#DiscordTarotholicsSep2020

Taking Time For Gratitude

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

IMG_6190Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and was a guided meditation with interval timer for my piriformis stretches.   The guided part of the meditation was about support.  Specifically, about asking for support from those around you when you need it, and accepting help when it’s offered instead of turning it away out of pride or other misguided emotions.

This is something in myself that I’ve been doing a lot of work with this year.  I struggle with asking for help, and to be honest?  I feel like I’m supposed to be able to do everything my damned self.  So when I then ask for help it’s not so much a blow to my pride as a consternation of a job not well done.   Add on top of that the feeling of inconveniencing others with what I consider to be my responsibilities and… yeah.

But, in working on restructuring how I deal with my responsibilities, I have been trying to ask for help more, and accept it whenever it is offered instead of waving it off with gratitude.

Hush Tarot - Nine of PentaclesToday’s draw is the Nine of Pentacles, which is a representation of independence combined with taking stock of what you have.  This is about self-sufficiency, as well as gratitude for the abundance you have in your life and what you have accomplished.

What stands out to me the strongest in this card is the woman herself and the feathers that she wears.  This is because the woman looks very similar to a character in a movie I watched recently.  I’ve tried all damned day to try and remember the name of the movie, but it just isn’t coming to me.  The thing is, though…. this woman?  Is the spitting image of that one.  I couldn’t get the comparison out of my head.

As today is self care Saturday, I feel that this card today isn’t about the imagery so much about the meaning of the card itself.  It’s about not allowing the pessimism and negative inner dialog to grab hold.  It’s an encouragement to count my blessings and focus upon  gratitude for the abundances in my life.

DECK USED:  HUSH TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsSep2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: What am I ignoring that needs rooted out and dealt with?

20th Century TarotReading Summary: The go-get’em push of passion and drive (Knight of Wands) clobbering emotional wealth (King of Cups).

Hope (The Star) overshadowing despair (Three of Swords) and allowing that hope to lean into the innocent enthusiasm of youth (The Fool).

The three cards at the end are (yet again) about moving carefully and taking care (Knight of Pentacles) as I choose my battles (Five of Cups).   The advice here being not to allow naivete and foolishness to overcome my  caution (the two cards atop The Fool).

Take Away: This deck has a really interesting way of speaking.

The answer to what needs rooted out and dealt with is my impulsivity and negativity.  The cards here (rightly) indicate that there are times when these two things feed off of each other and create disappointing or even heartbreaking situations that could otherwise have been avoided with a bit of caution and restraint.  Taking your time at something isn’t a bad thing, no matter how much it sometimes feels like it should be.

DECK USED:  20TH CENTURY TAROT

Slow Burn, Not a Flash Fire

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and took place in the bath tub.  It was so… so comfortable but at least I didn’t fall asleep this time.  I very much enjoyed the relaxation in the water for once, though.   Usually I find the tub just uncomfortable enough that I can’t meditate, but today?  It was just right and super comfortable.   Interestingly?  I also find it harder to stay awake as the water gets cooler.  When it’s really warm?  I’m wide awake, but the closer it gets to lukewarm? The more dozy I become.

Botan Tarot - The ChariotToday’s draw is the Chariot card, which is traditionally a representation of controlled progress, and the willpower and determination to go in the direction you want to go in and see things through.

These cards (the Botan Tarot) are so damned beautiful and what stands out to me the strongest in this card today is the hint of wings present in the background behind the figure that is holding the reigns.

What these wings do for me is soften the card.  I often find the Chariot card quite harsh, and yet in this imagery I see willpower tempered by compassion, determination with a touch of restraint, as the wings are spread and thus they are catching air and creating drag. If this card were in motion, I would imagine those wings would not just catch the air but feel as if they billow with it as feathers flutter in the swirling eddies of air currents.

The message here is that it’s all well and good to know where you want to go and have the willpower and determination to get you there, but it’s important to remember that sometimes? Getting there takes time.  Not because you’re forced to go slow, but because you choose to slow down to savor the journey rather than focusing on the end goal alone.

DECK USED:  BOTAN TAROT

#Zentember #LovelyHealing Challenge Prompt
Question: What needs healing on my root chakra? (Deals with energy, stability, comfort, and safety.)

