourself without it feeling like others are vying for  your time or attention, or interfering in some way with your self expression.

Other elements included in this reading:
Dried Rhododendron Leaf for Fostering Confidence
Aragonite for Truth and Understanding

DECK USED: ANCIENT ANIMAL WISDOM ORACLE 1ST EDITION

Daily Self Kindness

I slept in today.  I’d planned to get up and get a few things done, but when I woke up this morning I really didn’t feel like crawling out of bed. Instead of forcing myself as I normally would have, I burrowed back in and slept for a few more hours.