Cythia Elliott’s Positive Affirmation Oracle

Finding the Positive for May 5 – 7

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Avalon Revelation Tarot's The Empress, The Avian Tarot's King of Swords, Orc Alien World Tarot's The Hanged Man

May 5 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and was one of the #DailyCalm sessions from the @Calm app.  The session for today was in regards to the difference between sympathy and empathy, and to be fair?  Although I very clearly understand the difference between the two? I  have a hard time seeing empathy as the better of the two.

They presented sympathy as being perceived as “pity”, and empathy as being perceived as “I’m on your side”.   The thing is? I was always taught and understood myself that sympathy was a kindness of letting another person have their experience while you lend support, whereas empathy is making their trauma “all about you” and thus not giving them what they need.

I dunno.  Now I’m a little confused on which is the better route in such situations. Does my sympathy (instead of using empathy) come off as cold and distant?  I’m not sure.

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The @GlitterbyInk #MayTag25 Challenge
Celebrating Our Community Prompt for May 5 : Insightful

Today’s draw is the Empress card, which is traditionally a representation of the nurturing, female strength and empowerment without losing that “softer side” in the process, abundance, fertility, the divine feminine, and Mother Earth.

I’ve connected this card with the song that I woke up with stuck in my head this morning, which was “Not in the Mood” by I’MIN & Daryl Kim.   This combo between the song and the Empress reminds us that it’s healthy to set limits and boundaries in our lives to protect our peace and nurture our sense of well-being. In order to nurture a feeling of abundance in our lives, sometimes we have to learn to say “no”.

Today’s combo says that it’s okay to say “no”.  It’s okay to protect your own sense of well-being and abundance by choosing to use your time and energy to nurture yourself instead of expending it all on other sand their needs.  In fact, maybe? Some of us need to practice saying “no” more often.

DECK USED: AVALON REVELATION TAROT

May 6 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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The @GlitterbyInk #MayTag25 Challenge
Celebrating Our Community Prompt for May 6 : Motivating

Today’s card is the King of Swords, which is traditionally a representation of a projective “alpha” energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s thoughts, intellect, education, ambitions, and communication. This often translates into themes that have to do with someone that has a way with words and is able to use those skills to lead others to their way of thinking, as well as those that are in authority on intellectual topics such as professors, doctors, etc.

In the guide for this deck, one phrase (“Vulnerable and strong enough to let go of control”) really stuck out to me stronger than the rest.

Logic dictates that you cannot take care of or lead others if you are not taking care of yourself first.  This is why if there’s a problem on airline flights they tell you to put your own mask on first before helping others with theirs. What help are you to anyone else if you aren’t in any condition to do so?

Today’s card and it’s associated Andean Condor speaks of the need, in moments of stress or trouble, to rise above the situation and see things from an analytical viewpoint. Are you in any condition to step in now? Or would you be better served by standing back, letting go of control, and tending to your own needs first, then stepping in later if still needed?

Lean into taking care of yourself first… and you will find yourself not just better capable of taking care of others by doing so, but more motivated to engage as well.

DECK USED: THE AVIAN TAROT

May 7 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and was one of the #DailyCalm sessions from the @Calm app. The topic for today’s sessions rested on how it’s often our thoughts about our emotions that cause the most damage, as opposed to the emotions themselves. For example, our thoughts of when in the grip of severe depression often circulate about how it will never end, when in truth, like everything else in life, the depression is temporary.

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The @GlitterbyInk #MayTag25 Challenge
Celebrating Our Community Prompt for May 7 : Joyful

Today’s draw is the Hanged Man, which is traditionally a representation of taking a pause, considering alternate perspectives, relaxing into difficult situations, surrender, or letting go.

The cards are being very persistent lately on the “wait and watch” messages, it seems.

Look at the expression on the face of the figure in the card, though. This entanglement makes it clear that they didn’t wait and watch, and that fate took things into their own hands to make them do so whether they wanted to or not.  There’s humor and a hint of bashfulness in that expression, speaking of humility and the ability to laugh at oneself when you pause to actually get a look at your screw ups.