Wiener Secession TarotReading Summary:  I need to work on finding a deeper level of inner certainty (High Priestess) even in times when my life is in a state of flux (The Wheel).   The Queen of Clubs looks on at this message as if to say that by finding this inner certainty I can then flourish more fully in the endeavors that keep my spark aflame.

Take Away:  Unfortunately, outer uncertainty in my life breeds inner uncertainties about myself. That means that when things go wrong?  I don’t just start blaming myself, but also doubting myself.

That inner uncertainty about myself then creates a lack of motivation that keeps at bay the energy of the Queen’s nurturing of my inner spark. This is where a good part of my moments of “meh” come from, and when I feel those moments, I need to take time to observe where the uncertainty in my life lies in that moment, and explore how its influencing my confidence as well as my motivation.

DECK USED:  WIENER SECESSION TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsSep2020 Challenge Prompt
Topic: Create / Evoke / Balance

Cosmic Tribe TarotCreate – Five of Cups – Burnt offerings in a sea of salt. Its time to make more eggshell powder.  The last batch that Id made has lasted for quite some time, but I’ve been needing to make more for a while and keep putting it off.  I should get it done before things become so busy that it has to be put off until the New Year.

Evoke – Two of Wands – I get absolutely no intuitive hit off of the imagery in this card.  So, going by the bare bones of the RWS system… it’s time to start planning for the holiday season.  I’ve been putting it off, to be honest.  Dragging my feet and trying to just… I dunno.  Deny it’s coming?  But the fact is that it is coming, and I’m going to have to get on the ball and get my direction not just meticulously planned out but set in motion.  You can’t get moving until you start get moving.

Balance – Nine of Cups – You know that phrase “too much of a good thing”?  Well that goes for everything, including emotional fulfillment and happy feelings.  It’s important to make sure I’m not pushing myself to the point of insincerity.  Working to see the bright side and lean into optimism is one thing, but to the point where it’s fake and just a load of shit?  Too much.  Pay attention to my emotions and how I’m feeling, and be honest with myself about that even when it’d be easier to just put on a happy face and keep moving.

Side Note About This Deck – It’s gotta go.  I don’t get good vibes from the artwork at all.  I don’t know what I was thinking when I bought it, but it’s definitely not for me. This is my first reading with this deck, which was added to my collection very recently…. and it’ll be my last.  It just doesn’t feel right.

DECK USED:  COSMIC TRIBE TAROT

Lionharts #AstroTarotChallenge
Question: A reminder of my personal wealth or personal blessing.

Tarot of the Secret Forest

Reading Summary: The ability to sit out (Eight of Cups) on the battles I need to (Strength Rx) and support others instead instead of engaging (Queen of Pentacles).

Take Away:  I have gotten the message “choose your battles wisely” more than once from the cards over the past week. And here again is that reminder, as the personal blessing that this reading speaks about is my ability to choose my battles.

A lot of times, the battles we fight are not our own, and that is true in my case as well.  There is an encouragement here that it’s okay to not get involved in other’s battles, and to support others from the sidelines instead of diving into the battle myself.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE SECRET FOREST

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: How can I build my confidence?

Science Tarot

Reading Summary: Take time (Temperance) to really explore in depth (Page of Swords) the opportunities available to me (Ace of Pentacles).

Take Away:  I’m missing something.   Not in this reading.  I mean that the cards are indicating that I’m missing some key factor in the opportunities currently available to me that could ease my discomfort with uncertainty and boost my confidence.

It’s time to take stock and make some decisions on what I want to happen and where I want things to go.  I always feel better when I have a direction, but on top of that I need to also find a way to become more comfortable with uncertainty.  This was also mentioned in an earlier reading today and has carried over into this one.

DECK USED:  SCIENCE TAROT

Avoidance

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was fifteen minutes long, and I nearly fell asleep there at the end.  I was just so comfortable and the temperature was just right… it was hard to drag my ass up to get working.   And on that note, I promise that when I soak in the tub on Saturday (or maybe tomorrow), that I won’t nap in there.   I’ll be careful.

Hush Tarot - Eight of CupsToday’s draw is the Eight of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of emotionally disconnecting and/or walking away.  This type of withdrawal or abandonment is usually created through a sense of disappointment, although other emotions are also able to be at play in bringing this card’s theme to the forefront.

