Dark Angels Tarot

Practice Makes Perfect

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Dark Angels Tarot Seven of Cups and Halloween Affirmation Cards@GlitterbyInk #OctoberCauldron24 Prompt
Cauldron of Wisdom Prompt for October 17th : Growth

Today’s draw is the Seven of Cups combined with the affirmation “Feeling worried doesn’t mean anything bad is going to happen. You are going to get through this fine; you always find a way.”

There are times when you feel overwhelmed by choices that you end up frozen and unable to make any choice at all.  During these times, those choices become a burden and they fluster us, often because we fear making the wrong one.

This paralysis happens to everyone.  It’s a part of life.  As we pause in these moments, we are plagued by fears that should seem minimal, but in the moment of our overwhelm seem insurmountable.

The message in today’s cards is that if we actually make a choice, any choice, we are able to move past that moment of frozen uncertainty and learn from it.  Sometimes it’s in that moment after the choice that we are able to see the best choice that was sitting in front of us all along.  That’s when the phrase “I changed my mind” comes in, and a course correction is needed.

When we experience this process enough times?  We begin to grow from the experience and know ourselves better, making choices becomes less intimidating,  and allowing us to better see what we want from the start instead of needing to “change our minds” after in order to get to what we wanted all along.

DECKS USED:  DARK ANGELS TAROT AND SELF-MADE HALLOWEEN AFFIRMATION DECK

@Lionharts #TheOctoberTarot Season of the Witch Prompt
Prompt for October 17th : Sisters of the Moon Full Moon Spread

Night Fairies Oracle and Dark Angels Tarot - Ace of Swords, Four of Wands, Six of Pentacles, Nine of Pentacles, Ten of Cups

Sisters of the Moon, we rise, what do I channel beneath the Moon sky?

Six of Pentacles atop Four of Wands; Patience – It’s okay to take this time to rest instead of diving in to work. The holiday rush is not yet here. There’s no need to put yourself into the headspace of the rush so soon, especially while things are still so slow. Enjoy your time at home instead of making yourself get worked up too early.

The Witch’s Moon hangs soft and low, what magic grows within her glow?

Ace of Swords and The Portal – Now is the time to communicate with those beyond the veil. The moon will amplify their voices, making them easier to hear.

The Moon reveals what hides from day, what may guide me here today?

Two of Pentacles atop Ten of Cups; The Fire Within – Make sure that you are factoring time to indulge in those things that inspire happiness and enjoyment in the day to day. These feelings help kindle the spark within you, allowing you energy and motivation to keep going.

DECK USED: DARK ANGELS TAROT AND NIGHT FAIRIES ORACLE

Daily Self Kindness

This post is a catch-up post, and I’m not entirely sure what my self kindness was for the day.

We Are Not Born Wise

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Today’s meditation was done twice.  I did my morning meditation of ten minutes with interval timer for my piriformis stretching.  I then did a second meditation later in the day just before our Samhaim ritual started, in order to help ground and center myself for the ritual to come.  Both were needed and seemed to help a bit not just with grounding but with the low grade anxiety that’s been playing havoc with me for the past few days.

Madam Lydia Wilhelmina's Tarot - The HierophantToday’s draw is the Hierophant, which is traditionally interpreted as a religious or spiritual leader and/or institution with spiritual wisdom and the authority to lead others along traditional spiritual paths using their wisdom and experience. Conformity to traditions is a strong component as well in the traditional meaning of this card.

I connect very strongly with this card on many levels, although… conformity is not one of them.   I do not see conformity here in this card, which means it is one that connects for me even stronger than most.   What this card represents to me is guidance and wisdom.  It’s about teaching others to find their path… and about learning from others in ways that enhances your own path.   A teacher is no teacher at all if they are no longer open to learning as well, and in this imagery you see that he does not just hold a book of Jupiter.  Now whether this book is about the Roman god Jupiter, or the planet Jupiter is really irrelevant as it speaks to me of the fact that he is seeking knowledge.  You do not become knowledgeable and wise by sticking your head in the sand.

