The Comforts of Home

IMG_E0044Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and was one of the guided meditations from the Calm app.

I don’t really remember the topic of the meditation for today, but it was relaxing regardless of the fact that I wasn’t really paying attention to what she was saying.  That said?  I very much like the Robert Louis Stevenson quote that was included in the graphic offered at the end of the meditation (which you can see to the right in this post).

Lovely Day Tarot - Four of WandsToday’s draw is Four of Wands, which is traditionally a representation of home coming, celebration, and the comforts of hearth and home.

Here in this imagery, we see both celebration and home combined, with the Christmas holiday theme that’s depicted in the card. It gives this card a very “hearth and home” feeling for me, and a touch of longing for the type of relaxing holidays that I don’t really get a chance to experience anymore.

The message in today’s card is that you’ve been sick. Just enjoy being home today. It’s a wonderful thing.

DECK USED:  LOVELY DAY TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsApr2022 Challenge Prompt
Topic for April 30th
: Grab a spread of your choice that you’ve been curious about… and give it a go!

I used my Month End spread for this prompt. It can be found in a separate post here.

DECKS USED: ANIMA MUNDI TAROT AND THE ENERGY ARCHAEOLOGY ORACLE

The Self Appreciation #STCTarotChallenge for April Prompt
Questions for April 30th

Lovely Day TarotI will not quit…

Five of Cups and Seven of Swords – … fighting against my pessimistic inner narrative and its ability to steal away the nourishment, care, and joy that I need in my life.

Because…

Judgement and Three of Wands – …there are brighter roads ahead and better things coming, but they will only become a part of my life if I am open to letting them in. Pessimism and negative inner narratives close me off to those things.

DECK USED: LOVELY DAY TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

It’s my birthday and I spent as much of it as I could with Gideon.

Temptation’s Consequences

Today’s meditation was spent at the bottom of the bathtub with the shower running (at around 5:30am). I spent some time there after a marathon of spewing from both ends to let my body warm and ease my nerves, as well as wash away the sweats.

Lunalapin Tarot - The DevilToday’s draw is The Devil card, which is traditionally a representation of temptation, addictions, and self inflicted hardships.

You were really sick last night, you need to make sure that you treat your body well today instead of eating junk or being impatient with your body and its needs. There’s always a chance that the nausea and vomiting could come back, and you need to make sure that you do what you can to mitigate those risks instead of just eating whatever you want.

The message in today’s card is to be conscious of what temptations pull at you today, for they have potential to be disastrous.

DECK USED:  LUNALAPIN TAROT

Mr Lionharts’ #TheAprilTarot Animal Guide Challenge Prompt
Questions for Beyond The Journey – Day 28 to 30

Cat Wisdom CardsWhere do I find myself right now at the conclusion of this month’s Journey?

Patience – You find yourself now at a place of self-awareness that will allow for more patience with yourself moving forward. You know where you are pushing too hard, and where you need to treat yourself more kindly, and can practice the patience to keep that balance.

What am I asked to leave behind moving forward? Why?

Alarm and Take Action – Alarm without action creates anxiety. But, when you seize control and begin to do something about it instead of staying stagnant and letting it wash over you, you are able to turn alarm into healthy results. Keep this in mind and it will help you in leaving behind the anxiety that’s been niggling at you over the past few months.

In what direction am I asked to take these teachings as I move on past April?

Fear – Use this month’s lessons to conquer your fears instead of giving into them.

DECK USED: CAT WISDOM CARDS

#DiscordTarotholicsApr2022 Challenge Prompt
Question for April 29th
: What do you need to focus on for self-care for tomorrow’s new moon?

Lunalapin TarotReading Summary: Down times (Ten of Swords) don’t mean that you lose sight of your goals (King of Wands), just that you save the battle for tomorrow (Seven of Wands).

Take Away: As violently sick as I’ve been so far today, what I need tomorrow is some down time and recovery.

I’m sure just as much as I feel like crap today, my stomach and throat will feel raw tomorrow and my muscles are going to hurt as if I’d gone through a triathlon or something.

No work. No pushing. Just rest and recuperation.

DECK USED: LUNALAPIN TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

Gatorade. Pedialyte. Nauzene. Imodium. Vanilla ice cream. Nap time. Early bed time.

Put Down the Shovel

Today’s meditation was skipped.

The Forest Enby Tarot - Ace of CupsToday’s draw is the Ace of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of the seed of new beginnings in the area of one’s emotions, relationships, intuition, and creativity.

On my emotional journey, I am still at the beginning of things and I am still learning. Everything is still very new, and sometimes it’s hard not to revert back to old habits of burying my emotions instead of dealing with them and allowing myself to experience them.

