Daily Focus

Year’s End Reflections

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Today’s meditation was not guided and not particularly eventful.   It was a body scan that started at the top of my head and moved slowly down to the tips of my toes before focusing upon certain areas that were showing tension that needed a bit of extra work.

I often do some of my physio and stretching during my meditation, as it allows me to breathe and pause for long moments in a stretch, and that is what the second half of my meditation was is that stretch and pause routine with breathing exercises to keep me focused.

Judgement- Tarot of the Little Prince Today’s draw is the Judgement card of the Major Arcana.  The Judgement card is often about looking at the “big picture” of a person’s existence and ascertaining the value of what has been offered and done.  It is about seeking out “the right thing” and knowing whether or not you are on that path.   It is about one’s moral compass, and how one follows that compass not just in a moment or event, but overall upon one’s life path.

The message in the appearance of the Judgement card in today’s draw has to do with the year coming to an end and looking back on what I have done over the past year, taking store of the good and the bad and the lessons learned, and moving forward to do better in the year ahead.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE LITTLE PRINCE

#TarotForGrowthDecember

Question:  Where can I challenge myself moving into the new year?

This Might Hurt Tarot

Reading Summary:  I need to look at finding a more seated and secure way of doing things (Nine of Pentacles) rather than allowing conflict (Five of Wands) and struggle (Seven of Wands) to always be a challenge in my path. Instead, it is important to lean upon my expertise (Eight of Pentacles) and skill to find a better way (Death).

Take Away:   There are a lot of times that I find I feed off of the stress of being overburdened with work.  I think it is probably an adrenaline thing.  The thing is, though… it’s not healthy.  Not physically, or mentally, or emotionally.   One of the challenges I have decided to take on for the next year is finding a stronger footing and more rooted and secure way to “get my stuff done” that abandons that need for an overwhelming amount of stress.  The cards indicate the path forward to that change is through leaning on the skills and abilities I have honed over the years in relation to my craft and business.

DECK USED:  THIS MIGHT HURT TAROT

 

It’s Okay to Take It Slow

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Today’s meditation was just under eleven minutes long, and focused on the shame some feel when taking a break or a needed rest.

To be honest?  I’m guilty of this.  I have a hard time allowing myself to rest and relax, and taking a break always feels like a waste of time.   It’s not.  I know that it is not a waste of time.  I know I need sleep and that sometimes I need to step aside and allow my focus to falter and my body and mind to both have a rest.   But it is…. so very difficult to let go.

It feels like if I take a break I’m wasting time I could use to make whatever I’m doing better or get more done of all that needs to be finished.

It’s something I need to work on, and this meditation today was a reminder of this, and of how it is not wrong nor a failure to rest and relax now and then.

Ten of Wands - Ostara TarotToday’s draw is Ten of Wands, which is a reiteration of the topic of my meditation for the day.   Today, the appearance of the Ten of Swords is about being overburdened and struggling under the weight of it all.

This card is a reminder that the holiday rush is over.  I am struggling with finding my balance after the whirlwind and the Ten of Wands has come to tell me to breathe, and that I don’t need to fill every minute of every day with everything that needs to be done.

It’s okay to set down some of the things I want or need to do, and take my time with others.  It’s okay to put a few things on the back burner and just ease up on those burdens instead of allowing myself to continue trying to ride the stress and adrenaline forward when there’s no need.

DECK USED:  OSTARA TAROT

Bonus Reading – #TarotForGrowthDecember

Question:  How can I best honor myself in the coming year?

Sinking Wasteland Tarot

Reading Summary: Be generous with my time (Six of Pentacles) in the planning stages of new adventures (Three of Wands, because there are pitfalls (Nine of Swords) in acting too quickly (The Chariot).  Wheel of Fortune is my year card this year, and its presence in this spread indicates the ups and downs that the year has in store with me.

Take Away:  In the coming year there are going to be a lot of ups and downs.  It will be important, throughout them all, that I keep in mind the need for planning and taking my time.  Rushing into any situation that needs even a modicum of planning first will only cause problems.