The message in this card’s appearance today is a reminder that exploration is a good thing. Never be afraid of failure, for even failures teach you something you didn’t know before, and all knowledge becomes valuable eventually… whether in sharing it with others, in expanding your wisdom, or both.

DECK USED:  MADAM LYDIA WILHELMINA’S TAROT

LionHart’s #TheOctoberTarot #SeasonOfTheWitchChallenge Prompt
Question: Now is the time {card 1}, this is the hour {card 2}, this is the magick {card 3}, this is the power {card 4}.

Dead Waite Tarot

Now is the time {Judgement} to reign in your judgements and make sure that you are being kind to yourself and others. You do not need to be harsh or cruel to yourself to get where you want to go. 

This is the hour {Knight of Swords} to charge after your ambitions. Pick up that sword and focus on your target.  Stop being distracted by trivial shit that doesn’t matter and worries about things that have no foundation.

This is the magick {The Devil} that will get you not just the things that you need… but the things that you want as well.  Just like you can’t put food in your belly without success, neither can you can you feed your addictions without the success of your business. 

This is the power {Two of Cups} that will get you through. It’s not about sharing the work, but about coming together and supporting each other.  Yes, sharing the work is a part of that, but that’s not the part that needs to be stressed or focused on.  Focus on how they make you feel supported, and how you are after the same things.

DECK USED:  DEAD WAITE TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsOct2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: What do I need to focus on for self-care for this blue moon?

Ritual Abuse TarotReading Summary:  There is too much going on emotionally and you need to narrow down everything that is vying for your attention (Seven of Cups). Like an arrow poised to be set loose, find your direction and bear down on it (Two of Wands) while making sure to take care of yourself so that you stay healthy along the way (The Empress).

Take Away:  I need to set aside distractions and focus on the direction I want the next couple of months to go on, and the self care that will allow me to carry through the next couple of months without falling apart or hurting myself (most likely through severe burnout).

DECK USED:  RITUAL ABUSE TAROT

#MysticStarChallenge October Challenge Prompt
Question: What is the “Trick” I should be wary of for the next year?  What is the “Treat” that is coming to me this year?

Terrestrial TarotWhat is the “Trick” I should be wary of for the coming year? 

Queen of Coins – Make sure that you are not allowing people to lean too heavily upon you or depend too much upon what you can provide for them on a material level.  Being supportive is one thing, but you aren’t a single parent raising children, so don’t put yourself in a position where you feel the onus of everything rests upon your shoulders alone.

What is the “Treat” that is coming to me in the coming year?

The Sun – There is a double meaning in the appearance of The Sun card here in this spread.   First is the traditional meaning of positivity, success, and fun.  After the holiday rush, I will be able to lean into learning how to embrace these things once more on a fully conscious level.

The second meaning in The Sun’s appearance echoes back to a reading I did on October 3rd, in which The Sun card (this specific sun card in this specific deck) came up as a representation of one of my spirit guides.  spiritual guide relationship that was indicated in a reading at the beginning of the month. Appearing again now, it is an indication that I will find myself developing a stronger relationship with this guide in the future.

DECK USED:  TERRESTRIAL TAROT

Don’t Be “All Talk”

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Today’s meditation was skipped.   I know.  I shouldn’t be skipping anymore but I’m confessing here.  I skipped it.   I need to get back on track with doing the meditation on a daily basis each morning.  I know it helps, and would probably help my current feeling of malaise that I’ve been struggling with.  So I need to just do it.

Tarot of Haunted House - The EmpressToday’s draw is the Empress card, which is traditionally a representation of a nurturing earth-mother type of energy, abundance, and the sacred feminine.

There are a couple of things that really stand out to me in the imagery of this card today. The first of which is how svelt the Empress is in this imagery. That just feels a little weird for me, but I think it’s not so much something the card is speaking to me as it is just a personal preference for the Empress to have a bit of meat on her bones.

The second, and far more relevant, aspect of the imagery that stands out to me today is the delicate curl of her hand as she cradles the glowing orb. The tilt of her head indicates regal authority, and yet she holds the orb with a gentle touch (indicated in the light curl of her pinky finger). She listens and cares, and the orb comes to her in trust.