The message in today’s card isn’t just “continue to wait and watch” on my personal situation. It’s that when things go awry? You can instill more joy into your life by looking for the humor in the situation you find yourself in and how  you got there.

DECK USED: ORC ALIEN WORLD TAROT

Finding the Positive for April 27 – 29

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The Stained Glass Tarot, The Moon Witch Tarot, Once Upon a Time Cards, Magical Messages Cards, and Prophesies Foretold Hades Tarot

April 27 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped (cuz I fell asleep).

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Today’s draw is the Eight of Pentacles, 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.

Needing to “buckle down” and work when we just aren’t feeling it can make the work we’re doing seem miserable and endless. It can even at times erase from our awareness the value that the work holds and why we’re doing it in the first place.

Today’s card combo reminds us that there’s good in the work we do, otherwise we wouldn’t be doing it. The message here is an encouragement that during these times when we are feeling less than enthused with our work, we try to focus on the good that is coming from the work, rather than on our discontent.

DECK USED: PROPHESIES FORETOLD: A HADES TAROT AND MAGICAL MESSAGES CARDS

April 28 – Mental Health Card of the Day

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

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Today’s draw is the Queen of Pentacles, which is traditionally a representation of a receptive alpha energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s resources, financial stability, health, home, labors, manifestations, or other aspects of the physical realm. This often translates into a supportive or nurturing energy or entity in the areas of one’s health, home, and financial responsibilities.

Only allow into your life those things that support your dreams.

Dreams are one of those things that help us to look forward to the future. They are the fertilizer to our growth and happiness. They are not silly, or stupid, and when things or people come into our lives that try to influence us into thinking that they are? Those are the things and people that have no business being in our lives in the first place.

Nurture your dreams by kicking these things and people to the curb. In doing so, you are supporting yourself and those dreams of yours, and living true to yourself in the process.

DECK USED: MOON WITCH TAROT AND ONCE UPON A TIME CARDS

April 29 – Mental Health Card of the Day

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

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Today’s draw is the King of Swords, which is traditionally a representation of a projective “alpha” energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s thoughts, intellect, education, ambitions, and communication. This often translates into themes that have to do with someone that has a way with words and is able to use those skills to lead others to their way of thinking, as well as those that are in authority on intellectual topics such as professors, doctors, etc.

Stop discounting your abilities in sorting out issues and strategizing solutions. You have been using that clever mind of yours all of your life to stay on top of things and adapt from one moment to the next, piling on experience that only adds to your abilities.

There is no need to be modest, let alone disparage yourself. Instead, allow yourself to feel the confidence that hs been well earned. Lead with it, not just with others but yourself s well. When you trust in yourself, your experience, and your knowledge, others trust in you as well.

DECK USED: THE STAINED GLASS TAROT

Finding the Positive for April 23 – 25

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The Fusion Tarot's Queen of Wands, Magical Messages Cards, The Gaucho's Arcana 1928 Tarot's Five of Pentacles, Once Upon a Time Cards, and Hexen 2.0 Tarot's Two of Cups

April 23 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Today’s draw is the Queen of Wands, which is traditionally a representation of a receptive alpha energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s passion, drive, willpower, determination, values, and principles. This often translates into themes that have to do with being supportive of others projects and passions, or searching for inner truth within your own values and principles.

Make sure that you’re letting creativity flow by encouraging exploration and curiosity both in yourself and others.

Your creative spark is one of the most magical things about you, and one of the qualities that others are most inspired by. When you let it wither, you are not the only one who suffers as a result.

Today’s card combo is a reminder that creativity is a treasure given by the essence of life itself, and when neglected, you neglect not just yourself but those around you that are inspired by you, as well as the world as a whole.

DECK USED: THE FUSION TAROT AND MAGICAL MESSAGES CARDS

April 24 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Today’s draw is the Five of Pentacles, which is traditionally a representation of tests, trials, struggles, and setbacks in the area of one’s finances, resources, health, home, work, or manifestations. This often translates into themes that have to do with scarcity and times in life when one needs to seek out help from others instead of suffering through alone.