This is how I’ve done things for the majority of my life, but it is only recently that I’ve moved into a place where I can start to explore my emotions more fully. Today’s message is a reminder that emotions are not the enemy, so I need to make sure that I’m not treating them as such (the cup raised high).

DECK USED:  THE FOREST ENBY TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsApr2022 Challenge Prompt
Question for April 28th

Oracle of Light and DreamsRevisit ThisWoodland – Take some time to examine what is negatively affecting your patience at this time. Remember that a part of your emotional journey is how unfamiliar it is to be constantly bombarded by emotions you used to naturally and immediately silence so that they never had a voice. Stillness within chaos, as well as the patience to wait things out and watch instead of act, can help you.

Steer Clear of This Toyland – Play without purpose has its place in life, but right now you need to make sure that the play you partake in furthers your goals. This doesn’t mean that you have to forsake play altogether, only that you need to find it and enjoy it in places where it can benefit you in other areas.

A New Way Forward Forget-Me-Not – “Every small act of kindness is an opportunity to have a positive impact on the lives of others.” (From the deck’s guidebook.)

Small acts of kindness hold just as much value as larger ones. Spread your kindness around in small pieces, and it will go far.

DECK USED: ORACLE OF LIGHT & DREAMS

The Self Appreciation #STCTarotChallenge for April Prompt
Questions for April 28th and 29th

The Forest Enby Tarot and Oracle of Light and DreamsI have accomplished this.

Five of Pentacles, Five of Cups atop Seven of Pentacles – I am able to see and acknowledge how negative experiences contain a boon within them. And, I understand that looking at negative experiences from a positive perspective instead of a pessimistic one can assist in my long term growth.

So I can?

Peony – Take time to process and heal from the negative experiences in life without worrying that I’m less than or weak for needing that time. If the growth is long term, it means there is plenty of time to tend to those wounds, and no reason to rush through the healing process.

Because of the above, I am better equipped to…

The Tower and Justice – Deal with chaos and repercussions that decide to rest heavily on my shoulders.

So I Can?

Shadow – Better understand the process of growth and healing through the collected experiences I gather over my lifetime. Each experience is a lesson, and each lesson helps you grow.  It is a continuous process that never ends.

DECK USED: THE FOREST ENBY TAROT AND ORACLE OF LIGHT & DREAMS

Daily Self Kindness

I didn’t get a nap in today, but even though it was orders day, I did take some time to take a breather now and then, and made sure to eat on a schedule so that my blood sugar didn’t drop.

Reflecting On Gratitude

Today’s meditation was skipped, although I did have a shrink appointment.

The Houseplant Tarot - Nine of CupsToday’s draw is the Nine of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of feelings of satisfaction, contentment, emotional satiation, feelings of gratitude, and occasionally… gluttony.

Look how the top left vessel almost strays off the page. This card’s imagery seems to say that it has so much that it is barely contained in the card at all. It echoes to the phrase “my cup runneth over”.

Today’s card is a reminder that having a mentality of gratitude is important. It’s important to look at how much you have in your life, how much it means to you, and how lucky you are to have all that you do. It’s important to recognize these things and appreciate them, for in doing so is where you find a sense of contentment and satisfaction with life.

DECK USED:  THE HOUSEPLANT TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsApr2022 Challenge Prompt
Philosophical Question
: What is Divinity?

Mara Lunne TarotReading Summary: Divinity lives in the direction we choose to go in our lives (Three of Wands), the people that we connect with along the way (Three of Cups), and how those connections help in carrying us forward and lifting us up (Eight of Wands).

Take Away: Divinity lies within us. Within the energy we are made from and how that energy connects and flows together with others. It’s about moving forward and growth, and about all of the small “inconsequential” things that help connect us to each other and the world around us.

DECK USED: MARA LUNNE TAROT

The Self Appreciation #STCTarotChallenge for April Prompt
Questions for April 27th

The Houseplant TarotI will work toward actualizing my dream to…

The Magician and Ace of Wands – …connect my ingenuity with my inner creative spark. Over the last few years I’ve struggled with disconnection in this area, and as a result struggled with motivation in most areas of my life. These cards indicate that it’s time to get back on top of this and focus on working towards fostering that connection again.

By?

Eight of Pentacles and Seven of Pentacles – Focusing on the work, and on taking my time. This isn’t so much about blindly plowing forward, as it is about knowing where my skills and talents lie, and that it’s going to take time to reconnect with them in a way that will foster my creative inner spark instead of trying to smothering it.

DECK USED: THE HOUSEPLANT TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I confessed to Gideon about my overdose. Along with this is admitting that it wasn’t an accident… more of an act of desperation when the pain level got to the point that it took over everything. I… really didn’t want to tell him, and have been avoiding coming online because I didn’t want to.  I know… I hurt him so fucking bad. The self kindness in the confession is that it needs to be out in the open, no matter how much I want to hide what I did.

