One Step at a Time

Today’s meditation was a fifteen minute self-guided visualization session while listening to a loop of Kip Mazuy’s Bird Song track.

•    •    •    ◈    •    🌻    •    ◈    •    •    •

Daily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Otherkin Tarot's Temperance card In This Moment Mindful Affirmation Cards

Today’s draw is the Temperance card, which is traditionally a representation of moderation, balance, slowing down, practicing patience, and can at times represent a connection between the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.

The Temperance card has then been combined with an affirmation from the In This Moment Mindful Affirmation Cards, which says, “In this moment, I lovingly forgive myself and others.”

It is hard to let go of unreasonable expectations. When you’ve spent the majority of your life pushing yourself to do more and be more every single day, it is hard to let go of that mentality and forgive yourself for doing less.

I feel like in this moment of transition between unreasonable expectation and grounded performance, that the forgiveness should be lain at the feet of the abuse you have done to yourself up to this point by expecting so much more than as reasonable. What I find, though, is that in order to reach that part of myself that has been abused, I first have to forgive myself for “slacking off”.

Yes, I know that it’s not actually slacking off, it’s reevaluation of expectations and being more reasonable in how far we’re willing to push ourselves. But in the moment it does feel like slacking off. And, in my experience, I find that this needs to be forgiven first in order to reach that part of myself abused by previous behavior and find it open to giving forgiveness as well.

The message in today’s Temperance card and affirmation is a reminder that easing up on your expectations of yourself is not a failure. It’s not something frivolous, nor is it slacking off. It’s called self-care… and you need to forgive yourself for needing self-care first and foremost, or the guilt may keep you from being able to make the transition stick.

DECKS USED:  OTHERKIN TAROT AND IN THIS MOMENT MINDFUL AFFIRMATION CARDS

@lightningildflower‘s August Reflections Challenge
Prompt for August 26th and 27th

Tarot Reading with the Fine Line Tarot and Evy Benita's Trading Cards

Clarifying – What confusion is starting to clear?

King of Swords and Oceanic Manta Ray

You’re beginning to see more clearly that you don’t have to be a harsh task master in order to get things done. By focusing on grace, and prioritizing it over blunt force, you are able to get more done and at the same time charm others in the process.

Sun conjunct Mercury – What have I been overthinking lately?

Four of Swords Rx and Ocellate River Ray

You focus far too much upon what you’re not getting done during times of rest and solitude. Even during these times of rest, you aren’t losing full sight of what’s going on around you, so there is no need to be worrying over the things that can take care of themselves for a little while while you recoup.

Other elements included in this reading:
Pressed Pansy Flowers for Hearing the Heart More Clearly
Foraged Parmeliaceae Lichen for a “Breath of Fresh Air”
Desert Rose for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: FINE LINE TAROT AND EVY BENITA TRADING CARDS

#DiscordTarotholicsAug2026 Challenge
Prompt for August 27th
: What do I need to focus on for self-care for this month’s full moon?

Tarot Reading with the Otherkin Tarot

Reading Summary: Be kind to yourself (Six of Pentacles) in the face of disappointment (Three of Swords) or discomfort (Five of Pentacles).

Take Away: It’s important to remember that it’s not the end of the world if things don’t go as planned. Give yourself a little bit of grace in these moments instead of beating yourself up for them (as you have been over the past week).

Holding onto these more negative thoughts and perspectives will just get in your way.

Instead of focusing on what went wrong and the potential repercussions that may arise from what went awry (such as scarcity and other hurdles), direct your focus toward bringing things back into balance with a healthy dose of adaptability and forgiveness.

Other elements included in this reading:
Dried Wood Fern for Exorcising Negative Influences
Black Spruce Needles to Boost Self-Confidence and Positive Thinking
Dried Rosebuds for Potential and Beauty Waiting to Unfold
Dried Purple Heather Flowers for Independence and Luck
Rose Quartz for Gentle Kindness to Self and Others
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: OTHERKIN TAROT
Daily Self Kindness

I had peanut butter jelly instead of lasagna leftovers because I didn’t want to have to try and tackle heartburn or acid reflux later.

Strengthening Principles

Today’s meditation was… well, I had every intention of meditating today, but that didn’t happen.  I really need to get back into doing this on a regular basis. Hell, even on a semi regular basis would be better than just skipping it all the time.  I’m not sure why I struggle with this but I need to try harder.

Lunaria Tarot and Thera-Pets Emotional Support CardsToday’s draw is the Seven of Quills (Wands) which is traditionally a representation of standing one’s ground, standing up for what you believe in against all odds, and fighting for those things that are important to you.

Sometimes it’s not about the odds, but rather about one’s values and principles. There are hills you just have to stand, and possibly die on in life and it’s important to stand strong in these moments and be true to yourself.

Combined with the Thera-Pets card for today, what I see here is a reminder that standing up for your values and principles isn’t just about outside influences and external attacks. Sometimes it’s our own inner dialogues and judgements that attack what we know is right and try to whittle away at our principles.  Other times it’s peer pressure playing off our insecurities.   Either way, it’s important to remember that we have our values and our principles for a reason, and stay in touch with what they are and why they are what they are.

By keeping in touch with these things we strengthen them, and that strengthening then helps us when these core parts of who we are come under attack.

DECK USED:  LUNARIA TAROT AND THERA-PETS EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL CARDS

The Sacred Grounds Tarot Club Prompt
Question:
Cards to guide me towards total self love and acceptance.