What stands out to me in this card is the Fae girl in the lower left corner and the fact that she is pulling on (or off) a hood/headdress that had her concealed as a blackbird.  This brought to mind the phrase “a wolf in sheep’s clothing”, which then had me wondering… who is she hiding from?  What is it she hides from?   What has she need to retreat from or distance herself from that she has to conceal herself under the cloak of feathers?

And there is the message in today’s card.   It’s time to look at what I am avoiding.  What am I trying to distance myself from in life, and why haven’t I cut the ties entirely instead of trying to hide and avoid? I don’t have the answers to this right now, but it’s something that needs to be mulled over.

DECK USED:  HUSH TAROT

#Zentember #LovelyHealing Challenge Prompt
Question: Where do I need to bring light in?

Archeon Tarot

Reading Summary: Your mental dialogue (skull imagery in the Ace of Swords) and inner process is to conflicted (Five of Wands). Your bad habits are blinding you (Eight of Swords) to the good.

Take Away:  You need to be nicer to yourself and open your eyes to the positive instead of always settling on the negative and pessimistic views that are your habit.  This applies to both your inner dialogue with yourself, as well as your outlook on the world at large.  The pessimism and negativity is creeping in.  Be aware of it and deal with it… don’t just turn a blind eye and let it grow.

Oh…. shit.   And there’s the answer to what I’m avoiding from my COTD today.

DECK USED:  ARCHEON TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsSep2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: What projects and energies am I taking with me into Autumn?

Telluric TarotReading Summary: New emotional growth (Ace of Cups)… growth by keeping the past in its place (Six of Cups under Death) instead of allowing it free reign.  Fostering my relationships through connecting with those important to me (Two of Cups).

The Wisteria and Peridot card is an indication of hope and positive inspiration on an emotional level.  It speaks of my emotional growth not being over, but still being in the budding stages.  I love the combination peridot and wisteria in this card because it feels so hopeful and positive.

In the Adder Stone and Clover, we see the energies of childhood experience, enchantment, and curiosity.  With the card that sits atop this card being what it is (will cover that in a moment) what I see in this card is a reference to my childhood.

The Aragonite and Ghost Pipe card pins the childhood reference in place on the table.  It holds it down and keeps it in its place. Both aragonite and ghost pipe are highly unusual in how they appear in the world.  They speak of life rising from what one would think as inhospitable environments, and beauty formed through organic growth.

Lastly we come to the Amazonite and Forget-Me-Nots (Myotosis).  There is a harmony to the Amazonite, which in this card is features in a cluster combined with Smoky Quartz.  The Myotosis then lends a gentle warmth to the representation of coexistence and mutual growth.

Take Away: My emotional growth will continue through the Autumn months and, unlike last year, I need to make sure to keep my past in the past.  That means not allowing father issues to rise up as the veil gets thinner late next month.  Depending on Gideon and others that I have a close emotional connection with can help me in keeping things in balance.

DECK USED:  TELLURIC TAROT

Lionharts #AstroTarotChallenge
Question: In what direction am I being asked to personally grow starting this month?

Tyldwick Tarot

Reading Summary:  There’s going to be a sudden collapse and shift in direction over this month concerning my personal growth (Three of Staves under the Tower).  Remember that new beginnings (Ace of Coins) sometimes take a good deal of time to grow into anything of value, but the wait is worth it (Seven of Coins).

Take Away: This is about my emotional growth, and having to change gears abruptly into the whole business aspect of things. There will be a moment of frustration involved in the kicking off of this new perspective where income is concerned.  This is to be expected and happens every year.  Patience is important.  Just keep plugging away at it and soon you’ll be reaping the rewards. 

(Then later on after the holiday rush is over, you can return to the emotional growth that has been your focus for so much of this year to date.)

DECK USED:  TYLDWICK TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question:What do I need in order to create success?

Tarot of Reincarnation

Reading Summary: Nurturing strength and dignity (Empress/Eagle) combined with a passionate pursuit of dreams (Queen of Clubs/Longhorn Beetle) and an unrelenting foundational strength (Queen of Diamonds/Lion).

