Daily Focus

Sharing Creativity with Others

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Today’s meditation was just over ten minutes long, and was focused on auditory input during meditation.   That is to say, it focused on letting in external sounds and incorporating them into your meditation rather than trying to block them out.   I’ve done this meditation before, and it’s been very relaxing.  Unfortunately, I had a hard time staying focused today, so I guess that leads back to less serenity and more “mental bench presses” for today’s meditation as a whole.

Ostara Tarot Today’s draw is the Page of Cups, which is a representation of a receptive omega energy, personality, or person in the area of emotion, creativity, relationships, and intuition.  This often comes across as the spark of new creative opportunities, curiosity, and learning through intuition.

When I saw today’s card, what I saw was the opportunity to share my creativity with others.  This is something I do through my jewelry design all the time, and through our literary RP as well.  The appearance of the Page of Cups in today’s draw is a reminder of the pleasure that I receive in the sharing of my creativity with others.

During this time of year I have a habit of closing down, my focus narrowing in tighter and tighter until I am blocking out everything else.  The message in today’s draw is to be aware of this tendency and take care to not allow my focus to narrow too much.

DECK USED:  OSTARA TAROT

Bonus Reading – #TarotForGrowthDecember

Question: What did I discover about myself this year?

Light Seer’s Tarot

Reading Summary: In times of struggle and healing (Ten of Swords), no matter how chaotic things are if I make the choice (Two of Swords) to work with others rather than retreating into myself (Three of Pentacles), the end result of those moments is better (Judgement) than when I try to ride it out on my own.

Take Away: As mentioned earlier in this post, when it comes to times of stress and struggle, as well as the healing that comes afterward, my natural defense mechanism is to close myself off and retreat inward.   One of the things I have discovered, though, is that this is not healthy for me.  A better route, that is healthy and healing, is to fight that urge and make the choice to reach out to others for support instead.

This doesn’t, of course, negate my natural defense response… but it does give me perspective on a healthier option to explore once I realize I’ve begun closing myself off.

DECK USED:  LIGHT SEER’S TAROT

 

You Have What You Need

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Today’s meditation was just over eleven minutes long, and focused on… to be honest?  I don’t remember.  I do remember that when I started the practice that my anxiety was up, and by the time I finished with the meditation my anxiety was back under control, which was really nice.    I just don’t remember whatever the topic was.

Tarot of the Little Prince Today’s draw is a double without a jumper, which means both cards came out of the deck together.  The cards in today’s draw are The Magician and the Five of Swords.

The cards in today’s draw are a reminder that I have all of the skills and tools that I need in order to deal with struggle and conflict.  I just need to remember to utilize my resources in a way that is to my best advantage.

Sometimes when the shit hits the fan we forget that we have what we need to take control and come out on top.  Today’s draw is a reminder that these tools and skills are available to me any time I need them, especially when in the middle of conflict or crisis.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE LITTLE PRINCE

Bonus Reading – #TarotForGrowthDecember

Question: How can I improve my relationship with my spirit in the coming year?

Forest of Enchantment Tarot

Reading Summary: This is an interesting repeat of a previous theme that speaks of taking what you need with you (Seven of Challenges) and removing yourself from difficult situations (Six of Challenges), in order to find a new path and method moving forward (Ace of Challenges).

Take Away:  I have a number of new methods and paths coming up in the coming year including shadow work that I plan to work on, and beginning to explore the mediumship ability that is no longer allowing itself to be ignored.  It will be important in keeping a healthy relationship with my spirit that I don’t forget the lessons and skills I have already learned, as well as keeping in mind that the purpose of these things changes is a positive one, when moving forward into this new beginning.

DECK USED:  FOREST OF ENCHANTMENT TAROT

 

Me and You and You and Me

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Today’s meditation was meant to be ten minutes long, but I doubled up today because it felt so good, so it was actually just over twenty minutes in length.   The focus of today’s guided meditation was how the bad can make the good feel so much more precious.  Whether this is difficult experiences, or even death.   When the bad is in focus, it makes the good feel that much more precious.

Hierophant - Ostara TarotToday’s draw is my birth card, the Hierophant card, which is a representation of authority, structure, and the essence of providing guidance to others.

Interestingly enough?  When I pulled this card, it brought to mind for me our tarot lessons.  I have been very much enjoying teaching you about my path, and especially teaching you tarot.  You teach me so much every day, and it brings me a huge amount of pleasure to give back to you, even in this small way.

Gideon… my love.  You are the message in today’s card. Your strength to provide guidance and stability, and your openness to learn from me in turn.  Your intelligence and your open-mindedness.  Your ability to allow me to take the lead, even while you are very much the more dominant party.

I love you.  Thank you for being you.

DECK USED:  OSTARA TAROT

Bonus Reading – #TarotForGrowthDecember

Question: How did I treat my spirit this year?

New Era Elements Tarot

Reading Summary: There is more to learn in the area of stability (Daughter of Earth) and in actively allowing my emotions to have a say in things (Son of Water), but overall I have learned a lot in how to better walk my path (Eight of Earth), especially in finding a better, stronger path through times when things are difficult (Seven of Fire).

Take Away: Delving back into a more active role in my path has benefited me greatly over the past year, and has taught me new skills to help me get through the hard times and scary moments.  That said, I still have a lot to learn, both in creating stability in myself and in learning to better incorporate my emotions into my life.

