Healing Herbal Cards Vol 1 & 2

Summer Solstice 2021 – Midsummer

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Yesterday was the Summer Solstice, which is the longest day of the year and one of the eight holidays that I celebrate throughout the year. This day marks the ‘official’ transition into summer and a shift from days that become longer and longer through the spring into days from here on out will grow shorter and shorter for the next six months.

This holiday is often called Midsummer or Litha, although I usually just refer to it as the Summer Solstice. On my path, it celebrates the turning point of summer, where the build-up of creative energy from the spring crests into a time of abundance as we travel into the depths of summer in much the same way that the growing energies of the full moon crest before beginning to wane each month.

Like with new moons and full moons, I usually do a spread to check in with myself and give myself some direction for the next couple of months on each solstice, equinox, and other Sabbats. This spread is an adaptation of my Self Care Saturday spread, so there are sure to be  some similarities in how it is read. The focus of this spread, though, is not about Self Care, but rather about progress and my path. The time period is also longer, reaching through the next handful of weeks until the celebration of the First Harvest (aka, Lughnasadh, Lammas, Lughnasa, Lugh) on August 1st.

Litha Sabbat Art Card, Pagan Underworlds Tarot, Compendium of Witches Oracle, Healing Herbal Cards Vol 1 & 2

NOTATION:  I did not finish interpreting this spread here on the blog.  I got some of what I needed from it at the time of the reading, but I just never got around to writing it all down.   Regardless, I want to place this on the blog to make sure I have a record of it to look back on.

Theme of the Season – Summer Solstice, Waxing Gibbous, Taraxacum officinale (Dandelion)  – Break down each card individually, then…

When looking at these three cards together, the theme that I see here is

Earth – Nine of Cups – I’m feeling very secure emotionally I’m really enjoying a quiet time with less stress in the area of the home and health and finances.

Air – King of Swords – Focus on taking ownership of your thoughts and directing them where they need to go. Now is a good time for strategizing and solidifying your knowledge and ambitions.

Water – Six of Cups atop Ten of Wands – Watch out for feelings of overburden in the area of familial responsibilities.

Fire – The Devil – Don’t retreat from those overburden feelings by turning to work and trying to bury yourself, as is your usual habit of dealing with things that are unpleasant. Now is not a time to be burning yourself out with these things.

Waning – The Dusk Child atop The Priestess –

Waxing – Offering –

Take Away –

DECKS USED:  LITHA SABBAT ART CARD, PAGAN UNDERWORLDS TAROT, COMPENDIUM OF WITCHES ORACLE, HEALING HERBAL CARDS VOL 1 & 2

Beltane 2021

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Tomorrow is Beltane, which is also my sister and I’s birthday. Like Halloween is a time when the veil between the land of the living and the realm of the dead is thin, this holiday is the time when the veil between our world and that of the Fae is at is thinnest.  I personally often find myself amped up with extra energy around this time of year, which I most often use to spend more time playing in that thinning veil as much as possible.

Faylander Art Card, Pagan Underworlds Tarot, Compendium of Witches Oracle, Healing Herbal Cards Vol. 1 & 2

Like with new moons and full moons, I usually do a spread to check in with myself and give myself some direction for the next couple of months for each solstice, equinox, and other Sabbats. This spread is an adaptation of my Self Care Saturday spread, so there are sure to be  some similarities in how it is read. The focus of this spread, though, is not about Self Care, but rather about progress and my path. The time period is also longer, reaching through the next handful of weeks until the celebration of Litha in June.

Theme of the Season – Beltane, Waning Gibbous Moon, Chrysanthemum parthenium (Ornamental Feverfew) – The energies of Beltane are those of celebration and anticipation, fertility and abundance.  This holiday is about the plentiful and fruitful peak of the spring season.   As “April showers bring May flowers” here we now celebrate the arrival of may and the wealth that the rainy season and warming weather have prepared to bestow upon us all.

The Waning Gibbous Moon is the first slow decent from the Full Moon’s burst of power. In that decreasing power, we pause now to take a moment to reflect and focus on gratitude.  Introspection is an important part of growth, and to do this it’s important to take time now to look at the goals that were set when the moon was new and that you have worked toward with the rising energy of the moon towards full.

