Create Brave Cards

When the End Comes Calling

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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.

Ghost Boy Tarot's Judgement Card and a card from the Create Brave Cards

Today’s draw is the Judgement card, which is traditionally a representation of judgements, one’s inner calling and chosen life path, and looking back on one’s life to consider how they feel about the path they’ve taken and who they have become.

The Judgment card has then been combined with the Reassess card from the Create Brave Cards, which says, “I set aside time to gather more information. This guy’s new actions and direction.”

Have you considered lately who you want to be and become by the time you die?

I think this is an extremely important question to ask, and to check in on now and then. None of us, in my belief and opinion, are without room for improvement. This doesn’t mean that we’re not good people now, but rather that there’s always room to be better.

This, for me is what the Judgment card in the tarot is all about. It’s about being at the end of your life and looking back to see what you’ve done, the person you’ve become, and whether or not you are happy with your development.

The message in today’s Judgement card and affirmation speaks to us about how in looking at this concept now, and revisiting it from time to time, we have a better chance of reaching the end of our life happy with what we have done and who we have become along the way.

These cards ask us… When was the last time you considered your own personal growth and development? When was the last time you considered how you’re doing at developing into somebody you’ll be happy with at the end of your life? In reflecting on this now, what can you change to ensure that things are moving in the direction that you want them to go?

DECKS USED:  GHOST BOY TAROT AND CREATE BRAVE CARDS

September Prompts by @forgotten.dumpling & @ml.mecham
Prompt for September 22nd : inhabiting my shadow

Creative Writing Exercise with the Sequel Playing Cards

If I could have a day without consequences,
there would be no plotting and planning.
(Ace of Clubs atop Two of Clubs)

I know exactly what I want to do,
and the tasks that I’d want to complete.
(King of Clubs atop Seven of Hearts)

I would fill up my bank accounts and freezer,
and those of my loved ones as well.
(Ten of Diamonds)

Then I would grab my weapon of choice
and go to raise a bit of hell.
(Seven of Spades)

I’d visit those that hurt me deep,
and retribution is what I’d seek.
(Five of Spades)

Who better than me to take joy in the task?
It might be fun to make their blood splash.
(Nine of Hearts)

I’ll even get rid of the bodies, you see.
For they’ll make a good food for my garden and seeds.
(Queen of Diamonds)

Other elements included in this reading:
Staghorn Sumac for Connecting with Nature and the Wild Within
Japanese Cherry Leaf as a Reminder of Life’s Fleeting Moments
Desert Rose for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: SEQUEL PLAYING CARDS

@lightningwildflower‘s September Self-Talk Challenge
Sun enters Libra Prompt for September 22nd : What area of my life is calling for more balance and harmony?

Tarot Reading with the Ghost Boy Tarot and Wish Fairies Oracle

Reading Summary: Over your recent past, you have learned how to slow down and take things at a more moderate pace while still progressing towards your goals (Knight of Pentacles in center position = present). This has been a great success for you, and you have broken free of the cycle of overwork and burnout that you had been experiencing for a good portion of your adult life (Yes, with moonbeams).

Although you would like to continue to slow down and take things, at an even slower pace than you do now (Knight of Pentacles), make sure that you don’t go so far in this direction that you start to lose progress or damage your current well-being in doing so (In Your Dreams).

Take Away: Make sure that you are not tipping into languishing in your efforts to slow down and take things at a more moderate pace. You don’t want to fall back into that pattern of stagnancy that you have experienced previously. Remember that movement is necessary, even if it’s slow movement.

Other elements included in this reading:
Norway Maple Key for Fostering Strength and Resilience
Dried Cedar Bundle for Protection from Negative Influences
Oregon White Oak Leaf for Strength, Stability, and Longevity
Rose Quartz for Gentle Kindness to Self and Others
Green Aventurine for Harmony and Balance of the Heart
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: GHOST BOY TAROT AND WISH FAIRIES ORACLE

September Prompts by @forgotten.dumpling & @ml.mecham
Prompt for September 21st : sunlight stained pages

Creative Writing Exercise with the Pokér Playing Cards

Let’s go play in the park, and waste the day away.
We can have a picnic and stay all day.
(Ten of Hearts and Queen of Diamonds)

And beneath the oak tree, cradled among its roots,
you can put your head in my lap once you take off your boots.
(King of Hearts)

And I’ll read to you of fairies and kings,
and lots of wonderful magical things.
(Jack of Clubs)

