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Emotional Intelligence and Growth

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Today’s meditation was eleven minutes long, and was one of the #DailyCalm sessions from the @Calm app.

Today’s session was on the practice of observing one’s breath during meditation practice.  This is one of those things that I really struggle with during meditation.  As soon as I focus on my breath, I begin altering my breath.  I’m not sure why that is, but it’s not just during meditation but at any time.   I pay attention, and begin to breathe deeper, more even breaths.

This makes the practice of observing the breath without altering it nearly impossible for me, but I continue to try. One of the techniques mentioned in the meditation might work for me with a bit of practice, I think.  That is viewing the breath as the ocean waves lapping at the shore.  I’ll have to work with it a bit and see how it goes, but it felt like it might actually lead to some success.

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The Chibi Tarot - Ace of CupsThe @GlitterbyInk #AprilFinds25 Challenge
Lost and Found Prompt for April 20 : Gratitude

Today’s draw is the Ace of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of the seed of new beginnings in the area of one’s emotions, relationships, creativity, and intuition.

As someone that has spent a large portion of their life avoiding their emotions and burying those that couldn’t be avoided, I find getting in touch with them (now that I’m trying to treat my emotions in a more healthy way) often confusing and overwhelming.

I often find that I know I’m feeling something due to physiological responses, but have no idea what that something is or where it came from until Gideon sits me down to poke and prod at it and talk it through with me. During these discussions, when we finally hit the nail on the head, I feel a physiological sense of relief that I’ve begun to understand is my emotions finally being heard and seen. Validated as real.

This is how I’ve come to learn about my emotions, and my willing participating in this process is my efforts toward emotional growth and a greater sense of self-understanding.

Today’s card and prompt combo reminds me of this process, how grateful I am to be able to learn these things that I was so intent on neglecting for so long, and how grateful I am to have understanding participants in my life willing to help me in this journey.

The prompt and card today, therefore, are asking us to look at where each of us is beginning a new emotional journey, and to connect with a sense of gratitude and appreciation for the ability to explore ourselves in this way, and sometimes even bring others along with us on the journey.

DECK USED:  THE CHIBI TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsApr2025 Challenge
Prompt for April : Do Spread 3

Dragon Scales Oracle Reading

You – Spiked Snatcher

Like a greedy dragon, you’re gobbling up everything you can grab that you think may be relevant or needed, regardless of its actual suitability.

Your Goal – Pine Drakes

A hoard that better represents the themes and aesthetics you connect with most strongly and truly enjoy.

What’s Holding You Back

Island Dragon – There is a very clear color coordination between the Spiked Snatcher (you) and the Island Dragon (the obstacle), speaking of a fundamental issue concerning how you’re going about things and the methods that you’re using.

Fomo is driving you to collect more than you really want.

Advice to overcome what’s holding you back.

Nano Drake – It’s time to start purging, but just a little bit at a time. Don’t go overboard.

Take Away – Well, little did I know that when I did this reading today, I would be doing a reading on my deck collection, but there it is. Although, I think this also could be applied to a couple of other places in my life as well, the deck collection being just the most glaring example.

Over the past year, I have been cutting back significantly in adding to my collection, but there’s still a good way as I can still go in this, and I could definitely be more proactive about purging those decks out of my collection that just aren’t suited to either my practice or my professional readings.

Other elements included in this reading:
Dried Bay Leaf for Protection From Negativity
Foraged Ponderosa Pine Needles for Resilience and Adaptability
Carnelian Agate for Inner Drive and Focusing On One’s Aspirations
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: DRAGON SCALES ORACLE

Daily Self Kindness

I feel like I didn’t really collect my thoughts well on the card of the day for today, but I let it go instead of futzing with it.

Finding the Positive for April 17 – 19

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Card Captor Sakura Tarot's Wheel of Fortune, The Children of Ostara Tarot's Ten of Wands, Out of Hand Tarot's Three of Cups

April 17 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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The @GlitterbyInk #AprilFinds25 Challenge
Lost and Found Prompt for April 17 : Courage

Today’s draw is the Wheel of Fortune, which is traditionally a representation of luck (both good and bad), changing circumstances, the ups and downs of life, and the cyclical nature of life and the world.

Courage doesn’t mean that we don’t feel fear. It means that we act accordingly to our values and moral compass despite being afraid.

This can be difficult when we are taken off guard by unanticipated setbacks and surprises. Sometimes these obstacles and unexpected events make us want to run or hide, burying one’s head in the sand until they pass.

Today’s card and prompt combination is a reminder that life is unpredictable and this fear is not just okay but perfectly natural… and that courage is in resisting the fight or flight response in order to stand strong in who we are and what we believe.