Chrysanthemum parthenium (Ornamental Feverfew) is a fever reducer and anti-inflammatory that is used to treat fevers, migraines, arthritis, tummy troubles and even bug bites. It’s a common herb used for a wide variety of inflammatory responses in the body, and metaphysically it is commonly used in the prevention of accidents of all kinds as well as drawing pain from the body.

When looking at these three cards together, the theme that I see here is about pausing to enjoy.   Enjoy the spring and be grateful.  Enjoy the abundance… and be grateful.  Allow things to calm within yourself and within your life, and give yourself time to enjoy and relax.  Things will take care of themselves while you give yourself a bit of extra time to just savor and smell the roses. Don’t push so hard right now.

Earth – Ten of Pentacles –  You may be feeling a little tight in the wallet the past week or so, but you’re doing just fine.  All your bills and expenses are covered and you have the money you need for the security and stability you are constantly craving.  So take a breath and enjoy.  Yes, some weeks are tighter than others, but for the time being you are beyond worrying about where your next meal or bill payment is going to come from. You’ve worked hard to get to this point. Enjoy it.

Air – Six of Wands – Keep in mind that it’s okay to enjoy the approval and appreciation of others.  Yes, it’s important to take pride in yourself and not base your self-worth on other’s perceptions of you, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy when people praise or admire you. Due to the upbringing you went through this can sometimes be hard to accept, but it really is okay to get that “warm fuzzy” feeling when someone gives you a compliment.

Water – The Devil – The imagery in this card brings to mind the Sidhe King Dagda in Peadar O’Guilin‘s books The Call and The Invasion. Sometimes are hearts desires call to us even beyond the reality of the realm we live in.  There is a longing for more and more, no matter how good the current moment might be.  Don’t get so caught up in that pursuit of more that you lose sight of the present and all the good that’s there to be enjoyed.

Fire – Ten of Cups – You’ve become sinking back into the pleasure of creating and enjoying it again, something that you haven’t had a lot of over the past year or so.  Having L and Z there to share the joy and enjoyment with is finally becoming something comfortable instead of something you struggle against.  Make sure you take time to truly appreciate what you all have together in your mutual endeavors.

Waning – Ruins atop Oath – Stop worrying so much about dropping the ball on your responsibilities and obligations.

Waxing – Bee atop Sprout –  Over the next few weeks, new ideas and endeavors are the flavor of the season. Put your effort and energy into giving these new sprouts what they need to flourish and grow strong.

Take Away – Lots of advice about gratitude, and lots of reminders about savoring what you have in the present.  Although this is a time of reflection and healing, it also is providing the opportunity to explore new things and get new ideas off the ground and running.  Just make sure that you choose wisely what you want to put that energy into and don’t overwhelm yourself in the process.

DECKS USED:  FAYLANDER ART CARD, PAGAN UNDERWORLDS TAROT, COMPENDIUM OF WITCHES ORACLE, HEALING HERBAL CARDS VOL 1 & 2

Ostara 2021 – Spring Equinox

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Tomorrow is the Spring Equinox, which is considered by many to be the first day of Spring, and is one of only two moments in the year when the sun is exactly above the Equator and day and night are of equal length. After this day, the brightness of daylight begins to overtake the dark hours in the sky as the days continue to longer and longer, and the nights shorter and shorter.  This transition is the basis within the celebration of the holiday itself, as we celebrate the warming and awakening of the earth as she prepares to share her abundance and generosity with us all.

In my path, the Spring Equinox is also known as Ostara.  Although this holiday is celebrated (as Easter around) the world by those that embrace many traditions that originated in Paganism, most don’t realize the full and rich history that this holiday holds.

Spring Equinox Tarot Reading

Like with new moons and full moons, I usually do a spread to check in with myself and give myself some direction for the next couple of months for each solstice, equinox, and other Sabbats. This spread is an adaptation of my Self Care Saturday spread, so there are sure to be  some similarities in how it is read. The focus of this spread, though, is not about Self Care, but rather about progress and my path. The time period is also longer, reaching through the next handful of weeks until the celebration of the upcoming Beltane at the beginning of May.

Theme of the Season – Spring Equinox, First Quarter Moon, Equisetum Arvense –

Spring Equinox is a time of growth and the thriving energy of a rebirth that began with the passing of Imbolc at the beginning of February. Where during that time seeds began to awaken in the earth as the soil begins to thaw and the sun’s rays begin to warm away the bite of winter, with Ostara we now find ourselves seeing outward signs of spring’s arrival with the appearance of small buds forming on trees and the first flowers of spring sprouting from the earth.  Nourishment from the sun and the rains will further encourage this growth, creating a thriving reawakening as spring moves forward into full swing.