Until you doze off to take a little nap
while I run fingers through your hair in my lap.
(Four of Spades)

And as I close my eyes to commune with the trees,
the book’s pages rustle lazily in the breeze
(King of Diamonds)

Other elements included in this reading:
Bird Figurine for Encouraging Hope, Positivity, and Renewal
Dried Red Maple Leaf for Adaptability and Connection
Foraged Acorns for Protection during New Beginnings
Foraged Parmeliaceae Lichen for a “Breath of Fresh Air”
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: PÓKER PLAYING CARDS

@lightningwildflower‘s September Self-Talk Challenge
Mercury sextile Jupiter Prompt for September 21st : How might positive thinking help me plan for the future?

Tarot Reading with the Ghost Boy Tarot and Wish Fairies Oracle

Reading Summary: Consider how often those around you help to lift your spirits and make your burdens easier to handle (Three of Pentacles) when you have fallen into the litany of your negative inner narratives (The Hermit and Come Back Later).

Take Away: If others were negative about helping you when you ask for help, you wouldn’t ask them for help anymore. Their positive attitude helps you, in that you are more easily able to ask for help when you need it.

By the same turn, when you are positive in these situations, you make it easier for them to accept your request and want to be a part of the process instead of leaving you to do it on your own.

Other elements included in this reading:
Japanese Cherry Leaf as a Reminder of Life’s Fleeting Moments
Calcite w/ Conichalcite for Amplifying Intuitive Messages
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: GHOST BOY TAROT AND WISH FAIRIES ORACLE
Daily Self Kindness

Probiotics are my friend! I ate the gross yogurt this morning.

Perfectionism and Martyrdom

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was an eight minute #DailyTrip session from 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.

Garbage Pail Kids Tarot's Three of Pentacles and a card from the Create Brave Cards

Today’s draw is the Three of Coins (Julius Sneezer), which is traditionally a representation of teamwork, collaboration, working together, and themes to do with bringing in help and/or outside expertise in order to get something done.

From the Guide: Friends, rascals, ruffians – lend me your tissues! Asking for help from others is the best way to get what you want now. No one can do everything by themselves 100% at the time. Sometimes, collaboration is necessary. Embrace the advice and expertise of others.

The Three of Coins has then been combined with the Unravel card from the Create Brave Cards, which says, “I choose to take things apart to create something better.”

Work on picking apart the mentality that if you want something to be done right you have to do it yourself. Ease up on perfectionism and martyrdom, and embrace the assistance of others. Even if they do things differently than you, or it takes them twice as long, it’s still work that you aren’t doing! That right there is a win all on its own.

The message in today’s Three of Coins and affirmation is encouragement to ease up on the reigns and delegate more freely. In the end, it will connect you more closely with others and give you more freedom to do the things you really want to be doing.

DECKS USED:  GARBAGE PAIL KIDS TAROT AND CREATE BRAVE CARDS

September Prompts by @forgotten.dumpling & @ml.mecham
Prompt for September 15th : let the grass grow wild

Creative Writing with the Mad Bunny Playing Cards

let the grass grow wild
with wood sorrel and chickweed
clover and plantain
dandelion, violets, and purslane
(Ace of Diamonds atop Seven of Hearts)

Let them all flourish,
wild and free
and not only will your yard
grow healthy and green
(Queen of Clubs)
but you shall never
go hungry again
(Queen of Diamonds)

Other elements included in this reading:
Clear Quartz for boosting Mental Clarity
Labradorite for a Focus on Mental and Emotional Healing
Gray Agate for Instilling Gentleness, Calm, and Stability
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: MAD BUNNY PLAYING CARDS

@lightningwildflower‘s September Self-Talk Challenge
Venus square Pluto, Neptune sextile Pluto
Prompt for September 15th : What relationship pattern needs to be challenged?

Tarot Reading with the Garbage Pail Kids Tarot

Reading Summary: You have others that want to step in and help you (Three of Coins). Don’t shut them out in order to pursue things on your own (The Hermit atop Page of Swords).

Take Away: Just because you -can- do it on your own doesn’t mean you should.

This is an echo of the message in the Card of the Day for today. Stop leaning into solitary work and believing that your way is the only way. Who cares if it’s not absolutely perfectly the way -you- would do it. The fact that it’s delegated to someone else means that you get a little free time as a result. It’s a fair trade!

As a bonus, the more you allow others to help you? The more skilled they will be come. Soon enough, they may not meet the exacting and unreasonable standards you put upon yourself, but they’ll absolutely improve and become better with time and practice.