DECK USED: CARD CAPTOR SAKURA TAROT

April 18 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped. (Side note:  I really need to work on avoiding the sessions that point out the physical and psychological benefits that meditation provides. It appears to trigger my self-destructive tendencies, and this causes me to then react by avoiding meditation.)

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The @GlitterbyInk #AprilFinds25 Challenge
Lost and Found Prompt for April 18 : Freedom

Today’s draw is the Ten of Wands, which is traditionally a representation of overwhelm, burnout, struggling under too much responsibility, and can indicate a need to do some prioritizing and delegation.

“Some battles may yet be worth winning, while others are not worth even beginning.” – Xia Hunt

…and isn’t it lovely that we have the freedom to choose what battles in life we choose to put out efforts into and those we don’t.

We can’t fight all the battles, explore all the projects, or take on all of the responsibilities. It’s up to us to execute our freedom of choice by choosing only those we deem most valuable, most important, or most interesting to pursue so that we don’t overwhelm ourselves by trying to pile too much on our plates at once.

Today’s card and prompt combination is a celebration of that freedom to choose, and a reminder that it’s there for you when you need it in order to allow you to avoid becoming overburdened or overwhelmed.

DECK USED: THE CHILDREN OF OSTARA TAROT

April 19 – Mental Health Card of the Day

The @GlitterbyInk #AprilFinds25 Challenge
Lost and Found Prompt for April 19 : Love

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Today’s draw is the Three of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of friendships, revelry, celebration, and collaboration between those that are linked or alike not just in mind but also in heart.

I am an introvert. This doesn’t mean that I’m particularly shy, scared of people, or even that I’m particularly uncomfortable around people in general. It simply means that I enjoy my own company far more than I do the company of others.  It means that I don’t particularly need social interaction, and thus I rarely seek it out.  In fact, most of the time I feel like I get too much social interaction, whereas I’m aware that an extrovert would feel like that same level of social interaction wouldn’t be nearly enough.

That’s where today’s card and prompt combo come in. It’s a reminder that for many… dare I say, for most, social interaction is an expression of love. It’s how they express their love for you, and how they feel that they receive love from you in turn.

Today’s message, therefore, is a reminder that even if social interaction with others isn’t really something you enjoy? Try to remember that participating is an expression of love that others easily understand and appreciate, and that them spending time with you is them telling you that they love you too.

DECK USED: OUT OF HAND TAROT

Smell the Roses

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Tarot Maregician - Knight of Diamonds, Knight of PentaclesThe @GlitterbyInk #AprilFinds25 Challenge
Lost and Found Prompt for April 16 : Beauty

Today’s draw is the Knight of Pentacles, which is traditionally a representation of an active, projective beta energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s finances, resources, health, home, labors, and manifestations. This often translates into a slow moving but determinedly forward moving energy, personality, or person that has their eye on the prize regardless of the slow and steady speed they may be moving at.

Move more slowly and smell the roses along the way. You’ll get where you’re going just fine at a slower pace. It doesn’t have to be a race to the finish line all the time.

The Knight of Pentacles with “beauty” as the prompt for today is a reminder that life is about the journey… not about the destination. That is why death lies at the end of life, so that we’ll take our time and enjoy getting there first.

So make sure that you are stopping along the way to “smell the roses” and dawdling on your journey in order to enjoy more of the beauty that life has to offer you.

DECK USED:  TAROT MAREGICIAN

#DiscordTarotholicsApr2025 Challenge
Philosophical Questions for April 16th and 23rd

Alfons Maria Mucha Oracle and Compos Mentis Tarot - The Hierophant and The EmpressWhat existed before our universe was created?

The Hierophant and Release Spirit – Death and destruction, followed by the need to start a new in an effort to not just direct life in a new direction, but with values and purpose.

These cards pose the idea that perhaps this universe was created (by whatever sentient process you wish to ascribe to it) in reaction to having done so before without providing “proper guidance”, and that this prior effort ended in destruction.

What is Divinity?

The Empress and Understand Limitations – Divinity, as defined with these cards, is ancient wisdom combined with the energy of nurturing creativity.

Other elements included in this reading:
Dried Rosehips for Releasing Stress and Negativity
Foraged Red-Stemmed Feather Moss for Attentive Understanding
Ammonite for a Sense of Stability During Times of Change
Kambaba Jasper for a sense of Peace and Tranquility
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: COMPOS MENTIS TAROT AND ALFONS MARIA MUCHA ORACLE

Daily Self Kindness

This is a catch-up post, which means I have no idea what my self-kindness was on this day.