The message here is about being good to yourself. As good to yourself as you are to others. And that has to be more than a thought or an idea. It has to be an action. It has to be something you actually do. Because if it’s all talk? Then it’s not going to get you anywhere.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF HAUNTED HOUSE

LionHart’s #TheOctoberTarot #SeasonOfTheWitchChallenge Prompt
Question: Select your Death card and ask the Spirit World to guide you in something you could move past. Now draw another card.

Cute and Creepy Tarot

My Death Card is the Seven of Wands, which is about being so defensive all the time, indicating that this is something within myself that I need to work on changing.  Not in one fell sweep, but a little at a time.

When asking the Spirit World for guidance in moving past this issue, I was given the Star card, indicating that I need to approach this problem with a mindset geared towards hope while striving for an outlook of gentle balance and self-kindness.

The Two of Swords and Death card then dropped out as I was setting the cards down.  This added input indicates that this endeavor is not something that will happen on its own but rather is something I will have to make a choice to work on, and have the patience to let it unfold slowly.

DECK USED:  CUTE AND CREEPY TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsOct2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: What positive generational gift has been passed down to me from my ancestors?

Dark Angels TarotReading Summary: The ability to take things in stride (Wheel of Fortune) and move you and your loved ones forward (Two of Cups atop Two of Wands) no matter the amount burden involved (Ten of Wands).

Take Away:  I would not have considered this a generational gift, and yet… perhaps it is after all.  The fact that I carry those that depend on me forward, continuing to keep them moving and keep them together even when things fall apart or the burden of it all feels too much is something… I have done and do today.  Is something my father has done.  And I imagine it is something that those before him did as well.

Perhaps this quality of being able to move forward even under that horrible weight of responsibility and the ever changing sands of life under my feet is hereditary after all, yes?   At least… that is what the cards are saying.

DECK USED:  DARK ANGELS TAROT

#MysticStarChallenge October Challenge Prompt
Question: How can I strengthen my connection with my Guides?

Cryptid Tarot

Reading Summary: My cards are singing to me that old Bill Withers “Lean On Me” song.

Sometimes in our lives we all have pain
We all have sorrow
But if we are wise
We know that there’s always tomorrow (The Tower)

Lean on me, when you’re not strong
And I’ll be your friend
I’ll help you carry on (Two of Cups)

If there is a load you have to bear
That you can’t carry (Seven of Cups)

I’m right up the road
I’ll share your load
If you just call me (Two of Cups)

Take Away:  In a previous reading, there was a question about how can I honor my connection with my guides, which was to strengthen that connection.

The response to how to strengthen that connection is to use that connection. Don’t ignore it or leave it in the background, but actively reach for it and my guides, and use the tools at my disposal to ask for help and connect to them on a conscious level.  To actually ask questions, seek out their advice, and acknowledge them and their guiding hands.

DECK USED:  THE CRYPTID TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: What is ready to be released from my life?

Tarot of Vampyres

Reading Summary: Emotions (Lord of Grails) and intuition (The Priestess) taking the forefront (imagery in the Lord of Grails). That whole “steady as she goes” mentality (Four of Skulls) is great when there’s not a bombardment of chaos to deal with, and fun and games have their place (The Sun).  Unfortunately, none of that is going to help me in the couple of months ahead.

Take Away:  It’s time to release fun and play and relaxed methodologies as well as the distractions that I’ve been enjoying so much through the spring and summer (emotional growth, intuitive growth, etc).   There is a seven week stretch quickly approaching that is going to require setting all that aside for a bit.  Releasing all that is hard, but it needs to happen. 

DECK USED:  TAROT OF VAMPYRES

You Don’t Have To Do It Alone

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IMG_6992Today’s meditation was  just over ten minutes long and was another guided meditation with interval timer.   The thing is tho?  I wasn’t really paying attention to the guided meditation part today.  I’ve been a bit flaky and “off” today, which means that I’ve not been able to really fully focus or concentrate today.  Which is fine, because a blank mind was very easy to fall into…. but listening to that guided meditation as she spoke about whatever it was she was speaking about?  Not so easy.   And even if I listened to it (which I’m almost positive I didn’t), I clearly didn’t retain it.