The First Quarter Moon is a time of building energy and action.  If you haven’t already begun, now is the time to begin taking action on the intentions and goals that were planted in the fertile soil of the new moon’s energy. This is true in the metaphysical realm just as it is true in the physical, and farmers often find the time between the new moon and first quarter to be both fertile and wet, making it ideal for planting above ground crops, transplanting, and doing grafts. With the season being what it is, now is the first of two spring half moons where this energy is not just available but abundant this spring.

Equisetum arvense (Common Horsetail) is an herb that is well known for its antioxidant qualities, as well as for renewal and restoration of bones, fingernails, and hair, as it contains silica, which is a compound that helps the body absorb calcium.  It is often used magically in anti-aging spells, as well as reinforcing promises and strengthening boundaries.

When looking at these three cards together, the theme that I see here is a reminder to stay true to the path that I want to continue upon.  This is a reminder that I’ve gotten from the cards a few times recently and in this spread it’s a reminder that in moving forward, I will continue to need to be cautious and conscious of where I direct my energy so that it is directed into the growth I want to happen and not falling back on old habits.

Earth – The Sun – Take care of yourself.  Make your body happy and everything else will fall into place. Nourish your body with good foods, give it the rest it needs, and visit those places you find enjoyable and recuperative often. These things encourage positivity and will help you in staying healthy and happy.  In turn, that energy will then spread outward from there into other parts of your life.

Air – Queen of Wands – Not everything is about progress.  Make sure you are paying attention to the little things and not discounting them as unimportant or irrelevant. They are the marrow of the bones of life, so make sure that you are not taking these things for granted. When you put yourself in a position of control over the choices you make and the things you pursue, you give yourself the ability to fit into your life those things that are truly important.  Make sure you fit in lots and lots of those “little things” that mean so much.

Water – Knight of Wands – Go forth in this direction, for this is the way forward. My emotional growth was a good deal of my focus through most of the year last year, and this year that focus needs to continue in that same direction. There is much more to learn and explore.  Don’t allow other passions and interests to pull you off your chosen course (indicated in the rearing up of the buck).

Fire – Four of Swords – The business, represented as the lions share of your Wands position in your life, is not going anywhere and it’ll thrive just fine in neutral.  Will it explode and expand?  No, but you’ve already grown to a point that is hard to manage without help.  Just how much bigger do you really want to get? Lay down your arms and don’t fucking push for now.  Allow yourself to rest (in this area of your life) while there’s the opportunity to do so.

Waning – Rest – While it may be time to set down your arms in the area of the business for the time being, don’t let this fool you into thinking there isn’t anything to do.  There’s plenty to do and plenty to explore, just not in that particular area of your life right now. Don’t be seduced into slacking off.  Your recovery from the MDE and your endeavors for growth and spirituality both require you to keep moving forward.

Waxing – The Priestess – “The betterment of ourselves lies in our actions, and in lessons drawn from our experiences” are words that resonated when I read the artist’s notes on this card. Here we see the culmination of what is coming and where focus needs to lie on the path forward. Pay attention to how things feel, both emotionally and through intuition.  Allow this side of you to stretch and flourish while the slave driver of practical matters takes a step back.

Take Away – This reading is about choices and trajectory, and making sure I make the choices that steer me in the direction I want to go, instead of just taking the easy way out, or falling back on bad habits or old ways of doing things. Right now, as I emerge from the last dregs of the MDE, I have the opportunity to course correct my path forward, adjust my trajectory, and direct my energy in directions far more attuned to what I want to do, where I want to go, and who I want to be… and become.

DECKS USED:  WENDY ANDREW ART CARD, PAGAN OTHERWORLDS TAROT, COMPENDIUM OF WITCHES ORACLE, HEALING HERBAL CARDS VOL 1 & 2

Imbolc 2021

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This evening through ’til tomorrow evening is Imbolc (also known as Candlemas, Imbolg, and Brigid’s Day), which marks the half way point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, and it signifies the transition from winter into the first stirrings of spring.  This holiday is about life renewing, but in the hidden darkness of cold months and dark earth.  Deep in the darkness seeds stir and roots begin to feel the warming of the earth as the days grow longer and nights shorter.  Life awakens, invisible in its infancy.

