Flower Fortune Cards

Do What You Love

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IMG_3256Today’s meditation was just over ten minutes long, and was another of the guided meditations from the Calm app combined with an interval timer for my piriformis stretching.

The focus of today’s meditation was… hm… I don’t remember.  I’m not sure if I was actually paying attention beyond the rhythmic breathing exercise that was going on.  I would surmise, though, that it was about intuition and autonomy in one’s life.  About “steering our own boat” in life by listening to our intuition and what feels right for us.

Northern Animal Tarot and Less Anxiety Affirmation CardsToday’s draw is the Eight of Pentacles, which is traditionally a representation of hard work and honing one’s skills and abilities.  This often leads to themes that have to do with manifestation, perfectionism, and expertise in one’s crafts or vocational field.

The imagery here is quite traditional (other than it being a rabbit instead of a human) and, when combined with the affirmation card for today, the message is clear.

Too much work and not enough play.  Too much time spent doing the crap I don’t enjoy, and not enough time spent doing the things that I do.

When you’re taking a break?  Take. A. Break.   Don’t work on the side, and don’t worry about work.  Let it GO and take that break that you need to be healthy and happy, and do the things that make you happy and healthy.

DECK USED:  NORTHERN ANIMAL TAROT AND LESS ANXIETY AFFIRMATION CARDS

The Sacred Grounds Tarot Club Prompt
Questions for July 12th and 15th

Sea Witch TarotWhat barriers will I need to overcome to embrace this growth? (From July 10th)
The Star, Strength atop Six of Coins Rx

Don’t push yourself to give to others right now. You are struggling with finding that positive outlook at the moment, and spreading yourself too thin isn’t going to help.  You’re often told that you give too much of yourself, and right now?  You need to listen to that advice and focus on yourself for the time being.

What tools would support me in overcoming these barriers?
Nine of Wands and Four of Coins

Good boundaries are essential right now. Make sure they are firmly anchored and grounded, and built for the long haul. Don’t be wishy-washy. Be decisive and keep those boundaries strong. Sink those fence posts deep in the soil so that the fence can withstand what storms may come.

How will this growth support my journey?
Eight of Cups and The Fool

Moving forward on to a healthier path will allow you to feel less weighed down. Lighter and more care free. Invigorated. This sort of energy can not just lift you up and keep you positive, but make each step along your journey that much easier and more enjoyable.

What abundance will this growth bring me?
Five of Wands atop Two of Swords

Less time spent fighting with yourself (and the world at large),  which means more time enjoying life and my journey.

DECK USED: SEAWITCH TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsJul2021 Challenge Prompt
Question: How does my inner adolescent feel right now?

Northern Animal TarotReading Summary:  No chaos (The Tower Rx). No scarcity (Five of Pentacles Rx). Just potential (The World).

Take Away: Okay, so essentially, what these cards are saying is that during my adolescence I lived in a constant state of chaos and scarcity. I have spent the majority of my adult life rectifying that, and my inner adolescent now feels secure and able to look beyond those fears to the potential that the future holds.

The enjoyment I find in spending money on decks, crystals, and brand name foods and other “consumer treats” is my inner adolescent celebrating his release from those fears.

So… spoiled rotten and full of potential.

DECK USED: NORTHERN ANIMAL TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

Lots of time with Gideon.  I also managed to do my meditation today, even though I wasn’t feeling particularly enthused about it.

Ease Up

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IMG_3164Today’s meditation was just over ten minutes long, and was one of the Calm apps guided meditations with an interval timer added in for my piriformis stretching.

The focus of today’s meditation was about living in the now. It’s all well and good to make plans for the future, but it’s important to remember that the future is fluid and ever changing. And to not let our focus rest so strongly on that unpredictable daydream of what might come that we forget to focus on what’s good in life right now.