Other elements included in this reading:
Bird Figurine for Encouraging Hope, Positivity, and Renewal
Rose Quartz for Gentle Kindness to Self and Others
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: GARBAGE PAIL KIDS TAROT
Daily Self Kindness

I used voltaren on my shin-splints. I really hadn’t thought of it and had been dealing with them all day, then Ms B mentioned it on the phone. So I dug out the tube I have of the stuff and put some on.

It’s a Step by Step Process

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was skipped.

•    •    •    ◈    •    🌾    •    ◈    •    •    •

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

The Good Karma Tarot - Eight of Pentacles and a card from the Create Brave Deck

Today’s draw is the Eight of Coins, which is traditionally a representation of hard work, expertise through practice, honing a skill, quality craftsmanship, handicrafts, and manifestations through skill and hard work. The card is often the embodiment of the “practice makes perfect” adage.

The Eight of Coins has then been combined with the Dreamscape card from the Create Brave Cards, which says, “When I imagine my future, I turn it into a reality.”

Today’s cards feel like a carryover from yesterday’s card of the day, which spoke of the need for more than wishful thinking in order to build the future one wants as opposed to the entitlement of expecting it to be given to us.

Today we see a card that represents working hard to hone one’s skills and abilities in a specific area combined with an affirmation that talks about turning what one imagines they want into reality.

This speaks not just of the work involved in building the reality that we want to experience, but also the fact that this process takes time. It takes time to develop one’s skills, including both successes and failures along the way. Sometimes the things that we do don’t work out, and from these things that don’t work out we learn how to do them successfully the next time.

In this way, failure is never actually failure unless you give up. Instead, failure becomes a learning experience on how to improve.

The message in today’s Eight of Coins and affirmation card is a reminder that instant gratification might seem nice, but it doesn’t really give us anything of value.It’s those desires that we worked towards and earn through trial and error, curiosity and exploration, that give us the sweetest things in life that we find most fulfilling.

DECKS USED:  THE GOOD KARMA TAROT AND CREATE BRAVE CARDS

September Prompts by @forgotten.dumpling & @ml.mecham
Prompt for September 8th : I carry the ash in both hands

Creative Writing Exercise with the Thornwood Playing Cards

As the man, I was falls away defeated by new ideas and new perspectives (Ace of Spades atop Five of Clubs), I find myself less focused on balance created by stagnancy (Two of Diamonds) and let go of the need for plans to be starched rigid with strategy (King of Diamonds).

These expectations are burned to ash by trial and error (Five of Spades) while I find a better way (Nine of Diamonds).

And yet as I move on, I carry the ashes with me, coating the palms of both hands, for they serve as a reminder of what came before and was lost along the way as I move on to better things (Jack of Hearts).

Other elements included in this reading:
Bird Figurine for Encouraging Hope, Positivity, and Renewal
Foraged Parmeliaceae Lichen for a “Breath of Fresh Air”
Foraged Acorn for Protection during New Beginnings
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: THORNWOOD PLAYING CARDS

@jourie.co‘s An Imaginative Life Journal Prompts
Prompt for September 10th : Who are you when no one needs anything from you?

Tarot Reading with The Good Karma Tarot

Reading Summary: Someone whose entire world (The World) becomes driven by their addictions (The Devil), who is never satisfied with how much they have accomplished and is always looking for more to do (Two of Swords atop Nine of Coins).

Take Away: This is interesting, as it’s a question I’ve never really considered or looked at before. In fact, it was this question and how intrigued I was by it that convinced me to do this particular challenge for September.

These cards make a good point. Before I had others depending on me, I was working myself into the ground while heavily flirting with my addictions.

Although I often find myself perceiving my responsibilities to others as a struggle or a chore, the truth of the matter is that if these responsibilities weren’t there, I would be finding other ways to not just keep myself busy but keep myself overwhelmed with too much and distracted by addictions whose urges are currently dimmed by my focus on other things.

Other elements included in this reading:
Norway Maple Key for Fostering Strength and Resilience
Foraged Parmeliaceae Lichen for a “Breath of Fresh Air”
Flower Agate Moon for Opening the Mind to New Possibilities
Tigers Eye for Protection and Fostering Confidence
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: THE GOOD KARMA TAROT
Daily Self Kindness

Even though I hate the stuff, I took a benadryl when I had an allergy flare-up earlier instead of trying to “tough it out” until it was over.