At the same time?  I liked the quote provided by the meditation today, so I included it in this post.  It speaks to the survivor in me, and to the chronic pain patient in me.

It speaks to me of acceptance so that you can continue on.  Being told that you will never be pain free again, that you will be in constant pain for the rest of your life? It’s a hard pill to swallow.  A really, really hard pill to swallow.  But, once you can accept it and choose to live on and enjoy life regardless, tho?  Then your life finds ways to stretch and accommodate for that pain, allowing for you to have love and joy and all those experiences alongside it…. instead of having to forsake them all because of it.

Tarot of Haunted House - TemperanceToday’s draw is the Temperance card, which is traditional representation of well… temperance.  Wikipedia says that Temperance is defined as “moderation or voluntary self-restraint... typically described in terms of what an individual voluntarily refrains from doing. This includes restraint from revenge by practicing non-violence and forgiveness, restraint from arrogance by practicing humility and modesty, restraint from excesses such as extravagant luxury or splurging by practicing prudence, and restraint from rage or craving by practicing calmness and self-control.”

Although this is a large part of what the Temperance card is about, it is not the whole of it, as the Temperance card goes beyond the virtues of moderation and also reaches past them into the philosophical spiritual connection that practicing those virtues can create.  This means that the Temperance card is not just about the virtues of moderation, but also a connection to one’s spirituality, and thus a connection between the earth and divinity.

I don’t really see much in the way of the spiritual aspects in the imagery of today’s card, though.  What I see here is a statement about restraint and moderation being a choice.

The message here is about making that choice. Moderation is not a strong suit for me, and when I find myself at a point where I am no longer able to make that choice on my own?  It ends up being something I have to walk away from instead.  The encouragement here is to not walk away so quickly, but work harder at making moderation a standard in life…. perhaps with the help of others when needed.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF HAUNTED HOUSE

LionHart’s #TheOctoberTarot #SeasonOfTheWitchChallenge Prompt
Question: Ever mind the rule of three, what ye send out {card 1}, comes back to thee {card 2}.

Dark Angels TarotReading Summary: Sharing your knowledge and skills (The Magician) carelessly with those unwilling to walk the path and do the work (Eight of Swords)… and you are charging directly into regret and backlash for your reckless behavior (Knight of Cups Rx).

Ever mind the rule of three, what ye send out {reckless sharing of knowledge and tools to those not ready for such things}, comes back to thee {backlash for your reckless behavior}.

Take Away:  And this is why I do not provide hexes, spells, curses, etc. to novice witches… or to any witches for that matter. If they don’t have the knowledge under their belt to make their own spells, then they’re not far enough down the path yet to do the spell they are asking about.

I actually just ran into the situation last night on a Discord server, and run into it pretty regularly with new witches that have not figured out that this practice is something to be respected and not a toy.  I’m not referring to basic candle spells or things like that.  I’m referring to advanced spellwork (which hexes and curses definitely fall into).

I’m happy to provide guidance on ingredients that might benefit certain purposes and tools that might help someone get where they want to go within their spellcraft, but I’m not giving anybody any spells or curses or hexes. In my personal opinion and experience, people need time and practice to grow and be able to build their own experience and spells, and adapt them to be personal to them… instead of just cut copy and paste what someone else gives them without understanding any of what they’re doing or what the elements they’re using mean.

Obviously, as you can see, this is a pet peeve of mine.

DECK USED:  DARK ANGELS TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsOct2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: What negativity in my ancestral history is it time to let go of in the present?

Golden Age of Horror Comics TarotReading Summary: Sometimes when you trust in others to do the work for you (Three of Cups) instead of doing it yourself (The Magician) you can end up experiencing malicious backlash (Witch in the Background of the Three of Cups) and hardship as a result (Five of Pentacles).