Homebound Tarot and Less Anxiety Affirmation CardsToday’s draw is the Three of Pentacles, which is traditionally a representation of combining talents and expertise upon a project, creating a better result through teamwork, and learning through collaborative efforts.

In most cases? It isn’t the expectations of the world that I struggle with, but rather my own expectations that I struggle with resisting. I know that this is not the case for everyone, but in my case, I expect far more from myself than anyone else can possibly expect or demand.

This becomes a problem when I work with others, as sometimes it means that I start pushing them at the pace I demand from myself.  Or, I take over and do it all, instead of it being a collaborative effort it was meant to be.

Combined with the affirmation card for today, these cards speak of the need to go a little easier.  Not just on others, but on yourself as well. Not everything has to be done by you, and not everything has to be done this minute. It may  not feel like it, but it’s okay to move at a slower pace, and share the load.

DECK USED:  HOMEBOUND TAROT AND LESS ANXIETY AFFIRMATION CARDS

Mr Lionharts’ #TheJulyTarot #TarotSuitsChallenge Prompt
Questions for July 7th thru 9th

David Wilson's Animal Oracle and Homebound TarotSomething I should know about the things I wish to create for myself?

Strategy and The Tower – The deconstruction phase is going to take some strategy to get right.  Don’t rush. Strategize and let the bricks shift and the tower tumble on its own while you pick up the pieces and turn them to use for something new.

What steps I can take at this time towards manifesting my plans?

Veil and Seven of Cups – It’s your intuition and not logic that needs to be heard while making decisions right now. Touch upon the guidance of your spirit guides and ancestors, and keep in consideration Fae-think as well. This isn’t about “thinking outside the box” so much as where you get your inspiration from.

In what way can this creative process help me grow?

Elusive and Three of Swords – Sometimes inner pain is hard to pin down. This growth and creativity process has the potential to help me in healing old wounds that I haven’t been able to address as yet.

DECK USED: DAVID WILSON’S ANIMAL ORACLE AND HOMEBOUND TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsJul2021 Challenge Prompt
Philosophical Question: Is happiness just chemicals flowing through the brain or something more?

Homebound TarotReading Summary: Don’t discount those chemicals flowing through the brain (Temperance). If you really think about it, most of our sensations and experiences come from those chemicals (The Hermit). They don’t lose value just because they come from within as a natural part of our bodies functioning rather than from some other outside influence (The Empress).

Take Away: There’s no indication in these cards that happiness is anything other than chemicals flowing through the brain.  What’s important in this reading is that we don’t discount these feelings, even if they are chemically induced.  They are still important and nurturing, and help us in finding a healthy sense of well being.

DECK USED: HOMEBOUND TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I went to the eye doctor today to make them fix my new glasses because they had some weird triple image overlay thing going on (color wise) what makes it feel like my peripheral vision is through one of those red/blue 3d glasses.

Curiosity and Creativity

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IMG_3118Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and it was a guided meditation from the Calm app combined with an interval timer for my piriformis stretches.

The focus of today’s meditation was about not taking ourselves so seriously that we forget to find the humor in what can sometimes be frustrating situations. Things like losing your keys and finding them in the freezer don’t have to be all bad… Sometimes they’re also funny, if you let them be.

Kiddy Katz Tarot and Less Anxiety Affirmation CardsToday’s draw is the Page of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of imagination and creativity, curiosity, interesting possibilities, and opportunities that involve your creative side.

In the card we see a cat having a friendly conversation with a fish, which is really out of character for a cat.  And yet when we look at the affirmation card for today, the imagery in the tarot card is very fitting.

Today’s cards are about thinking outside the box and doing the unexpected.  Approaching things from a creative standpoint, the entire world takes on a different perspective and everything in it has the potential for a new meaning.  How we approach life (and our different experiences in it) and the mindset we keep while moving along life’s path plays a key role in how we experience life and the world around us.  Consider approaching life with more curiosity and creativity.