Don’t Overreact

Today’s meditation was skipped.

Fable Hedgehog Tarot - Nine of SwordsToday’s draw is the Nine of Swords, which is traditionally a representation of themes surrounding worry, anxiety, nightmares, and insomnia.

When I pulled this card this morning, I heard the words “Don’t overreact”.  This fits with the theme of the card, and especially with the imagery here in this specific Nine of Swords. All of the swords in the card point inward toward each other instead of the figure in the bed.  There is nothing to fear, and yet the little hedgehog worries anyway.

A lot of times when we anticipate a problem, it gets blown out of proportion.  What might be a little hiccup, when left to stew over it, can become a mountain of obstacles. The message in today’s card is to take things in stride and don’t blow them out of proportion.

DECK USED:  FABLE HEDGEHOG TAROT

The Self Appreciation #STCTarotChallenge for April Prompt
Questions for April 26th

The Joyseeker OracleI will stop negativity here.

The Eagle atop The Horse – Your attitude towards work needs to shift to something more positive. You focus too hard on the things that you aren’t enjoying and don’t wanna do, instead of looking at the bigger picture and allowing yourself to enjoy those parts of your work and your responsibilities that bring you pleasure and joy.

By?

The Koi and The Bat – Focus on how adept you are at adapting, and how you are able to always turn even the worst situation around into a boon for you. In other words… You have been falling into old unhealthy habits. Remember that you have the tools to look on the brighter side, and don’t focus so hard on the negative.

DECK USED: THE JOYSEEKER ORACLE

The #ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge Prompt by E Roebuck-Jones
Questions for April 26th

Fable Hedgehog TarotWhat lie have I been telling myself?

The Sun atop Five of Pentacles – That success is bred through hardship.  The belief that in order to succeed, you must suffer (sort of like that saying “no pain, no gain”).

How can I start being more honest with myself in this area?

The Hanged Man and The Fool – Open yourself up to new experiences and allow yourself to believe in the goodness in life. Not everything has to be horrible for the results from it to be worthwhile.  If you see life as a joyous adventure, you can help that perspective to spread through your life.

Take Away – Like the previous reading earlier today, this reading again reminds me that I am slipping when it comes to leaning into optimism and positivity, and have instead been allowing my natural habit towards pessimism and negative internal narrative to have the reigns.

DECK USED: FABLE HEDGEHOG TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I’m doing everything I can to try and mitigate my pain today. My pain level is extremely high and I’m struggling with it.

Instilling Joy and Enjoyment

Today’s meditation was skipped (again).

Pulp Tarot - Page of CupsToday’s draw is the Page of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of a receptive omega energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s emotions, relationships, creativity, and intuition. This often translates into themes that have to do with the resurfacing of old relationships, delving in to explore new creative endeavors, and the growth of one’s emotional intelligence.

The message in today’s card is in the imagery.  It’s a reminder to make sure that I don’t forget to life my head out of the busy rush of today’s work and take a breather. To make an effort to smile and find enjoyment in the day so that the day isn’t entirely lost into the fog of work and the physical pain I’m dealing with right now.  Joy and enjoyment needs to be instilled into every single day… even the busy one.

DECK USED:  PULP TAROT

The Self Appreciation #STCTarotChallenge for April Prompt
Questions for April 25th

April Fool's TarotI will be more aware of…

Judgement and The Star – …my self-talk and making sure that it is hopeful and optimistic, instead of negative and degrading. That negative inner narrative is a hope-eater.

So I can?

Page of Wands, Seven of Swords atop Five of Cups – So that I can better learn to escape negativity by seeing things from a more positive perspective. Only through twisting around to see the good can we escape the influences of the bad in our lives.

DECK USED: THE APRIL FOOL’S TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsApr2022 Challenge Prompt
Questions for April 25th and 26th

Pulp TarotWhat difficult truth do you need to acknowledge?

When you’re not getting the rest and solitude that you need (Four of Cups), it makes it impossible to see beyond yourself (Eight of Swords) and help in effectively guiding others (The Hierophant).

One of the greatest joys in life is your ability to help and guide others, to teach and assist them in finding the path that is right for them. But when you aren’t getting the solitude you need (including meditation and rest), your effectiveness in this area takes a hit.

How can you accept this truth more fully?

Yield (Strength Rx) to the fact that overwhelm and burnout (Ten of Wands) supports nothing, and will get you and others nowhere because it turns you into a bitch (Queen of Swords Rx).

DECK USED: PULP TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I’m giving in and taking some pain meds once I’m at a point where I can slow down today.  I have to get to a point where I can finish up orders first, though.  I’m in a lot of pain today and I don’t want to take anything until I know it won’t hinder me finishing what needs done.  I WILL take something, though.