DECK USED:  SINKING WASTELAND TAROT

 

Finding Footing

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Today’s meditation was non-existent, because my day turned into a bit of a clusterfuck the moment my feet hit the floor.   I did enjoy doing the char creation thing at the end of the day though.  The graphics part of things was very relaxing to me and I really appreciated that you were okay with that.

The High Priestess - Ostara Tarot Today’s draw is The High Priestess card of the Major Arcana, which means that the card is not about any one aspect of the human experience, but rather deals with more of a “big picture”.

The High Priestess card is usually an indication of the subconscious and/or intuition, but what I am really picking up from this card in today’s draw is that I am repressing.  It may not be intentionally…. in fact, I feel that it’s definitely not intentionally.   But there’s a sense of limbo over the past few days that is odd.  It’s as if I can’t quite find my stride after the holiday rush, and am still struggling with the strain even though the actual stressors from that time are no longer a part of my day.

The positive message here is in awareness and acknowledgement, and which will assist in finding a way through that limbo and back on solid footing.

DECK USED:  OSTARA TAROT

Bonus Reading – #TarotForGrowthDecember

Question:  How should I greet 2020?

The Fairy Tale Tarot

Reading Summary: With an attitude of openness to new perspectives (Hanged Man) and grounded authority (The Emperor) while keeping in touch with the lessons I’ve learned in the past year (Six of Cups) when moving forward into seeking a new path with my business (Princess of Pentacles)

Take Away:  This is a continuation of my draw of the day, which spoke of finding my footing.  As the new year approaches, now is the time to find that footing and the balance I need, and to do so might mean entertaining new perspectives on how I structure my life and my time.   This is not surprising, as I am moving forward into restructuring how I run my business (behind the scenes) over the new year, and as I do this, it will be important to keep in mind the lessons I’ve learned about what works (and what doesn’t).

DECK USED:  THE FAIRY TALE TAROT (SPANISH EDITION)

 

Timing Isn’t Always Necessary

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and focused on planning for the future.   A lot of times it seems we wait for the perfect time to start things.   The “perfect time” to find a new job, the “perfect time” to take a vacation, or the “perfect time” to fall in love.

The thing is?   There’s never a perfect time.   There’s always going to be stress going on and distractions that can get in the way.   Today’s meditation focused on this fact, and that if there’s something you want to do that might enrich your life, or something you want to experience that you are holding back on while waiting for the “perfect time”, maybe it’s time to consider that the perfect time is now.

We can always think up roadblocks and other issues to hold us back, but sometimes? It’s worth it to just take a leap and do whatever it is.  Life will continue and adjust to fit in whatever it is, and you can adapt to accommodate it as well.

Six of Swords - Tarot of the Little Prince Today’s draw is the Six of Swords, which traditionally is a representation of harmony, cooperation and vitality, as well as humanity issues and limitations in the area of the mind, intellect, and communication.  Because it comes after the conflict of the Five in this suit, it also holds representation for transitions and letting go of the bad to move on to something better.

As the young man in the card’s imagery and his trusty fox have trudged through the maze of sharp swords to get to a better place (the well), I have trudged through a lot of difficulty over the past year, and struggled a lot with being overwhelmed and over-burdened.   This is a self-caused issue, as I am the one that filled my plate to overflowing, but that didn’t make it any less overwhelming.

As I move past the holiday rush and towards the new year, the appearance of the Six of Swords is an expression of the transition that I am making.  Not just from the busiest time of year to one that is slower and more manageable, but concerning the restructuring of how I deal with the business over the next year in an effort to try something new and more manageable than I’ve been doing thus far.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE LITTLE PRINCE

Bonus Reading – #TarotForGrowthDecember

Question: What parting message does 2019 have for me?

Darkness of Light Tarot

Reading Summary:  Learn from the lessons this year has taught me (The Hierophant) and move forward into the new year (The Universe) with a sense of optimism and hope (The Star) as well as a focus on finding a stable path forward (Four of Coins).

Take Away:  The center card is the focus in this reading, speaking of stability in the area of finances, and a need to be a bit more miserly in the upcoming year than I have been in 2019.  The cards surrounding the central theme speak of learning from the lessons I’ve picked up along the path, and remembering to stay open and optimistic in my path forward into the new year and new start it brings with it.