Take Away:  In order to create success, I need to feel that I have a good foundation and nurturing energy to encourage me into following my dreams.  And of course, I need those dreams themselves as well, and the strength to accept and go after them regardless of how silly or impractical that they may seem.  Manifesting success is about making the impossible possible through intention, vision, and determination.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF REINCARNATION

Compassion

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was was ten minutes long and one of the harp strings meditations with interval timer.   It was very relaxing, even if my piriformis stretches were pretty painful throughout the process. This is not a surprise as my physiotherapy / yoga practice is as well at the moment.  I’m paying the price of not going in to the chiro / sports medicine doc regularly.

Botan Tarot - The EmperorToday’s draw is the Emperor card, which is traditionally a representation of an authority figure or leadership.  This card is about  the responsibility and steady control as one makes decisions for the greater good.

Sometimes, when making decisions for the greater good, we have to disregard our own wishes and desires.  It sucks, but that’s what being the responsible party is all about.  It’s about working towards the well being of all instead of the individual.   This is the message that stands out to me today in the imagery of this card.  The man in the picture is weathered and tough, but his eyes hold a hint of kindness as well.   Strength tempered by compassion.

And whether you lead or follow, whether you’re the man on top of the mountain, or just one of the grunts climbing the hill?  We all have strengths.  The important thing is that we wield those strengths with compassion.

DECK USED:  BOTAN TAROT

#Zentember #LovelyHealing Challenge Prompt
Question: Where do I shine?

Art Nouveau Tarot c. 1989

Reading Summary:  Reevaluation (Four of Cups) of my strategies (Seven of Swords) when things change or go awry (The Wheel).

Take Away:  This is about adaptability, and making things up “on the fly” in order to keep moving even when roadblocks try to trip me up. The thing is, I don’t see anything in life as a real “road block” but more a challenge.  Stopping is not an option because life just doesn’t work that way, so it’s important to be able to adapt and adjust and keep moving, even when it feels like you’ve reached the end of the road. 

DECK USED:  ART NOUVEAU TAROT c.1989

#DiscordTarotholicsSep2020 Challenge Prompt
Philosophical Question: What are the 3 major strengths of humanity?

WilderWoven TarotTwo of Swords – Free Will – Humanity has the ability to make choices, to exercise free will upon themselves and their situation.  Although sometimes our choices are not always appealing, there are always choices open to us. We are able to dream our dreams, and make choices based upon what we want out of life.

The Emperor – Autonomy – With free will comes the autonomy to create out own fate and move forward in the direction we choose. Sometimes we must make a round-about path to get there, but ultimately we choose for ourselves where we are going on our path.

The Devil – Transcendence –   Which then leads us the ability to transcend.  This is not about “spiritual transcendence” to a new level of consciousness, but rather the ability to pull ourselves out of bad situations through our free will and autonomy and into a different situation or better place either mentally or physically.

DECK USED:  WILDERWOVEN TAROT

Lionharts #AstroTarotChallenge
Question: What is my biggest strength (or personal superpower)?

Hardy Tarot

Reading Summary:  Potential growth (Ace of Disks) through nurturing (Queen of Cups) and recuperation (Four of Swords).

Take Away:  As much as I struggle with giving myself the nurturing warmth and rest that I need, the fact is that I am able to physically bounce back rather quickly when I do fulfill those needs. After multiple car accidents, and more injuries than I can count throughout the three decades of my life so far,  my recoveries have always been impressively quick, and even more so if  I  allow myself the self love and recuperation needed during those times of healing.

DECK USED:  HARDY TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: How can I appreciate all of my talents?

El Goliath Tarot 2nd Edition

Reading Summary: Remember how much you have overcome (Starseed atop Five of Pentacles), and where you come from as well as how much you have grown along the way (King of Swords atop Page of Swords).  Take care to act sans impulsivity (Knight of Swords).

Take Away: Impulsive action is not my friend and in order to appreciate my talents, I need to use them in ways that support my growth and keep me moving forward.  That requires both forethought, as well as trust in my moral compass to lead me forward in a positive direction.

DECK USED:  EL GOLIATH TAROT

The Pursuit of Happiness

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and another fidgety meditation session.  I think that I need another hike to get out some of this pent up energy.  I’ve reorganized my decks and I went through and tucked labels into all of my swaddled decks today as well. And yet, as much as I’m feeling the need to expend energy?  I do not seem at all inclined to spend it on work.  Go figure, right?

Hush Tarot - Knight of CupsToday’s draw is the Knight of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of an active beta energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s emotions, relationships, intuition, and creativity.  This often portrays itself in a theme of going after what brings someone joy or following your imagination and creativity into new adventures.