Finding the Positive for April 13 – 15

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Lazy Afternoon Tarot's Six of Wands, Apostle of Destiny Tarot's Six of Pentacles, 1940s WPA Posters Tarot's Six of Pentacles

April 13 – Mental Health Card of the Day

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

The session for today discussed how when we meditate, we find over time that we are more easily able to connect authentically with ourselves, and through that increase in authenticity, connect more authentically with others as well.

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The @GlitterbyInk #AprilFinds25 Challenge
Lost and Found Prompt for April 13 : Wonder

Today’s draw is the Six of Wands, which is traditionally a representation of public accolades, societal expectations, people pleasing, and peer pressure.

Take pride in yourself not because others admire you, but because you acknowledge your own accomplishments.

It’s easy to fall into a pattern of looking to others for approval and praise. What’s harder to do for many, myself included, is taking time to look at and truly appreciate our own accomplishments instead of mentally picking them apart or looking at them through a skewed perspective of “not good enough”.

Today’s card invites us to look at our accomplishments (big and small) with the same lens of wonder and celebration with which we view the accomplishments of others, instead of holding ourselves to a higher (and always just out of reach) standard.

DECK USED: LAZY AFTERNOON TAROT

April 14 – Mental Health Card of the Day

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

The session for today dealt with the idea that when we look at others, we see not their true selves, but our perception of who they are. It was an exercise that included looking intently at a photograph of a person and seeking to see beyond that perception to reach for more.

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The @GlitterbyInk #AprilFinds25 Challenge
Lost and Found Prompt for April 14 : Clarity

Today’s draw is the Six of Pentacles, which is traditionally a representation of charity, generosity, sharing the wealth, asking for or accepting help, and balancing the scales between the “haves” and the “have nots” in life.

It’s hard to look outside our own experiences and circumstances. If one has always been rich, it’s nearly impossible to accurately imagine what its like to be poor and how poverty shapes one’s views on… everything really. The worries and fears, the struggles and small hardships of everyday, the emotions involved, etc. Someone that has not experienced these can only guess or try to imagine, but it will only be a small and shallow simulation of the real thing.

This is also true of the poor imagining the lives of the rich. It’s true of many various facets of life… male vs female, rich vs poor, healthy vs ill, neurodivergent vs not, etc.

Today’s card combined with the “clarity” prompt for today is a reminder that we need to be generous with each other and our judgements of others. We can’t know what they are experiencing or what all in their life has created their views and expectations. We can’t see things clearly from their perspective no matter how hard we try.

So maybe we need to cut them a little slack and accept perhaps they’re coming from a perspective that we aren’t quite able to relate to, even if we think we can.

DECK USED: APOSTLE OF DESTINY TAROT

April 15 – Mental Health Card of the Day

The @GlitterbyInk #AprilFinds25 Challenge
Lost and Found Prompt for April 15 : Wisdom

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Today’s draw is the Six of Pentacles, which is traditionally a representation of charity, generosity, sharing the wealth, asking for or accepting help, and balancing the scales between the “haves” and the “have nots” in life.

Sometimes, you need to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Learn from history and the past experiences of others so that you don’t fall victim to their follies. If they have had bad experiences with others? be wary instead of giving those same others the benefit of the doubt.

There is truth to the adage that leopards cannot change their spots. Once a predator… always a predator. And when that predator comes calling with a newly polished halo and a gift of some sort as a peace offering? You absolutely should be wary of that generosity and take a closer look at their motivations instead taking everything at face value.

These daily messages are about instilling positivity and optimism into everyday life. Today’s card and prompt combo is a reminder that due diligence is not you failing at this effort, but rather practicing balance and practicality.

DECK USED: 1940s WPA POSTERS TAROT

Balance In All Things

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Pastel Rider Waite Smith Tarot - Two of PentaclesThe @GlitterbyInk #AprilFinds25 Challenge
Lost and Found Prompt for April 12 : Creativity

Today’s draw is the Two of Pentacles, which is traditionally a representation of juggling responsibilities, work/life balance, and prioritization.

I struggle with balance. Work vs life balance. Action vs stagnancy balance. Introvert vs social responsibilities balance. Good foods vs bad foods balance.

It always feels more like juggling than a form of balancing scales, and like it’s far more effort than it feels like it should.

In my life, creativity is one of these places that I also struggle with balance. I have a tendency to sink into creative projects. When my creative spark is flaring, the rest of the world has a tendency to fade away. All attention… all focus trains on this one thing to the detriment and neglect of everything else.