Take Away: Although I don’t agree with a lot of the ways that I was raised, one thing that I do agree with is that I was raised to be independent, strong, and hard-working. I was taught that there are no good shortcuts, therefore there’s no point in looking for them because they only end up causing problems.

This is something that my ancestors have learned, and through them I was taught to be different and do different… learning from their mistakes.

DECK USED:  GOLDEN AGE OF HORROR COMICS TAROT

#MysticStarChallenge October Challenge Prompt
Question: How does my personality align with that of my Spirit Guides?

Cute and Creepy Tarot

Reading Summary: I am open to my intuition (The High Priestess) and willing to follow where it leads (Knight of Cups), and in doing so, embrace the results as they pour in along the way (Nine of Cups).

Take Away:  My personality aligns with that of my spirit guides because I am open to allowing direction from my subconscious and my intuition, and they’re taking that opportunity to lead me forward and help me find positive outcomes in my life.   Without my willingness to blindly follow these qualities in myself… qualities they manipulate to nudge me along in my trajectory…. and without their willingness to do the nudging?  It wouldn’t all come together so seamlessly or winningly.

DECK USED:  CUTE AND CREEPY TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: What does magick mean to me?

Murder of Crows Tarot

Six of Wands – An interest to excel at.

The thing is?  I enjoy the spellcraft and magic(k) part of my path, quite a lot.  I enjoy the studying and the learning, the researching and the experimentation.  I enjoy expanding my horizons and finding my strengths and affinities.  I also enjoy being knowledgeable in these areas and able to help others (and yes, at times, even looked up to by others) with knowledge and experience I can share.

The Star – A way to connect spiritually with the world around me and its energies.

My faith is based upon the energies that surround us.  Energies of the elements, energies of creation, evolution, and balance.  These energies are how I see divinity, how I grasp how the world works, and are the foundation of my path.  Spellcraft and magic(k) are at their very core taking control and direction of energy through intent and using tools assist in that purpose.  In this way, spellcraft and magic(k) then becomes an extension of my faith, and a connection to divinity.

The Chariot – And a means to an end.

None of the above changes the fact that spellcraft and magic(k) is a tool.  It is something that is used to accomplish a goal.  You put your intention into action to make something happen using energy as the force for moving things along.

Take Away:  In the end, spellcraft and magic(k) are many things to me, although these three are definitely at the top of the list.  It’s a part of my faith, a means to an end, a connection to divinity, and a passionate pursuit. It is a sense of security and a lifelong past-time, a hereditary gift passed down from my mother and my ancestors… and much more.

DECK USED:  MURDER OF CROWS TAROT

The Illusive Silver Lining

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Today’s meditation was… well it was a bit different.  That would be because I tried to do my meditation in the bath this time. Since I was soaking in the tub, I thought I’d give it a go.  What actually happened, though, is that I started to doze off… twice.  So, that wasn’t a very good idea. I never settled in to meditate after I’d gotten out, either.  I’ll do it before sleep tonight.

Madam Lydia Wilhelmina's Tarot - Five of CupsToday’s draw is the Five of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of emotions that deal with disappointment, disillusionment, and pessimism.  Especially in cases where you are failing (or refusing) to see the whole picture.

What really stands out to me in the imagery of this card today is the contrast between the graceful figure and the cold dark surroundings in which she stands.  It really makes the “pity party” going on in this card stand out.

The thing is?  When you’re focused solely on the pessimistic side of things?  You lose out on so much sometimes, but it’s really devastating when it’s the little things you lose out on.  In moments when everything feels like it’s gone to shit and you’re wading through the cold snow of disappointments and failures?  Not looking for that little nugget of positive that lives in those moments has the potential to just make everything worse… and make the bad linger and stretch on longer… the emotions involved experienced with more depth and for a longer period of time than might be healthy.

The message here is to look for that silver lining.  It might be small, it might seem like “nothing”… but sometimes that little bit of nothing can be everything.

DECK USED:  MADAM LYDIA WILHELMINA’S TAROT

LionHart’s #TheOctoberTarot #SeasonOfTheWitchChallenge Prompt
Question: How can I best harvest the energy available to me?