Cutting Fears Down to Size

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was skipped.

•    •    •    ◈    •    🌾    •    ◈    •    •    •

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

The Cat's Tarot of Wondrous Journeys' Queen of Cups and card from the Create Brave Cards

Today’s draw is the Queen of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of a receptive alpha energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s emotions, relationships, creativity, and intuition. Among other things, this often translates into themes to do with emotional support and advice from a trusted party that is easy to talk to.

The Queen of Cups has then been combined with the Brave card from the Create Brave deck, which says, “ I take action despite my fears.”

The thing about fear is that it’s an emotion, right? That means it’s not always going to be logical. This shows itself most often in the fact that when we fear something, the longer we choose not to confront it, the larger that thing we fear becomes.

It starts off small, but the more we avoid it the more it grows until it feels completely insurmountable, even though in reality it’s size or scope hasn’t changed at all.

The message in today’s Queen of Cups and affirmation card is a reminder that it’s when we confront our fears that we bring them back down to size. By being nurturing and supportive to our emotions, we give ourselves the confidence to deal with our fears and take action despite them, rather than allowing them to control us.

DECKS USED:  THE CAT’S TAROT OF WONDROUS JOURNEYS AND CREATE BRAVE DECK

September Prompts by @forgotten.dumpling & @ml.mecham
Prompt for September 1st : your fingerprints on my future

Creative Writing and Cartomancy with the Peacock Playing Cards

When we first met, I was young and filled with an eagerness to build a life for myself of comfortable solitude. I wanted to believe that I had no need for love, and was busy building a future of stability and comfort… a nest for one. (Two of Diamonds atop Four of Diamonds)

The first time I saw you, my stomach fluttered. My insides felt liquid and unstable, and each time we were in the same room, it happened again and again. You made me feel vulnerable and uncertain in ways I didn’t understand. (Jack of Hearts)

You never promised me everything, as if instinctively knowing that’s not what I wanted. Instead you moved from day to day, encounter to encounter, giving me slivers of happiness and comfort until I couldn’t imagine happiness existing without you as a part of it. (Ten of Hearts)

You became a guiding light, someone I can depend on. Someone I need in my life for things to feel secure and stable. (King of Hearts)

You created for me a safe place I could open up within, be accepted within, and find a love I never realized I wanted, let alone needed. You marked my soul in the process, and placed your fingerprints indelibly upon my future in the process. (Four of Hearts)

I love you. Always.

Other elements included in this reading:
Foraged Parmeliaceae Lichen for a “Breath of Fresh Air”
Honey Calcite for Optimism and Motivational Boost
Rose Quartz for Gentle Kindness to Self and Others
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: PEACOCK PLAYING CARDS

@lightningwildflower‘s September Self-Talk Challenge
Mars square Saturn, Mercury sextile Mars Prompts for September 1st

Tarot Reading with The Cat's Tarot of Wondrous Journeys and Schamanische Seelen Medizin

What action feels blocked?

The Emperor and Geburt

The Birth card in this deck proposes that the conditions of your birth are a predictor of the type of life you will lead. For example, if you had an easy birth as a child, your life will be easy, whereas if you had a lot of struggle and had to be pulled forth with forceps, you may find your life fraught with obstacles.

I’m not sure how much I buy into this idea, but when joined by the Emperor card, this card combination speaks of difficulties from the past during formative years holding you back from the healthy leadership you could be demonstrating.

That is to say that unhealthy defense mechanisms and expectations that were drilled into you as a child have a tendency to hold you back in your adulthood, creating unnecessary blockages between you and your goals.

What will help me move through this resistance?

Six of Cups and Engel

To help you move through this resistance, take choice out of the equation when you’re able to do so. Trust, instead, in divine timing and that things will work out how they are meant to without your meddling in the process. Accept that not everything has to be under your control to work out how you want (or in some cases even better than your expectations).

Other elements included in this reading:
Pressed Pansy Flowers for Hearing the Heart More Clearly
Black Spruce Needles to Boost Self-Confidence and Positive Thinking
Dried Rosebuds for Potential and Beauty Waiting to Unfold
Dried Purple Heather Flowers for Independence and Luck
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: THE CAT’S TAROT OF WONDROUS JOURNEYS AND SCHAMANISCHE SEELEN MEDIZIN
Daily Self Kindness

I ordered pizza for second supper. It’s been forever and I just didn’t feel like having anything I have on hand.