Today’s prompt of “creativity” combined with the Two of Pentacles is a reminder that balance is necessary. Too much focus on non-creative things smothers the creative spark. By the same turn, too much sinking into the flow of creativity will result in the withering or running astray of other aspects in life. Balance is needed.

DECK USED:  PASTEL RIDER WAITE SMITH TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsApr2025 Challenge
Prompt for April 12th and 14th :

The Herbal Tea Magic for the Modern Witch OracleWhat kind of person do you truly want to become?

Yerba Mate – You want to become an original soul that is able to offer good advice when needed, and has collected a small group of trusted long-term friendships.

Revisit This – Cornflower

Reconnect with your “know thyself” focus. Only you can truly know how you work and how your body, intuition, senses, and outside input interact to communicate with you. This “language” is unique to you personally, and can only be learned through personal exploration and creative thinking.

Steer Clear of This – Passionflower

If you go soft in the wrong places you will be perceived by others as weak and an easy target. Make sure you are being tenacious in your values and boundaries. Remember that it’s important to not hold too tightly to what helps support your climb toward the sun, or you might smother it in the process.

A New Way Forward – Fennel

Start steering your tea intake toward treating your IBS symptoms. When your stomach feels better, everything else feels better too. Treat your body wit the kindness it needs to feel better.

Other elements included in this reading:
Raw Amazonite for Self Awareness and Facing Truths
Conch Shell Knot for Concentration, Clarity, and Determination
Desert Rose for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: THE HERBAL TEA MAGIC FOR THE MODERN WITCH ORACLE

Daily Self Kindness

I haven’t been feeling well the past few days and, as this is a catch up post, I can’t remember what my self-kindness was for today.  I know that I slept a lot, though.

Balancing Hope and Practicality

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

Today’s session was called “Breath; in three acts” and took the listener through an activity where you observe the breath for a full minute, counting how many breaths you take within that 60 seconds in time.   Then, for the “second act”, you take a full minute where you control your breathing to take full, deep breaths slowly in and out, filling your lungs all the way full with each inhale, then slowly easing the breath out on the exhale.  Then, for the “third act” you do another minute where you breathe naturally and count your breaths again for the full 60 seconds.

The notation is that you take less breaths in the third act than you did in the first, demonstrating that in having taken time to do some deep breathing, it helps ease your central nervous system and thus your breath and your body as a whole.      For me in this session, the difference was 10 breaths in the first act, and 6 breaths in the third act.

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Soul Creatures Tarot - Seven of Cups - Will o' the WispThe @GlitterbyInk #AprilFinds25 Challenge
Lost and Found Prompt for April 11 : Hope

Today’s draw is the Seven of Cups (Will o’ the Wisps), which is traditionally a representation of themes having to do with having a plethora of options to choose from, all of opportunity’s doors being open upon one’s path, and at times being overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices available in the moment.

The message in today’s card when combined with the prompt of “hope” is to remember not to let hope overshadow your good sense.

Hope is an integral part of being human, but its important to balance hope with practicality, especially when making important decisions.  If we don’t stay in touch with practicality and common sense during these times, hope can lead us astray into the land of unrealistic expectations.  This, in turn, can cause us to make bad choices when there are better ones on offer to us.

Don’t get me wrong. Hope is important. The key is in balancing it with unbiased practicality (not to be mistaken for negativity or pessimism, which are not unbiased), so that we don’t end up lead astray.

DECK USED: SOUL CREATURES TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsApr2025 Challenge
Prompt for April 11 : What do you need to focus on for self-care for this month’s full moon?

Éclosion l'OracleReading Summary: It’s time to take a look at your trapped (enfermement) shadows (ombre) in a new light (évolution).

Take Away:  You (and to be fair, many) view shadow work as something that’s a trial, sometimes a trial through fire.  Hard and painful, an uphill slog through difficult emotional and psychological terrain.

Shadow work does not always have to be difficult, though. Sometimes it just means setting free to let breathe a part of yourself that you have been hiding from the world.

Owning a part of yourself as you own your mistakes and flaws, instead of judging that part of yourself so harshly and trying to pretend it doesn’t exist.  Looking inward with honesty doesn’t have to be torturous or painful.  It just means being honest with yourself, no matter what.

Other elements included in this reading:
Dried Red Maple Leaves for Adaptability and Connection
Conch Shell Knot for Concentration, Clarity, and Determination
Cedar Heart with Feather Moss Sprout for Protection of Understanding
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: ÉCLOSION L’ORACLE

Daily Self Kindness

I spoke with Gid about how I was feeling and what I was worrying about concerning new writing characters we were working on creating, rather than keeping it to myself as I wanted to do. It turns out I was misinterpreting his creative block as something it wasn’t.