DECK USED:  DARKNESS OF LIGHT TAROT

 

Stepping Out of the Cycle

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Today’s meditation was just over ten minutes long and focused on looking beyond the self.  In this case, it was about how we can at times get lost in our thoughts and allow them to create anxiety, discomfort, or negativity.

When you are lost in a thought and experiencing these things, sometimes it can help to take a step back emotionally and realize that they really are just thoughts. Often?  They are predictive thought that is baseless other than being created by riding on our worries or anxieties.

As our thoughts are often cyclical, once thoughts like this settle in, they begin to repeat and repeat, building on themselves again and again. In doing so, they can build on worries, stress, and anxiety as well, which can become overwhelming.  In stepping back and acknowledging that these thoughts are not reality but just thoughts, it allows us to set those thoughts aside, and eases those feelings of stress and negativity.

The Moon - Ostara Tarot Today’s draw is the Moon card, which is the eighteenth card of the Major Arcana, and deals with topics in in the areas of uncertainty and fear, anxieties and the unknown, the subconscious, and confusion.

The topic goes really well with today’s meditation. Sometimes uncertainty is a good thing because it gives you time to pause, think, and reassess.  Today’s meditation is about taking that pause, assessing what is real and what is just thoughts as a projection of what’s in your heart and head instead of reality, and reassessing the situation to find a better outlook.

I think that everyone falls into this habit of “doom day” type thought cycles now and then. I’m no different.  Today’s draw is a good reminder not to let myself get carried away by the unknown.

DECK USED:  OSTARA TAROT

Bonus Reading – #TarotForGrowthDecember

Question:  What can I do to create better focus on the topic of yesterday’s read without overburdening myself?

Wayhome Tarot

Reading Summary:  To avoid burnout (Ten of Wands) I need to plot a course (Three of Wands) and stick to it (The Chariot) or I’ll have to pay the consequences (Justice).

Take Away:  (Just sayin’… but I really love this deck.)  Essentially if I don’t want to upset the apple cart and have my responsibilities and interests all come toppling into a mess on the floor, I need to make a plan on how I want to move forward.  One that will help me avoid giving myself burnout, which I am very good at doing.  And then, once that plan is made?  Stick to it.

DECK USED:  WAYHOME TAROT

 

Learning from New Experiences

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and focused on making the best out of difficult situations.  It was a good theme for Christmas day, as it mentioned gatherings where you can’t always get along with everyone, and times when people are being difficult, and how it’s better to step beyond these experiences and focus on the positive, rather than allowing these negative influences to drag you down and make you miserable.

I don’t have to worry about that as much this year, as I am going to  a friend’s family home for Christmas dinner rather than spending time with my own family, who can be quite abusive even at the best of times.   But, it was still a very good reminder to focus on the good rather than letting the bad niggle in and have a destructive influence on your mood, attitude, or day.

The Hierophant - Tarot of the Little Prince Today’s draw is the Hierophant, which is traditionally a representation of wisdom, institutions, the status quo, and tradition.  It is also a card that represents the dynamics between teacher and student…. and is my birth card.

The appearance of the Hierophant in today’s draw is an indication of the experiences I shared with J’s family.  This is the second year (not in a row) that I’ve attended Christmas dinner at his house, and for me it really is a learning experience.   Their traditions are beautiful, and they are so warm and loving to each other… and to me.

It’s interesting and different and… wonderful.  It is an amazing experience to be a part of something so full of love, warmth, and acceptance.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE LITTLE PRINCE

Bonus Reading – #TarotForGrowthDecember

Question:  Where should I focus my energy over the next year?

Forest of Enchantment Tarot

Reading Summary:  Gratitude and comfort (Ten of Visions), a new approach to business matters (Ace of Boons), and balancing instead of overburdening myself (Ten of Spells).

Take Away:  I need to continue to increase my self care and gratitude practice, allowing myself time to explore the emotional aspects of life rather than ignoring them.  I also need to commit to the new approach to working with the business that I’ve been considering, and focus on balancing the different aspects of my life rather than allowing myself to “overfill my plate” to the point where I’m overwhelmed.

DECK USED:  FOREST OF ENCHANTMENT TAROT