Fine Line Tarot

Color Notes: Take the essence of the Queen of Pentacles and the Death card, and blend them together into the Page of Pentacles.

Reading Summary: By remembering to focus on fostering a nurturing and balanced attitude towards yourself and others (Queen of Pentacles) during times of change (Death), you will learn to accept yourself as you are and things as they come instead of always pushing so hard and judging yourself harshly (Page of Pentacles).

Take Away: So essentially I could have been handed Temperance and the Empress.  *Chuckles*  Well, not necessarily as it would have lost some of it’s nuance but still.   The answer here in how to lean into self love and acceptance is to be kinder to myself.  Kinder in how I view myself, how I judge myself, and how I treat myself… and practice more patience with myself.   These are not really things that I excel at

DECK USED:  FINE LINE TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicsApr2021 Challenge Prompt
Question
: In what aspect of life do you need a new perspective?

Lunaria TarotReading Summary: You need to learn when to let go and move on (Three of Quills) from a plan that isn’t working (Three of Pens). Take control not by trying to force the plan to continue to work, but I stepping away and moving on to something else (The Chariot).

Take Away: Don’t hold on so tight.  There’s other ways to use my determination, energy, and intent than by plowing down a road that isn’t going anywhere or isn’t working.

Instead of being single focused on the path I think is the only right one, look around and seize control to change direction instead.  There’s always a better way if you’re willing to just ease up and take a minute to find it.

DECK USED:  LUNARIA TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

Instead of going to bed after I finished my orders as I had at first planned, I’m catching up on blog posts.  This self kindness is in the fact that I feel so much less weight, and so much better, when I don’t have a pile of posts to get through because of having put off posting for a few days.

Growth Is a Journey

Today’s meditation was just over ten minutes long and was another of the guided meditations in the Calm app combined with an interval timer for my piriformis stretches.

The focus of today’s meditation was about how when you focus too hard on a goal or endeavor,  you often end up missing so  much else going on around you… and all of the fun as well.

Fine Line Tarot and Thera-Pets Emotinal Spport Animal CardsToday’s draw is The Hermit card, which is traditionally a representation of taking time to one’s self for the purposes of contemplation and self-development. The Hermit is the solitary time needed to cast light upon new paths in one’s life and growth.

The Thera-Pets card combined with the meaning behind the Hermit card leaves he in a place of remembering what was said in my Self Care Saturday spread this week.  That is to say, that this week needs to be about enjoying… having fun… relaxing.  Leaving the mundane and weight of responsibility behind and allowing myself time to breathe.

Sometimes… okay, almost always, this is extremely difficult for me. But, when I first started allotting time off for myself on a semi-regular basis last  year… it was nearly impossible.  It’s no longer impossible, it just takes a bit of effort. A bit of struggle.

Slowly but surely, I’m becoming more accustomed to taking this time off and enjoying it, and with each time I do it and feel the benefits that I reap from it, I learn a little more about how to do it more easily and with less feelings of pressure and guilt entangled into the experience.

DECK USED:  FINE LINE TAROT AND THERA-PETS EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL CARDS

The Sacred Grounds Tarot Club Prompt
Question:
What role does play hold in my life?

Sidewalk Chalk Tarot de Marseille

Reading Summary: Sometimes you get a little carried (Cavalier de Bâton) away in overburden yourself (Dix de Bâton) with those things that you’re really enthusiastic about and want to explore creatively (Cavalier de Coupe).

Take Away: My creativity is my where play resides in my life.  I’ve never been much of the “carefree” type.  I don’t fool around or spend a lot of time doing the whole “fun and games” thing.  I find joy and pleasure, passion and spark, in my creative process and all the different ways in which I express myself creatively.

The problem with this is that my work is also creative in nature, and sometimes when I’m diving into one or the other, they blend together, compound on each other, and I end up overwhelmed.  Then the fun dies and I’m left with feelings of overburden and responsibility… and no pleasure or play at all.

DECK USED:  SIDEWALK CHALK TAROT DE MARSEILLE

#DiscordTarotolicsApr2021 Challenge Prompt
Topic
: Do Spread #1

Fine Line Tarot and Carrot CardsWhat does this loved one need less of from me?
Eight of Cups and The Rolling Rabbit

Stop ignoring the need for fun and pleasure, or pushing it away and considering it not a priority or not important.  It is important and shouldn’t be rejected, ignored, or devalued. A part of his purpose, he feels, is to give me a chance to cut loose and find pleasure in life. Don’t reject the value of these things or view them as inconsequential.

What does this loved one need more of from me?
Eight of Pentacles and The Safe Burrow

Lean in and let him do what he does best, which is making you feel safe and secure, helping you to relax, and sheltering you when you are feeling out of sorts or overwhelmed. Expressing when you are feeling this way is important, and it’s important to him to provide that safe haven for you when you need it.

What in this relationship is being entirely neglected?
The Chariot and Kicking

My dominant nature. Usually this is something that only really displays itself outside of my relationship with him.  There is something about Gideon that specifically pulls on my submissive side.  Outside of him, dominant traits usually reign if only at times in how I control my life and lead in the ways I’m comfortable. But, there are times that it rises up within the context of our relationship.   This is not one of those times.  Yes, that side of myself is being “entirely neglected” right now, but I’m very aware that when those needs rise, I can speak up and they will be welcomed eagerly with open arms.

DECK USED:  FINE LINE TAROT AND CARROT CARDS

Daily Self Kindness

I spent the majority of my day relaxing and spending time with Gideon in play.  It’s been a very “chill” day.