What stands out to me most strongly in the imagery of this card today is the guy down at the lower left corner holding the spear.  How funny is it that there’s so much going on in this image, so much to draw the eye, and yet it’s that little head and shoulders and the spear that draws my gaze.

I think sometimes we all need a little prodding to get going on doing the things that are good for us, and going after your joy is definitely good as long as you aren’t… you know… going after heroin or something.  In general, happiness is important to our well being, and yet sometimes we hold back without any real reason behind why.  That spear looks like a really good prod to get things going, don’t you think?

The message in this card is to stop hesitating and just do the stuff that’ll make you happy instead of thinking about it and putting it off.   You’ll feel better and be much happier if you just do it already.

DECK USED:  HUSH TAROT

#Zentember #LovelyHealing Challenge Prompt
Question: What’s my essence?

Tarot by Alexander Daniloff 2012 IV edition

Reading Summary: Someone that teaches others (Il Papa) how to find their direction (Three of Wands) during their darkest hours (Ten of Swords).

Take Away:  This somehow makes sense to me in… okay so I relate to this because of something that Gideon said to me… has said to me.  Or maybe he was saying it to someone else and I just overheard it?   Anyway, he said that I have this tendency to tell people exactly what they need to hear, just exactly when they need it most.  Like when I told him guilt makes for a crappy relationship (can’t remember the exact words) and it was in that moment he needed to hear it to realize the truth of his situation with is ex.

I don’t usually realize I’ve done this, and yet I know it happens because Gideon has said he’s seen it happen. Others have said similar as well.   And so I understand and believe… and very much relate to what’s said in these cards.   I love that I have the ability to help people in this way, and I’m okay with not being aware of having done it in most cases. As long as I’m helping others to make their lives better, and thus the world a better place?  I’m good with being oblivious for the most part.

DECK USED:  TAROT BY ALEXANDER DANILOFF 2012 IV EDITION

#DiscordTarotholicsSep2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: What do I need to focus on for self care this full moon?

Dragon Age Inquisition TarotReading Summary: That is one hell of a Three of Staves.  Just sayin’.  This is a newer deck for me and the first time I’ve spent any quality time with it since I received it.  And.. wow on the Three of Staves… just sayin’.

Continue to move forward (Three of Staves), even if it’s done with caution (imagery on the Three of Staves overlapped on the Page of Cups), in the direction of my emotional growth and finding the balance for it in my life (Page of Cups).  Don’t allow my internal anxieties and worries to overshadow this process (Nine of Swords). I’m internally strong enough to keep these things from growing and festering into something that will become a hindrance (The High Priestess).

Take Away:  For self care during this full moon I need to make sure that my anxieties and worries are not standing in the way of getting that emotional growth to a place of pause a safety for the upcoming holiday rush.  This isn’t about backsliding, but it’s about preservation of progress.  Allow my inner strength to shine through and burn off the cloying touch of my anxieties so that I move forward instead of backsliding.

DECK USED:  DRAGON AGE INQUISITION TAROT

Lionharts #AstroTarotChallenge
Question: Generate your birth chart at astro-charts.com and scroll down to houses to learn about your zodiac signs per house.

Houses

Information on the zodiac signs through each house means can be found here.

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: What helps me stay positive?

Haindl Tarot

Reading Summary:  My “cup overflowing” with the love of others (Three of Cups) that is fostered through clear and strong communication (The Tower and the Queen of Swords).

The imagery here in The Tower of this deck is about enlightenment destroying the Tower of Babble.  This creates a dynamic in this specific card in this specific deck where the card has the ability to represent the salvation of good communication. 

In this way, communication doesn’t just bracket the Three of Cups in this reading, but are representative of pillars of strength standing strong on either side of the card of connection and emotion.

Take Away: Communication with those I love and trust helps me to stay positive.  It is the cornerstone of any good relationship, and being open and honest with these people fosters the bonds I have built with them.  I am, in fact, unable to always bring about my own positivity and optimism. I need their help to do this sometimes, and it is with their help and love surrounding me, as well as their wise council, that I’m able to take their support and advice without fear of betrayal.  This allows my trust to flourish so that I am able to share the  deepest and darkest parts of myself.  They are my shaft of light shining into the darkness.

DECK USED:  HAINDL TAROT