DECK USED:  KIDDY KATZ TAROT AND LESS ANXIETY AFFIRMATION CARDS

#DiscordTarotholicsJul2021 Challenge Prompt
Question: What can I do to help my inner child feel less neglected?

House of Pounce Game Cards and Kiddy Katz TarotThe Fool and Bottom of the Bowl – Don’t allow setbacks in your goals to keep you from having a good time, as well as enjoying those you’re with and the world around you

Four of Wands and Playing – There’s safety and comfort at home, and no reason you can’t be vulnerable there. Enjoy this space to the fullest.

Three of Wands and Pounce – Yesterdays cards indicated that the inner child was feeling rudderless and stagnant. You need to hear what’s being said here, and be proactive in resolving that stagnancy.

Take Away – To help my inner child feel less neglected, they need movement. Don’t let things hold you back or hold you down from enjoying the good stuff in life, combined with having a direction and actually moving in it instead of standing still.

DECK USED: KIDDY KATZ TAROT AND HOUSE OF POUNCE GAME CARDS

Cosmic_Crow_Tarot’s #FreedomTarotChallenge Prompt
Questions for July 6th and 7th

Kiddy Katz TarotWhat is my true enemy?

Stagnancy (Three of Wands Rx). Lack of direction (Two of Wands Rx), and lack of action. Lack of an action plan.

Today’s theme on the whole for all of my card  pulls reiterates that stagnancy is not my friend and that it’s time to start looking at the world around me through a different perspective filled with more curiosity, creativity, and hope.

What is my greatest ally?

Awareness of your limits so that I don’t allow myself to get overburdened, and am not flirting with burn out all the time (Ten of Wands Rx). Meditation (Four of Cups).

Meditation helps me stay aware of where my energy levels are, and that awareness helps me keep from getting to that “flirting with burnout” point that I used to perpetually visit and linger in.

DECK USED: KIDDY KATZ TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I went hiking (and swimming) today.  It was a really great day, but the heat feels like it really took it out of me.

A Work In Progress

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Today’s meditation was skipped because it’s an orders day.

The New Chapter Tarot and Less Anxiety Affirmation CardsToday’s draw is the Fool card, which is traditionally a representation of new beginnings, rebirth, innocence, naivete, blind trust, optimism, and unrealistic expectations.

What really sticks out to me in these cards today, though, is not in the Fool card, but rather it’s in the words “nothing is ever enough for a mind always striving for more” in today’s affirmation card.

I fall into this trap again and again, whether it’s with my emotional growth, my business, my financial stability… it seems that at the root core of everything, I am always striving for more. Pushing for more. Demanding more from myself than might be expected from others.

I have not figured out how not to push. I have yet to discover how to simply be still in the now without fighting to move forward and accomplish more. The Fool card here is a reminder of this folly that I can’t imagine I am alone in struggling with.  It’s a reminder that we are all pieces of work in progress, always in progress.  There’s no need to push.

DECK USED:  THE NEW CHAPTER TAROT AND LESS ANXIETY AFFIRMATION CARDS

Mr Lionharts’ #TheJulyTarot #TarotSuitsChallenge Prompt
Questions for July 1st thru 3rd

Hedgewitch Botanical Oracle and The New Chapter TarotWhat major energy am I invited to work with this month?

Dogwood (Cornus florida) and Death – It’s time to change up your wards. Whether they’ve been tapped early through extra challenges to their protections, or you’ve shared enough information on them to leave you vulnerable, it’s time.

What major energy is here to support me throughout the month?

Burdock (Arctium lappa) – You excel at being stubborn. Use that to your advantage.

How can I best embrace and work with this available energy?

Cohosh (Actaea racemosa) and Four of Wands – These cards echo back to the first question. You need to make new defenses and wards for your home and all that you hold dear. It’s stressful, but this needs to be done throughout the month. Start changing things up, and refresh everything a bit earlier than normal with new methods in place in order to both protect and ensure stability and peace in your home life.