Stagnancy does not protect you from scarcity (whether real or imagined). If anything, it will cause those problems and associated worries to grow like weeds planted in fertilized garden beds.

Movement is your friend. Don’t hide under the covers and tremble, but instead throw the covers off and deal with the issue. Adapt and keep moving forward. Be proactive in choosing your future instead of sitting back and letting it happen to you all because you’re too scared that more scarcity is coming.

DECK USED: GAUCHO’S ARCANA 1928 TAROT AND ONCE UPON A TIME CARDS

April 25 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Today’s draw is the Two of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of connection and unification, mutual attraction, and emotional connections.

Good stuff happens when you allow yourself to stay open to connecting with others. Sometimes empowerment requires back up from like-minded souls.

Not every goal or value can be reached or advocated for on your own. Make sure that you are connecting with others, and inviting them along for the ride on challenging journeys you decide to pursue. It will make the trek a little easier, as well as more enjoyable.

DECK USED: HEXEN 2.0 TAROT AND MAGICAL MESSAGES CARDS

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

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

Finding the Positive for April 7 – 8

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Day Dream Tarot's Hierophant and Student Tarot's Five of Cups

April 7 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was eleven minutes long, and was one of the #DailyTrip sessions from the @Calm app. The session for today was about anger, and focused on encouraging taking a breath when a flash of anger comes out of nowhere instead of reacting right out of the gate.

The narrator pointed out that anger often can speak to us about our values and what we deem as important in our lives. In taking a breath before we react to sudden surges of anger, it allows us to acknowledge where that anger is truly coming from and if what we are reacting to is really a threat.

In turn, this allows us to act in a more calm and strategic way that leaves our ego out of the equation.

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The @GlitterbyInk #AprilFinds25 Challenge
Lost and Found Prompt for April 7 : Forgiveness

Today’s draw is the 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.

The card for today is a reminder that sometimes the knowledgable also learn from the young and inexperienced.  Although we often look upon our elders and ancestors as guides filled with knowledge, it’s important to remember that they are also human too, and thus fallible and still learning.

They are not perfect. We should absolutely treat them and what they have to offer in knowledge, experience, and traditions with respect  We also need to remember not to go so far as to put them on a pedestal so high that the answer “I don’t know” becomes an unforgivable sin, or makes them then feel obsolete to us moving forward.

It is our responsibility to cherish and respect what they have to offer us without falling into the trap of expecting them to know everything and give us all the answers.

DECK USED: DAY DREAM TAROT

April 8 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was eleven minutes long, and was one of the #DailyCalm sessions from the @Calm app. The session was about effort, and how sometimes it’s not about how much effort you put into something, but if you can relax into it and let things flow.

The thing is, sometimes when we put in effort what we’re doing is over-achieving.  Like with meditation. If you focus too hard on trying to do it perfectly, what happens is that you end up not doing it at all.  Instead you sit there tense and straining instead of relaxed in the moment.

This is true for many other endeavors in our lives as well, and the meditation today encouraged looking at those places where we are straining with our efforts, and consider if we might not get there more easily if we ease off a bit on just how hard we’re pushing.

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The @GlitterbyInk #AprilFinds25 Challenge
Lost and Found Prompt for April 8 : Generosity

Today’s draw is the Five of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of apathy, boredom, sour grapes, pessimism, and discontent.

Combined with the prompt of “generosity” for today, the Five of Cups encourages checking in with yourself when you are feeling a sense of disappointment to ensure that you are coming at the experience not from a place of pessimism, but through an optimistic lens instead.

When we lean into negativity, whether that is negative emotions or negative inner thoughts, it only furthers more negativity and more unhappiness. Bad things happen and there’s no avoiding that, but we can look at these bad things pessimistically, which increases our feelings of discontent and disappointment… Or, we can try to see the silver lining in disappointing moments, which allows us to more easily break free of feeding into a more pervasive negative mindset.

DECK USED: STUDENT TAROT v1