daily draw

I’m the Boss

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Today’s meditation was eighteen minutes and five seconds of a beginners Yoga Nidra, which I found very relaxing, but had to cut short because I was falling asleep.   I may try this one again at a later time when I’m not so tired, but I’m not sure about the guide’s voice, so maybe not.  We’ll see.

Today’s draw is the King of Wands, which is a representation of projective alpha energy, personality, or person in the areas of drive, passion, willpower, and the inner spark.  The card speaks of innate leadership abilities, entrepreneurship, honor, and inspirational vision.

This was a good card for today, as it was a reminder to me that I am the boss.  Sometimes, that can be a hard pill to swallow for me, but I -do- employ someone now, and I’m in fucking charge.

My helper likes to try and push the envelope sometimes when it comes to how many hours I’m willing to give her each week.   During the holiday season, that’s fine because there’s SO much work coming in, and I’m usually flush enough to afford it.   At this time of year, though… hell, I can barely pull off the hours I’m currently paying her, so she definitely isn’t getting any extra.

Its my business, and my finances, and I need to do what’s best for both.   Which means standing strong and staying true to my goals, my endeavors, my passions, and my truth…. and not allowing myself to cave under pressure.

Light Luggage

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Today’s meditation was nine minutes and forty eight seconds, and focused on empathy. That is, the sharing of an experience and emotion with another person in order to make them feel heard, without trying to fix them or simply offering sympathy. (Sympathy = “poor you”; Empathy = “I feel you”)

It discussed how this process of empathy can help a person feel that you are there with them and supporting them, even when there is no ready solution available at the moment and all you’re doing is sitting with them, sharing space with them, and listening.

Today’s draw is the Three of Wands, which is a representation of creation, abundance, and looking forward towards your dreams and goals in the area of passion, drive, willpower, and the inner spark.

The appearance of the Three of Wands in today’s draw is a reinforcement of the readings I did yesterday for my self-care and the week ahead, as well as the reading I did for the Summer Solstice.

Both of these readings, and today’s card, we’re all about taking what I have learned through the return to my spirituality, and taking that with me in moving forward.

Returning to a more active spiritual practice has opened up a new facet of creativity for me, and brought a new aspect of positivity to my daily life that goes beyond just the daily card draw that I do each morning and share here on this blog.

The Three of Wands is an encouragement to take that renewed practice and positivity with me as I continue to move forward along life’s path.

Refilling the Cup

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes and twenty seconds, and focused on finding happiness. 

That is to say, in realizing that happiness is in the now.  Not the past and not the future.  The past is the past.  The future hasn’t happened yet, and whatever “dream” of it you may conjure up may never happen.  But NOW in the present?   There and only there can you look for and discover real, enjoyable happiness.

Today’s draw is the Four of Swords, which is a representation on the theme of rest, respite, stability, shelter, and ease in the areas of the mind and thought, reason and logic, communication, and action.

The Four of Swords is a card of restoration and recuperation, indicating it is time to rest and restore your inner reserves for the challenges ahead.

This is an excellent message for me today, as today is my Self Care Saturday.  I’ve been trying to instill one of these Self Care days into each week, as they saying that you “can’t pour from an empty cup” has really resonated with me.

Self_Care_750x750-220x220You cannot offer what you don’t have.   If your cup is empty, how can you offer it to another to drink?   If my inner stores are empty,  then I have less to offer to not just others, but my own goals and endeavors.

I’m sure that during my holiday season when things are out of control, this will not be something I’m able to keep up on.   But until then, and after that marathon of six weeks is over, I think having a self care day is a good idea, if only to remind me that my needs outside of my goals are important too.

 

Use Your Intuition

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and focused on pausing to allow for space within yourself.

This is in reference to when you have a moment where your emotions spark either because you were triggered or for some other reason. Our first instinct is to react and respond immediately. But sometimes, it is better to take a pause and step away, give yourself time and space, and then come back.

I use this practice often when dealing with customers in my business. Sometimes people can be aggravating, frustrating, or just downright rude. By pausing and taking a step away before I respond to these types of people, it allows me to respond in a kind and courteous manner instead of simply reacting to what they are putting out there.

Today’s draw is the Two of Swords, which is a representation of division, duality, and openings in the area of the mind, thought, reason, logic, and communication.

The Two of Swords is all about choices and intuition. It represents not just that there are choices that will be present to decide upon, but that you need to trust more than just reason and logic in making them.

This is why the woman is blindfolded, as she is unable to clearly see the choices before her and make an informed decision. Instead she must trust her intuition to choose wisely.

The thing about intuition is that the more you use it, the more it will speak up. Whereas, the more that you ignore it or discount its input, the quieter it will become.

The appearance of this card today is a reminder to stay in touch with my intuition, and to not always depend so strongly upon logic and reason alone. Sometimes I feel I’m at the cusp of falling into that trap, and this is a good reminder that my decision making process is more than just an activity of the mind.

Eminent Burnout

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes and fifty seconds, and focused on fostering curiosity by using the question “what is this?” during the practice.

The idea was to stay in the mindset of the questioning. To not seek answers, but instead to hold yourself in the experience of inquiry without an expectation of an answer.

Not surprisingly, I had a difficult time with this meditation. My mind is constantly seeking and constantly curious, but demands the reward of knowing that comes when you find the answer. To sit and stew in the curiosity all by his self with no drive to find answers was a place that was nearly impossible for me to hold myself in. I did try though.

I may actually return to this meditation again at a later date and try again.

Today’s draw is the Ten of Swords, which which is a representation of endings and the hope of new beginnings on the horizon in the area of thoughts, logic, reason, and communication.

Although the above is the “official” interpretation of the Ten of Swords, when I saw this card today it was read entirely by intuition.

My intuition says… burn out.

The swords in this man’s back in the image represent all of the “need to do’s” and “want to do’s” that can create a cacophony in the mind and end up overwhelming an individual. They all stick out of his back as he lays up on the ground, representing burn out at its peak.

What the card’s appearance today is telling me is that I need to slow down and pull a couple of those ‘blades out of my back’, so to speak. Not everything has to be done right now now now now now. I need to give myself permission to take my time, relax, and do things at an easier pace.

As you know, sometimes I get overwhelmed by the bombardment of my responsibilities combined with the drive of my creativity. I’ve been feeling this a bit just lately, and today’s card is an offer of guidance on how to deal with that and the impending burn out that it can create if ignored, as well as a reminder to cut myself a little slack.

Outward, Not Inward

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes and seven seconds, and focused upon the butterfly effect of how your moods and actions can cause a ripple that moves outward through the lives and others, and about how meditation can help in the process of altering how you respond to stress and aggravation.  These positive alterations then create less negative ripples and more positive ones, bettering not just your own life, but the lives of others as well.

This is a tenant of Buddhism.   That is, to be aware of these ‘ripples’, and be compassionately mindful of the ripples that you create and their influence upon others.  In other words, to be kind, careful, and mindful of what you put out into the world.

Today’s draw is the Queen of Wands, which is a representation of a “feminine” alpha energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s passions, drive, spirit, and soul.  This is a card filled with vitality and determination, confidence, respect, and goal oriented focus.  She is bold and confident, and self aware.

Today’s message from the Queen of Wands is to focus on myself and the things I love.  Share my passion for these things with others, and enjoy them to the fullest.

Entering this post at the end of the day, I also have the perspective to understand that today is not the day for journaling and introspection, but instead a day of action and purpose.  I had originally planned to use some of my free time today to catch up on some journaling that I need to do, but it turns out that today was far more about actions and outward expressions than inward contemplation and quietude.