DECK USED: HEDGEWITCH BOTANICAL ORACLE AND THE NEW CHAPTER TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsJul2021 Challenge Prompt
Question: How can I better connect with my inner child?

The New Chapter TarotReading Summary: By looking inward (The High Priestess) and not allowing your more solemn nature and self destructive tendencies (The Hermit Rx) to stand in the way of seeing life as an adventure (The Fool). Stop pushing so hard to move on and move past everything (Ten of Swords Rx).

Take Away: To connect with my inner child on a deeper level I need to spend more time looking inward at what makes me tick and what uncertainties and hidden motivators are lurking in my subconscious.

I also need to take time to look at life in a more optimistic and positive light, and use that perspective to set aside destructive tendencies.

All this pushing I’m doing is fear and an effort at avoidance so that I don’t have to deal with these things or look too closely at things that make me uncomfortable.

DECK USED: THE NEW CHAPTER TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I took a nap when I got home from the farm today, even though it’s an orders day.

Sleep Deprivation and Chainsaws

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Today’s meditation was skipped because I dozed off.

Luna Sol Tarot and Less Anxiety Affirmation CardsToday’s draw is The Magician card, which is traditionally a representation of being in possession of all of the skills, abilities, and tools necessary to reach one’s goals and accomplish one’s ends. It’s about being capable and skilled, resourceful and gifted with what is needed to get the job done.

I’ve been seeing the Magician a lot lately. In fact it’s been daily… maybe even multiple times per day over the past week or so.

The message from the Magician when combined with the affirmation card for today is a reminder that you can have all the skillz and tools in the world, but if you’re not getting the rest that your body and mind needs?  You’re not going to be able to actually use those tools as intended.

And keep in mind that sleep deprivation is not the only type of lack of rest there is.  Pushing too hard, demanding too much, stressing over every little thing… all of these things are also things you need rest from in order to function at full capacity.

DECK USED:  LUNA SOL TAROT AND LESS ANXIETY AFFIRMATION CARDS

CoffeexTarot’s Self Love For The Summer Prompt
Questions for June 29th & 30th

Prairie Majesty Oracle and Luna Sol TarotHow can I bring more peace into my life?
Earthworm (Breathe) and Five of Disks

Stop worrying so much about failure.  Let go of your scarcity issues and the fear that you’ve allowed to drive you for so long. It’s okay to ease up on yourself and breathe. Shit is not going to fall apart just because you’re not pushing yourself past your limits.

How can I accept more love this summer?
Two of Swords, Prairie Dog (Dig) atop Dickcissel (Warble)

This answer echoes back to the previous question and the need to make definitive decisions about how you want things to go in your life now.  Are you going to allow yourself to be driven by fear and dictated by your past?  Or are you going to step forward into a kinder and more genuinely -you- way of treating yourself that doesn’t involve being abusive to yourself? The healthy choice is obvious, and leads to that acceptance of love mentioned in this prompt.

DECK USED:  LUNA SOL TAROT AND PRAIRIE MAJESTY ORACLE

#DiscordTarotolicsJun2021 Challenge Prompt
Topic: Grab a spread of your choice that you’ve been curious about… and give it a go!

Mykologia Fungi Themed Oracle and The Brady Tarot

A Card to Begin the Second Half of the Year
Red Cage (Clathrus ruber) / Stagnancy – You have been feeling a bit stuck in your growth for a while now, twisting against the caged bonds that you can’t quite seem to break free of. Part of this is a discomfort with letting go of the familiar, but don’t discount the idea that outside influences are also at play here.

Progress of Seeds Planted in Early 2021
Anemone Stinkhorn (Aseroe rubra) / Like Attracts Like – Are you perpetuating what you want or are you encouraging negative influences to flow. If you want positivity, luck, and happiness then you need to work at promoting happiness in your life.  This is why you are currently stuck in limbo and confusion.  You’re not being decisive enough, and you’re not working hard enough to push toward optimism.