Imbolc 2021 Tarot Reading

Like with new moons and full moons, I usually do a spread to check in with myself and give myself some direction for the next couple of months for each solstice, equinox, and other Sabbats. This spread is an adaptation of my Self Care Saturday spread, so there are sure to be  some similarities in how it is read. The focus of this spread, though, is not about Self Care, but rather about progress and my path. The time period is also longer, reaching through the next handful of weeks until the celebration of the upcoming Spring Equinox at the end of March.

Theme of the Season – Imbolc, Waning Gibbous Moon, Aesculus Hippocastanum 

Imbolc is a time of life reawakening and the sweet stirrings that are not yet seen but will soon come forth to greet the sun. It is a time of hope, rest, and awakening, and is considered the very first whisper of the spring to come. 

The Waning Gibbous Moon is a time of decline.  This is the time when one rides the peak of the full moon’s power into it’s decrease.  Spell craft done on the full moon will stretch forward into the energy of the gibbous moon, providing  it the power needed to begin influencing those things we set to change on that full moon night.  Now is a time to reflect on your achievements with gratitude for all that has been gained and accomplished.

The Aesculus Hippocastanum (Horse Chestnut) are a magical representation of the fertility of the divine masculine, and are often used in spells that have to do with luck, especially of the monetary abundance sort.  It is an astringent, an anti-inflammatory, and contains saponins, which means that it can be used to make soap and other cleaning products.  It should not be ingested, though, as this nut is toxic to humans, causing stomach upset, kidney problems, muscle twitching, weakness, loss of coordination, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, paralysis, and stupor when ingested. In other words… don’t eat the soap, dumbass.

When looking at these three cards together, the theme that I see here has to do with taking this time of rest and quiet to purge out the negative and that which is not serving you with practices of gratitude and self care. Acknowledge your accomplishments and allow a little bit of pride to flourish as you wash away the negativity with positive reinforcement and an attitude of gratitude and hope.

Earth – Nine of Swords – In the darkness of the depression you find yourself in, you twist and turn restlessly and seek release from the chains darkness has bound you in.  Remember that even the seed must spend time in the dark before it can emerge to greet the sun.  Don’t fuss so much.  Pause and allow yourself to take a breath. Adding extra worries and anxieties to the experience won’t make it any more pleasant, nor usher it to move on more quickly.

Air – Three of Swords – This darkness you find yourself in naturally drags forward feelings of disappointment and damning thoughts of degradation.  Look up and allow the rain to wash you clean.  You are going through a trial and you need to work at keeping the negative thoughts from taking over.

Water – Nine of Wands –  Don’t close up. Don’t close off.  These things will not serve you well and aren’t healthy.  The depression always makes it tempting to put up walls and go on the defensive but you’ve been doing well at keeping those unhealthy habits in check. Better to allow the air to flow in and your breath to flow out.  Your emotions need an outlet to help things stay on an even keel.

Fire – Knight of Wands –  Following the theme of the other cards in this reading, this Knight has arrived to tell you what not to do. Do not charge forward.  Do not bear down in your focus and end up closing out the outside world and the influence of others as a result.  Do not allow yourself to find escape in work… for that escape is not going to foster you in any ways that matter in this moment when it is your mental health that needs your focus… not your work.

Waning – Light – You’re not going to be getting a lot of clarity this week, and hope might be a bit of a challenge. Feeling as if you are at a standstill is a natural part of what you’re going through right now, and that can create a sense of hopelessness. 

Waxing – The Stargazer – Patience is going to play an important role in moving forward over the next few weeks. Not everything can be taken on like a warrior charging into battle, sometimes it is about patiently working towards where you want to be one small step at a time.  The cake still gets eaten whether you nibble at it and savor each bite, or wolf it down on a gluttonous inhale.

Take Away –  Don’t worry. Don’t thrash.  Don’t fight too vigorously or try to charge through the abyss with force.  This moment in your journey is about patience and slow progress.  It’s about gratitude and doing what you can to foster hope within the darkness.   Have patience with yourself… you’ll get there in time.

DECKS USED: DANIELLE BARLOW ART CARD, PAGAN UNDERWORLDS TAROT, COMPENDIUM OF WITCHES ORACLE, HEALING HERBAL CARDS VOL 1 & 2