Tarot of the Sweet Twilight

Reading Summary: Work at learning to be happy with what you have (King of Pentacles) and to foster and nurture that outlook it so that it grows (Queen of Pentacles)… It doesn’t all have to be about “more more more” all the time.

There is a link between the Queen of Pentacles and the Knave of Swords in the fact that the girl in the Knave looks like a younger version of the Queen, and wears the same dress beneath her jacket.   What I see from this is that growth is possible, but needs a bit of nurturing to get it there and to temper the impulsive urges that slow and steady growth can sometimes spur.

Take Away:  I push myself too damned hard and it’s not healthy.  I know that, and yet so very often, I can’t seem to help it. The encouragement here is that I need to stay focused on the present right now.  I need to nurture my growth and my inspiration, but only in ways that support slow growth instead of fast and hard spurts.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE SWEET TWILIGHT

#DiscordTarotholicsOct2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: What needs my attention in the… past / present / future

Murder of Crows TarotWhat needs my attention in the past?
Knight of Swords – So much of my past has spent spent barrelling forward at full speed, pushing myself harder and harder as I work towards my ambitions. This pushing wasn’t about my passions or interests, it was about my ambitions. The things I felt I wanted in my life, or even felt were absolutely necessary.  And in pushing myself so hard, I have cycled through burnout after burnout, driven to always push harder and harder. It’s not healthy and I know that, and yet I cannot seem to help it. And when I do manage to back off on myself? Then I feel shame and self-recriminations concerning whatever it is that I’m not getting done.   This issue stems from my past and is something I need to work on addressing.

What needs my attention in the present?
The High Priestess  – This is an echo of what the cards told me in my self-care Saturday reading this weekend. It has to do with depending less strongly upon logic and thought, and leaning more heavily into intuition and the nudging of my moral compass.

What needs my attention in the future?
Ten of Pentacles – My goals, my loved ones, my home. Soon, I will be bumping my mortgage payments back up to double. I reduced my mortgage payments by half back in the spring when I lost the majority of my part time jobs.  After the holidays, I have every intention of returning my payments back to that larger payment again. This future goal will allow my mortgage to be paid off more quickly, creating a sense of stability (and the opportunity to slow down a bit) sooner.   I’m very much looking forward to that.

DECK USED:  MURDER OF CROWS TAROT

#MysticStarChallenge October Challenge Prompt
Question: In what way does my spirit guide embody the _____ card?

Terrestrial Tarot

Spirit Guide Card – The Sun – A sign of hope and warmth and love. A sense of enthusiasm and enjoyment, of optimism and positivity.

In what way does my spirit guide embody the Sun card?
Air (Ace of Swords), Felicity (Nine of Cups), King of Swords

The spirit guide in question embodies the Sun card as they are in my life to help me find emotional fulfillment.  I’m very much a Swords person, as I lean heavily on intellect and logic in my day to day life and how I navigate the world.  But you cannot become the master of your ambitions and mind without reaching a level of emotional fulfillment along the way. This spirit guide is here to provide opportunities to find that fulfillment by finding ways of blending that logic and intellectual tendency I fall into with the emotional intelligence I need to develop along the way.

DECK USED:  TERRESTRIAL TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: What does this time of year mean to me?

Dark Angels Tarot

Reading Summary: Gearing up for the busy season with no time to waste (Knight of Pentacles Rx). Change is building into the new reality for the next few months (Death). Struggling to spend as much time as possible with Gideon in preparation for the busy season officially starts (Two of Cups).

Take Away:  There are a lot of spiritual connotations that are a part of this time of year, but in truth?  What this season really means to me is that it’s a time of “changing gears”.  As much as I love the shift in weather, the opportunity to get out in nature more, the thinning of the liminal veil between spiritual planes, etc… what this time of year means more than anything?  Is that it’s time to prep for my busiest time of year, which looms in the near future like a giant trying to hide behind a tree and failing at it miserably.

DECK USED:  DARK ANGELS TAROT