Action to Take to Reach My Goals
Brain Mushroom (Gyromitra esculenta) / Intellect – You need to tip a bit back toward logic and intellect.  You’re rushing the emotions thing and that’s creating a negative influence and impatience.  Ease up a bit.  It’s okay to lean into logic.  You don’t have to discount one to foster the growth and health of the other.

A Key Thing Coming In For Me This Year
Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) / Lucidity – Clarity of thought including finding clarity in the places where you are now struggling in a fog of confusion.  You have the opportunity to seize that clarity and make it your own, and from there to better express to others not just how you are feeling but where these feelings come from.  It’s here in this place of clarity and expression where you’ll find balance.

Outside Influences: Positive or Negative
Destroying Angel (Amanita bisporigera) / Second Guesses – When your instinct or intuition says something, make damned sure that you’re listening.  It’s so easy sometimes to fall into second guessing those intuitive moments or instinctual reactions.  But… they are never wrong.  Ever.  So don’t argue against them, just listen and act according to their guidance.

Who or What Will Assist Me?
Wood Ear (Auricularia auricula-judae) / Speaking (Up) – Be true to who you are and don’t hide that from the world.  Allow self expression to ring true and shine bright.  You are at your best when you are genuinely presenting yourself to the world, so bare your soul and show people what you’re made of by sharing your truth and your values with those around you.

A “Wild Card” For The Rest of the Year
Yartsa Gunbu (Ophiocordyceps sinensis) / Sexuality – Okay so this has been a bit of a “wild card” for you ever since the cancer.  Remember that it’s okay for your drive to go up and down, and Gideon is not going to blame you for having times when you just can’t kick your libido into gear.  Your sex drive is unpredictable.  It happens.  Enjoy it when it’s active, and allow yourself to rest and enjoy other things with him when it’s not.

My Theme Card For The Remainder of 2021
Black Truffle (Tuber melanosporum) / Self-Care – The remainder of 2021 will continue to focus on finding a balance in your life between self-care and your responsibilities, and learning how to put your self-care as a priority without allowing guilt to slide in and try to spoil the experience.

July – Nine of Roots (Accomplishment) – For the month of July, work on focusing on how much you’ve accomplished and in being grateful for all that you have. Now isn’t the time to push for more, but to live in the moment and appreciate all the good in your life.

August – Mother of Horns – It’s possible that August is going to be a bit of a struggle for you this year.  The urge to push forward and plow through time you should be resting in order to work instead will be strong.  Make sure you are focusing on taking care of yourself, as well as those around you.

September –  Two of Roots (Equilibrium) – The beginning of this month is the slowest time of year for your business, and the end of the month ramps up into the first preparations for the holiday season soon to come.  Direct your focus on making sure you are creating a good balance between work and home and your self care, so that as work responsibilities begin to build, you aren’t neglecting these other aspects of your life.

October – The Star – Preparation is the name of the game for October, with a hopeful eye on the months to come and the holiday rush just around the corner.  This month is filled with hope and anticipation. Make sure to keep that energy as well as the demands you put on yourself gentle, and balance your energy to give yourself the rest and care you need.

November – Five of Arrows (Defeat) – As the holiday season begins its rush within the beginnings of this month, it can be a difficult shift to move from a more rested and balanced way of life to the constant demands that the business requires at this part of the year.  As self care takes a back seat and balance goes out the window, by the end of the month you end up feeling as if you are already at the end of your rope.  Remember… by the end of November?  There’s only 3 weeks of holiday rush left to go.  You may feel run into the ground, but you can do this.

December – Daughter of Feathers – A second wind, or maybe just finding your groove, either way you’ll find that dragging ass feeling from the previous month lifts as you  move into December.  Focus on the future, focus on what you enjoy about your work, and your passion for what you do and what you love about what you do will carry you through the rest of the rush and allow you to find that breather at the end of the month that you need.