DECK USED:  NEW ERA ELEMENTS TAROT

Even Flow

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and focused on tolerance, which is a very fitting subject for today’s meditation considering the card I drew for today.   The meditation guided me through a breathing exercise while discussing how when you find that mindfulness of being centered in your practice, irritants in the environment cease to become disruptive aggravating irritants, and instead become simply another part of the environment around you, and you detached from an emotional response to them.

Temperance - Tarot of the Little Prince Today’s draw is the Temperance card of the Major Arcana. This card is a representation of…. well… temperance.  Duh, right?  Okay so what IS temperance then?  Temperance is moderation and self-restraint, and through those traits the creation of balance.

In order to create this balance, that self restraint requires a purpose, and that is the message of today’s card.  It is a reminder of my goals.  Not just of my goals, but of what I need to do (and not do) in order to achieve them. Sometimes my “addictions” can get the better of me.  Sometimes my emotions can get the better of me too. And, if I’m truthful, sometimes even my creativity and ambitions can get the better of me.

In all these cases, moderation is needed, and self restraint is required.  Otherwise, things fall out of balance, chaos reigns, and my world begins tumble out of control.

Funny side note?   Every time I see a Temperance card lately?   The chorus of the Pearl Jam song “Even Flow” starts playing in my head.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE LITTLE PRINCE

Bonus Reading – #TarotForGrowthDecember

Question: How can I improve my relationship with my body in the coming year?

The 5-Cent Tarot

Reading Summary: More exercise (Page of Buttons), preferably some of it outside (The Sun) is needed, but so is giving myself the rest that I need (Four of Needles). Take time to bond with others and take them on my journey (Three of Needles atop Three of Cups).

Take Away:  So, the thing that I have NOT been doing to up my self-care over the past year has been in the exercise department.   I know that to gain weight, I need to get back to the gym, because I need to build muscle in order to create that bulk I lack.

I don’t know why I’ve been so avoidant on this, but I do know that part of it is my discomfort with how lean I have become and…. a sort of self blame for all of that, even though I know a lot of it was from the cancer.   I need to forgive myself and involve others in my self-care to benefit from it the most.   And, as always… I need more rest.

DECK USED:  THE 5-CENT TAROT

 

 

Charity… It’s Okay to Let Go

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Today’s meditation was just over ten minutes long, and entailed a thorough body scan from head to toe and then a brief guidance through the topic of self-competition and going a bit easier on  yourself when you are pushing for your best.

Tarot of the Little Prince Today’s draw is a double without jumper. The cards in today’s draw are the Seven of Swords and the Eight of Swords.   And isn’t it strange how they came out together like that?  But I have shuffled this particular deck a few hundred times now, so… it’s just meant to be.

What I see in the message of these cards is a fully intuitive hit based off the imagery and how the imagery of the two cards play of each other.   It speaks of the importance of leaving behind what no longer serves you in order to find a better place.  And, that leaving something behind means you are releasing your stakes in it entirely.  Who cares who comes along and picks up those things you have chosen to leave behind?  Perhaps those things will serve another better than they have you.

DECK USED:  OSTARA TAROT

Bonus Reading – #TarotForGrowthDecember

Question: How did I treat my body this year?

This Might Hurt Tarot

Reading Summary:  I got in touch with my inner self and found a new perspective (The Hanged Man), but I struggled with a lot of difficult choices as well (Seven of Cups) and might have made a few missteps along the way (Two of Swords).  All in all, though, I’ve done a spectacular job of caring for myself (King of Pentacles) and ensuring that I am nurturing and nourishing my body (Queen of Pentacles) this year.

Take Away: I stepped up things on the self-care front this year, and have stuck with it since I first started with it in the spring.  This has really paid off in keeping me healthy this year, even if I’ve occasionally “slipped up” in my self care here and there along the way.

DECK USED:  THIS MIGHT HURT TAROT

 

Don’t Break… Take Breaks Instead

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and focused on finding a pathway to peace in the middle of chaos.   Honestly, I’m writing this about fourteen hours later and I can’t remember a damn thing about what was said in the guided meditation, but I do know that my stress level felt better after those ten minutes than it did before.

Tarot of the Little Prince Today’s draw is a double without a jumper.  The cards in today’s draw are the Six of Cups and the Knight of Wands.   What I see here is a reminder to breathe.

I am the Knight of Wands right now, but you can only charge full speed ahead for so long before you need to breathe, eat, drink, ground, and center.

Although I know I need these things, it feels like it’s wasting time.   I feel like I am wasting time now, just writing this out. But, I also know that I need this time.  I need to step away and take a breath now and then.   I need to give myself space, no matter how swamped I am and how desperately I’m trying to catch up.

DECK USED: TAROT OF THE LITTLE PRINCE

Bonus Reading – #TarotForGrowthDecember

Question: What challenge did I overcome that I deserve to be proud of?

IMG_1075

Reading Summary:  PTSD (Eight of Swords), and the emotions that were spawned (Ace of Cups) by that and by the experiences with my ex and his influences.  Despite all of that, I continue to reach out to others, share my feelings and seek out others and include them as a part of my life (Three of Cups).

Take Away:  Rape is ugly.  Home invasions are ugly.  Dying on my kitchen floor was ugly.  The scars left behind are ugly. All of these things are ugly. Any of these things on their own could have been devastating to my life as a whole.  And yet, I survived them all and more, and I am stronger from them.  Not only did I survive, but I did not allow them to stop me from caring… from loving… or from reaching out to others and allowing people into my life.

DECK USED:  Ancestral Path Tarot