Hans Zatzka Dreamland Tarot

Roadkill or Ride

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IMG_8259Today’s meditation was just under twelve minutes long, and was another of the Calm app’s guided meditation with additional interval timer for my piriformis (and forearm flexor) stretches.

Honestly… I don’t remember the theme of today’s guided meditation.  I listened to it, but I was far more focused on the piano chords being played in the background.  There were like… drops of water on a smooth body of water.  Like you could ride those drops from one drip to the next.

It was very peaceful and relaxing.

Fantastic Menagerie Tarot - DeathToday’s draw is the Death card, which is traditionally a representation of organic change.  This is different to sudden and chaotic change like what is represented in the Tower, and is instead about change that develops over time and may, or may not, come to a tipping point at some time along the way.   It isn’t sudden, but a development where something ends so that something new can begin.

What really stands out to me in the imagery of this card today is the frog on the right hand side holding the cattail like a spear as well as the frog that is beneath the foot of the heron.

The message I see here in the imagery of today’s card is not just about change, but it’s about not resisting change.  It’s about allowing yourself to roll with the changes taking place so that they don’t trample you under their feet in order to just keep moving forward.  Because that change is going to happen whether you fight it or not. So do you want to be roadkill under the change’s tires… or rather take a moment to see the direction change is moving in and make sure you’re on board for the ride?

With today being the last day of the holiday rush, this message rings especially true for me today as a reminder that it’s time to slow down, and to not allow myself to squirm and fight that slowing but take advantage of it to allow myself time to rest and recover from the neglect and abuse I’ve inflicted on myself over the past six weeks.

DECK USED:  FANTASTIC MENAGERIE TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicsDec2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: Where should I direct my focus this week to foster my understanding towards others?

Winter Waite Tarot 2019 EditionReading Summary: Be consciously appreciative of all you have accomplished (Nine of Pentacles).  Now is a time to put away your authoritative and controlling side of your nature (King of Pentacles Rx) and lean into your intuition and spirituality (The High Priestess). It’s time to find balance once more (Two of Pentacles).

Take Away: The message here is that if I want to be able to be understanding towards others, I need to first take the time to settle myself back into a comfortable and balanced place of gratitude and reconnect with my spirituality first.

I’ve spent the past six weeks essentially neglecting and abusing myself in order to keep up with the holiday rush. I’ve closed myself off from people and even from loved ones on a number of different levels (social and emotional primarily) and I need time to find my balance again.   The cards here are indicating that once I have taken care of myself, it will be much easier for me to direct my compassion and understanding towards others.

DECK USED:  WINTER WAITE TAROT 2019 EDITION

Mystic Star December Challenge Prompt
Question: How can I be more open to the gifts that others wish to share with me?

Dreamland Tarot

Reading Summary:  Don’t be combative (Seven of Wands Rx) when people are trying to reach out to support you (Queen of Cups and Queen of Wands) when you’re feeling overburdened (Ten of Wands).

Take Away:  Support can come in a number of different ways.  Sometimes it comes in the form of emotional support.  Sometimes it comes in the form of inspiration or hands-on help with your burdens.   In order to be more open to this support in all of the forms it may come in, I need to make sure I don’t bulk up in defense when it’s offered.  Set pride and ego aside and allow them to reach out and help in the ways that they are willing and able to do so.

DECK USED:  HANS ZATZKA DREAMLAND TAROT

Finding Motivation thru Inspiration

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IMG_8067Today’s meditation was just over twelve minutes long, and was another of the guided meditations (from the Calm app, which is where I get the little graphics pertaining to those guided meditations btw) combined with an interval timer for my piriformis stretches.

The topic of today’s guided meditation was about dealing with our personal inner dialogues and the habit of cruelty and lack of understanding that we direct inward towards ourselves rather than treating ourselves with the same kindness and understanding that we give to others.

This is something that I personally struggle with, and I have been making a concerted effort this year to be kinder to myself and use positivity and optimism to help lift my inner dialogue out of the cruel and savage and into a gentler space.  That said, it is still a struggle after all this time, and I know that part of that is my struggle to let go of the past… and the voices of my past.

Heaven & Earth Tarot - Queen of WandsToday’s draw is is the Queen of Wands, which is traditionally a representation of a receptive alpha energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s enthusiasm and drive, passions, willpower, determination, and inner spark.

I really like this deck… a lot.  The imagery is just so… f’ing gorgeous. Every card.  Even with the Jesus looking guy as the Magician card. (It very well may be a depiction of Jesus, as I haven’t read the guide book for this deck yet. Even if not? It sure as hell looks like the classic depictions of Jesus.)

Okay, so my fascination with the artwork aside, what really stood out to me today in this card was the flames at the queen’s feet, and the spread wings above her throne.

To me the flames feel like that fire within that figuratively “lights a fire under your ass” to get you moving. In the Queen, this translates to me as someone or something that lights that fire and encourages its burn.  The wings further this impression for me, as they speak about giving lift.  Encouragement.  Providing what is needed to inspire.  That energy, personality, or person being the “wind beneath” those wings, so to speak.

The message here is about inspiration.  it’s about finding inspiration and fostering it within that inner spark, feeding the fire and using it to keep moving forward.  Find strength and determination and willpower within the fanning of the flames, and use theses qualities to keep going despite the roadblocks and hurdles.

DECK USED:  HEAVEN & EARTH TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicsDec2020 Challenge Prompt
Topic: Draw a random card and use it to describe a quality about yourself that you love.

Hans Zatzka Dreamland Tarot - StrengthStrength – Deep within me beneath the layers of defense and determination. vulnerability and deflection… there is a core of strength.  This strength is what has allowed me to survive so much and continue on, to allow myself to be open and receptive to others even through the pain of what has happened in my past.  The  assaults, the cancer, the rape, the accidents, the abuse, and the betrayals.  All of it could have closed me down, closed me off, made me bitter, made me hard and hateful.  They could have broken me and made me a victim… or in many cases, could have (or almost did) kill me.

And yet I survive.  I am not a victim.  I am not broken.  I am not bitter or hateful. I choose to not allow these things from my past to destroy the person that I am, the person I want to be, and the person I wish to become.

Side note:  This deck’s cardstock is horrendous. It’s essentially unsealed textured printer paper with inkjet printing. I have plans to reproduce this deck for my own use at some point, with better cardstock (and no typos).

DECK USED:  HANS ZATZKA DREAMLAND TAROT