DECK USED:  MYKOLOGIA FUNGI THEMED ORACLE AND THE BRADY TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I acknowledged that I was feeling distracted and flighty, and agreed to pausing play with Gideon for some quiet together time in IMs instead of trying to push myself to continue playing.

Breaks Are Not Setbacks

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Today’s meditation was done submerged in the bathtub today.  Well, submerged all but my nose, mouth, and knees anyway.  It was another hot day and I took a cool bath and did my meditation in there during my hour of cool-down. There was no real focus other than on my breathing and the cooling, calming sensation of the water all around me.

Inner Child Cards Fairy Tale Tarot and Less Anxiety Affirmation CardsToday’s draw is the Nine of Crystals (Pentacles), which is traditionally a representation of personal satisfaction and satiation with one’s home life, abundance, and financial independence.  This is the well earned moment where you realize all you have worked toward and feel gratitude for that.  It is the last step of accomplishment before we begin to share our good fortune with those around us.

The thing is, in order for many to get to this point in their lives, they feel that they have work themselves to the bone and that they need to be on top of every little thing and in control 100% of the time.

The reminder in the combination of the Nine of Pentacles with the affirmation card for today is that your goals don’t require constant diligence and supervision. It’s okay to enjoy what you have in the now. Momentum will keep things moving forward, even while you take a break.

DECK USED:  INNER CHILD CARDS FAIRY TALE TAROT AND LESS ANXIETY AFFIRMATION CARDS

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: Where do I want to be 10, 15 or 20 years from now?

She Whispers Her Truth OracleAlthough I don’t really look so far ahead, I thought that this reading might be fun to help tell me what things I might likely be into doing or be of interest to me through these long term perspectives.

Ten Years From Now – Selfless – Whether I am committing more time to reading for others, or more time teaching and mentoring others, I can see this being something I’d be interested in exploring.  Ten years from now I will be forty-three and my mortgage should be fully paid off.  Without that weighty responsibility weighing on me, it’s possible I’d have a bit more free time to do these sort of things with.

Fifteen Years From Now – Investigate – Still interested in exploring new things and seeking out answers.  At forty-eight years old, it would be terrific to still be fostering a sense of excitement and curiosity at the mysteries before me. The possibility of new ideas, passions, and interests keeping things fresh and life interesting sounds good to me.

Twenty Years From Now – Awaken – A new journey… and new potential.  At fifty-three years old, the peacock indicates that even as I move into a different stage of life and deal with the issues that new stage will hold for me, I’ll be ready to stretch myself and seek new motivation to keep me going.  New goals could inspire new changes.

DECK USED:  SHE WHISPERS HER TRUTH ORACLE

#DiscordTarotolicsJun2021 Challenge Prompt
Topic: About similarities…
Question: How can I strengthen my awareness of the similarities between myself and others?

Inner Child Cards Fairy Tale TarotCinderella (The Moon) and Earth Child (The World)

These cards are calling me out on my uncertainty when interacting with others.  I don’t think that most people realize just how awkward I feel when interacting with others.  The Moon here is a reminder that I’m not the only one that feels that way.  Lots of people have social anxieties and uncertainties.  The World  then steps into this reminder to let me know that it’s okay to feel that newness and awkwardness, as it’s a part of the process of growth.

Ten of Crystals (Pentacles)

I have a lot to offer. I don’t always feel like it, but even though I might see myself as inconvenient, awkward, and a pain in the ass… others don’t.  They see someone that has accomplished a great deal and is happy to share what they’ve learned along the way with everyone else.

DECK USED:  INNER CHILD CARDS FAIRY TALE TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

Cool bath time again today.  I soaked in a nice cool bath for about an hour earlier today after I’d pulled the decks I’m putting into rotation next month (and put away all of this month’s other than the one’s I’m using tomorrow).